8th first term Answers
- It is the 180° longitude.
- It is designated as the International Date Line based on international agreement.
- Travellers moving westwards across this line add a day to their calendar.
- Travellers moving eastwards across this line deduct a day from their calendar.
- The line is adjusted to avoid populated land areas in the Pacific Ocean to prevent countries from having two different dates simultaneously.
- At 15° East:
- Time difference = 15° × 4 minutes/degree = 60 minutes = 1 hour.
- Since locations to the east of Greenwich are ahead in time, we add 1 hour to GMT: 8 am + 1 hour = 9 am.
- At 15° West:
- Time difference = 15° × 4 minutes/degree = 60 minutes = 1 hour.
- Since locations to the west of Greenwich are behind in time, we subtract 1 hour from GMT: 8 am - 1 hour = 7 am.
- Magna Carta - 1215
- A: ____ (Bill of Rights mentioned in the world’s first written constitution)
- Declaration of Human Rights after the French Revolution (Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - 1789)
- B: ____ (Bill of Rights issued by the United Nations for implementation by all member states)
- Magna Carta - 1215
- A: United States Bill of Rights - 1789 (Bill of Rights mentioned in the world’s first written constitution)
- Declaration of Human Rights after the French Revolution (Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen - 1789)
- B: United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights - 1948 (Bill of Rights issued by the United Nations for implementation by all member states)
- 'A' building a house fulfills a basic need. Basic needs are fundamental for survival, such as food, clothing, and shelter.
- 'B' buying a luxury car fulfills a gratifying need. Gratifying needs are desires that enhance comfort and happiness, including luxury items like expensive cars, jewellery, and high-end clothing.
- Habeas Corpus: Requires the custodian of an unlawfully detained person to bring them before the court.
- Mandamus: Issued when an officer's failure to perform statutory duty prejudices another person's rights.
- Prohibition: Prohibits lower courts from hearing cases outside their jurisdiction.
- Quo Warranto: Restrains an officer from holding a position for which they are not entitled.
- Certiorari: Orders the transfer of a case pending in a lower court to a higher court.
- Right to Education (RTE) Act (2009): This Act stems from education being declared a fundamental right under Article 21A by the 86th Constitutional Amendment in 2002. It mandates free, compulsory, and quality education for all children between the ages of six and fourteen years. Its primary objective is universal access to elementary education for all eligible children.
- Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29-30): These rights are specifically designed for religious, linguistic, and cultural minorities in India. They enable these minority groups to preserve and develop their unique culture, language, and script. To achieve this, these rights guarantee minorities the ability to establish and run their own educational institutions.
In essence, while the Right to Education Act provides a universal fundamental right to education for a specific age group, Cultural and Educational Rights are special provisions to protect the distinct identities and heritage of minority communities through educational and cultural institutions. - It led to widespread protests, mourning, and strikes across Bengal on October 16, 1905, the day the partition was implemented.
- These protests, accompanied by patriotic songs like 'Amar Sonar Bangla', quickly evolved into the Swadeshi Movement, thereby energising the Indian National Movement.
- The movement's core strategy was the exclusive use of Indian goods and the boycott of British goods, promoting 'self-reliance'.
- This economic resistance aimed to boost indigenous (Swadeshi) industries and enterprises while simultaneously depriving the British government of trade revenue, fostering national consciousness and economic self-sufficiency.
- As a result, many Indian textile mills, soap factories, match factories, handloom establishments, national banks, and insurance companies were established. Notable initiatives included the Bengal Chemical Store, Swadeshi Store, Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company, and Jamshedji Tata's Steel Factory.
- Self-sufficiency and Decentralisation: Gandhiji envisioned an economy where communities and villages are self-reliant. This concept aligns with modern efforts to empower local governance and promote local production, reducing over-dependence on centralised systems and global supply chains.
- Nurturing Rural Industries: His emphasis on supporting rural industries is crucial for addressing rural unemployment, preventing mass migration to urban areas, and fostering inclusive growth in India's vast rural landscape. This resonates with policies promoting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and cottage industries.
- Expanding Local Markets: By advocating for local markets for locally produced goods, Gandhiji promoted community-based economies. This thought encourages sustainable consumption patterns and supports local artisans and farmers against large-scale industrial competition.
