AHLCON INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MAYUR VIHAR, PHASE-1, DELHI-91

CLASS VIII -HISTORY NOTES
CHAPTER- MAKING OF THE NATIONAL MOVEMENT

Nationalism

 Nationalism is a political ideology that strongly identifies a group of individuals with a

political entity defined in national terms, ie a nation. Indian Nationalist Movement was a
grand and prolonged struggle launched against British imperialism. Nationalism was the
main ideology and the instrument with whose help this struggle was launched.
 In the context of the Indian Nationalist Movement, Indian Nationalism represented two
major ideas: anti-imperialism and national unity. In other words, any person,
movement or organisation that practised and upheld these two ideas, could be
considered a nationalist.

The Emergence of Nationalism

● Changes in the lives of peasants and tribal- Lands were taken away from both by
giving reasons of government property and not paying taxes.

● Educational changes in the 19th century-Pathshalas were turned into proper

timing schools like now a day. which needed proper attendance. But children at
the farming time went to farms for harvesting so they were punished.

● Social and religious reforms - Child marriage act, widow remarriage act, sati was
banned, and Hindus and Muslims were divided and people were forced to
change their caste and become Christians.

● The revolt of 1857 and its aftermath-Martyrdom of many great rulers like Bahadur
Shah Zafar, Rani Lakshmibai,Begum Hazrat Mahal and many more.

Formation of Political Associations

● It was led by English-educated professionals such as lawyers.

● Most of the participating countrymen and leaders worked with the idea that
people should be attached with a modern consciousness.
  They believed that the Indians should be empowered to take decisions regarding
their affairs.
 When the British introduced Western education in India, they aimed at creating a
class of educated Indians who could serve the British Interests. However, the
English language helped nationalist leaders from different linguistic regions to
communicate with each other and create a sense of national identity.
Modern western education also propagated the ideas of Nationalism, democracy,
rights and freedom.
 The important political association is the Poorna Sarvajanik Sabha.
● Some others were - The Indian association, The Madras Mahajan Sabha

Indian National Congress (INC)

● It was founded in the year 1885 in December when 72 delegates from all over
the country met at Bombay
● When white opposition forced the govt. to withdraw the Illbert bill, Indians were
enraged. The event highlighted the racial attitudes of the British in India.
● It wanted the legislative council to be made more representative, given more
power, and introduced in provinces where none existed.
● It demanded that Indians be placed in high positions in the government.
● Founded in 1885 by-Allan Octavian Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji, Dinshaw Wacha,
Womesh Chandra Bonnerjee, Surendranath Banerjee, Monomohun Ghose,
Mahadev Govind Ranade and William Wedderburn.

Discrimination against Indians

Ilbert bill

● It was introduced in 1883

● Provided for the trial of British or European persons by Indians and sought
equality between British and Indian judges in the country.

● The organised agitation by the Europeans to revoke the Ilbert Bill taught the
nationalists how to agitate for certain rights and demands.
Vernacular press act

● This act allowed the government to confiscate the assets of newspapers which
published anything that was found objectionable
● The Vernacular Press Act (VPA) of 1878 was designed to ‘better control’ the
vernacular press and effectively punish and repress seditious writing.
 ● It was passed in 1878 under the Governor General Ship and Viceroyalty of Lord
Lytton.
● The Role of the press was significant as it acted as a breeding ground for
discontent voices of India. Nationalist Leaders such as Tilak and Gandhi through
their newspapers and editorials took advantage to reach to the readers of the
remotest parts of India. Thus, generating a nationalistic feeling and mobilizing the
masses to fight for freedom of a “Nation” – an imagination which already had
grasped minds of masses in urban and rural areas alike.

Arms Act of 1878

● No person shall acquire, have in his possession, or carry any firearm or

ammunition unless he holds on this behalf a licence issued in accordance with
the provisions of this Act and the rules made there. Provided that a person who
has in his possession more firearms than three at the start of the Arms Act, may
retain with him any three of such firearms and shall deposit within ninety days
from such start, the remaining firearms with the officer in charge of the nearest
police station

MODERATE PHASE:

Who were the moderates?

