Important Questions: Nationalism in India | Social Studies (SST) Class 10 PDF Download

Welcome to this carefully curated document designed to prepare you for your board exams. The questions included here are highly significant, frequently asked in previous exams, and crafted to boost your confidence and performance.

1. Mahatma Gandhi’s Role and Satyagraha

Q1: Describe any two Satyagraha movements launched by Gandhiji just after his return to India from South Africa.

View Answer  Ans: After returning to India, Mahatma Gandhi initiated several satyagraha movements:

• Champaran Movement (1917): Gandhi travelled to Champaran in Bihar to support peasants protesting against the harsh plantation system.
• Kheda Movement (1918): In Gujarat's Kheda district, he organised a satyagraha for peasants affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic, who were unable to pay their taxes.

Q2: Why did Gandhiji support the ‘Khilafat’ issue?

View Answer  Ans: Gandhiji supported the 'Khilafat' issue as he saw it as an opportunity to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement. He believed that by supporting the Khilafat cause, which aimed to protect the political and territorial rights of the Ottoman Caliphate, he could build a strong alliance between Hindus and Muslims and strengthen the fight for India's independence.

Q3: Why did Mahatma Gandhi organise Satyagraha in the Kheda district of Gujarat in 1917?

View Answer  Ans: Peasants affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic wanted relaxation in revenue collection. Mahatma Gandhi organised a Satyagraha with these peasants against revenue collectors for the same in 1917.

Q4: Assess the contribution of Gandhiji towards Satyagraha in light of the statement, “Gandhiji’s idea of Satyagraha emphasized the Power of truth and the need to search for truth.”

View Answer  Ans:

• The concept of satyagraha highlighted the power of truth and the importance of seeking it.
• It proposed that if a cause is just and the struggle is against injustice, physical force is unnecessary.
• A satyagrahi could achieve victory through non-violence, appealing to the conscience of the oppressor.
• Persuasion, rather than coercion, was key to making oppressors recognise the truth.
• Gandhi believed that this principle of non-violence could unite all Indians.
• After returning to India, Gandhi led several successful satyagraha movements:
  • In 1917, he inspired peasants in Champaran, Bihar, to resist oppressive plantation practices.
  • He organised a movement in Kheda, Gujarat, where peasants faced crop failure and were unable to pay taxes.
  • In 1918, he initiated a satyagraha among cotton mill workers in Ahmedabad.
• Gandhi's approach was rooted in the belief that non-violence is the supreme duty, and he demonstrated this through his actions and teachings.

Q5: Evaluate the ‘Satyagraha Movement’ of Gandhiji against the proposed Rowlatt Act, 1919.

View Answer  Ans:

• Gandhiji in 1919 decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the proposed Rowlatt Act (1919).
• Mahatma Gandhi wanted non-violent civil disobedience against such unjust laws, which would start with a hartal on 6 April.
• Rallies were organised in various cities.
• Workers went on strike in railway workshops, and shops closed down.
• Lines of communication such as the railways and telegraph would be disrupted.
• The British administration decided to clamp down on nationalists.
• Local leaders were put to jail.
• On 13 April, the Jallianwala Bagh incident took place.
• Crowds took to the streets in many towns.
• The government started brutal repression.
• At the Calcutta session of the Congress in September 1920, he felt the need to start a non-cooperation movement in support of Khilafat as well as for Swaraj.

2. Non-Cooperation Movement

Q1: Explain the statement, "Mahatma Gandhi launched a more broad-based movement in India by joining Khilafat Andolan," with three arguments in the context of the Non-Cooperation Movement.

View Answer  Ans:

• Unity among different religious communities: The Khilafat Andolan was launched by Indian Muslims to protest against the British government's treatment of the Caliphate in Turkey. By supporting this movement, Gandhi aimed to create a united front of Hindus and Muslims against British rule. This helped in fostering communal harmony and strengthening the non-cooperation movement.
• Expansion of the movement to rural areas: The Khilafat Andolan had a significant impact in rural areas, where the influence of religious leaders was strong. By aligning with the Khilafat cause, Gandhi was able to mobilize support and participation from the rural population, thus expanding the reach of the non-cooperation movement beyond urban centres.
• Increased participation of youth and students: The Khilafat Andolan resonated strongly with the youth and students of India, who were deeply concerned about the fate of their fellow Muslims in Turkey. Gandhi's association with the Khilafat cause attracted a large number of young people to join the non-cooperation movement, bringing fresh energy and enthusiasm to the protests.

