NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science (History) Chapter 8 The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947

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SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 8TH

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Class : 8th
Subject : History
Chapter : 9
Chapter Name : The Making Of The National Movement: 1870s-1947

Q1 Why were people dissatis�ed with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s?

Answer. People were dissatis�ed with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s due to the following
reasons:
(i) The British passed the Arms Act in 1878 which disallowed Indians from possessing arms.
(ii) In the same year they passed the Vernacular Press Act. This Act snatched the freedom of
speech and expression. It allowed the government to con�scate the assets of newspapers including
their printing presses if the newspapers published anything that was critical of the government.
(iii) In 1883, the Ilbert Bill was introduced. 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 the
white opposition forced the government to withdraw the bill.

Q2 Who did the Indian National Congress wish to speak for?

Answer. The Indian National Congress wished to speak for the entire people belonging to different
communities of India.

Q3 What economic impact did the First World War have on India?

Answer. The First World War 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 pro�ts.
Increased military expenditure and the demands for war supplies led to the sharp rise in prices
which badly affected the common mass. They found it dif�cult to ful�l even their essential needs.
But the business groups earned huge pro�ts from the war. The war created a demand for industrial
goods like jute bags, cloth, rails, and caused a decline of imports from other countries into India.
As a result Indian industries expanded during the war.

Q4 What did the Muslim League resolution of 1940 ask for?

Answer. The Muslim League resolution of 1940 asked for "Independent States' for Muslims in the
north- western and eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention partition or the

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name Pakistan.

Q5 Who were the Moderates? How did they propose to struggle against British rule?

Answer. The Moderates were against taking extreme actions. They had deep faith in the good
intention of the government. They were of the opinion that slowly and steadily they would make
the British go to their own land. The Moderate leaders developed 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
and sent representatives to different parts of the country to mobilise public opinion. They believed
that the British had respect for the ideals of freedom and justice and therefore they would
de�nitely accept all the just demands of the people of India. Their main task was to acknowledge
the British government with these demands.

Q6 How was the politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of the Moderates?

Answer. The Radicals within the Congress cherished different opinions. They had deep faith in
action and wanted to drive away the foreigners as soon as possible. They criticised the Moderates
for their "politics of prayers' and gave emphasis on self-reliance and constructive work. They
argued that people must �ght for swaraj. Unless they fought against the British rule unitedly, they
would not bring independence to their country

Q7 Discuss the various forms that the Non-Cooperation Movement took in different parts of India.
How did the people understand Gandhiji?

Answer. The Non-Cooperation Movement spread far and wide. It took various forms in different
parts of the country:
(i) In Kheda, Gujarat, Patidar peasants were worried about the high land revenue demand of the
British. Hence, they organized nonviolent campaigns against it.
(ii) In coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu, liquor shops were picketed.
(iii) In the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh, tribals and poor peasants started several forest
satyagrahas', sometimes sending their cattle into forests without paying grazing tax. They were
very much fed up with the restrictions imposed on them by the British regarding the use of forest
resources. They wanted the abolition of the forest regulations.
(iv) In Sind, now in Pakistan, Muslim traders and peasants were very enthusiastic about the
Khilafat call. In Bengal too, the KhiIafat-Non- Cooperation alliance gave enormous communal
unity and strength to the national movement.
(v) In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs sought to drive out corrupt mahants, supported by
the British, from the gurudwaras_ This movement got closely identi�ed with the Non-Cooperation
Movement.

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(vi) In Assam, tea garden labourers left the British-owned plantations and became the followers of
Gandhiji. People viewed Gandhiji as a messiah, as someone who could help them overcome their
misery and poverty.

Q8 Why did Gandhi ji choose to break the salt law?

Answer. Gandhiji was very much worried about the salt law. According to this law, the state had a
monopoly on the manufacture and sale of salt. Gandhiji thought that it was sinful to tax salt
because it is an essential item of our food and is required equally by the rich and the poor. Hence
he decided to break this law in anticipation that people from all walks of life would extend their
support Needless to say that Gandhiji's Salt March became very successful.

Q9 Discuss those developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan

Answer. From the late-1 930s, the Muslim League began viewing the Muslims as a separate-nation
from the Hindus. This nation might have developed because of the history of tension between
some Hindu and Muslim groups in the 1920s and 1 930s. The provincial elections of 1937 also
might have convinced the League the Muslims were a minority and they would always have to play
second �ddle, in any democratic structure. Meanwhile, the Congress rejected the League's desire
to form a joint Congress-League government in the United Provinces in 1937. This annoyed the
League. In 1 940, the League �nally moved a resolution demanding 'Independent States' for
Muslims in the north-western and eastern areas of the country. The resolution did not mention
partition or Pakistan. In 1 945, the British opened negotiations between the Congress, the League
and themselves for the independence of India. The talks could not succeed because the League saw
itself as the sole spokesperson of India's Muslims. The Congress proved this clam baseless because
several Muslims still supported it. In the provincial electrons in 1946 the League got grand success
in the seats reserved for Muslims. Hence it persisted its demand for Pakistan.
In March 1946, the Cabinet Mission came 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. Neither the Congress nor the Muslim eague agreed to it. The failure of the Cabinet Mission
made partition inevitable. Ultimately in 1947 partition took place with the birth of a new country,
i.e. Pakistan.

Q10 Find out how the national movement was organised in your city, district, area or state. Who
participated in it and who led it? What did the movement in your area achieve?

Answer. DIY
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Q11 Find out more about the life and work of any two participants or leaders of the national
movement and write a short essay about them. You may choose a person not mentioned in this
chapter.

Answer. (a) DL Rajendra Prasad Dr. Rajendra Prasad started his political career as a social worker.
He came under the in�uence of Mahatma Gandhi since the Champaran Satyagrahs of 1918. He
came in the light when he took sincere part in Champaran Satyagraha The Jallianwala Bagh
atrocities deeply perturbed him. He was sent to jail many times. He struggled hard for the
independence of the country. He was the most uncontrovercial �gure in the Indian politics. Under
his presidentship the country made all round progress. (b) Jaiprakash Narayan Jaiprakash Narayan
fully dedicated his life for the welfare of the country. In 1 934, be plunged into the struggle for
freedom. In the same he became the Secretary of the Socialist Party. Jawaharlal Nehru offered him
the membership of the Congress Working Committee in 1946 but he rejected the offer. On Nehru's
second request, he joined the Congress Committee with Ram Manohar Lohia but both of them left
it soon. Shri jaiprakash Narayan became the General Secretary of the Socialist Party which got
itself separated from the Congress. He took great interest in the political development of the
country. He is known for his sel�ess service for the nation.

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