Chapter 5,
India and the Contemporary World-I
Pastoralists in the Modern World
Solutions
of NCERT (CBSE) History Text Book Exercise Questions
Q.1: Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to
another. What are advantages to the environment of their continuous movement ?
Solution:
The reasons why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another are as
follows -
(1)
The nomadic tribes had no regular fields of their own from where they could get
fodder for their cattle. So, they needed to move from one place to another in
search of pastures.
(2)
They lived with their herd in the low hills of Himalayas from September to
April because; the huge mountains or high altitudes were covered with snow
during this period. In these areas the dry scrub forests provided pastures for
their herds during this period.
(3)
With the onset of summer, as the snow melted and the hill sides began to be
covered with lush green with a variety of new grasses, the pastoralists started
their northward march for their summer grazing grounds.
(4)
Again with the onset of winter when the mountains began to be covered with snow
and there were dearth of nutritious forage, these pastoralists on the move
again, this time on their downward journey.
The
various advantages to the environment of their continuous movement can be
explained as this. The movement of the nomadic pastoralists from the downward
to the upward areas and vice-versa allowed sufficient time for natural
restoration of vegetation grounds. Their continuous shifting provided
sufficient forage to the different animals both at the high mountains and the
lower hills. They also helped in maintaining the quality of the pastures.
Q.2: Discuss why the colonial government in India brought the
following laws. In each case explain how the law changed the lives of
pastoralists: (a) Waste Land Rules (b) Forest Acts (c) Criminal Tribes Act (d)
Grazing Tax.
Solution:
The laws of the colonial government made from time to time adversely affected
the lives of pastoralists. Moreover, these Rules and Acts led to the lowering of
the quality of the pastures, shortage of forage for animals and deterioration
of animal stock.
(a)
Effects of Waste Land Rules:
All
grazing lands were considered as waste lands by the colonial rulers as they
brought no revenue to them. So the government passed Waste Land Rules as a
result of which all the uncultivated lands including the grazing lands, were
taken over and handed over to select individuals to convert them to
agricultural lands. As a result of this very soon the pastures vanished and
this created a lot of problems for pastoralists.
(b)
Effects of the Forest Acts:
The
British Forest Acts by which some forests were declared ‘Reserved Forests’ and
some as ‘Protected Forests’. These different Forest Acts passed in the
mid-nineteenth century, greatly changed the lives of the pastoralists. In the
Reserved Forests, no pastoral activities was allowed while in the Protected Forests,
their activities strictly restricted since the colonial officials felt that the
grazing animals would destroy the saplings thereby preventing the new trees
from growing. Hence, because of these Forest Acts it became quite impossible for
the pastoralists to graze their cattle in the forest areas and thus, to get
sufficient forage for their cattle.
(c)
Effects of Criminal Tribes Act:
The
British officials were suspicious of the nomadic people because they did not
live at a permanent place. They were considered as criminals. The Criminal
Tribes Act, 1871, declared such nomadic communities to be criminal by nature
and also criminal by birth. As a result of this Act, the nomadic pastoralists
were not allowed to move without a permit and required to live in the notified
areas only. The village police also kept a strict watch on them. So, this Act
came as a death blow for the moving activities of nomadic people.
(d)
Effect of imposition of Grazing Tax:
In
order to increase its income, the colonial government imposed tax even on the
animals. Consequently the nomadic pastoralists had to pay tax on every animal
they grazed in the pastures.
Q.3: Give reason to explain why the Massai Community lost their
grazing lands.
Solution:
Over half of the world’s total pastoralist population lives in Africa. Massai
is one of these pastoral tribes who reside over a vast area stretching from
North Kenya to the steppes of Northern Tanzania. Slowly and slowly these people
lost their grazing rights. The reasons for the same are as follows:
1.
As a result of inspiration, Massailand was divided in two parts - the British
Kenya and German Tanganiyike. Soon their lost grazing grounds were taken over
for white settlements.
2.
Gradually they were pushed into a small area south of Kenya and north of
Tanzania. In this way Massai lost about 60% of their pre-colonial lands. They
were confined to an arid zone with uncertain rains and poor pastures.
3.
In the late 19th century, the colonial government in East Africa encouraged the
local peasant communities to expand their cultivation. As a result of which it
was found that the pasture lands of Massai people turned into cultivable
fields.
4.
The large areas of grazing lands of Massai herds were also turned into game
reserves. Some of these reserves were Massai Mara and Samburu National Park in
Kenya and Serengeti Park in Tanzania.
For more questions and solutions of Class 9 Ncert (CBSE) history
and this chapter read:
Class
IX, NCERT (CBSE) History Guide | Pastoralists in the Modern World | Extra
important questions [Read]
Why were britodh officials suspicious of nomadic people?
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