Detailed Timeline of Indian History (1857 - 1947)
1857-1858: Revolt and End of Company Rule
- Also known as the First War of Indian Independence.
- Triggered by the issue of greased cartridges used in Enfield rifles.
- Key leaders: Mangal Pandey (Barrackpore), Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi ki Rani), Tantia Tope (military
strategist), Nana Sahib (Kanpur).
- Delhi became symbolic as Bahadur Shah Zafar was declared Emperor.
- British retaliated brutally; thousands were executed.
- 1858: Queen Victoria's Proclamation ('Doctrine of Divine Providence') promised religious tolerance and
equality before law.
1860s-1880s: Rise of Reform and Early Nationalism
- Raja Ram Mohan Roy: 'Father of Indian Renaissance'.
- Dayananda Saraswati: Gave the slogan 'Back to the Vedas'.
- Syed Ahmed Khan promoted modern education through MAO College (later Aligarh Muslim University).
- Dadabhai Naoroji propounded the 'Drain of Wealth' theory and became the first Indian MP in British
Parliament.
1885: Formation of Indian National Congress
- First session in Bombay under W.C. Bonnerjee.
- Naoroji called it a 'safety valve' for British to contain Indian discontent.
- Moderate phase (1885-1905): relied on petitions, speeches and constitutional means.
1905-1911: Partition of Bengal & Rise of Extremism
- Curzon's Partition of Bengal led to the 'Swadeshi Movement'.
- Slogans: 'Vande Mataram' became a national cry.
- National education promoted: Bengal National College founded.
- Boycott of British goods, bonfires of foreign cloth.
- 1906: Bengal School of Revolutionaries formed; Aurobindo Ghosh emphasized 'Passive Resistance'.
1906: Formation of Muslim League
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Detailed Timeline of Indian History (1857 - 1947)
- Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah and others founded the League in Dacca.
- Later under Jinnah, it called for 'Two-Nation Theory'.
1909: Morley-Minto Reforms
- Minto called himself 'Father of Communal Electorates'.
- Institutionalized religious division in Indian politics.
1914-1918: World War I
- Indian soldiers fought in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.
- Bal Gangadhar Tilak gave the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it' during this period.
1915-1916: Gandhi's Return and Lucknow Pact
- Gandhi returned in 1915; founded Sabarmati Ashram in 1917.
- Lucknow Pact: Hindu-Muslim unity and joint demands from the British.
1919: Rowlatt Act & Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
- Slogan: 'No taxation without representation'.
- Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood.
- Udham Singh avenged the massacre in 1940 by assassinating General O'Dwyer in London.
1920-1922: Non-Cooperation Movement
- Slogans: 'Do not cooperate with evil', 'Non-violence is the weapon of the strong'.
- People returned titles, left schools and colleges.
- Ali brothers led the Khilafat movement alongside Gandhi.
1927-1930: Simon Commission & Purna Swaraj
- Slogan: 'Simon Go Back!'
- 1929 Lahore session of INC: Jawaharlal Nehru hoisted the tricolor on the banks of River Ravi.
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Detailed Timeline of Indian History (1857 - 1947)
1930-1934: Civil Disobedience Movement
- 1930: Gandhi's Dandi March covered 240 miles from Sabarmati to Dandi.
- Gandhi called it a 'salt satyagraha' - protest against unjust salt tax.
- 1932: Ambedkar's demand for separate electorates led to Gandhi's fast unto death.
1935: Government of India Act
- Introduced bicameral legislatures, federal system, and provincial autonomy.
- Basis for the future Constitution of India.
1937: Provincial Elections
- Congress won 7 out of 11 provinces.
- Muslim League started advocating for separate Muslim identity after poor performance.
1939-1942: WWII & Quit India Movement
- Slogans: 'Do or Die', 'Karenge ya Marenge'.
- British arrested almost the entire Congress leadership.
- Underground resistance led by Aruna Asaf Ali, Usha Mehta (ran secret radio).
1940: Lahore Resolution
- Also called 'Pakistan Resolution', adopted by Muslim League under Jinnah.
- Advocated for independent states for Muslims in north-west and north-east India.
1943: Bengal Famine
- Triggered by British denial policies and rice exports during war.
- Noted in Churchill's controversial comment: 'Indians breed like rabbits'.
1945-1946: INA Trials & Naval Mutiny
- 'Lal, Bal, Pal' replaced by new heroes: Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal, Gurbaksh Dhillon.
- Trials held at Red Fort; mass protests erupted across India.
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Detailed Timeline of Indian History (1857 - 1947)
1946: Cabinet Mission Plan Fails
- Congress insisted on strong center; League insisted on separate nation.
- League announced 'Direct Action Day' (Aug 16, 1946); led to communal riots in Calcutta.
1947: Independence & Partition
- Slogan: 'At the stroke of the midnight hour...' (Nehru's speech).
- British Parliament passed Indian Independence Act 1947.
- Cyril Radcliffe drew the boundary in just five weeks.
- Gandhi fasted to stop communal violence in Bengal and Delhi.
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