Freedom Struggle: Notes और MCQ Practice

आसान भाषा में

Indian Freedom Struggle का मतलब है ब्रिटिश हुकूमत के खिलाफ 1857 के First War of Independence से लेकर 1947 के Independence तक का ऐतिहासिक सफर। NTPC UG Exam के नजरिए से इसे तीन मुख्य phases में देखा जाता है: Moderate Phase (1885-1905), Extremist Phase (1905-1919), और Gandhian Era (1919-1947)।

Key Milestones Checklist

• 1885: INC (Indian National Congress) का गठन by A.O. Hume; First President: W.C. Bonnerjee (Bombay).
• 1905: Partition of Bengal (Lord Curzon) और Swadeshi Movement की शुरुआत।
• 1919: Rowlatt Act और Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919, General Dyer).
• 1920-22: Non-Cooperation Movement (Chauri Chaura incident के बाद वापस लिया गया)।
• 1930: Civil Disobedience Movement और Dandi March (12 March - 6 April 1930)।
• 1942: Quit India Movement (गांधीजी का नारा: "Do or Die")।

Quick Tricks

1. गांधीजी के शुरुआती Movements के लिए Trick — "CAKE":

• C = Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
• A = Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
• KE = Kheda Satyagraha (1918)

1. Round Table Conferences (RTC) Logic:

• लगातार तीन साल: 1930 (1st), 1931 (2nd), 1932 (3rd)। Gandhiji ने केवल 2nd RTC अटेंड किया, जबकि Dr. B.R. Ambedkar ने तीनों RTC अटेंड कीं।

Common Mistakes

• Non-Cooperation vs Civil Disobedience: अक्सर बच्चे दोनों के years swap कर देते हैं। याद रखें: NCM पहले (1920) और CDM बाद में (1930) हुआ था।
• Governor-General vs Viceroy: 1858 से पहले Governor-General of India होते थे (Last: Lord Canning) और Government of India Act 1858 के बाद First Viceroy Lord Canning बने, दोनों अलग व्यक्ति नहीं थे!

Freedom Struggle (1857 – 1947)

1. Concept (Simple Explanation)

The Indian Freedom Struggle was a nationwide movement against British colonial rule. For exam preparation, it is broadly studied in three major phases:

• Initial Outbreak and Foundation Phase (1857 – 1905): Began with the Revolt of 1857, leading to the direct control of the British Crown (Government of India Act 1858). In 1885, the Indian National Congress (INC) was established by moderate leaders who used petitions and constitutional protests.
• Extremist and Militant Nationalist Phase (1905 – 1919): Triggered by the Partition of Bengal (1905). Leaders like Lal-Bal-Pal (Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal) demanded Swaraj (self-rule) through mass boycotts and Swadeshi movements.
• Gandhian Era (1919 – 1947): Dominated by Mahatma Gandhi's principles of Satyagraha (truth-force) and Ahimsa (non-violence). This era saw massive pan-India movements that finally forced the British to grant independence on 15 August 1947.

2. Important Facts, Events, and Timeline

Key Milestones

• 1857: First War of Independence (Sepoy Mutiny). Started at Meerut. Viceroy during the revolt was Lord Canning.
• 1885: Indian National Congress (INC) founded by A. O. Hume. First session held in Bombay, presided over by W. C. Bonnerjee (attended by 72 delegates).
• 1905: Partition of Bengal announced by Viceroy Lord Curzon. Led to the Swadeshi and Boycott Movements.
• 1906: All-India Muslim League founded at Dhaka by Nawab Salimullah and Aga Khan.
• 1907: Surat Split: INC split into Moderates and Extremists (Presided by Rash Behari Ghosh).
• 1909: Morley-Minto Reforms introduced separate electorates for Muslims.
• 1915: Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa on 9 January (celebrated as Pravasi Bharatiya Divas).
• 1916: Lucknow Pact: Reunion of Moderates and Extremists; joint pact between INC and Muslim League. Home Rule League launched by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.
• 1917: Champaran Satyagraha (Bihar): Gandhi's first civil disobedience movement in India, fought for Indigo farmers against the Tinkathia system.
• 1919:
• Rowlatt Act (Black Act allowing detention without trial).
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (13 April 1919, Amritsar). Rabindranath Tagore renounced his Knighthood in protest.
• Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms introduced Dyarchy in provinces.
• 1920 – 1922: Non-Cooperation Movement launched. Suspended by Gandhi in February 1922 due to violence at Chauri Chaura (Gorakhpur, UP).
• 1928: Simon Commission arrived in India. Lacked any Indian member, sparking protests ("Simon Go Back"). Lala Lajpat Rai succumbed to lathi-charge injuries.
• 1929: Lahore Session of INC: Presided by Jawaharlal Nehru; resolution of Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) adopted.
• 1930: Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha): Gandhi marched from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi (12 March to 6 April 1930) to break the Salt Law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• 1931: Gandhi-Irwin Pact signed; INC agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference.
• 1932: Poona Pact signed between Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar regarding separate electorates for depressed classes.
• 1942:
• Cripps Mission failed.
• Quit India Movement launched (8 August 1942). Gandhi gave the slogan "Do or Die".
• 1946: Cabinet Mission arrived to draft the framework for the Indian Constitution.
• 1947: Mountbatten Plan (3 June Plan) proposed partition. Indian Independence Act passed by the British Parliament.

Important Viceroys During Key Events

• 1857 Revolt: Lord Canning
• Partition of Bengal (1905): Lord Curzon
• Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (1919): Lord Chelmsford
• Civil Disobedience Movement (1930): Lord Irwin
• Quit India Movement (1942): Lord Linlithgow
• Partition and Independence (1947): Lord Mountbatten

3. Exam-Style Solved Examples

Example 1

Question: Who was the President of the historic Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress (1929) where the 'Purna Swaraj' resolution was passed?

(a) Subhas Chandra Bose

(b) Jawaharlal Nehru

(c) Motilal Nehru

(d) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel

Solution:

• Step 1: Recall the significance of the 1929 Lahore Session (adoption of Complete Independence or Purna Swaraj and decision to celebrate 26 January 1930 as Independence Day).
• Step 2: Identify the presiding officer of this specific session.
• Step 3: Jawaharlal Nehru presided over the session.
• Correct Answer: (b) Jawaharlal Nehru

Example 2

Question: Arrange the following movements in correct chronological order:

1. Quit India Movement
2. Champaran Satyagraha
3. Non-Cooperation Movement
4. Civil Disobedience Movement

(a) 2 - 3 - 4 - 1

(b) 3 - 2 - 4 - 1

(c) 2 - 4 - 3 - 1

(d) 4 - 2 - 3 - 1

Solution:

• Step 1: Identify the year of each event:
• Champaran Satyagraha: 1917
• Non-Cooperation Movement: 1920
• Civil Disobedience Movement: 1930
• Quit India Movement: 1942
• Step 2: Order from earliest to latest: 1917 (2) → 1920 (3) → 1930 (4) → 1942 (1).
• Correct Answer: (a) 2 - 3 - 4 - 1

Example 3

Question: The famous slogan "Do or Die" (Karo ya Maro) was given by Mahatma Gandhi during which movement?

(a) Non-Cooperation Movement

(b) Swadeshi Movement

(c) Civil Disobedience Movement

(d) Quit India Movement

Solution:

• Step 1: Recall the origin of "Do or Die".
• Step 2: Mahatma Gandhi delivered this speech at the Gowalia Tank Maidan in Bombay on 8 August 1942.
• Step 3: This marked the launch of the Quit India Movement.
• Correct Answer: (d) Quit India Movement

Example 4

Question: Between whom was the Poona Pact of 1932 signed?

(a) Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin

(b) Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah

(c) Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

(d) Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi

Solution:

• Step 1: Identify the context: The British proposed the Communal Award in 1932, leading to Gandhi's fast in Yerwada Jail.
• Step 2: An agreement was brokered providing reserved seats for depressed classes instead of separate electorates.
• Step 3: The pact was signed between leaders representing caste Hindus and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar (representing depressed classes).
• Correct Answer: (c) Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

4. Shortcuts and Revision Tricks

1. Mnemonic for Gandhi's First Three Movements in India: "CAKE"

• C = Champaran (1917) - Indigo planters
• A = Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918) - First hunger strike
• KE = Kheda Satyagraha (1918) - First non-cooperation

2. Major Pan-India Gandhian Movements: "N - C - Q"

• N = Non-Cooperation (1920)
• C = Civil Disobedience (1930)
• Q = Quit India (1942)

(Notice the gap of roughly 10 to 12 years between each movement)

3. Round Table Conferences (RTC) Rule:

• 1st RTC (1930): INC boycotted.
• 2nd RTC (1931): Gandhi / INC attended (only this one).
• 3rd RTC (1932): INC boycotted.
• Key Fact: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar attended all three Round Table Conferences.

5. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Confusing Non-Cooperation with Civil Disobedience:
• Non-Cooperation (1920) was triggered by the Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh.
• Civil Disobedience (1930) began with the Dandi March against the Salt Law.
• Withdrawal vs Start Dates: Non-Cooperation started in 1920, but it was abruptly halted in 1922 following the Chauri Chaura incident.
• First Woman vs First Indian Woman INC President:
• First woman INC President: Annie Besant (1917, Calcutta).
• First Indian woman INC President: Sarojini Naidu (1925, Kanpur).
• Conflating the 1929 Lahore Session with the 1931 Karachi Session:
• 1929 Lahore: Presided by Jawaharlal Nehru; passed Purna Swaraj.
• 1931 Karachi: Presided by Sardar Patel; passed resolutions on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme.