Explain any three causes of popular resistance against British rule before 1857.
How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open in one line. Popular resistance was the armed protest of displaced rulers, peasants and tribals against British exploitation between about 1750 and 1857.
2 · Cause 1: exploitation and loss of land. Heavy land revenue, zamindars and moneylenders drove peasants and tribals into debt and took their land.
3 · Cause 2: loss of power. Rulers, zamindars and poligars lost estates and rights, as when Warren Hastings jailed Raja Chet Singh of Banaras.
4 · Cause 3: interference in religion. British social and religious changes angered people, so many revolts were anti-Christian; in Malabar, religious difference sparked the Mappila rising.
5 · Close in one line. These revolts stayed local and failed, but they showed deep anger against colonial rule.
Scoring tip: Give one named example with each cause. A short example earns the mark faster than a long sentence.
