The Class 8 is an important year in a student’s life and Maharashtra State Board Social Science History is one of the subjects that require dedication, hard work, and practice. It’s a subject where you can score well if you are well-versed with the concepts, remember the important formulas and solving methods, and have done an ample amount of practice. Worry not! Home Revise is here to make your Class 8 journey even easier. It’s essential for students to have the right study material and notes to prepare for their board examinations, and through Home Revise, you can cover all the fundamental topics in the subject and the complete Maharashtra State Board Class 8 Social Science History Book syllabus.
Q1. Rewrite the statements by choosing the appropriate options.
(1) ………….. was the head of the Interim Government.
(a) Vallabhbhai Patel
(b) Mahatma Gandhi
(c) Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru
(d) Barrister Jinnah
(2) The plan of creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, was made by ………….. .
(a) Lord Wavell
(b) Stafford Cripps
(c) Lord Mountbatten
(d) Pethick Lawrence
Answer 1: Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the head of the Interim Government
Answer 2: The plan of creation of two independent nations, India and Pakistan, was made by Lord Mountbatten
Q2. Answer the following questions in one sentence.
(1) Which demand was advocated by Barrister Jinnah?
(2) Write the name of the ministers participating in the Cabinet Mission.
Answer 1: Barrister Muhammad Ali Jinnah put forth the two Nation theory and demanded a seperate Muslim nation named Pakistan.
Answer 2: The ministers participated in the Cabinet Mission are Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander.
Q3. Explain the following statements with reasons.
(1) The Indian National Congress approved the partition.
(2) The working of the Interim government could not run smoothly.
(3) The Wavell Plan could not become successful.
Answer 1: England ’s Prime Minister Atlee had announced that England would leave its dominion on India before June 1948. On the background of transfer of power in India, Lord Mountbatten was appointed as Viceroy of India. Mountbatten held discussions with prominent leaders of India. Thereafter, he prepared a plan of creation of India and Pakistan as two independent nations. Indian National Congress opposed the plan of partition. Unity of the nation, was the basic stand of Indian National Congress, but the Muslim League remained adamant on the creation of Pakistan. National Congress was left with no option but to accept the decision of partition with complete helplessness.
Answer 2: While the blaze of violence had arisen in the country, Viceroy Wavell established the Interim Government. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the head of this government. The Muslim League initially denied to participate in the Interim Government, but later, participated in it. But since the leaders of Muslim League adopted the policy of obstruction, hence the Interim Government could not work smoothly.
Answer 3: In June 1945, Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India drew up a plan. There were different provisions in this plan. Accordingly, some of its provisions were that in central and provincial legislatures, Muslims, Dalits and minorities should be given proper representation. The provisions also stated that there will be equal number of Hindu and Muslim members in Viceroy’s Executive Council. A meeting of all major political parties in India was organised at Simla to consider the Wavell Plan. Barrister Jinnah insisted that only the Muslim League should have the right to suggest the names of muslim representatives to the Viceroy ’s Executive Council. But the Congress opposed it. Therefore, the Wavell plan could not be successful.
Q4. Write the events on the following timeline.
| 1945 | |
| 1946 | |
| 1947 | |
| 1948 |
Answer: 1945– In June 1945, Lord Wavell, the Viceroy of India drew up a plan. There were different provisions in this plan. Accordingly some of its provisions were that in central and provincial legislatures Muslims, Dalits and minorities should be given proper representation and there will be equal number of Hindu and Muslim members in Viceroy’s Executive Council.
1946 –In March 1946, a delegation of British ministers namely Pethick Lawrence, Stafford Cripps and A.V. Alexander put forth England’s plan regarding India in front of the Indian leaders. This is called ‘Cabinet Mission’.
16 August 1946, was declared to be observed as ‘Direct Action Day’ by the Muslim League.
1947 –On 18 July 1947, on the basis of the Mountbatten Plan, the Indian Independence Act was passed in the British Parliament. On 15 August 1947, the two independent nations India and Pakistan will come into existence.
As per the Indian Independence Act, India was granted independence on 15 August 1947.
1948 –England ’s Prime Minister Atlee had announced that England would leave its dominion on India before June 1948.
Q5. Answer the following questions in brief.
(1) Why did the British take steps towards granting freedom to India ?
(2) Write information about Mountbatten Plan.
(3) Why did Muslim League declare to observe 16 August as Direct Action Day? What were its effects?
Answer 1: During the period of the Second World War, Indian freedom struggle had become more extensive. The demand for independence of India was gaining its strength. The British rulers realised that it was necessary to take a serious note of it. Accordingly, the British government started preparing various plans for granting Independence to India.
Answer 2: Lord Mountbatten was appointed as Viceroy of India. Mountbatten held discussions with prominent leaders of India. Thereafter, he prepared a plan of creation of India and Pakistan as two independent nations. Indian National Congress opposed the plan of partition. Unity of the nation, was the basic stand of Indian National Congress, but the Muslim League remained adamant on the creation of Pakistan. National Congress was left with no option but to accept the decision of partition with complete helplessness.
On 18 July 1947, on the basis of the Mountbatten Plan, the Indian Independence Act was passed in the British Parliament. On 15 August 1947, the two independent nations India and Pakistan will come into existence.
Answer 3: Since the demand for Pakistan was not being fulfilled, the Muslim League decided for direct action. Accordingly, 16 August 1946, was declared to be observed as ‘Direct Action Day’ by the Muslim League. The followers of Muslim League resorted to violent ways. There were Hindu-Muslim riots in various parts of the country. There were massacres in the Noakhali region in the province of Bengal. To stop this violence, Gandhiji went there without giving any thought to his own life. He tried his best to establish peace there. Due to the above-mentioned reasons, Muslim League declared to observe 16 August as Direct Action Day.