MP Board Class 9 History Chapter 5 – Pastoralists in the Modern World

Who are pastoralists?
Answer: Pastoralists are people who depend on livestock herding for livelihood, moving seasonally to access pastures, found in hills, plateaus, and deserts.

What is nomadic pastoralism?
Answer: Nomadic pastoralism involves seasonal movement of herders and their animals to graze in different regions, adapting to climate and resource availability.

What are Gujjars and Bakarwals?
Answer: Gujjars and Bakarwals are pastoral communities in Jammu and Kashmir, who migrate seasonally with sheep, goats, and cattle.

How did colonial rule affect pastoralists?
Answer: British policies restricted movement, imposed grazing taxes, and confiscated grazing lands, forcing pastoralists to settle and abandon traditional lifestyles.

What was the Criminal Tribes Act?
Answer: The Criminal Tribes Act (1871) classified nomadic groups as criminals by birth, restricting their movement and increasing surveillance by the state.

How did forest laws impact grazing?
Answer: Forest laws banned grazing in reserved forests, leading to conflict with pastoralists, who were denied traditional rights over land and water.

What are ‘wastelands’ and how were they used?
Answer: Wastelands were declared uncultivated lands that the British claimed and converted into plantations or sold to landowners, displacing pastoral communities.

How did pastoralists adapt to changes?
Answer: Some pastoralists reduced herd sizes, became settled farmers, others migrated to new regions, or took up trading, showing flexibility and resilience.

What are Dhangars?
Answer: The Dhangars are a pastoral group from Maharashtra who herded sheep and goats, and practiced seasonal migration between plateaus and coastal areas.

What is transhumance?
Answer: Transhumance is a pattern of seasonal movement between mountain and lowland pastures, common among Gaddi shepherds and Gujjars.

How were grazing taxes collected?
Answer: Grazing taxes were collected per head of animal, burdening pastoralists and acting as a tool to control mobility and income.

What happened to Maasai pastoralists in Africa?
Answer: The Maasai lost land to colonial settlers, faced restrictions, and were pushed into reserves, leading to a loss of autonomy.

Why did the British restrict nomadic life?
Answer: The British saw nomadism as chaotic, preferring settled agriculture for tax collection and land control, enforcing laws against free movement.

How did railways affect pastoral routes?
Answer: Railways disrupted traditional routes, reduced the need for cattle transport, and contributed to decline in pastoral economy.

What is the difference between settled agriculture and pastoralism?
Answer: Settled agriculture is land-based and static, while pastoralism involves mobility, use of common pastures, and reliance on livestock.

Why were pastures degraded?
Answer: Commercial farming, forest laws, and overgrazing reduced pasture quality, making it difficult for herders to maintain large herds.

How did education affect pastoralists?
Answer: Education policies ignored pastoral needs. Schools were static, unsuitable for mobile communities, leading to exclusion from mainstream education.

What role do women play in pastoral life?
Answer: Pastoral women manage milk production, animal care, and household work, playing a vital role in the economy and family.

What was the outcome of British land policies?
Answer: British land policies reduced common land access, increased settler control, and changed land use patterns, harming traditional pastoral practices.

How are pastoralists important today?
Answer: Pastoralists provide meat, milk, and maintain biodiversity, playing a key role in sustainable land use in dry and mountainous regions.

Why did pastoralists resist colonial policies?
Answer: They resisted due to loss of land, mobility, and livelihood, organizing rebellions, petitions, and informal resistance across India and Africa.

What was the outcome of these resistances?
Answer: Though many resistances failed, they preserved cultural identity, forced policy reconsiderations, and highlighted the impact of colonial exploitation.

How were pastoralists classified under colonialism?
Answer: They were classified as ‘backward’ and ‘uncivilized’, to justify control, land seizure, and settlement programs under British rule.

What were reserve areas in Africa?
Answer: Reserves were limited lands assigned to groups like Maasai, where grazing and movement were restricted, leading to overcrowding and resource depletion.

What is the future of pastoralism?
Answer: Despite challenges, pastoralism continues as a resilient livelihood, adapting to climate change, supporting biodiversity, and needing better policy support and recognition.