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Chapter 2. Nationalism in India

NCERT Exercise

Q1. Explain:

a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti- colonial movement.

b) How the first world war helped in the growth of the national movement in India.

c) Why Indians were outraged by the Rowlatt Act.

d) Why Gandhiji Decided to withdraw the Non- Cooperation movement.

Answer: 

(a) (i) The anti- colonial movement brought together people of all castes, classes and communities to fight against the powerful European country.

(ii) This improved a good platform for the exchange of natiunalist and liberal ideas among the natives.

(b) (i) During the first world war period, prices rose in India which led to extreme hardships, for the common people.

(ii) Villagers were unwillingly recruited in army and had to do begar. This led to widespread anger among Indians.

(iii) Also, the failure of crops at the same time led to the spread of anti British and nationalist feelings among Indians.

(c) Under Rowlatt Act, Indian leaders could be detained without reason for two years in order to prevent anti- British sentiments. This led anger among Indians.

(d) Gandhiji withdrew the Non- cooperation Movent due to voilent incident of Chauri- Chaura Gorakhpur. 

Q2. What is meant by the ideas of Satyagraha?

Answer: 

(1) The idea of Satyagrah emphasized the power of the truth and the need to search for truth.

(2) It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then physical force was not neccessary to fight against the oppressor.

(3) Without being aggresive, a satyagrahi could win the battle.

(4) This could be done by appealing to the conscience of the opressor instead of forcing them to accept the truth with voilence.

Q3. Write a newspaper report on:

(a) The Jallianwala Bagh maasacre

(b) The Simon Commission.

Answer: 

(a) (1) On 13th April, 1919, a crowd of villagers had gathered at jalliawala Bagh. They had come to Amritsar to attend an annual fair. 

(2) They were unaware of the Martial Law imposed to Amritsar.

(3) General Dyer entered the arae and blocked the exit points opened fire on the crowd. Hundreds of people were killed.

(4) As the news spread out, there were strikes, clashes with the police.

(5) The goverenment responded with brutal repression by humilliating the people in many ways.This resulted in the beginning of Non- Cooperation movement by Gandhiji.

(b) (1) Sir John Simon was the head of a Statutory Commission set up by the Tory government in Britain.

(2) (i) The Commission was to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India and suggest changes.

(ii) The Simon Commission was to study the Indian Constitutional system and suggested changes in it. But , it did not have any Indian as its member. All its members were British. Therefore, it was oppesed in India.

(iii) When the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1992, it was greeted with the slogan "Go back Simon". Congress, Muslim league and all other political parties opossed the Simon Commission.

(3) (i) To pacify Indian leaders, who agitated against Simon Commission, the Victory, Lord Irwin announced, in october 1929, a vague offer of 'dominion status' for India.

(ii) A round table conference was held to discuss a future Constitution.

Q4. Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1.

Answer: 

(1) The image of Germania was the symbol of German nation. Whereas, the image of Bharat Mata was trhe symbol of Indian nation.

(2) Both the images inspired nationalists who worked very hard to unify their respective countries and to attain a liberal nation.

(3) But the image of Bharat Mata is different from that of Germania, in the sense that, former reflects the religious basis of its making.

(4) The image of Bharat Mata become a controversial figure and also indirectly figure and also indirectly played a role in spread of communalism in pre- independent India. On the other hand, the image of Germania did not have any such controversy attached to it.

Disscus

Q1. List all the different social groups which joined the Non- Coop[eration movement of 1921. Then choose any three and write about there hopes and struggles to show why they joined the movement.

Answer: 

I. The social groups of India, that joined the Non- Cooperation Movement of 1921 were as under:

(i) Middle class people (students, teachers, lawyers, etc.)

(ii) Political Parties except the justice party of Madras.

(iii) Merchants and traders.

(iv) Peasants of Awadh.

(v) Tribals of Andhra Pradesh.

(vi) Plantation workers in Assam.

Let's Know why some these social groups joined the Non- Coop[eration Movement.

II. (a) Peasants of Awadh: (1) Baba Ramchandra was the peasants leader in Awadh. He wes a sanyasi, who had earlier beent to Fiji as an indentured labourer. He led a movement against the talukdars (landlords) of Awadh.

(2) The peasantsof Awadh had the following problems:

(i) Talukdars or landlords of Awadh demanded high rents and a variety of other cesses from the peasant.

(ii) peasants had to do 'begar' and work at landlord's fams without any payment.

(iii) As tenants, they had no security of tenure. They were regularly evicted, so that they could acquire no right over the leased land.

(b) Tribals of Andhra pradesh :

(1) Government prevented them from entering inbto forests to graze cattle and collected firewood, which they considered to be their  natural right. This was protested by the tribals.

(2) Government wanted them to do begar for road building and other government activities in the area, they were not ready to do this and rebelled.

(3) Alluri Sitaram Raju emerged as a tribal leader and showed faith in Gandhiji. He emphasised on guerilla warfare against the government and started such activities in 1920s.

(4) Gudem rebels attacked police stations and attempted to kill the British officials.

