Indian Freedom Movement UPSC Flashcards
Which British officer was killed in Kanpur during the Revolt of 1857?
General Hugh Wheeler
Who founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828?
Raja Ram Mohan Roy.
Which movement did Swami Dayananda Saraswati start?
Arya Samaj
What was the significance of Jyotirao Phule’s Satyashodhak Samaj
upliftment of lower castes
Who was the author of Gulamgiri (1873)
Jyotirao Phule
Which newspaper was started by Bal Gangadhar Tilak
Kesari (Marathi) and Mahratta (English)
Who presided over the first session of the INC?
W.C. Banerjee
Who was the British Viceroy during the formation of INC?
Dufferin
Who was the Viceroy responsible for the Partition of Bengal (1905)?
Curzon
What was the main economic weapon of the Swadeshi Movement?
Boycott of British goods
Who was known as the ‘Lion of Punjab’?
Lala Lajpat Rai.
Who composed the patriotic song Bande Mataram?
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Who established Anushilan Samiti?
Barindra Kumar Ghosh, Jatindarnath Banerjee, Pramathanath Mitra;
fitness club and anti-British underground revolutionary organization
Which revolutionary threw a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly in 1929?
Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt
Who assassinated Curzon Wyllie in 1909?
Madan Lal Dhingra (revolutionary nationalist)
Who started the Home Rule Movement?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.
Which movement did Mahatma Gandhi launch in 1920?
Non-Cooperation Movement.
What was the first major event of the Civil Disobedience Movement?
Dandi March (March 12, 1930).
When was the Quit India Resolution passed?
August 8, 1942.
Which committee recommended the formation of the Constituent Assembly?
Cabinet Mission (1946)
Who was the first Indian Governor-General of Independent India?
C. Rajagopalachari
What was the Indian Councils Act of 1861?
It introduced limited Indian representation in legislative councils
What was the main feature of the Indian Councils Act of 1892?
It increased Indian representation and allowed discussion of budgets in councils.
What was the main achievement of the Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act 1909)?
Introduction of separate electorates for Muslims.
What was the main achievement of the Government of India Act 1919 (Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms)?
Introduction of dyarchy in provinces, giving limited self-governance.
Who led the Swadeshi Movement (1905–1911)?
Bal Gangadhar Tilak,
Lala Lajpat Rai, and
Bipin Chandra Pal (Lal-Bal-Pal)
Which newspapers played a significant role in the freedom movement? (6)
- Kesari (Tilak),
- Young India (Gandhi),
- The Hindu,
- Amrita Bazar Patrika,
- The Tribune, and
- The Leader.
Which literary works inspired nationalistic sentiments? (4)
- Anandamath (Bankim Chandra Chatterjee),
- Gitanjali (Rabindranath Tagore),
- Hind Swaraj (Gandhi),
- Bande Mataram (Aurobindo Ghosh)
Who was the founder of the Aligarh Movement?
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, promoting modern education among Muslims.
When was the All India Muslim League founded?
1906 in Dhaka by Aga Khan, Nawab Salimullah, and others.
What was the Lucknow Pact (1916)?
An agreement between INC and the Muslim League for self-governance
What was the Mountbatten Plan (1947)?
It led to the partition of India and the creation of India and Pakistan on August 15, 1947.
What was the significance of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919)?
On April 13, 1919, General Dyer ordered open fire on unarmed protesters in Amritsar, leading to hundreds of deaths.
What was the significance of the Kakori Conspiracy (1925)?
A train robbery conducted by revolutionaries to fund armed resistance against British rule.
What were Bhagat Singh’s major contributions to the Freedom Struggle?
- He, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, threw bombs in the Central Legislative Assembly (1929)
- He was later executed for the Lahore Conspiracy Case (1931).
What was the significance of the Second Round Table Conference (1931)?
Gandhi represented the INC, but the conference failed due to British reluctance to grant substantial reforms.
Who were the Moderate leaders of the INC? (5)
Dadabhai Naoroji,
Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta,
M.G. Ranade, and Surendranath Banerjee.
