General Awareness

Table of Content
S Page
Chapter Title
No. No.

1 Establishment of British Rule in India 1

2 Development of Education and Press 8

3 Revolt of 1857 12

4 Popular Movements Against the British Rule 14

5 Moderate Phase of Indian National Congress 19

6 Extremist Phase (1905-1909) 21

7 The Mass Movement: Gandhian Era (1917-1925) 24

8 The Struggle for Swaraj (1925-1939) 27

9 Towards independence (1940-1947) 32

10 India on the Eve of Independence 38

11 Basics of Indian Constitution 39

12 Constitutional Amendment 47

13 Fundamental Rights 50

14 Directive Principle of State Policy 55

15 Fundamental Duties 57

16 Parliament 58

17 President 65

18 Vice President 68

19 Prime Minister 69

20 Central Council of Ministers 70

21 Supreme Court 71

22 Constitutional Bodies 72

23 Physiographic Divisions of India 76

 Table of Content
S Page
Chapter Title
No. No.

24 Climate of India 93

25 Indian Drainage System 99

26 Agriculture in India 113

27 Soil in India 116

28 Biodiversity and Conservation 119

29 Transport in India 128

30 Industrial Regions of India 133

31 Five Year Plans in India 136

32 Important International Institutions 138

33 Economic System and National Income 149

34 Economic Reforms 154

35 Money and Money Supply 156

36 Monetary Policy 163

37 World Geography 170

38 Poverty 174

39 Indian Music 177

40 Indian Dance 189

41 Theatre 198

42 Puppetry 203
 Establishment of British Rule in
1
CHAPTER India
Portuguese Policies in India
Arrival of Europeans in India
● Monopolised the manufacture of salt,
1. Portuguese ● Built a custom house and started levying a duty on
tobacco.
Important Personalities
● Started slave trade, purchased Hindu and Muslim
Vasco Da ● Arrived at Calicut in May 1498 children and converted to Christianity.
Gama ● Received permission to establish
● Religious Policy of the Portuguese
business by King Zamorin of
Calicut ○ Zeal to promote Christinaty.
● At Cannanore, he set up a trading ○ Intolerant toward Muslim and Hindu religions.
factory .
Pedro ● Established first European factory
2. Dutch
Alvarez in India in 1500 at Calicut ● In 1596, Cornelis de Houtman → first Dutchman to
Cabral ● Successfully retaliated Arab attack
on Portuguese reach Sumatra and Bantam.
● Bombarded Calicut and made ● In 1602, many trading companies amalgamated →
advantageous treaties with rulers EIC of the Netherlands.
of Cochin and Cannanore
● Company was empowered to carry out war,
Francisco De ● In 1505, Francisco De Almeida
conclude treaties, to take possession of territory and
Almeida tried to consolidate the position of
Portuguese in India. to erect fortresses.
● He built fortresses at Anjadiva, Dutch Settlements in India
Cochin, Cannanore and Kilwa. . ● First factory in Masulipatnam (in Andhra) in 1605.
● Vision: to make the Portuguese ● In 1609 opened a factory in Pulicat, north of Madras.
the master of the Indian Ocean.
● Other principal factories at Surat (1616), Bimlipatam
His policy was k/a the Blue Water
Policy and cartaze system. (1641), Karaikal (1645), Chinsurah (1653), Baranagar,
Alfonso de ● Real founder of the Portuguese Kasimbazar (near Murshidabad), Balasore, Patna,
Albuquerque power in India. Nagapatam (1658), Cochin (1663).
● Introduced a permit system for
Trade under Dutch in India
other ships.
● Acquired Goa in 1510 and Goa ● Manufactured:
became “the first bit of Indian ○ Indigo: the Yamuna valley and Central India,
territory to be under the ○ textiles and silk: Bengal, Gujarat and the
Europeans since the time of Coromandel,
Alexander the Great”. ○ Saltpeter: Bihar
● Encouraged Portuguese men to ○ Opium and rice: the Ganga valley.
take local wives and stressed the ● Monopolized trade in black pepper and spices.
abolition of sati
● In the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672-74) English ships
Portuguese Establishments in India were captured in Bay of Bengal by Dutch forces →
● Occupied regions around the coast of Goa from retaliation by the English → defeat of the Dutch in the
Mumbai to Daman and Diu and then to Gujarat, they battle of Hooghly (1759).
controlled four important ports and towns and ● Battle of Colachel (1741) b/w Dutch and the king of
villages. . Travancore Marthanda Varma leading to complete
● Established military posts and settlements on the rout of Dutch power in the Malabar region.
east coast at San Thome (in Chennai) and ● Anglo-Dutch Treaty (1814):
Nagapattinam (in Andhra). ○ Facilitated the restoration of Dutch Coromandel
● Imperial farman circa 1579 made them settle near and Dutch Bengal to Dutch rule
Satgaon in Bengal for trading activities. ■ Anglo-Dutch Treaty (1824) returned these
places to British

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 1
3. British ● English bought the zamindari of the three villages of
Sutanuti, Gobindapur and Kalikata (Kalighat) from
● Factors contributed:
their owners on payment of Rs 1,200.
○ Charter of Queen Elizabeth I→Francis Drake’s
● Established Fort William in 1700,
voyage the world in 1580
○ Seat of the eastern presidency (Calcutta)
○ English victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588
○ First President: Sir Charles Eyre
● On December 31, 1600, Queen Elizabeth I issued a
charter with rights of exclusive trading to the Farrukhsiyar’s Farmans
company named the ‘Governor and Company of ● In 1715, John Surman secured farmans from
Merchants of London trading into the East Indies’. Farrukhsiyar, giving the Company privileges in
● Initially, a monopoly of 15 years was granted, Bengal, Gujarat and Hyderabad.
extended indefinitely in May 1609 ● Magna Carta of the Company and its terms were:
○ In Bengal:
Expansion of the English Company
■ Imports and exports were exempted from
a. Expansion in West and South
additional customs duties in Bengal,
1609 ● Captain Hawkins arrived at Jahangir
accepting the annual payment of 3,000
court to establish a factory at Surat but
rupees as settled earlier.
failed
■ Permitted to issue dastaks for the
● Faced opposition from the Portuguese
transportation of such goods.
● Left Agra in November 1611.
■ Permitted to rent more lands around
1611 Started trading at Masulipatnam and later
Calcutta.
established a factory in 1616.
○ In Hyderabad, the privilege of duty-free trade
1612 ● Captain Thomas Best defeated the
and paying rent only for Madras.
Portuguese in the sea off Surat;
○ In Surat, for an annual payment of 10,000
● Received permission from Jahangir to
rupees, exempted from levy of all duties.
establish a factory at Surat under
○ Coins of the Company minted in Bombay.
Thomas Aldworth in 1613.
1615 Sir Thomas Roe, an accredited ambassador 4. French
of James I, came to the court of Jahangir, ● Last Europeans to come to India to trade.
staying there till February 1619. ● Louis XIV, the king’s famous minister Colbert laid the
1632 Received ‘Golden Farman’ issued by the foundation of the Compagnie des Indes Orientales
Sultan of Golconda (French EIC) in 1664.
1662 Bombay had been gifted to King Charles II by ● Granted a 50-year monopoly on French trade in the
the King of Portugal as a dowry when Charles Indian and Pacific Oceans.
married the Portuguese princess Catherine. ● In 1667, Francois Caron headed an expedition to
1687 The seat of the Western Presidency shifted India, setting up a factory in Surat.
from Surat to Bombay ● Mercara, a Persian who accompanied Caron, founded
another French factory in Masulipatnam in 1669
b. Expansion in Bengal after obtaining a patent from the Sultan of Golconda.
● Shah Shuja, the subahdar of Bengal in 1651, allowed ● In 1673, French obtained permission from Shaista
the English to trade in Bengal in return for an annual Khan, Mughal Subahdar of Bengal, to establish a
payment of Rs 3,000, in lieu of all duties. township at Chandernagore near Calcutta.
● Factories in Bengal: Hooghly (1651), Kasimbazar, ● In 1673, Sher Khan Lodi, the governor of
Patna and Rajmahal. Valikandapuram (under the Bijapur Sultan), granted
● William Hedges, the first governor of the Company in Francois Martin, the director of the Masulipatnam
factory, a site for a settlement.
Bengal, appealed to Shayista Khan, the Mughal
● In 1674, Pondicherry was founded, and Francois
governor of Bengal in August 1682, for redressal of
Martin became French governor.
the grievance.
● Established its factories in coastal regions of India.
○ Resulted in hostilities b/w the English and the ● Important trading Centers: Mahe, Karaikal, Balasore
Mughals. and Qasim Bazar
● The English captured the imperial forts at Thana ● Dutch captured Pondicherry in 1693.
(modern Garden Reach) and raided Hijli in east ● Treaty of Ryswick concluded in September 1697 and
Midnapur and the Mughal fortifications at Balasore. restored Pondicherry to the French

