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11. THE MAKING OF NATIONAL

MOVEMENT: 1870-1947
Class 8th: History
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Rise of British Rule (1750-1860) led to

Emergence of Nationalism
• Within around 110 years, the British took control of almost
every aspect of life in India. Many Indians began to feel
that the British control had to end to make India the
country for Indians.
• Main bases were at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay
• Complete military conquests by 1850s
• Many Indian princes remain
nominal rulers under Britishers
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What were the effects of British rule before Freedom

Movement started
• The British conquest of territories, and takeover of kingdoms.

• They have introduction of new laws and administrative institutions.

• Changes happened in the lives of peasants and tribals.

• Educational changes in the nineteenth century – Modern education

was introduced.
• Debates regarding the condition of women – Women education,
Abolition of Sati.
• Challenges to the caste system
– By the social reformers
• The revolt of 1857 and its aftermath.

• Decline of crafts and growth of

industries
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Early Political Associations

• After 1850, many political associations were formed. Most of them
were formed in the 1870s and 1880s. Most of these associations
were led by English-educated professionals. Some of the important
ones were; the
• Poona Sarvajanik Sabha
• The Indian Association
• The Madras Mahajan Sabha
• The Bombay Presidency Association

• The Indian National Congress was also formed during this period.
The naming conventions of these political associations suggest that
they wanted to take issues which affected all the people of India;
although many of these associations functioned in specific parts of
the country.
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Reasons for dissatisfaction with British rule in the

1870s and 1880s
1. The Arms Act was passed in 1878. This Act disallowed Indians
from possessing arms.

2. The Vernacular Press Act was passed in 1878. This Act

empowered the government to confiscate the assets of
newspapers including their printing presses, if the newspaper
published anything “objectionable”.

3. The government tried to introduce the Ilbert Bill in 1883. The bill
made provisions for trial of British or European persons by Indians.
Thus, the Ilbert Bill sought equality between British and Indian
judges in the country. But the whites opposed the Bill and forced
the government to withdraw it.
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Indian National Congress, 1885

• The Indian National Congress was established in 1885 at Bombay. In
its first meeting at Bombay, 72 delegates from all over the country
were present.
• The early leadership was mainly composed of people from Bombay
and Calcutta. Dadabhai Naoroji, Pherozeshah Mehta, Badruddin
Tyabji, W. C. Bonneryji, Surendranath Banerji, Romesh Chandra Dutt,
S. Subramania Iyer, etc. were part of the early leadership of
Congress.
• In its first 20 years, the Congress
was “moderate” in its objectives
and methods. During this period,
the main demand of Congress
was about getting a greater voice
for Indians in the government
and administration.
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Early demands of Congress

• The Congress wanted better representation of Indians in the
Legislative Councils.
• Introduction of the Legislative Council in those provinces where
none existed.
• The Congress made a demand for civil service examinations to
be held in India also.
• The Congress also demanded a separation of judiciary and
executive, the repeal of Arms Act and freedom of speech and
expression.
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Economic demands by Congress

• Reduction in revenue, cut in military expenditure and more
funds for irrigation.
• The Congress also passed various resolutions on the salt tax,
treatment of Indian labourers abroad and the suffering of forest
dwellers.
• These demands show that in spite of being a body of the
educated elite, the Congress also talked about the common
people.
• The Moderate leaders wanted to create public awareness
about the unjust nature of British rule. In order to do so, they
published newspapers, wrote articles and tried to show the bad
effects of the British rule.
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“Freedom is our Birthright”

• 1890 - question about the style of
Congress. New leaders (Bepin Chandra
Pal, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Lala Lajpat
Rai) emerged who began to explore more
radical objectives and methods.

• Rely on one’s own strength

• Tilak – “Freedom is my birthright and I

shall have it” (Kesari – Marathi newspaper
– strongest critics of British rule)

• They criticized the Moderates for their

“policy of prayers”. They argued that people
should not believe on the so called good
intentions of the government and must fight
for swaraj.
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Partition of Bengal, 1905

• Bengal was partitioned in 1905 by
Viceroy Curzon. At that time,
Bengal was the largest province of
British India. It included Bihar and
parts of Orissa. Administrative
convenience was cited as the
reason for the partition of
Bengal. Most of the analysts
believe that the partition was done
to reduce the influence of Bengali
politician (Rabindranath Tagore)
and to split the Bengali people.
• Effects of Partition of Bengal: People all over India were angry with the
partition of Bengal. All sections of the Congress opposed it. Large public
meetings and demonstrations were held to protest the decision. The struggle
against the partition of Bengal came to be known as the Swadeshi
Movement. It was strongest in Bengal but was felt in other parts of the
country as well. It was known as the Vandemataram Movement in Andhra.
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Swadeshi Movement
• Oppose the British rule.

