GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Gujarat Board GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 Textbook Exercise Important Questions and Answers, Notes Pdf.

Gujarat Board Textbook Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

GSEB Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 Textbook Questions and Answers

Let us revise

Question 1.
The torchbearer of socio-religious reforms in India- Dayanand Saraswati.
Answer:

Question 2.
Pollution and its causes.
Answer:
The term “pollution” refers to any substance that negatively impacts the environment or organisms that live within the affected environment. The five major types of pollution include:
1. air pollution,
2. water pollution,
3. soil pollution,
4. light pollution, and
5. noise pollution

1. air pollution:
Air pollution is also a major concern of the world. Air is polluted by gases and smoke emitted by industries and vehicles that run on fossil fuels like diesel, petrol, etc. that release smoke and harmful gases like hydrocarbons, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, benzopyrene, carbon dioxide, etc. These harmful gases have been mixing with air continuously. So their proportion in the air has increased.

Due to deforestation on a large scale and also due to depletion of forest cover, the proportion of dust particles and CO2 floating In air has increased. This has led to the intense problem of global warming.

Effects of Air Pollution:

  • Air pollution causes diseases of throat and lungs such as asthma, breathing problems, lung Infections, etc.
  • Dust particles floating In air lead to diseases like cough and cold and allergy.
  • Sometimes poisonous gases mix with raindrops and cause ‘Acid rain’, which is harmful to plants and animals.
  • All these issues have led to the intense problem of global warming.

2. water pollution:
Water becomes impure or polluted during the process of manufacturing. This chemical infested water of industries is released into rivers, streams or onto land. Such water pollutes the river water, the groundwater as well as the land on which it is thrown.

Due to such polluted water, many aquatic animals are destroyed. As the water from drains of cities is released into rivers, lakes, etc. serious problems of water pollution arise in cities too. Agricultural products and grass-grown using this dirty water of rivers contain many pollutants. Diseases like cholera, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhoea, etc. spread by water pollution.

Effects of water pollution:

  • Industrial Waste. Industries and industrial sites across the world are a major contributors to water pollution.
  • Marine Dumping.
  • Sewage and Wastewater.
  • Oil Leaks and Spills.
  • Agriculture.
  • Global Warming.
  • Radioactive Waste.

3. soil pollution:
Soil pollution is defined as the presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in soil, in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human.

Soil Pollution Causes Effects and Control Measures:
Industrial Pollution: The discharge of industrial waste into soils can result in soil pollution. In India, as mining and manufacturing activities are increasing rapidly, soil degradation is also increasing. The extraction of minerals from the earth is responsible for affecting soil fertility. Whether it is iron ore or coal, the by-products are contaminated, and they are disposed of in a manner that is not considered safe. As a result, the industrial waste stays on the soil surface for a long duration and makes it unsuitable for further use.

Agricultural Activities: The use of insecticides and pesticides for a long period can cause soil pollution. Repetitive use can cause insects and pests to become resistant to it. Instead of killing pests and insects, it degrades the soil quality. They are full of chemicals that are not produced in nature and cannot be broken down by them. As a result, they seep into the ground after they mix with water and slowly reduces the fertility of the soil. Plants absorb many of these pesticides, and after decomposition cause soil pollution.

Waste Disposal: Disposal of plastics and other solid waste is a serious issue that causes soil pollution, disposal of electrical items such as batteries causes an adverse effect on the soil due to the presence of harmful chemicals. Eg: lithium present in batteries can cause the leaching of soil. Human waste such as urine, faeces, diapers, etc is dumped directly in the land. It causes both soil and water pollution.

Acid Rain: It is caused when pollutants present in the air mix with the rain and fall back on the ground. The polluted water could dissolve away some of the essential nutrients found in soil and change the structure of the soil thus making it unsuitable for agriculture.

Heavy Metals: The presence of heavy metals (such as lead and mercury) in very high concentrations present in soils can cause them to become highly toxic for human beings.

Nuclear Waste: It can also lead to soil degradation.
Oil Spills: Oil leaks can happen during the storage or transport of chemicals, the chemicals present in the fuel deteriorates the quality of soil and make them unsuitable for further cultivation, chemicals can also enter into the groundwater through the soil, and hence it will make water undrinkable.

Effects of Soil Pollution:
Soil pollution affects the health of humans, plants, and animals. Crops or plants grown on such contaminated soil absorbs toxic material from the soil and will decrease the agricultural output of a land. When animals or human beings consume these crops or plants the toxic material can pass into their body. Long-term consumption of these crops may cause chronic diseases that are non-treatable. children are usually more susceptible to exposure to contaminants because they come in close contact with the soil by playing in the ground, So, it is always important to test the quality of the soil before allowing kids to play there, especially in an industrialized area.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Effects of Soil Pollution on Human Health:
The contamination of soil has a major consequence on human health. Crops and plants that are grown on polluted soil absorb most of the pollution and then pass them to humans. Living, working, or playing in contaminated soil can lead to respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and other health problems. Diseases caused by soil pollution include Irritation of the skin and the eyes, Headaches, nausea, vomiting, Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.

Effects on Plants:
In such a short period of time, plants are unable to adapt to the soil change chemistry. Fungi and bacteria found in the soil that bind them together start to decline, which creates an additional problem in soil erosion. Regular use of chemical fertilizers, inorganic fertilizers, pesticides will decrease the fertility of the soil and alter the structure of soil. This will lead to a decrease in soil quality and poor quality of crops. The fertility of the soil diminishes slowly, making land unsuitable for agriculture and any local vegetation to survive.

Effects on the Ecosystem
The soil is an important habitat for different types of microorganisms, birds, and insects. Thus, change in the chemistry of soil can negatively impact the lives of living organisms and can result in the gradual death of many organisms.

4. light pollution:
Light pollution is excessive, misdirected or inappropriate outdoor lighting. Too much light pollution washes out the view of the Universe, increasing energy consumption, interferes with astronomical research, disrupts ecosystems, and affects the health and safety of humans and wildlife.

Different Types and Sources of Light Pollution:
There are many different types and sources of light pollution. Light pollution can mean visible light disruptions from flooding of too much man-made light (as in the example of the city lights); it can also mean a lack of light – again, city lights take away a form of natural illumination and replace it with an artificial means; and it can also mean changes to light that cannot be seen The light that cannot be seen is found on the radio-wave spectrum.

When people talk about light pollution, they tend to mean one of five specific types:

  1. Over-illumination
  2. Glare
  3. Light Clutter
  4. Skyglow
  5. Light Trespass

Causes of Light Pollution:

  • Poor Planning
  • Irresponsible Use
  • Overpopulation
  • Excessive Use of Light
  • Smog and Clouds
  • Lights From Cars and Other Motor Vehicles
  • Streetlamps, Light From Houses and Garage Lamps
  • Nighttime-lighting
  • Downtown Areas

5. noise pollution:
Noise pollution or sound pollution is defined as any sound that is unwanted, or a level of environmental sound that is likely to irritate nearby individuals, cause distraction, cause hearing damage, or disrupts normal activities and lowers quality of life.

Cause:
Noise created by heavy machines making Intense sound in industries, noise made by vehicles and their horns, loudspeakers and musical instruments played at high volume causes noise pollution. D.J bands, loudspeakers for canvassing, exploding crackers on a large scale also cause noise pollution.

Question 3.
Rise and spread of nationalism in India.
Answer:
The main factors that played a major role the rise of nationalism in India are as follows:
1. Political Reasons: Before the British came to India, the nation was divided into small and big princely states. The British defeated many kings and set up their rule all over the country. Though they implemented a uniform administrative system, the British rule was not conducive and Indians started protesting against the it. Gradually these protests became more prominent and widespread.

2. Economic Reasons: The economic policies of the British ruined India financially. The British would take raw materials at cheap rates from India to their country. The finished good manufactured in their country were sold In India. Import duty on such products was negligible but Indian products were taxed heavily. Thus Indian goods became very expensive making them in affordable. In this cutthroat competition, Indian cottage Industries could not survive. Artisans became unemployed.

This made Indians realise that British policies would never allow them to prosper. The British only wanted England to prosper at the cost Indian economy. This made the Indians protest against the British and feelings of nationalism were fostered in the people of India.

