ISC Class 12 History Board Exam Question Paper 2015 with Solutions

ISC Class 12 History Board Exam Question Paper with Solutions

Part - I
Answer all questions

Question 1. [20]
(i) Name one well-known revolutionary organization established in Bengal, in the early years of the twentieth century.
(ii) How did the British Government implement the policy of Divide and Rule in the Morley-Minto Reforms of 1909?
(iii) What was Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan’s main objective in establishing the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College?
(iv) Why did Gandhiji form the Satyagraha Sabha in February, 1919?
(v) What was the main objective of the Nehru Report?
(vi) Why was the All India States People’s Conference formed?
(vii) What was the most important feature of the Government of India Act of 1935?
(viii) Why did the Congress Ministries resign in 1939?
(ix) What was the primary objective of Direct Action Day launched by the Muslim League?
(x) Which international movement was based on the principles of Panchsheel?
(xi) Why did Mussolini introduce the 'Battle of Wheat' programme?
(xii) Mention the significance of the Enabling Law (March 1933).
(xiii) Mention any one adverse effect of the Great Depression (1929) on the Japanese economy.
(xiv) Name the original signatories of the Anti-Comintern Pact (1936).
(xv) Give any one reason for the launch of 'Operation Overlord' 1944, by the Allied Powers.
(xvi) What is the economic extension of the Truman Doctrine known as?
(xvii) What was the objective of the Berlin Blockade (1948-49)?
(xviii) Name any two founder members of ASEAN.
(xix) What important result did the Korean War have on the future powers of the UN General Assembly?
(xx) Why did Nasser nationalize the Suez Canal?

Answer:
(i) Anushilan Samiti or Jugantar.
(ii) By introducing a system of separate electorates for Muslims, effectively institutionalizing communal division in the legislature.
(iii) To promote modern Western education among Muslims and reconcile them to British rule while preserving Islamic culture.
(iv) To protest against the repressive Rowlatt Acts and to organize a nationwide civil disobedience movement against them.
(v) To determine the principles of a constitution for India that would be acceptable to all political parties, outlining dominion status and a federal structure.
(vi) To coordinate political movements in the princely states and to demand responsible government and civil liberties from the rulers.
(vii) The introduction of provincial autonomy in British India with certain restrictions and safeguards.
(viii) Because the Viceroy proclaimed India's entry into World War II without consulting the Indian political leadership or elected representatives.
(ix) To press the demand for a separate Muslim homeland (Pakistan) through mass mobilization and direct political action.
(x) The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
(xi) To increase domestic wheat production, make Italy self-sufficient in food grains, and reduce expensive imports.
(xii) It granted Adolf Hitler's cabinet dictatorial powers to enact laws without parliamentary approval for four years, effectively ending democracy in Germany.
(xiii) The Japanese economy shrank significantly, leading to massive labour unrest, wage cuts, and strikes in vital sectors like cotton-spinning.
(xiv) Germany and Japan (Italy joined later in 1937).
(xv) To open a second front in Western Europe, liberate occupied France, and advance into Germany to defeat Hitler's regime.
(xvi) The Marshall Aid Plan (European Recovery Program).
(xvii) To prevent the creation of a West German state and force Western powers to withdraw from West Berlin.
(xviii) Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand (any two).
(xix) It led to the adoption of the 'Uniting for Peace' resolution, which empowered the General Assembly to take action in cases of threats to peace if the Security Council was deadlocked by a veto.
(xx) To collect toll revenues from the canal shipping to finance the construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River.

Teacher's Note:
a) Part-I questions require precise, factual, one-sentence or point-wise answers without elaborate explanations.
b) Students must ensure exact names of organizations, treaties, and acts are written to secure full marks.

Part - II

SECTION A

Question 2.
Radical nationalism took place in the closing years of the 19th century and in the early years of the 20th century. In this context discuss :
(a) The economic and political causes that led to the growth of this phase of the National Movement. [8]
(b) The impact of international events. [4]
(c) The methods adopted by the radical nationalists to achieve their objectives. [4]

Answer:
(a) The economic causes included the persistent drain of India's wealth by the British, frequent famines, crushing taxation, and the ruin of traditional handicrafts due to free trade policies. Politically, the failure of the Moderate nationalists to extract substantial concessions through prayer and petition disillusioned the youth. The reactionary policies of Lord Curzon, such as the Official Secrets Act, the Indian Universities Act, and ultimately the Partition of Bengal in 1905, deeply inflamed public sentiment and fueled radical nationalism.
(b) International events shattered the myth of European invincibility and inspired Indian nationalists. Japan's stunning victory over Russia in 1905 proved that an Asian nation could defeat a major European power. Other events, such as the Abyssinian defeat of Italy and nationalist movements in Ireland, Egypt, and Turkey, gave confidence to radical nationalists that British rule could be successfully challenged.
(c) The radical nationalists rejected the Moderate policy of mendicancy and adopted aggressive methods. These included Swadeshi (boycott of British goods and promotion of indigenous industries), Boycott (rejection of British administrative institutions, schools, and titles), National Education (establishment of indigenous educational institutions), and Passive Resistance (non-violent defiance of unjust laws).

