Nationalism in India

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (1 MARK)

PREVIOUS YEARS' QUESTIONS

Q.1. Name the two main 'Satyagrah' movements organised by Mahatma Gandhi successfully in favour of
peasants in 1916 and 1917. [Delhi 2008]
Ans. Two Satyagrah movements launched by Gandhiji:
(i) At Champaran in Bihar in 1916 against the Indigo planters.
(ii) At Kheda district in Gujarat on behalf of the peasants to protest against high revenue demands.

Q.2. What was the notion of Swaraj for plantation workers in Assam? [AI 20081]
Ans. For plantation workers in Assam, Swaraj or freedom meant the right to move freely and retaining a link with the
village from which they had come.

Q.3. Why did Indian leaders oppose Rowlatt Act in 1919? [Delhi 1999]
Ans. (i) Rowlatt Act was opposed by Indians as it deprived the people of their civil rights.
(ii) It authorised the government to imprison people without trial.

Q.4. State any two decisions made at the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress in 1929.
[Al 1999]
Ans. At the Lahore Session in 1929, the Congress declared that
(i) The attainment of complete independence or Puma Swaraj was to be the goal of Indian National Congress.
(ii) A Civil Disobedience Movement would be launched under the leadership of Gandhiji, unless their demands
were met.

Q.5. When was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed? Mention any one of its provisions. [Al 1998]
Ans. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931
(i) Gandhiji agreed to attend the 2nd Round Table Conference to be held in London.
(ii) The government would release political prisoners except those who were charged with violence in exchange for
the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement. (Any one)

Q.6. Why was Khilafat Movement started? [AI 1998]

Ans. Khilafat Movement started in India in 1920, to protest against the humiliation meted to the Turkish Caliph by the
British. It was also to oppose the break-up of Turkish empire.

NCERT QUESTIONS

Q.7. What is meant by the idea of Satyagraha?

Ans. Satyagraha is a novel method of agitation introduced by Gandhiji in Indian national movement.
The idea of Satyagraha is based on dl power of truth and non-violence.

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS

Q.8. Mention any one effect of the First World War on the rural areas of India.
Ans. (i) Through the war years there was unprecedented price-rise leading to extreme hardship for the common people.
 (ii) The villages were called upon to supply soldiers which was done through forced recruitment. This caused
unhappiness and anger. (Any one)

Q.9. Who was General Dyer? Why was he hated by Indians?

Ans. General Dyer was the military governor of Punjab at the time of Jallianwalla Bagh massacre.
He was hated by Indians because of the atrocities committed by him on them.

Q.10. Define Nationalism.

Ans. Nationalism refers to patriotism - a sense of belonging to one's nation.

Q.11. What is a nation-state?

Ans. Nation-states. A state having common territory and inhabited by people sharing common language, race, culture,
etc.

Q.12. How does colonialism generate nationalism?

Ans. In most countries, nationalism developed as a result of colonialism. People began discovering their identity and
unity in the process of their struggle against colonialism. The sense of being exploited and oppressed by
colonialism provided a shared bond and inspired them to resist together.

Q.13. Why was the Champaran Satyagraha organised?

Ans. Champaran Satyagraha was organised in 1916 by Gandhiji to protest against the oppressive plantation system in
indigo plantations of Bihar.

Q.14. With what aim was Satyagraha organised at Kheda in 1917?

Ans. The main aim of Kheda Satyagraha was to support the peasants. Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic
the peasants of Kheda could not pay revenue demanded by the landlords.

Q.15. What was Rowlatt Act?

Ans. Rowlatt Act was hurriedly passed in 1919 by the imperial Legislative assembly against the opposition of Indian
members. It authorisd detention of political persons without trial for two years.

Q.16. By whom was the book 'Hind Swaraj' written? What was the opinion of the author expressed in the
book?
Ans. 'Hind Swaraj' was written by Gandhiji. In this book, Gandhi expressed his opinion that if Indians had refused to
cooperate, British rule in India would collapse.

Q.17. Name two Muslim leaders of the Khilafat Movement.

Ans. Two Muslim leaders of the Khilafat movement were the Alt brothers Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.

Q.18. What was the significance of the Calcutta and Nagpur Sessions of Congress held in 1920?
Ans. At the Calcutta Session of Congress in September 1920, Gandhiji convinced other leaders of the need for starting a
Non-Cooperation Movement in support of Khilafat as well as Swaraj.
In December 1920, at the Congress Session finally Non-Cooperation Programme was adopted.

Q.19. What did Boycott Movement involve during Non-Cooperation Movement?

Ans. During Non-Cooperation Movement it was decided to boycott civil services, army, police, courts, Legislative
Councils schools and foreign goods. Defying law and non-payment of taxes also were included in the programme.

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Q.20. Mention any two contributions of Bala Ramchandra in peasant movement.
Ans. Baba Ramchandra was a sanyasi leader of peasant movement who on behalf of peasants demanded reduction of
revenue abolition of beggar, and social boycott of oppressive landlords. He worked in the region of Awadh.

Q.21. What was Inland Emigration Act of 1859?

Ans. Inland Emigration Act was passed in 1859 to impose restrictions on the movement of plantation workers.
According to this Act the workers were not permitted to leave tea gardens without permission.

Q.22. Mention any two effects of the Economic Depression between 1926-1930.
Ans. Two effects of the World Wide Economic Depression were that agricultural prices began to fall and collapsed after
1930. Exports declined, peasants found it difficult to sell their harvest and pay revenues.

Q.23. Why was the Simon Commission set up? Why was it boycotted by the Indians?
Ans. A statutory commission under Sir John Simon was set up in 1927 to look into the functioning of the constitutional
system in India and suggest changes. It was boycotted by the Indians as it was an all British commission. There was
no Indian member to represent them. Nor was there any promise for reform.

