Indian History

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Chief National Activities of India

The Indian National Congress

• It was formed in 1885 by AO Hume.
• The first session was held in Bombay under WC Banerjee in 1885, attended by 72 delegates from all over India.
• Moderate leaders Dadabhai Naoroji, Badruddin Tayabji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Surendranath Banerjee, Anand Muhan Bose.

Partition of Bengal (1905)

• By Lord Curzon on 16 October, 1905 through a royal proclamation, reducing the old province of Bengal in size by creating East Bengal and Assam out of the rest of Bengal.

Swadeshi Movement (1905)

• Had its origin in the anti-partition movement of Bengal.
• Lal, Bal, Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh played an important role.
• INC took the swadeshi call first at the Banaras Session, 1905 presided over by GK Gokhale.

Muslim league (1906)

• Setup in 1906 by Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah of Dhaka and Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk. The League supported the partition of Bengal and opposed the Swadeshi Movement, demanded special safeguards to its community and a separate electorate for Muslims. This led to communal differences between Hindus and Muslims.

Surat Session (1907)

• The INC split into two groups – The extremists and the moderates, due to the debate on nature ofSwadeshi Movement.
• Extremists were led by Bal, Lal, Pal while the moderates by GK Gokhale.

Minto Morley Reforms (1909)

• The reforms envisaged a separate electorate for Muslims besides other Constitutional measures.

Ghadar Party (1913)

• Formed by Lala Hardayal, Taraknath Das and Sohan Singh Bhakna. Head Quarter – San Francisco. The name was taken from a weekly paper, Ghadar, which had been started on November 1, 1913 to commemorate the 1857 Revolt.

Home Rule Movement (1916)

• Started by BG Tilak (April, 1916) at Poona and Annie Besant and S Subramania Iyer at Adyar, near Madras (September, 1916).
• Objective Self-Government for India in the British Empire.
• Tilak supported the movement and joined Annie Besant. He raised the slogan: Swaraj is my Birth right and I will have it.

Lucknow Pact (1916)

• Pact between INC and Muslim league following a war between Britain and Turkey leading to anti-British feelings among Muslims. Both organizations jointly demand dominion status for the country.

Rowlatt Act (March 18, 1919)

• This gave unbridled powers to the government to arrest and imprison suspects without trail. This law enabled the Government to suspend the right of Habeas Corpus, which had been the foundation of civil liberties in Britain.
• Rowlatt Satyagrah was started against the act. This was the first country wide agitation by Gandhiji.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (April 13, 1919)

• People were agitated over the arrest of Dr Kitchlu and Dr Satyapal on April 10, 1919.
• General O’ Dyer fired at people who assembled in the Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. Hunter Commission was appointed to enquire into it. Sardar Udham Singh killed General Dyer in Caxton Hall, London.

Khilafat Movement (1920)

• Muslims were agitated by the treatment done with Turkey by the British in the treaty that followed theFirst World War.
• Ali brothers, Mohd Ali and Shaukat Ali started this movement. It was jointly led by the Khilafat leaders and the Congress.

Non-Cooperation Movement (1920)

• Congress passed the resolution in its Calcutta Session in September, 1920.
• It was the first mass-based political movement under Gandhiji.
• Refusal to attend government durbars and boycott of British courts by the lawyers.

Chauri-Chaura Incident (1922)

• The Congress Session at Allahabad in December 1921, decided to launch a Civil Disobedience Movement. Gandhiji was appointed its leader. But before it could be launched, a mob of people at Chauri-Chaura (near Gorkhpur) clashed with the police and burnt 22 police men on February 5, 1922.
• This compelled Gandhiji to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement on February 12, 1922.

Swaraj Party (1923)

• Motilal Nehru, CR Das and NC Kelkar (called Pro-changers) demanded that the nationalist should end the boycott of the Legislative Councils, enter them and expose them.

Simon Commission (1927)

• Constituted by John Simon, to review the political situation in India and to introduce further reforms and extension of parliamentary democracy.
• Indian leaders opposed the Commission, as there were no Indians in it they cried Simon Go Back.
• The Government used brutal repression and at Lahore. Lala Lajpat Rai was severely beaten in lathi-charge.

The Nehru Report (1928)

• After boycotting the Simon Commission, all political parties constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Motilal Nehru and Tej Bahadur Sapru to evolve and determine the principles for theConstitution of India. The report failed.

Lahore Session (1929)

• On December 19, 1929, under the presidentship of JL Nehru, the INC, at its Lahore Session, declaredPoorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) as its ultimate goal.
• The tri-colour flag adopted on December 31, 1929, was unfurled, and January 26, 1930 was fixed as the First Independence Day, to be celebrated every year. Later this day was chosen as the Republic Day of India.

