CBSE Class 10 Social Science Study Materials

Case Study 1 – From Subjects to Citizens

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1789, the French Revolution overthrew the absolute monarchy of Louis XVI. The revolutionaries declared that sovereignty belonged to the people. Feudal privileges of the clergy and nobility were abolished, and a constitution was drafted. Laws were made by elected representatives and applied equally to all. The people of France were no longer subjects of a king but citizens of a nation, united by common institutions, rights and duties.

Q1 (a) What change did the French Revolution bring about in the concept of sovereignty?

Ans. The French Revolution shifted sovereignty from the king to the people. It declared that the ultimate authority to govern lay with the nation of citizens, not with a hereditary monarch.

Q1 (b) How did the abolition of feudal privileges help in creating a sense of equality?

Ans. Feudal dues and special rights of the clergy and nobility were removed. Now all citizens were equal before the law and paid taxes on similar terms. This ended legal inequality based on birth and helped people feel that they were part of the same nation.

Q1 (c) Why can we say that the French Revolution laid the foundation of a modern nation-state?

Ans. Because it:

Replaced dynastic rule with a constitution-based government;
Gave citizens equal rights and duties; and
Created common institutions and laws for all.

These features are typical of a modern nation-state.

Case Study 2 – National Symbols in Revolutionary France

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

After 1789, French revolutionaries introduced new symbols to represent the nation. The royal flag was replaced by the tricolour, a new national anthem ‘La Marseillaise’ was composed, and the figure of a female allegory representing liberty was used. National festivals were celebrated and people took oaths of loyalty to the nation and the constitution. These symbols and ceremonies helped create a feeling of collective identity.

Q2 (a) Name any two national symbols introduced in France after the Revolution.

Ans. Two national symbols introduced were:

The tricolour French flag (replacing the royal standard), and
The national anthem ‘La Marseillaise’.

Q2 (b) How did national festivals and oaths promote unity among the French people?

Ans. National festivals and public oath-taking brought people together in common celebrations and rituals. By taking oaths to the nation and the constitution, individuals felt they shared the same loyalty and purpose, which strengthened unity and a sense of belonging to one national community.

Q2 (c) Why are common national symbols important for a new nation-state?

Ans. Common symbols:

Make the abstract idea of the nation visible and easy to recognise;
Help people across different regions and classes identify with the same nation; and
Encourage feelings of pride, unity and patriotism.

They are therefore crucial in building national consciousness.

Case Study 3 – Spread of Revolutionary Ideas

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In the 1790s, French revolutionaries believed that they had a mission to liberate the people of Europe from despotism. French armies moved into neighbouring territories, abolishing feudalism and introducing laws that guaranteed equality before the law. Initially, many people in these regions welcomed the French troops. But as French control tightened and taxes increased, they began to see the French as oppressors rather than liberators.

Q3 (a) What ‘mission’ did the French revolutionaries feel they had towards other European peoples?

Ans. They believed they had a mission to liberate other European peoples from despotism by ending feudal privileges and spreading ideas of liberty and equality.

Q3 (b) Why were French armies initially welcomed in many European regions?

Ans. They were welcomed because they:

Abolished feudal dues;
Introduced laws ensuring equality before law; and
Brought modern reforms in administration.

People hoped French rule would improve their conditions.

Q3 (c) Why did the attitude of local people later change towards the French?

Ans. Over time, people saw that:

French rule meant foreign control and heavy taxation;
Local interests were ignored; and
French troops behaved like conquerors.

This made them resent French rule and develop their own nationalist feelings against it.

Case Study 4 – Napoleon and the Napoleonic Code

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Napoleon Bonaparte came to power in France in 1799. He introduced the Civil Code of 1804, known as the Napoleonic Code. This code did away with privileges based on birth, established equality before law and secured the right to property. It was introduced in many regions under French control. However, Napoleon also created a strong, centralised empire and curtailed many political freedoms.

Q4 (a) Mention any two positive features of the Napoleonic Code.

Ans. Two positive features were:

Abolition of privileges based on birth, and
Establishment of equality before the law and protection of the right to property.

Q4 (b) How did the Napoleonic Code help in spreading the ideas of the French Revolution?

Ans. By enforcing uniform laws that upheld equality and ended feudalism in different regions, the Code carried forward the revolutionary principles of equality and rule of law beyond France and encouraged people to think in terms of citizens with rights.

Q4 (c) In what way did Napoleon’s rule limit the political freedoms of the people?

