NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 – Nationalism in India

These NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 notes explain how nationalism developed in India under colonial rule and how mass movements transformed the freedom struggle. NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 focuses on Gandhian movements, popular participation and differing interpretations of Swaraj.

In NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2, the impact of the First World War (1914–1918), rising prices and forced recruitment created political unrest. The passing of the Rowlatt Act (1919) and the tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh (13 April 1919) intensified anti-British feelings.

A major turning point in NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 was the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22), supported by the Khilafat Movement led by Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali. Under Mahatma Gandhi, the movement promoted boycott of foreign goods, law courts and educational institutions.

NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 also highlights the Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) beginning with the Dandi March (12 March 1930) and the breaking of the Salt Law. The chapter explains how peasants, workers, tribals and business groups participated differently.

Another important theme in NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 is the idea of collective belonging through symbols like Bharat Mata, national flags and reinterpretation of history. NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 shows how nationalism united people while also revealing internal differences.

For exam preparation, NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 is crucial to understand Gandhian strategy, mass mobilisation and the limits of national unity. These NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 notes strictly follow NCERT India and the Contemporary World – II.

For structured preparation of NCERT Class 9–12 for UPSC, BPSC and State PCS examinations, strengthen your basics with our complete NCERT Book Notes PDF for Class 9-12, available inside the NCERT foundation course level-2.

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Introduction – Nationalism in India

• Indian nationalism grew in the early 20th century as diverse social groups began participating in anti-colonial movements under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi after his return from South Africa (1915).
• The experience of British colonial rule, economic exploitation and racial discrimination created widespread resentment among peasants, workers, students and the middle class.
• The outbreak of the First World War (1914–1918) intensified political and economic hardships, leading to rising prices, heavy taxation and forced recruitment.
• The ideas of Satyagraha, mass mobilisation and non-violent resistance transformed the national movement into a broad-based struggle.
• The emergence of national symbols, collective rituals and shared experiences of repression strengthened the sense of belonging to a single Indian nation.
• The chapter examines how different social groups understood nationalism differently, yet contributed to a unified anti-colonial movement.

1. The First World War, Khilafat and Non-Cooperation

• The First World War (1914–1918) led to heavy defence expenditure in India, financed by war loans and increased taxes, causing widespread economic hardship.
• Prices rose sharply between 1913 and 1918, and forced recruitment in regions like Punjab created rural anger.
• Crop failures in 1918–19 and 1920–21 and the influenza epidemic (1918) worsened suffering across the country.
• In 1919, Muslim leaders including Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali launched the Khilafat Movement to defend the Ottoman Caliph.
• Mahatma Gandhi saw the opportunity for Hindu–Muslim unity and proposed the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920) against British rule.
• The movement aimed at attaining Swaraj by boycotting British institutions and withdrawing cooperation from the colonial government.

1.1 The Idea of Satyagraha

• The idea of Satyagraha was first introduced by Mahatma Gandhi in South Africa, where he fought against racial discrimination faced by Indians.
• After returning to India in January 1915, Gandhi applied Satyagraha in local struggles such as Champaran (1917), Kheda (1917) and the Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918).
• Satyagraha was based on the belief in the power of truth and non-violence, and the idea that unjust laws should be resisted peacefully.
• Gandhi believed that through civil disobedience and self-discipline, people could appeal to the conscience of the oppressor.
• The success of these early movements established Gandhi as a mass leader capable of mobilising peasants and workers.
• The concept of Satyagraha laid the foundation for later nationwide movements like Non-Cooperation (1920) and Civil Disobedience (1930).

1.2 The Rowlatt Act

• In 1919, the British government passed the Rowlatt Act, which gave the government power to detain political prisoners without trial for up to two years.
• The Act was based on the recommendations of the Rowlatt Committee, and was seen as a continuation of wartime emergency measures.
• It allowed trials without jury and curtailed civil liberties, leading to widespread anger across India.
• Mahatma Gandhi launched a nationwide Satyagraha against the Rowlatt Act (April 1919), calling for peaceful protests and a hartal.
• The movement saw large participation in cities such as Delhi, Ahmedabad and Lahore, but violence broke out in some places.
• The situation worsened in Punjab, where the government imposed martial law and repression intensified.

1.3 Why Non-Cooperation?

• After the Jallianwala Bagh massacre (13 April 1919) in Amritsar, where General Dyer ordered firing on a peaceful crowd, public anger against British rule deepened.
• In Punjab, martial law was imposed, and humiliating punishments were inflicted on Indians, increasing resentment.
• The Treaty of Sèvres (1920) weakened the Ottoman Caliph, intensifying Muslim discontent and strengthening the Khilafat Movement.
• Gandhi believed that British rule survived due to Indian cooperation, and that withdrawing cooperation would weaken colonial authority.
• In September 1920, the Indian National Congress (Nagpur Session, December 1920) approved the Non-Cooperation Programme.
• The programme included boycotting government schools, law courts, foreign goods and titles, and promoting Swadeshi and national education.