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 2
5. Danes (Denmark) ● Principal settlement: at Serampore near Calcutta.
● Danish factories were sold to British in 1845.
● In 1616, the Danish EIC was founded.
● Danes are better known for their missionary
● In 1620, a factory at Tranquebar (Tanjore) was
activities than for commerce.
established.
Carnatic Wars
First Carnatic ● Extension of the Anglo-French War in Europe caused by the Austrian War of Succession.
War ○ English navy under Barnet seized French ships to provoke France.
(1740-48) ○ Admiral La Bourdonnais, French governor of Mauritius, retaliated by seizing Madras in 1746
with the help of the fleet from Mauritius.
● Ended in 1748 with Treaty of Aix-La Chapelle
○ Madras was handed back to the English, and the French got territories in North America.
● Remembered for the Battle of St. Thome (in Madras) fought b/w the French forces and the forces of
Anwar-ud-din, the Nawab of Carnatic, to whom the English appealed for help.
Second ● Dupleix, the French governor → sought to increase his power and French political influence in
Carnatic War southern India
(1749-54) ● Hyderabad→After the death of Nizam-ul-Mulk→civil war b/w Nasir Jang (son) and Muzaffar Jang
(grandson)
Nasir Jung Claimed the Throne
Musafar Jung of Hyderabad

● Carnatic→ Anwar-ud-din Khan vs Chanda Sahib.

Anwaruddin Khan Claimed the Throne
Chandha Sahib of Carnatic

● French supported Muzaffar Jang and Chanda Sahib while English sided Nasir Jang and Anwar-ud-din.
Battle of
Defeated and killed anwar-ud-din
Dupleix + Chandha Ambur
khan and made the Chandha
Sahib + Musafar Jung
1749 Sahib the Nawab of Carnatic

● War ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754

Third Carnatic ● In Europe, when Austria wanted to recover Silesia in 1756, the Seven Years’ War (1756-63) started.
War (1758-63) ● In 1758, the French army under Count de Lally captured the English forts of St. David and
Vizianagaram in India in 1758.
● Battle of Wandiwash- decisive battle of Third Carnatic War → English (victorious) in 1760 at
Wandiwash (or Vandavasi) in Tamil Nadu.
Battle of
Count de Lally headed
General Eyer Coote Wandiwash
French forces which
headed British Forces
lost the battle

● Treaty of Peace of Paris (1763): french allowed to use their settlements for commercial purposes
only and banned fortification
● Alivardi Khan nominated Siraj-ud-daula as his successor.
Bengal
● Siraj-ud-daula prohibited the English from fortifying
Nawabs of Bengal and the British their factories at Calcutta, which led to the Battle of
Plassey in 1757.
● Murshid Quli Khan was appointed as the Diwan of
● Mir Qasim granted Zamindari of Burdman,
Bengal by Aurangzeb.
Midnapore and Chittagong to the British.
● Shujauddin Khan annexed Suba of Bihar to become a
● Mir Jafar granted the right to free trade in Bengal,
part of Bengal.
Bihar, and Orissa and the Zamindar of 24 Parganas to
● Sarfaraz Khan took the title of Alam-ud—daula
the British. He is aka the Jackal of Clive.
Haider Jung.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 3
● Najm-ud-daula was the son of Mir Jafar and made Battle of Buxar (1764)
Nawab British puppet ruler during the period of ‘Dual
● Mir Qasim tried to free himself from British control.
System of Government’.
● He dismissed the British officials and hired European
Black Hole ● Siraj-ud-daula sieged Fort William.
experts to train his army.
Tragedy ● 146 British people were compelled
● He abolished all duties on internal trade and made
(1756) to surrender. Indian and British merchants trade on equal terms.
● Stuffed for a night in a room of 18 ● The British decided to depose Mir Qasim.
square feet, with only two windows,
● Mir Qasim fled to Awadh and allied with Shuja-ud-
and 123 people (Including natives)
Daulah, the Nawab of Awadh and Shah Alam II, the
suffocated to death.
Mughal Emperor.
● Clive relieved Calcutta survivors &
● Combined armies that met the British forces at Buxar
recovered the city on January 2,
on 22 October 1764 were defeated by the English
1757
forces under Major Hector Munro.
● An indecisive engagement led to a
● Mir Jafar was made the nawab.
treaty with Sirāj ud-Daula on
February 9, which restored the ● English were permitted duty-free trade in Bengal,
company’s privileges. except for a duty of 2% on salt.
● Treaty of Allahabad was signed with Shuja-ud-Daula
Battle of Plassey (1757) and Shah Alam II
● Clive forged a secret alliance with the traitors of the
Dual Government in Bengal (1765-72)
nawab—Mir Jafar, Rai Durlabh, Jagat Seth (an
influential banker of Bengal) and Omi Chand. ● Robert Clive introduced the dual system of
● On 23 June 1757, the armies of Siraj-ud-Daulah and government in Bengal, i.e., rule of the two—the
the EIC met at Plassey. Company and the Nawab in which the Diwani,
● Mir Jafar, the Commander in Chief of the Siraj- i.e.collecting revenues, and nizamat, i.e.Police and
udDaulah, did not participate in the battle. judicial functions, came under the control of the
● Jagat Seth, the most prosperous banker of Bengal, Company.
also refused to help the Siraj-udDaulah
● Nawab was responsible for maintaining peace and
● Siraj-ud-Daulah was defeated, imprisoned and later
order
killed.
● Warren Hastings did away with the dual system in
● The British made Mir Jafar the Nawab of Bengal.
1772.
● After Plassey, the English virtually monopolised the
trade and commerce of Bengal.

