Board Examination — Class X
Social Science — History
The Rise of Nationalism in Europe
Chapter 1 — India and the Contemporary World – II
General Instructions
- This question paper has five sections (A – E). All questions are compulsory.
- Section A: Q.1–20 are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) carrying 1 mark each.
- Section B: Q.21–24 are Short Answer questions carrying 3 marks each. Answer in 60–80 words.
- Section C: Q.25–27 are Long Answer questions carrying 5 marks each. Answer in 100–120 words.
- Section D: Q.28–30 are Source-Based questions carrying 4 marks each.
- Section E: Q.31 is a Map-Based question carrying 5 marks.
- There is no overall choice. Internal choices are provided in some questions; attempt any one.
- Write neatly and number your answers correctly.
Section A — Multiple Choice Questions
Choose the most appropriate answer
20 × 1 = 20 Marks
1.
Which French artist created a series of four prints in 1848 visualising his dream of a world made up of democratic and social republics?
[1]
2.
Ernst Renan described the existence of a nation as ‘a daily ________’ — something renewed every day by its citizens.
[1]
3.
The Civil Code of 1804, also known as the Napoleonic Code, did NOT include which of the following?
[1]
4.
Which statesman hosted the Congress of Vienna in 1815 and later described Mazzini as ‘the most dangerous enemy of our social order’?
[1]
5.
Giuseppe Mazzini founded which secret revolutionary society in Marseilles to spread the cause of nationalism across Europe?
[1]
6.
In Sorrieu’s 1848 allegorical print, which two countries led the procession of nations because they were already established nation-states at that time?
[1]
7.
What term did German philosopher Herder use to describe the ‘spirit of a people’ expressed through folk songs, folk poetry, and folk dances?
[1]
8.
The Zollverein, a customs union formed by Prussia in 1834, achieved which of the following for the German states?
[1]
9.
At the Frankfurt Parliament of 1848, women nationalists were allowed to participate in what capacity?
[1]
10.
Why did Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia reject the crown offered to him by the Frankfurt Parliament in 1848?
[1]
11.
Otto von Bismarck unified Germany primarily through what strategy, which he famously described in an 1862 speech?
[1]
12.
The German Emperor was proclaimed on 18 January 1871. Where did this ceremony take place?
[1]
13.
Of the seven states of Italy in the mid-19th century, which was the ONLY one ruled by an Italian princely house before unification?
[1]
14.
What was the name of Garibaldi’s famous military expedition of 1860 that helped bring about Italian unification?
[1]
15.
The female allegory of the French nation, symbolising Liberty and the Republic, was named:
[1]
16.
After Russia suppressed the Polish uprising, Polish priests used which language for religious instruction as an act of national resistance?
[1]
17.
The Assertion-Reason question below refers to the Habsburg Empire. Choose the correct option.
[1]
Assertion (A): The Habsburg Empire ruled over diverse peoples who had no sense of shared collective identity.
Reason (R): The empire was a patchwork of many regions with different languages, ethnicities, and customs, unified only by loyalty to the monarch.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
18.
The Greek war of independence began in 1821. Which treaty formally recognised Greece as an independent nation?
[1]
19.
The Napoleonic Code, despite its progressive features, reduced women to the status of a:
[1]
20.
After 1871, nationalism in Europe increasingly became associated with which dangerous tendency that ultimately contributed to the First World War?
[1]
Section B — Short Answer Questions
Answer in 60–80 words each
4 × 3 = 12 Marks
21.
Explain the role of the French Revolution in spreading the idea of nationalism across Europe. What new symbols, laws, and practices did it introduce?
[3]
22.
How did Romantic artists, poets, and musicians contribute to the growth of nationalist feeling in Europe? Give at least two specific examples.
[3]
23.
Describe the role of Louise Otto-Peters in the 1848 revolution. Why is her contribution considered significant in the history of nationalism?
[3]
24.
What was the Congress of Vienna (1815)? What were its two main objectives, and how did it try to achieve them?
[3]
Section C — Long Answer Questions
Answer in 100–120 words. Internal choices provided.
3 × 5 = 15 Marks
25.
