Class 10 History Chapter 2 Question Answers - Nationalism in India

Q1. What is meant by the idea of Satyagraha?
 OR
Gandhiji said ‘Satyagraha’ was active resistance. How?
Ans. Satyagraha is a concept introduced by Mahatma Gandhi that represents a form of active resistance. It is not merely about enduring oppression but involves:

• Truth and Non-violence: Satyagraha relies on truth and non-violence to appeal to the conscience of the oppressor.
• Active Effort: It requires active participation and effort, rather than passive acceptance of injustice.
• Unity: This approach fosters unity among people, encouraging them to stand together against injustice.

Satyagrah Movement

Q2. Why were Indians outraged by the Rowlatt Act?
Ans. The Rowlatt Act was passed hurriedly by the Imperial Legislative Council in 1919. It was opposed by all its Indian members. The government assumed enormous powers through this Act as they could detain political prisoners without trial for two years. Gandhiji decided to launch a ‘Hartal’ on 6 April against the Rowlatt Act.

Q3. Give one example to prove that Non-Cooperation Movement was more successful on the economic front.
Ans. One example is boycott of foreign goods. The import of foreign textile cloth became half of what it was, between 1921–1922. It fell from 102 crores to 57 crores.

Q4. Which party did not support the boycott of council elections during the movement and why.
Ans. The Justice Party of Madras decided not to boycott Council elections. The Justice Party members were non-Brahmins and so far had not been able to win elections, as the Brahman candidates always won. They thought it was a golden opportunity for them to enter the Councils.

Q5. Why did Gandhiji call off the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Ans. The Chauri Chaura incident near Gorakhpur led Gandhiji to take action. A peaceful procession turned violent when people burnt a police station and 22 policemen were killed. Shocked by this, Gandhiji, a strong supporter of non-violence, immediately called off the movement. 

Q6. What was the cause of disagreement between the Congress-led Non-Cooperation Movement and the peasants’ and workers’ movements?
Ans. The Congress, led by Gandhiji, aimed to achieve Swaraj through peaceful means and strict non-violence. In contrast:

• The peasants and workers supported Gandhi's vision of Swaraj, khadi, and boycott.
• However, they did not adhere to non-violence and resorted to violent actions to achieve their goals.
• This use of violence conflicted with the principles upheld by the Congress.

Q7. What was the Inland Emigration Act of 1859?
Ans. The British government had passed this Act to prevent the plantation workers to leave the plantations and go back to their villages in Assam. They were forced to remain at the plantations and not leave them without permission. The permission to leave was seldom granted.

Q8. Explain the two important factors that shaped Indian politics towards 1920’s. 
 OR
 Mention two factors that influenced Indian politics in the late 1920s. 
Ans.

(i) The first was the worldwide economic depression which brought the agricultural prices crashing down in India. Farmers could not sell their produces and the whole country-side was in turmoil.

(ii) The British constituted a statutes commission in 1927 under Sir John Simon. The aim was to diffuse nationalism aroused by the Non-Cooperation Movement. The Commission was to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India. It was an all-white commission, with not a single Indian member in it. It set the political world in India on fire and led to Gandhiji starting the Civil Disobedience Movement.

Q9. Explain the difference in the objectives of the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Civil Disobedience Movement.
 OR
 How was the civil disobedience movement different from the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Ans. Non-Coorporation Movement (1920-22) wanted to bring the Government to a standstill by refusing to cooperate with it; Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) wanted to paralyze the government by performing illegal acts like violating the laws.

Q10. Why did Gandhiji choose ‘Salt’ as the symbol of his Civil Disobedience Movement?
Ans. Salt is consumed by both the poor and the rich, and is one of the most essential items of food everywhere in the world. The British government had a monopoly on the production of salt in India. By imposing a ‘salt tax’ the government hit both the rich and the poor, especially the poor. Gandhiji thought it was the most repressive Act of the British government and chose to defy it by breaking the “Salt Law”.

Q11. How did the British Government react to the “Salt March” of Gandhiji?
Ans. A frightened and shaken British government responded with a policy of brutal repression. About 100,000 people were arrested. Gandhiji was arrested on 4th May, 1930. The government also tried to diffuse the situation by releasing Gandhiji and making him sign the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (the then Viceroy of India) on 5th March, 1931. But the failure of the Second Round Table Conference in 1931 led the Government to begin its repressive measures in 1932 again. Congress was declared illegal and Nehru and Abdul Ghaffar Khan were arrested. All boycotts, meetings and demonstrations were banned by the British

Q12. What is the significance of 13th April, 1919?
Ans. April 13, 1919, is significant for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, where British troops killed hundreds of people in a crowd in Amritsar. The massacre sparked widespread unrest and led Mahatma Gandhi to end the Satyagraha movement in response to the severe repression by the British government.