Indian Freedom Struggle -General Knowledge Questions and Answers

Indian Freedom Struggle -General Knowledge Questions and Answers

The Revolt of 1857

This mutiny began with a revolt by the soldiers at Meerut who were unemployed. The cause of their unemployment was the new cartridge introduced in the new Enfield Rifles which contained grease made of cow and pig fat which had to be removed by their mouths inorder to use the weapon. This was not religiously agreeable and accepted to both the Hindu and the Muslim soldiers, hence, they refused to use the weapon and in return they were left unemployed.

Soon this revolt became widespread, mainly in Delhi and the nearby states. But this revolt proved to be a failure and the British army shot back by plundering, loots, murders etc. and left the people helpless. This revolt affected Delhi, Awadh, Rohilkhand, Bundelkhand,Allahabad, Agra, Meerut and western Bihar the most where some of the most ferocious battles were fought. But still the revolt of 1857 did not prove to be a success and failed within a year.

Indian National Congress (INC) came into existence

The foundation of the INC was laid in 1885. Its main aim was to put forward the view of the middle class educated citizens. In 1906,the Congress session at Calcutta gave a call to the attainment of ‘Swaraj’ and hence the ‘Swadeshi Movement’ started.

In 1905, the partition of West Bengal took place and the capital of the country was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi.

Simultaneously, the British government too was preparing against the Indian efforts and as a result they passed several reforms in1909 known as the Morley-Minto reforms which instead of the development aimed at creating differences between the Hindus and the Muslims.

On one hand, the reformists and the revolutionaries were working and planning whereas on the other hand, the Jallianwala massacre took place in Punjab in 1919 where people had gathered to celebrate Baisakhi.

It was after the First World War (1914-1918) that Mahatma Gandhi came back to India and observed the condition of the country and started the non-violent agitation, “Satyagrah”.

Non-Cooperation Movement

In 1920, Mahatma Gandhi started the Non-Cooperation Movement after realising that it was baseless to expect a fair treatment from the British government. This movement continued till 1922 and proved tobe a great success.

Simon Commission

Immediately after the non-cooperation movement was called off, in1927, another commission was introduced in the Indian government which had no Indian member included in the reforms and showed no intention of accepting the demand for ‘Swaraj’. Under the leadership of Lala Lajpat Rai, great protests were held.

Civil Disobedience Movement

The Civil Disobedience Movement started in December 1929 and it aimed at complete ignorance and disobedience of the British government. It was during this movement that the revolutionaries:Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were arrested and hanged to death.

Quit India Movement

It was in August 1942 that Gandhiji started this movement which aimed at complete freedom from the British rule and posed as a ‘do or die’ situation. There were widespread actions of sabotage, violent protests etc. Finally Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose fled from the British detention and formed the Indian National Army. India got its freedom in August 1947 from the ruthless British rule after all the hard work, sacrifice and selflessness of the rulers, revolutionaries and citizens of the then country.

Important Years and Events