Students should refer to Worksheets Class 10 Social Science Nationalism in India Chapter 2 provided below with important questions and answers. These important questions with solutions for Chapter 2 Nationalism in India have been prepared by expert teachers for Class 10 Social Science based on the expected pattern of questions in the class 10 exams. We have provided Worksheets for Class 10 Social Science for all chapters on our website. You should carefully learn all the important examinations questions provided below as they will help you to get better marks in your class tests and exams.
Nationalism in India Worksheets Class 10 Social Science
OBJECTIVE QUESTIONS
Question. The civil disobedience movement in Peshawar was led by ……….
Ans. Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan
Question. In which continent modern nationalism come to be associated with the formation of nation states :
(a) Australia
(b) Europe
(c) Africa
(d) North America
Ans. (b) Europe
Question. When did Mahatma Gandhi return to India from South Africa ?
Ans. 1915
Question. What did the Rawlatt act of 1919 presume ?
(a) Detention of political prisoners without trial
(b) Forced recruitment in the army
(c) Forced manual labour
(d) Equal pay for equal work.
Ans. (a) Detention of political prisoners without trial
Question. Gandhiji called scheduled castes …………
Ans. Harijan
Question . Math the following:
Ans. (a-ii) (b-iv) (c-ii) (d-iii)
| A | B |
| (a) Baba Ramchandra | (i) Rebellion in Gudem hills |
| (b) Bankim Chandra | (ii) Movement against landlords and talukadar |
| (c) Alluri Sitaram Raju | (iii) Jawaharlal Nehru |
| (d) Oudh Kishan Sulha | (iv) Ananda math |
Question. Who designed the tricolour flag of India in 1921 ?
(a) Mahatma Gandhi
(b) J.L. Nehru
(c) Motilal Nehru
(d) Ram Prasad bismil
Ans. (a) Mahatma Gandhi
Question. Correct the statement and rewrite the sentence after correcting underlined word.
The Rowlatt act gave the british government power to suppress socioeconomic activity.
Ans. ……… to suppress pditical activity.
Question. What will the term ‘Picket’ refer to ?
(a) Boycott of clothes and goods.
(b) Stealing from shops
(c) Import of goods
(d) Protest by blocking shop entrances.
Ans. (d) Protest by blocking shop entrances.
Question. People belonging to different communities regions or language groups developed a sense of collective belonging through :
(a) History and fiction, folklore and songs, popular prints and symbols.
(b) A variety of cultural processes through which nationalism captured peoples imagination.
(c) Experiences of united struggle.
(d) All of these
Ans. (d) All of these
THREE MARKS QUESTIONS
Question. Why did Mahatma Gandhi decide to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement? Explain.
Ans : The circumstances under which Gandhiji decided to call off the Civil Disobedience movement in 1931 were:
a. The Non-Cooperation Movement was turning violent in many places.
b. To train the Satyagrahis for mass struggle,
c. Some of the Congress leaders were notwilling to continue the non-cooperation because they were tired of the mass struggle, wanted to participate in the council elections and they wanted to criticize the British policies within the council.
Question. Explain any three measures taken by the British administration to repress the movement started against the Rowlatt act.
or
Describe any three suppressive measures taken by the British administration to clamp down on nationalists.
Ans : The three suppressive measures taken by the British administration to clamp down on nationalist were:
a. To suppress the nationalist the British administration picked up the local leaders and barred Gandhiji from entering Delhi.
b. Martial law was imposed.
c. The Satyagrahis were forced to rub their nose on the ground, crawl on streets and do salute to all the Sahibs. People were beaten up and villages were bombed.
Question. Explain any three causes that led the tribals to revolt in the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh.
Ans : The three causes that led the tribals to revolt in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh were:
a. The colonial government closed large forest areas and prevented the people from entering the forest for the purposes like grazing the cattle, collection of fuelwood and fruits.
b. The livelihood and the traditional rights of the local people were denied.
c. The revolt began when the government forced the hill people to contribute Begar for the road building.
Question. “A Satyagrahi wins the battle through non-violence.” Explain with examples.
Ans : “A Satyagrahi wins the battle through non-violence.” Three examples of this statement are:
a. In the year 1916, Champaran Satyagraha (in Bihar) was organized to inspire the peasants to fight against the oppressive domination of the plantation system.
b. In the year 1917, Kheda Satyagraha was organized in Gujarat. Due to the crop failure and a plague epidemic the peasants were not able to pay the revenue. So they were demanding for the revenue collection to be relaxed.
c. In the year 1918, a Satyagraha was organized for the cotton mill workers in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
Question. Describe the main features of the ‘Salt March’.
