UwU Section A - Chapter 3 - First Phase of The Indian National Movement Solutions F
UwU Section A - Chapter 3 - First Phase of The Indian National Movement Solutions F
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Section A — Chapter 3
Multiple-Choice Questions
Question 1
Dadabhai Naoroji presented which famous theory in his paper- 'Poverty and Un-British
Rule in India'?
1. Deficit Theory
2. Drain Theory
3. Deprivation Theory
4. Detriment Theory
Answer
Drain Theory
Question 2
Answer
Question 3
Answer
Answer
Question 5
Answer
Question 6
Which of the following administrative demands were made by the Early Nationalists?
Answer
Question 7
Which of the following reforms was a result of the efforts made by Early Nationalists?
Answer
Which of the following was achieved by Gopal Krishna Gokhale, as a Member of the
Imperial Legislative Council?
Answer
Question 9
The Early Nationalists initially believed that the British wanted to be just to India but were
unaware of the real state of affairs. In this context which of the following statements are
true?
(i) They believed that the British rule had many benefits.
(ii) They believed that the main obstacle in India's progress was not the British Colonial
rule but India's own social and economic backwardness.
(iii) They provided elaborate statistical data to prove that the British rule was responsible
for India's poverty.
Answer
Question 10
Answer
(B) They asked for constitutional and other reforms within the framework of British rule.
Answer
Explanation — The Early Nationalists believed in moderate politics that is why they
asked for constitutional and other reforms within the framework of British rule as they had
faith in British sense of justice.
Question 2
(A) The Early Nationalists created national awakening among people that they belonged
to one common country — India.
(B) The Early Nationalists drew the masses into the mainstream of the national
movement.
Answer
Explanation — The Early Nationalists failed to draw the masses into the mainstream of
the national movement.
Question 3
(A) A few government officials attended the First session of the Congress and took part in
its deliberations.
(B) British officials later on criticised the Congress and branded its leaders as 'disloyal
babus' and 'violent villians'.
Explanation — Government officials initially supported the congress but later went
against it because they did not like the participation of congress in political affairs.
Question 4
(A) The British followed a policy of granting minor concessions to put down the growth of
nationalism.
(B) The British realised that the growing unity of the Indians posed a major threat to their
rule.
Answer
Explanation — The British knew that growing nationalism and unity is dangerous for their
government. Therefore, they granted minor concessions to put down the growth of
nationalism.
Question 1
Which period of the national movement is known as the period of the 'Early Nationalists'.
Name any two leaders of the Congress who are known as 'Early Nationalists'.
Answer
The period of the national movement from the year 1885 to 1907 is known as the period
of the 'Early Nationalists'.
Two leaders of the Congress who are known as 'Early Nationalists' are-
1. W.C. Bonnerjee
2. Dadabhai Naoroji
Question 2
Mention two reasons for the Early Nationalists' faith in the British sense of justice.
Answer
Two reasons for the Early Nationalists' faith in the British sense of justice were-
Question 3
What was the belief of the Early Nationalists regarding the British rule in India?
Answer
The Early Nationalists believed the following regarding the British rule in India:
1. The Early Nationalists had faith in the sense of justice, fair play, honesty and integrity
of the British.
2. It was their hope that the British would grant 'Home Rule' to Indians. They relied on
the solemn pledges made by the British government.
3. They believed that the British rule had many benefits. For example, it aided in
cleansing social ills like sati, untouchability and child marriage.
4. They were of the opinion that Britain would help Indians govern themselves
according to western standards.
Question 4
What according to the Early Nationalists was an obstacle in India's progress? What kind
of self government did the Early Nationalists demand?
Answer
According to the Early Nationalists, the main obstacle in India's progress was social and
economic backwardness of Indians and not the British colonial rule.
The Early Nationalists demanded Self-government or Swaraj within the British empire like
the self-governing colonies of Canada and Australia.
Question 5
State any two issues opposed by the Early Nationalists in the field of civil liberties.
Answer
Two issues opposed by the Early Nationalists in the field of civil liberties were-
Question 6
Mention any two demands of the Early Nationalists that aimed at improving the lot of the
peasants.
Two demands of the Early Nationalists that aimed at improving the lot of the peasants
were-
1. Reduction in land revenue and protection of peasants against unjust demands of the
zamindars.
