Maharashtra Board Class 8 History Chapter 6 Beginning of Freedom Movement PDF Download

Beginning Of Freedom Movement

English education made mixed effects on the Indian society. The seeds of nationalism were sown by the reforms of newly educated society. Due to various movements in different parts of India a favourable situation was created to build a political organisation on an all India level which will bring together the various provincial political organisations, different groups of politically aware people and to express the aspiration of the nation by diverting the public attention towards the questions of the nation.

Centralisation Of Administration During British Rule

Due to the British administration, its implementation on India brought the nation under one roof in its true sense. Due to identical reforms all over the country and equality before law, the feeling of nationalism developed among the people. For the convenience of administration and swift movement of the army the British built network of roads and railways. But these facilities benefited the Indians as well. People from different parts of India came in contact of each other, there was increase in communication and the feeling of nationalism grew up.

Teacher's Note

The British built railways to move their army. But Indians also used these railways to travel and meet each other. This is like how the internet today helps Indians talk to each other across the country.

Exam Trick

Remember: British roads and railways = Indians came together = Nationalism grew. Just like how good roads help us visit our relatives in other cities.

Points to Remember

British centralised administration brought India under one roof.
Roads and railways were built by British for their army.
These facilities also helped Indians communicate with each other.
Communication led to growth of nationalism.
Equality before law made people feel united.

Economic Exploitation

The Indian wealth was flowing towards England by all means. Due to the imperialist policy of England there was beginning of economic exploitation of India. Farmers were compelled to take cash crops, burden of land taxes, continuous famines all this broke down the backbone of Indian agriculture. Traditional industries declined which led to rise in unemployment. The Capitalists exploited the worker class. Various new taxes were imposed on the middle class. This led to growth of discontent among the people.

Teacher's Note

The British took raw materials from India like cotton and sent them to England. They made cloth there and sold it back to India at high prices. This made poor Indian farmers and workers suffer.

Exam Trick

Remember: Economic exploitation = discontent. When people lose money and jobs, they become angry and want to fight back.

Points to Remember

Indian wealth flowed to England due to British policy.
Farmers had to grow cash crops instead of food.
Land taxes were very heavy and famines came.
Traditional industries closed and people lost jobs.
Discontent grew among all classes of people.

Western Education

Due to spread of western education, new ideas such as Justice, Liberty, Equality, Democracy etc. were introduced to the Indians. Rationalism, Scientific attitude, humanity, nationalism these principles were accepted by the Indians. Therefore there inculcated a feeling that we are capable of carrying out the work of the country and its progress is possible by following these principles. India is a country of diverse languages but with the introduction of English language India got a new medium of communication.

Teacher's Note

English education taught Indian children about freedom and equality. Children learned that they could fight for their rights. This is like when you learn about your rights in school today.

Exam Trick

Remember: Western education = new ideas like liberty and equality = Indians felt they could change their country. Education is powerful.

Points to Remember

Western education brought ideas of justice and liberty to Indians.
Rationalism and scientific thinking grew among educated people.
English became a common language for all Indians.
People felt capable of running their own country.
Nationalism grew through education.

Study Of Ancient Indian History

The 'Asiatic Society' was established at Bengal by the British. Many Indian and western scholars started study of Indian culture. The manuscripts in Sanskrit, Persian and other languages were examined and research was published. Dr. Bhau Daji Lad, Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar these Indian scholars made intensive study of ancient Indian culture. After understanding that we are blessed with glorious ancient tradition, the Indians were awakened with a sense of Identity. The 'Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute' is working since last 100 years in Pune.

Teacher's Note

Indian scholars studied old Sanskrit books and found that ancient India was very great and advanced. This made Indians proud of their own country and culture, just like we feel proud when we learn about our grandparents' achievements.

Exam Trick

Remember: Study of old Indian history = sense of pride and identity = nationalism grew. When you know your country is great, you want to protect it.

Points to Remember

Asiatic Society studied ancient Indian manuscripts and culture.
Dr. Bhau Daji Lad and Dr. R. G. Bhandarkar did important research.
Ancient India was found to be very advanced and glorious.
Indians developed a sense of pride in their identity.
Bhandarkar Institute still works in Pune for over 100 years.

Contribution Of Newspapers

During this period, English and Vernacular newspapers and periodicals came to be published. Through these newspapers, political and social awakening took place. Newspapers like Darpan, Prabhakar, Hindu, Amrit Bazar Patrika, Kesari, Maharatta started criticising the Government.

Teacher's Note

Newspapers told people the truth about British rule. Today, newspapers and TV news do the same thing - they tell us what is happening and help us understand important things.

Exam Trick

Remember: Newspapers = power to spread ideas. Through newspapers, many people learned about nationalism without meeting each other.