(5) They resorted to guerilla warfare but in 1924, Raju was executed and hanged.

(c) Plantation Workers: (i) They assumed Non- Cooperation Movement as a man that could reunite them will their families, by overruling the terms and conditions of their contracts.

(ii) Therefore, many of them defied the authorities, left the plantations and headed to home.

(iii) They believed that Gandhiji Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

(iv) But their plans failed, as they could not reach their destinations due to railway and steamer strikes; they were caught by the police and brutally beaten up.

Q2. Discuss the Salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.

Answer: 

Under British rule , the British had a monopoly on the manufacture of salt in India. Their main aim was to collect more revenue from the Indians so they imposed tax on the manufacture of salt. Tax on such an indispensable commodity was unbearable and unjust. So Gandhiji decided to start a Satyagraha against it . On 12th March 1930, he along with his 78 followers left his Sabarmati Ashram for Dandi , a village on the west cost of India . After covering a distance of 380 km , in 25 days , they reached Dandi on 6th April 1930 . On reaching Dandi they prepared salt by boiling the seawater. By violating the Salt Law, Gandhiji became a symbol of just a beginning . At his call, people began to defy the unjust law and the orders of the British government .

Q3. Imagine you are a women participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain What the experience meant to your life.

Answer: 

(1) I am feeling humbe and great. When I walk with thousands of life minded women, for the national cause, I felt pride.

(2) The participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement, I feel, also raises the status of women in the Indian society and put them in equal importance with Indian Man.

(4) Although, there occurs not much change in the domestic lives of women, but the contribution madfe through paticipation in the movement itself, is one of the most significient incidents for the Indian women.

Q4. Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of seprate electrorates?

Answer: 

(1) Political leaders representated the different classes and communities of Indian society. For Example, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar representated "opressed classes" or dalits of India. Similarly, M.A. Jinnah representated muslim social groups of Indians.

(2) These leaders wanted to uplift the status of their followers by securing some special political rights, by securing seprate electorates for them.

(3) But the Congress party, especially Gandhiji, belived that separate electorates would adversely affect the unity of India. 

Chapter 2. Nationalism in India

Important Questions with Answers

Chapter 3. Nationalism in India

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Questions with 1 mark:

Q1. When did the Rowlatt Act come into force?
Answer - In  March1919

Q2. When did Gandhiji return to India from South Africa?

Answer - 1915 |

Q3. When and where did the "Jallianwala Bagh Massacre" take place?
Answer - On 13 April 1919, Amritsar.

Q4. What was the 'Inland Immigration Act'?

Answer - The laborers working in Bagan were not allowed to leave Bagan without permission under this Act.

Q5. When and with what event did Gandhiji withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Answer - In 1922, the incident of Cherichaira greatly disturbed Gandhiji in which Indian revolutionaries set fire to the Cherichaira police station.

Q6. When and by whom did the Khilafat movement begin?

Answer - In 1919, Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali.

Question7: Name the two leaders who brought socialist ideology in the Congress.
Answer -
1. Jawaharlal Nehru
2. Subhash Chandra Bose

Question 8: When did Gandhiji withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement and from which event?

Answer: In 1922, Chauri Chaura incident disturbed Gandhiji very much in which Indian revolutionaries set fire to Chaurichora police station. Many policemen were killed.

Question 9: Who formed the Swaraj Party?

Answer : Motilal Nehru and Chitranjan Das

Question 10: What does picketing mean?

Answer: A form of protest or protest in which people block their way to any shop, factory or office.

Question 11: When and where was Purna Swaraj demanded?

Answer: Purna Swaraj was demanded by the Congress in 1929 at the Lahore session under the chairmanship of Jawaharlal Nehru.

Question 12: Dr. Ambedkar organized which association for Dalits and when?

Answer: Dr. Ambedkar formed the Depressed Classes Association for Dalits in 1930.

Question 13: Who was the author of the song Vande Mataram?

Answer: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

Question 14: What is meant by a valid government system?

Answer : A valid government system means according to democracy - 

(i) The government should be selected by valid people. 

(ii) The government work for people which is elected by universal adult voting system. 

(iii) The election must be done by a regular interval. 

Question 15: When and by whom was the Khilafat movement started?

Answer: Khilafat movement was started in 1919 by two brothers Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali.

Question 16: When and who founded the Indian National Congress?

Answer: In 1885, A.O. Hum did it.

Question 17: In the Nagpur session of Congress of 1920, state one important decision taken by the Congress.

Answer: In this session, the Congress and the Muslim League decided to run the non-cooperation and Khilafat movement.

Question 18: Explain the meaning of Satyagraha.

Answer: Satyagraha means to urge for truth. If the motive is true and against injustice, then physical force is not required to fight against harassment.

Question 19: Explain the meaning of forced labor.

Answer: Getting someone to do work without any remuneration (remuneration) is called forced labor.

Question 20: Who is called Girmitiya Mazdur?

Answer: During the colonial rule, many people were taken to places like Fiji, Guyana, West Indies etc. for work which later came to be known as Girmitiya. The contract under which those laborers were taken out was called Girmit.

