Indian Rebellion of 1857

Indian Modern History (1857-1947)

The Indian Rebellion of 1857

• Causes:
  • Heavy taxation
  • British exploitation of Indian resources
  • Social and cultural changes
  • Discontent among Indian soldiers (Sepoys)
• Key events:
  • The rebellion began in Meerut on May 10, 1857
  • The last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was declared the Emperor of India
  • The rebellion spread across North India, but was eventually suppressed by the British
• Consequences:
  • The British Crown took over the administration of India from the East India Company
  • The Indian Army was reorganized
  • The British began to adopt a more cautious approach to Indian politics and society

The Indian National Congress (1885)

• Founded by:
  • A.O. Hume, a British civil servant
  • Indian nationalists, including Dadabhai Naoroji and W.C. Bonnerjee
• Objectives:
  • To promote Indian interests and demands
  • To bring together Indians from different regions and backgrounds
  • To press for Indian representation in the government
• Early years:
  • The Congress was initially moderate and loyal to the British
  • It demanded greater Indian participation in the government, but not independence

The Rise of Extremism (1900s)

• Factors contributing to the rise of extremism:
  • The partition of Bengal in 1905
  • The British suppression of the Swadeshi movement
  • The influence of Western nationalist ideologies
• Key figures:
  • Lala Lajpat Rai
  • Bal Gangadhar Tilak
  • Bipin Chandra Pal
• Extremist demands:
  • Swaraj (self-rule) or complete independence from British rule
  • The use of boycotts and non-cooperation to achieve goals

The Gandhian Era (1915-1947)

• Mahatma Gandhi's influence:
  • He introduced non-violent resistance and civil disobedience as a means of protest
  • He emphasized the importance of Indian self-reliance and self-sufficiency
  • He led the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) and the Salt March (1930)
• Key events:
  • The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919
  • The Round Table Conferences (1930-1932)
  • The Quit India Movement (1942)

The Freedom Struggle (1940s)

• The final push for independence:
  • The Indian National Army (INA) was formed in 1942
  • The INA, led by Subhas Chandra Bose, fought against the British in Southeast Asia
  • The British government began to consider granting independence to India
• The Mountbatten Plan (1947):
  • The plan proposed the partition of British India into India and Pakistan
  • The plan was accepted by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League
  • India and Pakistan gained independence on August 15, 1947

Indian Modern History (1857-1947)

The Indian Rebellion of 1857

• Heavy taxation, British exploitation of Indian resources, and social and cultural changes caused discontent among Indian soldiers (Sepoys) leading to the rebellion
• The rebellion began in Meerut on May 10, 1857, and spread across North India before being suppressed by the British
• Last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, was declared the Emperor of India during the rebellion
• British Crown took over the administration of India from the East India Company as a consequence
• Indian Army was reorganized, and the British adopted a more cautious approach to Indian politics and society

The Indian National Congress (1885)

• Founded by A.O. Hume, a British civil servant, and Indian nationalists, including Dadabhai Naoroji and W.C. Bonnerjee
• Objectives included promoting Indian interests and demands, bringing together Indians from different regions and backgrounds, and pressing for Indian representation in the government
• Initially, the Congress was moderate and loyal to the British, demanding greater Indian participation in the government but not independence

The Rise of Extremism (1900s)

• Factors contributing to the rise of extremism included the partition of Bengal in 1905, British suppression of the Swadeshi movement, and the influence of Western nationalist ideologies
• Key figures of the extremist movement included Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal
• Extremist demands included Swaraj (self-rule) or complete independence from British rule, and the use of boycotts and non-cooperation to achieve goals

The Gandhian Era (1915-1947)

• Mahatma Gandhi introduced non-violent resistance and civil disobedience as a means of protest
• Gandhi emphasized the importance of Indian self-reliance and self-sufficiency
• Led the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922) and the Salt March (1930)
• Key events included the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in 1919, the Round Table Conferences (1930-1932), and the Quit India Movement (1942)

The Freedom Struggle (1940s)

• The Indian National Army (INA) was formed in 1942, led by Subhas Chandra Bose, and fought against the British in Southeast Asia
• The British government began to consider granting independence to India
• The Mountbatten Plan (1947) proposed the partition of British India into India and Pakistan
• India and Pakistan gained independence on August 15, 1947