Additional Questions

                                       Some additional Questions

 Q1. .Discuss the satyagraha movements launched by Gandhi after arriving in India.

Ans; a) In 1916,he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle against the oppressive plantation system.

b) In 1917,he organised a satyagraha to support the peasants of Kheda district of Gujarat. Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic ,the peasants of Kheda could not pay the revenue and were demanding that the revenue collection be relaxed.

c) In 1918,Gandhi went to Ahmadabad to organize a satyagraha movement amongst cotton mill workers.

Q2. What was the Rowlett Act? How did the Indians show their disapproval towards the Act?

Ans; a) This Act had been passed through the Imperial Legislative Council.

b) It gave the govt enormous powers to repress political activities and allowed detention of political prisoners without trial for two years.

c) Rallies were organized in various cities, workers went on strike in railway workshops, and shops closed down.

d) The British took action by picking up local leaders from Amritsar and Mahatma Gandhi was barred from entering Delhi.

e) On 10th April, the police in Amritsar fired upon a peaceful procession provoking widespread attacks on banks, post offices and railway stations.

Martial law was imposed and General Dyer took command

Q3. Why was Bengal partitioned? 

In 1905 Viceroy Curzon partitioned Bengal.

At that time Bengal was the biggest province of British India and included Bihar and parts of Orissa.

The British argued for dividing Bengal for reasons of administrative convenience.   

Even so, instead of removing the non –Bengali areas from the province the government separated East Bengal and merged it with Assam. 

Perhaps the main British motives were to curtail the influence of Bengali politicians and to split the Bengali people. 

The wanted to divide Hindus from Muslims.

Q4. When was the Muslim league formed and what were its demands?

Ans. A groups of Muslim landlords and Nawabs formed the All India Muslim league at Dacca in 1906. The league supported the partition of Bengal.

 It desired separate electorates for Muslims, a demand conceded by the government in 1906. Some seats in the councils were now reserved for Muslims who would be elected by Muslims voters.

Q5. What was the most important feature of the government of India act of 1935 introduced by British?

Ans.  Government of India Act of 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937.

 Congress formed governments in 7 out of 11 provinces.

Q6. How did Gandhi organize Quit India Movement?

Ans. a) Mahatma Gandhi decided to initiate a new phase of movement against the British in the middle of the Second World War.

 b) The British must quit India immediately he told them. To the people he said “do or die” in your effort to fight the British – but you must fight non –violently. 

c) Gandhi and other leaders were jailed as the movement spread.

d)  It specially attracted peasants and the youth who gave up their studies to join it.  Communications and symbols of state authority were attacked all over the country.

 e) In many areas people set up their own governments.

Q7. What role played by women in freedom movement of India?

Ans; Women from diverse backgrounds participated in the national movement. Young and old, single and married, they came from rural and urban areas

Participation in the freedom movement brought women out of their homes. It gave them a place in the professions, in the governance of India, and it could pave the way for equality with men.

Example Ambabai of Karnataka had been married at age twelve. Widowed at sixteen, she picketed foreign cloth and liquor shops in Udipi. She was arrested, served a sentence and was rearrested. Between prison terms she made speeches, taught spinning, and organised prabhat pheris. Ambabai regarded these as the happiest days of her life.