When People Rebel Answer: The book Majha Pravaas was

written by Vishnubhatt Godse, a

Very Short Answer Type Question
Brahman from a village in Maharashtra.
1. Who was the last Peshwa?
10. When was Mangal Pandey hanged
Answer: Peshwa Baji Rao II to death and why?
2. Who led the revolt in Kanpur? Answer: On 29 March 1857, a young
soldier, Mangal Pandey, was hanged to
Answer: Nana Saheb
death for attacking his officers in
3. Who was the mother of Birjis Qadr? Barrackpore.
Answer: Begum Hazrat Mahal 11. What was the first step taken by
4. Who was the leader of the mutiny the company towards ending the
as proclaimed by the sepoys? Mughal dynasty?

Answer: Bahadur Shah Zafar Answer: The name of the Mughal king
was removed from the coins minted by
5. Who translated the memoirs of
the Company.
Sitaram Pande into English?
12. What rumour spread among the
Answer: Norgate translated it into
sepoys of the Meerut regiment about
English.
the new cartridges?
6. Who was the son of Nawab Wajid
Answer: The rumour spread that the
Ali Shah?
new cartridges were greased with the fat
Answer: Birjis Qadr was the son of the of cows and pigs.
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.
13. Who took charge of a large force
7. Name the country where the Indian of fighters who came to Delhi?
Sepoys were asked to go through the
Answer: Bakht Khan, a soldier from
sea route.
Bareilly, took charge of a large force of
Answer: Burma fighters who came to Delhi.

8. Under what pretext did the British 14. What is mutiny?

annex Awadh?
Answer: When soldiers as a group
Answer: In 1801, a subsidiary alliance disobey their officers in the army then it
was imposed on Awadh, and in 1856 it is called mutiny.
was taken over.
15. Who was ’Viceroy’?
9. Who wrote the book Majha
Answer: The Governor-General of India
Pravaas?
was given the title of Viceroy, that is, a
personal representative of the Crown.
16. What was Maulvi Ahmadullah Answer: In Bihar, an old zamindar,
Shah’s prophecy? Kunwar Singh, joined the rebel sepoys
and battled with the British for many
Answer: Ahmadullah Shah, a maulvi
months.
from Faizabad, prophesied that the rule
of the British would come to an end 22. What did the Bahadur Shah Jafar
soon. do after he was declared the leader of
the rebel?
17. Who was the Begum Hazrat
Mahal? What was her role in the 1857 Answer: He wrote letters to all the chiefs
rebellion? and rulers of the country to come
forward and organise a confederacy of
Answer: Begum Hazrat Mahal was the
Indian states to fight the British.
mother of Birjis Qadr. She took an active
part in organising the uprising against 23. What was the plea of Nana Saheb,
the British. the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao
II?
18. What is Bakht Khan?
Answer: Nana Saheb, the adopted son
Answer: Bakht Khan, a soldier from
of Peshwa Baji Rao II, pleaded that he be
Bareilly, took charge of a large force of
given his father’s pension when the
fighters who came to Delhi. He became
latter died.
a key military leader of the rebellion.
24. What objections did the sepoys
19. Who declared himself as a
have to the new cartridges that they
governor under Emperor Bahadur
were asked to use?
Shah Zafar?
Answer: The sepoys objected that the
Answer: Nana Saheb, the adopted son
new cartridges they were asked to use
of the late Peshwa Baji Rao declared that
were suspected of being coated with the
he was a governor under Emperor
fat of cows and pigs.
Bahadur Shah Zafar.
Short Answer Type Questions
20. Which Governor-General decided
that Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the 1. What was the immediate cause of
last Mughal king? the Sepoy mutiny and why?

