NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 7 Women, Caste and Reform Notes

NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 7 Women, Caste and Reform 

Text BookNCERT
Class  8th
Subject  Social Science (History)
Chapter7th
Chapter NameWomen, Caste and Reform
CategoryClass 8th  Social Science (History)
Medium English
SourceLast Doubt
NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 7 Women, Caste and Reform Notes- for example What is a primary reformer, What started the Reformation, What is a secondary reformer, What does reformer mean, Is a reformer a person, What was the first Reformation, When was the Reformation period, What are 3 causes of the Reformation, What is a reforming reaction, What is primary and secondary reformer, What is reformer technology,hat is a reformer unit,What is reforming and its types,What is a pox unit

NCERT Solutions Class 8th History Chapter – 7 Women, Caste and Reform 

Chapter – 7

Women, Caste and Reform

Notes

Working Towards Change- From the early nineteenth century, we find debates and discussions about social customs and practices taking on a new character. One important reason for this was the development of new forms of communication. For the first time, books, newspapers, magazines, leaflets and pamphlets were printed.

These were far cheaper and far more accessible than the manuscripts that you have read about in Class VII. Therefore ordinary people could read these, and many of them could also write and express their ideas in their own languages. All kinds of issues – social, political, economic and religious – could now be debated and discussed by men (and sometimes by women as well) in the new cities. The discussions could reach out to a wider public, and could become linked to movements for social change.
Changing the lives of widows-

(i) Rammohun Roy was particularly moved by the problems widows faced in their lives. He began a campaign against the practice of sati.

(ii) Rammohun Roy was well versed in Sanskrit, Persian and several other Indian and Europeon languages. He tried to show through his writings that the practice of widow burning had no sanction in ancient texts. By the early nineteenth century, as you have read in Chapter 6, many British officials had also begun to criticise Indian traditions and customs. They were therefore, more than willing to listen to Rammohun who was reputed to be a learned man. In 1829, sati was banned.

(iii) The strategy adopted by Rammohun was used by later reformers as well. Whenever they wished to challenge a practice that seemed harmful, they tried to find a verse or sentence in the ancient sacred texts that supported their point of view. They then suggested that the practice as it existed at present was against early tradition.
Girls begin going to school- Many of the reformers felt that education for girls was necessary in order to improve the condition of women Demands for equality and justice Gradually, by the second half of the nineteenth century, people from within the Non-Brahman castes began organising movements against caste discrimination, and demanded social equality and justice.
Gulamgiri- One of the most vocal amongst the “low-caste” leaders was Jyotirao Phule. Born in 1827, he studied in schools set up by Christian missionaries. On growing up, he developed his own ideas about the injustices of caste society. He set out to attack the Brahmans’ claim that they were superior to others, since they were Aryans.

Phule argued that the Aryans were foreigners, who came from outside the subcontinent, and defeated and subjugated the true children of the country – those who had lived here from before the coming of the Aryans. As the Aryans established their dominance, they began looking at the defeated population as inferior, as low-caste people. According to Phule, the “upper” castes had no right to their land and power: in reality, the land belonged to indigenous people, the so-called low castes.
Who could enter temples- Ambedkar was born into a Mahar family. As a child he experienced what caste prejudice meant in everyday life. In school he was forced to sit outside the classroom on the ground, and was not allowed to drink water from taps that upper-caste children used.

After finishing school, he got a fellowship to go to the US for higher studies. On his return to India in 1919, he wrote extensively about “upper”-caste power in contemporary society.
The Non-Brahman movement- In the early twentieth century, the non-Brahman movement started. The initiative came from those non-Brahman castes that had acquired access to education, wealth and influence.

They argued that Brahmans were heirs of Aryan invaders from the north who had conquered southern lands from the original inhabitants of the region – the indigenous Dravidian races. They also challenged Brahmanical claims to power.
Sati –  It means virtuous women. These women chose death by burning themselves on the funeral pyre of their husbands.
Untouchable –  Untouchables were considered to be the lowest by the upper-caste people. They were denied entry in temples, restaurants, etc.
Gulamgiri –  A book written by Jyotirao Phule. It means slavery.
Stripurushtulna –  A book published-by Tarabai Shinde. It means a comparison between women and men.
Conservative –  Those who want to stick to old traditions and customs and oppose new changes.
Suffrage –  The right to vote.
1772-1833 – Raja Rammohun Roy brought a lot reformations in the Indian society during this period.

1829 – Sati was banned.

1856 – A law was passed to permit widow remarriage.

1875 – The Arya Samaj was founded.

1929 – The Child Marriage Restraint Act was passed.

1927-1935 – Ambedkar led three temple entry movements between this period.

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