VIII SS ALL Short Answer Questions English

 👉Malayalam

Chapter 1: Invasion and Resistance

Question 1: Write two main reasons why European countries tried to discover new sea routes to Asia.
Answer:
• Advancements in ship-building technology and navigation in Europe.
• The huge commercial market in Europe for Asian products like pepper.

Question 2: Write the influence of Portuguese relations on two sectors in India.
Answer:
• Territories like Kochi, Goa, Daman, and Diu came under Portuguese rule.
• They provided training in ship-building and warfare techniques, and introduced European architectural styles.

Question 3: How did the British tax system affect farmers?
Answer:
• Due to high tax rates, farmers found it difficult to pay taxes.
• To avoid falling into debt traps, farmers relied on money lenders, and those who could not pay taxes lost their agricultural land.

Question 4: What were the two main conditions that princely states had to follow under the Subsidiary Alliance Policy?
Answer:
• A princely state entering into an alliance with the British had to permanently station a British military unit within their territory.
• The allied king could not take any other action without consulting the British Governor-General.

Chapter 2: Towards the Emergence of the National Movement

Question 5: What were the two major contributions of newspapers and literature to the growth of Indian nationalism?
Answer:
• Protests and exploitation against British rule became themes in literary works (e.g., works of Dinabandhu Mitra).
• Newspapers helped criticize British policies and foster a critical attitude against exploitation.

Question 6: Write two major social reform activities of Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Answer:
• Played a crucial role in abolishing Sati.
• Started the social reform movement called Brahma Samaj.

Question 7: What were the two main objectives of the formation of the Indian National Congress?
Answer:
• To foster friendly relations among political workers in different parts of India.
• To formulate common demands and present them before the British government.

Question 8: What was the real objective of the British government in attempting to implement the Partition of Bengal?
Answer:
• To weaken the national movement by dividing the Bengal province, which was its stronghold.
• To break Hindu-Muslim unity and implement the 'Divide and Rule' policy more effectively.

Question 9: Write two main methods of struggle adopted by the Swadeshi Movement.
Answer:
• Use Indian-made goods.
• Boycott British products.

Chapter 3: Movements of the Earth: Rotation and Revolution

Question 10: What are the two main effects caused by the rotation of the Earth?
Answer:
• Occurrence of day and night.
• Coriolis Effect.

Question 11: What is the Coriolis Effect?
Answer:
• Due to the Earth's rotation, freely moving objects on the Earth's surface experience a deflection in their direction.
• The force causing this deflection is called the Coriolis Force.

Question 12: Why is time across the world calculated based on the Greenwich Meridian (0° longitude)?
Answer:
• The longitude passing through the Royal British Observatory at Greenwich is considered the Prime Meridian or 0° longitude.
• Travellers worldwide calculate time based on Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Chapter 4: Basic Economic Problems and the Economy

Question 13: What are two basic economic problems faced by a country?
Answer:
• What to produce?
• For whom to produce?

Question 14: Write two features of Capital Intensive Technique.
Answer:
• Requires more capital investment.
• Relies heavily on technology and requires less time for production.

Question 15: Write two features of a Socialist Economy.
Answer:
• Ownership of factors of production is vested in the government.
• The main objective is to ensure social welfare.

Question 16: Mention Karl Marx's contribution to the field of economics in India.
Answer:
• German economist Karl Marx developed the 'Theory of Surplus Value'.
• He argued that the basis of production is the labour of workers, and capitalists appropriate a large portion of it.

Chapter 5: Constitution of India: Rights and Duties

Question 17: Write two major historical events that influenced the inclusion of Fundamental Rights in the Constitution.
Answer:
• The Magna Carta of 1215.
• The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen following the French Revolution (1789).

Question 18: Why was the Right against Exploitation included in the Constitution?
Answer:
• To abolish exploitation such as slavery, human trafficking, and forced labour, and to ensure a secure life.
• To prohibit the employment of children below 14 years in mines, factories, or other hazardous workplaces.

Question 19: Why did Dr. B.R. Ambedkar call the Right to Constitutional Remedies the 'Heart and Soul of the Indian Constitution'?
Answer:
• This right allows citizens to approach the Supreme Court or High Courts to restore their fundamental rights if violated.
• The Supreme Court and High Courts issue Writs for the protection of fundamental rights.