Answer: In 1856, Governor-General Answer: Use of greased cartridges in the

Canning decided that Bahadur Shah army was the immediate cause. They
Zafar would be the last Mughal king. were coated with the fat of pig and cow
and offended the religious sensibilities
21. Name the zamindar of Bihar, who
of the sepoys.
joined the rebel sepoys and battled
with the British.
2. Why were the powers of the East powers of the East India Company to the
India Company transferred to the British Crown in order to ensure a more
British crown? responsible management of Indian
affairs.
Answer: The British Parliament passed a
new Act in 1858 and transferred the 7. What did the British do to protect
powers of the East India Company to the the interests of those who converted
British Crown in order to ensure a more to Christianity?
responsible management of Indian
Answer: In 1850, a new law was passed
affairs.
to make conversion to Christianity
3. How Muslims were treated by the easier. This law allowed an Indian who
British and why? had converted to Christianity to inherit
the property of his ancestors.
Answer: The land and property of
Muslims was confiscated on a large scale 8. What was the new law passed in
and they were treated with suspicion 1856 by the East India Company
and hostility. The British believed that regarding the employment in the
they were responsible for the rebellion Company’s army?
in a big way.
Answer: In 1856 the Company passed a
4. How Tantia Tope died? new law which stated that every new
person who took up employment in the
Answer: Tantia Tope escaped to the
Company’s army had to agree to serve
jungles of central India and continued to
overseas if required.
fight a guerrilla war with the support of
many tribal and peasant leaders. He was 9. Name the governor general who
captured, tried and killed in April 1859. announced to shift Bahadur Shah
Zafar’s family from Red Fort.
5. What was the demand of Rani
Lakshmibai of Jhansi that was refused Answer: In 1849, Governor-General
by the British? Dalhousie announced that after the
death of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the family
Answer: Lakshmibai of Jhansi wanted
of the king would be shifted out of the
the Company to recognize her adopted
Red Fort and given another place in
son as the heir to the kingdom after the
Delhi to reside in.
death of her husband. But the British
turned down her plea. 10. On what condition the ruling
chiefs could pass on their kingdoms
6. How did the revolt of 1857 affect
to their heirs?
the position of the East India
Company? Answer: All ruling chiefs of the country
were assured that their territory would
Answer: The British Parliament passed a
never be annexed in future. They were
new Act in 1858 and transferred the
allowed to pass on their kingdoms to Answer: Delhi was recaptured from the
their heirs, including adopted sons. rebel forces in September 1857. The last
However, they were made to Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar
acknowledge the British Queen as their was tried in court and sentenced to life
Sovereign Paramount. imprisonment. His sons were shot dead
before his eyes. He and his wife Begum
11. What was Taiping Rebellion?
Zinat Mahal were sent to prison in
Answer: It had started in 1850 and Rangoon in October 1858. Bahadur Shah
could be suppressed only by the mid- Zafar died in the Rangoon jail in
1860s. Thousands of labouring, poor November 1862.
people were led by Hong Xiuquan to
15. What were the social causes of the
fight for the establishment of the
revolt?
Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace. This
was known as the Taiping Rebellion. Answer: The British believed that Indian
society had to be reformed. Laws were
12. Name some new leaders that
passed to stop the practice of sati and to
came to the forefront during the
encourage the remarriage of widows.
revolt of 1857.
English-language education was actively
Answer: Bakht Khan, a soldier from promoted. Many Indians believed that
Bareilly, took charge of a large force of the British were meddling in their social
fighters who came to Delhi. customs and their traditional way of life;
Ahmadullah Shah, a maulvi from thus, revolted against the British rule.
Faizabad raised a huge force of 16. What happened to the Nawabs
supporters and came to Lucknow to when the British established political
fight the British. power in India?
13. What were the religious causes of Answer: When British established
the revolt? political power in India:
Answer: The Company allowed Christian The Nawabs and Rajas lost their
missionaries to function freely in its authority and honour.
domain and even own land and
British Residents were stationed in all
property. In 1850, a new law was passed
the courts, the freedom of the rulers
to make conversion to Christianity
reduced, their armed forces disbanded
easier. Many Indians felt that the British
and territories taken away by stages.
were destroying their religion; thus,
revolted against the British rule. Long Answer Type Questions

14. How did the last Mughal emperor 1. Why did the chiefs and rulers
live the last years of his life? support the Mughal emperor Bahadur
Shah Zafar in the revolt?
Answer: The Mughal dynasty had ruled 4. How did the British succeed in
over a very large part of the country. securing the submission of the rebel
Most smaller rulers and chieftains landowners of Awadh?
controlled different territories on behalf
Answer: The British also tried their best
of the Mughal ruler. Threatened by the
to win back the loyalty of the people.
expansion of British rule, many of them
They announced rewards for loyal
felt that if the Mughal emperor could
landholders would be allowed to
rule again, they too would be able to
continue to enjoy traditional rights over
rule their own territories once more,
their lands. Those who had rebelled
under Mughal authority.
were told that if they submitted to the
2. What efforts were made by the British, and if they had not killed any
British to win back the loyalty of the white people, they would remain safe
people? and their rights and claims to land would
not be denied.
Answer: The British tried their best to
win back the loyalty of the people. 5. What did the British do to suppress
the revolt of 1857?
They announced rewards for the loyal
Or
landlords who would be allowed to
How did the Company suppress the
continue to enjoy traditional rights over
revolt?
their lands.
Answer: The Company decided to
Those who had rebelled were told that
repress the revolt with all its might. It
they submitted to the British, and if they
brought reinforcements from England,
had not killed any white people, they
passed new laws so that the rebels could
would remain safe and their rights and
be convicted with ease, and then moved
claims to land would not be denied.
into the storm centres of the revolt.
3. How did other Indian soldiers in Delhi was recaptured from the rebel
Meerut participate in the revolt of forces in September 1857. Lucknow was
1857? taken in March 1858. Rani Lakshmibai
Answer: The response of the other was defeated and killed in June 1858.
Indian soldiers in Meerut was quite Tantia Tope was captured, tried and
extraordinary. On 10 May, the soldiers killed in April 1859.
marched to the jail in Meerut and 6. Who was Subedar Sitaram Pande?
released the imprisoned sepoys. They Or
attacked and killed British officers. They Write a short note on Subedar
captured guns and ammunition and set Sitaram Pande.
fire to the buildings and properties of
Answer: Sitaram Pande was recruited in
the British and declared war on the
1812 as a sepoy in the Bengal Native
firangis.
Army. He served the English for 48 years Those were the days many people in the
and retired in 1860. He helped the country believed that if they crossed the
British to suppress the rebellion though sea they would lose their religion and
his own son was a rebel and was killed caste. So when in 1824 the sepoys were
by the British in front of his eyes. On told to go to Burma by the sea route to
retirement he was persuaded by his fight for the Company, they refused to
Commanding Officer, Norgate, to write follow the order, though they agreed to
his memoirs. He completed the writing go by the land route. They were severely
in 1861 in Awadhi and Norgate punished, and since the issue did not die
translated it into English and had it down, in 1856 the Company passed a
published under the title From Sepoy to new law which stated that every new
Subedar. person who took up employment in the
Company’s army had to agree to serve
7. What were the main provisions of
overseas if required.
the Act of 1858?
9. How did British plan to bring
Answer: Main provisions of the Act of
Mughal dynasty to an end?
1858 were:
Answer: The Company even began to
Powers of the East India Company were
plan how to bring the Mughal dynasty
transferred to the British Crown in order
to an end.
to ensure a more responsible
management of Indian affairs. The name of the Mughal king was
removed from the coins minted by the
A member of the British Cabinet was
Company.
appointed Secretary of State for India
and made responsible for all matters In 1849, Governor-General Dalhousie
related to the governance of India. announced that after the death of
Bahadur Shah Zafar, the family of the
The Governor-General of India was given
king would be shifted out of the Red
the title of Viceroy, that is, a personal
Fort and given another place in Delhi to
representative of the Crown.
reside in.
8. Why were the Indian sepoys
In 1856, Governor-General Canning
unhappy with the British rule?
decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would
Or
be the last Mughal king and after his
Why did the Indian soldiers get angry
death none of his descendants would be
at the British?
recognized as kings – they would just be
Answer: They were unhappy about their called princes.
pay, allowances and conditions of
10. What could be the reasons for the
service. Some of the new rules violated
confidence of the British rulers about
their religious sensibilities and beliefs.
their position in India before May In 1850, a new law was passed to make
1857? conversion to Christianity easier.

