Class 10 Notes on Nationalism in India | Revision Notes| History

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Class 10 Notes on Nationalism in India PDF

Points to remember:

  • Modern nationalism in Europe came to be associated with the formation of nation- state. 
  • In colonies, the growth of nationalism is connected to anti- colonial sentiments.
  • Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in January 1915, from South Africa.  
  • C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to participate in the provincial council elections.
  • In December 1929, under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, the Lahore Congress adopted the agenda of Purna Swaraj or complete independence. 
  • Mahatma Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj, in which he declared that ‘British rule was established in India with the cooperation of the Indians, and had survived only because of this cooperation. If the Indians refused to cooperate, British rule in India would collapse within a year, and Swaraj would come’.
  • Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, organised Dalits into the Depressed Classes Association in 1930.
  • Ambedkar clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the Second Round Table Conference by demanding separate electorates for Dalits.
  • Natesa Sastri published a four-volume collection of Tamil Folktales- The Folklore of Southern India.
  • Martial law: A law that prohibits public gathering. 
  • Mahatma Gandhi designed the Swaraj flag, representing the idea of self-help.
  • At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur: Non-cooperation movement turned violent and Gandhiji called off the movement.  
  • Jawaharlal Nehru and Baba Ramchandra organized farmers into Oudh Kisan Sabha.  
  • Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay was first to design the image of Bharat Mata.
  • Gandhi- Irwin Pact: Gandhiji agreed to participate in a Second Round Table Conference in London and the government agreed to release the political prisoners.

At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur: Non-cooperation movement turned violent and Mahatma Gandhi called off the movement.

Questions and Answers:

Q1. The First World War proved to be a major factor in the growth of nationalism in India. Explain. Or

What were the implications of the First World War on the growth of nationalism in India?  Ans. Implication of the First World War on Indian economy and society: 

  1. Forced recruitment: Villagers were forcefully employed in the British army which caused widespread anger.
  2. Increased taxes: It also led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by increasing taxes, custom duties and introducing income tax.
  3. High prices: Prices also increased and doubled (between 1913-1918) leading to extreme hardships for common people.
  4. Food shortage: Crops failed in many parts of India causing acute food shortage.
  5. Influenza epidemic (or influenza pandemic): An influenza epidemic occurred, but the British government remained indifferent to the miseries of common people.

Q2.  What is satyagraha?

Ans. Satyagraha was based on the twin principles of truth and non- violence. 

  1. Truth: Satyagraha emphasised the cause of truth and the struggle against injustice. Also, physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor.
  2. Non- violence: A satyagrahi could win the battle through non- violence by persuading the oppressor to spot the truth.
  3. Mass struggle: It was a novel method of mass agitation against racist regime.
  4. Principle of non-aggression: Gandhiji expounded his approach against aggression and assault.
  5. Appealing to the conscience: Gandhiji believed that without seeking revenge or being hostile, a satyagrahi could win the battle through non- violence,simply by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor.

Q3. What were the three local issues in which Gandhiji experimented his technique of satyagraha during the

year 1916-1918? How were these issues resolved?                                                                                                                                                                        OR

How did Gandhiji successfully organize satyagraha movements in various places just after arriving in India? Explain by giving three examples.

Ans. Initial three satyagraha movements by Gandhiji:

  1. Champaran, Bihar (1916): Gandhiji organized a satyagraha in Champaran to inspire the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system. Their demands were sanctioned.
  2. Kheda, Gujarat (1917): He organized satyagraha to support the peasants who were affected by crop failure and plague epidemic and could not pay revenue demand. The unpaid dues of the farmers were waived off.
  3. Ahmedabad, Gujarat (1918): He organized satyagraha movement amongst cotton mill workers who were protesting for better wages. The British had to increase the wages along with reform in working conditions.

