Complete NCERT textbook questions with model answers for Class 10 History Chapter 2. These solutions follow CBSE marking scheme patterns and show how to structure answers for 1, 3, and 5 marks questions. Focus on answer writing technique rather than just memorizing content.
Write in Brief (1 Mark Questions)
Exam Tip: 1-mark answers should be precise, direct, and not exceed 20-30 words. No explanation needed.
Answer: Gandhiji withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement after the violent Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur, where a police station was burnt killing 22 policemen.
Answer: The Simon Commission was appointed in 1927 to review the functioning of the Government of India Act 1919 and suggest constitutional reforms.
Answer: The Swaraj Party was founded by Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru in 1923 to contest elections and enter legislative councils.
Answer: In the Lahore Session (1929), Congress declared 'Purna Swaraj' (complete independence) as its goal and decided to celebrate 26th January as Independence Day.
Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
Exam Tip: 3-mark answers should be 60-80 words with clear points. Structure: Introduction + 2-3 points + Conclusion.
Answer: Satyagraha, meaning 'truth force', was Gandhi's unique method of non-violent resistance that emphasized truth, non-violence, and self-suffering to appeal to the oppressor's conscience. It was fundamentally different from passive resistance as it sought to transform both the oppressed and the oppressor through moral force rather than coercion.
| Core Principles | Methods | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| • Truth and non-violence • Self-suffering instead of inflicting pain • Appeal to conscience of oppressor |
• Civil disobedience • Non-cooperation • Peaceful protests • Fasts |
• Achieve justice through moral force • Transform both oppressed and oppressor • Create sustainable social change |
Gandhi first tested Satyagraha in India through Champaran (1917), Kheda (1918), and Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918), establishing it as a powerful tool against injustice.
Answer: Indians were deeply outraged by the Rowlatt Act (1919) because it severely curtailed civil liberties and violated wartime promises of self-government. Despite unanimous Indian opposition in the Legislative Council, the British government passed this draconian law.
- Draconian provisions: Allowed detention without trial for up to 2 years
- No legal recourse: Denied right to know accusations or evidence
- Broken promises: Came after Montagu Declaration (1917) promising self-government
- Political betrayal: Enacted despite unanimous Indian opposition in Legislative Council
- Wartime sacrifices ignored: Imposed after India contributed significantly to WWI
This led to nationwide protests and the Rowlatt Satyagraha, marking Gandhi's entry into Indian national politics and setting the stage for the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Answer: The Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22) had significant economic impacts by promoting self-reliance and boycotting British goods, leading to both positive developments for Indian industry and negative consequences for British economic interests.
| Positive Effects | Negative Effects (for British) | Long-term Impact |
|---|---|---|
| • Boost to Indian industries (textiles, soap) • Revival of hand-spinning (charkha) • Promotion of Swadeshi goods |
• Decline in British cloth imports (50% drop) • Boycott of foreign goods • Withdrawal from British educational institutions |
• Growth of Indian entrepreneurship • Development of national consciousness • Foundation for future economic nationalism |
Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
Exam Tip: 5-mark answers need 120-150 words with proper structure: Introduction, 4-5 main points with examples, and conclusion.
Answer: The Civil Disobedience Movement (1930-34) was a major mass movement led by Gandhi against British salt laws, characterized by widespread public participation and innovative protest methods that marked a significant evolution in India's freedom struggle.
Key Features of Civil Disobedience Movement:
Conclusion: The movement marked the peak of mass nationalism, demonstrated the power of non-violent resistance, forced British recognition of Indian political demands, and inspired future independence movements worldwide.
Answer: The Civil Disobedience Movement saw unprecedented participation from diverse social groups, each with their own aspirations and methods of protest, reflecting both the movement's broad appeal and the complex social realities of colonial India.
| Social Group | Participation Form | Specific Demands | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rich Peasants (Jats, Patidars) |
• Refused revenue payments • Organized protests • Financial support |
• Reduction in revenue • Remission during depression |
Provided economic backbone to movement |
| Poor Peasants | • Refused rent • Joined no-rent campaigns • Local protests |
• Rent reduction • Cancellation of debts • Land redistribution |
Radicalized movement, often went beyond Congress control |
| Business Class (G.D. Birla, Purshottamdas) |
• Financial support • Refused imported goods • Public endorsements |
• Protection against imports • Rupee-sterling ratio favorable to India |
Provided crucial funding and legitimacy |
| Industrial Workers | • Strikes (Bombay, Sholapur) • Boycott of foreign cloth • Street protests |
• Better wages • Improved working conditions • Right to unionize |
Brought urban working class into national movement |
| Women | • Picketing liquor shops • Participated in marches • Led processions |
• Social reform • Recognition in public sphere • National independence |
Broke gender barriers, though limited to urban educated women |
Diverse motivations: While united against British rule, each group also pursued its own economic and social interests within the broader nationalist framework, making the movement both inclusive and complex in its objectives.
