the making of national movement

• People were dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s because:

  • British were controlling the resources of India
  • British were trying to control the lives of the people, hindering India from being for Indians
  • The Arms Act of 1878 prohibited Indians from owning arms
  • The Vernacular Press Act of 1879 aimed to silence critics of the government
  • Furor over the Ilbert Bill in 1883, which proposed trial of British or European persons by Indians and equality between British and Indian judges
• The Indian National Congress aimed to speak for all communities of India, not just one class or community, in the fight for freedom
• The First World War had economic impacts on India such as:

  • Increase in defence expenditure
  • Rise in taxes on individual incomes and business profits
  • Sharp increase in prices due to military expenditure and demands for war supplies
  • Decline in imports into India
  • Business groups making significant profits
• The Muslim League resolution of 1940 asked for "Independent States" for Muslims in the north-western and eastern areas of the country, without mentioning partition or Pakistan
• The Moderates were a group who proposed to struggle against British rule through petitions, meetings, and agitations, aiming to bring about constitutional reforms within the framework of British rule
• Moderates wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of British rule
• Moderates published newspapers, wrote articles, and criticized British rule in speeches
• Moderates sent representatives to different parts of the country to mobilize public support
• Moderates believed that expressing just demands to the British government would lead to acceptance
• Radicals advocated mass mobilization and boycott of British institutions and goods
• Some radicals suggested that "revolutionary violence" would be necessary to overthrow British rule
• Moderates followed the rules, laws, and order posed by the British
• Radicals opposed the "practice of prayers" followed by the Moderates
• Different forms of the Non-Cooperation Movement in India included:

  • Nonviolent campaigns against high land revenue demand in Kheda, Gujarat
  • Picketing of liquor shops in coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu
  • "Forest satyagraha" in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh by tribals and poor peasants
  • Enthusiasm among Muslim traders and peasants in Sind (now in Pakistan) for the Khilafat call
  • Communal unity and strength in Bengal due to the Khilafat-Non-Cooperation alliance
  • Akali agitation in Punjab by Sikhs to remove corrupt mahants from gurdwaras
• People thought of Gandhiji as a messiah who could help them overcome misery and poverty
• Gandhiji chose to break the salt law to relate the general desire for freedom to a specific grievance shared by all, without dividing the rich and the poor
• Key developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan:

  • Two-nation theory
  • Provincial elections of 1937
  • Rift between Congress and Muslim League
  • Failed talks
  • Provincial elections of 1946
  • Mass agitation
  • Partition was finalized and Pakistan was created
• The emergence of nationalism played a significant role in the making of the national movement in India
• The British rule over India in their self-interest led to the armed Revolt of 1857
• Political associations started forming after 1850, including:

  • Puna Sarvajanik Sabha
  • Indian Association
  • The Madras Mahajan Sabha
  • The Bombay Presidency Association
  • The Indian National Congress
• The Arms Act of 1878 prohibited Indians from carrying weapons, causing resentment among Indians
• The Vernacular Press Act of 1878 empowered the government to confiscate newspapers printing against the British government
• The Ilbert Bill of 1883 aimed to remove racial discrimination in the judicial services but was withdrawn due to protests by Europeans
• The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 with the goal of empowering Indians to take decisions regarding their affairs
• The Congress demanded a greater voice for Indians in the government, separation of Judiciary from the executive, repeal of the Arms Act, and freedom of speech and expression
• The Congress raised economic issues such as reduction of land Revenue, cut in military expenditure, and more funds for irrigation
• In 1907, the Congress split into two groups: moderates and extremists, with different approaches to opposing British rule
• The partition of Bengal in 1905 led to the birth of the Swadeshi movement, which boycotted British institutions and goods
• The Khilafat movement and the Non-Cooperation movement were organized to oppose British rule in India
• The Non-Cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi gained momentum in 1921 and 1922, involving various sections of society in the struggle for self-government
• The Government of India Act of 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and led to successful Congress elections in 1937
• The Quit India movement was initiated in August 1942 under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, demanding freedom from British rule
• India became independent on August 15, 1947, but was partitioned into two countries, India and Pakistan