India — the emergence of nationalism and the Raj
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Question
What triggered the 1857 Rebellion?
Answer
Rumours that new rifle cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat, offensive to Hindu and Muslim sepoys, sparked a mutiny that spread across northern India.
Question
What changed in British rule after the 1857 Rebellion?
Answer
The East India Company was abolished; the British Crown took over direct rule of India, beginning the system known as the Raj.
Question
How did the First World War raise Indian expectations of reform?
Answer
Over one million Indian soldiers served and died for Britain, and many Indians expected greater self-government as a reward for their wartime loyalty.
Question
What did the 1919 Rowlatt Act do?
Answer
It allowed the British government to detain suspected agitators indefinitely without trial, removing basic legal protections just as reform was expected.
Question
What happened at Jallianwala Bagh on 13 April 1919?
Answer
General Reginald Dyer ordered troops to fire without warning on an unarmed crowd gathered in an enclosed garden in Amritsar, killing hundreds.
Question
Why is Jallianwala Bagh described as a 'radicalising' event?
Answer
It converted moderate nationalists into supporters of mass action — Tagore renounced his knighthood, and Gandhi and Congress shifted decisively toward nationwide non-cooperation.
Question
When and why was the Indian National Congress founded?
Answer
Founded in 1885 by educated Indian professionals seeking greater representation in government; it became the main national political platform.
Question
When and why was the Muslim League founded?
Answer
Founded in 1906 in Dhaka by Muslim landowners and professionals concerned that a Hindu-majority Congress might not protect Muslim political interests.
Question
What is 'dyarchy' under the 1919 Government of India Act?
Answer
A system splitting provincial government in two: some departments (education, health) went to elected Indian ministers, while Britain kept finance, police, and law and order.
Question
What did the 1935 Government of India Act achieve, and what did it not achieve?
Answer
It gave provinces full self-government under elected ministers, but the proposed All-India Federation never started, and defence and foreign affairs stayed British.
Question
Compare the founding aims of Congress and the Muslim League.
Answer
Congress (1885) aimed to represent all Indians as one nation; the Muslim League (1906) was founded specifically to protect Muslim political interests, fearing domination by a Hindu majority.
Question
What is the historical debate around the Government of India Acts?
Answer
One view: they were genuine, gradual steps toward self-rule. The opposing view: they were a stalling tactic that looked like progress while Britain kept essential control.
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Topic 12.6 hub
Independence of India (1857–1964)
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