Dandi March (1930)

• Also called the Salt Satyagraha.
• Gandhiji started his march from Sabarmati Ashram on March 12, 1930 for the small village Dandi to break the salt law.
• He picked a handful of salt and inaugurated the Civil Disobedience Movement.

National Activities of India (1930-1947)

First Round Table Conference (1930)

• It was the first conference arranged between the British and Indians as equals. It was held on November 12, 1930 in London to discuss Simon Commission.
• Hindu Mahasabha and Muslim League participated in it. The Conference failed due to absence of INC.

Gandhi Irwin Pact (1931)

• The government represented by Lord Irwin and INC by Gandhiji signed a pact on March 5, 1931.
• In this the INC called off the Civil Disobedience Movement and agreed to join the Second Round Table Conference.
• The Government allowed the villagers on the coast to make salt for consumption and released the political prisoners.
• The Karachi Session of 1931 endorsed the Gandhi Irwin Pact.

Second Round Table conference (1931)

• Gandhiji represented the Indian National Congress and went to London to meet British Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald. The conference however failed as Gandhiji could not agree with British Prime Minister on his Policy of communal representation and refusal of the British Government on the basic Indian demand for freedom.

Poona Pact (September 25, 1932)

Gandhi-Ambedkar Pact

• The idea of separate electorate for the depressed classes was abandoned, but seats reserved for them in the provincial legislature were increased. Thus, Poona Pact agreed upon a joint electorate for upper and lower castes.

Third Round Table Conference (1932)

• Proved fruitless as most of the national leaders were in prison.

August Offer (8 August, 1940)

The Cripps Mission (1942)

• The British Government with a view to get co-operation from Indians in II World War, sent Sir Stafford Cripps to settle with Indian leaders.
• He offered dominion status to be grated after war.
• Congress rejected it. Gandhiji termed it as post dated cheque on a crashing bank.

The Revolt of 1942 and the Quit India Movement

• Called the Vardha Proposal and Leaderless Revolt.
• The resolution was passed on August 8, 1942, at Bombay Gandhiji gave the slogan ‘Do or Die’.
• On August 1, the Congress was banned and its important leaders were arrested. Gandhiji was kept at the Aga Khan Palace, Pune.
• The people became violent. The movement was, however, crushed by the government.

Indian National Army (INA)

• Subhash Chandra Bose has escaped to Berlin in 1941 and set up an Indian League there. In July 1943, he joined the INA at Singapore. Ras Bihari Bose handed over the leadership to him.
• INA had three fighting brigades names after Gandhi, Azad and Nehru. Rani of Jhansi Brigade was an exclusive women force.
• INA headquarters at Rangoon and Singapore.

The Cabinet Mission Plan (1946)

• Members Wavell, Patrick Lawrence, Alexander, Stafford Cripps.
• Main proposals

1. Rejection of demand for full fledge Pakistan.
2. Loose union under a centre with control over defence and foreign affairs.
3. Provinces were to have full autonomy and residual powers.
4. Provincial legislatures would elect a Constituent Assembly.

• Both Congress and Muslim League accepted it.

Formation of Interim Government (September 2, 1946)

• It came into existence on 2 September, 1946 in accordance with Cabinet Mission proposals and was headed by JL Nehru. Muslim League refused to join it initially.
• Prime Minister Atlee on 20th February, 1947 announced that British would withdraw from India by 30 June, 1948.

Formation of Constituent Assembly (December, 1946)

• The Constituent Assembly met on December 9, 1946 and Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as its President of India.

Jinnah’s-Direct Action Resolution (August 16, 1946)

• The election result did not favour ML, so Jinnah withdrew his acceptance to Cabinet Mission Plan.
• ML passed a ‘Direct Action’ resolution, which condemned both the British Government and the Congress (August 16, 1946). It resulted in heavy communal riots.
• Jinnah celebrated Pakistan Day on March 27, 1947.

Mountbatten Plan (June 3, 1947)

• India to be divided into India and Pakistan.
• There would be a separate Constitutional Assembly for Pakistan to frame its Constitution.
• The Princely states would enjoy the liberty to join either India or Pakistan or even remain independent.
• Bengal and Punjab will be partitioned and a referendum in NEFP and Sylhet district of Assam would be held.
• A separate state of Pakistan would be erected.
• Boundary Commission was to be headed by Radcliffe.

Partition and Independence (August 1947)

• Indian Independence Act, 1947 implemented on 15^th August 1947, abolished the sovereignty of British Parliament.
• Dominions of India and Pakistan were created. Eachdominion was to have a Governor-General.
• Pakistan was to comprise Sind, British Baluchistan, NWFP, West Punjab and East Bengal. At the time of independence there were 562 big and small pricely states in India.
• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first home minister, integrated all the states by 15^th August 1947. Kashmir, Hyderabad, Junagarh, Goa (with Portuguese) and Pondicherry (with French) later acceded to Indian federation.