Q4. What factors contributed to the launch of Non-Cooperation movement?                         OR What was Rowlatt Act?                                                                                                     OR

Why did Gandhi decide to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act 1919? Ans. Factors that led to the launch of the Non- Cooperation Movement are-

  1. Rowlatt Act (1919)-
    1. It was passed by the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members.  
    1. This act gave the government power to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.
    1. It tried to suppress freedom of speech. 
  • Jallianwala Bagh Massacre-
    • On 13 April 1919, thousands of people had gathered to attend a fair at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. 
    • As Rowlatt Satyagraha turned violent, the government imposed Martial Law.  iii. People in Amritsar were unaware of the Martial Law that had been imposed. iv. General Dyer and his troops blocked the exit point on the ground and attacked the peaceful gathering, killing hundreds.
    • Dyer declared that he wanted to create in the minds of satyagrahis, a feeling of terror and awe.
    • The incident created a widespread anger amongst the Indians. 
  • Khilafat Movement- 
    • The Turkish Empire was partitioned and the position of Sultan called Khalifa was sacked.
    • Khalifa was the religious head of Islamic community and hence large no. of Muslims came to support him in India. 
    • To defend the Khalifa’s temporal power, Muslim community called for Khilafat movement, which was supported by Gandhiji.
    • Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali started the Khilafat movement in Bombay.
    • Gandhiji knew that it was a huge opportunity to bring Muslims under the united national movement and that is why he supported the Khilafat cause. 

Q5. How did the Non-Cooperation Movement unfold in towns and cities? 

Ans.  The Non- Cooperation Movement unfold in stages- 

  1. The movement began with the surrender of titles that the government had awarded.
  2. Boycott of civil services, army, police, court and Legislative Councils and government offices.  
  3. Thousands of students left government-controlled schools and colleges, headmasters and teacher resigned and lawyers gave up their legal practices.
  4. Foreign produce was boycotted. Liquor shops were picketed and foreign cloth was burnt in huge bonfires.
  5. Merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade. 
  6. People began discarding imported cloth and started wearing Indian.

Q6. Why did the initial enthusiasm towards Non-Cooperation Movement slow down?

Ans.This movement gradually slowed down because: 

  1. Expensive khadi: Khadi cloth was more expensive than mass produced mill cloth, and poor people could not afford to buy it.
  2. No alternative: The boycott of British institutions posed a problem as there was no alternative Indian institution available.
  3. Lack of vision: The idea of Swaraj was not clear in the minds of satyagrahis.
  4. No clear leadership: Prominent leaders failed to reach the masses.
  5. Limited to cities: It was only restricted to towns and cities and did not spread in the countryside.

Q7. Why did the tribals in Andhra region, peasants in Awadh and the plantation workers in Assam participate in the Non- Cooperation Movement? How did they interpret the call for swaraj?  OR What were the demands of farmers in Awadh in the year 1921?

Ans. Different people interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi differently:  

THE TRIBAL PEOPLE:

Reasons for participation in NCM

  1. Lost means of livelihood: The colonial government closed large forest areas, preventing people from entering the forest to graze their cattle, or to collect fuel wood and fruits.
  2. Begar(forced labour): The government forced tribal peasants to contribute in providing ‘begar’ to build roads.

Participation in NCM

  1. Violent methods of struggle: When the Non Cooperation Movement started, tribes participated in large numbers and attacked the British officials, police stations and carried guerilla warfare.
  2. Violation of forest laws: Forest dwellers resisted forest laws by sending their cattle to forests without paying the grazing fee. 
  3. Inspired by Gandhi:These were led by Alluri Sitaram Raju, who was an exemplar of Gandhiji, and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.

Interpretation of Swaraj-

  1. Tribals believed that swaraj would mean that people will be allowed to enter forest(s), graze their cattle and collect forest produce.
  2. They don’t have to contribute to begar.

PEASANTS IN AWADH:

Reasons for participation in NCM:

  1. Heavy taxes: Landlords demanded high rents and a variety of other taxes.
  2. Demands of peasants: The peasants’ movement led by Baba Ramchandra demanded- • reduction in revenues
    1. abolition of begar and, 
    1. social boycott of oppressive landlords.

Participation in NCM

  1. Peasant organization: The Oudh Kisan Sabha was set up by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Baba Ramchandra to lead struggle against the Talukdars.
  2. Boycott: Washermen and barbers denied their services to the oppressive landlords. 
  3. Violent methods: The movements spread in 1921. The houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked and looted and grain hoards were taken over.

Interpretation of Swaraj

a. Peasants believed that swaraj would mean reduction in revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.

PLANTATION WORKERS:

Reasons for participation in NCM

  1. Poor work conditions: In Assam, plantation workers demanded a huge increase in their wages. They left the British owned plantations. 
  2. Free movement:  Plantation workers in Assam interpreted freedom as – the right to move freely in and out of the confined area in which they were enclosed.
  3. Retaining link: It also meant holding links with the village from which they had come.

