1. Describe Gandhiji's role in the Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda movements.
Answer:
Champaran Movement (1917):
- Gandhiji intervened in issues faced by indigo cultivators in Bihar
- European planters were exploiting the cultivators
- Persuaded by Raj Kumar Shukla to visit the area
- British administration appointed a commission with Gandhiji as member
- Peasants' grievances were largely resolved
Ahmedabad Mill Workers' Strike (1918):
- Workers demanded wage hike
- Gandhiji went on a fast to support them
- Eventually, workers' wages were increased
Kheda Movement (1918):
- Peasants couldn't pay tax due to natural calamities
- Movement demanded tax remission
- Gandhiji toured villages and encouraged peasants
- Government granted tax remission to those who lost yield
Significance: These movements introduced Indians to Gandhiji's Satyagraha and non-violent political ideology, establishing him as a national leader.
2. Explain the impact of World War I on India.
Answer:
World War I (1914-1918) had severe economic impacts on India:
Economic Hardships:
- Additional wartime taxes were levied on people
- Huge quantities of food grains were exported for soldiers
- This led to severe food shortage in India
Other Problems:
- Crop losses occurred during this period
- Epidemics spread widely
- Many people died of famine
- The combination worsened the situation
Historical Significance: It was against this backdrop of hardship that Gandhiji assumed leadership of the Indian freedom movement. The economic difficulties created by the war made people more receptive to anti-British movements.
3. What was the Rowlatt Act? Describe the protest against it.
Answer:
The Rowlatt Act (1919): The British government implemented this repressive law to suppress the freedom movement after World War I.
Provisions:
- Anyone could be arrested without a warrant
- Anyone could be jailed without trial
- It curtailed fundamental rights
Protests:
- Gandhiji called for a national hartal on April 6, 1919
- A 'Satyagraha Sabha' was formed to publicize the movement
- Massive popular participation occurred
- Gandhiji described it as 'most wonderful spectacle'
In Punjab:
- Anti-Rowlatt agitation was very strong
- Leaders Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested
- Martial law was declared in Amritsar
- Led to the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
4. Give a detailed account of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.
Answer:
Background:
- Strong anti-Rowlatt agitation in Punjab
- Dr. Satyapal and Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested
- Martial law declared in Amritsar
The Massacre (April 13, 1919):
- People gathered at Jallianwala Bagh for a public meeting
- They were protesting the arrest of their leaders
- General Reginald Dyer ordered British police to open fire
- Firing continued for 10 minutes without warning
- The ground had only one entrance (no escape route)
Casualties:
- Official records: 379 people killed
- Actual casualties: likely much higher
- Over a thousand injured
Evidence: Bullet holes in the walls remain as a haunting reminder of the massacre
Hunter Commission: The British government appointed the Hunter Commission to inquire into the incident. General Dyer admitted he intended to create a moral effect and would have used machine guns if possible.
5. Explain the Non-Cooperation Movement and its methods.
Answer:
Launch: The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched under the joint leadership of the Khilafat Committee and Indian National Congress to achieve Hindu-Muslim unity and oppose British rule.
Methods:
- Returning titles and honors granted by British
- Resigning from government jobs
- Advocates boycotting British courts
- Students boycotting British schools
- Boycotting foreign goods
- Boycotting legislative assemblies
Constructive Programs:
- Strengthening social harmony
- Promoting use of national products
- Popularizing khadi
- Establishing national schools
Leadership: Gandhiji and Ali brothers toured the country, convening mass gatherings and spreading the message.
Impact: The movement gained widespread popularity in both rural and urban areas, making ordinary citizens realize the freedom movement was theirs too.
