Spectrum Revision Notes

Modern
Indian
History

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 Spectrum Questions

Chapter 01- The Revolt of 1857

1. Explain the economic cause behind the revolt of 1857, and what conditions led
peasants, artisans, and zamindars alike to join the revolt.
2. List the political and administrative causes for the revolt. (2 + 1)
3. List the religious causes for the revolt, and an associated act. (3)
4. List 4 reasons why sepoys specifically were unhappy and revolted.
5. Indicate the broad geographical extent of the 1857 revolt. (Page 3)
6. Indicate the civilian response.
7. What was the response of modern, educated Indians?
8. What was the role of Emperor Bahadur Shah in the revolt? (Page 5)
9. Name the people who led the revolt in: Kanpur, Lucknow, Bareilly, Bihar,
Faizabad, and Jhansi.
10. What were some of the causes for the failure of the revolt? (6)
11. What was the most enduring contribution of the revolt of 1857? (Page 9)
12. List 3 changes brought in by the British after the revolt.

Chapter 02- Religious and Social Reform Movements

1. ‘The socio-cultural regeneration of the India of the 19th century was occasioned
by the colonial presence, but not created by it.’ Comment.
2. Outline some common characteristics shared by the 19th century social reform
movements, covering issues like ideological and social base, key ideas, coverage
of issues beyond religion etc. (Pages 14, 15)
3. Which GG was responsible for abolition of Sati?
4. Whose name is associated with Hindu Widows’ Remarriage Act of 1856?
5. What was the ‘Wood’s Dispatch’? (Google; 6 points)
6. Write a note on Raja Rammohun Roy. (Page 24)
7. What were the twin objectives of the Tattvabodhini Sabha? Who was its leader?
8. What was the reason behind the split in Brahmo Samaj in 1865? In 1878? (Page
23)
9. What was the Prarthana Samaj? How was it different from the Brahmo Samaj?
Where was it based, and who was the founder?
10. What were the key features of the Young Bengal Movement? Why did it fail?
11. Mention positive and negative effects of the 19th century reform movements in
India.
12. What was the most harmful effect of the 19th century religious reform
movements?
13. Write short notes on:
Raja Rammohun Roy, Debendranath Tagore, Keshub Chandra Sen, Mahadev
Govind Ranade, Akshay Kumar Dutt, Jyotiba Phule, Gopal Hari Deshmukh
‘Lokahitwadi’, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Sri Narayan Guru, Ramakrishna
Paramhansa, Narendranath Dutta, Dayanand Saraswati, Ishwar Chandra
Vidyasagar, E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker, Sri Narayan Guru, M. Malabari, Sri
 Narayan Guru, Raghunath Rao, Syed Ahemd Raibarelvi, Syed Ahmed Khan,
Dudu Mian

Summary of various social reform movements:

Num Name Year/ Place Founder Key idea(s)

HINDU

1. Dharma Sabha 1830 Radhakant Deb Orthodox Hindu; status-quoist

2. Paramhans Mandali 1849/ Believed in ‘one God’, caste removal,

Maharashtra women empowerment etc.

3. Prarthana Samaj 1863/ Keshub Chandra Sen/ Social reform, but don’t come into
Bombay Ranade conflict with orthodox Hindus (unlike
Brahmo Samaj)

4. Satyashodhak Samaj 1873/ Jyotiba Phule Caste consciousness; first movement

Maharashtra with leadership from low castes;
Raja Bali used as symbol

5. Arya Samaj 1875 Dayanand Saraswati “Back to the Vedas”, end priestly
(Publication: Satyarth domination, promote inter-caste and
Prakash) widow marriages, no idol worship

6. Seva Sadan 1885 M. Malabari Parsi; take care of marginalized

women

7. Ramakrishna 1897/ Narendranath Dutt Spread the universal message of

Movement Calcutta (Vivekananda) Vedanta, love all religions, service of
humans = service of god

8. Bharat Dharma 1902 Madan Mohan Orthodox Hindu; status-quoist;

Mahamandala Malviya (didn’t found formed by combination of several
it, but important state units
figure)

9. Servants of India 1905 Gopal Krishna Non-religious, aimed at raising cadres

Society Gokhale for nation-building

LOWER CASTE

10 Sri Narayan Guru 1902/ Kerala Narayan Guru Started among Ezvahas of Kerala
Dharma Paripalana (toddy-trappers, untouchables); urged
(SNDP) movement them to join schools, administration

11 Aravippuram Narayan Guru SNG installed Shiva idol at a temple

Movement in Kerala (Aravippuram) despite
being lower caste as a protest
measure

12 Justice Movement 1917/ Madras CN Mulaidar/ T. Nair/ Secure jobs for non-Brahmins in
(political party) P. Tyagaraja legislature

13 Self-respect 1920s EV Ramaswami Rejection of Brahminical religion;

movement Naicker formalizing weddings without priests

14 Temple entry Vaikom: KV Keshav 1924: Vaikom satyagraha; joined by

movement Jatthas from Panjab and Madurai
K. Kelappan
1931: After CDM, in Travancore; in
1936, Maharaja said okay, enter