Ans. Napoleon:

Concentrated power in his own hands as an emperor;
Imposed censorship and controlled the press; and
Allowed limited political participation.

Thus, while he spread legal reforms, he restricted political liberty and democracy.

Case Study 5 – The Habsburg Empire

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The Habsburg Empire was a large multi-national empire that ruled over Central and Eastern Europe. It included German-speaking people in Austria, Hungarians in Hungary, Czechs in Bohemia, as well as Slovaks, Poles, Italians, Ukrainians and others. These groups spoke different languages and followed different cultures. The empire was held together by the Habsburg emperor, army and bureaucracy.

Q5 (a) Why was the Habsburg Empire called a multi-national empire?

Ans. It was called multi-national because it contained many ethnic groups – Germans, Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, Italians, Ukrainians and others – each with its own language and culture, living under a single imperial rule.

Q5 (b) How was the empire held together despite such diversity?

Ans. It was held together by:

The authority of the Habsburg emperor, and
A powerful army and bureaucracy loyal to him.

There was no single common national identity binding the people.

Q5 (c) Why did such multi-national empires become centres of nationalist tensions?

Ans. Different groups wanted their own nation-states based on language and culture. Their demands for independence or autonomy clashed with each other and with imperial interests, making these empires hotspots of nationalist conflict.

Case Study 6 – Liberalism and Economic Freedom

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In the early nineteenth century, liberals in Europe were mainly from the middle classes. They demanded freedom for the individual and equality before law. Politically, they wanted a constitution and elected representatives. Economically, they supported the freedom of markets and the removal of state-imposed restrictions on the movement of goods and capital. To them, a unified national market was essential for the growth of the economy.

Q6 (a) Who were the ‘liberals’ in Europe during this period?

Ans. Liberals were mainly educated middle-class people such as professionals, businessmen and intellectuals who believed in individual rights, constitutional government and economic freedom.

Q6 (b) What political reforms did liberals demand?

Ans. They demanded:

A constitution,
Elected representative assemblies, and
Equality before law and civil rights.

Q6 (c) Why did liberals support a unified national market?

Ans. A unified market without internal customs duties:

Reduced the cost of moving goods,
Encouraged trade and industrial growth, and
Allowed the economy to function efficiently.

It helped strengthen both the economy and national unity.

Case Study 7 – The Zollverein

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In 1834, a customs union called the Zollverein was formed at the initiative of Prussia, and most German states joined it. The union abolished tariff barriers and reduced the number of currencies. This encouraged the movement of goods, people and capital across the German region. The Zollverein thus helped in integrating the economy and prepared the ground for political unification.

Q7 (a) What was the Zollverein and who initiated it?

Ans. The Zollverein was a customs union that abolished internal tariffs between German states. It was initiated by the state of Prussia.

Q7 (b) How did the Zollverein promote economic integration?

Ans. It:

Abolished internal customs duties,
Reduced the number of different currencies, and
Simplified trade regulations.

This made trade easier and created a single economic space.

Q7 (c) In what way did the Zollverein contribute to the growth of German nationalism?

Ans. As people experienced the benefits of an integrated market, they realised the advantages of political unity as well. Economic cooperation created a feeling of belonging to one German nation, which later supported political unification under Prussia.

Case Study 8 – Romanticism and Folk Traditions

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Romanticism was a cultural movement that sought to develop a particular form of nationalist sentiment. Romantic artists and poets criticised the glorification of reason and science and instead focused on emotions, intuition and nature. They collected folk songs, folk dances and local legends and glorified them. They believed that the true spirit of a nation was expressed through its folk culture.

Q8 (a) What was the main focus of the Romantic movement?

Ans. Romanticism focused on emotions, intuition, nature and folk traditions, rather than on pure reason and scientific thinking.

Q8 (b) How did Romantic artists use folk culture to promote nationalism?

Ans. They:

Collected folk songs, dances and legends,
Presented them as the pure expression of the nation’s spirit, and
Used them in literature and art.

This made people feel proud of their shared cultural heritage.

Q8 (c) Why was folk culture seen as important for national identity?

Ans. Folk culture belonged to ordinary people and had grown naturally over time. It was seen as the most authentic expression of a community’s history and values, so it helped people imagine themselves as part of one cultural nation.

Case Study 9 – The Revolution of 1830

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In July 1830, a revolution took place in France against the conservative policies of the Bourbon king. The king had ignored the constitution and reduced voting rights. The people of Paris rose in revolt, built barricades and forced him to flee. A constitutional monarch, Louis Philippe, was installed. The events in France sparked an uprising in Brussels, leading to the separation of Belgium from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Q9 (a) What were the main causes of the July Revolution of 1830 in France?