Describe the process of unification of Germany. What role did Otto von Bismarck play? How did this unification differ from earlier liberal nationalist attempts such as the Frankfurt Parliament?
[5]
— OR —
Describe the process of unification of Italy. What were the contributions of Mazzini, Cavour, and Garibaldi? How did their approaches differ from each other?
26.
Napoleon Bonaparte has been described as both a liberator and an oppressor. Examine this statement with reference to his impact on Europe. Give at least three points for each view.
[5]
27.
Explain the idea of a ‘nation-state’ as understood in the 19th century. How did the concepts introduced by the French Revolution help create a new model of society and state? Refer to the ideas of la patrie, le citoyen, and the Tricolour in your answer.
[5]
— OR —
Describe the 1848 revolutions in Europe. Why did they ultimately fail? What lessons did nationalist leaders learn from these failures that they applied in later successful unifications?
Section D — Source-Based Questions
Read the passages and answer the sub-questions
3 × 4 = 12 Marks
28.
Read the following source and answer the sub-questions that follow:
[4]
“What is a nation? A soul, a spiritual principle. Two things, which in truth are but one, constitute this soul or spiritual principle. One lies in the past, one in the present. One is the possession in common of a rich legacy of memories; the other is present-day consent, the desire to live together, the will to perpetuate the value of the heritage that one has received in an undivided form. … A nation’s existence is, if you will pardon the metaphor, a daily plebiscite, just as an individual’s existence is a perpetual affirmation of life.”
— Ernst Renan, Qu’est-ce qu’une nation? (What is a Nation?), 1882
(i)
According to Renan, what are the two elements that constitute the ‘soul’ of a nation? Explain in your own words.
[1]
(ii)
What does Renan mean by calling a nation’s existence ‘a daily plebiscite’? How is this different from defining a nation by race or language?
[2]
(iii)
How does this idea of nationhood challenge the conservative view that nations are defined by birth, bloodline, or royal dynasty?
[1]
29.
Read the following source and answer the sub-questions that follow:
[4]
“The new political order set in motion by the Napoleonic Code swept away the cobwebs of the old regime. Peasants, artisans, workers and new businessmen could breathe the heady air of freedom. But the same Napoleonic armies also plundered the countries they conquered, exacting tributes and financing French armies. What started as a liberating force turned into a colonial power, fuelling resentment and resistance among the very people it sought to liberate.”
— Adapted from NCERT History Textbook, Class X, Chapter 1
(i)
Name any two positive changes the Napoleonic Code brought to conquered territories in Europe.
[1]
(ii)
What does the passage mean by saying Napoleon’s armies turned from ‘a liberating force’ into ‘a colonial power’? Give one specific example.
[2]
(iii)
How did this contradiction in Napoleon’s role eventually help nationalist movements in countries like Germany and Spain?
[1]
30.
Read the following source and answer the sub-questions that follow:
[4]
“After 1848, nationalism in Europe moved away from its earlier association with democracy and revolution. Conservatives now adopted nationalist rhetoric to consolidate state power. In the hands of Bismarck, nationalism became a tool of Prussian dominance rather than of people’s liberation. By the 1870s, nationalist movements had shed their liberal and humanistic content. Aligned with imperialism and chauvinism, nationalism by the end of the nineteenth century led to a competition between European powers that would eventually erupt into the First World War.”
— Adapted from NCERT History Textbook, Class X, Chapter 1
(i)
What shift in nationalism does this passage describe after 1848? In what direction did it move?
[1]
(ii)
How did Bismarck use nationalism differently from earlier liberal nationalists like Mazzini? Explain with reference to the passage.
[2]
(iii)
Name one consequence of aggressive nationalism described in this passage.
[1]
Section E — Map-Based Question
Identify and locate features on the outline map of Europe
5 Marks
31.
On the outline map of Europe provided to you, locate and label the following. Also attach the map to your answer sheet.
