Colonialism and the Countryside: Exploring Official Archives
Class 12 · History · 14 Questions
Why had the raja failed to pay the revenue? Who were the purchasers at the auction? What does the story tell us about what was happening in the rural areas of eastern India at that time?
Describe the ways in which the jotedars resisted the authority of the zamindars.
From the tone in which evidence is recorded, what do you think is the attitude of the report to the facts narrated? What is the Report trying to say through the figures? Can you think of any problem in making long-term generalisations from these figures of two years?
What does Buchanan's description tell us about his ideas of development? Illustrate your argument by quoting from the excerpts. If you were a Paharia forest dweller how would you have reacted to these ideas?
Explain the complaints that the ryot is making in the petition. Why was the harvest taken by the moneylenders not credited to the peasants' account? Why were peasants not given any receipts? If you were a moneylender what reasons would you give for these practices?
Why was the jotedar a powerful figure in many areas of rural Bengal?
How did zamindars manage to retain control over their zamindaris?
How did the Paharias respond to the coming of outsiders?
Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
What explains the anger of the Deccan ryots against the moneylenders?
Why were many zamindaris auctioned after the Permanent Settlement?
In what way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?
How did the American Civil War affect the lives of ryots in India?
What are the problems of using official sources in writing about the history of peasants?