2. Reduction in expenditure on the army and the money thus saved to be spent on
welfare activities such as health and education.
Question 7
Answer
Question 8
Answer
1. Reduction in land revenue and protection of peasants against unjust demands of the
zamindars.
2. Reduction in expenditure on the army and the money thus saved to be spent on
welfare activities such as health and education.
Question 9
What did the Early Nationalists demand for the industrial growth of India?
Answer
The Early Nationalists demanded industrial growth through trade protection. That means
that a heavy tax should be imposed on imported goods and the government should give
loans for the development of iron, coal, paper and sugar industries in India.
Question 10
Answer
Question 11
Answer
Dadabhai Naoroji is known as India's unofficial ambassador because during his stay in
England, he fought for the cause of his country.
Question 12
Name the author of (i) Poverty and Un-British Rule in India and (ii) A Nation in making.
Answer
(i) Dadabhai Naoroji is the author of 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India'.
Question 13
Answer
Surendranath Banerjee started an agitation against the Licence Act and the Vernacular
Press Act.
Question 14
List briefly any two causes that Gopal Krishna Gokhale supported.
Answer
1. Reduction in salt duty and the abolition of excise duty on cotton goods.
2. Reduction in land revenue.
Structured Questions
Question 1
The period from 1885 to 1905 was dominated by the Early Nationalists. In this context,
answer the following questions:
(a) To which segment of society they belonged? What were their demands?
Answer
(a) The members of the early nationalists were drawn from the educated middle class
consisting of professionals like lawyers, barristers, teachers and officials, who drew
inspiration from Western thought. Many of them were educated in England and felt that
the British intended to be just to Indians but they were unaware of the true state of affairs
in India.
1. The Early Nationalists believed in the policy of constitutional agitation within the legal
framework, and slow orderly political progress.
2. To educate people in India in modern politics, to arouse national political
consciousness and to create a united public opinion, they relied on the following
methods:
i. They held meetings where speeches were made and resolutions for popular
demands were passed.
ii. They made use of the press to criticise government policies.
iii. They sent memorandums and petitions to government officials and the British
Parliament. These petitions were carefully drafted with facts and arguments.
Though these petitions were addressed to the government, their real aim was to
educate the Indian people.
3. To influence the British government and the British public, they followed the following
methods:
i. They made use of three P's i.e. Petitions, Prayers and Protests. They sent
petitions, requests and letters of protest to the British government to look into the
problems of the Indians.
ii. A British Committee of the Indian National Congress was set up in London in
1889, which published a weekly journal, India, to present India's case before the
British public.
iii. Deputations of Indian leaders were sent to Britain. These political leaders carried
on active propaganda in Britain.
1. Nationalists created national awakening among people that they belonged to one
common country — India. This made Indians conscious of the bonds of common
political, economic and cultural interests that united them.
2. They trained people in politics by popularising the ideas of democracy, civil liberties,
secularism and nationalism.
3. They did pioneering work by exposing the true nature of the British rule in India. They
made people realise the economic content and character of British imperialism. By
doing so, they weakened the foundations of the British rule in India.
4. Their political and economic programmes established the truth that India must be
ruled in the interest of the Indians.
5. The efforts of the Early Nationalists led to the following reforms:
i. The appointment of a Public Service Commission in 1886
ii. A resolution of the House of Commons (1893) for simultaneous examination for
the I.C.S. in London and India
iii. Appointment of the Welby Commission on Indian Expenditure (1895)
iv. The Indian Councils Act of 1892.
These achievements of the Early Nationalists served as a base for the national
movement in later years.
Question 2
The Early Nationalists were practical and wanted to win freedom by a gradual process. In
this context, answer the following:
(a) How did they expose the true nature of British rule in India?
(b) What was the attitude of the Early Nationalists towards the British? Why did they
develop such an attitude?
(c) What were the reasons for the partial failure of their methods.
Answer
(a) The Early Nationalists played an important role in exposing the true nature of British
rule in India. They did so in the following ways-
1. Dadabhai Naoroji's views on Indian economy are given in his work entitled 'Poverty
and Un-British Rule in India'. His famous 'Drain Theory' explained how India's wealth
was being 'drained' to England through various ways.
2. Resolutions on Self-government, Boycott, Swadeshi and National Education were
passed by the Congress under Dadabhai's Presidentship.
