SHORT QUESTIONS

Nelson Mandela was kept in the prison –  Robben Island 

Nelson Mandela was fighting against a racial discrimination called –  Apartheid

Who was the Education Minister in the first union cabinet? –  Abdul Kalam

Who was the Finance Minister in the first Union Cabinet? – T. Krishnamachari

Who integrated the Indian Princely states?  –  Sardar Patel  

When did the constitution of India come into effect? – 26 January 1950

Who is known as ‘Father of Indian Constitution’?-  B. R. Ambedkar 

What do you know about The Long Walk to Freedom’? –  An autobiography of Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life imprisonment in the year …..  Answer: 1964. 
 
African National Congress was the prominent political party of ………….Answer:  South Africa

On …………… Africa got its freedom. Answer: 26 April, 1994

Constitution of Africa was designed in …………… years. -Answer:  4

……………. is known as the supreme law of country.  Answer: Constitution

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

1.Who was Nelson Mandela?
Answer:  He was a nationalist leader of South Africa, who fought against racial discrimination.

2. For whom was the apartheid system particularly oppressive?
Answer: 
The apartheid system was particularly oppressive for the blacks. They were forbidden from living in white areas.

3. Highlight any one similarity between the story of South African struggle for freedom and the Indian national Movement.
Answer: 
Both the movements were against the whites of Europe who had come to these countries as trading companies.

4. How had the Socialist revolution in Russia inspired the makers of the Indian constitution?
Answer: 

The Socialist revolution in Russia had inspired them to think of shaping a system based on social and economic equality.

5. Mention the landmark years in the making of the Indian constitution.
Answer:

  1. As far back as 1928, Motilal Nehru and eight other Congress leaders drafted a constitution for India.
  2. In 1931, at the Karachi Session of Indian National Congress leaders pondered what India’s constitution should be like. Elections held in 1937 to provincial Legislatures and ministers all over British India.
  3. It was beneficial for Indians to gain experience.
  4. That is why Indian Constitution adopted many institutional details from colonial laws like the Government of India Act 1935. 

6. Define constituent assembly.
Answer: 

  1. The drafting of the document called the constitution was done by an assembly of elected representatives called the constituent Assembly.
  2. Elections of the constituent assembly were held in July 1946, its first meeting was held in December 1946.

7. Highlight Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to the constitution of India.
Answer: 

  1. However, Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of constituent assembly but his vision was followed by many members.
  2. Years ago he wrote his magazine Young India that our constitution should release India from all thralldom and patronage.
  3. He thought India is country where the people of all communities would live in perfect harmony, political equality will prevail.
  4. Women will have same rights as men and their will be no place for untouchability.

8. What is the preamble of the constitution? What is the significance of ‘We the people of India’?
Answer: 
It is an introductory part of the constitution. It contains all the values that laid foundation of India’s democracy and soul of Constitution. It is called the key to the constitution. “We the people of India” means the constitution has been drawn up and enacted by the people through their representatives. .

9. What is constitution? What is its importance? ‘
Answer:
The constitution of country is a set of written rules that are accepted by all the people living together in the country. The constitution is the supreme law that determines the relationship among the people living in a territory and also the relationship between the people and government.
Importance of the constitution:

  1. Trust and cooperation: The constitution generates a degree of trust . cooperation that is necessary for different kinds of people to live together.
  2. Formation of government: It specifies how the government will be constituted, who will have the power to take which decision.
  3. Determination of rights: It lays down the limits on the powers of the government and tells us what the rights of the citizens are.
  4. (iv) Fxpression of people’s aspirations: It expresses the aspirations of the people about creating a good society.

10. Which four ideals have been emphasised in the Preamble to the
Constitution of India?
Answer:
Ideal in the constitution: The following ideals have been emphasized in the
Preamble to the Indian Constitution.-

(i) Justice:
The preamble states that the people of India adopt this constitution to provide social, political and economic justice to all citizens of India. This means that Indian citizens will not be discriminated against on the basis of caste, religion and gender.

(ii) Freedom: The preamble states that citizens will be provided freedom of thought, expression, belief, religion and worship.

(iii) Equality:
The Preamble to the Constitution lays emphasis on providing dignity and equality of opportunity to the citizens. This means that all are equal before the law; The government will not make any discrimination laws

(iv) Fraternity:
The Preamble emphasises increasing fraternity among citizens, i.e. the Preamble states that the Constitution will try to increase fraternity among the citizens of India. The constitution will treat all citizens as members
of one family. No citizen shall treat his fellow citizen with inferiority.