Answer: The reasons for the confidence Many Indians began to feel that the
of the British rulers about their position British were destroying their religion,
in India before May 1857 were: their social customs and their traditional
way of life.
Nawabs and rajas had lost their
authority and honour. Residents had 12. What impact did Bahadur Shah
been stationed in many courts, the Zafar’s support to the rebellion have
freedom of the rulers reduced, their on the people and the ruling families?
armed forces disbanded, and their
Answer: Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support
revenues and territories taken away by
to the rebellion boosted the morale of
stages.
the people and the ruling families.
Awadh was one of the last territories to
The people of the towns and villages
be annexed. In 1801, a subsidiary
also rose up in rebellion and rallied
alliance was imposed on Awadh, and in
around local leaders, zamindars and
1856 it was taken over.
chiefs who were prepared to establish
In 1856, Governor-General Canning their authority and fight the British.
decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar would
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late
be the last Mughal king and after his
Peshwa Baji Rao, gathered armed forces
death none of his descendants would be
and expelled the British garrison from
recognized as kings – they would just be
the city.
called princes.
In Lucknow, Birjis Qadr, the son of the
11. What reforms did the British
deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was
introduced in the Indian society? How
proclaimed the new Nawab. He too
did people of India respond to them?
acknowledged the suzerainty of Bahadur
Answer: British introduced the following Shah Zafar.
reforms in the Indian society.
In Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai joined the
Laws were passed to stop the practice of rebel sepoys and fought the British
sati and to encourage the remarriage of along with Tantia Tope, the general of
widows. Nana Saheb.

