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Examine the nationalist… (Class 10 Social Science 2026, Q7a)

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 10 · Board exam 2026, set 32/5/1 · 5 marks · Long answer

CBSE Class 10 Social Science 2026: question 7(a)

Set in the CBSE Class 10 board exam of 2026, paper 32/5/1, section A, question 7(a), for 5 marks. Try it first; the hints and our step-by-step solution are below.

Q7(a) · 5 marks · Long answerThe Rise of Nationalism in Europe

Examine the nationalist tensions emerged in the Balkan region by the end of nineteenth century.

Source: official question paper from cbse.gov.in (PDF). See it in the full 2026 board paper, set 32/5/1.

Hints

Open one hint at a time and try again before the next.

Hint 1

Which empire controlled the Balkans, and what happened to it?

Hint 2

What did the Balkan states want from each other?

Hint 3

Which outside powers competed there?

Step-by-step solution

Each step shows the marks it earns, as an examiner would award them. Checked by an independent re-solve from the question paper.

  1. The Balkans were a region of geographical and ethnic variety. It included modern Romania, Bulgaria, Albania and Greece, and its inhabitants were called Slavs.

    1 mark

  2. Much of the region was under the Ottoman Empire. The spread of romantic nationalism and the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire made the situation explosive.

    1 mark

  3. One by one the subject European nationalities broke away and declared independence. The Balkan peoples based their claims on history, arguing that they had once been free but were later subjugated by foreign powers.

    1 mark

  4. As the Slavic groups defined their identity and independence, the region became an area of intense conflict. The Balkan states were jealous of each other, and each hoped to gain more territory.

    1 mark

  5. Big power rivalry (Russia, Germany, England, Austria-Hungary) over trade, colonies and naval and military strength complicated matters. Each wanted to weaken the others' hold on the Balkans. This led to several wars and finally the First World War.

    1 mark

Answer: Ethnic diversity, Ottoman decline, nationalist claims to independence, rivalry among Balkan states and great-power competition made the Balkans explosive and led to the First World War.

Where the marks are

  • Diversity of the region (1 mark)
  • Ottoman control and its disintegration (1 mark)
  • Claims to independence based on history (1 mark)
  • Conflict and jealousy among the Balkan states (1 mark)
  • Great-power rivalry leading to war (1 mark)

Revise the chapter

Practise this chapterBoard-style questions from The Rise of Nationalism in Europe, one at a time, marked against the answer key and marking points.Back to the full paper2026 board paper, set 32/5/1: every question, by section.

The question is transcribed from the official paper; figures are described in words. The solution, hints and chapter tag are ours. Spotted an error? Write tosupport@questionbuddy.in.