1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The British described the tribal people as ____________.
(b) The method of sowing seeds in jhum cultivation is known as ____________.
(c) The tribal chiefs got ____________ titles in central India under the British land settlements.
(d) Tribals went to work in the ____________ of Assam and the ____________ in Bihar.
Ans:
(a) wild and savage.
(b) broadcasting.
(c) land .
(d) tea plantations, coal mines
2. State whether true or false:
(a) Jhum cultivators plough the land and sow seeds.
(b) Cocoons were bought from the Santhals and sold by the traders at five times the purchase price.
(c) Birsa urged his followers to purify themselves, give up drinking liquor and stop believing in witchcraft and sorcery.
(d) The British wanted to preserve the tribal way of life.
Ans:
(a) False
(b) True
(c) True
(d) False
3. What problems did shifting cultivators face under British rule?
Ans:
Shifting cultivators faced significant challenges under British rule because they frequently moved in search of new pastures. The British wanted them to settle as peasant cultivators, believing it was easier to control and manage them this way. As a result, the Company’s land revenue system disrupted their traditional lifestyle and practices, making it harder for them to continue their way of life.
4. How did the powers of tribal chiefs change under colonial rule?
Ans:
During British rule, tribal chiefs experienced a substantial reduction in their powers. While they were allowed to retain land titles over groups of villages and collect rents, their administrative authority was curtailed. They had to enforce British laws, pay tributes to the colonial government, and act as intermediaries to discipline their tribes on behalf of the British. Consequently, they lost much of their earlier influence and could no longer perform their traditional roles effectively.
5. What accounts for the anger of the tribals against the dikus?
Ans:
Tribals were angry at the dikus, whom they regarded as outsiders, for several reasons:
a. The dikus encroached on tribal lands, forcing them to sell or rent their land at high-interest rates.
b. The British compelled tribals to abandon their shifting cultivation practices and adopt peasant cultivation.
c. Tribal chiefs lost their administrative powers, further alienating the tribals.
d. Many tribals were displaced from their lands, leaving them to search for alternative livelihoods, intensifying their resentment toward the dikus.
6. What was Birsa’s vision of a golden age? Why do you think such a vision appealed to the people of the region?
Ans:
Birsa envisioned a golden age where tribals lived freely without interference from outsiders or dikus. He called it the ‘age of truth,’ where tribal sirdars would govern themselves without external control. This era would be free from vices like liquor, witchcraft, and uncleanliness, and devoid of missionaries, Hindu landlords, moneylenders, traders, and Europeans. This vision appealed to the region’s people as it resonated with their aspirations for self-rule, cultural preservation, and freedom from exploitation by outsiders.