W2L - Rise of Nationalism
Chapter 1: Introduction
Week 2 lecture
Focus on note-taking and synthesizing information
Learning contention: Comprehend historical context leading to Indian independence
Success criteria: Create Cornell notes and identify key issues and people
Chapter 2: Rise of Nationalism
Indian Mutiny or Sepoy Rebellion led to ill feeling among Indians
Civilizing turn by British Raj increased Western-educated Indians
Benefits of Western democracy and liberal ideals
Studied law and government administration
Key figures like Gandhi, Nehru, and Jinnah got education in England
Indian National Congress (INC) launched in 1885
Initially created to support British Raj by Scotsman
Supported the Vice Roy and reforms for Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims
Muslim participation declined after death of Alan Hume
Muslim League formed by prominent Muslims in the independence movement
Mohammed Ali Jinnah focused on All India Muslim League
Concerned about pseudo religious strategies causing political anarchy
Chapter 2: Independence Of India
Main Ideas:
The Indian National Congress shifted its support from the British Raj to the goal of independence for Indians by 1922.
Gandhi, a significant figure in 20th century history, was born in 1869 into a privileged family.
As a teenager and young adult, Gandhi experimented with activities that went against his parents' wishes.
At the age of 18, Gandhi left for England to study law and later moved to South Africa.
In South Africa, Gandhi developed his interest in social justice and created his own philosophical platform called satyagraha.
Gandhi spent about 20 years in South Africa, advocating for the rights of Indians and improving their lives.
Gandhi's philosophy was based on nonviolence and the belief that it could lead to change.
Gandhi's commitment to satyagraha never wavered, but he was eventually sidelined by the Indian National Congress.
Gandhi's return to India led to the implementation of satyagraha in the independence movement.
Supporting Details:
Chapter 2: Independence Of India
The Indian National Congress shifted its support from the British Raj to the goal of independence for Indians by 1922.
Gandhi was born in 1869 into a privileged family.
As a teenager and young adult, Gandhi experimented with activities such as smoking, stealing, skipping PE lessons, having lustful exchanges with his wife, and eating meat.
At the age of 18, Gandhi left for England to study law.
In South Africa, Gandhi developed his interest in social justice and created his own philosophical platform called satyagraha.
Gandhi spent about 20 years in South Africa, helping striking workers, protesting against discriminatory laws, and advocating for the rights of Indians.
Gandhi's philosophy was based on nonviolence and the belief in the power of nonviolent acts of resistance.
Gandhi's commitment to satyagraha never wavered, which eventually led to his sidelining by the Indian National Congress.
Gandhi's return to India led to the implementation of satyagraha in the independence movement.
Chapter 3: Including Gandhi
The Champaran Indigo Workers
Gandhi supported oppressed workers, specifically the Champaran indigo workers
Indigo farmers were forced to grow indigo by landowners while living in squalid conditions
Gandhi spoke to thousands of farmers and gathered a lot of respect
He was arrested for causing unrest, which led to thousands of people gathering outside his jail
The British withdrew charges against Gandhi and relaxed requirements on indigo farmers
The Rowlett Act and Protests
The British government enacted the Rowlett Act in 1919, extending extreme powers beyond the end of World War I
Under the Rowlett Act, Indians could be tried without a jury
Gandhi organized strikes and called for a voluntary shutdown of society to protest the Act
Some protests turned violent, leading to the banning of all public demonstrations
The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
Thousands of villagers gathered in Amritsar for a religious festival
British Brigadier General Reginald Dyer led soldiers to the walled public garden without provocation
Soldiers fired over 1500 rounds of ammunition into the peaceful crowd
Over 300 people died and 1000 were injured
Dyer imposed repressive measures, including a crawling order and public whippings
Impact of the Massacre
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre pushed many Indians towards the independence movement
The INC received a surge of support after the massacre
A non-cooperation movement led by the INC saw over 31,000 people arrested
Gandhi called off the non-cooperation campaign from his prison cell
Gandhi was eventually released in 1924
Chapter 4: British On India's
Gandhi's retreat to his ashram
Focus on helping the untouchables
INC frustrated by Gandhi's focus on a side issue
Gandhi's influence within the congress waned
INC started to stray from nonviolence
Subhas Chandra Bose emerged as a popular leader
Bose allied with the Japanese during World War 2
Jawaharlal Nehru's emergence as a key individual
Became president of the INC in 1929
More central to the independence movement
Still supportive of Gandhi's methods
Gandhi refocused on the independence movement
Warned the British of a war of independence
Congress sanctioned civil disobedience
Gandhi's decision-making delay
The Dandi Salt March
Gandhi's symbolic gesture of gathering salt
Outlawed by the British for trade monopoly
Gandhi informed the viceroy of his plan
Joined by about 50,000 people
Massive passive movement of noncooperation
Chapter 5: A Muslim India
Main Ideas:
Gandhi's release from jail and invitation to Britain
The signing of the Gandhi Irwin pact
Different perspectives on the pact
Gandhi's influence in the independence movement
The tension between Muslims and Hindus
The formation of the All Indian Muslim League
Mohammed Ali Jinnah's role in the Muslim League
Supporting Details:
Gandhi's release and the Gandhi Irwin pact
25,000 people, including Gandhi and Nehru, were imprisoned and beaten
Gandhi was released from jail and invited to Britain
Gandhi and Lord Irwin signed the Gandhi Irwin pact
The pact brought some resolution to the events of the preceding year
Different perspectives on the pact
Some Indians considered the pact a success as it allowed them to make their own salt and gave them some equality in negotiations with the British
Others, including Dhruv, saw the pact as a betrayal due to British control over Indian defense and foreign policy and the ignoring of police brutality
This created a disconnect between Gandhi and Nehru
Gandhi's influence in the independence movement
Gandhi's influence reached its height during this period
His influence would later wane while other figures like Jenner and Nayru rose in prominence
There were other key figures involved in the independence movement, not just Gandhi
The tension between Muslims and Hindus
After the Indian Mutiny, Muslims were blamed and cut out of leadership roles
The British started to speculate about splitting India into Muslim and Hindu regions
Policies were introduced to separate Hindus and Muslims and emphasize their differences
The All Indian Muslim League was formed in 1906 to protect Muslim rights and develop understanding between Muslim and other Indian communities
Mohammed Ali Jinnah's role in the Muslim League
Jinnah joined the Muslim League in 1913
He pushed for an independent India, which became part of the league's agenda
He
Chapter 6: Conclusion
The Muslim League shared the INC's belief in Indian independence, but wanted guarantees to protect India's Muslim minority
The Muslim League was concerned about being sidelined by the dominant Hindu INC if independence was achieved
In the 1930s, the All India Muslim League considered the idea of two independent nations: one Muslim and one Hindu
The Muslim League wanted to establish a nation called Pakistan, which means "Land of the Pure" in Urdu
The idea of two separate nations widened the rift between the Muslim League and the INC
Gandhi opposed the idea of splitting the country and considered it a sin
In 1940, Jinnah officially called for the creation of a separate Pakistani nation in the Lahore address
Jinnah argued that Muslims and Hindus had different social structures and civilizations, and could not coexist in a single state
The popularity of the Muslim League grew after the Lahore address, with Muslims in India supporting the idea of a separate Muslim nation
There was a disconnect between different members of the independence movement, including Gandhi, leading to a widening disconnect between Muslim and Hindu India