Gujarat Board GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Chapter 9 The Freedom Movement of 1857 C.E Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.

Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 8 Social Science Chapter 9 The Freedom Movement of 1857 C.E

GSEB Class 8 Social Science The Freedom Movement of 1857 C.E Textbook Questions and Answers

Answer the questions in short:

Question 1.
What were the main reasons for the outbreak of the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
OR
Which incident led to the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
Mangal Pandey, a soldier of Barrackpore battalion,opposed to use the cow-and-pig-fat greased cartridge of the new Enfield Rifle. Indian soldiers who had agreed to join the revolt wanted to wait until 31st May, but 26-year-old Mangal Pandey could not. He refused to use the Enfield Rifle. As a result the revolt began earlier than the fixed date. This disrupted the planning and the objectives of the revolt could not be achieved.

Sargeant-Major Hewson ordered for his arrest, but Mangal Pandey shot him and defeated another British officer also. Indian soldiers refused to arrest Mangal. When he was cornered, Mangal shot himself with his own ‘ Sifle. A bleeding Mangal Pandey was taken to hospital to get information about the revolt from him. The British pretended to run a case against Mangal on 6th April, 1857. The entire procedure was purposely in English. Though he was sentenced to death, he did not divulge any information to the British. He was hanged at 5:30 a.m. on 8th April, 1857. Thus, Mangal Pandey became the First Martyr of the 1857 revolt which began earlier than planned.

Question 2.
Who were the main leaders in the revolt of 1857?
Answer:
Leaders like Nanasaheb Peshwa, Moghul Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Kunwarsingh, Shah of Avadh (Ayodhya) joined hands with Tatya Tope, an efficient military commander, Rango Bapuji, an accomplished planner and Azimullah Khan, a lawyer and journalist, Laxmibai the Queen of Jhansi, etc. were the main leaders of the 1857 revolt.

Question 3.
What was the result of the revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Results of the revolt of 1857 :

1. Though the revolt was not successful, it ushered in a new era of change.
2. The Company rule came to an end and India came under the direct rule of the Crown.
3. Interference in internal affairs of princely states was stopped.
4. The British government was compelled to change its policies towards India.
5. Salaries, allowances and facilities given to Indian soldiers / sepoys were increased.
6. The feeling of nationalism was evoked in Indians because of this revolution.

Answer the following questions in one or two sentences:

Question 1.
What was the ratio of the Indian soldiers in the British Army in India?
Answer:
Ratio of British soldiers to Indian soldiers in the British Army in India was 6 : 1.

Question 2.
What was the immediate cause of the revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
The introduction of the new Enfield Rifle the cartridge of which was made up of cow and pig fat and which had to be bitten off before use was the immediate ” cause of the revolt of 1857.

Question 3.
Who was the first martyr of the revolt of 1857 ?
Answer:
Mangal Pandey, the 26-year-old soldier of the 19th battalion of Barrackpore who refused to use the Enfield Rifle was the first martyr of the revolt of 1857.

Question 4.
Who was the last Mughal Emperor of Delhi ?
Answer:
Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was the last Mughal Emperor of Delhi.

Question 5.
How did Kunwarsingh attain martyrdom?
Answer:
Though Jagirdar Kunwarsingh of Jagdishpur was
70 years of age he fought bravely against the British. He v even chopped off the arm which had been shot during battle. Kunwarsingh attained martyrdom due to the grievous injuries he sustained in the battle in April, 1858.

Question 6.
Who was the trustworthy person for Nanasaheb Peshwa ?
Answer:
Tatya Tope was the trustworthy person for Nanasaheb Peshwa.

Question 7.
Who undertook the leadership of the revolt in Kheda district?
Answer:
Garbad Das Patel, the headman of Anand in Kheda district collected 2000 volunteers of the Koli and Nayakada communities and undertook the leadership of the revolt in Kheda district.

Question 8.
In which district of Gujarat did Tatya Tope stay?
Answer:
Tatya Tope stayed in Navsari district of Gujarat.

