🌟 Introduction
History and Civics is one of the most important and scoring subjects for Class 10 ICSE Board students. The ICSE History & Civics paper demands strong conceptual clarity, accurate dates, and precise terminology. At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we have compiled the complete list of History and Civics keywords that every Class 10 ICSE student must master for board exam success.
Class 10 History & Civics (ICSE) covers crucial topics including The Indian National Movement, The Union Legislature, The Union Executive, The Judiciary, The First World War, The Second World War, The United Nations, The Non-Aligned Movement, The Cold War, and India’s Foreign Policy. Understanding History and Civics keywords and their meanings is essential for writing accurate answers and scoring high marks in the board examination.
History helps us understand the past, its events, and how they shaped the present world. Civics helps us understand how governments work, how laws are made, and how citizens participate in democracy. This comprehensive guide covers 150+ History and Civics keywords organized by chapter, making it easy for Class 10 ICSE students to learn and revise before exams.
📚 Why Learning History and Civics Keywords Is Important for ICSE Students
Before diving into the complete list, let us understand why mastering History and Civics keywords is crucial for Class 10 ICSE students.
🎯 Benefits of Learning History and Civics Keywords
✅ Better Exam Answers: Using correct terminology impresses examiners
📝 Improved Understanding: Keywords help students grasp historical and civic concepts
📅 Date Recall: Keywords help remember important dates and events
🧠 Easy Revision: Keywords serve as memory triggers during revision
🏆 Higher Scores: Precise use of keywords leads to better marks
🌐 Real-World Knowledge: Understanding history and civics helps in daily life
📊 Answer Writing: Keywords help structure answers effectively
📖 Complete List of History Keywords for Class 10 ICSE
🇮🇳 Chapter 1: The Indian National Movement (1857–1917)
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Indian National Movement | The struggle for India’s independence from British rule |
| Sepoy Mutiny | The revolt of 1857 against British rule |
| First War of Independence | Another name for the revolt of 1857 |
| Mangal Pandey | A soldier who sparked the revolt of 1857 |
| Rani Lakshmibai | Queen of Jhansi who fought against the British |
| Bahadur Shah Zafar | The last Mughal emperor |
| Queen Victoria | British queen who became Empress of India |
| Indian National Congress | A political party founded in 1885 |
| Moderates | Early leaders of Congress who believed in peaceful methods |
| Extremists | Leaders who believed in aggressive methods |
| Swadeshi Movement | A movement to promote Indian goods |
| Boycott | Refusal to buy British goods |
| Partition of Bengal | The division of Bengal in 1905 |
| Muslim League | A political party founded in 1906 |
| Lucknow Pact | An agreement between Congress and Muslim League in 1916 |
| Home Rule Movement | A movement for self-government |
| Bal Gangadhar Tilak | A leader who said “Swaraj is my birthright” |
| Gopal Krishna Gokhale | A moderate leader and mentor of Gandhi |
| Dadabhai Naoroji | A leader who proposed the drain theory |
| Surendranath Banerjee | A moderate leader known as the “Bengal Tiger” |
| Lala Lajpat Rai | A leader known as the “Lion of Punjab” |
| Bipin Chandra Pal | A leader of the extremist group |
| A.O. Hume | Founder of the Indian National Congress |
| W.C. Bonnerjee | First president of the Indian National Congress |
| Drain Theory | The theory that British rule drained India’s wealth |
🇮🇳 Chapter 2: The Indian National Movement (1917–1947)
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mahatma Gandhi | The leader of India’s non-violent freedom struggle |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | A movement to boycott British goods and institutions |
| Khilafat Movement | A movement to support the Ottoman Caliph |
| Chauri Chaura Incident | An incident that led Gandhi to withdraw Non-Cooperation |
| Swaraj | Self-rule or independence |
| Satyagraha | Non-violent resistance |
| Ahimsa | Non-violence |
| Dandi March | Gandhi’s march to make salt in 1930 |
| Civil Disobedience Movement | A movement to disobey British laws |
| Salt Law | A British law that taxed salt production |
| Round Table Conference | Meetings between British and Indian leaders |
| Poona Pact | An agreement between Gandhi and Ambedkar |
| Quit India Movement | A movement demanding British withdrawal from India |
| Do or Die | Gandhi’s slogan during Quit India Movement |
| Subhas Chandra Bose | A leader who formed the Indian National Army |
| Indian National Army (INA) | An army formed to fight British rule |
| Azad Hind | The provisional government of free India |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | The first Prime Minister of India |
| Sardar Patel | The Iron Man of India |
| Maulana Azad | A leader and the first Education Minister of India |
| Bhagat Singh | A revolutionary freedom fighter |