● The main objective of the Moderates was to achieve self-government within the
British Empire. They believed in patience and reconciliation rather than in violence
and confrontation, thus relying on constitutional and peaceful methods in order to
achieve their aims.
● The first phase of the existence of the Congress is known as the moderate phase
(1885-1905). During this the Congress worked for limited objectives and
concentrated more upon building up its organization. The national leaders like
Dadabhai Nauroji, P.N. Mehta, D.E. Wacha, W.C. Banerji, S.N. Banerji, Gopal
Krishna Gokhale who dominated Congress policies during this time were staunch
believers in liberalism and moderate politics and came to be labelled as
moderates.

Objectives of the Moderates

● Demand for wider powers for the councils and training in self-government.

● Removal of poverty by the rapid development of agriculture and modern

industries
● Indianization of higher administrative services.
● Freedom of speech and press for the defence of their civil rights.
 ● They exposed the basically exploitative character of colonial rule, thus
undermining its moral foundations (the Drain of Wealth theory by Dadabhai
Naoroji)
● The moderate leaders, thus, tried to create national consciousness and raise
public opinion against British imperialism.
● They created a solid base for a more vigorous, militant, mass-based national
movement in the years that followed.

Demands of moderates
● Inclusion of more Indians in the ICS (INDIAN CIVIL SERVICES) and government
bodies.
● ICS examination to be held not just in England but also in India.
● Reduction of land revenue and provisions of greater protection to cultivators and
forest dwellers:
● Reduction in military expenditure and greater expenditure on irrigation, education
and other constructive activities.
● Removal of restrictions on civil liberties and the press
● The withdrawal of Arms Act and separation of the executive from the Judiciary
● Better living conditions for Indian labourers in other parts of world.

Why did moderates criticised British rule?

● It declared that British rule had led to poverty and famines: an increase in the
land revenue had impoverished peasants and zamindars and exports of grains to
Europe had created food shortage.
● The moderates wanted to develop public awareness about the unjust nature of
British rule.
● They criticised British rule in their speeches and sent representatives to different
parts of the country to mobilize public opinion.

EXTREMIST PHASE (1905-1919):

● Leaders of the extremist movement responded violently to British repression.

They used specific tactics to demoralise the British administration and paralyse
the British in India before ejecting them totally from the country.
● A new class of leaders emerged at the beginning of the twentieth century, unlike
the earlier moderate leaders. A catalyst for the rise of extremists within the Indian
National Movement was the Partition of Bengal in 1905. Known for their extreme
methods, the extremist class was created. In order to end the British rule in India,
this class used aggressive tactics.
 ● One who holds extreme views or advocates extreme measures is referred to as
an extremist example: Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra
Pal. They had no belief in the British sense of justice and wanted direct action
with the support of the people.

Growth of EXTREMIST and Criticism of Moderates:

● The opening decades of the twentieth century were marked by other

developments
● A group of Muslim landlords and nawabs formed the All India Muslim League at
Dacca in 1906. The League supported the partition of Bengal
 It desired separate electorates for Muslims, a demand conceded by the
Government in 1909. Some seats in the councils were now reserved for Muslims
who would be elected by Muslim voters.

1905-Partition of Bengal

● The British used their divide-and-rule policy with great force for the partition of
Bengal.
● Lord Curzon, the viceroy of India partitioned Bengal to divide Hindus and
Muslims. Bengal for the population of 31 administrative purposes, created a new
province of East Bengal and Assam, with a million people and with its capital at
Dhaka

1906- All India Muslim League founded

● After the defeat in the war of Independence, the Muslims became the target of
British victimization.
● To save the Muslims From the atrocities of the Britishers, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
took the responsibility of protecting the rights of the Muslims without the
formation of any political organization. After the death of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan
in 1888, the anti-Muslim activities of congress further increased
● At last, a delegation consisting of 35 members, under the leadership of Sir Agha
Khan met the Viceroy of India. Due to the positive answer of the viceroy, a
feeling of Confidence and unity was created. The All India Muslim League was
created out of this Convection.

