The Making Of National Movement ( Class 8 )

1. Early Discontent (1870s–1880s)

The text details why Indians were dissatisfied with British rule, specifically citing:

The Arms Act: Preventing Indians from owning weapons.

The Vernacular Press Act: Silencing critics of the government.

The Ilbert Bill Controversy: The failed attempt to allow Indian judges to try Europeans, which highlighted racial discrimination.

2. The Indian National Congress (INC)

It identifies the INC's goal as being a representative voice for all communities in India, rather than a specific group.

3. Impact of World War I

The notes explain how the war forced the British to increase taxes and defense spending, causing hardship for common people while allowing Indian business groups to profit and industrialize due to a decline in foreign imports.

4. Ideological Shifts: Moderates vs. Radicals

Moderates: Favored constitutional methods, demanding more representation and for Civil Service exams to be held in India.

Radicals: Advocated for mass mobilization, boycotts, and occasionally "revolutionary violence" to challenge British authority.

5. Key Milestones

Muslim League Resolution (1940): The demand for independent states for Muslims (without explicitly naming "Pakistan" at the time).

The Salt March (1930): Mahatma Gandhi's strategic choice to protest the salt tax because it was an essential item that united both the rich and the poor against the British monopoly.