Nationalism in India is a crucial chapter in CBSE Class 10 History that explores the growth of national consciousness and the struggle against British colonial rule . This guide provides comprehensive study material with 20 solved MCQs, 20 solved short answer questions, and 15 solved long answer questions to help students excel in their board examinations.

📘 Understanding Nationalism in India – Key Concepts

Modern nationalism in India was deeply linked to the anti-colonial movement. People discovered a shared identity and unity during their fight against British colonialism . The chapter covers major movements, events, and leaders that shaped India’s freedom struggle.

Important Movements at a Glance

📝 20 Solved MCQs with Answers

Q1. By whom was the Swaraj Party formed?

• (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• (b) Motilal Nehru

• (c) Lala Lajpat Rai

• (d) C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru

✅ Answer: (d) – The Swaraj Party was formed by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru in 1923 .

Q2. By whom was the first image of Bharat Mata painted?

• (a) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

• (b) Rabindranath Tagore

• (c) Natesa Sastri

• (d) Abanindranath Tagore

✅ Answer: (d) – Abanindranath Tagore painted the famous image of Bharat Mata .

Q3. Why did the Indians oppose the Rowlatt Act?

• (a) It imposed heavy taxes

• (b) It gave the government enormous powers to arrest and detain without trial

• (c) It abolished the salt tax

• (d) It supported the partition of Bengal

✅ Answer: (b) – The Rowlatt Act allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years .

Q4. What does the term Khalifa refer to?

• (a) The spiritual head of the Islamic world

• (b) A British official

• (c) An Indian prince

• (d) A religious priest

✅ Answer: (a) – The Khalifa was the spiritual head of the Islamic world, the Ottoman emperor .

Q5. What kind of movement was launched by the tribal peasants of Gudem Hills in Andhra Pradesh?

• (a) Peaceful protest

• (b) Militant guerrilla movement

• (c) Non-violent satyagraha

• (d) Council entry movement

✅ Answer: (b) – Alluri Sitaram Raju led a militant guerrilla movement in Gudem Hills .

Q6. Hind Swaraj was written by:

• (a) Bal Gangadhar Tilak

• (b) Mahatma Gandhi

• (c) Rabindranath Tagore

• (d) Jawaharlal Nehru

✅ Answer: (b) – Mahatma Gandhi wrote Hind Swaraj in 1909 .

Q7. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, the peasants were not permitted to:

• (a) Grow cash crops

• (b) Leave the tea gardens without permission

• (c) Form unions

• (d) Own land

✅ Answer: (b) – The Act restricted plantation workers from leaving tea gardens without permission .

Q8. Which among the following was the prime factor in the emergence of modern nationalism in India?

• (a) British education

• (b) Anti-colonial struggle

• (c) Industrialization

• (d) Religious unity

✅ Answer: (b) – The anti-colonial struggle was the prime factor in the emergence of modern nationalism in India .

Q9. In which year did Gandhiji return to India from South Africa?

• (a) 1912

• (b) 1915

• (c) 1917

• (d) 1920

✅ Answer: (b) – Mahatma Gandhi returned to India in January 1915 .

Q10. What is Satyagraha?

• (a) Violent revolution

• (b) Non-violent resistance based on truth

• (c) Political negotiation

• (d) Religious movement

✅ Answer: (b) – Satyagraha means insisting on truth through non-violent, peaceful mass protests .

Q11. Who wrote the Vande Mataram?

• (a) Bankim Chandra Chatterjee

• (b) Rabindranath Tagore

• (c) Subhas Chandra Bose

• (d) Abanindranath Tagore

✅ Answer: (a) – Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote Vande Mataram as a hymn to the motherland .

Q12. In which city did the Jallianwala Bagh Tragedy take place?

• (a) Delhi

• (b) Amritsar

• (c) Lahore

• (d) Bombay

✅ Answer: (b) – The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in Amritsar on April 13, 1919 .

Q13. The Rowlatt Act was passed in:

• (a) 1917

• (b) 1918

• (c) 1919

• (d) 1920

✅ Answer: (c) – The Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919 .

Q14. Who led a peasant movement during the Non-Cooperation Movement?

• (a) Alluri Sitaram Raju

• (b) Baba Ramchandra

• (c) Jawaharlal Nehru

• (d) Sardar Patel

✅ Answer: (b) – Baba Ramchandra led the peasant movement in Awadh .

Q15. What did the term picket refer to?