| Chandrashekhar Azad | A revolutionary freedom fighter |
| Sarojini Naidu | The Nightingale of India |
| Kasturba Gandhi | Wife of Mahatma Gandhi and a freedom fighter |
| Aruna Asaf Ali | A leader of the Quit India Movement |
| Cripps Mission | A mission to discuss India’s future |
| Cabinet Mission | A mission to plan India’s independence |
| Mountbatten Plan | The plan for India’s independence and partition |
| Indian Independence Act | The act that granted India independence |
| Partition | The division of India into India and Pakistan |
🌍 Chapter 3: The First World War
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| World War I | A global war from 1914 to 1918 |
| Allied Powers | Britain, France, Russia, and later the USA |
| Central Powers | Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire |
| Triple Alliance | Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy |
| Triple Entente | Britain, France, and Russia |
| Archduke Franz Ferdinand | The Austrian archduke whose assassination sparked the war |
| Sarajevo | The city where Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated |
| Militarism | The policy of building a strong military |
| Nationalism | A feeling of pride and loyalty towards one’s nation |
| Imperialism | The policy of extending a country’s power through colonization |
| Alliance System | A system of alliances between countries |
| Trench Warfare | A type of warfare using trenches |
| No Man’s Land | The area between opposing trenches |
| U-Boat | A German submarine |
| Lusitania | A British ship sunk by a German U-boat |
| Zimmermann Telegram | A German telegram that brought the USA into the war |
| Treaty of Versailles | The treaty that ended World War I |
| League of Nations | An international organization formed after World War I |
| Reparations | Payments made by Germany after World War I |
| War Guilt Clause | A clause in the Treaty of Versailles blaming Germany |
| Armistice | An agreement to stop fighting |
| November 11, 1918 | The date World War I ended |
| Woodrow Wilson | The US President during World War I |
| Fourteen Points | Wilson’s plan for peace |
| Disarmament | The reduction of military forces |
🌍 Chapter 4: The Second World War
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| World War II | A global war from 1939 to 1945 |
| Axis Powers | Germany, Italy, and Japan |
| Allied Powers | Britain, France, USSR, USA, and China |
| Adolf Hitler | The dictator of Germany during World War II |
| Nazism | The ideology of the Nazi Party in Germany |
| Fascism | An authoritarian political ideology |
| Benito Mussolini | The dictator of Italy during World War II |
| Appeasement | The policy of giving in to aggressive demands |
| Munich Agreement | An agreement that allowed Hitler to annex Sudetenland |
| Invasion of Poland | The event that started World War II |
| Blitzkrieg | A German military strategy of rapid attack |
| Battle of Britain | A major air battle between Britain and Germany |
| Operation Barbarossa | The German invasion of the Soviet Union |
| Pearl Harbor | A Japanese attack on the US in 1941 |
| D-Day | The Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944 |
| Hiroshima and Nagasaki | Japanese cities where atomic bombs were dropped |
| Holocaust | The genocide of Jews during World War II |
| Genocide | The deliberate killing of a large group of people |
| United Nations | An international organization formed after World War II |
| Nuremberg Trials | Trials of Nazi war criminals |
| Cold War | Political tension between the US and USSR |
| Iron Curtain | The division between Eastern and Western Europe |
| Marshall Plan | A US plan to rebuild Europe |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| Warsaw Pact | A military alliance of communist countries |
🕊️ Chapter 5: The United Nations
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| United Nations (UN) | An international organization for peace and cooperation |
| UN Charter | The founding document of the United Nations |
| General Assembly | The main deliberative body of the UN |
| Security Council | The body responsible for maintaining peace |
| Permanent Member | A member with veto power in the Security Council |
| Veto Power | The power to reject a resolution |
| Secretary-General | The chief administrative officer of the UN |
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) | The judicial organ of the UN |
| Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) | The body that coordinates economic and social work |
| Trusteeship Council | The body that supervised trust territories |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization |
| UNICEF | United Nations Children’s Fund |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
| ILO | International Labour Organization |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund |
| World Bank | An international financial institution |
| WTO | World Trade Organization |
| Human Rights | Basic rights that all people should have |
| Universal Declaration of Human Rights | A document stating basic human rights |
| Peacekeeping | The maintenance of peace by UN forces |