[5]
Locate and Label the following (1 mark each):
(a)
The country where the Frankfurt Parliament was held in 1848 — label it Germany
(b)
The city and country where Kaiser Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor in 1871 — Versailles, France
(c)
The country whose independence in 1821 galvanised European nationalist movements — label it Greece
(d)
The country that was unified in 1861 with Victor Emmanuel II as its first king — label it Italy
(e)
The country where the Congress of Vienna was held in 1815 — label it Austria
Marks Distribution Summary
| Section | Type of Questions | No. of Questions | Marks Each | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| B | Short Answer Questions | 4 | 3 | 12 |
| C | Long Answer Questions (with OR) | 3 | 5 | 15 |
| D | Source-Based Questions | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| E | Map-Based Question | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Grand Total | 64 Marks | |||
* Note: Section C includes internal OR choices; only one option per question is attempted. Total = 20+12+15+12+5 = 64 marks attempted. Internal bonus question Q.16 (map additional): Total = 64. Full marks = 80 includes 16 marks buffer for the OR choices and full-length answers.
✍ Answer Key & Marking Scheme
Rise of Nationalism in Europe — Class X History — 80 Marks
For Examiner’s Use Only — Do Not Distribute to Students
Section A — MCQ Answer Key (20 × 1 = 20 Marks)
Q.1
ANS(b) Frédéric Sorrieu
Q.2
ANS(c) Plebiscite
Q.3
ANS(c) Universal women’s suffrage
Q.4
ANS(b) Duke Metternich
Q.5
ANS(b) Young Italy
Q.6
ANS(c) United States and Switzerland
Q.7
ANS(a) Volksgeist
Q.8
ANS(b) Abolished tariff barriers
Q.9
ANS(c) Observers in gallery
Q.10
ANS(b) Preferred absolute authority
Q.11
ANS(c) ‘Blood and Iron’
Q.12
ANS(c) Hall of Mirrors, Versailles
Q.13
ANS(d) Sardinia-Piedmont
Q.14
ANS(b) Expedition of the Thousand
Q.15
ANS(c) Marianne
Q.16
ANS(c) Polish
Q.17
ANS(a) Both A and R true; R explains A
Q.18
ANS(b) Treaty of Constantinople (1832)
Q.19
ANS(b) Minor, subject to fathers & husbands
Q.20
ANS(c) Narrow aggression and imperialism
Section B — Short Answer Key (4 × 3 = 12 Marks)
Q.21
[3 marks]
French Revolution and Nationalism:
- New ideas: The Revolution introduced concepts of la patrie (the fatherland) and le citoyen (citizen) — replacing loyalty to a king with loyalty to the nation. (1 mark)
- New symbols and laws: A new Tricolour replaced the royal standard. The National Assembly was created as the representative body of French citizens. Hymns, oaths, and standardised weights & measures promoted a shared national identity. (1 mark)
- Spread to Europe: French armies carried these ideas across Europe as they conquered new territories, inspiring other peoples to think in terms of national identity and self-rule. (1 mark)
Award 1 mark for each correct point. Accept any relevant, well-explained idea.
Q.22
[3 marks]
Romanticism and Nationalism:
- What Romantics did: Romantic artists rejected dry reason and science in favour of emotion, intuition, and folk culture. They emphasised language, folk songs, and shared history as the true bonds of nationhood. (1 mark)
- Example 1 — Grimm Brothers: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected German folktales for six years to preserve authentic German cultural spirit against French dominance. (1 mark)
- Example 2 — Polish Language: Karol Kurpiński celebrated the Polish national struggle through operas and symphonies. Polish priests used the language in church after Russia banned it in schools. (1 mark)
Accept other valid examples: Herder’s volksgeist, Greek poetry revival, etc.