3. Transport and Telecommunication: The British developed rail, water and land routes as well as the post and telegraph system for their own military, economic and political reasons. However, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Indians as people came closer due to these facilities. Mobility of intellectuals, artists and business class people increased. Thoughts and opinions were easily exchanged. This lessened discrimination between caste, community and region. National leaders could communicate with a large number of people through newspapers. Thus leadership was built at a national level and this contributed significantly to the achievement of Swaraj.

4. Literature and Education: Western ideas and nationalism spread with English education. Learning English made Indians familiar with latest trends of the world. Thus they were inspired by the ideas of Democracy – from the American War of Independence and of liberty, Equality and Fraternity – from the French revolution. People began dreaming about a bright future of independent India. Various novels, acts, stories, poems, songs, etc. written in regional languages spread the message of national unity and devotion.

5. Newspapers: Newspapers made an important contribution in spreading awareness about nationalism. Dailies published from Bengal, Mumbai and Chennai awakened the feelings of nationalism in people’s hearts.

6. Magnificent and Rich Heritage of India:

  • Ancient archaeologist Alexander Cunningham and his assistants excavated many ancient siles and discovered remains depicting the rich heritage of India.
  • Indian archaeologists like Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahnl. Madho Swarup Vats and Rakhal Das Bannerjee continued the excavations and unearthed remains of majestic civilizations.
  • Ancient Indian books on medical science, astrophysics. spirituality, etc. were translated Into English so that Indians and the world came to know them. All these things fostered the feelings of pride and nationalism.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 4.
The Supreme Court – Highest court in India.
Answer:
The Supreme Court Is the highest among all the Courts In the nation. It came Into existence on 28th January 1950. It holds the right of conferring the fundamental rights granted to us by the constitution. Citizens have the right to file an appeal directly In the Supreme Court If any of their fundamental rights has been violated. Any citizen or Institution can file a petition in the Supreme Court to avail justice In the view of public interest. This Is known as PIL (Public Interest Litigation).

Question 5.
Revolutionaries of India.
Answer:
Many known-unknown martyrs struggled for freedom till death during the freedom struggle of India. After the revolt of 1857, many revolutionaries fought individually or they formed groups and declared revolt against the British Empire. People all over the country remember their stories till the date. Those brave men and women who revolted against the British government are known as the revolutionaries of India.

Bhagat Singh:
GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 1
Bhagat Sinh was born on 281h September 1907 in Banga village of Lyalpur district in Punjab. He studied European revolutionary movements and was attracted to anarchist and Marxist ideologies. He became involved in numerous revolutionary organisations and quickly rose through the ranks of the Hindustan Republican Association to become one of its main leaders. He came in contact with Shukhdev, Bhagwat Charan and Yashpal while he studied at Lahore National College. Bhagat Sinh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw a bomb in the Legislative Assembly on 8th April 1928.

Inqilab Zindabad!
Samrajyavad ka naash ho!!
Duniya ke Mazdoor ek ho!!!
They dispersed pamphlets with a revolutionary message, fired shots In the air and then surrendered themselves peacefully. Bhagat Sinh, Sukhdev and Rajguru killed British officer Saunders to avenge the murder of Lala Lajpat Rai. The trio was hanged on 23 March 1931.

Ramprasad Bismil:
Ramprasad Bismil was born ¡n Shahjahanapur in the United Province (Uttar Pradesh) in 1897 C.E. He was the kingpin of the Kakori conspiracy where the revolutionary hatched a plan to rob a train carrying the treasury for which he was sentenced to death.
GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 2
Ramprasad was one of the members who formed revolutionary organization Hindustan Republican
Association. Bhagat Singh praised him as a great poet-writer of Urdu and Hindi. Bismil’ was his pen
name. Fie had translated the books, Catherine, from English and Bolshevikon Kl Kartoot from Bengali. His poems inspired patriotic fervour among the Indians.
Dar-o-diwar pe hasrat se nazar karte hain,
Khush raho ahie vatan, hum to safar karte hain.
– Bismil

Rajguru:
Shivaram Hari Rajguru was born on August 24, 1908, to Parvati Devi and Harinarain Rajguru. He was inspired by the revolutionary ideology of Lokmanya Tilak. He joined the Hindustan Socialist Republican Army. He was a revolutionary from the Maharashtra state of India. Shivaram Rajguru aimed to gain freedom from the rule of Britishers. He sacrificed his life in the freedom struggle at a very early age. On March 23, 1931, he was hanged by the British government along with revolutionary Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev Thapar.

Some Quotes On Freedom Fighters:
A freedom fighter learns the hard way that it is the oppressor who defines the nature of the struggle, and the oppressed is often left no recourse but to use methods that mirror those of the oppressor.

At a point, one can only fight fire with fire-Nelson Mandela They call them terrorists, I call them freedom fighters-Louis Farrakhan

They may kill me, but they cannot kill my ideas. They can crush my body, but they will not be able to crush my spirit-Shaheed Bhagat Singh

Fadake:
Vasudev Balwant Fadke was the pioneer of the revolutionary activities in India. He worked in Pune.
Injust and partial approach of the British government irritated him so much that he left his job. He took a vow of not applying Tilak on his forehead and not to cut his hair till he did not free India from the clutches of the Britishers. He formed a secret armed group of revolutionaries called Ramoshi to fight against the British.
GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 3
British government declared him ‘Wanted’ with a bounty of Rs. 4000/-. He trained young men to attack the British camps, to rob the government treasury and to use guns and other weapons. The British government became desperate to arrest him at any cost.

Vasudev Fadke was arrested at 3:00 a.m. while he was asleep in a village in Hyderabad district. He was put into jail but he fled from there by jumping over the wall. He was caught after a chase of 25 km. He was tortured in the Jail. He died in Aden Prison in February 1883 C.E. as a result of his protest in the form of hunger strike.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 6.
Population explosion – curse and a boon.
Answer:
Population Explosion as a Boon:
Any country’s development relies a lot on its human resources. Without human resources, it is difficult to progress. A country needs both unskilled and skilled labour for complete development. India, being the second most populated country has vast potential for human resource. The more the population, the more is the scope for utilization of human resources. Instead of developing one sector, many sectors can develop simultaneously as there is manpower for the same. Population explosion becomes a boon as it pushes development in such cases.

Population Explosion as a Curse:
In a country like India, it is very difficult to implement all the welfare programmes to the grass root levels. As a result, the rich become richer while the poor become poorer. The middle class benefits the most, but the poorest are left out. Population increase in such a case becomes a burden because there is no utilization of human resources. On the other hand, there is increased pressure on limited resources. Many times, it can lead to crimes. Population explosion becomes a curse in such cases as it holds back the development of a society.

Question 7.
Gandhiji and the freedom movement.
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi was the leader who guided India towards Independence. India was under the British rule for over 250 years. Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915 at the request of Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Gandhi’s contribution to the Indian freedom movement cannot be measured in words. He, along with other freedom fighters, compelled the British to leave India. His policies and agendas were non-violent and his words were the source of inspiration for millions

Let’s look at Mahatma Gandhi’s famous contributions to Indian freedom movement:

1. World War I:
Lord Chelmsford, the then Viceroy of India, invited Gandhi to Delhi at a War Conference. In order to gain the trust of the empire, Gandhi agreed to move people to enlist in the army for World War I. However, he wrote to the Viceroy and said that he “personally will not kill or injure anybody, friend or foe”.

2. Champaran
The Champaran agitation in Bihar was Gandhi’s first active involvement into Indian freedom politics. The Champaran farmers were being forced to grow Indigo and were being tortured if they protested. The farmers sought Gandhi’s help and through a calculated non-violent protest, Gandhi managed to win concessions from the authority.

3. Kheda
When Kheda, a village in Gujarat, was badly hit by floods, the local farmers appealed to the rulers to waive off the taxes. Here, Gandhi started a signature campaign where peasants pledged non-payment of taxes. He also arranged a social boycott of the mamlatdars and talatdars (revenue officials). In 1918, the Government relaxed the conditions of payment of revenue tax until the famine ended.