Mysore
Anglo-Mysore Wars
First Anglo-Mysore ● Nizam + Marathas + English vs Haidar Ali.
War (1767-69) ● Haider paid the Marathas to turn them neutral and converted the Nizam into his ally
against Nawab of Arcot.
● English concluded treaty with Haidar on April 4, 1769—Treaty of Madras.
Treaty of Madras
● Haidar Ali was promised the help of the English in case he was attacked by any other power.
Second Anglo-Mysore ● In 1771, Haidar was attacked by the Marathas and the English failed to come to his aid.
War (1780-84) ● Haidar Ali accused the English of breaching the Treaty of Madras.
● American war of independence had broken out in which the French were against the
English.
● Haidar forged an anti-English alliance with the Marathas and the Nizam.
● English (under Sir Eyre Coote) detached both the Marathas and the Nizam from Haidar’s
side.
● Haidar lost at Porto Novo in November 1781.
Treaty of Mangalore
● Haidar Ali died of cancer and his son, Tipu Sultan carried on the war for one year.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 4
 ● Signed the Treaty of Mangalore (March, 1784).
● Under which each party gave back the territories it had taken from the other.
Third Anglo-Mysore • In 1790, Tipu declared war against Travancore for the restoration of his rights.
War • The English, siding with Travancore, attacked Tipu.
(1790-92) • In 1790, Tipu defeated the English under General Meadows.
• In 1791, Cornwallis marched to Seringapatam.
• With the support of the Marathas and the Nizam, the English attacked Seringapatam.
• Tipu lost and signed the Treaty of Seringapatam.
Treaty of Seringapatam
● Nearly half of the Mysorean territory was taken over by the victors.
● Baramahal, Dindigul and Malabar went to the English.
● Marathas got the regions surrounding the Tungabhadra and its tributaries.
● Nizam acquired the areas from Krishna to beyond the Pennar.
● A war damage of three crore rupees was also taken from Tipu.
● Tipu’s two sons were taken as hostages by the English.
Fourth Anglo-Mysore ● Tipu fulfilled all terms of the Treaty of Seringapatam and released his sons.
War (1798-99) ● In 1796, the Hindu ruler of the Wodeyar dynasty died, and Tipu declared himself sultan.
● In 1798, Lord Wellesley succeeded Sir John Shore as the new Governor General, concerned
about Tipu’s growing friendship with the French.
● Wellesley aimed at annihilating Tipu’s independence through the system of Subsidiary
Alliance.
● War began on April 17, 1799, and ended on May 4, 1799, with the fall of Seringapatam.
● Tipu was defeated first by English General Stuart and then by General Harris.
● The English was again helped by the Marathas and the Nizam.
● Tipu died
● English throned a boy from earlier Hindu royal family of Mysore as the maharaja and also
imposed on him the subsidiary alliance system.

Mysore after Tipu Sultan ● The new state of Mysore was handed over to the old
● Wellesley offered the Soonda and Harponelly Hindu dynasty (Wodeyars) under a minor ruler
districts of Mysore Kingdom to the Marathas but Krishnaraja III, who accepted the subsidiary alliance.
later refused. ● In 1831, William Bentinck took control of Mysore on
● The Nizam was given the districts of Gooty and the grounds of misgovernance.
Gurramkonda. ● In 1881, Lord Ripon restored the kingdom to its ruler.
● The English took possession of Kanara, Wayanad,
Coimbatore, Dwaraporam and Seringapatam.

Marathas
Anglo-Maratha Wars
First Anglo- ● Raghunath Rao had concluded the treaty of Surat with the English in 1775, agreeing to cede
Maratha War Salsette and Bassein in return for the post of Peshwa.
(1775-82) ● British Calcutta Council condemned the Treaty of Surat (1775) and sent Colonel Upton to Pune to
annul it and make a new treaty (Treaty of Purandar, 1776).
● In 1777, Nana Phadnavis violated his treaty by granting the French a port on the west coast. The
English retaliated by sending a force towards Pune.
● Maratha army was commanded by Mahadji Sindhia (Also known as Mahadji Shinde).
● English signed the Treaty of Wadgaon that forced the Bombay government to relinquish all
territories acquired by the English since 1775.
Treaty of Salbai (1782)
● Governor-General in Bengal rejected the Treaty of Wadgaon and sent a large force under Colonel
Goddard. Sindhia proposed a new treaty b/w the Peshwa and the English, and the Treaty of Salbai

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 5
 was signed in May 1782.
● The treaty guaranteed peace b/w the two sides for twenty years.
Second Anglo ● Peshwa Madhavrao Narayan committed suicide in 1795 and Bajirao II, son of Raghunathrao,
Maratha War became the Peshwa.
(1803-1805) ● On April 1, 1801, the Peshwa brutally murdered the brother of Jaswantrao Holkar, Vithuji.
● Bajirao II fled to Bassein, where, on December 31, 1802, he signed a treaty with the English.
Third Anglo- ● Pindaris were attached to Maratha armies as mercenaries could not get regular employment when
Maratha War Marathas became weak.
(1817-19) ● They started plundering neighbouring territories, including those of the Company.
● The English charged the Marathas with giving shelter to the Pindaris.
● A repentant Bajirao II in 1817 rallied against the English.
● The Peshwa attacked the British Residency at Poona, and Appa Sahib of Nagpur attacked Nagpur.
● The English, striking back vigorously, succeeded in not allowing the Peshwa to exert his authority
again on the Maratha confederacy.
● The Peshwa was defeated at Khirki, Bhonsle at Sitabuldi, & Holkar at Mahidpur.
● Some important treaties signed were:
○ June 1817, Treaty of Poona, with Peshwa.
○ November 1817, Treaty of Gwalior, with Sindhia.
○ January 1818, Treaty of Mandsaur, with Holkar
● Peshwa was exiled to North India and territories were taken over by British

that the English would remain neutral in case of a

Punjab Sikh-Afghan war However, the negotiations failed.
Maharaja Ranjit Singh ● To avoid Napoleonic danger, the English became
more assertive, and Ranjit Singh signed the Treaty of
● Son of Mahan Singh, the leader of the Sukarchakiya Amritsar (April 25, 1809).
misl. ● Ranjit Singh's ambition to extend his rule over the
● Maharaja Ranjit Singh founded the Sikh Kingdom and entire Sikh nation was shattered by accepting the
became the Maharaja despite the monarchy not river Sutlej as the boundary line for his dominions
being sanctioned by the Sikh religion. and the Company’s.
● In June 1838, Ranjit Singh was compelled by political
● Sikhs were temporarily united into a state which
compulsions to sign the Tripartite Treaty with the
ruled from Kashmir in the north to Sindh in the south
English; however he refused to give passage to the
and Afghanistan in the north-west to Haryana in the
British army through his territories to attack Dost
east.
Mohammad, the Afghan Amir.
Treaty of Amritsar (1809) ● Ranjit Singh died in June 1839 and with his death the
process of the decline of his empire began.
● Ranjit Singh offered to accept Metcalfe’s proposal of
an offensive and defensive alliance on the condition Anglo-Sikh Wars
First Anglo-Sikh War ● First Anglo-Sikh war was attributed to the action of the Sikh army crossing the River
(1845-46) Sutlej on December 11, 1845.
● English saw that step as an aggressive manoeuvre and declared war.
● War began in December 1845 under the Sikh commander Lal Singh.
● But the treachery of Lal Singh and Teja Singh caused five successive defeats to the Sikhs
at Mudki (December 18, 1845), Ferozeshah (December 21-22, 1845), Buddelwal, Aliwal
(January 28, 1846), and at Sobraon (February 10, 1846).
● Lahore fell to the British forces on February 20, 1846.
Treaty of Lahore (March 8, 1846)
● >1 crore of rupees was to be given to the English.
● Jalandhar Doab (b/w Beas and Sutlej) was annexed to EIC’s dominions.
● A British resident was to be established at Lahore under Henry Lawrence.
● The strength of the Sikh army was reduced.
● Daleep Singh was recognised as the ruler under Rani Jindan as regent and Lal Singh as
wazir.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 6
 ● Kashmir, including Jammu was sold to Gulab Singh as Sikh didn't pay the complete war
indemnity.
● A separate treaty formalised the transfer of Kashmir to Gulab Singh on March 16, 1846.
Treaty of Bhairowal
● In December, 1846, the Treaty of Bhairowal was signed.
● Rani Jindan was removed as regent and a council of regency for Punjab was set up.
● The council was presided over by the English Resident, Henry Lawrence.
Second Anglo-Sikh War ● Inhuman treatment meted out to Rani Jindan, who was sent to Benares as a pensioner,
(1848-49) added to the resentment of the Sikhs.
● Mulraj, the governor of Multan, revolted and murdered two English officers.
● Sher Singh joined Mulraj, leading to a mass uprising in Multan.
● Lord Dalhousie fought three important battles before the final annexation of Punjab.
○ Battle of Ramnagar, led by Sir Hugh Gough, the commander-in-chief of the
Company.
○ Battle of Chillianwala, January, 1849.
○ Battle of Gujarat, February 21, 1849; the Sikh army surrendered at Rawalpindi, and
their Afghan allies were chased out of India. (Gujarat is a small town on the banks of
River Jhelum.)