Question 9.
Which were the centres of the revolt in North Gujarat ?
Answer:
The centres of revolt in North Gujarat were Ahmedabad, Patan, Kheralu, Vijapur, Mudeti and Chandup (Chandap).

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words or figures:

1. In the year 1857 ‘ ………………… Rifle’ was introduced in the Indian army.
Answer:
Enfield

2. The landlord ……………….. of Jagdishpur undertook the leadership of the revolt (in Bihar).
Answer:
Kunwarsingh

3. …………………. was the Commander-in-Chief of the rebelling army that tried to free Kanpur from the British control.
Answer:
Tatya Tope

4. The Queen of Jhansi ………………. waged a war against the British in the revolt.
Answer:
Laxmibai

Activities
(1) Write the names of the places where the revolt of 1857 C.E. took place in the map of India given on page no. 55 of your Textbook.
(2) Prepare a hand-written magazine about heroic women of India like the Queen Laxmibai.
(3) Prepare an exhibition by collecting various pictures of persons connected with the revolt of 1857, their introduction, books related to them, their speeches, etc.
(4) Arrange a class competition for singing patriotic songs and songs of valour.
(5) Show all the places in the outlined map of Gujarat where the revolt of 1857 C.E. took place.

GSEB Class 8 Social Science The Freedom Movement of 1857 C.E Intext Questions and Answers

Question 1.
If you were a soldier in 1857, what would have been your strategy?
Answer:
If I had been a soldier in 1857, my strategy would have been as follows :

• I would have planned in such a way that the revolt would not start earlier than its fixed date.
• The centres for the revolt would have been decided for all parts of India. A national union with a motive to drive away British from the country would have been raised in all those centres.
• The leaders of the revolt and the Commanders- in-Chief for North, South, East and West parts of India at various centres would have been decided.
• An arrangement for timely and adequate supply of necessary weapons would have been made before the revolt started.
• Facilities for quick transportation of soldiers and weapons would have been made.
• A plan to acquire full support and co-operation of people via secret symbols would have been made.
• I would have travelled through the entire country in order to persuade all the people to join the revolt.

Question 2.
Why did the revolutionaries find it difficult to fight against the British army?
Answer:
The freedom fighters of the revolt faced problems while fighting against the British army because they were not given full military training to fight with arms and they did not have modern weapons like camions and rifles as well as ammunition.

Question 3.
Which were the other causes responsible for the revolt being a failure?
Answer:
The following might be the other reasons for the failure of the revolt of 1857 C.E. :

• Lack of awareness in the people about the revolt in the country.
• The revolt did not take place in South India which meant half the country did not participate in the revolt.
• Narrow vision of the kings of local states.
• The objective of the revolt like the British have to be driven away out of the country was not decided.
• The revolt did not take place in Bengal, where the Britishers had established their power initially.

GSEB Class 8 Social Science The Freedom Movement of 1857 C.E Additional Important Questions and Answers

Choose the correct alternative from those given below each question:

Question 1.
Which battalion refused to use the Enfield Rifle first ?
A. Kanpur
B. Jabalpur
C. Barrackpore
D. Jagdishpur
Answer:
C. Barrackpore

Question 2.
Which day was fixed for the start of the 1857 revolt?
A. 20th May
B. 31st May
C. 1st June
D. 10th July
Answer:
B. 31st May

Question 3.
Which city was captured first by soldiers of Meerut when the revolt started ?
A. Lucknow
B. Allahabad
C. Kanpur
D. Delhi
Answer:
D. Delhi

Question 4.
Which leader chopped off his hand from the elbow himself and offered it to river Ganges ?
A. Nanasaheb Peshwa
B. Bahadur Shah Zafar
C. Tatya Tope
D. Kunwarsingh
Answer:
D. Kunwarsingh