MUSLIM
 15 Wahabi/ Walliullah 1840s Sayyed Ahmed Orthodox Muslim revivalist
movement (initially Raibarelvi, influenced
against by Shah Waliullah
Sikhs, later
Brits); fizzled Later, also:
out by 1870s * Shah Abdul Aziz
under Brit * Tithu Mir
repression

16 Faraizi movement 1840s Haji Shariat Allah/ Orthodox Muslim revivalist (end
Dudu Mian liberal influences)

17 Ahmadiya movement 1889 Mirza Ghulam Equivalent to Brahmo Samaj-

Ahmed universalist, against orthodoxy,
opposed to Jihad (but pro-mysticism)

18 Aligarh movement Syed Ahmed Khan Spread modern education and social
reform among Muslims, but stay true
to Islam (Aligarh university etc.)

19 Deoband School Orthodox, but mainly just opposed to

Syed Ahmed Khan, so even
supported INC; no proper philosophy

PARSI

20 Rahnumai Mazda 1851 Restore Parsi religion to its pristine

Yasnan Sabha purity

SIKH

21 Singh Sabha 1873/ Educate Sikhs, counter proselytizing

movement Amritsar by Christians and Hindu revivalists

22 Akali movement Liberate Sikh Gurudwaras from

Udasi Mahants; later won and set up
SGPC; later turned communal (why?)

WESTERN HINDU

23 Theosophical 1875 (US); Madam Blavatsky/ Study philosophy of Upanishads and

movement 1882 (Adyar, Annie Besant Vedanta; allied with Hindu
Tamil Nadu) renaissance; however, limited to a
small segment of westernized Indian
due to complex and airy ideas

Chapter 03: Moderate Phase and Early Congress (1858-1905) (Page 42-53)

1. Describe 6 factors that aided in the growth of modern nationalism in India (Page
42-45)
2. Describe the Vernacular Press Act (1878)
3. Describe the Arms Act (1878)
4. What was the Ilbert Bill controversy?
(Note: the above 3 are good examples to use as pre-INC political agitations)
5. Name the important pre-Congress organizations started by: Dadabhai Naoroji,
Surendranath Banerjee, Justice Ranade, Anand Mohan Bose, and Pherozshah
Mehta. Badruddin Tyabji

Num Name Year Place Founders / Aims

 1. British Indian 1851 Bengal Petition British government to separate executive
Association from legislature, abolish salt duty, stamp duty etc.

2. East India 1866 London Dadabhai Naoroji

Association

3. Poona Sarvajanik 1867 Poona Ranade

Sabha

4. Indian 1876 Calcutta Surendranath Banerjea, Ananda Mohan Bose

Association of
Calcutta

5. Bombay 1885 Bombay Pherozshah Mehta, Badruddin Tyabji

Presidency
Association

6. Who was Kadambini? (Page 47)

7. Name 5 prominent early moderates in the INC (right at the start) and their
contributions.
8. What were the methods of political work of the early moderates?
9. What were their key aims?
10. What were some of the key demands of the early moderates regarding the
economy?
11. What were the ‘3 Ps’ propounded by the early moderates? (Page 55)
12. Outline the key demands of the moderate nationalists between 1885 and 1892.
13. When did these demands start to change and why? (Page 50)
14. What was the key slogan of the moderates at this time? Who came up with it?
15. What was a key failure of the early moderates? (Apart from trusting the British)
(Page 51)

Chapter 04: National Movement- 1905 to 1918 (Page 54-80)

1. What were the reasons for the growth of militant nationalism in the late 1890s?
(Page 54; Check)
2. What was the immediate cause of the Swadeshi movement? (Page 56)
3. Why did the British want to partition Bengal in the early 1900s?
4. Who was the Viceroy then?
5. Along which two broad lines did the British want to partition Bengal?
6. When and where was the first formal proclamation of the Swadeshi movement
made? (Page 57)
7. Was the Swadeshi movement limited to Bengal? (Page 57)
8. What was the Congress position regarding the Swadeshi movement?
9. Why are the INC sessions of 1906 and 1907 important?
10. After 1905, why did the influence of extremist leaders grow in Bengal?
11. Beyond boycott, what were the extremists/ militant nationalists advocating
regarding the course of the Swadeshi movement? (Page 58)
12. What were some of the new forms of political struggle that emerged in the course
of the Swadeshi movement? (Page 58)
13. Outline the Muslim response to the Swadeshi movement, and the reasons for it.
(Page 60)
14. When and why was the Muslim League created?
15. When and why was the partition of Bengal annulled?
16. Name two important developments associated with the annulment.
17. What were some of the reasons that the Swadeshi movement fizzled out by 1908?
(3)
18. Describe the social base of the Swadeshi movement.
19. Did the Swadeshi movement touch any hitherto untouched sections of Indian
society and involve them into the political struggle?
20. List some key difference between the moderates and the extremists, covering
their social base, ideological inspiration, envisaged relationship with Britain,
thoughts about involvement of the masses etc.
21. What was the main failing of the moderates? (Page 63)
22. What was the biggest negative effect of the extremists’ modus operandi? (Page
63- 2 points; CHECK)
23. What were some of the reasons for the 1907 Surat split? (Mention in terms of
events during the last two Congress sessions before the split)
24. What were the differences in vision of the extremists and the moderates regarding
how to carry the Swadeshi movement forward?
25. After 1908, why did the national movement decline for a while?
26. List 5 government acts between 1908 and 1910.
27. Name 2 extremist leaders who forever quit nationalistic politics after the
Swadeshi movement.
28. Why did revolutionary terrorism rise? What were the failings of the extremist
leaders in this regard?
29. Write a note on the early revolutionary terrorists in Bengal, Maharashtra, and
Punjab.
30. What were their main aims? Methods?