Ans : The main features of the ‘Salt March’ are:
a. On 31st March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating eleven demands out of which some were of general interest and some were specific demands of different classes.
b. The demands were wide ranging in order to bring together everyone under a united campaign. The most important demand was to abolish the salt tax as it was the most important item in food that is consumed by both rich and poor.
c. Mahatma Gandhi started the March for over 240 miles with his 78 trusted volunteers from Sabarmati to Dandi. They walked for 10 miles a day for 24 days. He violated the salt law by manufacturing salt by boiling the sea water on 6th April 1930.
d. Now Gandhiji wanted Indians to refuse All sort of cooperation with the British and also break the colonial rules.
Question. How did women participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement? Explain.
Ans : Women participated in large scale in the Civil Disobedience Movement during the Salt March by Gandhiji. They belonged to the high caste families from the urban areas and rich peasant households from the rural areas. For them it was a sacred duty to serve the nation.
Question. Why did Mahatma Gandhi relaunch the Civil Disobedience Movement with great apprehension? Explain.
Ans : Gandhiji relaunched the Civil Disobedience Movement after the Second Round Table Conference due to the following reasons: When Mahatma Gandhi went for the round table conference in December 1931, he returned disappointed as the negotiations broke down. He discovered a new cycle of repression by the British. The important Congress leaders were in jail and meetings, demonstrations and boycotts were prevented.
Question. How had the First World War created a Jnew economic situation in India? Explain with three examples.
Ans : The First World War created a new economic situation in India. The three examples are:
a. The defence expenditure was financed by the war loans. The increased taxes, raising the custom duties and introducing the income tax, and increased prices of the commodities caused economic hardship for the common people.
b. For the continuous supply of the soldiers the villages were called upon and recruitment was done forcefully.
c. There was a period of crop failure in many parts of the country which caused acute food shortages and millions of people perished due to the famine and the epidemics.
Question. Which were the two types of demands mentioned by Gandhiji in his letter to Viceroy Irwin on 31st January 1930? Why was the abolition of ‘Salt Tax’ most stirring demand? Explain.
Ans : On 31st March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin. Mahatma Gandhi had stated eleven demands in this letter out of which some were of general interest and some were specific demands of different classes. The demands were wide ranging in order to bring together everyone under a united campaign.
The abolition of ‘Salt Tax’ was most stirring demand because salt was the most important item in food that is consumed by both rich and poor.
Question. Explain the effects of Non-Cooperation Movement on the economic front.
Ans : The three effects of the Non-Cooperation Movement on the economy of India were:
a. Foreign goods boycotted, liquor shops picketed, foreign clothes were burnt.
b. Import of the foreign clothes reduced by half, the value of import dropped, merchants and traders refused the trade of foreign goods.
c. Production of Indian mills and handloom rose.
Question. How was Rowlatt Act opposed by the people in India? Explain with examples.
Ans : Rowlatt Act opposed by the people in India. The three examples are:
a. A non-violent Civil Disobedience was planned against this act which would start with a strike on 6th April 1919.
b. Against the Rowlatt Act, rallies were organized, the railway workshop workers went on strike and the shops were closed down.
c. On 13th April 1919, huge crowd was gathered in the Jallianwalla Bagh.
Question. “Nationalism spreads when people begin to believe that they are all part of the same nation.’ Justify the statement.
Ans : It is true to say that ‘Nationalism spreads when people begin to believe that they are all part of the same nation.’
Nationalism is a belief that all are a part of the same nation which binds the people together and make different communities, regions and language groups united.
This came through the united struggles like the Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, the wars like revolt of 1857. History, fiction, folklores, folk songs, prints, icons, symbols, etc. all these helped in unifying the Indians and inspired a feeling of nationalism in them. The history was reinterpreted to create the feeling of nationalism and instill a sense of pride among the Indians. Through this the perspective of British towards India as backward, primitive and incapable of governing themselves was criticized.
