Extra 20 long-answer questions with detailed answers (5-6 points each) from the chapter "Nationalism in India" for Class 10 CBSE History:
1-5: Causes and Early Nationalist Movements
1. Explain the impact of World War I on the Indian national movement.
Answer:
Heavy taxation and forced recruitment:
The British government imposed
high taxes
and forcefully recruited Indians into the British army.
Price rise and economic hardship:
Due to war-related demands, the prices of essential goods
rose sharply
, causing distress among the people.
Growth of industries:
Indian industries
expanded
due to war demands, increasing nationalistic aspirations.
Political consciousness:
Indian soldiers, after fighting for the British, returned with
ideas of self-rule
and nationalism.
Expectations of reforms:
Indians expected
political reforms
in return for their support in the war, but British policies like the
Rowlatt
Act (1919)
crushed these hopes.
2. What was the Rowlatt Act (1919)? How did Indians respond to it?
Answer:
Introduction:
The British passed the
Rowlatt
Act
in
1919
, allowing them to
imprison people without trial
.
Violation of civil rights:
Indians saw it as a direct attack on their
freedom of speech and expression
.
Gandhiji’s opposition:
Gandhi called for
Satyagraha
against the Act, organizing
nationwide
hartals
and protests
.
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919):
British General
Dyer ordered open fire
on unarmed civilians in Amritsar, killing hundreds.
Nationwide protests:
The massacre led to
nationwide strikes and boycotts
against British rule.
3. Describe the causes of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22).
Answer:
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919):
The brutal killing of innocent Indians angered people.
Rowlatt
Act (1919):
Imprisonment without trial led to protests.
Khilafat Movement (1920):
Muslims protested against the British
abolishing the Ottoman Caliphate
.
Boycott of British goods:
Gandhiji encouraged
Swadeshi and Khadi
.
Failure of constitutional reforms:
The British ignored Indian demands for
self-rule
, leading to protests.
4. Why did Gandhiji withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer:
Chauri
Chaura
incident (1922):
Protesters set a police station on fire,
killing 22 policemen
.
Gandhiji’s belief in non-violence:
He believed
non-violence
was the only way to achieve independence.
British repression:
The government
arrested nationalist leaders
, weakening the movement.
Hindu-Muslim unity weakened:
Communal tensions started to rise.
Lack of organization:
The movement spread too fast and
became difficult to control
.
5. Explain the role of Mahatma Gandhi in India’s freedom struggle.
Answer:
Satyagraha (Truth and Non-violence):
Used peaceful resistance against the British.
Champaran
and Kheda Movements:
Fought for
peasants’ rights
in Bihar and Gujarat.
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22):
Encouraged boycott of
British goods, schools, and services
.
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930):
Led
Dandi March to break salt law
.
Quit India Movement (1942):
Called for
"Do or Die"
, demanding immediate British withdrawal.
6-10: Civil Disobedience and Later Nationalist Movements
6. What were the main features of the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34)?
Answer:
Dandi March (Salt March, 1930):
Gandhi walked
240 miles to Dandi
to break the salt law.
Boycott of foreign goods:
People stopped buying
British clothes and liquor
.
No tax campaign:
Refused to pay
land revenue and salt tax
.
Women’s participation:
Women like
Sarojini Naidu
actively participated.
Repression by the British:
The British
arrested Gandhi and thousands of leaders
.
7. What was the significance of the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931)?
Answer:
Gandhi agreed to stop the Civil Disobedience Movement.
British agreed to release political prisoners
except for violent offenders.
Gandhi participated in the Second Round Table Conference (1931).
Salt tax remained but Indians could make salt.
It showed British recognition of the Indian freedom movement.
8. Describe the Quit India Movement (1942).
Answer:
Launched on 8 August 1942
, demanding
immediate British withdrawal
.
Slogan:
"Do or Die" by
Mahatma Gandhi
.
Mass arrests:
The British arrested
Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, and other leaders
.
Violent protests:
Government buildings and railways were attacked.
British response:
Repressed the movement brutally, but it marked the
final phase of India’s struggle for independence
.
9. How did the Indian National Army (INA) contribute to India’s freedom struggle?
Answer:
Founded by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1943
in
Singapore
.
Slogan:
"Give me blood, and I will give you freedom!"
Fought against British forces in Burma and India.
Encouraged Indian soldiers in the British army to rebel.
Created global awareness about India’s independence movement.
10. Why did the British finally agree to grant independence to India?
Answer:
Quit India Movement (1942):
Weakened British rule.
World War II (1939-45):
British economy was
financially exhausted
.
Naval Mutiny (1946):
British soldiers and officers revolted.
Pressure from Indian leaders:
Congress and Muslim League demanded independence.
Mountbatten Plan (1947):
Proposed partition into
India and Pakistan
.
11. What was the role of women in the Indian national movement?
Answer:
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22):
Women
boycotted foreign goods
, picketed liquor shops, and participated in processions.
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34):
Women like
Sarojini Naidu and Kamala Nehru
played a key role in the Salt Satyagraha.
Quit India Movement (1942):
Women, including
Aruna
Asaf Ali
, led underground movements after Gandhi’s arrest.
