Here is a comprehensive guide to Chapter 6 from the “Swadesh Adhyayan” textbook, created to help you prepare thoroughly for your upcoming AHSEC Class 12 exams. This guide includes a summary, complete textual answers, previous years’ AHSEC questions, and other important questions.
The Political Development of Assam (1826-1985)
Summary Note
This chapter traces the political evolution of Assam from the beginning of British rule in 1826 to the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985. The British era began with the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826), which ended the Burmese invasions and established British control. The new administration under David Scott brought significant changes, but these reforms led to discontent among the Ahom aristocracy, resulting in early Anti-British Uprisings led by figures like Gomdhar Konwar. The Revolt of 1857 also found an echo in Assam, with Maniram Dewan leading a failed plot to restore the Ahom monarchy, for which he was hanged. The latter half of the 19th century was marked by a series of Peasant Uprisings (e.g., at Phulaguri and Patharughat) against oppressive land revenue policies.
The 20th century saw the rise of political consciousness with organizations like the Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha and the Assam Association. Assam played an active role in the Indian freedom struggle, with significant participation in the Swadeshi, Non-Cooperation, and Civil Disobedience Movements. The Quit India Movement of 1942 was particularly intense, producing martyrs like Kanaklata Barua and Kushal Konwar.
After India’s independence in 1947, a Congress government was formed under Gopinath Bordoloi. The post-independence period was marked by major challenges, including the influx of refugees, the reorganization of Assam into smaller states, the Language Movement of 1960, and the Sino-Indian War of 1962. The chapter culminates with the six-year-long Assam Agitation (1979-1985) against illegal immigration, which concluded with the signing of the historic Assam Accord in 1985 and the rise of the regional political party, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP).
Complete Textual Question and Answer
Here are the answers to the “EXERCISE” questions from page 124 of the PDF.
1. Answer the following Questions:
A. In which year the treaty of Yandaboo was signed?
Answer: The Treaty of Yandaboo was signed on 24th February, 1826.
B. Write any one provision of Yandaboo Treaty.
Answer: One provision of the Treaty of Yandaboo was that the Burmese ruler would withdraw his claim over Assam and would not interfere in its matters in the future.
C. In which year first Anglo-Burmese War broke out?
Answer: The first Anglo-Burmese War was announced by the East India Company in 1824.
D. Who was Gomdhar Konwar?
Answer: Gomdhar Konwar was a prince of the Ahom royal blood who led the first anti-British uprising in Assam in 1828, with the aim of reinstating himself as the king of Assam.
E. In which year Mill’s Report was submitted?
Answer: A. J. Moffat Mills submitted his report on the administration of Assam in the last days of 1853.
2. Write Short Notes :
A. Yandaboo Treaty: The Treaty of Yandaboo was a peace treaty signed on 24th February 1826 between the British East India Company and the King of Burma, ending the First Anglo-Burmese War. As per its provisions, Burma renounced all claims over Assam, Cachar, and Jaintia, and recognized Manipur as an independent state. This treaty marked the end of Burmese influence and the beginning of British rule in Assam.
B. David Scott: David Scott was the Agent to the Governor-General for the North East Frontier and the first Commissioner of Assam after the British annexation. He was responsible for restructuring the administration of Assam. He introduced new revenue and judicial systems, though he initially preferred to retain the old Ahom Khel system with some modifications.
C. Mill’s Report: The Mill’s Report was an important document submitted in 1853 by A. J. Moffat Mills, a judge of the Sadar Diwani Court. The report was based on a detailed investigation of the British administration in Assam and included information on land settlement, revenue, the judicial system, education, and industries. It also recorded the grievances of people like Maniram Dewan and Anandaram Dhekiyal Phukan.
D. Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha: The Jorhat Sarbajanik Sabha was a pioneering socio-political organization established in 1884 under the leadership of Jagannath Baruah. Its main objectives were to represent the expectations of the people before the government and to improve the social condition of the masses. It protested against the British land and revenue policies and played a major role in fostering political consciousness in Assam.
E. Swadeshi Movement: The Swadeshi Movement in Assam was part of the larger anti-partition movement against Lord Curzon’s decision to partition Bengal in 1905. In Assam, people held protest meetings, celebrated Rakshabandhan, and appealed to boycott foreign goods. They started using indigenous products like local salt (khar) and sugar and began spinning and weaving their own clothes, strengthening the concept of Swadeshi.
F. Non-Cooperation Movement: The Non-Cooperation Movement in Assam was launched in 1921 following Mahatma Gandhi’s call. Under the newly formed Assam Provincial Congress Committee, people boycotted foreign goods, schools, and courts. National schools were established, and many lawyers and government employees left their jobs. The movement saw widespread participation from students and women and brought awareness against opium consumption.
G. Break of Salt Law Act: (This refers to the Dandi March during the Civil Disobedience Movement). In 1930, Mahatma Gandhi started the Civil Disobedience Movement with the Dandi March, where he and his followers marched from Sabarmati to the coastal village of Dandi to break the Salt Law imposed by the British. This symbolic act of making salt from seawater was a direct challenge to British authority and inspired similar protests across the country.
H. Round Table Conference: The Round Table Conferences were a series of three conferences held in London between 1930 and 1932 by the British government to discuss constitutional reforms in India. The first conference was boycotted by the Indian National Congress. After the Gandhi-Irwin Pact in 1931, Gandhi attended the second conference, but the discussions failed. These conferences ultimately led to the Government of India Act of 1935.
I. Gopinath Bardoloi: Gopinath Bardoloi was a prominent freedom fighter and the first Chief Minister of Assam after independence. He was a leader of the Indian National Congress in Assam. He formed a coalition government in 1938 and played a crucial role in opposing the Cabinet Mission’s plan to group Assam with Bengal, thereby saving Assam from becoming part of what would later be East Pakistan.
J. Plain tribe politics: Plain tribe politics in Assam gained momentum from the 1960s, especially among the Bodos. Organizations like the Assam Plain Tribal League, formed in 1946, began to organize to fulfill their desire for democratic rights and privileges under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution. They felt that the government was reluctant to grant their demands and that they were dominated by higher-caste representatives in the ministry.
K. Language Movement: The Language Movement in Assam refers to the period of unrest in 1960 centered on the demand to make Assamese the official language of the state. According to the 1951 census, Assamese speakers were a majority, but there was a fear of the language losing its identity. The movement, in which students played an active role, led to communal riots. Eventually, Assamese was recognized as the official language in the six districts of the Brahmaputra valley.
L. Assam Movement: The Assam Movement (or Assam Agitation) was a popular movement from 1979 to 1985 led by the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the All Asom Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP). The main demand of the movement was the detection, deletion of names from voter lists, and deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The movement involved mass protests like satyagraha, bandhs, and picketing, and it ended with the signing of the Assam Accord inYou are absolutely right to point that out. My apologies for the error. In my previous response for Chapter 6, I repeated the introductory paragraph for the “Summary Note” and the first paragraph of the “Complete Textual Question and Answer” section. This was a mistake in assembling the final text, and I thank you for catching it.