- Alleviating Economic Inequality and Ensuring Social Justice: A core tenet of his philosophy was to reduce disparities in wealth and income. In contemporary India, which still faces significant economic inequalities, this idea underpins various government welfare schemes, poverty alleviation programs, and policies aimed at equitable distribution of resources.
In essence, Gandhiji’s economic vision provides a framework for an ethical, sustainable, and equitable economic model that continues to influence development discourse and policy-making in modern India. - It is marked by high atmospheric temperatures.
- Days are generally longer than nights.
- In the Northern Hemisphere, the Sun's apparent position shifts northward from the Equator to the Tropic of Cancer between March 21 and June 21.
- On June 21, known as the Summer Solstice, the Northern Hemisphere experiences its longest day and shortest night. During this period, the northern polar region has continuous daylight for approximately six months.
- Permanent Land Revenue Settlement (1793): Implemented in Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa under Lord Cornwallis, this system empowered zamindars (landlords) to collect high, fixed taxes from farmers on behalf of the British. Farmers were obligated to pay this fixed amount regardless of crop yield, even during floods or droughts, leading to immense financial burden and no tax relief. This often compelled farmers to take loans from moneylenders, falling into debt traps that frequently resulted in the loss of their agricultural land.
- Ryotwari System (1820): Introduced in South India and the Deccan by Thomas Munro and Alexander Reed, this system designated peasants as landlords, with the British collecting taxes directly from them. However, the tax rates were high, and the British would seize the land of farmers who failed to pay. Similar to the Permanent Settlement, this led to farmers struggling to meet tax demands, relying on moneylenders, and ultimately losing their land due to debt.
Furthermore, British policies forced farmers to cultivate cash crops like indigo and cotton, diverting land from essential food crop production and contributing to widespread food shortages. The increased commercialisation of agriculture, combined with these exploitative tax systems, allowed moneylenders to further exploit farmers, who were often forced to sell their produce at low prices after harvest. - Forced Indigo Cultivation: British planters coerced farmers to cultivate the indigo plant (Amari plant) for their factories established in villages. This was often against the farmers' will and came at the expense of growing essential food crops.
- Monopolistic and Unfair Trade: Farmers were compelled to sell the indigo produced from the Amari plant exclusively to British planters. The British paid them a price significantly lower than the market rate, leading to severe economic exploitation.
- Food Shortage and Hardship: The mandatory cultivation of indigo drastically reduced the area available for food crops, resulting in widespread food shortages, intensified exploitation, and immense economic hardship for the peasants.
- Decreased Demand and Increased Poverty: The later invention of artificial dyes in Europe caused a decline in the global demand for natural indigo. This further aggravated the financial distress of indigo farmers, pushing them deeper into poverty.
Left with no other options and facing unbearable exploitation, the peasants eventually resorted to agitation against the British, culminating in the Neelam Peasant Revolt. - Economic Policy: The British systematically exploited India, transforming it into a source of raw materials for British industries and a market for their finished products. This economic exploitation led to widespread unemployment and poverty across various segments of Indian society, including farmers, artisans, small traders, and tribal communities. The shared experience of economic hardship and exploitation fostered a collective anti-British sentiment. Indian leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, R. C. Dutt, and Mahadev Govind Ranade meticulously documented this 'Drain theory,' bringing the economic consequences of British rule to public discussion and consolidating nationalist feelings.
- Western Education: Initially propagated by the British to assert their cultural superiority and create a class sympathetic to their rule, Western education inadvertently exposed Indians to modern ideas of democracy, freedom, egalitarianism, equal justice, scientific temper, and civil rights. This exposure made educated Indians question the legitimacy of British rule over their own country, leading to discussions about ending it. English served as a common language among educated individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds, facilitating the exchange of nationalist ideas and a collective understanding of India's social and economic weaknesses. This intellectual awakening and improved communication significantly contributed to the growth of nationalism.
Together, these factors created a fertile ground for a sense of unity and a shared desire for self-rule among Indians, laying the foundation for an organised national movement. - He played a crucial role in the abolition of Sati, a practice where a widow immolated herself on her husband's funeral pyre.
- He established many schools to impart modern education, aiming to bring about intellectual and social enlightenment.
