Independence Movements in the Indian Subcontinent

Vocabulary flashcards covering the origins, leaders, ideologies, and challenges of the independence movements in the Indian subcontinent.

Mughal Empire

A Muslim empire that lasted from $1526$ to $1858$, founded by Babur and covering most of the Indian subcontinent from modern-day Afghanistan to Bangladesh.

Viceroy

The highest official in the British colonial administration who ruled India on behalf of the monarch but had limited power regarding policy.

Indian Mutiny (Sepoy Rebellion)

The first Indian uprising involving peasants, workers, landlords, and princes, caused by pay inequality and suspicions regarding animal fats used in rifle cartridges.

British East India Company

A powerful joint-stock company that evolved from focusing on Asian trade to becoming a major ruling power in India until the British Crown took control.

Indian National Congress (INC)

A nationalist organization that originally represented the wealthy and called for greater Indian representation in legislative councils and the Indian Civil Service.

Muslim League

An organization created by Muslims to protect their specific interests, originally led by the elite class as an alternative to the INC.

Diaspora

The movement of people away from their home country; in the Indian context, this was driven by the indentured labor system in British colonies.

Indian Civil Service

The administrative body of British India composed of British officers recruited through exams, serving as the backbone of colonial rule.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

The first leader of the Indian National Congress who advocated for swaraj (self-rule) and active opposition to British rule.

Caste System

A social hierarchy created $2500$ years ago that separates society into castes, determining privileges in life; present in Hindu, Sikh, Christian, and Muslim cultures.

Amritsar Massacre

A $1919$ event where General Dyer ordered troops to fire on approximately $5000$ protesters, resulting in $379$ deaths and over $1000$ injuries.

Satyagraha

A practice of non-violence championed by Gandhi that emphasizes love, truth, and morality over violence to oppose evil through civil disobedience.

Partition

The act of dividing a territory into parts; in this context, the division of British India into the separate nations of India and Pakistan.

Hindutva

A nationalist ideology that defines India's identity as Hindu and seeks to establish a predominantly Hindu state.

Salt March

The start of the civil disobedience movement where Gandhi led thousands in protest against the Salt Tax to weaken British control.

Khilafat Movement

An Indian Muslim movement aimed at protecting the Ottoman Caliphate, the leader of Sunni Islam, against the destruction of the Ottoman Empire.

Mohammed Ali Jinnah

The founder of Pakistan and a leader in British India who shifted from advocating Hindu-Muslim unity to demanding separate statehood for Muslims.

Motilal Nehru

A lawyer and nationalist leader who co-founded the Swaraj Party and served as a two-time president of the Indian National Congress.

Dominion Status

A self-governing state within the Commonwealth that maintains some autonomy while still acknowledging the British Crown as the head of state.

Dr. B. R. Ambedkar

The main architect of the Indian Constitution and a leader for Dalit rights who protested the caste system and advocated for women and labor.

Jawaharlal Nehru

India's first prime minister, a champion for democracy, secularism, and the policy of non-alignment during the Cold War.

Subhas Chandra Bose

A nationalist leader who rejected non-violence and formed the INA (Indian National Army) to launch armed resistance against British rule with Axis support.

Quit India Campaign

A civil disobedience movement championed by Gandhi and the INC intended to secure immediate independence from Britain.

Bengal Famine

A catastrophic event caused by a cyclone, food hoarding, and supply chain disruptions that led to the starvation and death of $3 imes 10^6$ people.

Direct Action Day

A day of strikes called by the Muslim League to demand a Muslim homeland, which resulted in large-scale violence known as the Great Calcutta Killing.

Lord Mountbatten

The last viceroy of India responsible for overseeing the transfer of power from Britain and deciding the partition boundaries.

Princely States

Approximately $500$ territories in India ruled by local leaders who maintained autonomy over local affairs through treaties with the British.

RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)

An organization dedicated to promoting Hindu values and creating a state based solely on those values.

Green Revolution

A shift in economic policy toward agriculture using specific techniques to increase food production and make India self-sufficient.

Non-alignment

A policy adopted by India and other nations to remain neutral and not take sides during the Cold War between the West and the Soviets.

SEATO & CENTO

Anti-communist alliances created by the US as part of a containment strategy that Pakistan joined to prevent the spread of communism.

Subaltern Studies

A historical perspective that focuses on how ordinary people, rather than just elite leaders, contributed to and influenced the independence movement.