SST MOST EXPECTED QUESTIONS

01 Steps taken by the French revolutionaries take to create a sense of collective identity
Ans.

• They introduced the ideas of la patrie (the fatherland) and le citoyen (the citizen), emphasising the
concept of a united community enjoying equal rights under a Constitution.
• They chose a new French flag, the tricolour, to replace the royal standard.
• The Estates General was elected by the body of active citizens and renamed the National Assembly.
• In the name of the nation, new hymns were composed, oaths taken and martyrs commemorated.
• They adopted a uniform system of weights and measures.
• They promoted the French language, as spoken and written in Paris and discouraged regional
dialects.

02 Examine the ideas of liberal nationalism in Europe during the nineteenth century.
Ans.

• Liberalism stood for freedom for individual and equality of all before law.
• It emphasized on the concept of government by [Link] stood for the end of autocracy and
clerical privileges.
• It believed in a constitution and representative government through Parliament.
• In the economic sphere, liberalism stood for the freedom of markets and the abolition of state-
imposed restrictions on the movement of goods and capital.
• A wave of economic nationalism and Equality strengthened the wider nationalist sentiments
growing at the time.

03 Analyse the process of Italian Unification

Ans.

1. During the middle of the 19th century, Italy was divided into seven states of which only one,
Sardinia-Piedmont, was ruled by an Italian princely house.
2. The unification process was led by Giuseppe Mazzini, Count Camillo de Cavour, and Giuseppe
Garibaldi. During 1830, Mazzini decided to unite Italy. He had formed a secret society 'Young Italy
to achieve his goal, but failed.
3. After earlier failures in 1831 and 1848, King Victor Emmanuel II took to unify the Italian states
through wars.
4. Through a tactful diplomatic alliance with France by Cavour, Sardinia-Piedmont succeeded in
defeating the Austrian forces in 1859.
5. Under the leadership of Garibaldi, armed volunteers marched into South Italy in 1860 and the
Kingdom of the Two Sicilies and succeeded in winning the support of the local peasants in order
to drive out the Spanish rulers?
6. In 1861, Victor Emmanuel II was proclaimed king of united Italy.

04 Describe the implications of First World War on the economic and political situations of India.
Ans.
• Increase in defence expenditure which was financed by war loans.
• Custom duties were raised and income tax was introduced.
• Increased prices of essential commodities led to extreme hardship for the common people.
• Forced recruitment of villagers into armies caused widespread anger among them.
• Crop failure and influenza epidemic.

05 The Civil Disobedience Movement was different from the Non-Cooperation Movement. Support
the statement with example.

Non-Cooperation Movement Civil Disobedience Movement

1. Movement associated with withdrawing 1. Cooperation was withdrawn and along
cooperation from British raj. with this authorities were disobeyed also.
2. Launched in 1921 after the Nagpur session. 2. Launched in 1930 after salt March.
3. Due to Khalifat issues, Muslim community 3. The growing proximity of the Congress
participated in Non-cooperation movement on party and Hindu mahasabha prevented
large scale. the muslims to participate in Civil
Disobedience Movement.
4. In this movement women did not participate 4. Large scale participation of women is
in large scale. one of the most significant features of the
Civil Disobedience Movement.
5. The Non cooperation movement was 5. The Civil Disobedience Movement was
withdrawn by Gandhiji due to violent incident withdrawn in 1931, when Gandhiji
at Chauri Chaura. signed Gandhi Irwin Pact.

06 How had a variety of culture processes developed a sense of collective belongingness in India
during the 19th century? Explain the examples.
Ans.

1. Personification of Bharat Mata: India was symbolized as a mother figure, which united people
under a common image of the nation.

2. National Song 'Vande Mataram': This song, calling people to honor the motherland, became a
symbol of unity and nationalism.

3. Folklore: Folk tales and songs collected by figures like Rabindranath Tagore helped people connect
with their cultural roots and heritage.

4. Use of Icons and Symbols: Flags and symbols like the Swadeshi and Swaraj flags helped rally
people together for independence.

5. Rediscovery of India's Past: Nationalists emphasized India's glorious history to inspire pride and
show that India was once great, countering British views of Indian inferiority.

07 Describe the significance of silk routes in the pre-modern period in the field of trade cultural
exchange and religion.
Ans.

• Silk routes were existed since before the Christian era and flourished till the 15th century.
 • The significance of silk routes were as follows

• Along the silk routes, the silk cargoes from China, Indian spices and textiles, gold and silver from
Europe were carried to different parts of the world.

• The Buddhist preachers, Christian missionaries and later on, Muslim preachers travelled along
these routes.

• These routes proved to be a great source of trade and cultural links between distant world. parts of
the Thus, it can be concluded that silk routes are a good example of trade and cultural link between
distant parts of the world.