Teacher's Note:
a) Structure the answer clearly into sub-headings matching parts (a), (b), and (c) to ensure all thematic points are covered.
b) Emphasize how international victories of Asian powers served as a psychological boost for the Assertion of Extremist leadership under the Lal-Bal-Pal trio.

Question 3.
(a) Discuss the following factors and events that led to the establishment of the Muslim League (1906): [6]
(i) Economic backwardness of the country.
(ii) The Hindi-Urdu controversy.
(b) What were the principal demands of the Shimla Deputation? [4]
(c) State any two objectives of the Muslim League. How did the British Government respond to its formation? [6]

Answer:
(a) (i) Economic backwardness: Muslims lagged behind in modern education and industrial employment due to late adoption of English education and British discrimination after 1857. This created a sense of relative deprivation, making the educated Muslim elite anxious about competing with Hindus for government jobs.
(ii) The Hindi-Urdu controversy: The demand by certain groups in the United Provinces to replace Urdu (written in the Persian script) with Hindi (written in the Devanagari script) as the official court language alarmed Muslim leaders who viewed Urdu as a core symbol of their cultural identity.
(b) The principal demands of the Shimla Deputation led by Aga Khan in October 1906 to Viceroy Lord Minto were: introduction of separate electorates for Muslims in municipal and legislative elections, and weightage in representation exceeding their numerical proportion due to their historical importance.
(c) Two objectives of the Muslim League were: to promote among Muslims feelings of loyalty to the British Government, and to protect and advance the political rights and interests of Muslims in India. The British Government welcomed and actively encouraged the formation of the League as a counterweight to the growing influence of the Indian National Congress.

Teacher's Note:
a) Clearly distinguish between economic and cultural factors when answering part (a).
b) Note the role of British patronage in the genesis of the Muslim League, which laid the foundation for separate political mobilization.

Question 4.
(a) Why was the Simon Commission sent to India in 1927? How did the Indians react to it? [6]
(b) Give an account of the significant development in the National Movement from the Lahore Session of the Congress in 1929 to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1931. [10]

Answer:
(a) The Simon Commission was sent to India in 1927 to review the working of the Government of India Act of 1919 and recommend further constitutional reforms. It provoked widespread outrage among Indians because it was an all-white commission with no Indian members, which was seen as a deliberate insult to India's right to self-determination. Indians greeted the Commission with complete hartals, black flag demonstrations, and the slogan 'Simon Go Back'.
(b) The Lahore Session of the Congress (December 1929), presided over by Jawaharlal Nehru, passed the historic Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) resolution and decided to launch the Civil Disobedience Movement. On January 26, 1930, Independence Day was celebrated across the country. Gandhiji launched the movement with the historic Dandi March (March-April 1930) to break the salt law. The movement spread nationwide with widespread participation of women, peasants, and business groups. Repression by the British led to thousands of arrests. To break the deadlock, the First Round Table Conference was boycotted by Congress. Consequently, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931, resulting in the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement, release of political prisoners, and participation of Congress in the Second Round Table Conference.

Teacher's Note:
a) Ensure chronological accuracy when tracing developments from the Lahore session through the Dandi March to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
b) Highlight the significance of Poorna Swaraj as a turning point in the national movement's ultimate goal.

Question 5.
(a) What historic announcement did the British Prime Minister Clement Atlee make on 20th February, 1947? [2]
(b) Enumerate the main provisions of the Indian Independence Act. [8]
(c) Why did the Congress accept partition? [6]

Answer:
(a) British Prime Minister Clement Attlee declared on February 20, 1947, in the House of Commons that the British would transfer power to responsible Indian hands by a date not later than June 1948, and announced the replacement of Lord Wavell by Lord Mountbatten as Viceroy.
(b) The main provisions of the Indian Independence Act of 1947 were: (1) Creation of two independent dominions, India and Pakistan, from August 15, 1947; (2) Demarcation of boundaries through the Radcliffe Commission; (3) Abolition of the office of the Secretary of State for India and the title 'Emperor of India'; (4) Granting complete legislative sovereignty to the constituent assemblies of both dominions; (5) Lapse of British paramountcy over princely states, giving them the freedom to accede to either dominion or remain independent; (6) Transitional governance under the Government of India Act 1935 until new constitutions were framed.