English-language education was actively 13. In what ways did the British
promoted. change their policies as a result of the
rebellion of 1857?
After 1830, the Company allowed
Christian missionaries to function freely Answer: Following are the important
in its domain and even own land and changes that were introduced by the
property. British.
The British Parliament passed a new Act When the British established political power in India,
the Nawabs and Rajas lost their authority and honour.
in 1858 and transferred the powers of British Residents were stationed in all the courts to
the East India Company to the British monitor the proceeding, thus undermining the
authority of the Nawabs. The Nawabs’ armies were
Crown in order to ensure a more disbanded and the freedom of the rulers was reduced.
responsible management of Indian The revenue collected by the Nawabs was taken by the
affairs. British and their territory was also seized.
Question 2
All ruling chiefs of the country were Who was Nana Saheb?
Solution:
assured that their territory would never Nana Saheb was the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao
be annexed in future. They were allowed II.
Question 3
to pass on their kingdoms to their heirs, What did Nana Saheb want of the British?
including adopted sons. However, they Solution:
When Peshwa Baji Rao II died, Nana Saheb pleaded
were made to acknowledge the British with the British to give him his father’s pension. The
Queen as their Sovereign Paramount. British refused to do so, as they had the military power
to defeat Nana Saheb, in case he revolted.
It was decided that the proportion of Question 4
Indian soldiers in the army would be What were the grievances of the Sepoys?
Solution:
reduced and the number of European The Sepoys were unhappy about their pay, allowances
soldiers would be increased. It was also and conditions of service. The new rules violated their
religious sensibilities and beliefs. In 1824 the Sepoys
decided that instead of recruiting were asked to go to Burma by the sea route to fight for
soldiers from Awadh, Bihar, central India the Company. The Sepoys refused to do so as they
and south India, more soldiers would be believed that if they crossed the sea they would lose
their religion and caste. The Sepoys were severely
recruited from among the Gurkhas, Sikhs punished for not obeying the British. In 1856 the
and Pathans. Company passed a new law which stated that every
new person who took up employment in the
The land and property of Muslims was Company’s army had to agree to serve overseas if
required. The Sepoys were unhappy with this new law.
confiscated on a large scale and they Question 5
were treated with suspicion and hostility. What were the reforms introduced by the British?
Solution:
The British believed that they were Laws were passed to stop the practice of sati and to
responsible for the rebellion in a big encourage the remarriage of widows. English-language
way. education was actively promoted. In 1850, a new law
was passed to make conversion to Christianity easier.
The British decided to respect the This law allowed an Indian who had converted to
Christianity to inherit the property of his ancestors.
customary religious and social practices Question 6
of the people in India. What is Sati?
Solution:
Policies were made to protect landlords Sati is a funeral practice among some Hindu
communities in which a recently widowed woman
and zamindars and give them security of would immolate herself on her husband’s funeral pyre.
rights over their lands. Question 7
What was the Sepoy mutiny called and when did it
Question 1 start?
What happened to the Nawabs when the British Solution:
established political power in India? The Sepoy mutiny started in March 1857 and was
Solution: known as the First war for independence against the
British. religion. This sparked off the Mutiny on 29th March
Question 8 1857.
What were the causes of the Sepoy Mutiny? Question 9
Solution: What was the incidence that triggered the mutiny?
There were many causes for the Sepoy mutiny. Solution:
Political causes On the 29th March 1857, a soldier by the name of
The policy of annexation created panic and a feeling of Mangal Pandey of the 34th Infantry at Barrackpur
insecurity among the rulers of various states. rebelled by firing at an officer on command against the
Corruption and inefficiency in the administration use of the new cartridges. This incidence triggered the
further created political unrest and the Indians wanted mutiny.
to get rid of the British. Question 10
Social causes Trace the rebellion from Meerut to Delhi.
The continuous interference of English in the basic Solution:
way of living, traditional beliefs, values and norms On 9th May 1857, some Sepoys of the regiment at
was seen by the Indian masses as threat to their Meerut refused to do the army drill using the new
religion. cartridges. So, eighty-five Sepoys were dismissed from
The activities of the Christian missionaries, whose service and sentenced to ten years in jail for
objective was to convert people to their faith, led to disobeying their officers.
people’s believe that the British Government wanted to On 10th May, the soldiers marched to the jail in Meerut
eradicate their caste and convert them to Christianity. and released the imprisoned Sepoys. They attacked
Economic causes and killed British officers. They captured guns and
The general discontentment grew rapidly and strongly ammunition and set fire to the buildings and properties
among the Indian soldiers. Most of the Indian soldiers of the British and declared war on the firangis or
in the East India Company’s army came from peasant foreigners.
families which were deeply affected by their The soldiers were determined to bring an end to the
impoverished status. British rule in India and they wanted the country to be
Religious causes ruled by the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. So,
The Sepoys were convinced that the English were the Sepoys of Meerut rode all night to reach Delhi.
conspiring to convert them to Christianity. Superior As news of their arrival spread, the regiments stationed
civil and military officers abused the name of Ram and in Delhi also rose up in rebellion. British officers were
Muhammad. Idolatry was denounced. Hindu gods and killed, arms and ammunition seized, buildings were set
goddesses were ridiculed. The Religious Disabilities on fire.
Act modified Hindu customs. This act enabled a Triumphant soldiers gathered around the walls of the
convert to Christianity, to inherit his ancestral Red Fort where the Mughal Emperor lived and
property. All this created resentment among the proclaimed him as their leader.
people. On 3rd July, 1857, over 3,000 rebels came from
Military causes Bareilly, crossed the river Jamuna, entered Delhi, and
The Sepoys’ emoluments were very low in comparison attacked the British cavalry posts.
with those of the British soldiers and their chances of The Rebellion spread to many Indian states. The rulers
promotion negligible. The loyalty of the Sepoys was of these states accepted the rule of the Mughal emperor
further undermined by certain military reforms which again as they were threatened by the expansion of
outraged their religious feelings. They had an aversion British rule.
to overseas service, as travel across the seas meant loss The Mughal Emperor organised a confederacy of
of caste for them. Indian states to fight the British.
Immediate Causes Question 11
The introduction of Greased cartridges in 1856 sparked Give a brief account of Tantia Tope.
the fire. The government decided to replace the old- Solution:
fashioned musket, `Brown Begs` by the `Enfield rifle’. Tantia Tope, like other freedom fighters, was one of
The loading process of the Enfield rifle involved the great heroes who fought courageously for India’s
bringing the cartridge to the mouth and biting of the freedom in 1857. Tantia, the name of terror for the
top paper. There was a rumour among the Sepoys in English, was the one who shook the established niche
January 1857 that the greased cartridge contained the of the British Empire. He was constantly fighting to
fat of cow and pig, the former sacred to Hindus and win over the whole of India but unfortunately he was
latter forbidden to Muslims. The Sepoys were now betrayed by one of his friend. The British caught hold
convinced that the introduction of greased cartridges of him and hung him to death on April 18, 1859. He is
was a deliberate attempt to defile Hindu and Muslim
considered as one of the important freedom fighters of They fought among themselves and could not present a
India. united front against the foreign rule.
Question 1. A section of the people practiced inhuman social