Question. Explain any three reasons for the lukewarm response of some Muslim Organisations to the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans : The three reasons for the lukewarm response of some Muslim Organisations to the Civil Disobedience Movement were:
a. Due to the decline of the non-cooperation Khilafat movement.
b. They felt alienated from Congress. They felt that Congress is linked with a Hindu Mahasabha and their propagandas are Hindu oriented. This thinking resulted to Hindu-Muslim communal clashes and riots in different parts of the country. Thus the distance between these two communities widened. Their main issue was over the representation in the future assemblies.
c. In the All Parties Conference in 1928, the demands of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, for reserved seats in the central assembly and representation in proportion to population in the Muslim dominated provinces like Bengal and Punjab, was strongly opposed by M.R.Jayakar of Hindu Mahasabha. The Muslims were very much concerned about their status, culture and identity as a minority in India.
Question. How did the people support the Civil Disobedience Movement as it spread in different parts of the country? Explain with examples.
Ans : The people supported the Civil Disobedi¬ence Movement as it spread in different parts of the country due to the following reasons:
a. Due to the worldwide economic depression the agricultural prices began to fall, demands for agricultural goods fell and the export declined.
b. This resulted in a countryside turmoil because now it was difficult for the peasants to sell their harvest and pay the high revenue.
c. Against this situation of countryside turmoil the Tory government in Britain set up a commission named Simon Commission after the name of Sir John Simon to look into the constitutional system in India and suggest the changes needed. There were no Indian members in this commission.
Question. How did colonial government react as the Civil Disobedience Movement spread in the country? Explain any three points.
Ans : The following are the ways in which the Colonial government reacted as the Civil Disobedience movement spread in the country.
a. To suppress the nationalist the British administration picked up the local leaders and barred Gandhiji from entering Delhi.
b. Martial law was imposed.
c. The Satyagrahis were forced to rub their nose on the ground, crawl on streets and do salute to all the Sahibs, people were beaten up and villages were bombed.
Question. Explain any three effects of the Non- Cooperation Movement on the economy of India.
or
Describe briefly any three economic effects of Non- Cooperation Movement.
Ans : The three effects of the Non-Cooperation Movement on the economy of India were:
a. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed, foreign clothes were burnt.
b. Import of the foreign clothes reduced by half, the value of import dropped, merchants and traders refused the trade of foreign goods.
c. Production of Indian mills and handloom rose.
Question. How did BR Ambedkar try to improve the conditions of the depressed classes? Explain any three points.
Ans : BR Ambedkar tried to improve the conditions of the depressed classes in the ‘ following ways:
a. The Dalit leaders demanded reserved seats in the educational institutions and separate electorates so that would be getting seats in the legislative councils and thus politically empowered. The Dalits believed that these are the only ways through which they will be treated equally in the society.
b. In the second Round Table Conference Dr. B.R. Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the Dalits.
c. Later on, Ambedkar accepted Gandhian view and in the Poona pact the depressed class people were given the reserved seats in the provincial and the central legislative council election but to be voted in by the general electorate.
Question. Describe any three major problems faced by the peasants of Awadh in the days of Non-Cooperation movement.
or
Explain any three problems faced by the peasants of Awadh.
Ans : The three major problems faced by the peasants of Awadh in the days of Non-Cooperation Movement were:
a. They demanded very high rents and other cesses from the peasants.
b. The peasants were bound to work at landlord’s farm without any payment.
c. Peasants had to do begar, no security of tenure and also they were evicted regularly so that they could not acquire right over the leased land.
Question. Why did Gandhiji relaunch the Civil Disobedience Movement after the Second Round Table Conference? Explain any three reasons.
Ans : Gandhiji relaunched the Civil Disobedience Movement after the Second Round Table Conference due to the following reasons:
a. When Mahatma Gandhi went for the Round Table Conference in December 1931, he returned disappointed as the negotiations were broken down.
b. He discovered this new cycle of repression by the British.
c. The important Congress leaders were in jail and meetings, demonstrations and boycotts were prevented.
Question. Explain four points of Gandhiji’s idea of Satyagraha.
Ans : The idea of Satyagraha according to Gandhiji was a novel method of mass agitation which emphasizes the power of truth and the need to search for the truth. Mahatma Gandhi said that if you are fighting for the truth and against injustice then there is no need of physical force to defeat the oppressor.
This can be possible without being aggressive. The oppressors can be persuaded to see the truth with the use of non-violence.
Mahatma Gandhi had a hard belief that the dharma of non-violence will help in uniting the people of the country.
Question. Explain any three facts about the new economic situation created in India by the First World War.
Ans : Three facts about the new economic situation created in India by the First World War were:
a. The defence expenditure was financed by the war loans, the increased taxes, raising the custom duties and introducing the income tax and increased prices of the commodities which caused economic hardship for the common people.
b. For the continuous supply of the soldiers the villages were called upon and recruitment was done forcefully.
c. There was a period of crop failure in many parts of the country which caused acute food shortages and millions of people perished due to the famine and the epidemics.