Question 20: What are Directive Principles of State Policy?
Answer:
• Ideas for achieving socio-economic justice are included in Part IV of the Constitution.
• The aim is to establish a welfare state and ensure the welfare and progress of the people.

Chapter 6: Resource Utilisation and Sustainability

Question 21: What should a resource be? Write two characteristics.
Answer:
• It should be ecologically available and technologically accessible.
• It should be culturally acceptable and capable of satisfying our needs.

Question 22: Write the main difference between Renewable Resources and Non-Renewable Resources.
Answer:
• Renewable resources do not get exhausted with use and can be replenished (e.g., sunlight).
• Non-renewable resources take millions of years to form and decrease in quantity with use (e.g., coal, petroleum).

Question 23: Why is the Iron and Steel Industry called a Basic Industry?
Answer:
• It provides the raw materials and products required for other industries.
• The extent of a country's industrial growth is determined based on the consumption of iron and steel.

Question 24: Pollution causes many socio-environmental problems. Write two effects of this.
Answer:
• Toxic gases emitted from industries cause atmospheric pollution, posing a threat to nature and human health.
• Unscientific resource consumption leads to environmental problems like deforestation and soil erosion, as well as resource depletion.

Question 25: Why does the concept of Sustainable Development give importance to the future?
Answer:
• It aims to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• It emphasizes recycling, reducing usage, and reusing resources.

Chapter 7: Media and Social Reflections

Question 26: What role do media play in socialization?
Answer:
• Media provide individuals with social values and knowledge on how to live, interact, and behave in society.
• Through media, social values and attitudes are transmitted from one generation to the next.

Question 27: What is the difference in communication between Traditional Media and New Media?
Answer:
• In traditional media (newspapers, radio, TV), communication is one-way, from the sender to the receiver.
• In new media (social media, websites), communication is two-way, enabling high interaction and participation.

Question 28: What is Digital Etiquette?
Answer:
• Digital Etiquette refers to the proper and polite behaviour individuals should follow when interacting in online spaces.
• It helps in respecting others' privacy and avoiding abusive language.

Chapter 8: National Movement and Kerala

Question 29: What was the main circumstance that provoked Pazhassi Raja to fight against the British?
Answer:
• The British granted the right to collect taxes in the Kottayam region to Pazhassi's uncle, Vira Varma, which was tantamount to ignoring Pazhassi.
• Protesting this neglect, Pazhassi Raja called upon the people not to pay taxes to the new rulers, leading to conflict.

Question 30: Why is Velu Thampi Dalawa's Kundara Proclamation significant in history?
Answer:
• It was a proclamation issued by Velu Thampi Dalawa on January 11, 1809, calling for an armed struggle against British dominance.
• Through this proclamation, he called upon patriots and royal families to fight against the British who were plundering Travancore.

Question 31: Write two major British actions that led to the Kurichyar Rebellion.
Answer:
• The British seized the lands of the Kurichyas and Kurumbas.
• The British demanded that taxes be paid in cash instead of goods.

Question 32: Explain the influence of Sree Narayana Guru on the Kerala Renaissance.
Answer:
• He fought against superstitions and caste discrimination, proclaiming 'Be enlightened through knowledge'.
• He consecrated a Shiva idol at Aruvippuram, describing the temple as a model place where everyone could live in brotherhood without caste differences or religious hatred.

Question 33: What were the objectives of the Vaikom Satyagraha and Guruvayur Satyagraha?
Answer:
• Vaikom Satyagraha: Aimed at securing the freedom for lower castes to walk on the roads surrounding the Vaikom temple.
• Guruvayur Satyagraha: A movement demanding entry for all Hindus into the Guruvayur temple.

Question 34: What was the circumstance under which the Malabar Rebellion formed?
Answer:
• The active tenant movement in Malabar merged with the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Khilafat Movement.
• This evolved into the anti-British and anti-feudal Malabar Rebellion.

Question 35: Which two major events led to the formation of Aikya Kerala (United Kerala)?
Answer:
• The formation of Thiru-Kochi by merging Travancore and Cochin on July 1, 1949.
• Based on the recommendations of the Fazal Ali Commission formed to reorganize states on a linguistic basis, the state of Kerala came into existence on November 1, 1956.