Q2: Support the statement, "The effects of the Non-Cooperation Movement on the economic front were more dramatic," with examples.

View Answer  Ans:

• Boycott of foreign goods: As part of the non-cooperation movement, there was a significant boycott of foreign goods. This led to a significant decrease in the import of foreign clothes between 1921 and 1922. The value of imported foreign clothes dropped from Rs. 102 crores to Rs. 57 crores during this period.
• Picketing of liquor shops: The movement also involved the picketing of liquor shops, which were seen as symbols of British influence and exploitation. This led to a decrease in the consumption of foreign liquor, affecting the revenue generated from its sales.
• Promotion of Indian textiles and handlooms: As people boycotted foreign clothes, there was a shift towards the use of Indian textiles and handloom products. The production of Indian textiles and handlooms increased, providing a boost to the domestic economy and empowering local artisans.

Q3: Describe the spread of the Non-Cooperation Movement in the countryside.

View Answer  Ans:

• In Awadh, peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra against talukdars and landlords who imposed high rents and various cesses.
• Peasants faced begar (forced labour) and lacked security as tenants, often being evicted without notice.
• The movement called for a reduction in revenue, the abolition of begar, and a social boycott of oppressive landlords.
• Jawaharlal Nehru visited villages in Awadh to support the movement and understand local grievances.
• By October, the Oudh Kisan Sabha was established, rapidly expanding to over 300 branches in the region.
• However, the Congress leadership was concerned about the movement's direction, as it led to violence against landlords and merchants.

Q4: Name the two main leaders of the ‘Khilafat Committee’ formed in 1919.

View Answer  Ans: The two main leaders of the 'Khilafat Committee' formed in 1919 were Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.

Q5: What was the weapon of Gandhiji to fight against the British Empire in India?

View Answer  Ans: Satyagraha was the weapon of Gandhiji to fight peacefully against the British Empire in India.

Q6: How did the British survive in India?

View Answer  Ans: According to Mahatma Gandhi's book Hind Swaraj, British rule in India was established with the cooperation of Indians and survived only because of this cooperation.

Q7: Explain Gandhiji's idea for making non-cooperation a movement.

View Answer  Ans: Gandhiji proposed that non-cooperation should unfold in stages. It should start with the surrender of titles awarded by the government and a boycott of civil services, the army, police, courts, legislative councils, schools, and foreign goods. If the government responded with repression, a full civil disobedience campaign would be launched. This idea aimed to mobilize popular support and escalate the movement gradually.

Q8: Support the statement, "Plantation workers had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi's ideas and the notion of 'Swaraj'."

View Answer  Ans:

• Plantation workers had their own understanding of Mahatma Gandhi and the notion of Swaraj. For plantation workers, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed, and it meant retaining a link with the village from which they had come.
• Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in fact, they were rarely given such permission.
• When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations, and headed home.
• They believed that Gandhi Raj was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

Q9: How did Non-Cooperation Movement start with the participation of middle-class people in the cities? Explain its impact on the economic front.

View Answer  Ans:

• In the towns, the middle classes participated in the following ways:
  • Students left the schools and colleges. Headmasters and teachers resigned. Lawyers gave up their practice.
  • Elections were boycotted except in Madras.
  • Foreign goods were boycotted.
  • Liquor shops were picketed.
  • Foreign clothes were burnt in huge bonfires.
  • Many traders refused to import foreign cloth or trade in foreign goods.
• The economic effects of the Non-Cooperation Movement are given below:
  • The import of foreign cloth decreased from Rs. 102 crore to Rs. 57 crore between 1921 and 1922.
  • Merchants and traders refused to trade in foreign goods.
  • People started wearing only Indian clothes. This led to increased production by the Indian textile mills and handlooms.

Q10: By what means does hand-spun khadi provide large-scale employment to weavers?

View Answer  Ans:

• It operates as a cottage industry, allowing weavers to work from home.
• This setup enables flexibility in work hours, making it accessible for many.
• By promoting local production, it creates a demand for skilled weavers.
• Overall, hand-spun khadi supports the livelihood of numerous weavers by integrating them into the local economy.