Question 21: Which two leaders reached an agreement in Poona Pact?

Answer: Between Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi?

Question- Name the two main Satyagrahas organized by Mahatma Gandhi in favor of the farmers.
Answer -
1. Gandhiji started the Satyagraha in collaboration with the farmers of Champaran in Bihar and motivated the farmers against the fierce farming system.
2. Gandhiji undertook a satyagraha in favor of the farmers of Kheda district of Gujarat, who could not give land dominion due to lack of crop, plague and epidemic.

Question - Write the names of the prominent leaders of the Gadar Party and what was the role of the Gadar Party in the national movement?

Answer - The names of the prominent leaders of the Gadar Party were Rasbihari Bose, Lala Hardayal, Madam Cama and Raja Mahendra Pratap.

1. The leaders of this party prepared public opinion against the English government abroad.
2. Prominent leaders of the Gadar Party grew up and participated in the national movement.

Question - What were the reasons for Indian leaders opposing the Ralect Act in 1919?
Answer -
1. This law gave the British government the power to imprison any person without trial.
2. No pleadings and appeals were allowed for him.
3. This law was introduced for the purpose of producing Indians.
4. The British Government wanted to suppress the wave of freedom struggle by bringing the Right Act.

Question: Why did the Indians oppose the Simon Commission?

Answer: Following reasons were opposed by Indians for Simon Commission: -
1. There was no Indian member in this commission.
2. There was no mention of granting Swaraj to Indians in the sections of this commission.

Question - What was the purpose of bringing the Simon Commission by English?
Answer: The following objectives were to bring Simon Commission by English: -
1. The Government of India Act of 1919 can be reviewed.
2. It can be suggested that what new reforms can be brought in the Indian administration
3. To overcome the then political impasse in India.

Question - What are Poona Pact? Write a brief comment on it.
Answer - Mahatma Gandhi kept an indefinite fast while living in jail against the British decisions, which caused a stir in the whole country. Leaders like Madan Mohan Malaviya, for the protection of their beloved leader

Class 10 SST History Chapter 2 – Nationalism in India

NCERT HOT and Important Questions with Answers

Q1. Why did Mahatma Gandhi launch the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920?

1. Gandhi protested against the Rowlatt Act (1919) which allowed arrests without trial.
2. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre increased anger against British rule.
3. Muslims were unhappy due to the Khilafat issue.
4. Gandhi believed peaceful non-cooperation would weaken British power.
5. Therefore, the Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in 1920.

Q2. Why did the Non-Cooperation Movement gradually slow down in the cities?

1. The movement started with enthusiasm in cities.
2. Students left government schools and lawyers gave up practice.
3. People boycotted foreign goods and promoted swadeshi products.
4. However, khadi cloth was expensive for poor people.
5. Due to these economic difficulties, the movement slowed down in cities.

Q3. Why did the Non-Cooperation Movement spread to rural areas?

1. In villages the movement was linked with local grievances.
2. Peasants demanded reduction of taxes and rent.
3. Many farmers opposed zamindars and landlords.
4. Tribal communities protested against restrictions on forest resources.
5. These issues helped spread the movement to rural areas.

Q4. Why did Mahatma Gandhi withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922?

1. A violent incident occurred at Chauri Chaura in 1922.
2. Protesters set a police station on fire.
3. Several policemen were killed.
4. Gandhi believed the movement must remain non-violent.
5. Therefore, he withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Q5. Explain the causes of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

1. The British imposed heavy taxes and strict laws.
2. The Simon Commission (1928) had no Indian members.
3. In 1929 the Congress demanded Purna Swaraj.
4. Gandhi started the Salt March in 1930.
5. This led to the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Q6. Why did different social groups participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

1. Rich peasants wanted reduction in land revenue.
2. Business groups wanted protection from foreign competition.
3. Industrial workers joined strikes and protests.
4. Women participated in processions and picketing.
5. People believed independence would improve their conditions.

Q7. Why did the relationship between Congress and the Muslim League break down?

1. Many Muslim leaders felt Congress represented mainly Hindu interests.
2. Jinnah demanded separate electorates for Muslims.
3. Congress did not fully accept these demands.
4. Political differences increased between the groups.
5. As a result, the Congress and Muslim League separated.

Q8. Explain the role of the Salt March in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

1. The British government had a monopoly on salt.
2. Salt tax affected both rich and poor.
3. In 1930 Gandhi started the Salt March from Sabarmati to Dandi.
4. Thousands of people joined the march.
5. This act started the Civil Disobedience Movement across India.

Q9. How did the sense of collective belonging develop among Indians?

1. Nationalism spread through history, folklore and songs.
2. The image of Bharat Mata became a national symbol.
3. Nationalist leaders used flags and patriotic slogans.
4. The revival of Indian culture and traditions promoted unity.
5. These factors created a sense of national identity.

Q10. Why was the Civil Disobedience Movement important?

1. It united people from different regions and social groups.
2. People challenged British authority by breaking colonial laws.
3. Large numbers of women and peasants participated.
4. The demand for complete independence became stronger.
5. It became an important stage of the Indian national movement.