British Policies of Expansion ● Indian princes and States which Accepted Alliance
○ Nizam of Hyderabad (September 1798 and 1800)
1. Policy of Ring Fence
○ Ruler of Mysore (1799)
● Warren Hastings followed a policy to create buffer
○ The ruler of Tanjore (October 1799)
zones to defend the Company’s frontiers.
○ Nawab of Awadh (November 1801)
● It was the policy of defence of their neighbours’
○ Peshwa (December 1801)
frontiers for safeguarding their territories.
● The states brought under the ring-fence system were ○ Bhonsle Raja of Berar (December 1803)
assured of military assistance against external ○ Sindhia (February 1804)
aggression—but at their own expense. ○ Rajput states of Jodhpur, Jaipur, Macheri, Bundi
● These allies were required to maintain subsidiary and the ruler of Bharatpur (1818).
forces which were to be organised, equipped and ○ Holkars (1818).
commanded by the officers of the Company. 3. Doctrine of Lapse
2. Policy of Subsidiary Alliance ● Doctrine of Lapse was introduced by Lord Dalhousie
● Introduced by: The subsidiary alliance system was ● The doctrine stated that the adopted son could be
used by Lord Wellesley. the heir to his foster father’s private property, but
● Subsidiary alliance system: Under the system, the not the state.
allying Indian state rulers were compelled to accept ● States Annexed under Doctrine of Lapse
the permanent stationing of a British force within his ○ Satara (1848)
territory and to pay a subsidy for its maintenance. ○ Jaitpur and Sambalpur (1849)
● Indian rulers could not employ any European in their ○ Bhagat (1850)
service without the prior approval of the British. Nor ○ Udaipur (1852)
could negotiate with any other Indian ruler without ○ Jhansi (1853)
the consultation of the governor-general. ○ Nagpur (1854)
● In return, the British would defend the ruler from his ○ Tore and Arcot (1855)
enemies and adopt a policy of non-interference in
the internal matters of the allied state.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 7
 Development of Education and
2
CHAPTER Press
○ The Government would provide funding to
Development of Education in India
private schools and colleges in form of grants.
● Warren Hastings established the Calcutta Madrasa ○ Creation of a new service called Indian
in 1781 to study Muslim law and related subjects. Educational Service which would recruit
● The Sanskrit College was established by Jonathan teachers for government institutions all over
Duncan at Benaras in 1791 for study of Hindu law India
and philosophy. ○ Vernacular or local language to be the medium
● Wellesley set up Fort William College in 1800 for of instruction at primary school, followed by
the training of civil servants of the Company in the Anglo-Vernacular High Schools, and English at
languages and customs of Indians (closed in 1802). higher education level (college).
○ Education to be imparted in government
Charter Act of 1813
institutions should be secular.
● Provided the initial push for the promotion of
● Based on the recommendations of Wood’s Despatch,
education in India
○ 1857: universities were set up at Calcutta,
● Incorporated the principle of encouraging learned
Bombay, and Madras.
Indians and promoting the study of modern sciences
○ Departments of education in all provinces were
in India
set up.
● The Act directed the English EIC to spend not <1 lakh
○ 1849: Bethune School (first women’s school in
rupees annually to promote education in India.
● The money was spent only in 1817 for providing a India) was founded at Calcutta by J.E.D. Bethune.
grant to establish Sanskrit College at Calcutta with ○ Agriculture Institute at Pusa (Bihar) and an
the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy Engineering Institute at Roorkee were
● Three other Sanskrit colleges were set up at Calcutta, established.
Delhi, and Agra by the Government. ○ Missionary enterprises played their part.

Lord Macaulay’s Minute of 1835 Hunter Commission (1882-83)

