Social Science Class X 
Sample Paper (1996) Part - IV
(Solved)

Section A - HISTORY

Q) Give two main features of communism. (Marks 2)

Ans) Communism believed in the abolition of private property & profit motive. It believes that the state should provide work to each & every individual, their motto being - from each according to his capacity to each according to his needs.

Mention two important effects of imperialism on Africa in the 19th century. (Marks 2)

Ans) Imperialism had bad effects on Africa.

(1) Slave trade started by which people were bought & sold to other countries at cheap rates & were made to work like slaves in fields & mines (of America).

(2) There was also a regular exploitation of the natural resources of Africa. Raw materials like rubber, timber, ivory etc. were taken out of Africa in great quantities. Even mineral resources like gold, diamonds, uranium etc. were fully exploited for the benefit of the imperialist countries.

Mention two main characteristics of Fascism. (Marks 2)

Ans) Fascism has no specific theory because it emerged as a socio - economic & political programme.

(1) Totalitarian State - Fascist support the Hegalian idea that the state is the march of god on earth. It accepts the idealistic version of the state & gives no rights to the individuals against the state. It supports corporate state.

(2) Hero Worship & faith in elites - Fascism gives utmost regard to the leaders who are worshipped as heroes. They are above criticism & their achievements are publicised. The fascist do not accept the natural equality among men.

State two main reasons for launching the non-cooperation movement. (Marks 2)

Ans) The launching of Non-cooperation movement amounted to the proclamation of war, with a difference that this war was non-violent. The major reasons for launching the non-cooperation movement were:-
(1) The Indians had helped the British in the war efforts with both men & money with the hope of getting responsible government in return. But the Montague - Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 proved inadequate & unsatisfactory. Thus there was widespread agitation against these reforms.

(2) The Rowlatt Act (1919) of the British gave them the power to arrest & detain suspected persons without trial. This led to a wave of anger throughout the country. A protest meeting against the act was organised at Jalliawala Bagh in Amritsar where thousands of people were killed in firing. Marshall law was proclaimed in Punjab & inhuman atrocities were committed. Gandhi thus started the non-cooperation movement to correct these wrongs of the government.

Do you agree with the view that the Treaty of Versailles had the germs of the second world war. Give evidence to support your answer. (Marks 4)

Ans: The treaty of Versailles, by which World War I came to an end was completely based on injustice. It was harsh & was a dictated peace & Germany was forced to sign it. The war guilt clause of the Treaty held Germany responsible for the war & all the damages done. She had to cede many of her territories & all her colonies were forcibly taken away from her. She was divided into two parts for the benefit of Poland. Her economy was ruined but still she was burdened with a huge war indemnity which she could never pay. Moreover her military power was reduced considerably.
The treatment meted out to Germany was based on the spirit of revenge. It was not based on the fourteen points of President Wilson of America. Consequently, this treaty created anger in the minds of the Germans. It was a black spot for them & they wanted to wash it. This could never be done without armaments. Thus when Hitler came to power, the only thing he had in mind was to restore the lost pride of Germany which he did by undermining the Treaty of Versailles. When the attitude was difficult for Britain & France to take any longer, it led to the Second world War.

OR

What were the causes of the rise of Nazism?

Ans. Nazism was the German version of Fascism. The main reasons for its emergence is Germany were the following:-
(1) Treaty of Versailles - The humiliating Treaty of Versailles had created a feeling of dissatisfaction among the people of Germany. They looked down upon the Weimer Republic which had signed such a disgraceful treaty. The Republic was regarded as a symbol of national disgrace. Germany wanted to establish her old prestige. Hitler promised to repudiate the Treaty of Versailles & restore the lost glory of Germany. Hence, he had a mass following.

(2) Economic Crises - Germany had to face a great economic crises after the First world war. She suffered heavy losses in life & property. After the war many soldiers became unemployed. Trade & commerce was also ruined. In 1929, there was a great slump in Europe. It affected Germany also. There was widespread unemployment & starvation. The Republic failed to do anything about it. Hitler took advantage of the situation & people had put their faith in a brilliant leader like him who had promised them a new world.

(3) Party strife's - There were a number of parties in Germany namely Social Democrats, Nationalists, Royalists & Communists. The period from 1919-1933 was a period of party-strife in the history of German Republic when each party tried to gain power. This weakened the Republic & the Nazis gained a good chance to snatch power with a promise of providing a stable government.

(4) Charisma - Hitler possessed a very influential & charming personality. He was a first rate orator. His speeches were very - effective & has a great logic in them. Naturally, the people began to have a blind faith in him & started regarding him as a great leader.

What were the significant changes in the soviet union after the death of Stalin?(Marks 4)

Ans. After the death of Stalin, Khrushchev became the First Secretary of the Communist Party in 1953 & in 1958 he also became the Prime Minister. However, this did not establish a dictatorial rule & the Party & the Government were now controlled by collective leadership.

(1) the policy of large scale repression was ended. Thousands of people who had been charged with all kinds of offences against the state & had been sent to labour shops & prisons were released & rehabilitated.

