CLASS 10 NOTES

SOCIAL SCIENCE

The Nationalism in India

PRASHANT KIRAD
 PRASHANT KIRAD

The Nationalism in India

Spread Of Nationalism In India
Nationalism in India developed during the anti-colonial struggle.
Educated Indians demanded more autonomy in the mid-19th century.
The Indian National Congress led the nationalist movement.
Mahatma Gandhi played a key role in mobilizing and uniting Indians.
Internal conflicts arose due to differing ideologies and strategies.
Different groups and sections
Effects of War I of society experienced the
impacts in varying degrees;
The war led to a rise in defence spending led to:
some were deeply affected,
Raised custom duties while others felt it less
Introduction of income taxes significantly.

D
Increased goods prices (affecting the lower and middle classes)

War Recruitment and health

RA
KI
Forced recruitment of people in rural areas to fight on battlefields caused
anger among the population.
T

Crop failures of 1918-19 and 1920-21 led to famine and an influenza outbreak
AN

resulting in food shortages.

Between 12-13 million people died from famine and epidemics caused by the war.
H

Satyagraha E.M.A In January 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South
AS

Africa. He visited Champaran in Bihar in 1916 to motivate peasants to

fight against the oppressive plantation system. The following year, he
led a satyagraha to support the demands of the Kheda district
PR

Emphasized on Emphasized the power and peasants in Gujarat to relax revenue collection. In 1918, Gandhi
Non-Violence importance of truth. organized a Satyagraha among cotton mill workers in Ahmedabad.

Physical force was not necessary to fight against injustice if the cause was true.
Through non-violence, a Satyagrahi could win without seeking revenge being
The aim was to persuade people, including oppressors, to see the truth
rather than imposing it through violence.
Satyagraha ensured that truth would ultimately triumph.

Rowlatt Act(1919) E.M.A

JOSH METER?

Rowlatt Act was passed hastily through the Imperial Legislative Council despite
strong opposition from Indian members.
The Act granted the government broad powers to suppress political activities.
Political prisoners could be detained without trial for up to two years.
The Act led to the imposition of martial law, with General Dyer appointed to
enforce it.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

E.M.A Martial Law:- Imposition of direct

military control over normal civil functions
JALLIANWALA BAGH MASSACRE + suspended Civil law.

On April 13, 1919, a large crowd gathered in the enclosed area of Jallianwalla
Bagh.
Some came to protest the government's new repressive measures, while
others attended the annual Baisakhi fair.
Many villagers from outside the city were unaware of the imposed martial law.
General Dyer blocked the exit points and ordered his troops to fire on the
unarmed crowd, killing hundreds.
By this act, Dyer intended to create a sense of terror and awe in the minds of
Satyagrahis by producing a moral effect.
The Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre created turmoil in NORTH INDIA
Strikes, clashes, attacks on
Government in response, oppressed the government buildings
Satyagrahis:

D
This created a lot of Violence which was
Forced to rub their noses on the ground

RA
against the principles of the Gandhi Ji
Salute all the officers
movement;
Due to this violence, Gandhi ji decided
KI
Khilafat Issue to 'call off' the movement.
T

The defeat of Ottoman Turkey at the end of WW1 raised concerns about the
AN

imposition of a harsh peace treaty on the spiritual head of the Islamic world,
the Khalifa.
H

To defend the Khalifa's temporal powers, a Khilafat Committee was formed in

Bombay in March 1919.
AS

Young Muslim leaders like Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali discussed a united
mass action on the issue with Mahatma Gandhi.
PR

Gandhi saw this as an opportunity to unify Muslims under a national movement.