What was the demand of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi practices. They did not rise in revolt against the
that was refused by the British? Britishers.
Answer:
Question 6.
To accept her adopted son to succeed the throne of the
What impact did Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support to the
king, after the death of her husband.
rebellion have on the people and the ruling families?
Question 2. Answer:
What did the British do to protect the interests of those Bahadur Shah Zafar’s support to the rebellion boosted
who converted to Christianity? the morale of the people and the ruling families. They
Answer: became united to fight the British authority with
Those who converted to Christianity would inherit the double spirit.
property of his ancestors.
People of the towns and villages rose up in rebellion
Question 3. and rallied around local leaders, zamindars and chiefs.
What objections did the sepoys have to the new Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late Peshwa Baji
cartridges that they were asked to use? Rao, who lived near Kanpur, gathered arme^ forces
Answer: and expelled the British garrison from the city. He
Objections the sepoys had to the new cartridges were: proclaimed himself Peshwa.
The cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and He declared that he was a Governor under emperor
pigs. Bahadur Shah Zafar. In Lucknow, Birjis Qadr, the son
of the deposed Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, was
The sepoys had to use mouth to remove the covering
proclaimed the new Nawab. He too acknowledged the
of the cartridges.
suzerainty of Bahadur Shah Zafar. In Jhansi, Rani
They termed the cartridges to be a violation of the Lakshmibai joined the rebel sepoys and fought the
religious sentiments. British along with Tantia Tope, the general of Nana
Saheb.
Hence, they rebelled.
Question 7.
Rebellion textbook How did the British succeed in securing the
Social science books submission of the rebel landowners of Awadh?
Answer:
Question 4. British succeeded in securing the submissions of the
How did the last Mughal emperor live the last years of rebel landowners of Awadh:
his life?
Answer: They provided inheritance rights to the landowners
The last Mughal emperor lived a very pathetic life (who would enjoy traditional rights over their land).
during the last years of his life. He was tried in court They were exempted from taxes.
and sentenced to life imprisonment. He and his wife
were sent to prison in Rangoon. He died there after They were rewarded.
four years.
They would be safe and their rights and claims would
Question 5. not be denied to them.
What could be the reasons for the confidence of the
Question 8.
British rulers about their position in India before May
In what ways did the British change their policies as a
1857?
result of the rebellion of 1857?
Answer:
Answer:
Reasons for the confidence of the British rulers about
Some important changes brought by the British after
their position in India before May 1857
the revolt were:
The traditional rulers failed to develop independent 1. According to the Act of 1858 powers of the East
leadership. India Company were transferred to the British Crown
in India.
They also failed to have independent social, economic,
and political aims of their own. Secretary of State was appointed for governance and
Governor-General was given the title of Viceroy.
Secretary of State was to be assisted by a council of 15 occupied Gwalior. Hearing about her bravery, the
members. It was only an advisory body. army of Scindia deserted their Maharaja and joined
Rani of Jhansi. In the end, she was defeated by the
Governor-General was answerable to the Secretary of
British and died fighting bravely against the British.
State.
She might be called an unusual woman of her times
2. All rulers were made to acknowledge British Queen
because of the following reasons:
as Sovereign Paramount and were allowed to pass their
kingdoms to their heirs. She became a widow at the age of 15 years but she did
not lose heart.
The proportion of Indian soldiers in the army was
reduced. More soldiers were taken from Gurkhas, She did not accept the British atrocities and challenged
Sikhs and Pathans. them.
3. Muslims were seen held responsible for rebellion She ruled Jhansi very bravely and efficiently after her
and their land was confiscated. husband’s death.
4. Social and religious practices were given respect.
Class 8 History Chapter 5 When People Rebel
Zamindars and landlords were given protection and Exercise Questions
rights over their lands.
Question 1.
Question 9. Choose the correct option:
Find out stories and songs remembered by people in
(i) The new law passed in 1850 made
your area or your family about San Satavan Ki Ladaai.
(a) conversion into Christianity easier
What memories do people cherish about the great
(b) people of India Christians
uprising?
(c) the life of the Indians difficult
Answer:
(d) none of the above
Memories
(ii) The Revolt of 1857 began from:
Sepoy Mutiny started from Meerut. .
(a) Lucknow
Support of Bahadur Shah Zafar. (b) Kanpur
(c) Awadh
Spread of the mutiny over all of India.
(d) Meerut
Thousands of Firangis killed.
(iii) Mangal Pandey, a young soldier, was hanged to
Thousands of people sacrificed their lives. death for
(a) killing an Englishman
Mutiny suppressed. (b) attacking his officers in Barrackpore
British Foundation was shaken in India. (c) telling lies
(d) attacking English factories
Concessions given to Indians.
(iv) The Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar died in-
Question 10. (a) the Rangoon jail
Find out more about Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. In (b) the Royal palace
what ways would she have been an unusual woman for (c) the Mosque
her times? (d) the Audience Hall
Answer:
Rani of Jhansi: Rani Lakshmibai was the bravest (v) The British regained control of the country in the
among all the leaders of 1857 who tried to defeat the year
British forces. After the death of her husband she had (a) 1857
adopted a son but the then Governor-General, Lord (b) 1858
Dalhousie refused to give the rule of Jhansi to the (c) 1859
adopted child, and Jhansi was annexed to the British (d) 1860
Empire. Answer:
(i) (a), (ii) (d), (iii) (b), (iv) (a), (v) (c)
When the revolt started against the British, Rani
Lakshmibai also participated in it and fought very Question 2.
bravely. Her bravery would always continue to inspire Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete
the Indians. With the help of her commanders Nana each sentence.
Sahib, Tantia Tope, and her Afghan supporters, she
In the countryside peasants and zamindars resented the
…………. and the rigid methods of collection.
The British passed laws to stop the practice of
…………….. and to encourage the …………. of
widows.
The rebels rushed to Delhi from Meerut and
proclaimed ……………. as their leader.
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late Peshwa Baji Answer:
Rao, gathered armed forces and expelled the (i) (d), (ii) (c), (iii) (a), (iv) (e) (v) (b).
……………. from the city.
Class 8 History Chapter 5 When
……………. fought a guerrilla war against the British People Rebel Very Short Answer
with the support of several tribal and peasant leaders.
Type Questions
Answer:
Question 1.
High taxes; revenue What was the plea of Nana Saheb, the adopted son of
Peshwa Baji Rao-II?
Sati, remarriage
Answer:
Bahadur Shah Zafar Nana Saheb pleaded that he be given his father’s
pension when the latter died.
British Garrison
Question 2.
Tantia Tope What was the first step taken by the Company towards
Question 3. ending the Mughal dynasty?
State whether each of the following statements is True Answer:
or False. The name of the Mughal king was removed from the
coins minted by the Company.
None of the Indians wanted to change existing social
practices. Question 3.
Why were the Indian sepoys unhappy with the British
In 1856, Governor-General Canning decided that rule? Give any one reason.
Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king. Answer:
The Indian sepoys were unhappy about their pay, The Indian sepoys were underpaid.
allowances and conditions of service. Question 4.
The British could not repress the revolt and called the What rumour spread among the sepoys of the Meerut
rebels for negotiations. regiment about the new cartridges?
Answer:
After the Revolt of 1857, the Governor-General of The rumour spread that the new cartridges were coated
India was given the title of Admiral-General. with the fat of cows and pigs.
Answer: Question 5.
What did the ageing Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah
False
Zafar do after he was declared the leader of the rebels?
True Answer:
He wrote letters to all the chiefs and rulers of the
True country to come forward and organise a confederacy
False of Indian states to fight the British.

