<h5 id="1-a-leader-announces-himself">1. A LEADER ANNOUNCES HIMSELF</h5> <ul> <li>Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, also known as Mahatma Gandhi, returned to India in 1915 after twenty years in South Africa.</li> <li>During his time in South Africa, Gandhi developed non-violent protest techniques, promoted religious harmony, and advocated for the rights of lower castes and women.</li> <li>Upon his return, India was more politically active with the Indian National Congress having branches in major cities and towns. The Congress had also broadened its appeal among the middle classes through the Swadeshi movement.</li> <li>Gandhiji spent a year traveling around British India, getting to know the land and its people. His first major public appearance was at the opening of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 1916.</li> <li>In his speech at the BHU, Gandhiji criticized the Indian elite for their lack of concern for the laboring poor and called for Indian nationalism to be more representative of the Indian people as a whole. He was presented with an opportunity to put his precepts into practice when approached by a peasant from Champaran in Bihar about the harsh treatment of peasants by British indigo planters.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="2-the-making-and-unmaking-of-non-cooperation">2. THE MAKING AND UNMAKING OF NON-COOPERATION</h5> <ul> <li>In 1917, Mahatma Gandhi focused on obtaining security of tenure and freedom to cultivate crops of choice for Champaran peasants, intervened in a labor dispute in Ahmedabad for better working conditions, and joined Kheda peasants in asking for tax remission following crop failure.</li> <li>In 1919, the British continued censorship of the press and detention without trial based on the Rowlatt Committee’s recommendation, leading Gandhiji to call for a countrywide campaign against the “Rowlatt Act.”</li> <li>The Rowlatt satyagraha made Gandhiji a truly national leader, emboldened by its success, he called for a campaign of “non-cooperation” with British rule.</li> <li>Indians were asked to stop attending schools, colleges, and law courts, not pay taxes, and adhere to a “renunciation of (all) voluntary association with the (British) Government.”</li> <li>Gandhiji joined hands with the Khilafat Movement to restore the Caliphate, a symbol of Pan-Islamism, which had been abolished by the Turkish ruler Kemal Attaturk.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="21-knitting-a-popular-movement">2.1 Knitting a popular movement</h5> <ul> <li>The Khilafat Movement (1919-1920) was a movement of Indian Muslims, led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali, demanding control of Muslim sacred places and Muslim sovereignty in the Arab region.</li> <li>Gandhiji sought to conjoin the Khilafat Movement with the Non-cooperation Movement, a strategy of non-violent resistance against British rule.</li> <li>The Non-Cooperation Movement involved protests such as students refusing to attend government schools, lawyers boycotting courts, and workers going on strike.</li> <li>In rural areas, farmers refused to pay taxes, and peasants refused to carry loads for colonial officials. These protests were not always in line with nationalist leadership directives.</li> <li>The British Raj was significantly impacted by the Non-Cooperation Movement, but it was called off by Gandhiji in 1922 after a group of peasants attacked a police station, resulting in several constables’ deaths.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="22-a-peoples-leader">2.2 A people’s leader</h5> <ul> <li>Gandhiji transformed Indian nationalism by 1922, making it a movement of peasants, workers, and artisans, not just professionals and intellectuals.</li> <li>His identification with the masses was reflected in his simple dress, the dhoti or loincloth, and his use of the charkha (spinning wheel). The charkha represented a human society that would not glorify machines and technology.</li> <li>During a tour of South India in 1921, Gandhiji began wearing a loincloth and shaved his head to identify with the poor, symbolizing asceticism and abstinence.</li> <li>Rumors about Gandhiji’s miraculous powers spread among the Indian peasants, with stories of him overruling local officials and his arrival causing colonial rulers to flee.</li> <li>Gandhiji’s mass appeal was genuine and based on careful organization, with new branches of the Congress set up in various parts of India and communication of the nationalist message encouraged in the mother tongue.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="3-the-salt-satyagraha-a-case-study">3. THE SALT SATYAGRAHA A CASE STUDY</h5> <ul> <li>After the Non-cooperation Movement, Mahatma Gandhi focused on social reform work until 1928, when he began to consider re-entering politics.</li> <li>In 1929, the Congress held its annual session in Lahore, electing Jawaharlal Nehru as President and committing to “Purna Swaraj” or complete independence.</li> <li>On 26 January 1930, “Independence Day” was observed with the hoisting of the national flag and the singing of patriotic songs.