At the September 1920 Congress session in Calcutta, Gandhi convinced other
leaders to begin a non-cooperation movement to support Khilafat and Swaraj.
Non-Cooperation Movement
Why Non-cooperation?
In Gandhi’s book, Hind Swaraj (1909): Gandhi argued that British rule in India
was sustained because of Indian cooperation, and if Indians withdrew their
support, British rule would collapse.
This laid the ideological foundation for the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Gandhi’s belief in non-cooperation: According to Gandhi, the British dominion in
India survived due to Indian compliance with British laws, services, and
institutions.
In Hind Swaraj, Gandhi envisioned Swaraj (self-rule) as the alternative to
British rule, with the Non-Cooperation Movement as the means to achieve it.
 PRASHANT KIRAD
How did Non-Cooperation become a movement?
Mahatma Gandhi proposed a staged approach to the non-cooperation movement.
The first stage involved surrendering government-awarded titles and
boycotting civil services, the army, police, and foreign goods.
The second stage would be initiated if the government used repression
against the movement. The second stage would involve a full-scale civil
disobedience campaign.
The Non-Cooperation - Khilafat Movement
The Non-Cooperation-Khilafat Movement started in January 1921. Different
social groups joined the movement, each with their own goals. They all wanted
Swaraj (self-rule), but it meant different things to different people.
The Non-Cooperation movement- In Towns: E.M.A
The middle class started the Non-Cooperation Movement in the towns.
Thousands of students, teachers, and headmasters left government-controlled

D
schools and colleges in support of the movement.

RA
Many lawyers also gave up their legal practices.
The boycott of foreign goods had a significant economic impact, with the
KI
production of Indian textile mills and handlooms surging.
However, the movement lost momentum due to various factors such as:
T
AN

The high cost of khadi clothes and limited options for Indian Institutions for
students and teachers.
As a result, many students and teachers returned to government schools.
H

Lawyers also rejoined government courts.

AS

Rebellion in the Countryside E.M.A

PR

The Non-Cooperation Movement extended to rural areas where peasants and

tribals were residing in different parts of India.
The peasant movement emerged against
talukdars and landlords who imposed high
rents and various other cesses.
The peasant movement called for the
reduction of revenue, abolition of begar, and
social boycott of oppressive landlords.
In June 1920, Jawaharlal Nehru visited
villages in Awadh to understand the
grievances of the peasants.
In October 1920, Nehru and others founded
the Oudh Kisan Sabha, which established
around 300 branches within a month. Alluri Sitaram Raju
 PRASHANT KIRAD
By 1921, the peasant movement expanded, targeting the houses of talukdars
and merchants, looting markets, and taking control of grain boards.
In the early 1920s, a militant guerrilla movement began in the Gudem Hills of
Andhra Pradesh after the government shut down forest areas, harming the
livelihood of the hill people.
The hill people rebelled, led by Alluri Sitaram Raju, who claimed to possess
special powers.
Swaraj in the Plantation E.M.A
Desire for freedom: Plantation workers in Assam wanted the freedom to move
freely and maintain ties with their hometowns.
Inland Immigration Act of 1859: This act restricted plantation workers from
leaving tea gardens without permission.
Response to the Non-Cooperation Movement: Upon hearing about the Non-
Cooperation Movement, many plantation workers tried to leave their jobs to

D
return home.

RA
Police brutality: Unfortunately, the workers were apprehended by the police
and faced severe beatings, preventing them from reaching their destinations.
KI
Chauri Chaura Incident and Calling off the Non-Cooperation
Movement
T

Chauri Chaura Incident (February 1922):

AN

A peaceful protest in Bazaar escalated into violence.

An angry mob murdered around 22 police officers in the village of Chauri
H

Chaura.
AS

Due to this, Gandhi Ji called off the movement as it diverted from its non-violence
principle. Faction: A group within any political
PR

party or a larger organization.