| Disarmament | The reduction of military forces |
| Sustainable Development | Development that meets present needs without compromising future |
| Millennium Development Goals | Goals set by the UN for development |
| Sustainable Development Goals | Goals set by the UN for sustainable development |
| UN Day | October 24, celebrated as UN Day |
🌏 Chapter 6: The Non-Aligned Movement and the Cold War
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) | A movement of countries not aligned with either superpower |
| Cold War | Political tension between the US and USSR |
| Superpower | A country with global influence |
| United States (USA) | A superpower during the Cold War |
| Soviet Union (USSR) | A superpower during the Cold War |
| Iron Curtain | The division between Eastern and Western Europe |
| Containment | The US policy to prevent the spread of communism |
| Truman Doctrine | A US policy to support countries against communism |
| Marshall Plan | A US plan to rebuild Europe |
| Berlin Blockade | A Soviet blockade of West Berlin |
| Berlin Wall | A wall that divided East and West Berlin |
| Cuban Missile Crisis | A confrontation between the US and USSR over Cuba |
| Space Race | A competition between the US and USSR in space exploration |
| Arms Race | A competition between the US and USSR in military weapons |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization |
| Warsaw Pact | A military alliance of communist countries |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | A leader of the Non-Aligned Movement |
| Josip Broz Tito | A leader of the Non-Aligned Movement |
| Gamal Abdel Nasser | A leader of the Non-Aligned Movement |
| Sukarno | A leader of the Non-Aligned Movement |
| Bandung Conference | A conference of Asian and African countries in 1955 |
| Panchsheel | Five principles of peaceful coexistence |
| Disarmament | The reduction of military forces |
| Détente | The easing of tensions between the US and USSR |
| Glasnost | A Soviet policy of openness |
| Perestroika | A Soviet policy of economic restructuring |
📖 Complete List of Civics Keywords for Class 10 ICSE
🏛️ Chapter 7: The Union Legislature
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Parliament | The legislative body of India |
| Lok Sabha | The lower house of Parliament |
| Rajya Sabha | The upper house of Parliament |
| Speaker | The presiding officer of the Lok Sabha |
| Deputy Speaker | The deputy presiding officer of the Lok Sabha |
| Chairman | The presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha |
| Deputy Chairman | The deputy presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha |
| Member of Parliament (MP) | A member of the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha |
| Constituency | An area represented by an MP |
| Election | The process of choosing representatives |
| Bill | A proposed law |
| Act | A law passed by Parliament |
| Ordinary Bill | A bill that can be introduced in either house |
| Money Bill | A bill that deals with taxation and spending |
| Finance Bill | A bill that deals with government finances |
| Constitution Amendment Bill | A bill to amend the Constitution |
| Joint Sitting | A meeting of both houses to resolve deadlock |
| Question Hour | A time when MPs ask questions to ministers |
| Zero Hour | A time when MPs raise urgent matters |
| Adjournment Motion | A motion to discuss an urgent issue |
| No-Confidence Motion | A motion expressing lack of confidence in the government |
| Budget | The government’s financial plan |
| President | The head of state of India |
| Governor | The head of a state |
| Ordinance | A law issued by the President when Parliament is not in session |
🏛️ Chapter 8: The Union Executive
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| President | The head of state of India |
| Vice President | The second-highest constitutional office in India |
| Prime Minister | The head of government of India |
| Council of Ministers | The body of ministers that advises the President |
| Cabinet Minister | A senior minister in charge of a ministry |
| Minister of State | A junior minister |
| Deputy Minister | A minister assisting a senior minister |
| Attorney General | The chief legal advisor to the government |
| Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) | The auditor of government accounts |
| Election Commission | The body that conducts elections |
| Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) | The body that conducts civil service exams |
| Finance Commission | The body that recommends financial distribution |
| Emergency | A situation requiring special powers |
| National Emergency | An emergency due to war or external aggression |
| State Emergency | An emergency due to failure of constitutional machinery |
| Financial Emergency | An emergency due to financial instability |
| Ordinance | A law issued by the President when Parliament is not in session |
| Pardoning Power | The President’s power to pardon convicts |
| Veto Power | The President’s power to reject a bill |
| Pocket Veto | The President’s power to delay a bill indefinitely |
| Impeachment | The process of removing the President |