(c) The Congress accepted partition because: (1) The communal violence had reached catastrophic proportions and partition appeared the only way to restore peace; (2) The Interim Government was rendered unworkable due to the Muslim League's obstructionist policies; (3) Acceptance of partition ensured an immediate and peaceful transfer of power before the country plunged into complete anarchy; (4) Leaders like Patel and Nehru felt that a smaller, united India was preferable to a fragmented country plagued by endless civil strife.

Teacher's Note:
a) List the statutory provisions of the 1947 Act clearly in bullet points for maximum clarity.
b) Explain that Congress acceptance was born of political pragmatism rather than ideological willingness.

Question 6.
(a) With reference to the conflict between India and Pakistan after the partition, explain the following: [8]
- The refugee problem.
- Problems arising from transfer of assets.
- The causes of the Indus River Waters dispute.
- The resolution of the Indus River waters dispute.
(b) Why did India follow a policy of Non-alignment under Nehru? [4]
(c) State the aims of NAM. [4]

Answer:
(a) - Refugee problem: Partition triggered the largest mass migration in human history, with millions of refugees crossing borders amidst brutal communal violence, requiring massive relief and rehabilitation efforts.
- Transfer of assets: Disputes arose over the division of financial reserves, military stores, and public debt between India and Pakistan, notably delayed payment of cash balances to Pakistan.
- Indus Waters dispute: The river basin was partitioned such that headwaters lay in India while downstream irrigation depended in Pakistan, raising fears of water deprivation.
- Resolution: The dispute was resolved through the World Bank-brokered Indus Waters Treaty (1960), allocating eastern rivers to India and western rivers to Pakistan.
(b) India followed Non-alignment to maintain strategic autonomy, avoid getting entangled in Cold War bloc politics between the US and the USSR, and preserve its sovereign decision-making capacity while focusing on domestic economic development.
(c) The aims of NAM were: to promote world peace and security, oppose colonialism and imperialism, support self-determination of nations, advocate nuclear disarmament, and foster economic cooperation among developing countries.

Teacher's Note:
a) Ensure all four bullet points in part (a) receive balanced coverage.
b) Emphasize how Nehru's vision of Non-alignment was rooted in India's need for peace and economic development post-independence.

SECTION B

Question 7.
(a) Give a brief account of the circumstances of the backstage deal that enabled Hitler to come to power legally in 1933. [4]
(b) Discuss the changes brought about by Hitler in the following spheres of life of the people of Germany: [8]
(i) Educational
(ii) Cultural
(c) What extreme measures did Hitler adopt against the Jews? [4]

Answer:
(a) Following political instability, economic distress caused by the Depression, and the failure of coalition governments in the Weimar Republic, conservative politicians led by Franz von Papen convinced President Hindenburg to appoint Hitler as Chancellor in January 1933, believing they could control him and use the Nazis to crush the left, leading to his legal accession to power.
(b) (i) Educational: School curricula were Nazified. History textbooks were rewritten to promote racial theories and militarism. Biology focused on eugenics and racial purity, while loyalty to Hitler was instilled above intellectual inquiry.
(ii) Cultural: Culture was subjected to Gleichschaltung (coordination). Art, literature, theatre, and the press were strictly censored by Goebbels' Ministry of Propaganda. Modernist art was banned as degenerate, and public book burnings of un-German literature were organized.
(c) Hitler adopted extreme anti-Semitic measures, including the Nuremberg Laws (1935) stripping Jews of citizenship, economic boycotts, exclusion from professions, ghettoization, and ultimately the Holocaust (the Final Solution) resulting in the mass extermination of six million Jews in concentration camps.

Teacher's Note:
a) Highlight the irony of Hitler's 'legal' appointment through constitutional loopholes.
b) Detail the totalitarian control exerted over education and culture as instruments of Nazi indoctrination.

Question 8.
Aggressive nationalism in Italy and Germany eventually led to the outbreak of the Second World War. In this context, discuss the following:
(a) Italy’s invasion of Abyssinia (1935). [6]
(b) Introduction of conscription by Hitler. [4]
(c) Germany’s Anschluss with Austria (1938). [6]

Answer:
(a) Mussolini invaded Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935 to avenge the 1896 Italian defeat, build a colonial empire, and divert attention from domestic economic failures. The League of Nations imposed weak economic sanctions that excluded oil, failing to stop Italian aggression. This exposed the utter impotence of the League and drove Italy into an alliance with Nazi Germany.
(b) In March 1935, Hitler publicly violated the military clauses of the Treaty of Versailles by reintroducing compulsory military service (conscription) and establishing the Wehrmacht. Britain and France protested weakly (the Stresa Front collapsed), emboldening Hitler to further territorial expansions.
(c) The Anschluss (annexation of Austria) took place in March 1938. Hitler exerted intense political and military pressure on Austrian Chancellor Schuschnigg, culminating in a Nazi takeover followed by German military intervention. Austria was proclaimed a province of the German Reich, flouting the Versailles Treaty without any armed resistance from Western powers.