2. Differing Strands within the Movement

• Non-Cooperation–Khilafat Movement (January 1921) involved diverse groups; Swaraj meant different aspirations to each.

2.1 The Movement in the Towns

• The movement began with middle-class participation in cities; students left government schools, teachers resigned and lawyers gave up practice.
• Council elections (1920) were boycotted except in Madras, where the Justice Party participated.
• Foreign goods were boycotted; liquor shops picketed; foreign cloth burnt publicly.
• Imports of foreign cloth fell from Rs 102 crore (1921) to Rs 57 crore (1922).
• Merchants refused foreign trade; Indian textile and handloom production increased.
• The movement slowed as khadi was expensive and alternative national institutions developed slowly.
• Many students and lawyers eventually returned to government institutions.

2.2 Rebellion in the Countryside

• The movement spread to rural areas, linking with ongoing peasant struggles after the First World War.
• In Awadh, peasants led by Baba Ramchandra opposed talukdars demanding high rents and illegal cesses.
• Peasants suffered from begar (forced labour) and insecurity of tenure; frequent evictions were common.
• Demands included reduction of revenue, abolition of begar and social boycott of oppressive landlords.
• Nai–dhobi bandhs were organised to deny landlords essential services.
• In tribal areas of Gudem Hills (Andhra Pradesh), led by Alluri Sitarama Raju, rebels opposed forest laws restricting grazing and shifting cultivation.
• Tribal rebels attacked police stations and carried out guerrilla warfare before repression crushed the movement.

2.3 Swaraj in the Plantations

• In Assam tea plantations, workers understood Swaraj as freedom to move freely and return to their villages.
• Under the Inland Emigration Act (1859), plantation workers could not leave without permission.
• Workers were confined to estates, with poor living and working conditions.
• During Non-Cooperation (1921), many labourers left plantations believing Gandhi Raj had arrived.
• They walked long distances to return home but faced police repression and arrests.
• The plantation revolt showed how different groups interpreted Swaraj according to their own hardships.

3. Towards Civil Disobedience

• After Non-Cooperation (withdrawn in 1922), debates arose within the Congress; leaders like C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru formed the Swaraj Party to enter councils.
• Younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose demanded more radical action and complete independence.
• The economic depression (from 1926, severe after 1930) led to falling agricultural prices and rural distress.
• The Simon Commission (1928) under Sir John Simon arrived without Indian members and was boycotted with the slogan “Go Back Simon”.
• In October 1929, Lord Irwin announced vague ‘dominion status’; Congress rejected it.
• At the Lahore Session (December 1929) under Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress declared Purna Swaraj.
• 26 January 1930 was declared Independence Day, preparing ground for Civil Disobedience.

3.1 The Salt March and the Civil Disobedience Movement

• Mahatma Gandhi chose salt as a symbol of resistance against the oppressive Salt Law, which gave the British monopoly over salt production and taxation.
• On 12 March 1930, Gandhi began the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (Gujarat), covering about 240 miles in 24 days.
• On 6 April 1930, he broke the Salt Law by manufacturing salt, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• The movement spread across India with refusal to pay revenue, boycott of foreign goods and violation of forest laws.
• Women participated actively by picketing liquor shops and making salt.
• The British responded with repression; over 100,000 people were arrested, including Gandhi.
• The movement led to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (March 1931) and Gandhi’s participation in the Second Round Table Conference (London, 1931).

3.2 How Participants saw the Movement

• Rich peasants like the Patidars of Gujarat and Jats of Uttar Pradesh supported Civil Disobedience, expecting reduction in land revenue.
• The business class, led by G.D. Birla and Purshottamdas Thakurdas, supported the movement to oppose colonial economic policies.
• Industrial workers participated in some regions but were not fully integrated into the Congress strategy.
• Poor peasants demanded remission of rent, which Congress hesitated to support due to fear of alienating landlords.
• In 1930, Abdul Ghaffar Khan led the non-violent Khudai Khidmatgars (Red Shirts) in North-West Frontier Province.
• Large numbers of women, including from urban middle classes, joined picketing and protest activities.
• Participation reflected varied expectations, with each group interpreting Swaraj according to its economic and social interests.

3.3 The Limits of Civil Disobedience

• The movement did not receive uniform support from all social groups; expectations often differed from Congress goals.
• Many Dalits, led by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, demanded separate political representation rather than merging with the Congress-led struggle.
• The British announced the Communal Award (1932) granting separate electorates to Depressed Classes, which Gandhi opposed.
• Gandhi began a fast unto death (September 1932) in Yerwada Jail, leading to the Poona Pact (1932) between Gandhi and Ambedkar.
• The movement also saw limited participation from sections of Muslims, as the Congress was increasingly seen as Hindu-dominated.
• Differences over separate electorates and minority representation exposed internal tensions within the nationalist movement.
• These divisions limited the ability of Civil Disobedience to create complete national unity.