False Question 6.
Name any two smaller rulers who acknowledged the
Question 4. suzerainty of Bahadur Shah Zafar.
Match the items given in Column A correctly with Answer:
those given in Column B. Nana Saheb and Biijis Qadr.
Question 7.
Who was Tantia Tope?
Answer: Question 2.
He was the General of Nana Saheb. How did the Company plan to bring an end to the
Mughal dynasty?
Question 8.
Answer:
Who was Ahmadullah Shah? What was his prophesy?
Answer: First of all the name of the Mughal king was removed
Ahmadullah Shah was a maulvi from Faizabad. His from the coins minted by the Company.
prophesy was that the rule of the British would soon
In 1849, Governor-General Dalhousie announced that
come to an end.
after the death of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the family of
Question 9. the king would be shifted out of the Red Fort and
Who was Bakht Khan? given another place in Delhi to live in.
Answer:
In 1856, Governor-General “Canning decided that
Bakht Khan was a soldier from Bareilly. He took
Bahadur Shah Zafar would be the last Mughal king
charge of a large force of fighters who came to Delhi.
and after his death his descendants would be known as
Question 10 . princes.
When did the British recapture Delhi?
Question 3.
Answer:
Why were the Indian sepoys in the employ of the
The British recaptured Delhi in September 1857.
Company discontented? Give sufficient reasons.
Question 11. Answer:
Why were the powers of the East India Company Reasons for their discontentment:
transferred to the British Crown?
The Indian sepoys were given poor salaries and
Answer:
allowances.
The powers of the East India Company were
transferred to the British Crown in order to ensure a The conditions of service also made them unhappy.
more responsible management of Indian affairs.
Some of the new rules even violated their religious
Question 12. sentiments and beliefs.
Under what condition the ruling chiefs could pass on
their kingdoms to their heirs? Those were the days when many people in the country
Answer: believed that if they crossed the sea they would lose
They could do so only when they were ready to their religion and caste.
acknowledge the British Queen as their Sovereign So when in 1824 the sepoys were told to go to Burma
Paramount. by the sea route to fight for the Company, they refused
Question 13. to follow this order.
Why did the British treat Muslims with suspicion and As a result they were given severe punishment. What
hostility? is more, in 1856, the Company passed a new law
Answer: which stated that every new person who took up
The British believed that Muslims were responsible for employment in the Company’s army had to agree to
the rebellion in a big way. serve overseas if required.
Class 8 History Chapter 5 When Question 4.
People Rebel Short Answer Type What reforms did the British introduce in the Indian
society? How did the people of India respond to them?
Questions Answer:
Question 1. The British introduced several reforms:
Under what pretext did the Company take over They passed laws to stop the practice of sati and to
Awadh? encourage the remarriage of widows.
Answer:
In 1801, a subsidiary alliance was imposed on Awadh, They promoted English language education.
and in 1856, it was taken over. Governor-General
In 1850, the Company passed a new law that made the
Dalhousie declared that the territory was being
conversion to Christianity easier.
misgoverned and British rule was needed to ensure
proper administration. Many Indians began to feel that the British were
destroying their religion, their social customs and their
traditional way of life. But at the same time there were Red Fort where the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah
other Indians who readily accepted the reforms Zafar lived, demanding to meet him.
introduced by the British. In fact, they wanted to
The emperor was not willing to challenge the mighty
change existing social practices.
British power but the soldiers persisted. They forced
Question 5. their way into the palace and proclaimed Bahadur
Why did the chiefs and rulers support the Mughal Shah Zafar as their leaders. The emperor finally
emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in the revolt? accepted this demand. After getting the leader, the
Answer: soldiers began to plan for further action.
The Mughal dynasty had ruled over a large part of the
Question 2.
country. Most smaller rulers and chieftains controlled
How did the rebellion spread to other regions of the
different territories on behalf of the Mughal ruler.
country?
Threatened by the expansion of British rule, many of
Answer:
them felt that if the Mughal emperor could rule again,
The position of the British became very weak in Delhi
they too would be able to rule their own territories
and they were almost defeated by the rebel force.
once more, under the Mughal authority.
Therefore, there was no uprising for almost a week.
Question 6. Afterwards a spurt of mutinies began in several parts
How did the British try to win back the loyalty of the of India. Regiment after regiment mutinied and took to
people after they recaptured Delhi? join otlter troops at nodal points like Delhi, Kanpur
Answer: and Lucknow. After them, the people of the towns and
villages also” rose up in rebellion. They rallied around
The British announced rewards for loyal landholders
local leaders, zamindars and chiefs who were prepared
by allowing them to continue to enjoy traditional rights
to establish their authority and fight the British.
over their lands.
Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the late Peshwa Baji
Those who had rebelled were told that if they
Rao who lived near Kanpur, gathered armed forces and
submitted to the British and if they had not killed any
expelled the British Garrison from the city. He
white people, they would remain safe and their rights
proclaimed himself Peshwa. He delcared that he was a
and claims to land would not be denied.
Governor under emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. In
Lucknow, Birjis Qadr, the son of the deposed Nawab
Class 8 History Chapter 5 When Wajid Ali Shah, was proclaimed the new Nawab. He
People Rebel Long Answer Type too acknowledged the suzerainty of Bahadur Shah
Questions Zafar.

