History

India and the contemporary world. (Q.) Name any two leaders of the Home Rule League in India? (1 Mark) (Ans)  Bal Gangadhar and Smt. Annie Besant were the leader of Home Rule League in India. (Q.) Who formed the Swaraj Party? What was its aim? (3 Marks) (Ans)  Swaraj party was formed by Moti Lal Nehru and C.R. Das. The aim of this party was to: 1. Fight against the repressive measures of the British Government. 2. Launch agitation for speedy attainment of Dominion Status. 3. Enter the councils for the formation of provincial governments. 4. Oppose the British policies within the councils and demonstrate that these councils were not truly democratic (Q.) Why did Indian leaders oppose the Rowlatt Act in 1919? (3 Marks) (Ans)  The Rowlatt act was opposed by the Indian leaders due to the following reasons: 1. Despite the united opposition of the Indian members, the imperial legislative council hurriedly passed this act. 2. It gave the government enormous power to repress political activities. 3.Under this act political prisoners could be detained for two years without a trial. (Q.) How did Non-Cooperation become a movement? Explain it. (3 Marks) (Ans)  Following events transformed Non-cooperation into a mass movement: 1. Gandhiji proposed that the movement should unfold in stages. It should begin with the surrender of titles that the government awarded and boycott of civil services, army, police, courts, and legislative councils, school and foreign goods. 2.In case the government used repression, a full Civil Disobedience campaign would be launched. 3.Finally at the Congress session at Nagpur in December 1920, a compromise was worked out and the Non-Cooperation programme was adopted. (Q.) What was the objective of the Salt March started by Gandhiji? (3 Marks) (Ans)  On 31 January 1930, Gandhiji sent a letter to Viceroy Irwin with some demands. The most stirring of all was the demand to abolish the salt tax. Mahatma Gandhi found in salt a powerful symbol that could unite the common man. But Irwin was unwilling to negotiate. So Mahatma Gandhi started his famous salt March accompanied by 78 of his trusted volunteers. The march was over 240 miles from Gandhiji’s ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarat Coastal town of Dandi. It was started on 11 March and on 6 April he reached Dandi, and ceremonially violated the law manufacturing salt. (Q.) Highlight the steps taken by Gandhiji to uplift untouchables.(3 Marks) (Ans)  Mahatma Gandhi declared that Swaraj would not come for a hundred years if untouchability was not eliminated. He worked hard for the upliftment of the untouchables. 1. He called the ‘untouchables’ Harijan, or the children of God. 2. He organized Satyagraha to secure the untouchables entry into temples, and access to public wells, tanks, roads and schools. 3. He himself cleaned toilets to dignify the work of the sweepers and persuaded upper castes people to change their heart and give up ‘the sin of un-touchability’. (Q.) Devotion to the mother figure came to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism. Explain. (4 Marks) (Ans)  The identity of the nation is most often symbolized in a figure or image. 1. With the growth of nationalism in the twentieth century, the identity of India came to be visually associated with the image of Bharat Mata. 2. The image was first created by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. In the 1870s he wrote ‘Vande Mataram’ as a hymn to the motherland. 3.Inspired by the Swadeshi movement, Abanindranath Tagore painted his famous image of Bharat Mata which is portrayed as an ascetic figure; she is calm, composed, divine and spiritual. 4. The image of Bharat Mata acquired many different forms, as it circulated in popular prints, and was painted by different artists. Devotion to this mother figure came to be seen as evidence of one’s nationalism. The making of global world. (Q.) Give two examples of global exchange which took place before 17th Century. The examples should be beneficial as well as harmful.(3 Marks) (Ans)  From ancient times, travelers, traders, priests and pilgrims travelled vast distances for knowledge, opportunity and spiritual fulfillment, or to escape persecution. One beneficial example: All of these people who were pioneer of global exchange carried with them goods, ideas and inventions, moral values etc. One harmful example: The travelers, traders, priests & pilgrims also carried with them germs anddiseases which proved very harmful for local residents who died in thousands. (Q.) Explain the different kinds of exchange rates? (3 Marks) (Ans)  An exchange rate is the current market price for which one currency can be exchanged for another. There are broadly two kinds of exchange rates: 1. Fixed exchange rates: When exchange rates are fixed and governments intervene to prevent movements in them. 2. Floating or flexible exchange rates: These rates fluctuate depending on demand and supply of currencies in foreign exchange markets, in principle without interference by governments (Q.) Mention about problems of the post-war economic recovery. (4 Marks) (Ans)  Problems of post-war economic recovery were: 1. Britain, the world’s leading economic power in the pre-war period in particular faced a prolonged crisis. After the war British found it difficult recapture its earlier position of dominance in the Indian market,?and to compete with Japan internationally. 2. The war had led to an economic boom, that is, to a large increase in demand, production, and employment. 3. Many agricultural economies were also in crisis. Before the war, Eastern Europe was a major wheat supplier and when this supply disrupted, wheat production expanded dramatically. 4. Once the war was over, production in Eastern Europe revived and created an increase in wheat production. Grain prices fell and the farmers fell deeper into debt. (Q.) Who were Shikaripuri shroffs and Nattukottai Chettiars? (3 Marks) (Ans)  Capital was required for growing food and other crops for the world market. In India this capital was provided by Shikaripuri shroffs and Nattukottai Chettiars to the peasants. 1. They were amongst the many groups of bankers and traders who financed export agriculture in Central and Southeast Asia, 2. They used either their own funds or those borrowed from European banks. 3. They had a sophisticated system to transfer money over large distances, and even developed indigenous forms of corporate organization. (Q.) Explain the terms: 1.    Tarrifs 2.    Exchange rates 3.    Multinational corporations(3 Marks) (Ans)  Tarrifs: It is the tax imposed on a country’s imports from the rest of the world. Tariffs are levied at the point of entry, i.e., at the border or the airport. 2. Exchange rates: Exchange rates link national currencies for purposes of international trade. There are broadly two kinds of exchange rates: fixed exchange rate and floating exchange rate. 3. Multinational corporations: MNCs are large companies that operate in several countries at the same time. The first MNCs were established in the 1920s. (Q.) Explain what is referred to as the G-77 countries and what were its main objectives? (4 Marks) (Ans)  Group of 77 or G-77 was a loose coalition of developing countries organised in the late 20th century to demand a New International Economic order (NIEO). There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has since expanded to 130 member countries. Main objective of the G-77 countries were: 1. To establish the new system so as to get real control over their natural resources. 2. More assistance in their development 3. Fairer prices for raw-materials and better access for their manufactured goods in the market of the developed nations. (Q.) Explain the three types of movement or flows within international economic exchange. (3 Marks) (Ans)  The economists have identified three types of movement or ‘flows’ within international economic exchanges. 1.The first is the flow of trade i.e. goods specially wheat. 2. The second is the flow of labour i.e. migration of labour in search of employment. 3. The third is the movement of capital for short term investments over long distances. All three flows were closely interwoven and had a deep impact on their lives.