Social Science Past Paper PDF (Class VIII, History Chapter 8)

CLASS VIII SOCIAL SCIENCE THE GIST OF THE LESSONS TAUGHT COMPONENT NUMBER AND NAME OF THE CHAPTER HISTORY Chapter-8. The Making of the National...

CLASS VIII SOCIAL SCIENCE THE GIST OF THE LESSONS TAUGHT COMPONENT NUMBER AND NAME OF THE CHAPTER HISTORY Chapter-8. The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 The British conquest of territories, and takeover of kingdoms Introduction of new laws and administrative institutions Changes in the lives of peasants and tribals Educational changes in the nineteenth century Debates regarding the condition of women Challenges to the caste system Social and religious reform The revolt of 1857 and its aftermath The decline of crafts and the growth of industries The above-mentioned developments led the people to ask a crucial question: a) What is this country of India and for whom is it meant? The answer that gradually emerged was: India was the people of India – all the people irrespective of class, colour, caste, creed, language, or gender. And the country, its resources and systems, were meant for all of them. b) With this answer came the awareness that the British were exercising control over the resources of India and the lives of its people, and until this control was ended, India could not be for Indians. This consciousness began to be clearly stated by the political associations formed after 1850, especially those that came into being in the 1870s and 1880s. Most of these were led by English-educated professionals such as lawyers. The more important ones were the ❖ Poona Sarvajanik Sabha (The literal meaning of “sarvajanik” is “of or for all the people” (sarva = all + janik = of the people). ❖ The Indian Association ❖ The Madras Mahajan Sabha ❖ The Bombay Presidency Association ❖ The Indian National Congress. Though many of these associations functioned in specific parts of the country, their goals were stated as the goals of all the people of India, not those of any one region, community, or class. They worked with the idea that the people should be sovereign – a modern consciousness and a key feature of nationalism. In other words, they believed that the Indian people should be empowered to take decisions regarding their affairs. The dissatisfaction with British rule intensified in the 1870s and 1880s. Justify the statement The Arms Act was passed in 1878, disallowing Indians from possessing arms.  In 1878, the Vernacular Press Act was also enacted to silence those who were critical of the government. The Act allowed the government to confiscate the assets of newspapers including their printing presses if the newspapers published anything that was found “objectionable”. In 1883, there was a furore over the attempt by the government to introduce the Ilbert Bill. The bill provided for the trial of British or European persons by Indians, and sought equality between British and Indian judges in the country. But when white opposition forced the government to withdraw the bill, Indians were enraged. The event highlighted the racial attitudes of the The awareness developed among the Indians that the British were exercising control over the resources of India and the lives of its people and until this control was ended India could not be for Indians. This consciousness began to be clearly stated by the political associations formed after 1850, especially those that came into being in the 1870s and 1880s. The Indian National Congress The need for an all-India organisation of educated Indians had been felt since 1880, but the Ilbert Bill controversy deepened this desire. The Indian National Congress was established when 72 delegates from all over the country met at Bombay in December 1885. The early leadership – Moderate Leaders- Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji, W.C. Bonnerji, Surendranath Banerji, Romesh Chandra Dutt, S. Subramania Iyer, among others – was largely from Bombay and Calcutta. Naoroji, a businessman and publicist who settled in London, and for a time member of the British Parliament, guided the younger nationalists. A retired British official, A.O. Hume, also played a part in bringing Indians from the various regions together. It has often been said that the Congress in the first twenty years was “moderate” in its objectives and methods. ❖ During this period, it demanded a greater voice for Indians in the government and administration. ❖ It wanted the Legislative Councils to be made more representative, given more power, and introduced in provinces where none existed. ❖ It demanded that Indians be placed in high positions in the government. For this purpose, it called for civil service examinations to be held in India as well, not just in London. The demand for Indianisation of the administration was part of a movement against racism since most important jobs at the time were monopolised by white officials, and the British generally assumed that Indians could not be given positions of responsibility. Since British officers were sending a major part of their large salaries home, Indianisation, it was hoped, would also reduce the drain of wealth to England. Other demands included the separation of the judiciary from the executive, the repeal of the Arms Act, and the freedom of speech and expression. The early Congress also raised several economic issues. It declared that British rule had led to poverty and famines. The increase in the land revenue had impoverished peasants and zamindars. Exports of grains to Europe had created food shortages. The Congress demanded a reduction of revenue and a cut