● Lord Macaulay’s Minute: “we must do our best to ● 1882: under the chairmanship of W.W.Hunter
form a class of persons, Indians in blood and color but ● Objective: To review education progress in India
English in taste, opinion, morals, and intellect”. since Wood’s Despatch of 1854.
● He promoted the downward filtration theory in ● Focus: On primary and secondary education.
which a small number of educated Indians would ● Recommendations
transfer their knowledge of western education to the ○ Use of vernacular language for the spread of
masses. primary education along with the support of the
state
● Macaulay’s minute focused on imparting western
○ Empowering the district and municipal boards
education to a small section of Indian society.
to regulate and control primary education
Wood’s Dispatch on Education (1854) ○ Laid stress on women’s education especially in
● Popularly k/a Magna Carta of Indian Education. rural areas
● Advocated education for the masses, reversed the ○ Efforts by private entities to be welcomed at all
‘downward filtration theory’, at least on paper. stages of education
● Emphasis was laid on vocational instruction and the ○ High school education or secondary education
need to set up technical schools and colleges to have two divisions—
● It emphasized providing education to women ■ Literary—leading up to university.
● Recommendations ■ vocational—for career-making in commerce
○ Establishment of education departments in all and industry
the major provinces ● Punjab University (1882) and Allahabad University
○ Universities to be set up at Calcutta, Madras, (1887) were established as per the commission’s
and Bombay. recommendations.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 8
Indian Universities Act, 1904 or Raleigh commission ○ Teaching to be in mother tongue along with
● 1902: Raleigh Commission was appointed to look into Hindi from class II to VII and in English only after
the progress of University education in India. class VIII.
● Indian members: Syed Hussain Bilgrami and Garudas ○ Establishing contacts with the community
Bannerjee around schools through service.
● Indian Universities Act of 1904 was passed: ○ The basic premise behind the scheme was that
○ Promotion of research and development in only through such a scheme would India be an
Universities independent and non-violent society.
○ The number of fellows of a university was Sergeant Plan of Education (1944)
reduced and their period in office was reduced to ● Sergeant was educational advisor to the
six years with the Government nominating most Government and presented a comprehensive
of them. education plan.
○ The Governor-General was entrusted with the Recommendations
power to determine the territorial limits and the ● Free and compulsory education for all b/w 6-14
affiliation of Universities and Colleges. years
○ A sum of five lakh rupees was to be sanctioned ● Division of education
per annum for five years to improve higher ○ Pre-primary education: 3-6 years
education and universities. ○ Free and compulsory education: 6-11 years
Saddler University Commission (1917-19) ○ High school education: 11-17 years
● Objective: To study and report on problems of ○ University level: 17 onwards (3 years)
Calcutta University, but review the entire field of ● Recommended abolition of the intermediate stage
education starting from school to university level. of education
● It emphasised improving education quality at the ● Adequate provisions for technical, commercial, and
secondary level since it is a prerequisite to entering arts education.
the University. ● End of adult illiteracy in 20 years.
Hartog Committee (1929) ● Emphasis on teachers’ training, physical education,
● To check the deteriorating quality of education due education for the physically and mentally handicapped.
to an increase in schools and colleges.
Development of Vernacular Education
Recommendations
● 1835-38: Reports on vernacular education by
● Emphasis to be placed on primary education for
William Adams pointed out defects in the system of
curing illiteracy, and the Government should focus on
vernacular education.
improving quality rather than quantity.
● 1843-53: Based on James Jonathan’s experiments in
● Only deserving students should go in for high school
North-West Provinces (UP), one government school
and intermediate stage, while average students
as a model school was opened in each tehsil and a
should be allowed to join vocational courses after
normal school for teachers training for vernacular
VIII standards.
schools.
● Admissions should be restricted to improve the
● 1853: Wood’s dispatch mentioned the improvement
quality of education in Universities.
of standards of vernacular education and supervision
Wardha Scheme of Basic Education (1937) by a government agency.
● October 1937 (Wardha): Congress organized a ● 1854-71: Increase in the number of vernacular
National Conference on Education presided over by schools by >five-fold.
Gandhiji. ● 1882: The Hunter Commission held that the State
● Zakir Hussain committee: Formulated scheme for should make special efforts for the extension and
basic education based on the principle of “learning improvement of vernacular education.
through activity”. ● 1904: Education policy- special emphasis on
● The scheme was based on Gandhi's ideas published vernacular education.
in the weekly Harijan. ● 1937: Congress ministries promoted Vernacular
● Provisions: schools.
○ Inclusion of basic handicrafts and manual skills Contributions of Europeans towards education
in the syllabus. ● 1781: Warren Hastings established the Calcutta
○ Free and compulsory education to all for the first Madrasah to study the laws related to Muslim
seven years of schooling. jurisprudence and related subjects.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 9
● 1784: Willam Jones founded the Asiatic Society of ● These restrictions were directed against vernacular
Bengal newspapers.
● 1791: Jonathan Duncan established the Sanskrit ● Eg: Rammohan Roy’s paper Mirat-ul-Akbar had to
College at Benares to study Hindu law and philosophy. stop publication as it violated the provisions of this
● 1800: Lord Wellesley set up the Fort William College act.
at Calcutta to impart training to the Civil servants. Licensing Act of 1857
● 1849: J E D Bethune founded the Bethune School at ● Enacted in the wake of the emergency caused by the
Calcutta to advance girls’ education. Revolt of 1857
Indigenous Efforts in Education ● The government had the power to grant or revoke
● Raja Ram Mohan Roy: First Indian to promote licenses.
education on modern lines. Helped in passing the ● The government reserved the right to stop the
Charter Act of 1813. publication and circulation of any book, newspaper
● National Council of Education, 1906: Used as a or printed matter.
hotbed for revolutionary activities during the
Vernacular Press Act of 1878
Swadeshi movement.
● Introduced by Lord Lytton to curb the seditious
● Establishment of Visva Bharati University at
writings in Vernacular literature.
Shantiniketan in Bengal by Rabindranath Tagore.
● Also called the Gagging Act, it empowered DM to call
● Establishment of Kashi Vidyapith at Benares, Gujarat
upon the printer and publisher of any vernacular
Vidyapith at Ahmedabad, and Jamia Millia Islamia.
● The Nai-Talim scheme of Gandhiji focused on newspaper not to publish anything that would invite
providing self-reliance to the students. a feeling of disaffection against the government or
antipathy b/w persons of different castes, races, and
Development of Press religions.
● Portuguese established the first printing press in ● Under this act, proceedings were initiated against
Goa. some vernacular papers like Som Prakash, Bharat
● The first book was published in 1557 by the Jesuits of Mihir, Dacca Prakash, and Samachar. (Amrita Bazar
Goa. Patrika turned overnight into an English newspaper
● The first newspaper of India, The Bengal Gazette, to escape the provisions of this act.)
was published by James Augustus Hickey in 1780 ● 1882: Lord Ripon finally repealed the act.
● 1883: Surendranath Banerjea became the first Indian
Censorship of Press Act, 1799 journalist to be imprisoned for an editorial in the
● Enacted by Lord Wellesley. Bengalee criticising a judge of Calcutta High Court.
● The act imposed almost wartime press restrictions ● Tilak was arrested based on the publication of a
including pre-censorship as it required the publisher poem, ‘Shivaji’s Utterances’, in his paper Kesari.
to submit all material before printing and to print the ● 1898: The government amended Section 124A and
name of the printer, editor, and proprietor. added another Section 153A in which anyone could
● Violation of the act led to the immediate be declared a criminal for bringing into contempt the
deportation of that person. Government of India or to create hatred among
● 1807: Censorship was extended to journals, books, different classes and the English in India.
and pamphlets.
● These restrictions were relaxed under Lord Hastings Indian Press (Emergency Powers) Act, 1931
and in 1818, pre-censorship was dispensed with. ● This Act aimed at curbing the Civil Disobedience
Movement as it empowered police officers to arrest
Licensing Regulations of 1823 leaders and lathi-charge on masses for supporting the
● Enacted by John Adams on the recommendations of nationalist leaders.
Sir Thomas Munro
● The provincial government was authorized to forfeit
● As per this, printing a book without a license would
the security of the press in case of emergency (the
invite a penalty of Rs. 400.
security amount was raised to a minimum of 1000 and
● No press could be established without obtaining a
a maximum of 10000).
license.
● The Act was empowered even more in 1932 to
● Magistrates were given the power to seal the
include all activities that undermined government
presses that violated the rules and the Governor-
authority.
General could cancel the license in case of violation.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 10
The Nationalist and Literary Developments
Paper/ Journal Place Founder/Editor
Bengal Gazette 1780 Calcutta James Augustus Hicky (Irishman)
India Gazette 1787 Calcutta Henry Louis Vivian Derozio
Madras Courier (first paper from Madras) 1784 Madras Richard Johnston
Bombay Herald (first paper from Bombay) 1789 Bombay James Mackenzie
Started by R. Williams (English man) and was
Indian Herald (in English) 1795 Madras
published by Humphreys.
Calcutta Journal 1818 Calcutta J.S. Buckingham

Bengal Gazette (First Bengali paper) 1818 Calcutta Harishchandra Ray

Sambad Kaumudi (Bengali weekly) 1821 Calcutta Raja Rammohan Roy
Mirat-ul-Akbar (first Persian journal) 1822 Calcutta Raja Rammohan Roy
Jam-i-Jahan Numah (first Urdu paper) 1822 Calcutta An English firm
(in English, Bengali, Persian, Hindi)
Banga-Duta 1822 Calcutta Rammohan Roy, Dwarkanath Tagore, and
others
Bombay Samachar (first Gujarati paper) 1822 Bombay Fardunjee Marzban
East Indian (daily) 1831 Calcutta Henry Vivian Derozio
Bombay Times (k/a The Times of India from 1861 Work initiated by Robert Knight and started by
Bombay
onwards) 1838 Thomas Bennett
Somaprakasha (first Bengali political paper) 1859 Calcutta Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar
Indian Mirror (fortnightly— first Indian daily in English) Devendranath Tagore
Calcutta
1862
Bengalee (this, and Amrita Bazar Patrika—the first Girish Chandra Ghosh (taken over by S.N.
Calcutta
vernacular papers) 1862 Banerjea in 1879)
National Paper 1865 Calcutta Devendranath Tagore
Madras Mail (First evening paper in India) 1868 Madras Charles Lawson and Henry Cornish
Amrita Bazar Patrika (started in Bengali later turned to Sisirkumar Ghosh and Motilal Ghosh
Calcutta
English, a daily) 1868
Indian Statesman (later, The Statesman) 1875 Calcutta Robert Knight
G.S. Aiyar, Viraraghavachari and Subba Rao
The Hindu (a weekly in English) 1878 Madras
Pandit
Tribune (daily) 1881 Lahore Dayal Singh Majeetia
Kesari (Marathi daily) and Maharatta (English weekly) Tilak, Chiplunkar, Agarkar
Bombay
1881
Barindra Kumar Ghosh and Bhupendranath
Yugantar 1905 Bengal
Dutta
Sandhya 1906 Bengal Brahmabandhab Upadhyay
Calcutta and Mohammad Ali Jinnah
Comrade (English) and Hamdard (Urdu) 1911 Delhi,
respectively
Ghadr 1913 San Francisco Ghadr Party
Reshwa - Ajit Singh
Started by Pherozeshah Mehta, Editor—B.G.
Bombay Chronicle (a daily) 1913 Bombay
Horniman (Englishman)
New India and Commonwealth 1914 - Annie Besant
The Independent 1919 Allahabad Motilal Nehru
The Hindustan Times 1920 Delhi K.M. Panikkar
The Milap (Urdu daily) Lahore M.K. Chand
Leader (in English) 1909 Allahabad Madan Mohan Malaviya
Bahishkrit Bharat (Marathi fortnightly) 1927 - B.R. Ambedkar
Kranti 1927 Maharashtra S.S. Mirajkar, K.N. Joglekar, S V Ghate
Bandi Jivan 1922 - Sachindranath Sanyal
National Herald (daily) 1938 - Jawaharlal Nehru
Punjabee, Vande Mataram, People, Quami Awaj - Lala Lajpat Rai

