Indian Modern History Summary( for Quick Revision)

Indian Modern History

1885 - Indian National Congress was formed.

1905 -  Partition of Bengal by Curzon.

1906 - All India Muslim league was formed.

1911 - Annulment of the partition of Bengal.

1917 - Champaran movement

1919 - Rowlatt Act passed - The act curbed the fundamental rights such as freedom of expression and strengthened the police powers.

1919 - Jallianwalabagh Massacre. In protest, Tagore renounced his knighthood.

1920 - Khilafat movement. Gandhi took it as an opportunity for Muslim-Hindu unity and supported the movement.

1920 - Non-Cooperation movement. British titles were surrendered. The import of foreign cloth fell drastically between 1920 and 1922.

1920 - Gandhi called off the Non-Cooperation Movement.

1922 - Chauri chaura incident - killing 22 policemen.

1927- Simon Commission- the Commission was to recommend further constitutional reforms. It was headed by Sir John Simon. It contained all-white members. 

         When Simon came to Indian he was greeted with black flags as a mark of protest by the Indians with raised slogans stating - "Simon Go Back".

1928-Nehru Report: It demanded responsible government advocated dominion states. It was not for complete independence. It demanded universal suffrage. It rejected separated communal elections.

1929-Irwin Offer: It proposed a vague offer of 'dominion status' for India in an unspecified future and a Round Table Conference to discuss a future constitution after the publication of the Simon Report.

1929 - Lahore Session of Congress: The president was Jawahar Lal Nehru. It took the decision boycotting Round Table Conference. "Purna Swaraj" was adopted as the main aim of the Congress under the presidentship of J.L.Nehru. It launched a program of civil disobedience. On Dec 31, 1929, Tricolor was hoisted at the Shore of Ravi.

1930 - Civil Disobedience Movement started with the Dandi March on 12th March 1930 to break the salt law under the leadership of Gandhi. 26th January 1930 - observed as "Independence day" all 

          over the country.

1930 - First Round Table Conference: It was the first-ever conference arranged between British and Indians as equal.          Congress boycotted it. However, Motilal Nehru, Liberals, and princes attended it.

1931 - Second Round Table Conference: Gandhi attended only one round table conference and that is the second roundtable conference.

1931 - Gandhi-Irwin pact: It offered that all political prisoners would be released except Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. The right to make salt was accepted. Gandhi agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement and participate in the second session of the Round Table Conference.

1932 - Third Round Table Conference: Majority leaders of INC did not participate. The outcome of the conference was published on a "White paper" based on which the British government passed the Government of India Act of 1935.

1932 - Ramsay MacDonald proposed separate electorate for minority community including Dalits. The proposal was supported by B.R.Ambedkar but it was fully opposed by Gandhi.

1932 - Poona Pact: Gandhi felt that separate electorate would disintegrate the society on caste lines and would lead to permanent division in the society. To avoid such a situation Gandhi went on for a hunger strike for 21 days in Yerrawada central jail. The issue was finally resolved between B.R.Ambedkar and Gandhi by signing the historic Poona Pact. Gandhi devoted himself to the Harijan Cause, for which he started a newspaper called "Harijan".

1935 - Government of India act 1935 prescribed provincial autonomy and the government announced elections to the provincial legislatures in 1937. Congress formed government in 6 out of 11 provinces.

1942 - Cripps Missions: The British government wanted India to fully co-operate to it during World War-II and made few proposals to League and Congress and promised them of independence after the war. But the proposals were rejected by both the parties and hence the Cripps Mission was a failure.

1942 - Gandhi called for the Quit India movement, "DO or DIE" to fight the British. Communication and symbols of the state authority were attacked all over the country.

1945 - Wavell Plan: which suggested that all portfolios except Defence would be held by the Indian members. The Plan also suggested the reconstitution of the Viceroy's Executive Council and the political parties have to nominate few candidates from their party out of whom the viceroy would select the candidate of his choice for the Executive Council.

1945 - Shimla Conference: To discuss these proposals and for a better future India, Wavell called all the political parties for their opinion to Shimla and this conference is popularly called as Shimla conference. Differences arose between Congress and the League about the representation of the Muslim community. The conference was a failure.

1946 - Cabinet Mission: The mission consisted of Lord Pethick-Lawrence, the Secretary of State for India, Sir Stafford Cripps, President of the Board of Trade and A. V. Alexander, the First Lord of the Admiralty. The mission suggested that India should remain united and constitute itself as a loose federation with some autonomy for Muslim majority areas. Both Congress and League did not agree to specific details of the proposal.

1946 - Direct Action Day - Muslim League announced 16th august 1946 as Direct action day. On this day riots broke in Calcutta lasting for several days. By March 1947 violence spread to different parts of  the  northern India.

1947 - Indian Independence Act 1947: It was the Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and it received the royal assent on 18 July 1947. According to this act the British India was to be divided into two states namely India and Pakistan.

15thAugust,1947-"Independence Day" India became independent.