CBSE Class 12 History Peasants Zamindaris and the State Assignment Set 02

Very Short Answer Questions :

Question. Name any two sources that provides the information about the agriculture in Mughal Period.
Answer. i. Ain-i-Akbari
ii. Accounts of foreign travellers.
iii. Records of British India. // ( ANY TWO )

Question. What was ‘jama’ ?
Answer. The jama was the amount assessed.

Answer. Question. Who was the author of Ain-I Akbari?
Ans. Abul Fazl, writer of Ain-I Akbari, gems of Akbar’s court.

Short Answer Questions :

Question. Is it correct to say the village as a little republic?
Answer. 1. No, there was individual ownership of assets and deep inequities based on caste and gender.
2. Powerful groups, exploited the weaker sections.

Question. Write the factors responsible for the expansion of agriculture during 16th and 17th century.
Answer. 1.Excess of land.
2. Availability of labourers.
3. Irrigation facilities.

Question. Give a brief account of land revenue system of Mughals.
Answer. 1. Land Revenue was the main source of the income.
2. It consists two stages – i) Assessment ii) Actual collection.
3. Control over agricultural Production and fixation of the tax.
4. Revenue office – Amil Guzar.
5. Payment of tax – in cash or crop.
6. Land measurement and classification of Land.
7. Tax was fixed as per the quantity of land.

Question. Write in brief about the Mansabadari system Write its merits and demerits also.
Answer. 1.Introduced during Akbar’s period.2. All holders of government offices held rank (Mansabs) comprising of two numerical designations.
i) Zat (Position & Salary) ii) Sawar – Number of Horsemen he required.
Merits –
1. Qualification as based of rank.
2. Forceful army.
3. Good on revolts.
4. Ban on corruption.
Demerits –
i) Luxurious life.
ii) Misuse of money
iii) Loyalty of the soldiers.

Question. Explain why does Ain-i-Akbari remain important event today?
Answer. 1. Because it provides glimpses of Mughal Empire.
2. Valuable information about the political events of the time.
3. Information about country, people, products.
4. Information about various customs and practices, literacy, religious tradition.
5. Information about Mughal provinces.

Question. Explain the role played by the Zamindars in Mughal India.
Answer. 1. Zamindars did not directly participate in the process of agricultural production but they enjoyed high status in the society.
2. They hold their personal lands. They could sell the land.
3. They enjoyed many social and economic privileges.
4. They belonged to the upper caste.
5. They rendered certain services to the state.
6. They had right to collect revenue.
7. The Zamindars had kept control over the military resources.
8. Important role in developing the agricultural land.
9. Highest position in the society.

Source based Questions :

Classification of lands under Akbar
The following is a listing of criteria of classification excerptedfrom the Ain:
The Emperor Akbar in his profound sagacity classified the lands and fixed a different revenue to be paid byeach. Polaj is land which is annually cultivated for each crop in succession and is never allowed to lie fallow. Parauti is land left out of cultivation for a time that it may recover its strength.
Chachar is land that haslain fallow for three or four years. Banjar is land uncultivated for five years and more. Of the first two kinds of land, there are three classes, good, middling, and bad. They add together the produce of each sort, and the third of this represents the medium produce, one-third part of which is exacted as the Royal dues.

Question. Suggest some other ways of your own .
Answer. Other way is Kankut.

Question. Explain the classification of land by Akbar.
Answer. Polaj, Parauti, Chachar, Banjar.

Question. How the revenue was fixed for the two types of land?
Answer. Production of each types of land added together then one third was the tax.