CLASS VIII

SOCIAL SCIENCE

CHAPTER 14 The Nationalist Movement (1870 - 1947)

REFERENCE NOTES

Birth of Indian National Movement

 The rule of East India Company ended with Queen Victoria’s Proclamation of November
1, 1858 and the power of governance came into the hands of the British government in
1858.
 The people of India did not have any say in the government or in the formulation of
policies.
 So, the resentment began in the form of different rebellions and gave rise to the birth of
Indian National Movement.
 Many political associations were formed to express the problems of Indians. They were
restricted to some parts of India.
 For example, Indian Association established by Surendranath Banerjee in Calcutta in
1876.

Formation of Indian National Congress(INC)

1. The Indian National Congress was formed in December, 1885 by A.O. Hume, a
retired British official.
2. He was supported by 72 educated Indian delegates from different regions of the
country.
3. The first meeting of the Indian National Congress took place in Bombay under the
presidentship of W.C. Bonnerjee.

Moderates and Radicals

Moderates (1885-1905) Radicals (1905-1920)

The leaders who influenced the early phase of The leaders who influenced the radical phase of
Congress were referred as Moderates. Congress were referred as Radicals or
Extremists.

The Moderates had complete faith in the British. The Radicals had no faith in the British.

The Moderates did not demand for independence or The Radicals demanded Swaraj or self-rule.
self-rule.

The Moderates believed in ideas rather than action. The Radicals believed in actions rather than
appeals or ideas.
The Moderates followed a policy of 3Ps- Prayer, The radicals followed the policy of protests,
Petition and Protest. It was termed as ‘Political hartals and slogans.
Begging’ by the critics.

They adopted moderate ways to pursue their goals. They propagated Indian culture and Hinduism.

The prominent Moderate leaders were Gopal Krishna The prominent Radical leaders were Lala Lajpat
Gokhale, Dadabhai Naoroji, Surendra Nath Banerjee, Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra
Pheroz Shah Mehta, Mahadev Govind Ranade, Pal(popularly known as Lal, Bal, Pal), Aurobindo
Badruddin Tyabji. Ghosh.

Demands of Moderates Demands of Radicals

The main demands of the Moderates were The main demands of the Radicals were :-
to:-  attainment of Swaraj - self
 have representative institutions in the government.
whole country for the welfare of the  love for Swadeshi goods.
people.  participation in mass rallies to
 create Provincial Legislative boycott foreign goods.
Councils in all provinces.  boycott of government services,
 recruit Indians for higher positions in schools and colleges.
the administration.  surrender of titles conferred by the
 hold Civil Services Examination in British.
India.
 ensure the growth of Indian
Industries and handicrafts.
 stop the drain of wealth to Britain.
 end the exploitation of Indian
resources and people.

 Congress became the backbone of the National Movement(1885 to 1947).

 When plague and famine killed thousands of people and the economic condition was
miserable, the British did not pay any heed to the situation.
 Young Indians were inspired by the common people of Ethiopia, Japan and Russia who rose
against the oppressors.
 The new Indian leaders also got the courage to fight for their nation.
 Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s song Vande Matram was sung in 1886 for the first time.
 Partition of Bengal

Reasons of the partition:-

 Lord Curzon issued an order in July, 1905 to partition Bengal. The British
attacked the Hindu Muslim unity in order to weaken the National Movement.
 The official reason given by the Britishers was that it was difficult to govern and
collect revenue from such a big province but people knew that the Britishers
wanted to divide the Indians and rule, therefore there were protest against the
partition.
Impact of the partition:-
 The day was observed as the day of mourning. The Swadeshi (of one's own
country) Boycott and National Education were adopted as tools for achieving
Swaraj by the radicals.
 ‘Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it’ - the slogan of Tilak gave impetus to
the attainment of Swaraj meaning self-rule.
 Indians boycotted foreign goods and used only Indian goods. Students played an
important role in this movement by boycotting classes and picketing shops selling
foreign goods. Many women also joined processions and picketing.
 The radical group among the Congress encouraged-
-love for Swadeshi goods.
-participation in mass rallies to boycott foreign goods.
-boycott of government services, schools and colleges.
-surrender of titles conferred by the British.
 Swadeshi movement spread from Bengal to Maharashtra and Punjab.
 The government suppressed the movement.
 Dadabhai Naoroji presided over the Calcutta session of Congress in 1906 where a
call was given for attainment of ‘Swaraj’- self-government.

