Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History MCQ & SAQ

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History NCERT Solution

Discuss how the changes in forest management in the colonial period affected the following groups of people:

(a) Shifting cultivators

(b) Nomadic and pastoralist communities

(c) Firms trading in timber/forest produce

(d) Plantation owners

(e) Kings/British officials engaged in a shikar.

(a) Shifting Cultivators

Shifting cultivation was a traditional agricultural practice in many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America. Parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation. After the first monsoon rains, seeds are sown in the ashes, and crops are cultivated. Cultivation continued for a couple of years. Then the forest is allowed to grow in the area for 12 to 18 years. Then they are cut and burnt once more. This rotation is called Shifting cultivation.

The Colonial government banned Shifting cultivation, as European foresters felt that this would harm the forests and valuable timber would be lost. The Government also found it difficult to calculate taxes when Shifting cultivation was practiced.

The ban displaced many Shifting cultivators. Many of them had to change their occupation. A few Shifting cultivators agitated against the ban.

(b) Nomadic and Pastoralist Communities

Nomadic and pastoralist communities moved about in the mountains and deserts and in the plains and plateaus of India and Africa. The pastoralist communities formed an important part of the population in both countries during the Colonial era. When the Colonial government established control over the forests it affected the pastoralist communities in a big way.

The pastoralist communities always moved from place to place with their cattle. When forests were destroyed by the government to expand agriculture, the Nomads lost grazing fields for their cattle. This brought a lot of hardship to the pastoralist communities.

Large expanses of forests were cut for timber and forest produce. The Colonial Government was worried about this reckless felling of trees. It passed the Indian Forest Act in 1865. This Act was amended in the year 1878. Under this amendment the forests were divided into 3 categories, – reserved, protected and village forests. Villagers and local firms trading in timber and forest produce could not take anything from the reserved or protected forests which had the best trees. This affected the traders immensely.

(d) Plantation Owners

Vast areas of forests were given to European Planters, at a very cheap rate by the Colonial government. Natural forests were cleared to cultivate tea coffee and rubber trees. There was a great demand for these commodities in Europe. These plantations were fenced off and others were not allowed inside.

(e) Kings/British Officials engaged in Shikar

Forest laws banned hunting of deer, partridges, and small animals. People who lived near the forests were deprived of their livelihood and food because of this ban. Contrary to this ban hunting of big animals like the tiger, leopard and wolves became a sport for the kings and the British. The British felt that by killing dangerous animals they could civilize India. The indiscriminate hunting by the British and the Kings almost made certain species of animals extinct.

What are the similarities between the colonial management of the forests in Bastar and in Java?

The similarities between the colonial management of forests in Bastar and in Java are as follows.

Colonial management in Bastar:

In 1905, the colonial government proposed to reserve 2/3 of the forests, stop shifting cultivation, hunting and collection of forest produce.
The villagers were suffering from increased rents and demand for free labor and goods by colonial officials.
In the reserved forests, the villagers could stay in the forests and had to work free for the forest department and help them in cutting and transporting trees and protecting them from forest fires. They were called forest villages.

Colonial management in Java:

In Java, villagers were punished for grazing cattle, transporting goods without permit or traveling on forest roads.
The Dutch needed labor to cut trees, transport logs and prepare sleepers. They introduced the blandongdiensten system. According to this system, they first introduced rents on land being cultivated in the forest and then some villages were exempted from paying rent, if they worked collectively to provide free labor and buffaloes for cutting and transporting timber. It was similar to ‘forest villages’.

Between 1880 and 1920, forest cover in the Indian subcontinent declined by 9.7 million hectares, from 108.6 million hectares to 98.9 million hectares. Discuss the role of the following factors in this decline:

Railways

Shipbuilding

Agricultural expansion

Commercial farming

Tea/Coffee plantations

Adivasis and other peasant users.

