Revision Notes for Class 10 Social Science

History Chapter 2 – Nationalism in India

Mahatma Gandhi’s Role in Nationalism

● Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in

1915.

● His method was known as Satyagraha, which means

Agitation for Truth.

● He organised the Champaran Satyagraha to support the

oppressed plantation workers in 1917.

● He went to Kheda to show support to the peasants in 1918

with Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel.

The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

● The British government passed the Rowlatt Act in 1919

which gave them the power to repress any political activities
and authorised the detention of any political prisoners
without trials for up to 2 years.

● On 13th April 1919, the villagers attended the Baisakhi fair

at the Jallianwala Bagh when there was countrywide martial
law.
● General Dyer blocked the only entry/exit of the park and
opened fire at the civilians.

● He ordered open fire which killed thousands of men, women,

and children.

● This brutal act enraged other Indians. There were

nationwide parties, attacks on government buildings, and
clashes.

Khilafat Movement

● The Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay and

Mahatma Gandhi supported it.

● It was started by Shaukat Ali and Muhammad Ali.

The Salt March

● Mahatma Gandhi demanded from Lord Irwin, the Viceroy of

India which included the abolishment of the Salt tax.

● He began the Salt March with 78 volunteers from

Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi to manufacture salt.

The Poona Pact

● The Dalits refused to participate in the movement without

separate electorates and reservation of seats.
● Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar formed the Depressed Classes
Association and signed the Poona Pact with the Congress in
1932 First World War, The Non-Cooperation and The Khilafat
Movement

● The want of freedom from colonial rule connected people

across the country who were forged under the Indian National
Congress by Mahatma Gandhi. From 1919 the movement spread
to various sections of the society.

● The First World War had created a scenario which led to a

huge increase in defense expenditure which created hardships
for common people.

● To worsen the conditions there was crop failure and an

epidemic of influenza which led to people perishing. The
common man thought that their hardships would end

after the war but nothing improved.

The Idea of Satyagraha

● The idea of Satyagraha was conceived by Mahatma Gandhi

when he returned from South Africa in 1915 where he had
actively fought against racism.
● Satyagraha emphasised the power and need for truth.
According to him the concept of Satyagraha would be the
string that would unite the country.

● Gandhiji led Satyagraha in Champaran, Kheda and

Ahmedabad to help the peasants.

The Rowlatt Act

● The Imperial Legislative Council, despite the collective

opposition of the Indian members, passed the Rowlatt Act.

● It allowed the British government to curb political

movements in the country and allowed the detention of
political prisoners without trial for two years.

● Gandhiji wanted a nationwide Satyagraha against these

unjust laws. A non-violent Civil Disobedience movement was
launched against the law on 6th April.

● Nationwide protests took place. The British government

wanted to curb the upsurge so they arrested leaders from
Amritsar and Gandhiji was detained to enter Delhi.

● On 13th April, the infamous Jallianwala Bagh massacre took

place. A large but peaceful crowd had gathered in the grounds
of Jallianwala Bagh. Dyer entered the area blocked the exit
points and opened fire at the crowd killing hundreds of people.
● The news of Jallianwala Bagh spread across the country like
fire. People were infuriated and strikes, clashes, and attacks
on government buildings took place. There was utter confusion
and violence in the country which led to Gandhiji calling off
the movement.

● Gandhiji then took up the Khilafat issue which brought

unity amongst the Hindus and the Muslims together. The
Khilafat Committee was set up in Bombay in 1919. Gandhi

urged the leaders of the National Congress to start a

non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat and Swaraj.

Why Non-Cooperation?

● As per Gandhiji British rule was established in India

because of the cooperation of the Indians. If Indians did not
cooperate then British rule would collapse in a year.

● The movement was proposed in stages starting from the

renunciation of titles. There was a boycott of civil services,
the army, foreign goods, police, courts and the legislative
council. In December 1920, the Non-Cooperation Movement
was adopted.

Differing Strands Within The Movement

● In 1921, in January the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement
was launched. People from all sections of the society
participated in the movement.

● Foreign goods were boycotted. This led to the rise in the

production of Indian textiles and handlooms. Teachers,
students, headmasters, and lawyers gave up on their

services at government institutions.

