Rapid Revision Book 2 (Modern India)

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RAPID REVISION BOOK-2

HISTORY- MODERN INDIA
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
MODERN INDIA MADHAV RAO (c. 1761 – 1772 CE) 13

COMING OF EUROPEANS IN INDIA SAWAI MADHAV RAO (C. 1774 – 1795 13
CE)
PORTUGUESE 01
BAJI RAO Ⅱ (C. 1796 – 1818 CE) 14
DUTCH 02
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI’S 14
BRITISH 03 ADMINISTRATION
FRENCH 03 REGIONAL KINGDOMS
DANES 04 BENGAL 16
ANGLO-FRENCH RIVALRY AWADH 16
FIRST CARNATIC WAR 04 RAJPUTS 16
PUNJAB 16
SECOND CARNATIC WAR 05
SOUTH INDIA 17
THIRD CARNATIC WAR 06
TRAVANCORE 17
INDIA IN 18th CENTURY 07 MYSORE 17
LATER MUGHALS
Consolidation of British
BAHADUR SHAH Ⅰ/SHAH 08 ROBERT CLIVE 18
ALAM/MUAZZAM (C. 1707 – 1712 CE)
BATTLE OF PLASSEY 19
JAHANDAR SHAH (C. 1712 – 1713 CE) 08
BATTLE OF BUXAR 20
FARRUKH SIYAR (c. 1713 – 1719 CE) 09 WARREN HASTINGS 22
RAFI-US-DARAJAT (C. 1719 CE) 09 FIRST ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1767-69) 23
RAFI-US-DAULA (C. 1719 CE) 09 SECOND ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1780- 23
84)
MUHAMMAD SHAH 09
(RANGEELA)/ROSHAN AKHTAR (C. THIRD ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1790 – 24
1719 – 1748 CE) 1792)
MUHAMMAD SHAH 09 FOURTH ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1799) 24
(RANGEELA)/ROSHAN AKHTAR (C.
1719 – 1748 CE)
FIRST ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1775 – 25
1782)
AHMAD SHAH (C. 1748 – 1757 CE) 10 SECOND ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1803 26
ALAMGIR II (C. 1754 – 1759 CE) 11 – 1805)
ALI GAUHAR/SHAH ALAM II (c. 1759 – 11 THIRD ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1817 – 27
1806 CE) 1818)
AKBAR II (C. 1806 – 1837 CE) 11 PITT’S INDIA ACT 1784 28
BAHADUR SHAH II/ZAFAR (C. 1837 – 11 CHARTER ACT OF 1793 29
1857 CE) REGULATING ACT 1773 30
THE PESHWAS
LAND REVENUE SYSTEMS
BALAJI VISHWANATH BHATT (C. 1713 12
– 1719 CE)
PERMANENT SETTLEMENT ACT 1793 31
BAJI RAO Ⅰ (C. 1720 – 1740 CE) 12 RYOTWARI SYSTEM 33
BALAJI BAJI RAO Ⅰ/NANA SAHIB Ⅰ (c. 12 MAHALWARI SYSTEM 33
1740 – 1761 CE) SUBSIDIARY ALLIANCE 34
SHIELD IAS RAPID REVISION BOOK - 2

(MODERN INDIA) SPECIAL EDITION FOR PRELIMS 2022
VELLORE MUTINY-1806 35 MUSLIM LEAGUE 62
CHARTER ACT OF 1813 37 MORLEY-MINTO REFORMS 1909 64
HOME RULE MOVEMENT 65
DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN 37
EDUCATION LUCKNOW PACT, 1916 68
CHARTER ACT OF 1833 39 EMERGENCE OF M.K. GANDHI 69
CHAMPARAN SATYAGRAHA (1917) 70
POLITICAL MAP 1757-1857 40
KHEDA SATYAGRAHA (1918) 70
FIRST ANGLO-SIKH WAR (1845 – 1846) 40
AHMEDABAD MILL STRIKE (1918) 70
SECOND ANGLO-SIKH WAR (1848 AND 41
ROWLATT ACT 71
1849)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1919 71
DOCTRINE OF LAPSE 42
NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT 74
CHARTER ACT OF 1853 43
MOPLAH REBELLION OF 1921 77
REVOLT OF 1857 42 SWARAJ PARTY 78
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1858 47 VAIKOM SATYAGRAHA 79
INDIAN COUNCILS ACT-1861 48 SIMON COMMISSION 81
MOVEMENTS AND UPRISINGS 49 NEHRU REPORT 82
JINNAH’S FOURTEEN POINTS 83
POLITICO-RELIGIOUS 49
MOVEMENTS BARDOLI SATYAGRAHA 84
SANYASI UPRISING (1770-1820’s) 50 POORNA SWARAJ 85
FAKIR UPRISING (1776-77) 50 SALT SATYAGRAHA 86
FIRST ROUND TABLE 88
PAGAL PANTHI REVOLT (1825 – 1850’s) 50
CONFERENCE 1930
FARAIZI REVOLT (1838 – 1857) 50 GANDHI-IRWIN PACT 89
KUKA REVOLT (1871 – 71) 50 KARACHI SESSION 91
POLYGAR REBELLIONS (1799 – 1805) 50 SECOND ROUND TABLE 91
REVOLT OF VELU THAMBI DALAWA 51 CONFERENCE
(1805 – 09) THIRD ROUND TABLE 92
INDIGO REBELLION 51 CONFERENCE
DECCAN RIOT OF 1875 52 POONA PACT 93
MAJOR TRIBAL UPRISINGS 53 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1935 94
KOL REBELLION (1832) 53 AUGUST OFFER 96
SANTHAL HUL (1855-1856) 53 CRIPPS MISSION 97
MUNDA ULGULAN (1899 – 1900) 54 QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT 98
NATIONAL MOVEMENT 55 INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY 101
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS 55 C R FORMULA 102

(INC) DESAI-LIAQAT PACT,1945 103
INDIAN COUNCILS ACT 1892 55 WAVELL PLAN AND SHIMLA 104
MODERATE PHASE (1885 – 1905) 56 CONFERENCE
PARTITION OF BENGAL 1905 58 CABINET MISSION 1946 105
INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT – 60 INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT 1947 107

EXTREMIST PHASE
SHIELD IAS RAPID REVISION BOOK - 2

(MODERN INDIA) SPECIAL EDITION FOR PRELIMS 2022
MODERN INDIA
(SPECIAL EDITION FOR PRELIMS 2022)
COMING OF EUROPEANS IN INDIA
PORTUGUESE
o The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India and the last to leave.
o In c. 1498 CE, Vasco da Gama of Portugal discovered a new sea route from Europe to India.
o He sailed around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope and reached Calicut.
o He was welcomed by the Zamorin, the Hindu ruler of Calicut and returned to Portugal in the
next year making huge profits from the Indian cargo that was worth 60 times the cost of his
expedition.
o In c. 1500 CE, another Portuguese Pedro Alvares Cabral arrived in India and Vasco da
Gama also made a second trip in c. 1502 CE.
o The Portuguese established trading settlements at Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.
o The first governor of the Portuguese in India was Francis de Almeida.
o In c. 1509 CE, Afonso de Albuquerque was made the governor of the Portuguese territories
in India and in c. 1510 CE, he captured Goa from the ruler of Bijapur and thereafter, Goa
became the capital of the Portuguese settlements in India.
o The Portuguese established their domination over the entire Asian coast from Hormuz
in the Persian Gulf to Malacca in Malaya and the spice islands in Indonesia. At the
time of the death of Afonso de Albuquerque, the Portuguese were the strongest naval power in
India.
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MODERN INDIA (SPECIAL EDITION)
o In c. 1530 CE, Nino da Cunha captured Diu and Bassein from Bahadur Shah of Gujarat.
They also established settlements at Salsette, Daman and Bombay on the west coast and at
San Thome near Madras and Hugli in Bengal on the east coast.
o However, the Portuguese power declined in India by the end of the 16th century and they lost all
their acquired territories in India except Daman, Diu and Goa.
Portuguese Contributions to India

o They brought tobacco cultivation to India.
o They established the first printing press at Goa in c. 1556 CE.
o “The Indian Medicinal Plants” was the first scientific work which was published at Goa in c.
1563 CE.
Causes of Decline of Portuguese in India

o The governors that succeeded Afonso de Albuquerque were weak and less competent which
eventually led to the decline of the Portuguese Empire in India.
o The Portuguese were intolerant and fanatical in religious matters. They indulged in
forcible conversion of the native people to Christianity. Their approach in this respect was hateful
to the people of India where religious tolerance was the rule.
o The Portuguese administration was more interested in making fortunes for
themselves which resulted in the further alienation of the people of India. They were also
involved in inhuman cruelties and lawlessness. They did not even shy away from piracy and
plunder. All these acts resulted in a hostile attitude towards the Portuguese.
o The Portuguese and the Spanish had left the English and the Dutch far behind during the 15th
century and the first half of the 16th century. But in the later half of the 16th century, England
and Holland, and later, France, all growing commercial and naval powers, waged a fierce struggle
against the Spanish and the Portuguese monopoly of world trade. In this struggle, the latter were
subjugated. This also weakened their power in India.
o Also the might of the Mughal Empire and the growing power of the Marathas did not
let the Portuguese maintain their trade monopoly for long in India. For instance, they
clashed with the Mughal power in Bengal in c. 1631 CE and were driven out of their
settlement at Hughli.
o The Portuguese discovered Brazil in Latin America and began to pay much more
attention to it than its territories in India.
o When Portugal came under Spain in c. 1580 CE, the Spanish interests predominated
over the Portugal interests which were subsequently side lined.
DUTCH
o The Dutch East India Company was established in c. 1602 CE under the name Vereenigde
Oost Indische Compagnie (VOC).
o Dutch set up their first factory at Masulipatnam in Andhra.
o They also established trading depots at:
 Surat, Broach, Cambay and Ahmedabad in Gujarat in west India, Cochin in Kerala, Chinsura in
Bengal, Patna in Bihar and Agra in U.P. Pulicat (Tamil Nadu) was their main centre in India and
later, it was replaced by Nagapattinam.
o In the 17th century, they won over the Portuguese and emerged the most dominant power in
European trade in the East. They dislodged the Portuguese from the Malay straits and the
Indonesian islands, and in c. 1623 defeated English attempts to establish themselves there.
o The Anglo-Dutch rivalry continued for about seven years during which the Dutch lost their
settlements to the British one by one and finally, the Dutch were defeated by the English in
the Battle of Bedara in c. 1759.
BRITISH
o The English Association or Company to trade with the East was formed in c. 1599 CE under
the auspices of a group of merchants known as “The merchant Adventurers”.
o The company was given a royal charter and the exclusive privilege to trade in the East
by Queen Elizabeth on 31st December c.1600 CE and was popularly known as the East
India Company.
o In c. 1609 CE, Captain William Hawkins arrived at the court of Mughal Emperor
Jahangir to seek permission to establish an English trading centre at Surat.
o But it was refused by the Emperor due to pressure from the Portuguese.
o Later in c. 1612 CE, Jahangir permitted the East India Company to set up a factory at
Surat.
o In c. 1615 CE, Sir Thomas Roe came to the Mughal court as ambassador of James Ⅰ, the
king of England and succeeded in getting an Imperial farman to trade and establish factories in
different parts of India.
o Thus, by c. 1619 CE, the English established their factories at Agra, Ahmedabad,
Baroda and Broach.
o The English opened their first factory in the south at Masulipatnam.
o In c. 1639 CE, Francis Day obtained the site of Madras from the Raja of Chandragiri
and built a small fort around their factory called Fort St. George.
o Madras soon replaced Masulipatnam as the headquarters of the English on the
Coromandel coast.
o The English East India Company acquired Bombay from Charles Ⅱ, the then king of
England in c. 1668 CE and Bombay became the headquarters of the company on the west
coast.
o In c. 1690 CE, an English factory was established at a place called Sutanuti by Job
Charnock. Later, it developed into the city of Calcutta where Fort William was built and
which later became the capital of British India.
o British settlements in Madras, Bombay and Calcutta became the nuclei of flourishing cities.
o The British East India Company grew in power and tended to acquire the status of a sovereign
state in India.
FRENCH
o The French East India Company was founded in c. 1664 CE by Colbert, a minister under
Louis ⅩⅣ.
o In c. 1668 CE, the first French factory was set up at Surat by Francis Caron.
o In c. 1669 CE, Maracara established a factory at Masulipatnam.
o In c. 1673 CE, Francois Martin founded Pondicherry (Fort Louis), which became the
headquarters of the French possessions in India and he became its first governor.
o In c. 1690 CE, the French acquired Chandranagore near Calcutta from the governor,
Shaista Khan.
o The French established their factories at Balasore, Mahe, Qasim Bazar and Karaikal.
o The arrival of Joseph François Dupleix as French governor in India in c. 1742 CE saw the
beginning of the Anglo-French conflict which resulted in the famous Carnatic wars.
DANES
o The Danes established an East India Company in c. 1616 CE.
o They formed settlements at Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu) in c. 1620 CE and at Serampore
(Bengal) in c. 1676 CE. Their headquarters was at Serampore.
o However, they could not strengthen themselves in India and had to sell all their settlements in
India to the British in c. 1845 CE.
ANGLO-FRENCH RIVALRY
o In the beginning of the 18th century, the English and the French were competing with each other
to establish their dominance in India. They took advantage of the political turmoil in India which
was due to the decline of the Mughal Empire.
o The rivalry between the French and the English played out in the three Carnatic Wars.
First Carnatic War

o Course of the First Carnatic War
o France and Britain were on opposite sides of the camp at the War of Austrian Succession
that had broken out in Europe in 1740.
o This Anglo-French rivalry led to their trading companies in India vying with each other for
supremacy.
o The French Governor of Pondicherry Dupleix had raised an army of Indian sepoys under
French officers in India.
o The French East India Company was nationalized in 1720 and France had imperialistic
designs on India.
o In 1745, there was a naval attack on a French fleet by Britain in which even Pondicherry in
danger.
o Dupleix, along with additional French troops from Mauritius defended against this attack
and captured Madras, which had been controlled by the English.
o The English made another attack on Pondicherry but instead faced a heavy loss. The English
sought help from the Nawab of Carnatic (Arcot) Anwaruddin Khan.
o The Nawab asked the French to return Madras to the British.
o Dupleix tried convincing the Nawab unsuccessfully that Madras would be handed over to him at
a later stage.
o Then, the Nawab sent a huge army to fight the French forces. This army was defeated by
the relatively small number of French forces in Mylapore (in modern-day Chennai) in
1746.
o This exposed the weakness of the armies of the Indian rulers vis-à-vis the efficiently trained
armies of the European powers.
o The war ended in 1748 with the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle also called Treaty of Aachen.
Effects of the First Carnatic War

o Madras was given back to the English in exchange for Louisburg in North America to
France.
o Dupleix understood the superiority of the European armies who used this advantage to
influence Indian princes and establish French hegemony in South India.
Second Carnatic War

 Fought between: Different claimants to the posts of the Nizam of Hyderabad, and the Nawab
of the Carnatic; each claimant being supported either by the British or the French.
 People involved: Muhammad Ali and Chanda Sahib (for the Nawabship of the Carnatic or
Arcot); Muzaffar Jung and Nasir Jung (for the post of the Nizam of Hyderabad).
 Period: 1749 – 1754
 Result: Muzaffar Jung became Hyderabad’s Nizam. Muhammad Ali became the Nawab of the
Carnatic.
Course of the Second Carnatic War

o The first Carnatic War demonstrated the power of the well-trained European army vis-à-vis the
less than efficient armies of the Indian princes.
o The French Governor-General Dupleix wanted to take advantage of this and assert influence and
authority over the Indian kingdoms, so as to make way for a French Empire in India. So, he was
looking to interfere in the internal power struggles among Indian chiefs.
o Even though England and France were officially at peace with each other as there was no fighting
in Europe, the political climate in Southern Indian at that time led their companies to fight in the
subcontinent.
Hyderabad
o The Nizam of Hyderabad, Asaf Jah I died in 1748 starting a power struggle between his
grandson (through his daughter) Muzaffar Jung, and his son Nasir Jung.
o Anwaruddin Khan, the Nawab of the Carnatic supported Nasir Jung’s claim to the
throne of the Nizam.
o This led Muzaffar Jung to instigate war with French support against Anwaruddin,
called the Battle of Ambur.
o Anwaruddin Khan had died in the Battle of Ambur in 1749.
Carnatic
o Now there was a tussle for the Nawabship of Carnatic between Muhammad Ali (son of
Anwaruddin) and Chanda Sahib (son-in-law of Dost Ali Khan, a former Nawab of the
Carnatic).
o This led to a tripartite understanding among the various powers.
o After Anwaruddin Khan’s death, his son Muhammad Ali fled to Trichy. Then, Chanda
Sahib was proclaimed the Nawab of the Carnatic.
o Then, French forces marched on to the Deccan and fought and killed Nasir Jung.
o Subsequently, Muzaffar Jung was installed as the Nizam of Hyderabad.
o However, Muzaffar Jung was killed a couple of months later and the French installed Salabat
Jung (another son of Asaf Jah I) as the Nizam.
o In return, the French acquired from the Nizam four rich districts on the Coromandel
Coast (Northern Sircars).
o At this time, Trichy was under the control of Chanda Sahib and the French. But the
Trichy Fort was held by Muhammad Ali.
o To undermine the growing French power in the region, the English decided to support
Muhammad Ali.
o Robert Clive (later Governor of Bengal) attacked Arcot, the capital of the Carnatic, as a
divisionary tactic. This is called the Siege of Arcot, in which the British won.
o After this many battles were fought and Chanda Sahib was killed in one of them.
o Thus, Muhammad Ali was installed as the Nawab of the Carnatic.
o The war ended with the Treaty of Pondicherry in 1754.
Effects of the Second Carnatic War

o Although the French gained the Northern Sircars, Dupleix was criticised by the French
authorities because of heavy losses to the French company.
o Dupleix was called back to France. He was replaced by Charles-Robert Godeheu who signed
the Treaty of Pondicherry.
o As per the treaty, the English and the French were to indulge only in commercial activities in
India and not interfere in sub-continental political affairs.
Third Carnatic War

 People involved: Count de Lally (French General), British Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote
 Period: 1757 – 1763
 Result: British victory
Course of the war

o In 1756, the Seven Year’s War broke out in Europe and once again England and France were
pitted against one another. No major engagements would take place between the two in the
Indian Subcontinent until 1757.
o After the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the British forces wrested Chandannagar (in
Bengal) from the French.
o The French, under Count de Lally, captured Fort St. George and attacked the English
to acquire Madras.
o But he was defeated by English forces under Sir Eyre Coote in the Battle of
Wandiwash in 1760.
o The French lost their Indian possessions including Pondicherry, Mahe, Gingee and
Karaikal to the British.
o The war ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1763.
o As per the Treaty, Chandannagar and Pondicherry were returned to France but they
were barred from fortifying them or having troops in them. They could only have trading
activities.
Effects of the War

o French hopes of building an empire in India were completely dashed.
o This established Britain as the paramount European power in India. The path was clear
for the establishment of a British colonial rule in India.
Reasons for French failure

o Superior naval strength of the British. They could bring in soldiers from Europe and also
provide supplies from Bengal. The French did not have any such avenue to replenish resources.
o Britain had Madras, Bombay and Calcutta – three important posts. In contrast, the
French had only one strong post, Pondicherry. This meant that if Pondicherry was
captured, the French had little hope of recovery. But Britain could rely on any of the other two
bases if one was captured.
o The victory at the Battle of Plassey opened up the British to a rich area, namely Bengal.
o The British had many capable and able soldiers like Robert Clive, Stringer Lawrence and Sir
Eyre Coote.
INDIA IN 18th CENTURY
LATER MUGHALS
 The period between c. 1707 CE and c. 1761 CE (the time of Aurangzeb’s death to the period when
the Third Battle of Panipat took place, wherein Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated the Maratha chiefs),
witnessed the resurgence of regional identities and highlighted a sad state of affairs for the once-
mighty Mughals.
 The Mughal court became the scene of factions among the nobles.
 The weakness of the empire was exposed when Nadir Shah imprisoned the Mughal
Emperor and looted Delhi in c. 1739 CE.
 After the death of Aurangzeb in c. 1707 CE, a war of succession broke out among his three sons –
Muazzam (the governor of Kabul), Muhammad Kam Baksh (the governor of
Deccan) and Muhammad Azam Shah (the governor of Gujarat).
Bahadur Shah /Shah Alam/Muazzam (c. 1707 – 1712 CE)

o Muazzam ascended the throne and assumed the title of Bahadur Shah, at the age of 63.
o He followed a liberal policy towards the nobles, granted them the territories of their
preferences and promoted them.
o This led to the worsening of the state finances. It is also believed that the real power was in the
hands of the wazir, Zulfiqar Khan.
o He showed a tolerant attitude towards Hindus, though he never abolished jizya.
o During his reign, the independence of Marwar and Mewar was acknowledged. However,
the settlement could not restore these states to become fully committed warriors for the Mughal
cause.
o His policy towards the Marathas was also half-hearted reconciliation. He did not recognize
Shahu (whom he released) as the rightful Maratha king.
o He granted Maratha the sardeshmukhi of the Deccan, but failed to grant the Chauth and
thus could not satisfy them fully. Marathas, thus, continued to fight among themselves as well as
against the Mughals.
o Jat chief Charuman and the Bundella chief Chattrasal joined him in his campaign
against the Sikhs.
o High mansab was granted to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh. He, however,
had to face rebellion from Banda Bahadur and it was during the course of his campaign against
Banda Bahadur that he died (in c. 1712 CE).
o He was given the title of “Shah-i-Bekhabar” by Mughal historians like Khafi Khan.
Jahandar Shah (c. 1712 – 1713 CE)

o After the death of Bahadur Shah, a new form of politics emerged in the Mughals’ political sphere
wherein the nobles became ‘king makers’ and the kings mere ‘puppets’ in their hands.
o Jahandar Shah was the first puppet ruler in Mughal India. He was supported by
Zulfiqar Khan (wazir) who had the reins of the executive in his hands.
o Zulfiqar Khan built friendly relations with the Marathas, the Rajputs and different
Hindu chieftains.
o He abolished jizya and gave the title of “Maharaja” to Ajit Singh (Marwar) and
Mirza Raj Sawai to Jai Singh of Amber.
o He also granted the Chauth and Sardeshmukhi of the Deccan to Shahu. However, the
old policy of suppression was continued against Banda Bahadur and the Sikhs.
o Zulfiqar also tried to improve the financial situation of the empire by checking reckless grants of
jagirs and offices. He also made mansabdars maintain the official quota of troops.
o However, he is infamous in history for introducing the evil practice of Ijarah (revenue
farming).
o Jahandar Shah’s favourite lady, Lal Kanwar (a dancing girl) dominated the court.
Farrukh Siyar (c. 1713 – 1719 CE)

o Farrukh Siyar defeated his brother Jahandar Shah at Agra in c. 1713 CE.
o He ascended the throne with the support of the Saiyyad brothers (the kingmakers) –
Saiyyad Abdullah Khan (Wazir) and Hussain Ali Khan (Mir Bakshi).
o The Saiyyad brothers killed Zulfiqar Khan and appointed themselves to key positions.
o The Saiyyad brothers tried to make peace with the Marathas, the Jats, the Rajputs and
were also successful in suppressing the Sikh revolt. It was during this time that Banda Bahadur,
the Sikh leader, was executed.
o In c. 1717 CE, Farrukh Siyar granted many trading privileges to the East India
Company and also exempted customs duties for its trading through Bengal.
o The Saiyyad brothers completely did away with jizya and also abolished pilgrimage tax
at a number of places.
o Due to the overwhelming powers of the Saiyyad brothers, differences grew between Farukh Siyar
and the Saiyyad brothers. The emperor plotted thrice against the brothers, but failed to
overpower them.
o In c. 1719 CE, the Saiyyad brothers forged an alliance with Balaji Vishwanath
(Maratha ruler) and with the help of Maratha troops, the Saiyyad brothers killed
Farrukh Siyar.
Rafi-us-Darajat (c. 1719 CE)

o The Saiyyad brothers placed Rafi-us-Darajat at the throne. In fact, within a short span of eight
months three young princes were raised to the throne by the Saiyyad brothers.
o He died within four months due to excessive consumption.
o Grandson of Aurangzeb, Nikusiyar revolted during his reign and occupied the throne at Agra
with the support of Mitrasen (a Nagar Brahmin).
Rafi-us-Daula (c. 1719 CE)

o Hussain Ali Khan (the Saiyyad brother) marched upon Agra and imprisoned Nikusiyar.
o Rafi-us-Daula was titled as Shah Jahan Ⅱ.
o He ruled for a very short period and died of Tuberculosis.
Muhammad Shah (Rangeela)/Roshan Akhtar (c. 1719 – 1748 CE)

o Brother of Jahan Shah who was fond of dancing and was himself an expert Kathak dancer.
o In c. 1720, he successfully dislodged the Saiyyad brothers with the help of Nizam-ul-
Mulk, Chin Qilich Khan and his father’s cousin Muhammad Amin Khan.
o He appointed Muhammad Amir Khan, who killed Hussain Ali Khan, as wazir under the
title of Itmad-ud-Daula.
o However, independent states emerged during his reign, the Deccan under Nizam-ul-Mulk,
Awadh under the leadership of Saadat Khan and Murshid Quli Khan reigned Bihar,
Bengal and Orissa.
o The weakness of the Mughal empire was exposed when Nadir Shah invaded India, imprisoned
the Mughal emperor and looted Delhi in c. 1739 CE.
Invasion of Nadir Shah (c. 1739 CE)

o Nadir Shah was the Emperor of Iran. He was a national hero there who drove the Afghans out of
Iran.
o When Nadir Shah came to power in c. 1736 CE, Muhammad Shah Rangeela withdrew his
ambassador from the Persian court and snapped all diplomatic ties with that country.
Nadir Shah sent three envoys to the Mughal court and his third envoy was detained by Rangeela
which enraged him.
o When Nadir Shah invaded Afghanistan, some of the Afghan nobles took shelter under Rangeela.
o Also, Saadat Khan and Nizam-ul-Mulk invited Nadir Shah to invade India.
Course of invasion
o He captured Jalalabad, Peshawar (c. 1738 CE) and then Lahore in c. 1739.
o Battle of Karnal (c. 1739 CE)
o Upon hearing of the advancing Persian army, Muhammad Shah marched his forces out of Delhi
in order to meet the invading army and prevent their entry into his capital.
o The two forces met at Karnal for battle (about 120 km north of Delhi). The Persian soldiers
wreaked havoc on the Mughal army.
o Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah surrendered and he had to take Nadir Shah to his capital.
The entire treasury was looted and the soldiers indulged in a gruesome massacre of the general
population including women and children at Delhi.
o The sack of Delhi lasted for several days, after which Nadir Shah asked his men to cease. In May
c. 1739 CE, Nadir Shah and his troops left the city.
o Muhammad Shah was retained as the emperor of the Mughal empire but was compelled to cede
to him all the provinces of the empire falling west of the river Indus.
o Nadir Shah almost emptied the treasury and also took away the famous Kohinoor and the
Peacock throne.
o Nadir Shah’s invasion caused an irreparable loss of prestige and exposed the weaknesses of the
empire to the Maratha Sardars and the foreign trading companies as well.
Ahmad Shah (c. 1748 – 1757 CE)

o Son of Muhammad Shah Rangeela and Kudsiya Begum (a dancing girl).
o Ahmad Shah Abdali (ruler of Afghanistan) invaded Delhi many times, and Punjab along with
Multan was ceded to him.
o The Marathas snatched Malwa and Bundelkhand.
o His wazir, Imad-ul-Mulk, blinded him and imprisoned him at Salimgarh.
Alamgir II (c. 1754 – 1759 CE)

o He was the second son of Jahandar Shah and was raised to the throne by Imad-ul-
Mulk after he deposed Ahmad Shah.
o Had to face repeated invasions of Ahmad Shah Abdali.
o The famous Battle of Plassey ( 23 June c. 1757 CE) was fought during his tenure. The Battle
of Plassey helped the British East India Company to seize control of Bengal.
o He was also murdered by his wazir, Imad-ul-Mulk.
Ali Gauhar/Shah Alam II (c. 1759 – 1806 CE)

o During his reign, the Mughal power was so depleted that it led to a saying in Persian “Sultanat-
e-Shah Alam, Az Dili ta Palam”, meaning “The kingdom of Shah Alam is from Delhi to
Palam,” Palam being a suburb of Delhi.
o Due to his conflict with the wazir, he fled to Awadh (c. 1761 – 1764 CE).
o He returned to Delhi when Marathas re-established their hold and invited him to
the capital.
o The third Battle of Panipat (c. 1761 CE) was fought during his reign between the Marathas
and Ahmad Shah Abdali.
o The Battle of Buxar was fought in c. 1764 CE between the forces under the command of the
British East India Company, led by Hector Munro and the combined armies of Mir Qasim
(Nawab of Bengal), Shuja-ud-Daula (Nawab of Awadh) and the Mughal Emperor
Shah Alam Ⅱ.
o The war was brought to an end by the Treaty of Allahabad (c. 1765 CE) under which Diwani
rights (right to collect land revenue) of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa were granted to the British East
India Company.
o He was the first Mughal ruler who became an East India Company pensioner.
Akbar II (C. 1806 – 1837 CE)

o He was the son of Shah Alam Ⅱ and remained only under British protection as in c. 1803 CE,
the British had captured Delhi.
o He conferred the title of “Raja” on Ram Mohan Roy.
o He was a great poet and is credited with the introduction of the Hindu-Muslim unity festival
Phool Walon Ki Sair.
Bahadur Shah II /Zafar (c. 1837 – 1857 CE)

o He was the last ruler of the Mughal Empire. He was an accomplished poet and his pen name was
Zafar (victory).
o He participated in the revolt of c. 1857 CE.
o After the revolt was suppressed, he was deported to Rangoon (Burma) where he died in c.
1862 CE.
THE PESHWAS
 The word Peshwa has its roots in the Persian language meaning “foremost”, and was
introduced in the Deccan by the Muslim rulers.
 The early Peshwas were the prime ministers of the Maratha Chhatrapatis who were appointed to
assist the rulers in different administrative and political affairs.
 The Peshwas later assumed the number one position in Maratha politics.
Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt (c. 1713 – 1719 CE)

o The Bhatts were Chitpavan Brahmins hailing from Shrivardhan in the Konkan region.
o He made the post of the Peshwa hereditary and is also known in history for making the position
of Peshwa the most important and influential in the Maratha administration.
o He played an important role in the civil war as he sought the support of all Maratha
leaders for Shahu and thus, helped Shahu in his rise to power.
o In c. 1719 CE, Balaji Vishwanath was successful in attaining certain rights from the
then Mughal Emperor, Farrukh Siyar such as recognition of Shahu as the Maratha king
and to collect Chauth and Sardeshmukhi from the six Mughal provinces of the Deccan, including
the Carnatic and Mysore.
o Along with Shahu, Balaji Vishwanath assisted the Sayyid brothers in deposing the
Mughal emperor, Farrukh Siyar in c. 1719 CE.
Baji Rao I (c. 1720 – 1740 CE)

o Eldest son of Balaji Vishwanath who succeeded him as Peshwa at the young age of twenty. The
Maratha power rose to its heights under him and he was the most famous among all the Peshwas.
o He preached and propagated the idea of Hindu-pad-padshahi (Hindu Empire) to
gain the support of the Hindu chiefs against the Mughals, their common enemy.
o During his lifetime, he did not lose any battle. He defeated Nizam-ul-Mulk (Deccan) twice,
at Palkhed and Bhopal, and compelled him to grant chauth and sardeshmukhi of the five
provinces of the Deccan.
o In c. 1722 CE, he seized Salsette and Bassein from the Portuguese.
o In c. 1728 CE, he shifted the administrative capital from Satara to Pune.
o He initiated the system of the confederacy among the Maratha chiefs. Under this system, a
territory was assigned to each Maratha chief which he could administer autonomously.
o Consequently, many Maratha families became prominent and established their authority over
different parts of India. They were the Peshwas at Poona, the Bhonsles at Nagpur, the
Scindias at Gwalior, the Holkars at Indore and the Gaekwads at Baroda.
Balaji Baji Rao I/Nana Sahib I (c. 1740 – 1761 CE)

o Balaji Baji Rao Ⅰ succeeded his father as Peshwa at the young age of nineteen.
o Shahu, the Maratha king died in c. 1749 CE without an issue.
o His nominated successor Ramaraja, was even though accepted by Balaji Baji Rao, gradually the
supreme power of the Maratha confederacy passed into the hands of the Peshwa
(by the Sangola Agreement c. 1750 CE).
o In c. 1752 CE, the Peshwa entered into an agreement with the Mughal Emperor.
According to this agreement, the Peshwa, Balaji Baji Rao assured the Mughal Emperor that he
would protect the Mughal empire from internal as well as external enemies and in return, the
chauth of the north-west provinces and the total revenue of Ajmer and Agra would be granted to
the Marathas.
o The Marathas bravely fought the Third Battle of Panipat (c. 1761 CE) when Ahmad
Shah Abdali invaded India (as per the agreement of c. 1752 CE). However, the Marathas were
defeated and many Maratha leaders and thousands of soldiers died in the battle. On hearing the
sad end of the battle, Balaji Baji Rao also died.
o The defeat at the Battle of Panipat checked the expansion of the Marathas and also fragmented
the empire which never fought again as one unit.
o Meanwhile, the branches of the Bhonsle family relocated to Kolhapur and Nagpur, while
the mainline remained in the Deccan heartland, at Satara.
Madhav Rao (c. 1761 – 1772 CE)

o He was an outstanding Peshwa, who restored the lost territories of the Maratha empire.
o He defeated the Nizam and also made Haidar Ali (Mysore) pay tribute, and reasserted control
over northern India by defeating the Rohillas and subjugating the Rajput states and Jat chiefs.
o When the Marathas re-established their hold, Madhav Rao invited the Mughal emperor, Shah
Alam to Delhi (`~c. 1771 CE).
o During his reign, semi-independent states were created like the Holkars, the Scindias and the
Gaekwads (Gaekwars).
There ensued a struggle for power between Raghunath Rao
Raghunath Rao
(younger brother of Balaji Baji Rao) and Narayan Rao (younger
(c. 1772 – 1773 CE)
brother of Madhav Rao).
Narayan Rao He was murdered on the orders of Raghunath Rao.
(c. 1772 – 1773 CE)
Raghunath Rao He seized the throne but was overthrown by the emperor.
(c. 1773 – 1774 CE)
Sawai Madhav Rao (c. 1774 – 1795 CE)

o He was the son of Narayan Rao, who was just 40 days old when crowned as the Peshwa.
o The empire was managed by Nana Phadnavis, an able administrator and a great warrior,
with the help of the Barbhai Council (a twelve-member regency council).
o Raghunath Rao sought the help of the British which led to the First Anglo-Maratha
War (c. 1775 – 1782 CE).
o Nana Phadnavis defeated the British at the Battle of Talegaon (c. 1776 CE) and then,
the famous treaty of Purandar (c. 1776 CE) and the treaty of Salbai (c. 1782 CE) were
signed.
o The treaty virtually restored the status quo except for the fact that the English retained
Salsette and dropped the cause of Raghunath Rao.
o In c. 1800 CE, Nana Phadnavis died and thereafter, the Marathas could not sustain against the
British and could not restore their past glory.
Baji Rao II (c. 1796 – 1818 CE)

o Son of Raghunath Rao and the last Peshwa.
o In c. 1802 CE, he signed the treaty of Bassein with the British which allowed the British to
take control over the Maratha region and also of Deccan and western India.
o In the Third Anglo-Maratha War (c. 1818 CE), he was defeated by the East India
Company and the Peshwa’s territory in central Maharashtra was annexed to the British East
India company’s Bombay province.
o His adopted son Nana Sahib (Dhondu Pant) participated in the famous revolt of c. 1857 CE
against the British.
o The Marathas emerged as a great power in India after the decline of the Mughal Empire.
However, they could not prevent the establishment of British power in India. One of the main
causes for the decline of the Maratha empire was the lack of unity among the Maratha chiefs
(Holkars, Scindias, Bhonsles). Also, the Maratha army was ill-equipped as compared to the
British army.
CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI’S ADMINISTRATION

o Shivaji Maharaj laid the foundations of a sound system of administration.
o His system of administration was very much influenced by the Mughal and Deccani states of
administration.
o The Maratha Empire was called Swarajya or Mulk-e-Kadim.
Central Administration
o The king was assisted by a council of ministers called Ashtapradhan.
o Each minister headed a department and was directly answerable to Shivaji.
o These offices were neither permanent nor hereditary.
in charge of finance and general administration. Later Peshwa became
Peshwa – Pant
more powerful and became the Prime Minister.
Pradhan
Sar-i-Naubat or Military commander, an honorary post.

Senapati
Amatya/Majumdar Accountant General
Intelligence and police, posts and household affairs.
Waqia Navis
Surnavis or who looked after official correspondence

Chitnis or Sachiv
Master of ceremonies and foreign affairs.
Sumanta
Justice.
Nyayadhish
Pandita Rao Charities and religious administration
Provincial Administration
o The provinces were known as Prants and it was under the charge of a Subedar.
o The Sarsubedar used to control and supervise the work of the Subedar.
o The Tarfs were controlled by a havaldar.
o Villages or Mauzas were the lowest unit of administration.
o In rural regions, a police officer was called Faujdar and in urban regions, he was called
Kotwal.
o Under the Marathas, performance based Brahmin elites were called Kamvishdar who
controlled the central bureaucracy and the local administration and also enjoyed powers of tax
assessment and collection.
o They provided information about local conditions to the superior officials.
Prants (Province) ⇒ Subedar supervised by Sarsubedar

⇓
Tarfs (Districts) ⇒ Havaldar (law and order)
⇓
Parganas (sub-districts) ⇒ Deshpande (Account and record keeper) and Deshmukh (law and order)
⇓
Mauzas (Village) ⇒ Kulkarni (Account and record keeper) and Patil (law and order).
Army
o The regular army (paga) consisted of about 30,000 to 40,000 cavalry supervised by havaldars
who received fixed salaries.
o The lowest head of the cavalry was called Naik.
o There were two divisions in the Maratha cavalry –
 Bargirs – equipped and paid by the state.
 Silahdars – maintained by the nobles.
o The forts were carefully supervised, Mavali soldiers and gunners were appointed there.
o Three men of equal rank were placed in charge of each fort to guard against treachery.
o By the end of his reign, Shivaji had about 240 forts. Shivaji also built a powerful navy for
guarding the Maratha ports and collecting taxes from the incoming and outgoing ships.
Revenue
o The revenue system of Shivaji was based on that of Malik Amber of Ahmednagar.
o The measuring rod (lathi) was used for measuring land.
o Lands were also classified into three categories – paddy fields, garden lands and hilly tracts.
o He appointed his own revenue officials called Karkuns and reduced the powers of the
existing Kulkarnis and Deshmukhs.
o Chauth and sardeshmukhi were the two major sources of revenue that were collected
in the neighbouring territories of the Mughal empire or Deccan Sultanates (and not in the
Maratha kingdom).
o Chauth was one-fourth of the land revenue paid to the Marathas in order to avoid the
Maratha raids.
o Sardeshmukhi was an additional levy of ten percent on those lands on which the Marathas
claimed hereditary rights.
REGIONAL KINGDOMS
BENGAL
o With the gradual weakening of the central Mughal authority, Murshid Quli Khan who served
as a diwan under Aurangzeb became virtually independent but had to pay tribute to the
Mughal Emperor.
o In c. 1739 CE, he was replaced by Alivardi Khan and became the Nawab himself.
o These Nawabs brought peace and stability in the region and also promoted trade, agriculture and
industry.
o They provided equal employment opportunities to both Hindus and Muslims.
o However, they failed to understand the long term implications of the presence of the European
trading companies in these areas and could not keep up the level of their military preparedness
with the European powers.
o Consequently, there were battles and wars between the two, for example, Siraj-ud-Daula, the
successor of Alivardi Khan, had to fight the East India Company over the trading rights
in c. 1756 CE.
o His defeat in the Battle of Plassey (c. 1757 CE) resulted in the subjugation of Bengal
as well as India by the British.
AWADH
o During the decline of the Mughal power, another provincial kingdom – Awadh, emerged under
governor Saadat Khan Burhan ul Mulk.
o He made his position hereditary just before his death in c. 1739 CE and later his successors,
Safdar Jung and Asaf ud Daulah played an important role in the politics of northern India
and gave long-term administrative stability to the Awadh province.
o Under the Nawabs, Faizabad and Lucknow emerged as centres of cultural excellence
comparable to Delhi in the spheres of arts, literature and crafts.
o Regional architecture also reflected itself in the form of Imambarahs and other buildings.
o The evolution of the dance form of kathak was the outcome of this cultural synthesis.
RAJPUTS
o Rajputs had served well under the Mughals and in exchange, they were granted considerable
autonomy in their watan jagirs.
o However, during the reign of Aurangzeb, the relation between the Mughals and the Rajputs
suffered, mainly due to his interference in the succession dispute of Marwar.
o Moreover, most of the Rajput states were constantly involved in petty fights and civil wars.
o One of the important principalities that emerged in the early 18th century was that of Jaipur
(earlier Amber), located in eastern Rajasthan.
o Its ruler, Sawai Jai Singh emerged as the single most important ruler in the region.
o With the rise of Marathas, Rajput influence began to decrease and Jaipur became a vulnerable
target for the ambitions of the Marathas particularly, Mahadaji Scindia.
PUNJAB
o The decline of the Mughal power gave Sikhs the opportunity to rise.
o By c. 1770 CE, there was a confederation of about 60 chieftains, some of who later emerged as
princely states under the British such as Patiala and Nabha.
o It was Maharaja Ranjit Singh (grandson of Charhat Singh Sukerchakia) who brought
the Sikh chiefs west of the river Sutlej under his control and established a powerful Sikh empire
in Punjab.
o He started controlling the different trade routes, and in order to enhance his revenues started
imposing monopolies on the trade in salt, grain and textiles from Kashmir.
o Using these earnings, he built up a modernized army of 40,000 cavalry and infantry and by c.
1809 CE emerged as the undisputed master of Punjab.
o His rule lasted for four decades, c. 1799 – 1839 CE. However, within ten years of his death, the
British annexed Punjab.
SOUTH INDIA
o The principal states that rose to prominence in the latter half of the 18th century (after 1740 CE)
were
 Travancore in Kerala under Martanda Varma and Rama Varma
 Mysore under Haidar Ali and Tipu Sultan
o Before them, there were three formidable powers (though representatives of Mughal authority) in
the south –
 The Marathas who were present both at Thanjavur and elsewhere,
 Sadullah Khan of Arcot (Karnataka) who ruled around the 1700s and
 The Nizam-ul-Mulk of Hyderabad.
o However, in the second half of the 18th century, the power of all three of these declined.
TRAVANCORE
o Martanda Varma ruled Travancore (southern Kerala state of Venad) from c. 1729 – 1758 CE,
built a strong standing army and fortified the northern limits of his kingdom.
o He was succeeded by Rama Varma (c. 1758 – 1798 CE) who was able to protect his kingdom
successfully against a new rival power – Mysore.
MYSORE
o Mysore emerged as a powerful state under the rulers of the Vadiyar dynasty (or
Wodeyar). Being a landlocked region, Mysore depended on ports of the Indian east coast for
trade and military supplies.
o In c. 1761 CE, a cavalry commander of migrant origin, Haidar Ali attained sufficient power in
the kingdom to reduce the Vadiyars to mere figureheads.
o Haidar Ali, and later around c. 1782 CE his son Tipu Sultan worked hard to consolidate
Mysore and to have access to both coasts of Peninsular India.
o They were also relatively successful against the Kodavas (the inhabitants of the upland
kingdom of Kodagu, Coorg), Coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala which enabled Tipu
Sultan to have diplomatic and commercial relations on his own with the Middle East.
o However, they had to fight against the local chiefs, the Poligars. They eventually lost their
kingdom to the English East India Company.
CONSOLIDATION OF BRITISH
ROBERT CLIVE
o Clive’s initial stay in India lasted from 1744 to 1753.
o He was called back to India in 1755 to ensure British supremacy in the subcontinent
against the French.
o He became the deputy governor of Fort St. David at Cuddalore.
o In 1757, Clive along with Admiral Watson was able to recapture Calcutta from the Nawab
of Bengal Siraj Ud Daulah.
o In the Battle of Plassey, the Nawab was defeated by the British despite having a larger force.
o Clive delivered a decisive English victory by inducing the Nawab’s army Commander Mir
Jaffar, who was installed as Bengal’s Nawab after the battle.
o Clive was also able to capture some French forts in Bengal.
o For these exploits, Robert Clive was made Lord Clive, Baron of Plassey.
o As a result of this battle, the British became the paramount power in the Indian subcontinent.
o Bengal became theirs and this greatly increased the company’s fortunes.
o This also opened up other parts of India to the British and finally led to the rise of the British Raj
in India. For this reason, Robert Clive is also known as “Conqueror of India”.
Robert Clive’s Rule of Bengal

o Robert Clive was the Governor of Bengal from 1757-60 and from 1765-67.
o During his first tenure as Bengal’s governor, under the Nawab Mir Jaffar, corruption was
rampant.
o The company’s sole aim was maximising revenue at the expense of the peasants.
o He amassed a great personal fortune in India and returned to Britain in 1760.
o He returned to India in 1765 as Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bengal.
o At this time, there was widespread corruption in the company.
o So Clive forbade the company’s employees from engaging in private trade. He also barred them
from accepting gifts.
o He started a ‘Society of Trade’ in 1765 but it was later abolished.
o Mir Jaffar’s son-in-law Mir Qasim had ascended the throne of Bengal.
o He wanted to wrest himself from English influence.
o The Battle of Buxar was fought between the British and the combined forces of Mir Qasim,
Shuja Ud Daulah (the Nawab of Awadh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. The British won
this battle.
o As a result of this battle, the Diwani (right to collect revenue) of Bengal, Bihar and
Odisha was granted to the British by the Mughal Emperor in return for an annual sum
of money and Allahabad and Kora districts.
o Robert Clive, who could have had Awadh as well, refrained from annexing it. He intended to use
it as a ‘buffer’ state between the British and the Marathas.
o The Nizamat (territorial jurisdiction) of Bengal remained with the Nawab. In reality, the English
held this power.
o This was Clive’s Dual System where the company was the Diwan and the Nawab held the
Nizamat.
BATTLE OF PLASSEY
o It is a battle fought between the East India Company force headed by Robert Clive and Siraj-Ud-
Daulah (Nawab of Bengal).
o The Battle of Plassey was fought at Palashi, on the banks of Bhagirathi river near Calcutta on
June 23, 1757.
Reasons for the Battle of Plassey

o The rampant misuse of the trade privileges given to the British by the Nawab of Bengal
o Non-payment of tax and duty by the workers of the British East India Company
Other reasons that supported the coming of this battle were:

o Fortification of Calcutta by the British without the Nawab’s permission
o Misleading Nawab on various fronts by British
o An asylum was provided to Nawab’s enemy Krishna Das
o The East India Company had a strong presence in India majorly at Fort St. George, Fort William
and Bombay Castle.
o The British resorted to having an alliance with the Nawabs and princes in exchange for security
against any form of external and internal attack and were promised concessions in return for
their safety and protection.
o The problem arose when the alliance was disrupted under the rule of Nawab of Bengal
(Siraj-Ud-Daulah).
o The Nawab started seizing the fort of Calcutta and imprisoning many British Officials in
June 1756.
o The prisoners were kept in a dungeon at Fort William. This incident is called the Black Hole of
Calcutta since only a handful of the prisoners survived the captivity where over a hundred
people were kept in a cell meant for about 6 people.
o The East India company planned an attack and Robert Clive bribed Mir Jafar, the
commander-in-chief of the Nawab’s army, and also promised him to make him Nawab of Bengal.
Participants Role
Siraj-Ud-Daulah o Involved in Black-Hole Tragedy (imprisoned 146 English persons who

(Nawab of were lodged in a very tiny room due to which 123 of them died of
Bengal) suffocation)
o Adversely affected by the rampant misuse of trade privileges by the EIC
o Attacked and seized the English fort at Calcutta, it brought their
hostility into the open
Robert Clive o Gave asylum to political fugitive Krishna Das, disappointing Siraj-Ud-
Daulah
o Misuse of trade privileges
o Fortified Calcutta without the nawab’s permission
Mir Jafar o Bribed by East India Company (EIC)
(Commander-in- o Was to be made the Nawab by EIC for conspiring against Siraj-Ud-
Chief of Nawab’s Daulah
army) o Cheated Siraj-Ud-Daulah during the battle

Rai Durlabh (One o Joined his army with Siraj-Ud-Daulah’s but did not participate in the
of the battle
Commanders of o Betrayed Siraj
the Nawabs
Army)
Jagat Seth o Involved in the conspiracy involving the imprisonment and ultimate
(Influential killing of Nawab Siraj-Ud-Daulah
Banker)
Omi Chand o One of the principal authors of the conspiracy against Nawab and
(Bengal associated with the treaty negotiated by Robert Clive before the Battle
Merchant) of Plassey in 1757
Effects of Battle of Plassey

o Apart from the British getting political power of Northern India but only after Nawabs, there
were several other effects in many forms that came out as a result of the Battle of Plassey.
o They can be categorised as:
Political Effects
o The Battle of Plassey resulted at the end of the French forces.
o Mir Jafar was crowned as the Nawab of Bengal
o Mir Jafar was unhappy with the position and instigated the Dutch to attack the British in
order to consolidate his foundation.
o Battle of Chinsura was fought between the Dutch and British forces on November 25,
1759.
o The British installed Mir Qasim as the Nawab of Bengal.
o The British became the paramount European power in Bengal.
o Robert Clive was titled “Lord Clive”, Baron of Plassey and also obtained a seat in the British
House of Commons.
Economic Effects
o The economy of India was affected severely.
e
o Post the victory, the British started imposing severe rules and regulations on the inhabitants of/
Bengal in the name of tax collection.
– n lin
m . o
BATTLE OF BUXAR
F ro
er ial
o It was a battle fought between the English Forces, and a joint army of the Nawab of Oudh,
a d
Nawab of Bengal, and the Mughal Emperor.
a t
lo c m
o The battle was the result of misuse of trade privileges granted by the Nawab of Bengal and also
n s
w
the colonialist ambitions of East India Company.
p
Background Do s://u
t p
o Before the battle of Buxar, one more battle was fought. It was the Battle of Plassey, that gave the
t
h
British a firm foothold over the region of Bengal.
o As a result of the Battle of Plassey, Siraj-Ud-Daulah was dethroned as the Nawab of Bengal
and was replaced by Mir Jafar (Commander of Siraj’s Army.)
o After Mir Jafar became the new Bengal nawab, the British made him their puppet but Mir Jafar
got involved with Dutch East India Company.
o Mir Qasim (son-in-law of Mir Jafar) was supported by the British to become the new
Nawab and under the pressure of the Company, Mir Jafar decided to resign in favour of Mir
Kasim.
o A pension of Rs 1,500 per annum was fixed for Mir Jafar.
A few reasons which were the key to the Battle of Buxar are given below:
o Mir Qasim wanted to be independent and shifted his capital to Munger Fort from
Calcutta.
o He also hired foreign experts to train his army, some of whom were in direct conflict with the
British.
o He treated Indian merchants and English as same, without granting any special privileges
for the latter.
o These factors fuelled the English to overthrow him and war broke out between Mir Kasim and the
Company in 1763.
Battle of Buxar
o When the battle broke out in 1763, English gained successive victories at Katwah,
Murshidabad, Giria, Sooty and Munger.
o Mir Kasim fled to Awadh (or Oudh) and formed a confederacy with the Shuja-Ud-
Daulah (Nawab of Awadh) and Shah Alam II (Mughal Emperor).
o Mir Qasim wanted to recover Bengal from the English.
o Mir Qasim’s soldiers met the English army troops directed by Major Munro in 1764.
o The joint armies of Mir Qasim were defeated by the British.
o Mir Qasim absconded from the battle and the other two surrendered to the English army.
o The battle of Buxar ended with the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765.
Result
o Mir Qasim, Shuja-Ud-Daula and Shah Alam-II lost the battle on October 22, 1764.
o Major Hector Munro won a decisive battle and Robert Clive had a major role in that.
o English became a great power in northern India.
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o Mir Jafar (Nawab of Bengal) handed over districts of Midnapore, Burdwan and
Chittagong to the English for the maintenance of their army.
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on salt.
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o The English were also permitted duty-free trade in Bengal, except for a duty of two per cent
ial
F er
o After the death of Mir Jafar, his minor son, Najimud-Daula, was appointed nawab, but the
d t
dismissed by the English.
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real power of administration lay in the hands of the naib-subahdar, who could be appointed or
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o Clive made political settlements with Emperor Shah Alam II and Shuja-Ud-Daula of
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Awadh in the Treaty of Allahabad.
Treaty of Allahabad between Robert Clive & Shuja-Ud-Daulah:
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o Shuja had to surrender Allahabad and Kara to Shah Alam II
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o He was made to pay Rs 50 lakh to the Company as war indemnity; and

o He was made to give Balwant Singh (Zamindar of Banaras) full possession of his estate.
Treaty of Allahabad between Robert Clive & Shah Alam-II:

o Shah Alam was commanded to reside at Allahabad which was ceded to him by Shuja-Ud-
Daulah under the Company’s protection
o The emperor had to issue a Farman granting the Diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa
to the East India Company in lieu of an annual payment of Rs 26 lakh;
o Shah Alam had to abide by a provision of Rs 53 lakh to the Company in return for the
Nizamat functions (military defence, police, and administration of justice) of the
said provinces.
WARREN HASTINGS
o Warren Hastings (1732 – 1818) became the first Governor of the Presidency of Fort
William (Bengal) in 1772 and the first Governor-General of Bengal in 1774 till he
resigned in 1785.
o He started his career as a writer (clerk) in the East India Company at Calcutta in 1750.
o In 1758, he became the British resident at Murshidabad, the capital of Bengal, after Mir
Jafar was installed as the Nawab after the Battle of Plassey.
o During his term, the First Anglo-Maratha war and the second Anglo-Mysore war were
fought.
o The Regulating Act of 1773 was passed during his term.
o He supported Sir William Jones in the formation of the Asiatic Society of Bengal in
1785.
Abolition of the Dual System

o Hastings abolished the Dual System that had been established by Robert Clive.
o In the Dual System, the company had Diwani rights (rights to collect revenue) and the Nizam or
Indian chiefs had the administrative authority.
o The Nawab’s annual allowance of Rs.32 lakh was reduced to Rs.16 lakh.
o The annual tribute paid to the Mughal Emperor was also stopped.
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Revenue Reforms
o
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For revenue collection, a Board of Revenue was set up at Calcutta.
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o Treasury was moved from Murshidabad to Calcutta. Calcutta became Bengal’s capital in 1772.
o
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British collectors were appointed for each district and an Accountant General was also appointed.
o
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Unreasonable fines were done away with and restrictions were placed on the raising of rent.
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Judicial Reforms
n lo s c m
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o The judicial powers of the Zamindars were abolished.
o Civil and criminal courts were established. Two appellate courts were established at Calcutta, one
for civil (Sadar Diwani Adalat) and one for criminal (Sadar Nizamat Adalat) cases.
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o The criminal court was to have an Indian judge.
h
o Muslims were to be tried according to their law in the Koran and Hindus, according to Hindu
laws. A code of Hindu Law, prepared by Hindu Pandits was translated into English.
o He also came down heavily on the dacoits in Bengal.
Trade Regulations
o Hastings abolished the system of dastaks which were misused by company officials and traders
earlier.
o He enforced a uniform tariff of 2.5% for Indian and foreign goods.
o Private trade by company officials was restricted.
FIRST ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1767-69)

o Hyder Ali built a strong army and annexed many regions in the South including Bidnur,
Canara, Sera, Malabar and Sunda
o He also took French support in training his army
o This alarmed the British.
o The British, along with the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad declared war on
Mysore.
o Hyder Ali was able to bring the Marathas and the Nizam to his side with skilful
diplomacy
o He paid the Marathas to turn them neutral.
o War continued for a year-and-a-half without any conclusion
o Haidar changed his strategy and suddenly appeared before the gates of Madras.
Result
o Following complete chaos and panic at Madras, English was forced to conclude a very
humiliating treaty with Haidar on April 4, 1769—Treaty of Madras which brought an
end to the war
o The conquered territories were restored to each other.
o It was also agreed that they would help each other in case of a foreign attack.
Hyder Ali
o Started his career as a soldier in the Mysore Army.
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o Soon rose to prominence in the army owing to his military skills.
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o He was made the Dalavayi (commander-in-chief), and later the Chief Minister of the lin
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Mysore state under Krishnaraja Wodeyar II, ruler of Mysore.
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o Through his administrative prowess and military skills, he became the de-facto ruler of Mysore
F
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with the real king reduced to a titular head only.
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o He set up a modern army and trained them along European lines.
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SECOND ANGLO-MYSORE
p s
WAR (1780-84)
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Causes of the War:
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o The Marathas attacked Mysore in 1771. But the British refused to honour the Treaty
of Madras and did not give support to Hyder Ali
h
o As a result, Hyder Ali’s territories were taken by the Marathas. He had to buy peace with the
Marathas for a sum of Rs.36 lakh and another annual tribute
o This angered Hyder Ali who started hating the British.
o When the English attacked Mahe, a French possession under Hyder Ali’s dominion, he
declared war on the English in 1780
Course of the War:

o Hyder Ali forged an alliance with the Nizam and the Marathas and defeated the British
forces in Arcot.
o Hyder Ali died in 1782 and the war was continued by his son Tipu Sultan
o Sir Eyre Coote, who had earlier defeated Hyder Ali many times, ended the war inconclusively
with the Treaty of Mangalore
o As per the Treaty of Mangalore (11 March 1784), both parties agreed to return the captured
territories and prisoners to each other.
THIRD ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1790 – 1792)

o The British started improving their relationship with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas.
o Tipu Sultan, who assumed control of Mysore after Hyder Ali’s death, had French help in bettering
his military resources.
o He also refused to free the English prisoners taken during the second Anglo-Mysore war as per
the Treaty of Mangalore.
The course of the war:

o Tipu declared war on Travancore in 1789. Travancore was a friendly state of the British.
o In 1790, the Governor-General of Bengal, Lord Cornwallis declared war on Tipu.
o Tipu was defeated in the first phase of the war and his forces had to retreat.
o Later the English advanced towards Tipu’s capital of Seringapatam and Tipu had to
bargain for peace.
o The war ended with the Treaty of Seringapatam in 1792.
o As per the treaty, Tipu had to cede half of his kingdom to the English including the areas of
Malabar, Dindigul, Coorg and Baramahal.
o He also had to pay Rs.3 Crore as war indemnity to the British.
o Tipu also had to surrender two of his sons as surety to the British till he paid his due.
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FOURTH ANGLO-MYSORE WAR (1799) – n lin
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o The Treaty of Seringapatam failed to bring peace between Tipu
and the English.
F r er
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o Tipu also refused to accept the Subsidiary Alliance of
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Lord Wellesley.
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o Tipu aligned with the French which the British saw as a
threat.
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o Mysore was attacked from all four sides.
o The Marathas and the Nizam invaded from the North.
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o Tipu’s troops were outnumbered.p
h
o The British secured a decisive victory at the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799.

o Tipu died while defending the city.
Result of the war:

o Tipu’s territories were divided between the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad.
o The core area around Seringapatam and Mysore was restored to the Wodeyar
dynasty who had been ruling Mysore before Hyder Ali became the de-facto ruler.
o Mysore entered into a Subsidiary Alliance with the British and a British resident was
placed at the Mysore Court.
o The Kingdom of Mysore remained a princely state not directly under the British until 1947 when
it chose to join the Indian Union.
FIRST ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1775 – 1782)

o The third Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao died in 1761 due to shock after his defeat at the Third
Battle of Panipat.
o His son Madhavrao I succeeded him. Madhavrao I was able to recover some of the Maratha
power and territories which they had lost in the Battle of Panipat.
o The English were aware of the growing Maratha power.
o When Madhavrao I died, there was a tussle for power in the Maratha camp.
o His brother Narayanrao became the Peshwa but his uncle Raghunathrao wanted to
become the Peshwa. For this, he sought the help of the English
o So, the Treaty of Surat in 1775 was signed according to which Raghunathrao ceded
Salsette and Bassein to the English and in return he was given 2500 soldiers.
o The British and army of Raghunathrao attacked the Peshwa and won.
o The British Calcutta Council under Warren Hastings annulled this treaty and a new
treaty, the Treaty of Purandhar was signed in 1776 between the Calcutta Council and
Nana Phadnavis, a Maratha minister.
o Accordingly, Raghunathrao was given a pension only and Salsette was retained by the British.
o But the British establishment at Bombay violated this treaty and sheltered
Raghunathrao.
o In 1777, Nana Phadnavis went against his treaty with the Calcutta Council and
granted a port on the west coast to the French.
o This led the British to advance a force towards Pune. There was a battle at Wadgaon near
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Pune in which the Marathas under Mahadji Shinde secured a decisive victory over the
English.
o The English were forced to sign the Treaty of Wadgaon in 1779. – . o n
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o There was a series of battles at the end of which the Treaty of Salbai was signed in 1782.
d F
This ended the first Anglo-Maratha war.
ter
Results
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o The East India Company retained Salsette and Broach.
Do s://u
o It also obtained a guarantee from the Marathas that they would retake their possessions in the
Deccan from Hyder Ali of Mysore.
t t p
o The Marathas also promised that they would not grant any more territories to the French.
h
o Raghunathrao was to receive a pension of Rs.3 lakh every year.
o All territories taken by the British after the Treaty of Purandhar were ceded back to
the Marathas.
o The English accepted Madhavrao II (son of Narayanrao) as the Peshwa.
SECOND ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1803 – 1805)

o After Tipu Sultan’s Mysore was captured by the British in 1799, the Marathas were the only major
Indian power left outside of British domination.
o At that time, the Maratha Confederacy consisted of five major chiefs, the Peshwas at Pune,
the Gaekwads at Baroda, the Holkars at Indore, the Scindias at Gwalior and the
Bhonsles at Nagpur.
o There were internal squabbles among themselves.
o Baji Rao II (son of Raghunathrao) was installed as the Peshwa after the death of
Madhavrao II.
o In the Battle of Poona in 1802, Yashwantrao Holkar, the chief of the Holkars of Indore
defeated the Peshwas and the Scindias.
o Baji Rao II sought British protection and signed the Treaty of Bassein with them.
o As per this treaty, he ceded territory to the British and agreed to the maintenance of British
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troops there.
Anglo-Maratha war in central India in 1803. –

o The Scindias and the Bhonsles did not accept this treaty and this caused the second
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o The Holkars also joined the battle against the English at a later stage.
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d F ter
Results
lo a m a
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o All the Maratha forces were defeated by the British in these battles.
o The Scindias signed the Treaty of Surji-Anjangaon in 1803 through which the British got
Do s://u
the territories of Rohtak, Ganga-Yamuna Doab, Gurgaon, Delhi Agra region, Broach, some
districts in Gujarat, parts of Bundelkhand and Ahmadnagar fort.
t t p
o The Bhonsles signed the Treaty of Deogaon in 1803 as per which the English acquired
Cuttack, Balasore and area west of Wardha River.
h
o The Holkars signed the Treaty of Rajghat in 1805 according to which they gave up Tonk,
Bundi and Rampura to the British.
o As a result of the war, large parts of central India came under British control.
THIRD ANGLO-MARATHA WAR (1817 – 1818)

o After the second Anglo-Maratha war, the Marathas made one last attempt to rebuild their old
prestige.
o They wanted to retake all their old possessions from the English.
o They were also unhappy with the British residents’ interference in their internal matters.
o The chief reason for this war was the British conflict with the Pindaris whom the
British suspected were being protected by the Marathas.
o The Maratha chiefs Peshwa Bajirao II, Malharrao Holkar and Mudhoji II Bhonsle
forged a united front against the English.
o Daulat Rao Shinde, the fourth major Maratha chief was pressured diplomatically to stay
away.
o But the British victory was swift.
Results
o The Treaty of Gwalior was signed in 1817 between Shinde and the British, even though
he had not been involved in the war. As per this treaty, Shinde gave up Rajasthan to the
British.
o The Rajas of Rajputana remained the Princely States till 1947 after accepting British sovereignty.
o The Treaty of Mandasor was signed between the British and the Holkar chief in 1818.
An infant was placed on the throne under British guardianship.
o The Peshwa surrendered in 1818. He was dethroned and pensioned off to a small estate in
Bithur (near Kanpur). Most parts of his territory became part of the Bombay Presidency.
o His adopted son, Nana Saheb became one of the leaders of the Revolt of 1857 at
Kanpur.
o The territories annexed from the Pindaris became the Central Provinces under British
India.
o This war led to the end of the Maratha Empire. All the Maratha powers surrendered to the
British.
o An obscure descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji was placed as the ceremonial head of the
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Maratha Confederacy at Satara.
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o This was one of the last major wars fought and won by the British. With this, the British
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controlled most parts of India barring Punjab and Sindh directly or indirectly.
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Reasons for Maratha Loss
d F ter
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o Lack of unity among the Maratha chiefs themselves.
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o Lack of good relations with other Indian princes and ruling dynasties.
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o Failure to understand the British political and diplomatic strengths.
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h
PITT’S INDIA ACT 1784
Provisions of the Act

o For political matters, the Board of Control was created and for commercial affairs,
the Court of Directors was appointed.
o The Board of Control took care of civil and military affairs. It comprised of 6 people:
 Secretary of State (Board President)
 Chancellor of the Exchequer
 Four Privy Councillors
o In this dual system of control, the company was represented by the Court of Directors
and the British government by the Board of Control.
o The act mandated that all civil and military officers disclose their property in India
and Britain within two months of their joining.
o The Governor-General’s council’s strength was reduced to three members.
o One of the three would be the Commander-in-Chief of the British Crown’s army in India.
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o The Presidencies of Madras and Bombay became subordinate to the Bengal Presidency. In
–
effect, Calcutta became the capital of the British possessions in India.
. o n
Features
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d F ter
o This act made a distinction between the commercial and political activities of the East
India Company.
lo a m a
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o For the first time, the term ‘British possessions in India’ was used.
o This act gave the British government direct control over Indian administration.
Do s://u
o The Company became subordinate to the British government unlike as in the previous
Regulating Act of 1773, where the government only sought to ‘regulate’ matters and not take over.
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o This act established the British Crown’s authority in the civil and military
t
h
administration of its Indian territories.
o Commercial activities were still a monopoly of the Company.

Drawbacks
o The act was deemed a failure because there was no clarity on the boundaries between the
company’s powers and the government’s authority.
o The Governor-General had to serve two masters i.e. East India Company and the British
Crown
o There were no clear boundaries between the responsibilities of the Board of Control
and the Court of Directors of the company.
o The Governor-General had to take on the spot decisions exercising his discretion.
CHARTER ACT OF 1793
Provisions
o This Act continued the company’s rule over the British territories in India.
o It continued the company’s trade monopoly in India for another 20 years.
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o The Act established that “acquisition of sovereignty by the subjects of the Crown is on
behalf of the Crown and not in its own right,” which clearly stated that the company’s
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political functions were on behalf of the British government.
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o The company’s dividends were allowed to be raised to 10%.
F
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o The Governor-General was given more powers. He could override his council’s decision
under certain circumstances.
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o He was also given authority over the governors of Madras and Bombay.
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o When the Governor-General was present in Madras or Bombay, he would supersede in authority
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over the governors of Madras and Bombay.
o In the Governor-General’s absence from Bengal, he could appoint a Vice President from
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among the civilian members of his Council.
h
o The composition of the Board of Control changed. It was to have a President and two junior
members, who were not necessarily members of the Privy Council.
o The salaries of the staff and the Board of Control were also now charged to the
company.
o After all expenses, the company had to pay the British government Rs.5 Lakhs from the
Indian revenue annually.
o Senior company officials were barred from leaving India without permission. If they did so, it
would be considered as a resignation.
o The company was granted the authority to grant licenses to individuals and company
employees to carry on trade in India. This was known as ‘privilege’ or ‘country trade’. This
led to shipments of opium to China.
o This Act separated the revenue administration and the judiciary functions of the company
leading to the disappearance of Maal Adalats (revenue courts).
REGULATING ACT 1773

o The Regulating Act was passed in the British Parliament in June 1773.
o It was the first parliamentary ratification and authorization defining the powers and
authority of the East India Company with respect to its Indian possessions.
Background
o The East India Company was
in severe financial crisis and
had asked a loan of 1 million
pounds from the British
government in 1772.
o Allegations of corruption and
nepotism were rampant against
company officials.
o There was a terrible famine in
Bengal where a huge population
perished.
o The Dual form of
administration instituted by
Robert Clive was complex and
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drawing a lot of complaints.
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o According to this system, the company had Diwani rights (obtained after the Battle of Buxar) in
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Bengal and the Nawab had Nizamat rights (judicial and policing rights) as secured from the
Mughal Emperor. I
F ro r
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o n reality, both powers were vested with the company. The farmers and the general population
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suffered as their improvement was neglected and the company was only concerned with
maximising revenue.
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o Lawlessness increased in Bengal.
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o The defeat of the company against Mysore’s Hyder Ali in 1769.
t t p
h
Provisions of the Regulating Act

o This act permitted the company to retain its territorial possessions in India but sought to
regulate the activities and functioning of the company.
o It did not take over power completely, hence called ‘regulating’.
o The act provided for the appointment of a Governor-General along with four
Councillors in the Presidency of Fort William (Calcutta), jointly called the Governor-
General in Council.
o As per this, Warren Hastings was appointed as the Governor-General of the Presidency
of Fort William.
o The Governors in Councils at Madras and Bombay were brought under the control
of Bengal, especially in matters of foreign policy. Now, they could not wage war against Indian
states without Bengal’s approval.
o The company directors were elected for a period of five years and one-fourth of them
were to retire every year. Also, they could not be re-elected.
o The company directors were directed to make public all correspondence on revenue, civil
and military matters with Indian authorities before the British authorities.
o A Supreme Court of Judicature was established at Calcutta with Sir Elijah Impey as
the first Chief Justice.
o Judges were to come from England. It had civil and criminal jurisdiction over the British
subjects and not Indian natives.
Defects of Regulating Act 1773

o The Governor-General had no veto power.
o It did not address the concerns of the Indian population who were paying revenue to the
company.
o It did not stop corruption among the company officials.
o The Supreme Court’s powers were not well-defined.
o The parliamentary control that was sought in the activities of the company proved to be
ineffective as there was no mechanism to study the reports sent by the Governor-General
in Council.
LAND REVENUE SYSTEMS
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PERMANENT SETTLEMENT ACT 1793
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o Before the British advent in Bengal, there were a class of Zamindars in Bengal, Bihar and
m . o
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Odisha who collected revenue from land on behalf of the Mughal Emperor or his
representative, the Diwan.
F ro r
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o After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the East India Company was granted the Diwani of
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Bengal. But then the Company found itself not able to collect revenue from the innumerable
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number of farmers in rural areas. They also did not have a good understanding of local laws and
s
customs.
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o The severe Bengal famine of 1770 occurred partly due to this neglect by the Company.
o Then, Warren Hastings tried to bring in some reforms like the five-yearly
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inspections. Here, the revenue-collection was awarded through an auction to the person
promising the highest revenue. Due to the dangerous implications and effects of such a system,
h
Hastings also experimented with the annual settlement of land. But this too did not improve
conditions.
o Then, Lord Cornwallis under directions from the then British PM, William Pitt,
proposed the Permanent Settlement system in 1786. This came into effect in 1793, by the
Permanent Settlement Act of 1793.
Features of the Permanent Settlement

o Landlords or Zamindars were recognised as the owners of the land.
o They were given hereditary rights of succession of the lands under them.
o The Zamindars could sell or transfer the land as they wished.
o The Zamindars’ proprietorship would stay as long as he paid the fixed revenue at the
said date to the government. If they failed to pay, their rights would cease to exist and the land
would be auctioned off.
o The amount to be paid by the landlords was fixed. It was agreed that this would not
increase in future (permanent).
o The fixed amount was 10/11th portion of the revenue for the government and 1/10th
was for the Zamindar. This tax rate was way higher than the prevailing rates in England.
o The Zamindar also had to give the tenant a patta which described the area of the land given to
him and the rent he had to pay the landlord.
Merits
o The responsibility of taking care of farmers fell upon the shoulders of the Indian
landlords. Being sons of the soil, they could reach the far corners of the region and also
understand local customs very well.
o Because of the permanent nature of the system, there was a sense of security for everyone. The
company knew the amount it would get in revenue. The landlord also was assured of the
amount. Finally, the farmers also, in lieu of the patta were certain of their holdings and knew how
much rent was to be paid.
o Since the settlement was of a permanent nature, the Zamindars would have an interest in the
improvement in the land thereby improving the revenue.
Demerits
o The basic demerit of this system was that the efficiency depended upon the nature of
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the Zamindars. If they were good, the interests of the farmers and the land were looked after very
well. They would make improvements in the land which would be beneficial to everyone
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concerned. But if the landlords were bad, they were negligent of the plight of the farmers and the
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conditions of the land.
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o This created a class of hereditary landlords forming the upper aristocracy in society
F r
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who generally led luxurious and extravagant lifestyles.
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o The Zamindars were generally favourable to the British administration and supported the British
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even during the freedom struggle. There were exceptions.
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o The land assessment was not done properly and land revenue was fixed arbitrarily.
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This meant that both productive and unproductive land was expected to furnish revenue at the
same rates. This created a burden on the farmers of unproductive land. Also, in the case of
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productive land, it was a loss of revenue to the government.
h
o The revenue rates were so high that many Zamindars became defaulters. In time, this
system proved to have disastrous effects. In 1811, the British government warned against the
imposition of permanent settlement without a proper land survey.
RYOTWARI SYSTEM
o This system of land revenue was instituted in the late 18th century by Sir Thomas Munro,
Governor of Madras in 1820.
o This was practised in the Madras and Bombay areas, as well as Assam and Coorg
provinces.
o In this system, the peasants or cultivators were regarded as the owners of the land.
They had ownership rights, could sell, mortgage or gift the land.
o The taxes were directly collected by the government from the peasants.
o The rates were 50% in dryland and 60% in the wetland.
o The rates were high and unlike the Permanent System, they were open to being increased.
o If they failed to pay the taxes, they were evicted by the government.
o Ryot means peasant cultivators.
o Here there were no middlemen as in the Zamindari system. But, since high taxes had to
be paid only in cash (no option of paying in kind as before the British) the problem of
moneylenders came into the show. They further burdened the peasants with heavy interests.
MAHALWARI SYSTEM
o The Mahalwari system was introduced by Holt Mackenzie in 1822 and it was reviewed under
Lord William Bentinck in 1833.
o This system was introduced in North-West Frontier, Agra, Central Province, Gangetic
Valley, Punjab, etc.
o This had elements of both the Zamindari and the Ryotwari systems.
o This system divided the land into Mahals. Sometimes, a Mahal was constituted by one or more
villages.
o The tax was assessed on the Mahal.
o Each individual farmer gave his share.
o Here also, ownership rights were with the peasants.
o Revenue was collected by the village headman or village leaders.
o It introduced the concept of average rents for different soil classes.
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o The state share of the revenue was 66% of the rental value.
o The settlement was agreed upon for 30 years. – n lin
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o This system was called the Modified Zamindari system because the village headman
virtually became a Zamindar.
F r er
a d a t
o Land became a commodity.
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Consequences of the British land revenue systems
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w p
Do s://u
o Earlier there was no private ownership of land. Even kings and cultivators did not consider land
as his ‘private property’.
o Due to the very high taxes, farmers resorted to growing cash crops instead of food
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crops. This led to food insecurity and even famines.
t
h
o Taxes on agricultural produce were moderate during pre-British times. The British made it very
high.
o Insistence on cash payment of revenue led to more indebtedness among farmers.
Moneylenders became landowners in due course.
o Bonded labour arose because loans were given to farmers/labourers who could not pay it
back.
o When India achieved freedom from colonial rule, 7% of the villagers
(Zamindars/landowners) owned 75% of the agricultural land.
SUBSIDIARY ALLIANCE
o Subsidiary Alliance was basically a treaty between the British
East India Company and the Indian princely states, by
virtue of which the Indian kingdoms lost their sovereignty to the
English. It also was a major process that led to the building
of the British Empire in India.
o It was framed by Lord Wellesley, the Governor-General of
India from 1798 to 1805.
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o It was actually used for the first time by the French
Governor-General Marquis Dupleix.
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o The Nawab of Awadh was the first ruler to enter into the
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subsidiary alliance with the British after the Battle of Buxar.
F
d te
o However, the Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to accept a well-framed subsidiary
alliance.
a a
n lo s c m
Features
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Do s://u
o An Indian ruler entering into Subsidiary Alliance with the British had to dissolve
his own armed forces and accept British forces in his territory.
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o He also had to pay for the British army’s maintenance. If he failed to make the payment, a
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portion of his territory would be taken away and ceded to the British.
o In return, the British would protect the Indian state against any foreign attack or
internal revolt.
o The British promised non-interference in internal affairs of the Indian state but this was
rarely kept.
o The Indian state could not enter into any alliance with any other foreign power.
o He could also not employ any other foreign nationals other than Englishmen in his service. And,
if he were employing any, on the signing of the alliance, he had to terminate them from his
service. The idea was to curb the influence of the French.
o The Indian state could also not enter into any political connection with another Indian state
without British approval.
o The Indian ruler, thus, lost all powers in respect of foreign affairs and the military.
o He virtually lost all his independence and became a British ‘protectorate’.
o A British Resident was also stationed in the Indian Court.
Effects of the Subsidiary Alliance

o As a result of Indian rulers disbanding their armies, many people were rendered
unemployed.
o Many Indian states lost their independence and slowly, most parts of India were coming
under British control.
o The Nizam of Hyderabad was the first to accept the Subsidiary Alliance in 1798.
o Lord Clive also introduced the subsidiary system in Oudh and the Treaty of Allahabad was signed
where the British promised the Oudh territory from enemies like Marathas.
Order in which the Indian States entered into Subsidiary Alliances

o Hyderabad (1798)
o Mysore (1799 – After Tipu Sultan was defeated in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War)
o Tanjore (1799)
o Awadh (1801)
o Peshwa (Marathas) (1802)
o Scindia (Marathas) (1803)
o Gaekwad (Marathas) (1803)
VELLORE MUTINY-1806
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o The Vellore mutiny on 10 July 1806 was the first instance of a large-scale and violent
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m
mutiny by Indian sepoys against the East India Company, predating the Indian
. o
Rebellion of 1857 by half a century.
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er ial
o The revolt, which took place in the South Indian city of Vellore, lasted one full day, during which
a d a t
mutineers seized the Vellore Fort and killed or wounded many British troops. The mutiny was
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subdued by cavalry and artillery from Arcot.
s c m
w p
Do s://u
Causes
t t p
o The English disregard to the religious sensitivities of the Hindu and Muslim Indian sepoys.
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o Sir John Craddock, the Commander-in-Chief of the Madras Army had issued orders
prohibiting soldiers from wearing religious marks on their foreheads and also to trim
their moustaches and shave off their beards. This offended both Hindu and Muslim soldiers.
o They were also asked to wear new round hats instead of the traditional headgear that
they were used to.
o This led to suspicion among the sepoys that they were being converted to Christianity.
o Craddock was acting against warning from the military board not to bring about changes in the
military uniform without taking into consideration all required precautions of Indian
sensibilities.
o A few sepoys who had protested against these new orders were taken to Fort St. George and
punished severely. They were given heavy flogging.
o Also present in the Vellore Fort were the wife and children of Tipu Sultan (who was killed in the
Battle of Seringapatam in 1799) who were housed in a palace within the fort.
o Tipu Sultan’s sons also instigated the rebellion.
Course of events
o On 10th July 1806, the sepoys
who had gathered killed 14
British officers and 115
Englishmen of the 69th
Regiment.
o The mutiny started during
midnight and by dawn, the fort
had been captured by them.
o They raised the flag of the
Mysore Sultanate over the
fort.
o They also declared Tipu
Sultan’s son Fateh Hyder as the king.
o But a British officer who had escaped the fort alerted the British force present at Arcot.
o From Arcot, British troops arrived led by Sir Rollo Gillespie. He was able to quell the
rebellion.
o About 100 Indian soldiers were brought out of the palace where they had sought refuge. They
were then ordered to stand against a wall and shot dead.
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o In all, 350 Indian soldiers were killed and 350 wounded.
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Significance
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o All three Madras regiments involved in the Vellore Mutiny were disbanded.
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o After a trial, sepoys involved in the mutiny were punished by death (blown away from canons,
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a a
hanging and firing squads) and by penal transportation.
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recalled to Britain.
w p s c
o John Craddock and other senior British officers responsible for the new dress regulations were
n
Do s://u
o The new dress regulations were abolished.
o Flogging for Indian soldiers was abolished.
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o Tipu Sultan’s family were moved to Calcutta.
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o It is believed that the brutal and swift suppressing of the Vellore Mutiny is partly responsible for
the Southern sepoys not taking part in the Indian Revolt of 1857.
CHARTER ACT OF 1813

Background
o Due to Napoleon Bonaparte’s Continental System in Europe (which prohibited the import
of British goods into French allies in Europe), British traders and merchants suffered.
o So they demanded they be given a share in the British trade in Asia and dissolve the monopoly of
the East India Company.
o The company objected to this.
o Finally, British merchants were allowed to trade in India under a strict licensing
system under the Charter Act of 1813.
o But in trade with China and the tea trade, the company still retained its monopoly.
Provisions
o This Act asserted the Crown’s sovereignty over British possessions in India.
o The company’s rule was extended to another 20 years.
o Their trade monopoly was ended except for the trade in tea, opium, and with China.
o It empowered the local governments to tax people subject to the jurisdiction of the
Supreme Court.
o The company’s dividend was fixed at 10.5%.
o The Act gave more powers for the courts in India over European British subjects.
o Another important feature of this act was to grant permission to the missionaries to come
to India and engage in religious proselytization.
o The missionaries were successful in getting the appointment of a Bishop for British India with his
headquarters at Calcutta in the provisions of the Act.
o The act provided for a financial grant towards the revival of Indian literature and the
promotion of science.
o The company was also to take up a greater role in the education of the Indians under
them. It was to set aside Rs.1 Lakh for this purpose.
DEVELOPMENT OF MODERN EDUCATION

o The company wanted some educated Indians who could assist them in the
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administration of the land.
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o Also, they wanted to understand the local customs and laws well.
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o For this purpose, Warren Hastings established the Calcutta Madrassa in 1781 for the
teaching of Muslim law.
F r er
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o In 1791, a Sanskrit College was started in Varanasi by Jonathan Duncan for the study
a a
of Hindu philosophy and laws.
n lo s c m
o The missionaries supported the spread of Western education in India primarily for their
w p
proselytising activities. They established many schools with education only being a means to an
Do s://u
end which was Christianising and ‘civilising’ the natives.
t t p
h
o The Baptist missionary William Carey had come to India in 1793 and by 1800 there was a
Baptist Mission in Serampore, Bengal, and also a number of primary schools there and in nearby
areas.
o The Indian reformers
believed that to keep up with
times, a modern educational
system was needed to spread
rational thinking and
scientific principles.
o The Charter Act of 1813
was the first step
towards education being
made an objective of the
government.
o The act sanctioned a sum of
Rs.1 lakh towards the
education of Indians in
British ruled India. This act
also gave an impetus to the
missionaries who were given
official permission to come to India.
o But there was a split in the government over what kind of education was to be offered to the
Indians.
o The orientalists preferred Indians to be given traditional Indian education. Some
others, however, wanted Indians to be educated in the western style of education and be taught
western subjects.
o There was also another difficulty regarding the language of instruction. Some wanted the
use of Indian languages (called vernaculars) while others preferred English.
o Due to these issues, the sum of money allotted was not given until 1823 when the
General Committee of Public Instruction decided to impart oriental education.
o In 1835, it was decided that western sciences and literature would be imparted to
Indians through the medium of English by Lord William Bentinck’s government.
o Bentinck had appointed Thomas Babington Macaulay as the Chairman of the General
Committee of Public Instruction.
o Macaulay was an ardent anglicist who had absolute contempt for Indian learning of any kind. He
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was supported by Reverend Alexander Duff, JR Colvin, etc.
–
o On the side of the orientalists were James Prinsep, Henry Thomas Colebrooke, etc.
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According to him:
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o Macaulay minutes refer to his proposal of education for the Indians.
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 English education should be imparted in place of traditional Indian learning because the
a
oriental culture was ‘defective’ and ‘unholy’.
lo m a
w n p s c
 He believed in education a few upper and middle-class students.
 In the course of time, education would trickle down to the masses. This was called the
infiltration theory.
Do s://u
 He wished to create a class of Indians who were Indian in colour and blood but English in taste
and affiliation.
t t p
h
 In 1835, the Elphinstone College (Bombay) and the Calcutta Medical College were
established.
CHARTER ACT OF 1833

Features
o The company’s commercial activities were closed down.
o It was made into an administrative body for British Indian possessions.
o The company’s trade links with China were also closed down.
o This act permitted the English to settle freely in India.
o This act legalised the British colonisation of the country.
o The company still possessed the Indian territories but it was held ‘in trust for his majesty’.
Provisions
o India became a British colony.
o The Governor-General of Bengal was re-designated as the Governor-General of India.
o This made Lord William Bentinck the first Governor-General of India.
o Thus, the country’s administration was unified under one control.
o The Governors of Bombay and Madras lost their legislative powers.
o The Governor-General had legislative powers over entire British India.
o The Governor-General in council had the authority to amend, repeal or alter any law
pertaining to all people and places in British Indian territories whether British, foreign or Indian
native.
o The civil and military affairs of the company were controlled by the Governor-
General in council.
o The Governor-General’s council was to have four members. The fourth member had limited
powers only.
o For the first time, the Governor-General’s government was called Government of India and
the council was called India Council.
o The act mandated that any law made in India was to be put before the
British Parliament and was to be called ‘Act’.
Indian Law
o As per the act, an Indian Law Commission was established.
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Commission
o The first Law Commission had Lord Macaulay as its chairman.
o It sought to codify all Indian law. – . o n
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o The act provided for the Presidency of Bengal to be divided into
r
Split in Bengal
Presidency
d F ter
the Presidencies of Agra and Fort William.
o But this never came into effect.
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o This was the first act that gave permission for Indians to have a share in
Indians in
government n s c
the country’s administration.
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Do s://u
o It stated that merit should be the basis of employment to government
service
service and not birth, colour, religion or race.
Slavery
time.
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o The act provided for the mitigation of slavery existing in India at that
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h
o The British Parliament abolished slavery in Britain and all its

possessions in 1833.
o Since the number of British residents in the country was increasing, the
Tilt towards act allowed for having three Bishops in India.
Christianity o It also sought to regulate the establishment of Christian institutions in
India.
Significance of the Charter Act of 1833

o It was the final step in the centralisation of India’s administration.
o The ending of the East India Company’s commercial activities and making it into the British
Crown’s trustee in administering India.
o Codification of laws under Macaulay.
o Provision for Indians in government service.
POLITICAL MAP 1757-1857
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a d a t
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Do WAR (1845
FIRST ANGLO-SIKH
s : / /–u1846)
o Major Broad was placed in Amritsar as the East India Company’s agent in 1843.
t t p
o The British were closely watching the developments in the Punjab political front and had
h
territorial ambitions there as in other parts of the subcontinent.
o The Sikh forces crossed the Sutlej in December 1845 and took offensive positions against
the English forces.
o Subsequently, battles were fought in different places and the English victory at Sobraon led
to the signing of the Lahore Treaty in 1846 which ended the war.
Treaty of Lahore, 1846

o Maharaja Duleep Singh, who was the ruler of Punjab was to remain its ruler with his mother
Jindan Kaur as regent.
o The Sikhs had to cede the Jalandhar Doab to the British.
o The Sikhs were also asked to pay a very huge war indemnity to the English. But since they could
not pay all of it, part of it was paid and to make up for the remaining, Kashmir, Hazarah and
all territories between the Beas and the Indus Rivers were given to the English.
o The Sikhs were to limit their army to a certain number.
o Also, a British Resident, Sir Henry Lawrence was appointed to the Sikh court.
SECOND ANGLO-SIKH WAR (1848 AND 1849)

Causes
o The humiliation caused by the first Anglo-Sikh war wherein the Sikh Empire had lost some
territories to the British East India Company.
o The Sikh regent, Maharani Jindan Kaur was not treated properly by the British.
o She was removed from Lahore on conspiracy charges against the British resident in Lahore.
o Multan was a part of the Sikh Empire when Maharaja Ranjit Singh had captured it in 1818.
o Multan was governed by Dewan Mulraj. He resented the Lahore Court’s (capital of the Sikh
Empire but controlled by the British resident since the first Anglo-Sikh war) demand for
increased tax assessment and revenues.
o The British Resident at that time was Sir Frederick Currie. He undermined Mulraj and
imposed another governor Sardar Kahan Singh along with a British agent Patrick Vans
Agnew.
o In 1848, Vans Agnew and another officer who arrived in Multan to take charge were murdered by
Mulraj’s troops.
o This news led to unrest in Punjab and many Sikh soldiers joined the rebel forces against the
British.
o Battles were fought in Ramnagar and Chilianwala.
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o The battle at Ramnagar was indecisive whereas the Sikhs won at Chilianwala.
– n lin
o The final battle was fought at Gujrat near Chenab in 1849. This was won by the British forces.
m . o
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o The Afghan forces under Dost Mohammad Khan had joined the Sikhs’ side.
F ro r
Results
a d a te
Treaty of Lahore.
n lo s c m
o Punjab was annexed by the British in March 1849 (under Lord Dalhousie) as per the
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Do s://u
o The eleven-year-old Maharaja, Duleep Singh was pensioned off to England.
o Jind Kaur was separated from her son the Maharaja and taken to Firozpur. Her allowance was
reduced to a meagre amount and her jewels and money confiscated.
t t p
h
o Sir John Lawrence was appointed as the first Chief Commissioner of Punjab to take
care of the administration.
o Dalhousie was recognised for his role in the annexation of Punjab to the British and
was made a Marquis.
o The famous Koh-i-Noor diamond went into British hands.
o It was in possession of Maharaja Ranjit Singh who had willed it to the Puri Jagannath Temple
of Odisha but his will was not executed by the British. They say it was acquired as part of the
Treaty of Lahore after the second Anglo-Sikh war.
DOCTRINE OF LAPSE
o James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, 1st Marquess of Dalhousie, known commonly as Lord
Dalhousie, was the Governor-General of India from 1848 to 1856. He had been a famous
Scottish statesman.
o He is commonly associated with the Doctrine of Lapse.
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Features of Doctrine of Lapse
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o Before the introduction of this doctrine, the princely states had a ritualised method of
. o
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adoption practised for centuries. An heir apparent would eventually be selected from a
pool of candidates, who were groomed for succession from an early age, called bhayats if no
F er
competent born-to son were produced (an obviously unsuitable or treasonous born-to son could
d t
be excluded from the succession).
lo a m a
o If the ruler died before adopting a successor, one of his widows could adopt an heir, who
n
would immediately accede to the throne.
w p s c
Do s://u
o The adoptee would cut all ties with his birth family.
rulers.
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Once the Doctrine of Lapse came into place the following features were now faced by the Indian
h
o According to this doctrine, any princely state under the direct or indirect (as a vassal)
control of the East India Company, should the ruler not produce a legal male heir,
would be annexed by the company.
o This was not introduced by Lord Dalhousie even though it was he who documented it and used it
widely to acquire territories for the British.
o As per this, any adopted son of the Indian ruler could not be proclaimed as heir to the kingdom.
The adopted son would only inherit his foster father’s personal property and estates.
o The adopted son would also not be entitled to any pension that his father had been
receiving or to any of his father’s titles.
o This challenged the Indian ruler’s long-held authority to appoint an heir of their choice.
o In 1824, before the time of

Dalhousie, the princely state of
Kittur was acquired by the East
India Company by this doctrine.
o It was as per this policy that Nana
Sahib, the adopted son of the
Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II was
denied his titles and pension.
o The final moment straw came when
Awadh was annexed to the
English East India Company under
the terms of the Doctrine of Lapse on
the grounds of internal misrule on 7
February 1856 AD.
o This annexation was one of the
reasons for the Revolt of 1857.
Effects of Doctrine of Lapse

o Many Indian states lost their sovereignty and became British territories.
o This led to a lot of unrest among the Indian princes.
o A lot of people were unhappy with the ‘illegal’ nature of this doctrine and this was one of the
causes of the Indian Revolt of 1857.
o Nana Sahib and the Rani of Jhansi had grievances against the British because the former’s
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pension was stopped by the British after his foster father died, and the Rani’s adopted son was
denied the throne under the doctrine of lapse.
– . o n
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o Dalhousie returned to Britain in 1856. After the Indian Revolt broke out in 1857, his governance
was widely criticised as one of the causes of the rebellion.
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CHARTER ACT OF 1853
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Governor-General’s office
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o The Law member (fourth member) became a full member with the right to vote.
Do s://u
o The Legislative Council which had six members now had 12 members.
o The 12 members were:
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 1 Governor-General,
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h
 1 Commander-in-Chief,
 4 members of the Governor-General’s Council,
 1 Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta,
 1 regular judge of the Supreme Court at Calcutta, and
 4 representative members drawn from among the company’s servants with at least 10 years
tenure, appointed by the local governments of Bengal, Bombay, Madras and North Western
Provinces.
o The Governor-General could nominate a vice president to the council.
o The Governor-General’s assent was required for all legislative proposals.
o The Court of Directors could create a new presidency or province. This was because of
the difficulties that were faced in administering the increasingly large Indian territories of
Britain.
o Since 1833 and 1853, two new provinces of Sind and Punjab were added.
o It could also appoint a Lieutenant Governor for these provinces.
o In 1859, a Lt. Governor was appointed for Punjab.
o This Act also led to the creation of Assam, Burma and the Central Provinces.
o The Act provided for the appointment of a separate governor for the Bengal Presidency.
It maintained that the governor of Bengal should be different from the Governor-General who
was to head administration of the whole of India.
o The number of Board of Directors was reduced from 24 to 18 out of which 6 people were to be
nominated by the British Crown.
Indian Civil Services

o Macaulay Committee of 1854 gave India her first civil services.
o This act removed the right of patronage to appointments in civil service held by the
Court of Directors.
o The appointment was to be done only by open competition based on merit and was open to
all.
o The report recommended that only the ‘fittest’ be selected to the ICS.
Features of the Charter Act 1853

o For the first time, the legislative and executive functions of the Governor-General’s
council were separated.
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o This act served as the foundation of the modern parliamentary form of government.
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The legislative wing of the Governor-General’s Council acted as a parliament on the model of the
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British Parliament.
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o It extended the company’s rule for an indefinite period, unlike the previous charter acts.
F r
a d a e
Thus, it could be taken over by the British government at any time.
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o Company’s influence was further reduced by this act. The Board of Directors now had 6
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members who were Crown-nominated.
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o It gave birth to the Indian civil services and was open to all including Indians. This ended the
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Do s://u
system of appointments by recommendation and started a system of open and fair competition.
o For the first time, local representation was introduced into the legislative council in
Western Provinces.
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the form of four members from the local governments of Bengal, Bombay, Madras and North
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REVOLT OF 1857
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Immediate Reason of Revolt
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o The immediate factor was the introduction of the ‘Enfield’ rifle.
F r
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o The cartridge had to be bitten off before loading it into the gun.
a a
o Indian sepoys believed that the cartridge was greased with either pig fat or made from cow fat.
n lo c m
This was against the Hindu and Muslim sentiments. Thus they were reluctant to use the ‘Enfield’
s
rifle.
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Do s://u
o This was a flashpoint to enrage the soldiers against the British. This was believed to be the
immediate factor for the revolt of 1857.
t t p
h
Causes of Revolt of 1857

o Racism or racial discrimination was believed to be a major reason for
the revolt of 1857 wherein Indians were exploited and were kept away
Religious and
from mixing with Europeans.
Social Causes
o The whites also started interfering in the religious and cultural affairs
of Indians and tortured them as well.
o The British expansion had led to the propagation of unjust
policies that led to the loss of power of the Nawabs and Zamindars
residing at various places of India.
o The introduction of unfair policies like the policy of Trade and
Commerce, the policy of indirect subordination (subsidiary alliance),
the policy of war and annexation, the policy of direct subordination
Political Causes
(doctrine of lapse), the policy of misgovernance (through which Awadh
was annexed) greatly hampered the interests of the rulers of the native
states, and they one by one became victims of British expansionism.
o Therefore, those rulers, who lost their states to the British, were
naturally against the British and took sides against them during the
revolt.
o There were various reforms in the taxation and revenue system that
affected the peasants’ heavily. British Government had imposed and
introduced various administrative policies to expand their territory.
o The major policies are listed below:
 Permanent Settlement in Bengal
 Mahalwari settlement in Central India & Ryotwari settlement in
Economic Factors
southern India
o These three settlements were highly exploitative, and in particular, the
Permanent settlement had created a devastating impact.
o Thus the peasants were greatly encouraged to overthrow the British
Government from India and led to their active participation in the
revolt of 1857.
o The Indian soldiers faced a lot of discrimination from the British
officials with respect to their salaries, pensions, promotions.
Military Factors o Indians were subjugated in the military while their European
counterparts faced no such discrimination. This led to discontent and
was a major military factor that resulted in the revolt of 1857.
Impact
o The revolt of 1857 shook the foundation of British East India Company and disclosed their
inefficiency in handling the Indian administration.
o The major impact was the introduction of the Government of India Act, 1858 which abolished the
rule of British East India Company and marked the beginning of British raj that bestowed powers
in the hands of the British government to rule India directly through representatives.
Causes of Failure
The revolt was eventually not successful in ousting the British from the country because of
several factors.
o The sepoys lacked one clear leader; there were several.

o They also did not have a coherent plan by which the foreigners would be routed.
o Indian rulers who aided the revolt did not envision any plan for the country after the
British were defeated.
o Majorly northern India was affected by this revolt. The three presidencies of Bengal, Bombay
and Madras remained mostly unaffected.
Place Revolt of 1857 -Important Leaders
Delhi Bahadur Shah II, General Bakht Khan
Lucknow Begum Hazrat Mahal, Birjis Qadir, Ahmadullah
Kanpur Nana Sahib, Rao Sahib, Tantia Tope, Azimullah Khan
Jhansi Rani Laxmibai
Bihar Kunwar Singh, Amar Singh
Farrukhabad Tufzal Hasan Khan
Assam Kandapareshwar Singh, Maniram Dutta Baruah
Orissa Surendra Shahi, Ujjwal Shahi
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1858

o The Revolt of 1857 served as a jolt to the British government.
o There was widespread resentment against the company in Britain as the policies of the company
were blamed for the revolt.
o Queen Victoria, who was the monarch of Britain, also became the sovereign of British
territories in India, with the title “Empress of India” as a result of this Act.
o First Secretary of State for India: Lord Stanley
o Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli was opposed to the crown directly ruling India, but his
fellow MP’s did not agree with his views and the bill passed the House of Commons easily.
o First Governor-General and Viceroy of India: Lord Canning
Provisions of the Act

o East India Company was liquidated.
o Indian territories of Britain were to be governed in the name of the British Queen.
o The Court of Directors and the Board of Control were scrapped.
o The powers of the Company’s Court of Directors were vested with the Secretary of State
for India.
o This Secretary of State was to be a British MP and a member of the Prime Minister’s
cabinet.
o He was to be assisted by a council of 15 members.
o He was also the channel of communication between the British government in Britain
and the Indian administration. He also had the power to send secret despatches to India
without consulting his council.
o Via the Secretary of State, the British parliament could ask questions regarding Indian affairs.
o The representative of the British government in India was the Governor-General
and Viceroy (both the same person to avoid conflict).
o The Viceroy and the governors of the various presidencies were appointed by the Crown.
o The Viceroy was to be assisted with an Executive Council.

o This act made India a direct British colony.
o This act abolished the dual government of the Pitt’s India Act.
o This act also ended the doctrine of lapse.
o The Indian Civil Services was to be instituted for the administration of the country. There was
provision for Indians also to be admitted to the service.
o It was decided that the remaining Indian princes and chiefs (more than 560 in
number) would have their independent status provided they accept British
suzerainty.
INDIAN COUNCILS ACT-1861

Provisions
o For the executive functions of the Council, a fifth member was added.
o Now there were five members for home, military, law, revenue and finance.
o (A sixth member for public works was added in 1874.)
o Lord Canning, who was the Governor-General and Viceroy at the time, introduced the
portfolio system. In this system, each member was assigned a portfolio of a particular
department.
o For legislative purposes, the Governor-General’s Council was enlarged. Now, there were
to be between 6 and 12 additional members (nominated by the Governor-General).
o They were appointed for a period of 2 years. Out of these, at least half of the additional
members were to be non-official (British or Indian).
o Their functions were confined to legislative measures.
o Lord Canning nominated three Indians to the Council in 1862 namely, the Raja of
Benares, the Maharaja of Patiala and Sir Dinkar Rao.
o Any bill related to public revenue or debt, military, religion or foreign affairs could not be passed
without the Governor-General’s assent.
o The Viceroy had the power to overrule the council if necessary.
o The Governor-General also had the power to promulgate ordinances without the council’s
concurrence during emergencies.
o The Secretary of State for India in Britain could also dissolve any act passed by the
Governor-General’s Council.
o This Act restored the legislative powers of the Governor-in-Councils of the
Presidencies of Madras and Bombay (which was taken away by the Charter Act of 1833).
o The legislative council of Calcutta had extensive power to pass laws for the whole of
British India.
o There was provision made for the formation of legislative councils in other
provinces.
o New provinces could also be created for legislative purposes and Lieutenant Governors be
appointed for them.
o Legislative councils were formed in other provinces in Bengal in 1862, North-West Frontier
Province in 1886 and Punjab and Burma in 1897.
Assessment of the Indian Councils Act 1861

o The legislative council had limited role. It was chiefly advisory.
o No discussion on finance was permitted.

o Even though Indians were nominated, there was no statutory provision for the inclusion
of Indians in it.
o It allowed for the decentralisation of administration with the vesting of legislative power to
the presidencies of Bombay and Madras.
o The power of ordinance given to the governor-general gave him absolute powers.
MOVEMENTS AND UPRISINGS
POLITICO-RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS
o These movements had a religious framework although political and economic reasons were also
responsible for them. The main politico-religious movements are as follows.
Sanyasi Uprising (1770-1820’s)

o In Hinduism, a Sanyasi is a person who has renounced the world and is free from all attachments
and worldly desires.
o The Sanyasis who had revolted against the English in the 18th century were not necessarily men
who had renounced the world. There were many sects of Sanyasis who travelled from northern
India to various religious places and shrines in Bengal.
o Some of the Sanyasis were naga sadhus, i.e., ascetics who had renounced clothes. But some
others were people who wore clothes and were also permitted to marry.
o The British were wary of these wandering men and called them by various epithets like ‘erratic
beggars’, ‘gypsies of Hindusthan’, ‘lawless mendicants’, ‘religious vagrants’, etc.
o After the British had acquired revenue rights in Bengal, many zamindars there had fallen upon
hard times owing to the steep tax rates.
o It was the practice of the Sanyasis to collect alms and contributions from these
zamindars during their religious travels.
o This was stopped when the zamindars found it too difficult to provide alms since after paying the
British their due, they were hardly left with anything substantial.
o The British considered the Sanyasis looters and imposed restrictions on the Sanyasis barring
them from visiting holy places.
o The Sanyasis rose in rebellion against the British and raided English factories and government
treasuries.
o This rebellion was centred in the forests of Murshidabad and Baikunthupur, Bengal.
o In 1771, 150 unarmed sanyasis were killed under the orders of Warren Hastings.
o The Sanyasi uprising went on for about 50 years and was suppressed completely only in
the 1820s.
o Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s novel Anandamath, written in 1882, was set in the
backdrop of the Sanyasi Rebellion. This book was banned by the British.
o India’s National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ was taken from this novel.
Fakir Uprising (1776-77)

o Fakir uprising was started after the British annexation of Bengal by Fakirs or wandering
Muslim mendicants.
o They were led by Majnu Shah.
o He defied the British authority and began to levy taxes on the farmers and zamindars in
Bengal.
o They looted English factories acquiring cash, arms and ammunitions.
o Majnu Shah was supported by Rajputs, Pathans and disbanded Indian soldiers.
o After Majnu Shah’s death, his brother Chirag Shah led the operations.
o Other notable leaders of the uprising were Bhavani Pathak and Devi Chaudhurani.
Pagal Panthi Revolt (1825 – 1850’s)

o The Pagal Panthis were a religious order founded by Karim Shah in the Mymensingh and
Sherpur districts of Bengal.
o The order’s philosophy was that of religious harmony and non-violence incorporating tenets of
Sufism, Hinduism and animism.
o Under Karim Shah’s son Tipu Shah, the order revolted against the British government by
organising peasant rebellions.
o They were against the oppressive tax regime of the British.
o Tipu Shah captured Sherpur in 1825 and practically ruled over the Sherpur and Mymensingh
areas. Disturbances continued till the 1850’s.
Faraizi Revolt (1838 – 1857)

o The Faraizis were followers of a Muslim sect founded by Haji Shariatullah.
o It spread to Faridpur, Bakharganj and Mymensingh districts of Bengal.
o This movement supported the cause of the tenants against the landlords and the British
government.
o It was led by Shariatullah’s son Dadu Mian.
Kuka Revolt (1871 – 71)

o The Kukas, also called Namdharis, were a sect within Sikhism.
o They started out as a group for religious purification in Sikhism but under Ram Singh, the
movement acquired a political overtone with the established aim of restoring Sikh rule in
Punjab and ousting the foreign powers.
o The Kukas wore only white, hand-woven clothes and boycotted British education, products and
laws.
o In 1872, Ram Singh was captured and exiled to Rangoon and 65 Kukas were blown away from
canons by the British.
Polygar Rebellions (1799 – 1805)

o Polygars (Palaiyakkarars) were feudal lords who were appointed as military chiefs and
administrative governors from the time of the Vijayanagara Empire in parts of Southern India.
(They were given the charge of a Palayam or a group of villages).
o It was the Polygars who collected taxes from the cultivators.
o But the East India Company came into conflict with the Polygars over the question of who should
collect taxes, and sought to control the Polygars.
o The first rebellion, also called the First Polygar War broke out in September 1799 in
Tirunelveli district in modern Tamil Nadu.
o The Polygars were led by Kattabomma Nayak (also called Veerapandi Kattabomman) who was
in charge of Panchalankurichi Palayam.
o He had defied the British for 7 years refusing to accept their suzerainty and pay revenue to them.
o In the battles with the British troops, Kattabomman initially escaped but was subsequently
caught and publicly hanged as a warning to other Polygars.
o The Second Polygar War (1800 – 01) is also called the South Indian Rebellion due to its
scale and reach.
o This South Indian Confederacy consisted of Marudu Pandian of Sivaganga, Dheeran Chinnamalai
of Kongu Nadu, Gopala Nayak of Dindigul, Krishnappa Nayak and Dhoondaji of Mysore and
Pazhassi Raja Kerala Varma of Malabar.
o It took the British more than a year to suppress this rebellion.
o After this, the Carnatic Treaty of 1801 was signed which gave the British direct control
over Tamil Nadu. With this, the authority of the Polygars also ended.
Revolt of Velu Thambi Dalawa (1805 – 09)

o Velu Thambi was the Diwan (Prime Minister) of the Kingdom of Travancore.
o He rose in revolt against the British when they tried to oust him from the post of Diwan. He was
also against the heavy financial burden imposed on the kingdom by the Subsidiary Alliance
Treaty.
o Velu Thampi was able to garner good support from the people of the land against the British.
o He took his own life in order to avoid capture by the British in 1809.
Indigo Rebellion
o The indigo farmers revolted in the Nadia district of Bengal by refusing to grow indigo. They
attacked the policemen who intervened.
o The planters, in response to this, increased the rents and evicted the farmers which led
to more agitations.
o In April 1860, all the farmers in the Barasat division of the districts Nadia and Pabna went on a
strike and refused to grow indigo.
o The strike spread to other parts of Bengal.
o The farmers were led by the Biswas brothers of Nadia, Rafiq Mondal of Malda and
Kader Molla of Pabna. The revolt also received support from many zamindars notably
Ramrattan Mullick of Narail.
o The revolt was suppressed and many farmers were slaughtered by the government and some of
the zamindars.
o The revolt was backed by the Bengali intelligentsia, Muslims and the missionaries. The whole of
the rural population supported the revolt.
o The press also supported the revolt and played its part in portraying the plight of the farmers and
fighting for their cause.
o The play Nil Darpan (The Mirror of Indigo) by Dinabandhu Mitra written in 1858 –
59 portrayed the farmers’ situation accurately. It showed how farmers were coerced into
planting indigo without adequate payment.
o The play became a talking point and it urged the Bengali intelligentsia to lend support to the
indigo revolt.
o Michael Madhusudan Dutta translated the play into English on the authority by the
Secretary to the Governor of Bengal, W S Seton-Karr.
Assessment of the Indigo Rebellion

o The revolt was largely non-violent and it acted as a precursor to Gandhiji’s non-violent
satyagraha in later years.
o The revolt was not a spontaneous one. It was built up over years of oppression and suffering of
the farmers at the hands of the planters and the government.
o Hindus and Muslims joined hands against their oppressors in this rebellion.
o It also saw the coming together of many zamindars with the ryots or farmers.
o The revolt was a success despite its brutal quelling by the government.
o In response to the revolt, the government appointed the Indigo Commission in 1860. In the
report, a statement read, ‘not a chest of Indigo reached England without being stained with
human blood.’
o A notification was also issued which stated that farmers could not be forced to grow indigo.
o By the end of 1860, indigo cultivation was literally washed away from Bengal since the planters
closed their factories and left for good.
o The revolt was made immensely popular by its portrayal in the play Nil Darpan and also in many
other works of prose and poetry. This led to the revolt taking center stage in the political
consciousness of Bengal and impacted many later movements in Bengal.
Deccan Riot of 1875

o In 1875, peasants in the Bombay Presidency rose in rebellion against the agrarian crisis that faced
them.
o In the Bombay Deccan region, the British had introduced the Ryotwari settlement as the system
of land revenue.
o Under this system, the revenue of land was fixed on a yearly basis.
o In the Ryotwari system, the agreement was between the government and the ryot (cultivator)
directly.
o The revenue was fixed according to the soil-type and the paying capacity of the farmer. However,
the revenues were so high that farmers found it extremely difficult to pay their dues.
Any failure in the rains would deteriorate the situation.
o To pay their revenues farmers generally took loans from moneylenders. Once the loans were
taken, the farmers found it impossible to repay them since the interest rates were steep.
o Peasant indebtedness became a serious problem in the rural areas.
o In 1861, civil war broke out in the USA. USA was the largest supplier of cotton to Britain. Once
the civil war broke out, the demand for cotton from India became high and this led to a surge in
cotton cultivation in India and there was a period of ‘boom’ then.
o However, once the war in America ended, cotton demand sunk and this affected the farmers
adversely.
o The moneylenders, who during the time of the civil war were generous with their loans, once
again refused the farmers loans.
o This infuriated the farmers because they were completely dependent on the moneylenders, who
were insensitive to their plight.
o The uprising began at Supa village in the district of Poona.

o In 1875, farmers attacked a market place where many moneylenders lived. They burnt account
books and looted grain shops. They also torched the houses of sahukars (people who were
both traders and moneylenders).
o The farmers were led by the village headmen.
o The farmers’ main motive was to destroy the account books of the moneylenders and
they resorted to violence only when these books were not handed over to them.
o They also socially boycotted the moneylenders.
o The movement continued for 2 months and spread to over 30 villages.
o The movement also got support from the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha co-founded by M G
Ranade.
o It took several months for the police to restore order in the countryside.
o The Bombay government initially dismissed the uprising as trivial.
o However, the Government of India pressurised Bombay to enquire into the matter.
o Accordingly, the Deccan Riots Commission was set up which presented a report to the British
Parliament in 1878.
o In 1879, the Agriculturists Relief Act was passed which ensured that the farmers could not
be arrested and imprisoned if they were unable to pay their debts.
MAJOR TRIBAL UPRISINGS

Kol Rebellion (1832)
o The Kols were one of the tribes inhabiting the Chhotanagpur area.
o They lived in complete autonomy under their traditional chiefs but this changed when the British
came.
o Along with the British came the moneylenders and the merchants.
o The Kols then lost their lands to farmers from outside and also had to pay huge amounts of
money in taxes. This led to many becoming bonded labourers.
o The British judicial policies also caused resentment among the Kols.
o There was an insurrection in 1831-32 which saw the Kols organise themselves and revolt against
the British and the moneylenders.
o They killed many outsiders and burned houses. This armed resistance went on for two years after
which it was brutally suppressed by the British with their superior weaponry.
o The Kol Rebellion was so intense that troops had to be called in from Calcutta and Benares to
crush it.
Santhal Hul (1855-1856)

o The Santhal Hul (also known as the Santhal revolt) occurred in the regions of present-day
Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal against the British as well the Zamindari system from 1855
until 1856 when the movement was crushed by the British.
o When the Zamindari system was introduced in the Bengal presidency, the British and the
Zamindars claimed the traditional Santhal land as their own.
o The Santhals were exploited mercilessly by the landlords who charged exorbitant rates of interest
which ensured that the tribals were never able to repay their loan.
o They lost their land and also were turned into bonded labourers.
o They had to suffer extortions, forceful deprivation of property, abuse and violence, cheating in
business deals, wilful trampling of their crops, etc.
o The government supported the landlords instead of helping the tribals whose grievances were
genuine.
o The rebellion started in June 1855 when two brothers Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu organised
10000 Santhals and began an armed uprising.
o They killed many moneylenders and Company agents. The revolt was very intense and massive in
scale.
o The Santhal community celebrates the day of rebellion to this day.
o The revolt was violently suppressed by the British with about 20000 Santhals being killed
including the two leaders.
Munda Ulgulan (1899 – 1900)

o The Mundas inhabited the Chotanagpur area.
o The Khuntkatti system, which was a joint holding of land, prevailed among the Mundas. But
the advent of the British and the outsider-Zamindars replaced the Khunkatti with the Zamindari
system. This caused indebtedness and forced labour among the tribals.
o There were many rebellions during the late 18th century and the 19th century against the British
and the dikus (landlords, moneylenders, merchants).
o The Mundas were able to get an able and charismatic leader in Birsa Munda who proclaimed a
rebellion in 1894.
o He organised his people to revolt openly against the government. He urged people to stop paying
debts and taxes.
o He was arrested and spent 2 years in jail before being released in 1897.
o In December 1899, he launched an armed struggle on the landlords and the government.
o The Mundas torched police stations, houses of the landlords, churches and British property.
o In 1900 Birsa Munda was caught. He died in jail due to cholera aged just 25.
Causes of the tribal uprisings

o The tribals’ mainstay were shifting agriculture, hunting, fishing and the use of forest produce.
o With the influx of non-tribals into the traditional regions of the tribals, the practice
of settled agriculture was introduced. This led to a loss of land for the tribal population.
o The tribals were reduced to being landless agricultural labourers.
o The British introduced money lenders into the tribal areas which led to severe exploitation of the
local tribals. They became bonded labourers under the new economic system.
o The tribal societies had a system of joint ownership of land which was replaced by the
notion of private property.
o There were restrictions imposed on the use of forest produce, on shifting agriculture
and on hunting practices. This led to the loss of livelihood for the tribals.
o Tribal society was traditionally egalitarian compared to mainstream society which was marked by
caste and class distinctions. With the coming of the non-tribals or outsiders, the tribals
came to be classified under the lowest rungs of society.
o A Forest Department was set up in 1864 by the government mainly to control the
rich resources of Indian forests.
o The Government Forest Act of 1865 and the Indian Forest Act of 1878 established
complete government monopoly over the forested land.
o The work of the Christian missionaries also led to social upheaval in tribal society and this
was also resented by them.
NATIONAL MOVEMENT
INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (INC)

o Formed in 1885 by Allan Octavian Hume, a retired British civil servant.
o Other founding members include Dadabhai Naoroji (Born on September 4, 1825) and
Dinshaw Wacha.
o The first session
was held in
Bombay under the
presidency of
Womesh Chandra
Bonnerjee in 1885.
o The first session was
attended by 72
delegates from across
the country.
o Viceroy of India at
the time was Lord
Dufferin who gave
his permission to
Hume for the first
session.
o The Congress was formed with the intention of discussing problems faced by the people of the
country irrespective of caste, creed, religion or language.
o It was basically a movement of the upper and middle class, western-educated Indians in its
moderate phase.
o The second session of the Congress was held in Calcutta in 1886 followed by the
third in Madras in 1887.
INDIAN COUNCILS ACT 1892

Background
o The Indian National Congress (INC) was formed in 1885. There was a growing feeling of
nationalism and this led the INC to put forth some demands to the British authorities.
o One of their demands was the reform of the legislative councils.
o They also wanted the principle of the election instead of nomination.
o The INC also wanted the right to hold discussions on financial matters which was hitherto
not allowed.
o The Viceroy at the time Lord Dufferin set up a committee to look into the matter. But the
Secretary of State did not agree to the plan of direct elections. He, however, agreed to
representation by way of indirect election.
Provisions of the Indian Councils Act 1892
o The act increased the number of additional or non-official members in the legislative councils as
follows:
 Central Legislative Council: 10 – 16 members
 Bengal: 20 members
 Madras: 20 members
 Bombay: 8 members
 Oudh: 15 members
 North Western Province: 15
o In 1892, out of 24 members, only 5 were Indians.
o The members were given the right to ask questions on the budget (which was barred in
the Indian Councils Act 1861) or matters of public interest but had to give notice of 6 days for it.
o They could not ask supplementary questions.
o The principle of representation was initiated through this act. The district boards,
universities, municipalities, chambers of commerce and zamindars were authorised to
recommend members to the provincial councils.
o The legislative councils were empowered to make new laws and repeal old laws with
the permission of the Governor-General.
Assessment
o It was the first step towards a representative form of government in modern India
although there was nothing in it for the common man.
o The number of Indians was increased and this was a positive step.
o However, since the British conceded only a little, this act led indirectly to the rise of many
revolutionary movements in India.
o Many leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak blamed Congress’s moderate policy of
petitions and persuasions for a lack of positive developments and called for a more
aggressive policy against British rule.
MODERATE PHASE (1885 – 1905)

o The moderate phase of the Congress (or the national movement) was dominated by the
‘moderates’.
o They were people who believed in British justice and were loyal to them.
o Prominent moderate leaders:-
o Known as the ‘Grand old man of India.’
o He became the first Indian to become a member of the House of
Dadabhai Commons in Britain.
Naoroji o Authored ‘Poverty and Un-British Rule in India’ which focused on
the economic drain of India because of British policies. This led to an
enquiry on the matter.
Womesh o The first president of the INC.
Chandra o Lawyer by profession.

Bonnerjee o First Indian to act as Standing Counsel.
o Founded ‘The Hindu’ newspaper where he criticised British
G Subramania imperialism.
Aiyer o Also founded Tamil newspaper ‘Swadesamitran’.
o Co-founded the Madras Mahajana Sabha.
Gopal Krishna o Regarded as Mahatma Gandhi’s political guru.
Gokhale o Founded the Servants of India Society.
o Also called ‘Rashtraguru’ and ‘Indian Burke’.
o Founded the Indian National Association which later merged with
Sir
the INC.
Surendranath
o Cleared the Indian Civil Service but was discharged due to racial
Banerjee
discrimination.
o Founded newspaper ‘The Bengalee’.
o Other moderate leaders included Rash Behari Ghosh, R C Dutt, M G Ranade, Pherozeshah
Mehta, P R Naidu, Madan Mohan Malaviya, P. Ananda Charlu, and William Wedderburn.
Aims and demands of the moderates

o Education of the masses and o Abolishing salt tax and duty on sugar.
organising public opinion, make o Holding the ICS exam in India along
people aware of their rights. with England to allow more Indians the
o Indian representation in the opportunity to take part in the
Executive Council and in the Indian administration.
Council in London. o Freedom of speech and expression.
o Reform of the legislative councils. o Freedom to form associations.
o Separation of the executive from the o Development of modern capitalist
judiciary. industries in India.
o Decreased land revenue tax and o End of economic drain of India by the
ending peasant oppression. British.
o After 1892, raised the slogan, “No o Repealing the Arms Act of 1878.
taxation without representation.” o Increasing spending on education of
o Reduced spending on the army. Indians.
Methods of the moderates

o They believed in peaceful and constitutional methods to demand and fulfil those
demands.
o Used petitions, meetings, resolutions, pamphlets, memoranda and delegations to
voice their demands.
o Their method has been called 3P – Prayers, Petition and Protest.
o Had complete faith in the British justice system.
o Confined to the educated classes only.
o Did not try to employ the masses.
o They aimed only at getting political rights and self-government under British
dominion.
Successes of the moderates

o Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the first achievement of the INC.
o This Act increased the size of the legislative councils and also increased the proportion of
non-officials in them.
o They were able to sow the seeds of nationalism in the people.
o They popularised ideals like democracy, liberty and equality.
o They exposed many draining economic policies of the British.
o Leaders like Gopal Krishna Gokhale (Born on May 9 1866) and M G Ranade were social
reformers too and opposed child marriage and imposed widowhood.
Limitations of the moderates

o This phase of the national movement excluded the masses and only the educated elites
participated in it.
o They did not demand complete independence from foreign rule.
o They did not understand the power of a mass movement of people, unlike Gandhi who
used this power.
o Drew most of their ideas from western political thinking which further alienated them
from the people.
PARTITION OF BENGAL 1905

Background & the Partition
o Since 1765 (following the Battle of Buxar) the province of Bengal, which included
present-day West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Bangladesh and Assam was under the British.
o It was a very large area and the population rose to almost 80 million by the first few
years of the 20th century.
o Calcutta was the capital of the province and also of British India.
o There were difficulties in administering such a large area. The eastern part, especially in rural
areas were neglected.
o That region was lacking in the fields of industry, education and employment. Much of the
industry was centred on Calcutta.
o For administrative ease, the partition of the province had been proposed even before
Curzon had arrived in India.
o In 1874, Assam was sliced away from Bengal and put under a Chief Commissioner.
o Initially, Lord Curzon proposed the partitioning of the province as an administrative measure
solely. In 1904, he undertook a tour of eastern Bengal.
o The idea of using the Bengal partition as a political tool to undermine the growing
nationalism in Bengal and other parts of India occurred later.
o As per Curzon, after the partition, the two provinces would be Bengal (including modern
West Bengal, Odisha and Bihar) and Eastern Bengal and Assam.
o Bengal would also lose five Hindi-speaking states to the Central Provinces. It would gain
Odia-speaking states from the Central Provinces.
o Eastern Bengal would consist of Hill Tripura, Chittagong, Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions. Its
capital would be Dhaka.
o Bengal would have a Hindu majority and Eastern Bengal and Assam would have a
Muslim majority population. Its capital would remain Calcutta.
Reaction to the partition of Bengal

o There was widespread political unrest in the province after Curzon announced the partition.
o Many people in
Bengal regarded this
partition as an insult
to their motherland.
There was a huge cry
for the unity of
Bengal.
o Rabindranath Tagore
composed the
famous song ‘Amar
Sonar Bangla’
which later
became the
national anthem
of Bangladesh.
o The Indian National
Congress protested
this move to separate
the province on
communal lines.
o Most of the Bengalis in the western part protested against this step which would also make
them a linguistic minority in their own province. There would be more Odia and Hindi
speaking people than Bengalis.
o Many Muslims from the Bengali Muslim community welcomed this move since they thought that
it would advance their educational, economic and political interests if they became the majority
in the new province.
o Lord Curzon also promised to start a university in Dhaka. This was also seen as an opportunity
for Muslims to develop in education and improve their standard of living.
o The general protest in the rest of the country was against this partition. The people saw through
the ‘divide and rule’ policy of the British authorities.
o The chief aim of such a partition was only to create a rift between the two communities and
hampering the unity and nationalism in the country.
o The agitation had started much before the date of the partition itself. On the date of the partition,
people observed a day of mourning. Tagore asked Hindus and Muslims to tie rakhis to each other
as a mark of protest.
o A few Muslims also were against the partition.
o The Swadeshi and Boycott movements in the national struggle started as a result of this partition.
o People started boycotting British goods which had flooded the Indian market and had
dealt a blow to the indigenous industry.
o The partition did succeed in creating a communal rift in the country and even
contributed to the birth of the Muslim League in 1906.
Partition annulled
o Owing to mass political protests, the partition was annulled in 1911.
o New provinces were created based on linguistic lines rather than religious lines.
o Bihar and Orissa Province was carved out of Bengal. (Bihar and Orissa became separate
provinces in 1936).
o A separate Assam province was created.
o The capital of British India was moved to Delhi from Calcutta in 1911.
o Despite the annulment, the partition did create a communal divide among the Hindus and
Muslims of Bengal.
INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT – EXTREMIST PHASE

Background
o The failure of the moderate leaders in getting any significant results from the British
authorities.
o The limitations of the moderates were the main causes of the rise of extremism.
o The partition of Bengal in 1905 opened the eyes of the Indians to the true colours of
the British rulers.
o Lord Curzon and his disdain for anything Indian also created resentment and anger against the
foreigners.
o There was a fear among some leaders that the moderates with their westernized notions were
trying to create an India in the image of the West.
o There was a revival of national pride at that time.
o The extremist leaders were also influenced by the growth of spiritual nationalism at
that time.
o The Delhi Durbar held in 1903 when people had not fully recovered from the horrific effects
of the famine that killed lakhs of people drew widespread condemnation.
o Events happening around the world also inspired the extremist leaders. Abyssinia’s successful
repulsion of the Italian army in 1896 and Japan’s defeat of Russia in 1905 shattered
the notion of European invincibility.
o Other national movements like in Persia, Egypt and Turkey also motivated the Indian leaders.
Surat Split
o The differences between the moderates and the extremists became official in the Surat session of
the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1907.
o The meeting was to take place in Nagpur that year.
o The extremists wanted Lala Lajpat Rai or Bal Gangadhar Tilak to be the President.
But the moderates wanted Rash Behari Ghosh as President.
o There was a rule that the session’s President could not be from the home province. Tilak’s home
province was Bombay Presidency in which Surat was also situated. So, the moderates changed
the venue to Surat so that Tilak could be excluded from the presidency.
o The moderates also wanted to drop the resolutions on swadeshi, boycott movements
and national education.
o Rash Behari Ghosh became the president in the session which was held at Surat.
o Tilak was not even allowed to speak and this angered the extremists, who wanted to cancel the
session.
o Both sides were firm on their demands and neither was willing to find a common path.
o The moderates then held a separate meeting in which they reiterated the Congress goal of self-
government within the British Empire and to adopt only constitutional methods to achieve their
goals.
o Unfortunately, the Surat session was marred by the use of sticks and chappals by the members on
one another.
Methods of Extremist Leaders

o The extremist goal was ‘swaraj’. This, o They were strongly against British
at that time, either meant complete imperialistic policies in India.
autonomy and freedom from British o They took pride in Indian culture and
control, or a total Indian control over history. They looked at the ancient
the administration but not necessarily a scriptures for inspiration and courage.
break away from Britain’s imperial reign. o They believed in sacrificing
o This was in contrast to the moderates’ everything including life for the cause
demand of only an increase in the of the motherland.
share of Indians in the administration o They opposed westernisation of Indian
and military upper echelons. society by the British.
o The extremist leaders involved wider o Tilak famously said, “Swaraj is my birth
sections of people in the movement. right and I shall have it.”
They involved lower-middle-class people
o They were very vocal in their
also.
opposition to the British rule, unlike
o They did not stick to constitutional the moderates who had faith in British
methods to protest and demand. They justice.
resorted to boycotts, strikes, etc. They also
o They tried to instil self-respect and
burned foreign-made goods.
patriotism in the people by invoking
o They believed in confrontation rather past heroes like Ashoka, Shivaji,
than persuasion. Maharana Pratap and Rani Laxmibai.
o The Swadeshi movement gathered o They did not believe in loyalty to the
momentum in India because of the British Crown
extremists’ support. This led to the
establishment of Indian banks, mills,
factories, etc.
Extremist leaders
o Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal (the first three called Lal-Bal-
Pal leading the extremist cause in Punjab, Bombay and Bengal respectively.)
o Other leaders included Aurobindo Ghosh, Rajnarayan Bose, A K Dutt, V O C Pillai.
Government reaction to extremists

o The government attacked the extremist leaders vigorously.
o Laws were passed to check their activities and influence. The following laws were passed between
1907 and 1911:
 Seditious Meetings Act, 1907;
 Indian Newspapers (Incitement to Offences) Act, 1908;
 Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908; and
 the Indian Press Act, 1910.
o Tilak was sentenced and served in prison in Mandalay (Burma) for writing in support of
revolutionaries who were involved in the killing of two British women (their original target was a
British magistrate).
Impact of the Extremist Period

o Bal Gangadhar Tilak organized Ganpati and Shivaji festival to spread the message of
boycotting westernization in India. This was a major social reform and had a larger impact on
society.
o The slogan “Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it” by Tilak was the talk of society.
o British goods and national education was boycotted which brought a major change in the
economy of the country and gave way to employment and various other opportunities for the
Indians.
o There was a major reform in education across the country as the extremists worked on
establishing National universities free from government control.
MUSLIM LEAGUE
o On 30 December 1906, the All-India Muslim League (AIML), popularly known as the
Muslim League was founded in Dhaka, British India (now in Bangladesh).
o The communal idea that the Muslims are a separate nation was sown into the Indian political
ethos first by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, a philosopher and Muslim reformist.
o Although he wanted Muslims to get educated and think in a scientific temper, he suggested
aligning with the British rather than rebel against them, as most beneficial for the
community.
o He had founded the Muhammadan Educational Conference in 1886 but this organisation
stayed away from politics and desisted from even discussing it as per its own code.
o On 30 December 1906, around 3000 delegates attended a conference of the Muhammadan
Educational Conference at Dhaka in which the ban on politics was removed and a
motion was moved to form the AIML.
o The name was proposed by Nawab Khwaja Sir Salimullah Bahadur and seconded by
Hakim Ajmal Khan.
o The AIML was the first Muslim political party of India.
o The idea was that the Congress Party was only catering to the needs of the Hindus. This was an
erroneous idea since Congress always meant to include every community of the country and had
many Muslim leaders as members.
o The founders of the Muslim League were: Khwaja Salimullah, Vikar-ul-Mulk, Syed Amir
Ali, Syed Nabiullah, Khan Bahadur Ghulam and Mustafa Chowdhury.
o The first Honorary President of the League was Sir Sultan Muhammad Shah (Aga
Khan III).
o The AIML was essentially a party of educated elite Muslims, at least in the beginning.
o The party’s chief aim was to promote and secure civil rights for Muslims. It espoused
loyalty to the British government as a means to achieve more political and civil rights.
o The objectives of the league were:
 To create among Muslims the feelings of loyalty towards the British Government.
 To safeguard the political rights of the Muslims and to convey the same to the
government.
 To prevent the rise of prejudice against other communities of India among the
Muslims.
Course of League
o Muhammad Ali Jinnah joined the league in 1913.
o When the Congress party was opposed to the government and fighting for the gradual
establishment of an independent India, the league propounded loyalty to the government. They,
in fact, provided the government with a tool to fight the growing nationalism in the country.
o Even though partition of the country was not on the minds of Indian Muslims in the early years
of the league, it came into the picture after 1930. Leaders of the league began the propaganda that
Hindus and Muslims are not one nation and have separate cultures and identities although they
have been cohabiting for centuries.
o In 1940, Jinnah gave a speech in Lahore in which he talked of the impossibility of living as one
nation.
o In response to this, some members of the league who were opposed to the Two-Nation
Theory broke away from the party and formed the All-India Jamhur Muslim League
(AIJML).
o The AIJML later merged with the Congress party.
o In 1937, the Muslim League was not able to form the government in any province in the
provincial elections held that year as per the Government of India Act. Even in the 125 non-
general constituencies out of which 59 were reserved for Muslims, the Congress managed to win
25 seats with 15 seats coming from the Muslim dominated North-West Frontier Province.
o In 1939, the Congress ministries resigned following the viceroy’s declaration that made India a
party to the Second World War. The league urged Muslims to celebrate December 22 as
Deliverance Day.
o The party, under Jinnah, spearheaded the campaign for Pakistan throughout the 1940s and was
successful in its mission of dividing the country. The country was partitioned along communal
lines along with independence in 1947.
o The league was dissolved on 14 August 1947. It continues to exist in various forms as
political parties in Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. In India, the Indian Union Muslim League
functions as a political party with its base in Kerala and ironically, aligns itself with the Congress
Party.
MORLEY-MINTO REFORMS 1909

o The Indian Councils Act 1909 was an act of the British Parliament that introduced a few reforms
in the legislative councils and increased the involvement of Indians (limited) in the governance of
British India.
o It was more commonly called the Morley-Minto Reforms after the Secretary of State for
India John Morley and the Viceroy of India, the 4th Earl of Minto.
Background of Reforms
o Despite Queen Victoria’s proclamation that Indian’s would be treated equally, very few Indians
got such an opportunity as the British authorities were hesitant to accept them as equal partners.
o Lord Curzon had carried out the partition of Bengal in 1905. This lead to a massive uprising
in Bengal as a result. Following this, the British authorities understood the need for some
reforms in the governance of Indians.
o The Indian National Congress (INC) was also agitating for more reforms and self-governance of
Indians. The earlier Congress leaders were moderates, but now extremist leaders were on the rise
who believed in more aggressive methods.
o INC demanded home rule for the first time in 1906.
o Gopal Krishna Gokhale met Morley in England to emphasise the need for reforms.
o Shimla Deputation: A group of elite Muslims led by Aga Khan met Lord Minto in 1906
and placed their demand for a separate electorate for the Muslims.
o John Morley was a member of the Liberal government, and he wanted to make positive
changes in India’s governance.
Major provisions of reforms

o The legislative councils at the Centre and the provinces increased in size.
 Central Legislative Council – from 16 to 60 members
 Legislative Councils of Bengal, Madras, Bombay and United Provinces – 50 members each
 Legislative Councils of Punjab, Burma and Assam – 30 members each
o The legislative councils at the Centre and the provinces were to have four categories of members
as follows:
 Ex officio members: Governor-General and members of the executive council.
 Nominated official members: Government officials who were nominated by the Governor-
General.
 Nominated non-official members: nominated by the Governor-General but were not
government officials.
 Elected members: elected by different categories of Indians.
o The elected members were elected indirectly.
o The local bodies elected an electoral college who would elect members of the provincial
legislative councils. These members would, in turn, elect the members of the Central
legislative council.
o The elected members were from the local bodies, the chambers of commerce,
landlords, universities, traders’ communities and Muslims.
o In the provincial councils, non-official members were in the majority. However, since
some of the non-official members were nominated, in total, a non-elected majority was there.
o Indians were given membership to the Imperial Legislative Council for the first
time.
o It introduced separate electorates for the Muslims. Some constituencies were earmarked
for Muslims and only Muslims could vote their representatives.
o The members could discuss the budget and move resolutions. They could also discuss
matters of public interest.
o They could also ask supplementary questions.
o No discussions on foreign policy or on relations with the princely states were
permitted.
o Lord Minto appointed (on much persuasion by Morley) Satyendra P Sinha as the first
Indian member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council.
o Two Indians were nominated to the Council of the Secretary of State for Indian affairs.
Assessment of reforms
o The Act introduced communal representation in Indian politics. This was intended to stem the
growing tide of nationalism in the country by dividing the people into communal lines. The
culmination of this step was seen in the partition of the country along religious lines. The effects
of differential treatment of different religious groups can be seen to this day.
o The Act did nothing to grant colonial self-government, which was Congress’s demand.
o The Act did increase Indian participation in the legislative councils, especially at the provincial
levels.
HOME RULE MOVEMENT

Background
o The Government of India Act 1909 was dissatisfactory to the aspirations of Indians.
o The Congress Party’s split in 1907 and fiery leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak’s imprisonment
from 1908 to 1914 meant that there was a lull in the national movement.
o But Tilak’s release and the advent of Annie Besant brought about a revival of the
national movement.
o Annie Besant was an Irish socialist, writer and orator who supported the Irish and Indian
home rule movements. She arrived in India in 1893.
o The leaders in India were divided on whether to support Britain in the war or not.
o Annie Besant, however, declared, “England’s need is India’s opportunity”.

o Having returned from exile in Mandalay, Tilak understood the need for a revival of the
nationalist movement in the country.
o He also understood the growing importance of the Congress Party in India’s political scene. So,
his first task was to get readmitted into the party. (The extremists led by Tilak had separated
from the Congress).
o In the Congress session of December 1915, it was decided to let the extremists re-join
the party largely due to Annie Besant’s persuasion. Besant had also recognised the need
for Congress approval and the active participation of the extremists in the national struggle.
o However, Besant and Tilak were not able to convince Congress to support their decision to set up
home rule leagues.
o Besant managed to convince the Congress to pledge to educative propaganda and the establishing
of local-level committees. It was also agreed upon that if these conditions were not satisfied by
September 1916, she would be free to set up a home rule league.
o Accordingly, she set up her Home Rule League in September 1916.
o Tilak, however, was not bound by any such condition and so had set up his league in April
1916.
Foundation
o There were two home rule leagues
launched.
o Tilak launched the Indian Home Rule
League in April 1916 at Belgaum.
o Annie Besant launched the Home Rule
League in September 1916 at Madras.
o They had the common objective of
achieving self-government in India.
o There was an informal understanding between both the leagues wherein Tilak’s league
worked in Maharashtra (except Bombay), Karnataka, Berar and the Central Provinces. Besant’s
league worked in the rest of the country.
o Tilak’s league had its headquarters in Delhi. It had 6 branches. Besant’s league had 200
branches and was a looser organisation compared to Tilak’s.
o The two leagues worked closely with one another. However, they did not merge to avoid friction
between both the leaders.
Objectives
o To achieve self-government in India.
o To promote political education and discussion to set up agitation for self-government.
o To build confidence among Indians to speak against the government’s suppression.
o To demand a larger political representation for Indians from the British government.
o To revive political activity in India while maintaining the principles of the Congress Party.
Activities
o The leagues organised demonstrations and agitations.
o There were public meetings in which the leaders gave fiery speeches.
o They were able to create a stir within the country and alarm the British to such an extent that
Annie Besant was arrested in June 1917.
o This move by the British created a nation-wide protest and now even moderate leaders joined the
league. Besant was released in September 1917.
Significance
o The Home Rule League functioned throughout the year as opposed to the Congress Party
whose activities were confined to once a year.
o The movement was able to garner huge support from a lot of educated Indians. In 1917,
the two leagues combined had around 40,000 members.
o Many members of the Congress and the Muslim League joined the league. Many prominent
leaders like Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Joseph Baptista, G S Kharpade and Sir S
Subramanya Iyer were among its members.
o The moderates, extremists and the Muslim League were briefly united through this movement.
o The movement was able to spread political consciousness to more regions in the country.
o This movement led to the Montague Declaration of 1917 in which it was declared that there
would be more Indians in the government leading to the development of self-governing
institutions ultimately realising responsible governments in India.
o This Declaration (also known as August Declaration) implied that the demand for
home rule would no longer be considered seditious. This was the biggest significance of
the movement.
Failure and Decline

o The movement was not a mass movement. It was restricted to educated people and college
students.
o The leagues did not find a lot of support among Muslims, Anglo-Indians and non-Brahmins from
Southern India as they thought home rule would mean a rule of the upper caste Hindu majority.
o Many of the moderates were satisfied with the government’s assurance of reforms (as
preluded in the Montague Declaration). They did not take the movement further.
o Annie Besant kept oscillating between being satisfied with the government talk of reforms
and pushing the home rule movement forward. She was not able to provide firm leadership to her
followers. (Although ultimately she did call the reforms ‘unworthy of Indian acceptance’).
o In September 1918, Tilak went to England to pursue a libel case against Sir Ignatius
Valentine Chirol, British journalist and author of the book ‘Indian Unrest’.
o The book contained deprecatory comments and had called Tilak the ‘Father of Indian
Unrest.’ (Tilak lost the case).
o Tilak’s absence and Besant’s inability to lead the people led to the movement’s fizzing out.
o After the war, Mahatma Gandhi gained prominence as a leader of the masses and the
Home Rule Leagues merged with the Congress Party in 1920.
LUCKNOW PACT, 1916

Background
o When the Muslim
League was formed in
1906, it was a
relatively moderate
organisation with a
pro-British stance.
o After the First World
War, the Viceroy
Lord Chelmsford
had solicited
reform
suggestions from
Indians in return for
the Indian support to the British war effort.
o The Muslim League led by Mohammed Ali Jinnah wanted to use this opportunity to
press for constitutional reforms through a joint Hindu-Muslim platform.
o Jinnah was then a member of both the parties and he was largely responsible for
the Pact.
o This was the first time that leaders of both the INC and the Muslim League were meeting for a
joint session.
o At the meeting, the leaders consulted with each other and drafted a set of demands for
constitutional reforms.
o In October 1916, 19 elected Indian members of the Imperial Legislative Council addressed
a memorandum to the Viceroy seeking reforms.
o In November 1916, leaders from both the parties met again in Calcutta and discussed and
amended the suggestions.
o Finally, at their respective annual sessions held at Lucknow in December 1916, the
INC and the League confirmed the agreement. This came to be known as the Lucknow
Pact.
o For his efforts, Sarojini Naidu gave Jinnah the title ‘the Ambassador of Hindu-Muslim
unity.
Reforms suggested in the Lucknow Pact

o Self-government in India.
o Abolition of the Indian Council.
o Separation of the executive from the judiciary.
o Salaries of the Secretary of State for Indian Affairs to be paid from British coffers
and not the Indian funds.
o 1/3rd representation to be given to Muslims in the Central Government.
o The number of Muslims in the provincial legislatures to be laid down for each province.
o Separate electorates for all communities until a joint electorate is demanded by all.
o Introduction of a system of weightage for minority representation (it implied giving
minorities more representation than their share in the population).
o Increasing the term of the Legislative Council to 5 years.
o Half the members of the Imperial Legislative Council to be Indians.
o All elected members to be elected directly on the basis of adult franchise. 4/5th of the
members of the provincial legislatures to be elected and 1/5th to be nominated.
o Members of the Legislative Council to elect their President themselves.
Results of Lucknow Pact

o The Lucknow Pact gave the impression of Hindu-Muslim unity in the national political scene. But
it was only an impression and short-lived.
o The agreement between the parties on a separate communal electorate formally
established communal politics in India.
o Through this pact, the INC also tacitly accepted that India consisted of two different
communities with different interests.
o This pact pushed the hitherto less relevant Muslim League into the forefront of Indian politics
along with the Congress Party.
EMERGENCE OF M.K. GANDHI

o M. K. Gandhi returned from South Africa (where he had lived for more than 20 years) to India in
1915.
o There he had led a peaceful
agitation against the
discrimination meted out to
Indians and had emerged as a
respected leader.
o It was in South Africa that he
developed his brand of
Satyagraha.
o In India, he first used this tool
against the British government
at Champaran in Bihar.
CHAMPARAN SATYAGRAHA (1917)

o The first civil disobedience movement by Gandhi in the freedom struggle.
o Persuaded by Rajkumar Shukla, an indigo cultivator, Gandhi went to Champaran in Bihar to
investigate the conditions of the farmers there.
o The farmers were suffering under heavy taxes and an exploitative system. They were forced to
grow indigo by the British planters under the tinkathia system.
o Gandhi arrived in Champaran to investigate the matter but was not permitted by the British
authorities to do so.
o He was asked to leave the place but he refused.
o He was able to gather support from the farmers and masses.
o When he appeared in court in response to a summons, almost 2000 locals accompanied him.
o The case against him was dropped and he was allowed to conduct the inquiry.
o After peaceful protests against the planters and landlords led by Gandhi, the government
agreed to abolish the exploitative tinkathia system.
o The peasants also received a part of the money extracted from them as compensation.
o Champaran struggle is called the first experiment on Satyagraha by Gandhi and later Ahmedabad
Mill Strike and Kheda Satyagraha occurred.
o It was during this time that Gandhi was given the names ‘Bapu’ and ‘Mahatma’ by the
people.
KHEDA SATYAGRAHA (1918)

o 1918 was a year of failed crops in the Kheda district of Gujarat due to droughts.
o As per law, the farmers were entitled to remission if the produce was less than a quarter of the
normal output.
o But the government refused any remission from paying land revenue.
o Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, under Gandhi’s guidance, led the farmers in protest against
the collection of taxes in the wake of the famine.
o People from all castes and ethnicities of the district lend their support to the movement.
o The protest was peaceful and people showed remarkable courage even in the face of adversities
like confiscation of personal property and arrest.
o Finally, the authorities gave in and gave some concessions to the farmers.
AHMEDABAD MILL STRIKE (1918)

o Gandhi used Satyagraha and hunger strike for the first time during an industrial dispute
between the owners and workers of a cotton mill in Ahmedabad.
o The owners wanted to withdraw the plague bonus to the workers while the workers were
demanding a hike of 35% in their wages.
o During the peaceful strike led by Gandhi, he underwent a hunger strike.
o The Ahmedabad Mill strike was successful and the workers were granted the wage hike they
wanted.
o In all these movements, Gandhi was able to involve the masses including farmers, artisans
and even the so-called lower castes. This was a change from the previous movements when the
participation was limited to the upper and the middle classes.
ROWLATT ACT
o Officially known as the Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919.
o Passed in March 1919 by the Imperial Legislative Council.
o This act authorised the British government to arrest anybody suspected of terrorist
activities.
o It also authorised the
government to detain
such people arrested
for up to 2 years
without trial.
o It empowered the police to
search for a place without a
warrant.
o It also placed severe
restrictions on the
freedom of the press.
o The act was passed as per
recommendations of the
Rowlatt Committee
chaired by a judge, Sir
Sidney Rowlatt, after whom the act is named.
o The act was widely condemned by Indian leaders and the public. The bills came to be known as
‘black bills’.
o The act was passed despite unanimous opposition from the Indian members of the council, all of
whom resigned in protest. These included Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Madan Mohan Malviya
and Mazhar Ul Haq.
o In response to this act, a nationwide hartal was called by Gandhiji on 6th April. This was
called the Rowlatt Satyagraha.
o The movement was cancelled by Gandhiji when it was marred by rioting in some provinces,
particularly in Punjab where the situation was grim.
o The British government’s primary intention was to repress the growing nationalist movement in
the country.
o The British were also afraid of a Ghadarite revolution in Punjab and the rest of the country.
o Two popular Congress leaders Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew were arrested.
o The protest was very intense when the act came into effect and the army was called in Punjab to
tackle the situation.

o The Government of India Act 1919 was an act of the British Parliament that sought to increase
the participation of Indians in the administration of their country.
o The act was based on the recommendations of a report by Edwin Montagu, the then
Secretary of State for India, and Lord Chelmsford, India’s Viceroy between 1916
and 1921.
o Hence the constitutional reforms set forth by this act are known as Montagu-Chelmsford reforms
or Montford reforms.
Principle Features of the Act
Provincial Government
Executive: Legislature:
o Dyarchy was introduced, i.e., there were two classes of o The size of the
administrators – Executive councillors and ministers. provincial
o The Governor was the executive head of the province. legislative
o The subjects were divided into two lists – reserved and assemblies was
transferred. increased.
o The governor was in charge of the reserved list along with his o Now about 70% of
executive councillors. The subjects under this list were law and the members
order, irrigation, finance, land revenue, etc. were elected.
o The ministers were in charge of subjects under the o There were
transferred list. The subjects included were education, local communal and
government, health, excise, industry, public works, religious class electorates.
endowments, etc. o Some women
o The ministers were responsible to the people who elected could also vote.
them through the legislature. o The governor’s
o These ministers were nominated from among the elected assent was required
members of the legislative council. to pass any bill.
o The executive councillors were not responsible to the o He also had veto
legislature, unlike the ministers. power and could
issue ordinances
o The Secretary of State and the Governor-General could interfere in
also.
matters under the reserved list but this interference was restricted
for the transferred list
Central government
Executive: Legislature:
o The chief executive authority was the Governor- o A bicameral legislature
General. was set up with two
o There were two lists for administration – central and houses – Legislative
provincial. Assembly (forerunner of
o The provincial list was under the provinces while the centre the Lok Sabha) and the
took care of the central list. Council of State
(forerunner of the Rajya
o Out of the 8 members of the Viceroy’s executive
Sabha).
council, 3 were to be Indian members.
o Legislative Assembly
o The governor-general could issue ordinances.
(Lower House)
o He could also certify bills that were rejected by the central
legislature.
Members of the Legislative Assembly:

o The nominated members were
nominated by the governor-general
from Anglo-Indians and Indian
Christians.
o The members had a tenure of 3 years.
o Council of State (Upper House)
o Only male members with a tenure of 5
years.
Members of the Council of State:

o The legislators could ask questions and
also vote a part of the budget.
o Only 25% of the budget was
subject to vote.
o Rest was non-votable.
o A bill had to be passed in both houses
before it became a law.
o There were three measures to
resolve any deadlock between both
the houses – joint committees,
joint conferences and joint
sittings.
Governor-General
o The governor-general’s assent was
required for any bill to become law
even if both houses have passed it.
o He could also enact a bill without the
legislature’s consent.
o He could prevent a bill from becoming law if he
deems it as detrimental to the peace of the
country.
o He could disallow any question, adjournment
motion or debate in the house.
Who could vote?

o The franchise was restricted and there was no
universal adult suffrage.
o Voters should have paid land revenue of
Rs.3000 or have a property with rental
value or have taxable income.
o They should possess previous experience in
the legislative council.
o They should be members of a university
senate.
o They should hold certain offices in the local bodies.

o They should hold some specific titles.
o All this narrowed the number of people who could vote to an abysmal number.
Indian Council
o There were to be at least 8 and a maximum of 12 members in the council.
o Half of the members should have ten years of experience in public service in India.
o Their tenure was to be 5 years.
o Their salaries were increased from £1000 to £1200.
o There were to be 3 Indian members in the Council.
Other Salient Features

o This act provided for the first time, the establishment of a public service commission in
India.
o The act also provided that after 10 years, a statutory commission would be set up to
study the working of the government. This resulted in the Simon Commission of 1927.
o It also created an office of the High Commissioner for India in London.
Merits of the Act

o Dyarchy introduced the concept of responsible government.
o It introduced the concept of federal structure with a unitary bias.
o There was the increased participation of Indians in the administration. They held some
portfolios like labour, health, etc.
o For the first time, elections were known to the people and it created political consciousness
among the people.
o Some Indian women also had the right to vote for the first time.
Limitations of the Act

o This act extended consolidated and communal representation.
o The franchise was very limited. It did not extend to the common man.
o The governor-general and the governors had a lot of power to undermine the legislatures at the
centre and the provinces respectively.
o Allocation of the seats for the central legislature was not based on population but
the ‘importance’ of the province in the eyes of the British.
o The Rowlatt Acts were passed in 1919 which severely restricted press and movement. Despite the
unanimous opposition of Indian members of the legislative council, those bills were passed.
Several Indian members resigned in protest.
NON-COOPERATION MOVEMENT
o Mahatma Gandhi was the main force behind the non-cooperation movement.
o In March 1920, he issued a manifesto declaring a doctrine of the non-violent non-
cooperation movement. Gandhi, through this manifesto, wanted people to:
 Adopt swadeshi principles
 Adopt swadeshi habits including hand spinning & weaving
 Work for the eradication of untouchability from society

o Gandhi travelled across the nation in 1921 explaining the tenets of the movement.
Features of the Non-Cooperation Movement

o The movement was essentially a peaceful and non-violent protest against the British
government in India.
o Indians were asked to relinquish their titles and resign from nominated seats in the
local bodies as a mark of protest.
o People were asked to resign from their government jobs.
o People were asked to withdraw their children from government-controlled or aided
schools and colleges.
o People were asked to boycott foreign goods and use only Indian-made goods.
o People were asked to boycott the elections to the legislative councils.
o People were asked not to serve in the British army.
o It was also planned that if the above steps did not bring results, people would refuse to pay
their taxes.
o The INC also demanded Swarajya or self-government.
o Only completely non-violent means would be employed to get the demands fulfilled.
o The non-cooperation movement was a decisive step in the independence movement
because, for the first time, the INC was ready to forego constitutional means to achieve self-rule.
o Gandhiji had assured that Swaraj would be achieved in a year if this movement was continued to
completion.
Causes of Non-Cooperation Movement

o Indians thought that in return for the extensive support of manpower
and resources they had provided to Britain during the First World
Resentment at the War, they would be rewarded by autonomy at the end of the war.
British after the o But the Government of India Act 1919 was dissatisfactory.
war o In addition, the British also passed repressive acts like the Rowlatt
Act which further angered many Indians who felt betrayed by the
rulers despite their wartime support.
o The Home Rule Movement started by Annie Besant and Bal
Gangadhar Tilak set the stage for the non-cooperation
movement.
Home Rule
o The extremists and the moderates of the INC were united and the
Movement
Lucknow Pact also saw solidarity between the Muslim League and the
Congress Party.
o The return of the extremists gave the INC a militant character.
o India’s participation in the war caused a lot of economic hardships to
Economic the people. Prices of goods began to soar which affected the common
hardships due to man.
World War I o Peasants also suffered because the prices of agricultural products did
not increase. All this led to resentment against the government.
The Rowlatt Act o The repressive Rowlatt Act and the brutal massacre at
and the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar had a profound effect on the Indian
Jallianwala Bagh leaders and the people.

massacre o Their faith in the British system of justice was broken and the whole
country rallied behind its leaders who were pitching for a more
aggressive and firm stance against the government.
o During the First World War, Turkey, which was one of the Central
Powers, had fought against the British.
o After Turkey’s defeat, the Ottoman caliphate was proposed to be
dissolved. Muslims regarded Sultan of Turkey as their Caliph
(religious head of the Muslims).
o The Khilafat movement was launched under the leadership
The Khilafat
of Ali Brothers (Maulana Mohammed Ali and Maulana
Movement
Shaukat Ali), Maulana Azad, Hakim Ajmal Khan, and
Hasrat Mohani.
o It got the support from Mahatma Gandhi to persuade the British
government not to abolish the caliphate.
o The leaders of this movement accepted the non-cooperation
movement of Gandhiji and led a joint protest against the British.
Suspension of movement
o Gandhiji called off the movement in February 1922 in the wake of the Chauri Chaura incident.
o In Chauri Chaura, Uttar Pradesh, a violent mob set fire to a police station killing 22
policemen during a clash between the police and protesters of the movement.
o Gandhiji called off the movement saying people were not ready for revolt against the government
through ahimsa. Several leaders like Motilal Nehru and C R Das were against the suspension
of the movement only due to sporadic incidents of violence.
Significance of Non-Cooperation Movement

o Swaraj was not achieved in one year as Gandhiji had told.
o However, it was a truly mass movement where lakhs of Indians participated in the open protest
against the government through peaceful means.
o It shook the British government who were stumped by the extent of the movement.
o It saw participation from both Hindus and Muslims thereby showcasing communal
harmony in the country.
o This movement established the popularity of the Congress Party among the people.
o As a result of this movement, people became conscious of their political rights. They were not
afraid of the government.
o Hordes of people thronged to jails willingly.
o The Indian merchants and mill owners enjoyed good profits during this period as a result of the
boycott of British goods. Khadi was promoted.
o The import of sugar from Britain reduced considerably during this period.
o This movement also established Gandhiji as a leader of the masses.
MOPLAH REBELLION OF 1921

o The Moplah Rebellion, also known as the Moplah Riots of 1921 was the culmination of a series of
riots by Mappila Muslims of Kerala in the 19th and early 20th centuries against the British and
the Hindu landlords in Malabar (Northern Kerala).
o It was an armed revolt.
o It was led by Variyamkunnath Kunjahammed Haji.
Background of Moplah Rebellion

o Muslims had arrived in Kerala in the 7th century AD as traders via the Arabian Sea even before
north India was invaded by Muslim armies from the west.
o They were given permission to carry on trade and settle by the native rulers. Many of them
married local women and their descendants came to be called Moplahs (which means
son-in-law in Malayalam).
o Before Tipu Sultan’s attack on Malabar, in the traditional land system in Malabar, the Jenmi or
the landlord held the land which was let out to others for farming. There were mainly
three hierarchical levels of ownership including the cultivator, and each of them took a share of
the produce.
o The Moplahs were mostly cultivators of the land under this system and the Jenmis
were upper-caste Hindus.
o During Hyder Ali’s invasion of Malabar in the 18th century, many Hindu landlords fled Malabar
to neighbouring areas.
o During this time, the Moplah tenants were accorded ownership rights to the lands.
o After the death of Tipu Sultan in 1799 in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War, Malabar came under
British authority as part of the Madras Presidency.
o The British set out to restore ownership rights to the Jenmis who had earlier fled the
region.
o Jenmis were now given absolute ownership rights of the land which was not the case previously.
o The peasants were now facing high rents and a lack of security of tenure.
o This caused a series of riots by the Moplahs starting from 1836. Between 1836 and 1896, they
killed many government officers and landlords.
Course of Moplah Rebellion
o The Khilafat Movement had started in 1919 in India in support of the restoration of the caliphate
in Turkey. The Indian National Congress (INC) was aligned with it.
o The Khilafat meetings in Malabar incited communal feelings among the Moplahs and it became a
movement directed against the British as well as the Hindu landlords of Malabar.
o There was large-scale violence that saw systematic persecution of Hindus and British officials.
Many homes and temples were destroyed.
o The prominent leaders of the rebellion were Ali Musaliyar and Variyankunnath
Kunjahammed Haji.
o From August 1921 till about the end of the year, the rebels had under their control large parts of
Malabar.
o By the end of the year, the rebellion was crushed by the British who had raised a special battalion,
the Malabar Special Force for the riot.
o In November 1921, 67 Moplah prisoners were killed when they were being transported in a closed
freight wagon from Tirur to the Central Prison in Podanur. They died of suffocation. This event is
called the Wagon Tragedy.
SWARAJ PARTY
o The Swaraj Party or the Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party was formed on 1 January 1923 by C
R Das and Motilal Nehru.
o The formation of the Swaraj Party came after various significant events like the withdrawal of
non-cooperation movement, the government of India act 1919 and 1923 elections.
Background
o After the Chauri Chaura incident, Mahatma
Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation
Movement in 1922.
o This was met with a lot of disagreements
among leaders of the Congress Party.
o While some wanted to continue non-
cooperation, others wanted to end the
legislature boycott and contest
elections.
o The former were called no-changers and
such leaders included Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, C Rajagopalachari, etc.
o The others who wanted to enter the legislative council and obstruct the British government from
within were called the pro-changers. These leaders included C R Das, Motilal Nehru,
Srinivasa Iyengar, etc.
o In 1922, in the Gaya session of the Congress, C R Das (who was presiding over the session)
moved a proposal to enter the legislatures but it was defeated. Das and other leaders broke away
from the Congress and formed the Swaraj Party.
o C R Das was the President and the Secretary was Motilal Nehru.
o Prominent leaders of the Swaraj Party included N C Kelkar, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy
and Subhas Chandra Bose.
Aims of the Swaraj Party

o Attaining dominion status.
o Obtaining the right to frame a constitution.
o Establishing control over the bureaucracy.
o Obtaining full provincial autonomy.
o Attaining Swarajya (self-rule).
o Getting people the right to control government machinery.
o Organising industrial and agricultural labour.
o Controlling the local and municipal bodies.
o Having an agency for propaganda outside the country.
o Establishing a federation of Asian countries to promote trade and commerce.
o Engaging in the constructive programmes of the Congress.
Significance
o Gandhiji and both the pro-changers and the no-changers realised the importance of putting up a
united front in order to get reforms from the government.
o So, it was decided that the Swarajists would contest elections as a separate ‘group’
within the Congress Party.
o The Swaraj Party won 42 out of 104 seats to the Central Legislature in 1923.
o The party’s programme was to obstruct the government. They wanted to create deadlocks on
every measure.
o They boycotted all official functions and receptions held by the government.
o They voiced their grievances and aspirations in the Legislative Assembly.
Achievements
o Swarajist Vithalbhai Patel became speaker of the Central Legislative Assembly in
1925.
o They outvoted the government many times even in matters related to budgetary grants.
o They were able to defeat the Public Safety Bill in 1928.
o They exposed the weaknesses of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms.
o They gave fiery speeches in the Assembly on self-rule and civil liberties.
Drawbacks
o They could not coordinate their struggle inside the Assembly with the mass freedom
struggle outside.
o They totally relied on newspapers to carry their work and message in the Assembly to the
outside world.
o Some of them could not resist the perks of power. Motilal Nehru was a member of the
Skeen Committee and A Ramaswamy Iyengar was a member of the Public Accounts
Committee.
o Their policy of obstructionism had its flaws and limitations.
o The death of C R Das in 1925 further weakened the party.
o There were internal divisions among the Swarajists. They were divided into the
responsivists and the non-responsivists.
o The responsivists (M M Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, N C Kelkar) wanted to cooperate with
the government and hold offices, whereas the non-responsivists (Motilal Nehru)
withdrew from legislatures in 1926.
o The party was in shambles when it went into the 1926 elections, and as a result, did not perform
well.
o The party’s failure to support the peasant cause in Bengal led to a loss of support of many
members.
o The party merged with the Congress in 1935.
VAIKOM SATYAGRAHA
o Due to the prevalent caste system in Kerala and the rest of India, low-caste Hindus were not
allowed to enter into the temples.
o In Kerala, they were not allowed even to walk on the roads that led to the temples also. (Kerala
state was formed in 1956; earlier it was broadly divided into Malabar (North Kerala), Cochin
and Travancore kingdoms).
o In the Kakinada meet of the Congress Party in 1923, T K Madhavan presented a report
citing the discrimination that the depressed caste people were facing in Kerala. In Kerala, a
committee was formed comprising people of different castes to fight untouchability.
o The committee chaired by K Kelappan, comprised of T K Madhavan, Velayudha
Menon, K Neelakantan Namboothiri and TR Krishnaswami Iyer.
o In February 1924, they decided to launch a ‘Keralaparyatanam’ in order to get temple
entry and also the right to use public roads for every Hindu irrespective of caste or creed.
The movement
o The movement began on 30th March 1924.
o At the Vaikom Mahadeva Temple, there was a board that denied the entry of “lower caste”
people (avarnas).
o The Satyagrahis made batches of three and entered the temple. They were resisted and arrested
by the police.
o Gandhiji, Chatampi Swamikal and Sree Narayana Guru supported the movement.
o The movement gained prominence in the whole of India and support came from far and wide.
o The Akalis of Punjab supported by setting up kitchens to provide food to the Satyagrahis.
o Even Christian and Muslim leaders were in support of the movement. However, Gandhiji was not
entirely convinced by this as he wanted the movement to be an intra-Hindu affair.
o On Gandhiji’s advice, the movement was taken back temporarily in April 1924.
o After discussions with caste Hindu people failed, the leaders again started the movement.
Leaders T K Madhavan and K P Kesava Menon were arrested.
o E V Ramaswami Naicker (Periyar) came
from Tamil Nadu to support the movement
and then he was arrested.
o On 1st October 1924, a group of savarnas
(forward castes) marched in a procession and
submitted a petition to the Regent Maharani
Sethu Lakshmi Bai of Travancore with
approximately 25000 signatures for allowing
entry to the temple for everyone.
o Gandhiji also met with the Regent Maharani. This
procession of savarnas was led by Mannath Padmanabhan Nair. Beginning with about 500
people at Vaikom, the number increased to approximately 5000 when the procession reached
Thiruvananthapuram in the month of November 1924.
Effects & Significance

o On 23rd November 1925, all the gates of the temple were opened to Hindus except the eastern
gate. In 1928, backward castes got the right to walk on public roads leading to all temples in
Travancore.
o This was the first time that an organized movement was being conducted on such a massive scale
for the basic rights of the untouchables and other backward castes in Kerala.
SIMON COMMISSION
o The Indian Statutory Commission also known as Simon Commison’, was a group of seven
Members of Parliament under the chairmanship of Sir John Simon (later, 1st Viscount
Simon).
o The commission arrived in British India in 1928 to study constitutional reform in Britain’s
largest and most important possession.
o One of its members was the future leader of the Labour Party Clement Attlee, who became
committed to self-government for India. It came to be known as the Simon Commission after
its chairman Sir John Simon.
o It was Government of India Act 1919 that announced that in 10 years from 1919, a
royal commission will be set up to report on the working of the act.
Background
o Diarchy was introduced in India by the Government of India Act 1919. The Act also promised
that a commission would be appointed after 10 years to review the working and progress made on
the measures taken through the Act.
o The Indian people and leaders wanted a reform of the diarchy form of government.
o The Conservative Party-led government in the UK feared a defeat at the hands of the Labour
Party in the elections due, and so hastened the appointment of a commission in 1928, even
though it was due only in 1929 as per the 1919 Act.
o The Commission was composed entirely of British members with not a single Indian
member being included in it. This was seen as an insult to Indians who were right in saying that
their destiny could not be determined by a handful of British people.
o The Secretary of State for India, Lord Birkenhead had berated Indians on account of
their perceived inability to formulate a concrete scheme of reforms through consensus among all
sections of the Indian political scene.
o Lord Birkenhead was responsible for setting up the Commission.
o Clement Atlee was a member of the Commission. He would later become Britain’s Prime Minister
during Indian independence and partition in 1947.
Indian Response:
o Indians were outraged at their exclusion from the Commission.
o The Congress Party decided to boycott the Commission at their session at Madras in
1927.
o The Muslim League led by M A Jinnah also boycotted it. A certain section of members led
by Muhammad Shafi supported the government.
o The Justice Party in the South decided to side with the government on this issue.
o When the Commission landed in February 1928, there were mass protests, hartals and black flag
demonstrations all over the country.
o People were chanting the slogan, ‘Simon Go Back.’
o The police resorted to lathi charges to suppress the movement. Even senior leaders like Pandit
Nehru were not spared.
o In Lahore, Lala Lajpat Rai, who was leading the demonstration against the Simon
Commission, was brutally lathi-charged. He died later that year due to injuries sustained
then.
o Dr B R Ambedkar had submitted a report on behalf of the Bahishkrita Hitakarini Sabha on

the education of the depressed classes in the Bombay Presidency.
Impact of the Simon Commission

o The Commission’s report was published in 1930. Before the publication, the government assured
that henceforth, Indian opinion would be considered and that the natural outcome of
constitutional reforms would be dominion status for India.
o It recommended the abolition of diarchy and the setting-up of representative
governments in the provinces.
o It also recommended the retention of separate communal electorates until the
communal tensions had died down.
o The Simon Commission led to the Government of India Act 1935 which acted as the
basis for many parts of the current Indian Constitution.
o The first provincial elections were held in 1937 and it saw Congress governments being set
up in almost all the provinces.
o The arrival of the Commission gave an impetus to the Indian independence movement by
galvanizing leaders and masses.
NEHRU REPORT
Background
o When the Simon Commission came to India in 1928, it was vehemently opposed by Indians
especially the Congress Party for the lack of a single Indian in the Commission.
o So, the Secretary of State for India, Lord Birkenhead challenged the Indian leaders to
draft a constitution for India, implicitly implying that Indians were not capable of finding a
common path and drafting a constitution.
o The political leaders accepted this challenge and an All Party Conference was held and a
committee appointed with the task of drafting a constitution.
o This committee was headed by Motilal Nehru with Jawaharlal Nehru as the Secretary.
Other members were Ali Imam, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Mangal Singh, M S Aney, Subhas
Chandra Bose, Shuaib Qureshi and G R Pradhan.
o The draft constitution prepared by the committee was called the Nehru Committee Report or
Nehru Report. The report was submitted at the Lucknow session of the all-party conference on
August 28, 1928.
o This was the first major attempt by Indians to draft a constitution for themselves.
Recommendations
o Dominion status for India (like Canada, Australia, etc.) within the British
Commonwealth. (This point was a bone of contention with the younger set of leaders
including Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhas Chandra Bose who favoured complete
independence.)
o Nineteen fundamental rights including the right to vote for men and women above
21 years of age, unless disqualified.
o Equal rights for men and women as citizens.
o No state religion.
o No separate electorates for any community. It did provide for reservation of minority
seats.
o It provided for reservation for seats for Muslims at the centre and in provinces
where they were in a minority and not in Bengal and Punjab. Similarly, it provided for
reservation for non-Muslims in the NWFP.
o A federal form of government with residual powers with the centre. There would be a
bicameral legislature at the centre. The ministry would be responsible to the legislature.
o Governor-General to be the constitutional head of India. He would be appointed by the
British monarch.
o A proposal for the creation of a Supreme Court.
o The provinces would be created along linguistic lines.
o The language of the country would be Indian, written either in Devanagari
(Sanskrit/Hindi), Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi or Gujarati in character.
o Usage of English to be permitted.
Responses
o The issue of communal representation was controversial. In December 1927, many Muslim
leaders met Motilal Nehru at Delhi and suggested a few proposals. These were
accepted by Congress at its Madras session. These ‘Delhi Proposals’ were:
 1/3rd representation of Muslims in the Central Legislature.
 Representation to Muslims in Punjab and Bengal in proportion to their
populations.
 Formation of three new provinces with a Muslim majority – Sindh, Baluchistan and
North-West Frontier Province (NWFP).
o However, the Hindu Mahasabha was opposed to the formation of the new provinces and the
communal representation in Bengal and Punjab. They pressed for a strictly unitary system.
o The report made concessions to the Hindu group by stating that joint electorates would be the
system followed with reservation of seats for Muslims only where they were in a minority. Sindh
would be created into a new province (by severing from Bombay) only after dominion status was
granted and weightage would be given to the Hindu minority there.
o At the all-party conference held in Calcutta in 1928 to discuss the report, Jinnah made
three amendments to the report:
 1/3rd representation of Muslims in the Central Legislature.
 Reservation to Muslims in Punjab and Bengal in proportion to their populations until adult
suffrage was established.
 Residual powers to be vested with the provinces and not the centre.
o Since these demands of Jinnah were not met, he gave the ‘Fourteen Points’ in March 1929,
which served as the basis of all future agenda of the League.
JINNAH’S FOURTEEN POINTS

1. Federal constitution with residual powers 4. All legislatures and elected bodies to have
with the provinces. adequate Muslim representation without
2. Provincial autonomy. reducing Muslim majority in a province
3. No constitutional amendment to minority or equality.
without the agreement of the states.
5. Adequate Muslim representation of 10. Any reorganisation of territories not to

Muslims in the services and in self- affect the Muslim majority in Bengal,
governing bodies. Punjab and the NWFP.
6. 1/3rd representation of Muslims in the 11. Separation of Sindh from Bombay
Central Legislature. Presidency.
7. 1/3rd Muslim members in the central and 12. Constitutional reforms in the NWFP and
state cabinets. Baluchistan.
8. Separate electorates. 13. Full religion freedom for all communities.
9. No bill to be passed in any legislature if 14. Protection of the religious, cultural,
3/4th of a minority community considers educational and language rights of
it against its interests. Muslims.
BARDOLI SATYAGRAHA
o The Bardoli Satyagraha, 1928 was
a movement in the independence
struggle led by Sardar
Vallabhai Patel for the
farmers of Bardoli against the
unjust raising of taxes.
o The Bardoli Taluk in modern-day
Gujarat was hit by floods and
famines in 1925, which adversely
affected crop yield. This affected
the farmers financially.
o Ignoring the plight of the farmers,
the Bombay Presidency increased the tax rates by 22%.
o Despite petitions and appeals from civic groups and farmers to review this unjust hike in tax
rates in lieu of the grave situation, the government decided to go ahead with tax collection.
o In 1927, the local Congress Party published a report to show that the farmers could not carry
the burden of the enhanced assessment. But the authorities did not budge.
o In January 1928, farmers in Bardoli invited Vallabhai Patel to launch the protest
movement wherein all of them resolved not to pay taxes.
o They also assured Gandhiji of their commitment to non-violence.
o Patel agreed to take on the leadership role only after getting assurances from the farmers of their
resolve to the movement. He informed them of the possible consequences of their move such as
confiscation of land and property and imprisonment.
o Patel got in touch with the government and apprised it of the situation. He got the reply that the
government was unwilling to make any concessions.
o Gandhiji also lend support to the movement through his writings in ‘Young India’
magazine.
The Movement
o Patel was an exemplary commander of his non-violent ‘army’ in Bardoli.
o He divided the taluk into camps and organised hundreds of men and women under the camps.
o The volunteers came from Hindu, Muslim and Parsi communities also.
o From the camps, volunteers issued news bulletins, campaigns and also made speeches educating
the masses about the need to be disciplined and prepared for austerity.
o Door-to-door campaigning was also done.
o A large number of women took active part in the movement. It was these women who gave
Patel the moniker ‘Sardar’.
o Peasants were asked to take oaths in the name of god that they would not pay the taxes.
o Those who paid taxes or were supportive of the British were socially boycotted.
o They also worked for the betterment of the Kaliparaj caste (farmers who worked as landless
labourers).
o They refused non-essential goods to government offices in the area.
o They resisted eviction and confiscation (jabti) in unique ways. They had informers in
the government offices who would give prior information as to if and when a jabti notice was
going to be carried out. The whole village would then move to another place and the officers
would be faced with an empty village when they arrived to confiscate the property.
o K M Munshi and Lalji Naranji resigned from the Bombay Legislative Council.
o Although the movement was local, it received nation-wide attention and support.
Effects
o Fearing things could go out of hand, the government set up the Maxwell-Broomfield
commission to look into the matter.
o The revenue was reduced to 6.03%.
o The peasants were returned their confiscated land.
o Patel emerged as a national leader after the success of the Bardoli Satyagraha. He showed his
remarkable organising skills.
Criticism
o The movement was focused on the conditions of the rich and middle-class farmers and
largely neglected the poor farmers.
o It did not raise the problem of Hali Pratha (a kind of bonded labour system).
o It is said that the movement was an experiment on Satyagraha as a method of freedom
struggle. The basic problems of the peasants were not addressed.
POORNA SWARAJ
o The Indian National Congress, on 19 December 1929, passed the historic ‘Purna Swaraj’
– (total independence) resolution – at its Lahore session.
o A public declaration was made on 26 January 1930 – a day which the Congress Party
urged Indians to celebrate as ‘Independence Day’.
o The declaration was passed due to the breakdown of negotiations between leaders of
the freedom movement and the British over the question of dominion status for
India.
o In 1929, Lord Irwin, the then Viceroy of India, made a vaguely announced – referred to as
the Irwin Declaration - that India would be granted dominion status in the future. Indian
leaders welcomed this as they had been making the demand for dominion status for a long time.
They now wanted all further negotiations with the British to focus on the formalization of
dominion status for India.
o The Irwin Declaration triggered a backlash in England: politicians and the general public
were not in favour of India obtaining dominion status.
o Under pressure, Lord Irwin, at a meeting with Jinnah, Nehru, Gandhi and Sapru, told
Indian leaders that he could not promise dominion status anytime soon.
o The Indian National Congress irked and now changed its stance: it gave up demands
for dominion status and instead, at its Lahore Session in 1929, passed the ‘Purna
Swaraj’ resolution that called for complete independence. The resolution marked the
beginning of a large-scale political movement against colonial rule.
o The resolution was a short 750-word document. It did not have a legal/constitutional
structure – it read more like a manifesto.
o It called for severing ties with the British and claimed ‘Purna Swaraj’ or 'complete
independence'.
o It indicted British rule and succinctly articulated the resulting economic, political and cultural
injustice inflicted on Indians.
o The document spoke on behalf of Indians and made its intention of launching the civil
disobedience movement clear.
SALT SATYAGRAHA
o The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March and the Dandi
Satyagraha, was an act of nonviolent civil disobedience in colonial India led by Mahatma
Gandhi.
o The twenty four day march lasted from 12 March 1930 to 6 April 1930 as a direct action
campaign of tax resistance and nonviolent protest against the British salt monopoly.
o The Salt Satyagraha was a mass civil disobedience movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi
against the salt tax imposed by the British government in India.
o He led a large group of people from Sabarmati Ashram on 12th March 1930 till Dandi, a coastal
village in Gujarat, to break the salt law by producing
salt from seawater.
Background
o By 1930, the Congress Party had declared that
Poorna Swarajya or complete independence
was to be the sole aim of the freedom struggle.
o It started observing 26 January as Poorna
Swarajya Day, and it was decided that civil
disobedience was to be the means employed to achieve
it.
o Mahatma Gandhi was asked to plan and organise the
first such act. Gandhiji chose to break the salt tax in
defiance of the government.
o Some members of Congress were skeptical of the
choice and other Indians and the British dismissed
this choice of salt with disdain.
o The then Viceroy, Lord Irwin was hardly
perturbed by the threat of a salt protest and the
government did nothing to prevent the salt march
from taking place.

o But Gandhiji’s choice of using salt was nothing short of brilliant because it touched a
chord with every Indian.
o It was a commodity required by all and the poor people were hurt because of the
salt tax.
o Indians had been making salt from seawater free of cost until the passing of the 1882
Salt Act that gave the British monopoly over the production of salt and authority to impose a
salt tax. It was a criminal offence to violate the salt act.
o Gandhiji also hoped to unite Hindus and Muslims as the cause was common to both groups.
o The salt tax accounted for 8.2% of the British Raj revenue from tax and Gandhiji knew
that the government could not ignore this.
The course of the Salt Satyagraha

o Gandhiji informed Lord Irwin of his plan on 2nd March 1930.
o He would lead a group of people from his Ashram at Sabarmati on 12th March 1930 and walk
through the villages of Gujarat.
o On reaching the coastal village of Dandi, he would make salt from seawater thereby breaking the
salt act. Gandhiji started the march as planned with 80 of his followers. They were given strict
instructions not to resort to any kind of violence.
o Thousands of people thronged the path from Sabarmati Ashram to Ahmedabad to witness the
historic event.
o At the end of every day, Gandhiji would address thousands of people and attack the government
in his speeches.
o Gandhiji talked to foreign journalists and wrote
articles for newspapers on the way. This pushed
the Indian independence movement into
the forefront of world media. Gandhiji
became a household name in the West.
o Sarojini Naidu joined him on the way. Every
day more and more people joined him and on 5th
April 1930, they reached Dandi.
o At this time, there were about 50,000 people
participating in the march.
o On the morning of 6th April 1930, Gandhiji broke
the salt law by making salt. Thousands of people
followed suit.
Effects
o Around 60,000 people including Gandhiji himself
were arrested by the government.
o There was widespread civil disobedience carried
on by the people. Apart from the salt tax, other
unpopular tax laws were being defied like
the forest laws, chowkidar tax, land tax,
etc.
o The government tried to suppress the movement with more laws and censorship.
o The Congress Party was declared illegal. But this did not deter the satyagrahis who
continued the movement.
o There were some incidents of violence in Calcutta and Karachi but Gandhiji did not call off the
movement, unlike the previous time with the non-cooperation movement.
o C Rajagopalachari led a similar march on the southeast coast from Trichy to
Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu. He too was arrested for making salt.
o K Kelappan led a march in the Malabar region from Calicut to Payyanur.
o There were similar marches and salt was produced illegally in Assam and Andhra Pradesh.
o In Peshawar, the Satyagraha was organised and led by Gandhiji’s disciple, Khan
Abdul Ghaffar Khan. In April 1930 he was arrested. Khan’s followers (called Khudai
Khidmatgars) whom he had trained in Satyagraha had gathered in a marketplace called the
Qissa Khwani Bazaar. There they were fired at by the British Indian Army despite being
unarmed.
o Thousands of women also took part in the Satyagraha.
o Foreign clothes were boycotted. Liqueur shops were picketed. There were strikes all
over.
o On May 21, 1930, there was a protest against the Dharasana Salt Works by peaceful non-
violent protestors led by Sarojini Naidu. The police lathi-charged the protestors brutally and it
resulted in the deaths of 2 people with several others being injured. This event was reported in
the international media and there was a condemnation of British policies followed in India.
o The British government was shaken by the movement. Also, its non-violent nature made it
difficult for them to suppress it violently.
o This movement had three main effects:
 It pushed Indian freedom struggle into the limelight in western media.
 It brought a lot of people including women and the depressed classes directly in touch
with the freedom movement.
 It showed the power of the non-violent Satyagraha as a tool in fighting imperialism.
o Gandhiji was released from prison in 1931 and he met with Lord Irwin who was keen to put an
end to the civil disobedience movement and the media attention it had caught.
o As per the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, the civil disobedience movement would be ended and
Indians, in return, would be allowed to make salt for domestic use.
o Lord Irwin also agreed to release the arrested Indians.
o Gandhiji attended the Second Round Table Conference in London as an ‘equal’.
FIRST ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE 1930

Background
o There were increasing demands of granting dominion status to India among a certain
section of the British polity.
o In India, the freedom movement was in full swing with its demand for swaraj or self-rule
spearheaded by the charismatic Gandhi.
o The conferences were based on the recommendation of Muhammad Ali Jinnah to Lord
Irwin, the then Viceroy of India and James Ramsay MacDonald, the then British Prime
Minister, and the Simon Commission report.
o It was for the first time that the Indians and the British were meeting as ‘equals’. The
first conference started on November 12th, 1930.
Participants
o 58 political leaders from British India.
o 16 delegates from the native princely states.
o 16 delegates from the three British political parties.
o The Indian National Congress decided not to participate in the conference. Many of
the INC leaders were imprisoned due to their involvement in the civil disobedience movement.
o Among the British-Indians, the following representatives attended the conference: Muslim
League, Hindus, Justice Party, Sikhs, liberals, Parsis, Christians, Anglo-Indians, Europeans,
landlords, labour, women, universities, Sindh, Burma, other provinces, and the representatives
from the Government of India.
Issues discussed
o Federal structure
o Provincial constitution
o Provinces of Sindh and NWFP
o Minorities
o Defence services
o Franchise
o Executive responsibility to the legislature
o Dr B R Ambedkar demanded separate electorates for the ‘untouchables’.
o Tej Bahadur Sapru moved the idea of an All-India Federation.
o This was supported by the Muslim League.
o The princely states also supported this on the condition that their internal sovereignty is
maintained.
Effects
o The First Round Table Conference lasted till 19th January 1931.
o Although many principles on reforms were agreed upon, not much was implemented and the
Congress Party carried on its civil disobedience. The Conference was regarded as a failure.
o The British government understood the importance and the need for the Congress
Party to make any decision on India’s political future.
GANDHI-IRWIN PACT
o The rejection of demands put forward by Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi Manifesto led to
Lahore Congress session.
o Later, under the civil disobedience movement, Gandhi put forward 11 demands and gave an
ultimatum of January 31, 1930, to accept or reject.
o In July 1930 the viceroy, Lord Irwin, suggested a round table conference and reiterated the goal
of dominion status.
o On January 25, 1931, Gandhi and all other members of the Congress Working
Committee (CWC) were released from jail unconditionally.
o The CWC authorised Gandhi to initiate discussions with the viceroy Lord Irwin.
o Later a pact was signed in Delhi, which came to be known as Delhi-Pact or Gandhi-Irwin
Pact.
Background
o The Second Round Table Conference was to be held in 1931 in London.
o In 1930, the Salt Satyagraha was conducted and India and Gandhi received worldwide attention.
The British government in India was criticised for its unjust treatment of Indians.
o Gandhi and many other leaders were imprisoned along with thousands of Indians.
o Lord Irwin wanted the issue to come to an end.
o So, Gandhi was released from prison in January 1931.
o The then Congress President Sardar Vallabhai Patel authorised M.K. Gandhi to hold
talks with Lord Irwin.
o Accordingly, M.K. Gandhi met Irwin and held negotiations. It was for the first time that the two
were meeting as ‘equals’.
Features of Gandhi-Irwin Pact

o The Indian National Congress (INC) agreed to take part in the Round Table Conference.
o The INC would stop the civil disobedience movement.
o Withdrawal of all ordinances that curbed the activities of the Congress.
o Withdrawal of all prosecutions except those involving violent crimes.

o Release of those who were arrested for taking part in the civil disobedience movement.
o Removal of the salt tax.
Result of Gandhi Irwin Pact

o The INC participated in the Second Round Table
Conference which was held in 1931 during September –
December.
o The government agreed to withdraw all ordinances.
o It agreed to release all political prisoners to save
those involved in violence.
o It agreed to allow peaceful picketing of liquor and
foreign cloth shops.
o It agreed to revoke the ban on the INC.
o It agreed to restore the confiscated properties of the
Satyagrahis.
o It agreed to permit the collection of salt by people
near the sea coasts.
o It agreed to forego fines not yet collected.
o It agreed to the lenient treatment of all government
servants who had resigned from service in the wake of the civil disobedience movement.
Gandhi – Irwin Pact – Demands of Gandhi not agreed to by Irwin:

o A public inquiry into police excesses during its suppression of the movement.
o Commuting the death sentences of Bhagat Singh and his associates to life sentences.
KARACHI SESSION
o The Karachi Resolution was passed by the Indian National Congress at its 1931 Karachi
session under the presidentship of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
o Karachi session of Indian National Congress was held on March 31, 1931.
o The Session was conducted in the shadow of three major events.
 First, Mahatma Gandhi had just been released from prison following his Salt Satyagraha.
 Second, the Gandhi-Irwin pact had just been concluded which had brought the civil
disobedience movement to an end.
 Third, the British government had, a week before the session, executed Bhagat Singh and two of
his associates in connection with the Kakori Conspiracy case.
o The Resolution is three pages long and is mostly written in a quasi-legal style.
o It reiterated the Congress Party’s commitment to ‘Purna Swaraj’ or ‘complete
independence’.
o In addition to fundamental rights which protected civil liberties, the Resolution for the first
time put forward a list of socio-economic principles/rights that the Indian state had to
adhere to.
o These included: protections for industrial workers, abolishing of child labour, free primary
education and protections for agricultural labour.
o The Resolution also, which seems to be a Gandhian influence, prohibited intoxicating
drinks and drugs.
o The socio-economic provision in the Karachi Resolution went on to influence the Constituent
Assembly in drawing up Part IV of the Indian Constitution – the Directive Principles of
State Policy.
SECOND ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE

o The Second Round Table Conference was held in London from 7 September 1931 to 1
December 1931 with the participation of Gandhi and the Indian National Congress.
Participants
o British delegates
belonging to various
political parties including
the British Prime
Minister, James Ramsay
Macdonald.
o Indian princely states
represented by Maharajas,
princes and divans.
o British Indians
represented by:
o Indian National Congress
(INC) – Mahatma Gandhi,
Rangaswami Iyengar,
Madan
o Mohan Malaviya
o Muslims – Md. Ali Jinnah, Aga Khan III, Muhammad Iqbal, etc.
o Hindus – M R Jayakar, etc.
o Depressed classes – Dr B R Ambedkar
o Women – Sarojini Naidu, etc.
o Liberals, Justice Party, Sikhs, Indian Christians, Parsis, Europeans, Anglo-Indians, industry,
labour, landlords, Burma, Sindh and other provinces.
Outcome
o The session started on 7 September 1931. The major difference between the first and the second
conference was that the INC was participating in the second one. This was one of the results of
the Gandhi-Irwin Pact.
o Another difference was that unlike the previous time, British PM Macdonald was heading
not a Labour government, but a National government. The Labour Party had been
toppled two weeks before in Britain.
o The British decided to grant a communal award for representing minorities in India by
providing for separate electorates for minority communities. Gandhi was against this.
o In this conference, Gandhi and Ambedkar differed on the issue of separate electorates for
the untouchables. Gandhi was against treating untouchables as separate from the Hindu
community. This issue was resolved through the Poona Pact 1932.
o The second round table conference was deemed a failure because of the many disagreements
among the participants. While the INC claimed to speak for the whole of the country, other
participants and leaders of other parties contested this claim.
THIRD ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE

o The third Round Table Conference took place between 17 November 1932 and 24 December
1932.
Participants
o Only 46 delegates in total took part in this conference.
o The INC and the Labour Party decided not to attend it. (The INC wasn’t invited).
o Indian princely states were represented by princes and divans.
o British Indians were represented by the Aga Khan (Muslims), Depressed classes, women,
Europeans, Anglo-Indians and labour groups.
Outcome
o Not much was achieved in this conference also.
o The recommendations of this conference were published in a White Paper in 1933 and later
discussed in the British Parliament.
o The recommendations were analysed and the Government of India Act of 1935 was passed
on its basis.
POONA PACT
o The Poona Pact was an
agreement between M K
Gandhi and B R Ambedkar
signed in the Yerwada
Central Jail, Poona on
September 24th, 1932 on
behalf of the depressed class for
the reservation of the electoral
seats in the Legislature of the
British Government.
o It was signed by Ambedkar on
behalf of the depressed classes and by Madan Mohan Malviya on behalf of Hindus
and Gandhi as a means to end the fast that Gandhi was undertaking in jail as a protest against
the decision made by British prime minister Ramsay MacDonald to give separate
electorates to depressed classes for the election of members of provincial legislative
assemblies in British India.
Important Facts
o Dr Ambedkar was in favour of a separate electorate for the Depressed Classes and this
was laid down by him in the First Round Table Conference. He was representing the
Depressed Classes in the conference.
o Gandhi was against this idea and when PM Macdonald decided to grant communal awards to
minorities and the Depressed Classes, he undertook a fast whilst in jail in Poona.
o Due to public pressure to end the fast unto death, Dr Ambedkar and Gandhi made the
Poona Pact which laid down reserved seats for the Depressed Classes in the
provincial legislatures for which elections would be through joint electorates.
o Gandhi was against this idea because he did not want to view the untouchables as being outside
the folds of Hinduism.
o Certain seats for the provincial legislatures would be reserved for the Depressed Classes. The
number of seats was based on the total strength of the Provincial Councils. The number of seats
reserved for the provinces was 30 for Madras, 8 for Punjab, 14 for Bombay with Sindh, 20 for the
Central Provinces, 18 for Bihar and Orissa, 30 for Bengal, 7 for Assam and 20 for the United
Provinces. So, in total there were 147 reserved seats.
o For each of these seats, the members of the Depressed Classes who could vote would
form an electoral college. This Electoral College would elect a panel of four
candidates who belong to the Depressed Classes..
o Then these four candidates would stand in the election for the assembly along with the general
candidates where the general electorate would vote. The members of the Depressed Classes hence
got a ‘double vote’ since they could vote under the general electorate also.
o Even in the Central Legislature, the same principle of the joint electorate and reserved seats was
to be followed.
o In the Central Legislature, 19% of the seats would be reserved for the Depressed
Classes.
o This system would continue for ten years unless a mutual agreement consents to
terminate it earlier.
o Fair representation of the Depressed Classes would be ensured by all means.
o Nobody would be discriminated against on the basis of caste on matters regarding election to the
local bodies or in public services appointments.
o A certain sum of money from the educational grant would be allotted for the education of the
Depressed Classes in all provinces.

o The Government of India Act was passed by the British Parliament in August 1935.
o It was the longest act enacted by the British Parliament at that time.
o It was divided into two separate acts namely, the Government of India Act 1935 and the
Government of Burma Act 1935.
Background
o There was a growing demand for constitutional reforms in India by Indian leaders.
o India’s support to Britain in the First World War also aided in British
acknowledgement of the need for the inclusion of more Indians in the administration of their
own country.
o The Act was based on:
 Simon Commission Report
 The recommendations of the Round Table Conferences
 The White Paper published by the British government in 1933 (based on the Third Round Table
Conference)
 Report of the Joint Select Committees.
o This federation was to consist of British India and the

princely states.
Creation of an All o The provinces in British India would have to join the federation but
India Federation this was not compulsory for the princely states.
o This federation never materialised because of the lack of support from
the required number of princely states.
o This Act divided powers between the centre and the provinces.
o There were three lists which gave the subjects under each government.
Division of  Federal List (Centre)
powers  Provincial List (Provinces)
 Concurrent List (Both)
 The Viceroy was vested with residual powers.
o The Act gave more autonomy to the provinces.
o Diarchy was abolished at the provincial levels.
o The Governor was the head of the executive.
Provincial o There was a Council of Ministers to advise him. The ministers were
autonomy responsible to the provincial legislatures who controlled them. The
legislature could also remove the ministers.
o However, the governors still retained special reserve powers.
o The British authorities could still suspend a provincial government.
o The subjects under the Federal List were divided into two:
Reserved and Transferred.
o The reserved subjects were controlled by the Governor-
General who administered them with the help of three counsellors
appointed by him. They were not responsible to the legislature. These
subjects included defence, ecclesiastical affairs (church-related),
Diarchy at the external affairs, press, police, taxation, justice, power resources and
centre tribal affairs.
o The transferred subjects were administered by the Governor-
General with his Council of Ministers (not more than 10). The
Council had to act in confidence with the legislature. The subjects in
this list included local government, forests, education, health, etc.
o However, the Governor-General had ‘special powers’ to interfere in the
transferred subjects also.
o A bicameral federal legislature would be established.
o The two houses were the Federal Assembly (lower house) and
the Council of States (upper house).
o The federal assembly had a term of five years.
Bicameral o Both houses had representatives from the princely states also. The
Legislature representatives of the princely states were to be nominated by the
rulers and not elected. The representatives of British India were to be
elected. Some were to be nominated by the Governor-General.
o Bicameral legislatures were introduced in some provinces also like
Bengal, Madras, Bombay, Bihar, Assam and the United Provinces.
o A federal court was established at Delhi for the resolution of
disputes between provinces and also between the centre and the
Federal Court
provinces.
o It was to have 1 Chief Justice and not more than 6 judges.
o The Indian Council was abolished.
Indian Council
o The Secretary of State for India would instead have a team of advisors.
Franchise o This Act introduced direct elections in India for the first time.
o Sindh was carved out of Bombay Presidency.
o Bihar and Orissa were split.
Reorganisation
o Burma was severed off from India.
o Aden was also separated from India and made into a Crown colony.
Other points
o The British Parliament retained its supremacy over the Indian legislatures both
provincial and federal.
o A Federal Railway Authority was set up to control Indian railways.
o The act provided for the establishment of Reserve Bank of India.
o The Act also provided for the establishment of federal, provincial and joint Public
Service Commissions.
o The Act was a milestone in the development of a responsible constitutional government
in India.
o The Government of India Act 1935 was replaced by the Constitution of India after independence.
o The Indian leaders were not enthusiastic about the Act since despite granting provincial
autonomy the governors and the viceroy had considerable ‘special powers’.
o Separate communal electorates were a measure through which the British wanted to ensure the
Congress Party could never rule on its own. It was also a way to keep the people divided.
AUGUST OFFER
o During the Second World War, the Indian National Congress (INC) leaders were upset
with the British government for having pulled India into a war without the consent
of Indians.
o Lord Linlithgow had declared India to be at war with Germany without consultation.
o France had fallen to the Axis Powers and the Allies were suffering many reverses in the war.
There was also a change of government in Britain and Winston Churchill became the
British Prime Minister in 1940.
o The British government were keen to get Indian support for the war. Britain herself was in
danger of being occupied by the Nazis and in this light, the INC softened its stand. It said
that support for the war would be provided if power was transferred to an interim government in
India.
o Then, the Viceroy Linlithgow made a set of proposals called the ‘August offer’. For the first
time, the right of Indians to frame their own constitution was acknowledged.
Terms of the August Offer

o A representative Indian body would be formed after the war to frame a constitution for
India.
o Dominion status was the objective for India.
o The Viceroy’s Executive Council would be expanded right
away to include for the first time more Indians than whites.
However, defence, finance and home portfolios were to remain with
the British.
o An advisory war council was to be established.
o An assurance was given to the minorities that no transfer of power
would take place “to any system of government whose authority is
directly denied by large and powerful elements in Indian national life.”
o The Viceroy also stated that there would be no revision of the
Government of India Act. He also said that before any real
constitutional reform could be done, the differences between the INC
and the Muslim League would have to be resolved.
Response of the Indian leaders

o The INC rejected this offer at its meeting at Wardha in August 1940.
o It demanded complete freedom from colonial rule. Jawaharlal Nehru remarked that the
dominion status concept was as dead as a doornail.
o The League also rejected the offer saying that nothing short of partitioning the
country would be acceptable to them.
o After this, Mahatma Gandhi initiated the Individual Satyagraha to affirm the right to free
speech. He avoided a mass satyagraha because he did not want violence.
o The first three satyagrahis were Vinoba Bhave, Nehru and Brahma Datt. All three
were jailed.
o The satyagrahis also started a march towards Delhi which was called the ‘Delhi Chalo Movement’.
o The movement failed to pick up steam and was aborted in December 1940.
o After the failure of the August Offer, the British government sent the Cripps Mission to India in a
bid to garner Indian support for the war.
CRIPPS MISSION
o The Cripps Mission was sent by the British government to India in March 1942 to obtain
Indian cooperation for the British war efforts in the 2nd World War.
o It was headed by Sir Richard Stafford Cripps, a labour minister in Winston Churchill’s
coalition government in Britain.
Background
o Japan was advancing outside the eastern borders of India and the fall of Burma was a
jolt to the British in the war.
o The threat of a Japanese invasion on India was looming and Indian support was essential
for Britain’s war efforts.
o When the 2nd World War broke out in 1939, the Viceroy Lord Linlithgow declared India a
party to the war as part of the British Empire. This was done without consultation with
Indians and this led to massive protests from the Congress Party.
o The party leaders, who were heading 7 provincial governments resigned from their
posts. The Muslim League celebrated it as ‘Deliverance Day’.
o Britain was facing pressure from the US and other allied leaders over its own imperial policies in
India and also to secure Indian cooperation for the Allied war effort. This also led the
British government to send Cripps to India.
Proposals of Cripps Mission

o Setting up of an Indian dominion. This dominion would have the freedom to remain with
the British Commonwealth or to secede from it. It would also be at liberty to take part in
international organisations.
o A Constituent Assembly would be formed to frame a new constitution for the country.
This Assembly would have members elected by the provincial assemblies and also nominated by
the princes.
o Any province unwilling to join the Indian dominion could form a separate union
and have a separate constitution.
o The transfer of power and the rights of minorities would be safeguarded by negotiations
between the Constituent Assembly and the British government.
o In the meantime, until this new constitution came into force, India’s defence would be
controlled by the British and the powers of the Governor-General would remain
unaltered.
Significance
o For the first time, the British government acknowledged India’s right to be a
dominion.
o Indians could frame their own Constitution.

o The proposal of giving freedom to the provinces to be a separate union turned out to
be a model for the country’s partition in 1947.
o The right to cede from the Commonwealth indicated full sovereignty at a later stage.
o In the interim period, Indians were guaranteed a good share in the administration.
Failure
o The proposals were seen as too radical by the British and as too conservative by the
INC who wanted complete independence.
o The Mission was rejected by the INC, the Muslim League and other Indian groups.
o The Hindu Mahasabha and the Liberals were against the right of states to secede.
o The Depressed Classes objected because they were apprehensive about their status in a
country where they would be in a minority.
o It is also believed that the mission failed because of a clear lack of support for it by the
Viceroy Linlithgow, British PM Winston Churchill and the Secretary of State for
India, Leo Amery.
INC rejected the Cripps Mission for the following Muslim League rejected the
reasons: Cripps Mission for the following
1. The INC was against the provinces’ right to reasons:
separately form unions as this was damaging to 1. They did not like the idea of a
national unity. single union of India.
2. They were also against the Governor-General’s 2. They protested against the
power being retained as against him being only a method for the Constituent
constitutional head. Assembly’s creation and also
3. They also protested the lack of share in defence. against the procedure to decide on
4. 4. There was no concrete plan for the immediate the provinces’ accession to the
transfer of power. Indian union.
QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT

o Mumbai’s Gowalia Tank Maidan also known as August Kranti Maidan is the place
where the quit India movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi.
o He along with other leaders gathered here on August 8 and 9, 1942.
o The outcome of the movement was that Congress was declared an unlawful association and its
offices all over the country were raided.
o The leaders were arrested and there rose a chaotic moment with this incident.
Facts
o Also known as the India August Movement or August Kranti.
o It was officially launched by the Indian National Congress (INC) led by Mahatma Gandhi on 8
August 1942.
o The movement gave the slogans ‘Quit India’ or ‘Bharat Chodo’. Gandhi gave the slogan to
the people – ‘Do or die’.
o In line with the Congress ideology, it was supposed to be a peaceful non-violent movement aimed
at urging the British to grant India independence.
o The Quit India Resolution was passed by the Congress Working Committee on 8 August 1942 in
Bombay. Gandhi was named the movement’s leader.
o The resolution stated the provisions of the movement as:
 An immediate end to British rule over India.
 Declaration of the commitment of free India to defend itself against all kinds of
imperialism and fascism.
 Formation of a provisional government of India after British withdrawal.
 Sanctioning a civil disobedience movement against British rule.
o Gandhi’s instructions to various sections of the public:

 Government servants: do not resign your job but proclaim loyalty to the INC.
 Soldiers: be with the army but refrain from firing on compatriots.
 Peasants: pay the agreed-upon rent if the landlords/Zamindars are anti-government; if they are
pro-government, do not pay the rent.
 Students: can leave studies if they are confident enough.
 Princes: support the people and accept the sovereignty of them.
 People of the princely states: support the ruler only if he is anti-government; declare
themselves as part of the Indian nation.
Causes of Quit India Movement

o The Second World War had started in 1939 and Japan, which was part of the Axis Powers
that were opposed to the British in the war were gaining onto the north-eastern frontiers
of India.
o The British had abandoned their territories in South-East Asia and had left their
population in the lurch. This act did not garner much faith among the Indian population who
had doubts about the British ability to defend India against Axis aggression.
o Gandhi also believed that if the British left India, Japan would not have enough reason
to invade India.
o Apart from hearing news about British setbacks in the war, the war-time difficulties such as high
prices of essential commodities fostered resentment against the British government.
o The failure of the Cripps Mission to guarantee any kind of a constitutional remedy to
India’s problems also led to the INC calling for a mass civil disobedience movement.
Response to Quit India Movement
o The British government responded to the call of Gandhi by arresting all major Congress
leaders the very next day. Gandhi, Nehru, Patel, etc. were all arrested.
o This left the movement in the hands of the younger leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan
and Ram Manohar Lohia.
o New leaders like Aruna Asaf Ali emerged out of the vacuum of leadership.
o Over 100000 people were arrested in connection with this movement. The government resorted
to violence in order to quell the agitation. They were mass floggings and lathi charges. Even
women and children were not spared. About 10000 people died in police firing in total.
o There was no communal violence.
o The INC was banned.
o Its leaders were jailed for almost the whole of the war. Gandhi was released on health grounds in
1944.
o The people responded to Gandhi’s call in a major way. However, in the absence of leadership,
there were stray incidences of violence and damage to government property. Many buildings
were set on fire, electricity lines were cut and communication and transport lines were broken.
o Some parties did not support the movement. There was opposition from the Muslim
League, the Communist Party of India and the Hindu Mahasabha.
o The League was not in favour of the British leaving India without partitioning the country first. In
fact, Jinnah asked more Muslims to enlist in the army to fight the war.
o The Communist party supported the war waged by the British since they were allied
with the Soviet Union.
o Subhas Chandra Bose, was by this time, organizing the Indian National Army and
the Azad Hind government from outside the country.
o C Rajagopalachari, resigned from the INC since he was not in favour of complete
independence.
o In general, the Indian bureaucracy did not support the Quit India Movement.
o There were strikes and demonstrations all over the country. Despite the communist group’s lack
of support to the movement, workers provided support by not working in the factories.
o In some places, parallel governments were also set up. Example: Ballia, Tamluk,
Satara.
o The chief areas of the movement were UP Bihar, Maharashtra, Midnapore, and
Karnataka.
o The movement lasted till 1944.
Importance
o Despite heavy-handed suppression by the government, the people were unfazed and continued
their struggle.
o Even though the government said that independence could be granted only after the end of the
war, the movement drove home the point that India could not be governed without the
support of the Indians.
o The movement placed the demand for complete independence at the top agenda of the
freedom movement.
o Public morale and anti-British sentiment were enhanced.
INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY

o The Indian National Army (Also known as the Azad Hind Fauj) was an armed force formed by
Indian Nationalists in 1942, through the patronage of the Imperial Japanese Army, to secure the
Independence of India.
Background of the INA

o Following the outbreak of World War II, Japan invaded South East Asia.
o At the time 70,000 troops were
stationed in the region, most of them
along the Malayan coast.
o Japan conducted a lightning
campaign which culminated in the
fall of the Malayan peninsula
and Singapore in 1942.
o In the Singapore campaign alone,
45,000 Indian prisoners of war were
captured. It was from these prisoners
of war that the Japanese decided
to create an auxiliary army
which would fight against the
British.
o The first INA was formed under Mohan Singh, a former officer of the British Indian Army
captured during the Malay campaign. Conditions in the prisoner of war camps, as well as
resentment against the British in general, saw many prisoners of war volunteer join the Indian
National Army
o The initiative received considerable support from the Imperial Japanese Army and from the
ethnic Indian population of South-East Asia. However, disagreements between Mohan
Singh and Japanese Army Command regarding the autonomy of the Indian National Army
led to the disbandment of the first INA in December 1942.
Subash Chandra Bose and the second INA

o Although Mohan Singh had angered the Japanese Army Command through his actions, they
relented to form a second Indian National Army.
o Mohan Singh himself recommended that Subash Chandra Bose for the leadership
role. His reputation as a committed nationalist was known to both the Indian diaspora of South
East Asia and the Imperial Japanese Army. As such, they were more open to the idea of a
nationalist army led by Subash Chandra Bose.
o The activities of Subash Chandra Bose in India had forced the British authorities to
imprison him, but he escaped and reached Berlin in 1941.
o Although the German leadership were sympathetic to his cause, logistic problems prevented
them from granting any support to his quest for raising an army to fight the British. However, the
Japanese were ready to support him and upon their personal invitation, Subash Chandra Bose
arrived in Singapore in July 1943 to take command of what would be known as the second
Indian National Army, now known by its alternative name as the Azad Hind Fauj.
Operations of the Azad Hind Fauj

o After Subash Chandra Bose took command of the Azad Hind Fauj, there was a swell of volunteers
looking to join the INA.
o Although Subash Chandra Bose
agreed for the INA to remain
subordinate to the Japanese
Army, he saw it as a necessary
sacrifice towards the fulfilment
of the ultimate goal of freeing
India from the British Empire.
o The Azad Hind Fauj participated
in operation U-Go, the 1944
Japanese campaign towards
British India.
o Although the INA saw initial
success during the early phases of the operation, they were forced to withdraw during the battle
of Imphal and battle of Kohima (Fought on April 4th, 1944) which saw the disastrous defeat
for the Japanese Army at the hands of the British.
o The INA lost a substantial number of men and material in this retreat. A number of units were
disbanded or used to feed into new divisions of the now declining Japanese Army
o Following the Japanese defeat in World War 2, most of the members of the INA were captured by
the British. Subash Chandra Bose himself eluded capture and was reported to have died in a
plane crash near Taiwan in September 1945.
C R FORMULA
Background
o During the Second World War, the British government, under the viceroyalty of Lord
Linlithgow had said that any move towards an Indian statehood would be possible only if the
Indian National Congress (INC) and the Muslim League resolve their differences.
o The League was increasingly demanding a separate nation of Pakistan for the Muslims whereas
the INC was against the partitioning of the country.
o To break this deadlock between the two major political parties in India, C Rajagopalachari,
INC member who was close to Mahatma Gandhi, proposed a set of plans called the
C R Formula or Rajaji Formula.
o This was the first acknowledgement by a Congressman about the inevitability of the
partition of the country and a tacit acceptance of Pakistan.
Proposals
o The Muslim League would join hands with the INC to demand independence from the
British.
o Both parties would cooperate and form a provisional government at the centre.
o After the war, a commission would be entrusted with the task of demarcating those
areas with an absolute majority of Muslims and a plebiscite to be held in those areas
where all the inhabitants (Muslims and non-Muslims) would vote based on adult suffrage
whether to form a separate sovereign nation or not.
o In case of partition, joint agreements to be made for the safeguarding of defence,
communications and commerce.
o The above terms to come to fruition only if Britain transfers full powers to India.
o In 1944, Gandhi and M A Jinnah held talks on the basis of the Rajaji Formula.
o The talks were a failure as Jinnah had objections to the proposal.
Jinnah’s objections
o He wanted the INC to accept the Two-Nation Theory.
o He did not want the entire population of the Muslim majority areas to vote on the
plebiscite, but only the Muslim population in those areas.
o He was also against the idea of a common centre. Also, Jinnah wanted separate dominions
to be created before the English left India.
o The Sikhs also looked upon the formula unfavourably because the formula meant a
division of Punjab. Although the Sikhs were a big chunk of the population, there were not in
the majority in any of the district.
o V D Savarkar and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee of the Hindu Mahasabha and Srinivas
Sastri of the National Liberal Federation were also against the C R Formula.
o The INC, which was hitherto opposed to the partition of the country was willing to give some
concessions to get the League on board for talks for independence, but the League was more
interested in Pakistan than freedom.
DESAI-LIAQAT PACT,1945
o M.K. Gandhi convinced that the British rulers would not grant independence to India unless and
until the Congress and Muslim League reach some conclusion on the future of the country or the
immediate formation of the Interim National Government.
o Hence, Gandhi directed Bhulabhai Desai, the leader of the Congress party in the Central
Legislative Assembly, to talk with the league leaders and find a way out of the political
deadlocks.
o Bhulabhai Desai met Liaqat Ali Khan, deputy leader of the Muslim League in the
Central Legislative Assembly, and both of them came up with the draft proposal for the
formation of an interim government at the centre, consisting of-
 an equal number of persons nominated by the Congress and the league in the central legislature;
 20% reserved seats for minorities
WAVELL PLAN AND SHIMLA CONFERENCE

o The Wavell Plan was first presented at the Shimla Conference in 1945. It was named after
Viceroy of India, Lord Wavell.
o The Shimla Conference was convened in order to agree on the Wavell Plan for Indian
self-government, which provided for separate representations on communal lines.
o Both the plan and the conference failed on account of the Muslim League and the Indian
National Congress not coming to an agreement.
Background
o The Second World War had caused many socio-economic problems in the British Empire,
especially when it came to maintaining their overseas colonies.
o Thus the British Government saw it fit to grant India the freedom it had been
demanding for so long. In addition, the Quit India Movement and an increase in revolutionary
activity only made the British position in India tenuous at best.
o Lord Wavell, who became the Viceroy in 1943, was charged with presenting a
formula for the future government of India that would be acceptable to both the Indian
National Congress and the All-India Muslim League, allowing for a smooth transition of power.
o Lord Wavell was considered an apt person for this task as he had been the head of the Indian
Army and thus had a better understanding of the Indian situation.
Proposal
o In May 1945 Wavell visited London and discussed his ideas with the British Government.
o These London talks resulted in the formulation of a definite plan of action which was officially
made public simultaneously on 14 June 1945 by L.S. Amery, the Secretary of State for
India.
o The Wavell Plan proposed the following:
 The Viceroy’s Executive Council was to have all Indian members except the Viceroy
himself and the Commander-in-Chief.
 The council was to have a ‘balanced representation’ of all Indians including ‘caste-
Hindus’, Muslims, Depressed Classes, Sikhs, etc. Muslims were given 6 out of 14 members which
accounted for more than their share of the population (25%).
 The Viceroy/Governor-General would still have the power of veto but its use would be
minimal.
 The foreign affairs portfolio would be transferred from the Governor-General to an
Indian member. The defence would be handled by a British general until the full transfer of
power was made.
 A conference would be convened by the Viceroy to get a list of all the members recommended to
the Council from all parties concerned. In case a joint list was not agreed upon, separate lists
would be taken from the parties. This was to be the Shimla Conference.
 If this plan worked, similar councils would be formed in all provinces comprising of local leaders.
What happened at the Shimla Conference?

o Lord Wavell invited 21 political leaders including Mahatma Gandhi and M A Jinnah
to Shimla, the summer capital of British India to discuss the Wavell Plan on June 25th,
1945.
o The conference was a failure because the League and the Congress could not settle their
differences.
o Jinnah insisted that only League members could be the Muslim representatives in
the Council, and opposed to the Congress nominating Muslim members. This was
because Jinnah wanted the League to be the sole representative of Muslims in India. Congress
would never agree to this demand.
o In the Wavell Plan, there were 6 Muslim representatives out of 14 members, which was
more than the Muslim share of the population. Despite this, the League wanted the power
of veto to any constitutional proposal which it believed was not in its interest. Congress opposed
this unreasonable demand also.
o Jinnah refused to give the names to the council unless the government acknowledged that only
the Muslim League was the exclusive representative of Indian Muslims.
o The Wavell Plan, thus, was dissolved with the failure of the conference. And with it the last
chance to avoid partition.
o After this, the war ended and a new Labour government was elected in Britain. This new
government was intent on giving independence to India without much delay and sent the Cabinet
Mission with that purpose.
CABINET MISSION 1946

o Cabinet Mission was a high-powered mission sent in February 1946 to India by the Atlee
Government (British
Prime Minister.)
o The mission had three
British cabinet members –
Pethick Lawrence
(Secretary of State for
India), Stafford Cripps
(President of the Board
of Trade), and A.V.
Alexander (First Lord of
Admiralty).
o The Cabinet Mission’s aim
was to discuss the
transfer of power from
British to Indian leadership.
o You should know that Lord
Wavell was not a member of
the Cabinet Mission but was involved.
Objectives
o To obtain an agreement with the Indian leaders as to the framing of a constitution for
India.
o To formulate a constitution-making body (the Constituent Assembly of India).
o To establish an Executive Council with the support of the major Indian parties.
Reasons of Failure
o The Congress Party wanted a strong centre with minimum powers for the provinces.
o The Muslim League wanted strong political safeguards for the Muslims like parity in the
legislatures.
o Since both parties had many ideological differences and could not find common ground, the
mission came up with its own set of proposals in May 1946.
o The Dominion of India would be granted independence, without any partition.
o The provinces would be divided into three groups/sections:
 Group A: Madras, Central Provinces, UP, Bihar, Bombay and Orissa
 Group B: Punjab, Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan
 Group C: Bengal and Assam
o The Muslim-majority provinces were grouped into two groups and the remaining Hindu-majority
in one of the groups.
o The central government at Delhi would have powers over the defence, foreign
affairs, communications and currency. The rest of the powers would be vested with the
provinces.
o A constituent assembly would be set up for writing a new constitution for the country.
o An interim government would be established until a new government was formed
on the basis of the constitution written by the constituent assembly.
o The Congress was not keen on the idea of the groupings of provinces on the basis of
Hindu-Muslim majority and vying for control at the centre. It was also against the idea of a
weak centre. The Muslim League did not want any changes to the proposals.
o Since the plan was not accepted, a new plan was proposed by the mission in June 1946. This plan
proposed the division of India into a Hindu-majority India and a Muslim-majority
India later to be renamed Pakistan.
o A list of princely states was also made that could either join the union or remain
independent.
o The Congress Party under Jawaharlal Nehru did not accept the second plan. Instead, it
agreed to be part of the constituent assembly.
o The Viceroy invited 14 men to form the interim government. There were 5 from the Congress, 5
from the League, 1 member each representing the Sikh, Parsee, Indian Christian and scheduled
caste communities.
o Both the League and the Congress were given the right to nominate 5 members to the Viceroy’s
interim council. The Congress nominated Zakir Hussain as one of the members to
which the League objected saying only it represented Indian Muslims and no other party.
The Muslim League did not take part in it.
o The Congress leaders entered the viceroy’s interim council and thus Nehru headed the
interim government. The new government began the task of framing a constitution for the
country.
o Congress-led governments were formed in most provinces including the NWFP. In
Bengal and Sind, the League formed the governments.
o Jinnah and the League objected to the new central government. He geared to agitate
for Pakistan and urged Muslims to demand Pakistan by any means. He called for ‘Direct Action
Day’ on 16 August 1946.
o This call led to widespread communal rioting in the country with 5000 people being killed on the
first day in Calcutta. Communal riots spread to many other areas notably Noakhali and Bihar.
o There was a call for the partitioning of the country on account of the riots.
o Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the first Congress leaders to acknowledge the
inevitability of the partition as a means to stop the brutal violence.
INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT 1947

o Lord Mountbatten (India’s last viceroy) proposed a plan in May 1947 according to which
provinces were to be declared independent successor states with the power to choose whether to
join the constituent assembly or not.
Mountbatten Plan background

o Lord Mountbatten came to
India as the last Viceroy
and was assigned the
task of a speedy
transfer of power by
the then British Prime
Minister Clement
Atlee.
o In May 1947,
Mountbatten came up
with a plan under
which he proposed
that the provinces be
declared independent
successor states and
then be allowed to choose whether to join the constituent assembly or not. This plan was called
the ‘Dickie Bird Plan’.
o Jawaharlal Nehru when apprised of the plan, vehemently opposed it saying it would lead to
Balkanisation of the country. Hence, this plan was also called Plan Balkan.
o Then, the viceroy came up with another plan called the June 3 Plan. This plan was the last plan
for Indian independence. It is also called the Mountbatten Plan.
o The June 3 Plan included the principles of partition, autonomy, sovereignty to both
nations, right to make their own constitution.
o Above all, the Princely States such as Jammu and Kashmir were given a choice to
either join India or Pakistan. The consequences of these choices would affect the new
nations for decades to come.
o This plan was accepted by both the Congress and the Muslim League. By then, the Congress had
also accepted the inevitability of the partition.
o This plan was put into action by the Indian Independence Act 1947 which was passed in
the British Parliament and received the royal assent on 18 July 1947.
Provisions of the Mountbatten Plan
o British India was to be partitioned into two dominions – India and Pakistan.
o The constitution framed by the Constituent Assembly would not be applicable to the
Muslim-majority areas (as these would become Pakistan). The question of a separate
constituent assembly for the Muslim-majority areas would be decided by these provinces.
o As per the plan, the legislative assemblies of Bengal and Punjab met and voted for the
partition. Accordingly, it was decided to partition these two provinces along religious lines.
o The legislative assembly of Sind would decide whether to join the Indian constituent
assembly or not. It decided to go to Pakistan.
o A referendum was to be held on NWFP (North-Western Frontier Province) to decide
which dominion to join. NWFP decided to join Pakistan while Khan Abdul Gaffar
Khan boycotted and rejected the referendum.
o The date for the transfer of power was to be August 15, 1947.
o To fix the international boundaries between the two countries, the Boundary Commission was
established chaired by Sir Cyril Radcliffe. The commission was to demarcate Bengal and
Punjab into the two new countries.
o The princely states were given the choice to either remain independent or accede to
India or Pakistan. The British suzerainty over these kingdoms was terminated.
o The British monarch would no longer use the title ‘Emperor of India’.
o After the dominions were created, the British Parliament could not enact any law in the
territories of the new dominions.
o Until the time the new constitutions came into existence, the Governor-General would assent any
law passed by the constituent assemblies of the dominions in His Majesty’s name. The
Governor-General was made a constitutional head.
o On the midnight of 14th and 15th August 1947, the dominions of Pakistan and India respectively
came into existence.
o Lord Mountbatten was appointed the first Governor-General of independent India and M .A.
Jinnah became the Governor-General of Pakistan.
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RAPID REVISION BOOK-2

Highlights of this book:

o Curation of content as per relevance with the coming examination.

MODERN INDIA MADHAV RAO (c. 1761 – 1772 CE) 13

SHIELD IAS RAPID REVISION BOOK - 2

DECCAN RIOT OF 1875 52 POONA PACT 93

MAJOR TRIBAL UPRISINGS 53 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA ACT 1935 94

KOL REBELLION (1832) 53 AUGUST OFFER 96

SANTHAL HUL (1855-1856) 53 CRIPPS MISSION 97

MUNDA ULGULAN (1899 – 1900) 54 QUIT INDIA MOVEMENT 98

NATIONAL MOVEMENT 55 INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY 101

INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS 55 C R FORMULA 102

PARTITION OF BENGAL 1905 58 CABINET MISSION 1946 105

INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT – 60 INDIAN INDEPENDENCE ACT 1947 107

SHIELD IAS RAPID REVISION BOOK - 2

COMING OF EUROPEANS IN INDIA

Portuguese Contributions to India

Causes of Decline of Portuguese in India

First Carnatic War

Effects of the First Carnatic War

Second Carnatic War

Course of the Second Carnatic War

Effects of the Second Carnatic War

Third Carnatic War

Course of the war

Effects of the War

Reasons for French failure

INDIA IN 18th CENTURY

Bahadur Shah /Shah Alam/Muazzam (c. 1707 – 1712 CE)

Jahandar Shah (c. 1712 – 1713 CE)

Farrukh Siyar (c. 1713 – 1719 CE)

Rafi-us-Darajat (c. 1719 CE)

Rafi-us-Daula (c. 1719 CE)

Muhammad Shah (Rangeela)/Roshan Akhtar (c. 1719 – 1748 CE)

Invasion of Nadir Shah (c. 1739 CE)

Ahmad Shah (c. 1748 – 1757 CE)

Alamgir II (c. 1754 – 1759 CE)

Ali Gauhar/Shah Alam II (c. 1759 – 1806 CE)

Akbar II (C. 1806 – 1837 CE)

Bahadur Shah II /Zafar (c. 1837 – 1857 CE)

Balaji Vishwanath Bhatt (c. 1713 – 1719 CE)

Baji Rao I (c. 1720 – 1740 CE)

Balaji Baji Rao I/Nana Sahib I (c. 1740 – 1761 CE)

Madhav Rao (c. 1761 – 1772 CE)

Sawai Madhav Rao (c. 1774 – 1795 CE)

Baji Rao II (c. 1796 – 1818 CE)

CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI’S ADMINISTRATION

Sar-i-Naubat or Military commander, an honorary post.

Surnavis or who looked after official correspondence

Pandita Rao Charities and religious administration

Prants (Province) ⇒ Subedar supervised by Sarsubedar

Robert Clive’s Rule of Bengal

Reasons for the Battle of Plassey

Other reasons that supported the coming of this battle were: