The Making of the National Movement 1870s-1947 Class 8 Free Notes and Mind Map (Free PDF Download)

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Hello students! Today I’m sharing notes on one of the most imp chapters of our history syllabus – India’s freedom struggle. These notes will help you understand how our country fought for independence from British rule.

1. Introduction

Our freedom struggle was a long journey that changed India forever:

British rule affected lives of peasants, tribals and women
They brought new laws, administration and education system
This created debates about caste, women’s rights and traditional crafts
The Revolt of 1857 showed Indians could resist British power
Over time, Indians became more unhappy with colonial control
This led to the national movement that fought for our freedom

2. Causes of Discontent with British Rule

Many things made Indians unhappy with British rule:

British conquered Indian kingdoms one by one
New laws limited rights and freedoms of Indians
Peasants had to pay very high taxes and land revenue
Tribal people lost their forest rights and were exploited
Women had no education and faced many oppressive customs
Caste system continued to create inequalities
Traditional crafts declined because of British industrial policies
Arms Act of 1878 stopped Indians from keeping weapons
Vernacular Press Act of 1878 tried to silence Indian newspapers
Ilbert Bill controversy showed British racism
British economic policies caused poverty and terrible famines
Food grains were exported even during shortages
Too much money was spent on military which Indians had to pay for

3. Emergence of Nationalism

Gradually, Indians started questioning British control:

They began to think of India as one nation for all its people
They believed country’s resources belonged to Indians, not British
After 1850, many political associations were formed
Poona Sarvajanik Sabha worked for public welfare
Indian Association and Madras Mahajan Sabha were formed
Bombay Presidency Association spoke about Indian concerns
Indian National Congress (INC) was formed in 1885
First meeting happened in Bombay with 72 delegates
It was led by educated Indians like Dadabhai Naoroji and Pherozeshah Mehta
A.O. Hume, a retired British official, helped unite regional leaders
These associations wanted sovereignty for Indian people
They worked for all Indians, not just specific regions or classes

4. Early Congress (1885-1905)

The first 20 years of Congress are called the Moderate phase:

They demanded greater role for Indians in government
They wanted more power for Legislative Councils
They asked for councils in provinces that didn’t have them
They pushed for more Indians in administration
They demanded civil service exams to be held in India too
They opposed racial discrimination in British hiring practices
They highlighted how British were draining India’s wealth
They criticized high land revenue and growing poverty
They opposed unfair taxes like salt tax and forest policies
They raised issues of Indian labourers working abroad
They used newspapers and speeches to raise awareness
They believed British respected justice and freedom
Their method was to persuade government with reasonable demands

5. Rise of Radical Nationalism

By 1890s, some leaders started questioning Moderate methods:

New leaders like Bepin Chandra Pal and Bal Gangadhar Tilak emerged
Lala Lajpat Rai criticized what he called “politics of prayers”
These Radicals pushed for self-reliance and swaraj (self-rule)
Tilak famously declared, “Freedom is my birthright”
They wanted mass action, not just petitions and prayers
Their goal was complete independence from British rule

6. Swadeshi Movement (1905)

In 1905, a major protest movement started:

Viceroy Curzon decided to partition Bengal in 1905
He claimed it was for better administration
But real aim was to weaken Bengali political influence
He split East Bengal and merged it with Assam
This created anger against British across the country
Both Moderates and Radicals opposed this partition
This led to the Swadeshi movement against British rule
Movement promoted self-help and national education
People were encouraged to use Indian goods and languages
There were mass protests and boycotts of British goods
Movement was strongest in Bengal but spread to other areas
In Andhra, it was called Vandemataram Movement
Some people even suggested revolutionary violence

7. Political Developments (1906-1916)

This period saw important political changes:

All India Muslim League was formed in 1906
It supported Bengal partition and focused on Muslim interests
It demanded separate electorates for Muslims
Government granted separate electorates in 1909
Congress split in 1907 over boycott tactics
Moderates didn’t support boycott but Radicals wanted it
After split, Moderates controlled Congress
Radicals, led by Tilak, worked outside Congress
In 1915, Congress and Muslim League came closer
They signed Lucknow Pact in 1916
Both agreed to work for representative government

8. Growth of Mass Nationalism

After 1919, the movement became truly mass-based:

Now it involved peasants, tribals, students and women
Even business groups supported Congress in 1920s
First World War changed India’s situation a lot
War increased taxes, prices and hardships for people
Indian business groups made profits and wanted growth
British expanded army and put pressure on villages
Soldiers returning from war brought anti-colonial ideas
Russian Revolution of 1917 inspired many nationalists
News about socialism and workers’ struggles spread in India

9. Mahatma Gandhi’s Leadership

Gandhi’s entry changed the national movement:

He came back to India in 1915 from South Africa
In South Africa, he had led non-violent protests against racism
After returning, he travelled across India to understand people’s problems
He supported local movements in Champaran and Kheda
He led Ahmedabad millworkers’ strike in 1918
He promoted Hindu-Muslim unity in all struggles
Soon he became a mass leader for national movement

10. Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919)

The first all-India struggle under Gandhi was against Rowlatt Act:

British passed Rowlatt Act in 1919
It limited freedom of expression and gave more powers to police
Gandhi called for satyagraha against this unfair Act
He declared 6 April 1919 as day of hartal (strike)
He set up Satyagraha Sabhas to organize protests
This was first all-India struggle, mainly in cities
Government used brutal force to stop protests
Worst was Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar
General Dyer killed hundreds of innocents on 13 April 1919
Rabindranath Tagore gave up his knighthood in protest
During this movement, Hindus and Muslims worked together

11. Khilafat and Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-1922)

Next came a bigger movement that combined two causes:

British imposed harsh treaty on Turkish Khalifa after WWI
Indian Muslims started Khilafat movement to support Khalifa
Mohammad Ali and Shaukat Ali led this agitation
Gandhi linked Khilafat with Non-Cooperation Movement
He campaigned against Jallianwala Bagh and Khilafat wrongs
He demanded swaraj through non-violent means
Students left government schools and colleges
Lawyers like Motilal Nehru stopped their legal practice
People burned foreign cloth and boycotted British institutions
Foreign cloth imports dropped by half
Movement gained huge momentum in 1921-1922

12. People’s Initiatives

Different groups joined the movement in their own ways:

People understood Gandhi’s call differently
They connected national movement to their local issues
In Kheda, peasants protested against high land revenue
In Andhra and Tamil Nadu, people picketed liquor shops
In Guntur, tribal people started forest satyagrahas
They protested against forest restrictions and grazing fees
Many believed Gandhi would remove all taxes and regulations
In Sind, Muslims and traders supported Khilafat movement
Bengal saw strong unity between Hindus and Muslims
In Punjab, Akali movement removed corrupt mahants
In Assam, tea workers demanded higher wages
In Pratapgarh, peasants stopped illegal evictions
Many people saw Gandhi as a messiah and believed in “Gandhi Raj”
Some actions went beyond Gandhi’s ideas of non-violence

13. Chauri Chaura and Aftermath (1922-1929)

A violent incident changed the course of movement:

In 1922, angry peasants burned police station in Chauri Chaura
They killed 22 policemen after police fired on them
Gandhi immediately stopped Non-Cooperation Movement
He focused on constructive work in villages
Leaders like Motilal Nehru and C.R. Das pushed for contesting elections
Rural work helped expand Congress support base
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was formed in 1925
Communist Party of India was established in 1925
Revolutionary nationalist Bhagat Singh became active
Congress demanded Purna Swaraj (complete independence) in 1929
26 January 1930 was declared as Independence Day

14. Revolutionary Nationalism

Some young nationalists chose different path:

Bhagat Singh and Chandra Shekhar Azad led revolutionary movement
They formed Hindustan Socialist Republican Association in 1928
They killed Saunders to avenge Lajpat Rai’s death in 1928
They threw bomb in Legislative Assembly in 1929
Their aim was to “make the deaf hear” about British exploitation
Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were executed in 1931

15. Salt Satyagraha (1930)

Gandhi’s next major movement focused on salt:

Gandhi announced march to break salt law
Salt tax was seen as unjust and affected everyone
He marched 240 miles from Sabarmati to Dandi
On 6 April 1930, he broke law by making salt
Peasants, tribals and women joined in large numbers
Women like Ambabai picketed shops and faced arrests
Sarojini Naidu led women in the march
Government used brutal force and jailed thousands
This movement strengthened national movement’s determination

16. Provincial Autonomy and Congress Rule

In late 1930s, Congress participated in elections:

Government of India Act of 1935 gave some autonomy to provinces
Elections were held for provincial legislatures in 1937
Congress formed governments in 7 out of 11 provinces
Second World War began in 1939
Congress supported war but demanded independence
British refused this demand, so Congress ministries resigned

17. Quit India Movement (1942)

The most intense phase of struggle happened during World War II:

Gandhi launched Quit India Movement in 1942
He asked British to leave India immediately
He called for “do or die” non-violent struggle
All leaders were jailed, but movement spread widely
Peasants and youth attacked symbols of government
People set up their own governments in some areas
British used severe repression with arrests and killings
Over 90,000 were arrested and 1,000 killed by 1943
This movement seriously weakened British control

18. Towards Independence and Partition

Final years saw freedom but also painful partition:

Muslim League demanded autonomous Muslim states in 1940
Initially they didn’t mention Pakistan or partition
They felt Muslims were minority and needed protection
Tensions between Congress and League grew in 1930s
Congress rejected joint government with League in 1937
League gained strong Muslim support in 1940s
1946 elections showed League’s strength in Muslim areas
Cabinet Mission proposed united confederation
Congress and League couldn’t agree on details
League announced Direct Action Day in 1946
Calcutta riots killed thousands and violence spread
By 1947, partition became unavoidable
Millions were displaced and faced violence during Partition
India gained independence but with pain of Partition

19. Indian National Army (INA)

Another important part of freedom struggle:

Subhas Chandra Bose formed INA in 1941
He left India secretly and reached Singapore via Germany
His aim was to free India through armed struggle
INA attacked India through Imphal and Kohima in 1944
The campaign failed and INA members were captured
Trials of INA soldiers caused nationwide protests
This strengthened anti-British feelings across India

20. Questions and Answers

Why were people dissatisfied with British rule in the 1870s and 1880s?