Bengal

Num Name Year/ Place Founder/ Others Key idea(s)

1. Anushilan Samiti; 1902/ Bengal Promotha Mitter/ Limited to giving physical and moral
journal: Yugantar Rashbehari Bose, training to supporters; not very
Sachin Sanyal, significant till 1907-08; in 1906,
Prafulla Chaki, members Barindra Kumar Ghosh
Khudiram Bose started ‘Yugantar’, which advocated
revolutionary terrorism. Rash Bose
and Sachin Sanyal tried to create rev.
terr. Activity in other states such as
Punjab and Delhi; Chaki and Khudi
threw bombs at a carriage they
thought had a judge, but killed a
memsaab instead; Rash and Sanyal
threw bomb at Viceroy in Chandni
Chowk

2. Journals: Keshari, 1890s/ Bal Gangadhar Tilak/ Tilak propagated a spirit of militant
Mahratta Maharashtra Chapekar brothers nationalism, including violence,
(murdered Plague through Ganapati and Shivaji
commissioner of festivals, and his newspapers. Nasik,
Poona, Rand) Poona, Bombay emerged as bomb
manufacturing hubs
 3. Mitra Mela, later 1897; merge Savarkar
merged with Abhinav in 1904/
Bharat (after ‘Young Maharashtra
Italy’)

4. Journal: Punjabee Punjab Lala Lajpat Rai Opposed land and irrigation taxes,
frequent famines etc.; journal
advocated self-help at any cost,
including violence

5. Anjurnan-i- Lahore Ajit Singh (Bhagat Opposed land and irrigation taxes,
Mohisban-i-Watan; Singh’s uncle) frequent famines etc.
journal: Bharat Mata
Both this and (4.) died out after 1907
because both Lajpat and Ajit were
deported

6. Indian Home Rule London, Shyamji Also brought out the journal The
Society 1905 Krishnavarma Sociologist, and set up the India
House

7. Journal: Bande Paris Madam Bhikaji Cama

Mataram

8. Berlin Virendranath
Chattopadhyay

31. List two important events in 1906 that preceded and directly contributed to the
final shape of the Minto-Morley reforms (Page 69)
32. List the key features of the Minto-Morley reforms, with regards to: (a)
composition of the Imperial Legislative Council, (b) power of the council
regarding legislation, and (c) one key difference between the provisions at the
central and provincial level.
33. Who was Satyendranath Sinha?
34. What was the response of the moderates, the extremists, and the revolutionaries
to the First World War? (Check)
35. Mention some pre-Ghadar Party nationalists actions in foreign lands (end of Page
68) (3 points)
36. When was the Ghadar party established?
37. What were the ex-professions of Ghadrites?
38. Name some of the prominent Ghadrites.
39. Which Act was passed to curb Ghadrite activity?
40. Describe the area, pattern, and leaders of revolutionary activity during the First
World War.
41. What were some of the key features of the overall action plan of the Ghadarites?
42. What was the Komagata Maru incident, and when did it take place?
43. What effect did it have on the Ghadar movement?
44. Critically evaluate the Ghadar movement (strengths and weaknesses)
45. List 3 reasons why there was a temporary respite in revolutionary activity after
the First World War. (Page 73)
46. After having been imprisoned in 1908 for 6 years, upon his return, what were the
tactics employed by Tilak to gain re-entry into the Congress and get back onto the
nationalist scene?
47. Describe the key features of the Home Rule Movement (backdrop, leaders,
demands, role of Congress, social base)
48. What was the main programme of action adopted by the Home Rule Leagues?
49. What was the main demand of the HRLs?
50. Why did the masses readily participate? (P. 74)
51. Name 2 newspapers ran by Annie Besant.
52. What were the geographies where Tilak/ Besant operated?
53. What was the Muslim League’s stand?
54. What was the impact of Gandhi’s arrival on the HRLs?
55. What was the response of the Government to the HRLs?
56. Why did the HRL agitation fade out by 1919?
57. What were the two most enduring contributions of the HRL movement? (Page
76)
58. What were the 2 very significant developments at the 1916 Congress session?
59. Write key points of the Lucknow Pact.
60. Why did moderates and extremists decide to come together again?
61. What were the reasons for the shift in Muslim league’s stance around 1916? (4)
62. What was the importance of Montague’s 1917 statement?

