Bihar Sakshamta Pariksha SST Questions Solved Problems with Detailed Solutions [Free PDF]

A stereotype is a fixed general image or set of characteristics representing a particular type of person or thing, but which may not be true in reality.

• It is a thought that someone has about specific types of individuals that may or may not accurately reflect reality.
• Stereotypes can also be thought of like caricatures, which are pictures that exaggerate certain features while oversimplifying others and end up distorting the essence of an individual.
• Many stereotypes are widely held but they are also overgeneralised images or ideas about a particular type of person.
• Any time we group individuals together and make a generalisation or judgment about them without knowing them, this is an example of a stereotype.

Additional Information

Lets' look at the other terms:

• Discrimination is the act of making unjustified distinctions between human beings based on the groups, classes, or other categories to which they are perceived to belong.
• Mistreatment is being cruel or thoughtless toward a person, animal, or even an object. 
• Status refers to a position one holds in a society or group.

The revolt of 1857 was the conscious beginning of the Independence struggle against the colonial tyranny of the British. The immediate factor was the introduction of the ‘Enfield’ rifle.

Important Points

The revolt was eventually not successful in ousting the British from the country because of several factors:

• The sepoys lacked one clear leader; there were several. They also did not have a coherent plan by which the foreigners would be routed.
• Lack of common strategy and central organization: Another major factor contributing to the failure of the revolt was the weak leadership of the movement.
  • Indian leaders lacked organization and planning.
  • The rebels were poorly organised.
  • The uprisings in different parts of the country were uncoordinated.
  • Often the sepoys behaved in an uncontrolled manner.
  • The rebel leaders were no match for the British soldiers. Most of its leaders thought only of their own interest.
  • They were motivated by narrow personal gains. They fought to liberate only their own territories.
  • No national leader emerged to coordinate the movement and give it purpose and direction.
  • The rebels were lacking in discipline and a central command and they could not win against a powerful and determined enemy who planned its strategy skillfully.
• Indian rulers who aided the revolt did not envision any plan for the country after the British were defeated.
• Majorly northern India was affected by this revolt. The three presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras remained mostly unaffected.

Thus, it is clear that the Lack of common strategy and central organization was the cause of the failure of the Revolt of 1857.

Additional Information 

The revolt of 1857 was initiated due to various factors which are stated below:

• Religious & Social Causes – Racism or racial discrimination was believed to be a major reason for the revolt of 1857 wherein Indians were exploited and were kept away from mixing with Europeans. The whites also started interfering in the religious and cultural affairs of Indians and tortured them as well.
• Political Causes – The British expansion had led to the propagation of unjust policies that led to the loss of power of the Nawabs and Zamindars residing at various places of India.
  • The introduction of unfair policies like the policy of Trade and Commerce, the policy of indirect subordination (subsidiary alliance), the policy of war and annexation, the policy of direct subordination (doctrine of lapse), the policy of misgovernance (through which Awadh was annexed) greatly hampered the interests of the rulers of the native states, and they one by one became victims of British expansionism.
  • Therefore, those rulers, who lost their states to the British, were naturally against the British and took sides against them during the revolt.
• Economic Factors -There were various reforms in the taxation and revenue system that affected the peasants’ heavily. British Government had imposed and introduced various administrative policies to expand their territory.