Q.23
[3 marks]
Louise Otto-Peters and Women’s Nationalism:
- Who she was: A feminist political activist who actively participated in the 1848 revolutionary movements in German states. (1 mark)
- What she did: Founded a women’s political journal in 1849 (first issue 21 April 1849) and later founded the General German Women’s Association, protesting women’s exclusion from the Frankfurt Parliament. (1 mark)
- Significance: She highlighted that nationalism as practised in 1848 excluded women — who could only observe from the gallery, not vote. Her work exposed the contradiction between the universal ideals of nationalism and their gendered practice. (1 mark)
Q.24
[3 marks]
Congress of Vienna (1815):
- What it was: A meeting held in 1815 hosted by Austrian statesman Duke Metternich, attended by Britain, Russia, Prussia, and Austria, to redraw the map of Europe after Napoleon’s defeat. (1 mark)
- Objective 1 — Restore monarchies: It sought to undo the changes made by Napoleon and restore conservative, monarchical rule across Europe. Bourbon kings were placed back on French and Spanish thrones. (1 mark)
- Objective 2 — Balance of power: It tried to prevent any single nation from dominating Europe and used a conservative ‘balance of power’ strategy, including a new German Confederation of 39 states. (1 mark)
Section C — Long Answer Key (3 × 5 = 15 Marks)
Q.25
[5 marks]
Option A: Unification of Germany
- Background: After the failure of the Frankfurt Parliament (1848), it was clear liberal nationalism alone could not unify Germany. Prussia took the lead. (1 mark)
- Bismarck’s strategy: Prussian chief minister Otto von Bismarck pursued ‘Blood and Iron’ — military power and strategic diplomacy rather than popular revolution. (1 mark)
- Three wars: Prussia fought and won wars against Denmark (1864), Austria (1866), and France (1870–71). Each war extended Prussian dominance and added territory. (1 mark)
- Proclamation: On 18 January 1871, in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles, Kaiser Wilhelm I was proclaimed German Emperor, completing unification. (1 mark)
- Contrast with Frankfurt: The Frankfurt Parliament (1848) was a democratic, liberal effort by elected representatives that failed because the Prussian king rejected its crown. Bismarck’s approach was top-down, conservative, and militaristic — it succeeded precisely because it used state power rather than popular idealism. (1 mark)
Option B — Unification of Italy: Mazzini (idealism, Young Italy, revolutionary vision), Cavour (diplomatic alliances with France, 1859 war against Austria), Garibaldi (Expedition of the Thousand, 1860, popular military campaign) — award 1 mark per figure + 1 mark for contrast in approach + 1 mark for timeline/completion (1861–1870). Victor Emmanuel II proclaimed king in 1861.
Q.26
[5 marks]
Napoleon: Liberator and Oppressor
- As Liberator (any 3 — 1.5 marks):
- Abolished feudal privileges and serfdom in conquered territories.
- Introduced the Civil Code: equality before the law, secured property rights.
- Standardised weights and measures; improved administration.
- Peasants, artisans, and new businessmen gained freedom from birth-based restrictions.
- As Oppressor (any 3 — 1.5 marks):
- Raised taxes and conscripted local men into French armies.
- Censored press and restricted civil liberties.
- Plundered conquered countries to finance French military campaigns.
- Imposed French cultural dominance; suppressed local national cultures.
- Conclusion (2 marks): Napoleon’s contradictions actually strengthened nationalism — both by spreading revolutionary ideals AND by provoking resistance. The resentment he created in Germany, Spain, and Italy helped fuel the very nationalist movements that would later reshape Europe. (2 marks for nuanced conclusion)
Q.27
[5 marks]
Option A: Nation-State, French Revolution, and New Model of Society
- Nation-state: A political unit where the majority share a common identity — culture, history, language — and citizens’ loyalty belongs to the nation, not just the monarch. (1 mark)
- La patrie: ‘The fatherland’ — an emotional and political attachment to one’s nation as a homeland, replacing personal loyalty to a king. Citizens felt they belonged to France as a collective. (1 mark)
- Le citoyen: ‘The citizen’ replaced the ‘subject.’ Citizens had rights and duties. The National Assembly represented the sovereign will of citizens. (1 mark)
- The Tricolour: The blue-white-red flag replaced the royal Bourbon standard, symbolising that the nation, not the king, was the source of sovereignty and identity. (1 mark)
- New model: Together these concepts created a society where people were bound by shared values and democratic participation rather than birth and dynasty — a revolutionary change. (1 mark)
Option B — 1848 Revolutions: Context (food shortages, unemployment) + events (Vienna, Berlin, Italy, Hungary) + failure (rulers reasserted power, middle class feared working class) + lessons (need for realpolitik, state power, military — Bismarck and Cavour learned this) — award 1 mark per clear point. Total 5 marks.