• (a) A form of protest

• (b) A type of weapon

• (c) A British official

• (d) A religious ceremony

✅ Answer: (a) – Picketing was a form of protest where people stood outside shops to discourage buyers .

Q16. Who organised the dalits into the Depressed Classes Association?

• (a) Mahatma Gandhi

• (b) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

• (c) Jawaharlal Nehru

• (d) Subhas Chandra Bose

✅ Answer: (b) – Dr. B.R. Ambedkar organised the dalits into the Depressed Classes Association .

Q17. What was the effect of the Non-Cooperation Movement on plantation workers in Assam?

• (a) They got higher wages

• (b) They defied authorities and left plantations

• (c) They formed unions

• (d) They joined the British army

✅ Answer: (b) – Workers defied the Inland Emigration Act, left plantations and headed home .

Q18. What was the main problem with the Simon Commission?

• (a) It was too expensive

• (b) It had no Indian members

• (c) It supported the Rowlatt Act

• (d) It abolished the salt tax

✅ Answer: (b) – The Simon Commission had no Indian members, leading to the slogan “Simon Go Back” .

Q19. Where was Gandhi’s ashram located?

• (a) Champaran

• (b) Sabarmati

• (c) Kheda

• (d) Ahmedabad

✅ Answer: (b) – Gandhi’s ashram was located at Sabarmati, near Ahmedabad .

Q20. The Non-Cooperation Movement was started by Mahatma Gandhi in support of which movement?

• (a) Civil Disobedience Movement

• (b) Khilafat Movement

• (c) Quit India Movement

• (d) Swadeshi Movement

✅ Answer: (b) – The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in support of the Khilafat Movement and for Swaraj .

📝 20 Solved Short Answer Questions (2-3 Marks)

Q1. What was the Rowlatt Act and why was it opposed?

Answer: The Rowlatt Act of 1919 gave the British government enormous powers to arrest any person and put him in jail for two years without trial. It allowed repression of political activities and curbed fundamental rights. Indians opposed it because it violated civil liberties and was passed despite strong opposition from Indian members of the legislative council .

Q2. Explain the idea of Satyagraha as given by Mahatma Gandhi.

Answer: Satyagraha was a new way of resisting colonial rule. It meant insisting on truth through non-violent, peaceful mass protests against injustice. It emphasized the power of truth and the need to search for it without being aggressive. Gandhi believed that a Satyagrahi could win the battle through non-violence without seeking vengeance .

Q3. What was the Khilafat Movement?

Answer: The Khilafat Movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi and the Ali Brothers (Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali) to defend the Khalifa’s temporal powers. The Khilafat Committee was formed in Bombay in March 1919. Gandhi saw this as an opportunity to bring Hindus and Muslims together under a unified national movement .

Q4. Why did the Non-Cooperation Movement fail in towns and cities?

Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement failed in towns for two main reasons: Khadi cloth was often more expensive than mass-produced mill cloth, and poor people could not afford it. Also, alternative Indian institutions had to be set up to replace British ones, which happened slowly. Many people eventually returned to British institutions .

Q5. What was the Chauri Chaura incident and why did it matter?

Answer: In Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh in 1922, a violent mob set a police station on fire, killing 22 policemen. This incident led Mahatma Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement because he believed that Satyagrahis needed proper training before mass struggles, and the movement had turned violent .

Q6. How did the tribal peasants of Gudem Hills participate in the movement?

Answer: The tribal peasants of Gudem Hills in Andhra Pradesh were led by Alluri Sitaram Raju. They interpreted the message of Gandhi and the idea of Swaraj in their own way. They attacked police stations, attempted to kill British officials, and carried out guerrilla warfare to achieve Swaraj .

Q7. Who was Baba Ramchandra and what was his role?

Answer: Baba Ramchandra was a Sanyasi who led the peasant movement in Awadh. He organized peasants against Talukdars and Landlords who charged excessively high rents and imposed begar (forced labour without payment). He, along with Jawaharlal Nehru, set up the Oudh Kisan Sabha in 1920 .

Q8. What did the term ‘begar’ mean in the context of the National Movement?

Answer: Begar referred to labour that villagers were forced to contribute without any payment. Peasants had to work on landlords’ farms without wages, which was one of the main grievances that led to their participation in the Non-Cooperation Movement .

Q9. What was the Simon Commission and why was it boycotted?

Answer: The Simon Commission was a British-appointed committee set up in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919. It was boycotted because it had no Indian members, despite being formed to decide India’s political future. Indians raised slogans like “Simon Go Back” across the country .

