Nationalism in India.

Which Act allowed detention without trial for two years and sparked mass protest in India in 1919?

→ B) Rowlatt Act

What was the economic impact of the First World War on India (1913-18)?

→ Prices doubled; defence expenditure rose; taxes and customs duties increased.

The session of the Indian National Congress where Non-Cooperation programme was adopted was held in which city in December 1920?

Nagpur

Define “Swaraj” as used by Mahatma Gandhi.

→ Self‐rule, freedom from colonial domination, but also involving moral and social regeneration.

triggered the launch of the Civil Disobedience Movement in India?

→ The salt tax & monopoly; Mahatma Gandhi’s violation of the salt law at Dandi in March 1930.

Why did tribal peasant movements in places like Gudem Hills interpret Swaraj differently?

→ Because their issues were forest rights, begar, land; they saw Swaraj as overthrow of local oppression, not just national struggle.

Which organisation, founded in 1930 by B. R. Ambedkar, represented Dalits in India?

Depressed classes

What was the significance of the image of “Bharat Mata” in the national movement?

→ A symbol of motherland; unified people emotionally; created national identity beyond region/community.

What was the role of the plantation workers in Assam during the Non-Cooperation/Civil Disobedience Movements?

→ They attempted to leave the plantations, defy restricted mobility laws (Inland Emigration Act), saw Swaraj as freedom to return home.

Which of the following was not part of the programme of boycott during the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Demand for immediate Purna Swaraj.

Why did Gandhi withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922?

→ Because a violent incident at Chauri Chaura, movement turning unruly; Gandhi insisted move back to disciplined nonviolence.

What does the term “begar” refer to in colonial India?

→ Labour villagers were forced to do without payment.

How did re-interpretation of Indian history contribute to nationalism?

→ Indians began to reclaim past achievements in art, science, culture; creating pride; counters colonial narrative of backwardness.

The movement in which peasants of Bardoli in Gujarat rallied under Vallabhbhai Patel against tax increase was called:

Bardoli Satyagraha.

What was the Simon Commission (1928) and how did Indians respond?

→ Set up by British to review constitutional system; no Indian members; greeted with “Simon Go Back” protests.

What role did women play in the national movement of India?

→ They joined marches, picketed shops, produced salt, entered public sphere; but leadership positions still limited.

Explain one key difference between Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement.

→ Non-Cooperation: boycott, resignation, non-participation. Civil Disobedience: actively breaking laws, mass defiance (e.g., salt law).

Which slogan was adopted at the Lahore Session of Congress in December 1929?

Purna swaraj

What was the importance of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in the Indian nationalist movement?

→ Sparked wide outrage; deepened alienation from British; forced many to shift from moderate to radical stance.

What did the economic depression of the late 1920s-30s lead to in India in context of nationalism?

→ Agricultural prices collapsed; peasants pushed; contributed to increased unrest and broader participation in national movement.

What was the “Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA)” and who was a key member?

→ A revolutionary organisation founded 1928, key member Bhagat Singh. Sought more radical overthrow of British.

What role did industrialists play in the national movement in India?

→ Set up associations (e.g., FICCI); supported boycott of imports; but later hesitated due to business interests.

The design of the Swaraj Flag (1921) included which symbol?

Spinning wheel.

Name one reason why the countryside in India played a key role in the spread of the Non-Cooperation Movement.

→ Because peasants and tribals felt hardship from colonial rule (revenue, begar, forest laws) and joined the movement.

Why did the movement in urban towns slow down during the Non-Cooperation Movement?

→ Because Indian alternatives to British institutions were weak; khadi expensive; people returned to schools/courts.

Give one cultural process through which nationalism grew in India.

→ Revival of folklore and folk songs; collecting stories; creating national literature and pride.

What demands did Gandhi make in his letter to Viceroy Irwin on 31 Jan 1930?

→ Eleven demands including abolition of salt tax; to be satisfied or Civil Disobedience launched.

The term “hartal” during movement meant:

→ A) Violent uprising B) Nationwide strike / shutdown C) Formation of council D) Draft of constitution

→ Answer: B) Nationwide strike / shutdown.

What was the heart of Gandhi’s idea of Satyagraha?

→ Soul-force; truth; non-violence; appealing to oppressor’s conscience instead of revenge.

