Nationalism in India
Why This Chapter Matters
This is the most important History chapter for CBSE Class 10 boards — 8-10 marks every year. Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement, Quit India, and key figures are always tested. Know the chronology and causes.
Core Concepts
1. First World War and its Impact on India (1914-1918)
2. Rowlatt Act (1919) — Trigger for Mass Protest
The British passed the Rowlatt Act — allowing arrest without trial, no right of appeal. Indians called it the "Black Act."
Gandhiji called for a nationwide Satyagraha (peaceful resistance).
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919):
A peaceful meeting of thousands at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. General Dyer ordered troops to fire — 379 killed (official), thousands wounded. Outrage swept the nation. Even moderate leaders broke with the British.
3. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)
Gandhi joined the Congress. He proposed Non-Cooperation with British rule:
Khilafat Movement: Gandhi joined hands with Muslim leaders (Ali Brothers) to protest British treatment of the Turkish Khalifa after WWI. Hindu-Muslim unity strengthened the movement.
Why NCM withdrew (February 1922):
Chauri Chaura incident — a mob burned a police station in Gorakhpur, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi immediately called off the movement, believing Indians were not ready for peaceful struggle.
4. How Different Groups Participated
Peasants: Joined eagerly — blamed landlords and British for poverty and high rents.
Plantation workers: In Assam, workers refused to work and tried to leave plantations (against Inland Emigration Act).
Tribal communities: In Andhra Pradesh, Alluri Sitarama Raju led tribal people who resisted British restrictions on forests.
Merchants and traders: Supported swadeshi — promoted local goods.
Students and teachers: Boycotted schools.
Women: Participated in picketing (blocking) shops selling foreign cloth and liquor.
5. Civil Disobedience Movement (1930)
Gandhi launched this with the famous Salt March (Dandi March).
Why salt? Salt was taxed by the British. Rich or poor, everyone used salt. It united all classes. Breaking the salt law was symbolic — easy to understand, impossible to justify taxing a natural resource.
Dandi March (March 12 - April 6, 1930):
Gandhi walked 240 miles from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, Gujarat with 78 followers. On 6 April 1930, he picked up salt from the beach — breaking British law. This became a mass protest.
Results: 100,000 people arrested. Salt laws broken all over India. Women participated massively. International attention on India.
Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931):
Gandhi called off CDM, agreed to participate in Round Table Conference in London. British released political prisoners, agreed to allow salt making on coast.
Second Round Table Conference: Congress participated — failed to reach agreement. CDM resumed briefly, then formally ended.
6. Who Participated and Who Stayed Away
Dalits: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar demanded separate electorate for dalits. Gandhi opposed this — feared it would divide Hindu society. Gandhi's fast-unto-death led to Poona Pact (1932) — reserved seats within general Hindu electorate.
Muslim League: Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Muslim League increasingly wary of Congress claims to represent all Indians. Demanded separate representation for Muslims.
Industrialists: Some supported swadeshi. But feared prolonged social unrest would disrupt business.
7. Quit India Movement (1942)
Context: World War II. Japan advancing in Asia. Cripps Mission failed.
August 8, 1942: "Do or Die" — Gandhi launched Quit India Movement.
Mass arrests followed — all Congress leaders jailed.
People took matters into own hands — courts, railways, post offices attacked.
British suppressed harshly — 100,000 arrested, thousands killed.
8. The Sense of Collective Belonging
Nationalism needed shared symbols. These included:
Key Dates
1919: Rowlatt Act | Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
1920: Non-Cooperation Movement begins
1922: Chauri Chaura | NCM withdrawn
1929: Purna Swaraj declared at Lahore Congress
1930: Salt March (Dandi March)
1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact
1942: Quit India Movement
PYQs
2023: Why did Gandhi call off the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922?
The Chauri Chaura incident in Gorakhpur (Feb 1922) — a mob attacked and burned a police station, killing 22 policemen. Gandhi believed violence contradicted his principle of non-violence (Satyagraha). He was convinced the people were not ready for peaceful mass struggle, so he immediately called off the movement, despite strong protest from other Congress leaders.
2022: How did various social groups participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Rich peasant communities (patidars, jats) joined to protest revenue demands. Poor peasants hoped rent would be reduced. Women participated in large numbers — picketing liquor and foreign cloth shops, going to prison. Tribal communities in forests broke forest laws. Merchants, lawyers, and teachers boycotted British institutions.
2021: What was the Salt March? Why did Gandhi choose salt as the instrument of protest?
Gandhi walked 240 miles from Sabarmati to Dandi coast (March-April 1930) with followers to break the British salt law by making salt from seawater. Salt was chosen because: it was used by everyone (rich and poor), the tax was deeply unjust (a natural resource), breaking the law was easy and symbolic, and it united all classes of people across India.
MCQ Practice
Q1. Rowlatt Act was passed in: (A) 1917 (B) 1919 (C) 1920 (D) 1922 → B
Q2. Chauri Chaura incident occurred in: (A) Lahore (B) Amritsar (C) Gorakhpur (D) Calcutta → C
Q3. Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in: (A) 1930 (B) 1931 (C) 1932 (D) 1929 → B
Q4. "Do or Die" was the slogan of: (A) NCM (B) CDM (C) Quit India Movement (D) Dandi March → C
Q5 (Hard). The Poona Pact (1932) was signed between: (A) Gandhi and Irwin (B) Gandhi and Ambedkar (C) Gandhi and Jinnah (D) Nehru and Gandhi → B