Maharashtra Board Class 12 History Chapter 6 Indian Struggle against Colonialism Exercise Solutions

1a. Choose The Correct Alternative And Rewrite The Statement.

Question 1. The region of __________ had become a stronghold of Hansaji Naik.
(a) Satara
(b) Nanded
(c) Pune
(d) Nagpur
Answer: (b) Nanded
In simple words: Hansaji Naik was a local leader who fought against the British, and his main base of power was in the Nanded area.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use this to explain how local uprisings were common across different regions of India even before the major national revolts. This helps students see that resistance was widespread.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always associate the name of the leader with their specific region; Nanded and Hansaji Naik are frequently paired in objective questions.

Question 2. The British plant owners in Bihar were pressing the local farmers to grow only __________
(a) indigo
(b) tea
(c) coffee
(d) sugarcane
Answer: (a) indigo
In simple words: British businessmen forced Indian farmers to grow blue dye (indigo) instead of food crops because it made the British a lot of money in international trade.

📝 Teacher's Note: Connect this to the Champaran Satyagraha. It helps students understand why Gandhi later chose this issue to start his first major movement in India.

🎯 Exam Tip: Indigo was a 'cash crop' – remember this term as it explains the economic exploitation the British practiced.

Question 3. The first session of the Indian National Congress was presided by __________
(a) Dwarkanath Tagore
(b) Vyomeshchandra Banerjee
(c) Dadabhai Nauroji
(d) Surendranath Banerjee
Answer: (b) Vyomeshchandra Banerjee
In simple words: When the Indian National Congress met for the very first time in \( 1885 \), Vyomeshchandra Banerjee (also known as W.C. Bonnerjee) was chosen as the leader of that meeting.

📝 Teacher's Note: Remind students that this first meeting took place in Mumbai (Bombay) at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit College. Contextualizing the location helps with memory.

🎯 Exam Tip: Ensure you can correctly spell "Vyomeshchandra Banerjee" as examiners look for precise names in historical answers.

1b. Find The Incorrect Pair From Group ‘B’ And Write The Corrected One.

Question 1.

Answer: Kunwar Singh – Patna
In simple words: The table lists leaders and the places where they led the \( 1857 \) revolt. Kunwar Sinh led the rebellion in Bihar (Patna/Jagdishpur), not in Lucknow.

📝 Teacher's Note: Encourage students to create a "Leader-Region" chart for the \( 1857 \) rebellion. For example, Begum Hazrat Mahal was the leader in Lucknow, which is why the original pair was wrong.

🎯 Exam Tip: When correcting a pair, clearly state both the person and the correct location to ensure you get full marks for the correction.

2. Write The Names Of Historical Places/persons/events.

Question 1. The region of the regime of the parallel government established in \( 1942 \) –
Answer: Satara District
In simple words: During the Quit India Movement in \( 1942 \), the people in Satara set up their own government and stopped following British rules.

📝 Teacher's Note: Mention Krantisinha Nana Patil as the leader of this government. It makes the regional history more relatable to students in Maharashtra.

🎯 Exam Tip: Use the term "Prati Sarkar" if asked for the Marathi name of this parallel government.

Question 2. The islands were conquered by Azad Hind Sena from the British in \( 1943 \) –
Answer: Andaman and Nicobar Islands
In simple words: Subhash Chandra Bose's army took control of these two island groups from the British and renamed them 'Shaheed' and 'Swaraj'.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain the symbolic importance of this victory—it was the first piece of Indian territory liberated from British rule by the INA.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always mention both islands (Andaman and Nicobar) together as they were treated as a single administrative unit by the Azad Hind Sena.

3. Write Short Notes.

Question 1. The Extremists.
Answer:

• The Indian National Congress split into two groups-The Moderates and The Extremists at the Surat session of the Congress in \( 1907 \).
• The ‘Extremists’ wing of thinkers insisted that independence should be a natural priority. An independent nation could provide the right set-up for social reformation.
• Lokmanya Tilak who was the leader of the Extremists said that the home taken over by others should be recovered first, then only we can reform it.
• He also felt that the British Government will not yield to applications, requests, and speeches.
• The Extremists did not agree with the Moderators’ policy of avoiding the resolutions of ‘Swadeshi’ and ‘Boycott’ and wanted to stop these attempts of the Moderators.
• The three leaders of the Extremists group were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal. (Lal-Bal-Pal).

In simple words: The Extremists were a group in the Congress who believed in taking bold action and demanding full independence immediately, rather than just asking the British for small favors. They were led by famous leaders like Tilak and believed in using strikes and boycotts.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use the analogy of "asking politely" (Moderates) versus "demanding rights" (Extremists) to help students distinguish between the two ideologies.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always mention the "Lal-Bal-Pal" trio and the \( 1907 \) Surat Split to make your answer complete and authoritative.

Question 2. Azad Hind Sena.
Answer:

• The Azad Hind Sena was built by Rasbihari Bose by recruiting Indian soldiers and later on was reorganized under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose.
• These were the Indian soldiers of the British army who were taken captive by the Japanese army.