Why were many Muslims alienated from the Congress in late 1920s and early 1930s?

→ Because Congress appeared more associated with Hindu nationalist groups; questions of separate electorates/representation surfaced.

What was the Poona Pact (1932)?

→ Agreement between Gandhi and Ambedkar: reserved seats for Depressed Classes but within general electorate instead of separate electorates.

The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 restricted what?

→Freedom of plantation workers to leave tea gardens.

What did the peasants of Awadh demand during Non-Cooperation Movement?

→ Reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, security of tenure, boycott of oppressive landlords.

How did the British administration respond to the Dandi March & subsequent civil disobedience?

→ Arrest of Gandhi and leaders; police/military crack‐downs; jails; suppression of Congress; repressive laws.

What did workers in Chotanagpur tin-mines do during Civil Disobedience Movement?

→ Wore Gandhi caps; protested; joined boycott of foreign goods; some strikes though large-scale industrial participation was limited.

What was unique about the ways different social groups in India perceived “Swaraj”?

→ Peasants, workers, tribals, urban middle class each had their own interpretation — not one single shared vision.

What did Gandhi mean when he said British rule in India was “established with Indian cooperation”?

→ Indians sustained British rule by working for it — hence, withdrawing cooperation (non-cooperation) would make it collapse.

Describe three early Satyagraha campaigns led by Gandhi before Non-Cooperation Movement.

→ Champaran (1917, indigo peasants); Kheda (1918, tax relief for drought); Ahmedabad (1918, textile workers’ wage dispute).

Name two key symbols used in Indian nationalism around early 20th century.

→ “Bharat Mata” image; the tricolour flags (Swadeshi etc); national songs.

What special significance did salt have in the freedom movement?

→ Because salt tax affected rich & poor alike; symbol of British economic oppression; drawing in all classes.

Why did many rich peasants become early supporters of the Civil Disobedience Movement?

→ Because their cash incomes declined due to depression; they couldn’t pay revenues; saw Swaraj as relief.

What limitation did the Civil Disobedience Movement face regarding rich peasants?

→ When movement paused in 1931, many rich peasants got disappointed and refused to re-join in 1932.

How did folklore help create a sense of collective belonging in India?

→ By reviving oral traditions, songs, legends; creating shared past and identity across regions.

What were the objectives of the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)?

→ Attain self-government (Swaraj) by boycotting British institutions: schools, courts, councils, foreign goods.

What resolutions were adopted at the Nagpur session of Congress in 1920?

→ Non-Cooperation approved; organised Congress on provincial basis; extended to rural areas; adopted tricolour flag.

Explain the social base of the Non-Cooperation Movement.

→ Urban middle class (students, lawyers), peasants (Awadh), tribals (Gudem Hills), plantation workers (Assam).

What were the limitations of the Non-Cooperation Movement?

→ Urban support fizzled due to economic constraints; lack of rural unity; misinterpretation of Swaraj by peasants and tribals.

Explain the significance of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919).

→ Brutal killing by General Dyer under martial law; shattered Indian faith in British justice; radicalised national movement.

Why did Gandhi launch the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930?

→ British monopoly on salt; refusal to meet Gandhi’s 11 demands (31 Jan 1930 letter to Viceroy Irwin).

Why was salt chosen as a symbol of protest?

→ Salt was essential and taxed by the British — affecting rich and poor alike — became a unifying symbol of oppression.

Differentiate between Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements.

→ Non-Cooperation: passive withdrawal, boycott.

→ Civil Disobedience: active defiance of specific colonial laws (salt, taxes).

What were the main features of the Civil Disobedience Movement?

→ Breaking laws, non-payment of taxes, picketing liquor shops, boycotting foreign goods, refusing to pay rent, defying forest laws.

Explain the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (1931).

→ Congress suspended movement; British released prisoners; Gandhi attended Second Round Table Conference.

Why did the Civil Disobedience Movement lose momentum after 1931?

→ Repression returned after Gandhi’s London visit; Congress declared illegal; poor coordination; loss of peasant/elite support.

How did the rich peasants (Patidars and Jats) participate and later withdraw from the movement?

→ Initially active (due to high revenue); later withdrew after no immediate tax relief.