Question. Explain the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans : Women also participated in large scale in the Civil Disobedience movement during the salt march by Gandhiji. They belonged to the high caste families from the urban areas and rich peasant households from the rural areas. For them it was a sacred duty to serve the nation. But the Congress was not willing to give them any position of authority in the organisation and that’s why Gandhiji said that women should look after the domestic chores and be good mothers and wives.
Question. Why did the rich peasants take part in the Civil Disobedience Movement? Give four reasons.
Ans : The rich peasant communities of Gujarat (Patidars) and Uttar Pradesh (Jats) participated actively in the relaunched Civil Disobedience movement but they 5 were highly disappointed when Gandhiji called off the movement without revising the revenue rates.
These rich peasants were the main producers of the commercial crops. Due to the trade depression, falling prices and disappeared cash income they were not able to pay the revenue and also the government refused to reduce the revenue. Their notion for Swaraj struggle was basically a struggle against high revenue paid to the government.
Question. Why did the industrialists participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement? Explain any three reasons.
Ans : The three reasons due to which the in¬dustrialists participated in the movement were:
a. The Indian merchants and the industrialist became rich and powerful due to huge profits they made during the First World War.
b. Thus they started opposing the colonial policies which restricted their business to expand. They had two demands – protection against the import of foreign goods and a favorable exchange ratio of rupee and sterling.
c. According to the merchants and the industrialists the meaning of Swaraj was expansion of trade and business without restrictions by the colonial government. But they were disheartened due to the failure of the round table conference.
Question. How did Gandhiji try to integrate the depressed classes into society? Explain any three points.
Ans : Gandhiji tried to integrate the depressed classes into society because:
a. Gandhiji was of the view that Swaraj would not come for hundred years if the problem of untouchability has not removed from the country. Gandhiji called them harijan’ means the children of God.
b. Gandhiji fought for their temple entry rights and others rights such as access to public wells, schools and other public places. Gandhiji himself cleaned the toilets in order to dignify the work of the sweepers and also urged the upper caste people to change their heart and thinking about these untouchables.
c. In the Poona Pact, the depressed class people were given the reserved seats in the provincial and the central legislative council election but to be voted in by the general electorate.
Question. Why was Non-cooperation launched? How the notion of Swaraj was perceived by various strata in the society?
Ans. (i) Atrocities on Indians after the First World War.
(ii) Refusal of demand of Swaraj.
(iii) Passing of Rowlatt Act.
(iv) Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
(v) Congress passed resolution on Non Cooperation Movement with thumping majority.
Notion of Swaraj
1. The movement in towns
2. Rebellion in the country side
3. Swaraj in the plantations
Question. Why did Gandhiji choose ‘Salt’ as the symbol of his Civil Disobedience Movement?
Ans. (i) Salt is consumed by both the poor and the rich, and is one of the most essential items of food everywhere in the world.
(ii) The British government had the monopoly on the production of salt in India
(iii) By imposing a ‘salt tax’ the government hit both the rich and the poor, specially the poor. Gandhiji thought it was the most repressive
Act of the British government and choose to defy it by breaking the “Salt Law”.
Question. Write down the features of Civil Disobedience movement. How was this different from Non cooperation Movement?
Ans. (i) Movement started with Salt March
(ii) Thousands broke salt law
(iii) Foreign clothes boycotted
(iv) Liquor shops were picketed
(v) Peasants refused to pay taxes
People were now asked not only to refuse cooperation with the British , but also to break colonial laws.
Question. Plantation workers had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas and the notion of ‘Swaraj’. Support the statement.
Ans. Plantation workers had their own meaning of Swaraj.
• Right to move freely in and out of the confined space.
• Retaining a link with the village from which they had come.
• When they heard of the Non-cooperation movement, thousand of workers defied authorities, left the plantation.
• They believed that Gandhi Raj was coming every one would be given land in their own villages.
Question. What were the reasons for starting the Khilafat Movement?
Ans. (i) Humiliating terms of treaty of Versailles on Khalifas
(ii) Lucknow Pact
(iii) Starting of Non cooperation by the congress along with khilafat movement
Question. Under what circumstances Civil disobedience movement was called off?
Ans. (i) Crackdown on Satyagrahis.
(ii) Brutal suppression and many leaders were arrested.