• Encourage the ideas of self-help, swadeshi enterprise.

• Encourage national education and use of Indian

languages.

• The radicals advocated mass mobilization and boycott of

British institutions and goods. Some leaders also
suggested the use of revolutionary violence to overthrow
British rule.
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Muslim League and Congress

• Muslim League: The All India Muslim League was formed at Dacca
in 1906; by a group of Muslim landlords and nawabs. The League
supported the partition of Bengal. Some seats in the council were
reserved for the Muslims. The League wanted the representatives for
those seats to be elected by Muslim voters. This demand was
willingly accepted by the government in 1909.

• Split in Congress: There was a split in the Congress in 1907

(Moderates versus Extremists). The Moderates were opposed to the
use of any kind of violence. After the split, the Congress came to be
dominated by the Moderates. However, the two groups reunited in
December 1915. In 1916, the Congress and the Muslim League
signed the historic Lucknow Pact. They decided to work together for
representative government in the country.
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Rise of Mass Nationalists

• The First World War changed the economic and
political situation in India. There was a sharp price
rise which increased the problems of the common
people.
• The business groups reaped huge profits because
the war increased the demand for all kinds of
goods. Reduced imports meant that the new
demand was being met by the Indian business
houses. The business groups now began to
demand more opportunities for development.
• Many people from the villages were forced to serve in the British army
during the war. Exposure to the alien lands helped them in understanding
the exploitation being done by the colonial powers in other parts of the
world.
• The Russian Revolution took place in 1917. News about peasants’ and
workers’ struggle and ideas of socialism also reached to the nationalists in
India.
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Advent of Mahatma Gandhi

(Click)
• 1869 – DOB 02 October 1869 (Porbandar, Gujarat)
• 1893 - 1869 + 24 years  Studied
• Moved to South Africa – Thrown out of train by a Britisher (racism) – black
can’t sit in first class
• 1894 – Formed a group called Natal Indian Congress – Started Satyagrah in
South Africa. Because of his movements against racial restrictions in South
Africa, he had become a respected leader.
• 1915 - 1869 + 46 years  Returned back to India
• Mahatma Gandhi first wanted to understand the people, their needs and
overall situation in India. Hence, he spent his first year in India in travelling
throughout the country.
• His earliest participation in local movements was in Champaran, Kheda and
Ahmadabad.
• 1917 – Champaran (Bihar) – Satyagrah & Sarbarmati Ashram established
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Mahatma Gandhi Contd…

• 1920 (gained popularity) – Non-
cooperation movement (Asahayog
Andolan)
• 1921 – Main leader of INC (Indian
National Congress)
• 1929 (December) – Resolution
passed in Lahore for Complete
Independence (Sampoorna Swaraj)
• 1930 (26 January,1930) – Observed as Independence day (initially)
• 1930 (March) – Dandi March (Namak Satyagrah) – Travelled 390 km on
foot from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (Gujarat) in 24 days
• 1942 (8 August,1942) – Quit India Movement (Do or Die), Mumbai (Gandhi
ji and Congress leaders were arrested followed by heavy protests across
the nation)
• 15 August,1947 – India got freedom
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Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

(Click)
• Rowlatt Act passed – 1919
• British government can imprison any person without any warrant for 2 years
without trial. The Act curbed the freedom of expression and strengthened
police powers.
• Rowlatt Act Satyagrah
• Nation wide hartal
• Fasting
• Civil disobedience Movement against some specific laws
• Jallainwala Bagh Massacre – Why it happened?
• Dr. Saiffuddin Kitchlew & Dr. Satyapal were arrested by Britishers under
Rowlatt Act
• Protestors gathered at Jallianwala Bagh on 13th April 1919 (Baisakhi)
• General Dyer opened fire on protestors
• Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest of Jalianwala
Bagh incident.
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Khilafat Movement, 1919

