Class 8 History Ch 9: Women, Caste and Reform NCERT Solutions

Reform Movements

• The reformers gained immense confidence and moral support from the British government's liberal policies and the activism of Christian missionaries in promoting new laws.

Christian Missionaries

• Christian missionaries were attacked by many people in the country because they were suspected of converting people to Christianity through fraudulent means.

Education for Girls

• Vidyasagar and other reformers set up schools for girls because they believed that education was essential for the upliftment of women.

Interpreting Ancient Texts

• The reformers tried to convince people that the idea of caste hierarchy was not supported by ancient texts.

Conversions and Suspicions

• People suspected Christian missionaries of using fraudulent means to convert people to Christianity.

Labor Opportunities

• The British period opened up new labor opportunities for people from low castes in the form of work in plantations, mines, and factories.

Struggle for Human Rights

• Jyotirao Phule dedicated his book 'Gulamgiri' to the American movement to free slaves, drawing parallels between the struggles of the American slaves and the Indians under British rule.

Temple Entry Movement

• B. R. Ambedkar sought to achieve the right of entry for the "untouchables" into Hindu temples through the temple entry movement.

Criticisms of the National Movement

• Jyotirao Phule and Ramaswami Naicker were critical of the national movement because they believed it was dominated by the upper castes and ignored the concerns of the lower castes.

Brahmo Samaj

• Raja Ram Mohan Roy founded the Brahmo Samaj, a reform movement that aimed to eradicate social evils and promote women's education.