6. Describe the participation of various sections of society in the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Answer:
Women:
- Boycotted foreign goods
- Collected and burned foreign clothes
- Active participation in public demonstrations
Workers:
- Responded actively to the movement
- Buckingham Carnatic Mills workers in Madras went on strike
- Plantation laborers in Assam struck work
- Assam-Bengal Railway workers supported the movement
Students:
- Thousands boycotted government schools and colleges
- Enrolled in national institutions
- National institutions founded: Kashi Vidyapeeth (Banaras), Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Jamia Millia Islamia (Aligarh)
Tribal People:
- Defied British-imposed forest laws
- These laws had restricted their access to forest resources
Peasants:
- Participated in large numbers
- Awadh Kisan Sabha formed under Jawaharlal Nehru
- In Bengal, boycotted jute cultivation
- Grew rice and cotton instead of jute (to close British jute mills, ensure food security, and promote khadi)
7. What was the Chauri Chaura incident? Why did Gandhiji withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer:
Chauri Chaura Incident (February 5, 1922):
- Tensions escalated between protesters and police at Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh
- An enraged mob set the police station on fire
- 22 policemen died in the incident
- It occurred while the Non-Cooperation Movement was at its peak
Gandhiji's Decision:
- Recognized that the agitation violated the principle of non-violence
- Decided to stop the movement immediately
- This decision surprised other leaders
Criticism:
- Gandhiji faced severe criticism for this decision
- Subhas Chandra Bose later described it as a "national calamity"
Consequence:
- Gandhiji was later arrested, tried, and sentenced to six years imprisonment
- This was the "Great Trial" mentioned at the beginning of the chapter
Significance: Despite criticism, Gandhiji remained committed to non-violence as the foundation of the freedom struggle.
8. Write about the Swaraj Party and its activities.
Answer:
Formation: The Swaraj Party was formed in 1923 by C. R. Das and Motilal Nehru as a faction within the Congress.
Background:
- During Non-Cooperation Movement, elections and legislative assemblies were boycotted
- Das and Nehru opposed this strategy
- They believed legislative assemblies could be used effectively
Objectives:
- Use legislative assemblies as forums to voice political dissent
- Expose government's anti-public policies
- Work within the system to oppose British rule
Activities:
- Participated in elections
- Became members of legislative assemblies
- Criticized government policies from within
- Successfully exposed anti-public policies
Difference from Non-Cooperation: Unlike the Non-Cooperation Movement which boycotted councils, the Swaraj Party worked within them to oppose British rule from inside the system.
Success: The party could effectively use legislative assemblies to criticize and expose the government.
9. Describe the Simon Commission and the protests against it.
Answer:
Simon Commission:
- Appointed by British government to recommend constitutional reforms for India
- Led by Sir John Simon
- All seven members were British (no Indian representation)
Protests:
- Congress and other political parties decided to boycott
- Entire country observed hartal on the day commission arrived (February 3, 1928)
- Streets across India resounded with "Simon Go Back"
Lala Lajpat Rai:
- Severely injured in a lathi charge during protests in Lahore
- Later succumbed to his injuries
- His death further intensified anti-British feelings
Indian Response - Nehru Committee Report:
- British claimed Indians couldn't frame robust constitutional reforms
- Various parties held conference at Pune
- Committee under Motilal Nehru drafted constitutional reform report
- This report later played significant role in shaping India's Constitution
Significance: The all-white commission insulted Indian aspirations and united people against British rule.
10. Give an account of the Bardoli Peasants Movement.
Answer:
Background:
- Location: Bardoli, Gujarat (1928)
- Main cause: Increase in tax
- Led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- Abbas Tyabji and Vithalbhai Patel also played major roles
The Movement:
- Peasants launched protest refusing to pay increased tax
- Government took harsh measures
- Seized peasants' lands, domestic animals, vehicles, and agricultural tools
Strategy:
- Sardar Patel instructed agitators: "Pull your carts to pieces and keep it in different places"
- This prevented government from seizing complete carts
- Showed creative resistance
Gandhiji's Role:
- Visited Bardoli
- Strongly supported the peasants
Outcome:
- Government finally revoked the increased tax
- Movement concluded successfully
- Enhanced Sardar Patel's reputation as a peasant leader
Significance: Showed effectiveness of organized non-violent resistance on local issues.