Internal Heat of Congress
Some leaders were fed up with Satyagraha via non-violence.
Wanted to participate in Council elections to oppose British policies internally.
CR Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party within Congress in support
of Council elections.
Younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose leaned
towards radicalism.
Purna Swaraj
In 1928, the Simon Commission arrived in India and was met with the slogan
'Go back Simon'.
In December 1929, the Lahore Congress under the presidency of Jawaharlal
Nehru formalized the demand for 'Purna Swaraj' or full independence for
India. The Congress declared that January 26, 1930, would be celebrated
as Independence Day.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

The Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement

E.M.A
On 31 January 1930, Mahatma Gandhi wrote to Viceroy Irwin, presenting
eleven demands, notably the abolition of the salt tax affecting both the rich
and the poor.
He set a deadline of 11 March for these demands to be met, threatening a
civil disobedience campaign otherwise.
Irwin didn't accept the demands and hence Gandhi ji started the Salt march.
Gandhi initiated the Salt March with 78 volunteers, covering over 240 miles
from his ashram in Sabarmati to Dandi.
On 6 April, he reached Dandi and violated the law by making salt from
seawater, marking the start of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Civil Disobedience Movement The Civil Disobedience Movement, which
The movement also involved the started with the Salt March, gained
boycott of foreign cloth, refusal widespread popularity and led to the breaking

D
to pay revenue by peasants, and of the salt law in various parts of the country.

RA
violation of forest laws in several places.
In April 1930, Abdul Ghaffar khan, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, was
KI
arrested, followed by the arrest of Gandhi himself a month later.
This led to attacks on symbols of British rule across the country. Witnessing
T

the violent situation, Mahatma Gandhi decided to call off the movement and
AN

signed the Gandhi-Irwin Pact on 5 March 1931, agreeing to participate in a

Round Table Conference in London.
H

However, when the conference failed to achieve its objectives, Mahatma

Gandhi returned to India disappointed and relaunched the Civil Disobedience
AS

Movement.
The movement continued for almost a year, but by 1934, it had lost its
PR

momentum.

THE LIMITS OF CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE E.M.A

Dalits, also known as untouchables, were not fully convinced by the concept of
Swaraj and were more focused on their demands.
Mahatma Gandhi organized satyagraha for the untouchables, but they demanded
reserved seats in educational institutions and an electorate.
Dr B.R. Ambedkar clashed with Mahatma Gandhi at the second Round Table
Conference by demanding separate electorates for Dalits.
The Poona Pact of September 1932 gave the Depressed (Scheduled Castes)
reserved seats in provincial and central legis councils.
After the Non-Cooperation-khilafat movement declined, Muslims felt alienated
from the Congress, leading to deteriorating relations between Hindus and
Muslims.
 PRASHANT KIRAD
Muhammad Ali Jinnah was willing to give up the demand for separate
electorates if Muslims were assured reserved seats in the Central Assembly and
representation in proportion to the population in Muslim- dominated provinces.
The All Parties Conference in 1928 failed to resolve the issue as M.R. Jayakar
of the Hindu Mahasabha strongly opposed efforts at compromise.

SENSE OF COLLECTIVE BELONGING

Nationalism and shared belonging: Nationalism grows when people feel a
shared sense of belonging, which was key to the rise of Indian nationalism.
Cultural expressions: History, fiction, folklore, songs, and symbols played a
crucial role in shaping Indian nationalism.
Bankim Chandra’s Bharat Mata: Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay created
Bharat Mata, a powerful symbol of Indian identity in the 20th century.
Abanindranath’s Bharat Mata: Abanindranath Tagore painted Bharat Mata as
a divine, spiritual figure, strengthening the nationalistic image.

D
Folk tales and songs: Nationalists collected folk tales and songs from villages

RA
in the late 19th century to preserve Indian cultural identity.
Swadeshi tricolour: During the Swadeshi movement, a tricolour flag was
KI
designed with eight lotuses and a crescent moon, symbolizing Hindu-Muslim
unity.
T
AN

Gandhi ji’s Swaraj flag: In 1921, Gandhi introduced a tricolour with a

spinning wheel, representing self-help and self-reliance.
H
AS

Important Pictures With Descriptions

PR

Indian workers in South Africa march through Volksrust, 6

November 1913. Mahatma Gandhi was leading the workers
from Newcastle to Transvaal. When the marchers were
stopped and Gandhi ji arrested, thousands of more workers
joined the satyagraha against racist laws that denied rights
to non-whites.

