1B. Emergence of Nationalism

Question 1

Where was Bal Tilak’s Home Rule League active?

Answer 1

Bal Tilak’s Home Rule League operated in western India, mainly in Maharastra and Karnataka, and rapidly gained 32,000 members

Question 2

Where was Annie Besant’s All-India Home Rule League active?

Answer 2

Although the All-India Home Rule league grew more slowly, it soon had a network of committees that covered most of India.

Question 3

When were the Home Rule Leagues founded?
Did they support each other?

Answer 3

The two Home Rule Leagues were launched in 1916, and were mutually supportive of each other.

Question 4

What did the organisers of the Home Rule Leagues demand?

Answer 4

Both demanded home rule over domestic affairs - defence and foreign policy were still to be managed by Britain

Question 5

How did the Home Rule Leagues support each other and gain popularity?

Answer 5

Both organisations used newspapers, rallies, speeches, pamphlets and songs to generate support.

Besant and Tilak were both members of each other’s leagues, and toured widely together.

Question 6

Who supported the Home Rule Leagues?

Answer 6

Both Congress and Muslim League members were attracted to the Home Rule Leagues - Jinnah joined Besant’s All-India HRL in 1917.

Question 7

What were the most important impacts of the Home Rule Leagues?

Answer 7

• Spread political awareness to previously unpoliticised provinces - built upon by Gandhi in his 1920-22 non-cooperation campaign.
• Promoted ideas of a new relationship with Britain - hundreds of thousands of Indians signed petitions presented to the British authorities, demanding Home Rule and other concessions.

Both of these impacts resulted in the Montagu Declaration of 1917

Question 8

How did the British react to the Home Rule Leagues?

Answer 8

• Tilak was arrested for sedition and required to put up 40,000 rupees as surety of good behaviour
• Besant was interned in June 1917

This swung the Muslim League and Congress further behind Home Rule

Question 9

How did reserved seats in the Government of India Act 1919 antagonise people to British rule and strengthen nationalism?

Answer 9

Many people, particularly those of the Hindu majority, hated the idea of ‘reserved’ seats - believed these to be divisive, anti-democratic and inappropriate for a democracy based on the western model.

Question 10

How did the time taken to pass the Government of India Act 1919 antagonise people to British rule and strengthen nationalism?

Answer 10

Many reflected on the 2 years taken for the Montagu Declaration of 1917 to become the GOI Act 1919, in comparison to the 4 weeks required for the Rowlatt Acts to become law.

• Growing belief that the repression of the latter represented the ‘true face’ of British rule

Question 11

How did Congress react to the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and the 1919 GOI Act elections?

Answer 11

Congress rejected the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and boycotted the first elections held under the GOI Act 1919

Question 12

How did the Amritsar Massacre antagonise people to British rule and strengthen nationalism?

Answer 12

Amritsar turned thousands of loyal Indians against the Raj, including Gandhi.

• Belief that the repression of the latter represented the ‘true face’ of British rule, undermining attempts to introduce reforms and decreasing optimism towards the sincerity of British concessions.

Question 13

How did Gandhi react to the Rowlatt Acts?

Answer 13

In April 1919, Gandhi called for Satyagraha:

• Hartals were held, to an extent, in most of India’s provinces
• However, the degree to which they were observed varied from region to region and between provinces
• Campaigns erupted into violence in Gujarat and the Punjab, leading Gandhi to cancel the Rowlatt satyagraha, however this was unable to stop the violence

Question 14

How did the position of Viceroy change under the 1919 Government of India Act?

Answer 14

Viceroy to be advised by a council of 6 civilians, 3 of whom had to be Indians, and the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in India.

• Viceroy could enforce laws even if legislative councils rejected them, and he could choose his own officials

Question 15

How was power shared in dyarchy under the 1919 Government of India Act?

Answer 15

Provincial and central legislative councils were enlarged, and given control over:

• Indian education
• Agriculture
• Health
• Local self-government
• Public works

British retained control of:

• Military matters
• Foreign affairs
• Currency
• Communications
• Criminal law

Question 16

How was franchise extended under the 1919 Government of India Act?

Answer 16

Franchise was extended, although linked to tax payments:

• After 1919, about 10% of the male population was enfranchised

Provincial assemblies could enfranchise women if they so wished, and some did:

• After 1919, about 1% of the female population was enfranchised

Question 17

How were separate electorates introduced under the 1919 Government of India Act?

Answer 17

There would be ‘reserved’ seats in all provincial legislatures for:

• Different religious groups: Hindus, Muslims, Christians
• Special interest groups: Landowners, University graduates