11. What were the significant decisions taken at the Lahore Congress (1929)?
Answer:
Historical Context: The Lahore Congress (December 1929) was a turning point in India's freedom struggle.
Jawaharlal Nehru's Presidential Address: "I must frankly confess that I am a socialist and a republican, and am no believer in kings and princes or in the order which produces the modern kings of industry…"
Major Decisions:
1. Demand for Complete Independence:
- For the first time, Congress demanded complete independence (Purna Swaraj)
- Earlier, only dominion status or self-government was demanded
2. Leadership to Gandhiji:
- Entrusted Gandhiji with responsibility to launch mass movement
- Gave him full authority to achieve complete independence
3. Tricolour Flag:
- Formally adopted as national flag
- Symbolized unity and national identity
4. Independence Day Celebration:
- Decided to celebrate January 26, 1930, as Independence Day
- This paved the way for choosing January 26 as Republic Day later
Significance: The Lahore Congress marked the shift from moderate demands to complete independence, energizing the freedom movement.
12. Describe the Dandi March and the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Answer:
Background:
- Following Lahore Congress decisions
- Gandhiji entrusted with launching mass movement
- Sent letter to Viceroy Lord Irwin highlighting Indian hardships
- Hinted at civil disobedience movement
Why Salt?
- Salt making was government monopoly
- Essential commodity for people and livestock in tropical climate
- Used for agricultural purposes
- Gandhiji called monopoly "iniquitous" (unjust)
- Would ensure participation from all sections of society
The Dandi March:
- Gandhiji selected 78 volunteers
- Marched to Dandi Beach, Gujarat
- March lasted 24 days
- Many foreign reporters covered the walk
- Gandhiji advised people along route about:
- Importance of cleanliness
- Need to wear khadi
- Fostering social harmony
Launch (April 6, 1930):
- Gandhiji made salt on Dandi beach
- Initiated Civil Disobedience Movement
- Pamphlets explaining salt-making were distributed
Significance: The simple act of making salt became a powerful symbol of resistance against unjust British laws.
13. Write about the participation of various sections in the Civil Disobedience Movement.
Answer:
The Civil Disobedience Movement saw even greater participation than the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Peasants:
- Refused to pay tax to government
- Refused to pay rent to landlords
- Actively supported the movement
Laborers:
- Workers in railways, ports, and mines participated
- Labour strike at Sholapur (Maharashtra) turned violent
- Showed solidarity with the movement
Tribal People:
- Went into forests to collect resources
- Defied forest laws
- Asserted their traditional rights
Women:
- Participated in salt-making
- Picketed shops selling foreign goods
- Faced police brutality bravely (as seen in Dharasana)
- Sarojini Naidu led protesters at Dharasana
Traders and Industrialists:
- Refused to buy or sell imported products
- Supported boycott of foreign goods
- Contributed financially
Northwestern India:
- Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (Frontier Gandhi) led movement
- Formed Khudai Khidmatgar volunteer force
- Showed strong regional participation
Significance: The movement united all sections of society in the struggle for freedom.
14. Describe the revolutionary activities under Bhagat Singh's leadership.
Answer:
Background:
- Some people adopted armed struggle instead of non-violence
- Russian Revolution's success influenced them
- Sudden withdrawal of Non-Cooperation Movement disappointed them
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA):
- Founded in 1928 by Bhagat Singh and associates
- Followed earlier Hindustan Republican Association (1924)
Major Actions:
1. Killing of Saunders:
- Saunders was police officer who participated in lathi charge
- This lathi charge led to death of Lala Lajpat Rai
- Bhagat Singh and associates shot him dead
2. Central Legislative Assembly Bombing:
- Threw bomb into Central Legislative Assembly Hall
- Not to kill but to "make the deaf hear"
- Wanted to protest repressive laws
Arrest and Execution:
- Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, and Sukhdev were arrested
- Tried and sentenced to death
- Executed on March 23, 1931
Bhagat Singh's Philosophy:
- Initially believed in revolutionary methods
- Later stated: "I am not a terrorist and I never was"
- Warned about dangers of religious communalism
- Believed it was as dangerous as colonization
Significance: Inspired youth and showed alternative path to freedom, though ultimately Gandhi's non-violence prevailed.
