NCERT Solutions for Class 9 History Chapter 5 Pastoralists in the Modern World

Author at PW

February 09, 2025

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 History Chapter 5 Pastoralists in the Modern World: Students studying in class 9 must go through Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 Notes to understand the topic deeply. Nomads are the people who travel around to make a living instead of settling down in one location. Even now, nomads are still moving around the world without fixed homes. Some of them are herders of cattle that travel the area looking for pastures for their animals and are called Pastoral Nomads. By going through Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 Notes, students will be able to understand the concept and answer all the questions in the CBSE board examination.

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Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 Questions and Answers

Students can go through the Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 questions and answers below

Q.1 Explain why nomadic tribes need to move from one place to another. What are the advantages to the environment of this continuous movement?

Solution: To preserve their food and way of life, nomadic tribes relocate from one place to another. Water and new pastures for their animals are essential to their survival because they are in the animal husbandry business. They relocate to search for fresh grazing areas when the pasture is exhausted.

The following are some benefits to the environment:

(I) The ecosystem has an opportunity to regenerate and recover, preserving the region’s ecological equilibrium.

(II) It stops overgrazing, which would cause future grazing areas to disappear.

(III) The animal dung contributes to soil fertility, making it possible to resume the nomadic lifestyle of traveling from one place to another.

Q.2 Discuss why the colonial Government in India brought in the following laws. In each case, explain how the law changed the lives of the pastoralists.

Wasteland Rules
Forest Acts
Criminal Tribes Act
Grazing Tax

Solution: a. Wasteland rules: All wastelands and uncultivated areas were viewed as unproductive by the colonial authority since they failed to produce any agricultural goods or income. In the middle of the 1800s, the Waste Land Rules were implemented across India in an effort to cultivate this “wasteland.”

Selected people received these lands along with a number of concessions, and they were urged to settle there. Pastoralists used to graze on the majority of these pastures. Therefore, the number of pastures decreased as a result of the expansion of farming, which presented a challenge for pastoralists.

b. Forest Acts: To produce timber that could be sold for a profit, such as sal or deodar, a number of forest statutes were passed. Pastoralists were prohibited from entering certain forest sections that had been designated as “Reserved.” Pastoralists enjoyed certain customary grazing rights in those regions designated as “Protected,” but their freedom of movement was severely restricted.

The colonial rulers believed that grazing harmed roots and reduced the fertility of the forests, thus they passed these prohibitions. It had an impact on the pastoralists since it limited their movements and set time limits for how much time they could spend in the woodlands. It is safe to assume that the forest departments’ permissions dictated every aspect of their existence.

c. Criminal Tribes Act: People who were nomads were treated with disdain and distrust by the British rulers. Tribal nomadic groups were always on the move, searching for new pastures. This made it challenging for them to manage and recognise such individuals. Conversely, they perceived the settlers as being law-abiding and peaceful.

Thus, the British enacted the Criminal Tribes Act in 1871 in an attempt to subjugate pastoralists and nomads. Communities of dealers, artisans, and pastoralists were labelled as naturally occurring criminals by this ordinance.

They had to stay put and were unable to relocate without a permit. That’s why the village police were always on the lookout for them.

d. Grazing Tax: The colonial administration taxed land, salt, canal water, and animals in order to raise money. Every animal that pastoralists brought in to graze in the pastures was subject to a levy.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the Grazing Tax had been implemented in India. Contractors won an auction to acquire the right to collect these taxes in the 1850s. To recoup the money they had paid to the government, the contractors attempted to collect as much tax as they could. The pastoralists had to take fewer animals for grazing in order to receive a lower payment.

Q.3 Give reasons to explain why the Maasai community lost their grazing lands.

Solution: European colonial powers divided the region into several colonies in the late nineteenth century during what became known as the “scramble for Africa,” paying little to no attention to the views of the native population.

The Maasai country was divided in half in 1885 when British Kenya and German Tanzania drew an international border across it. As a result, white immigrants were given preference for the best grazing fields, forcing the Maasai into a limited region in northern Tanzania and southern Kenya.

Large tracts of grazing land were also converted into game reserves, such as Tanzania’s Serengeti Park and Kenya’s Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park. Pastoralists were prohibited from entering these reserves and were not permitted to graze their herds or hunt in these areas.

Q.4 There are many similarities in the way in which the modern world forced changes in the lives of pastoral communities in India and East Africa. Write about any two examples of changes that were similar for Indian pastoralists and the Maasai herders.

Solution: India and East Africa were under occupation by European colonial powers. There were many similarities in which both regions were exploited by these powers.

(I) Forest laws

Pastoralists’ lifestyles in Africa and India have also changed as a result of various forest laws.

The forest was designated as protected and reserved in India. The restricted forest was inaccessible to pastoralists.

The ongoing loss of their grazing pastures is one of the issues the Maasai people are dealing with. To expand farming, the colonial authority hired more native peasants.

b) Closing of borders

The international boundary dividing German Tanganyika and British Kenya split Maasai country in half in Africa. The White immigrants grabbed the best land, forcing the natives into a confined region with few pastures.

The Raikas were compelled to relocate to Haryana as a result of political partition in India, as they were no longer permitted to travel to Sindh, which subsequently became a province of Pakistan. Following Sindh province’s accession to Pakistan, the herders were unable to travel there.

Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 Notes Summary

In "Pastoralists in the Modern World," the chapter explores the lives of pastoralists, who are people that raise and manage livestock like cattle, sheep, and goats. These communities move with their animals to find fresh pastures and water, which is essential for their survival.

The chapter begins by describing how pastoralism is practiced in different parts of the world, such as in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Pastoralists often live in regions where farming is difficult due to the climate, so they rely on their animals for food, transport, and trade.

As the world changed with modernization and industrialization, pastoralists faced many challenges. Governments and policies began to restrict their traditional ways of moving across lands. Modern developments like roads and cities sometimes cut through their grazing areas, making it harder for them to find suitable land for their animals.

In some places, pastoralists have adapted by adopting new methods and technologies. For example, they might use trucks instead of animals for transport or embrace new grazing techniques. However, these changes can also bring conflicts with local farming communities and government authorities.

The chapter highlights the resilience of pastoralists and their ability to adapt to new circumstances while still holding on to their traditional practices. It also emphasizes the importance of understanding and supporting their way of life in a rapidly changing world.

Check Out: Class 9th Revision Books

Pastoralists in the Modern World Class 9 Questions and Answers FAQs

Q1. What is the name of Chapter 5 of Class 9 History?

Ans. The name of Chapter 5 of Class 9 History is Pastoralists in the Modern World.

Q2. What is the grazing tax Class 9?

Ans. Pastoralists were required to pay a tax on each animal gazing on the pastures. The colonial authority imposed this order to increase revenue.

Q3. What was the Forest Act Class 9 history Chapter 5?

Ans. In 1865, The colonial government passed the Forest Act in which forests were divided into three categories i.e., reserved, protected, and village forests. This Act was amended in the year of 1878.

Q4. Who are nomads class 9?

Ans. Nomads are the people who travel around to make a living instead of settling down in one location. Even now, nomads are still moving around the world without fixed homes.

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