What was the “Drain of Wealth” theory, and who propounded it?
Dadabhai Naoroji explained that British economic policies led to the extraction of wealth from India.
What caused the Surat split in the INC between Moderates and Extremists in 1907?
Differences over the approach toward British rule—Moderates favored dialogue, while Extremists preferred aggressive methods.
Name key leaders from both sides in the Surat Split.
Moderates: Gopal Krishna Gokhale;
Extremists: Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, Lala Lajpat Rai.
Name two important revolutionary organizations formed during the freedom struggle.
Anushilan Samiti (1902) and Abhinav Bharat Society (1904).
Who were the key figures in the Ghadar Movement (1913)?
Lala Hardayal, Bhai Parmanand, and Kartar Singh Sarabha.
What was Gandhi’s first major political movement in India?
Champaran Satyagraha (1917) to protest against indigo cultivation
What was the significance of the “Nehru Report” (1928)?
It proposed a dominion status for India with fundamental rights.
What was the slogan of Subhas Chandra Bose?
“Give me blood, and I will give you freedom!”
Who was the first woman President of the Indian National Congress?
Annie Besant in 1917.
What was the significance of the Lahore Resolution (1940)?
creation of Pakistan.
What were three key provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935?
Provincial autonomy,
federal structure, and establishment of a central legislature.
How did the First World War impact India’s economy?
It led to high taxation, inflation, food shortages, and economic hardships, which fueled discontent against British rule.
What promise did the British make in response to India’s support?
The Montagu Declaration (1917) promised “gradual development of self-governing institutions.”
What were the two primary objectives of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
1) Attaining Swaraj (self-rule), and 2) Supporting the Khilafat Movement to protect the Ottoman Caliphate.
What were the main methods of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
Boycott of British goods, institutions, courts, and titles; promotion of Khadi and Swadeshi industries.
What event led to the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
The Chauri Chaura incident (1922), where police were burned alive by protesters, led Gandhi to call off the movement.
Why did the Khilafat Movement fail?
The abolition of the Caliphate by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1924 removed the movement’s main cause.
Who were the Swarajists?
A faction within Congress led by C.R. Das and Motilal Nehru that sought to enter legislative councils and obstruct British policies.
Why did the Swarajists oppose Gandhi’s decision to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement?
They believed in continuing the fight within the British system rather than total non-cooperation.
What was the “Council Entry” strategy of the Swarajists?
They contested elections and used legislative councils to resist British policies from within.
What was the purpose of the Simon Commission?
To review the Government of India Act, 1919, and suggest constitutional reforms.
What was the Nehru Report (1928), and how was it related to the Simon Commission?
It was a counter-proposal by Indian leaders demanding self-rule and fundamental rights.
What were the FOUR key features of the Nehru Report?
- Universal adult suffrage,
- fundamental rights,
- protection of minorities, and
- rejection of separate electorates.
Why did the Muslim League oppose the Nehru Report?
It rejected separate electorates, which were a key demand of Muslim leaders
What was the Cripps Mission (1942), and why did it fail?
It offered Dominion status but was rejected due to vague assurances and lack of immediate independence.
How did the British control the press?
Through laws like the Vernacular Press Act (1878) and the Press Act (1910).
What were THREE major British initiatives in advancing education in India?
Charter Act of 1813, Macaulay’s Minutes (1835), Wood’s Despatch (1854)
What was the significance of Wood’s Despatch (1854)?
It introduced modern education and set up universities in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.
SIX important contributions of Raja Ram Mohan Roy
- 1815- Atmiya Sabha -Preach Monotheism
- Mirat Ul Akhbar (persian Magazine)
- Samwad Kaumudi (Newspaper)
- 1817 - Hindu College
- 1828 - Brahmo Samaj (with Dwarkanath Tagore)
- 1828 - Percepts of Jesus
Who is Devendranath Tagore and what is his contribution to the Socia-Religious Reform Movement?
- Started “Tatvabodhini Sabha” based on principles of Vedas and Upanishads.
- Joins Brahmo Samaj in 1843
- Ideological differences with Keshav Chandra Sen lead to split of Brahmo Samaj and establishment of “Adi Brahmo Samaj”
Who is Keshav Chandra Sen and what is his contribution to the Socia-Religious Reform Movement?
- Sangat Sabha/ Friendly Association
- Joins Brahmo Samaj in 1857
- Starts “Brahmo Samaj of India/ Nava Vidhan” in 1866 which falls when he marries his minor daughter to minor boy
Who established the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj in 1878?
Anand Mohan Bose
What was the “Dharma Sabha”? Who founded it?
Traditional Organization that opposed religious reform and supported Sati.
Founded by Radha Kant Deb
What was the Young Bengal Movement? Who founded it?
Founded by Henry Vivien Derozio (Anglo-Indian) that demanded liberal reforms like:
* Induction of Indians into higher services,
* protection of ryots from Zamindars,
* Freedom of press
* Better treatment of Indian labourers
Name TWO organizations founded by Henry Viven Derozio and his followers?
- Academic Association in Hindu College
- Society for Acquisition of General Knowledge
What was the “South Indian Liberation Federation” aka Justice Party? Who founded it?
- TM Nair, Tyagaraja Chettiar, & Raja of Penegal
- Newspaper - “Justice”
- Non-Brahmin Manifesto for representation of Non-brahmins in Govt. jobs
- First cohesive demand for reservation in India
What was the “Self Respect Movement”?
- Movement started in 1920s by Ramaswamy Naicker (Socrates of Asia)
- to demand reforms of Hinduism - marriage without brahmin priests, burning of Manusmriti and temple entry of lower castes
- Journal - Kudi Arasu
What was the “Ezhava Movement” or the Sri Narayan Dharma Paripolam Yogam (SNDP) ?
- Untouchables of Kerala (Ezhavas) discriminated by Nambudari brahmins
- Founded by Narayana Guru
- Demands: Admission to schools, Access to roads, entry into temples, reservation in govr jobs, etc.
What is the Vaikom Satyagraha of 1924-25?
- A social reform movement from Travancore (Kerala) demanding **temple entry **for all sections and access to temple roads.
- Leaders: K. Kelappan, T. K. Madhavan, and K. P. Kesava Menon
- Supported by: Mahatma Gandhi and Periyar E.V. Ramasamy
What was the “Arya Samaj”? Who founded it?
Swami Dayanand Saraswati in 1875 in Bombay
Slogan: Back to the Vedas
Name TWO important works of Swami Dayanand Saraswati
- Satyarth Prakash
- Veda Bhasya Bhumika (Commentary on Yajurveda and Rigveda)
Who started the “Shuddhi Movement” and why?
Dayanand Saraswati for people that wanted to re-convert to Hinduism
Who started the Arya Mahila Samaj?
Pandita Ramabai
What is the Theosophical Society?
1875 in New York by Alcott and Blavatsky
Universal brotherhood of man, to study all religions of the world
In 1888 in Adyar (Madras) - Annie Besant
Who founded “Satyasodhak Samaj”?
Jyotibha Phule and Savitribai Phule
Books: Sarvajanik Satya Dharma Pustak & Gulamgiri
Who gave the call for the Swadeshi Movement? What were the main characteristics?
Gopal Krishna Gokhale in 1905
Boycott of foreign goods, govt schools and colleges
What were the causes for the formation of the Muslim League in 1906?
- Lord Curzon’s Divide and rule policy sowed the seeds for Muslim communalism - Promised to establish muslim educational institutions in Dacca after Partition of Bengal
- Syed Ahmed Khan called for muslims to stay loyal to British and stay away from INC
- First president - Aga Khan
Who gave the title of Muslim Gokhale to Mohammed Ali Jinnah?
Sarojini Naidu
Name ONE major achievement of the Muslim League
Attaining a separate electorate for muslims in the Minto-Morley Reforms of 1909.