15. Write about the role of women in India's freedom movement.
Answer:
Women played crucial roles throughout India's freedom movement:
Non-Cooperation Movement:
- Boycotted foreign goods
- Collected and burned foreign clothes
- Participated in public demonstrations
Civil Disobedience Movement:
- Made salt defying British law
- Picketed shops selling foreign goods
- Faced police brutality at Dharasana
- Sarojini Naidu led protesters
Revolutionary Activities:
- Pritilata Waddedar
- Kalpana Dutt
- Bina Das
- Participated in armed revolutionary activities in Bengal
Rani Gaidinliu:
- Freedom fighter from Northeast India
- Arrested during Civil Disobedience Movement
- Spent youth in jail
- Released only after independence
Congress Socialist Party:
- Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay was active since inception
- Served as president of CSP
- Arrested during Quit India and Civil Disobedience Movements
- Advocated for women's rights and consciousness
Indian National Army:
- Captain Lakshmi Sahgal (Malayali) led Rani Jhansi Regiment
- Women's unit in INA
Quit India Movement:
- Aruna Asaf Ali and Sucheta Kripalani led from hiding
- Women's demonstration in Bombay
Significance: Women's participation transformed the freedom movement into a truly mass movement involving entire society.
16. Describe the Quit India Movement and its impact.
Answer:
Background:
- After World War II began, Britain needed India's support
- Sir Stafford Cripps came to India but failed in negotiations
- Marked beginning of final mass movement led by Gandhiji
Launch (August 8, 1942):
- Gandhiji addressed public in Mumbai
- Gave mantra: "Do or Die"
- "We shall either free India or die in the attempt"
- Leaders were immediately imprisoned
Spread:
- Movement spread across country despite arrests
- Students, youth, workers, and women all participated
- Carried forward the struggle
Targets:
- Post offices
- Telegraph offices
- Railway stations
Underground Leadership:
- Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia led from hiding
- Aruna Asaf Ali, Sucheta Kripalani coordinated
- Congress Radio operated secretly from Bombay
Violence:
- Struggle turned violent in several areas
- Gandhiji didn't condemn it
- Blamed government brutality for provoking people
- Declared 21-day fast in jail
Parallel Governments:
- Ballia (Uttar Pradesh) - under Chittu Pandey
- Satara (Maharashtra) - under Nana Patil (until 1945)
- Tamluk (Bengal) - lasted one year with effective administration
Impact:
- Made freedom an urgent goal
- Transfer of power became inevitable
- Showed British that they couldn't govern India against people's will
17. Write about Subhas Chandra Bose and the Indian National Army.
Answer:
Subhas Chandra Bose:
- Took completely different path for India's freedom
- Served twice as Congress President
- Resigned due to differences with Gandhiji
- Formed Forward Bloc party
Formation of INA:
- Captain Mohan Singh initially formed INA
- Bose reached Singapore during World War II
- Took over INA leadership
- Reorganized and strengthened it
Activities:
- Marched to India with Japanese army
- "Delhi Chalo" was his famous call (July 6, 1944)
- Addressed this to Mahatma Gandhi over Azad Hind Radio
- Said: "India's last war of independence has begun"
Rani Jhansi Regiment:
- Women's unit in INA
- Led by Captain Lakshmi Sahgal (Malayali)
- Showed women's participation in armed struggle
Malayali Connections:
- Captain Lakshmi Sahgal
- Vakkom Abdul Khader (captured and hanged by British)
Outcome:
- INA couldn't overcome British resistance
- Bose's efforts failed militarily
- But generated great enthusiasm among people
INA Trials at Red Fort:
- INA soldiers tried after World War II
- Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel G. S. Dhillon, Shah Nawaz Khan tried
- Widespread protests across country
- Congress leaders including Nehru appeared in court
- Slogan: "Not traitors, but patriots"
- Posed significant challenge to British
Significance: Though militarily unsuccessful, INA boosted national morale during final stage of freedom movement.