Railways

The expansion of the railways became a necessity as trade and transportation increased. Wood was needed as fuel to run the steam locomotives. Wood was also needed to lay railway line sleepers, which held the tracks together. So, forests were destroyed to provide the wood needed for the expansion of the railways.

Shipbuilding

The British Government needed huge ships for its Royal Navy. Ships are built of strong, durable timber. When the oak forests in England began to disappear the British attacked the forest resources in India. Vast quantities of timber were exported to England from India, for shipbuilding, thus depleting forests in India.

Agricultural expansion

As the population increased over the centuries, demand for food also increased. To meet the increased demand for food more land had to be cultivated. If more land had to be cultivated, forests had to be destroyed and brought under the plow. So, forests were cleared to meet agricultural expansion.

Commercial farming

During the Colonial period the demand for commercial crops like jute , sugar, wheat and cotton increased. Europe needed more food grain for its growing population and more raw material for its growing industrial production. So, forests were destroyed to enable commercial farming.

Tea/Coffee plantations

Vast areas of forests were given to European Planters, at a very cheap rate by the Colonial government. Natural forests were cleared to cultivate tea and coffee as there was a great demand for these commodities in Europe. Adivasis and other peasant users Only one-sixth of India’s landmass was under cultivation in the 1600s. Now, more than half the landmass is under cultivation as the population has increased rapidly. As the demand for food went up, peasants extended the boundaries of cultivation, clearing forests and cultivating new land.

The Adivasis were hired by the forest department, during the colonial period to cut trees and make sleepers for the railways. But the Adivasis were not allowed to cut trees to build their own houses.

Why are forests affected by wars?

Solution:

The wars affected the forests. The First World War and Second World War left a deep impact on the forests. The working plans were given up and trees cut to fulfill the war needs. In Java, just before the Japanese attacked the Island, the Dutch followed ‘a scorched earth’ policy, destroyed sawmills and burnt huge piles of teak wood. When the Japanese came to Java, they exploited the forests for their own needs.

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History MCQ

1. Java was a ____________ colony.

(a) French

(b) English

(d) None of these

► (c) Dutch

2. The Forest Act meant severe hardship for the villagers across the country, because:

(a) Cutting wood, grazing cattle, collecting fruits, roots, hunting and fishing became illegal

(b) People were forced to steal and if caught, they had to pay bribes to the forest guards

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

3. The Imperial Forest Research Institute was set up in :

(a) Dehradun

(b) Delhi

(d) Kanpur

► (a) Dehradun

4. This river ____________ flows through Bastar.

(a) Ganga

(b) Indus

(d) None of these

► (c) Indrawati

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

(a) The Central Americans were semi-barbarians, who failed to understand the value of their land

(b) Uncultivated land had to be taken over by the colonizers and improved

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

6. Sarnas are _____________.

(a) Sacred groves

(b) Forests

(d) None of these

► (a) Sacred groves

7. Which of the following problems were faced by the people of Bastar under the colonial government?

(a) People of villages were displaced without any notice of compensation

(b) Villagers suffered from increased rents, frequent demands for free labor and goods by colonial officials

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

8. Shifting cultivation was banned by the Government in India because:

(a) European foresters regarded this practice as harmful for the forests

(b) When a forest was burnt there was the danger of flames spreading and burning valuable timber

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

9. How much of India’s landmass was under cultivation in 1600?

(a) One-sixth

(b) One-third

(d) Half

► (a) One-sixth

10. What was the policy followed by the British in India towards forests during the First and the Second World Wars?

(a) The forest department cut trees freely to meet British war needs

(b) Cutting of trees was strictly prohibited for everyone, including the British

(d) None of the above

► (a) The forest department cut trees freely to meet British war needs

11. About how much percentage of the world’s total forest area was cleared between 1700 and 1995?

(a) 9%

(b) 9.3%

(d) 30%

► (b) 9.3%

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

(a) Jute

(b) Sugar and wheat

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

13. What was the ‘scorched earth’ policy followed by the Dutch in Java during the First and the Second World Wars?

(a) Dutch weapons were destroyed on the land of Java

(b) The earth was exploited further to grow more trees

(d) None of the above

► (c) Huge piles of giant teak logs were burnt and saw mills destroyed

14. How have some of the dense forests survived across India from Mizoram to Kerala?

(a) Villagers have protected them in sacred groves

(b) Some villagers have been patrolling their own forests

(d) Both (a) and (b)

► (d) Both (a) and (b)

15. Large areas of natural forests were also cleared to make way for which of these?

(a) Tea plantations

(b) Coffee plantations

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

16. Which of these trade regulations in colonial India had serious effects on pastoralist and nomadic communities?

(a) Many communities became slave labours in tea and coffee plantations

(b) Some of them were called criminal tribes

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

17. Which of the following problems were faced by the tribal communities from Assam, Jharkahand, Chhattisgarh etc?

(a) Stopping of ‘shifting cultivation’ had left them without a source of earning

(b) In tea plantations their wages were low and conditions of work were very bad

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

18. Who was Gunda Dhur?

(a) A rebel of Java

(b) First Inspector General

(d) A leader of Dhurwa tribe

► (d) A leader of Dhurwa tribe

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

(a) They gave rewards for killing tigers, wolves and other large animals

(b) Over 80,000 tigers, 150,000 leopards and 200,000 wolves were killed during 1875-1925 alone

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

20. Where is Bastar located?

(a) Southernmost part of Chhattisgarh

(b) In central Jharkhand region

(d) None of the above

► (a) Southernmost part of Chhattisgarh

21. Why did the cultivated area in India rise between 1880 and 1920?

(a) The British directly encouraged the production of commercial crops like jute, sugarcane, wheat and cotton

(b) Forests were considered to be wilderness. They had to be cultivated to yield agricultural products and revenue

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

22. Who were the colonial powers in Indonesia?

(a) British

(b) Dutch

(d) Portuguese

► (b) Dutch

23. Who was Gunda Dhur?

(a) A rebel of Java

(b) First Inspector General

(d) A leader of Dhurwa tribe

► (d) A leader of Dhurwa tribe

24. The Kalangs resisted the Dutch in

(a) 1700

(b) 1750

(d) 1800

► (c) 1770

25. Which place is now famous as a rice-producing island in Indonesia?

(a) Java

(b) Sumatra

(d) Kalimantan

► (a) Java

26. What was the result of the rebellion by the Dhurwas?

(a) The British sent troops to suppress the rebellion

(b) Work on reservation was temporarily suspended

(d) All the above

► (d) All the above

27. Where did the Dutch start forest management in Indonesia?

(a) Java

(b) Sumatra

(d) None of the above

► (a) Java

28. According to the forest laws enacted by the Dutch in Java,

(a) villagers’ access to forest was restricted

(b) wood would be cut only for specific purposes like making river boats or constructing houses

(d) all the above

► (d) all the above

29. What was the policy followed by the British in India towards forests during the First and the Second World Wars?

(a) The forest department cut trees freely to meet British war needs

(b) Cutting of trees was strictly prohibited for everyone, including the British

(d) None of the above

► (b) Cutting of trees was strictly prohibited for everyone, including the British

30. What was the system of ‘blandongdiensten’?

(a) A system of education

(b) Industrialisation

(d) None of the above

► (c) First imposition of rent on land and then exemption

31. Who wrote the book ‘The Forests of India’ in the year 1923?

(a) David Spurr

(b) E.P. Stebbing

(d) John Middleton

► (b) E.P. Stebbing

32. What did Surontiko Samin of Randublatung village, a teak forest village, begin questioning?

(a) The foreign policy of the Dutch

(b) State ownership of the forest

(d) None of the above

► (b) State ownership of the forest

33. Which of the following was not a tribal community?

(a) Karacha

(b) Jhum

(d) Yerukula

► (b) Jhum

34. Which of the following is not associated with swidden agriculture?

(a) Karacha

(b) Jhum

(d) Penda

► (a) Karacha

35. In South-East Asia shifting agriculture is known as:

(a) Chitemene

(b) Tavy

(d) Milpa

► (c) Lading

36. The system of scientific forestry stands for:

(a) system whereby the local farmers were allowed to cultivate temporarily within a plantation