● In the countryside, the movement demanded a boycott of

oppressive landlords. In

June 1920 Jawaharlal Nehru visited the villages of Awadh to

understand the problems

of the peasants there. In October he set up the Oudh Kisan

Sabha. In 1921 the peasant

movement spread.

Towards Civil Disobedience

● The Non-Cooperation movement was withdrawn in 1922

because it took a violent

turn. In 1928 the statutory Simon Commission arrived in India

only to be greeted by the slogan- ‘Go back, Simon’.

● In December 1929, the Lahore Congress headed by

Jawaharlal Nehru formalised the
demand for ‘Purna Swaraj’ or complete independence.

Salt March and Civil Disobedience Movement

● In demand to abolish the salt taxes primarily, Gandhiji put

eleven demands in front of Viceroy Irwin. In case the demands
were not fulfilled Congress would start the Civil

Disobedience Act.

● The famous salt march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi

took place. Gandhiji violated the salt laws by manufacturing
salt from boiling water.

● The Gandhi-Irwin pact was signed after enormous confusion

in the country. The Disobedience had lost its momentum by
1934.

Limits of the Civil Disobedience Act

● The Dalits wanted a separate electorate and demanded a

reserved seat in educational institutes. After the suspension
of the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement, the Muslims felt
alienated from the Congress and there was tension between
the Hindus and the Muslims.

Vande Mataram
● People across the country came to the streets to fight
against British rule. History nationalism in India was further
fostered by patriotic and historical fiction, folklore, songs, etc.

● Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay composed ‘Vande

Mataram’. Abanindranath Tagore painted ‘Bharat Mata.’ India
emerged as a nation which wanted freedom from

colonial rule.

● This collected sense of common belongingness finally led our

beloved country to freedom.

1) Which of the following situations in India were the result

of the First World War?

a) There was widespread anger in villages due to forced

recruitment.

b) Custom duties were increased.

c) Income taxes were introduced.

d) All of the above-mentioned situations took place as a

result of the First World War.

Answer: Option (d)

2) As per the census of 1921, millions of people died due to

________.
a) Epidemic and Famines

b) War

c) Riots

d) None of the above

Answer: Option (a)

3) Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in ________.

a) January 1916

b) January 1915

c) March 1921

d) April 1917

Answer: Option (b)

4) Which of the following statements is true about

Satyagraha?

a) Satyagraha is not a physical force.

b) It is the weapon of the weak.

c) A Satyagrahi does not inflict pain on the adversary.

d) Option (a) and (c)

Answer: Option (d)

5) Which of the following statements is true about the
Rowlatt Act?

a) It did not give the government powers to repress political

activities.

b) It did not allow the detention of political prisoners without

trial for two years.

c) It allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial

for two years.

d) Gandhiji decided to launch nationwide Satyagraha against

the Rowlatt Act in 1920.

Answer: Option (c)

6) The infamous Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre took place when

there was an annual _______ fair.

a) Teeyan

b) Gurupurab

c) Lohri

d) Baisakhi

Answer: Option (d)

7) What was one of the main reasons behind Mahatma
Gandhi’s decision to take up the Khilafat Issue?

a) To bring more unity among Hindus and Muslims.

b) To bring more unity among Hindus and Christians.

c) To bring more unity among Christians and Muslims.

d) None of the above.

Answer: Option (a)

8) Who is the author of the book Hind Swaraj (1909)?

a) Bhagat Singh

b) Jawaharlal Nehru

c) Subash Chandra Bose

d) Mahatma Gandhi

Answer: Option (d)

9) At the Congress session at ________ in December 1920,

a compromise was worked out, and the Non-Cooperation
programme was adopted.

a) Allahabad

b) Bombay

c) Nagpur
d) Calcutta

Answer: Option (c)

10) Which of the following statements about the effect of

the Non-cooperation Movement are true?

a) The import of foreign cloth halved between 1921 and 1922.

b) In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade in

foreign goods or finance foreign trade.

c) Production of Indian textile mills and handlooms went up.

d) All of the above.

Answer: Option (d)

11) Which of the following statements about the

Non-cooperation Movement in Awadh is false?

a) The Non-Cooperation Movement here was against talukdars

and landlords.

b) In Awadh, the peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra.

c) The tenants had no security of tenure.

d) The peasants did not demand the abolition of begar.