Surat Split of 1907

 The differences between the Moderates and Radicals came to head during the
Surat session in 1907.
 There was a split in the party and the two groups parted ways.
 The Moderates were led by Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Pheroze Shah Mehta. The
Radicals who were referred to as Extremists by the British were led by Lal, Bal
and Pal.

Formation of Muslim League

  Muslim League was formed in 1906 by Aga Khan, the religious head of a Muslim sect
and Nawab Salimulla of Dhaka.
 Purpose:- The Britishers encouraged the Muslims to form a separate organization of their
own.
- to practice divide and rule.
- to weaken the nationalist movement.

Morley-Minto Reforms / Indian Councils Act (1909)

 The British government announced Morley-Minto Reforms to pacify the Moderates. The reforms
did not pay any heed to the demand of Indians for Swaraj.

 The reforms were the first attempt to introduce changes in the size and functions of the Councils
at the Central as well as Provincial levels. Muslims were granted separate
electorate(representation).

 This reform was a further threat to the Hindu-Muslim Unity in the National Movement. The
struggle for Swaraj became more intense.

Home Rule League

 In 1916, an Irish lady, Mrs. Annie Besant established the Home Rule League in Madras.
 Bal Gangadhar Tilak established it in Maharashtra.

Purpose:- The purpose of the League was to attain self-government.

Impact:- The British government tried to crush the movement but the agitation continued.

Lucknow Pact of 1916

Purpose:- In 1916, the Moderates and Radicals reunited to strengthen the National Movement
after nine years.

Impact:-

 They signed a joint pact at Lucknow with the Muslim League.

 They jointly demanded self-rule for India.
 Arrival of Mahatma Gandhi on the Indian Political Scene

1. Arrival:-After the First World War (1914-18), Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi took over
the leadership of the Congress.
2. Satyagraha:-He introduced the technique of non-violent agitation, which was called
Satyagraha-demand for truth. It was a non-violent struggle against the British oppression.
He propagated tolerance, brotherhood, non-violence (ahimsa) and simple living.
3. Need for social reforms:- Gandhiji realized that social reforms were necessary for a truly
national struggle. He established Sabarmati ashram in Gujarat where people of all castes
and religions were welcomed.
4. First movement:-His first movement was in support of peasants. It began in Champaran
in Bihar in 1917. He forced the British government to increase the price of indigo for the
benefit of peasants.
5. Popular:- By 1919, Gandhiji had become the most popular leader of India. He launched
many powerful mass movements.

Montague Chemsford Reforms/ Government of India Act(1919)

 The British paid no heed to the agitation for self rule going on all over the country. They
introduced another set of reforms to appease people. But the reforms were in significant.
 The Act provided for the establishment of Public Service Commission in India for the
first time.
 The system of Dual Government-Dyarchy was introduced. The Central and Provincial
subjects were classified. All important subjects, like finance and police under the control
of the Governor and the Indian ministers were given the charge of education and health.
 This Act made the Central Legislature bicameral. The number of elected members was
increased in Legislature Assembly and Council of States but there was no change in the
location of power.
 The real power still remained with the British officials. Indians were very disappointed
by the reforms.

Rowlatt Act of 1919 ( Black Law)

Purpose:-

 There was growing unrest among Indians and protests increased.

 The British government passed the Rowlatt Act to consolidate their control.

