Answer keys
MCQ
SECTION A
1. b) Preserving resources for future use through sustainable use.
2. c) They are places where official records are kept
3. c) A is true, but R is false.
4. d) British East India Company
5. c) A – ii, B -i, C - iv, D -iii
6. c) Lord Dalhousie
7. c) A is false, but R is true
8. c) Growing population and farming
9. c ) To know and control Indian resources and people
10. b) Overgrazing
SECTION B
11. Renewable Resources:
These are resources that can be naturally replenished over a short period of time.
They are available continuously if used wisely.
Examples: Sunlight, wind, water, forests, soil.
Example: Solar energy comes from the sun and is available every day. Trees, if replanted, can
grow again.
Non-Renewable Resources:
These are resources that are limited in nature and cannot be replaced easily once they
are exhausted.
They take millions of years to form.
Examples: Coal, petroleum, natural gas, minerals.
Example: Coal is formed from fossilized plants over millions of years. Once we use it up, it
cannot be quickly replaced.
12. British records helped write colonial history by providing structured, dated, and detailed
documentation of their rule. However, since they were written from a colonial perspective,
they must be used critically
SECTION C
13. Parent Rock – Type of rock from which soil is formed
Climate – Temperature and rainfall affect weathering
Relief – Slope and elevation of land
Flora and Fauna – Plants, animals, and microorganisms enrich soil
Time – Soil formation is a slow process that takes thousands of years
14. Official records do not show the lives, struggles, and opinions of common people.
They reflect only the British point of view and often ignore the Indian perspective.
How Do We Come to Know About Them?
Through diaries, autobiographies, folk songs, newspapers, letters, and oral stories.
These non-official sources help us understand the real-life experiences of people
during colonial times.
15 The East India Company came to India for trade, but gradually became a political and
territorial power.
It defeated Indian rulers in battles like the Battle of Plassey (1757) and Battle of Buxar
(1764).
It used strategies like alliances, wars, and policies (e.g., Doctrine of Lapse, Subsidiary
Alliance) to take control of Indian kingdoms.
Over time, it gained revenue rights and directly ruled large parts of India.
16. Deforestation – Cutting trees reduces soil fertility and increases erosion.
Overgrazing – Excessive grazing by animals destroys grass cover.
Mining – Leaves land unfit for agriculture and pollutes soil and water.
Over-irrigation – Causes waterlogging and soil salinity.
Industrial waste and urbanization – Pollutes land, water, and air.
Measures to Conserve Them:
Afforestation (planting trees)
Proper grazing management
Controlled mining and land reclamation
Use of drip and sprinkler irrigation
Waste management and pollution control
17. Battle of Plassey (1757) – In Short
Fought between the British East India Company and Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of
Bengal.
Mir Jafar, the commander of Siraj’s army, betrayed him and helped the British.
The British, led by Robert Clive, won the battle.
Significance:
Marked the beginning of British political rule in India.
Gave the Company control over Bengal, India’s richest province.
18.1. What do you mean by the term ‘Utility’?
Utility means usefulness or usability. An object or substance that can be used to satisfy
human needs is said to have utility and becomes a resource.
2. How do some resources have ‘value’ and some do not?
Some resources have economic value (like metals), while others (like a beautiful landscape)
may not have direct monetary value. However, both are important because they satisfy
human needs in different ways.
3. Can some resources become valuable with time?
Yes, some resources can become valuable over time. For example, home remedies may not
have commercial value today, but if patented and marketed, they can gain economic value in
the future.
