Forest Society and Colonialism – MCQs
1. What was the main reason for British interest in forests in India?
a) For beauty and tourism
b) For building houses
c) For timber needed for railways and shipbuilding
d) For planting flowers
Correct Answer: c) For timber needed for railways and shipbuilding
2. What was the ‘Forest Act’ of 1865 and 1878 meant for?
a) To protect tribal rights
b) To declare state control over forests
c) To allow free hunting
d) To plant fruit trees
Correct Answer: b) To declare state control over forests
3. Who were the ‘Kalangs’ of Java?
a) Dutch forest officials
b) Skilled forest-cutting tribe
c) Traders from India
d) Buddhist monks
Correct Answer: b) Skilled forest-cutting tribe
4. What are ‘Reserved Forests’?
a) Forests reserved for farming
b) Forests cleared for industries
c) Forests under direct government control
d) Forests open to all villagers
Correct Answer: c) Forests under direct government control
5. What impact did colonial forest policies have on tribal people?
a) They got more land
b) Their hunting rights were expanded
c) They lost access to forest resources
d) They became forest officers
Correct Answer: c) They lost access to forest resources
6. What was ‘scientific forestry’?
a) Planting only fruit trees
b) Cutting all trees at once
c) System of managing forests through controlled logging and plantation of selected species
d) Growing trees for decoration
Correct Answer: c) System of managing forests through controlled logging and plantation of selected species
7. What caused tribal rebellions in forest areas during colonial rule?
a) Heavy taxation
b) Loss of forest rights
c) Forced labor
d) All of the above
Correct Answer: d) All of the above
8. Which tree did the British prefer for shipbuilding?
a) Mango
b) Neem
c) Teak
d) Sal
Correct Answer: c) Teak
9. What were ‘blandoswan forests’ in Java?
a) Sacred groves
b) Forests with deer and birds
c) Forests cleared and cultivated temporarily
d) Dense mangrove forests
Correct Answer: c) Forests cleared and cultivated temporarily
10. Which of the following was a result of the new forest laws?
a) Villagers could hunt freely
b) Tribal people became rich
c) Shifting cultivation was banned
d) Deforestation was stopped
Correct Answer: c) Shifting cultivation was banned