- He founded the Brahma Samaj, a social reform movement that advocated for monotheism and rationalism in religious practices.
- He argued for women's right to inheritance, seeking to improve their social and economic status.
- He stood against idolatry and polytheism, promoting a more rational and unified approach to religious worship.
- He actively campaigned against social evils such as child marriage and polygamy, advocating for reforms in family and marital customs.
- The Doctrine of Lapse: Enacted by Lord Dalhousie, this policy abolished the traditional right of Indian rulers to adopt an heir if they died without a natural male heir. Under this doctrine, princely states would be automatically annexed by the English East India Company in the absence of a natural heir. This policy led to the annexation of numerous princely states, including prominent ones like Jhansi and Awadh (though Awadh was annexed on charges of misrule). This created immense resentment and insecurity among Indian rulers and local landlords, who saw it as an illegitimate grab of their territories and power, compelling them to join the rebellion.
- Dissatisfaction of the Indian Soldiers: Indian soldiers (sepoys) in the East India Company's army faced severe discrimination, receiving lower pay, poor food, and inadequate accommodation compared to their British counterparts, despite their competence. The immediate trigger for the revolt was the introduction of new Enfield rifles, whose cartridges were rumored to be greased with animal fat (from cows and pigs). Biting off the greased cover before loading the rifle was offensive to the religious beliefs of both Hindu (cows sacred) and Muslim (pigs impure) soldiers. The protest by Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore and his subsequent execution on April 8, 1857, for assaulting a British officer, sparked widespread outrage and led to the rebellion starting in Meerut. The soldiers then marched to Delhi and proclaimed Bahadur Shah II as the Emperor of India, giving a unified symbol to the disparate elements of the revolt.
These policies deeply alienated key segments of Indian society – the ruling class and the military – providing strong reasons for their participation in the widespread rebellion of 1857.
1. Question: Identify the tribal revolt described by the following hints: an armed rebellion in 1899, known as Ulgulan.
Answer: The tribal revolt described by the hints, an armed rebellion in 1899 known as Ulgulan, is the Munda Rebellion. This rebellion was led by Birsa Munda and aimed to break British colonial rule and establish a Munda kingdom in the tribal areas of present-day Jharkhand.
2. Question: Match the following economists with their respective theories/concepts:
* a. David Ricardo
* b. J. A. Schumpeter
* c. Dadabhai Naoroji
* d. Karl Marx
* i. Theory of Surplus Value
* ii. The Drain Theory
* iii. Theory of Rent
* iv. Creative Destruction
Answer: The correct combinations are:
* a. David Ricardo - iii Theory of Rent
* b. J. A. Schumpeter - iv Creative Destruction
* c. Dadabhai Naoroji - ii The Drain Theory
* d. Karl Marx - i Theory of Surplus Value
This corresponds to the option where a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i are matched.
3. Question: Consider the following statements regarding the apparent movement of the Sun:
* Statement I: Following the Winter Solstice, the apparent movement of the Sun from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer is known as Uttarayanam.
* Statement II: Following the Summer Solstice, the apparent movement of the Sun from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn is known as Dakshinayanam.
Choose the correct option.
Answer: Both Statement I and Statement II are correct. Uttarayanam describes the apparent northwards movement of the Sun from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer after the Winter Solstice. Dakshinayanam describes the apparent southward movement of the Sun from the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of Capricorn after the Summer Solstice. Therefore, both statements are correct.
4. Question: Identify the social reformer based on the following contributions:
* Fought against child marriage.
* 'Arya Mahila Samaj' was established.
* 'Sharada Sadan' was started for the rehabilitation of widows.
Answer: The person identified by these contributions is Pandita Ramabai.
5. (A) Question: Identify the line of longitude marked as 'P' on a world map and explain its characteristics.
Answer: The line of longitude marked as 'P' on the world map is the International Date Line (IDL).
Its characteristics are:
5. (B) Question: Estimate the local time at 15° West and 15° East, given that the Greenwich Mean Time is 8 am.
Answer: To estimate the local time, we use the fact that the Earth rotates 1° longitude in 4 minutes.