3. Civil Disobedience Movement

Q1: Examine the statement, “Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation,” in the context of the Civil Disobedience Movement.

View Answer  Ans:

• Mahatma Gandhi found salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation. On 31st January 1930, he sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin stating wide-ranging eleven demands.
• All classes of Indian society identified with the broad-ranging demands. The most stirring of all was the demand to abolish the salt tax.
• Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike, and it was one of the most essential items of food. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of British rule.
• In the Dandi march, the volunteers walked for 24 days, about 10 miles a day. Thousands came to hear Mahatma Gandhi wherever he stopped, and he told them what he meant by swaraj and urged them to peacefully defy the British.
• On 6th April, he reached Dandi and ceremonially violated the law by manufacturing salt from boiling seawater. This marked the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• People were now asked not only to refuse cooperation with the British, as they had done in 1921-22, but also to break colonial laws.
• Thousands of people broke the salt law in different parts of the country, manufactured salt, and demonstrated in front of government salt factories.
• As the movement spread, foreign cloth was boycotted, and liquor shops were picketed. Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes, village officials resigned, and in many places, forest people violated forest laws.

Q2: Examine the progress of the Civil Disobedience Movement among different strata of society.

View Answer  Ans:

• Rich Peasants: Their demand for a reduction in revenue was refused. For them, the fight for Swaraj was the fight against high revenue.
• Poor Peasants: Economic depression made it very difficult for them to pay rent to the landlords. Congress did not support them in the rent campaign fearing that it would upset the rich farmers.
• Business Community: Their demand was for protection against exports and a fixed exchange ratio. To protect their business interests, they formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in 1927.
• Workers: As the Congress was seen as close to the industrialists, the workers did not participate in the movement except in Nagpur.
• Women: There was large-scale participation of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement. They participated in the Salt March and other protest marches. They participated in picketing of foreign cloth and liquor shops.

Q3: Mention any two causes that led to the Civil Disobedience Movement.

View Answer  Ans:

• Simon Commission: The formation of the Simon Commission, which had no Indian members, was seen as a direct insult to the Indian people and their aspirations for self-governance.
• Lala Lajpat Rai's Death: The brutal beating of Lala Lajpat Rai by police during a protest against the Simon Commission led to widespread outrage and intensified calls for mass civil disobedience.

Q4: Why did Mahatma Gandhi decide to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1931?

View Answer  Ans: Mahatma Gandhi decided to call off the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1931 because he reached a pact, known as the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, with the British Viceroy, Lord Irwin. As part of this pact, the British agreed to release political prisoners, allow the participation of Congress in the Second Round Table Conference, and lift the ban on the salt satyagraha. Gandhi believed that this was a significant step forward and decided to suspend the movement to give negotiations a chance.

Q5: How did Gandhiji react to the Salt Law?

View Answer  Ans: Gandhiji opposed the British salt tax and its monopoly over its production. He demanded the abolition of the salt tax. To protest against this unjust law, he organized the famous Dandi March, where he and his followers marched to the Arabian Sea and made their own salt by evaporating seawater.

Q6: Why did the rich peasants become supporters of the Civil Disobedience Movement?

View Answer  Ans:

• They were hit hard by the trade depression and falling prices of commercial crops.
• As producers, they faced significant economic hardships.
• They viewed the movement as a way to combat the exploitation and oppression they experienced.
• The refusal of the government to reduce revenue demands led to widespread resentment.
• These factors motivated them to actively participate and organise their communities in support of the movement.

Q7: Explain the limitations of the ‘Civil Disobedience Movement’.

View Answer  Ans:

• Neglect of Dalits: The Congress overlooked the needs of the Dalits and depressed classes to appease high-caste Hindus, resulting in limited participation from these groups.
• Muslim Participation: The Congress's ties with Hindu nationalist groups led to reduced involvement from Muslims, who felt alienated.
• Community Distrust: Distrust between communities grew, causing many Muslims to refrain from joining the movement.
• Discontent Among Peasants: Wealthy peasants were dissatisfied when the movement ended in 1931 without changes to revenue rates, leading to poor participation from landless peasants.
• Industrial Workers: The Congress's close relationship with the business class alienated the industrial working class, resulting in minimal involvement in the movement.