Interpretation of Swaraj:  

  1. Free movement: Plantation workers in Assam interpreted freedom as – the right to move freely in and out of the confined area in which they were enclosed.
  2. Retaining link: It also meant keeping links with the village from which they had come.

Participation in NCM

  1. Defying authorities: When people heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left plantations and headed home. 
  2. Re-distribution of land: They believed that Gandhi Raj was approaching, and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

Q8. Describe the economic impact of the Non-Cooperation Movement. 

Ans. Impact of Non-Cooperation Movement on the economy of India: 

  1. Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops picketed and foreign cloth was burned in huge bonfires.
  2. The import of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922, consequently dropping its value from Rs. 102 crore to Rs. 57 crore.
  3. In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade.
  4. As the boycott movement spread, people began discarding imported clothes and wearing Indian.
  5. Production of Indian textile mills and handlooms went up. 

Q9. What was the prime objective of Simon Commission? Why did people in India boycott Simon Commission? How did Indians welcome the Simon Commission?

Ans.The Simon Commission: In 1927, the British government in England decided to send a Commission headed by Lord Simon to decide India’s political future.

Its objectives were-

  1. To look into the functioning of Constitutional system in India.
  2. To suggest measures to improve Indian administrations.

Indians boycotted the Simon Commission because–

a. All the members of the Commission were Englishmen. 

Arrival of Simon Commission-

  1. The exclusion of Indians from the membership of the Commission had raised a huge protest in India.
  2. When the commission arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan- “Go Back Simon.”
  3. Congress and the Muslim League participated in the protest.

Q10. What is the importance of the Congress session held in 1929 at Lahore?

Ans. In December 1929, the Congress session was held in Lahore with Pt. Nehru as its President.

It was important as-

  1. Congress made the demand of Purna-Swaraj (complete Independence) of India.
  2. It was decided to launch the Civil-Disobedience Movement, led by Gandhi.
  3. It was decided that 26th January, 1930 would be celebrated as Independence Day all over the country and Congress’ Tricolour flag would be hosted.
  4. After independence, 26th January 1950 was declared as Republic Day as the Constitution of India came into force on that day. 

Q11. What was Salt tax? Why did Gandhiji use salt as a medium to launch Civil Disobedience Movement?

Ans. According to the law, the British government of India had a monopoly on the production and sale of salt. The British government also imposed heavy taxes on salt, making it unaffordable for poor. 

Gandhiji used salt as a medium to launch Civil Disobedience Movement because:

  1. He believed that it was sinful to tax salt since it is an essential item in Indian food.
  2. The Salt March related the general desire of freedom to a specific complaint shared by everyone and thus united Hindus and Muslims and rich and poor. 
  3. According to Gandhiji, the tax on salt and government monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of the British rule. 

Q12. Explain the features of the Civil Disobedience Movement of 1930. 

Ans. Features of Civil Disobedience Movement are: 

  1. Breaking of colonial laws: People were asked not only to refuse cooperation with the laws made by British but also to break it. E.g.- Breaking of Salt Law (Dandi March).
  2. Boycott: Large no. of people demonstrated in front of government factories, foreign cloths were boycotted and liquor shops were picketed.
  3. No tax campaign: Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes, village officials resigned. E.g. a full-fledged ‘No tax campaign’ was launched in Bardoli (Gujarat).
  4. Violation of forest law: Tribals violated forest laws by going into reserved forested areas to collect wood and to graze cattle. 
  5. Swadeshi: Idea of self-help was popularized by Gandhiji while asking people to use khadi and other swadeshi items. 

Q13. Describe the event that marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.  Ans. Breaking of Salt Law marked the beginning of Civil Disobedience Movement.

  1. Gandhiji wrote a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating 11 demands. Some of these were of general interest; others were specific demands of different classes.
  2. He also demanded abolition of the Salt Tax. Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor Also, it was one of the most essential items in Indian food.
  3. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production- Mahatma Gandhi declared and revealed the most oppressive face of British rule.
  4. As Irwin was unwilling to negotiate, Gandhiji started his famous Salt March accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers.
  5. The March was over 240 miles, from his ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town of Dandi.  
  6. Thousands came to apprehend Mahatma Gandhi wherever he stopped. Gandhiji told people the meaning of swaraj and urged them to peacefully defy the British and their laws.
  7. On 6th April he reached Dandi (Gujarat), and ceremonially violated the Salt Law, manufactured salt by boiling sea water.