1916- Lucknow Pact-

● Lucknow Pact is an agreement that took place between Indian National

Congress and Muslim League in 1916.
● The Congress and the League held their annual sessions simultaneously in
Lucknow.
 ● The falling out of Congress and differences of views between the extremists and
the moderates were posing a problem within a committee. An agreement was
reached between the Congress and the All-India Muslim League

GANDHIAN ERA (1919-1930)

 Gandhian philosophy is not only simultaneously political, moral and religious, it is

also traditional and modern, simple and complex. It embodies numerous Western
influences to which Gandhiji was exposed, but is rooted in ancient Indian
culture harnessing universal moral & religious principles.
 Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on 9th January 1915- Mahatma Gandhi
believed that the dharma of non-violence could unite all Indians.
 In 1917, he travelled to Champaran in Bihar to inspire the peasants to struggle
against the oppressive plantation system.
 In 1917, he organised a satyagraha to support the peasants of the Kheda district of
Gujarat. Affected by crop failure and a plague epidemic, the peasants of Kheda
could not pay the revenue, and were demanding that revenue collection be
relaxed.
 In 1918, he went to Ahmedabad to organise a satyagraha movement amongst
cotton mill workers.
 In 1919, he decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the
proposed Rowlatt Act (1919).

ROWLATT SATYAGRAHA:

● Rowlatt act was passed in March 1910 by the Rowlatt committee (named after its
president sir Sidney Rowlatt).
● This act was passed to control public unrest and revolutionary activity
● According to this act any person suspected of terrorism can be arrested and will
get a punishment for 2 years

At this Gandhi and others felt angry as they were also arresting innocent people
and launched a Rowlatt satyagrah movement in which both Hindus and Muslims
joined to fight against British rule.

JALLIAN WALA BAGH MASSACRE

● On 13 April 1919 people gathered at Jallianwala Bagh to have a public meeting.

● Governor of Punjab (Michael O' Dyer) came there with 150 soldiers and
surrounded the park and without any warning opened fire.
● Hundreds of people died and thousands were injured.

KHILAFAT AND THE NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT

● In 1920 when British imposed a harsh treaty on the sultan of Turkey who was
looked upon by Muslims as their religious head( Khalifa).
● Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali as leaders started an anti-British movement in
India.
● Many people working in government offices left their jobs and participated in it.
● Gandhiji also called for Non-cooperation Movement.

CHAURI CHAURA INCIDENT (1922)

● This incident happened in Chauri Chaura in Uttar Pradesh on February 4, 1922.

● A group of protesters started protesting against British rule in Chauri Chaura
bazaar and in response police started firing at the crowd.
● Infuriated by the firing, people burnt the police station killing 22 policemen in it.
 Gandhi condemned the crime of the policemen's killing and decided to call-off the
Non-Cooperation Movement, which he saw as having been tainted by unforgivable
violence
SIMON COMMISSION (1927)

● On 26 November 1927 a Commission was announced by British Government

under the Chairmanship of Sir John Simon.
● All members of Commission were white people and no Indian was present in the
commission.

● There was a negative response of Indians towards the commission and they
received the commission with the slogan "Simon Go Back, Simon Go Back"

● And when the Commission arrived in Punjab people started protesting and police
started lathi charge on people in which Lala Lajpat Rai died.

DECLATATION OF POORNA SWARAJ

● As a result of continuous denial of reforms and political rights, and the persistent
ignorance of Indian political parties, the Indian National Congress called for a
session convened in Lahore.
● According to the Poorna Swaraj declaration of the independence of India, it was
claimed by Indian National Congress to finish British rule and make India
independent.