(b) system of cutting old trees and plant new ones

(d) disappearance of forests

► (b) system of cutting old trees and plant new ones

37. Which of the following terms is not associated with shifting agriculture in India?

(a) Penda

(b) Bewar

(d) Lading

► (d) Lading

38. In which year the Bastar rebellion took place?

(a) 1910

(b) 1909

(d) 1912

► (a) 1910

39. The Gond forest community belongs to which of the following?

(a) Chhattisgarh

(b) Jharkhand

(d) Gujarat

► (a) Chhattisgarh

40. Wooden planks laid across railway tracks to hold these tracks in a position are called:

(a) Beams

(b) Sleepers

(d) None of these

► (b) Sleepers

41. Colonial rulers considered forests as unproductive because:

(a) the forests were not fit for habitation

(b) forest had wild grown trees only

(d) forests were full of wild animals

► (c) forest did not yield revenue to enhance income of the state

42. Which of the following is a community of skilled forest cutters?

(a) Maasais of Africa

(b) Mundas of Chotanagpur

(d) Kalangs of Java

► (d) Kalangs of Java

43. Why did the government decide to ban shifting cultivation?

(a) To grow trees for railway timber

(b) When a forest was burnt, there was the danger of destroying valuable timber

(d) All the above reasons

► (b) When a forest was burnt, there was the danger of destroying valuable timber

44. Which of the following is a commercial crop?

(a) Rice

(b) Wheat

(d) Corn

► (c) Cotton

45. Who among the following led the forest revolt in Bastar?

(a) Siddhu

(b) Birsa Munda

(d) Gunda Dhur

► (d) Gunda Dhur

46. Which of the following was the most essential for the colonial trade and movement of goods?

(a) Roadways

(b) Railways

(d) Riverways

► (b) Railways

47. Villagers wanted forests to satisfy their following needs:

(a) Fuel, fodder and shelter

(b) Fuel, fodder and fruit

(d) Fuel, fodder and minerals

► (b) Fuel, fodder and fruit

48. Java is famous for:

(a) Rice production

(b) Mining industries

(d) Flood and famines

► (a) Rice production

49. Who were the colonial powers in Indonesia?

(a) British

(b) Dutch

(d) Portuguese

► (b) Dutch

50. Colonial rulers considered forests as unproductive because:

(a) the forests were not fit for habitation

(b) forest had wild grown trees only

(d) forests were full of wild animals

► (c) forest did not yield revenue to enhance income of the state

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History SAQ

Q.1 What is deforestation? Why is it considered harmful?

Ans.1 The disappearance of forests is referred to as deforestation. Forests are cleared for industrial uses, cultivation, pastures and fuel wood.

2. Clearing forests is harmful as forests give us many things like paper, wood that makes our desks, tables, doors and windows, dyes that color our clothes, spices in our food, gum, honey, coffee, tea and rubber. They are the home of animals and birds.

3. Forests check soil erosion and denudation, sand dunes. They preserve our ecological diversity and life support systems.

Q.2. Describe scientific forestry.

Ans.1. In scientific forestry, natural forests which had lots of different types of trees were cut down. In their place one type of tree was planted in straight rows. This is called a plantation.

2. Forest officials surveyed the forests, estimated the area under different types of trees and made working plans for forest management. They planned how much of the plantation area to cut every year.

3. The area cut was then to be replanted so that it was ready to be cut again in some years.

Q.3. Mention the various uses of forests

Ans. 1.Forests give us a mixture of things to satisfy our different needs — fuel, fodder, leaves, trees suitable for building ships or railways, trees that can provide hardwood.