08 Explain how the global transfer of disease in the Pre-modern world helped in the colonisation of
the Americas?

Ans. The global transfer of diseases played a crucial role in the colonisation of the Americas,

i) The Portuguese and Spanish conquered and colonised America by the mid-sixteenth century through
germs such as smallpox.

ii) That they carried on their person and spread it deep into the continent because before European contact,
the indigenous populations of the Americas had no exposure to such diseases common in Europe

iii) Smallpox is a deadly killer once introduced, it spreads and kills and decimates whole communities,
paving the way for conquest.

iv) The rapid depopulation of indigenous peoples due to diseases like smallpox made resistance to European
conquest more difficult, allowing for easier land acquisition.

v) Ultimately, the disease outbreaks reshaped the demographic and political landscape of the Americas,
paving the way for European dominance and colonisation.

09 Why do we need resource planning, explain with an example? Describe the 3 stages of resource
planning in India?
Ans.

Resource planning is the strategy for the judicious use of resources because there is a diversity in the
availability of resources, some regions are rich in certain types of resources and some regions are deficient
in resources. So to make a balance and ensure the availability of resources in the country we need proper
resource planning in the country.

Example -In India, Rajasthan is rich in solar and wind energy resource but deficient in water resource on
the other hand Arunachal pradesh has abundance of water resource but lake in solar and wind energy due
to lacks in infrastructural development.

The 3 stages of resource planning in India are

i) Identification and Inventory of resources across the regions of the country. like surveying, mapping and
measurement of the resources of the region where the resources are available.
ii) Developing resource development plans and Making a proper planning structure with the use of
appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing the plan.

iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.

10 Suggest any six measures to solve the problem of land degradation.

Ans. The following measures can help to solve the problem of land degradation

• Afforestation over deforested areas.

• Proper management of grazing on permanent pastures.

• In areas where desertification has taken place, growing thorny bushes.

• Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents after treatment.

• Planting of shelterbelts.

• Control on mining activities.

11 Trace the features of alluvial soil with reference to its formation, area, classification and
containing minerals.
OR
Explain the main features of alluvial soil.
Ans.

1. Formation: Alluvial soil is made-up of silt, sand and clay. It is deposited by three important
Himalayan river systems the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra. It is bigger and coarser in the
upper reaches of the river and becomes finer as the river flows down.

2. Distribution/Area: This soil is prevalent in the river valleys of the Northern plains (Indus, Ganga,
Brahmaputra), strips in Gujarat and Rajasthan, as well as in the Eastern coastal plains in the deltas
of rivers of the Peninsular plateau (Mahanadi, Krishna, Kaveri).

3. Classification According to their age, alluvial soils can be classified as (Bangar) old alluvial and
Khadar (new alluvial). Khadar has higher concentration of kankar and contains more fine particles
than Bangar.

4. Minerals: This soil is rich in nutrients like potash, phosphoric acid and lime, which is suitable for
growing paddy, wheat, sugarcane and other cereal and pulse crops.
12 What are the various steps taken by the government to protect and conserve the depleting flora
and fauna? Explain.
Ans.

1. Wildlife Protection Act (1972): The government made a law in 1972 to protect animals and plants.
This law stops hunting and illegal trading of wildlife.

2. National Parks and Sanctuaries: The government created national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to
give animals a safe place to live and grow.
 3. Project Tiger (1973): In 1973, the government started Project Tiger to protect tigers. This program
works to stop poaching and protect tiger habitats.

4. Saving Specific Animals: The government focuses on saving animals like the rhinoceros, Asiatic
lions, and crocodiles by protecting them from poaching and losing their homes.

5. Protecting Insects and Plants: In 1980, the government started protecting insects like butterflies and
plants. In 1991, it also added plants to the list of protected species.

13 Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India?
Ans.

• In the Sariska wildlife sanctuary in Rajasthan, villagers have fought against mining activities.

• The Chipko Movement which was conducted in the Himalayas, has successfully resisted
deforestation in several areas.

• The Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri district of Uttarakhand conserved local seed diversity and
Forest.

• Joint Forest Management programme, which aimed formation of local (village) institution to
manage and protect the forests.

14 What is water scarcity and what are its main causes?

Ans. The shortage of water; an imbalance between the demand and supply of water, also good quality of
water, is referred to as water scarcity.

Causes of water scarcity are:

1. The availability of water resources varies over space and time, mainly due to the variations in
seasonal and annual precipitation.

2. In agricultural sector to facilitate higher food-grain production, water resources are being over-
exploited.

3. Overuse of water resources due to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation.

4. Scarcity due to the bad quality of water. (Pollution)

15 State the importance of multi-purpose projects.

Ans. Some of the main functions of the multipurpose projects are:

1. Electricity Generation: Dams generate hydroelectric power, providing a renewable source of

energy.

2. Water Supply: They supply water for domestic and industrial needs, ensuring availability for daily
activities and economic growth.
 3. Flood Control: Dams help in controlling floods by regulating water flow and storing excess water
during heavy rains.

4. Recreation: Reservoirs created by dams offer recreational opportunities such as boating and
tourism.

5. Inland Navigation: Dams facilitate inland water transport by creating navigable water routes.

6. Fish Breeding: The water bodies formed by dams promote fish breeding, benefiting the fishing
industry.

16 Describe the ethnic composition of Belgium and Sri Lanka. Give a brief account of the different
social groups living in both countries.