Question 5.
Which state was denied the right of the adopted son as the heir to the throne ?
A. Jhansi
B. Ayodhya
C. Hyderabad
D. Kanpur
Answer:
A. Jhansi

Question 6.
Who undertook the leadership of Nanasaheb Peshwa’s army in Kanpur ?
A. Mangal Pandey
B. Tatya Tope
C. Bapu Gaekwad
D. Birsa Munda
Answer:
B. Tatya Tope

Question 7.
Who started the revolt in Gujarat in June, 1858?
A. Garbad Das Patel, the headman of Anand in Kheda district
B. 7th battalion of British Army in Ahmedabad
C. The Rajpipla battalion of Indian soldiers of Nandod
D. Jodha Manek of Umarpur
Answer:
B. 7th battalion of British Army in Ahmedabad

Question 8.
Which prominent leader of the revolt stayed in Gujarat for approximately 15 days ?
A. Nanasaheb Peshwa
B. Bahadur Shah Zafar
C. Tatya Tope
D. Kunwarsingh
Answer:
C. Tatya Tope

Question 9.
When did the revolt of 1857 C.E. actually start?
A. 12th January
B. 15th August
C. 10th November
D. 10th May
Answer:
D. 10th May

Question 10.
When did the revolt start in Kanpur?
A. On 4th June, 1857
B. On 10th May, 1857
C. On 31st May, 1857
D. On 4th May, 1857
Answer:
A. On 4th June, 1857

Question 11.
Who accomplished the unique task of saving the fort of Bet-Dwarka from cannon balls during the revolt?
A. Dahodi women
B. Rani Laxmibai
C. People of Santhal
D. Wagher women
Answer:
D. Wagher women

Question 12.
Which of the following is not the reason for the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
A. Lack of central co-ordination during the revolt.
B. Lack of patriotism in Indian soldiers.
C. The revolt started earlier than the fixed date.
D. Though leaders of the revolt loved their regions, nationalism had not developed.
Answer:
B. Lack of patriotism in Indian soldiers.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words or figures:

1.
(1) After the Battle of Buxar in 1764 C.E., the East India Company adopted the policy of …………….. .
Answer:
expansion

(2) The ratio of Indian soldiers to English soldiers in the British army was ……………….. .
Answer:
6 : 1

(3) The fat of ……………… and …………….. was used in the manufacture of Enfield Rifle cartridges.
Answer:
cow, pig

(4) The 19th battalion of ……………… was the first to refuse to use the Enfield Rifle cartridges.
Answer:
Barrackpore

(5) The revolt against East India Company was planned to start all over the country on May, 1857
C.E.
Answer:
31st

(6) The ……………….. was the secret symbol for civilians and soldiers who wanted to join the revolt.
Answer:
Lotus and Rod

(7) ……………….. was the first martyr of the 1857 revolt.
Answer:
Mangal Pandey

(8) Mughal Emperor ………………. accepted the leadership of the revolt in Delhi.
Answer:
Bahadur Shah Zafar

(9) Indian soldiers received Rs ………………… as salary while British soldiers were given Rs
as their salary.
Answer:
7, 150

2.
(10) ……………….. Peshwa undertook the leadership of the revolt in Kanpur.
Answer:
Nanasaheb

(11) Laxmibai was the Queen of ……………… .
Answer:
Jhansi

(12) The revolt was started in Gujarat by the 7th battalion of the …………………. army in June, 1857.
Answer:
Ahmedabad

(13) The revolt was continued for approximately one year by the ……………… of Panchmahal.
Answer:
Nayakadas

(14) In December 1857, Tatya Tope stayed in Gujarat along with the army for approximately 15 days in ……………… district.
Answer:
Panchmahal

(15) It is believed that Tatya Tope spent the later years of his life in ……………… .
Answer:
Navsari

(16) Seeds of the feeling of ……………….. were sown in the minds of Indians due to the 1857 revolt.
Answer:
nationalism

State whether the following statements are true or false:

