NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science History Chapter 3 Nationalism in India

Q. 1. Explain: (Write in Brief)

(a) Why growth of nationalism in the colonies is linked to an anti-colonial movement?
Ans. Colonisation affected people’s freedom, and nationalist sentiments rushed during the process of struggle against the British domination. For people, the sense of oppression and exploitation became a common bond, which gave rise to the nationalist ideas. Thus, the growth of nationalism in the colonies is very much important to an anti-colonial movement.

(b) How did the First World War help in the growth of the National Movement in India?
Ans. There was forced recruitment in the rural areas of India by the British army during the First World War. To finance the defence expenditure, high custom duties and income taxes were imposed. This caused widespread anger among the rural and common people. At this stage, a new leader appeared and suggested a new mode of struggle. Crops failed in many parts of India, during 1918-19 and 1920-21, which resulted in severe food shortage.

(c) Why were Indians outraged by the Rowlatt Act?
Ans. Rowlatt Act was passed in March 1919 by the imperial legislative.
(i) This had unbridled powers to the government to arrest and imprison suspect without trial for two years maximum.
(ii) This had enabled the Government to suspend the right to ‘Habeas Corpus’ (a writ requiring a person to be brought before a judge or court), which had been the foundation of civil liberties in Britain.
(iii) It caused a wave of anger among all sections and societies of India. It led to the first countrywide agitation by M.K. Gandhi and marked the foundation of the Non-cooperation movement.

(d) Why did Gandhiji decide to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Ans. (i) In February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement. He felt the movement was turning violent at many places and satyagrahis needed to be properly trained before they would be ready for mass struggles.
(ii) Within the Congress, some leaders were by now tired of mass struggles and wanted to participate in elections to the provincial councils that had been set up by the Government of India Act of 1919. They felt that it was important to oppose British policies within the councils, argue for reform and also demonstrate that these councils were not truly democratic.

Q. 2. What is meant by the idea of Satyagraha?
Ans. The idea of Satyagraha mainly implies a unique method of mass agitation that highlights the powers of truth, and the need to search for truth. It focuses on non-violence and emphasis that if the cause is true and the fight is against injustice then there is no need for coercion. Gandhiji believed in the institution of dharma – non-violence and that it could led to national unity and harmony.

Q. 3. Write a newspaper report on:

(a) The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Ans. On Baisakhi day, a large crowd of people, mostly from neighbouring villages, unaware of the prohibitory orders in the city, had gathered in this small park to protest against the arrest of their leaders, Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal. The army surrounded the gathering under order from General Dyer and blocked the only exit point and opened fire on the unarmed crowd killing around 1000. The incident was followed by uncivilised brutalities on the inhabitants of Amritsar. The entire nation was stunned. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest. Gandhi was overwhelmed by the total atmosphere of violence and withdrew the movement in April 1919.

(b) The Simon Commission
Ans. There was a chorus of protest by all Indians against the appointment of an all-white, seven member Indian Statutory Commission, popularly known as the Simon Commission (after the name of its Chairman Sir John Simon) in November 1927. The Commission was to recommend to the Government whether India was ready for further constitutional reforms and on what lines. Set up in response to the nationalist movement, the commission was to look into functioning of the constitutional system in India and suggest changes. But as reported, the commission did not have a single Indian member. The Indian response was against the commission and the basic notion behind the exclusion that foreigners would discuss and decide upon India’s fitness for self-government. This notion was seen as a violation of the principle of self-determination, and a deliberate insult to the self-respect of Indians.
The Commission landed in Bombay in February 1928. On that day, a countrywide strike was organised and mass rallies were held. Wherever the commission went, there were black flag demonstrations, hartal and slogans of ‘Simon g o back’.