Ans. Ethnic composition of Belgium

• Belgium has a population of about 1 crore with Dutch, French, and German speaking communities.
• In the Flemish region, 59% people live and they speak Dutch.

• In the Wallonia region, 40% people live and they speak French.
• About 1% of the population speaks German and they live in the east of Belgium.
• In the capital Brussels, 80% speak French and only 20% speak Dutch.
Ethnic composition of Sri Lanka
• The major community is the Sinhala speakers (74%), most of them are Buddhists.
• Tamils make up 18% of the population. They are divided into two subgroups:
• Sri Lankan Tamils (13%) - natives of Sri Lanka.
• Indian Tamils (5%) - whose ancestors came as plantation workers.
• Most Tamils are Hindus or Muslims.
• About 7% are Christians, belonging to both Sinhala and Tamil communities.

17 What are the different forms of power sharing in modern democracies? Give an example of each
of these.
Ans.

1. Power Sharing among the Different Organs of Government (i.e. Horizontal distribution of power)
the system of checks and balances.

2. Power Sharing among Governments at Different Levels (i.e. Vertical distribution of power sharing)
In this form of power sharing, power is shared at the different levels of government.
 3. Power Sharing Among Different Social Groups In a democracy, especially, in multi-ethnic society,
power is also shared among s social such as religious and linguistic groups Community
government.

4. Power Sharing among Political Parties, Pressure Groups and Movements. They form a Coalition
Government and thus share power.

18 What is federalism? Mention some of the features of federalism.

Ans. Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and
various constituent units of the Country.
• There are three levels of government: national, state, and local (panchayats and municipalities).
• The union government can't change the constitution alone; states and local governments must agree.
• Courts explain government decisions and solve disputes between different governments.
• The constitution tells how each government can raise money.
• The federal system helps keep the country united while respecting regional differences.

19 What makes India a federal country?

Ans.

• Three tier of Government.

• State list and Different areas of Jurisdiction (Union list/State list and Concurrent list)

• Some states gave special power, whereas some states are union territories.

• Any Amendment required the majority of two third members of the both the houses, then it has to
be ratified by the legislature of at least half of the total states. Fundamental provisions cannot be
changed unilaterally.

• The judiciary plays an important role in overseeing the implementation of constitutional provisions
and procedures. In case of any dispute about the division of powers, the High Courts and the
Supreme Court make a decision.

20 Describe the steps taken to strengthen local self-governments, by the Constitutional Amendment,
1992.
Ans.
• Holding regular elections under the local government bodies has been made compulsory.
• Reservation of seats for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes was
introduced in the elected bodies.
• One third i.e., 33% of the seats are reserved for women in all elected bodies.
 • An independent institution, called the State Election Commission, was established in each state to
conduct panchayat and municipal election.
• State government is required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies.
21 "What may be development for one may not be development for the other. It may even be
destructive for others." Analyse the statement and give an appropriate example.
OR
How can development for one be destructive for another ? Explain
Ans.
(i) Meaning of Development for Different People: This means that people have different ideas of
development based on their needs and situations. What seems like progress for one group may create
problems or even harm another.
(ii) Example of Different Needs: A landless labourer in a village wants more work and better wages to
support their family. But a rich farmer in the same village wants higher prices for crops. Both want
development, but in different ways.
(iii) One's Gain, Another's Loss: Some development projects, like building a dam, can be helpful for
farmers and industries because they get more water and electricity. But the same dam can force tribal
families to leave their land, losing their homes and way of life.

22 What are the different sectors of economy on the basis of production? How are they
interdependent?
Ans. On the basis of production, sectors of the economy are divided into three main sectors.
I. Primary sector is the sector involving the extraction and harvesting of natural resources. It includes
activities such as agriculture, mining, forestry, and fishing and is also known as the agricultural sector.
II. Secondary sector involves processing and manufacturing of raw materials and transforms them into
finished products. It includes industries such as construction, automotive manufacturing, and textile
production and is also known as the industry sector.
III. Tertiary sector provides services and also supports the other two sectors by offering services to them
that facilitate their production and consumption. It includes transportation, retail, entertainment, healthcare,
finance, and education and is also known as the service sector.

The primary sector provides raw materials, the secondary sector turns them into products, and the
tertiary sector handles their distribution and services. Each sector relies on the others to complete the
economic process, shows the interconnected nature of economic activities.

For example, farmers grow pulses and sugarcane (primary sector), which are processed into dal and sugar
(secondary sector), and then sold through shops and transport (tertiary sector).

23 Why is the tertiary sector becoming more important in India? Explain.

Ans. From 1973 to 2014 Tertiary sector showed tremendous growth and emerged as the largest contributor
of the indian economy.
i) Increase in the basic services such as hospitals, educational institutions, post and telegraph services,
police stations, courts, village administrative offices, municipal corporations, defence, transport, banks,
insurance companies, etc.

ii) Due to the growth of the primary and the secondary sector, the demands of services would increase like
transportation, cold storage facility, ITC etc. This may create jobs and lead to the growth of the tertiary
sector.

iii) Increase in the income of people starts demanding more services like eating out, tourism, shopping,
private hospitals, private schools, professional training etc.