Q10. How did Abanindranath Tagore portray Bharat Mata?

Answer: In Abanindranath Tagore’s painting, Bharat Mata is portrayed as an ascetic figure. She is calm, composed, divine and spiritual. She is shown dispensing learning, food, and clothing. Devotion to this mother figure came to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism .

Q11. What was the significance of the Lahore Session of Congress in 1929?

Answer: The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress was held in December 1929 under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru. It formalised the demand for Purna Swaraj (complete independence) and declared that 26 January 1930 would be celebrated as Independence Day .

Q12. Why did Gandhi choose the salt tax for his protest?

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation. Salt was consumed by the rich and poor alike, and the tax on salt revealed the most oppressive face of British rule. By breaking the salt law, he could mobilize masses from all sections of society .

Q13. What was the effect of the First World War on Indian industries?

Answer: The First World War created a new economic situation in India. Manchester imports declined as British mills focused on war production, paving the way for Indian mills to supply the home market. New factories were set up, new workers were employed, and local industrialists consolidated their position .

Q14. How did the revival of Indian folklore help in spreading nationalism?

Answer: Nationalists believed that folklore gave a true picture of traditional culture that had been corrupted by outside forces. Natesa Sastri published a massive four-volume collection of Tamil folk tales, believing that folklore was national literature and the most trustworthy manifestation of people’s real thoughts and characteristics .

Q15. What was the Poona Pact?

Answer: The Poona Pact was signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. It was an agreement on the issue of separate electorates for dalits, ensuring reserved seats for them while maintaining a unified electorate .

Q16. What was the role of women in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Answer: Women participated in the Civil Disobedience Movement by coming out of their homes during Gandhi’s salt satyagraha. They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, picketed shops selling foreign goods and liquor, and many were arrested. They regarded service to the nation as a sacred duty .

Q17. What does the slogan “Do or Die” mean?

Answer: The slogan “Do or Die” was given by Mahatma Gandhi during the Quit India Movement in August 1942 at the Bombay session of the INC. It called for a non-violent mass struggle on the widest possible scale, urging Indians to fight for freedom with full determination .

Q18. Why did the poor peasants join the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Answer: Poor peasants joined the Civil Disobedience Movement because they were not just interested in lowering revenue demand but also wanted unpaid rent to landlords remitted. They had rented land and could not pay rent because of the depression and dwindling cash incomes .

Q19. What was the Inland Emigration Act of 1859?

Answer: The Inland Emigration Act of 1859 restricted plantation workers from leaving the tea gardens without permission. This was a major grievance for workers in Assam who joined the Non-Cooperation Movement in the hope of returning to their villages .

Q20. What was the Salt March?

Answer: The Salt March, also known as the Dandi March, started from Gandhi’s ashram in Sabarmati to Dandi, a coastal town in Gujarat, covering a distance of 240 miles. At Dandi, Gandhi and his followers defied the law by manufacturing salt by boiling sea water, marking the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement .

📝 15 Solved Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)

Q1. How did the First World War create a new economic situation in India?

Answer: The First World War created a dramatically new economic situation in India in three main ways:

1. Manchester imports into India declined as British mills were busy with war production, paving the way for Indian mills to supply the huge home market.

2. As the war prolonged, Indian factories were called upon to supply war needs. As a result, new factories were set up, new workers were employed, and everyone was made to work longer hours.

3. Cotton production collapsed and exports of cotton cloth from Britain fell dramatically after the war. Hence, within colonies like India, local industrialists gradually consolidated their position capturing the home market .

Q2. What was the Non-Cooperation Movement? Why did it spread to the countryside?

Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in December 1920 with the aim of achieving Swaraj through peaceful, non-violent methods. It involved boycotting British institutions such as government schools, law courts, and foreign goods .

It spread to the countryside in the following ways:

• In Awadh, peasants were led by Baba Ramchandra against talukdars who charged high rents and imposed begar. The movement demanded reduction of revenue and abolition of begar. By the end of 1920, Jawaharlal Nehru and others had formed the Oudh Kisan Sabha.

• In Gudem Hills in Andhra Pradesh, tribal peasants organized a militant guerrilla movement under Alluri Sitaram Raju against colonial oppression.

• The message of Swaraj was interpreted differently by different groups, making the movement broad-based .

Q3. Discuss the Salt March and explain why it was an effective symbol of resistance against colonialism.