Ans. The main causes were:

The Bourbon king’s conservative policies,
His disregard for the constitution, and
Reduction of voting rights and press freedom.

Q9 (b) What change in government occurred in France as a result of this revolution?

Ans. The Bourbon king was overthrown and replaced by Louis Philippe, who became a constitutional monarch promising to respect the charter and the interests of the middle classes.

Q9 (c) How did the July Revolution affect Belgium?

Ans. The revolution in France inspired nationalists in Brussels. They revolted against Dutch rule, and as a result, Belgium separated from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and became an independent state.

Case Study 10 – The Year of Revolutions: 1848

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The year 1848 witnessed revolutions in many parts of Europe. In France, the monarchy was overthrown and a republic was proclaimed. In the German regions, large numbers of political associations met in Frankfurt and decided to form an all-German National Assembly. They drafted a constitution for a German nation and offered the crown to the Prussian king. However, the king rejected it, and the movement eventually failed due to lack of support from the monarchy, aristocracy and the common people.

Q10 (a) Why is 1848 referred to as the “year of revolutions”?

Ans. Because in 1848, multiple revolutions broke out across Europe – in France, German states, the Austrian Empire and Italy – demanding constitutional governments, national unification and civil rights.

Q10 (b) What was the Frankfurt Parliament and what did it aim to achieve?

Ans. The Frankfurt Parliament was an all-German National Assembly formed by elected representatives. It aimed to draft a constitution for a unified Germany and establish a constitutional monarchy with the Prussian king as emperor.

Q10 (c) State any two reasons for the failure of the Frankfurt Parliament.

Ans. It failed because:

The Prussian king and other princes refused to accept a crown from an elected assembly, and
It lacked strong support from peasants and workers and faced opposition from the army and aristocracy.

Case Study 11 – Women in the 1848 Revolutions

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

During the revolutions of 1848, women actively participated by forming political associations, writing petitions and taking part in political meetings and demonstrations. They raised the demand for the right to vote and to stand in elections. However, despite their contributions, the new political order did not grant them these rights. The Frankfurt Parliament, for example, remained dominated by men.

Q11 (a) How did women participate in the 1848 revolutions?

Ans. Women:

Formed political associations,
Wrote petitions and pamphlets, and
Took part in meetings, demonstrations and rallies.

Q11 (b) What political rights did women demand during these revolutions?

Ans. They demanded:

The right to vote,
The right to stand for elections, and
Equal political participation with men.

Q11 (c) What does the refusal to grant these rights reveal about nineteenth-century liberalism?

Ans. It shows that nineteenth-century liberalism was limited and incomplete. While liberals spoke of freedom and equality, they often restricted political rights to men with property and excluded women and the poor from full citizenship.

Case Study 12 – Bismarck and German Unification

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

After the failure of the Frankfurt Parliament, the task of unifying Germany was taken over by Prussia. Its chief minister, Otto von Bismarck, believed in the policy of “blood and iron”, meaning wars and military power. He led Prussia into three wars between 1864 and 1871 against Denmark, Austria and France. Prussian victories in these wars united the German states under Prussian leadership. In 1871, the Prussian king was proclaimed German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

Q12 (a) What did Bismarck mean by the policy of “blood and iron”?

Ans. “Blood and iron” meant that the unification of Germany would be achieved through wars (blood) and military strength (iron), not merely by speeches or parliamentary debates.

Q12 (b) Name any two countries against which Prussia fought wars for German unification.

Ans. Prussia fought wars against:

Austria, and
France (also Denmark in 1864).

Q12 (c) Where and when was the German Empire proclaimed?

Ans. The German Empire was proclaimed in 1871 in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, after Prussia’s victory over France.

Case Study 13 – A Prussian-Dominated Empire

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The new German Empire, proclaimed in 1871, was not a liberal democracy. It was a Prussian-dominated empire with a strong monarchy and army. The emperor and his chancellor exercised great powers, while the parliament had limited authority. The Prussian aristocracy, especially the Junkers, retained influence over the state. Thus, the unification of Germany became a victory for conservative forces.

Q13 (a) Why was the new German Empire described as Prussian-dominated?

Ans. Because:

The Prussian king became the German Emperor,
Prussia’s army and bureaucracy controlled the empire, and
Prussian aristocrats (Junkers) had strong influence in government.

Q13 (b) How did the structure of the German Empire show that it was not fully democratic?

