The Nationalist Movement Chapter Notes | History Class 8 ICSE PDF Download

Introduction

Emergence of Nationalism

• Nationalism grew after the Revolt of 1857, uniting people across class, caste, creed, gender, and language.
• British control over India's resources and lives led to a desire to end their rule.
• Uniform laws and administration introduced by the British unified the country.
• Railways and telegraph, meant for British administration, fostered a sense of oneness among Indians.
• Western education introduced ideas of nationalism, liberty, equality, sovereignty, and democracy.
• English language united people from different regions.
• International events like the French Revolution and American War of Independence inspired self-governance.
• English and vernacular press highlighted British exploitation, spreading nationalist and patriotic ideas.

Discriminatory Laws and Policies

• British policies favored racial discrimination, restricting Indians from high government posts.
• Separate train compartments, parks, hospitals, and restaurants were reserved for Europeans.
• Viceroy Lytton's policies, like removing import duties on British goods and increasing taxes, caused resentment.
• Lytton's lavish 1877 Delhi Durbar during a famine angered Indians.
• The 1878 Arms Act banned Indians from possessing weapons, while Europeans faced no restrictions.
• The 1878 Vernacular Press Act allowed the British to seize assets of newspapers publishing objectionable content.
• In 1883, Lord Ripon’s Ilbert Bill allowed Indian judges to try Europeans, but it was opposed and amended to include mixed juries.

Drain of Wealth

• British rule led to economic exploitation, collapsing traditional Indian industries.
• India became an exporter of raw materials and importer of British finished goods.
• Indian revenue funded British colonial expansion and officials’ salaries and pensions.
• Heavy taxation impoverished Indian peasants.
• Dadabhai Naoroji highlighted the "drain of wealth" as the main cause of India’s poverty.

Formation of Political Associations

• From the 1850s, political associations like the British Indian Association (1851), Bombay Association (1852), and Madras Native Association (1852) were formed.
• Members were educated Indians from upper society, focusing on sending petitions to the government.
• The Indian Association of Calcutta, formed in 1876 by Surendranath Bannerjee, was a precursor to the Indian National Congress.

The Indian National Congress

• Formed in December 1885 in Bombay with 72 delegates; W.C. Bonnerjee was the first president.
• A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant, played a key role in its formation, aiming for it to be a "safety valve" for Indian discontent.
• Leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji, Badruddin Tyabji, and Pherozeshah Mehta contributed to its establishment.
• Annual sessions were held in different cities, with presidents chosen from other regions.

Moderates and Extremists

• The period from 1885–1905 was called the Moderate period, led by leaders like Surendranath Bannerji, Dadabhai Naoroji, and Gopal Krishna Gokhale.
• Moderates used peaceful methods like petitions and resolutions, believing in British fairness.
• They aimed to increase Indian participation in administration and reduce wealth drain.
• Extremists like Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal (Lal Bal Pal) criticized moderate methods.
• Extremists advocated self-reliance and aggressive measures, with Tilak’s slogan, “Swaraj is my birthright.”

Partition of Bengal and Swadeshi and Boycott Movements

• In 1905, Viceroy Curzon partitioned Bengal, claiming administrative convenience but aiming to weaken nationalism.
• The partition sparked protests, leading to the Swadeshi and Boycott movements.
• People boycotted British goods, burned foreign cloth, and picketed shops.
• Students boycotted government schools and colleges.
• Swadeshi emphasized self-reliance (atmashakti), leading to the establishment of national schools.
• The National Council of Education was formed in 1906.
• The partition was annulled in 1911 due to widespread protests.

Formation of the Muslim League and the Indian Councils Act of 1909

• The All India Muslim League was formed in 1906 in Dacca to protect Muslim interests and support the British.
• It demanded separate electorates for Muslims and favored Bengal’s partition.
• The Indian Councils Act of 1909 (Morley-Minto Reforms) increased elected members in legislative councils.
• Most members were elected indirectly, and an Indian was appointed to the Governor General’s executive council.
• Separate electorates for Muslims were introduced, allowing only Muslims to vote for Muslim candidates.

Split in the Congress and Its Reunification

• The 1907 Surat Session saw a split between Moderates and Extremists over objectives and methods.
• Extremists wanted to extend Swadeshi and Boycott movements nationwide and boycott all British associations.
• Moderates opposed this approach, leading to the Extremists leaving the Congress.
• The British arrested Extremist leaders like Tilak, who was imprisoned for six years in Mandalay.
• The national movement weakened after 1908 but nationalist sentiments persisted.
• In 1916, the Moderates and Extremists reunited, and the Congress and Muslim League signed the Lucknow Pact.

Revolutionary Movements

• Revolutionaries believed force was needed to remove British rule due to slow progress.
• Secret societies like Anushilan Samiti (Bengal) and Abhinav Bharat Society (Maharashtra) trained members in firearms and explosives.
• Revolutionary activities were prominent in Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, and Bengal.
• The Chapekar brothers assassinated British officers in Maharashtra.
• In 1908, Prafulla Chaki and Khudiram Bose attempted to kill a magistrate in Bihar but killed two English women.
• Rash Behari Bose and Sachin Sanyal led an unsuccessful attempt on Viceroy Hardinge.
• Revolutionaries abroad formed the Ghadar Party in the USA, publishing the Ghadar newspaper to spread revolutionary ideas.
• Key revolutionaries abroad included Lala Hardayal, Madam Bhikhaji Cama, and Shyamji Krishnavarma.
• The British suppressed revolutionaries with hangings and life imprisonments.

The First World War and Growth of Indian Mass Nationalism

• The First World War (1914–1918) changed India’s economic and political landscape.
• The British used Indian resources and soldiers for the war effort.
• Annie Besant and Bal Gangadhar Tilak formed the Home Rule League to demand self-government.
• The League gained widespread support across India.
• Indians supported the British during the war, hoping for political concessions, but were disappointed.

Points To Remember

• The Revolt of 1857 brought India under the direct administration of the British Crown. The following years saw a growth in feelings of nationalism. 
•  New means of transport and communication such as the railways and the telegraph were introduced for better administration. This helped in developing a feeling of oneness among people. 
•  The Revolt of 1857 brought India under the direct administration of the British Crown. The following years saw a growth in feelings of nationalism. 
•  New means of transport and communication such as the railways and the telegraph were introduced for better administration. This helped in developing a feeling of oneness among people.