Revolutionary movements:
Women like
Kalpana
Dutt
and
Bhikaji
Cama
were involved in armed struggles.
Social reforms:
Women
fought against British policies
affecting social issues like child marriage and widow remarriage.
12. How did British economic policies lead to the rise of nationalism in India?
Answer:
Destruction of Indian industries:
British policies
favored
British goods over Indian handicrafts
, leading to economic hardship.
Heavy taxation:
Peasants suffered due to
high land revenue taxes
imposed by the British.
Famines and poverty:
Frequent famines occurred due to
export of food grains to Britain
.
Commercialization of agriculture:
Farmers were forced to grow
cash crops like indigo and cotton
instead of food crops.
Exploitation of resources:
India’s natural resources were
used for British industries
, creating resentment.
13. How did folk culture promote nationalism in India?
Answer:
Revival of folk songs and symbols:
Folk songs like
Vande
Mataram
and Bharat Mata images inspired patriotism.
Promotion of Swadeshi:
Folklore encouraged people to
boycott British goods
and adopt
Swadeshi products
.
Glorification of past heroes:
Stories of
Shivaji, Rana Pratap, and Rani
Lakshmibai
inspired national pride.
Use of traditional festivals:
Festivals like
Ganesh Utsav (by Tilak)
became platforms for spreading nationalist ideas.
Role of newspapers:
Folk stories were printed in newspapers,
reaching a larger audience
and uniting Indians.
14. How did the Press contribute to India's freedom struggle?
Answer:
Spread of nationalist ideas:
Newspapers like
Kesari
(Tilak) and Young India (Gandhi)
spread anti-British views.
Exposure of British atrocities:
Reports on events like
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
created awareness.
Promotion of Swadeshi Movement:
Newspapers urged people to
boycott British goods
.
Uniting people:
Vernacular press (regional newspapers) reached
rural masses
, strengthening unity.
Inspiration for revolts:
Press coverage of
Russian and Irish revolutions
inspired Indian revolutionaries.
15. Explain the significance of the Government of India Act, 1935.
Answer:
Introduced provincial autonomy:
Allowed Indian ministers to control
some departments
at the provincial level.
Formation of a Federal Government:
Proposed a federal structure, including
British India and princely states
.
Separate electorates for minorities:
Provided special representation for
Muslims, Sikhs, and Scheduled Castes
.
Limited franchise:
Only
10% of Indians
were given voting rights.
Failed to satisfy Congress:
Congress opposed it as it did
not grant complete independence
.
16. What were the effects of the Partition of India (1947)?
Answer:
Massive communal violence:
Riots between
Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs
killed thousands.
Migration crisis:
Around
10-15 million people migrated
between India and Pakistan.
Refugee crisis:
Millions lost homes and had to settle in
camps in India and Pakistan
.
Division of resources:
India and Pakistan divided
army, treasury, and government offices
.
Kashmir conflict:
The division led to
wars between India and Pakistan
over Kashmir.
17. How did peasants participate in the Indian national movement?
Answer:
Champaran
Satyagraha (1917):
Gandhi led a movement against
forced indigo cultivation
.
Kheda Satyagraha (1918):
Peasants protested
high taxes
despite a
famine
.
Civil Disobedience Movement (1930):
Farmers refused to
pay land revenue and rent
to landlords.
Tebhaga
and
Bardoli
Movements:
Peasants in
Bengal and Gujarat
fought against landlord exploitation.
Role in Quit India Movement (1942):
Peasants participated in
destruction of government properties
to weaken British rule.
18. Explain the impact of communalism on the Indian freedom struggle.
Answer:
Divide and Rule Policy:
British encouraged communal tensions to
weaken Indian unity
.
Hindu-Muslim divisions:
Conflicts arose between
Congress and the Muslim League
over representation.
Formation of Muslim League (1906):
Muslim League
demanded separate Muslim representation
.
Demand for Pakistan:
The League, under
Jinnah
, demanded a
separate nation for Muslims
in 1940.
Partition of India (1947):
Communal violence and tensions led to
India’s division into two countries
.
19. What was the significance of the Lahore Session of 1929?
Answer:
Congress demanded complete independence:
Declared
Purna
Swaraj (Complete Independence)
as its goal.
Jawaharlal Nehru’s leadership:
Nehru presided over the session, promoting
youth involvement
.
Declaration of 26 January 1930 as Independence Day:
Congress urged people to
celebrate self-rule
.
Launch of Civil Disobedience Movement:
Gandhi planned the
Dandi March
to protest British policies.
Strengthened nationalist movement:
The session
united Indians
against British rule.
20. How did the nationalist movement lead to the formation of a democratic India?
Answer:
Influence of Congress:
Leaders like
Gandhi and Nehru
promoted democracy and equality.
Constitutional Developments:
Acts like the
Government of India Act (1935)
paved the way for self-rule.
Growth of political awareness:
Indians understood the
importance of voting and representation
.
Role of leaders:
B.R. Ambedkar and Sardar Patel worked towards
framing the Indian Constitution
.
Adoption of the Constitution (1950):
India became a
sovereign, socialist, secular, and democratic republic
.