Ans. The emperor and his chancellor held real power, not the elected parliament. The military and monarchy could override parliamentary decisions, showing that the system was conservative and authoritarian rather than genuinely democratic.

Q13 (c) In what sense was German unification a victory for conservative forces?

Ans. Unification was achieved by the monarchy and army of Prussia, not by liberal assemblies. Nationalism was used to strengthen the power of traditional elites, so the outcome favoured conservative rulers instead of liberal-democratic forces.

Case Study 14 – Mazzini and Young Italy

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Giuseppe Mazzini was an Italian revolutionary who founded a secret society called Young Italy. He believed that God had intended nations to be the natural units of mankind. Mazzini opposed monarchy and foreign rule and wanted a united Italian republic. Though many of his uprisings were crushed, his ideas inspired a generation of nationalists in Italy and other parts of Europe.

Q14 (a) What was the main aim of Mazzini’s secret society Young Italy?

Ans. The main aim was to work for a united, independent and republican Italy, free from monarchical and foreign rule.

Q14 (b) Why did Mazzini oppose monarchy and foreign rule?

Ans. He believed that nations should be ruled by their own people, not by dynasties or foreign powers. Monarchy and foreign rule prevented Italians from enjoying freedom and national unity.

Q14 (c) How did Mazzini’s ideas contribute to Italian unification, despite the failure of his revolts?

Ans. His writings and secret societies:

Spread nationalist ideas among Italian youth,
Inspired later leaders like Garibaldi, and
Created a strong desire for unity and independence.

Thus, he provided the ideological foundation for Italian unification.

Case Study 15 – Cavour, Garibaldi and the Unification of Italy

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The unification of Italy was led by the kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia under King Victor Emmanuel II. His chief minister, Cavour, used diplomacy and alliances to weaken Austrian influence and annex northern Italian states. In the south, Giuseppe Garibaldi led a volunteer army of Red Shirts and captured Sicily and Naples. Garibaldi then handed these territories to Victor Emmanuel II, allowing most of Italy to be unified under a constitutional monarchy by 1861.

Q15 (a) How did Cavour contribute to the unification of Italy?

Ans. Cavour:

Modernised Piedmont’s economy and army,
Used diplomacy to ally with France and defeat Austria in 1859, and
Annexed several northern states to Piedmont.

He was thus the “brain” of Italian unification.

Q15 (b) What role did Garibaldi play in the unification process?

Ans. Garibaldi:

Organised the volunteer army of Red Shirts,
Led military campaigns to liberate Sicily and southern Italy from Bourbon rule, and
Voluntarily handed over these regions to Victor Emmanuel II.

He is therefore called the “sword” of Italian unification.

Q15 (c) Why did Italy finally emerge as a constitutional monarchy and not as a republic?

Ans. Because:

Unification was led by Piedmont-Sardinia’s monarchy,
Cavour favoured a monarchical state rather than a republic, and
Even Garibaldi accepted Victor Emmanuel II as king for the sake of unity.

Hence, Italy became a conservative constitutional monarchy, not a republic.

Case Study 16 – Allegories of Marianne and Germania

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

In the nineteenth century, artists began personifying nations as female figures. In France, the nation was represented by Marianne, a woman wearing the red cap of liberty and holding the tricolour. In Germany, Germania was shown wearing a crown of oak leaves, symbolising heroism. These allegories appeared in paintings, statues and coins, making the nation easy to recognise and emotionally appealing to ordinary people.

Q16 (a) Why were nations personified as female figures?

Ans. Nations are abstract ideas. By using female allegories, artists gave the nation a human form that people could easily recognise, respect and feel emotionally attached to.

Q16 (b) Mention one symbolic feature each of Marianne and Germania.

Ans.

Marianne: Wore the red cap of liberty and often carried the French tricolour.
Germania: Wore a crown of oak leaves symbolising heroism and strength.

Q16 (c) How did such allegories help in spreading nationalist feelings?

Ans. Allegories:

Made people see the nation as a living being to whom they owed loyalty,
Were widely printed on coins, stamps and posters, and
Reminded citizens of national ideals in their everyday life.

They thus spread and deepened nationalist feelings.

Case Study 17 – Visual Symbols of Nationalism

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

Nationalists in Europe used a variety of visual symbols to represent their nations. Flags with distinct colours and designs were adopted. National anthems were composed and sung on important occasions. Maps with clear borders and textbooks with a shared national history were introduced in schools. These symbols helped people who had never met each other feel that they belonged to the same nation.

