The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 – MCQs with Answers and Explanations
Class 8 — Social Science (History)
Chapter 8: The Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947
NCERT-alignedCBSE MCQs
Practice Test
30 MCQs with Explanations
Topic: Origins, INC & Early Politics
1. In which year was the Indian National Congress founded?
Answer: B. 1885
The INC was established in 1885 as a platform for Indian political discussion and reform; it later evolved into the principal organisation of the national movement.
2. Who among the following was a Moderate leader?
Answer: B. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
Gokhale was a leading Moderate who preferred constitutional methods, petitions and dialogue to achieve reforms within the colonial system.
3. The partition of Bengal in 1905 led to which major movement?
Answer: C. Swadeshi and Boycott
The 1905 partition of Bengal sparked widespread Swadeshi (use of indigenous goods) and Boycott of British goods as a mass protest.
Topic: Gandhi & Major Movements
4. What does 'Satyagraha' mean?
Answer: C. Truth-force or nonviolent resistance
Gandhi's Satyagraha combined truth and nonviolence to resist unjust laws, aiming to convert opponents morally rather than defeat them by force.
5. Which event directly triggered the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–22)?
Answer: B. Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh massacre
The Rowlatt Acts and the outrage after Jallianwala Bagh greatly influenced public mood and galvanized support for nationwide non-cooperation.
6. Why did Gandhi call off the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Answer: B. Due to the Chauri Chaura violent incident
Gandhi suspended the movement after the Chauri Chaura violence in 1922 because he insisted on strict nonviolence and feared mass indiscipline.
7. The Salt March (Dandi March) protested which British policy?
Answer: C. Salt laws and monopoly
The Salt March targeted the British monopoly on salt and its taxes; making salt symbolically challenged colonial economic control and mobilised masses.
Topic: Methods, Print & Symbols
8. Which of the following was a key symbol of self-reliance promoted by Gandhi?
Answer: B. Charkha (spinning wheel)
The charkha and khadi symbolised economic self-sufficiency and resistance to imported British textiles.
9. How did vernacular newspapers help the national movement?
Answer: C. By informing and mobilising local readers in regional languages
Vernacular press spread news, exposed injustices and connected local grievances to national politics, widening participation.
10. Songs, slogans and plays in local languages were useful because they:
Answer: B. Created emotional unity and spread ideas quickly
Cultural forms made the movement relatable and helped messages reach non-literate audiences, strengthening mass solidarity.
Topic: Social Groups — Peasants, Workers & Women
11. Which movement is associated with peasant resistance led by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?
Answer: A. Bardoli Satyagraha
The 1928 Bardoli Satyagraha successfully protested increased land revenue and highlighted effective peasant-led resistance.
12. Industrial workers' strikes were common in which urban centres?
Answer: B. Bombay and Calcutta
Major industrial hubs like Bombay (Mumbai) and Calcutta (Kolkata) saw organized labour action, which intersected with nationalist politics.
13. Women's participation in the movement included:
Answer: B. Active protest, picketing and leadership
Women led pickets, protests and local organising; figures like Sarojini Naidu and Kasturba Gandhi played key roles in mobilisation.
Topic: Legal Measures, Limitations & Legacy
14. The Rowlatt Act (1919) allowed the British to:
Answer: B. Arrest and detain people without trial
The Rowlatt Act extended wartime emergency measures and provoked widespread protests due to its harsh curtailment of civil liberties.
15. Jallianwala Bagh massacre led to:
Answer: B. Widespread outrage and shift towards assertive politics
The massacre delegitimised British moral authority and pushed many moderates into supporting more assertive nationalist methods.
16. Which global event weakened British control and aided India's push for independence?
Answer: C. World War II
World War II strained Britain's resources and global position, making it harder to maintain its empire and more open to negotiating Indian independence.
17. The 'mixed legacy' of the national movement refers to:
Answer: B. Political gains but persistent social problems
Though independence and institutions were achieved, issues such as communal tensions and inequality persisted, making the legacy mixed.
Topic: Critical Thinking & Exam Tips
18. A balanced answer to 'Were reformers only westernised elites?' should include:
Answer: B. Examples of both elites and grassroots reformers
A strong answer cites elite leaders and grassroots activists (e.g., Vidyasagar, Phule) to show diversity among reformers.
19. When asked to evaluate a movement in exams, students should always include:
Answer: A. Dates, causes, methods and outcomes
Structured answers with dates, methods and evidence fetch higher marks and show clear understanding.
20. Which of the following is the best one-line summary of Chapter 8?
Answer: B. The chapter traces the rise of Indian nationalism and major movements leading to independence
Chapter 8 covers the emergence of nationalism, key movements (Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India) and the pathway to 1947.
Topic: Additional Practice MCQs
21. Who led the Salt March in 1930?
Answer: C. Mahatma Gandhi
Gandhi led the 240-mile march from Sabarmati to Dandi to protest the salt tax and mobilise nationwide civil disobedience.
22. Which movement included picketing of liquor shops?
Answer: B. Civil Disobedience
Picketing liquor shops was a tactic used during the Civil Disobedience Movement to protest colonial laws and assert local control.
23. The Quit India movement was launched in which year?
Answer: B. 1942
The Quit India resolution was passed in August 1942 demanding an immediate British withdrawal from India.
24. Who coined the term 'Swaraj' widely used by Extremists?
Answer: B. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Tilak popularised the demand for Swaraj (self-rule) and used assertive politics to mobilise masses.
25. Which act cracked down on civil liberties and provoked protests in 1919?
Answer: A. Rowlatt Act
The Rowlatt Act allowed detention without trial, causing widespread anger and leading to nationwide protests.
26. Which leader is associated with organizing peasants in Bardoli?
Answer: B. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Patel led the Bardoli Satyagraha (1928), successfully mobilising peasants against increased revenue demands.
27. Which slogan summarised the aim of Quit India?
Answer: A. Do or Die
At the Quit India session, Gandhi urged the nation with the call 'Do or Die', signalling urgent and uncompromising action for freedom.
28. Which movement brought rural areas into active nationalist politics?
Answer: B. Civil Disobedience
Civil Disobedience expanded into villages with tax refusals and local acts of defiance, linking peasant issues to national politics.
29. Which organisation became the main platform for Indian political demands?
Answer: B. Indian National Congress
The INC, formed in 1885, grew into the leading organisation representing Indian political aspirations and organising mass movements.
30. Which of the following best describes the overall theme of Chapter 8?
Answer: B. The making of Indian nationalism and the major movements that led to independence
Chapter 8 traces the growth of nationalism from elite beginnings to mass movements culminating in independence in 1947.