CBSE Class 12 History Mahatma Gandhi Nationalist Movement Civil Disobedience Worksheet Set 02

Key points in nutshell:

• Mahatma Gandhi is the most influential and revered of all the leaders who participated in the freedom struggle of India.
• In January 1915, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi returned to India after spending two decades in South Africa.
• It was in South Africa he first focused the distinctive techniques of non-violent protest known as Satyagraha and promoted harmony between religions.
• On Gokhale's advice, he spent one year travelling around British India to know the land and its peoples.
• His first major public appearance was at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University in February 1916.
• In his speech at BHU, Gandhiji charged the Indian elite with a lack of concern for the labouring poor.
• He successfully organised Satyagraha at Champaran (Bihar in 1917), Ahmedabad, and Kheda in 1918.
• In 1919, Gandhiji called for a countrywide campaign against the "Rowlatt Act". It was the Rowlatt Satyagraha that made Gandhiji truly a national leader.
• In 1920, after the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, he called for a campaign of non-cooperation with British Rule and joined hands with the Khilafat movement.
• The British Raj was shaken to its foundations for the first time since the Revolt of 1857.
• The Non-cooperation movement was suspended in 1922 after the Chauri-Chaura incident.
• Causes of Gandhiji's popularity among Indians: he dressed like them, lived like them, and spoke their language.
• Mahatma Gandhi was released from prison in February 1924 and devoted himself to constructive work like the promotion of home-spun khadi cloth, the abolition of untouchability, Hindu-Muslim unity, etc.
• In 1928, Gandhiji began to think of re-entering politics. After the failure of the Simon Commission, in its annual session at Lahore, Congress demanded Purna Swaraj and decided to observe 26th January 1930 as Independence Day.
• 12th March 1930: Dandi Satyagraha, Salt March.
• On 6th April 1930, he broke the salt law.
• Across large parts of India, peasants breached forest laws, factory workers went on strike, lawyers boycotted courts, and students refused to attend government-run educational institutions.
• 1930: First Round Table Conference; Gandhiji did not attend.
• 1931: Gandhi-Irwin pact; 2nd Round Table Conference; Gandhiji attended but it failed.
• 1935: Government of India Act.
• 1937: Provincial Election; Congress formed ministries in 8 out of 11 provinces.
• 1939: World War II broke out; Individual Satyagraha.
• 1940: Two Nation Theory put forward by Jinnah.
• 1942: Failure of Cripps Mission.
• 9th August 1942: Quit India Movement started by Gandhiji. Gandhiji, along with all prominent leaders, was sent to jail.
• 1946: Cabinet Mission; failed to get the Congress and the League to agree on the federal system.
• 16th August 1946: Direct Action Day and communal riots in Bengal, Bihar, U.P., and Punjab.
• 1947: Mountbatten was appointed as Viceroy.
• 15th August 1947: Formal transfer of power, announcement of partition, and India got her Independence.
• On 15th August 1947, Gandhiji was not at Delhi to witness the festivities. He was at Calcutta and undertook a 2-hour fast.
• Due to the initiative of Gandhiji and Nehru, Congress passed a resolution on the rights of minorities.
• After working to bring peace to Bengal, Gandhiji shifted to Delhi from where he hoped to move on to the riot-torn districts of Punjab.
• On 30th January 1948, Gandhiji was shot dead by Nathuram Godse.

Source to know more about Gandhiji:

• 1. Public voice and private scripts.
• 2. Series of personal letters published by Gandhiji in his journal, Harijan.
• 3. A bunch of old letters edited by Nehru.
• 4. Fortnightly Reports of the Home Department.
• 5. From newspapers.

OTQ (1 MARKS)

Question. Q.1. Why did Mahatma Gandhi consider the salt tax more oppressive than other taxes?
Answer: Salt tax was wickedly designed by the Government. Salt was used in every household.

Question. Q.2. What was the attitude of the Indian National Congress towards the second world war?
Answer: Both Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru were against Hitler and Nazis.

Question. Q.3. What is meant by Rowlatt Act?
Answer: Under this act, anybody could be arrested on the basis of suspicion and put in prison without trial.

Question. Q.4. Why did Gandhiji start the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer: To get Swaraj.

Question. Q.5. What is the importance of the Salt March?
Answer: This event brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention.

Question. Q.6. What is the importance of the Dandi March?
Answer: Civil law was violated across a large part of India.

Question. Q.7. What are the sources to know the role of Mahatma Gandhi in the history of the National Movement of India?
Answer: Autobiographies and biographies, and contemporary newspapers.

Question. Q.8. Why has Mahatma Gandhi been regarded as the 'Father' of the Indian Nation?
Answer: Because in the history of nationalism, a single man is often identified with the making of a nation. Examples include Garibaldi in Italy, Washington in America, and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.

Question. Q.9. Who are known as Lal, Bal, and Pal?
Answer: Lal - Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab), Bal - Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra), Pal - Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal).

