Presenting 15 important dates, figures, and events from class 9 history chapter 4, “Forest Society and Colonialism”. These will act as short notes for exam preparation and help you solve the MCQ questions.
- 1755: Mataram kingdom of Java split, Kalang families divided between two kingdoms
- 1770: Kalangs resisted by attacking a Dutch fort at Joana, but the uprising was suppressed
- 1864: Dietrich Brandis set up the Indian Forest Service
- 1865: Indian Forest Act was formulated by Dietrich Brandis
- 1878: Indian Forest Act was amended
- 1880-1920: Cultivated area rose by 6.7 million hectares
- 1906: Imperial Forest Research Institute set up at Dehradun
- 1907: 3,000 families following Samin’s ideas
- 1910: Rebellion in Bastar
- 1917: Indian Munitions Board, War Timber Sleepers piled at Soolay pagoda
- 1946: Length of railway tracks increased to over 765,000 km
These points cover the colonial impact on forests, significant resistances like the Samin movement and Bastar Rebellion, legislative changes, and the evolution of forestry management philosophies. Get ready with Class 9 Social Science MCQ Questions with Answers, aligned with the latest exam guidelines.
MCQ Questions and Answers for Class 9 History Chapter 4 Forest Society and Colonialism
Question 1. What was the main purpose of the Indian Forest Act of 1865?
a) Promote agroforestry
b) Encourage plantation agriculture
c) Regulate forest resources
d) Support tribal communities
Answer:
c) Regulate forest resources — The Indian Forest Act of 1865 was primarily aimed at regulating forest resources.
Question 2. In which century did systematic and extensive deforestation begin in India?
a) 16th Century
b) 17th Century
c) 18th Century
d) 19th Century
Answer:
d) 19th Century — Systematic and extensive deforestation in India began in the 19th Century.
Question 3. What was the primary cause of forest cover decline in the Indian subcontinent between 1880 and 1920?
a) Urbanization
b) Agricultural expansion
c) Industrial revolution
d) Natural disasters
Answer:
b) Agricultural expansion — The main cause of forest cover decline in this period was agricultural expansion.
Question 4. What was the effect of the Forest Act on local villagers?
a) Improved livelihoods
b) Legal ownership of land
c) Restricted access to forest resources
d) Increased agricultural output
Answer:
c) Restricted access to forest resources — The Forest Act led to restricted access to forest resources for local villagers.
Question 5. Which of the following practices was affected by colonial forest laws?
a) Plantation farming
b) Shifting cultivation
c) Commercial logging
d) Urban construction
Answer:
b) Shifting cultivation — Colonial forest laws had a significant impact on shifting cultivation.
Question 6. What was the effect of the British government’s regulation of trade in forest products?
a) Boosted local economies
b) Encouraged sustainable practices
c) Restricted traditional trades
d) Increased biodiversity
Answer:
c) Restricted traditional trades — The regulation by the British government restricted traditional trades.
Question 7. What was the main purpose of creating forest villages?
a) Promote wildlife conservation
b) Encourage tourism
c) Facilitate forest management
d) Support indigenous tribes
Answer:
c) Facilitate forest management — Forest villages were primarily created to facilitate forest management.
Question 8. How were the local communities affected by the new opportunities in forest trade?
a) Gained economic independence
b) Shifted from traditional occupations
c) Achieved better living standards
d) Preserved their cultural practices
Answer:
b) Shifted from traditional occupations — New opportunities in forest trade led local communities to shift from their traditional occupations.
Question 9. What was the major impact of World Wars on forests?
a) Encouraged reforestation
b) Increased conservation efforts
c) Led to extensive deforestation
d) Promoted sustainable use of resources
Answer:
c) Led to extensive deforestation — The World Wars had a major impact of extensive deforestation.
Question 10. What was the main focus of forest management in the 1980s across Asia and Africa?
a) Timber collection
b) Agricultural development
c) Conservation and community involvement
d) Expansion of commercial forestry
Answer:
c) Conservation and community involvement — In the 1980s, the focus shifted to conservation and involving local communities.
Question 11. What role did the forest play in the Indian Rebellion of 1857?
a) Source of revenue for the British
b) Safe haven for rebels
c) Site of major battles
d) Source of timber for British ships
Answer:
b) Safe haven for rebels — Forests provided a safe haven for rebels during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Question 12. What was the impact of railway expansion on Indian forests?
a) Decreased deforestation
b) Increased wildlife habitats
c) Extensive logging for sleepers
d) Improved forest management
Answer:
c) Extensive logging for sleepers — Railway expansion led to extensive logging of forests for railway sleepers.
