1. What was Rowlatt Satyagraha?
Rowlatt Satyagraha was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1919 against the Rowlatt Act passed by the British government. This Act gave the British authority to arrest and detain people without trial. Gandhi urged Indians to protest through non-violent methods like hartals, rallies, and fasts. It marked the beginning of mass resistance against British rule.
2. Write a short note on Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
On 13 April 1919, thousands gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, to protest peacefully. General Dyer ordered firing without warning, killing hundreds of innocent men, women, and children. The massacre shocked the nation and fueled widespread anger against British rule, marking a turning point in India’s freedom struggle.
3. What was the effect of Jallianwala Bagh massacre in northern India?
The massacre led to widespread unrest in Punjab and other northern states. People organized strikes and protests. Many Indians lost faith in British justice and began supporting full independence. It also led Gandhi to intensify his efforts for non-cooperation with the British.
4. What was the Khilafat Movement issue?
The Khilafat Movement was started by Indian Muslims to support the Caliph of Turkey after World War I. They feared that the British would abolish the Khalifa’s position. Gandhi supported the movement to unite Hindus and Muslims in the freedom struggle against British imperialism.
5. What was Non-Cooperation?
Non-Cooperation was a mass movement led by Gandhi in 1920 to oppose British rule. It aimed to achieve Swaraj by withdrawing cooperation from British institutions—courts, schools, government services, and foreign goods—using non-violent methods like boycotts, hartals, and resignations.
6. How could Non-Cooperation become a movement according to Gandhi Ji?
Gandhi believed that if Indians stopped cooperating with the British, their rule would collapse. He encouraged people to boycott British goods, services, schools, courts, and resign from government jobs. The movement was meant to be non-violent and based on truth and self-discipline.
7. When was Non-Cooperation Programme adopted?
The Non-Cooperation Programme was officially adopted by the Indian National Congress at its Nagpur session in December 1920. It included the boycott of British institutions, foreign cloth, and the promotion of swadeshi goods and national education.
8. How did the Non-Cooperation Movement start with the middle class in towns?
In towns, the movement was led by educated middle-class people. Lawyers stopped practicing, students boycotted schools and colleges, and foreign goods were boycotted. People promoted khadi and national schools, and the urban population actively participated in hartals and processions.
9. What was the effect of Non-Cooperation Movement on the economic front?
The boycott of foreign goods led to a sharp decline in British imports. The use of khadi and swadeshi products increased. Liquor shops and foreign cloth shops were picketed. Indian industries and handlooms benefited due to increased demand for local products.
10. Why did the Non-Cooperation Movement in cities slow down?
The movement slowed in cities because there were no adequate alternative Indian institutions. Khadi was expensive and not affordable for the poor. Students had no access to proper national schools. Economic difficulties also reduced the enthusiasm of the urban middle class.
11. Who was Baba Ramchandra?
Baba Ramchandra was a sanyasi who became a prominent leader of the peasant movement in Awadh (Uttar Pradesh). He organized poor peasants against oppressive landlords and British policies. He demanded reduction of rent, abolition of begar (forced labour), and the right to cultivate land without exploitation.
12. Why was the demand of poor peasants of Awadh important?
Poor peasants in Awadh faced heavy land taxes and forced labour under landlords. Their main demands were a reduction in rent, an end to begar, and protection from eviction. These demands were important because they represented the voice of rural India against economic and social injustice.
13. Why did the tribal people join the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Tribal people joined the movement as the British had restricted their access to forests and denied their traditional rights. Leaders like Alluri Sitaram Raju encouraged them to rebel against forest laws. They hoped that the movement would restore their lost rights and lands.
14. What were the ways the poor peasants of Awadh participated?
The poor peasants of Awadh refused to pay taxes, organized social boycotts of landlords, and protested against high rents and begar. They followed leaders like Baba Ramchandra and hoped that Gandhi’s movement would help improve their condition and give them land rights.
15. Who was Alluri Sitaram Raju?
Alluri Sitaram Raju was a tribal leader from Andhra Pradesh who led the rebellion of tribal people against British rule. He believed in the use of violence to achieve freedom and was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas, though he did not follow non-violence himself.
16. What was the meaning of Swaraj for plantation workers?
For plantation workers in Assam, Swaraj meant the freedom to return to their villages and lead a better life. Under British law, they were not allowed to leave plantations without permission. When the movement started, they defied restrictions and left for home, believing Gandhi would help them.
17. Why did Gandhi decide to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Gandhi withdrew the movement in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura incident, where angry protestors killed policemen by setting a police station on fire. Gandhi felt the movement had taken a violent turn and violated his principle of non-violence, so he suspended it immediately.
18. Who formed the Swaraj Party?
The Swaraj Party was formed in 1923 by Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das. After the Non-Cooperation Movement was called off, they decided to participate in legislative councils to voice nationalist demands and keep the spirit of resistance alive from within the system.
19. Write a short note on Simon Commission.
The British government set up the Simon Commission in 1927 to suggest reforms in India, but it had no Indian members. Indians felt insulted and boycotted it. Slogans like “Simon Go Back” were raised, and widespread protests were held across the country.
20. Why did Mahatma Gandhi take salt as a symbol to fight the British?
Salt was a basic necessity used by every Indian, rich or poor. The British had imposed a tax on it and had a monopoly over its production. Gandhi chose salt to unite all classes against British injustice and make the issue emotionally and economically relatable to all.
21. Write a short note on Salt March / Dandi March.
The Salt March began on 12 March 1930 when Gandhi walked 240 km from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi with 78 followers. On 6 April, he broke the salt law by making salt from seawater. This non-violent act launched the Civil Disobedience Movement.
22. Difference between Civil Disobedience and Non-Cooperation Movement:
| Feature | Non-Cooperation Movement | Civil Disobedience Movement |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Refusal to cooperate with British | Active defiance of British laws |
| Launched | In 1920 | In 1930 after Salt March |
| Focus | Boycott of institutions, goods | Violation of laws like Salt Law |
| Nature of Protest | Passive resistance | More assertive and direct confrontation |
23. Why did rich peasants join Civil Disobedience Movement?
Rich peasants, especially the Patidars in Gujarat and Jats in Uttar Pradesh, were hit by high land revenue demands during a time of falling prices. They saw the movement as a way to reduce revenue rates and gain greater control over land and farming.
24. Why did poor peasants not fully support Civil Disobedience?
Poor peasants had expectations like the cancellation of unpaid rent and relief from landlord oppression. However, the Congress was unwilling to support such radical demands. When these expectations were not met, many poor peasants withdrew from the movement feeling disillusioned.
25. Why did the business class join Civil Disobedience Movement?
Indian merchants and industrialists supported the movement as they wanted freedom from colonial restrictions on trade and industry. They opposed British control over Indian economy and hoped that Swaraj would lead to policies favoring Indian businesses and industries.
26. Why did industrial workers not participate much in Civil Disobedience?
Industrial workers had limited involvement because the Congress did not raise specific demands related to their working conditions or wages. Also, many industrialists who supported the Congress were not in favor of labour strikes, which discouraged worker participation.
27. How did women participate in Civil Disobedience Movement?
Thousands of women from cities and villages took part in marches, picketed shops selling foreign goods, and made salt. Inspired by Gandhi, they broke traditional boundaries and became active participants. However, the Congress did not give them equal political representation later.