Answer: Option (d)

12) The tribal people revolted against the British due to
which of the following reasons?

a) The tribal people were prevented from entering the forests

to graze their cattle.

b) The tribal people were prevented from collecting fuelwood

and fruits.

c) The traditional rights of tribal people were denied.

d) All of the above.

Answer: Option (d)

13) The plantation workers were not permitted to leave the

tea gardens without permission as per _________.

a) Inland Emigration Act of 1859

b) Inland Emigration Act of 1866

c) Inland Emigration Act of 1879

d) Inland Emigration Act of 1869

Answer: Option (a)

14) Gandhi decided to withdraw from the Non-Cooperation

Movement in _________.
a) January 1922

b) February 1922

c) February 1919

d) January 1919

Answer: Option (b)

15) ______ and _____ formed the Swaraj Party.

a) C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru

b) Motilal Nehru and Jawaharlal Nehru.

c) Jawaharlal Nehru and C.R. Das

d) Jawaharlal Nehru and Gandhi

Answer: Option (a)

Q. Explain the idea of Satyagraha according to Gandhiji.

Answer:

Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in 1915 from South Africa.

Gandhiji’s novel method of mass agitation is know as
‘Satyagraha’. Satyagraha emphasised truth. Gandhiji believed
that if the cause is true, if the struggle is against injustice,
then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor.
A satyagrahi can win the battle through non-violence. People,
including oppressors, had to be persuaded to see the truth.
Truth was bound to ultimately triumph. Gandhiji believed that
dharma of non-violence could unite all India.

Q. Explain any three facts about the new economic situation

created in India by the First World War.

Answer:

The First World War created a dramatically new economic

situation in India:

(i) Manchester imports into India declined as the British

mills were busy with war production to meet the needs of the
army paving the way for the Indian mills to supply for the
huge home market.

(ii) As the war prolonged, Indian factories were called upon to

supply war needs. As a result new factories were set up, new
workers were employed and everyone was made to work longer
hours.

(iii) Cotton production collapsed and exports of cotton cloth

from Britain fell dramatically after the war, as it was unable
to modernize and compete with US, Germany, Japan. Hence
within colonies like India, local industrialists gradually
consolidated their position capturing the home market.
Q. Explain the reaction of Indian people against the Rowlatt
Act passed through the Imperial Legislative Council in 1919.

Answer:

Reaction of Indian people against the Rowlatt Act of 1919:

●​ Rallies were organized against this Act.

●​ Railways, workshops and shops closed down.
●​ The procession in Amritsar provoked widespread attacks
on buses, post offices, railway stations, telegraphic lines,
etc.
●​ On 6th April Gandhiji held Hartal against this unjust law
(Rowlatt Act).
●​ The peaceful demonstration in Jallianwala Bagh led to a
violent movement all across the country.

Q. Explain any three effects of the Non-cooperation

Movement on the economy of India.

The economic sphere was affected by the Non-cooperation

Movement:

●​ Foreign goods were boycotted, liquor shops were picketed

and foreign cloth was burnt. The import of foreign cloth
halved between 1921-1922. Its value dropped from ₹ 102
crore to ₹ 57 crore.
 ●​ Many merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign
goods or finance foreign trade.
●​ People began discarding imported clothes and wearing
Indian ones.
●​ The production of Indian textile mills and handlooms
went up. Use of khadi was popularized.

Q. Describe any three suppressive measures taken by the

British administration to clampdown on nationalists. (2014 D)

Answer:

Suppressive measures taken by the British administration

were:

(i) The fear that the lines of communication, such as

railways and telegraph, might get disrupted, the British
Government started even stronger repressive measures. Local
leaders were picked up. Gandhiji was barred from entering
Delhi. On 10th April, 1919 the police in Amritsar fired upon a
peaceful procession.

(ii) This provoked widespread attacks on banks, post offices

and railway stations. Martial law was imposed and General
Dyer took command. The government replied with further
brutalities. The people of Punjab were made to crawl on the
streets and salute to all ‘Sahibs’. Some were put in open
cages and flogged.

(iii) Newspapers were banned and their editors were arrested.

A reign of terror followed. Intellectuals like Rabindranath
Tagore renounced their knighthood.