Question 13. What did the Chipko movement in the 1970s aim to prevent?
a) Industrial pollution
b) Wildlife hunting
c) Deforestation
d) Urbanization
Answer:
c) Deforestation — The Chipko movement aimed to prevent deforestation.
Question 14. Which year was the National Forest Policy revised in India?
a) 1952
b) 1988
c) 1976
d) 1992
Answer:
b) 1988 — The National Forest Policy in India was revised in 1988.
Question 15. What was the focus of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 in India?
a) Commercial exploitation
b) Wildlife conservation
c) Tribal rights and livelihood
d) Industrial forestry
Answer:
c) Tribal rights and livelihood — The Forest Rights Act, 2006 focused on tribal rights and livelihood.
Question 16. How did the British view Indian forests during colonial rule?
a) As sacred spaces
b) As untapped natural resources
c) As obstacles to urban development
d) As biodiversity hotspots
Answer:
b) As untapped natural resources — The British viewed Indian forests as untapped natural resources during colonial rule.
Question 17. What was a major consequence of the forest policy under British rule?
a) Improved forest conservation
b) Enhancement of local economies
c) Decline in traditional forest-based occupations
d) Increase in wildlife population
Answer:
c) Decline in traditional forest-based occupations — A major consequence was the decline in traditional forest-based occupations.
Question 18. What impact did World War II have on the forests of India?
a) Led to increased conservation
b) Caused negligible impact
c) Resulted in extensive exploitation
d) Promoted sustainable forestry
Answer:
c) Resulted in extensive exploitation — World War II led to extensive exploitation of India’s forests.
Question 19. What was a significant change in forest management after Indian independence?
a) Emphasis on industrial use
b) Shift towards conservation and sustainability
c) Continuation of colonial policies
d) Complete nationalization of forests
Answer:
b) Shift towards conservation and sustainability — After independence, there was a shift towards conservation and sustainability in forest management.
Question 20. What is the main challenge in forest conservation in India today?
a) Lack of public awareness
b) Balancing development and conservation
c) Insufficient funding for research
d) Climate change impacts
Answer:
b) Balancing development and conservation — The main challenge is balancing development and conservation.
Match the following Class 9 History Chapter 4 Forest Society and Colonialism
Question
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Establishment of scientific forestry | (a) New system of trade and employment |
| (ii) Blandongdiensten system | (b) Restriction of shifting cultivation |
| (iii) Surontiko Samin’s movement | (c) Dutch colonial forestry policy |
| (iv) Deforestation during colonial times | (d) Displacement of forest communities |
| (v) Introduction of the Forest Act | (e) Expansion of cultivation |
| (vi) Rebellion in the forest | (f) Protection of forests in sacred groves |
Answer
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| (i) Establishment of scientific forestry | (c) Dutch colonial forestry policy |
| (ii) Blandongdiensten system | (a) New system of trade and employment |
| (iii) Surontiko Samin’s movement | (d) Displacement of forest communities |
| (iv) Deforestation during colonial times | (e) Expansion of cultivation |
| (v) Introduction of the Forest Act | (b) Restriction of shifting cultivation |
| (vi) Rebellion in the forest | (f) Protection of forests in sacred groves |
Fill in the Blanks Questions for Class 9 History Chapter 4 Forest Society and Colonialism
Now lets solve 12 fill-in-the-blank questions from 4th chapter:
1. The disappearance of forests is referred to as ___.
Answer:
deforestation
2. In 1600, approximately ___ of India’s landmass was under cultivation.
Answer:
one-sixth
3. The British needed forests in order to build ___ and ___.
Answer:
ships, railways
4. The system of cutting trees controlled by the forest department, in which old trees are cut and new ones planted, is called ___.
Answer:
scientific forestry
5. The Forest Act was enacted in ___ and was amended twice, once in ___ and then in ___.
Answer:
1865, 1878, 1927
6. The Forest Act divided forests into three categories: ___, ___, and ___ forests.
Answer:
reserved, protected, village
7. In shifting cultivation, parts of the forest are cut and ___ in rotation.
Answer:
burnt
8. The colonial government decided to ban ___ cultivation.
Answer:
shifting
9. The practice of shifting cultivation has many local names such as ___ in Southeast Asia, ___ in Central America, ___ or ___ in Africa, and ___ in Sri Lanka.
Answer:
lading, milpa, chitemene, tavy, chena
10. The Mundurucu peoples of the Brazilian Amazon began to collect ___ from wild rubber trees for supplying to traders.
Answer:
latex
11. The Baigas petitioned to the government saying that they daily starve and the only wealth they possess is their ___.
Answer:
axe
12. The First World War and the Second World War had a major impact on ___.
Answer:
forests