Question. Q.10. Who were the 'Moderates'?
Answer: Those who preferred a more gradual and persuasive approach, like Pherozeshah Mehta and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.

Question. Q.11. What was the Rowlatt Act?
Answer: This act, passed in 1919 for two years, permitted the detention of any person without trial in court.

Question. Q.12. Why was the Non-Cooperation Movement launched?
Answer: 1. To protest against the Jallianwala Bagh and the Khilafat wrongs. 2. To demand Swaraj.

Question. Q.13. Why was the Khilafat Movement started?
Answer: 1. To protest against the injustice done to Turkey. 2. To retain the Turkish Sultan or Khalifa.

Question. Q.14. What was the Gandhi-Irwin Pact of 1931?
Answer: 1. Gandhiji postponed the Civil Disobedience Movement. 2. Irwin agreed to release all prisoners. 3. Gandhiji went to the second Round Table Conference.

S. A. (3 Marks)

Question. Q.15. Why did Gandhiji start the Non-Cooperation Movement? Why was it withdrawn?
Answer: 1. To oppose the 'Rowlatt Act'. 2. To undo the injustice done at Jallianwala Bagh. 3. To support the Khilafat Movement. 4. To get Swaraj. 5. It was withdrawn due to violence at Chauri-Chaura.

Question. Q.16. Give the significance of the Salt March.
Answer: 1. This event brought Mahatma Gandhi to world attention. 2. It was the first nationalist movement in which women participated. 3. It created pressure upon the British Government.

Question. Q.17. Why did Gandhiji start the Non-Cooperation Movement? Why was it withdrawn?
Answer: It was started to oppose the Rowlatt Act, undo the Jallianwala Bagh injustice, support the Khilafat movement, and attain Swaraj. He withdrew the movement because of the incident of violence at Chauri-Chaura, as Gandhiji believed in non-violence.

Question. Q.18. Explain the significance of the Dandi March.
Answer: 1. Violation of the Salt law, which was a monopoly of the British on the manufacturing of salt. 2. Large scale participation of women. 3. Civil law was violated across a large part of India.

Question. Q.19. What was the problem of separate electorates? What were the disagreements between Congress and Dalits on this issue? Finally, what solution could be of this issue?
Answer: The demand for separate electorates was made by the Dalits, who wanted reservations in separate electorates like Muslims. In 1931, at the second Round Table Conference, Dalit leader Dr. B. R. Ambedkar said Congress does not represent the Dalits. He argued that Dalits were socially and economically backward and needed separate electorates to demand their rights. Gandhiji opposed separate electorates. Finally, Congress gave reservations (separate seats) to Dalits within the common electorate through the Poona Pact.

L. A. (8 Marks)

Question. Q.20. What was the aim and methods of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer: Aims: 1. Protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. 2. Demand for Swaraj. 3. Support for the Khilafat Movement. 4. Hindu-Muslim Unity. 5. Opposing the Rowlatt Act.
Methods: 1. Surrender of titles. 2. The movement was to be strictly non-violent. 3. No co-operation with the British Government. 4. Boycott of courts, offices, colleges, foreign clothes, etc. 5. Strikes and demonstrations.

Question. Q.21. In what way did Mahatma Gandhi transform the nature of the National Movement?
Answer: 1. Gandhiji had deep concern for the poor. 2. He took up local issues like BHU, Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda. 3. He launched mass movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, the Salt March, and the Quit India Movement where thousands of Indians of all classes joined. 4. He provided inspirational leadership. 5. He introduced his unique ideology of Truth and Non-violence. 6. He involved the masses in Satyagraha. 7. He implemented constructive programs. 8. He used effective political methods and possessed great charisma.

Question. Q.22. How did Gandhiji transform the National Movement into a mass movement?
Answer: 1. Simple lifestyle. 2. Use of Hindi for communication. 3. Role in three major mass movements. 4. Emphasis on Truth and non-violence. 5. Promoting Swadeshi, boycott, and Swaraj. 6. Importance of the Charkha and Khadi. 7. Upliftment of women and the poor downtrodden. 8. Fostering Hindu-Muslim unity. 9. Working for the abolition of untouchability. 10. Balancing each and every section of society.

Question. Q.23. Explain the sources from which we can reconstruct the political career of Mahatma Gandhi and the history of the National Movement of India.
Answer: Sources include:

• Autobiographies and biographies.
• Contemporary newspapers.
• Official and police records.
• Public speeches.
• Private letters.

Question. Q.24. “Wherever Gandhiji went, rumours spread of his miraculous power.” Explain with examples.
Answer: 1. His ascetic lifestyle. 2. His use of dhoti and the charkha. 3. His use of Hindi for communication made him very popular. 4. Rumours of his miraculous powers included:

• a) He was sent by the King to redress the grievances of the farmers.
• b) He had the power to overrule all local officials.
• c) He was superior to the British.

5. His fight against untouchability further enhanced this image.