Q14. Differentiate between Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement.

Ans. Difference between Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement are: 

 Non- Cooperation MovementCivil Disobedience Movement
1)  It was launched in 1920s.It was launched in 1930s.
2)  It was considered as a passive movement.It was considered as an active movement.
3)  Large no. of Muslims participated, whereas women’s participation was almost negligible.Participation of Muslims reduced significantly and women participated in large numbers. 
4)  People            resisted           cooperation            with     the government.The people defied colonial laws.
5)  ‘No tax campaign’ didn’t get momentum.People refused to pay taxes in this movement. 

Q15. Why did various classes participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Ans. Many communities participated in Civil Disobedience Movement for the following reasons: 

  1. Rich Peasants-
    1. They were hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices.  
    1. They found it impossible to pay the government revenue demands as their income reduced.
    1. The refusal of the government to reduce the revenue demands led to widespread resentment. 
    1. They became enthusiastic supporters of the Civil Disobedience Movement, organizing their communities and forcing reluctant members to participate in the boycott programmes.
  1. Poor Peasants-
    1. They were small tenants who cultivated land on rent (land taken from landlords.)  
    1. Due to economic depression,their income in cash decreased, the small tenants found it difficult to pay their rent.  
    1. They wanted the unpaid rent to the landlord to be remitted. 
    1. They joined a variety of radical movements, often led by socialists and communists.
    1. Their participation was limited as Congress was not willing to support the ‘No Rent Campaign’. 
  1. Business Class and Industrialists Class-
    1. During the 1st World War, Indian merchants and industrialists made huge profits and became powerful. 
    1. Keen on expanding their business, they immediately reacted against colonial policies that restricted business activities.  
    1. They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods and a rupee authentic foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports.
    1. To organise business interests, they formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries in 1927. 
    1. The industrialists attacked colonial control over the Indian economy and supported the Civil Disobedience Movement.
  • Women-
    • During Gandhi’s Salt March, thousands of women came out of their homes to apprehend him.  
    • People participated in protest marches, manufactured salt and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.  Many went to jail.  
    • In urban areas these women were from high- caste Hindu families and in rural areas they came from the rich peasant households.  
    • Moved by Gandhiji’s call, people began to see service to the nation as a sacred duty of women.
    • Their increased public role didn’t bring any radical change in the society.
    • The Congress leaders wanted only their symbolic presence in the movement.
  • Industrial Workers-
    • Industrial workers did not participate largely in the Civil Disobedience Movement (except in Nagpur region) because the industrialists were supporting the Congress.  
    • Some workers did participate in CDM, selectively adopting some of the ideas of the Gandhian programme like boycott of foreign goods, wearing Gandhian caps, as part of their own movement against low wages and poor working conditions. 
    • Congress was reluctant (not willing) to include workers’ demands as part of its programme to struggle.

Q16. What was Gandhiji’s attitude towards Untouchables?

Ans. Mahatma Gandhi called Untouchables “Harijans”.

  1. Gandhiji organised Satyagraha, to secure entry into the temples, access to public-wells, tanks, roads, and schools.
    1. He himself did the work of untouchables and persuaded upper caste to give-up the sin of untouchability.
    1. He believed that Swaraj would not come if untouchability would not be eliminated.

Q17. Why did various groups or communities resist to participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement? OR What were the limitations of the Civil Disobedience Movement? (For writing answer in brief, point d. under both the headings will be listed.)

Ans. Limitations of CDM– 

Dalits and Muslims were reluctant to participate in Civil Disobedience Movement because: 

  1. Dalits- 
    1. The conservative high-class Hindus supported Congress.  
    1. Dalits were in favour of separate electorates.
    1. They began organizing themselves and formed Depressed Classes Association in 1931.  
    1. The Congress had ignored the Dalits, for fear of offending the conservative high caste Hindus. As a result Dalits participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement was limited, particularly in Maharashtra region. 
  1. Muslims-
    1. There was a feeling of distrust and fear between Hindus and Muslims. 
    1. Muslim League asked for separate electorates which was denied by Congress.
    1. The Muslim League under the leadership of Muhammad Ali Jinnah displayed Congress as a party of Hindus, convincing Muslims not to join the Civil Disobedience Movement.
    1. The decline of the Non-Cooperation- Khilafat movement resultedly made a large section of Muslims alienated from the Congress.