Chapter 05: National Movement, 1919-39

Era of Mass Nationalism

1. List the 3 main reasons for the nationalist resurgence after the end of the First
World War.
2. List the key provisions of the Government of India Act, 1919, with regards to the
changes It brought in the legislature and the executive arrangements at the
provincial and central levels. (Page 85)
3. What were the major drawbacks of the GoI Act of 1919?
4. What was the Rowlatt Act? When and why was it passed?
5. Who was the Viceroy then?
6. What was Gandhi’s stand on the Home-Rule agitations?
7. Between 1917 and 1918, Gandhi was involved in 3 Satyaghrahas. Name them,
and explain each one. (Page 91)

Num Name Year/ Place Key idea(s)

1. Champaran 1917/ Bihar European planters used the tinkathia system, which
Satyagraha forced peasants to grow indigo on 3/20th of their total
land. Indigo prices were dropping due to synthetic
substitutes, but planters were demanding high rents and
illegal dues before allowing peasants to shift to other
crops. Gandhi convinced government to abolish tinkathia,
and as a compromise, agreed that the planters will only
pay back 25% of the illegal dues that were taken so far

2. Ahmedabad Mill 1918/ Gujarat Discontinuation of plague bonus; Gandhi asked workers
Strike to strike and demand a 35% wage hike. Fast unto death;
mill owners agreed

3. Kheda Satyagraha 1918/ Gujarat Crop failure, but government didn’t follow its own
revenue code (that said that if produce is less than 25% of
normal, no taxes); Gandhi protested, authorities said only
those could afford to pay should do so
8. What was the Tinkathia system? Where?
9. Describe the Rowlatt Satyagraha. (Page 92)
10. What was the name of the commission that was set up to investigate the
Jallianwala Bagh massacre? What was its verdict? (Page 92)
11. List the conditions in the country in 1920 that led to the emergence of Khilafat
and Non-Cooperation Movements.
12. Why were the 2 Congress sessions in 1920 important?
13. What was to be the programme of the Non-Cooperation movement? (P. 91)
14. List some of the local struggles that emerged across India in the course of the
NCM. (Page 95)
15. What was the government response to the NCM? (2 important points- P. 95)
16. Why and when did the NCM come to an abrupt end? (P. 95)
17. What happened to Gandhi after the withdrawal of the NCM?
18. List 3 reasons why Gandhi decided to withdraw the NCM.
19. What was the contribution of the NCM with respect to the masses?
20. What direction did the Congress take immediately after the NCM?
21. Were the Swarajists identical to erstwhile moderate nationalists? (P. 98)
22. Describe the evolution of the Swarajists, with emphasis on happenings in 1923,
1924, 1926, and 1930. (Page 99)
23. What was the aim of the ‘Public Safety Bill’ of 1928?
24. List one criticism of Gandhian constructive work.
25. List some of the successes and weaknesses of the Swarajists.
26. “The 3rd decade of the 20th century marked a watershed in modern Indian history
in more ways than one”. Comment. (1 very important development- Page 101/
102)
27. Why was there a revival of revolutionary terrorism in the 1920s?
28. What were the two broad geographical strands of revolutionary terrorism in the
1920s?
29. Name the 3 founders of HRA.
30. Describe the Lahore Conspiracy Case.
31. Describe the key incidents in HRA’s history (1924, 1925, 1928 (2), 1929, 1931)
32. Which 2 bills were Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt protesting against when
they threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly? (Page 104)
33. Which was the most famous revolutionary terrorist group in Bengal in the 1920s?
(Page 105)
34. Evaluate the successes and failures of the 1930 Chittagong Armory Raid.
35. Under what ‘banner’ was this conducted? (P. 105)
36. Who established the Punjab Naujawan Bharat Sabha? (Page 106)
37. What was an outstanding aspect of the new phase of terrorist activity in Bengal
under Surya Sen? (Page 107)
38. When and why was the Simon commission appointed?
39. Reactions of Congress and Muslim League to the Simon Commission.
40. Name 2 parties that didn’t oppose the Simon Commission.
41. What was the ‘Birkenhead Challenge’?
42. What were the 6 main recommendations of the Nehru report?
43. What were the ‘Delhi Proposals’?

