CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Rumours and Popular Belief Behind the Revolt
📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.
QUESTION 1 OF 20
Assertion (A): The sepoys readily accepted the new Enfield rifles because they were technologically superior.
Reason (R): There was a rumour that the cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs.
QUESTION 2 OF 20
Identify the incorrect statement about the religious pollution fear regarding cartridges:
QUESTION 3 OF 20
Rumours circulate only when they resonate with the deeper ________ and suspicions of people.
QUESTION 4 OF 20
Match the sepoy actions with their corresponding units/locations as mentioned in the spread of the mutiny:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry | a. Refused new cartridges in early May |
| 2. 48th Native Infantry | b. Awaited orders from the 7th |
| 3. 41st Native Infantry | c. Insisted on killing Captain Hearsey |
| 4. Meerut Sepoys | d. Rode to the Red Fort |
QUESTION 5 OF 20
Arrange the events related to the Dum Dum incident chronologically:
1. The Khalasi warns the sepoy about losing his caste.
2. Captain Wright reports the incident.
3. The Khalasi asks for a drink of water from a Brahmin sepoy.
4. The Brahmin sepoy refuses, citing defilement.
QUESTION 6 OF 20
What does the interaction between the Khalasi and the Brahmin sepoy primarily illustrate about the sepoy ranks?
QUESTION 7 OF 20
Assertion (A): Sepoys and common people refused to touch the atta sold in the market.
Reason (R): A rumour circulated that the British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour.
QUESTION 8 OF 20
The rejection of atta in towns and cantonments was driven by the suspicion that the British wanted to destroy the caste and religion of ________.
QUESTION 9 OF 20
Identify the incorrect statement about the fears of conversion:
QUESTION 10 OF 20
How did the activities of Christian missionaries contribute to the religious anxiety of the Indian people?
QUESTION 11 OF 20
Assertion (A): The rebels firmly believed that British rule would last for another century after 1857.
Reason (R): A prophecy stated that British rule would come to an end on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey.
QUESTION 12 OF 20
Match the following regarding the context of the prophecies:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Battle of Plassey | a. End of British rule |
| 2. Centenary date | b. 1757 |
| 3. Prophecy outcome | c. British government |
| 4. Target of prophecy | d. 23 June 1857 |
QUESTION 13 OF 20
Arrange the steps of the chapatti distribution movement chronologically:
1. A person comes at night to a village.
2. The person gives a chapatti to the village watchman.
3. The watchman is asked to make five more chapattis.
4. The new chapattis are distributed to the next village.
QUESTION 14 OF 20
What can be inferred about the chapatti movement from the historical records?
QUESTION 15 OF 20
Assertion (A): The people of North India felt that everything they cherished and held sacred was being destroyed.
Reason (R): The British policies strictly preserved traditional systems of landholding and revenue payment.
QUESTION 16 OF 20
Which of the following was NOT part of the "reforming" policies introduced by the British from the late 1820s?
QUESTION 17 OF 20
The introduction of Western sciences and liberal arts in universities was done with the cooperation of sections of ________.
QUESTION 18 OF 20
Assertion (A): Rumours spread with remarkable swiftness during the 1850s.
Reason (R): The activities of Christian missionaries aggravated the perception that an alien and oppressive system was replacing cherished customs.
QUESTION 19 OF 20
QUESTION 20 OF 20
Test Complete!
Answer Review
1 Assertion (A): The sepoys readily accepted the new Enfield rifles because they were technologically superior.
Reason (R): There was a rumour that the cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pigs.
�� Sepoys did not readily accept the cartridges. �� Religious fears created resistance. �� Cartridge rumours fueled rebellion.
- The Assertion is false because sepoys did not willingly accept the Enfield rifle cartridges. → The Reason is true because a widespread rumour claimed that the cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat. → This rumour created fears of religious pollution among both Hindu and Muslim soldiers. → Therefore Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Assertion is false.
- �� Option B → Assertion is false.
- �� Option C → Reason is true according to NCERT.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Check the truthfulness of Assertion and Reason separately.
Final Logic:
- Acceptance was absent, but the rumour was real.
Enfield = Fear, Not Acceptance
2 Identify the incorrect statement about the religious pollution fear regarding cartridges:
�� Religious fears spread widely. �� Cartridges required biting. �� British assurances failed to end suspicion.
- NCERT records that British officers tried to reassure sepoys but failed to eliminate fears. → The rifles were not immediately withdrawn simply because sepoys objected. → Options A, B, and D are supported by the chapter. → Therefore Option C is the incorrect statement.
- �� Option A → Both communities felt threatened.