Chauri Chaura, 1922.

At Chauri Chaura in Gorakhpur, a peaceful demonstration
in a bazaar turned into a violent clash with the police.
Hearing of the incident, Mahatma Gandhi called a halt to
the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Mehnat karte rehna hai, kyunki

safalta sirf unhi ko milti hai jo kabhi
haar nahi maante.....
 PRASHANT KIRAD
Meeting of Congress leaders at Allahabad, 1931. Apart
from Mahatma Gandhi, you can see Sardar Vallabhbhai
Patel (extreme left), Jawaharlal Nehru (extreme right)
and Subhas Chandra Bose (fifth from right).

The Dandi march.

During the salt march, Mahatma Gandhi was accompanied by
78 volunteers. On the way, they were joined by thousands.

Women join nationalist processions.

During the national movement, many women, for the first time in
their lives, moved out of their homes on into a public arena.
Amongst the marchers, you can see many old women, and
mothers with children in their arms.

D
RA
Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an early-twentieth-century print.
KI
Notice how Tilak is surrounded by symbols of unity. The sacred
institutions of different faiths (temple, church, masjid) frame the
T

central figure.
AN

Bharat Mata, Abanindranath Tagore, 1905.

Notice that the mother figure here is shown as
H

dispensing learning, food and clothing. The mala on

AS

one hand emphasises her ascetic quality.

Abanindranath Tagore, like Ravi Varma before
him, tried to develop a style of painting that could
PR

be seen as truly Indian.

Jawaharlal Nehru, a popular print.

Nehru is here shown holding the image of
Bharat Mata and the map of India close
to his heart. In a lot of popular prints,
nationalist leaders are shown offering
their heads to Bharat Mata. The idea of
sacrifice for the mother was powerful
within popular imagination.

Bharat Mata. This figure of Bharat Mata

is a contrast to the one painted by
Abanindranath Tagore. Here she is shown
with a trishul, standing beside a lion and
an elephant – both symbols of power and
authority.
 PRASHANT KIRAD
Important Dates
1909: Gandhi ji wrote Hind Swaraj
1915: Gandhi ji returns to India
1917: Gandhi ji went to Champaran Bihar
1917: Kheda Satyagraha in Gujarat
1918: Ahmedabad mill Strike
1918-1919 and 1920-21: There is a severe food scarcity as a result of many Indian
regions' crops failing.
1919: Rowlatt Act
13th April 1919: Jallianwala Bagh massacre
1919: The Khilafat committee was formed in Bombay
1920: In the summer of 1920 Gandhi ji and Shawkat Ali and extensively throughout
India
1920 (Nagpur Session): Non-cooperation programme was adopted by the National
Congress

D
1920 (June): Jawaharlal Nehru began going around the villages in Awadh

RA
6th January 1921: The police in the United Provinces fired at the peasants near Rae
Bareli
KI
January 1921: The non-cooperation Khilafat movement began
1921 census: According to the census, famines and other disasters caused the deaths
T

of 12 to 13 million people.
AN

1921: Houses of talukdar and merchants were attacked

1921: Gandhi ji designed the Swaraj flag
1922: Gandhi decided to withdraw the non-cooperation movement
H

1924: Ram Raju was captured and executed

AS

1926-1930: Agricultural prices began to fall from 1926 and collapsed after 1930
1927: The establishment of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries
PR

1928: Simon Commission arrived in India

1928: All-party conference
October 1929: Lord Irwin offered Dominion status
December 1929: Purna Swaraj was demanded
26 January 1930: Independence Day was celebrated for the first time
6th April 1930: Salt Satyagraha was started
April 1930: Angry crowds in the streets of Peshawar
1930: Muhammad Iqbal stepped down as Muslim League president.
5th March 1931: Gandhi Irwin pact
December 1931: The political leaders of the Indian freedom struggle were from jail
September 1932: Poona pact
1930 and 1932: There was a strike by railway workers in 1930 and dockworkers in
1932.
1934: By 1934 the civil disobedience movement lost its momentum
14th July 1942: The Indian National Congress endorsed the historic Quit India
Resolution.
 PRASHANT KIRAD