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44. List some of the concessions granted in the Nehru report to both Hindu and
Muslim communalists.
45. Why were the younger sections of the Congress unhappy with the Nehru Report?
46. Which organization did Nehru and SC Bose set up as a result?
47. What was the ‘Delhi Manifesto’? Viceroy?
48. List some of the main reasons that Gandhi chose salt satyagraha as the ideal way
to start the CDM.
49. What were some of the local responses to the call for CDM? (Ryotwari areas,
zamindari areas, Central Provinces, Peshawar, Sholapur, Dharsana, Chittagong,
Bihar, Bengal, Gujarat, Maharashtra)
50. Who was known as the ‘Frontier Gandhi? (Page 122)
51. What were some of the effects of the salt satyagraha and the various local forms
of civil disobedience that it led to? (Page 123)
52. Compare the Muslim participation in the CDM with the NCM.
53. Outline the government response to the CDM.
54. Write a note on the First RTC.
55. Write a note on the Gandhi-Irwin Pact (Delhi Pact).
56. What was its main achievement?
57. Was the G-I pact a weak retreat from the Indian nationalists?
58. What were the main differences between the NCM and the CDM? (one is about
classes- see Page 126)
59. What was the significance of the Karachi congress session of 1931?
60. Aside from ratification of the G-I pact, what were 2 main resolutions passes at
this session?
61. List 4 reasons why the second RTC was a failure (P. 128)
62. What was the response of the Congress to the 2nd RTC?
63. What was the government’s response to this reaction?
64. What was the popular response to all this?
65. When did Gandhi finally call off the CDM?
66. Describe the Communal Award.
67. What was the Poona Pact? When was this?
68. Describe Gandhi’s actions after the Poona Pact.
69. Describe Gandhi’s views on caste and untouchability (Page 131- check)
70. Why did Gandhi resign from the Congress in 1934? (Page 134)
71. Describe the Government of India Act of 1935, with reference to: (a) Nature of
the federation, (b) federal level executive and legislature, and (c) provincial level
executive and legislature
72. Describe the first and second stage debates after the CDM. (Page 137)
73. Describe 2 major impacts of the 1937 elections.
74. Describe the work of the Congress ministries after the 1937 elections.
75. Describe the Congress’ initiatives in agrarian reform, and limitations.
76. Describe the Congress ministries attitude towards labour during its tome in
power.
77. When and why did the Congress ministries resign?
78. “Communalism was the channel through which the colonialists expanded their
social base”. Comment.
79. List the 3 stages of development of communalism.
80. What were some of the reasons for the rise of communalism in India? (Page 109-
3 main reasons)
81. Describe the communal element in the Swaraj split. When did it happen? Who
were the leaders on the 2 sides of the split?
82. What were the events of 1937 that led to the rise of extreme communalism?
83. Describe the deliberations of the second RTC.
84. What was the ‘minorities pact’?

Chapter 06: National Movement- 1939 to 1947 (Page 145-173)

1. What were the two basic conditions that the nationalists put forth before India
was to cooperate in the war effort?
2. What was the response of Gandhi, Bose, and Nehru to the war question?
3. What was the government’s response to Congress demands?
4. When did the Muslim League issue the Pakistan Resolution?
5. What was the ‘August Offer’?
6. Why did Gandhi launch individual satyagrahas towards the end of 1940s? Who
was the first person to offer such satyagraha?
7. What was to be the demand of the satyagrahis? (Page 148)
8. What was the ‘Dilli Chalo’ movement?
9. When and why was the Cripps mission sent?
10. What were its main recommendations? (4)
11. Outline the objections of the Congress and the Muslim League to the Cripps
recommendations.
12. List 2 main reasons why Gandhi thought that the time was ripe to launch the
QIM.
13. What was the government’s response?
14. What was the popular response to this? (Underground movements, parallel
governments in Ballia, Midnapore, Satara etc.; covered almost every section of
Indian society)
15. Describe the causes of the 1943 famine. (3)
16. Describe the Rajagopalachari formula.
17. Describe the Desai-Liaqat pact.
18. Describe the Wavell Plan, and Congress and League’s reactions to it.
19. Describe the 1945 elections (why then?), campaign strategy, INA issue.
20. Describe the 3 upsurges in 1945 and 1946. What common features did they
share?
21. What was the potential of these upsurges? (Page 162)
22. Why did the Congress not support these upsurges?
23. What were the results of the 1945 elections? What was their significance? (Page
163)
24. What were the 2 main reasons for voting along strict communal lines? (P. 163)
25. Describe the Cabinet Mission Plan. (Page 165)
26. Describe Attlee’s statement on February 20, 1947.
27. What was the Mountbatten Plan?
28. “Acceptance of partition by the Congress was only a final act of the process of
step-by-step concessions to the League’s championing of a separate Muslim
state”. Explain. (Page 173)

N. Name Year Key idea(s)

1. August Offer 1940 Reason: Hitler’s astounding success made Brits afraid

Offer: Dominion status, Constituent Assemble after the war

(‘mainly’ in Indian hands), no constitution to be adopted without
consent of minorities

2. Cripps Mission 1942 Reason: Mainly a propaganda devise for US, USSR, and Chinese
consumption, who were all pressurizing Britain to solicit Indian
(‘Blueprint for support for the war
India’s partition’)
Offer: Indian union with Dominion Status, free to decide
relationship with Commonwealth; constituent assembly, with
members nominated by provincial councils and princes (not
elected); any province willing to stay out and have a separate
constitution would be allowed to do so

Congress rejected this because of absence of any plan for

immediate transfer of power, dominion status, secession option,
and nomination (rather than election) by princes

3. Rajagopalachari 1944 Formula for Congress-League cooperation; tacit acceptance of

formula League’s demand for Pakistan

1.Muslim League to endorse Congress demand for independence,

and join Congress at the center in a provisional government
2.Postwar plebiscite in Muslim-majority provinces to decide on
partition