(iii) Gandhi Irwin Pact
FIVE MARKS QUESTIONS
Question. Examine the role of industrial working class in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans : Most of the industrial workers did not participate in the Civil Disobedience movement as the industrialists were close to the Congress. Some of the industrial workers who participated in the Civil Disobedience movement were the Nagpur industrial workers who selectively adopted some of the Gandhian ideas such as boycott of the foreign goods. They participated in the movement as part of their own movement against the low wages and the poor working conditions in the industries. In the year 1930 and 1932, the railway workers and the dock workers went on strike. The Chotanagpur tin mines workers also protested in rallies wearing Gandhian caps and boycotted the campaigns. But the Congress was not willing to include their demands.
Question. How did peasants of Awadh use different methods to achieve their goal? Explain.
Ans : The Non-Cooperation Movement spread to the countryside where the peasants and the tribals were taking part in this. Baba Ramachandra was a sanyasi who worked as an indentured labourer in Fiji. A movement was led by him leading the peasants against the talukdars and landlords because they demanded very high rents and other cesses from the peasants. The peasants were bound to work at the landlord’s farm without any payment. Peasants had to do Begar, no security of tenure and also they were evicted regularly so that they could not acquire right over the leased land.
The various demands of the peasants in Awadh were – reduction of revenue, abolition of Begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords which was strengthened by the nai-dhobi bandhs organized by the Awadh panchayats to deprive the landlords from the services of the barbers and washermen.
In October 1920, Oudh Kisan Sabha was set up by Jawahar Lal Nehru, Baba Ramachandra and a few others. This is how the Awadh peasants were integrated in the process of upcoming wider Non- Cooperation Movement by the Congress. But the Awadh peasants invoked the name of Mahatma Gandhi to sanction all action and aspirations because during the movement they attacked the houses of the talukdars and merchants, looted the bazaars and took over the grain hoards. Some of the local leaders told the peasants that Gandhiji had declared not to pay taxes and also the land will be redistributed among the poor.
Question. ‘Dalit participation was limited in the Civil Disobedience Movement’. Examine the statement.
Ans : The untouchables who called themselves Dalits or oppressed were not taking part in any such movements due to the ignorance of the Congress and the fear of offending the Sanatanis. But Gandhiji was of the view that Swaraj would not come for hundred years if the problem of untouchability is not removed from the country. Gandhiji called them ‘harijan’- which means the children of God. Gandhiji fought for their temple entry rights and other rights such as access to public wells, schools and other public places. Gandhiji himself cleaned the toilets in order to dignify the work of the sweepers and also urged the upper caste people to change their heart and thinking about these untouchables.
The Dalit leaders demanded reserved seats in the educational institutions and separate electorates so that would be getting seats in the legislative councils and thus become politically empowered. “JThe Dalits believed that these are the only ways through which they will be treated equally in the society.
The Dalits organisations were quite strong in Maharashtra and Nagpur and therefore in these regions only they participated in the Civil Disobedience movement.
In the Second Round Table Conference Dr. B.R.Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the Dalits. Against this Gandhiji began a fast unto death because he believed that separate electorates for the Dalits would slow down the process of national integration.
Later on Ambedkar accepted Gandhian view and in the Poona Pact the depressed class people were given the reserved seats in the provincial and the central legislative council election but to be voted in by the general electorate.
Question. Describe the incident and impact of the Jallianwalla Bagh.
Ans : a. Against the Rowlatt Act rallies were organized, the railway workshop workers went on strike and the shops were closed down. The British administration got alarmed and were scared about the disruption of the communication lines such as the railways and the telegraph. To suppress the nationalists the British administration picked up the local leaders and barred Gandhiji from entering Delhi. On 10th April 1919, the police opened fire in Amritsar on a peaceful procession and Martial law was imposed.
b. On 13th April 1919, huge crowd had gathered in the Jallianwalla Bagh. The crowd had two different objectives. Some of them gathered to protest the new repressive measures of the government whereas others gathered to attend the annual Baisakhi fair. Those who came from outside city were not aware of the martial law. General Dyer entered in the ground, closed the exit points and opened fire in which hundreds of innocent people were killed. This was basically done to create a feeling of terror in the minds of Satyagrahis.
c. This infamous incident resulted in strikes, clashes with the police and the government buildings were attacked. This reaction of Indians was brutally suppressed by the government as the Satyagrahis were forced to rub their nose on the ground, crawl on streets and do salute to all the Sahibs, people were beaten up and villages were bombed.