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 11
 3 Revolt of 1857
CHAPTER
Causes of Revolt of 1857 ● The sepoys also had religious or caste grievances of
their own. The Indians of those days were very strict
● The British expansion policy through the Doctrine of
in observing caste rules, etc.
Lapse and direct annexation.
● The episode of greased cartridges was a big enough
● 1849: Dalhousie announced that the successor of
issue to start the rebellion on its own.
Bahadur Shah II would have to leave the Red Fort.
● Cartridges of the new Enfield rifle had a greased
● Rani Lakshmi Bai’s adopted son was not permitted
paper cover whose end had to be bitten off-before
to sit on the throne of Jhansi.
the cartridge was loaded into the rifle.
● Annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie on the
● The grease was in some instances made of beef and
pretext of maladministration left thousands of
pig fat.
nobles, officials, retainers, and soldiers jobless.
● This completely enraged the Hindu and Muslim
○ This measure converted Awadh, a loyal state,
sepoys.
into a hotbed of discontent and intrigue.
Regional Leaders during the 1857 Revolt
Leader Place of Role Played in 1857 Revolt
Name Revolt
Bakht Bareilly ● Bakht Khan: Led the revolt of the soldiers at Bareilly, arrived in Delhi on 3rd July, 1857.
Khan ● Bakht Khan exercised real authority and he formed a Court of soldiers composed of both
Hindu and Muslim rebels.
Nana Kanpur ● Nana Saheb, the adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II with the help of Tantya Tope.
Saheb and ● They expelled the British from Kanpur and declared Nana Saheb as Peshwa, who
Tantya acknowledged Bahadur Shah as the Emperor of India.
Tope ● Tatya Tope was the great fighter who helped Rani Laxmi Bai to capture Gwalior. A friend
betrayed Tatya Tope and he was imprisoned and later hanged in Shivpuri.
● Nana Saheb was believed to have escaped to Nepal by 1859.
Begum Lucknow ● Begum of Awadh provided the leadership and proclaimed her son, Birjis Kadr, as the
Hazrat Nawab of Awadh.
Mahal ● During the revolt she worked with Nana Saheb, Tantia Tope, etc. against the Britishers.
● She fought as long as she could and finally found asylum in Nepal, where she died in 1879.
Rani Jhansi ● She was against the Policy of Doctrine of Lapse and fought for her adopted son to the
Lakshmi throne of Jhansi.
Bai ● March 1858: British forces attacked Jhansi; Laxmibai escaped from the fort with her son.
● She fled to Kalpi, where she joined Tatya Tope.
● Together, they captured Gwalior. But the British gained the upper hand yet again.
● June 17, 1858: During the fighting at Kotah-ki-Serai, five miles southeast of Gwalior, the
Rani, dressed in male attire, was shot at and fell from her horse and died.
Kunwar Arrah, ● Most representative and outstanding leader of Arrah, Bihar.
Singh Bihar ● Under his leadership the military and civil rebellion were so completely fused that the
British dreaded him most.
● March 1858: Kunwar Singh occupied Azamgarh. Pursued by Brigadier Douglas, he
retreated towards his home arrah.
● 23rd April 1858: He fought bravely and drove away the British Army. But due to injuries
encountered in a fight he soon died on 26 April 1858.
Shah Mal Baghpat, ● Organised the headmen and peasants of 84 villages (referred as chaurasi desh), marching
Uttar at night from village to village, urging people to rebel against the British hegemony.
Pradesh ● He established a “hall of justice”, resolving disputes and dispensing judgments.
● July 185:, Shah Mal was killed by an English officer, Dunlap.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 12
British Army Officials Associated with Revolt
Captured Delhi on 20th September 1857 (Nicholson died soon due to a mortal wound received
General John Nicholson
during the fighting).
Major Hudson Killed Bahadur Shah's sons and grandsons in Delhi.
Defense against Nana Sahib's forces till 26th June 1857. British forces surrendered on 27th on
Sir Hugh Wheeler
the promise of safe conduct to Allahabad.
Recaptured Banaras and Allahabad in June 1857. At Kanpur, he killed Indians as revenge against
General Neil
the killing of English by Nana Sahib's forces. Died at Lucknow while fighting against the rebels.
Final recovery of Kanpur on 6th December, 1857. Final reoccupation of Lucknow on 21 st
Sir Colin Campbell
March, 1858. Recapture of Bareilly on 5th May, 1858.
Chief Commissioner of Awadh. Who died during the seizure of British residency by rebels at
Henry Lawrence
Lucknow on 2nd July, 1857.
Defeated the rebels (Nana Sahib's force) on 17th July, 1857. Died at Lucknow in December
Major General Havelock
1857.
William Taylor and Eye Suppressed the revolt at Arrah in August 1857.
Suppressed the revolt at Jhansi and recaptured Gwalior on 20th June, 1858. The whole of
Hugh Rose
Central India and Bundelkhand was brought under British control by him.
Colonel Oncell Captured Banaras

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 13
 Popular Movements Against
4
CHAPTER the British Rule
Sanyasi Rebellion (1770-1820s) ● Cause: The uprising was also directed against the
● Sanyasis: Local wanderers, paid visits to pilgrim Hindu landlords, who imposed a beard tax on the
centers in North Bengal and collected alms from local Faraizis.
zamindars and others as their source of livelihood. ● Response: soon took on a religious hue and was later
● Cause: Restrictions on their movement by the British merged into the Wahabi movement.
as they considered the Sanyasis religious barbaric Wahabi Movement (1830s- 1850s)
vagabonds who needed to be curtailed and civilized.
● An Islamic revivalist movement was initiated by Syed
○ Disastrous famine of 1770 and demand for
Ahmed of Rai Bareilly. The movement was centered
increased revenue taxes from the zamindars.
around Patna in Bihar.
● Response: Sanyasis revolted against the British and
● Cause: The movement to convert Dar-ul-Harb (the
were joined by small zamindars, disbanded soldiers,
land of Kafirs) to Dar-ul-Islam (the land of Islam).
and rural poor.
● Response: The movement declared a jihad against
● A novel called “Anandamath” by Bankim Chandra
the Sikh kingdom of Punjab.
Chattopadhyay is based on the Sanyasi Revolt.
● 1849: The British annexed Punjab, the Wahabis
Fakir Uprising (Bengal, 1776-77) targeted their attack on the colonial rulers.
● Fakirs: Muslim religious mendicants who just like ● 1860: The British carried out a series of military
Sanyasis made their living out of alms and offerings. attacks on the Wahabi base in Sithana, and cases of
● Cause and Response: They too had to face similar sedition were launched against the leaders.
problems like the Sanyasis and thus they stood up in Kuka Movement (1854-72)
revolt under the leadership of Majnum Shah (or
● Leader: Bhagat JawaharMal (also called Sian Saheb)
Majnu Shah).
laid the foundation of the Kuka Movement in 1840 in
● Leaders: Chirag Ali, Musa Shah, Bhawani Pathak, and
western Punjab.
Debi Chaudhurani.
● Baba Ram Singh: Another major leader founded the
● Devi Chaudhurani: novel by Bankim Chandra
Namdhari Sikh sect.
Chattopadhyay highlighted the importance of
● Kukas boycotted British education, products, and
women in the revolt.
laws by wearing only white, hand-woven clothing.
Pagal Panthis (1813-1833) ● Ram Singh was captured and deported to Rangoon in
● The Pagal Panthi: A semi-religious sect mainly 1872.
constituting the Hajong and Garo tribes of Poligar Rebellion (1795-1805)
Mymensingh district (earlier in Bengal), was founded
● The poligars (or palayakkarargal): The influential
by Karam Shah in North Bengal.
landlord class in South India, provided military service
● Cause: Karam Shah’s son, Tipu Shah, took the cause
to the EIC and collected taxes from the cultivators.
of distressed peasants and organized them to fight
● Cause: British began interfering in the matter of
the oppression of the zamindars.
revenue collection which led to resentment among
● Response: b/w 1825 to 1835, refused to pay rent and
the poligars.
attacked the houses of zamindars.
● Response: Poligars rose in revolt against the
Narkelberia Uprising (1831) Company and the main centers of these sporadic
● Considered as the first armed peasant uprising uprisings were Tinneveli, Ramanathapuram,
against the British. Sivaganga, Sivagiri, Madurai, and North Arcot.
● Leaders: Mir Nithar Ali or Titu Mir led the uprising in ● First poligar war: 1799 when Poligars under the
1831 against the zamindars and British colonial leadership of Veerapandiya Kattabomman of
authorities. Panchalankurichi in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu
raised the banner of revolt.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 14
 ○ Result: The Company emerged victorious in the ● They enjoyed rent-free lands in place of their military
battle service.
● Second poligar war (1800-01): ● In 1803, the Company conquered Odisha and
○ Company defeated the combined forces of the dethroned the Raja of Khurda
alliance and brought Tamil Nadu under its ● Cause: An increase in the price of salt due to the
control. imposition of salt tax, abolition of cowrie currency,
● 1803: Poligars of North Arcot rose in rebellion, on and the requirement of payment of taxes in silver,
deprivation of their right to collect kaval fees. etc. created resentment among the masses.
● 1805: poligar system came to an end, and in its place, ● Response: Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the
the company introduced the zamindari system. military chief of the kingdom of Khurda organized an
army of Paikas against the British.
Vellore Mutiny (1806)
● In 1825, Bakshi jagabandhu was finally arrested and
● The sepoys serving East India’s Company army rose imprisoned and he died in captivity in 1829.
in revolt in 1806 at Vellore.
● Cause: Racial antagonism faced by Indian sepoys and Ramosi uprising (1822-26)
the introduction of a European turban by Lord ● Ramosis: Hill tribes of western ghats who served the
William Bentick. Marathas and were assigned lower ranks in police
● Response: The rebels, while revolting, unfurled Tipu and army.
Sultan’s tiger-striped flag and declared Futteh ● Cause: The enhanced land revenue and harsh
Hyder, Tipu's first son as the new ruler. revenue collection methods led to the revolt in and
around Satara (Maharashtra) under the leadership of
Paika Rebellion (1817)
Chittur Singh.
● The Paiks of Odisha: Traditional landed militia (‘foot ● Response: They attacked forts and plundered the
soldiers’ literally) who were engaged in various regions around Deccan forcing the Government to
services under the Gajapati rulers of Odisha. reconcile with them.

Tribal uprisings
Uprising Time and area Course of the uprisings and consequence
Chuar uprising (1776-1772) and Leaders: Durjan singh and jagannath Dal
(Revolt of (1795-1816) Grievances of tribals include increased taxes, oppressive regime, famine,
JangalMahal) Midnapore and economic distress.
Bankura British suppressed the uprising through the use of force as well as
conciliatory measures
Kuki Uprising (1826-1850) and Grievances included free service to the British without any payment, ban on
(1917-1919) Jhum cultivation.
- Lushai Hills
Ahom Revolt 1828 Leader: Gomdhar Konwar
Reason: incorporation of some of Assam territories into British India after the
first Anglo-Burmese war angered the Ahoms.
Result: The British restored parts of the kingdom to the Assamese king and
gave upper Assam to Maharaja Purandar Singh, the last king of the Ahom
dynasty.
Pahariyas RajMahal Hills in 1778 Result : British made peace by declaring their territory as a damn-i-Kol area
Rebellion
Khasi uprising 1829-33 Leader: Tirath Singh, chief of Nongkhlaw (Meghalaya).
B/w Jaintia and Garo British proposal to construct a road connecting the Brahmaputra valley with
hills Sylhet after the Burmese war made Khasis suspicious.
Khasis attacked British settlements and killed many Europeans.
The British in retaliation burned Khasi villages and stopped providing them
economic aid, leading to their surrender.
Singhpos 1830’s- Assam Leader: Nerang Phide
Rebellion Result: led to the murder of British political agent of Assam-Colonel White by
Singphos in 1839; was ultimately suppressed

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 15
Kol Uprising 1831- Ranchi, Leader: Buddho Bhagat
Singhbhum, Immediate cause: The transfer of lands from Kol headmen (Mundas) to
Hazaribagh, Palamau, recent settlers like Hindu, Muslims, and Sikhs money-lenders.
and the western parts large-scale military operations were undertaken by the British to restore
of Manbhum the conditions.
Khond uprising 1837-56 Leader: Chakra Bisoi
- Odisha to Andhra immediate cause: Banning of Maria practice by the British under which
Pradesh Khonds sacrificed members of their community.
Other reasons for the uprising include new taxes and the entry of zamindars
into their areas.
Santhal 1855-56 Leaders: Sidhu, Kanhu and Bhairo
Rebellion Chotanagpur Plateau, confinement of Santhals in an area called “damin-i-khoh” (foothills of
Bengal, and Bihar Rajmahal) by the British.
the movement against outsiders like zamindars and moneylenders turned
into an anti-British movement.
the movement was crushed and a new Santhal Pagana was created by carving
out 5500 square miles from the districts of Bhagalpur and Birbhum to
reconcile with the Santhals.
Ho Uprising (1820-1837) Leaders: Raja of Parahat
Singhbhum - The newly introduced revenue policy and the entry of Bengalis into their
region led to the revolt.
Munda 1899-1900 Leader: Birsa Munda
Rebellion South of Ranchi- began as a religious movement gathered a political tone to fight against the
Present-day Jharkhand introduction of feudal, zamindari tenures, and exploitation by money-
lenders and forest contractors.
Replacement of Khuntkatli system (tribal lineages holding joint ownership of
common landholdings) with zamindari system.
Birsa was captured and imprisoned by British.
Koya Revolts 1800’s Leaders: Tomma Sora in 1879-80 and
eastern Godavari track Raja Anantayyar in 1886.
Causes: Oppression by police and moneylenders, new regulations, and denial
of their customary rights over forest areas
Bhils revolt (1817-19), 1825, 1831 Leaders: Govind Guru
and 1846 Causes- famine, economic distress, and misgovernment.
- Western Ghats British used force and conciliation to control the uprising
Koli Uprising 1829, 1839, and 1844- Resented the imposition of the Company’s rule which brought with it large-
48 scale unemployment for them and the dismantling of their forts
Naikada 1860s, MP and Gujarat Against British and caste Hindus.
Movement
Kharwar The 1870s Against revenue settlement activities
Rebellion Bihar
Khonda Dora 1900 Leader: Korra Mallaya
Campaign Dabur region in
Visakhapatnam
Bhuyan and (1867-68) and (1891- Leaders: Ratna Nayak and Dharni Dhar Nayak.
Juang 93) Against the appointment of the British in-charge to the throne after the
Rebellions Keonjhar, Orissa death of their raja in 1867
Bastar Revolt 1910 Jagdalpur Against new feudal and forest levies
Tana Bhagat 1914-1915 Leaders: Mundas and Oraon tribes led by Jatra Bhagat, Balram Bhagat
Movement Chhota Nagpur Began as the Sanskritization movement.
The tribal leaders preached that God’s benevolent delegate would arrive to
free the tribals against the interference of outsiders.