People were unhappy with British rule because:

They passed oppressive laws like Arms Act that stopped Indians from having weapons
Vernacular Press Act tried to silence Indian newspapers
Economic policies caused poverty and terrible famines
Racial discrimination was clear from Ilbert Bill controversy
British policies harmed peasants, tribals and artisans
High taxes and land revenue made life difficult
Indians had very little say in their own governance

Who did the Indian National Congress wish to speak for?

Indian National Congress wished to speak for:

All people of India, regardless of their background
People from all classes, castes and religions
Both men and women across the country
As Badruddin Tyabji said, they wanted to represent entire nation
Not just specific regions or communities
All those who lived under British rule in India

What economic impact did the First World War have on India?

First World War affected India’s economy in several ways:

It increased taxes and prices for common people
It caused hardships and shortages of essential items
Indian business groups made profits from war demands
Industries expanded to meet war needs
Business groups wanted more development opportunities
British demanded more resources and men for war
War economy changed India’s economic structure

What did the Muslim League resolution of 1940 ask for?

Muslim League resolution of 1940 asked for:

Independent states for Muslims in north-western and eastern areas
Autonomy for Muslim-majority regions
Protection of Muslim interests and culture
Interestingly, it didn’t specifically mention “Pakistan”
It didn’t clearly call for complete partition
It wanted self-governing areas within India
Protection for Muslims who they felt were a minority

Who were the Moderates? How did they propose to struggle against British rule?

Moderates were early Congress leaders who:

Wanted gradual reforms through constitutional means
Proposed struggle through petitions, speeches and newspapers
Demanded more Indian representation in government
Pushed for Indianisation of administration
Asked for economic reforms to reduce poverty
Believed British would respond to just demands
Trusted British sense of justice and fairness
Leaders included Dadabhai Naoroji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale

How was the politics of the Radicals within the Congress different from that of the Moderates?

Radicals had very different approach than Moderates:

They rejected petitions and prayers as ineffective
They demanded swaraj (self-rule) instead of just reforms
They promoted self-reliance and swadeshi
They wanted mass mobilisation and boycotts
Leaders like Tilak, Pal and Lajpat Rai used stronger language
They criticized Moderates for “politics of prayers”
They believed only pressure tactics would work
Tilak famously said “Freedom is my birthright”

Discuss the various forms that the Non-Cooperation Movement took in different parts of India. How did the people understand Gandhiji?

Non-Cooperation Movement took different forms:

Students left government schools and colleges
Lawyers like Motilal Nehru stopped practice
People burned foreign cloth everywhere
In Kheda, peasants protested against high land revenue
In Andhra and Tamil Nadu, people picketed liquor shops
In Guntur, tribals started forest satyagrahas against restrictions
In Punjab, Sikhs started Akali movement to remove corrupt mahants
In Assam, tea workers demanded better wages
In Pratapgarh, peasants stopped illegal evictions

People understood Gandhi in different ways:

Many saw him as a messiah who would solve all problems
They believed in something called “Gandhi Raj”
They thought he would remove all taxes and regulations
They gave him credit for all their successful protests
Some took actions beyond his non-violent principles
They interpreted his messages according to their local needs
For many, he represented hope for better future

Why did Gandhiji choose to break the salt law?

Gandhi chose to break salt law for several smart reasons:

Salt tax affected everyone, both rich and poor
It was an unjust tax on basic necessity
Breaking the law was simple act anyone could do
Salt was available near sea, easy to make
The march from Sabarmati to Dandi created huge attention
It connected general desire for freedom with specific issue
It united people across regions and classes
It was perfect symbol of unjust British rule
It showed how even simple things were controlled by British

Discuss those developments of the 1937-47 period that led to the creation of Pakistan.

Several developments between 1937-47 led to Pakistan:

Congress rejected joint government with Muslim League after 1937 elections
This made League feel Congress wouldn’t protect Muslim interests
League passed resolution in 1940 asking for autonomous Muslim states
League gained strong support among Muslims in 1940s
In 1946 elections, League won almost all Muslim seats
Cabinet Mission plan for united confederation failed
Congress and League couldn’t agree on details
League announced Direct Action Day in 1946
Terrible riots in Calcutta killed thousands
Violence spread to other parts of India
Communal tensions made living together seem impossible
By 1947, partition became unavoidable solution
Millions faced displacement and violence during partition process

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