Arrange the following socio-religious reforms in the correct chronological order?
1. Abolition of Sati
2. Widow Remarriage Act
3. Establishment of Bethune School
4. The Age of Consent Act
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1-2-3-4
(b) 1-3-2-4
(c) 2-1-4-3
(d) 2-4-1-3
Explanation Option (b) is correct: The correct chronological order is Abolition of Sati (1829) → Establishment of Bethune School (1849) → Widow Remarriage Act (1856) → The Age of Consent Act (1891).
Abolition of Sati (1829): The abolition of Sati was spearheaded by Raja Rammohan Roy, who campaigned vigorously against the practice. He cited religious texts to demonstrate that Sati was not sanctioned by Hinduism and organized vigilance groups to prevent the act. His efforts led to the British Government passing Regulation XVII of 1829, declaring Sati a punishable crime.
Establishment of Bethune School (1849): Bethune School for Girls was founded in Calcutta as a result of the women’s education movement in the 1840s and 1850s. It marked a significant milestone in promoting women’s education in colonial India.
Widow Remarriage Act (1856): Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s advocacy for widow remarriage led to the passage of the Widow Remarriage Act in 1856. This act legalized the remarriage of widows and declared children from such marriages legitimate. Vidyasagar used religious texts to argue that Hinduism supported widow remarriage.
The Age of Consent Act (1891): Parsi reformer B.M. Malabari’s persistent efforts culminated in the enactment of the Age of Consent Act in 1891. The act raised the minimum age for girls’ marriage to 12 years, addressing issues of child marriage and the exploitation of minors.
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