Answer: Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the nation.

• The Salt March started from Gandhi’s ashram in Sabarmati to Dandi, a coastal town in Gujarat, covering a distance of 240 miles. At Dandi, Gandhi and his followers manufactured salt by boiling sea water, defying the British law.

• Salt was consumed by rich and poor alike, making it a unifying symbol. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production was the most oppressive face of British rule.

• The salt tax affected every Indian equally, making it a powerful issue to mobilize masses. It connected the abstract idea of freedom to concrete everyday issues .

Q4. What was the role of cultural processes in the making of nationalism in India?

Answer: A variety of cultural processes played an important role in making nationalism in India:

1. Bharat Mata as identity of the nation: In the twentieth century, various images of Bharat Mata came to light. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee wrote Vande Mataram as a hymn dedicated to the motherland. Abanindranath Tagore created the image of Bharat Mata as an ascetic, calm, divine figure.

2. Folklore to restore pride: Rabindranath Tagore revived folk songs, folk tales, hymns, legends, and stories. In Madras, Natesa Sastri published a collection of Tamil folktales, believing that folklore was national literature.

3. Flags as identity of the Nation: During the Swadeshi Movement, flags were carried to create a sense of national belonging. Gandhi designed the Swaraj flag with a spinning wheel in the centre.

4. Reinterpretation of History: Many Indians wrote about the glorious developments in ancient times and urged readers to take pride in their past .

Q5. Why did the Indians oppose the Rowlatt Act and what was its aftermath?

Answer: The Rowlatt Act of 1919 empowered the British government to detain individuals without a fair or timely trial, search without a warrant, and curb fundamental rights like freedom of expression and association. It was deeply resented because it violated civil liberties and was introduced despite strong opposition from Indian members of the legislative council .

Aftermath:

1. Mahatma Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal.

2. On April 13, 1919, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occurred, where General Dyer ordered firing on a peaceful gathering, killing hundreds.

3. Strikes, clashes, and attacks on government buildings started as news spread.

4. The government responded with brutal force.

5. Gandhi ended the Rowlatt Satyagraha due to the widespread violence .

Q6. Explain the different social groups that joined the Non-Cooperation Movement and their hopes and struggles.

Answer: The different social groups which participated in the Non-Cooperation Movement included middle-class citizens, students, teachers, merchants, traders, lawyers, peasants, tribal communities, plantation workers, artisans, craftsmen, and women .

Peasants:

• Hopes: They wanted to end oppressive taxation and the ‘begar’ system.

• Struggles: They faced economic hardships, high taxes, and exploitation by landlords.

Tribal Communities:

• Hopes: They wanted to reclaim traditional rights over forest lands.

• Struggles: They faced displacement and loss of land due to British forest laws.

Plantation Workers:

• Hopes: They wanted freedom to return to their homes.

• Struggles: They were trapped under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, which prevented them from leaving tea gardens without permission .

Q7. How did women participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Answer: One of the most important features of the Civil Disobedience Movement was the large-scale participation of women.

• During Gandhiji’s salt satyagraha, thousands of women came out of their homes and engaged in various activities.

• They participated in protest marches, manufactured salt, and picketed shops selling foreign goods and liquor.

• Many of them were arrested and went to jail.

• In urban areas, women from high-caste families participated, while in rural areas, women from rich peasant households joined.

• They regarded service to the nation as a sacred duty .

Q8. What were the causes and results of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?

Answer:

Causes:

1. The Rowlatt Act was passed in 1919, which was deeply resented by Indians.

2. Mahatma Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal on April 6, 1919.

3. On April 13, 1919, a large crowd gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, to peacefully protest.

Results:

1. General Dyer blocked the exit points and ordered firing on the crowd, killing hundreds of innocent men, women, and children.

2. The brutality shocked the entire nation and turned many against British rule.

3. Strikes, clashes, and attacks on government buildings started as news spread.

4. The government responded with brutal force, including public floggings.

5. Gandhi ended the Rowlatt Satyagraha due to the widespread violence .

Q9. What were the main reasons for the Indian opposition to the Simon Commission?

Answer: The Simon Commission was a British-appointed committee formed in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act, 1919, and suggest constitutional reforms.

Reasons for opposition:

1. The Commission had no Indian members, despite being formed to decide India’s political future. Indians saw this as a direct insult to their self-respect and political maturity.