4. Khilafat Movement
Gandhi’s influence on the Muslim population was remarkable. This was evident in his involvement in the Khilafat Movement. After the first World War, the Muslims feared for the safety of their Caliph or religious leader and a worldwide protest was being organised to fight against the collapsing status of the Caliph. Gandhi became a prominent spokesperson of the All India Muslim Conference and returned the medals he had received from the Empire during his Indian Ambulance Corps days in South Africa. His role in the Khilafat made him a national leader in no time.

5. Non-cooperation Movement
Gandhi had realised that the British had been able to be in India only because of the co-operation they received from the Indians. Keeping this in mind, he called for a non-cooperation movement. With the Congress’ support and his indomitable spirit, he convinced people that peaceful non-cooperation was the key to Independence. The ominous day of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre triggered the non-cooperation movement. Gandhi set the goal of Swaraj or self-governance, which since then became the motto of Indian freedom movement.

6. Salt March
Also known as the Dandi Movement, Gandhi’s Salt March is considered to be a pivotal incident in the history of freedom struggle. At the Calcutta Congress of 1928, Gandhi declared that the British must grant India dominion status or the country will erupt into a revolution for complete independence. The British did not pay heed to this.

As a result, on December 31, 1929, the Indian flag was unfurled in Lahore and the next January 26 was celebrated as the Indian Independence Day. Then, Gandhi started a Satyagraha campaign against the salt tax in March 1930. He marched 388 kilometres from Ahmedabad to Dandi in Gujarat to make salt. Thousands of people joined him and made it one of the biggest marches in Indian history.

7. Quit India Movement
During the Second World War, Gandhi was determined to strike the British Empire with a definitive blow that would secure their exit from India. This happened when the British started recruiting Indians for the war.

Gandhi protested strongly and said that the Indians cannot be involved in a war that is in favour of democratic purposes when India itself is not a free country. This argument exposed the two-faced image of the colonisers and within half a decade, they were out of this country.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 8.
Challenges faced by India and their solutions.
Answer:
Corruption
The most widely spread endemic in India is corruption, which must be handled quickly and wisely. There is hardly any office, in both the private and public sector, that is untouched from this disease. There is no telling how much loss the economy has suffered because of this. Though most of us are concerned, when the time comes to act, we, the people of India, should not be found lacking.

Illiteracy:
The percentage of illiteracy in India is alarming. Though 74.04% of people were counted as literate in 2011 census, there is a wide disparity between rural and urban areas and male and female population. The condition in villages is worse than in cities. Though a number of primary schools have been set up in rural India, the problem persists. Many people who are counted as literate can barely read or write. Hence, providing education just to children won’t solve the problem of illiteracy, as many adults in India are also untouched by education.

Education System:
The education system of India is blamed every now and then for being too theoretical, but not practical and skill-based. Students study to score marks, not to gain knowledge. This so-called modern education system was introduced by the colonial masters to create servants who could serve but not lead, and we still have the same education system. Rabindranath Tagore had written many articles offering suggestions to change the education system of India. But still, success is as elusive as ever.

Basic Sanitation:
Sanitation is yet another problem, but one of the biggest, in India. There are about 700 million people who have no access to toilets at home. Slum areas do not have toilets. People are thus forced to defecate in the open, which causes numerous diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, dehydration etc. Many rural schools also have no toilets, because of which parents do not send their kids, especially girls, to school. Due attention was drawn towards this problem by Gandhiji but nothing much was done. A growing population is the biggest challenge causing these problems. For example, the sewage system in Delhi was designed to meet the needs of a population of three million people. But Delhi now has more than 14 million of population. This is not just the case of Delhi; every state and region in India is the same.

Though 12 million toilets claim to have been built under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in the last five years, as per a UN report, 44% of the population continues to defecate in the open. Sanitation, solid waste management, and drainage continue to pose challenges in India.

Healthcare System:
It is true that the world’s most populous democratic country cannot provide proper healthcare facilities to its entire population. India is becoming a hub for medical tourism but all these facilities are not available to local residents, who happen to be poor. Healthcare is a neglected issue in India, as major attention drawers are agriculture, infrastructure and IT. Lack of resources in rural India is a major concern of the day, leading to most of the problems. 50% of all villagers have no access to healthcare providers; Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is 34 per 1000 live births; lack of nutrition caused stunning growth in 50% of all the babies, and 36% people in India have no access to toilets.

Poverty:
The population of India living below the poverty line declined from 37% in 2004-2005 to 22% in 2011-12 (Planning Commission data). In 2011-12, 22% of the population (one in five Indians) lived in extreme poverty. This figure is expected to decline to 5% by 2022, as per World Poverty Clock estimate. However, 80% of the poor in India live in villages. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Chhattisgarh have the poorest areas. 43% of the poor belong to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe categories, as per World Bank statistics (2016). This disparity needs immediate attention of the government.

Pollution:
Pollution and environmental issues are the other challenges that India is facing at present. Though India is working hard, there is a long way to go. Degradation of land, depleting natural resources, and loss of biodiversity are the main issues of concern due to pollution. Untreated sewerage is the major cause of water pollution. The Ganga and Yamuna rivers are today two of the most polluted rivers in India. Same is the condition of other rivers that pass through populated cities. Additionally, increasing construction and vehicular traffic also contribute to pollution in the cities. India needs to embark on a model of sustainable development.

Women’s Safety:
Both men and women enjoy equal opportunities, but as far as freedom and safety of women are concerned, India lags behind. Issues like domestic violence, rape, the portrayal of women in media, etc., must be tackled immediately.

Infrastructure:
India needs to work swiftly on its infrastructure development, towards better roads, affordable housing and services like water, sanitation, primary healthcare, etc.

Unemployment:
Unemployment, nowadays, is very common among the youth. This situation is also known as joblessness. Moreover, it is a set of circumstances where an able-bodied person is willingly searching for a job but is not able to find it. We can calculate the percentage of unemployed people prevalent in the economy by dividing it with the number of individuals currently present in the labour force.

The government of India must take the necessary steps to eradicate it by creating more government and public sector job opportunities. Also, it needs to support private sector industry that could provide jobs to the ones who really deserve it. As per the 2018 data, the rate of unemployment has increased to 3.53% from 3.52% in 2017. If not tackled immediately, it will become a challenge for our society and economy.

Agricultural Distress:
India is a country which is widely famous for its agriculture throughout the world. But the sad plight of our country lies in the fact that here farmers face too many problems. Such as lack of basic amenities of irrigation systems, agricultural implements and short or long-term loans. The exploitation of farmers at the hands of moneylenders is a very prominent and common issue that immediately needs to be looked into Stories of farmers committing suicide appear in the media almost every day. As per the India economic survey 2018, the estimated data states that the percentage of agricultural workers in the total workforce is likely to drop up to 25.7% by 2050 from 58.2% in 2001. Therefore, agriculture needs to be revived at the earliest.

The rise in Global Protectionism:
India is still in its developing phase, on the way to becoming a developed nation. Our country is enthusiastically overcoming each and every challenge coming across its way. Some of the grievances listed by India against developed countries such as the US are the problems encountered by the exporters of IT services, and tariffs imposed on the exports of products like steel and aluminium by the US.

The US has also imposed sanctions on the purchase of crude oil from Iran, which is likely to hamper the Indian economy and increase its import bill. Moreover, India faces a constant threat of tariffs from many countries, and pressure to open up its domestic market. Therefore, the newly formed government must take necessary steps to protect the interests of India from foreign powers, that are constantly interfering in all spheres.

To conclude, the government of India needs to create an ecosystem that enables private investments, increased consumption, the competitiveness of exports and swift infrastructural investment. These steps can catapult India to the status of a global superpower that it rightly deserves.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 9.
What is economy?
Answer:
An economy is the large set of inter-related production, consumption, and exchange activities that aid in determining how scarce resources are allocated. The production, consumption, and distribution of goods and services are used to fulfil the needs of those living and operating within the economy, which is also referred to as an economic system.

Key Takeaways:
An economy is the large set of inter-related production and consumption activities that aid in determining how scarce resources are allocated. In an economy, the production and consumption of goods and services are used to fulfil the needs of those living and operating within it. Market-based economies tend to allow goods to flow freely through the market, according to supply and demand.

Question 10.
How did we attain independence?
Answer:

Question 11.
World organizations: The United Nations.
Answer:
World organizations:
‘Global Unity’ means the whole world being united. This is necessary for world peace. Massive destruction was caused in most of the countries during World War I. People wanted peace and historical experience proved that it was essential to establish an International organization to safeguard peace In the world, unite countries and promote cooperation.