Top 7 Questions
1. How did the First World War create a new economic situation in India?
Explain.
Answer: The following were the effects of the First World War on the
economic and political situation of India:
(i) More defence budget forcing countries to take war loans.
(ii) Shortages leading to prices doubling between 1913-18.
(iii) The Customs duty and taxes were raised leading to a price rise.
(iv) Forced recruitment into the army led to discontent among the people.
(v) Shortage of food items because of crop failures
(vi) Spread of the epidemic leading to the death of many people.

2. "Tribal peasants interpreted the message of Mahatma Gandhi and the

idea of Swaraj in another way and participated in the Non-Cooperation

D
Movement differently." Justify the statement.

RA
Answer: (i) Spread of militant guerrilla movement in the Gudem Hills of Andhra
Pradesh.
KI
(ii) They were against colonial policies.
(iii) Their livelihood was and their traditional rights were denied.
T

(iv) Their leader Alluri Sitaram Raju was inspired by the Non-Cooperation
AN

Movement and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking.

(v) He wanted liberation by the use of force.
H

(vi) The rebels attacked police stations and carried on guerrilla warfare for
AS

Swaraj.
PR

3. Explain any three causes that led the tribals to revolt in the Gudem
Hills of Andhra Pradesh.
Answer: The causes that led the tribals to revolt in the Gudem Hills of Andhra
Pradesh were:
The colonial government had closed large forest areas preventing people
from entering the forests to graze their cattle, or to collect fuelwood and
fruits. This enraged the hill people.
Not only were their livelihoods affected but they felt that their traditional
rights were being denied.
When the government began forcing them to contribute beggars (work
without payment for road building, the hill people revolted.

4. Write down the features of the Civil Disobedience Movement. How was
this different from the Non-Cooperation Movement?
 PRASHANT KIRAD

ANSWER: Features of the Civil Disobedience Movement:

The movement started with the Salt March.
Thousands broke salt law.
Foreign clothes were boycotted.
Liquor shops were picketed.
Peasants refused to pay taxes

5. How did the Indian merchants and industrialists relate themselves to the
Civil Disobedience Movement? Explain.
ANSWER:
Indian merchants and industrialists were keen on expanding their businesses
and reacted against colonial policies that restricted business activities.
They wanted protection against imports of foreign goods, and a rupee-
sterling foreign exchange ratio that would discourage imports.
To organize business interests, they formed the Indian Industrial and

D
Commercial Congress in 1920 and the Federation of the Indian Chamber of

RA
Commerce and Industries (FICCI) in 1927.
Led by prominent industrialists like Purshottamdas Thakurdas and G. D. Birla,
KI
the industrialists attacked colonial control over the Indian economy and
supported the Civil Disobedience Movement.
T

They gave financial assistance and refused to buy or sell imported goods.
AN

Most businessmen wanted to flourish in trade without constraints.

H

6“Some of the Muslim political organizations in India were lukewarm in their

AS

response to the Civil Disobedience Movement.” Examine the statement.

ANSWER: Large sections of Muslims were lukewarm in their response to the
PR

Civil Disobedience movement.

The decline of Khilafat and Non-Cooperation movements led to the alienation
of Muslims from Congress.
From the mid-1920s, the Congress was seen to be visibly associated with
Hindu nationalist groups like the Hindu Mahasabha.
Relations between Hindus and Muslims worsened and communal riots took
place.
The Muslim League gained prominence with its claim of representing Muslims
and demanding a separate electorate for them.
7. Describe the main features of the Poona Pact.
ANSWER The Poona Pact of September 1932 gave the Depressed Classes
(Schedule Castes) reserved seats in provincial and central legislative councils, but
they were to be voted in by the general electorate.
“Class 10th Phodenge”
- Prashant Bhaiya