- �� Option B → Biting cartridges was necessary before loading.
- �� Option D → Meerut sepoys explained this fear to Bahadur Shah.
Used: Odd One Out
Application:
- Find the statement inconsistent with NCERT.
Final Logic:
- British reassurances occurred, not immediate withdrawal.
Fear Stayed, Rifles Stayed
3 Rumours circulate only when they resonate with the deeper ________ and suspicions of people.
�� Rumours reflect social anxieties. �� Fear encourages belief. �� Suspicion accelerates circulation.
- NCERT explains that rumours spread rapidly when they connect with existing fears and insecurities. → In 1857, anxieties regarding religion, caste, and British intentions helped rumours gain credibility. → Therefore Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Political ambition is not the central explanation.
- �� Option C → Economic goals do not explain widespread panic.
- �� Option D → Educational needs are unrelated.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Identify the emotional factor behind rumour circulation.
Final Logic:
- Fear fuels rumours.
Rumour Needs Fear
4 Match the sepoy actions with their corresponding units/locations as mentioned in the spread of the mutiny:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry | a. Refused new cartridges in early May |
| 2. 48th Native Infantry | b. Awaited orders from the 7th |
| 3. 41st Native Infantry | c. Insisted on killing Captain Hearsey |
| 4. Meerut Sepoys | d. Rode to the Red Fort |
�� Different regiments played different roles. �� Communication existed among units. �� Meerut sepoys moved toward Delhi.
- 7th Awadh Irregular Cavalry refused cartridges (a). → 48th Native Infantry awaited orders from them (b). → 41st Native Infantry insisted on killing Captain Hearsey (c). → Meerut sepoys rode to the Red Fort (d). → Hence Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Historical pairings are incorrect.
- �� Option B → Several matches are reversed.
- �� Option C → Regiment actions are mismatched.
Used: Option Grouping
Application:
- Match each regiment with its recorded action.
Final Logic:
- Historical events fit only Option D.
7th-Refuse, 48th-Wait, 41st-Hearsey, Meerut-Delhi
5 Arrange the events related to the Dum Dum incident chronologically:
1. The Khalasi warns the sepoy about losing his caste.
2. Captain Wright reports the incident.
3. The Khalasi asks for a drink of water from a Brahmin sepoy.
4. The Brahmin sepoy refuses, citing defilement.
�� Khalasi requested water. �� Brahmin sepoy refused. �� Warning about caste followed.
- First, the Khalasi asked for water (3). → The Brahmin sepoy refused due to caste concerns (4). → The Khalasi then warned that the sepoy would soon lose caste by biting cartridges (1). → Captain Wright later reported the incident (2). → Therefore Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Warning came after refusal.
- �� Option B → Reporting happened last.
- �� Option D → Refusal cannot occur before request.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Follow the sequence of the conversation.
Final Logic:
- Request → Refusal → Warning → Report.
Ask → Refuse → Warn → Report
6 What does the interaction between the Khalasi and the Brahmin sepoy primarily illustrate about the sepoy ranks?
�� Caste concerns were significant. �� Religious purity influenced behaviour. �� Cartridge rumours intensified fears.
- The Dum Dum incident reveals how deeply caste purity and religious identity influenced sepoy thinking. → The Brahmin sepoy refused water fearing caste pollution, while the Khalasi linked this fear to the cartridge controversy. → The episode demonstrates broader anxieties regarding religious defilement under British rule. → Therefore Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → The incident actually demonstrates caste distinctions.
- �� Option B → The interaction was about religious fear, not technology.
- �� Option C → No attempt at religious conversion occurred.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Interpret the larger significance of the incident.
Final Logic:
- The episode symbolizes fears of caste and religious pollution.
Dum Dum = Defilement Fear
7 Assertion (A): Sepoys and common people refused to touch the atta sold in the market.
Reason (R): A rumour circulated that the British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into the flour.
�� Bone dust rumours spread widely. �� Flour became suspicious. �� Fear led to rejection of atta.
- The Assertion is true because many people refused to touch or consume market flour. → The Reason is also true because rumours claimed that cow and pig bone dust had been mixed into the atta. → This rumour directly caused the refusal. → Hence Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → The Reason directly explains the Assertion.
- �� Option C → Reason is true.
- �� Option D → Assertion is also true.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Check truth and causal relationship separately.
Final Logic:
- Bone dust rumour directly caused flour rejection.
Bone Dust → No Atta
8 The rejection of atta in towns and cantonments was driven by the suspicion that the British wanted to destroy the caste and religion of ________.
�� Both communities shared concerns. �� Religious identity was threatened. �� Rumours targeted major faith groups.
