Nationalism in India Class 10 NCERT Solutions 2026 PDF Download

Ans:
(a) In colonies like India, Vietnam, etc., people from different groups began discovering their unity in the process of their struggle with colonialism. The sense of being oppressed under colonialism provided a shared bond that tied many different groups together, leading to the rise of nationalism.
(b) The First World War created a new economic and political situation:
1. It led to a huge increase in defense expenditure, financed by war loans and increasing taxes (customs duties raised, income tax introduced).
2. Prices doubled between 1913 and 1918, leading to extreme hardship for common people.
3. Forced recruitment in rural areas caused widespread anger.
4. This hardship set the stage for a mass movement.

Ans: Indians were outraged because:
1. The Act was hurriedly passed through the Imperial Legislative Council despite the united opposition of Indian members.
2. It gave the government enormous powers to repress political activities.
3. It allowed the detention of political prisoners without trial for two years. Mahatma Gandhi called it a "Black Act."

Ans: In February 1922, Mahatma Gandhi decided to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement because:
1. The movement was turning violent in many places.
2. Specifically, at Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, a peaceful demonstration turned into a violent clash where a police station was set on fire, killing 22 policemen.
3. Gandhi felt satyagrahis needed to be properly trained before they would be ready for mass struggles.

Ans: 1. The idea of Satyagraha emphasized the power of truth and the need to search for truth.
2. It suggested that if the cause was true, if the struggle was against injustice, then physical force was not necessary to fight the oppressor.
3. Without seeking vengeance or being aggressive, a satyagrahi could win the battle through non-violence by appealing to the conscience of the oppressor.

Ans:
(a) Jallianwala Bagh: On 13 April 1919, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed ground of Jallianwala Bagh. Some came to protest the government's repressive measures, others to attend the Baisakhi fair. General Dyer entered the area, blocked the exit points, and opened fire on the crowd, killing hundreds. His object was to produce a "moral effect" and create terror in the minds of satyagrahis.
(b) The Simon Commission: The new Tory government in Britain constituted a Statutory Commission under Sir John Simon to look into the functioning of the constitutional system in India. The problem was that the commission did not have a single Indian member; they were all British. When it arrived in India in 1928, it was greeted with the slogan "Go back Simon".

Ans:
Bharat Mata: Portrayed as an ascetic figure (calm, composed, divine, and spiritual) by Abanindranath Tagore. She dispenses learning, food, and clothing. She represents the spiritual and cultural essence of India.
Germania: Portrayed as a heroic figure wearing a crown of oak leaves (symbolizing heroism) and holding a sword. She represents strength, readiness to fight, and political liberty.

Ans: To defend the temporal powers of the Khalifa (the spiritual head of the Islamic world) after the defeat of Ottoman Turkey in World War I and to bring Muslims under the umbrella of a unified national movement.

Ans: Written by Mahatma Gandhi (1909). It declared that British rule was established in India with the cooperation of Indians, and had survived only because of this cooperation. If Indians refused to cooperate, British rule would collapse.

Ans: Rich peasants (like Patidars of Gujarat and Jats of UP) were producers of commercial crops. They were hard hit by the trade depression and falling prices. They demanded a reduction in revenue, and when the government refused, they joined the movement.

Ans: C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party within the Congress to argue for a return to council politics (entering the legislative councils) to oppose British policies from within.

Ans: It formalized the demand of 'Purna Swaraj' or full independence for India under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru. It was decided to celebrate 26 January 1930 as Independence Day.

Ans:
Dandi March: On 12 March 1930, Gandhi started his march from Sabarmati Ashram with 78 volunteers. They walked 240 miles to Dandi, a coastal town. On 6 April, he reached Dandi and violated the salt law by manufacturing salt.
Why Salt:
1. Salt was something consumed by the rich and the poor alike; it was an essential item of food.
2. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production revealed the most oppressive face of British rule.
3. It was a powerful symbol that could unite the nation.

Ans: 1. Dalit Participation: Dalits (untouchables) did not actively participate as the Congress had ignored them for fear of offending the Sanatanis (high-caste Hindus).
2. Muslim Participation: After the decline of the Non-Cooperation-Khilafat movement, a large section of Muslims felt alienated from the Congress. The relations between Hindus and Muslims worsened.
3. Industrial Workers: Industrial working classes did not participate in large numbers (except in Nagpur) as industrialists were close to the Congress.

Ans: 1. Indian merchants and industrialists had made huge profits during WWI and wanted protection against imports of foreign goods.
2. They formed the FICCI (Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries) in 1927.
3. Led by Purshottamdas Thakurdas and G.D. Birla, they supported the Civil Disobedience Movement financially and refused to buy or sell imported goods.
4. They saw Swaraj as a time when colonial restrictions on business would no longer exist.

Ans: 1. For plantation workers, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space of the tea gardens.
2. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, they were not permitted to leave tea gardens without permission.
3. When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands defied authorities, left the plantations, and headed home, believing "Gandhi Raj" was coming and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

Ans: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the Second Round Table Conference by demanding separate electorates for Dalits. When the British accepted this, Gandhi began a fast unto death. He believed separate electorates would slow down the integration of Dalits into society. Ultimately, Ambedkar accepted Gandhi's position, leading to the Poona Pact of 1932. It gave the Depressed Classes reserved seats in provincial and central legislative councils, but they were to be voted in by the general electorate.

Ans: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (He also wrote 'Vande Mataram').

Ans: An act under which plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, and in fact, they were rarely given such permission.

Ans: Baba Ramchandra (a sanyasi who had earlier been to Fiji as an indentured labourer).

Ans: It was the site of a militant guerrilla movement led by Alluri Sitaram Raju in the early 1920s. He claimed he had special powers and led the tribals in a rebellion against British forest laws.

Ans: Mahatma Gandhi attended it in London (1931) but returned disappointed as the negotiations broke down, primarily over the issue of separate electorates for Dalits and minorities.