Class 10 The First War of Independence, 1857 Mock Test (ICSE)

Topics in The First War of Independence, 1857

• Political, economic, social, religious and military causes
• Immediate cause
• Consequences of the revolt

The First War of Independence, 1857 practice questions with answers

1. Q1Multiple choice·1 mark
   Name the sepoy who openly revolted and attacked British officers at Barrackpore in March 1857, becoming an early martyr of the movement.

   1. (a)Tantia Tope
   2. (b)Nana Saheb
   3. (c)Bakht Khan
   4. (d)Mangal Pandey
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (d) Mangal Pandey+1

   Answer: (d)
2. Q2Multiple choice·1 mark
   Which policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie denied adopted heirs the right to inherit a sovereign kingdom upon a ruler's death without natural issue?

   1. (a)Doctrine of Lapse
   2. (b)Partition of Bengal
   3. (c)Subsidiary Alliance
   4. (d)Ring Fence Policy
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (a) Doctrine of Lapse+1

   Answer: (a)
3. Q3Multiple choice·1 mark
   Which military innovation served as the immediate trigger for the outbreak of the First War of Independence in 1857?

   1. (a)The replacement of brass medals with iron ones
   2. (b)The introduction of the General Service Enlistment Act
   3. (c)The introduction of the Enfield rifle with greased cartridges
   4. (d)The reduction of foreign allowance or batta for Indian soldiers
   Show answer and step marks

   1. Correct option: (c) The introduction of the Enfield rifle with greased cartridges+1

   Answer: (c)
4. Q4Short answer·2 marks
   State any two changes introduced in the organization of the British army in India as a consequence of the First War of Independence, 1857.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. First change, any one of: the proportion of European to Indian soldiers was increased; artillery and other key branches and strategic posts were kept only in European hands; Indian regiments were organised on lines of caste, community and region so that soldiers could not unite (divide and rule); more soldiers were recruited from groups considered loyal, such as Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathans, and fewer from Awadh and Bihar; the Company's army was taken over by the Crown; or any other valid change.+1
   2. Second change, a different one from the same list.+1

   Answer: Any two of: the proportion of European troops was increased; artillery and key posts were kept only in European hands; Indian regiments were organised by caste, community and region to prevent unity; recruitment shifted to groups considered loyal (Gurkhas, Sikhs, Pathans); the Company's army passed to the Crown.
5. Q5Long answer·4 marks
   The discontent against British rule culminated in the First War of Independence in 1857. In this context, answer the following: (a) State any two economic causes that led to widespread resentment among the Indian people. (b) State any two social or religious causes that created fear and alienation among the local population.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. (a) First economic cause, any one of: destruction of Indian handicraft and handloom industries by cheap British machine-made goods and discriminatory tariffs; heavy land revenue demands that impoverished peasants and drove them to moneylenders; the drain of India's wealth to Britain; loss of land and income by zamindars and taluqdars (e.g. through the Inam Commission); unemployment of soldiers, officials and artisans of the annexed states; or any other valid economic cause.+1
   2. (a) Second economic cause, a different one from the same list.+1
   3. (b) First social or religious cause, any one of: social reforms such as the abolition of Sati and the Widow Remarriage Act (1856), seen as interference in customs; activities of Christian missionaries, which created fear of forced conversion; the Religious Disabilities Act (1850), which let converts to Christianity inherit ancestral property; spread of Western education, seen as a threat to traditional beliefs; taxing of lands belonging to temples and mosques; racial discrimination and the arrogant behaviour of the British towards Indians; or any other valid social or religious cause.+1
   4. (b) Second social or religious cause, a different one from the same list.+1

   Answer: (a) Any two of: ruin of Indian handicrafts by British goods; heavy land revenue that impoverished peasants; drain of wealth to Britain; loss of land by zamindars and taluqdars; unemployment in annexed states. (b) Any two of: social reforms (abolition of Sati, Widow Remarriage Act) seen as interference; missionary activity and fear of conversion; the Religious Disabilities Act (1850); Western education; taxing of temple and mosque lands; racial discrimination.
6. Q6Long answer·4 marks
   The discontent against British rule accumulated over decades, culminating in the First War of Independence of 1857. In this context, explain the following: (a) Any two economic causes of the revolt. (b) Any two social or religious causes that created apprehension among the Indian population.
   Show answer and step marks

   1. (a) First economic cause, any one of: destruction of Indian handicraft and handloom industries by cheap British machine-made goods and discriminatory tariffs; heavy land revenue demands that impoverished peasants and drove them to moneylenders; the drain of India's wealth to Britain; loss of land and income by zamindars and taluqdars (e.g. through the Inam Commission); unemployment of soldiers, officials and artisans of the annexed states; or any other valid economic cause.+1
   2. (a) Second economic cause, a different one from the same list.+1
   3. (b) First social or religious cause, any one of: social reforms such as the abolition of Sati and the Widow Remarriage Act (1856), seen as interference in customs; activities of Christian missionaries, which created fear of forced conversion; the Religious Disabilities Act (1850), which let converts to Christianity inherit ancestral property; spread of Western education, seen as a threat to traditional beliefs; taxing of lands belonging to temples and mosques; racial discrimination and the arrogant behaviour of the British towards Indians; or any other valid social or religious cause.+1
   4. (b) Second social or religious cause, a different one from the same list.+1

   Answer: (a) Any two of: drain of wealth to Britain; ruin of Indian handicrafts by British goods; heavy land revenue that impoverished peasants; loss of land by zamindars and taluqdars; unemployment in annexed states. (b) Any two of: social reforms (abolition of Sati, Widow Remarriage Act) seen as interference; missionary activity and fear of conversion; the Religious Disabilities Act (1850); Western education; taxing of temple and mosque lands; racial discrimination.

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