2. Forest products like roots, fruits, tubers, herbs are used for medicinal purposes, wood for agricultural implements like yokes, plows etc. Forests provide shelter to animals and birds. They also add moisture to the atmosphere. Rainfall is trapped in forest lands.

Q.4. What is shifting agriculture? Why was it regarded as harmful by the British?

Ans. 1.Shifting agriculture or Sweden agriculture is a traditional agricultural practice in many parts of Asia, Africa and South America. It has many local names such as ‘lading’ in South-EastAsia, ‘milpa’ in central America, ‘chitemene’ or ‘tavy’ in Africa, ‘chena’ in Sri Lanka, dhya, Penda, bewar, nevada, jhum, podu, khandad and kumari in India.

2.In shifting cultivation, parts of a forest are cut and burnt in rotation, seeds are sown in ashes after the first monsoon rains and the crop is harvested by October-November. Such plots are cultivated for a couple of years and then left fallow for 12 to 18 years for the forest to grow back.

It was regarded as harmful by the British for the forests. They felt that land which was used for cultivation every few years could not grow trees for railway timber. When the forest was burnt there was the danger of the flames spreading and burning valuable timber.

Q.5. Explain why the Dutch adopted the ‘scorched earth policy’ during the war.

Ans.1. The First World War and Second World War had a major impact on forests. In India, working places were abandoned and trees were cut freely to meet British demand for war needs.

2.In Java, just before the Japanese occupied the region, the Dutch followed the ‘scorched earth policy’ destroying saw mills, burning huge piles of giant teak logs so that they could not fall into Japanese hands.

Q.6. How did the forest rules affect cultivation?

Ans. 1.One of the major impacts of European colonialism was on the practice of shifting cultivation or Jhum cultivation .In shifting cultivation, a clearing is made in the forest, usually on the slopes of the hills. After the trees are cut, they are burnt to provide ashes. The seeds are then scattered in the area, and left to be irrigated by the rain.

2. Shifting cultivation was harmful for forests and the land both.

3. It also made it harder for the Government to calculate taxes. Therefore, the government decided to ban shifting cultivation.

Q.7. Why did land under cultivation increase during colonial rule?

Ans.1. During the British domination of India, the British encouraged the cultivation of cash crops such as jute, indigo, cotton, etc. Food crops were also required to be grown for food. Both things were important. 2.Secondly, the forests were considered unproductive by the British government and hence large areas of forests were cleared for agriculture. Now this forest land could be cultivated to enhance the income of this state.

Q.8. What did Dietrich Brandis suggest for the improvement of forests in India?

Ans. 1.Dietrich Brandis suggested that a proper system had to be followed. Felling of trees and grazing land had to be protected. Rules about use of forests should be made. Anyone who broke rules needed to be punished. Brandis set up in 1864 the Indian Forest Service. He also helped to formulate the Indian Forest Act of 1865.

Q.9. What was taught at the Imperial Forest Research Institute? How was this system carried out?

Ans. 1.Scientific forestry was taught at the Imperial Forest Research Institute. In this system, natural forests which had a variety of trees were cut down and, instead, one type of tree was planted.

2. Appointed forest officials managed these forests. They planned and assessed how much of the planted area had to be cut down and how much had to be replanted.

Q.10. Differentiate between the customary practice of hunting and hunting as a sport in India, after the Forest Acts were passed. Ans. Before the laws were passed, people who depended on forests hunted birds and small animals for food. After the laws were passed, hunting of big game became a sport. Under colonial rule the scale of hunting increased so much that many species became extinct. Rewards were given for killing tigers, wolves, etc., on the pretext that they were a threat to human life. Certain areas of the forests were reserved for hunting.

Q.1. How did the local people look after and protect the forests in Bastar region?

Ans. 1.The people of Bastar showed respect to the spirits of the river, the forest and the mountain.Since each village knew its boundary the local people looked after all the natural resources within their boundary.