Question. How could non-cooperation became a movement? Explain with examples.
Ans : a. Non-cooperation against the colonial policies was issue-specific and the movements also used to be issue-specific that seek to achieve the objectives within a certain time period.
b. Mahatma Gandhi called off the non-violent Civil Disobedient Movement against the Rowlatt Act because the violence was spreading all over. Now he wanted to launch a much wider movement in India by joining the Hindus and the Muslims of the country. That’s why he took up the Khilafat issue.
c. In the year 1909 Mahatma Gandhi wrote a book named Hind Swaraj in which he wrote that the British survived in India only because of the cooperation of the Indians, otherwise they would have collapsed within a year.
d. Gandhiji planned to unfold the movement in stages. In the first stage the people surrendered the titles, boycotted civil services, army, police, schools, foreign goods, courts and legislative councils. The full Civil Disobedience Campaign was planned for the second phase if the government tried to repress the first phase. Many within the Congress were reluctant to boycott the council election which was scheduled for November 1920. Finally in December 1920, a compromise was made to adopt the non-cooperation.
e. In January 1921, the Non-Cooperation Khilafat Movement was started in which different social groups participated with different aspirations from the Swaraj. This movement was started with the middle class people of the towns and cities. The students left the schools and colleges, the teachers and headmasters resigned and the lawyers gave up their practices.
f. The council elections were also boycotted except in Madras. The Justice Party which was a party of the non-Brahmins in Madras felt that power can be acquired only through the council elections.
Question. Why did Gandhiji start the ‘Civil Disobedience Movement’ ? Explain any four features of Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans : As the Non-Cooperation Movement was turning violent in many places it was called off by Mahatma Gandhi in February 1922 to train the Satyagrahis for mass struggle. Some of the Congress leaders were not willing to continue the non-cooperation because they were tired of the mass struggle, wanted to participate in the council elections and they wanted to criticize the British policies within the council.
The Swaraj Party was formed within the Congress Party by C.R.Das and Motilal Nehru. It was formed with purpose to argue for return to council elections.
Due to the worldwide economic depression the agricultural prices began to fall, demands for agricultural goods fell and the export declined. This resulted in a countryside turmoil because now it was difficult for the peasants to sell then- harvest and pay the high revenue. Against this situation of countryside turmoil the Tory government in Britain set up a commission named Simon Commission under Sir John Simon to look into the constitutional system in India and suggest the changes needed. There were no Indian members in this commission. When Mahatma Gandhi went for the round table conference in December 1931, he returned disappointed as the negotiations broke down. He discovered this new cycle of repression by the British. The important Congress leaders were in jail and meetings, demonstrations and boycotts were prevented. As a result Gandhiji relaunched the Civil Disobedience movement in 1932 which again lost its momentum by 1934.
Question. Explain the reactions of the Indian people against the Rowlatt Act passed through the Imperial Legislative Council in 1919.
Ans : In the year 1919, Gandhiji organized a Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act which was passed hurriedly by the Imperial Legislative Council despite the opposition by the Indian members. He planned a non¬violent Civil Disobedience against this Act which would start with a hartals on 6th April 1919.
The Rowlatt Act gave enormous power to the government for repressing the political activities. According to this Act the government can detain the political prisoners without trial for a period of two years.
Against the Rowlatt Act rallies were organized, the railway workshop workers went on strike and the shops were closed down. The British administration got alarmed and were scared about the disruption of the communication lines such as the railways and the telegraph. On 13th April 1919, a huge crowd was gathered in the Jallianwalla Bagh.
This infamous incident resulted in strikes, clashes with the police and the government buildings were attacked. This reaction of Indians was brutally suppressed by the government as the Satyagrahis were forced to rub their nose on the ground, crawl on streets and do salute to all the Sahibs, people were beaten up and villages were bombed.
Question. How had Non-Cooperation Movement spread in cities? Explain.
or
How did the Non-Cooperation Movement start in cities? Explain its economic effects.
or
How did the Non-Cooperation Movement spread in cities across the country? Explain its effect on the economic front.