</li> <li>Gandhiji suggested that the day be spent doing constructive work, such as spinning, service to ‘untouchables’, promoting Hindu-Muslim unity, or prohibition work.</li> <li>Participants were to take a pledge affirming the right of the Indian people to freedom and the right to alter or abolish any government that deprives them of their rights.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="31-dandi">3.1 Dandi</h5> <ul> <li>The Salt Satyagraha was a protest led by Mahatma Gandhi against the British law that gave the state a monopoly in the manufacture and sale of salt.</li> <li>Salt was chosen as the symbol of protest because it was indispensable in every Indian household, yet people were forbidden from making salt even for domestic use, compelling them to buy it from shops at a high price.</li> <li>The salt monopoly was deeply unpopular and by making it his target, Gandhiji hoped to mobilize a wider discontent against British rule.</li> <li>The salt tax was considered more oppressive than other taxes because it deprived the people of a valuable easy village industry, involved wanton destruction of property that nature produces in abundance, and was an unheard-of tax of more than 1,000 per cent exacted from a starving people.</li> <li>The salt tax remained so long because of the apathy of the general public, but now that it was sufficiently roused, the tax had to go.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="32-dialogues">3.2 Dialogues</h5> <ul> <li>The Salt March, led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930, was a significant event that brought him world attention and marked the first nationalist activity with large female participation.</li> <li>The march forced the British to realize that they would have to devolve some power to the Indians, leading to the Round Table Conferences in London to discuss political independence.</li> <li>However, Gandhi was unable to secure a commitment to political independence from the Viceroy, only an assurance of talks towards that possible end.</li> <li>Ambedkar, a socialist activist, opposed Gandhi’s opposition to separate electorates for the Depressed Classes, arguing that political power was necessary for their protection and integration into mainstream society.</li> <li>In 1935, a new Government of India Act promised representative government, and the Congress won a comprehensive victory in an election held two years later.</li> <li>The Congress organized a series of individual satyagrahas to pressure the rulers to promise freedom once the war had ended, while the Muslim League passed a resolution demanding autonomy for Muslim-majority areas.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="4-quit-india">4. QUIT INDIA</h5> <ul> <li>The Quit India campaign was a major movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in August 1942, aimed at ending British rule in India.</li> <li>Despite Gandhiji’s imprisonment, younger activists organized strikes and acts of sabotage across the country, with socialist members of the Congress like Jayaprakash Narayan playing an active role in the underground resistance.</li> <li>In Satara and Medinipur districts, “independent” governments were proclaimed, and a parallel government (prati sarkar) was established in Satara by younger leaders, which functioned till 1946 despite government repression and Congress disapproval.</li> <li>The Quit India movement was a mass movement that brought together hundreds of thousands of ordinary Indians, especially energizing the young who left their colleges to go to jail.</li> <li>The Muslim League expanded its influence during this period, making a mark in provinces where it had previously had little presence, and the demand for Pakistan led to political polarization and communal violence.</li> <li>The Labour government in Britain committed itself to granting independence to India, and fresh elections were held in 1946, with the Congress sweeping the “General” category and the League winning an overwhelming majority in seats reserved for Muslims.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="5-the-last-heroic-days">5. THE LAST HEROIC DAYS</h5> <ul> <li>Mahatma Gandhi marked India’s independence day, August 15, 1947, with a 24-hour fast, as he was concerned about the violence and division between Hindus and Muslims.</li> <li>In the following months, Gandhiji visited hospitals and refugee camps, providing comfort and appealing for peace and unity among Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs.</li> <li>The Congress, under Gandhiji and Nehru’s guidance, passed a resolution on minority rights, reaffirming India’s commitment to be a democratic, secular state where all citizens are equal, regardless of religion.</li> <li>Gandhiji aimed to help the minority community in Pakistan but couldn’t due to his inability to ensure safety for Muslims in Delhi.</li> <li>Despite an attempt on his life on January 20, 1948, Gandhiji continued his work until he was assassinated by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948, leading to an outpouring of grief and tributes from India and around the world.