2. If the people from a village wanted to take some wood from forests of another village, they paid a small fee called 'devsari,' 'dand' or 'man' in exchange.

3. Some villagers also protected their forests by engaging watchmen and each household contributed some grain to pay them. 4.Every year there was one big hunt where the headman of villages in a 'pargana' met and discussed issues of concern, including forests

Q.2. How did the new forest laws affect the forest dwellers?

Ans.1. Foresters and villagers had very different ideas of what a good forest should look like.Villagers wanted forests with a mixture of species to satisfy different needs — fuel, fodder, leaves. The forest department wanted trees which were suitable for building ships or railways.

2. They needed trees that could provide hard wood and were tall and straight. So particular species like teak and

sal were promoted and others were cut. The new forest laws meant severe hardship for villagers across the country.

3. After the Act (Forest Act), all their everyday practices, cutting wood for their houses, grazing their cattle, collecting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal. People were now forced to steal wood from the forests, and if they were caught they were at the mercy of the forest guards who would take bribes from them.

Q.4. How did the transformation in forest management during the colonial period affect the following?

(a) Pastoral communities (b) Shifting cultivators

Ans.1. The British required Indian forests in order to build ships and for railways. The British were worried that the use of forest by local people and the reckless felling of trees by traders would destroy forest.

2. Therefore the colonial government decided to invite a German expert DietrichBrandis for advice and made him the first Inspector General of Forests in India.Dietrich Brandis realized that a proper system had to be introduced to manage the forests and people had to be trained in the science of conservation. Rules about the use of forest resources had to be framed.

3. Felling of trees and grazing had to be restricted so that forests in India could be preserved for timber production.The changes in forest management in the colonial period affected the following groups of people.

(a) Pastoral communities: Pastoral communities were affected by the new forest laws.

Before these laws came into force, the people of pastoral as well as nomadic communities had survived by hunting deer, partridges and a variety of small animals. This customary practice was prohibited by the forest laws. Those who were caught hunting were now punished for poaching. Some of them began to be called criminal tribes and were forced to work in factories, mines and plantations under government supervision.

(b) Shifting cultivators:1 One of the major impacts of European colonialism was on the practice of shifting cultivation or Jhoom agriculture. This is a traditional agricultural practice in several parts of Asia, Africa and South America. 2.European foresters regarded the practice of shifting cultivation as harmful for the forests.

They felt that land which was used for cultivation every few years could not grow trees for railway timber. When a forest was burnt, there was the added danger of the flames spreading and burning valuable timber.Shifting cultivation also made it harder for the British government to calculate taxes. So the colonial government decided to ban shifting cultivation. As a result, shifting cultivators were forcibly displaced from their homes in the forests. Some had to change occupations, while some resisted through large and small rebellions.

Q.5 Describe four provisions of the Forest Act of 1878.

Ans. (i) The Forest Act of 1878 divided forests into three categories: reserved, protected and village forests.

(ii) The best forests were called 'reserved forests'.

(iii) Villagers could not take anything from reserved forests, even for their own use.

(iv) For house building or fuel, they could take wood from protected or village forests.

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History long question

Q.1 What is deforestation? Why is it considered harmful?

Ans.1 The disappearance of forests is referred to as deforestation. Forests are cleared for industrial uses, cultivation, pastures and fuel wood.

3. Forests check soil erosion and denudation, sand dunes. They preserve our ecological diversity and life support systems.

Q.2. Describe scientific forestry.

Ans.1. In scientific forestry, natural forests which had lots of different types of trees were cut down. In their place one type of tree was planted in straight rows. This is called a plantation.

3. The area cut was then to be replanted so that it was ready to be cut again in some years.

Q.3. Mention the various uses of forests

Ans. 1.Forests give us a mixture of things to satisfy our different needs — fuel, fodder, leaves, trees suitable for building ships or railways, trees that can provide hardwood.