If all the countries of the world become united with the feeling that the whole world is a family and the Earth is our common home which we must protect only then can ‘world unity’ be obtained.

The United Nations:
What are the main organs of the United Nation are:

  1. Secretariat
  2. General Assembly
  3. Security Council
  4. International Court of Justice
  5. Trusteeshirm Council and
  6. Economic and Social Council.

Special bodies:
The special bodies of United Nations (U.N.) are as follows:

  • World Health Organization (WHO),
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
  • International Labour Organization (ILO),
  • United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF),
  • Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO),
  • World Bank / Iñternational Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB / IBRD).

achievements of the U.N.:
World peace is the main part of India’s foreign policy and India has always co-operated in the achievements of the U.N.O. :

  1. India has always contributed on a large scale to peacekeeping forces of the U.N.
  2. India had sent a team of doctors to treat the wounded soldiers in the Korean war.
  3. Indian delegates holding various posts In the U.N. have contributed to the welfare with their knowledge and experience.
  4. The great ideals of ‘Panchsheel’ area gift of India to the world. Thus, the contribution of India
    In the achievements of the objectives of United Nations Is noteworthy.

State the main functions of each organ of United Nations (U.N.):
There are six main organs of United Nations (U.N.) The main function of each organ Is as follows:

  1. General Assembly: The organization of countries to discuss and solve international issues. The General Assembly of United Nations (U.N.) can also be called the ‘World Parliament’. Representatives of all member nations attend it.
  2. Security Council: It works to safeguard international peace and security. The Security Council enjoys tremendous powers to manage peace and security in the world. Its aim Is, as far as possible, to solve disputes between nations diplomatically.
  3. Economic and Social Council: It works to improve the economic and social conditions for the welfare of the people of the world.
  4. Trusteeship Council: It helps the nations to acquire freedom from foreign rule.
  5. International Court of Justice: It helps to solve disputes among member nations.
  6. Secretariat: It implements the decisions taken by the various organs of U.N.

Question 11.
Partition of India and the merger of princely states.
Answer:
At the time of independence, India was totally disunified and was scattered as princely states. Therefore the formation of the Indian nation was a challenging task.
The conditions in India at the time of independence were:

  • 554 princely states, having different types of revenue-sharing arrangements with the British
  • several colonial enclaves controlled by France and Portugal
  • the princely states with complete internal self-government
  • the existence of divine rights of kings
  • issues in border-states

The challenging task to form new Indian nation included:

  • the complete political integration
  • merging smaller states to the administrative system
  • full and exclusive jurisdiction
  • democratization, constitutionalization, and centralization of all the states
  • Reorganization of all sectors of life.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 12.
Our continents – Asia and Africa
Answer:
Africa content:

  • Africa is the second-largest continent of the world.
  • The length and breadth of the African continent is almost the same.
  • Most of the continent i.e. \(\frac{2}{3}\) rd lies north to the Equator.
  • The Tropic of Cancer passes through the north and the Tropic of Capricorn passes through the
    south, so most of Africa is in the Torrid Zone.
  • Most of Africa lies in the Eastern hemisphere.
  • It covers 20 % of the total landmass of Earth and has a 30,000-km long running coastline.

Give some information about on the landforms of Africa:
1. Plateaus and Highlands: The major landform of Africa is plateaus and highlands. The Ethiopian highlands have an altitude between 1500 and 4500 metres. There are highlands and plateaus that have an average altitude of 915 metres in South Africa.
2. Mountain Ranges: Atlas Mountain Ranges lie in the northwest of Africa. Mount Toubkal (4165 metres) is the highest peak. Mt. Kilimanjaro is the highest volcanic mountain In the mountain range of East Africa. Its height is 5895 metres.
3. Desert: The huge Sahara Desert, the largest and hottest desert of the world lies in the north of Africa and covers an area of 9,400,000 sq km. It is full of rocky highlands.
4. Rift Valley: The Great Rift Valley of East Africa (the longest one of the world) was created due to tectonic movements and it runs north-south for approximately 6000 km. Lakes Tanganyika. Malawi (Nyasa), etc. lakes have been formed due to accumulation of water.

the main rivers and lakes of Africa:
Rivers: The main rivers of Africa are Nile, Congo, Niger and Zambezi. Most of Africa’s rivers originate from the central highlands and meet the sea. They are not useful as waterways. but various waterfalls created due to the rugged terrain help In producing hydroelectricity. The Nile  Is the longest river of the world. Its length is 6436 km.

It originates In the highlands of Ethiopia and flows through Sudan and Egypt to meet the Mediterranean Sea. The Victoria Falls located on river Zambezi are world-famous.

Lakes : Victoria, Malawi (Nyasa), Tanganyika. Chad, Turkana (Rudolph), etc. are the main lakes. Victoria, Africa’s biggest lake, Is the largest tropical lake and the second-largest freshwater lake in the world. Lake Tanganyika is the longest sweet water lake in the world.

climate and vegetation of Africa:
1. The climate of Africa is diverse. Varying temperature and precipitation leads to a wide variety of
vegetation. The extremely hot and humid climate suits the Equatorial rain forests and trees like mahogany. ebony, logwood. rosewood. ironwood, rubber, cinchona and bamboo flourish here.

2. RaInfall decreases as one proceeds due north. So, vegetation also changes from Savannah grasslands to thorny vegetation, like cactus, jujube tree, date palm, etc. in the Sahara desert.
3. The Mediterranean region of Africa receives rainfall In winters also. Sweet fruits like grapes, peaches, etc. and citrus fruits like oranges. lemons, etc. are grown here.
4. Almost 70 % of Africans are agriculturists. Crops like tea. coffee, cocoa, rubber, tobacco, etc. are grown here. Crops like cloves, rice, etc. are also grown here. Zanzibar is known as the ‘Island of Cloves.’

African Regions:
Conventionally there are five main geographical regions or subregions in Africa.
1. North Africa
2. West Africa
3. Central Africa
4. East Africa
5. Southern Africa

Asia:
(1) Location:
Between 100 16′ S. latitude to 770 43’ N. latitude and 26,sup>0 04’ E. longitude to 1690 40’ W. longitude.

(2 ) Boundaries :
The Indian Ocean to the south of Asia. the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Arctic Ocean to its
north. Europe to its north-west, Africa to its south-west and Australia to its south-east.

(3) The Strait of Bering separates Asia and North America. At the border between Asia and Europe lie the Ural Mountains, the CaspÎan Sea. the Caucasus Mountain and the Black Sea.
(4) Area : 4,45,79,000 sq km. It Is the largest continent of the world.

Landform of Asia.
On the landforms of the Asian continent, mountains, highlands. plains and deserts are situated.
(1) Mountains: Altai. Pamir Knot, Tien Shan, Kunlun Shan. Nan Shan. Karakoram, Himalaya. Hindukush, Elburz, Zagros, etc. are the main mountains of Asia. Himalaya Is the highest mountain range of all. Its peak Mount Everest is the highest peak of the world (8848 metres).

(2) Highlands: Central Siberia, Mongolia. Tarim, Turan, Iran. Saudi Arabia. Tibet, Yunan, Anatolia (Turkey) and highlands of Southern India are the main highlands of Asia. Among these, the highland of Tibet is the largest and the highest. So, it is called the ‘Roof of the World’.

(3) Plains: Plains of West Siberia, Manchuria, Hwang Ho and Yangtse of East China. Mekong, Irrawaddy. Brahmaputra, Ganga. Sindhu and Euphrates-Tigris are the main plains of Asìa. The plains of East China and Sindhu-Ganga have dense populations.

(4) Deserts: The hot deserts of Arabia and Thar and cold desert of Gobi are the main deserts of Asia.

Rivers of Asia:
(1) The main rivers of North Asia which meet the Arctic Ocean are Ob, Yenisey and Lena of Siberia. These rivers remain frozen for the most part of the year and so cannot be used as water routes.

(2) Big rivers like Amur, Hwang Ho, Yangtze Si Kiang and Mekong meet the Pacific Ocean. Yangtze river is the longest river of Asia.