Teacher's Note:
a) Emphasize how each aggressive step by the Axis powers exposed the failure of the League of Nations and the policy of Appeasement.
b) Keep historical dates and terms accurate (e.g., Wehrmacht, Stresa Front).

Question 9.
In the context of the Second World War, discuss the following:
(a) Hitler’s final miscalculation over Poland. [4]
(b) The causes and consequences of the German invasion of Russia (1941). [6]
(c) Any three reasons for the defeat of the Axis Powers in the Second World War. [6]

Answer:
(a) Hitler miscalculated that Britain and France would not intervene militarily over the German invasion of Poland in September 1939, assuming they would follow their previous appeasement policy. When they declared war, it transformed a regional conflict into a world war.
(b) Causes: Hitler's ideological hatred of communism, the desire for Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe, and control over Soviet agricultural and oil resources (Ukraine and Caucasus).
Consequences: The invasion (Operation Barbarossa) failed due to underestimated Soviet resistance and the harsh Russian winter, opening a devastating Eastern Front that drained German military strength and led to their ultimate defeat.
(c) Three reasons for Axis defeat: (1) The immense economic and industrial superiority of the Grand Alliance (USA, USSR, Britain); (2) Strategic blunders by Axis leaders, such as Hitler's invasion of Russia and declaration of war on the US; (3) Allied command of the seas and skies (air superiority), cutting off vital raw materials and supplies from the Axis powers.

Teacher's Note:
a) Clearly separate causes and consequences for part (b).
b) Emphasize industrial capacity and resource mobilization as decisive factors in modern total war.

Question 10.
The period after the Second World War was marked by tension and cooperation.
Answer the questions below, with reference to this statement :
(a) Why was there a thaw in the Cold War in the 1950s? Give examples to show that the thaw was only partial. [6]
(b) What led to a permanent relaxation of tensions (detente) in the 1970s? [4]
(c) Why did many European world leaders promote the idea of greater economic cooperation and unity in Western Europe after the Second World War? [6]

Answer:
(a) The thaw in the 1950s was prompted by the death of Stalin in 1953, the end of the Korean War, and the signing of the Austrian State Treaty (1955). However, it was only partial because tensions persisted: the Soviet Union brutally crushed the Hungarian Uprising in 1956, formed the Warsaw Pact, and engaged in a nuclear arms race and space competition (Sputnik).
(b) Detente in the 1970s was driven by the economic burden of the arms race on both superpowers, the horrors and costs of the Vietnam War, the Sino-Soviet split which encouraged US-China rapprochement, and mutual fear of a nuclear holocaust, leading to events like SALT talks and Nixon's visit to Moscow.
(c) European leaders promoted economic unity after WWII because Europe was economically devastated and exhausted. They realized that small nation-states could not compete economically with superpowers like the US and USSR, and that economic integration (such as removing tariff barriers) was essential to prevent future nationalist conflicts and ensure rapid reconstruction and prosperity.

Teacher's Note:
a) Differentiate clearly between the 'thaw' of the 1950s and 'detente' of the 1970s.
b) Highlight economic motivation as a primary catalyst for European integration post-WWII.

Question 11.
With reference to the conflict in the Middle-east, answer the following questions:
(a) Give a brief account of the Arab-Israel conflict in Palestine after the First World War and explain how it led to the outbreak of war in 1948. [8]
(b) State the results of the Arab-Israel war (1948-49). [4]
(c) What were the main points agreed upon in the Camp David Peace Accord (1979)? [4]

Answer:
(a) Following WWI, Britain administered Palestine under a League of Nations mandate while juggling conflicting promises: the McMahon-Hussein correspondence promising Arab independence, and the Balfour Declaration (1917) supporting a Jewish national home. Increased Jewish immigration fleeing European persecution heightened Arab-Jewish tensions. In 1947, the UN proposed partitioning Palestine. When Britain withdrew in May 1948, Jews declared the State of Israel, immediately triggering the 1948 Arab-Israel War.
(b) Results of the 1948-49 war: Israel successfully defended and expanded its territory beyond the UN partition lines, capturing West Jerusalem and parts of Galilee; Jordan annexed the West Bank; Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip; and hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs were displaced as refugees.


(c) Main points of the Camp David Accords (1979): Framework for a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel (the first between Israel and an Arab nation); return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt; agreement on a framework for Palestinian self-governance in the West Bank and Gaza; and establishment of normal diplomatic relations between Egypt and Israel.

Teacher's Note:
a) Trace the root of the Palestine problem to contradictory British wartime pledges.
b) Note the historic significance of the Camp David Accords as a breakthrough in Arab-Israeli diplomacy brokered by US President Jimmy Carter.