Q8: Why was Congress reluctant to allow women to hold any position of authority within the organisation? How did women participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

View Answer  Ans:

• Congress's reluctance to allow women in authority:
  • For a long time, Congress believed that women's primary role was to care for the home and family.
  • Gandhiji viewed women as essential as mothers and wives, limiting their roles in leadership.
  • Congress was mainly interested in having women present for symbolic purposes.
• Women's participation in the Civil Disobedience Movement:
  • During the Salt March, many women left their homes to listen to Gandhiji.
  • Women took part in protest marches, made salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.
  • Some women even faced imprisonment for their involvement.

Q9: How did the salt Satyagraha become an effective tool of resistance against British colonialism in India during 1930?

View Answer  Ans:

• Universal Appeal: Salt was a basic necessity consumed by both the rich and the poor, making it a unifying issue.
• Salt March: Mahatma Gandhi led a 240-mile march to Dandi with 78 volunteers, symbolising defiance against British laws.
• Ceremonial Violation: On 6th April, Gandhi made salt by boiling seawater, openly breaking the law.
• Widespread Participation: Thousands across India joined the movement, breaking the salt law and protesting at government factories.
• Broader Boycotts: The movement also involved boycotting foreign cloth and picketing liquor shops.
• Government Response: The colonial government arrested Congress leaders, including Gandhi, leading to increased public anger.
• Brutal Repression: The government's harsh measures highlighted the oppressive nature of British rule, galvanising further resistance.

Q10: Explain the importance of the ‘Salt March’ of Gandhiji as a symbol to unite the nation.

View Answer  Ans:

• Inclusivity: It brought together all classes of Indian society in a common cause.
• Defiance: Gandhi openly broke the salt law by marching from Sabarmati to Dandi.
• Widespread Participation: Thousands across the country also broke the salt law, made salt, and protested at government factories.
• Boycotts: The movement encouraged the boycott of foreign clothes and the picketing of liquor shops.
• Tax Resistance: Peasants refused to pay taxes, including revenue and chaukidari taxes.
• Resignations: Many village officials resigned in protest.
• Forest Law Violations: Forest communities defied laws by collecting wood and grazing cattle in protected areas.
• Social Unity: Various social groups, including rich and poor peasants, actively participated.
• Women and Workers: Business class workers from Nagpur and women also joined the movement.

Q11: Support the statement, “The Civil Disobedience Movement was different from the Non-Cooperation Movement,” with examples.

View Answer  Ans:

• Non-Cooperation Movement:
  • The people were asked not to cooperate with the government.
  • Foreign goods were boycotted.
  • Liquor shops were picketed.
  • Foreign cloth burnt in huge bonfires.
  • In many places, merchants and traders refused to trade on foreign goods or finance foreign traders.
  • Students left the government-owned schools and colleges.
  • Lawyers gave up legal practices.
• Civil Disobedience Movement:
  • People were asked to break colonial laws.
  • The countrymen broke the salt law.
  • Peasants refused to pay revenue and chaukidari tax.
  • Village officials resigned from their jobs.
  • Forest people violated forest rules and laws.

Q12: Why did Mahatma Gandhi relaunch the Civil Disobedience Movement with great apprehension?

View Answer  Ans:

• In December 1931, Gandhiji went to London for the Round Table Conference, but the negotiations broke down, and he returned disappointed.
• In India, he discovered that the government had begun a new cycle of repression.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Jawaharlal Nehru were both in jail.
• The Congress had been declared illegal.
• A series of measures had been imposed to prevent meetings, demonstrations, and boycotts.

Q13: Describe the various activities that took place during the first phase of the Civil Disobedience Movement. Why was it withdrawn in March 1931?

View Answer  Ans:

• The various activities that took place during the first phase of the movement were as mentioned below:
  • Violation of salt laws by manufacturing salt.
  • Boycott of foreign cloth.
  • Picketing of liquor shops.
  • Refusal of peasants to pay revenue and chaukidari taxes.
  • Resignation of village officials.
  • Violation of forest laws and going to Reserved forests to collect wood and grazing cattle.
• Policy of the government:
  • The government adopted a repressive policy.
  • It arrested the Congress leaders.
  • Abdul Gaffar Khan, a devout disciple of Gandhiji, was arrested in April 1930.
  • In police firing, many people were killed.
  • In Sholapur, people attacked lawcourts, railway stations, and the structures that symbolised British rule.
  • About 100,000 people were arrested.
• As a result of the government’s repressive policy, Gandhiji once again decided to call off the movement. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed on 5th March 1931.