Q18. ‘Large section of Muslims did not respond to the call for a united struggle, during the Civil Disobedience Movement’. Explain with examples.

Ans. Muslims didn’t participate in Civil Disobedience in large no.:

  1. Associations of Congress with Hindu Mahasabha: In the mid 1920’s, the Congress visibly came to associate with Hindu religious nationalist groups like Hindu Mahasabha.
  2. Communal clashes: Relations between Hindus and Muslims worsened. Each community organized religious processions with militant fervor, provoking Hindu- Muslim communal clashes and riots.
  3. Demand for separate electorate(s): The Muslim League demanded separate electorate that would choose Muslim as its members for Legislative Council.
  4. Status of Muslims in Hindu majority state: Muslim leaders and intellectuals feared that the culture and identity of minorities would submerge under the domination of a Hindu minority.
  5. Failure of Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement: After the decline of Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement, a large section of Muslims felt alienated from the Congress. 

Q19. Explain the factors that shaped the national politics of late 1920’s in India.             OR Why did Congress reject the idea of First Round Table Conference?                                                 OR 

Describe the main events leading to Salt March and Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930.  Ans. Factors that shaped the national politics of late 1920’s are:

i. The Economic Depression of 1929: 

  1. Producer of commercial crops were hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices.
    1. They found it impossible to pay the government revenue demand as their income reduced.
    1. The refusal of the government to reduce the revenue demand led to widespread anger.

 ii. Simon Commission:

  1. It was sent to India to look into the functioning of constitutional system in India and suggest measures to improve Indian administration.
  2. All the members of the Commission were Englishmen. The exclusion of Indians caused great resentment and boycott of the Commission. 

iii.       Dominion status:

  1. In October 1929, Lord Irwin offered dominion status for India in an unspecified future. 
    1. He also invited Congress to the Round Table Conference to discuss political future of India.  This call of Irwin was rejected by Gandhi. 

Q20.  What were the solutions suggested by B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi to improve the conditions of the untouchables in India? What is the significance of the Poona Pact in this regard?                      OR What was Poona Pact? What were the demands placed by dalits in Poona Pact? Ans. Solutions suggested by Ambedkar and Gandhiji –

  1. B. R. Ambedkar organized lower class Hindus into Depressed Classes Associations. 
  2. He believed that political empowerment could resolve the problem of their social disability.
  3. Ambedkar also demanded separate electorate for Dalits.
  4. Gandhiji wanted to eliminate untouchability from India and for this he started addressing Dalits or untouchables as Harijans.
  5. He also organized satyagraha to secure for them, entry into temples and use of public wells, roads etc.
  6. He believed that separate electorate would slow down the process of their integration into the society. 

Significance of Poona Pact:

  1. Ambedkar gave up his demand for separate electorate for Dalits and accepted Gandhiji’s position and signed Poona Pact in September 1932.
  2. According to this, the Depressed Classes were given reserved seats in provincial and central legislative councils, but they were to be voted in by the general electorate.

Q21. How did the ‘Reinterpretation of history’ create a feeling of nationalism in India? Ans. The ‘Reinterpretation of history’ created a feeling of nationalism in India:

  1. By the end of the 19th century, many Indians began to feel that to instill a sense of pride in the nation, Indian history had to be thought about differently.
  2. The British saw Indians as backward and primitive, incapable of governing themselves. In response, Indians began looking into the past to discover India’s rich heritage and its great achievements.
  3. They wrote about the glorious developments in ancient times when art and architecture, science and mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy and craft and trade had flourished.
  4. This glorious time, in their view, was followed by a history of decline, when India was colonized.
  5. Nationalist historians urged the readers to take pride in India’s great achievements in the past and struggle to change the miserable conditions of life under British rule. 

Q22. How did the idea of nationalism develop through a movement to revive Indian folklore?  Ans. The idea of nationalism developed through a movement to revive Indian folklore: 

  1. In the late 19th century India, nationalists began recording folk tales sung by bards (professional story teller) and they toured villages to collect folk songs and legends.
  2. These tales, they believed, gave a true picture of traditional culture that had been corrupted and damaged by outside forces.
  3. It was essential to revive Indian folklore in order to discover one’s national identity and restore a sense of pride in one’s past.
  4. In Bengal, Rabindranath Tagore began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes and myths.
  5. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a massive four volume collection of Tamil folk tales – The Folklore of Southern India.
  6. It was believed that folklore was national literature, the most trustworthy sign of people’s real thoughts and characteristics. 