In simple words: This was an army of Indian soldiers who were captured during World War II. They joined Subhash Chandra Bose to fight against the British and win India's freedom from the outside.

📝 Teacher's Note: Clarify that these soldiers were "Prisoners of War" (POWs). This explains why they were in a position to form a new army under Japanese support.

🎯 Exam Tip: Be sure to distinguish between Rasbihari Bose (founder) and Subhash Chandra Bose (who later led and reorganized it).

Question 3. Prati Sarkar.
Answer:

• Prati Sarkar or Parallel Government was established by Krantisinha Nana Patil, a revolutionist in the Satara district of Maharashtra.
• He, with the help of his associates, put an end to the British regime in the Satara district and established ‘People’s Government’.
• This government took over the administrative task of collecting revenue, maintaining law and order, solving court cases, and punishing criminals.

In simple words: Prati Sarkar was like a "shadow government" set up by local heroes in Satara. They did everything a real government does—like collecting taxes and catching criminals—but they did it for the people instead of the British.

📝 Teacher's Note: Highlight that this government functioned for several years, which shows how organized and popular the local resistance was in Maharashtra.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention the specific administrative tasks like "collecting revenue" and "punishing criminals" to show how the parallel government actually functioned.

4. Answer The Following Questions In Detail.

Question 1. Lieutenant Outram was successful in crushing the revolt by the Bhils by the end of \( 1822 \).
Answer:

• A revolt of the Bhils in which thousands of Bhils participated was crushed by Lt. Outram.
• However, he also stayed among the Bhils and won their confidence. He tried to bring them into the mainstream of urban life.
• He adopted measures like the declaration of amnesty, land grants, agricultural loans and reprieve from the past crimes, and recruitment in the army to weaken the opposition from the Bhils.

In simple words: Lt. Outram first used force to stop the Bhil tribe's rebellion. Then, he tried to befriend them by giving them land, loans, and jobs in the army so they wouldn't want to fight the British anymore.

📝 Teacher's Note: This is a classic example of the 'Carrot and Stick' policy. Explain how the British used force first (stick) and then offered benefits (carrot) to maintain control.

🎯 Exam Tip: List the specific peaceful measures (loans, land, amnesty) as these are key points that earn higher marks in detailed answers.

Question 2. Ravindranath gave up his title (Sir.)
Answer:

• On \( 13^{th} \) April \( 1919 \), the day of Baisakhi thousands of people had gathered for a meeting at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar for celebrating the festival.
• Many of them were not aware of the ban put by the government on public gatherings.
• Genera Dyer opened fire on these people without any prior warning.
• About four hundred innocent people were killed and thousands were injured in this incident. It is known as the ‘Jallianwala Bagh Massacre’.
• It created a wave of rage all through India.
• Rabindranath Tagore criticized this act and gave up his title (Sir).

In simple words: After British soldiers killed hundreds of peaceful Indians at Jallianwala Bagh, Rabindranath Tagore was so angry and sad that he returned his "Knighthood" (the title 'Sir') to the British as a protest.

📝 Teacher's Note: Emphasize that giving up a title was a very strong form of peaceful protest that brought international attention to British cruelty in India.

🎯 Exam Tip: Include the specific date (\( 13^{th} \) April \( 1919 \)) and the location (Amritsar) to provide the necessary historical context.

5. State Your Opinion.

Question 1. The rise of colonialism was the result of the spreading of European trade.
Answer:

• The Europeans reached all over the world for several reasons such as the urge for adventures, to earn a name to discover unknown lands, to search for gold mines, etc.
• Later, trade and commerce increased to such a great extent for which there was economic, social, and political supremacy among them.
• The Europeans found potential markets in continents like Asia, America, and Africa where they established their colonies. And the first to do so were the Portuguese.

In simple words: Europeans first traveled for adventure and gold, then started trading. Eventually, they wanted to control the markets where they traded, which led them to take over those countries and turn them into colonies.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain the transition from "merchants" to "rulers." Use the British East India Company as a prime example of how a trading company became a political power.

🎯 Exam Tip: When stating an opinion, use logical links like "Later," and "Consequently" to show how one event (trade) led to the next (colonialism).

Question 2. According to Swatantryaveer Savarkar, the Independence War of \( 1857 \) was the First War of Independence.
Answer:

• The revolt of \( 1857 \) was a unified and national uprising against the British authority.
• The Indian war of Independence as described in his book ‘\( 1857 \)-The First War of Independence' was considered to be the first war where the entire nation irrespective of caste, creed, race, and religion had come together and staged an armed protest against the British to gain independence from their colonial rule.

In simple words: Savarkar believed that the \( 1857 \) fight wasn't just a small protest by soldiers; it was the first time all kinds of Indians fought together as one nation to kick the British out.

📝 Teacher's Note: Contrast this with the British view, which called it a "Sepoy Mutiny." This helps students understand how different perspectives shape history.

