NCERT Solutions for Class 8 SST Part II Chapter 2 India’s Long Road to Independence

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 SST Part II Chapter 2 India’s Long Road to Independence 

Page 36-37 The Big Questions?

Question 1.
How did a land of diverse geographies, languages, and religions come together to challenge and finally end nearly two centuries of British rule?
Answer:
India was a land of diverse geographies, languages, religions, and customs, yet its people gradually united against British colonial rule. The spread of national consciousness through newspapers, literature, education, public meetings, and political organisations helped people recognise their common interests and shared destiny. Leaders and movements across the country inspired people to work together for freedom.

Different groups adopted different methods- constitutional reforms, Swadeshi and boycott, revolutionary activities, satyagraha, non-cooperation, civil disobedience, and mass mobilisation-but all aimed at ending colonial rule. People from all sections of society, including peasants, workers, students, women, tribal communities, and revolutionaries, participated in the struggle. Through decades of protests, sacrifices, and collective action, Indians challenged British authority and ultimately achieved independence in 1947.

Question 2.
What were the main developments and who were some important figures in India’s struggle for freedom?
Answer:
India’s struggle for freedom witnessed several important developments. The formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885 provided a platform for political action. The Partition of Bengal in 1905 led to the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements, which strengthened nationalism.

Revolutionary groups emerged and challenged British rule through armed resistance. Mahatma Gandhi transformed the freedom movement into a mass struggle through satyagraha, non-cooperation, and civil disobedience. Major events such as the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement, and the Quit India Movement mobilised millions of Indians. During World War II, Subhas Chandra Bose organised the Indian National Army to fight British rule.

Important figures in the freedom struggle included Dadabhai Naoroji, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal, Aurobindo Ghose, Mahatma Gandhi, Sarojini Naidu, Rabindranath Tagore, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Subhas Chandra Bose, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Annie Besant, and many others. Their efforts and sacrifices contributed to India’s independence in 1947.

Question 3.
What issues did the leading freedom fighters agree or disagree upon?
Answer:
India’s freedom fighters were united in their goal of ending British rule, but they often disagreed on the methods to achieve it. Moderate leaders preferred constitutional reforms and gradual self-government, while Nationalists such as Tilak demanded Swaraj and mass mobilisation. Revolutionaries believed that armed struggle was necessary, whereas Gandhi emphasised non-violence, satyagraha, and civil disobedience.

Differences also emerged over issues such as the Khilafat Movement, participation in legislative councils, and the pace at which independence should be pursued. Leaders held varying views on Hindu-Muslim relations and the future political structure of India. While many leaders believed in a united India, Muhammad Ah Jinnah and the
Muslim League eventually supported the demand for a separate nation, leading to the idea of Pakistan. Despite these disagreements, freedom fighters shared a common commitment to securing freedom from colonial rule and improving the future of the nation.

Pages 81-84 Questions and Activities

Question 1.
True or False. Find out whether the following statements are true or false:
(i) Right from its inception, the Indian National Congress called for India’s independence.
Answer:
False

(ii) Bal Gangadhar Tilak turned a Shivaji festival into a popular event.
Answer:
True

(iii) The Ghadar Movement of 1914 15 aimed to start a mutiny within the British Indian Army while British troops were busy with World War I.
Answer:
True

(iv) Vallabhbhai Patel earned the title ‘Sardar’ for his leadership during the Satyagraha agitation in Gujarat.
Answer:
True

(v) The Kakori train robbery of 1925 was carried out to fund the activities of the Hindustan Republican Association.
Answer:
True

(vi) The ‘Do or Die’ call was given by Mahatma Gandhi during the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.
Answer:
False

(vii) B.R. Ambedkar and Gandhi were in total agreement regarding the issue of ‘separate electorates’ for Dalits.
Answer:
False

(viii) Sir Stafford Cripps was sent to India in 1942 because Winston Churchill supported immediate independence for India.
Answer:
False

(ix) Subhas Chandra Bose raised an army during his stay in Germany.
Answer:
True

(x) The Radcliffe Line, which divided India and Pakistan, was announced a few weeks before Independence Day.
Answer:
False.

