Questions
5
Q1
How did the First World War create a new situation in India?
The First World War increased defence expenditure, taxes, prices, forced recruitment, and economic hardship. These pressures, along with influenza and crop failures, created anger against colonial rule and helped mass nationalism expand.
Q2
Why did Gandhiji launch the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Gandhiji launched the Non-Cooperation Movement after events such as the Rowlatt Act, Jallianwala Bagh massacre, and the Khilafat issue. He argued that British rule survived because Indians cooperated with it, so non-cooperation could make colonial rule difficult.
Q3
Why was salt chosen as a symbol in the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Salt was chosen because it was used by rich and poor alike and the colonial salt tax affected everyone. The Salt March turned an everyday item into a powerful symbol of resistance against unjust British laws.
Q4
How did different social groups participate in the national movement?
Peasants, workers, business groups, women, students, and tribal communities joined nationalist movements with different hopes. Some wanted lower taxes or rent, some wanted labour rights, some wanted swaraj for business growth, and women entered public protest in large numbers.
Q5
How was a sense of collective belonging created in India?
Collective belonging was created through songs, symbols, images of Bharat Mata, national flags, reinterpretation of history, folklore, and shared struggles against colonial rule. These cultural forms helped diverse groups imagine themselves as part of one nation.