in military expenditure. It also demanded more funds for irrigation. It passed many resolutions on the salt tax, the treatment of Indian labourers abroad, and the sufferings of forest dwellers – caused by an interfering forest administration. All this shows that despite being a body of the educated elite, Congress did not talk only on behalf of professional groups, zamindars, or industrialists. How did the moderate leaders propose to struggle against British rule? The Moderate leaders wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of British rule. They published newspapers, wrote articles, and showed how British rule was leading to the economic ruin of the country. They criticised British rule in their speeches. They sent representatives to different parts of the country to mobilise public opinion. They felt that the British had respect for the ideals of freedom and justice, and so they would accept the just demands of Indians. What was necessary, therefore, was to express these demands, and make the government aware of the feelings of Indians. By the 1890s, many Indians began to raise questions about the political style of the Congress. / Rise of the Extremists or Radicals In Bengal, Maharashtra, and Punjab, leaders such as Bepin Chandra Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Lala Lajpat Rai were beginning to explore more radical objectives and methods. They criticised the Moderates for their “politics of prayers”. They emphasised the importance of self-reliance and constructive work. They argued that people must rely on their own strength, not on the “good” intentions of the government; People must fight for Swaraj. Tilak raised the slogan, “Freedom is my birthright and I shall have it!” The Partition of Bengal 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. But what did “administrative convenience” mean? Whose “convenience” did it represent? It was closely tied to the interests of British officials and businessmen. 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 reaction of the people against the Partition of Bengal. ❖ The partition of Bengal infuriated people all over India. ❖ All sections of the Congress – the Moderates and the Radicals, as they may be called – opposed it. ❖ Large public meetings and demonstrations were organised and novel methods of mass protest developed. The struggle that unfolded came to be known as the Swadeshi movement, strongest in Bengal but with echoes elsewhere too – in deltaic Andhra for instance, it was known as the Vandemataram Movement. The Swadeshi movement The Swadeshi movement, strongest in Bengal but with echoes elsewhere too. The Swadeshi movement sought to oppose British rule. It encourages the ideas of self-help, swadeshi enterprise, national education, and the use of Indian languages. To fight for swaraj, the radicals advocated mass mobilisation and boycott of British institutions and goods. Some individuals also began to suggest that “revolutionary violence” would be necessary to overthrow British rule. The opening decades of the twentieth century These periods were marked by other developments as well. A group 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 1909. Some seats in the councils were now reserved for Muslims who would be elected by Muslim voters. This tempted politicians to gather a following by distributing favours to their own religious groups. Meanwhile, the Congress split in 1907. ❖ The Moderates were opposed to the use of boycotts. They felt that it involved the use of force. After the split, the Congress came to be dominated by the Moderates with Tilak’s followers functioning from outside. The two groups reunited in December 1915. ❖ Next year, the Congress and the Muslim League signed the historic Lucknow Pact and decided to work together for representative government in the country. The Growth of Mass Nationalism After 1919, the struggle against British rule gradually became a mass movement, involving peasants, tribals, students and women in large numbers, and occasionally factory workers as well. Certain business groups too began to actively support Congress in the 1920s. The First World War altered the economic and political situation in India. It led to a huge rise in the defence expenditure of the Government of India. The government in turn increased taxes on individual incomes and business profits. Increased military expenditure and the demands for war supplies led to a sharp rise in prices which created great difficulties for the common people. On the other hand, business groups reaped fabulous profits from the war. The war created a demand for industrial goods (jute bags, cloth, rails) and caused a decline in imports from other countries into India. So Indian industries expanded during the war, and Indian business groups began to demand greater opportunities for development. The war also leads the British to expand their army. Villages were pressurised to supply soldiers for an alien cause. A large number of soldiers were sent to serve abroad. Many returned after the war with an understanding of how imperialist powers were exploiting the peoples of Asia and Africa and with a desire to oppose colonial rule in India. Furthermore, in 1917, there was a revolution in Russia. News about peasants’ and workers’ struggles and ideas of socialism circulated widely, inspiring Indian nationalists. Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi emerged as a mass leader. Gandhiji, aged 46, arrived in India in 1915 from South Africa. Having led Indians in that country in non-violent marches against racist restrictions, he was already a respected leader, known internationally. His South African campaigns had brought him in contact with various types of Indians: Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, and Christians; Gujaratis, Tamils, and north Indians; and upper-class merchants, lawyers, and workers. Mahatma Gandhi spent his first year in India travelling throughout the country, understanding the people, and their needs and interventions were in local movements in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad where he came into contact with Rajendra Prasad and Vallabhbhai Patel.  In Ahmedabad, he led a successful millworkers’ strike in 1918. A. Rowlatt Satyagraha In 1919 Gandhiji gave a call for a satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act that the British had just passed. The Act curbed fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and strengthened police powers. The Rowlatt Satyagraha turned out to be the first all-India struggle against the British government. In April 1919 there were several demonstrations and hartals in the country and the government used brutal measures to suppress them. The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities, inflicted by General Dyer in Amritsar on Baisakhi day (13 April), were a part of this repression After this incident Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood as a mark of protest. During the Rowlatt Satyagraha, the participants tried to ensure that Hindus and Muslims were united in the fight against British rule. This was also the call of Mahatma Gandhi who always saw India as a land of all the people who lived in the country – Hindus, Muslims and those of other religions. He was keen that Hindus and Muslims support each other in any just cause. B. Khilafat Movement Causes- In 1920, the British imposed a harsh treaty on the Turkish Sultan or Khalifa. People were furious about this as they had been about the Jallianwala massacre. Also, Indian Muslims were keen that the Khalifa be allowed to retain control over Muslim sacred places in the erstwhile Ottoman Empire. Leaders - The leaders of the Khilafat agitation, Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, now wished to initiate a full- fledged Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhiji supported their call and urged the Congress to campaign against “Punjab wrongs” (Jallianwala massacre), the Khilafat wrong, and demand swaraj. C. The Non-Cooperation Movement gained momentum through 1921–22. Means of protest- a) Thousands of students left government-controlled schools and colleges. b) Many lawyers such as Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, C. Rajagopalachari and Asaf Ali gave up their practices. c) British titles were surrendered and legislatures boycotted. d) People lit public bonfires of foreign cloth. e) The imports of foreign cloth fell drastically between 1920 and 1922. f) But all this was merely the tip of the iceberg. Large parts of the country were on the brink of a formidable revolt. The various forms that the Non-Cooperation Movement took in different parts of India - In many cases, people resisted British rule non-violently. In others, different classes and groups, interpreting Gandhiji’s call in their manner, protested in ways that were not in accordance with his ideas. In either case, people linked their movements to local grievances. Let us look at a few examples. a) In Kheda, Gujarat, Patidar peasants organised non-violent campaigns against the high land revenue demand of the British. b) In coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were picketed. c) In the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, tribals and poor peasants staged a number of “forest satyagrahas”, sometimes sending their cattle into forests without paying grazing fee. They were protesting because the colonial state had restricted their use of forest resources in various ways. They believed that Gandhiji would get their taxes reduced and have the forest regulations abolished. In many forest villages, peasants proclaimed swaraj and believed that “Gandhi Raj” was about to be established. d) In Sind (now in Pakistan), Muslim traders and peasants were very enthusiastic about the Khilafat call. e) In Bengal too, the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal unity and strength to the national movement. f) In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs sought to remove corrupt mahants – supported by the British – from their gurdwaras. This movement got closely identified with the Non-Cooperation Movement. g) In Assam, tea garden labourers, shouting “Gandhi Maharaj ki Jai”, demanded a big increase in their wages. They left the British-owned plantations amidst declarations that they were following Gandhiji’s  wish. Interestingly, in the Assamese Vaishnava songs of the period, the reference to Krishna was substituted by “Gandhi Raja”. People thought of Gandhiji as a kind of messiah, as someone who could help them overcome their misery and poverty. Gandhiji wished to build class unity, not class conflict, yet peasants could imagine that he would help them in their fight against zamindars, and agricultural labourers believed he would provide them with the land. At times, ordinary people credited Gandhiji with their own achievements. Reason behind the sudden calling off the Non-Cooperation Movement. Gandhiji abruptly called off the Non- Cooperation Movement when in February 1922 a crowd of peasants set fire to a police station in Chauri Chaura. Simon Commission In 1927, the British government in England decided to send a commission headed by Lord Simon to decide