(2) Restrictions continued to be imposed on civil liberties, on publications, on travel abroad & many repressive measures continued to be resorted to. The system of repression began to be fully demolished & a truly democratic system established only in 1985 when Mikhail Gorbachev was elected the leader of the party.

(3) There was a shift in foreign policy as the emphasis was now on 'peaceful coexistence' between countries following different social, economic & political systems.

(4) Soviet Union did not cease her efforts at building an arsenal of destructive weapons to match those of the US even though it went on making proposals for nuclear as well as general & complete disarmament. She did, however, take many unilateral decisions. For e.g. She declared that she would never use the nuclear weapons first & she appealed to the US to make a similar commitment.

OR

What were the major factors for the emergence of the USA as a major World Power?
Ans. USA emerged as a super power after the Second World War. It is clear from the following account.

(1) Possession of Atom Bomb - USA was the only country which possessed the atomic bomb by the end of the Second World War. The destruction & havoc caused by the atom bomb was clear for everyone to see. It raised the prestige of USA in the World order & the balance of power shifted in her favour.

(2) England & France were earlier considered as the superpowers, but during the second world war, their economy was ruined. USA was not very active during the initial years of war. Moreover, no war was fought on her land. Therefore, she was economically & militarily more strong than other countries.

(3) USA further strengthened her position by concluding military alliances like NATO, SEATO & CENTO etc. with many countries of the world.

(4) After the second world war, vast resources were made available to the space research programme. The US made a great achievement when two US astronauts landed & walked on the surface of the moon in 1969.

What were the main features of British Education Policy in India in the 19th century?

Ans. The British education policy in India suffered from several shortcomings namely : -

(1) Main emphasis on the study of English literature and language - The English wanted the Indians to learn their language so that communication becomes easy and they could take care of the clerical work. They thought that as a result of the learning of English, the Indian people would easily accept the British rule. But such a policy led to the neglect of the Indian languages which were left to the individual efforts of the people themselves.

(2) Lack of funds - The English were more interested in exploiting the resources of India rather than spending anything on the welfare of the people. Hence, the amount that they spent on the promotion of education in India was too meagre to benefit the people.

(3) Neglect of the women's education - No funds were set aside for the education of women, as women's education had no utility for the English. On the other hand, they were afraid of hurting the sentiments of the Indian people as the conservative Indian opinion was against giving any education to their women folk.

(4) Neglect of Scientific and Technical Education - The English Government never paid any attention towards imparting scientific and technical education. By 1857, only 3 Medical Colleges and one Engineering College was opened. Admission to these colleges was open only for the Europeans, as such the Indians were almost neglected.

OR

How did the Press help in the spread of new ideas and strengthening of national consciousness among Indians? (Marks 4)

Ans. The Indian press played an important role in arousing the feelings of patriotism and national consciousness. Many newspapers were published in different parts of the country such as the Amrit Bazar Patrika, the Hindu, the Patriot the Maratha, the Kesari, the Azad, the Indian Mirror, the Tribune, the Advocate, the Kohinoor, etc. They not only criticized the unjust policies of the government but also played a vital role in infusing political ideas, patriotic sentiments and rousing political consciousness among the people. The newspapers also propagated the case for social reforms. They voiced the Indian opinion and instilled in them the national consciousness. Press provided a form for expressions of public opinion on matter of public interest.

"The Spanish Civil War proved like a dress rehearsal for the Second World War." Justify.

Ans) The Spanish Civil war broke out in 1936 when a section of army under General France revoled against the Republican Government of Spain comprising of the socialists, communists and other democratic and anti-fascist parties. Italy & Germany helped the rebels openly by supplying arms and troops. The German aircrafts conducted air-raids on Spanish towns and villages . None of the big powers except Soviet Union came to help the Republican Government.

However thouands of anti-fascist volunteers including famous writers and artists from all over the world supported the cause of the `Republicans'. The battle in Spain assumed an international significance as it was increasingly realised that the victory of jascism in Spain would encourage more fascist aggressions. It became more like an international protest against the fascist aggression. The sacrifice of their lives by thousands of non-spaniards in Spain in the cause of freedom and democracy is one of the finest examples of the internationalism in history.

OR

Assess the causes of success of national struggle in West Africa after the Second World War. (Marks 6)

Ans. The main countries in West Africa to gain independent after the second world war among others were Ghana & Guinea. There was the resurgence of the national movement in Africa & the disintegration of the colonial rule in Africa began after the Second World War. The national struggle for freedom in North & West Africa was the consequence of the growth of nationalism. It was also the result of the increasing resentment against the exploitation & oppression by the colonial countries. The Second World War had weakened the forces of imperialism. The imperialist countries had suffered defeat is Europe during the Second World War. The colonialism in Asia had almost collapsed after the Second world War which also had a tremendous impact on freedom movement in West Africa. The question of Africa's freedom become one of the major issues in the world.
All these factors led to the success of national struggle in West Africa after the Second World War.