(3) Big rivers like Irrawaddy, Salvin, Ganga, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Sindhu, Euphrates-Tigris meet the Indian Ocean.
(4) Inland rivers Amudariya and Slrdariya meet the Aral Sea.

lakes of Asia:
(1) Caspian Sea, Aral Sea, Dead Sea and Sambhar, Chilka, Pulicat and Vembanaci lakes of India are the main saltwater lakes of Asia.
(2) Baikal and Angara of Russia, Balkash of Kazakhstan. Tong Tmg Hu (Tung Tmg Hu) of China. Tonle sap of Cambodia and Wular. Dal and Dhebar lakes of India are freshwater lakes.
(3) Caspian Sea is the biggest lake of the world.
(4) Baikal lake Is the deepest lake of the world.
(5) The Dead Sea located between Israel and Jordan is the saltiest lake of the world. The salinity of this lake is eight times that of seawater. It is the lowest place In the world. Its level is approxImately 400 metres lower than sea level. As a result, one cannot drown in the Dead Sea.

Let’s understand:

Question 1.
Causes of socio-religious orthodoxy.
Answer:

Question 2.
Environmental pollution and its causes.
Answer:
I like pure and invigorating environment that has sufficient amounts of life-supporting gas – Oxygen. Other gases dust particles and water vapour should also be present in their natural measure. There should be no poisonous gases. The air should be fragrant with the smell of land and sweet-smelling flowers. The breeze should be pleasing. If I live in such an environment my body and mind will remain healthy so that I can accomplish many tasks and progress in life.

Causes Of Environmental Pollution:
There are many causes of pollution including chemical pollution into bodies of water and soil through improper disposal practices and agricultural activities, and noise and light pollution created by cities and urbanization as a result of population growth.

Air and noise pollution can have adverse effects on animals, plants, and humans. Although air and water pollution has been improving over the last few decades, they are still a large topic in the discussion today.
1. Air Pollution
2. Water Pollution
3. Land & Soil Pollution
4. Noise & Light Pollution

1. Air Pollution
There are two types of air pollutants, primary and secondary. Primary pollutants are emitted directly from their source, while secondary pollutants are formed when primary pollutants react in the atmosphere.

The burning of fossil fuels for transportation and electricity produces both primary and secondary pollutants and is one of the biggest sources of air pollution.

The fumes from car exhausts contain dangerous gases and particulates including hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and carbon monoxide. These gases rise into the atmosphere and react with other atmospheric gases creating even more toxic gases.

According to The Earth Institute, the heavy use of fertilizer for agriculture is a major contributor of fine-particulate air pollution, with most of Europe, Russia, China, and the United States being affected. The level of pollution caused by agricultural activities is thought to outweigh all other sources of fine-particulate air pollution in these countries.

Ammonia is the primary air pollutant that comes from agricultural activities. Ammonia enters the air as a gas from concentrated livestock waste and fields that are over-fertilized.

This gaseous ammonia then combines with other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and sulfates created by vehicles and industrial processes, to create aerosols. Aerosols are tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs and cause heart and pulmonary disease. Other agricultural air pollutants include pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. All of which also contribute to water pollution.

2. Water Pollution
Nutrient pollution is caused by wastewater, sewage, and fertilizers. The high levels of nutrients in these sources end up in bodies of water and promote algae and weed growth, which can make the water undrinkable and depleted oxygen causing aquatic organisms to die.

Pesticides and herbicides applied to crops and residential areas concentrate in the soil and are carried to the groundwater by rainwater and runoff. For these reasons anytime someone drills a well for water it must be checked for pollutants.

Industrial waste is one of the main causes of water pollution, by creating primary and secondary pollutants including sulphur, lead and mercury, nitrates and phosphates, and oil spills.

In developing countries around 70% of their solid waste is dumped directly into the ocean or sea. This causes serious problems including the harming and killing of sea creatures, which ultimately affects humans.

3. Land & Soil Pollution
Land pollution is the destruction of land as a result of human’s activities and the misuse of land resources. This occurs when humans apply chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides to the soil, dispose of waste improperly, and irresponsibly exploit minerals through mining.

Soil is also polluted through leaking underground septic tanks, sewage systems, the leaching of harmful substances from landfill, and direct discharge of wastewater by industrial plants into rivers and oceans.

Rain and flooding can bring pollutants from other already polluted lands to soil at other locations. Over-farming and over-grazing by agricultural activities causes the soil to lose its nutrient value and structure causing soil degradation, another type of soil pollution.

Landfills can leach harmful substances into the soil and waterways and create very bad smells, and breeding grounds for rodents that transmit diseases.

4. Noise & Light Pollution
Noise is considered an environmental pollutant caused by household sources, social events, commercial and industrial activities, and transportation.

Light pollution is caused by the prolonged and excessive use of artificial lights at night that can cause health problems in humans and disrupt natural cycles, including wildlife activities. Sources of light pollution include electronic billboards, night sports grounds, street and car lights, city parks, public places, airports, and residential areas.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 3.
Nationalism.
Answer:
Nationalism is a feeling of pride and belonging towards one’s nation. It is also the feeling of
willingness to sacrifice everything one has for the nation if the need arises. Factors responsible for the rise of nationalism in India developed notably only after the revolt of 1857 C.E.

Various Factors that led to the rise of nationalism in India are as under:
(1) Political Reasons: Before the British came to India, the nation was divided into small and big princely states. However, the British defeated many kings and set up their rule all over the country. Though they implemented a uniform. administrative system, the British rule was not conducive and Indians started protesting against the it. Gradually these protests became more prominent and widespread.

(2 ) Economic Reasons: The economic policies of the British ruined India financially. The British would take raw materials at cheap rates from India to their country. The finished goods manufactured In their country were sold In India. Import duty on such products was negligible but
Indian products were taxed heavily.

Thus Indian goods became very expensive making them in affordable. In this cutthroat competition, Indian cottage Industries could not survive. Artisans became unemployed. This made Indians realise that British policies would never allow them to prosper. The British only wanted England to prosper at the cost Indian economy. This made the Indians protest against the British and feelings of nationalism were fostered in the people of India.

(3) Transport and Telecommunication: The British developed rail, water and land routes as well as the post and telegraph system for their own military, economic and political reasons. However, this turned out to be a blessing In disguise for Indians as people came closer due to these facilities. Mobility of intellectuals, artists and business class people Increased. Thoughts and opinions were easily exchanged. This lessened discrimination between caste.

community and region. National leaders could communicate with a large number of people through newspapers. Thus leadership was built at a national level and this contributed significantly to the achievement of Swaraj.

(4) Literature and Education: Western Ideas and nationalism spread with English education. Learning English made Indians familiar with latest trends of the world. Thus they were inspired by the Ideas of Democracy — from the American War of Independence and of ‘Liberty.

Equality and Fraternity’ – from the French revolution. People began dreaming about a bright future of Independent India. Various novels, acts, stories, poems, songs. etc. written In regional languages spread the message of national unity and devotion.

(5) Newspapers: Newspapers made an important contribution in spreading awareness about nationalism. Dailies published from Bengal. Mumbai and Chennai awakened the feelings of nationalism in people’s hearts.

(6) Magnificent and Rich Heritage of India:

  • Ancient archaeologist Alexander Cunningham and his assistants excavated many ancient sites and discovered remains depicting the rich heritage of India.
  • Indian archaeologists like Rai Bahadur Daya Rain Sahnl, Madho Swarup Vats and Rakhal Das Bannerjee continued the excavations and unearthed remains of majestic civilizations.
  • Ancient Indian books on medical science. astrophysics, spirituality, etc. were translated into English so that Indians and the world came to know them. All these things fostered the feelings of pride and nationalism.

Question 4.
Nationalism and the rich heritage of India.
Answer:
Nationalism is a feeling of pride and belonging towards one’s nation. It is also a fceling willingness to
sacrifice everything one has for the nation if the need arises.

India’s rich heritage:
Ancient archeologist Alexander Cunningham and his assistants as well as the Indian archeological experts Rai Bahadur Dayaram Sahni, Madho Swarup Vats and Rakhal Das discovered many archeological remains depicting India’s rich heritage.