Dandi March
● The Salt Satyagraha began with the Dandi March on March 12, 1930, and was
an important part of the Indian independence movement.
● Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (commonly called Mahatma Gandhi) led the
Dandi march from his base, Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad, to the sea
coast near the village of Dandi.
● As he continued on this 24 days, 240 miles (390 km) march to produce salt
without paying the tax, growing numbers of Indians joined him along the way.
When Gandhiji broke the salt law at 6:30 am on April 6, 1930, it sparked large-
scale acts of civil disobedience against the British Raj salt laws by millions of
Indians.

Civil Disobedience Movement

● Mass civil disobedience spread throughout India as millions broke the salt law by
making salt or buying illegal salt.
● What had begun as a Salt Satyagraha quickly grew into a mass Satyagraha
● British cloth and goods were boycotted.
● Unpopular forest laws were defied in the Maharashtra, Carnatic, and Central
Provinces.
● Gujarati peasants refused to pay tax, under threat of losing their crops and land.

The Government of India Act 1935

● British political establishment felt the necessity of constitutional change, resulting

in the Government of India Act 1935.
● That Act introduced a novel system of government known as provincial
"diarchy",i.e. certain areas of government were placed in the hands of ministers
responsible for the establishment of a "Federation of India”, to be made up of
both British India and some or all of the "princely states”.
A partial reorganization of the provinces took place:
● Sind was separated from Bombay.
● Bihar and Orissa were split into the separate provinces of Bihar and Orissa
● Burma was completely separated from India
● Aden was also detached from India and established as a separate colony

India's Involvement in Second World War

● In 1939 the Viceroy, Lord Linlithgow, announced that India had declared war.
The Indian assembly had not been consulted. According to the Government Act
of India the Viceroy should have consulted the Executive Committee before
making decisions about defence or foreign affairs. Such actions led to an
escalation in worsening relations between Congress and The Muslim League.
 Quit India Movement 1942

● The Quit India Movement or the August Kranti was a civil disobedience
movement launched in India in response to Gandhiji's call for immediate
independence.
● As the Congress realized that the British did not keep their promise after the help
rendered by the Indians in the II World War, the entire nation was charged with
the slogan" DO or DIE",

Cabinet Mission

● In March 1946, the cabinet mission was sent to India to start the process of
transferring power. It proposed the formation of a 389 Member constituent
assembly to draft the constitution of India and an interim Government at the
center to carry on Day-to-day administration until the new constitution was
implemented.

The Mission's purpose was to-

● Hold preparatory discussions with elected representatives
● Set up a constitution body.
● Set up an executive council with the support of the main Indian parties.

Mountbatten's Plan & Demand for Pakistan

● Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten was made the Viceroy of India in 1947.

● In June that year he drew up the Mountbatten plan. The plan announced that

India would be free in August 1947, but divided into two nations India and Pakistan.
Pakistan would comprise of Baluchistan, Sind, the North West Frontier Province and
Muslim-majority areas of Punjab and Bengal.
The princely states were given a choice to join either India or Pakistan or to remain
independent

The Mountbatten plan was given legal effect by the India Independence act in July 1947
.Muhammad Ali Jinnah became the first Governor-general of Pakistan. Lord
Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of British India became the first Governor-general of the
dominion of India. The Constituent Assembly became India's parliament and Jawaharlal
Nehru, India's first prime minister. Thus, India finally emerged as an independent nation
after more than two hundred years of colonial rule.
 Birth of a new nation

● In 1947 the country was partitioned into India and Pakistan. On 14 August 1947,
the British gave Independence to Pakistan and India. Thus were born two
nations. India and Pakistan, Pakistan comprising East Pakistan (now
Bangladesh) and West Pakistan (now Pakistan).
● In history, 15th August 1947 has a special significance as it gave birth to a new
nation and a new era. Independence Day was also the end of nearly a century of
struggle for freedom, battle betrayals, and sacrifices. It gave us the freedom to
choose between right and wrong also created a situation where we were
responsible for ourselves.