Impact:-

 It empowered the Government to arrest anyone without a warrant and imprison people
without trial.
  This caused massive demonstrations and hartals all across the country.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Event:-

 On April 13, 1919, the people of Punjab gathered on the auspicious day of Baisakhi at
Jallianwala Bagh near Golden Temple in Amritsar.
 They were protesting against the arrest of two prominent congress leaders of Punjab- Dr.
Satya Pal and Saiffudin Kitchlew.
 General Dyer ordered the British armed forces to open fire at the hundreds of innocent,
unarmed men, women and children.

Impact:-

 The massacre stunned the whole country. The government imposed martial law in
Punjab.
 Under martial law, people were tortured, newspapers were banned and mails were
censored.

The Non-Cooperation Movement(1920-22) [First mass movement]

Event:-

1. The Congress session at Nagpur in December 1920 ratified (accepted) Gandhiji's call
for Non Co-operation - not to cooperate with the government.
2. Non Co-operation was directed against the injustices done by the British in Punjab
and Turkey.
3. It began with-
 renouncing of titles and honours given by the British.
 boycott of legislatures.
 boycott of schools and colleges by students and teachers.
 opening of Jamia Millia at Aligarh and Kashi Vidyapeeth at Benaras.
 boycott of government offices and courts.
 bonfires of foreign goods.
 hartals and strikes all over the country.
4. After 1919, the struggle against the British rule took the form of a mass movement
which involved peasants, tribals, students, workers, traders, women etc.

Impact:-

5. The unity between Hindus and Muslims strengthened. When the Non- cooperation
movement was launched, people wholeheartedly participated in it.
 6. The Britishers retaliated (reacted) by imprisoning all the important leaders of the
movement except Gandhiji

Chauri Chaura

Reasons for Non-Cooperation Movement being called off(Chauri Chaura incident):-

 In 1922 the police fired upon a group of demonstrators, at Chauri Chaura in Uttar
Pradesh.
 The agitated mob set police station on fire and burnt 22 policemen alive.
 Gandhiji was shocked and called off the Non- Cooperation movement as he felt that the
movement has lost its non-violent character.

Impact:-

 Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose opposed the withdrawal of the
movement due to one violent incident.
 Motilal Nehru and Chittaranjan Das formed the Swaraj Party to enter the legislative
councils and then destroy the British administration from inside.
 Inspite of single-handedly stopping the Non-Cooperation movement, Gandhiji was
arrested.
 Though the Non-Cooperation movement was withdrawn prematurely, it was successful in
bringing the entire country close and helped in giving a national character to the country's
freedom struggle.
 Gandhiji continued to propagate khadi, Hindu-Muslim unity and eradication of
untouchability.

Peasants and Workers’ Movements

The peasants and workers joined the freedom movement:-

 to oppose British exploitation and high taxes.

 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took up the cause of peasants of Bardoli in Gujarat.

Simon Commission (1927)

Purpose:- The Simon Commission was sent to India

 to review the Government of India Act of 1919, and

 to suggest further reforms to appease the Indians.

Impact:-
  Congress decided to oppose the Commission as it did not have even a single Indian
representative.
 Wherever the Simon Commission went, it was boycotted by the Congress as well as the
Muslim League with black flags.
 Lala Lajpat Rai was seriously injured while protesting in a police Lathi charge in Lahore.
He succumbed to his injuries.

Lahore Session (1929)

 In December 1929, the Congress session was held on the bank of river Ravi in Lahore,
with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as the President.
 At this session, the historic resolution of Purna Swaraj or Complete Independence was
passed and it was decided to celebrate January 26, 1930 as the First Independence Day of
India.
 As per the resolution after the Lahore session in 1929, January 26 was celebrated as
Independence Day every year.
 The Constitution of India was completed on November 26, 1949 but it was decided to
adopt and enforce it on January 26, 1950 in the memory of January 26, 1930.
 According to the Constitution of India, since then, we celebrate January 26 as the
Republic Day every year.

Civil Disobedience Movement(1930-34) [Second mass movement]

Event:-

1. Monopoly on salt production:- Salt is the basic requirement for every person. The British
government had a monopoly on salt production and passed a law, banning manufacturing of
salt by Indians so that the British could sell salt at high rates and the salt made in Liverpool
in England would not face any competition.

2. Dandi March:- So on March 12, 1930, Mahatma Gandhi began his epic Dandi March from
Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi. He was accompanied by 78 supporters. They made salt from sea
water and broke the law. Thus, the march came to be known as Dandi March.

3. Spread of Civil Disobedience Movement:- Salt Satyagraha was an open challenge to the
British and the Civil Disobedience spread all over the country. It became the second mass
movement as schools, colleges and courts were boycotted, foreign goods were burnt;
peasants refused to pay taxes and shops selling foreign goods were picketed.
 4. Frontier Gandhi:- The movement was led by Abdul Gaffar Khan in North-West Frontier
Province. He was popularly known as Frontier Gandhi.

Impact:-

5. Mass arrest:-The British Government tried to repress the movement and resorted to
violence. Thousands of protesters were arrested along with Gandhiji and Jawaharlal Nehru.

6. Patriotic feeling:- A strong feeling of patriotism spread to all parts of the country. A
feeling of belonging to one nation united the people living in different parts of India.

7. No dominion status:- In 1930 and 1931, the government called two Round Table
Conferences. But they did not solve any problem. The British refused to grant dominion
status to India and Gandhiji resumed the Civil Disobedience Movement, which was later
withdrawn in 1934.
After the withdrawal of the Civil Disobedience Movement, Gandhiji withdrew from active
politics. He started working for upliftment of Harijans.

Revolutionary Movements for India’s Independence

1. The radical minded Indians were upset when Non-Cooperation movement was
withdrawn. They decided to loot the government cash from a train for buying
weapons. Many of them were arrested and tried in the Kakori Conspiracy Case.
Hindustani Socialist Republican Association was formed in Kanpur by Ramprasad
Bismil, Jogesh Chatterjee, Chandrashekhar Azad, Yogendra Shukla, etc. Kakori Train
Robbery was a well-known act of bravery of this group.
2. Jugantar party, started by Aurobindo Ghosh planned an armed revolt against the
British during the First World War.
3. In Lahore(1928), Bhagat Singh, Azad and Rajguru assassinated Police Commissioner,
Sanders, who was responsible for Lala Lajpat Rai’s death.
4. A bomb was thrown in Central Legislative Assembly by Bhagat Singh and
Batukeshwar Dutt. Bhagat Singh Sukhdev and Rajguru were hanged to death in 1931
in Lahore.
5. Some other revolutionary groups were India House(Madan Lal Dhingra), Gadar
Party(Lala Har Dayal) and Berlin party (Virendra Nath Chattopadhyay).

Government of India Act(1935)

 This act introduced some more reforms to pacify Indians. The Governor-General who was the
Head of the Central Administration, continued to have the supreme power. The Diarchy system
introduced by the Government of India Act, 1919 was ended.
 The member of states of Federation had autonomy with respect to subjects delegated to them.
 The Centre continued to control defence, external affairs and railways.
 A Federal Court was established for provinces and Princely States.
 Direct elections were introduced. Membership of the provincial assemblies was altered to
include elected Indian representatives to form governments.
 Both Congress and Muslim League rejected the proposals along with other parties and the
Princely States.

Cripps Mission

Event:-

 Second World War started in 1939. The British dragged India into the war to satisfy their
own imperialist ambitions.
 Anti-British movement started in full swing. In 1942, the British government sent the
Cripps Mission under Sir Stafford Cripps to enlist total cooperation of Indian National
Congress during the Second World War.