- The rumour suggested that British authorities intended to destroy the religions and caste identities of both Hindus and Muslims. → Cow fat offended Hindus while pig fat offended Muslims. → Therefore Option B correctly reflects the shared fear.
- �� Option A → Parsis were not central to the rumour.
- �� Option C → NCERT specifically mentions Hindus and Muslims.
- �� Option D → Buddhists were not the focus of the fear.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Identify the groups repeatedly mentioned in NCERT.
Final Logic:
- The rumour targeted Hindu and Muslim religious identities.
Cow + Pig = Hindu + Muslim Fear
9 Identify the incorrect statement about the fears of conversion:
�� Conversion fears spread widely. �� British officers offered assurances. �� Panic nevertheless continued.
- NCERT states that British officers attempted to reassure sepoys and calm fears. → However, these assurances failed to stop rumours and suspicion. → Therefore Option B is incorrect. → Options A, C, and D accurately reflect the historical situation.
- �� Option A → Fear of conversion was widespread.
- �� Option C → Panic spread rapidly.
- �� Option D → Such fears encouraged resistance.
Used: Odd One Out
Application:
- Find the statement contradicting NCERT evidence.
Final Logic:
- British officers did attempt reassurance.
Tried to Assure, Failed to Convince
10 How did the activities of Christian missionaries contribute to the religious anxiety of the Indian people?
�� Missionary activities created suspicion. �� Traditional customs seemed threatened. �� Religious insecurity increased.
- NCERT explains that missionary activities strengthened the belief that British rule sought to replace Indian traditions with foreign values. → This perception aggravated existing fears about religion and culture. → Therefore Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → No such financial aid explanation is given.
- �� Option C → Missionaries did not recruit sepoys in this manner.
- �� Option D → Heavy taxes on religious gatherings are not discussed.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Connect missionary activity with popular perceptions.
Final Logic:
- Missionaries intensified fears of cultural replacement.
Missionaries → More Suspicion
11 Assertion (A): The rebels firmly believed that British rule would last for another century after 1857.
Reason (R): A prophecy stated that British rule would come to an end on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey.
�� Rebels expected British rule to end. �� Prophecy was linked to Plassey. �� 1857 was viewed as a turning point.
- The Assertion is false because rebels believed British rule would end in 1857, not continue for another century. → The Reason is true because a popular prophecy predicted the end of British rule on the centenary of the Battle of Plassey (1757–1857). → Therefore, Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → Assertion is false.
- �� Option B → Assertion is false.
- �� Option C → Reason is true.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Evaluate the truthfulness of both Assertion and Reason separately.
Final Logic:
- The prophecy predicted the end, not continuation, of British rule.
Plassey + 100 = End of Company Rule
12 Match the following regarding the context of the prophecies:
| List 1 | List 2 |
|---|---|
| 1. Battle of Plassey | a. End of British rule |
| 2. Centenary date | b. 1757 |
| 3. Prophecy outcome | c. British government |
| 4. Target of prophecy | d. 23 June 1857 |
�� Plassey occurred in 1757. �� Centenary fell in 1857. �� Prophecy predicted British collapse.
- Battle of Plassey → 1757 (b) → Centenary date → 23 June 1857 (d) → Prophecy outcome → End of British rule (a) → Target → British government (c) → Hence Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Incorrectly matches the centenary date.
- �� Option B → Incorrectly associates Plassey with the prophecy outcome.
- �� Option D → Multiple mismatches.
Used: Option Grouping
Application:
- Match each historical reference with its factual counterpart.
Final Logic:
- Only Option C correctly matches all four pairs.
1757 → 1857 → End Prophecy
13 Arrange the steps of the chapatti distribution movement chronologically:
1. A person comes at night to a village.
2. The person gives a chapatti to the village watchman.
3. The watchman is asked to make five more chapattis.
4. The new chapattis are distributed to the next village.
�� Chapattis circulated secretly. �� Watchmen played a key role. �� Distribution moved village to village.
- A person arrived at night. → He handed a chapatti to the village watchman. → The watchman was instructed to prepare more chapattis. → These were then sent to neighbouring villages. → Therefore Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Sequence begins incorrectly.
- �� Option C → Preparation occurred after receiving the chapatti.
- �� Option D → Making chapattis happened later.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Follow the logical sequence described in NCERT.
Final Logic:
- Arrival → Delivery → Preparation → Distribution.
Come → Give → Make → Send
14 What can be inferred about the chapatti movement from the historical records?
�� Meaning remains uncertain. �� Chapattis spread widely. �� People linked them to unrest.
- Historical records do not conclusively explain the chapatti movement. → However, many contemporaries interpreted it as a sign of impending upheaval. → Therefore Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → British intelligence never established a definite purpose.
