NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside helps students understand how the British East India Company took control of Indian lands. These solutions explain the different tax systems like the Permanent Settlement and the Mahalwari system. By using these guides, you can learn why Indian farmers were unhappy and how they fought back.

Ruling the Countryside Class 8 Questions and Answers

The East India Company became the Diwan of Bengal on August 12, 1765. This meant they were now the chief financial administrators of the land. They wanted to collect as much money as possible to buy fine silk and cotton. However, the economy in Bengal faced a deep crisis very quickly.   

The Diwani Rights: Robert Clive accepted the Diwani from the Mughal Emperor in a small tent.   

Company's Goal: They wanted to grow crops that Europe needed while making a huge profit.

Revenue Collection: The Company tried many different ways to collect taxes from the village people.

The Problem with Revenue

Before 1865, the Company brought gold and silver from Britain to buy goods in India. Now, the money collected in Bengal could pay for everything. This caused a big problem for the local economy.   

Artisans were leaving villages because they were forced to sell goods at very low prices.

Peasants could not pay the high taxes demanded by the Company.   

Agricultural production started to drop, and a terrible famine hit Bengal in 1770.   

The Need to Improve Agriculture

The Company felt that if the economy was in ruins, they could not be sure of their tax income. Most Company officials began to feel that they must encourage people to invest in land. They thought that improving agriculture was the only way to save their profits.

The Permanent Settlement System

In 1793, Lord Cornwallis introduced the Permanent Settlement. The Company fixed the tax amount forever. They hoped this would encourage landlords, called Zamindars, to improve the land.

• Who were Zamindars? The Company recognized Rajas and Taluqdars as Zamindars.

• Fixed Tax: The amount to be paid was never to be increased in the future.

• The Problem: If a Zamindar failed to pay, he lost his land.

• High Demands: The tax was so high that many Zamindars could not pay it.

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Comparing Different Tax Systems

The British realized that the Permanent Settlement had many flaws. They decided to try new methods in different parts of India. NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside shows how the Mahalwari system was different.

Ruling the Countryside Class 8 Questions and Answers PDF

Many students look for the ruling the countryside class 8 questions and answers pdf to study offline. This chapter covers how the British forced farmers to grow specific crops like Indigo. Indigo was a plant used to make a beautiful blue dye.

Why was Indigo in demand?

• Blue Color: Indian Indigo produced a rich blue color that European cloth makers loved.

• Woad vs Indigo: European plants called "woad" gave a pale blue color, so people preferred Indian Indigo.

• Cotton Growth: As British cotton production grew, the need for blue dye increased.

Two Types of Indigo Farming

There were two main ways to grow Indigo in India:

1. Nij Cultivation: The planter grew Indigo on land that he controlled directly.

2. Ryoti Cultivation: Planters made the "ryots" (peasants) sign a contract to grow Indigo on their own land.

Ruling the Countryside Class 8 Questions and Answers Extra

To do well in exams, you should check ruling the countryside class 8 questions and answers extra notes. These help you understand the "Blue Rebellion." In 1859, thousands of ryots in Bengal refused to grow Indigo.

• The Protest: Farmers stopped paying rents and attacked Indigo factories.

• The Commission: The government set up an Indigo Commission.

• The Result: The Commission found the planters guilty and told farmers they could stop growing Indigo.

• Moving to Bihar: After the collapse in Bengal, planters moved their business to Bihar.

Problems with the Munro System

In South India, Thomas Munro started the Ryotwari system. He believed the British should act as father figures protecting the farmers. But this system also had big issues:

• The tax was set too high.

• Farmers could not pay the rent and fled to other places.

• Many villages became empty because everyone left.

Ruling the Countryside Class 8 Questions and Answers Chapter 3

In ruling the countryside class 8 questions and answers chapter 3, we see how the British changed Indian life. They didn't just want taxes; they wanted specific crops. This changed how farmers lived and worked.

Key Match the Following

• Ryot: Peasant

• Mahal: Village

• Nij: Farming on the planter's own land

• Ryoti: Farming on the peasant's land

Why Ryots Hated Indigo

• Low Pay: The farmers got very little money for the hard work.

• Debt Cycle: They took loans to grow Indigo but could never pay them back.

• Soil Damage: Indigo had deep roots and made the soil weak for growing rice.

Study Tips for Students:

• Don't try to memorize everything at once.

• Use the tables to see the differences between tax systems.

• Focus on the reasons why farmers were unhappy.

• Read the "Match the Following" section to remember key terms easily.

We hope these NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 3 Ruling the Countryside make your learning journey easy and fun!

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