Q.4. What is shifting agriculture? Why was it regarded as harmful by the British?

Q.5. Explain why the Dutch adopted the ‘scorched earth policy’ during the war.

Ans.1. The First World War and Second World War had a major impact on forests. In India, working places were abandoned and trees were cut freely to meet British demand for war needs.

Q.6. How did the forest rules affect cultivation?

2. Shifting cultivation was harmful for forests and the land both.

3. It also made it harder for the Government to calculate taxes. Therefore, the government decided to ban shifting cultivation.

Q.7. Why did land under cultivation increase during colonial rule?

Q.8. What did Dietrich Brandis suggest for the improvement of forests in India?

Q.9. What was taught at the Imperial Forest Research Institute? How was this system carried out?

Ans. 1.Scientific forestry was taught at the Imperial Forest Research Institute. In this system, natural forests which had a variety of trees were cut down and, instead, one type of tree was planted.

2. Appointed forest officials managed these forests. They planned and assessed how much of the planted area had to be cut down and how much had to be replanted.

Mention a few products that are from the forest.

Forests provide us with innumerable products. Forest trees provide wood or timber as it is called. We make furniture, like tables and chairs from wood. Wood is also used to make doors and windows. Paper is made from wood pulp. Forests are a store –house for many herbs which are used as medicine. We get gum and rubber from forest trees. Rubber is a very important industrial raw material. So it is our duty to protect forests.

What is Deforestation?

The cutting down and clearing of the forests is referred to as deforestation. Deforestation is an age-old practice. It started many centuries ago.

During the period of industrialization, forests were cleared for industries to flourish. Deforestation took place to expand cultivation. Deforestation brought a lot of ecological changes to our planet. During colonial rule it became more systematic and extensive.

What are ‘ railway sleepers’? How many sleepers are required for 1 mile of railway track?

Railway Sleepers are wooden planks laid across railway tracks; they hold the tracks in position . Between 1,760 and 2,000 sleepers are needed to lay 1 mile of railway track . A single sleeper is approximately 10 feet by 10 inches by 5 inches that is 3.5 cubic feet. Wood for these sleepers came mainly from the Sind Forests. As the railway was fast expanding, there was a need for more and more trees to be cut. In the Madras Presidency alone, 35,000 trees were cut annually for making sleepers.

Mention a few commercial crops. Why are they called so?

Jute, sugar, wheat and cotton are called commercial crops. These crops are used in industries as raw material, so they are called commercial crops. Cotton is used in the manufacture of textiles. Sugar is used to make chocolates and various other confectionery products. Wheat, like sugar, is used in the confectionery industry, with biscuits and bread being the major products.

Why did Britain turn to India for timber supply for its Royal Navy?

The disappearance of the oak forests in England, created problems in timber supply for the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy could not survive without a regular supply of timber. So, the British started their search in all the colonial countries for a regular supply of timber. Their search resulted in the cutting down of forests in India. Within a decade, a large amount of timber was exported from India.

Write a note on Dietrich Brandis.

Dietrich Brandis was a German National and an expert in forest development. The British invited him to India , to seek his advice and he was made the first Inspector General of Forests in India, as the indiscriminate felling of trees worried the British .

Mr. Brandis thought that there should be some proper system to manage forests and the people have to be trained in scientific conservation. They restricted cutting of forest trees and grazing. Anybody who cut trees without permission was punished.

Mr. Brandis set up the Indian Forest Service in 1864. He also formulated the Indian Forest Act in 1865. The Imperial Forest Research Institute was set up at Dehradun in 1906. Mr. Brandis introduced the method of Scientific forestry. In this method, instead of different types of trees, only one type of tree is planted. Every year specific areas of the forest are cut and it is replanted. The trees are cut again after they grow.

The amendment to the Indian Forests Act , implemented by Mr. Brandis was enforced in 1878 . According to this amendment the forests were divided into three categories – reserved, protected and village forests.

