Question 1.
What was the demand of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi that was refused by the British?
Answer:
She wanted the Company to recognize her adopted son as the heir to the kingdom after the death of her husband.
Question 2.
What did the British do to protect the interests of those who converted to Christianity?
Answer:
They were allowed to inherit the property of their ancestors.
Question 3.
What objections did the sepoys have to the new cartridges that they were asked to use?
Answer:
The cartridges were greased with the fats of cow and pig. The use of these things was against the religious sentiments of Hindus and Muslims. So, the sepoys from these religions objected.
Question 4.
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of his life?
Answer:
Last Years of Life of the Mughal Emperor
Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last emperor of the Mughal dynasty. He played an important role in the revolt of 1857 against the British. In September 1857 the British established their control over Delhi and Bahadur Shah was imprisoned. He was sent to Rangoon along with her wife Begum Zinat Mahal. In 1862, he died in Rangoon.
Question 5.
What could be the reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about their position in India before May 1857?
Answer:
- They supposed that the Indian soldiers are faithful to them. They are very loyal servants.
- They knew that many of the kings and zamindars are their supporters.
- Before 1857, they have won many wars and suppressed many revolts successfully. So, they were confident of their military strength.
Question 6.
What impact did Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support of the rebellion have on the people and the ruling families?
Answer:
Bahadur Shah’s support for the rebellion changed the scene:
- A large part of the country was ruled by chiefs under the Mughal rule and threatened by the British. They thought if Mughal could be powerful again, they too could rule again, under Mughal authority.
- Emperor’s blessing to the rebels gave an alternative and filled people with courage and enthusiasm to fight.
Question 7.
How did the British succeed in securing the submission of the rebel landowners of Awadh?
Answer:
- The British tried and hanged many nawabs and rajas. This spread the terror.
- The British announced that the loyal landholders would be allowed to continue to enjoy traditional rights over their lands.
- Those who have rebelled were told that if they submitted to the British, and if they had not killed any white people, they would remain safe and their rights and claims to land would not be denied.
Question 8.
In what ways did the British change their policies as a result of the rebellion of 1857?
Answer:
As a result of the rebellion of 1857, the British changed their policies. Following are the important changes that the British made:
- The powers of the East India Company were transferred to the British Crown in order to ensure more responsible management of Indian affairs.
- The Governor-General of India was given the title of Viceroy, that is, a personal representative of the Crown.
- All ruling chiefs of the country were assured that their territory would never be annexed in the future. They were allowed to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, including an adopted son. But they had to acknowledge the British queen as their Sovereign Paramount.
- It was decided that the proportion of Indian soldiers in the army would be reduced and the number of European soldiers would be increased. It was also decided that instead of recruiting soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, Central India, and South India more soldiers would be recruited from among the Gorkhqs, Sikhs, and Pathans.
- The British decided to respect the customary religions and social practices of the people in India.
Question 9.
Find out stories and songs remembered by people in your area or your family about San Sattavan ki Ladaai. What memories do people cherish about the great uprising?
Answer:
Songs and Stories
Memories
- Sepoy Mutiny started from Meerut.
- Support of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
- Spread of the mutiny over all of India.
- Thousands of Firangis killed.
- Thousands of people sacrificed their lives.
- Mutiny suppressed.
- British Foundation was shaken in India.
- Concessions are given to Indians.
Question 10.
Find out more about Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. In what ways would she have been an unusual woman for her time?
Answer:
1) Rani Laxmibai was born sometime around 1828 in Varanasi. His father Moropant Tambey was a Marathi Brahmin. Her mother Bhagirathibai was a cultured religious woman.
2) She was raised in the Court of Baji Rao II, the last of the Maratha Peshwas. At the age of 14, she was married to Raja Gangadhar Rao of Jhansi. Here she was given a new name, Laxmibai.
3) She gave birth to a son but soon he died. In 1853 Gangadhar Rao fell ill. He was persuaded to adopt a child as his heir. He adopted Damodar Rao, a little child. The next day he died.
4) Rani claimed that Damodar Rao was their legal Heir. The British rule rejected Rani’s claim and decided to annex Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse.
5) Rani sought the advice of a British lawyer and fought her case in London. Her petition was ultimately rejected. The British confiscated the state jewels and deducted her husband’s debt from her annual pension.
6) She was asked to leave Jhansi fort. Laxmibai was determined to defend Jhansi. She proclaimed her decision with the famous words “Mi Mahji Jhansi Nahi dehnar (I will not give up my Jhansi).
7) She raised a volunteer army in which both men and women were recruited. She fought for two weeks but the Fort of Jhansi was lost to the British.
8) Rani escaped in the guise of a man with a few of her supporters with her son tied behind her back and a sword in her hand. She regrouped her force and moved towards Gwalior. She fought for a week but finally became a victim of a bullet on the battlefield in 1858.
9) It was not easy for a woman to be the head of State at that time. Rani faced many difficulties but she ran the kingdom well. She mastered martial arts and inspired Jhansi’s women to join the army and take a more active role in defending the country. All these made her an unusual woman for her times.
Objective Type Question
1. Match the following:
Answer:
(i) c
(ii) d
(iii) a
(iv) b
(v) e
2. State whether True or False:
- Meerut was one of the last territories to be annexed. False
- The sepoys were angry with the British because the photo of Bahadur Shah Zafar was removed from the coins. False
- In 1857, Mangal Pandey was hanged to death for attacking his officers in Barrackpore. True
- British were very happy after the 1857 Revolt.False
- The British passed a new act in 1858 transferring the powers of East India Company to the British crown. True
3. Fill in the blanks:
- Bahadur Shah Zafar died in Rangoon
- Raja Gangadhar Rao was the husband of the Rani of Jhansi Lakshmibai.
- Nawabs kings felt in the mid-eighteenth century that their powers were being eroded.
- The company began to plan to bring the Mughal dynasty to an end.
- Rani Lakshmibai was killed in June
- Tantia Tope was the general of Nana Sahib.
- In Delhi, a large number of ghazis (religious warriors) came together to wipe out the white people.
Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the correct answer:
1. Bakht Kfian was a soldier from
(a) Meerut
(b) Agra
(c) Bareilly
(d) Delhi
2.continued to fight a guerrilla war against the British.
(a) Rani Lakshmibai
(b) Tantia Tope
(c) Nana Saheb
(d) Peshwa Baji Rao II
3. The Mutiny started from
(a) Bareilly
(b) Delhi
(c) Agra
(d) Meerut
4. How many sepoys were dismissed from service and sentenced to ten years in jail on 9 May, 1857?
(a) Eighty
(b) Eighty-five
(c) Ninety
(d) Ninety-five
5. The sepoys were angry with the British because
(a) of their policy of divide and rule
(b) of the cartridge episode
(c) of their intolerating behaviour
(d) none of these
6. Which emperor blessed the Mutiny?
(a) Mir Zafar
(b) Bahadur Shah Zafar
(c) Bhakt Khan
(d) None of these
7. Who was given the title of viceroy?
(a) Chief Commissioner
(b) Governor
(c) Forest Manager
(d) None of these
8. Subsidiary Alliance was imposed on Awadh in
(a) 1800
(b) 1801
(c) 1810
(d) 1815
9. When was lawmaking the conversion to Christianity made easier?
(a) 1810
(b) 1815
(c) 1850
(d) 1855
10. Which of the following is the decision taken by the British to reform the Indian Society?
(a) Law against the practice of Sati
(b) They encouraged the remarriage of a widow
(c) English education was actively promoted
(d) All of the above