India’s political future. The Commission had no Indian representative. The decision created an outrage in India. All political groups decided to boycott the Commission. When the Commission arrived, it was met with demonstrations with banners saying “Simon Go Back”. D. Civil Disobedience Movement Once the Non-Cooperation movement was over, Gandhiji’s followers stressed that the Congress must undertake constructive work in the rural areas. Other leaders such as Chitta Ranjan Das and Motilal Nehru argued that the party should fight elections to the councils and enter them in order to influence government policies. Through sincere social work in villages in the mid-1920s, the Gandhians were able to extend their support base. This proved to be very useful in launching the Civil Disobedience movement in 1930. E. The March to Dandi In 1930, Gandhiji declared that he would lead a march to break the salt law. According to this law, the state had a monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt. Mahatma Gandhi along with other nationalists reasoned that it was sinful to tax salt since it is such an essential item of our food. The Salt March related the general desire for freedom to a specific grievance shared by everybody and thus did not divide the rich and the poor. Gandhiji and his followers marched for over 240 miles from Sabarmati to the coastal town of Dandi where they broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the seashore, and boiling sea water to produce salt. Peasants, tribals, and women participated in large numbers. The government tried to crush the movement through brutal action against peaceful satyagrahis. Thousands were sent to jail. Active in the national movement since the early 1920s, Naidu was a significant leader of the Dandi March. She was the first Indian woman to become President of the Indian National Congress (1925). F. Quit India Movement Mahatma Gandhi decided to initiate a new phase of movement against the British in the middle of the Second World War. 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. Gandhiji and other leaders were jailed at once but the movement spread. 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. In many areas the people set up their own governments.  The first response of the British was severe repression. By the end of 1943, over 90,000 people were arrested, and around 1,000 killed in police firing. In many areas, orders were given to machine-gun crowds from airplanes. The rebellion, however, ultimately brought the Raj to its knees. Two important developments of the mid-1920s were the formation of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindu organisation, and the Communist Party of India. These parties have held very different ideas about the kind of country India should be. The revolutionary nationalist Bhagat Singh too was active in this period. The Government of India Act, 1935 The combined struggles of the Indian people bore fruit when the Government of India Act of 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937. The Congress formed governments in 7 out of 11 provinces. In September 1939, after two years of Congress rule in the provinces, the Second World War broke out. Critical of Hitler, Congress leaders were ready to support the British war effort. But in return they wanted that India be granted independence after the war. The British refused to concede the demand. The Congress ministries resigned in protest. Towards Independence and Partition In 1940 the Muslim League had moved a resolution demanding “Independent States” for Muslims in the north- western and eastern areas of the country. From the late 1930s, the League began viewing Muslims as a separate “nation” from the Hindus. In developing this notion, it may have been influenced by the history of tension between some Hindu and Muslim groups in the 1920s and 1930s. More importantly, the provincial elections of 1937 seemed to have convinced the League that Muslims were a minority and that they would always have to play second fiddle in any democratic structure. It feared that Muslims may even go unrepresented. The Congress’s rejection of the League’s desire to form a joint Congress- League government in the United Provinces in 1937 also annoyed the League. At the end of the war in 1945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the League, and themselves for the independence of India. The talks failed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of India’s Muslims. The Congress could not accept this claim since a large number of Muslims still supported it. Elections to the provinces were again held in 1946. The Congress did well in the “General” constituencies but the League’s success in the seats reserved for Muslims was spectacular. It persisted with its demand for “Pakistan”. In March 1946 the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine this demand and to suggest a suitable political framework for a free India. This mission suggested that India should remain united and constitute itself as a loose confederation with some autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. However, it could not get the Congress and the Muslim League to agree to specific details of the proposal. Partition now became more or less inevitable. After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass agitation to win its Pakistan demand. It announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”. On this day riots broke out in Calcutta, lasting several days and resulting in the death of thousands of people. By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of northern India.  