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Very Short Question and Answers - Rowlatt Act (1919)

Q 1.
What was the official name of the Rowlatt Act passed in 1919?

Ans:

The official name was the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act.

Q 2.
Why did the British government introduce the Rowlatt Act after World War I?

Ans:

Instead of relaxing wartime restrictions, the British introduced the Rowlatt Act to suppress revolutionary activities and maintain control over India.

Q 3.
How did Indian members of the Legislative Council react to the Rowlatt Act?

Ans:

Indian members opposed the Act unanimously but their opposition was ignored.

Q 4.
What was one major provision of the Rowlatt Act regarding detention?

Ans:

It allowed the government to detain people without trial for up to two years.

Q 5.
What powers did the Act give to the police?

Ans:

The Act empowered the police to search without a warrant and to arrest anyone on suspicion.

Q 6.
What right was denied to the accused under the Rowlatt Act?

Ans:

The accused were denied the right to legal representation and trial by jury.

Q 7.
How was the Rowlatt Act perceived by Indians?

Ans:

It was seen as a direct attack on civil liberties and political freedom.

Q 8.
Who called for a nationwide hartal to protest the Rowlatt Act?

Ans:

Mahatma Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal (strike) on 6 April 1919.

Q 9.
What is a ‘hartal’?

Ans:

A hartal is a mass strike involving the closing of shops, markets, and the stoppage of work.

Q 10.
How did the British government respond to the nationwide protests against the Rowlatt Act?

Ans:

The British responded with mass arrests and censorship of the press.

Q 11.
Where did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre take place?

Ans:

It took place at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar, Punjab.

Q 12.
On which date did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre occur?

Ans:

The massacre occurred on 13 April 1919, which was Baisakhi day.

Q 13.
What triggered people to gather at Jallianwala Bagh on Baisakhi day?

Ans:

Thousands gathered to hold a peaceful meeting to protest against the Rowlatt Act.

Q 14.
Who was responsible for ordering the firing on the crowd at Jallianwala Bagh?

Ans:

General Dyer ordered his troops to fire on the crowd without warning.

Q 15.
How many people were officially reported killed in the Jallianwala Bagh massacre?

Ans:

Official British figures reported around 379 people killed.

Q 16.
How did the Indian estimates of casualties at Jallianwala Bagh differ from the official figures?

Ans:

Indian estimates placed the death toll at over 1,000 with more than 1,200 injured.

Q 17.
Why were many people unable to escape from Jallianwala Bagh during the massacre?

Ans:

General Dyer had blocked the only exit, trapping people inside.

Q 18.
What did many people do in a desperate attempt to escape the firing at Jallianwala Bagh?

Ans:

Many tried to escape by jumping into a well or got trampled in the stampede.

Q 19.
How did the Jallianwala Bagh massacre affect Indian perceptions of British rule?

Ans:

It destroyed Indians' faith in British justice and caused widespread shock and outrage.

Q 20.
What was the impact of the massacre on the Indian freedom movement?

Ans:

It marked a turning point, increasing mass participation and intensifying the struggle for independence as Gandhi called it a 'grave wrong.'

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