Magnificent and Rich Heritage of India:

  • Ancient archaeologist Alexander Cunningham and his assistants excavated many ancient sites and discovered remains depicting the rich heritage of India.
  • Indian archaeologists like Rai Bahadur Daya Rain Sahnl, Madho Swarup Vats and Rakhal Das Bannerjee continued the excavations and unearthed remains of majestic civilizations.
  • Ancient Indian books on medical science. astrophysics, spirituality, etc. were translated into English so that Indians and the world came to know them. All these things fostered the feelings of pride and nationalism.

Question 5.
The Supreme Court of India and our judicial system.
Answer:
In our country, a hierarchy of courts is in place to impart justice. It starts with the lowest court known
as the Taluka Court, which is succeeded by the District Court, then comes the High Court and finally the Supreme Court or the Highest Court of the country.

This hierarchy of courts is known as the Judiciary. The Judiciary is one of the most important organs of the government and so we can say that it is a well-knit and continuous process.
Should the judges be under anyone’s influence or if they are controlled by any influential or powerful
people, they will not be able to give impartial judgements. Therefore, our Constitution does not allow any such interference. Consequently, the Judiciary is independent of the Legislature and the Executive Body.

The Supreme Court of our country holds the highest position among all courts in our country.

What provision has the Supreme Court made to ensure that the poor also get justice:
To ensure that the poor also get justice, the Supreme Court announced the provision of the Public
Interest Litigation (PIL) in 1980.

Judicial System:
Yes, an ordinary citizen can win a case over a powerful/influential person in this judicial system. Our Constitution does not allow any interference in the functioning of the Judiciary. Our Constitution has declared that The Judiciary is independent of the Legislature and the Executive Body. The judges are not under any influence or control of powerful people, and so they are able to give Impartial judgements. Therefore, any person, rich or poor can definitely get proper justice.

Question 6.
Contribution of the revolutionaries.
Answer:
The Revolutionary movement for Indian independence is a part of the Indian independence movement comprising the actions of the underground revolutionary factions. Groups believing in armed revolution against the ruling British fall into this category, as opposed to the generally peaceful civil disobedience movement spearheaded by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The revolutionary groups were mainly concentrated in Bengal, Maharashtra, Bihar, the United Provinces and Punjab. More groups were scattered across India.

After the partition of bengal, several young Indians started using more violent means to fight the British. They formed groups to fight the British and were willing to sacrifice their lives for the country. they were called the revolutionaries.

Important Revolutionaries were Aurobindo Ghosh, Barun Ghosh, Khudiram Bose, Chandrashekar Azad, Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Raj Guru and Udham Singh hope it helps

Contribution of the revolutionaries:
Had I been present during the Freedom Struggle of my country, my contribution would have been in the following things:

  • I would have distributed newsletters carrying the messages of revolutionary leaders to each house.
  • I would have participated in burning English cloth and goods.
  • I would have acquired training for using pistols and other weapons.
  • I would have boycotted all programmes announced by the British government.
  • I would have taken a vow saying, “I will not eat any sweetmeats until the country attains freedom.”

Had Bhagat Singh not been hanged till death, he would surely have declared a countrywide armed revolt against the British which would have resulted In the British leaving India immediately. Due to this, India would have gained freedom In the first decade of the 20th century itself.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 7.
Human resource.
Answer:
Human resource is the human capital of our country Development of the country depends not only on the area of the country or natural resources but It Is also based upon the quality of human resources that contributes a lot to economic development. Therefore, human resource is considered as the most important resource for a nation.

Qualitative human population is also called ‘human resource’. The quality of human resources depends on education and intelligence. Skilled citizens like doctors, engineers, sportsmen, industrialists, farmers and other responsible citizens are human resource and an asset to the country. Our youth and children are potential resources which need to be developed well.

When human resources of a nation are educated, trained, strong and healthy they can foster development of that nation. Carefully planned use of human resources builds the foundation for development of the nation. To keep pace with developed nations it is very important to have good quality human resources and eliminate factors that undermine this resource.

Question 8.
Gandhiji and Satyagrah.
Answer:
In 1928 the British government increased the taxes on land by 22 % In Bardoli village of Surat district. When the government did not attend to the people’s request to lower taxes, a Satyagraha was undertaken to protest against this untimely and unjust levy.

Vallabhbhai Patel undertook the leadership of the Bardoli Satyagraha. He also got help from great leaders like Ravishankar Maharaj and Jugatram Dave for the Satyagraha. The success of the Bardoli Satyagraha made people confer the title of ‘Sardar’ on Vallabhbhal Patel.

Sardar Patel played a significant role in the negotiations during 1945-47 for the freedom of India. He was among the prominent leaders of the freedom struggle from 1918 onwards and became the president of Indian National Congress in 1931.

Question 9.
Understanding the concepts of corruption, inflation, poverty and terrorism.
Answer:
concepts of corruption:
In simple terms, ‘Corruptiori’ means lack of integrity and honesty or misuse of a position for dishonest gains. In short, the immoral and illegal behaviour towards a person Is corruption.

forms of corruption:
Giving and taking bribes or Inappropriate gifts, double or under-the-table dealing, manipulating elections. diverting money and money laundering. etc. are some forms of corruption.

legal steps has the government taken to control corruption:
To reduce and prevent corruption, the government set up the Anti-Corruption Bureau’ In 1964. The government has also framed certain laws against corruption since 1988.

function of the Anti-Corruption Bureau:
The Anti-Corruption Bureau helps people by check lug and controlling corruption and by investigating the complaints of bribery It receives.

the message of the Anti-Corruption Bureau
The Message of the Anti-Corruption Bureau Is that ‘Accepting and offering bribes, both are crimes’.

meaning of ‘InflatIon’:
The increase In prices of essential commodities and other necessities is known as ‘Inflation’. Inflation has an adverse effect on people’s health and causes stress-related problems.

factors are responsible for inflation:
Corruption, hoarding and population explosion, bribery and black marketing, etc. are the factors responsible for inflation.

the best way to face inflation:
The only way to face inflation is to practice thrift and spend sensibly by having a budget plan.

problems faced by the common people due to inflation:
The problems faced by the common people due to Inflation are:

  • The increase in prices of essential commodities and other necessities Is known as ‘inflation.
  • It becomes tough for the middle-class people to earn their living.
  • Living standards of people go down.
  • Inflation has an adverse effect on peoples health.
  • InflatIon causes stress-related problems.
  • Common man has to do without some essential commodities.
  • It becomes difficult for the common man to make two ends meet.

meant by ‘poverty’:
A situation wherein people are deprived of basic necessities like food, clothing, shelter, education, medical facilities, employment, etc. is termed as poverty’.

the criterion to determine poverty:
The criterion of a person’s poverty Is decided on the basis of purchase power and level of his / her Income.

‘terrorism’:
Terrorism is an inhuman act carried out by a certain group of people in a planned manner by resorting to bullying, killing or torturing innocent people. They carry out these dastardly acts to fulfil their political or religious dreams.

characteristics of terrorism:
The characteristics of terrorism are as follows:

  • Terrorism is a global problem and a challenge for any government.
  • It is an obstacle in the progress of every nation.
  • TerrorIsm is an evil, lowly and violent process to disturb the peace, brotherhood and unity of a nation.
  • Terrorism creates fear in the minds of people through violence and hatred.
  • Terrorism is an inhuman act carried out by a certain group of people In a planned manner by resorting to bullying, killing or torturing Innocent people.
  • Terrorism is pure hatred and cruelty and has nothing to do with any religion.
  • There have been terrorist attacks on the Parliament, the Taj Hotel and Akshardham, etc.

Question 10.
Journey of a Rupee.
Answer:

Question 11.
Independence.
Answer:

Question 12.
United Nations and its organs.
Answer:
the best definition of United Nations:
The United Nations is an international organization that works to promote peace, security and cooperation. An international organization composed of most of the countries of the world.

main organs of the United Nations:
What are the main organs of the United Nations are:

  1. Secretariat
  2. General Assembly
  3. Security Council
  4. International Court of Justice
  5. Trusteeship Council and
  6. Economic and Social Council.