🎯 Exam Tip: Mention the title of Savarkar's book correctly as it is the primary evidence for his perspective.

Try This (Textbook Page No. 43)

Question. Collect more information about ‘Kayamdhara’, ‘Ryotwari’, ‘Mahalwari’ land revenue systems and discuss it in the class. Also, discuss the present land system of ‘Anewari’.
Answer:
(a) Kayamdhara or Jamindari:

• This system was introduced by Lord Cornwallis in \( 1793 \).
• It was introduced in the provinces of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, and Varanasi.
• Zamindars were recognized as the owners of the lands.
• Zamindars were given the right to collect rent from the peasants.

(b) Ryotwari:

• The Ryotwari system was a land revenue system in British India introduced by Thomas Munro in \( 1820 \) based on a system administered by Captain Alexander Read in the Baramahal district.
• This was practiced in Madras and Bombay areas as well as Assam and Coorg provinces.
• In this system, the peasants or cultivators were regarded as the owners of the land.
• Ryot means peasant cultivator.

(c) Mahalwari system:

• The government of Lord William Bentinck Governor-General of India (\( 1828-1835 \)) introduced the Mahalwari system of land revenue in \( 1833 \).
• This system was introduced in N W Frontier, Agra, Gangetic Valley, Central Provinces, Punjab, etc.
• Had elements of both the Zamindari and the Ryotwari systems.
• This system divided the lands into Mahals. Sometimes the Mahals constituted one or more villages.
• The tax was assessed on the Mahal.
• Each individual farmer gave his share.
• Revenue was collected by the village headman or village leaders (Lambardar).

(d) Anewari System:

• Paisewari (originally known as Anewari) is a system of survey used by the government to decide whether a village is drought-hit or not.
• Prior to the harvest, the Tehsildar along with farmers and representatives of the agricultural department takes stock of the crop and compares it with the yield of the last ten years.
• If the value is less than \( 50 \) paise, the village is declared drought-hit, and drought mitigating measures are put in place.

In simple words: These were different ways the British collected tax from land. In some, the rich landlords (Zamindars) collected it; in others, farmers (Ryots) paid directly. Anewari is a modern system used to check if crops are failing so the government can help farmers.

📝 Teacher's Note: Use a table to compare who owned the land and who collected the tax in each system. This makes the complex administrative history much easier to digest.

🎯 Exam Tip: Learn the names of the British officials associated with each system (Cornwallis, Munro, Bentinck) as these are common MCQ points.

Try To Do This (Textbook Page No. 46)

Question. Vishnubhat Godse from Vasai was in Jhansi in \( 1857 \). Get the book, ‘Maza Pravas’ authored by him as the eyewitness of the happenings and read it.
Answer:

• ‘Maza Pravas’ translates into English as “My Travels: The story of \( 1857 \) Mutiny” is a Marathi travelogue written by Vishnubhat Godse, who traveled on foot from Varsai, a village near Pen (present-day Maharashtra) to the Central and Northern parts of India during \( 1857-1858 \) and witnessed several incidents of what he calls “The Mutiny of \( 1857 \)” also known as the Indian Rebellion of \( 1857 \).
• During his travel, he witnessed the events at Mhow, worked for the Rani of Jhansi for a few months, visited Ayodhya, eventually returning penniless to his village.
• Apart from his encounters with the mutiny he also visited most of the Hindu holy places.

In simple words: This is a famous travel book by a man who actually saw the \( 1857 \) rebellion happening with his own eyes while traveling through India. It gives us a real, personal look at that dangerous time.

📝 Teacher's Note: Explain the importance of "Primary Sources" in history. A travelogue like this is a first-hand account, which is very different from a textbook written years later.

🎯 Exam Tip: Note that 'Maza Pravas' is considered one of the first travelogues in Marathi literature and an important historical source for the \( 1857 \) war.

Try To Do This (Textbook Page No. 55)

Question. Collect information and pictures about revolutionaries and freedom fighters from your area and make a presentation.
Answer: Students should do this activity by themselves.
In simple words: This is a project for you to find out about local heroes in your own town or city who helped India become free.

📝 Teacher's Note: Encourage students to visit local libraries or museums to find names of lesser-known regional freedom fighters to make their presentations unique.

🎯 Exam Tip: For projects, focus on "unsung heroes"—figures who aren't in every textbook but were vital to the local movement.

Projects (Textbook Page No. 56)

Question. (a) The Rising Ballad of Mangal Panday (b) The Legend of Bhagat Singh (c) Khele Hum Jee Janse. These are some Hindi films. Watch them and verify the historical truth of the incidences shown in it.
Answer: Students do by themselves.
In simple words: Watch these movies and check if what they show matches what you have learned in your history book!

📝 Teacher's Note: Use this as an opportunity to discuss "Historical Accuracy" in media. Ask students to identify "cinematic liberty" (things added for drama) versus historical facts.

🎯 Exam Tip: While movies are great for visualization, always rely on your textbook for dates and specific facts in the exam.