Chapter 9: Democracy: Meaning and Scope

Question 36: Write about the origin of the word 'Democracy'.
Answer:
• The democratic system originated in the city-states of ancient Greece.
• The word 'Democracy' is derived from the Greek words 'Demos' (people) and 'Kratos' (power/rule).

Question 37: Why has Direct Democracy become impractical in the world today?
Answer:
• The size and population of nations have increased.
• Due to population growth, citizens cannot participate directly in all decisions.

Question 38: What is the relationship between the Parliamentary System and the Presidential System?
Answer:
• Democratic governance systems are distinguished based on the relationship between the executive and the legislature.
• In a Parliamentary System, the executive is controlled by the legislature, whereas in a Presidential System, both are separated.

Question 39: What are the Three Dimensions of Equality?
Answer:
• Political Equality.
• Social Equality.
• Economic Equality.

Question 40: Write two major factors that led India to adopt democracy.
Answer:
• Democratic values had a significant influence on the freedom struggle and its leadership.
• Only a democratic system could politically unify a region with such cultural and geographical diversity.

Chapter 10: Europe on the World Map

Question 41: Why have Fjords become famous regions for fishing?
Answer:
• Fjords are valleys formed by glaciers along coasts in high latitudes.
• Since cold and warm water currents meet here, plankton, which fish feed on, grows abundantly.

Question 42: Write two features of the North European Plains.
Answer:
• They extend from the Ural Mountains in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
• Formed by glacial deposits and alluvial deposits from major European rivers, they are highly suitable for agriculture.

Question 43: Write two main characteristics of the Mediterranean Climate.
Answer:
• Characterized by hot, dry summers and cold, wet winters.
• Trees like olive, grape, and fig, as well as shrubs, grow here; viticulture (grape cultivation) is very famous.

Question 44: The distribution of population in Europe is not uniform across all regions. What is the reason for this?
Answer:
• Due to geographical features and climate in Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland), population and population density are very low.
• Regional diversity in population distribution is seen in Europe due to the influence of topography, culture, and migration.

Chapter 11: Feudalism and the Medieval World

Question 45: What was the condition of peasants during the period of Feudalism?
Answer:
• They did not own land.
• They could not leave the agricultural land without the permission of the lords.

Question 46: What is the Code of Justinian?
Answer:
• Justinian, a famous ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire, codified the existing laws in the empire to create the Corpus Juris Civilis.
• This legal code was prepared by a committee of jurists.

Question 47: Write two major contributions of Arabs to the world.
Answer:
• Contributed Algebra and Arabic numerals to the world.
• Arabs propagated the concept of Zero, India's contribution, across the world.

Chapter 12: Agricultural Sector and Innovative Trends

Question 48: Write two major infrastructures that influence agricultural practices.
Answer:
• Transport facilities.
• Marketing facilities.
• Availability of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Question 49: What is Relay Cropping?
Answer:
• It is the practice of planting a second crop in the same field before the first crop is harvested.
• For example, cultivating vegetables before harvesting bananas.

Question 50: Write one major difference between Polyhouse Farming and Rain Shelter Farming.
Answer:
• In Rain Shelter Farming, polythene sheets are used only as a roof to protect crops from excessive rain.
• In Polyhouse Farming, crops are completely covered with polythene sheets to artificially create an environment suitable for plant growth.

Question 51: What are two major financial challenges faced by the agricultural sector?
Answer:
• Low prices for agricultural products.
• Problems related to agricultural debt and repayment.

Chapter 13: Building New Nations

Question 52: Write two rights mentioned in the American Declaration of Independence.
Answer:
• Right to Life.
• Right to Liberty.

Question 53: Write two main features of the American Constitution.
Answer:
• It is one of the first written constitutions in the world.
• A federal system exists in the country.

Question 54: Write two circumstances that motivated peasants towards the Russian Revolution.
Answer:
• Peasants were socially and economically oppressed.
• Since most agricultural land was owned by lords, the taxes peasants had to pay were very high.

Question 55: Write two major administrative reforms of Lenin.
Answer:
• Seized private land and distributed it to farmers.
• Nationalized major economic sectors in Russia.

Question 56: Write two factors that led to the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty in China.
Answer:
• European countries drained China's wealth through Opium trade.
• People believed that to expel foreign powers, the Manchu dynasty had to be overthrown.

Question 57: What were the two main ideas of Dr. Sun Yat-sen?
Answer:
• Nationalism.
• Democracy.
• Socialism