Question 1. In Jhansi, Rani Lakshmibai joined the rebel sepoys and

How did other Indian soldiers in Meerut participate in fought the British along with Tantia Tope, the General
the Revolt of 1857? How did the regiments stationed of Nana Saheb.
in Delhi respond when they came to know about the A situation of widespread rebellion also developed in
arrival of the Meerut sepoys in the city? the region of Awadh. Many new leaders also came up
Answer: and joined the revolt. Ahmadullah Shah, a maulvi from
The other Indian soldiers in Meerut participated in the Faizabad, raised a large force of supporters. He came
uprising wholeheartedly. On 10 May, 1857 they to Lucknow to fight the British.
marched to the jail in Meerut and released the sepoys In Delhi, a large number of religious warriors came
who were sentenced to ten years’ jail for disobeying together to wipe out the white people. Bakht Khan, a
their officers. They attacked and killed British officers. soldier from Bareilly, took charge of a large force of
They captured guns and ammunition and set fire to the fighters who came to Delhi. In Bihar, an old zamindar,
buildings and properties of the British and declared Kunwar Singh, joined the rebel sepoys and battled
war on the firangis. The soldiers were determined to with the British for several months.
bring an end to the British rule in the country. Question 3.
The sepoys of Meerut rushgd to Delhi in the early How did the Company suppress the revolt?
hours on 11 May. As news of their arrival spread, the Answer:
regiments stationed in Delhi also rose up in rebellion. The Company did not get nervous to sea the strength
Again British officers were killed, arms and of the rebel forces. Instead, it decided to suppress the
ammunition were seized, buildings were set on fire. revolt with all its might. It brought reinforcements
Triumphant soldiers gathered around the walls of the from England, passed new laws so that the rebels
could be convicted with ease, and then moved into the
storm centres of the revolt. Delhi was recaptured from follow:
the rebel forces in September 1857. The last Mughal
emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar was tried in court and
sentenced to life imprisonment. He and his wife were
sent to prison in Rangoon in October 1858.
The recapture of Delhi did not mean that the rebellion
died down completely. People continued to resist and
battle the British. So, the British had to fight for two
years to suppress the massive forces of popular
rebellion. The British took Lucknow in 1858. Rani
Lakshmibai was defeated and killed in June 1858.
Tantia Tope, who fought a guerrilla war, was finally
captured, tried and killed in April 1859.

Class 8 History Chapter 5 When

People Rebel Source-Based
Questions
Question 1.
Read the following extract taken from the NCERT
textbook (page 53) and answer the questions that

Rebellion textbook

Questions:
(i) Who was Vishnubhatt Godse? Where was he going
and for what purpose?
(ii) Whom did he meet on the way? What did they tell
him?
(iii) What further information did they give to
Vishnubhatt?
Answers:
(i) Vishnubhatt Godse was a Brahman from a village
in Maharashtra. He was going to Mathura to attend a
yajna.
(ii) He met some sepoys on the way. The sepoys told
him that he should not proceed on the journey because
a massive upheaval was going to break out in three
days.
(iii) The sepoys further informed Vishnubhatt about
the ways the British were destroying the religions of
the Hindus and the Muslims and anger that spread due Answer:
to it among the rulers and the common mass. All the
big people had fixed a date for the war of religion and
that date would be coming in three days.