Q17 (a) Name any two visual symbols used to represent nations in Europe.

Ans. Two visual symbols were:

National flags with special colours and designs, and
National anthems sung on public occasions.

Q17 (b) How did maps and school textbooks promote the idea of the nation?

Ans. Maps showed the territory and borders of the nation, while school textbooks presented a shared national history and heroes. Together, they taught children to see themselves as members of one national community from an early age.

Q17 (c) Why are such symbols especially important in large countries?

Ans. In large countries, most people never meet each other. Symbols like flags, anthems and maps allow them to imagine a common identity and feel united, even without direct personal contact. They help create an imagined community called the nation.

Case Study 18 – The Balkans: A Powder Keg of Europe

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The Balkans was a region of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, inhabited by many Slavic nationalities. Most of it was under Ottoman control, but as the empire declined, different nationalist groups sought independence or expansion. Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and others had conflicting territorial claims. Big powers like Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany supported different groups to increase their own influence. This made the Balkans one of the most unstable areas of Europe.

Q18 (a) Why did nationalist tensions arise in the Balkans?

Ans. Tensions arose because:

Many Slavic groups wanted independence from the Ottoman Empire, and
They had overlapping territorial claims and competing ambitions to form or expand their own nation-states.

Q18 (b) How did big European powers complicate the situation?

Ans. Big powers like Russia, Austria-Hungary and Germany:

Supported different nationalist groups,
Interfered in local conflicts to gain influence, and
Turned regional disputes into international rivalries.

Q18 (c) Why was the Balkans described as the “powder keg of Europe”?

Ans. Because the region was so full of nationalist rivalries and great-power tensions that any small incident could spark a major war, just as a spark can explode stored gunpowder. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 proved this description correct.

Case Study 19 – Nationalism and the First World War

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

By the beginning of the twentieth century, nationalism in Europe had turned aggressive and militaristic. Powerful nation-states formed rival alliances and engaged in an arms race. In June 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated in Sarajevo by a Bosnian Serb nationalist. Austria, backed by Germany, declared war on Serbia. Soon, Russia, France and Britain came to support Serbia, and the conflict grew into the First World War.

Q19 (a) How had nationalism in Europe changed by the early twentieth century?

Ans. Nationalism had become aggressive and militaristic. States glorified war, competed for power and saw other nations as enemies rather than partners.

Q19 (b) What incident in 1914 triggered the First World War?

Ans. The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in Sarajevo by a Bosnian Serb nationalist triggered the chain of events leading to the war.

Q19 (c) How did rival alliances turn a local conflict into a world war?

Ans. Because:

Austria, supported by Germany, declared war on Serbia;
Russia supported Serbia, and France and Britain joined Russia; and
Alliance obligations pulled many countries into the conflict.

Thus, a local dispute escalated into a global war.

Case Study 20 – Lessons from European Nationalism

Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:

The history of nationalism in Europe shows that it can be both a unifying and a destructive force. In its early phase, nationalism helped people overthrow dynastic rule, unite fragmented territories and demand democracy. Later, however, it was used to justify imperialism, militarism and wars, leading to immense suffering. The modern world therefore needs a balanced and inclusive form of nationalism that respects the rights of all nations and peoples.

Q20 (a) In what ways was nationalism a unifying force in Europe?

Ans. Nationalism:

Helped people challenge dynastic and foreign rule,
United fragmented states like Germany and Italy, and
Encouraged demands for constitutions and democratic rights.

Q20 (b) How did nationalism become a destructive force?

Ans. It became destructive when:

States used it to claim superiority over others,
It justified imperial expansion and domination, and
It encouraged militarism and rival alliances, leading to wars like the First World War.

Q20 (c) What kind of nationalism does the modern world need?

Ans. The modern world needs a balanced, inclusive and peace-loving nationalism that:

Respects diversity and minority rights,
Promotes cooperation among nations, and
Supports democracy and human rights rather than aggression and hatred.

1. The French Revolution and the Idea of the Nation

2. The Making of Nationalism in Europe

3. The Age of Revolutions: 1830–1848

4. The Making of Germany and Italy

5. Visualizing the Nation

6. Nationalism and Imperialism

The Rise of Nationalism in Europe – Case-based Questions with Answers

1. The French Revolution and the Idea of the Nation

2. The Making of Nationalism in Europe

3. The Age of Revolutions: 1830–1848

4. The Making of Germany and Italy

5. Visualizing the Nation

6. Nationalism and Imperialism

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