Map-Based Question
Important: Map questions carry 2-3 marks. Always label clearly and include a key/legend if needed.
a) Champaran - where Gandhi launched his first Satyagraha in India
b) Kheda - site of peasant Satyagraha
c) Ahmedabad - center of mill workers' strike
d) Amritsar - Jallianwala Bagh massacre site
e) Chauri Chaura - where violence led to Non-Cooperation Movement withdrawal
f) Bardoli - center of no-tax campaign
g) Dandi - destination of Salt March
[Image: Outline map of India showing important nationalist movement locations 1917-1934]
Map showing: Champaran (Bihar), Kheda (Gujarat), Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Amritsar (Punjab), Chauri Chaura (UP), Bardoli (Gujarat), Dandi (Gujarat)
Answer Key for Map:
- Champaran: North Bihar - First Gandhi Satyagraha (1917) for indigo farmers
- Kheda: Gujarat - Peasant Satyagraha (1918) for revenue remission
- Ahmedabad: Gujarat - Mill workers strike (1918)
- Amritsar: Punjab - Jallianwala Bagh massacre (1919)
- Chauri Chaura: Uttar Pradesh - Violent incident (1922) leading to Non-Cooperation withdrawal
- Bardoli: Gujarat - No-tax campaign (1928) led by Vallabhbhai Patel
- Dandi: Gujarat coast - Salt March destination (1930)
Extra Practice Questions
Answer: Mahatma Gandhi transformed the Indian National Movement from elite politics to mass struggle through innovative methods and moral leadership, fundamentally changing the nature of India's freedom struggle and leaving a lasting impact on both Indian society and global movements for justice.
Gandhi's Evolving Role:
| Period | Major Contributions | Movements Led |
|---|---|---|
| 1915-1919 Entry & Experiments |
• Introduced Satyagraha in India • Local struggles (Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad) • Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919) |
• First Satyagrahas • Anti-Rowlatt protests |
| 1920-1922 Mass Mobilization |
• Transformed Congress into mass organization • Hindu-Muslim unity emphasis • Khilafat Movement support |
• Non-Cooperation Movement |
| 1930-1934 Peak Leadership |
• Salt Satyagraha innovation • Dandi March symbolism • Gandhi-Irwin Pact negotiation |
• Civil Disobedience Movement |
| 1939-1947 Final Phase |
• Individual Satyagraha (1940-41) • Quit India Movement (1942) • Partition negotiations |
• Quit India Movement • Independence negotiations |
Legacy: Gandhi's unique contribution was making nationalism accessible to common people through familiar cultural symbols and non-violent methods, while also addressing social issues like untouchability and rural development, creating a holistic vision of Indian independence.
Answer: During the 1930s, both Dalits and Muslims developed separate political identities due to Congress' limitations in addressing their specific concerns, leading to significant shifts in India's political landscape that ultimately influenced the nature of independence and partition.
| Community | Reasons for Alienation | Alternate Movements | Congress Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalits (Untouchables) |
• Caste discrimination continued • Gandhi's paternalistic approach • Limited representation in leadership • Separate electorate demand |
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's leadership • Depressed Classes Association • Poona Pact (1932) |
• Gandhi's fast against separate electorates • Poona Pact compromise • Continued emphasis on social reform |
| Muslims | • Decline of Khilafat unity • Communal riots (1920s) • Fear of Hindu domination • Separate cultural identity |
• Muslim League revival • Muhammad Ali Jinnah's leadership • Fourteen Points (1929) • Pakistan Resolution (1940) |
• Failed unity conferences • Inadequate power-sharing offers • Focus on majority support |
Impact: This alienation ultimately led to separate electorates for Dalits and the demand for Pakistan by Muslims, fundamentally altering the course of India's freedom struggle and shaping the post-independence political structure of both India and Pakistan.
Answer Writing Checklist
Final Note: These solutions demonstrate how to write answers, not just what to write. Practice adapting this structure to different questions.