Class 8 History Chapter 5 When

People Rebel Picture-Based
Questions
Question 1.
Observe the picture given below taken from NCERT
textbook and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.
Who were the leaders from Bihar who
joined the rebellion?
Answer:
Kunwar Singh, an old zamindar joined
the rebellion from Bihar.
Question 2.
When did Bahadur Shah Zafar die?
Answer:
Questions:
Bahadur Shah Zafar died in November
(i) What do you see in the above picture?
(ii) What does the artist want to show? 1862.
Answers:
(i) British forces are capturing the rebels. Question 3.
(ii) The artist wants to show the might of the British What did the new act in 1858
soldiers who valiantly advanced on the rebel forces. mention?
Map Skills Answer:
Question 1. The new act of 1858 transferred the
On an outline political map of India, mark the power of the East India Company to
important centres of Revolt in North India.
the British Crown.
Question 4.
What was the proportion decided for
the new recruitment process for
soldiers adopted after 1857 revolt by
the British.
Answer:
It was decided that the proportion of
Indian soldiers in the army would be
reduced and number of Europeans So they decided to introduce several
would be increased. changes in their policies.
Question 5. Question 10.
Who was highlighted from Faizabad What was there for the ruling chief in
during the Revolt of 1857? the new policies adopted by the
Answer: British after the Revolt in 1857
Ahmadullah Shah, a maulvi from ended?
Faizabad was highlighted during 1857 Answer:
revolt. The ruling chiefs of the country were
assured about their territory that it
Question 6.
would never be annexed in future,
What was decided about customary
and were allowed to pass on their
religious and social practices of the
kingdoms to their heirs, including the
people in India by the British?
adopted sons.
Answer:
The British decided to respect the Question 11.
customary religious and social What did the British thought earlier
practices of people in India. about the rebel?
Answer:
Question 7.
They thought that the disturbance
What is the term Mutiny means?
caused by the issue of the cartridges
Answer:
would die down. But nothing
When soldiers as a group disobey
happened in the way British thought.
their officer in the army, that
situation is known as mutiny. Question 12.
During period of time the erosion of
Question 8.
powers of Nawabs and Rajas was
Who was the governor-general who
noticed?
decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar
Answer:
would be the last Mughal king?
During the mid 18th century noticed
Answer:
the erosion of powers of Nawabs and
Governor-general Canning decided
Rajas.
that Bahadur Shah Zafar would the
last Mughal king. Question 13.
Why did the ruling families tried
Question 9.
negotiations with the company?
What was the decision of the British
Answer:
after they regained control over India
In manner to protect their interest the
after 1857 revolt?
ruling families tried negotiations with
Answer:
the Company.
The British had decided that they
could not carry on ruling the land Question 14.
with the same policies any more. What action did Company took for
‘pleas urged by the ruling families?
Answer: Indian sepoy employed in the
Company rejected their negotiation Company were:
pleas.
They were unhappy about the pay and
Question 15. allowances.
What was another reason behind the
The conditions of the services was not
angry of sepoys?
good for them.
Sepoys reacted in angry to the
conditions of countryside also. The religious belief were hurted.

When People Rebel Class 8 Extra Question 4.

Questions Short Answer Type What made the Indian rebelled
against Britisher and how they all
Question 1.
decided that British is the only enemy
What was the condition after
to them?
recapturing of Delhi by the British?
Answer:
Answer:
Indians rebelled against the policies
The recapturing of Delhi did not mean
of British. They believed in common
that the rebellion died down, people
manner that they all have only an
still continued with the resistance and
enemy and that is British. People
battle with the British. The British
started organism themselves,
had to fight for two years in this
communication and taking initiatives
manner to suppress the massive
and displaying confidences to them
forces of popular rebellion.
the situation around.
Question 2.
Question 5.
What was the situation of the
What was the reason behind the
peasants and zamindars in the
capture of Awadh by the Company?
countryside?
Answer:
Answer:
In 1856 the Awadh was taken over
In the countryside, the peasants and
after the event of 1801 when
the zamindars resented the high taxes
subsidiary alliance was imposed on
and rigid methods of revenue
Awadh. And the territory was
collection. Many failed to pay back
declared being misgoverned and
their loans to the moneylenders and
British rule was imposed in order to
gradually lost their lands they had
ensure a proper administration.
tilled for generations.
When People Rebel Class 8 Extra
Question 3.
Questions Long Answer Type
Mention the reasons behind the
discontent of the Indian sepoys Question 1.
employed in the Company? How did the Company plan to end the
Answer: Mughal Dynasty?
The reasons behind the discontent of Answer:
The Company began planning on how
to end the Mughal dynasty in the The Company passed a law that stated
following ways: that every new person who took up
employment in the Company army
The name of the Mughal kings was
had to agree to serve overseas if
removed from the coins minted by the
required.
Company.
Question 3.
In 1849, Governor-General Dalhousie
What made the British believe that
announced that after the death of
Indian society had to be reformed?
Bahadur Shah II, his family would be
What steps were taken to stop these?
shifted out of Red Fort and given
Answer:
another place in Delhi to reside in.
The British believed that the Indian
In 1856, Governor-General Canning society had to be reformed as there
decided that Bahadur Shah Zafar were still practices of sati in Indian
would be the last Mughal king and society which made the British to pass
after his death none of his laws to stop practice of sati and
descendants would be recognized as encourage remarriage of widows.
the king.
For this, the British promoted English
Question 2. language education and allowed
What was the reason behind the Christian missionaries to propagate
discontent of Indian sepoys of the and function freely in India.
Company?
In 1850, new law was passed making
Answer:
conversion to Christianity easier.
The reason behind discontent of
Indian sepoys were as follows: This is how they decided to stop all
this.
The Indian sepoys in the employment
of the Company were unhappy about Picture Based Questions Class 8 History
the pay, allowances and conditions of Chapter 5 When People Rebel
their services.
Look at the picture given below and
New rules violated their religious answer the following questions//:
sentiments and beliefs.
Question 1.
It was believed during that time that What does the picture express.
by crossing the sea one looses his Answer:
religion and caste. In picture the artist wants to show
the might of the British soldiers who
The sepoys were told to go Burma in
violently suppressed the rebels forces.
1824 by the sea route to fight for the
Therefore, the picture expresses the
Company and the sepoys refused to
British capturing the rebels.
follow the order though they agreed
to go through land route. Map Skills Class 8 History Chapter 5
When People Rebel
The refusal resulted in punishment.
Question 1.
On an outline map of India represent
the following centers of Revolts?
(i) Meerut
(ii) Delhi
(iii) Bihar
(iv) Kanpur
(v) Jhansi
Answer: