The 1857 Revolt

The expansionist policies of the British, their economic exploitation, and administrative innovations over the years significantly affected all sections of Indian society - the rulers of Indian states, sepoys, zamindars, peasants, traders, artisans, pundits, maulvis, and more. The discontent brewing within these communities finally exploded into a violent revolt in 1857, shaking the foundations of the British empire in India.

The links below will provide further insights into the 1857 Revolt, a critical milestone in India’s struggle for independence:

The Swadeshi Movement

The Swadeshi Movement was a direct response to the British's decision to partition Bengal. In 1903, the British announced their intention to divide Bengal into two provinces:

1. Bengal, comprising Western Bengal along with the provinces of Bihar and Orissa
2. Eastern Bengal and Assam

The Swadeshi Movement is another significant chapter in India’s struggle for independence. You can learn more about it from the links provided below:

The Home Rule League Movement

The Home Rule Movement emerged in response to the First World War as an effective way to express discontent against British rule. Two Indian Home Rule Leagues were organized following the lines of the Irish Home Rule Leagues, led by Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak.

Learn more about the Home Rule Movement, a crucial part of India’s struggle for independence, from the links provided below:

Satyagraha

Between 1917 and 1918, Mahatma Gandhi led three significant struggles in Champaran, Ahmedabad, and Kheda before launching the Rowlatt Satyagraha.

Learn more about the three Satyagraha movements, which were critical to India’s struggle for independence, from the links provided below:

The Non-Cooperation Movement

The Non-Cooperation Movement was a pivotal movement in India’s struggle for Independence. Initiated by the Khilafat Committee on August 31, 1920, the movement aimed to boycott major social programs, events, offices, and schools as a form of protest against British rule.

To learn more about the Non-Cooperation Movement , a significant part of India’s struggle for independence, check the linked article.

Civil Disobedience Movement - The Salt Satyagraha

After the Nehru Report was approved in December 1928, younger leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhash Bose, and Satyamurthy expressed dissatisfaction with the dominion status and demanded complete independence. When Gandhi's 11 demands to Lord Irwin to attend the round table conference were ignored, the Civil Disobedience Movement was launched, with salt being the central symbol.

To learn more about the Salt Satyagraha , a significant part of India’s struggle for independence, read the linked article.

The Quit India Movement

Following the failure of the Cripps Mission in March 1942, Gandhi proposed a resolution demanding the British withdrawal and a non-violent non-cooperation movement against any Japanese invasion. The Congress Working Committee accepted the idea of a struggle for India’s independence at a meeting in Wardha on July 14, 1942.

To learn more about this movement as a chapter of India’s struggle for Independence, check the links below:

Finally, three uprisings in the winter of 1945-46 led to the Cabinet Mission plan and ultimately to the independence of India.

To prepare for such interesting and important topics, aspirants should refer to useful UPSC Books . Some of the important books that aspirants can read for Modern Indian History are given below:

1. India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipin Chandra
2. A Spectrum of Modern Indian History – Rajiv Ahir
3. India After Independence – Bipin Chandra

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