CHAPTER 19 : Struggle Towards Freedom

SUBJECT – INDIAN SOCIAL STUDIES

NOTES- GRADE 5
[The Notes are solely for practice and reinforcement of concepts. Please do not answer
the questions in your Social Studies notebook]
LEARNING OBJECTIVES-

➢ Explain the advent of the Europeans to the Indian subcontinent.

➢ Identify the causes and deducing the outcomes of the Revolt of 1857.
➢ Comprehend the emergence of the INC and its role in the political sphere.
➢ Analyze and draw inferences on the impact of education on Indian society.
➢ Locate the countries of the Indian subcontinent and the main centres of the revolt of 1857 on a
map.

Answer the following -

I.
1. Vasco Da Gama was the Portuguese explorer who discovered sea route to India.
2. The Spice Island is today known as Indonesia.
3. The East India Company was formed by merchants from London in 1600.
4. The French colonized India with their headquarters in Pondicherry.
5. The Britishers forced the Indian farmers to grow cotton and Indigo.
6. Zamindars were the people appointed by the Britishers to collect land taxes.
7. The British governer-general, Lord Dalhousie introduced the policy of Doctrine of Lapse.
8. The introduction of Lee Enfield rifle was opposed by the Indian soldiers which led to the beginning
of the revolt of 1857 from Meerut.
9. The Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II was as the commander-in-chief of the revolt of 1857.
10. In kanpur, the revolt was led by Tantia Tope and Nana Sahib.
11. In 1858, the British government decided to remove East India Company and appoint a Viveroy on
behalf of the crown to administer British India.
12. The revolt of 1857 is also known as first war of India’s independence or Sepoy Mutiny.
13. Womesh Chandra Banerjee was the first President of Indian National Congress.

II. Arrange the following in the correct order of events as they occurred during the revolt of 1857.
4 The Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II was nominated as the commander-in-chief.
2 Mangal Pandey was hanged on 8th April 1857.
7 The British government appointed a viceroy to rule over India on behalf of the crown.
5 The revolt spread to other parts of India like Kanpur, Jhansi and Awadh.
1 Lee Enfield rifles that were given to the soldiers became the immediate cause of the revolt.
6 The british organized themselves and crushed the revolt successfully.
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 3 The revolt started in Meerut and spread towards Delhi.

III. Answer the following –

General instructions:
(i) All answers should include proper punctuation, sentence structure and correct spellings.
(ii) Do not start a sentence with ‘because.’
(iii) Minimum 4 points should be written for 2-marks.
(iv) Minimum 6 points should be written for 3-marks.
(v) Minimum 8-10 points should be written for 5-marks

1. Why were the traders from different regions of the world attracted to India?

Traders from different regions of the world were attracted to India for several reasons. Some key factors that
contributed to India's attractiveness to traders from diverse parts of the world are as follows:-
(i) Rich Natural Resources: India was blessed with abundant natural resources, including spices,
textiles, gemstones, minerals, and agricultural products.
(ii) Spices: Indian spices such as pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, were highly prized
commodities. They not only added flavor to food but also served as preservatives.
(iii) Textiles: India has a long history of producing high-quality textiles, including cotton and silk fabrics.
The demand for these textiles in various parts of the world, including the Roman Empire, China, and
the Middle East, attracted traders to India.
(iv) Gemstones and Precious Metals: India was also known for its production of gemstones and precious
metals like gold and silver. These commodities were in demand for jewelry and trade.

2. What was the reason for India's reputation as the golden bird?
India's reputation as the "Golden Bird" can be traced back to its historical wealth and prosperity. India
was rich in spices, textiles, precious and semi-precious stones, jewels of all kinds and pearls. There
was a great deal of popularity worldwide for Indian goods.

3. What were the different ways in which the British exploited Indians during their colonial rule?
The Britishers exploited Indians in several key ways during their colonial rule in India:-
Exploitation of Framers-

(i) The farmers were forced to grow crops that would be used as raw materials in English factories. These
were called cash crops. Cotton, a cash crop, served as raw material for the textile industries in England.
This raw material was purchased by the company at very low prices.
(ii) The farmers were not allowed to grow food crops and as a resut, many farmers and their families starved.