Question 2.
Who Am I? (Can you identify these figures?
(i) Known as the ‘Lion of Punjab’, I was severely injured during a brutal lathi charge while protesting against the Simon Commission.
Answer:
Lala Lajpat Rai

(ii) I famously declared, ‘Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it!’ I used the Kesari newspaper and festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi to unite people against British rule.
Answer:
Bal Gangadhar Tilak

(iii) I was a leader of the Nationalist faction of the Congress. In the daily Bande Matararn, I wrote on the need for India to attain absolute autonomy.
Answer:
Aurobindo Ghose

(iv) I earned my nickname ‘Bagha’ after wrestling a tiger with my bare hands. I was a revolutionary leader who died in a gunfight while waiting for a shipment of German arms to start an uprising.
Answer:
Jatindranath Mukherjee (Bagha Jatin)

(v) I organised the daring attempt to throw a bomb at the Viceroy in 1912. I later escaped to Japan, where I spent years working to organise a movement from there.
Answer:
Rash Behari Bose

(vi) I was martyred at a young age after an attempt on the life of a British judge.
Answer:
Khudiram Bose

(vii) I was martyred at a young age after throwing non-lethal bombs in Delhi’s Centrai Legislative Assembly.
Answer:
Bhagat Singh

(viii) I turned the freedom struggle into a mass movement through the principles of ahimsa and satyagraha, leading campaigns such as the Dandi March.
Answer:
Mahatma Gandhi

(ix) I sought help from the Axis powers during World War lito organise the Indian National Army.
Answer:
Subhas Chandra Bose

(x) A British lawyer, I was given just five weeks to draw the boundary line that would partition the Indian subcontinent into two separate nations.
Answer:
Cyril Radcliffe

Question 3.
What kinds of sacrifices are needed to achieve freedom? Think about the lives of Indian soldiers during wars, families suffering during famines, leaders and ordinary people who were arrested, and countless others who lost their homes and safety while participating in protests. If you were living during India’s freedom struggle, would you
have chosen to participate in it? What comforts, opportunities, or personal goals might you have been willing to give up for a cause you strongly believed in?
Answer:
Achieving freedom often requires great sacrifices. During India’s freedom struggle, many people endured imprisonment, hardship, loss of livelihood, physical suffering, and even death. Soldiers, revolutionaries, political leaders, and ordinary citizens risked their safety and personal well-being for the cause of freedom. Many families also suffered because of repression, famine, and political unrest.

If I had lived during India’s freedom struggle, I would have wanted to participate in it. I would have been willing to give up personal comforts and face hardships in support of the national cause. The sacrifices made by countless Indians helped the country achieve independence in 1947.

Question 4.
What values does Tilak’s statement, “Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it,” reflect? Can these values be meaningful for young people today?
Answer:
Tilak’s statement reflects courage, determination, patriotism, and a firm belief in the right of Indians to govern themselves. It shows his unwavering commitment to Swaraj. These values remain meaningful for young people today because they encourage self-confidence, perseverance, and dedication towards achieving worthwhile goals.

Question 5.
How did peasants, workers, tribals, and students contribute to the national movement in ways different from political leaders?
Answer:
Peasants, workers, tribals, and students participated directly in protests, satyagrahas, boycotts, strikes, and local movements against British rule. They strengthened the freedom struggle through mass participation and sacrifice. Political leaders provided guidance and organisation, while these groups helped turn the national movement into a broad-based people’s movement.

Question 6.
Discuss in class this extract from Nehru’s speech on 15 August 1947:
“Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance … What is meant by “redeem our pledge”? How would you define the ‘soul of a nation’?
Answer:
Do it yourself.

