History & Civics Lecture Review Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key historical terms, Acts, movements, and organizations from the 1857 Revolt to the First World War and Civil Disobedience Movement based on lecture notes.

Doctrine of Lapse

A policy introduced by Lord Dalhousie stating that if an Indian ruler died without a natural male heir, his kingdom would be annexed by the British East India Company.

Inam Commission

A commission set up in 1852 under which approximately 20,000 estates were confiscated from landholders when land titles could not be proven.

General Service Enlistment Act of 1856

A British military law requiring Indian sepoys to serve overseas if commanded, violating Hindu customs regarding crossing the sea.

Enfield Rifle

A military rifle introduced by the British whose cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat, triggering the immediate spark of the 1857 Revolt.

Government of India Act of 1858

An Act passed following the 1857 Revolt that abolished East India Company rule and transferred Indian governance directly to the British Crown.

Vernacular Press Act of 1878

An act passed by Lord Lytton restricting local language newspapers from publishing content critical of British government policies.

Indian Arms Act of 1878

A law passed under Lord Lytton making it a criminal offense for Indians to carry firearms without a license while exempting British citizens.

Ilbert Bill

A bill introduced in 1883 by Sir C.P. Ilbert aiming to grant Indian judges the authority to try European offenders in court.

Brahmo Samaj

A socio-religious organization founded by Raja Rammohan Roy in 1828 to promote monotheism and eradicate social evils like Sati and idol worship.

Satyashodhak Samaj

A social reform society established by Jyotiba Phule in 1873 to seek equality and social justice for lower castes and weaker sections.

East India Association

An association founded by Dadabhai Naoroji in London in 1866 to inform the British public and Parliament about Indian grievances.

Indian National Association

A political organization established by Surendranath Banerjee in 1876 to unite people and generate public opinion on national issues.

Indian National Congress

A national political party founded in December 1885 in Bombay under the presidency of W.C. Bonnerjee and initiated by A.O. Hume.

Safety Valve Theory

A theory suggesting that the Indian National Congress was created with British assistance to provide a peaceful outlet for growing Indian political discontent.

Assertive Nationalists

A faction of Congress leaders including Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Lala Lajpat Rai advocating direct and aggressive political action against British rule.

Partition of Bengal

The division of Bengal announced by Lord Curzon in 1905, officially for administrative convenience but intended to divide the population along religious and linguistic lines.

Swadeshi Movement

An economic and political movement encouraging the promotion and use of Indian-manufactured goods to achieve national self-reliance.

Surat Split of 1907

The division within the Indian National Congress during its 1907 session in Surat, leading to the expulsion of the Assertive Nationalists.

All India Muslim League

A political party formed on December 30, 1906, in Dhaka under Nawab Salimullah and Aga Khan to safeguard the political rights of Indian Muslims.

Lucknow Pact of 1916

An agreement between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League that presented joint political demands and re-united the Moderates and Assertive Nationalists.

Rowlatt Act of 1919

An act authorizing the British government to arrest and detain political suspects without trial for up to two years without legal appeal.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

The slaughter of unarmed civilians gathered at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar on April 13, 1919, when British troops under General Dyer opened fire.

Khilafat Movement

A protest movement led by Shaukat Ali and Mohammad Ali to defend the temporal and religious authority of the Ottoman Caliph after World War I.

Non-Cooperation Movement

A mass movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920 encouraging Indians to surrender titles and boycott British goods, courts, and educational institutions.

Chauri Chaura Incident

A violent incident in February 1922 in Gorakhpur where protestors burned a police station containing 22 policemen, prompting Gandhi to call off the Non-Cooperation Movement.

Simon Commission

A statutory commission chaired by Sir John Simon appointed in 1927 to evaluate constitutional reforms, boycotted by Indians because it lacked Indian members.

Purna Swaraj Resolution

A resolution adopted at the Lahore Congress session in December 1929 declaring Complete Independence as the ultimate goal of the freedom struggle.

Civil Disobedience Movement

A nationwide movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi in 1930 with the Salt March to deliberately disobey unjust British laws and taxations.

Gandhi-Irwin Pact

A 1931 agreement between Mahatma Gandhi and Lord Irwin leading to the suspension of Civil Disobedience and Congress participation in the Second Round Table Conference.

Poona Pact of 1932

An agreement between B.R. Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi granting reserved seats to depressed classes within the general electorate instead of separate electorates.

Triple Alliance

A pre-World War I military coalition consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Triple Entente

A diplomatic and military coalition formed in 1907 comprising France, Great Britain, and Russia.

Sarajevo Crisis

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary on June 28, 1914, in Sarajevo, serving as the immediate trigger for World War I.

Treaty of Versailles

The post-World War I peace treaty imposing heavy financial reparations, territorial losses, and military restrictions on Germany.

League of Nations

An international organization created after World War I to promote international cooperation and prevent future global military conflicts.