Exploitation of handloom industry-

(i) The British promoted the importation of British textiles into India, which were often cheaper due to the
mechanized production methods in Britain. This flooded the Indian market with cheap British textiles,
making it difficult for Indian handloom weavers to compete.

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Exploitation of Kings and Nawabs-

(i) The East India Company made unjust laws that made Nawabs and Kings of
India very unhappy. One such law is ‘Doctine of Lapse’. The Doctrine of Lapse
was a policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie, which allowed the British to annex
princely states if they do not have a male heir. This policy was used to annex
several princely states, including Satara, Jhansi, and Nagpur, without consent
from the rulers or their successors.

Exploitation of Indian soldiers-

(i) Indian soldiers were paid significantly less than their British counterparts for similar duties. This
discriminatory pay and allowances system was a source of discontent among Indian troops.
(ii) Indian soldiers faced limited opportunities for promotion and advancement within the military
hierarchy. Discrimination often prevented them from reaching higher ranks.

4. What were the causes of the revolt of 1857? What were the reasons of its failure?
The Indian Rebellion of 1857, often referred to as the Sepoy Mutiny, was a major uprising against
British rule in India.
The primary causes of the revolt of 1857:
(i) Rebellion by Indian Soldiers: The revolt is said to have been triggered by the actions of Mangal
Pandey, a sepoy (Indian soldier) in the British East India Company's army. He refused to use the
new Lee Enfield rifle cartridges, which were rumored to be greased with animals fat. This offended
the sepoys, as it violated their beliefs. Sepoys were discontented due to low pay and discriminatory
treatment. The introduction of the new Enfield rifles, which were seen as a direct challenge to their
beliefs, further fueled their resentment.
(ii) Economic Exploitation: British colonial policies led to economic exploitation and hardship for many
Indians. The imposition of heavy taxes, the use of the land revenue system, and the introduction of
cash crops like indigo and opium adversely affected Indian farmers and artisans.
(iii) Annexation of Princely States: The Doctrine of Lapse and the annexation of princely states by the
British, often without the consent of the rulers, angered both the Indian rulers and the common
people.
The reasons of its failure:

(i) The British were organized and many Indians sided with them.
(ii) The British had superior weapons and greater military strength.
(iii) The Indians lack unity and strong leadership.

5. What were the outcomes of the revolt of 1857?

(i) The British Government was shocked and alarmed. It realised that it was time to end the rule
of the East India Company.
(ii) In 1858, the British Government decided to control India. A Viceroy was appointed to rule over
India on behalf of the Crown. This shift in power from East India Company to the british crown
was a significant change in Indian politics.
(iii) The Indian rulers were allowed to rule their kingdoms but were controlled by the English.
(iv) The people of the country were promised freedom to follow their customs and practices. On
the other hand, the Indians realised that if they unite, they could oust the British from the
Indian soil.
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 6. How the first war of India’s independence led to the rise of nationalism in India?

(i) The First War of India's Independence in 1857, often referred to as the Indian Mutiny or Sepoy
Mutiny, played a significant role in laying the foundation for the rise of nationalism in India.
(ii) While the revolt itself was suppressed, it had far-reaching consequences that contributed to the
growth of Indian nationalism.
(iii) It made the Indians realised that only a united society could fight to send the British away.
(iv) Like minded educated Indians came together to form groups, committees and associations.
(v) Traders and businessmen came together and set up factories. Associations were formed and
schools were set up.
(vi) Newspapers were published.Indians began to hold meetings and asked for their rights.
(vii) All this led to the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC)in 1885.

7. The formation of Indian National Congress(INC) played a key role in India’s indepence in 1947.
Explain briefly how this political party came into existence
(i) The Indian National Congress (INC) was a group of educated Indians. It is interesting to know
that it was started by an Englishman, named AO Hume, in 1885.
(ii) Like minded educated Indians came together to form groups and associations.Traders and
businessmen came together and set up factories. Indians began to hold meetings and asked for
their rights. All this led to the formation of the Indian National Congress (INC)in 1885.
(iii) The first meeting was held at Bombay (now Mumbai). It was attended by 72 delegates from all
over India.
(iv) WC Banerjee was the first President. AO Hume remained as its General Secretary for many
years. Thereafter, the INC had yearly meets in different parts of India.
(v) Under the able leadership of people like Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale,
Pherozeshah Mehta and Surendranath Banerjee, the Congress became popular and strong.
(vi) It awakened the feeling of love for one's nation in the minds of the common people.

