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Nationalism in India – Class 10 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 10 Social Science, chapter 2. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Modern Indian nationalism grew through the struggle against colonial rule. Under Mahatma Gandhi, the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience Movements brought peasants, workers, tribals, the middle class and business groups into the national movement, though each group saw swaraj in its own way.

First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation

The war raised taxes and prices and brought forced recruitment, creating anger across India.
Gandhi's early satyagrahas were at Champaran (1917), Kheda (1917) and among Ahmedabad mill workers (1918).
The Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed detention without trial; the Jallianwala Bagh massacre at Amritsar (13 April 1919) followed.
The Non-Cooperation Movement, supported by the Khilafat Movement, was adopted at the Nagpur Congress (December 1920) and withdrawn after the Chauri Chaura violence (February 1922).

Different strands within the movement

In towns, students left government schools, lawyers gave up practice and foreign cloth was boycotted.
In Awadh, Baba Ramchandra led peasants against talukdars; in the Gudem hills of Andhra, Alluri Sitaram Raju led a tribal revolt.
Plantation workers in Assam saw swaraj as the right to move freely and return to their villages.

Civil Disobedience Movement

The Simon Commission (1928) had no Indian member and was met with 'Go back Simon' protests.
At the Lahore Congress (December 1929) under Jawaharlal Nehru, Purna Swaraj became the goal; 26 January 1930 was celebrated as Independence Day.
Gandhi began the Salt March from Sabarmati to Dandi on 12 March 1930 and broke the salt law at Dandi on 6 April 1930.
The Gandhi–Irwin Pact (March 1931) paused the movement; the Poona Pact (1932) gave reserved seats to the depressed classes within general electorates.

Sense of collective belonging

Abanindranath Tagore's image of Bharat Mata, folklore, songs like Vande Mataram and the tricolour flag created a shared identity.
Reinterpreting history to show India's glorious past made people proud of their heritage, though this sometimes left out other communities.

Key terms

Satyagraha: Gandhi's method of mass agitation based on truth and non-violence
Khilafat Movement: a movement led by the Ali brothers to defend the Ottoman Khalifa after the First World War
Purna Swaraj: complete independence, declared as the goal at the Lahore Congress, 1929
Begar: forced labour without payment

Important questions with answers

Why did Gandhiji choose salt to start the Civil Disobedience Movement?2 marks

Salt was used by the rich and the poor alike and was one of the most essential items of food. The tax on salt and the government monopoly over its production affected everyone, so breaking the salt law could unite all sections of society against British rule.

Why was the Simon Commission opposed in India?3 marks

The Simon Commission (1928) was set up to look into the working of the constitutional system and suggest changes. It did not have a single Indian member, so Indians felt their right to decide their own future was ignored. It was greeted everywhere with black flags and the slogan 'Go back Simon', and all parties, including the Congress and the Muslim League, joined the protests.

Explain how different social groups took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement.5 marks

In towns, the middle class joined: thousands of students left government schools, teachers resigned, lawyers gave up their practice and foreign cloth was boycotted, which raised the production of Indian textiles. In the countryside of Awadh, peasants led by Baba Ramchandra protested against talukdars and landlords who demanded high rents and begar. In the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh, tribals led by Alluri Sitaram Raju started a guerrilla struggle because forest laws stopped them from grazing cattle and collecting fuelwood. Plantation workers in Assam understood swaraj as the right to move freely in and out of the gardens and tried to return to their villages. Each group interpreted swaraj in its own way, but together they made the movement a mass movement.

Quick revision

Rowlatt Act 1919 → Jallianwala Bagh 13 April 1919.
Non-Cooperation 1920–22, withdrawn after Chauri Chaura.
Purna Swaraj at Lahore 1929; Dandi March 1930.
Poona Pact 1932 between Gandhi and Ambedkar.

Exam tips

Prepare a date line: 1917 Champaran, 1919 Rowlatt and Jallianwala, 1920 Non-Cooperation, 1922 Chauri Chaura, 1928 Simon, 1929 Lahore, 1930 Dandi, 1931 Gandhi–Irwin, 1932 Poona Pact.
For 'how different groups participated', write one point each for peasants, tribals, workers, business class and women.

Practice MCQs

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre took place in
1. 1917
2. 1919
3. 1922
4. 1930
Show answer
Answer: (b) 1919. It happened on 13 April 1919 at Amritsar.
The Salt March ended at
1. Sabarmati
2. Chauri Chaura
3. Champaran
4. Dandi
Show answer
Answer: (d) Dandi. Gandhi broke the salt law at Dandi on 6 April 1930.
Gandhi's first satyagraha in India was at
1. Kheda
2. Champaran
3. Ahmedabad
4. Bardoli
Show answer
Answer: (b) Champaran. In 1917 he went to Champaran to support indigo farmers.
The Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn because of
1. the Chauri Chaura incident
2. the Simon Commission
3. the Poona Pact
4. the Rowlatt Act
Show answer
Answer: (a) the Chauri Chaura incident. A violent clash at Chauri Chaura in 1922 made Gandhi call it off.
Purna Swaraj was declared the goal at the Congress session of
1. Nagpur 1920
2. Calcutta 1928
3. Lahore 1929
4. Karachi 1931
Show answer
Answer: (c) Lahore 1929. Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the Lahore session in December 1929.
The tribal revolt in the Gudem hills of Andhra Pradesh was led by
1. Baba Ramchandra
2. Sardar Patel
3. Birsa Munda
4. Alluri Sitaram Raju
Show answer
Answer: (d) Alluri Sitaram Raju. He led a guerrilla movement in the early 1920s.
The Poona Pact of 1932
1. gave separate electorates to dalits
2. ended the Civil Disobedience Movement
3. gave reserved seats to depressed classes within general electorates
4. set up the Swaraj Party
Show answer
Answer: (c) gave reserved seats to depressed classes within general electorates. Ambedkar accepted reserved seats in place of separate electorates.
The Rowlatt Act was opposed mainly because it
1. increased land revenue
2. divided Bengal
3. banned salt making
4. allowed detention of political prisoners without trial
Show answer
Answer: (d) allowed detention of political prisoners without trial. It gave the government huge powers to repress political activity.

All chapters of Class 10 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.