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="6-knowing-gandhi">6. KNOWING GANDHI</h5> <ul> <li>The political career of Gandhiji and the history of the nationalist movement can be reconstructed from various sources.</li> <li>These sources can be broadly categorized into official records, private papers, and published materials.</li> <li>Official records include government archives, legislative debates, and court proceedings.</li> <li>Private papers consist of correspondence, diaries, and personal effects of individuals associated with the nationalist movement.</li> <li>Published materials include books, newspapers, and journals that covered the events of the time.</li> <li>These sources provide a comprehensive view of Gandhiji’s political career and the nationalist movement.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="61-public-voice-and-private-scripts">6.1 Public voice and private scripts</h5> <ul> <li>The letters provide insight into the development of Congress ideals over time, with Nehru advocating for socialism and the majority of the Working Committee and Congress opposing it. This led to a rift between the socialists and conservatives within the Congress.</li> <li>Mahatma Gandhi played a significant role in mediating and reconciling differences within the Congress. His involvement in the matter between Nehru, Prasad, and Patel helped avoid a crisis.</li> <li>The letters offer a glimpse into the internal dynamics of the Congress, revealing disagreements and differing viewpoints among its members. They also highlight the challenges faced by the organization in maintaining unity.</li> <li>The personal nature of the letters provides insight into the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of key Congress leaders, such as Nehru’s frustration with the treatment he received from his colleagues and Gandhi’s lighthearted approach to resolving conflicts.</li> <li>The letters also reveal the significance of Gandhi’s leadership and his ability to bring together diverse viewpoints within the Congress, ultimately preserving the organization’s unity and preventing a potential crisis.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="62-framing-a-picture">6.2 Framing a picture</h5> <ul> <li>Autobiographies provide a detailed account of the past, often from a personal perspective.</li> <li>They are retrospective accounts, usually written from memory, so there might be gaps or inconsistencies.</li> <li>The content of an autobiography is influenced by what the author considers important, significant, or wants to recount.</li> <li>The act of writing an autobiography can be seen as a way of “framing a picture” of oneself.</li> <li>Readers should be aware of potential silences or acts of forgetting in the text, and try to understand the reasons behind them.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="63-through-police-eyes">6.3 Through police eyes</h5> <ul> <li> <p>The text provides extracts from the Fortnightly Reports of the Home Department during the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930. These reports, although based on police information, often reflected the views of higher officials and their desire to downplay the impact of Mahatma Gandhi’s actions.</p> </li> <li> <p>The continuous reporting on people’s thoughts about Mahatma Gandhi’s arrest might be due to the government’s strategy to gauge public sentiment and reaction. In his speech on 5 April 1930 at Dandi, Gandhiji had stated that he would welcome arrest as it would further the cause of the movement.</p> </li> <li> <p>Mahatma Gandhi was not arrested initially possibly due to the government’s reluctance to escalate the situation or to avoid giving more publicity to the movement.</p> </li> <li> <p>The Home Department continued to say that the march was not evoking any response as part of their narrative to downplay the significance of the movement. However, the text mentions various instances of meetings, processions, and enrolment of volunteers, indicating otherwise.</p> </li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="64-from-newspapers">6.4 From newspapers</h5> <ul> <li>In 1915, Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa.</li> <li>Champaran movement occurred in 1917, followed by peasant and workers’ movements in Kheda (Gujarat) and Ahmedabad in 1918.</li> <li>In 1919, the Rowlatt Satyagraha took place (March-April), along with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (April).</li> <li>The Non-cooperation and Khilafat Movements started in 1921, with a peasant movement in Bardoli in 1928.</li> <li>In December 1929, “Purna Swaraj” was accepted as the Congress goal at the Lahore session, leading to the Civil Disobedience Movement and Dandi March in 1930.</li> <li>The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in March 1931, followed by the Second Round Table Conference in December.</li> <li>The Government of India Act was passed in 1935, promising some form of representative government.