- �� Option C → No evidence supports this interpretation.
- �� Option D → It was not restricted to Awadh royalty.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Identify the interpretation accepted by NCERT.
Final Logic:
- Meaning unclear, but seen as a warning sign.
Chapatti = Omen
15 Assertion (A): The people of North India felt that everything they cherished and held sacred was being destroyed.
Reason (R): The British policies strictly preserved traditional systems of landholding and revenue payment.
�� People feared cultural destruction. �� Traditional systems changed significantly. �� British policies increased insecurity.
- Assertion is true because many Indians believed cherished customs, rulers, and landholding patterns were under threat. → Reason is false because British policies often altered traditional systems rather than preserving them. → Hence Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → Reason is false.
- �� Option B → Reason is false.
- �� Option D → Assertion is true.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Check truth of Assertion and Reason independently.
Final Logic:
- Fear was real, preservation was not.
Change Created Fear
16 Which of the following was NOT part of the "reforming" policies introduced by the British from the late 1820s?
�� British encouraged Western education. �� Sati was abolished. �� Widow remarriage was legalized.
- British reformers promoted English education and Western knowledge. → They abolished sati and legalized widow remarriage. → They did not promote traditional gurukul education over English-medium institutions. → Therefore Option D is correct.
- �� Option A → A major reform measure.
- �� Option B → Sati was abolished in 1829.
- �� Option C → Widow Remarriage Act passed in 1856.
Used: Odd One Out
Application:
- Identify the option inconsistent with reform policies.
Final Logic:
- British promoted Western, not gurukul, education.
Bentinck = English Education
17 The introduction of Western sciences and liberal arts in universities was done with the cooperation of sections of ________.
�� Some Indians supported reforms. �� Western education gained acceptance. �� Social cooperation existed.
- NCERT notes that British educational initiatives often received support from sections of Indian society. → Many Indians welcomed Western sciences and liberal education. → Therefore Option B is correct.
- �� Option A → Mughal royalty was not central to educational reforms.
- �� Option C → Sepoys were not educational collaborators.
- �� Option D → Rival traders had no role.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Identify the group directly associated with educational cooperation.
Final Logic:
- Sections of Indian society supported Western education.
Education = Indian Cooperation
18 Assertion (A): Rumours spread with remarkable swiftness during the 1850s.
Reason (R): The activities of Christian missionaries aggravated the perception that an alien and oppressive system was replacing cherished customs.
�� Missionary activity increased suspicion. �� Cultural insecurity deepened. �� Rumours spread rapidly.
- Assertion is true because rumours circulated quickly across North India. → Reason is also true because missionary activities strengthened fears that traditional customs were under attack. → These anxieties helped rumours gain acceptance. → Therefore Option A is correct.
- �� Option B → Reason directly explains Assertion.
- �� Option C → Reason is true.
- �� Option D → Assertion is also true.
Used: Elimination
Application:
- Determine whether the Reason explains the Assertion.
Final Logic:
- Religious insecurity encouraged rapid rumour circulation.
Fear = Fast Rumours
19
�� People feared widespread cultural disruption. �� Traditional institutions appeared threatened. �� Administrative changes intensified insecurity.
- The passage explicitly states that people felt everything they cherished was being destroyed. → This included kings, socio-religious customs, landholding systems, and revenue payment patterns. → These changes created a sense of uncertainty and resentment against British rule. → Therefore, Option D is correct because it directly reflects the passage.
- �� Option A → The passage does not limit concerns to military structures and forts.
- �� Option B → Educational institutions alone were not the central concern.
- �� Option C → Trade networks and guilds are not mentioned in the passage.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Identify the exact elements listed in the passage rather than selecting a partially correct option.
Final Logic:
- Option D reproduces all the categories specifically mentioned in the passage.
King + Custom + Land + Revenue = Fear
20
�� British administration appeared unfamiliar. �� Traditional structures were weakened. �� People viewed the new system negatively.
- The passage directly describes the British system as "more impersonal, alien and oppressive." → This reflects the widespread perception that British rule ignored traditional customs and local practices. → Such feelings contributed to distrust, rumours, and resistance. → Therefore, Option C is correct.
- �� Option A → The passage presents the opposite view.
- �� Option B → The system was not perceived as fair and profitable by many people.
- �� Option D → The British system was viewed as alien rather than traditional.
Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching
Application:
- Locate the exact descriptive words used in the passage.
Final Logic:
- The passage explicitly uses the words "impersonal, alien and oppressive."
British System = IAO (Impersonal–Alien–Oppressive)