18. Explain the peasant movements in India during the freedom struggle.
Answer:
Need for Peasant Participation: Leaders recognized peasant participation was crucial for strengthening national movement.
Problems Faced by Farmers:
- Excessive taxation
- Exploitation by landlords
- Eviction from lands
- Moneylender exploitation
Early Organization (1920s):
- Farmers formed "kisan sabhas"
- Eka Movement in Awadh, Uttar Pradesh
All India Kisan Sabha (1936):
- Formed as national peasant organization
- Marked significant milestone in peasant movement history
- Coordinated peasant struggles across India
Major Peasant Movements in 1940s:
1. Tebhaga Movement (Bengal, 1946-47):
- Led by All India Kisan Sabha
- Against landlords (Jotedars)
- Earlier: crop divided in two, one part to landlords
- Demand: crop divided in three, two-thirds to peasants
- Slogan: "Tebhaga Chai" (We want two-thirds share)
2. Telangana Movement (Andhra):
- Another prominent peasant uprising
- Fought against landlord exploitation
Contribution to Freedom: Peasant uprisings in 1940s played crucial role in India's path to freedom.
19. Write about the labor movements during the freedom struggle.
Answer:
Emergence of Working Class: With modern industries, a modern working class emerged in India.
Problems Faced by Laborers:
- Low wages
- Excessive working hours
- Exploitation of women laborers
- Exploitation of child laborers
- Poor working conditions
All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC):
- First labor organization on national basis
- Coordinated labor struggles across India
- Addressed workers' grievances
Major Strikes:
Post-World War II Period:
- Railways workers' strikes shook India
- Telegraph workers went on strike
- Showed organized labor power
1946 Bombay Strike:
- Organized in support of Royal Indian Navy Mutiny
- Led to violence
- Showed workers' solidarity with freedom movement
Participation in National Movements:
- Workers actively participated in Non-Cooperation Movement
- Buckingham Carnatic Mills workers (Madras) struck
- Assam plantation laborers supported movement
- Assam-Bengal Railway workers participated
- Civil Disobedience Movement saw labor participation
Significance: Labor movements showed that workers were integral part of freedom struggle and fought for both economic rights and national freedom.
20. Describe the events leading to India's independence.
Answer:
World War II Impact:
- Altered global circumstances
- Accelerated journey towards freedom
- British position weakened
Key Developments:
1. Lord Wavell's Proposals:
- Put forward proposals in discussions with Indian leaders
- Simla Conference (June 1945) held to discuss
- Conference ended without resolution
2. Cabinet Mission (March 1946):
- Three British Cabinet members came to India
- Members: Stafford Cripps, Pethick Lawrence, A. V. Alexander
- Discussed transfer of power
- Key Proposals:
- Formation of interim government
- Establishment of Constituent Assembly for drafting constitution
3. Communal Tensions:
- Differences between Congress and Muslim League
- Violence in various parts
- Partition became inevitable
4. Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947):
- Lord Mountbatten was last Viceroy
- Proposed partitioning country into India and Pakistan
- Both would get independence
5. Indian Independence Act:
- Passed by British Parliament
- India gained independence on August 15, 1947
6. End of British Rule (July 18, 1947):
- In House of Lords, British Parliament
- King George VI's assent given
- "The Indian Independence Bill" - "Le Roile veult" (King ratifies)
- British rule consigned to history
First Government:
- Jawaharlal Nehru became first Prime Minister
- New era of independent India began
Significance: India's freedom came through sustained mass struggle, though accompanied by tragedy of partition.