Q23. ‘Some icons and symbols were used for unifying the people and sparking in them the feelings of nationalism’. Give two evidences to support the statement.

Ans. Role of icons and symbols in creating feeling of nationalism: 

  1. The identity of India came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata. The image of Bharat Mata was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
  2. The flag also became a symbol of nationalism. In 1921 Gandhiji designed the swaraj flag which represented the Gandhian idea of self-help.

Q24. What factors led to the growth of nationalism in India?                                                                                                                                                                   OR

What factors created a sense of collective belongings among the people of India?                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               OR 

How did the people belonging to different communities, regions or languages develop a sense of collective belonging during the Indian freedom struggle?

Ans. Factors that led to the growth of nationalism in India are- 

  1. Experience of United Struggle– United struggle against the British rule brought people from different communities and the regions together.  The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a bond that tied people.
  2. National Symbols – Symbols like national flag and national song (Vande Mataram) helped in bringing the people together.
  3. Revival of Indian Folklore– Indian drama and poetry were displayed to restore a sense of pride.  For example, Rabindranath Tagore began collecting ballads, nursery rhymes, myths and led the movement for folk revival.
  4. Reinterpretation of History- Indian nationalists began looking into the past to discover India’s achievements in the fields of art and architecture, science and mathematics, religion and culture, law and philosophy, craft and trade, etc.
  5. First World War- The British government declined the demand of Home rule and forcefully recruited villagers into the British army to fight in the war. This created resentment against the government. 
  6. National Identity: The identity of India came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata.

The image of Bharat Mata was created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. 

Home Assignment

Q1. Why did Gandhiji withdraw Civil Disobedience Movement?

Ans. Gandhiji withdrew Civil Disobedience Movement as the movementwas turning violent and Viceroy Irwin offered him to participate in the Second Round Table Conference at London to decide the political future of the country and in lieu , political prisoners were released by the government. 

Q2. Why did the initial enthusiasm of the merchants and industrialists fade away during the later stages of the Civil Disobedience Movement?  

Ans. The merchants and businessmen were apprehensive of the spread of militant activities, and worried about prolonged disruption of business, as well as of the growing influence of socialism amongst the younger members in Congress.  

Q3. What reason was cited by Mahatma Gandhi to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement? 

Ans. In February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non- Cooperation Movement. He felt the movement was turning violent in many places and satyagrahis needed to be properly trained before they would be ready for mass struggle.

Q4. Why did Congress disapprove the way Non-Cooperation Movement spread in Awadh? 

Ans. Congress disapproved the way Non-Cooperation Movement spread in Awadh because: 

  1. The houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted and grain hoards were taken over.
  2. In many places, local leaders informed peasants about Gandhiji’s declaration of no tax payment and redistribution of land amongst the poor.
  3. The name of Mahatma Gandhi was being invoked to sanction all actions and aspirations of common people.

Q5. How did Indians manifest their disapproval towards Rowlatt Act?

Ans.Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi the Indians showed their disapproval towards Rowlatt Act by: 

  1. On 6th April, Gandhiji launched a non-violent Civil Disobedience against Rowlatt Act with a nationwide hartal.
  2. Rallies were organized in various cities, workers went on strike in railway workshops, and shops closed down.
  3. Peaceful processions were organized and Gandhiji marched towards Delhi but was barred from entering Delhi. 
  4. Lines of communication such as the railways and telegraph services were disrupted by the satyagrahis. 

Q6. Who formed Swaraj Party? Why was it formed?

Ans. Swaraj Party was formed by Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das) and Motilal Nehru.

Reasons for its formation:

  1. To participate in the provincial council elections announced by Government of India Act. 
  2. They felt that it was important to oppose British policies within the council and argue for reforms. 
  3. They wanted to demonstrate councils as truly undemocratic.

Q7. On what ground was Muhammad Ali Jinnah ready to give up the demand for separate electorate?  Ans.  He was willing to give up the demand for separate electorate if Muslims were assured reserved seats in the Central Assembly and representation in proportion to population in the Muslim dominated provinces. 

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