Q14: Why did the different social groups join the Civil Disobedience Movement?

View Answer  Ans:

• Rich peasants:
  • The rich communities like the Patidars of Gujarat and the Jats of Uttar Pradesh were producers of commercial crops. They were very hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices.
  • They were not in a position to pay revenue to the government. They joined the movement in order to reduce revenue.
• Poor peasantry: Poor peasantry joined the movement in the hope that their unpaid rent to the landlord would be remitted because, due to the Depression, they were not in a position to pay the rent.
• Business classes:
  • They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods and a rupee-sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports.
  • They formed the Indian Industrial and Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in 1927.
  • They refused to sell or buy imported goods.
• Workers:
  • The participation by the workers in Civil Disobedience was limited. They participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement against low wages and deplorable working conditions.
  • There were strikes by railway workers, dock workers, and mine workers in the Chota Nagpur regions.
• Women: They participated in Protest Marches, manufactured salt, and picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops.

4. Cultural Processes and Nationalism

Q1: Explain the statement, "There were a variety of cultural processes through which Indian Nationalism captured people's imagination," with examples.

View Answer  Ans:

• Many cultural developments that caught the Indian people's attention had an impact on the rise of Indian Nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries:
• Cultural Renaissance Movements: In an effort to challenge colonial cultural hegemony, a number of cultural revival movements have developed throughout India to support indigenous customs, languages, and creations of art.
• Poetry and Writing: Indian poetry and writing contributed significantly to the uprising against colonial rule and the advancement of nationalist ideas. Poets and writers like Subramania Bharati, Rabindranath Tagore, and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay used their writing to encourage a sense of solidarity among Indians as well as sentiments of patriotism and pride in Indian culture. For example, the song "Vande Mataram".
• Historical Narratives: In an effort to invalidate colonial narratives that depicted Indians as inferior and backward, historians and intellectuals reinterpreted Indian history to emphasise the accomplishments and contributions of Indian civilisation.
• Popular Culture and Mass Mobilisation: Famous nationalists such as Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi used public speeches, cultural events, and large-scale gatherings to gain popular support for their cause and stoke opposition to colonial rule.
• Religious and Social Reform Movements: The ideas of social equality, religious tolerance, and human dignity were highlighted by religious and social reform movements like the Arya Samaj, Brahmo Samaj, and the movements headed by personalities like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and Mahatma Gandhi.

Q2: Analyse the role of folklore and symbols in the revival of nationalism in India during the late 19th century.

View Answer  Ans:

• Folklore, songs, popular prints, and symbols served as powerful tools to mobilize and unite the Indian masses against British colonial rule. They helped in creating a sense of collective identity, pride, and resistance among the people.
• Folklore, which includes folk tales, legends, and myths, played a crucial role in shaping the nationalist sentiment. These stories often highlighted the valour, bravery, and sacrifice of Indian heroes and warriors, instilling a sense of pride and nationalism among the people.
• They also emphasized the rich cultural heritage and history of India, reinforcing the idea of an independent and glorious past.
• Songs and ballads, another form of folklore, were widely used to spread nationalist ideas and mobilize the masses.
• Nationalist poets and musicians composed songs that expressed the aspirations and struggles of the Indian people. These songs not only served as a medium of protest but also helped in creating a sense of unity and solidarity among the diverse Indian population.
• Popular prints, such as posters and images, also played a significant role in shaping nationalist sentiment. These prints depicted iconic figures like Rani Lakshmibai, Bhagat Singh, and Mahatma Gandhi, who became symbols of resistance and inspiration for the people. They were widely circulated and displayed, serving as visual reminders of the nationalist struggle and invoking a sense of pride and determination.
• Symbols, such as the national flag, the spinning wheel, and the slogan "Vande Mataram," became powerful representations of the nationalist movement. They were used to rally support and create a sense of collective identity among the people. The national flag, with its tricolour and the charkha, became a symbol of unity and freedom, while "Vande Mataram" became a rallying cry for the nationalist cause.

Q3: Analyse the ways through which people of different communities developed a sense of collective belonging in India.