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Khilafat Agitation and the Non-Cooperation

Movement, 1921
• After the First World War, a harsh treaty
was imposed on the Turkish Khalifa. The
leaders of the Khilafat Agitation;
Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali wanted
to associate with the Non-Cooperation
Movement. The Muslims wanted the
Khalifa to retain control over Muslim
sacred places in the erstwhile Ottoman
Empire (Turkey). Gandhiji supported the
Khilafat Movement.
• The Non-Cooperation Movement gained momentum through 1921-22.
Thousands of students left schools and colleges to join the movement. Many
eminent professionals gave up their profession to join the movement.

• Bonfires of foreign cloths were burnt. The boycott of foreign cloths resulted in
imports falling drastically between 1920 and 1922.
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People’s Initiatives (Non-Cooperation Movement)

• Motilal Nehru, C.R. Das, C. Rajgopalachari and Asaf Ali gave up their law
practices
• British titles were surrendered and legislatures were boycotted

• The Patidar peasants of Kheda (Gujarat) organized non-violent campaigns

against the high land revenue demand.
• Liquor shops were picketed in coastal Andhra and interior Tamil Nadu.

• The tribals and poor peasants in Guntur district (Andhra Pradesh) staged a
number of forest satyagrahas; to protest against the new forest laws.
• The Khilafat-Non-Cooperation Movement gave enormous support in Sind and
Bengal.
• In Punjab, the Akali agitation of the Sikhs demanded to remove the corrupt
mahants from gurdwaras.
• In Assam, the tea garden labourers demanded a big hike in their wages. They
shouted the slogan, “Gandhi Maharaj ki jai”. In many folk songs of Assam;
Gandhiji was referred to as “Gandhi Raja”.
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People’s Mahatma
• Considered Massiah by some
• Build class unity and not class conflict
• Help in fight against zamindars
• Peasants in Pratapgarh in United Provinces managed to
stop illegal eviction of tenants
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Happenings during 1922-29

• Gandhiji called off Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922 when people
put fire to Police station in Chauri-Chaura (22 policemen died)
• Called for constructive works in rural areas

• Chittranjan Das (lawyer in East Bengal) and Motilal Nehru – party

should fight elections to enter councils and influence govt. policies
• Formation of RSS (Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh) & Communist Party
of India
• Bhagat Singh – It takes a loud voice to make the deaf hear (Inquilab
Zindabad)
• 1927 – Simon Commission by Lord Simon to decide India’s political
future with no Indian representative – created outrage in India –
“Simon Go Back”
• 1929 – Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) under J.L. Nehru and
26 Jan, 1930 was observed as Independence day
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Dandi March/ Salt Satyagrah, 1930 (Click)

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Dandi March/ Salt Satyagrah, 1930

• 1930 – March to break salt law (salt law gave a monopoly right to the
state on the manufacture and sale of salt) as it was sinful to tax a
essential commodity like salt

• 240 miles (390 km) from Sabarmati Ashram (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) to

the coastal town of Dandi (Gujarat)

• Sarojini Naidu persuaded Gandhi ji to allow

women to join the movement

• The salt movement attracted supporters including

the peasants, tribals and poors (women have also
joined)
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Activities in late 1930s

• 1935 – Govt. of India Act (provincial autonomy)

• 1937 – Govt. announced elections to the provincial

legislatures (Congress won in 7 of 11 provinces)

• 1939 – Second World War started – Congress was ready

to support British against Hitler (Germany) but wanted
independence of India which was refused by British
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Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj), 1941

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Indian National Army, 1941 (Click)

• The entry of India into the war was
strongly opposed by Subhash Chandra
Bose, who had been elected President
of the Congress in 1938 and 1939, but
later resigned due to differences in
opinion with Gandhi (moderates
ideology).
• Bose then founded the All India Forward
Bloc. in 1940, a year after second world
war broke out, the British had put Bose
under house arrest in Calcutta.
• However, he escaped and made his way
through Afghanistan to Germany to seek
Hitler and Mussolini's help for raising an
army to fight the British. In 1944, it
entered India through Imphal and
Kohima but the campaign failed.
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Quit India Movement (Click), 1942 (and later)

• Mahatma Gandhi decided to begin a new phase of movement against
the British; while the Second World War was going on. Gandhiji urged
the people to “DO OR DIE”. Gandhiji and several other leaders were
arrested. Peasants and youths participated in the movement in large
numbers. Symbols of state authority were attacked all over the
country. Telephone lines were cut off. People set up their own
governments in many areas.