Question 7.
Imagine you are a freedom fighter.
(a) Explain the method you support to achieve freedom.
(b) Discuss with your classmates any other method they would support. Be respectful in your debate.
(c) What does this debate teach us about unity and disagreement?
Answer:
(a) I would support the method of satyagraha and non-violent resistance advocated by Mahatma Gandhi. Through peaceful protests, non-cooperation, civil disobedience, and boycotts, people could oppose unjust laws and challenge British rule without using violence.

(b) Some freedom fighters supported revolutionary methods and believed that armed resistance was necessary to end British rule. Others preferred constitutional reforms, while many followed Gandhi’s path of non-violence. Although they differed in their methods, they all shared the common goal of achieving freedom for India.

(c) This debate teaches us that people can have different opinions and methods while working towards the same goal. During the freedom struggle, leaders and ordinary people often disagreed on strategies, but they remained united in their desire to end colonial rule and achieve freedom for India.

Question 8.
Write a news report based on an important event in the Freedom Movement (Swadeshi, boycott, satyagraha, Non-Cooperation, Quit India, or Partition).
(a) Write a headline.
(b) Include one interview or public reaction.
(c) Explain why this event was important.
Answer:
(a) Headline: Gandhi Launches Salt March; Thousands Join Civil Disobedience Movement. News Report: Dandi, 6 April 1930: Mahatma Gandhi completed the historic Salt March from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi and broke the British salt law by making salt from seawater. The march attracted widespread public attention and inspired thousands of Indians across the country to participate in the Civil Disobedience Movement.

(b) Public Reaction: A participant in the movement said, “We are ready to peacefully oppose unjust
laws and support the struggle for Swaraj.”

(c) The Salt March became a powerful symbol of resistance against British rule. It transformed the Civil Disobedience Movement into a mass movement and encouraged people from different sections of society to join the struggle for freedom. It demonstrated the strength of satyagraha and non-violent resistance in challenging colonial authority.

Question 9.
Imagine you are part of a team creating a small museum exhibition on India’s freedom struggle for students of your age.
(a) Choose a title for your exhibit.
(b) Select three objects (for example: a letter, a photograph, a newspaper, a prison diary – you can add to these examples) and explain what each object represents.
(c) Write a short note on what visitors should learn or feel after seeing this exhibit.
Answer:
(a) The Road to Swaraj or Journey to Freedom: The Story of India’s Independence
(b) Three objects and what they represent are as follows:
(i) A copy of the newspaper Bande Mataram: It represents the spread of nationalist ideas and the demand for self-rule through newspapers and public opinion.
(ii) A handful of salt from the Dandi March: It represents the Civil Disobedience Movement and Mahatma Gandhi’s challenge to the British salt laws through non-violent resistance.
(iii) A photograph of the Indian National Army (INA): It represents the efforts of Subhas Chandra Bose and the INA to achieve freedom from British rule during World War II.
(c) Visitors should learn that India’s independence was achieved through the efforts and sacrifices of many people who followed different paths. They should understand the importance of courage, unity, sacrifice, and patriotism in the freedom struggle. The exhibit should inspire respect for those who worked for India’s freedom and help visitors appreciate the value of independence.

Question 10.
As a class activity, write and stage a small play or skit based on the Freedom Movement.
Answer:
Do it yourself.

Question 11.
India achieved freedom after great sacrifice. What responsibilities do citizens have today to protect and strengthen this freedom? Write 5 to 10 lines.
Answer:
India achieved independence through the sacrifices of countless freedom fighters and ordinary citizens. Citizens today should value and protect this hard-earned freedom. They should promote unity among people of different religions, languages, and regions. Citizens should work for the progress and development of the nation. They should respect the rights of others and act responsibly in society.

They should oppose injustice and support peace and harmony. Citizens should participate actively in the
country’s democratic life. By upholding the ideals of freedom and national unity, they can strengthen the nation and honour the sacrifices made during the freedom struggle.