Section D — Source-Based Answer Key (3 × 4 = 12 Marks)
Q.28
[4 marks]
Source: Ernst Renan on Nationhood
- (i) [1 mark]: Renan identifies two elements: (1) shared past — a common legacy of memories and historical experiences; (2) present will — the desire to live together and perpetuate that heritage. The past provides roots; the present provides active consent.
- (ii) [2 marks]: A ‘daily plebiscite’ means nationhood is not a fixed, permanent thing defined by birth or race — it is a living agreement, renewed daily by people’s choice to identify with each other. Unlike racial/language definitions (which are involuntary and biological), Renan’s definition is voluntary and based on will. (1 mark per distinction, up to 2 marks)
- (iii) [1 mark]: Conservative view held that nations were dynasties — defined by royal bloodlines and inherited territory. Renan’s view challenges this by making the nation a democratic, voluntary community — kings do not create nations; people’s shared will does.
Q.29
[4 marks]
Source: Napoleon — Liberator or Conqueror?
- (i) [1 mark]: Any two of: abolished feudal system / established equality before law / secured right to property / freed peasants and artisans from serfdom / standardised legal and administrative systems.
- (ii) [2 marks]: ‘Liberating force to colonial power’ means French armies that initially freed people from feudal oppression then began exploiting them — taxing them, conscripting men into French armies, and plundering resources. Example: In Spain and Germany, heavy taxes and forced conscription turned initial welcome into fierce resentment and armed resistance (e.g., the Peninsular War in Spain). (1 mark for explanation + 1 for example)
- (iii) [1 mark]: Resentment of French dominance made people in Germany and Spain feel a shared identity against a common enemy. This anti-French resistance actually strengthened nationalist sentiment, as people began organising around shared language, culture, and history to throw off French rule.
Q.30
[4 marks]
Source: Nationalism after 1848
- (i) [1 mark]: Post-1848, nationalism moved away from democracy and popular revolution. Conservatives adopted it as a tool for state power. It became associated with aggression, militarism, and imperialism rather than liberty and self-determination.
- (ii) [2 marks]: Mazzini used nationalism as a democratic, people-centred movement to create a free republic through popular will. Bismarck used nationalism as a state instrument — using Prussian military power and diplomatic manipulation to unify Germany under Prussian dominance. He was not interested in a democratic republic but in Prussian/German state power. (1 mark per contrast)
- (iii) [1 mark]: Any one: competition between European powers / European imperialism and colonial rivalry / the arms race / the Balkan crises / ultimately the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.
Section E — Map Question Key (5 Marks)
Q.31
[5 marks]
Map Identification — 1 mark each:
- (a) Germany — Central Europe; the Frankfurt Parliament met at the Church of St Paul, Frankfurt, in 1848. Award mark for correctly labelling the German states region.
- (b) Versailles, France — Near Paris, in northwest France. The Hall of Mirrors ceremony on 18 January 1871 proclaimed Kaiser Wilhelm I.
- (c) Greece — Southeastern Europe / Balkan peninsula. The Greek war of independence began in 1821; independence recognised by Treaty of Constantinople in 1832.
- (d) Italy — Southern European peninsula / boot-shaped. United as Kingdom of Italy in 1861 under Victor Emmanuel II; completed by 1870.
- (e) Austria — Central Europe (Vienna). Congress of Vienna held here in 1815 under Metternich’s leadership.
Award 1 mark per correctly located and labelled feature. Do not deduct for minor spelling variations in labels. Partial credit may be given if location is correct but label is incomplete.
Examiner’s Note: For Section C (Long Answers), award marks holistically. A student who demonstrates clear understanding of concepts, uses appropriate historical terminology, gives accurate examples, and writes coherently should receive full marks even if every sub-point listed above is not covered verbatim. Deduct ½ mark for every factual error. Do not deduct marks for language errors unless they render the answer incomprehensible. Reward original analysis and critical thinking with full marks.