3. The Early nationalists criticised the British rule in newspapers, journals and
magazines. They wrote and edited newspapers criticising the unjust policies of
(b) The Early Nationalist leaders who led the Congress and the National Movement in its
initial years were staunch believers in open-minded and 'moderate' politics. They believed
in loyalty to the British Crown. They had the following attitude towards the British rule-
1. The Early Nationalists had faith in the sense of justice, fair play, honesty and integrity
of the British.
2. It was their hope that the British would grant 'Home Rule' to Indians. They relied on
the solemn pledges made by the British government.
3. They believed that the British rule had many benefits. For example, it aided in
cleansing social ills like sati, untouchability and child marriage.
4. They were of the opinion that Britain would help Indians govern themselves
according to western standards.
5. They said that the main obstacle in India's progress was social and economic
backwardness of Indians and not the British colonial rule.
6. They relied on constitutional and peaceful methods to achieve their aims. They
believed in patience and reconciliation rather than in violence and confrontation.
The Early Nationalists had such an attitude because they believed that continuation of the
British connection with India was in the interest of both England and India.
(c) The reasons for the partial failure of the methods followed by the Early Nationalists
were-
1. The methods used by the Early Nationalists of passing resolutions and sending
petitions depended on the generosity of the British instead of relying on their own
strength and challenging the imperialist might.
2. They failed to realise that British and Indian interests clashed with each other. Britain
was using India's resources to increase its wealth.
3. The Early Nationalists failed to draw the masses into the mainstream of the national
movement. Their area of influence was limited to the urban educated Indians. In
particular, their leadership was confined to professional groups such as lawyers,
doctors, journalists and teachers.
Question 3
(a) Trace his contribution towards the formation of the Indian National Congress.
(b) What was India's political goal according to him? What were the methods he
advocated to attain it?
Answer
(a) Surendranath Banerjee advocated the use of constitutional methods to attain India's
goals and his contribution towards the formation of the Indian National Congress is quite
significant.
1. He established the Indian Association in 1876 to fight against the wrong policies of
the British.
2. In order to create an all India-political organisation Surendranath convened the
Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata.
3. His Indian National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as
both organisations had similar objectives. He presided over two sessions of the
Congress in 1895 and 1902.
He advocated the use of constitutional methods for the attainment of India's goals. His
famous saying was, "Opposition where necessary, co-operation when possible." He used
the following methods to attain India's political goal-
1. To fight against the wrong policies of the British, he founded the Indian Association in
1876.
2. In order to create an all-India political organisation, Surendranath convened the
Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata. Surendranath Banerjee's Indian
National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as both
organisations had similar objectives.
3. Banerjee edited a newspaper, Bengalee, which served as a powerful medium for
mobilising public opinion. His book, Nation in the Making, gives an account of his
political concern and his views about self-government.
1. To fight against the wrong policies of the British, he founded the Indian Association in
1876.
2. In order to create an all-India political organisation, Surendranath convened the
Indian National Conference in 1883 at Kolkata. Surendranath Banerjee's Indian
National Conference merged with the Indian National Congress in 1886 as both
organisations had similar objectives.
3. Banerjee edited a newspaper, Bengalee, which served as a powerful medium for
mobilising public opinion. His book, Nation in the Making, gives an account of his
political concern and his views about self-government.
4. Banerjee started agitation against the Licence Act, Arms Act, Vernacular Press Act
and against lowering the age from 21 to 19 years to appear in the I.C.S.
Question 4
Read the excerpt given below and answer the questions that follow:
The romance is that there is security of life and property in India; the reality is that there is
no such thing. There is security of life and property in one sense or way — i.e., the
people are secure from any violence from each other or from Native despots... But from
England's own grasp there is no security of property at all and, as a consequence, no
security for life. India’s property is not secure. What is secure, and well secure, is that
England is perfectly safe and secure, and does so with perfect security, to carry away
from India, and to eat up in India, her property at the present rate of $30,0000,000 or
40,000,000 a year, .... I therefore venture to submit that India does not enjoy security of
her property and life.... To millions in India life is simply 'half-feeding', or starvation, or
famine and disease.
— Dadabhai Naoroji
(a) Who was Dadabhai Naoroji? According to Dadabhai Naoroji, in what sense ‘security
of life and property’ prevails in India?
