History

Forest Society and Colonialism

Question:

Why did the people of Bastar rise in revolt against the British? Explain.

Answer:

  • In 1905, the colonial government imposed laws to reserve two-thirds of the forests, stop shifting cultivation, hunting and collection of forest produce. People of many villages were displaced without any notice or compensation.
  • For long, villagers had been suffering from increased land rents and frequent demands for free labour and goods by colonial officials.
  • The terrible famines in 1899–1900 and again in 1907–1908 made the life of people miserable. They blamed the colonial rule for their sorry plight.
  • The initiative of rebellion was taken by the Dhurwas of the Kanger forest, where reservation first took place. Gunda Dhur was an important leader of the rebellion.
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    Questions and Answers

    Forest Society and Colonialism

    Q 1.

    About how much percentage of the world's total forest area was cleared between 1700 and 1995?
    Answer

    Q 2.

    In which year the Indian Forest Service was set up?
    Answer

    Q 3.

    During the colonial period, the British directly encouraged the production of which of these crops?
    Answer

    Q 4.

    Who were 'Kalangs' of Java?
    Answer

    Q 5.

    Who were the colonial power in Indonesia?
    Answer

    Q 6.

    Why was shifting cultivation banned by the Government in India?
    Answer

    Q 7.

    Who wrote the book 'The Forests of India' in the year 1923?
    Answer

    Q 8.

    What was the system of 'blandongdiensten'?
    Answer

    Q 9.

    What is deforestation?
    Answer

    Q 10.

    What was Samin's Movement?
    Answer

    Q 11.

    How was the colonial management of forests in Bastar similar to that of Java?
    Answer

    Q 12.

    What is shifting agriculture? Why was it regarded as harmful by the British?
    Answer

    Q 13.

    Differentiate between the customary practice of hunting and hunting as a sport in India, after the Forest Acts were passed.
    Answer

    Q 14.

    In which year the Baster rebellion took place?
    Answer

    Q 15.

    Describe scientific forestry.
    Answer

    Q 16.

    Why was the railway network spread by the British in India from 1850s onwards? Why was there a need for forest timber spread for railways?
    Answer

    Q 17.

    The British believed that by killing dangerous animals, the British would civilise India. What did they do to encourage these killings?
    Answer

    Q 18.

    Why did the people of Bastar rise in revolt against the British? Explain.
    Answer

    Q 19.

    Describe four provisions of the Forest Act of 1878.
    Answer

    Q 20.

    Why is deforestation considered harmful?
    Answer

    Q 21.

    What did Dietrich Brandis suggest for the improvement of forests in India?
    Answer

    Q 22.

    How did the American writer Richard Harding justify the conquest of Honduras in Central America?
    Answer

    Q 23.

    Explain why did the Dutch adopt the 'scorched earth policy' during the war.
    Answer