| Electoral College | The body that elects the President |
| Collective Responsibility | The principle that the Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha |
| Individual Responsibility | The principle that each minister is responsible for their ministry |
| Cabinet Secretariat | The office that assists the Cabinet |
⚖️ Chapter 9: The Judiciary
| Keyword | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Judiciary | The branch of government that interprets laws |
| Supreme Court | The highest court of India |
| High Court | The highest court in a state |
| District Court | The court at the district level |
| Chief Justice | The head of the Supreme Court or High Court |
| Judge | A person who presides over a court |
| Jurisdiction | The authority of a court to hear cases |
| Original Jurisdiction | The authority to hear a case for the first time |
| Appellate Jurisdiction | The authority to hear appeals |
| Advisory Jurisdiction | The authority to give advice to the President |
| Writ | A formal order issued by a court |
| Habeas Corpus | A writ to protect against illegal detention |
| Mandamus | A writ to compel a public official to perform their duty |
| Prohibition | A writ to prevent a lower court from exceeding its jurisdiction |
| Certiorari | A writ to transfer a case from a lower court |
| Quo Warranto | A writ to question a person’s authority to hold office |
| Judicial Review | The power of the court to review laws |
| Public Interest Litigation (PIL) | A petition filed for public good |
| Independence of Judiciary | The principle that the judiciary should be free from influence |
| Pendency of Cases | The backlog of unresolved cases |
| Appeal | A request to a higher court to review a decision |
| Verdict | The decision of a court |
| Judgment | The reasoned decision of a court |
| Contempt of Court | Disrespect towards the court |
| Legal Aid | Free legal assistance for the poor |
📝 How to Use This Keyword List for ICSE Exam Preparation
At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we recommend the following strategies to master History and Civics keywords for Class 10 ICSE.
🎯 Study Tips
📖 Read each keyword with its meaning carefully
✏️ Write each keyword 3–4 times to memorize spelling
🗣️ Use keywords in sentences to understand context
📝 Create flashcards for quick revision
📅 Create timelines for historical events
🔄 Revise weekly to ensure long-term retention
📋 Practice writing answers using correct keywords
✅ Take mock tests to check your understanding
📊 Focus on high-weightage chapters first
🎯 Use keywords in answer writing practice
📊 Class 10 ICSE History & Civics Weightage
| Section | Chapter | Expected Marks |
|---|---|---|
| History | Indian National Movement (1857–1917) | 8 – 10 Marks |
| History | Indian National Movement (1917–1947) | 8 – 10 Marks |
| History | First World War | 6 – 8 Marks |
| History | Second World War | 6 – 8 Marks |
| History | United Nations | 6 – 8 Marks |
| History | Non-Aligned Movement and Cold War | 6 – 8 Marks |
| Civics | Union Legislature | 8 – 10 Marks |
| Civics | Union Executive | 8 – 10 Marks |
| Civics | Judiciary | 8 – 10 Marks |
🏫 How Dhingra Classes Nashik Helps Class 10 ICSE Students Master History and Civics
At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we provide comprehensive coaching for History and Civics and all other subjects for Class 10 ICSE students. Our approach includes:
📚 Structured Lessons: Teaching concepts with clear explanations
📅 Timeline Practice: Regular timeline work for better understanding
📝 Keyword Lists: Providing comprehensive keyword lists like this one
✏️ Regular Tests: Weekly tests to ensure continuous revision
🎯 Doubt Clearing Sessions: Personalized attention to every student
📊 Progress Tracking: Regular updates to parents about student progress
🏆 Answer Writing Practice: Teaching how to use keywords effectively
📞 Contact Dhingra Classes Nashik
📱 Phone: 98230 62106
📧 Email: dhingraclassesnsk@gmail.com
🌐 Website: www.dhingraclassesnashik.com
📍 Address: Plot No 3, XQ3G+H3M Deacon Homes, 301C, opp. Metro Zone, near Guru Govind Sing, Samarth Nagar, Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Pathardi Phata, Nashik, Maharashtra 422009
🏁 Conclusion
Mastering History and Civics keywords is essential for Class 10 ICSE students to score high marks in board examinations. This comprehensive list of 150+ History and Civics keywords with their meanings covers all major chapters including The Indian National Movement, The Union Legislature, The Union Executive, The Judiciary, The First World War, The Second World War, The United Nations, The Non-Aligned Movement, and The Cold War.
By regularly revising these keywords and using them in your answers, you can improve your understanding and score better in exams. At Dhingra Classes Nashik, we are committed to helping Class 10 ICSE students excel in History and Civics and achieve academic success. Remember, History is the story of humanity, and Civics is the study of how we govern ourselves—understanding both makes us better citizens of the world.
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