Question 1:
Match the following:
Answer:
1- (b), 2- (a), 3- (d), 4-(c)
Question 2:
Growers of woad in Europe saw _________ as a crop which would provide competition to their earnings.
Answer:
Indigo
Question 3:
The demand for indigo increased in late eighteenth-century Britain because of _________.
Answer:
Industrialisation
Question 4:
The international demand for indigo was affected by the discovery of _________.
Answer:
Synthetic dyes
Question 5:
The Champaran Movement was against _________.
Answer:
Indigo planters
Question 6:
Describe the main features of the Permanent Settlement.
Answer:
Following were the main features of Permanent Settlement:
(i) According to the settlement, the rajas and taluqdars were regarded as zamindars and were declared the owners of their lands.
(ii) Zamindars were asked to collect rent from the peasants and pay a fixed amount of revenue to the Company.
(iii) The revenue amount to be paid was fixed by the Company.
(iv) It was believed that this system would ensure a regular flow of revenue for the Company and zamindars will take steps to improve agriculture.
Question 7:
How was the mahalwari system different from the Permanent Settlement?
Answer:
Permanent Settlement: It is a system of revenue collection which was introduced in the provinces of Bengal and Bihar by Lord Cornwallis in 1793. The entire work of revenue collection was assigned to the zamindars, who were given hereditary rights over the land on the condition that they would pay a fixed amount of revenue to the government every year. Zamindars were free to collect revenue from peasants as much as they wanted.
Mahalwari system: Under this system, the revenue-collectors went from village to village, inspecting and measuring the fields and recording the customs of different groups. The estimated revenue from each field was added to calculate the revenue that each village would pay. This demand was not fixed and would be revised over a certain period. The village headman was given the charge to collect and pay revenue to the Company.
Question 8:
Give two problems which arose with the new Munro system of fixing revenue.
Answer:
The problems which arose with Munro system are:
(i) Revenue officials fixed very high revenue demands because they wanted to increase the Company’s income from land.
(ii) Peasants were unable to pay the high taxes. So, they fled from their villages. Officials thought that the new system would bring prosperity to the peasants, but this did not happen.
Question 9:
Why were ryots reluctant to grow indigo?
Answer:
Ryots were reluctant to grow indigo because planting indigo had certain problems which are given below:
(i) Ryots were given loans to grow indigo and were forced to sign an agreement. Once they started to take loans, they were unable to repay them.
(ii) The peasants soon came to know that this system was harsh. The prices which they received for the indigo they produced were very low and the cycle of loans never ended.
(iii) The planters insisted that indigo should be cultivated on the best soil where rice was generally cultivated. The indigo plant has deep roots, which reduces the fertility of the soil. After an indigo harvest, rice could not be sown on that land.
Because of these problems, the ryots were reluctant to grow indigo.
Question 10:
What were the circumstances which led to the eventual collapse of indigo production in Bengal?
Answer:
Following were the circumstances which led to the collapse of indigo production in Bengal:
(i) Farmers were given loans to grow indigo and were forced to sign an agreement. Once the cycle of loan started, it never came to an end. Finally, the planters refused to grow indigo which led to the collapse of indigo production.
(ii) Indigo had deep roots and it depleted the fertility of the soil. After an indigo harvest, rice could not be sown on that land. That’s why they refused to grow indigo.
(iii) The prices given to indigo planters were very low because of which they did not want to grow indigo.
(iv) In March 1859, thousands of ryots in Bengal refused to grow indigo. Ryots refused to pay rents, attacked the indigo factories and the agents of the planters were beaten up. So, the production of indigo fell in Bengal.
Question 11:
Why do you think Colebrook is concerned with the conditions of the under-ryots in Bengal?
Read the preceding pages and suggest possible reasons.
Answer:
Why do you think Colebrook is concerned with the conditions of the under-ryots in Bengal?
Read the preceding pages and suggest possible reasons.
Question 12:
Imagine that you are a Company representative sending a report back to England about the conditions in rural areas under Company rule. What would you write?
Answer:
Imagine that you are a Company representative sending a report back to England about the conditions in rural areas under Company rule. What would you write?
Question 13:
Imagine you are a witness giving evidence before the Indigo Commission. W.S. Seton Karr asks you “On what condition will ryots grow indigo?” What will your answer be?
Answer:
Imagine you are a witness giving evidence before the Indigo Commission. W.S. Seton Karr asks you “On what condition will ryots grow indigo?” What will your answer be?