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Nationalism in India Class 10 Questions and Answers History Chapter 3
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Nationalism in India NCERT Intext Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Why did various classes and groups of Indians participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement? (Textbook Page 67)
Answer:
Various classes and groups of Indians participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement, each with its own specific aspiration. All of them responded to the call of swaraj, but the term meant different things to different people.
(i) In the countryside, rich peasant communities like the patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh were active participants in the movement. Being producers of commercial crops, they were very hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices. It was difficult for them to pay the government’s revenue demand. For them, the fight for swaraj was a struggle against high revenues.
(ii) The poorer peasantry were under double burden. As the depression continued and cash incomes became less the small tenants found it difficult to pay the rent to their landlords. In such a situation paying the government’s revenue demand was almost impossible for them. For them the struggle was against high revenues as well as claim by landloards for unpaid rent.
(iii) Business classes also joined the movement whole-heartedly. During the First World War, Indian merchants and industrialists had made huge profits and become powerful. Keen on expanding their business, they now reacted against colonial policies that restricted business activities. They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods and a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports. They supported the Civil Disobedience Movement by giving financial assistance and refusing to buy or sell imported goods. They came to see swaraj at a time when colonial restrictions on business would no longer exist and trade and industry would flourish without constraints.
(iv) The industrial working classes did not participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement in large numbers. As the industrialists came closer to the Congress, workers stayed aloof. But in spite of that, some workers did participate in the movement, selectively adopting some of the ideas of the Gandhian programme, like boycott of foreign goods, as part of their own movements against low wages and poor working conditions.
(v) Women, however, participated in the movement in large numbers. During Gandhiji’s salt march, thousands of women came out of their homes to listen to him. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops. Moved by Gandhiji’s call, they began to see service to the nation as a sacred duty of women.
Question 2.
Read the Source D (Textbook Page 69) carefully. Do you agree with Iqbal’s idea of communalism? Can you define communalism in a different way?
Answer:
No, I do not agree with Iqbal’s idea of communalism. He believed that it is a quest for a community to develop on its own lines. He believed that religion is the basis on which one’s thinking and behaviour are based. He opined that religion gives persons a common culture and literature. He glorified the concept that Hindus and Muslims should exist as separate entities in India. He reiterated the importance of separate electorate for the Muslims as an important safeguard for the political interests of the minorities. So far I think such a line of thinking is not justified. Iqbal’s idea is based on separatism. It was this idea that ultimately led to the partition of the country.
History Class 10 Chapter 3 NCERT Textbook Questions and Answers
Question 1.
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.
OR
Why did Gandhiji decide to withdraw the ‘Non-coperation Movement’ in February, 1922? Explain any three reasons. (CRSE 2017 D)
Answer:
(a) The growth of nationalism in the colonies including India is intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement. People in colonies discover their unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provides a shared bond that ties many different groups together.
(b)
- The First World War created a new economic and political situation. It led to a huge increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans and increasing taxes. Customs duties were raised and income tax introduced.
- Through the war years prices increased leading to extreme hardship for the common people. Villages were called upon to supply soldiers and the forced recruitment in rural areas angered the common mass.
- In 1918-19 and 1920-21, crops failed in many parts of India resulting in acute shortages of food. This was accompanied by an influenza epidemic. Millions of people died as a result of famines and the epidemic.
- People hoped that their hardships would end after the war was over. But that did not happen.
- All this caused widespread anger and opposition against the British colonial rule and the national movement in India took a stronger turn.
(c) The Rowlatt Act was passed hurriedly through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of the Indian members. The Act gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. The Indians were outraged by these laws as they were clearly undemocratic and oppressive and hurt national sentiments and dignity. Mahatma Gandhi called for a nation-wide protest against the proposed Rowlatt Act in 1919. Rallies were organised in various cities. Workers went on strike in railway workshops and shops closed down.