Villagers were not happy with the Forest act that promoted only particular species like teak and sal which were needed for hard wood, as they were tall and straight. Villagers who use forest products like roots, leaves and fruits wanted forests with a mixture of species to satisfy different needs like fuel, fodder and food.

Where and when was the Imperial Forest Research Institute set up ?

The Imperial Forest Research Institute was set up at Dehradun in 1906.

Write a brief note about the geographical location of Bastar.

Bastar is located in the southernmost part of Chhattisgarh. It is surrounded by Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Maharashtra. The central part of Bastar is situated on a plateau. Chhattisgarh plain and the Godavari Plains are to the north and south of the plateau, respectively. The river Indravati passes through Bastar from east to west.

Give a brief account of the people of Bastar.

The people of Bastar belonged to different communities such as Maria and Muria Gonds, Dhurwas, Batras and Halbas. Though they spoke different languages they shared common customs and beliefs. The people of Bastar believed that the Earth was sacred and made offerings during agricultural festivals. In addition to the Earth, they respected the spirits of the river, the forest and the mountain.

The boundaries of each village were well marked and the people looked after all the natural resources within that boundary. If people from one village wanted to take some wood from the forests of another village, they paid a small fee called devsari, dand or man in exchange. Some villages protected their forests by engaging watchmen and each household had to contribute some grain to pay them.

Every year a big meeting is organized, where the headmen of villages meet and discuss issues of concern, including forests.

What was Samin’s Challenge?

Surontiko Samin belonged to the Randublatung village in Java. The Randublatung village was a teak forest village. Samin challenged the Dutch saying that the state had not created the wind, water, earth and wood, so it could not own it.

Samin’s Challenge developed into a widespread movement. Samin was supported by his family members. Soon 3000 families followed his ideology and protested against the forest laws of the Dutch, by lying down on their land when the Dutch came to survey it. Many other villagers refused to pay taxes or fines . Some of them even refused to work for the Dutch in cutting trees.

Question-11

What are the New Developments in Forestry ?

Environmentalists have realized the need for ecological balance . Conservation of forests is now seen as an important requirement than growing trees for timber. In order to conserve forests the people living near the forests have to be involved. In India dense forests have survived only because villages protected them in sacred groves known as sarnas, devarakudu, kan and rai. Villages patrol their own forests, with each household taking turns to do it. They do not leave it to the forest guards.

Local forest communities and environmentalists today are thinking of different forms of forest management and conservation.

class 9 to 12 ,ncert mcq for upsc,ncert solution,

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Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History MCQ & SAQ

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History MCQ & SAQ

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History NCERT Solution

Discuss how the changes in forest management in the colonial period affected the following groups of people:

(a) Shifting cultivators

(b) Nomadic and pastoralist communities

(c) Firms trading in timber/forest produce

(d) Plantation owners

(e) Kings/British officials engaged in a shikar.

What are the similarities between the colonial management of the forests in Bastar and in Java?

Between 1880 and 1920, forest cover in the Indian subcontinent declined by 9.7 million hectares, from 108.6 million hectares to 98.9 million hectares. Discuss the role of the following factors in this decline:

Railways

Shipbuilding

Agricultural expansion

Commercial farming

Tea/Coffee plantations

Adivasis and other peasant users.

Why are forests affected by wars?

Solution:

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History MCQ

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History SAQ

Forest Society and Colonialism class 9 History long question

Mention a few products that are from the forest.

What is Deforestation?

What are ‘ railway sleepers’? How many sleepers are required for 1 mile of railway track?

Mention a few commercial crops. Why are they called so?

Why did Britain turn to India for timber supply for its Royal Navy?

Write a note on Dietrich Brandis.

Where and when was the Imperial Forest Research Institute set up ?

Write a brief note about the geographical location of Bastar.

Give a brief account of the people of Bastar.

What was Samin’s Challenge?

Question-11

What are the New Developments in Forestry ?

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