Chapter 1: Montagu, Rowlatt and Amritsar

Question 1

Who was the Secretary of State for India in 1917?

Answer 1

Edwin Montagu

Question 2

What was the Act’s policies?

Answer 2

Montagu would visit India

Question 3

What did Montagu want to introduce?

Answer 3

More self-governmance

Question 4

Why was this unsuccessful?

Answer 4

Found British administration slow and complex in India

Question 5

Where was the Rowlatt Act focused?

Answer 5

Bengal, Bombay and Punjab

Question 6

What did the Rowlatt Act include?

Answer 6

Imprisonment without trial, censorship and house of arrest any revolutionary suspects

Question 7

What was the reaction from different India leaders?

Answer 7

Every single one of the 22 Indian
members of the Indian Legislative Council opposed the measure

Question 8

What triggered the violence?

Answer 8

Hartals and and the arrest of two organisers, Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr Satya Pal

Question 9

What was the belief and reaction of Brigadier General Dyer?

Answer 9

Dyer led a force of some 1,000 soldiers (one-third of whom were British) into Amritsar on 12 April

Question 10

Why was Amritsar busy?

Answer 10

The following day, 13 April, was Baisakhi Day. Thousands of pilgrims flocked into Amritsar to worship at the Golden Temple