Indian Nationalism and Independence

The era of Gandhi's change

Period: Jan 1, 1850 to Dec 31, 1950

Sepoy Mutiny

May 20, 1857

Hindus and Muslims took over the city of Delhi and continued their rebellion to Northern and central India.

Raj

May 14, 1858

British government takes direct command of India.

Indian National Congress

Mar 7, 1885

Nationalism leads to the creation of the Indian National Congress (nationalist group)

Muslim League

Apr 15, 1906

Nationalism led to the founding of nationalist group the Muslim League.

Home Rule League

Apr 16, 1915

Home Rule League is founded by Annie Besant.

Rowlatt Acts

Aug 19, 1918

Indian troops return home from the war and are lied to. Hindus protested so the British passed the Rowlatt Acts which allowed the government to jail protesters without trial for as long as 2 years.

Amritsar Massacre

Jul 12, 1919

To protest the Rowlatt Acts, around 10,000 Hindus and Muslims flocked to Amritsar, a major city in the Punjab. The Amritsar Massacre where soldiers fired at Hindus and Muslims (without warning) that tried to fast, pray and listen to speeches. 400 were killed and 1,200 were injured.

Boycotts, Civil Disobedience, Non-violence

Jun 23, 1920

The congress party endorsed civil disobedience, the deliberate and public refusal to obey an unjust law, and nonviolence as the means to achieve independence. Lots of boycotts, refuse to buy British goods, attend government schools, pay British taxes, or vote in elections. Gandhi made a successful boycott for cloth, (British source of wealth) everyone had to spend 2 hours a day to make their own clothing.

Death of Lala Lajpat Rai

Mar 1, 1928

Murder of Lala Lajpat Rai and subsequent revolutionary activities.

National Congress anounces day of independence

Dec 14, 1929

The Indian National Congress declares 26 January 1930 as Independence Day, or the day for Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence).

The Salt March

Apr 5, 1930

The Salt March went down. The government did not allow Hindus to buy salt from anybody but the government plus they had to pay taxes. So they walked 240 miles to the seacoast and they collected got water and collected salt by letting the water evaporate. 60,000 people including gandhi were arrested.

First Round Table Conference.

Sep 14, 1930

First Round Table Conference.

Second Round Table Conference

Mar 23, 1931

Second Round Table Conference, Gandhi-Irvin Pact, Revolution leader Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev are hanged by the Birtish government on March 23.

Government of India Act

Dec 31, 1935

British Parliament passes the Government of India Act. It provided local self-government and limited democratic elections, but not total independence.

Congress wins power

Jul 9, 1937

Provincial Autonomy Begins with Congress winning power in many states. WWII breaks out and there is political deadlock in India

Quit India Movement

Apr 7, 1942

The Quit India Movement, Rise of Subhas Chandra Bose.
Quit India resolution was passed by the Bombay session of the AICC, which led to the start of a historical civil disobedience movement across India.

Partition

Jul 16, 1947

The British House of Commons pass and act on July 16, 1947 to create two independent nations, India and Pakistan. Government workers and common people had to decide which country to join and this cause violence between different groups. (Muslims killed Sikhs who were moving into India. Hindus and Sikhs killed Muslims that were moving into Pakistan.)

Massive Bloodshed

Oct 21, 1947

Hundreds of thousands die in widespread communal bloodshed after partition.

The death of Gandhi

Jan 30, 1948

January 30 Gandhi is killed in the capital of India Delhi by Hindu extremist that thought Gandhi was defending Muslims too much. Gandhi said he only saw rivers of blood, that by having violence he would have accomplished nothing (1 million dead).

War over Kashmir

Jul 23, 1948

War with Pakistan over disputed territory of Kashmir.