Impact:-

 The mission failed as demands for complete independence and self- government after the
war were rejected.

Comparative Study of Various Reforms

Morley-Minto Reforms(1909)/ Montague Chemsford Government of India

Indian Councils Act(1909) Reforms/ Government of India Act(1935)
Act(1919)

 The British government  The British paid no heed  This act introduced some
announced Morley- to the agitation for self more reforms to pacify
Minto Reforms to pacify rule going on all over the Indians.
the Moderates. The country. They introduced  The Governor-General
reforms did not pay any another set of reforms to who was the Head of the
heed to the demand of appease people. But the Central Administration,
Indians for Swaraj. reforms were in continued to have the
significant. supreme power. The
 The reforms were the  The Act provided for the Diarchy system
first attempt to introduce establishment of Public introduced by the
changes in the size and Service Commission in Government of India
functions of the Councils India for the first time. Act, 1919 was ended.
at the Central as well as  The system of Dual  The member of states of
Provincial levels. Government-Dyarchy Federation had autonomy
was introduced. The with respect to subjects
 Muslims were granted Central and Provincial delegated to them. The
 separate electorate subjects were classified. Centre continued to
(representation). All important subjects, control defence, external
like finance and police affairs and railways.
 This reform was a further under the control of the  A Federal Court was
threat to the Hindu- Governor and the Indian established for provinces
Muslim Unity in the ministers were given the and Princely States.
National Movement. The charge of education and  Direct elections were
struggle for Swaraj health. introduced. Membership
became more intense.  This Act made the of the provincial
Central Legislature assemblies was altered to
bicameral. The number include elected Indian
of elected members was representatives to form
increased in Legislature governments.
Assembly and Council of  Both Congress and
States but there was no Muslim League rejected
change in the location of the proposals along with
power. other parties and the
 The real power still Princely States.
remained with the British
officials. Indians were
very disappointed by the
reforms.

Quit India Movement(1942) [Third mass movement]

Event:-

 After the failure of the Cripps mission it became obvious that British government would
not grant freedom to India. Congress was banned, and police and army were brought out
to suppress the movement.
 Gandhiji feared that Japan may attack the British possessions in India. Hence, he wanted
the British to leave India.
 Gandhiji gave the final blow to the Britishers on August 8, 1942 by launching the Quit
India Movement. It was a Civil Disobedience Movement in response to Gandhiji's call
for immediate independence.

Impact:-

 Within 24 hours, Gandhiji and all prominent Congress leaders were arrested.
 Gandhiji’s mantra of Do or Die inspired thousands of people.
 The Britishers were infuriated. The police and army waged brutal terror on people.
 Formation of Indian National Army
1. Subhash Chandra Bose emerged as the most prominent leader during this period.
He was ready to join hands with enemies of the British like Germany and Japan to
get the British out of India.
2. “You give me blood and I will give you freedom” was the slogan of Netaji
Subhash Chandra Bose.
3. He disappeared from the British detention and went abroad to seek help for the
cause of India's Independence.
4. Subhash Chandra Bose was handed over the Indian National Army that had been
initially organised by Mohan Singh.
5. Bose reorganized it to overthrow the British from India. The officers of the Indian
National Army hoisted the tricolour but they were arrested and tried.

Towards Independence- Partition of the Nation

 The Second World War came to an end in 1945. Prime Minister Attlee of Labour Party
came to power in Britain.
 He was sympathetic towards the demand of Indian people for freedom. A Cabinet
Mission was sent to India in March,1946. It proposed the formation of an Interim
Government and a Constituent Assembly.
 Muslim League refused to participate in the interim government. They demanded a
separate state for Muslims (Pakistan).
 Lord Mountbatten, the then viceroy of India, presented a plan for the division of India
into India and Pakistan.
 Gandhiji and other Indian leaders did not approve of this plan but had no choice but to
accept the partition due to widespread riots in different parts of the country.

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