CHRONOLOGY
PART II of Syllabus
1885 Formation of the Indian National Congress.
Controlled by "Moderates."
1890s Early "Extremist" politics.
1905 Partition of Bengal, agitational methods include Swadeshi and Boycott.
1906 Formation of the Muslim League.
1909 Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto Reforms). Limited political reforms, with separate representation on these councils for Muslims, landholders, and others regarded as "special" interest groups.
1919 Government of India Act, (MONTAGUE-CHELMSFORD Reforms). Further political reforms. Gandhi-led agitation against the "Rowlatt" Act.
13th April, massacre at Jallianwalla Bagh in Amritsar. General Dyer shoots down at least 379 men, women, and children to produce "a moral effect."
1921 Non-cooperation/Khilafat Movement.
1922 Violence at Chauri-Chaura. Gandhi calls off the Non-cooperation movement.
PART III of Syllabus
1930 The Salt Satyagraha, and the First Civil
Disobedience Movement.
1935 Government of India Act. Further political reforms.
1937 Elections under 1935 Act. I.N.C. wins 711 out of 1585 provincial assembly seats, and 5 out of 11 provinces absolutely. I.N.C.-led governments in many provinces.
1939 I.N.C. resigns from all provincial legislatures and governments.
1939-1945: World War II
1940 Lahore Declaration of the Muslim League (aka "Pakistan Resolution")**
1942 Cripps Mission and its failure. Quit India movement launched and repressed.
1945 Simla Conference. Talks breakdown as League insist that only they have right to nominate Muslim members to the council.
1945-46 Elections to Center and Provinces. I.N.C. gets all the general seats at Center and 91% of votes. Muslim League all Muslim seats and 86% of Muslim vote. I.N.C. majorities in all Provinces except Bengal, Sind, and Punjab. Muslim League ministries in Sind and Bengal.
1946 Cabinet Mission proposed a plan for a united India, with a weak center and relatively autonomous provincial units, not successful. League combined rejection of plan with calls for "Direct Action" to secure Pakistan. Major series of riots in Bengal, Bombay, and United Provinces.
1947 Partition and Independence under the Mountbatten
plan.
THEMES
Part II
1. Reasons for middle class Indians' disaffection
with colonial rule. Nature of early "moderate nationalism."
2. Emergence of religious nationalism, Hindu and Muslim.
i. As a means of asserting an "Indian" identity distinct from the British.
ii. Connections with "Orientalist" ideas about India.
iii. British
"divide and rule" policies.
3. Limitations of early Indian nationalism. Elite
nationalism of the I.N.C. and the Muslim League.
4. Gandhi and the transformation of Indian nationalism.
A. Reasons for Gandhi's succcess and popular appeal.
i. Key ideas and strategies: AHIMSA (non violence) and SATYAGRAHA (truth force).
ii. Organizational abilities and previous experience and reputation.
iii. Gandhi's critique of modernity.
iv. Popular REINTERPRETATION of Gandhi's message.
B. Gandhi as mobilizer of and "brake" on popular participation.
Part III
5. Emergence of I.N.C. hegemony, elections and problems
of power sharing.
6. Independence, partition, and the "transition from
above."
** Extract from Text of Declaration:
Resolved that it is the considered view of this Session of the All India Muslim League that no constitutional plan would be workable in this country or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic principles, viz., that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into regions which should be constituted, with such territorial readjustments as may be necessary that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a majority as in the North Western and Eastern Zones of (British) India should be grouped to constitute ‘independent states’ in which the constituent units should be autonomous and sovereign.
That adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards should be specifically provided in the constitution for minorities in these units and in the regions for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them and in other parts of India where the Muslims are in a minority adequate, effective and mandatory safeguards shall be specifically provided in the constitution for them and other minorities for the protection of their religious, cultural, economic, political, administrative and other rights and interests in consultation with them.
The Session further authorizes the Working Committee to frame a scheme of constitution in accordance with these basic principles, providing for the assumption finally by the respective regions of all powers such as defense, external affairs, communications, customs, and such other matters as may be necessary."