Category Social Sciences

How is a peninsula different from an island?

While an island is surrounded by water on all sides, a peninsula is bordered by water only on three sides. A peninsula will always be connected to the mainland on one side. Peninsulas can be small, or very large. They are found on every continent.

In Europe, Portugal and Spain form the Iberian Peninsula. The Horn of Africa, which juts into the Arabian Sea, is a huge peninsula. The nations of North Korea and South Korea make up the Korean Peninsula in Eastern Asia.

 In Australia, there is the Cape York Peninsula. And of course, the Indian subcontinent forms a huge peninsula, bordered by the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean.

What is the difference between an island and an archipelago?

Sometimes, islands are formed very close together, in clusters. Such a cluster of islands is called an archipelago.

Archipelagos can be made up of hundreds, or even thousands, of islands. These islands may differ from one another in their plant and animal life.

 Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Greece, Hawaii, Maldives, Azores, and New York City are examples of well-known archipelagos. Indonesia is the world’s largest archipelago by area and population.

Continue reading “What is the difference between an island and an archipelago?”

What is an island?

An island is an area of land that is completely surrounded by water. Islands come in all shapes and forms. They can vary in size from a single rock, to a huge land mass.

Greenland is the world’s largest island. Australia is also surrounded by water, but it is considered to be a continent, rather than an island. It is difficult to determine the world’s smallest island, but some, like Singapore, are really tiny.

Islands can be found in the middle of the ocean, or just off the coast. They are also found in rivers, deltas, and lakes.

Islands are formed in different ways, and they are classified according to how they came into existence. Many islands have flora and fauna that are unique to them, and found nowhere else in the world. 

What was the role of Rani Lakshmibai in our Freedom Movement?

Rani Lakshmibai was the ruler of Jhansi, a princely state in North India. She played a leading role in the First War of Independence, and became a symbol of resistance to the arrogant rule of the British East India Company.

 After her husband’s death, the British refused to accept her young son as the next ruler, since he was adopted. She was ordered to hand over Jhansi to the Company, but she refused.

Rani Lakshmibai organized an army to defend Jhansi, and when the First War of Independence broke out, she joined the rebels. She led her soldiers in full warrior regalia, fought bravely mill determinedly, but was killed in the battle.

            Her unquenchable spirit, courage, and self respect gave the British sleepless nights. The story of the guts and sacrifice of this 19th century warrior queen is truly an inspiration for all Indians. 

Why will Bhagat Singh be honoured for all time by Indians?

Bhagat Singh was a national hero who gave a new wave to the revolutionary movement in India. To spread the message of revolution in Punjab, Bhagat formed a union of revolutionaries by the name ‘Naujawan Bharat Sabha’.

            Along with Chandrasekhar Azad, he later founded the ‘Hindustan Samajvadi Prajatantra Sangha’. When Lala Rajpat Rai died because of the brutality of the British police, Bhagat Singh vowed to avenge his death. He was determined to kill the British official named General Scott who was responsible for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.

            However, he killed assistant superintendent Saunders by mistake. Bhagat Singh was also responsible for a bomb blast in the Central Legislative Assembly on 8th April 1929.

            Bhagat Singh was captured, and was sentenced to death on 23rd March, 1931. At the tender age of 23, he became a martyr for the cause of India’s freedom, and his sacrifice will forever be remembered by a grateful nation.

Why Veer Savarkar is considered an extraordinary man?

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar popularly has known as Veer Savarkar, occupies a prominent place in the history of India’s struggle for freedom. He was passionate about winning freedom from British rule, and boycotting foreign goods.

 In 1906, he went to London to study law. He founded the Free India Society in England, and advocated the use of arms to free India from the British. Veer Savarkar created a network of Indians in England, equipped with weapons. In 1908, Savarkar completed ‘The Indian War of Independence’, and the book was banned by the British. He was arrested in London on 13th March 1910, on some trumped up charges. The case against him was to be heard by a court in India.

During his journey to India, as the ship neared Marseilles in France, he jumped through the porthole, and swam to the shore. He was captured, and sentenced to 50 years rigorous life imprisonment on the Andaman Islands.

 However, in 1921, he was released from the jail, and spent the rest of his life as a social worker.

He was a bold warrior, poet, philosopher, and a great patriot.