Jinnah opposed; wanted any potential plebiscite in Muslim-

majority areas to only be based on voting by Muslims, and not the
entire population of that area

4. Desai-Liaqat Pact 1945 A sort of parity was decided on between the Congress and the
League, with far-reaching consequences. INC and ML were to
field an equal number of candidates for the government, cabinet
of ministers will have reservations for Muslims, and 20% seats
were to be reserved for minorities (no deal reached because all
this was done without the knowledge of other leaders in both
parties, and they didn’t agree after finding out)
5. Wavell Plan/ 1945 War was over, but Japanese threat was still there. Elections were
Shimla Plan (May; after coming up in Britain, and allies were also pressurizing Britain to
the war) grant independence so they could co-opt India

Offer:
- Apart from GG and Commander-in-Chief, all members of the
executive council to be Indians
- Caste Hindus and Muslims will have equal representation in the
council
- GG could exercise veto only on advice of ministers
- Parties to submit a joint list of reps to exec council, which
would function as interim government

Didn’t work out; League wanted veto, said anything to do with

Muslims should need 2/3rd majority from Muslims, and that
Congress shouldn’t field any Muslim candidates (i.e., all Muslim
candidates to the council would be nominated by the League).
Congress said this was an attempt to reduce them to the status of a
Caste Hindu party

Talks broke down, thus gave League implicit veto; this

strengthened League’s position, as reflected in election results
in 1945-46

6. Sept. Announcement that a constituent assembly will be convened after

1945 the elections, and that the Government was working according to
the ‘spirit’ of the Cripps offer; elections were announced

Why? (USA and USSR emerged as superpowers, and wanted

independence for India; Britain’s economy was shattered, people
demoralized, no longer a major power; new Labour government
in Britain; last elections in India were held in 1934 (center)/ 1937
(provinces); elections were inevitable

7. Cabinet Mission Feb 1946 Given the war-weary bureaucracy, RIN mutiny, and international
(Separate pressure, Brits realized they had to go. Now, all they wanted was
Grouping) a graceful exit, and to co-opt any successor states into
commonwealth. Now, they expressed a preference for a united
India

Plan:
- Rejection of a demand for full-fledged Pakistan (why? P. 165)
- Grouping of existing provinces (A, B, and C)
- Constituent Assembly to be elected by provincial assemblies
(proportional representation) and princely states will nominate
- All provinces, then groups, would form constitution, then all
will sit together and make central constitution
- Common center will control defense, communication, and
external affairs
- Provinces will have residuary powers
- Provinces could come out of their group after the first general
election

Congress wanted grouping to be optional, and princely states to

elect their reps (and not nominate as contained in the proposed
plan); Muslim League wanted compulsory grouping, with a view
to future secession; both, however, accepted in June 1946. But
league backed out in July, and issued a call for ‘direct action’;
from August, communal riots broke out at an unprecedented scale

Fearing mass action by Congress, Wavell now asked Congress to

make interim government, even without the League (a stark
departure from his stance at Shimla). He also quietly (later)
brought in the League

However, the League didn’t attend informal constituent assembly

meetings, and continued agitation for Pakistan. Congress
appealed to the Viceroy to demand resignation from League
members
 8. Attlee’s statement Feb. 1947 To shock both sides into action, Attlee said Britain will hand over
power to either the CA in February 1948, or if CA wasn’t
representative, to Provincial Governments (clear hints of
partition). Congress was okay with this, League launched Civil
Disobedience Mission to overthrow coalition government in
Punjab

9. Mountbatten Plan June 1947 Divide India, but make Pakistan as small as possible; freedom
would come on August 15, 1947, initially to a dominion state

Chapter 07: Administrative Changes

1. “A new stage of colonialism set in India in the second half of the 19th century”.
Explain. (CHECK- Page 179)
2. After the revolt of 1857, why did the British think of revamping their
administration in India? Which level did they want to focus on most and why?
3. Describe the administrative changes brought about in 1858 at the central
government level.
4. What was the effect of this policy on the governor general?
5. Describe the changes introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861 to the
executive and legislative councils at the level of central government. What were
its drawbacks?
6. Describe the changes introduced by the Indian Councils Act of 1861 to the
provincial government.
7. What was the significance of Mayo’s Resolution of 1870?
8. What was the significance of Ripon’s Resolution of 1882? Discuss its success or
failure, as is appropriate. (Page 182)
9. Describe the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Decentralization
(1908)
10. Discuss the significance of the resolution of 1918 with regards to local self-
government. (Page 184)
11. Discuss the impact of GoI Act of 1919 on LSG.
12. Discuss the impact of GoI Act of 1935 on LSG.
13. Describe the policy of the British towards Muslims immediately after the revolt
of 1857, and after 1870.
14. What was the attitude of the British towards social reform? (Page 188)
15. Describe the Indian Factory Acts of 1881 and 1891.