Ans : a. In January 1921, the Non-Cooperation Khilafat movement was started in which different social groups participated with different aspirations from the Swaraj. This movement was started with the middle class people of the towns and cities. The students left the schools and colleges, the teachers and headmasters resigned and the lawyers gave up their practices.
b. The council elections were also boycotted except in Madras. The Justice Party which was a party of the non-Brahmins in Madras felt that power can be acquired only through the council elections.
c. The economic effects of the Non¬Cooperation Movement – foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed, foreign clothes were burnt, import of the foreign clothes came down by half, the value of import dropped, merchants and traders refused the trade of foreign goods, production of Indian mills and handloom rose.
d. The Non-Cooperation Movement gradually slowed down in towns and cities because the khadi clothes were expensive which the poor people could not afford. There was need for Indian institutions for the teachers, students and the lawyers but these were very slow to come up. Thus once again people started using the mill made British clothes and the students, teachers and the lawyers rejoined their respective institutions.
Question. How did the First World War create a new economic and political situation in India? Explain with examples.
Ans : The First World War created a new economic situation in India. The three examples are:
a. The defence expenditure was financed by the war loans, the increased taxes, raising the custom duties and introducing the income tax and increased prices of the commodities which caused economic hardship for the common people.
b. For the continuous supply of the soldiers the villages were called upon and recruitment was done forcefully.
c. There was a period of crop failure in many parts of the country which caused acute food shortages and millions of people perished due to the famine and the epidemics.
Question. Explain the role played by the tribal peasants in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh during the Non- Cooperation Movement.
or
Who was Alluri Sitaram Raju? Explain his role in inspiring the rebels with Gandhiji’s ideas.
Ans : In the early 1920s a militant guerrilla movement spread in the Gudem Hills of Andhra Pradesh. The Congress never approved such type of movements. This took place because the colonial government closed large forest areas and prevented the people from entering the forest for the purposes like grazing the cattle, collection of fuelwood and fruits.
The livelihood and the traditional rights of the local people were denied. The revolt began when the government forced the hill people to contribute Begar for the road building.
Alluri Sitaram Raju who was the leader of this revolt claimed that he had special powers like making correct astrological predictions, healing the people and could survive even bullet shots. Therefore the rebels proclaimed him the incarnation of God.
Though Raju favoured the Gandhian styles and greatness and urged people to wear khadi and give up drinking but at the same time he asserted the use of force and violence to get India liberated.
The police stations were attacked, British officials were killed and guerrilla warfare continued for Swaraj. As a result in the year 1924, Raju was arrested and executed and hence became a folk hero.
Question. Describe the developments which led to the launching of the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Ans : a. In the year 1919, Gandhiji organized a Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act which was passed hurriedly by the Imperial Legislative Council despite the opposition by the Indian members. He planned a non¬violent Civil Disobedience against this Act which would start with a hartals on 6th April 1919.
b. The Rowlatt Act gave enormous power to the government for repressing the political activities. According to this Act the government can detain the political prisoners without trial for a period of two years.
c. On 13th April 1919, huge crowd had gathered in the Jallianwalla Bagh. The crowd had two different objectives. Some of them gathered to protest the new repressive measures of the government whereas others gathered to attend the annual Baisakhi fair. Those who came from outside city were not aware of the martial law. General Dyer entered the ground, closed the exit points and opened fire in which hundreds of innocent people were killed. This was basically done to create a feeling of terror in the minds of Satyagrahis.
d. A harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed on the Khalifa of the Ottoman empire the defeat in the First World War. In March 1919, a Khilafat committee was set up in Bombay to defend the temporal powers of the Khalifa. Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali were the two brothers among the youth generation of the Muslim leaders who discussed the issue with Mahatma Gandhi. Finally, in September 1920 session of Congress in Calcutta it was decided to start a Non-Cooperation in support of Khilafat and also for the Swaraj.
e. In the year 1909 Mahatma Gandhi wrote a book named ‘Hind Swaraj’ in which he wrote that the British survived in India only because of the cooperation of the Indians, otherwise they would have collapsed within a year.
f. Gandhiji planned to unfold the movement in stages. In the first stage the people surrendered the titles, boycotted civil services, army, police, schools, foreign goods, courts and legislative councils. The full Civil Disobedience Campaign was planned for the second phase, if the government try to repress the first phase. Many within the Congress were reluctant to boycott the council election which was scheduled for November 1920. Finally in December 1920, a compromise was made to adopt the non-cooperation.
Question. Describe the significance of the Civil Disobedience Movement in the freedom struggle of India.