8. How did the introduction of modern education during the colonial era contribute to the efforts to
eradicate social evils in India, and what were the key roles played by social reformers in this process?
Impact of modern education system on Indian society:-

(i) The introduction of modern education during the colonial era played a crucial role in efforts to eradicate
social evils in India.
(ii) The Indians who were exposed to western education realised the evils of Indian society. Some of the
evils were the caste system, the killing of female infants (female infanticide), child marriage and sati
pratha. They realised that it was because of these evils that our society could not progress.
(iii) Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Dayanand Saraswati and Syed Ahmed Khan were
the social reformers who not only preached to the people against these evils but also encouraged widow
remarriage and female education.

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Some of the contributions of social reformers are as follows:-

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy – He fought against the practice of sati and child marriage. He made the British
government in India enact laws that abolished evil practices.
• Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar – he worked towards uplifting the status of women in society. he supported the
cause of widow remarriage. He made the British government in India enact laws that permitted and legalized
widow remmariage
• Dr B. R. Ambedkar – Ambedkar along with Mahatma Gandhi fought against the practice of untouchability.
Ambedkar ensured that a law was passed to consider the practice of untouchability as illegal and immoral.
He is known as the father of Indian constitution for his instrumental efforts in framing the constitution.

9. Differentiate between moderates, extremists and revolutionaries.

The differences between moderates, extremists and revolutionaries are as follows:
MODERATES EXTREMISTS REVOLUTIONARIES
• Believed in the use of • Believed in the use of strikes • Believed in the extreme use
peaceful talk and and boycotts. of violence and sacrificing
negotiations. • Used weapons and warfare their life for their country.
• Held the opinion that to attain their goals.
freedom will be secured by
pleading with the british
government.

IV. Define the following terms-

1. Zamindari system
(i) The Zamindari system was a revenue collection system in which the British colonial government
recognized certain individuals known as zamindars, as the legal owners of large landholdings. These
zamindars were responsible for collecting land revenue from the actual cultivators (farmers or peasants)
who worked the land.
(ii) The zamindar forced the farmers to pay high taxes and if farmers could not afford to pay, the land was
snatched away from them.

2. Drain of wealth
(i) The drain of wealth theory was propounded by Dadabhai Naoroji in 19th century. According to some
scholars, drain of wealth is the primary cause of poverty.
(ii) During the colonial period the British exploited the Indian resources and their prime motive to conquer
India was that they could make it a source for cheap raw materials for their own industries.

3. Agrarian Economy
(i) An agrarian economy is a type of economic system in which the primary source of wealth and income
is agriculture.
(ii) In such an economy, the majority of the population is engaged in agricultural activities, such as farming,
livestock rearing, and crop cultivation, as their primary means of livelihood.

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V. Read the two statements and state whether the reason (R) justifies the assertion (A).
1. ASSERTION (A) : Introduction of Lee Enfield rifles became the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857.

REASON (R) : The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded by an Englishman, named Allan
Octavian Hume, in 1885.

(i) Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(ii) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(iii)(A) is true, but (R) is false.
(iv) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

2. ASSERTION (A) : The moderates believed that peaceful talks and negotiations were the best methods
for resolving conflicts.

REASON (R) : In May 1857, Indian zamindars protested in several places of India, starting from Meerut
and a large number of people from different sections of society rose up in rebellion.

(i) Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(ii) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(iii)(A) is true, but (R) is false.
(iv) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

3. ASSERTION (A) : Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Dr. B. R. Ambebkar are
known for bringing social reforms in Indian society.

REASON (R) : They have worked to eradicate social evils like sati, child marriage and untouchability
from society.

(i) Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
(ii) Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(iii)(A) is true, but (R) is false.
(iv) (A) is false, but (R) is true.

VI. Cross Curricular Link – Geography (Map Skills)

1. On the outline map of India, locate the following places –

Bombay (Mumbai) 2. Calcutta (Kolkata) 3. Meerut 4. Kanpur 5. Barrackpore

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