Q.24. Why and by whom was the Sabarmati Ashram set up?
Ans. Sabarmati Ashram was set up by Gandhiji on the bank of river Sabarmati at Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Q.25. Who was Abdul Gaffar Khan? What was his main contribution?
Ans. Abdul Gaffar Khan was a devout follower of Gandhiji and is often referred to as Frontier Gandhi. During the Civil
Disobedience he demonstrated in the streets of Peshawar facing armoured cars and police firing. He was arrested
in 1930.

Q.26. Who were the 'dalits'? What was Gandhiji's attitude towards them?
Ans. The so-called untouchables' in India had begun to call them selves' dal its' or oppressed. Gandhiji had a very
sympathetic attitude towards them. He called them ‘harijans or sons of god.

Q.27. By whom is our national song composed? In which famous Bengali novel is this song found?
Ans. The song Vande Mataram was composed by Bankim Chandra. This is included in the famous novel Ananda math
written by him.

Q.28. Identify the two main ideals of Satyagraha?

Ans. Search for truth and non-violence.

Q.29. Why was Rowlatt Act advantageous for the British?

Ans. The Act empowered the British to detain anyone without a warrant and suppress nationalist movement and
political activities.

Q.30. Name two places where Gandhiji organised successful Satyagraha on behalf of the farmers.
Ans. (i) Champaran (ii) Kheda.

Q.31. As declared by him, what was the main aim of General Dyer behind opening fire on the crowd in
Jallianwalla Bagh.
Ans. The main aim of General Dyer was to produce a 'moral effect', to create a feeling of fear and awe in the minds of
satyagrah is and the people.

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Q.32. What was Rowlatt Satyagraha?
Ans. Gandhiji planned to start a non-violent struggle with a hartal on 6th April 1919, in protest of the Rowlatt Act passed
by the British. This was referred to as Rowlatt Satyagraha.

Q.33. Which two major movements were launched with the support of Gandhiji after Jallianwalla Bagh
massacre?
Ans. (i) Khilafat Movement (ii) Non-Cooperation Movement.

Q.34. Who was Baba Ramchandra?

Ans. Originally an indentured labour, Baba Ramchandra emerged as a great peasant leader of the Avadh (Oudh) Kisan
Sabha.

Q.35. What is ‘begar'?

Ans. Peasants were often compelled to work at the farm of landlords without any wages or payment. This free and
forced labour is called 'begar'.

Q.36. Where is Gudem hills situated? Why is this place remembered in the history of national movement?
Ans. Gudem Hills is situated in Andhra Pradesh. This place became well known because during Non-Cooperation
Movement a militant guerrilla movement was organised here under Alladi Sitaram Raju.

Q.37. By whom and for what purpose was the Swaraj Party founded?
Ans. Swaraj Party was founded by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru. Its main purpose was to contest election and enter the
Council politics and to oppose British policies within the Council.

Q.38. When did Simon Commission arrive in India? How was it greeted by Indians?
Ans. It arrived in 1928 It was greeted by the Indians with the slogan of ‘Simon go back' and various other forms of
resistance.

Q.39. Why was the Round Table Conference held in England?

Ans. Round Table Conference was held to discuss future constitution of India.

Q.40. Why did Gandhiji choose to appose salt tax?

Ans. Gandhiji choose to oppose salt tax because salt was something which was consumed by rich and poor alike and
was one of the essential items of food. Taxing salt affected all actions of people. Thus Gandhiji found it most
oppressive and demanded its abolition.

Q.41. Why is Dandi March significant?

Ans. Dandi March is significant because it marked the beginning of the successful Civil Disobedience Movement
involving masses from all parts of the country.

Q.42. When and between whom was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed?
Ans. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on 5th March 1931 between Gandhiji and the Viceroy Lord Irwin.

Q.43. Name two rich peasant communities who were active in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans. (i) Patidars of Gujarat (ii) Jats of Utter Pradesh.

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Q.44. Name two industrialists who supported Civil Disobedience Movement.
Ans. (i) Purushottam Das (ii) Thakur Das and G.D. Birla.

Q.45. Name two organisations set up in India to organise business interests.

Ans. (i) Federation of the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in 1927.
(ii) Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress (1920).

Q.46. When and by whom was the Depressed Classes Association founded?
Ans. It was founded in 1930 by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.

Q.47. Who first visualised the image of Bharatmata and depicted it through painting?
Ans. Abanindranath Tagore.

Q.48. Which Party did not boycott the Council elections held in 1921?
Ans. The Justice Party in Madras did not boycott the council elections.

Q.49. What were the demands of the Awadh Peasant Movement?

Ans. The Awadh peasants demanded reduction of land revenue, abolition of begar and a social boycott of oppressive
landlords.

Q.50. Who set up the Oudh Kisan Sabha?

Ans. It was set up by Jawaharlal Nehru and Baba Ramachandra.

Q.51. What was the difference in the methods adopted by Gandhiji and Alluri Sitaram Raju?
Ans. Gandhiji believed in non-violence while Alluri Sitaram Raju believed that India could only be liberated by the use
of force.

Q.52. What did freedom mean to the plantation workers of Assam?

Ans. For the plantation workers freedom meant being able to leave the tea gardens at will to visit their villages.

Q.53. When and where was the call for Purna Swaraj given?
Ans. Jawahrlal Nehru gave the call for Purna Swaraj in 1929 at the Lahore session of the Congress.

Q.54. What role did women play in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Ans. Women participated in protest marches, manufactured salt and picketed foreign cloth and liqour shops.

Q.55. How did the dalits seek to solve their problems?

Ans. The dalits sought political empowerment, demanded reserved seats in educational in stations and separate
electorates.