(d) Gandhiji decided to withdraw the Non-cooperation Movement because it was turning violent. Various incidents of violence perpetrated by the masses, especially the Chauri Chaura incident that took place in 1922 in Gorakhpur. Here, a peaceful demonstration in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with the police and the angry mob set police-station on fire in which several police were killed. Hearing of the incident, Mahatma Gandhi called a halt to this movement. He felt that people were not yet ready for a mass struggle, and the satyagrahis needed to be properly trained for non-violent demonstrations.
Question 2.
What is meant by the idea of satyagraha?
Answer:
What Mahatma Gandhi meant about satyagraha being active resistance was that it requires a lot of pure soul-force activity. It involves great sacrifices to be made, which can be done only by persons with strong will power. It requires resistance to oppression without using any physical force. The idea of satyagraha emphasises the power of truth and the need to search for truth. It suggests that if the cause is true, if the struggle is against injustice, then physical force is not necessary to fight the oppressor. Without being aggressive, a satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence. This can be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. By this struggle, truth is bound to triumph ultimately.
Question 3.
Write a newspaper report on:
(a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
(b) The Simon Commission
Answer:
On 13th April 1919, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed ground of Jallianwala Bagh. Some came to protest against the government’s new repressive measures. Others had come to attend the annual Baisakhi fair. Being from outside the city, many villagers were unaware of the martial law that had been imposed. General Dyer entered the area, blocked the exit points, and opened fire on the crowd, killing hundreds of innocent people. Dyer’s main intention was to ‘produce a moral effect’ and terrorise the satyagrahis.
The indiscriminate firing by the British soldiers led to nation-wide outrage. There were strikes, clashes with the police and attacks on government buildings. The Jallianwala Bagh incident was the most brutal incident in the history of India. The government responded with brutal repression seeking to humiliate and terrorise people, satyagrahis were forced to rub their noses on the grounds, crawl on the streets, and do salaam (salute) to all sahibs.
The Simon Commission was constituted by the new Tory government in Britain, under Sir John Simon. Set up in response to the nationalist movement, the commission was to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India and suggest changes. But nationalists in India opposed the commission because it did not have a single Indian member. They were all British. So, when the Simon Commission arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan ‘Go back Simon’. All parties, including the Congress and the Muslim League, participated in the demonstrations.
Question 4.
Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in Chapter 1.
Answer:
(i) The image of Bharat Mata was the symbol of Indian nation whereas the image of Germania symbolised the German nation.
(ii) Both images were created to give the abstract idea of the nation a concrete form and create an image with which people could identify and unify. These images inspired nationalists in their respective countries who worked hard to attain a liberal nation.
(iii) The image of Bharat Mata reflects the religious basis of its making but the image of Germania does not reflect religious fervour.
(iv) The image of Bharat Mata painted by Abanindranath Tagore is bestowed with learning, food and clothing and some ascetic quality also. Another painting of Bharat Mata is a contrast to this image as she is shown with a trishul, standing beside a lion and an elephant – both symbols of power and authority. This image appears similar to the image of Germania where she holds a sword and a shield.
Discuss
Question 1.
List all the different social groups which joined the Non-cooperation Movement of 1921.
Then choose any three and write about their hopes and struggles to show why they joined the movement.
Answer:
The different social groups which joined the Non-cooperation Movement of 1921 were-
- Middle classes in cities comprising students, teachers, lawyers, merchants and traders, etc.
- Peasants and tribals in rural areas
- Plantation workers in Assam
- Nai-dhobi
(i) The Non-cooperation Movement started with middle-class participation in the cities. In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods or finance foreign trade. For them, boycotting foreign goods would make the sale of Indian textiles and handlooms go up.
(ii) The peasants joined the movement because they hoped they would be saved from the ruthless landlords, and high taxes taken by the colonial government. In many places nai-dhobi bandhs were organised by panchayats to deprive landlords of the services of even barbers and washermen. As the movement spread in 1921, the houses of talukdars and merchants were attacked, bazaars were looted, and grain hoards were taken over.