1. Source-Archaeological sources:

2. Pre-history and Proto-history :

3. Indus Valley Civilization :

4. Megalithic Cultures :

5. Aryans and Vedic Period :

6. Period of Mahajanapadas :

7. Mauryan Empire :

8. Post-Mauryan Period (Indo-Greeks, Sakas, Kushanas, Western Kshatrapas) :

9. Early State and Society in Eastern India, Deccan and South India:

• Guptas, Vakatakas and Vardhanas:

• Regional States during Gupta Era:

• Themes in Early Indian Cultural History:

• Early Medieval India, 750-1200:
• Polity: Major political developments in Northern India and the peninsula, origin and the rise of Rajputs.
• The Cholas: administration, village economy and society “Indian Feudalism”.
• Agrarian economy and urban settlements.
• Trade and commerce.
• Society: the status of the Brahman and the new social order.
• Condition of women.
• Indian science and technology.
• Cultural Traditions in India, 750-1200:
• Philosophy: Skankaracharya and Vedanta, Ramanuja and Vishishtadvaita, Madhva and Brahma-Mimansa.
• Religion: Forms and features of religion, Tamil devotional cult, growth of Bhakti, Islam and its arrival in India, Sufism.
• Literature: Literature in Sanskrit, growth of Tamil literature, literature in the newly developing languages, Kalhan’s Rajtarangini, Alberuni’s India .
• Art and Architecture: Temple architecture, sculpture, painting.

15. The Thirteenth Century:

• Establishment of the Delhi Sultanate: The Ghurian invasions – factors behind Ghurian success.
• Economic, Social and cultural consequences.
• Foundation of Delhi Sultanate and early Turkish Sultans.
• Consolidation: The rule of Iltutmish and Balban.

16. The Fourteenth Century:

• “The Khalji Revolution”.
• Alauddin Khalji: Conquests and territorial expansion, agrarian and economic measure.
• Muhammad Tughluq: Major projects, agrarian measures, bureaucracy of Muhammad Tughluq.
• Firuz Tugluq: Agrarian measures, achievements in civil engineering and public works, decline of the Sultanate, foreign contacts and Ibn Battuta’s account.

17. Society, Culture and Economy in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries:

• Society: composition of rural society, ruling classes, town dwellers, women, religious classes, caste and slavery under the Sultanate, Bhakti movement, Sufi movement.
• Culture: Persian literature, literature in the regional languages of North India, literaute in the languages of South India, Sultanate architecture and new structural forms, painting, evolution of a composite culture.
• Economy: Agricultural Production, rise of urban economy and non-agricultural production, trade and commerce.

18. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century-Political Developments and Economy:

• Rise of Provincial Dynasties : Bengal, Kashmir (Zainul Abedin), Gujarat.
• Malwa, Bahmanids.
• The Vijayanagara Empire.
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• Mughal Empire, first phase : Babur, Humayun.
• The Sur Empire : Sher Shah’s administration.
• Portuguese colonial enterprise, Bhakti and Sufi Movements.

19. The Fifteenth and Early Sixteenth Century- Society and culture:

• Regional cultures specificities.
• Literary traditions.
• Provincial architectural.
• Society, culture, literature and the arts in Vijayanagara Empire.

20. Akbar:

• Conquests and consolidation of empire.
• Establishment of jagir and mansab
• Rajput policy.
• Evolution of religious and social outlook. Theory of Sulh-i-kul and religious policy.
• Court patronage of art and technology.

21. Mughal Empire in the Seventeenth Century:

• Major administrative policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
• The Empire and the Zamindars.
• Religious policies of Jahangir, Shahjahan and Aurangzeb.
• Nature of the Mughal State.
• Late Seventeenth Century crisis and the revolts.
• The Ahom kingdom.
• Shivaji and the early Maratha Kingdom.

22. Economy and society, in the 16th and 17th Centuries:

• Population Agricultural and craft production.
• Towns, commerce with Europe through Dutch, English and French companies : a trade revolution.
• Indian mercantile classes. Banking, insurance and credit systems.
• Conditions of peasants, Condition of Women.
• Evolution of the Sikh community and the Khalsa Panth

23. Culture during Mughal Empire:

• Persian histories and other literature
• Hindi and religious literatures.
• Mughal architecture.
• Mughal painting.
• Provincial architecture and painting.
• Classical music.
• Science and technology.

24. The Eighteenth Century:

• Factors for the decline of the Mughal Empire.
• The regional principalities: Nizam’s Deccan, Bengal, Awadh.
• Maratha ascendancy under the Peshwas.
• The Maratha fiscal and financial system.
• Emergence ofAfghan power Battle of Panipat, 1761.
• State of, political, cultural and economic, on eve of the British conquest.

1. European Penetration into India:

2. British Expansion in India:

3. Early Structure of the British Raj:

4. Economic Impact of British Colonial Rule:

• Land revenue settlements in British India; The Permanent Settlement; Ryotwari Settlement; Mahalwari Settlement; Economic impact of the revenue arrangements; Commercialization of agriculture; Rise of landless agrarian labourers; Impoverishment of the rural society.
• Dislocation of traditional trade and commerce; De­industrialisation; Decline of traditional crafts; Drain of wealth; Economic transformation of India; Railroad and communication network including telegraph and postal services; Famine and poverty in the rural interior; European business enterprise and its limitations.

5. Social and Cultural Developments:

6. Social and Religious Reform Movements in Bengal and Other Areas:

7. Indian Response to British Rule:

8. Factors leading to the birth of Indian Nationalism; Politics of Association; The Foundation of the Indian National Congress; The Safety-valve thesis relating to the birth of the Congress; Programme and objectives of Early Congress; the social composition of early Congress leadership; the Moderates and Extremists; The Partition of Bengal (1905); The Swadeshi Movement in Bengal; the economic and political aspects of Swadeshi Movement; The beginning of revolutionary extremism in India.
9. Rise of Gandhi; Character of Gandhian nationalism; Gandhi’s popular appeal; Rowlatt Satyagraha; the Khilafat Movement; the Non-cooperation Movement; National politics from the end of the Non-cooperation movement to the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement; the two phases of the Civil Disobedience Movement; Simon Commission; The Nehru Report; the Round Table Conferences; Nationalism and the Peasant Movements; Nationalism and Working class movements; Women and Indian youth and students in Indian politics (1885-1947); the election of 1937 and the formation of ministries; Cripps Mission; the Quit India Movement; the Wavell Plan; The Cabinet Mission.
10. Constitutional Developments in the Colonial India between 1858 and 1935.
11. Other strands in the National Movement.

12. Politics of Separatism; the Muslim League; the Hindu Mahasabha; Communalism and the politics of partition; Transfer of power; Independence.
13. Consolidation as a Nation; Nehru’s Foreign Policy; India and her neighbours (1947-1964); The linguistic reorganisation of States (1935-1947); Regionalism and regional inequality; Integration of Princely States; Princes in electoral politics; the Question of National Language.
14. Caste and Ethnicity after 1947; Backward Castes and Tribes in post-colonial electoral politics; Dalit movements.
15. Economic development and political change; Land reforms; the politics of planning and rural reconstruction; Ecology and environmental policy in post-colonial India; Progress of Science.
16. Enlightenment and Modern ideas:

• Major Ideas of Enlightenment : Kant, Rousseau.
• Spread of Enlightenment in the colonies.
• Rise of socialist ideas (up to Marx); spread of Marxian Socialism.

17. Origins of Modern Politics :

• European States System
• American Revolution and the Constitution
• French Revolution and Aftermath, 1789-1815
• American Civil War with reference to Abraham Lincoln and the abolition of slavery.
• British Democratic politics, 1815-1850 : Parliamentary Reformers, Free Traders, Chartists.

18. Industrialization :

• English Industrial Revolution : Causes and Impact on Society.
• Industrialization in other countries : USA, Germany, Russia, Japan.
• Industrialization and Globalization.

19. Nation-State System :

• Rise of Nationalism in 19th century.
• Nationalism : State-building in Germany and Italy.
• Disintegration of Empires in the face of the emergence of nationalities across the World.

20. Imperialism and Colonialism :

• South and South-East Asia.
• Latin America and South Africa.
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• Imperialism and free trade: Rise of neo-imperialism.

21. Revolution and Counter-Revolution :

• 19 th Century European revolutions.
• The Russian Revolution of 1917-1921.
• Fascist Counter-Revolution, Italy and Germany.
• The Chinese Revolution of 1949.

22. World Wars :

• 1st and 2nd World Wars as Total Wars : Societal implications.
• World War I : Causes and Consequences.
• World War II : Causes and Consequences.

23. The World after World War II:

• Emergence of Two power blocs.
• Emergence of Third World and non-alignment
• UNO and the global disputes.

24. Liberation from Colonial Rule :

• Latin America-Bolivar.
• Arab World-Egypt.
• Africa-Apartheid to Democracy.
• South-East Asia-Vietnam.

25. Decolonization and Underdevelopment :

• Factors constraining Development ; Latin America, Africa.

26. Unification of Europe :

• Post War Foundations ; NATO and European Community.
• Consolidation and Expansion of European Community
• European Union.

27. Disintegration of Soviet Union and the Rise of the Unipolar

• Factors leading to the collapse of Soviet Communism and Soviet Union, 1985-1991.
• Political Changes in East Europe 1989-2001.
• End of the Cold War and US Ascendancy in the World as the lone superpower.