NCERT Solutions-Forest Society and Colonialism-Class -9-Social Science

 Exercise Question Answers- Chapter 4-Forest Society and Colonialism(History)

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1. Discuss how the changes in forest management in the colonial period affected

the following groups of people:

🔸 Shifting Cultivators

• Their traditional farming method (jhum/podu) was banned.

• They were forced to settle in one place.

• Lost access to forest land and became poor or jobless.

• Some joined protests or rebellions.

🔸 Nomadic and Pastoralist Communities

• Grazing animals in forests became illegal.

• Lost their way of life and were forced to settle or do other jobs.

• Many became landless and poor.

🔸 Firms Trading in Timber/Forest Produce

• Big European trading firms were given control.

• Local traders and forest people lost their rights.

• Trade was controlled by the British government.

🔸 Plantation Owners

• Got large forest lands at low prices.

• Cleared forests to grow tea, coffee, and rubber.

• Made profits, often using cheap labour.

🔸 Kings/British Officials (Shikar/Hunting)

• Local people were banned from hunting.

• Hunting became a sport for British officials and kings.

• Thousands of animals like tigers and leopards were killed for trophies.

2. What are the similarities between colonial management of the forests in Bastar

and in Java?

Answer: Similarities in forest management in Bastar (India) and Java (Indonesia)

• Both were controlled by colonial powers (British in Bastar, Dutch in Java).

• Forest laws restricted local people's rights.

• Shifting cultivation and hunting were banned.

• People were forced to work in forests under harsh conditions.

• Forest communities resisted these rules (e.g. Bastar Rebellion, Samin’s movement in Java).

3. Between 1880 and 1920, forest cover in the Indian subcontinent declined by 9.7

million hectares, from 108.6 million hectares to 98.9 million hectares. Discuss

the role of the following factors in this decline:

Answer: 

Reasons for decline in forest cover (1880–1920):

🔹 Railways

• Needed large amounts of wood for sleepers and fuel.

• Trees were cut in huge numbers.

🔹 Shipbuilding

• Strong wood like teak was used to make ships.

• Forests were cleared for timber.

🔹 Agricultural Expansion

• More land was needed to grow food and cash crops.

• Forests were cut to create farmland.

🔹 Commercial Farming

• British encouraged farming of crops like cotton, wheat, and jute.

• Forest land was cleared for plantations.

🔹 Tea/Coffee Plantations

• Large natural forests were destroyed for tea and coffee gardens.

• These were owned mostly by Europeans.

🔹 Adivasis and Peasant Users

• Were blamed for destroying forests, but they mostly used forests carefully.

• Actually, big projects and British policies caused more damage.

Q4. Why are forests affected by wars?

• Forests were cut to meet war needs (wood for fuel, weapons, railways).

• In World Wars, rules to protect forests were ignored.

• In Java, forests were burned so enemies couldn’t use them.

• Villagers also cleared forests to grow crops during war time.

• After wars, governments found it hard to stop forest loss.

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For More Questions Click Below:

Class 9-History

Chapter 1- The French Revolution

Chapter 2- Socialism in Europe and the Russian Revolution

Chapter 3- Nazism and the Rise of Hitler

Chapter 4- Forest Society and Colonialism

Chapter 5- Pastoralists in the Modern World

Class 9- Civics

Cahpter 1- What is Democracy? Why Democracy?

Chapter 2- Constitutional Design

Chapter 3- Electoral Politics

Chapter 4- Working of Institutions

Class 9- Economics

Chapter 1- The Story of Village Palampur

Chapter 2- People as Resource

Chapter 3- Poverty as a Challenge

Chapter 4- Food Security in India

Class 9- Geography

Chapter 1- India: Size and Location

Chapter 2- Physical Features of India

Chapter 3- Drainage

Chapter 4- Climate

Chapter 5- Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Chapter 6- Population