View Answer  Ans:

• The identity of the nation was allegorised and symbolised with the image of Bharat Mata.
• Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote ‘Vande Mataram’ as a hymn to the motherland and was included in his novel Ananda Math.
• Moved by the Swadeshi movement, Abanindranath Tagore painted Bharat Mata and portrayed it as an ascetic figure; in which she is calm, composed, divine, and spiritual.
• Ideas of nationalism also developed through a movement to revive Indian folklore.
• Icons and literary symbols played a significant role in unifying people and inspired them with a feeling of nationalism.

Q4: What was people's understanding of the nation?

View Answer  Ans: People's understanding of nation was of modern states, having centralized powers exercising sovereign control over their own territory.

Q5: How was the growth of modern nationalism intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement?

View Answer  Ans: The growth of modern nationalism in India was intimately connected to the anti-colonial movement. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that tied different groups together. The Congress under Mahatma Gandhi tried to unite these groups within one movement.

Q6: How did people in India develop a sense of collective belonging?

View Answer  Ans: People in India developed a sense of collective belonging through their shared experiences and struggles with colonialism. The anti-colonial movement brought different groups together, despite their varied experiences and notions of freedom. The Congress under Mahatma Gandhi played a crucial role in forging these groups together within one movement, although there were conflicts along the way. Additionally, history, folklore, and new symbols and icons helped redefine the boundaries of communities and create a sense of collective belonging.

Q7: How did the 'nation' become a reality in the minds of people?

View Answer  Ans: The 'nation' became a reality in the minds of people through united struggles and various cultural processes. The experience of united struggles helped people develop a sense of collective belonging and identify themselves as part of a nation. Additionally, history, fiction, folklore, songs, popular prints, and symbols played a significant role in shaping the idea of the nation and capturing people's imagination.

Q8: How did nationalism capture the people's imagination?

View Answer  Ans: Nationalism captured the people's imagination through cultural processes such as history, fiction, folklore, songs, popular prints, and symbols. These cultural elements created a sense of identity and pride in one's nation. Nationalist leaders used these cultural tools to evoke emotions, inspire unity, and mobilize people for the cause of nationalism.

Q9: How did people belonging to different groups develop a sense of collective belonging?

View Answer  Ans: People belonging to different groups developed a sense of collective belonging through shared experiences of united struggles and cultural processes. The use of folklore, songs, popular prints, symbols, and other cultural elements helped bridge the gaps between different groups and create a sense of unity and belonging. These cultural expressions provided a common ground for people from diverse backgrounds to connect and identify themselves as part of a larger collective.

Q10: Who among the following wrote the Vande Mataram?

View Answer  Ans: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote the patriotic song Vande Mataram, which became a symbol of India's struggle for independence. It was included in his novel Anandamath.

Q11: What type of flag was designed during the ‘Swadeshi Movement’ in Bengal? Explain its main features.

View Answer  Ans:

• During the Swadeshi Movement in Bengal, the flag designed was the Tricolour flag.
• The colour of the flag was—Red, Green, and Yellow.
• It represented eight provinces in British India.
• It had a crescent moon representing Hindus and Muslims.

Q12: Support the statement, “Nationalism spreads when people begin to believe that they are all part of the same nation.”

View Answer  Ans:

• It is true to say that nationalism spreads when people begin to believe that they are all part of the same nation when they discover some unity that binds them together. In India, a sense of collective belonging came through the experience of united struggles. Cultural processes, history, fiction, folklore, and songs, popular prints, and symbols all played a part in the making of nationalism as mentioned below:
• Symbol of a figure or image:
  • The identity of India was visualised with the image of Bharat Mata.
  • The image was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
  • Abinindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata.
• Revival of Indian folklore: In the late nineteenth century, the revival of folklore helped in the development of nationalism. Folk songs and legends gave a true picture of traditional culture. It helped in discovering national identity and restoring a sense of pride. Rabindra Nath Tagore collected ballads, nursery rhymes, and myths. Similarly, Natesa Sastri wrote folklore of Southern India.
• Icons and symbols: The design of a tricolour flag during Swadeshi, swaraj flag by Gandhiji in 1921 helped in unifying people and inspire a feeling of nationalism. During demonstrations, the carrying of a Swaraj flag became a symbol of defiance.
• Interpretation of history: The interpretation of history also helped in raising the sense of nationalism among the Indians. Nationalist history drew the attention of the Indians to the great achievements of the past as was done by the extremists like Lok Manya Tilak.