Modern Indian History: Indian Freedom Struggle (1857-1947)
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Indian Freedom Struggle — Key Facts for UPTET
Important Events and Years:
| Event | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| First War of Independence | 1857 | Beginning of organized resistance |
| Formation of Indian National Congress | 1885 | Unity of Indian political voices |
| Partition of Bengal | 1905 | Swadeshi movement begins |
| Jallianwala Bagh Massacre | 1919 | 379-1500+ dead, global outrage |
| Non-Cooperation Movement | 1920-1922 | Mass civil disobedience |
| Dandi March | 1930 | Salt Satyagraha |
| Quit India Movement | 1942 | Final mass movement |
| Independence | 1947 | End of British rule |
Key Leaders:
- Mahatma Gandhi: Non-violence, Satyagraha, Civil Disobedience
- Jawaharlal Nehru: Socialist vision, first PM
- Subhas Chandra Bose: Azad Hind Fauz, aggressive nationalism
- Bhagat Singh: Revolutionary martyrdom
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak: “Swaraj is my birthright”
- Mahatma Gandhi’s Tools: Satyagraha, Ahimsa, Khadi, Hindi/Indian languages
⚡ UPTET Exam Tip: Always remember Gandhi’s principle of Ahimsa (Non-violence) was central to all movements. Even revolutionary leaders like Bhagat Singh admired Gandhi initially.
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Indian Freedom Struggle — Detailed Study Guide
The Revolt of 1857 (First War of Independence)
Causes:
- Political: Annexation of princely states (Doctrine of Lapse), loss of sovereignty
- Military: Greased Cartridges (pig fat/cow fat) - soldiers forced to bite cartridges
- Economic: High taxes, destruction of traditional industries
- Social: Widow remarriage, education reform, Christian missionaries
- Administrative: Unpopular land revenue policies (like Zamindari)
Key Figures:
- Mangal Pandey: Sparked the revolt in Barrackpore (March 1857)
- Bahadur Shah Zafar: Last Mughal emperor, proclaimed emperor of India by rebels
- Rani Laxmibai: Queen of Jhansi, fought from fort walls
- Begum Hazrat Mahal: Awadh, led rebellion against British
- Tantia Tope: General of Nana Sahib, continued resistance after 1858
Major Centres: Delhi, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Bareilly, Meerut
Results:
- End of Mughal Empire (Bahadur Shah Zafar exiled to Rangoon)
- British Crown directly takes over (Government of India Act 1858)
- Queen Victoria’s Proclamation (1858) promised equal treatment
- Indian soldiers now called “Indian Army” after Indianization
⚡ UPTET PYQ: “The First War of Independence of 1857 started from: (a) Delhi (b) Lucknow (c) Barrackpore (d) Jhansi” → Answer: (c) Barrackpore (Mangal Pandey’s rebellion)
Indian National Congress (INC) - Early Phase
Foundation (1885):
- Founded by A.O. Hume and W.C. Banerjee
- First session at Bombay (24 December 1885)
- Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee was first president
- 72 delegates attended from all over India
Early Leaders:
- Dadabhai Naoroji (1886, 1893): Published “Poverty and Un-British Rule in India”
- Surendranath Banerjee (1907): “Hindoo” newspaper
- Gopal Krishna Gokhale: Mentor to Gandhi, moderates leader
Moderate Phase (1885-1905):
- Believed in petition, prayers, and patience
- Key demands: Civil service inclusion, legislative assemblies, reduction in taxes
- Lytton Education Commission (1882): Reduced Vernacular education funding
Extremist Phase (1905-1920):
- Partition of Bengal (1905): Curzon divided Bengal (Bengal proper + Assam)
- Swadeshi Movement (1905): Boycott British goods, use Indian
- Burnful and Besant: Annie Besant launched Home Rule Movement (1916)
- Lal-Bal-Pal: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal
⚡ Common Mistake: Don’t confuse “Swadeshi” (using Indian goods) with “Swatantra” (independence). Swadeshi was part of the larger self-rule movement.
