Std 8 History – Social and Religious Reforms

Social and Religious Reforms

Standard 8  |  History  |  Chapter 5

1. Rewrite the statements by choosing the appropriate options
(Sir Sayyad Ahmad Khan, Swami Vivekananda, Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde)
(1) …………… established the Ramkrishna Mission.
Ans: Swami Vivekananda
(2) The Anglo-Mohammedan Oriental College was established by ………….. .
Ans: Sir Sayyad Ahmad Khan
(3) The Depressed Classes Mission was founded by ………….. .
Ans: Maharshi Vitthal Ramji Shinde
2. Complete the following table
Name of Social Reformer Organisation Newspaper / Book Work of the Organisation
Raja Rammohan Roy Brahmo Samaj Samvad Kaumudi
  1. Advocated monotheism, and equality among castes and classes; supported prayers in place of rituals for the worship of God.
  2. Opposed child marriage, sati, and the purdah system.
  3. Advocated widow remarriage and female education.
Dayanand Saraswati Arya Samaj Satyarth Prakash
  1. Opposed casteism and advocated greater gender equality.
  2. Propagated the Vedic religion.
  3. ‘Go Back to the Vedas’ was the slogan of the Arya Samaj.
  4. The Arya Samaj was instrumental in establishing many educational institutions.
Mahatma Phule Satya Shodhak Samaj Gulamgiri
  1. Worked to inculcate the values of social equality and justice.
  2. Protested against untouchability.
  3. Opposed caste discrimination and criticised the traditions and customs which discriminated between man and woman.
3. Explain the following statements with reasons
(1) The social and religious reform movement began in India.
  1. With the spread of English education in India, new ideas, new thoughts, and a new philosophy began to spread.
  2. Indians were introduced to western thought and culture.
  3. They wanted to create a society based on the principles of humanity, equality, and fraternity.
  4. They realised that flaws like superstitions, casteism, old customs, the class system, and a lack of critical outlook were responsible for the backwardness of India.
This awareness was responsible for social and religious reform in India.
(2) Mahatma Phule conducted a strike of barbers.
  1. There was a custom of Keshavapan, that is, shaving the heads of widows, in India.
  2. In order to oppose this unjust custom, Mahatma Phule conducted a strike among barbers.
4. Write short notes
(1) Ramkrishna Mission
  1. Swami Vivekananda, a close disciple of Ramkrishna Paramhansa, founded the Ramkrishna Mission in 1897.
  2. The mission carried out social work such as providing help to famine-stricken people and patients, giving medical help to the poor, and working for female education.
  3. It taught people that service to humanity is true religion, and worked towards the spiritual progress of the people.
(2) Reforms for women by Savitribai Phule
  1. Savitribai Phule, wife of Mahatma Phule, advocated women’s education along with him.
  2. She supported her husband in his efforts to start the first school for girls at Bhide Wada in Pune.
  3. She continued her work in the field of education, though she faced severe criticism from society.
  4. She put great effort into the women’s reform movement, which resulted in putting an end to many unjust practices.
Scroll to Top