(b) How is England ‘perfectly safe and secure’, as described in the excerpt by Naoroji?
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji propounded a theory to describe the exploitative nature of British
rule in India. Name it. Explain briefly the last line of the excerpt given above.
Answer
(a) Dadabhai Naoroji, also known as the "Grand Old Man of India" and the "Unofficial
Ambassador of India" was a remarkable Indian political leader, merchant, scholar, and
writer. He presented his 'Drain Theory' in his paper Poverty and Un-British Rule in India.
He was thrice elected as the President of the Congress.
According to Dadabhai Naoroji, 'security of life and property' prevails in India in a sense
that the people were secure from internal or external violence. Naoroji acknowledges that
there is a certain level of security within India itself. People are relatively safe from
violence inflicted by each other or by native rulers (despots). However, this security does
not extend to protection from England’s grasp. Naoroji argues that under British rule,
there is no genuine security for property. The British colonial administration, rather than
safeguarding Indian property, often exploited it. The "Drain Theory" proposed by Naoroji
highlighted how Britain was siphoning off India’s wealth and resources, leading to India’s
continued impoverishment.
(b) According to Dadabhai Naoroji England was ‘perfectly safe and secure’ because
England was extracting India’s wealth at an alarming rate—approximately $30,000,000 to
(c) Dadabhai Naoroji propounded 'The drain theory' to describe the exploitative nature of
British rule in India.
The given line captures the harsh realities faced by millions in India during the colonial
period. For those struggling to survive, life was reduced to “half-feeding,” starvation, and
vulnerability to famine and disease. The over exploitation of Indian peasants, farmers and
merchants was the root cause of all the economic ills of India. The draining of resources
—whether through taxation or export—directly impacted the livelihoods of millions.
Picture Study
Question 1
(a) Identify the person in the given picture. State three policies of the imperial regime
which were opposed by this person.
Answer
(a) The person in the given picture is Gopal Krishna Gokhle. The three policies of the
imperial regime which were opposed by this person were:
1. He pleaded in the Council for reduction in Salt Duty and the abolition of excise duty
on cotton goods.
2. His efforts led to reduction of toll taxes.
3. He tried to introduce a bill with a view to make primary education compulsory but he
could not achieve much success in it.
4. He demanded radical changes in fiscal policy and better jobs for educated middle
class.
5. He impressed upon the government to reduce the land revenue.
(c) Gopal Krishna Gokhale actively worked to arouse national awakening in India through
several impactful efforts:
1. As a member of the Indian National Congress, Gokhale campaigned for Indian self-
rule and social reforms. He sought to obtain greater political representation and
power for common Indians.
2. He criticised the Government on issues such as incurring huge expenditure on the
British army, adopting the policy of racial discrimination in appointments to high posts
and imposing production tax on cotton.
3. During his visit to England he tried to persuade the British statesmen not to give
effect to the Partition of Bengal.
4. He played a crucial role in encouraging Mahatma Gandhi to return to India and join
public life.
5. Gokhale tirelessly worked to reduce burdensome taxes i.e. Salt tax, Toll tax and to
reduce the land revenue.
6. Gokhale set up the Servants of India Society in 1905. The main aim of the Society
was to train national leaders who would dedicate themselves to the service of India.
7. He actively addressed social issues like untouchability and caste discrimination.
Thinking Skills
Question 1
Imagine that you got a chance to interview one of the Early Nationalist leaders. On the
basis of interview, express your views on the Early Nationalist leader's beliefs as well as
the methods used by him.
Answer
I interviewed Dadabhai Naoroji. Based on the interview, here are my views on his beliefs
and methods:
1. He had faith in the sense of justice, fair play, honesty and integrity of the British. He
relied on the solemn pledges of the British and hoped that they would grant 'Home
Rule' to Indians.
Question 2
Suppose you want to present the demands of the people of your area to the MLA of your
area. State which methods followed by the Early Nationalists you would choose and why?
Answer
The methods I would choose to present the demands of the people to the MLA would be:
1. I would send a letter containing the demands of the people along with the reason for
each demand clearly explaining the problems faced by the people currently.
2. I would request the MLA to visit my area, see the problems himself and interact with
a few people to get a firsthand experience of the issues.
3. After that, I would arrange for a meeting between the MLA and a select few people of
the area at his/her office or residence to further persuade him/her to look into the
demands.
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