(iii) Plantation workers in Assam had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the notion of swaraj. They joined the movement hoping they would get the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed and retain a link with the village from which they had come.
Question 2.
Discuss the Salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.
Answer:
(i) The Salt March conducted by Mahatma Gandhi emerged as an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism because it was done in revolt against salt which was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike, and it was one of the most essential items of food.
(ii) The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its productions revealed the most oppressive move of the British rule.
(iii) The Salt March was effective also because Gandhiji met a large number of common people during his march and he taught them what he meant by swaraj and urged them to peacefully defy the British. On 6 April, he reached Dandi, and ceremonially violated the law, manufacturing salt by boiling sea water.
(iv) This act of Gandhiji set forth an example to the entire nation of how the oppressor could be confronted in a non-violent manner. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement in which various social groups participated and made a collective effort to root out the British government in India.
Question 3.
Imagine you are a woman participating in the Civil Disobedience Movement. Explain what the experience meant to your life.
Answer:
Participating in Gandhiji’s Civil Disobedience Movement was a great experience. I felt proud for getting opportunity to work with him and listen to his graceful words. I met a variety of people who contributed greatly in broadening my outlook. I worked selflessly and with full dedication in the interest of my country. Like any other human beings, I too loved freedom and did whatever I could do to achieve it.
Question 4.
Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
Answer:
(i) Political leaders differed sharply over the question of separate electorates because all of them did not have the same opinion on this point.
(ii) Some dalit leaders like B.R. Ambedkar who favoured the cause of minorities demanded reserved seats in educational institutions and separate electorates for dalits. They believed that only political empowerment would resolve the problems of their social backwardness.
(iii) But Mahatma Gandhi was dead against this opinion. He believed that separate electorates for dalits would slow down the process of their integration into society.
(iv) Some nationalist leaders feared that the system of separate electorates would gradually divide the country into several segments because every community would then ask for separate representation. They believed that separate electorates were contrary to the spirit of true nationalism.
Project
Find out about the anti-colonial movement in Kenya. Compare and contrast India’s national movement with the ways in which Kenya became independent.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
Class 10 History Chapter 3 NCERT Intext Activity Questions and Answers
Question 1.
Read the text (Source A, Texbook Page 55) carefully. What did Mahatma Gandhi mean when he said satyagraha is active resistance?
Answer:
What Mahatma Gandhi meant about satyagraha being active resistance was that it requires a lot of pure soul-force activity. It involves great sacrifices to be made, which can be done only by persons with strong will power. It requires resistance to oppression without using any physical force. The idea of satyagraha emphasises the power of truth and the need to search for truth. It suggests that if the cause is true, if the struggle is against injustice, then physical force is not necessary to fight the oppressor. Without being aggressive, a satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence. This can be done by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor. By this struggle, truth is bound to triumph ultimately.
Question 2.
The year is 1921. You are a student in a government-controlled school. Design a poster urging school students to answer Gandhiji’s call to join the Non-cooperation Movement.
Answer:
Do it yourself.
Question 3.
If you were a peasant in Uttar Pradesh in 1920, how would you have responded to Gandhiji’s call for Swaraj? Give reasons for your response.
Answer:
I would have responded positively to Gandhiji’s call for swaraj by refusing to pay the landlords’ exorbitantly high rents and a variety of other cesses. I would have asked for reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords. For a peasant like me, Swaraj means freedom from the talukdars and landlords and their atrocities.
Question 4.
Look at Figs. 12 and 14 (Textbook Pages 71 and 72). Do you think these images will appeal to all castes and communities? Explain your views briefly.
Answer:
These two images of Bharat Mata have been portrayed as ascetic figures. So, I don’t think it will have an appeal to those who belong to non-Hindu community. Non-Hindus will definitely not be in any way attracted to these images.
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