Class 8 History Chapter 4 Ruling the Countryside Question Answers 

Class 8 History Chapter 4 Ruling the Countryside Question Answers 

History Chapter 4 Ruling the Countryside Important Terms:

  • Zamindari System: A land revenue system introduced by the British, where land rights were granted to zamindars (landlords) in exchange for a fixed revenue payment.
  • Ryotwari System: Another land revenue system where individual farmers (ryots) paid revenue directly to the government.
  • Mahalwari System: A system where villages were treated as revenue units, with collective responsibility for paying land revenue.
  • Permanent Settlement: A system introduced in Bengal where zamindars were granted permanent ownership of their land in exchange for a fixed revenue payment.
  • Temporary Settlement: A system introduced in other parts of India where land revenue was periodically revised.
  • Indigo Cultivation: A major cash crop introduced by the British, which led to the exploitation of peasants.
  • Rebellion of 1857: A major uprising against British rule, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny.
  • Economic Exploitation: The British policies that led to the impoverishment of Indian peasants and the drain of wealth from India.
  • Cultural Domination: The British efforts to impose their culture and values on India.
  • Nationalism: The growth of a sense of Indian identity and unity in opposition to British rule.

History Chapter 4 Ruling the Countryside Question Answers 

A. MCQs.
1. a
2. b
3.d
4. c
5. a
B. Fill in the blanks.
1. Ryotwari system
2. Fertile
3. Act of 1833
4. Cord Cornwallis
5. five years
C. True or False.
1. False
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. True
D. Very short answers
1. Land revenue was the main source of income. So, the company paid the first attention to the agrarian side.
2. When agricultural activities are carried out mainly from a commercial point of view it is called commercialisation of agriculture.
3. An indigo is a blue-coloured dye obtained from the leaves of the indigo plant.
4. Nij and Ryoti were the two main systems of Indigo cultivation.
5. The company forced farmers to grow Indigo as it was the main source to earn huge profits for the company.
D . Short Answers Questions
1. The Ryotwari system was also known as the Munro system because this system was developed by Thomas Munro and he extended it all over south India.
2. The commercialization of the crops resulted in a decline in the production of food grains and an acute shortage of food supply.
3. The system of ljaradari was considered as a failure as it increased the misery of the peasants. It also did not make any increase in the company’s income at the expected rate.
4. The two main features of the permanent settlement are as follows:-
I. The zamindar was made a landlord of the entire land.
ii. The amount of land revenue was fixed permanently.
5. In this system the village headman was responsible for collecting the revenue from the villagers and hand it over to the British. Condition of the peasants becomes pitiable as they depend on the mercy of the village headman.
F. Long Answer Questions
1. i. The permanent settlement was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 in Bihar and Bengal. Zamindars became the owner of the land and revenue was fixed permanently.
ii. The Mahalwari system was introduced in U.P. Parts of Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. Revenue was assigned to and paid by entire village units.
iii. The Ryotwari system was developed by Thomas Munro. It was implemented in parts of the Madras and Bombay presidencies. In this system, the company made a revenue settlement directly by the peasants.
2. Ryotwari system was considered better than the permanent system because of these reasons.
i. This system was made with the cultivators directly not with the zamindars. So, the cultivators were not left at the mercy of the zamindars.
ii. In this system company could increase its share after regular intervals. So, this system was also beneficial for the company. iii. In this system, the cultivator was the owner of the land subject to the payment of the land revenue.
3. In the Nij system, the planter produced indigo in lands that he controlled directly. Hired labourers were appointed to produce indigo.
In the Ryoti system, the planters under this system force the villagers to sign a contract. Cash advances were given to the persons who signed the contract at low rates of interest.

4. Villages in India were called self-sufficient units because they produced most of the goods and services needed for their survival. They had their agriculture, crafts, and local markets, reducing their dependence on outside sources.

5. The peasants were forced to grow cash crops as these commodities were available at cheaper prices which fetched very high profits to the company officials.
Yes, this practice resulted in the decline of foodgrains as most of the land was used for this and if indigo grow on fertile land, soil fertility was lost.

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