2. The slogan “Simon Go Back” was raised across the country.

3. On October 30, 1928, when the Commission reached Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai led a procession. There was a clash between police and protesters, and Lajpat Rai was hit near his heart.

4. It demonstrated the British government’s unwillingness to include Indians in decision-making processes .

Q10. Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement called off and what was the Chauri Chaura incident?

Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement was called off by Mahatma Gandhi in 1922 following the Chauri Chaura incident.

The Chauri Chaura incident:

• In Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, a violent mob set a police station on fire, killing 22 policemen.

• This act of violence went against Gandhi’s principle of non-violence.

Reasons for calling off:

1. Gandhi was a firm believer in non-violence and felt that Satyagrahis needed proper training before mass struggles.

2. He did not want the movement to turn into a violent uprising.

3. He believed that if Indians resorted to violence, the moral authority of the movement would be lost.

Consequences:

• The movement was withdrawn despite widespread support.

• Many followers were disillusioned, but Gandhi remained committed to non-violence .

Q11. Explain the significance of the Lahore Session of Congress in 1929.

Answer: The Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress was held in December 1929 under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru .

Significance:

1. The demand for full independence (Purna Swaraj) was formalised.

2. It was declared that 26 January 1930 would be celebrated as Independence Day.

3. The celebrations of the first Independence Day attracted little attention, but the session set the stage for the Civil Disobedience Movement.

4. It marked a shift from the demand for dominion status to complete independence.

5. This session galvanized the national movement and prepared the masses for the upcoming struggle .

Q12. How did the Quit India Movement impact India’s freedom struggle?

Answer: The Quit India Movement was launched on August 8, 1942, in the Bombay session of the INC with Mahatma Gandhi’s call of ‘Do or Die’ .

Impact:

1. People observed hartals, and demonstrations were accompanied by national songs and slogans. The entire state machinery came to a standstill.

2. It was violently suppressed by the British. People were lathi-charged, and villages were burnt.

3. Over 1,00,000 people were arrested, and the government resorted to violence to crush the agitation.

4. The movement saw the emergence of new national leaders such as Aruna Asaf Ali, Ram Manohar Lohia, and Jayprakash Narayana.

5. It changed the nature of political negotiation with the British, ultimately paving the way for India’s independence .

Q13. Why did Congress not fully support the demands of poor peasants during the Civil Disobedience Movement?

Answer: The poor peasants joined the Civil Disobedience Movement because they wanted the lowering of revenue demand and the remittance of unpaid rent to landlords .

Reasons for limited Congress support:

1. Congress did not want to upset rich peasants and landlords who were also supporting the movement.

2. The Congress was unwilling to support a ‘no rent’ campaign in most places because it feared losing the support of the landed classes.

3. The party had to balance the interests of different social groups to maintain unity.

4. Many leaders believed that supporting such demands would alienate the landed gentry who were key to the movement’s success .

Q14. What was the response of the plantation workers in Assam to the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Answer: The plantation workers in Assam responded to the Non-Cooperation Movement in a significant way .

Response:

1. For plantation workers, freedom meant the right to move freely in and out of the confined space in which they were enclosed and retaining a link with the village from which they had come.

2. Under the Inland Emigration Act of 1859, plantation workers were not permitted to leave the tea gardens without permission, and they were rarely given such permission.

3. When they heard of the Non-Cooperation Movement, thousands of workers defied the authorities, left the plantations, and headed home.

4. They believed that Gandhi Raj was coming, and everyone would be given land in their own villages.

5. However, they never reached their destination. Stranded on the way by a railway and steamer strike, they were caught by the police and brutally beaten up .

Q15. Compare the images of Bharat Mata and Germania.

Answer: The images of Bharat Mata and Germania represent the national identities of India and Germany .

Similarities:

• Both have an element of bravery, power, authority, and heroism.

• Both were used as symbols of national identity to inspire patriotism.

• Both were used in literature, paintings, and songs to unite people.

Differences:

The image of Bharat Mata by Abanindranath Tagore was in stark contrast to the more aggressive image created later, which showed her with a Trishul standing beside a lion and an elephant .

🌟 How Dhingra Classes Helps Students Master History

At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we make history easy and engaging by:

• Conceptual Teaching: Explaining the “why” behind every event.

• Interactive Sessions: Using timelines, maps, and quizzes.

• Regular Practice: Worksheets, MCQs, and mock tests.

• Personalized Attention: Helping each student overcome their challenges.

📞 Contact Dhingra Classes Nashik

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