6. Question: Complete the following timeline related to the development of Fundamental Rights:
Answer: The completed timeline for Fundamental Rights is:
7. Question: Friends 'A' and 'B' have made different purchases: 'A' built a house, and 'B' bought a luxury car. In the context of economic needs, identify the type of need fulfilled in each case.
Answer: In the context of economic needs:
8. (A) Question: Who described the Right to Constitutional Remedies as the heart and soul of the Indian Constitution? Explain the ways this right can be restored if violated.
Answer: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar described the Right to Constitutional Remedies as the heart and soul of the Indian Constitution.
To restore this right, if any fundamental right is violated, individuals can approach the Supreme Court under Article 32 or the High Courts under Article 226. These courts protect and restore fundamental rights through the issuance of writs, which are judicial orders and directions. The various types of writs include:
OR
8. (B) Question: Explain the difference between the Right to Education Act and Cultural and Educational Rights as enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Answer: The Right to Education Act and Cultural and Educational Rights serve distinct purposes within the Indian Constitution:
9. Question: Name the Viceroy responsible for the partition of Bengal. How did this partition contribute to strengthening the Swadeshi Movement?
Answer: The Viceroy who partitioned Bengal was Lord Curzon. While he claimed administrative efficiency as the reason, his actual motive was to weaken the nationalist movement by dividing the province.
The partition of Bengal significantly strengthened the Swadeshi Movement for the following reasons:
10. Question: Explain the significance of Gandhian economic thoughts in contemporary India.
Answer: Gandhiji's economic thoughts, rooted in principles of self-sufficiency, decentralisation, and social justice, remain highly significant in contemporary India:
11. Question: Name the different seasons and explain the characteristics of any one of them.
Answer: The generally recognized seasons are Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. India also identifies six traditional seasons: Vasantham (March, April), Greeshmam (May, June), Varsham (July, August), Sarath (September, October), Hemantam (November, December), and Sisiram (January, February).
Let's explain the characteristics of Summer:
12. (A) Question: How did the Permanent Land Revenue Settlement and the Ryotwari System impact Indian farmers?
Answer: Both the Permanent Land Revenue Settlement and the Ryotwari System, implemented by the British, had severe adverse effects on Indian farmers:
OR
12. (B) Question: Explain the circumstances that led to the Neelam (Indigo) Peasant Revolt of 1859 in Bengal.
Answer: The Neelam (Indigo) Peasant Revolt of 1859 in Bengal was a significant agrarian uprising against British colonial rule, sparked by several exploitative circumstances:
13. Question: Explain how British economic policies and the spread of Western education contributed to strengthening Indian Nationalism.
Answer: The emergence and strengthening of Indian nationalism in the second half of the nineteenth century were significantly influenced by British economic policies and the spread of Western education:
14. (A) Question: Raja Ram Mohan Roy is recognized for initiating social reforms in India. Explain his major activities in the social reform movement.
Answer: Raja Ram Mohan Roy, a multilingual scholar influenced by the ideals of the French Revolution, initiated significant social reforms in India. His major activities in the social reform movement included:
OR
14. (B) Question: The Revolt of 1857 was a significant organized rebellion against the British in India. Analyze the factors that led to this revolt, focusing on the Doctrine of Lapse and the dissatisfaction of Indian soldiers.
Answer: The Revolt of 1857, considered India's first struggle for independence, was an organised rebellion against British imperialism that saw participation from various sections of society, including native kings, peasants, artisans, and soldiers. Two major contributing factors were:
15. Question: Compare the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice, highlighting their key features.
Answer: The Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice mark significant points in the Earth's revolution around the Sun, resulting in distinct seasonal characteristics:
| Feature | Summer Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) | Winter Solstice (Northern Hemisphere) |
|---|---|---|
| Date | Occurs around June 21. | Occurs around December 21. |
| Sun's Position | The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N). | The Sun is directly overhead the Tropic of Capricorn (23.5° S). |
| Daylight | Northern Hemisphere experiences its longest day and shortest night. The Arctic Circle has continuous daylight. | Northern Hemisphere experiences its shortest day and longest night. The Arctic Circle has continuous darkness. |
| Earth's Tilt | The Northern Hemisphere is tilted most towards the Sun. | The Northern Hemisphere is tilted most away from the Sun. |
| Season Start | Marks the astronomical beginning of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. | Marks the astronomical beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. |