Chapter 09: Development of Press

1. What was the significance of the Charter Act of 1813 with regards to trade?
(Page197)
2. What were the ‘Licensing Regulations of 1823’? (Page 204)
3. Who was known as the ‘liberator of the Indian press’, and why? (Page 204)
4. Describe the struggle by the early nationalists to secure press freedom.
5. What was the main precursor to the introduction of the Vernacular Press Act of
1878? (Page 205)
6. Who introduced the above act?
7. What were its main features?
8. When was it repealed?
9. When were the ‘Defense of India Rules’ imposed? (Page 207)

Chapter 10: Development of Education

1. Which act incorporated for the first time the principle of encouraging learned
Indians and promoting knowledge of modern sciences? (This Act also sanctioned
Rs. 1 lakh annually for the promotion of education)
2. What were the key points of Macaulay’s minute of 1835?
3. What was the ‘downward filtration theory’?
4. What were the key points of Wood’s Despatch of 1854?
5. Hunter’s Education Commission, 1882
6. Saddler University Commission, 1917
7. Explain the Wardha Scheme of Education. What year?
8. Free, universal, and compulsory education up to 14 years of age was first
proposed by which commission? (Page 215)

Chapter 11: British Social and Cultural Policy in India

1. At the beginning of the 19th century, why did the British start intervening in the
social and cultural spheres in India? List 3 reasons. (Page 217)
2. Describe the philosophy of the conservatives, paternalistic imperialists, and
radicals in Britain around then. (CHECK)
3. Why did the British shift from their policy of ‘hesitant modernization’ in 1858?
What was to be their approach from here on?
4. Whose name is associated with introduction of civil services in India?
5. Whose name is associated with reform of judiciary in India? (Page 222)
6. What was the ‘Cornwallis Code’? (Page 223)
7. Outline the positive and negative aspects of judiciary under the British in India.
(Page 224)
8. Outline the key features of Pitt’s India Act of 1784.
9. Which Act ended the company’s monopoly over trade in India? (Page 225)
10. Which Act introduced competitive examinations for entry to the civil services,
ending the company’s patronage? (Page 226)

Chapter 12:

1. What was the mandate of the Butler committee of 1927? (Page 229)

Chapter 13: Civil Rebellions and Tribal Uprisings

Bengal and Eastern India

S.No. Name Time Area Leaders Causes

 1. Sanyasi revolt 1770s Imposition of ban on visits to holy
places; Sanyasis organized raids on
company

2. Chuar 1766-177 Midnapore Famine, enhanced land-revenue

uprising 2; then demand, economic distress
1795-181
6

3. Ho rising 1820-37 Chotanagpur

4. Kol Mutiny 1831 Chotanagpur Large-scale transfer of land from

Kol (Munda) headmen to outsiders
like Punjabi and Muslim merchants

5. Kandh 1837-56 Patna Chakra Bisoi Kandhs were revolting against

uprising British attempts to put an end to the
practice of human sacrifices

6. Santhal Hool 1854 Rajmahal Sido and Oppression by revenue officials,

onwards hills Kanhu police, moneylenders, landlords,
and other outsiders (‘dikus’)

7. Ahom Revolt 1828 Assam Gomdhar British had promised to withdraw

Konwar from Assam after first world war,
but didn’t => rebellion

8. Khasi uprising 1830s Northeastern Brits wanted to build a road through

states Garo, Khasi, and Jaintia hills;
people revolted

9. Pagal Panthis 1825-184 Bengal to Semi-religious; opposed

0s Garo hills exploitation of tenants by landlords

10. Faraizi revolt 1838-57 Eastern Dadu Mian Advocated radical religious and
Bengal (son of Haji political changes; organized people
Shariat Allah) to throw British out from Bengal

11. Munda revolt 1890s Chotanagpur Birsa Munda Armed uprising against intrusion of
(Birsa revenue farmers and moneylenders,
was killed axnd destruction of traditional
in 1900) systems of common land holdings

Western India

S.No. Name Time Area Leaders Causes

1. Bhil uprising 1817-46 Khandesh Sewaram Fear of agrarian hardship under

East India Company

2. Cutch 1819 Cutch, Rao Bharamal Brits deposed ruler Rao Bharamal,
rebellion Gujarat and then imposed high land
revenues

3. Waghera 1820 Baroda

rising

4. Koli rising 1830s Gujarat

5. Ramosi Satara- Chittur Singh

Western
Ghats (hill
tribes)

6. Surat salt 1844 Gujarat Government withdrew duty

agitations

7. Kolhapur/ 1844 Maharashtra Gadkaris Gadkaris were a hereditary martial

Savantvadi class, but disbanded by British. So,
revolts revolt.

