Why did the Santhals rebel against British rule?
The Santhals rebelled against British rule due to multiple forms of exploitation and dispossession. The land they had cleared and brought under cultivation was slipping away from their hands. The colonial state was levying heavy taxes on the land the Santhals had cleared. Moneylenders (dikus) were charging them high rates of interest and taking over their land when debts remained unpaid. Additionally, zamindars were asserting control over the Damin area.
By the 1850s, the Santhals felt that the time had come to rebel against zamindars, moneylenders and the colonial state. Their aim was to create an ideal world for themselves where they would rule. This revolt took place during 1855-56 and later led to the creation of the Santhal Pargana to conciliate the Santhals.
Explanation
The answer draws directly from the textbook context which explains the economic and political reasons behind the Santhal rebellion. The key factors were: (1) land alienation as cultivated land slipped from their hands, (2) heavy taxation by the colonial state, (3) exploitation by moneylenders through high interest rates and land seizure, and (4) zamindari control over Damin-i-Koh. The textbook explicitly states that by the 1850s, the Santhals decided to rebel against all three forces to create their own ideal world.