The special bodies of United Nations (U.N.) are as follows:

  • World Health Organization (WHO),
  • United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
  • International Labour Organization (ILO),
  • United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF),
  • Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO),
  • World Bank / International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (WB / IBRD).

main functions of each organ of United Nations (U.N.).:
There are six main organs of United Nations (U.N.).
The main function of each organ is as follows:
(1) General Assembly: The organization of countries to discuss and solve international Issues. The General Assembly of United Nations (U.N.) can also be called the ‘World Parliament’. Representatives of all member nations attend it.
(2) Security Council: It works to safeguard International peace and security The Security Council enjoys tremendous powers to manage peace and security In the world. Its aim Is, as far as possible, to solve disputes between nations diplomatically.
(3) Economic and Social Council: It works to improve the economic and social conditions for the welfare of the people of the world.
(4) Trusteeship Council: It helps the nations to acquire freedom from foreign rule.
(5) International Court of Justice: It helps to solve disputes among member nations.
(6) Secretariat: It Implements the decisions taken by the various organs of U.N.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 13.
India: Before and after Independence.
Answer:

Question 14.
Special features of Asia and Africa- Human and natural resources.
Answer:
special features of Asia:
Asia can be divided into five major physical regions:

  1. mountain systems;
  2. plateaus; plains, steppes, and
  3. deserts;
  4. freshwater environments; and
  5. saltwater environments.

The Himalayas mountains extend for about 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles), separating the Indian subcontinent from the rest of Asia.

features of Africa:
Africa, the second-largest continent, is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean.
Africa has eight major physical regions:

  1. the Sahara,
  2. the Sahel,
  3. the Ethiopian Highlands,
  4. the savanna,
  5. the Swahili Coast,
  6. the rain forest,
  7. the African Great Lakes, and
  8. Southern Africa

Let’s Think

Question 1.
How can we eradicate the evil customs and superstitions from our society?
Answer:
superstitions:
Where there is faith without understanding, it is known as ‘blind faith’. For e.g., while leaving home
for some good work if one sneezes one feels that it is a bad omen; this is superstition or blind faith. When someone breaks a glass object, it is a good omen – this is also superstition.

evil customs:
Social pollution or evil practices are known as orthodox customs. For e.g., the dowry system – at the time of a girl’s marriage, the girl’s father has to give a lot of money etc. to the boy according to his status and the boy’s demands. But this custom is actually against good social customs. Even if the girl’s father is incapable of giving such a lot of things he is forced to do so and give a hefty amount in cash and costly gifts to the boy’s family. Such an evil practice proves very troublesome for the girl and her parents.

various evil customs prevalent In our society before Independence:
Before independence (i.e. before 1947 C.E.) various evils like superstitions doubts, child marriage, denial of widow remarriage, the practice of ‘sati’, female infanticide as soon as she was born (by drowning her in milk – known as ‘dudhpiti’), polygamy dowry system, selling of girls, etc. were prevalent in India.

Question 2.
What type of pollution occurs by bursting crackers and playing loudspeakers?
Answer:
Noise pollution:
Noise created by heavy machines making Intense sound in industries, noise made by vehicles and their horns, loudspeakers and musical instruments played at high volume causes noise pollution. D.J bands, loudspeakers for canvassing, exploding crackers on a large scale also cause noise pollution.

Effects of Noise Pollution:
Noise pollution leads to deafness. It has an adverse effect on mental and emotional health as well.
Extremely loud noise is the cause of death in certain insects and organisms.

prevent noise pollution:
To prevent noise pollution, loudspeakers radios, TV’s, and other musical instruments should be played at a low volume, crackers should be avoided, vehicles should be checked and serviced regularly, parking facilities should be increased, industries should be established away from settlements, forestation should be done around factories and vehicular sound should be minimized by growing trees on both sides of the main road.

Question 3.
If you had been in place of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, What would you have done?
Answer:
Subhash Chancira Bose:
Subhash Chandra Bose was born on 23rd January 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa (Odisha) to Prabhavati and Janakinath Bose. He was very intelligent. He stood 4th in the ICS exam in London in 1920. He returned to India and joined the Indian National Congress.

He was arrested 11 times. He became President of the Haripura session of Congress in 1938 and again of the Tripura session in 1939. However, he was forced to resign from the Congress due to differences of opinion.

Subhash Chandra Bose formed a new political party named Forward Bloc (Block in textbook is wrong; it should be BLOC only) in May 1939. When World War II broke out the Forward Bloc launched anti-war propaganda. He was arrested and imprisoned. However, when he went on a hunger strike, the British government had to set him free. But they kept him under house arrest.

On January 17, 1941, at the stroke of midnight, Subhash Chandra Bose escaped from house arrest. After disguising himself as a Pathan and travelling via Peshawar, Kabul and Moscow he finally reached Berlin (Germany) and then on to Japan via Sumatra.

When Captain Mohan Singh had to resign his post, Rasbihari Bose appointed Subhash Chandra Bose as the chief of the Azad Hind Fauj’ on 4th July 1943. He was given the honorary title of ‘Netaji’ who gave the slogans ‘Chalo Delhi’ and ‘Jai Hind’ to the Azad Hind Fauj.

He toured countries of South-East Asia and appealed to Indians there to sacrifice all for India’s freedom with the words ‘You give me blood and I will give you freedom.’ (‘Turn mujhe khoon do, main tumhe azadi doonga.’)

Subhash Chandra Bose established the Aarzi Hukumat e-Azad Hind (Acting Government to free India) in Singapore in October 1943. This government declared war against England and America. Subhash Chandra Bose reorganised the Azad Hind Fauj. He became the Chief of Army and of the Aarzi Hukumat-e-Azad Hind. The soldiers were properly trained and divided into various battalions. The Fauj was victorious at many fronts on the Eastern Border of India but had to retreat dur to shortage of food supply and heavy rain.

Subhash Chandra Bose had taken vow that he a would never enter subjugated India. Netaji left Rangoon and Bangkok. As per the reports published by Japanese government, Subhash Chandra Bose’s plane that took off from Taipei in Formosa on 18th August 1945 crashed and Netaji being seriously burned finally succumbed to death.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Question 4.
Should the ‘death sentence’ be continued? Why?
Answer:

Question 5.
Design a flag for the Azad Hind Fauj?
Answer:
The flag of the Indian National Congress – orange-white-green with a spinning wheel (see illustration) served as national and war flag of the “Provisional Government of the Free India (Azad Hind)” under Subhas Chandra Bose, which was allied with the Axis powers.

The flag of the Indian National Congress – orange-white-green with a spinning wheel (see illustration) served as national and war flag of the “Provisional Government of the Free India (Azad Hind)” under Subhas Chandra Bose, which was allied with the Axis powers.

The seat of the government of the Provisional Government of the Free India under Subhas Chandra Bose was on Indian territory, on the by the Japanese occupied Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which were also the headquarters of the Indian National Army (INA, 90.000 men).

During the India offensive of the 15th Japanese Army (from Burma, in 1944), the INA in Northeast India achieved temporarily to free parts of Manipur and Nagaland.

The INA used captured British steel helmets, British handguns, British uniforms, the commanding language was English. It was, so to speak, a reflection of the British-Indian army, i.e. the colonial power was, as in so many third world states, style-forming, it had to be because many peoples lived together within a colony that did not have too many similarities. In order to be recognized and perceived as an Indian NATIONAL army by their own compatriots, an interesting proposal came from the Japanese liaison officers.

The head of the troops, like the Japanese infantry and its commanders in the Middle Ages, has to show short poles with small flags attached to the man, so-called “Nobari” or “Sashimono” (picture → click here). Of course, not with Japanese motifs, such as the “Mon” of a general, but the colours of the Indian National Congress. That’s what happened. And became a complete success. The existence of the INA could no longer be denied by the British.

After the battle of Imphal, the Japanese and the Indian National Army finally had to retreat. In Germany had been set up the “Legion of Free India” – about as large as a regiment. Their flag was orange-white-green striped and showed the inscription “Azad Hind” and a jumping tiger, as well as the sleeve badge on the German tropical uniform of the army.

After the D-Day invasion, it was withdrawn from the Atlantic Wall in 1944. On the way back to Germany, the Legion of Free India had a number of battles against French partisans and regular Gaullist units. The awards that had been given to the legionaries were therefore well-earned.

At the capitulation of Japan and also of the INA, it came to fraternities between units of the British Indian Army and the Indian National Army – ensued to the horror of the British.