</li> <li>Congress ministries resigned in 1939, and the Quit India Movement began in August 1942.</li> <li>Mahatma Gandhi visited Noakhali and other riot-torn areas in 1946 to stop communal violence.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="answer-in-100-150-words">ANSWER IN 100-150 WORDS</h5> <ul> <li>Mahatma Gandhi sought to identify with the common people by adopting simple living habits, dressing in a way that was similar to the Indian peasants, and promoting the concept of Swadeshi (self-sufficiency).</li> <li>Gandhi was perceived by the peasants as a leader who understood their struggles and fought for their rights. His simplicity, honesty, and dedication to the cause of Indian independence won him their respect and admiration.</li> <li>The salt laws became an important issue of struggle as they were a symbol of British exploitation and oppression. The laws imposed heavy taxes on Indian-produced salt, making it unaffordable for the common people. Gandhi’s Salt March in 1930, where he walked 240 miles to the sea to make his own salt, brought global attention to the issue.</li> <li>Newspapers are an important source for the study of the national movement as they provide a wealth of information about the events, personalities, and issues related to the movement. They also reflect the opinions and perspectives of different sections of society, giving us a more nuanced understanding of the movement.</li> <li>The charkha (spinning wheel) was chosen as a symbol of nationalism as it represented the concept of Swadeshi and self-reliance. Gandhi promoted the use of the charkha as a means of promoting local industries and reducing dependence on British imports. The charkha also became a powerful symbol of the Indian freedom struggle and is still used as a symbol of the Indian independence movement.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="write-a-short-essay-250-300-words-on-the-following">WRITE A SHORT ESSAY (250-300 WORDS) ON THE FOLLOWING:</h5> <ul> <li> <p>Non-cooperation was a form of protest where people refused to cooperate with the British government in various ways, such as refusing to work in government jobs, serve in the military, or pay taxes. This was a peaceful form of resistance used to protest British policies and push for Indian independence.</p> </li> <li> <p>The Round Table Conferences were inconclusive as the British government was not willing to grant India dominion status, which was a key demand of the Indian National Congress. The conferences failed to address the fundamental issues of Indian self-rule, leading to further disillusionment and discontent among Indians.</p> </li> <li> <p>Mahatma Gandhi transformed the nature of the national movement by introducing the principle of non-violence, or ahimsa, as a means of protest. This shift from violent methods to non-violent civil disobedience marked a turning point in the Indian independence movement, inspiring millions of Indians to participate in the struggle for freedom.</p> </li> <li> <p>Private letters and autobiographies offer a unique perspective on an individual, revealing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a more personal and intimate way than official accounts. These sources are often more candid and unfiltered, providing a more nuanced understanding of the person and their motivations.</p> </li> <li> <p>Official accounts, on the other hand, are typically more formal and objective, focusing on the individual’s public actions and achievements. These accounts may be influenced by political or institutional considerations, and may not always reflect the full complexity of the individual’s life and character.</p> </li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="map-work">MAP WORK</h5> <ul> <li>The Dandi March was a significant event in Indian history, led by Mahatma Gandhi.</li> <li>The march began in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and ended in Dandi, a coastal town in the same state.</li> <li>Major towns and villages along the route included Sabarmati, Vadodara, Bharuch, Anand, and Surat.</li> <li>The march was approximately 387 kilometers long.</li> <li>Its purpose was to protest the British salt tax policy.</li> </ul> <p>======</p> <h5 id="project-choose-one">PROJECT (CHOOSE ONE)</h5> <ul> <li>The Project involves studying two autobiographies of nationalist leaders, focusing on how they represent their own life and times and interpret the national movement.</li> <li>The objective is to compare and contrast the authors’ perspectives and understand how their views on the national movement differ.</li> <li>An alternative task is to choose an event from the national movement, read letters and speeches of leaders (including local leaders), and write about the movement based on the reading.</li> <li>The focus is on understanding the local leaders’ views of the national leadership’s activities.</li> <li>Equations or formulae are not provided in the text.</li> <li>Examples and their solutions are also not provided in the text.</li> </ul> <p>======</p>