NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social science Chapter 4 (2024)

Question 1:

Fill inthe blanks:

(a) The Britishdescribed the tribal people as __________.

(b) The method ofsowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as ___________.

(c) The tribal chiefsgot _________ titles in central India under the British landsettlements.

(d) Tribals went towork in the ___________ of Assam and the __________ in Bihar.

Answer:

(a)The British described the tribal people as wild and savage.

(b)The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is knownas broadcasting or scattering.

(c)The tribal chiefs got land titles in central Indiaunder the British land settlements.

(d)Tribals went to work in the tea plantations ofAssam and the coal mines in Bihar.

Question 3:

Whatproblems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?

Answer:

Foradministrative and economic reasons, the British government triedsettling the jhumor shifting cultivators. However, settled plough cultivation did notprove to be helpful to these jhumcultivators. They often suffered because their fields did not producegood yields. The new forest laws also affected the lives of theshifting cultivators. Shifting or jhumcultivation is usually done on small patches of forest land. Underthe forest laws, the British extended their control over all forestsand declared that forests were state property. Thus, the jhumcultivators were prevented from practising jhumcultivation freely. Many were forced to move to other areas in searchof work and livelihood.

Question 4:

How didthe powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?

Answer:

Undercolonial rule, the functions and powers of the tribal chiefs changedconsiderably. Though they were allowed to keep their land titles overa cluster of villages and rent out lands,the administrative, judicial and economic powers they enjoyed beforethe arrival of the British were no longer in force. They wererequired to follow the British laws, pay tribute to the British anddiscipline the tribal groups on behalf of the colonial masters. As aresult, they lost the authority they had earlier enjoyed among theirpeople, and were unable to fulfil their traditional functions.

Question 5:

Whataccounts for the anger of the tribals against the dikus?

Answer:

Theword “dikus”means outsiders. Dikuswere the people who made the tribal people dependent upon them,thereby causing them a lot of misery and suffering. These outsiderswere composed of traders and moneylenders who would come into theforests to sell the goods not produced within the forest, buy forestproduce and offer cash loans. Often these loans came at the price ofvery high rates of interest. These loans ultimately forced thetribals into a vicious cycle of debt and poverty. The traders wouldbuy goods from the tribals at very low rates and sell the sameproducts at high prices, thereby making huge profits. For thesereasons, the tribals considered the trader and the moneylenderfigures to be their main enemies; hence, they referred to them as theevil outsiders.

Thecolonial government too was looked upon asan external evil force that sought to destroy their livelihoods andtheir familiar ways of life. The British alienated the tribals byforcing shifting cultivators to practise settled cultivation;implementing forest laws to prevent their access to the forest landand the forest produce; demeaning the power and authority of tribalchiefs, and demanding tributes. As a result, there was considerableanger towards the British as well.

Question 6:

What wasBirsa’s vision of a golden age? Why do you think such a visionappealed to the people of the region?

Answer:

Birsatalked about a golden age, a satyug,an age of truth in which, like in the past, the tribal people wouldlive a good life, construct embankments, tap natural springs, planttrees and orchards and practise cultivation to earn their living. Hetalked of an age in which the tribals would not kill one another andwould live an honest life. His golden age consisted of a reformedtribal society in which there was no place for vices like liquor,uncleanliness, witchcraft and sorcery, and outside forces like themissionaries, Hindu landlords, moneylenders, traders and theEuropeans.

Thisvision was appealing to the tribalpeople as all the vices and outside forces that Birsa talked aboutwere indeed thought of by everyone as the root causes of their miseryand suffering.

Question 2:

Statewhether true or false:

(a)Jhumcultivators plough the land and sow seeds.

(b)Cocoons were bought from the Santhals and sold by the traders at fivetimes the purchase price.

(c) Birsaurged his followers to purify themselves, give up drinking liquor andstop believing in witchcraft and sorcery.

(d) TheBritish wanted to preserve the tribal way of life.

Answer:

(a)Jhum cultivators plough the land and sowseeds.

False

(b)Cocoons were bought from the Santhalsand sold by the traders at five times the purchase price.

True

(c)Birsa urged his followers to purifythemselves, give up drinking liquor and stop believing in witchcraftand sorcery.

True

(d)The British wanted to preserve thetribal way of life.

False