1. The aim of the British was to bring prosperity to India at the cost of England.
Answer:
False

2. The British officers considered Indian soldiers very low and thought that they lacked dignity.
Answer:
True

3. The 19th battalion of Barrackpore was the first to refuse to use the cartridges with fat.
Answer:
True

4. Roti and Rose were used as the secret symbols of the revolt.
Answer:
False

5. Tatya Tope was the first martyr of the revolt of 1857 C.E.
Answer:
False

6. Kunwarsingh was the landlord of Jagdishpur.
Answer:
True

7. According to the opinion of the British officials, Queen Laxmibai was the best among the women leaders of the revolt of 1857 C.E.
Answer:
True

8. Kunwarsingh of Jagdishpur died in April, 1858 due to fatal injuries received during the war.
Answer:
True

9. The revolt succeeded because of the sharp feeling of sacrifice among the soldiers fighting in the revolt.
Answer:
False

10. With the end of the revolt, company rule also ended and British rule was established.
Answer:
True

Make suitable pairs:

Answer:
(1 – 4), (2 – 5), (3 – 1), (4 – 2).

Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each:

Question 1.
What were the main reasons of the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
Widespread dissatisfaction among Indians due to suppressive policies adopted by the British to spread their empire was the main reason for the revolt of 1857 C.E.

Question 2.
When was it planned to start the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
It was planned to start the revolt of 1857 C.E. on 31st May.

Question 3.
What was the secret symbol for civilians and soldiers who wanted to join the revolt?
Answer:
The symbol for civilians and soldiers who wanted to join the revolt was ‘Lotus and Roti’.

Question 4.
How was the symbol of ‘Lotus and Roti’ circulated to spread word about the revolt ?
Answer:
The ‘Lotus and Roti’ symbol were circulated across India and Bards, priests and auliyas played a significant role in spreading word about the revolt.

Question 5.
Who undertook the leadership of the revolt in Delhi?
Answer:
Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar undertook the leadership of the revolt in Delhi.

Question 6.
Who undertook the leadership of the revolt in Kanpur?
Answer:
Nanasaheb Peshwa undertook the leadership of the revolt in Kanpur.

Question 7.
Who undertook the leadership of the revolt in Bihar?
Answer:
Jagirdar Kunwarsingh of Jagdishpur undertook the leadership of the revolt in Bihar.

Question 8.
Who undertook the leadership of the revolt in Jhansi?
Answer:
Queen Laxmibai undertook the leadership of the revolt in Jhansi.

Question 9.
Why did Queen Laxmibai join the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
The British government refused to accept her adopted son as the rightful heir to the throne of Jhansi. Queen Laxmibai joined the revolt of 1857 C.E. to avenge this injustice.

Question 10.
How did Queen Laxmibai attain martyrdom?
Answer:
Due to the betrayal of gatekeeper Dulhaji, Jhansi was captured. Laxmibai escaped to Kalpi where she died while bravely battling the British.

Question 11.
Who undertook the leadership of Nanasaheb Peshwa’s army?
Answer:
Tatya Tope, the strong and brave commander undertook the leadership of Nanasaheb Peshwa’s army.

Question 12.
Who started the revolt of 1857 C.E. in Gujarat and when?
Answer:
The 7th battalion of the British army joined the revolt in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in June 1857.

Question 13.
Who started the revolt against the British in Kheda district?
Answer:
Garbad Das Patel, the headman of Anand in Kheda district collected 2000 volunteers of the Koli and Nayakada communities to join the revolt. He was supported by Jivabhai Thakor of Khanpur, Malaji Joshi and Krishna Das Dave. However, these supporters were captured by the British, tied to mouths of cannons and blown off. Garbad Das was exiled to Andaman where he, too, died.

Question 14.
When did the revolt of 1857 C.E. start?
Answer:
The revolt of 1857 C.E. started on 10th May.

Question 15.
Where did Nanasaheb stay in Gujarat ?
Answer:
It is believed that Nanasaheb Peshwa stayed in village Shihor of Bhavnagar district in Gujarat.

Question 16.
Which different opinions prevail about the later life of Tatya Tope?
Answer:
Two opinions prevail about the later period of Tatya Tope’s life : According to the first opinion, Tatya Tope was captured and hanged on 18th April, 1859. However, the second opinion states that Tatya Tope escaped and spent the later years of his life in Navsari, Gujarat. Someone else was hanged in his place.

Question 17.
Why was the planning of the revolt of 1857 C.E. disturbed ?
Answer:
The planning of the revolt of 1857 C.E. was disturbed because it started earlier than the fixed date.

Question 18.
What was the immediate result of the revolt I of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
The immediate result of the revolt of 1857 C.E. was that the Company Rule ended in India and the British Rule was established.

Answer the following questions:
Question 1.
Why was there dissatisfaction among Indian soldiers in the British army?
OR
Why did anger spread against the British in the Indian soldiers ?
Answer:
The number of British soldiers was very less in a vast country like India. Ratio of British soldiers to Indian soldiers was 1:6. All higher posts were reserved for the British with very limited opportunities for the promotion of Indian soldiers. There was also a big difference in the salaries of British (Rs. 150 per month) and Indian soldiers (Rs. 7 per month). Moreover, Indian soldiers were considered lowly by British soldiers. According to religious beliefs prevalent then, anyone crossing the sea was treated as an outcast. However Indian soldiers were’* compelled to go overseas and fight battles for the British. Thus soldiers who felt their religion was at stake also shared the feelings of grief, suspicion and anger towards the British.

Question 2.
Give information about the main events of the 1857 revolt.
Answer:
The following were the main events of the revolt of 1857 C.E. :
(1) Mangal Pandey, a soldier of Barrackpore battalion, opposed to use the cow-and-pig-fat greased cartridge of the new Enfield Rifle. As a result the revolt began earlier than the fixed date. So he was arrested, tried and sentenced to death. This disrupted the planning and the objectives of the revolt could not be achieved.

(2) Indian soldiers reached Delhi from Merath (Meerut) on 11th May and captured Delhi with the help of Indian soldiers present there. They then convinced the 80-year- old Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar to accept the leadership of the revolt. This infused new life in the revolt and many Indian regions joined it.

(3) Kanpur joined the revolt on 4th June, 1857 and Nanasaheb Peshwa was asked to assume leadership. However, because of acute food shortage due to the 22-day long seige they had to surrender to the British.

(4) Patna and Jagdishpur were the main centres of the revolt in Bihar under the leadership of 70-year-old landlord Kunwarsingh. While fighting bravely with the British, he was shot in the arm. To stop the poison from spreading to his body, he chopped off his arm from’- the elbow. He succeeded in freeing Jagdishpur from the’ British before he died.

(5) Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, was a great warrior. When the British refused to accept her adopted son as the heir to the throne and tried to annex Jhansi, she joined the revolt. She had also prepared an army of women to fight against the British. Even British officials appreciated her valour by saying that she was one of the greatest women leaders of the 1857 revolt.

(6) Tatya Tope was Nanasaheb Peshwa’s army commander at Kanpur. As commander, he successfully freed Kanpur. During the next two years he played a significant role in the revolt.

(7) Soldiers from Bareli, Banaras, Allahabad, Agra, Azamgadh and Gorakhpur in the North; Ajmer, Nasirabad and Abu from the Rajputana and Gwalior, Mandsore, Indore and Dhar from Central India, Satara, Kolhapur, Sawantwadi, Nargadh, Dharwad, etc. in the South-joined the revolt.

(8) The 7th battalion of the British army joined the ^ revolt in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in June 1857. However, it was halted almost immediately.

Question 3.
State the contribution of Gujarat in the revolt of 1857 C.E.
OR
What was Gujarat’s contribution to the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
Gujarat’s contribution to the 1857 revolt:
(1) The 7th battalion of the British army joined the revolt in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in June 1857. However, it was halted almost immediately.

(2) Dahod, Jhalod and Godhara of Panchmahal witnessed skirmishes with the British. Soldiers would capture Government offices with the help of natives but were soon defeated. The Nayakadas of Panchmahal continued to rebel for almost a year.

(3) Garbad Das Patel, the headman of Anand in Kheda district collected 2000 volunteers of the Koli and Nayakada communities to join the revolt. He was supported by Jivabhai Thakor of Khanpur, Malaji Joshi and Krishna Das Dave. However, these supporters were captured by the British, tied to mouths of cannons and blown off. Garbad Das was exiled to Andaman where he too died.

(4) People of Chandup (Chandap) village joined the revolt under the leadership of Nathaji and Yamaji.

(5) The British reached Bet Dwarka via the Bay of Bengal. Donovan attacked the fort with cannon balls. The Wagher community sheltering inside the fort had nothing to counter this attack when the Wagher women came up with an innovative idea. They caught the cannon balls in mattresses soaked in water. This disarmed the cannon balls and allowed the men to fight without being hit. Nowhere in the world has such an act of valour been displayed.

(6) Cities of North Gujarat like Patan, Kheralu, Bhiloda, Mudeti, etc. joined the revolt with the help of natives.

(7) Tatya Tope stayed with his army in Panchmahal in December 1858. He escaped into the Vansavada forest when being chased by the British army.

Question 4.
Why did the 1857 revolt prove a failure ?
OR
What were the reasons for the failure of the revolt of 1857?
Answer:
The revolution was a failure because of:

• Lack of coordination among rebels and absence of centralised leadership. There was no provision for reinforcement of men, money and arms.
• The revolt happened way before the fixed date thus disrupting the planning and alerting the British.
• Being concentrated mainly in North India. Many social reformers refrained from joining the revolt proving that the intellectual class did not support the revolt.
• India was ruled by various rulers; thus the feelings of nationalism had not developed among Indians. Many leaders sided the British or remained passive during the revolt.
• Sikhs and Gurkhas fought from the side of the British which proved to be a great disadvantage.
• The British army was superior with latest weapons and good military commanders.
• Indian leaders were fighting to regain control of their individual territories and not for the whole nation.

Answer the following questions in short:

Question 1.
What were the social and religious reasons responsible for the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
The Policy of Social Reforms brought in by the Company made people feel insecure and suspicious as they felt the government was trying to convert them to Christianity and destroy Indian religion and culture forever. People felt that Indian social system was deliberately undermined in railways, jails and military. Any new changes aroused dissatisfaction. Thus many people joined the freedom movement to sustain their socio-religious beliefs.

Question 2.
What were the economic reasons responsible for the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
The British aimed at bringing prosperity to England at the cost of Indians which impoverished most sections of Indian society. Landlords and peasants who lost their lands participated in the revolt.

Question 3.
What were the political reasons responsible for the revolt of 1857 C.E. ?
Answer:
After their victory in the Battle of Buxar (1764 C.E.) the company acquired Diwani Rights (right to collect revenue). An aggressive expansion policy followed with the help of Doctrine of Lapse, Policy of Annexation and mere diplomacy was carried out. Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi and Raja Kunwarsingh of Bihar were among the few victims of these policies so they joined the revolt to regain their territories.

Question 4.
Write a short note on Planning of the 1857 revolt.
Answer:
It was planned to begin the revolt against the East India Company across the nation on 31st May, 1857 C.E. Leaders like Nanasaheb Peshwa, Moghul Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, Kunwarsingh, Shah of Avadh (Ayodhya) joined hands with Tatya Tope, an efficient military commander, Rango Bapuji, an accomplished planner and Azimullah Khan, a lawyer and journalist, Laxmibai the Queen of Jhansi, etc. were the main leaders of the 1857 revolt.

Mangal Pandey, a soldier of Barrackpore battalion, opposed to use the cow-and-pig-fat greased cartridge of the new Enfield Rifle. As a result the revolt began earlier than the fixed date. That is it started on 10th May instead of 31st May. This disrupted the planning and the objectives of the revolt could not be achieved.

Mangal Pandey was arrested, tried and sentenced to death.

Question 5.
How did the revolt of 1857 C.E. come to an end ?
Answer:
The revolt had started on 10th May and by the end of June 1857, the British were able to regain control over Banaras and Allahabad. Kanpur was recaptured in July and Delhi in September. Bahadur Shah Zafar and his begum were captured and exiled to Rangoon where they died. Their three sons were murdered.

Lucknow was recaptured by 1858 and Jhansi also fell. Laxmibai escaped to Kalpi where she died during battle with the British.

Question 6.
Give a brief account of Mangal Pandey
Answer:
Mangal Pandey was born to a Brahmin couple in Nagwa village, Uttar Pradesh. He joined the British army and got a salary of Rs. 7/- per month. Indian soldiers who had agreed to join the revolt wanted to wait until 31st May, but 26-year-old Mangal Pandey could not. He refused to use the Enfield Rifle. Sargeant-Major Hewson ordered for his arrest, but Mangal Pandey shot him and defeated another British officer also. Indian soldiers refused to arrest Mangal. When he was cornered, Mangal shot himself with his own rifle.

A bleeding Mangal Pandey was taken to hospital to get information about the revolt from him. The British pretended to run a case against Mangal on 6th April, 1857. The entire procedure was purposely in English. Though he was sentenced to death, he did not divulge any information to the British. He was hanged at 5:30 a.m. on 8th April, 1857. Thus, Mangal Pandey became the First Martyr of the 1857 revolt.

Question 8.
Write 5 to 7 sentences each on the following characters:
1. Kunwarsingh 2. Rani Laxmibai
OR
Give the character sketch of 1. Kunwarsingh 2. Rani Laxmibai in 5 to 7 sentences.
Answer:
1. Kunwarsingh : Patna and Jagdishpur were the main centres of the revolt in Bihar under the leadership of 70-year-old landlord Kunwarsingh. While fighting bravely with the British, he was shot in the arm. To stop the poison from spreading to his body, he chopped off his arm from the elbow. He succeeded in freeing Jagdishpur from the British before he died.

2. Rani Laxmibai : Laxmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, was a great warrior. When the British refused to accept her adopted son as the heir to the throne and tried to annex Jhansi, she joined the revolt. She had also prepared an army of women to fight against the British. Even British officials appreciated her valour by saying that she was one of the greatest women leaders of the 1857 revolt.

Give historical reasons of the following statements:

Question 1.
Indian soldiers refused to use Enfield Rifles.
Answer:
In January 1857, the new ‘Enfield Rifle’ was introduced in the Indian army. The cartridge of this rifle, which was greased with fat of cows and pigs, had to be” bitten off before being used. Beef is prohibited for Hindus and pork for Muslims. Both communities felt it was a deliberate attempt to desanctify their religions and so the 19th battalion of Barrackpore which was the first to refuse to use the cartridge. The battalion was disbanded.

Question 2.
Mangal Pandey was hanged.
OR
Mangal Pandey became the first martyr of the revolt of 1857 C.E.
Answer:
Mangal Pandey, the 26-year-old soldier of the 19th battalion of Barrackpore, refused to use the Enfield Rifle. Sargeant-Major Hewson ordered for his arrest, but Mangal Pandey shot him and defeated another British officer also. Indian soldiers refused to arrest Mangal. When he was cornered, Mangal shot himself with his own rifle. A bleeding Mangal Pandey was taken to hospital to get information about the revolt from him.

The British pretended to run a case against Mangal on 6th April, 1857. The entire procedure was purposely in English. Though he was sentenced to death, he did not divulge any information to the British. He was hanged at 5:30 a.m. on 8th April, 1857. Thus, Mangal Pandey became “‘the First Martyr of the 1857 revolt.