Ans : a. On 31st March 1930, Mahatma Gandhi sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin, Mahatma Gandhi had stated eleven demands in this letter out of which some were of general interest and some were specific demands of different classes. The demands were wide ranging in order to bring together everyone under a united campaign. The most important demand was to abolish the salt tax as it was the most important item in food that is consumed by both the rich and the poor.
b. Now Gandhiji wanted Indians to refuse all sort of cooperation with the British and also break the colonial rules. Thereafter, people broke salt law, manufactured salt, staged demonstrations, boycotted the foreign clothes, picketed up the liquor shops, peasants refused to pay the taxes and revenues and the forest people violated the forest laws.
c. When Mahatma Gandhi went for the Round Table Conference in December 1931, he returned disappointed as the negotiations were broke down. He discovered this new cycle of repression by the British. The important Congress leaders were in jail and meetings, demonstrations and boycotts were prevented. As a result Gandhiji relaunched the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1932 which again lost its momentum by 1934.
d. These rich peasants were the main producers of the commercial crops. Due to the trade depression, falling prices and disappeared cash income they were not able to pay the revenue and also the government refused to reduce the revenue. Their notion for Swaraj struggle was basically a struggle against high revenue. For the poor peasantry groups, the meaning of Swaraj was lowering the revenue demand and also they wanted the unpaid rent to be remitted. But the Congress was reluctant to support to no rent and thus the relationship between the poor peasantry groups and Congress remained uncertain.
e. The Indian merchants and the industrialists became rich and powerful due to huge profits they made during the First World War. Thus they started opposing the colonial policies which restricted their business to expand. They had two demands – protection against the import of foreign goods and a favourable exchange ratio of rupee and sterling. Some of the industrial workers who participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement were the Nagpur industrial workers who selectively adopted some of the Gandhian ideas such as boycott of the foreign goods. They participated in the movement as part of their own movement against the low wages and the poor working conditions in the industries. Women also participated in large scale in the Civil Disobedience Movement during the Salt March by Gandhiji. They belonged to the high caste families from the urban areas and rich peasant households from the rural areas. For them it was a sacred duty to serve the nation.
f. The untouchables who called themselves Dalits or oppressed were not taking part in any such movements due to the ignorance of the Congress and the fear of offending the Sanatanis. But Gandhiji was of the view that Swaraj would not come for hundred years if the problem of untouchability is not removed from the country g. The Dalit organisations were quite strong in Maharashtra and Nagpur and therefore in these regions only they participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Question. Read the source and answer the questions carefully.
While the Rowlatt satyagraha had been a widespread movement, it was wtill limited mostly to cities and towns. Mahatma Gandhi now felt the need to launch a more broad-based movement in India. But he was certain that no such movement could be organised without bring the Hindus and Muslims closer together. One way of doing this, the felt, was to take up the Khilafat issue. The First World War had ended with the defeat of Ottoman Turkey. And there were rumours that a harsh peace treaty was going to be imposed on the Ottoman emperor– the spiritual head of the Islamic world (the Khalifa). To defend the Khalifa’s temporal powers, a Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919. A young generation of Muslim leaders like the brother Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, began discussing with mahatma Gandhi about the possibility of a unite mass action on the issue. Gandhiji saw this as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement. At the Calcutta session f the Congress in September 1920, he convinced other leaders of the need to start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat as well as for swaraj.
Source Based Questions
(i) Gandhiji wanted to start a non cooperation movement in 1920 because :
(a) He wanted to teach British a lesson.
(b) He wanted to introduce liberal view in Indian freedom movement.
(c) He saw it as an opporturrity to unite Hindus and Muslims and to bring muslims under the umbrella of a united national movement.
(d) Both a and b
Ans. (c) He saw it as an opporturrity to unite Hindus and Muslims and to bring muslims under the umbrella of a united national movement.
(ii) Identify the main reason to launch a more broad based movement by Gandhiji :
(a) Rowlatt Satyagrah was limited to towns and cities.
(b) Rowlatt Satyagrah was participated by only educated person.
(c) Rowlatt Satyagrah was dominated by villagers only.
(d) None of the above.
Ans. (b) Rowlatt Satyagrah was participated by only educated person.
(iii) Why was Khilafat committee formed in March 1919.
(a) Muslims had no political association.
(b) Muslime leadership emerged for the first time.
(c) To demand a separate nation for muslims.
(d) To defend Khalifa’s temporal powers.
Ans. (d) To defend Khalifa’s temporal powers.
(iv) What were the aims of Non cooperation movement ?
(a) In support of Khilafat as well as Swaraj.
(b) To bring Hindus and muslims closer.
(c) to attain India’s freedom.
(d) All of the above.
Ans. (b) To bring Hindus and muslims closer.
