Nationalism in India

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NCERT Textual Exercise (Solved)

1. Why is growthof nationalism in the colonies linked to an anti-colonialmovement.

Ans. (i) The colonial exploitation led to poverty andmiseries of thepeople.Theysharedacommonhatredagainstforeignrule.

(ii) Eachclassandgroupfelttheeffectsofcolonialism,thoughtheirexperiencesmightbedifferent.

(iii) TheBritishpolicyofracialism,andpolicyofdivideandruleexposedthenatureoftheirruleandwasenoughtocreatenationalfeelingamongIndians.

2. HowdidtheFirstWorldWarhelpinthegrowthoftheNationalMovementinIndia?

Ans. (i) TheFirstWorldWar played an important role in strengtheningnationalmovement in India. It led to an increase in expenditurewhichwasmetbytheadditionaltaxesonIndianpeople.

(ii) TheWar led toapricerise–leading toextremehardships for thecommonpeople.

(iii) Acuteshortageoffoodaccompaniedbyinfluenzaepidemicledtofamine andmisery.The Indiansbegan to realize, that theywereunnecessarilydrawninawarwhichwasfortheBritishimperialistinterest.ThisfeelingunitedtheIndiansagainsttheBritishwhobeganto demand reforms.

3. WhyweretheIndiansoutragedbytheRowlattAct? Ans. (i) RowlattActwasopposedbytheIndiansasitdeprivedthepeople

oftheircivilrights. (ii) Itauthorisedthegovernmenttoimprisonpeoplewithouttrial. 4. WhydidGandhijidecidetowithdrawtheNon-CooperationMovement? Ans. (i) GandhijicalledofftheNon-cooperationMovementconsequentto

violentactivitiesofIndianpeopleatChauriChaurainU.P. (ii) Gandhijiwantedthemovementtobepeacefulandnon-violent.When

themobsetthepolicestationonfirewhichkilled22policemenhefeltthatpeoplewerenotyetreadyforthemovement.

5. WhatismeantbytheideaofSatyagraha? Ans. (i) SatyagrahaisanobelmethodofagitationintroducedbyGandhiji

inIndiannationalmovement. (ii) The ideaofSatyagraha isbasedon thepowerof truth andnon-

violence.

Nationalism in India

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NCERT Textual Exercise (Solved)

6. WriteanewspaperreportontheJallianwalaBaghmassacre. Ans. (i) 6April1919,therewashartalalloverIndiaandalsoinPunjabas

protestagainsttheRowlattAct. (ii) Alarmed by the popular upsurge and scared that lines of

communication such as the railways and telegraphwould bedisrupted, theBritish administration decided to clampdownonnationalists. Local leaderswere picked up fromAmritsar, andMahatmaGandhiwasbarredfromenteringDelhi.

(iii) On10thApril,thepoliceinAmritsarfireduponapeacefulprocession,provokingwidespreadattacksonbanks,postofficesandrailwaystations.Martial lawwas imposed andGeneralO'Dyer tookcommand.

(iv) On13thApril the JallianwallaBagh incident tookplace.On thatdayalargecrowdgatheredintheenclosedgroundofJallianwallaBagh.Somecametoprotestagainstthegovernment’snewrepressivemeasures.

(v) Others had come to attend the annualBaisakhi fair.Being fromoutside thecity,manyvillagerswereunawareof themartial lawthathadbeenimposed.

(vi) Dyerenteredthearea,blockedtheexitpoints,andopenedfireonthecrowd,killinghundreds.Hisobjectashedeclared later,wasto‘produceamoraleffect’,tocreateinthemindsofsatyagrahisafeeling of terror and awe.

6. WriteanewspaperreportontheSimonCommission. Ans. (i) AcommissionunderSirJohnSimonwassetupto lookinto the

functioning of the constitutional system in India and to suggestchanges.

(ii) SincenotasinglememberwasIndian,thiscommissionwhenitcametoIndiain1928wasgreetedwithBlackflagsandsloganslike‘GoBackSimon’anddemonstrations.