Mahatma Gandhi’s Movement
Gandhi’s Return (1915):
- Returned from South Africa after 21 years
- Champaran Satyagraha (1917): Tobacco farmers in Bihar
- Kheda Satyagraha (1918): Farmers unable to pay revenue
- Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918): Textile workers strike for bonus
Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922):
- Adopted at Calcutta Congress (1920)
- Boycott of British titles, schools, courts, cloth
- Chauri Chaura Incident (1922): 22 police killed, Gandhi withdrew movement
- Khadi and Village Industries: A.B. Lajpat Rai promoted
Salt March / Dandi March (1930):
- 388 km march from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi
- Made salt from seawater (broke monopoly)
- 60,000 arrested including Gandhi
- International media attention
Quit India Movement (1942):
- “Do or Die”: Gandhi’s call on 8 August 1942
- Arrest of all Congress leaders
- Ration shops, railway stations attacked
- 940 killed in police firing (Railway users attacked)
⚡ UPTET PYQ: “The famous Dandi March was led by Mahatma Gandhi in: (a) 1930 (b) 1931 (c) 1922 (d) 1942” → Answer: (a) 1930
Revolutionary Movements
Bhagat Singh (1907-1931):
- Born in Lyallpur (now Pakistan)
- Involved in: Lahore Conspiracy Case, Saunders Killing (1929)
- Hanging on 23 March 1931 (also 7th anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh)
- “Inquilab Zindabad” slogan popularized
Other Revolutionaries:
- Udham Singh: Killed Michael O’Dwyer (Jallianwala Bagh connection) in 1940
- Ashfaque Ullah: Killed officer responsible for biased trials
- Madan Lal Dhingra: Killed Sir William Curzon Wyllie (1909)
- Barin Ghosh: Anushilan Samiti, bomb making
Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA):
- Founded by Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Raj Guru
- Kakori Train Robbery (1925)
- Manifesto: Complete independence, socialist state
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Indian Freedom Struggle — Complete Notes for UPTET
Important Acts and Commissions
| Act/Commission | Year | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Government of India Act | 1858 | Crown rule, Queen Victoria’s proclamation |
| Ilbert Bill | 1883 | Indian judges could try British criminals (withdrawn) |
| Government of India Act | 1892 | Legislative councils expanded |
| Partition of Bengal | 1905 | Curzon’s division (reversed 1911) |
| Morley-Minto Reforms | 1909 | Separate electorates for Muslims |
| Government of India Act | 1919 | Dyarchy, bicameral legislature |
| Simon Commission | 1927 | All-white commission, boycotted |
| Government of India Act | 1935 | Provincial autonomy, federal structure |
| Indian Independence Act | 1947 | Partition, two dominions created |
Important Congress Sessions
| Session | Year | President | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bombay | 1885 | W.C. Banerjee | First session |
| Calcutta | 1906 | Dadabhai Naoroji | First use of “Swaraj” |
| Lucknow | 1916 | Ambika Chakravarty | Congress-Secret Muslim League Lucknow Pact |
| Calcutta | 1920 | Lala Lajpat Rai | Non-Cooperation adopted |
| Nagpur | 1920 | C. Vijayaraghavachariar | Final adoption of Non-Cooperation |
| Lahore | 1929 | Jawaharlal Nehru | Complete independence resolved |
| Tripuri | 1937 | Subhas Chandra Bose | Controversial election as president |
Muslim League and Partition
All India Muslim League (1906):
- Founded at Dhaka
- Nawab Salimullah Khan was first president
- Initial demand: Separate electorates for Muslims
Key Events:
- Lucknow Pact (1916): Congress and Muslim League together
- 14 Points of Jinnah (1929): Federal system, separate electorates
- Pakistan Resolution (1940): Lahore Resolution - two-nation theory
- Direct Action Day (1946): Calcutta killing, Great Calcutta Killings
- Mountbatten Plan (1947): Partition of India
⚡ UPTET PYQ: “The demand for Pakistan was first made in: (a) 1940 (b) 1942 (c) 1947 (d) 1930” → Answer: (a) 1940 (Lahore Resolution)
Role of Women in Freedom Struggle
Prominent Women:
- Sarojini Naidu: Nightingale of India, Gandhi’s disciple, first woman Governor of UP
- Annie Besant: Irish-born, Home Rule Movement, first woman president of INC (1917)
- Kasturba Gandhi: Wife of Gandhi, social work,多次 arrested
- Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit: Resigned from UP Legislative Council, later diplomat
- Aruna Asaf Ali: Quit India Movement, hoisted flag in Bombay (1942)
Organizations:
- All India Women’s Conference (1927): Founded by Margaret Cousins
- Bharatiya Stree Shakti: Women’s wing
Constitutional Development
Key Documents:
- Indian National Congress (1885): DEMAND for self-government
- Morley-Minto Reforms (1909): Minto-Morley reforms
- Lucknow Pact (1916): Congress-League agreement
- Nehru Report (1928): Constitutional framework by Motilal Nehru
- Simon Commission (1927): All-white, boycotted
- Poona Pact (1932): Gandhi-Ambedkar agreement on reserved seats
- Cabinet Mission Plan (1946): Interim government
- Indian Independence Act (1947): Mountbatten Plan, partition
⚡ Important: Poona Pact (1932) was between Gandhi and Ambedkar - agreed on joint electorates with reserved seats for depressed classes (Harijans).
Quit India Movement - Detailed
Background:
- Failure of Cripp’s Mission (1942)
- Chandra Bose’s escape (1941) to Germany/ Japan
- War situation - British needed Indian support
Gandhi’s Speech (August 8, 1942):
- “Do or Die”
- “We shall either be free or die”
- Not a violent call but non-violent mass movement
Aftermath:
- All leaders arrested (Gandhi, Patel, Nehru, etc.)
- Massive protests across India
- 940 killed in police firing (August 1942 - December 1942)
- 26,000 arrested
- Government control through martial law
Rin (1946):
- Royal Indian Navy Mutiny (1946)
- 20,000 ratings participated
- Bombay, Karachi, Calcutta ports affected
- Immediate demands: Better pay, demobilization
- Eventually suppressed but showed Indian Army’s loyalty questioned
⚡ Key for Exam: Remember the chronological sequence: 1857 (First War) → 1885 (INC) → 1905 (Partition Bengal) → 1919 (Jallianwala Bagh) → 1920 (Non-Cooperation) → 1930 (Salt March) → 1942 (Quit India) → 1947 (Independence)
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