❴POLITICAL SCIENCE❵
Ch-2 Constitutional Design
Q. Define the following terms
Ans.
1. Apartheid: The official policy of racial separation and ill treatment of
blacks followed by the government of South Africa between 1948 and
1989.
2. Clause: A distinct section of a document.
3. Constituent Assembly: An assembly of people's representatives that
writes a constitution for a country.
4. Constitution: Supreme law of a country, containing fundamental rules
governing the politics and society in a country.
5. Constitutional amendment: A change in the constitution made by the
supreme legislative body in a country.
6. Draft: A preliminary version of a legal document.
7. Philosophy: The most fundamental principles underlying one's thoughts
and actions.
8. Preamble: An introductory statement in a constitution which states the
reasons and guiding values of the constitution.
9. Treason: The offence of attempting to overthrow the government of the
state to which the offender owes allegiance.
10. Tryst: A meeting or meeting place that has been agreed upon.
Q1. Who were called the blacks in South Africa?
Ans. The natives of South Africa are black in colour, they make up for about
three-fourth of the population and are called blacks.
Q2. Which group of people in South Africa were classified as coloured?
Ans. People of mixed races were classified as 'coloured'.
Q3. What does segregation mean in South Africa?
Ans. Segregation means a practice when trains, buses, taxis, hotels,
hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls, theatres, beaches,
swimming pools were all separate for the whites and the blacks in South
Africa.
, Q4. What treatment was given to the blacks?
Ans. The blacks could not even visit the churches where the whites
worshipped and could not form associations or protest against the terrible
treatment meted out to them.
Q5. How did apartheid end in South Africa?
Ans. As protests and struggles against apartheid increased the government
realised that they could no longer keep the blacks under their rule through
repression. Finally, at midnight of 26th April 1994, South Africa got freedom
from apartheid.
Q6. Why is the constitution considered as a supreme law?
Ans. It is the supreme law as it determines the relationship among people
living in a territory (called citizens) and the relationship between the people
and government.
Q7. Who firstly drafted the constitution for India?
Ans. In 1928, Motilal Nehru and eight other Congress leaders drafted a
constitution for India.
Q8. Why did the constitution come into effect on 26th January 1950?
Ans. The constitution came into effect on 26th January 1950, because the
constitution makers wanted to give importance to the date 26' January as
Jawaharlal Nehru declared Independence Day of India on 26h January.
Q9. Which political party dominated the assembly?
Ans. The Indian National Congress dominated the assembly. The INC led
India's freedom struggle.
Q10. How did the Constituent Assembly work?
Ans. The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual
manner.
Q11. What was the first task of the Drafting Committee? Who was its
chairman?
Ans. The Drafting Committee firstly prepared a draft of the constitution for
discussion. Its chairman was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Q12. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
Ch-2 Constitutional Design
Q. Define the following terms
Ans.
1. Apartheid: The official policy of racial separation and ill treatment of
blacks followed by the government of South Africa between 1948 and
1989.
2. Clause: A distinct section of a document.
3. Constituent Assembly: An assembly of people's representatives that
writes a constitution for a country.
4. Constitution: Supreme law of a country, containing fundamental rules
governing the politics and society in a country.
5. Constitutional amendment: A change in the constitution made by the
supreme legislative body in a country.
6. Draft: A preliminary version of a legal document.
7. Philosophy: The most fundamental principles underlying one's thoughts
and actions.
8. Preamble: An introductory statement in a constitution which states the
reasons and guiding values of the constitution.
9. Treason: The offence of attempting to overthrow the government of the
state to which the offender owes allegiance.
10. Tryst: A meeting or meeting place that has been agreed upon.
Q1. Who were called the blacks in South Africa?
Ans. The natives of South Africa are black in colour, they make up for about
three-fourth of the population and are called blacks.
Q2. Which group of people in South Africa were classified as coloured?
Ans. People of mixed races were classified as 'coloured'.
Q3. What does segregation mean in South Africa?
Ans. Segregation means a practice when trains, buses, taxis, hotels,
hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls, theatres, beaches,
swimming pools were all separate for the whites and the blacks in South
Africa.
, Q4. What treatment was given to the blacks?
Ans. The blacks could not even visit the churches where the whites
worshipped and could not form associations or protest against the terrible
treatment meted out to them.
Q5. How did apartheid end in South Africa?
Ans. As protests and struggles against apartheid increased the government
realised that they could no longer keep the blacks under their rule through
repression. Finally, at midnight of 26th April 1994, South Africa got freedom
from apartheid.
Q6. Why is the constitution considered as a supreme law?
Ans. It is the supreme law as it determines the relationship among people
living in a territory (called citizens) and the relationship between the people
and government.
Q7. Who firstly drafted the constitution for India?
Ans. In 1928, Motilal Nehru and eight other Congress leaders drafted a
constitution for India.
Q8. Why did the constitution come into effect on 26th January 1950?
Ans. The constitution came into effect on 26th January 1950, because the
constitution makers wanted to give importance to the date 26' January as
Jawaharlal Nehru declared Independence Day of India on 26h January.
Q9. Which political party dominated the assembly?
Ans. The Indian National Congress dominated the assembly. The INC led
India's freedom struggle.
Q10. How did the Constituent Assembly work?
Ans. The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual
manner.
Q11. What was the first task of the Drafting Committee? Who was its
chairman?
Ans. The Drafting Committee firstly prepared a draft of the constitution for
discussion. Its chairman was Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
Q12. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly.