Q. 4. Compare the images of Bharat Mata in this chapter with the image of Germania in chapter 1.
Ans. Abanindranath’s image of Bharat Mata shows her as imparting learning, food and clothing. A mala is worn by her, which shows aesthetic quality. Devotion to this mother figure came to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism. One can say, it is similar to the image of Germania painted by Philip Veit, where she is holding a sword, but also looks more feminine. Whereas the other painting of Bharat Mata shows her more masculine in nature as it shows power and authority which is denoted by lion and elephant beside her in the painting. The latter image is more parallel to the image of Germania by Lorenz Clasen, where she holds a sword and a shield, and seems ready for a fight. In France she was Christened Marianne, a popular Christian name which underlined the idea of a people’s nation. Her characteristics were drawn from those of liberty and the Republic—the red cap, the tricolour, the cockade. Status of Marianne were erected in public squares to remind the public of the national symbol of unity. Similarly Germania became the allegory of the German nation. In a visual representations Germania wears a crown of Oak leaves, as the German Oak stands for heroism.

Q. 5. 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.
Ans. The different social groups that joined the Non-cooperation Movements of 1921 were the urban middle class comprising lawyers, teachers and headmasters, students, peasants, tribals and workers.
>> Peasants, Tribal and workers joined the movement from the countryside. They did so with hopes of self-emancipation. Peasants rebelled against talukdars and landlords, who demanded high rents and had to do begar or free labour.
>> Tribal peasants – They revolted against the enclosure of large forest tracts by the British government, which left them devoid of a livelihood as well as traditional rights.
>> Plantation workers – They desired freedom to move about and retain links with the villages they came from.
>> All three believed that Gandhi Raj would come with the Non-Cooperation Movement, and this would mark an end to their sorrows. Hence, they joined the anti-colonial struggle.

Q. 6. Discuss the salt March to make clear why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.
Ans. Gandhi on January 31, 1930 sent a letter to the Viceroy Irwin, consisting 11 most essential demands. Some of these were of general interest while others were specific demands of different classes, from industrialists to peasants. The idea was t o make the demands wide-ranging, so that all classes within the Indian society could identify with them and everyone could be brought together in a united campaign. But the most unusual of the demand was the abolishment of salt tax. The Salt March was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism because it was done in revolt against a commodity-salt, used by the rich and the poor alike. The tax on salt, and the government monopoly over its production was a severely oppressive administrative move. Gandhi’s letter was an ultimatum. According to which if the demands were not fulfilled by 11th March, the congress would launch a civil disobedience campaign. Irwin was unwilling to negotiate. So, Gandhi stated his famous salt march accompanied by 79 of his trusted volunteers.
The march was over 240 miles, from Gandhi’s ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town Dandi and ceremonially violated the law, manufactured salt by boiling sea water. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Q. 7. Imagine you are a woman participating in the civil Disobedience Movement. Explain what the experience meant to your life.
Ans. I participated in the National Movement for the first time by being a part of the Civil Disobedience Movement. It was feeling of pride for me. During Gandhi’s ‘Salt March’, I participated with thousands of women who came out of their homes to listen to him. We also participated in manufacturing salt, protest marches, picketed foreign goods and liquor shops. Women like me who came from the high caste families also joined in the protests in the urban areas. We all took part in the movements with great enthusiasm. We all stood by men and suffered physical blows with them. Even though it did not bring us any status in the movements but we all contributed in the struggle for freedom of our motherland. Even in Gandhi’s views, a women’s place was at home; as mothers, and good wives. The Congress also on the other hand did not give us any position in the organisation but we with all made our presence felt by our hard work and enthusiasm. There were many famous personalities amongst us like Sarojini Naidu, Kamla Nehru, Annie Beasant, who contributed to the national movements.

Q. 8. Why did political leaders differ sharply over the question of separate electorates?
Ans. The political leaders represented the different classes and communities of the Indian society. The question they mainly differed on was of separate electorate because of the difference in opinions. The main purpose to secure separate electorates for them was for by showing favours to their followers by reserving separate electoral seats for them. But Congress Party, especially Gandhi had an opinion that having a separate electoral would slow down the freedom movement and also adversely affect the unity of the country. His main fear was that the system of separate electorates would give a push to communalism and divide the country into pieces.

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