The existence of the INA was nearly unknown within India because of the total news blackout in India during the war, just as the fact that in 1944 about one million Indians had starved to death in Bengal, because the British, like the Soviets, had only the food for people who could fight and/or work.

In 1946, the British tried to condemn the INA Officers in the so-called “Red Fort Processes” for high treason. Vain. Major parts of the British Indian Army were passive, there were considerable civil unrests, the British-Indian navy and the British-Indian air force mutinied and were no longer operational.

It was one of the by the British claimed points of the Indian Independence from Great Britain that no former INA members should be admitted into the army of the independent India. As there was “only” mentioned the army, INA members were gladly taken over to the police, the border guards, the air force, the navy and the diplomatic service. The first ambassador of independent India in the Federal Republic of Germany was a legionary of the “Free India”.

Even today there are Indian (and also Pakistani) politicians who believe that only two men had the strength and the charisma to prevent the breakup of British India into the two states of India and Pakistan. On the one hand: Gandhi. On the other hand: Subhas Chandra Bose.

Question 6.
Why is it said, ‘Small Family, Happy Family’?
Answer:
It is very true that a small family is a Happy Family. The lesser number of children is a boon not only to their parents but also to the country itself.

They have better chances of food, clothing and education. A cluster of stars pales before a single moon. Too many children are a burden on society or family. Over-population is a bane. All the plans of progress and development stand nullified when the family is in trouble; happiness vanishes. If we have a limited and planned family, we are gay and happy. Thereby we are doing the job of the country.

By helping ourselves we are helping the country. One son and one daughter are ideal. Too many sons and daughters cause misery and unhappiness. They invite unnecessary trouble. Unlimited children cause problems. They snatch morsels from the mouths of their parents. It is high time that we rose to the occasion. We must plan our family. We should give them every happiness of life. We are their parents, not their enemies.

Question 7.
What is your opinion about the path of Satyagrah selected by Gandhiji?
Answer:
Satyagraha is the idea of non-violent resistance (fighting with peace) started by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (also known as “Mahatma” Gandhi). Gandhi used satyagraha in the Indian independence movement and also during his earlier struggle in South Africa.

Satyagraha helped shape Nelson Mandela’s struggle in South Africa under apartheid, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s campaigns during the civil rights movement in the United States, and many other similar movements. Someone who does satyagraha is a satyagrahi.

The word Satyagraha is from the Sanskrit words Satya (meaning “truth”) and Agraha (“insistence”, or “holding firmly to”). For Gandhi, Satyagraha went far beyond just “passive resistance” (resisting without taking action) according to him it was a moral force born of truth and non-violence. His non-violence also became his strength. He said that he chose the name because Truth means Love, and Insistence means Force, and the Sanskrit name showed it was a force born from Truth and Love (non-violence).

He also wrote that he liked the term “Civil Resistance” better than “Civil disobedience”.
Gandhi also translated it as “love force” or “soul force”.

Question 8.
What would you do if you are captured by the terrorists?
Answer:
Terrorism is a global problem and a challenge for any government. It is an obstacle in the progress of
every nation. Terrorism is an evil, lowly and violent process to disturb the peace, brotherhood and unity of a nation. Terrorism creates fear in the minds of people through violence and hatred.

Terrorism is an inhuman act carried out by a certain group of people in a planned manner by resorting to bullying, killing or torturing innocent people.

Terrorism is pure hatred and cruelty and has nothing to do with any religion. There have been terrorist attacks on the Parliament, the Taj Hotel and Akshardham, etc.

Measures to save ourselves from terrorism:

  • Citizens must face terrorism with bravery and courage.
  • The Intelligence Bureau should be strong and active.
  • People should always be rey to cooperate with security forces.
  • People should remain alert in public and crowded places.
  • They should not pay attention to rumours.
  • They shouldn’t panic.
  • Security forces should be well equipped with CCTV cameras and metal detectors.

Question 9.
What would you do if you become the Secretary-General of the United Nations?
Answer:
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (U.N.) is also the head of the Secretariat of the United Nations. He is the main administrative officer of the United Nations. As the head of the secretariat and chief officer of the United Nations, his work is to execute the decisions taken by different organs of the United Nations. Therefore, It is said that the post of SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations (U.N.) carries a lot of responsibility.

GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2

Let’s do and learn

Question 1.
Check the source of water In school.
Answer:
as far as where all the water is from that we use in our homes, it is from either a groundwater source, such as a well, or from a surface-water source, such a river, lake, or reservoir.
Here are the main five water sources:

  1. Municipal.
  2. Groundwater (well)
  3. Surface water. Lake. River. Stream (creek) Shallow well.
  4. Rainwater.
  5. Seawater

Question 2.
Make a list of major cities with the help of the map of Asia and Africa.
Answer:
Asia:
Largest Cities In Asia By Population
Rank City Country
1 Tokyo Japan
2 Delhi India
3 Shanghai China
4 Beijing China
GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 4

Africa:
many major cities are in Africa:
Capitals. Thirty-nine of the 100 cities are national capitals, while 43 are state or regional capitals, which means more than four-fifths of the 100 cities are national or regional capitals. The biggest cities that are not national capitals are: Dar es Salaam, Durban, Lagos, Johannesburg, Alexandria, Abidjan and Kano.
GSEB Solutions Class 8 Social Science Revision 2 5

Question 3.
Make a list of questions that are asked during census.
Answer:
census:

Question 4.
List the efforts that you would put on to maintain the national integrity.
Answer:
National integration is highly necessary in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic, multi-caste, multi-regional society like India. Realizing the need of it, the National Integration Conference organised in 1961, had suggested a code of conduct for political parties. Besides the suggestions of the National Integration Conference, some other steps can be recommended for securing high level of national integration.

1. Promotion of Secularism:
The spirit of secularism is highly necessary in Indian multi-religious society. For this reason the National Integration Conference of 1961, suggested that no political party should indulge in any activity aggravating the differences or causing any tension between various castes, communities or linguistic groups. There is a demand to ban all communal parties and communal organisations by which the danger of communalism can be made less serious. Any sorts of activities creating communal reactions in the public mind should be prohibited. No discrimination among the people on the grounds of religion should be made.

2. Cultural Integration:
Recognizing the existence of a wide range of groups, inter-group relations should be promoted in India. Though not uniformity, yet unity among the people can be created with a common set of values. National goal or national objectives generate cultural integration which partially favours emotional integration of the nation.

3. Economic Development:
Regional imbalance in economic development and acute poverty of certain section of the people impose serious impediments in the achievement of national integration. Despite the adoption of five-year economic planning’s and a number of socio-economic welfare measures, poverty continues as a serious problem. A great chunk of people remain far away of national mainstream. Economic development means the development of whole people and the development of entire nation. Special efforts are necessary in this direction to ensure common national prosperity.

Education:
Illiterate and ignorant people cannot be conscious of the values of national integration. Education only can promote faith in the integrity and the moral worth of the individual. The educational institutions can play important role as forums for arousing the spirit of national integration.

The study and solution of various social problems can be assigned to the educational institutions. In case of higher educational institutions like colleges and universities, exchange of teachers and students from one institution to another for lectures or seminars can promote national integration. Reading materials used by students in schools and colleges should be properly examined to avoid communalization of textbooks.

Political and Administrative Measures:
Since India is a federal democratic country, its integration in all respects should also be done on a democratic basis. Each ethnic, caste, tribal, religious and linguistic group should have freedom for protecting and promoting their own culture and traditions.

Analyzing the process of national integration in India, Prof. Rasheeduddin Khan has observed that it means cohesion not fusion, unity but not uniformity, reconciliation but not merger, agglomeration but not assimilation, solidarity but not regimentation of the people constituting our political community. Emotional integration with the development of a strong brotherhood among the people, discourage the growth of separatism, regionalism or secessionism.

The agencies of media both electronic and print should be used for inculcating a national outlook. Academic seminars and entertainment programmes on the theme of communal harmony should be organised. Cultural Academies should be established and they should work for strengthening the movement for unity.

Non-Government Organisations:
Besides the govern­mental steps, non-government social service organisations can play an important role in strengthening the process of national integration. These organisations can create necessary social awareness for bringing social reforms and change in the mindset of the people. Emergence of awareness can subsequently promote national integration.

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