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 Rampa Revolts 1916 and 1922-1924 Leader: Alluri Sitarama Raju of the Koyas
Rampa region in Against British interference
Andhra Pradesh Capture and execution of Raju in 1924
Jharkhand 1920s Bihar, Orissa, Establishment of Adivasi Mahasabha in 1937.
Uprising and West Bengal It was replaced by Regional Jharkhand Party in 1949
Gond Uprising 1940s, MP To unite the believers of Gond dharma.
Revolts in 1863, 1942-43 Leaders: Parikshit Jamatia, Ratnamani and Bharti Singh
Tripura Against hike in house tax rates and settlement of outsiders in the region
Zeliangsong The 1920s Leader: Zemi, Liangmei and Rongmei tribe
Movement Manipur against the failure of the British to protect them during the Kuki violence in
1917-19
Heraka Cult The 1930s Leaders: Rani Gaindinliu-
Manipur Kabui Naga Association was formed in 1946 after the suppression of the
movement
● Important leaders: Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, R.C.
Peasant Movements Dutta, and the Indian Association.
Indigo Revolt (1859-60) Deccan Riots (1874-75)
● Peasants were forced to enter into fraudulent ● Due to American Civil War in 1964, Indian jute and
contracts, which were then used against them. cotton textiles demand increased.
● The revolt started from Govindpur village in Nadia ● The government increased the land revenue by 50%
district of Bengal in 1859 when Digambar Biswas and in 1867 instead of reducing it.
Bishnu Biswas decided not to grow indigo, resisted the ● In 1874, a social boycott of money lenders and their
attack of lathiyals (retainers), refused to pay the rents, associates was organised by the ryots.
and went on strike against the arbitrary policies.
Kisan Sabha Movement (1920s)
● Bengali intelligentsia played a significant role by
organizing campaigns, mass meetings in support of ● Cultivators were subjected to high rents, bedakhali,
illegal levies, nazrana.
the peasants’ cause.
● A hike in food prices and other necessities was
● An indigo commission was appointed by
witnessed after the First World War which worsened
Government to inquire problem of indigo cultivation.
the conditions of the UP peasants.
● Based on the Commission’s recommendations, a
● Efforts by Home Rule activists led to establishment
notification was issued in 1860, according to which
of Kisan sabhas in Northern India.
ryots could not be forced to grow indigo and that all
o United Provinces Kisan Sabha was set up in
disputes were to be settled by legal means.
February 1918 by Gauri Shankar Mishra and
● After the notification, the indigo workshops were
Indra Narayan Dwivedi with the support of
shut off by the planters, and indigo cultivation was
Madan Mohan Malaviya.
virtually wiped out from Bengal by the end of 1860. o Other prominent leaders: Jhinguri Singh,
● Neel Darpan was written by Din Bandhu Mitra. It Durgapal Singh, and Baba Ramchandra.
portrayed the oppression of the indigo farmers. o 1920: The Awadh Kisan Sabha was established.
● The editor of the paper Hindu Patriot, Harish o The movement declined soon because of the passing
Chandra Mukherjee published reports on the indigo of the Awadh Rent (Amendment) Act of 1921.
campaign and organized meetings to raise awareness Eka Movement or the Unity Movement (1921)
about the revolt.
● Started: Hardoi, Bahraich and Sitapur in 1921.
● Against: Thekedars (contractors).
Pabna Unrest (1870s-1880s) ● Leader: Madari Pasi and witnessed the participation
● Pabna: Region in Eastern Bengal was famous for of lower castes like the Pasi community, other low-
growing jute. caste leaders, and many small zamindars.
● During the 1870s and 1880s, the zamindars of Pabna ● March 1922: The movement began to decline due to
created agrarian unrest by demanding enhanced severe repression by the authorities.
rents beyond legal limits and prevented the tenants
from acquiring occupancy rights under Act X of 1859. Mappila Revolt (1921)
● Unrest continued till 1885 ● The Mappilas were the Muslim tenants who rose in
● Bengal Tenancy Act 1885: Defined the rights of the revolt against the Hindu landlords and the British
zamindars as well as the tenants. revenue officials in 1921.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 17
● Issues: Lack of security of tenure, high rents, renewal temporarily, and returned the lands thus confiscated
fees, and oppressive exactions. to the original owners.
● The Mappila movement merged with the ongoing ● Vallabhbahi Patel was conferred the title of “Sardar”
Khilafat agitation. by Gandhiji.
● August 1921: Ali Musaliar, a respected priest leader
All India Kisan Sabha Congress
was arrested which sparked off large-scale riots.
● In retaliation, the Mapillas targeted the symbols of ● Established: 1936, at Lucknow session of INC, with
British authority like the courts, police stations, Sahajanand as its first president
treasuries and offices, and unpopular landlords ● Also known as ‘Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Sabha.’
● British declared martial law which led to widespread ● Secretary: NG Ranga.
rebellion. ● Objectives:
● The revolt ended by December 1921 due to the ○ To abolish the Zamindari system,
communalization of the rebellion which in turn ○ To reduce land revenue,
isolated the Mappilas from the Khilafat-Non- ○ To institutionalize credit
Cooperation Movement. ● May 1942, CPI took over AIl India Kisan Sabha all
across the country.
Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) ● There are two organisations at present working
● Started in January 1926 because of an increase in the under the name AIKS (following the split of
land revenue by 30% at the time of bad harvest due Communist Party of India in 1964):
to famine in 1925. ○ All India Kisan Sabha – Communist Party of
● A Bardoli Inquiry Committee (by congress): found India’s Peasant Wing
the revenue hike to be unjust. ○ All India Kisan Sabha – Communist Party of
● In February 1926: Vallabhbhai Patel was called to India-Marxist’s Peasant Front; aka All India
lead the movement by Gujarati activists- Narhari Kisan Sabha (36 Canning Lane)
Parekh, Ravi Shanker Vyas, and Mohanlal Pandya.
Telangana Movement (1946-48)
● A no-tax revenue movement: Launched on 4th
February 1928 under the leadership of Patel. ● The ruling class of Telangana i.e., the Deshmukhs,
● Bardoli Satyagraha Patrika was brought out to Reddys, Doras, and Jagirdars actively exploited the
mobilize public opinion on the matter. peasants in forms of forced labor (vethi) and illegal
● K.M. Munshi and Lalji Naranji resigned from Bombay extractions.
Legislative Council. ● Immediate cause: Murder of a village militant in
● Gandhiji reached Bardoli to stand by in case of any Jalgaon taluq of Nalgonda in July 1946 by a retainer of
emergency. Deshmukh.
● The Government was forced to appoint a committee ● The movement intensified b/w August 1947 and
to look into the matter. September 1948.
● The committee found the revenue hike to be unjust ● The peasants brought about a rout of the Razaqars—
and recommended a rise of 6.03% only. the Nizam’s stormtroopers and the movement was
● The government then cut down the revenue brutally crushed once the Indian security forces took
demand, abandoned the revision of taxes over Hyderabad after the independence.

ToppersNotes / 9614-828-828 18