4. The Sense of Collective Belonging

• Nationalism spread through shared symbols, cultural icons and collective imagination that united diverse communities.
• Bharat Mata, painted by Abanindranath Tagore (1905), was depicted as a spiritual mother figure holding food, clothing and knowledge.
• National leaders used images and popular prints to inspire sacrifice and devotion towards the nation.
• During the Swadeshi Movement, a tricolour flag (red, green, yellow) with eight lotuses and a crescent moon symbolised unity.
• In 1921, Gandhi’s Swaraj flag (red, green, white) with a spinning wheel (charkha) represented self-reliance.
• Leaders like Rabindranath Tagore collected folk songs and ballads to revive pride in India’s cultural past.
• Nationalists reinterpreted history, highlighting ancient achievements in science, art, trade and philosophy to counter British claims of Indian backwardness.
• Such symbols and narratives helped create emotional attachment and a shared sense of national identity.

Conclusion

• Indian nationalism developed through mass movements like Non-Cooperation (1920) and Civil Disobedience (1930) under Mahatma Gandhi.
• Different social groups participated with varied expectations, shaping the movement’s direction.
• Symbols, cultural revival and reinterpretation of history strengthened unity.
• Despite internal divisions, the struggle laid the foundation for India’s eventual independence.

Exam Oriented Facts

• 1915 – Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa.
• 1917 – Champaran Satyagraha (Bihar) against indigo planters.
• 1918 – Kheda Satyagraha (Gujarat) for revenue remission; Ahmedabad Mill Strike.
• 1919 (March) – Rowlatt Act passed; allowed detention without trial.
• 13 April 1919 – Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Amritsar; led by General Dyer.
• 1919 (March) – Khilafat Committee formed in Bombay.
• Leaders of Khilafat – Muhammad Ali and Shaukat Ali.
• September 1920 (Calcutta Session) – Congress approved Non-Cooperation proposal.
• December 1920 (Nagpur Session) – Non-Cooperation Movement formally adopted.
• January 1921 – Non-Cooperation–Khilafat Movement began.
• Baba Ramchandra led peasants in Awadh against talukdars.
• Alluri Sitarama Raju led tribal rebellion in Gudem Hills (Andhra Pradesh).
• Inland Emigration Act (1859) restricted movement of plantation workers.
• 1922 (February) – Chauri Chaura Incident (Gorakhpur, UP); Gandhi withdrew Non-Cooperation.
• 1923 – Swaraj Party formed by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru.
• 1928 – Simon Commission arrived; slogan “Go Back Simon”.
• December 1929 (Lahore Session) – Purna Swaraj resolution under Jawaharlal Nehru.
• 26 January 1930 – First celebration of Independence Day.
• 12 March 1930 – Dandi March began from Sabarmati Ashram.
• 6 April 1930 – Salt Law broken at Dandi.
• Over 100,000 arrests during Civil Disobedience.
• March 1931 – Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed.
• 1931 – Gandhi attended Second Round Table Conference (London).
• 1932 – Communal Award announced by British government.
• September 1932 – Gandhi’s fast in Yerwada Jail.
• 1932 – Poona Pact between Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
• Khudai Khidmatgars (Red Shirts) led by Abdul Ghaffar Khan in NWFP.
• Bharat Mata painting (1905) by Abanindranath Tagore.
• Swaraj Flag (1921) – Tricolour with charkha designed under Gandhi’s guidance.

Understanding NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 – Nationalism in India is essential to analyse India’s freedom struggle.

NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 explains major events like the Rowlatt Act (1919), Non-Cooperation Movement (1920), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930) and the Poona Pact (1932). It also highlights the role of Mahatma Gandhi, peasants, tribals, women and business groups.

For CBSE exams, students must focus on causes, events and consequences of each movement discussed in NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2. For BPSC and civil services foundation, NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 provides insight into colonial policies, mass politics and nationalist ideology.

Continue reading NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 3 – The Making of a Global World to understand economic globalisation and colonial trade systems.

FAQs

Q1. What is NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 about?
It explains the growth of nationalism in India and Gandhian mass movements.

Q2. What was the Non-Cooperation Movement?
It was a movement launched in 1920 under Gandhi to boycott British institutions.

Q3. What was the Civil Disobedience Movement?
It began with the Dandi March (1930) and involved breaking colonial laws.

Q4. What was the role of the Khilafat Movement?
It united Muslims and Hindus in the early phase of the national movement.

Q5. Why is NCERT Class 10 History Chapter 2 important?
It forms the core of modern Indian history for CBSE exams and BPSC preparation.

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