South India
 S.No. Name Time Area Leaders Causes

1. Revolt of Raja 1765 Northern EIC acquired territory and

of Sarkars demanded huge tribute => revolt
Vizianagaram

2. Poligar’s 1856 Malabar Oppressive land revenue system

revolt

3. Divan Velu 1810s Travancore Overuse of subsidiary alliance

Tampi’s revolt arrangement

4. Rampa revolt 1879 Coastal New restrictive forest regulations

Andhra

North India

S.No. Name Time Area Leaders Causes

1. Wahabi 1830s Syed Ahmed Islamic revivalist movement (back

movement of Rai Bareilly to the Prophet’s times); first jihad
was declared against Sikh kingdom
of Punjab; after 1849, the British
became the sole targets

2. Kuka revolt/ 1870s Punjab Baba Ram Started as a religious purification

Namdhari Singh/ Bhagat movement, but later turned into a
revolt Jawahar Mal/ political one; advocated abolition of
Baba Balak caste amongst Sikhs.
Singh
One of the earliest users of NC and
CD.

Chapter 14: Peasant Movements, 1857-1947

1. Discuss the condition of the peasantry under the British rule.

2. Describe the following: Deccan Agriculturalists Relief Act (1879), Bengal Tenancy
Act (1885)
3. Describe the main features of the changed nature of peasant movements after 1857.
What was the main aim of these revolts? (Page 239)
4. Describe their weaknesses.
5. During the 1930s, which event influenced the peasant movements? (Page 241)
6. Why is 1937-1939 considered the ‘high watermark’ of the peasant movement and
activity?
7. Describe the reasons for the AIKS split during the Second World War.
8. In Telangana, what did vethi refer to? (Page 244)
9. What were the major combined achievements of these peasant movements?

Peasant Movements

S.No. Name Time Area Leaders Causes

1. Indigo 1859-6 Bengal Digambar Planters gave the farmers advance sums and
revolt 0 Biswas, Bishnu made them enter into fraudulent ‘forward
Biswas contracts’; eventually, ryots revolted and
refused to grow Indigo. They went on a no-
rent campaign, and organized a force to
counter planters’ attempts to evict them.
Bengali intelligentsia helped them; by 1860,
planters were routed
2. Pabna 1879 Eastern Enhanced rents beyond legal limits; forced
Agrarian Bengal evictions. Peasants organized joint funds
Leagues and fought court cases; main form of
struggle was legal resistance, and very little
violence was used.

3. Deccan 1874 Poona, 1864- end of American civil war led to

Riots Ahmednagar, crash in cotton prices; 1867- bad harvests;
Sholapur, in 1874, this worsening situation led to a
Satara social boycott movement against the
‘outsider’ moneylenders. Later, this turned
into agrarian riots, where the debt bonds and
deeds of moneylenders were burnt. Led to
passing of Deccan Agri. Relief Act in 1879.

4. Kisan 1920s Awadh (Rai Gauri Shankar After 1857 revolt, Brits gave Awadh
Sabha Bareilly, Mishra, Indra taluqdars their lands back; these taluqdars
Movement Faizabad, Dwivedi now subjected the peasants to high rents,
Sultanpur) summary evictions (bedakhali) etc.

In this backdrop, World War 1 led to a hike

in food prices, and around this time, Home
Rule Leagues became active. In this
atmosphere, Kisan Sabhas were organized.
These asked peasants not to till bedakhali
lands, and not offer beggar/ hari. In 1921,
the movement became violent, and
thereafter fizzled out.

5. Eka (Unity) 1921 United Madari Pasi, Around the time of NCM; against high
Movement Provinces and other rents; members of Eka movements
lower-caste conducted a symbolic religious ritual in
leaders which they vowed that they would pay only
the recorded rent (but would pay that on
time), and would refuse to do forced labour

6. Mapilla 1921 Malabar (NCM time) §Mapillas were Muslim

Revolt tenants; most landlords in Malabar were
Hindus. Mapillas joined the Khilafat
movement and demanded lower rents and
security of tenure. However, in 1921 one of
their respected leaders was arrested; this
made the movement violent, with the
Mapillas initially focusing on torching
symbols of British authority. However, this
quickly acquired communal overtones, with
the peasants attacking Hindu landlords. This
isolated the Mapillas from the Khilafat
movement, and by December 1921, all
resistance fizzled out.

7. Bardoli 1926 Surat In 1926, authorities increased the land

Satyagraha revenue by 30%. Under Patel (who got the
title ‘Sardar’ here), the Bardoli peasants
refused to pay the revised assessment until
the government appointed a tribunal. After
rising tensions, government did appoint a
tribunal, which recommended only a 6%
hike.

8. Indian 1936 Lucknow Swami

Kisan Sahajanand
Congress Saraswati, NG
Sabha Ranga

9. Tebhaga 1946 North Bengal Principally Demand was for 2/3rd share of the harvest to
Movement among the sharecroppers (bargadars), instead of
Rajbanshis, a the usual half. Movement dissipated under
low caste of repression, calls for Bengal’s partition, and
tribal origins communal riots in Calcutta
 10. Telangana 1946 Hyderabad Peasants organized to take on the Razakars;
Movement State resistance fizzled out after Indian storm
troopers took over Hyderabad

Chapter 15: Working Class Movements

1. Describe the attitude of the early nationalists towards labour.

2. When was the AITUC formed? In what backdrop?
3. How did the government deal with the increasing strength of the trade union
movements in the late 1920s/ early 1930s?
4. What was the Meerut Conspiracy Case of 1929?

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