• The British responded with

severe repression. By the
end of 1943, over 90,000
people were arrested and
around 1,000 were killed in
police firing. But finally the
movement succeeded.
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Partition (India and Pakistan) & Independence (

Click)
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Towards Independence and Partition

• Demand for Separate Nation: In the 1940, the Muslim League moved a
resolution to demand “Independent States” for the Muslims in the north-
western and eastern areas of the country. From the late 1930s, the League
began to visualize the Muslims as a separate nation from the Hindus.

• Widening of differences between League and Congress:

• Escalated the tension between some Hindu and Muslim groups in the 1920s and 1930s.
• Results of the provincial elections of 1937 apparently convinced the League that Muslims were
a minority.
• The League feared the Muslims would have play second fiddle in any democratic structure in
the future. The Congress’ rejection to form a joint Congress-League government in the United
Provinces in 1937 further annoyed the League.

• Talks between Muslims and League failed as

League saw itself as spokesperson of Indian Muslims but Congress had a
huge support from Muslims
• Elections to provinces held again in 1946 – Congress
performed in general constituencies but League
succeeded on Muslim seats.
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Towards Independence and Partition Contd…

• Cabinet Mission: In March 1946, a three-member Cabinet Mission was sent
to Delhi to examine this demand and suggest suitable framework for
independent India. The Mission suggested a loose confederation; with some
autonomy for Muslim-majority areas. But the Congress and the Muslim
League could not agree to specific details of the proposal.

• After the failure of the Cabinet Mission, the Muslim League decided on mass
agitation for winning its Pakistan demand. It announced 16 August 1946 as
“Direct Action Day”. Riots broke out in Calcutta on this day. The riot lasted
for several days in which thousands of people were killed. The violence
spread to different parts of north India; by March 1947.

• Finally, partition turned into a reality and two new nations; India and Pakistan
were born.
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Other Leaders who opposed/ favoured Partition

• Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan (Badshah Khan) – Pashtun leader from NWFP
and founder of Khudai Khidmatgars (non-violent movement against Pathans)
– opposed partition and criticized Congress for agreeing on Partition
• Maulana Azad (born in Mecca) – Bengali father and Arab mother – scholar
of Islam – exponent of notion wahadat-i-deen, essential oneness of all
religions – Hindu Muslim unity and opposed Jinnah’s two nation theory
• C. Rajgopalachari (Rajaji) – Member of interim government in 1946 & first
governor general of free India – led salt satyagrah in south
• Sardar Patel (born in Karamsad, Gujarat) – from peasant to proprietor
family – freedom movement and president of INC in 1931, consolidator of
provinces
• Jawaharlal Nehru – leading architect of the national movement and of free
India’s economy and policy
• Mohammad Ali Jinnah – Promoter of Hindu-Muslim unity till 1920 – main
role in Lucknow Pact, recognized Muslim League after 1934 and became
major spokesperson for Muslim League and demand for Pakistan
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Year Activity Important Years to

1878
1883
Arms Act, Vernacular Press Act
Illbert Bill
remember
1885 Indian National Congress
1905 Partition of Bengal
1906 All India Muslim League formation, Dacca
1914 First World War
1915 Mahatma Gandhi returned to India
1916 Lucknow Pact
1917 Champaran Satyagrah & Sabarmati Ashram
1919 Rowlatt Act
1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13th April)
1919 Khilafat Movement
1920 Non-cooperation Movement
1927 Simon Commission
1929 Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence)
1930 Salt Saytagrah/ Dandi March
1930 Civil Disobedience Movement
1935 Govt. of India Act (provincial autonomy)
1937 Elections to the Provincial Legislatures
1939 Second World War
1941 Indian National Army (Azaz Hind Fauj)
1942 Quit India Movement (8th August)
1946 Direct Action Day
1947 Independence (15th August)
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THANK YOU !!
Any Queries/ Doubts?