Many hundred thousand people were killed and numerous women had to face untold brutalities during the Partition. Millions of people were forced to flee their homes. They were torn from their homelands and were reduced to being refugees in alien lands. Partition also meant that India changed, many of its cities changed, and a new country – Pakistan – was born. So, the joy of our country’s independence from British rule came mixed with the pain and violence of Partition. Define the terms. 1. Sovereign - The capacity to act independently without outside interference 2. Publicist- Someone who publicises an idea by circulating information, writing reports, speaking at meetings 3. Revolutionary violence- The use of violence to make a radical change within society 4. Knighthood- An honour granted by the British Crown for exceptional personal achievement or public service. 5. Picket- People protesting outside a building or shop to prevent others from entering 6. Mahants – Religious functionaries of Sikh gurdwaras. 7. Illegal eviction – Forcible and unlawful throwing out of tenants from the land they rent. 8. Provincial autonomy- Capacity of the provinces to make relatively independent decisions while remaining within a federation. Important Dates and Events Dates Important Events 1878 The Arms Act was passed 1878 The Vernacular Press Act was passed 1883 The Ilbert Bill was introduced 1885 The Indian National Congress was established 1905 Bengal was partitioned 1906 The All India Muslim League was formed 1915 Gandhiji, aged 46, arrived in India from South Africa. 1919 In 1919, Gandhiji gave a call for a satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act that the British had just passed. April 13, 1919 The Jallianwala Bagh atrocities, inflicted by General Dyer in Amritsar on Baisakhi day 1919 -21 The Non-cooperation movement Feb 1922 The Chauri- Chaura incident 1930 The Civil Disobedience movement, Dandi March 1935 The Government of India Act was passed Sep 1939 The Second World War 1946 Cabinet Mission 16th August, 1946 Direct Action Day Discuss those developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan. Ans. In 1937 the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures. The Congress was victorious in 7 out of 11 provinces and formed governments in the 7 provinces. A new phase of the civil disobedience movement was started by Gandhiji. The ‘Quit India was initiated. The British did their best to suppress the movement. Finally, the British began accepting the demand for freedom by the Indians. In 1940 the Muslim League passed are Solution demanding “Independent States” for Muslims in the north- western and eastern areas areas of the country. The Muslims feared that they may be suppressed by the Hindus as the Hindus were a majority in India. A social divide was created between the Hindus and the Muslims increased as Congress failed to mobilise the Muslim masses. At the end of the Second World War in 1945, the British opened talks with the Congress, the League for the independence of India. The talks failed because the League saw itself as the sole spokesperson of India’s Muslims. The Congress could not accept this claim since a large number of Muslims still supported it. In 1946 elections to the provinces were held. The divide between the congress and the Muslim League became more evident after the elections. The Congress did well in the “General” constituencies, at the same time the Muslim League succeeded in areas where seats were reserved for Muslims. The League persisted with its demand for “Pakistan”. In March 1946 the British cabinet sent a three-member mission to Delhi to examine the best suited political framework for a free India. It was suggested that India should remain united with some autonomy for Muslim- majority areas. The Congress and the Muslim League were unable to come to a consensus and partition became inevitable. After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass agitation for an independent state. It announced 16 August 1946 as “Direct Action Day”. Riots broke out in Calcutta which lasted for many days. Thousands of people died in these riots. By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of northern India. Many hundred thousand people were killed and numerous women had to face atrocities. Millions of people were forced to flee from their homes. The state of Pakistan was born. The partition brought untold misery to millions of Indians. MAP POINTING from (FOR IDENTIFICATION) a. The place where Gandhiji led the famous mill workers’ strike in 1918 / The place where Gandhiji started Satyagraha in favour of cotton mill workers - Ahmedabad b. The place where the Jallianwala Bagh incident took place. Amritsar c. The place where a crowd of peasants had set fire to a police station in February 1922. Chauri-Chaura d. The place where Gandhiji and his followers broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the seashore - Dandi  (The place where the Jallianwala Bagh incident took place) (The place where a crowd of peasants had set fire to a police station in February 1922) (The place where Gandhiji led the famous mill workers strike in 1918) (The place where Gandhiji and his followers broke the government law by gathering natural salt found on the seashore ) Omitted Portions: Sources – 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Fig- 1, 4, 7, 8 Box on – “Women in the freedom struggle: Ambabai from Karnataka, page- 105 Let’s imagine All the boxes of Activity Let’s do ______________________________________________________________________________________