Impact of British Rule in Society and Education - Social Reforms

Question 1

How did social reforms spread and affect Indian people?

Answer 1

1. While Orientalists felt that Indian customs should not be changed, Anglicists did not agree
2. Newspapers were published spreading awareness on social issues and turning public opinion in favor of reform.
3. An educated Indian Middle class formed with liberal ideas

Question 2

Explain how the practice of ‘Sati’ was abolished.

Answer 2

1. The first social reform was taken by William Bentinck by abolishing Sati, which he believed was an offence against natural justice and humanity
2. Sati was an inhuman social custom particularly present in North India and Bengal
3. Raja Ram Mohan Roy campaigned against Sati and convinced the British to officially legally abolish the custom
4. Bentinck promulgated his Regulation XVII on December 4th 1829, banning the practice of sati.
5. He made practicers of Sati liable for legal punishment as accessories to the crime.

Question 3

Explain how the treatment of Widows in India was improved

Answer 3

1. Girls of 8 or 9 were often married to much older men
2. Post their husband’s death, they had to shave their heads, wear white clothes and eat bland vegetarian food.
3. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, an indian social reformer, played a major role in the establishment of the act
4. The Hindu Widow Remarriage Act 1856 legalised the remarriage of Hindu Widows
   a. Drafted by Lord Dalhousie and passed by Lord Canning

Question 4

Who were thugs?

Answer 4

1. Thugs were hereditary robbers
2. Travelled in small groups of 50 to 100 and posed as commercial gangs or pilgrims
3. They would ‘strangle and rob peaceful travelers’
4. The most commendable measure which Bentinck undertook which contributed to the material welfare of the people was the ‘Suppression of Thugs’.
   a. The number of thugs had increased due to the anarchy post the disintegration of the Mughal empire

Question 5

How did the suppression of thugs occur?

Answer 5

1. A campaign was systematically organised by Colonel Sleeman from 1830
2. During the course of 5 years nearly 2000 of them were captured
   a. A greater number of them were exterminated and the rest were transported to the cellular jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
3. For his role in the suppression of the thugs, Sir William Sleeman was known as ‘Thuggee Sleeman’