Points to Remember

English and local language newspapers were printed during this time.
Newspapers criticised the British government's unfair policies.
Through newspapers, political awakening reached common people.
Kesari and Maharatta were famous newspapers of that time.
Newspapers helped spread the message of nationalism.

Establishment Of Indian National Congress

On 28 December 1885, the first session of Indian National Congress was held at Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit School in Mumbai. 72 delegates from different provinces of India participated in this session. Wyomesh Chandra Banerjee, a renowned lawyer from Kolkata, was the President of this session. In this session they established the Indian National Congress. Allan Octavian Hume, a British officer, took lead in the establishment of the Indian National Congress. Increased proportion of Indians in the administration, reduction of military expenses by the British government such statements were sent to the British.

Teacher's Note

The Indian National Congress was like making a club where Indians from all parts of India could come together and speak as one voice. Today, it is still the oldest political party in India.

Exam Trick

Remember: Indian National Congress formed in 1885 = 72 delegates from all parts of India = unity began. Date to remember: 28 December 1885.

Points to Remember

First session was held on 28 December 1885 in Mumbai.
72 delegates came from different provinces of India.
Wyomesh Chandra Banerjee was the first President.
Allan Octavian Hume helped establish the Congress.
Goal was to unite Indians and send demands to British.

Objectives Of The Indian National Congress

To make the people from different parts of India forget the differences in religion, race, caste, language, geographical territories and bring them on a common platform, to understand each others problems and views, to increase the feeling of oneness among the people, to take efforts for the development of the country were the objectives of the Indian National Congress.

Teacher's Note

Congress wanted all Indians - Hindu, Muslim, Christian, poor, rich - to work together. It is like a school where students from different families and religions study together as friends.

Exam Trick

Remember: Congress objectives = unity. It brought together people who spoke different languages and believed in different religions, but they all wanted India to be free.

Points to Remember

Congress wanted Indians to forget caste and religion differences.
It brought people from all parts of India on one platform.
Goal was to make Indians understand each other's problems.
Congress wanted to create a feeling of oneness among all Indians.
Development of the country was a main objective.

Moderate Phase (1885-1905)

The early ten years after establishment of Indian National Congress their contribution was very slow but consistent. The leaders of Indian National Congress were realistic and highly educated. They were aware that through organised work a strong foundation needs to be built up. Western thinker's, philosophy of liberalism, freedom, equality, fraternity these values had an impact on them. They believed in constitutional methods. They had a hope that if we demand through constitutional methods then the British will give justice to our demands. Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Ferozshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee were all moderate leaders.

In the session of Indian National Congress different resolutions were put forward by them such as, to get representation in provincial legislature, jobs for educated Indians, cutting down the increasing expenses on military, Legislature and Judiciary should be seperated for safeguarding legal rights of Indians etc.

To cause a split in the national movement the British implemented the policy of 'Divide and rule'.

Teacher's Note

Moderate leaders believed in asking politely for rights instead of fighting. It is like a child asking parents nicely for something instead of shouting and crying.

Exam Trick

Remember: Moderate phase = peaceful methods and asking through courts and laws. Leaders like Gokhale believed that British will listen if we ask nicely.

Points to Remember

Moderate leaders worked slowly but consistently from 1885 to 1905.
They were educated and believed in organised work.
They used constitutional and peaceful methods only.
Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Ferozshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee were moderate leaders.
They wanted representation, jobs, and lower military expenses.

Extremist Phase (1905-1920)

All Indian leaders who were politically aware kept aside their differences of caste, religion, language, province and gathered on a single platform of Indian National Congress. There were unanimous decisions regarding the objectives of the Congress and taking forward the movement by constitutional means, but there were differences regarding the working system. These were ideological differences. From these differences two main political groups were formed. The Moderates who advocated peaceful and constitutional manners and the Extremist who believed in severe struggle for attainment of freedom. Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal were believed to be extremist leaders.

In the early period, the Extremist leaders, for bringing political awakening among the Indians used methods like newspapers, national festivals and national education. 'Kesari' and 'Maratha' were the newspapers through which Lokmanya Tilak made severe criticism on the suppressive policy of the British. In Bengal province, 'Amrit Bazar Patrika' was a mouthpiece of extremist ideology. By forgetting the internal differences people should come together and exchange their ideas, common people should get inspiration from contribution of national personalities, with these objectives Tilak started organising of Shiv Jayanti and Ganesh Utsav. For political reasons if people come together then government will ban them, but for religious reasons if people come together the government will not ban them was his opinion. In the Mandalay prison, Tilak wrote 'Geetarahasya'. Its core was philosophy of karmayoga and stressed that people should always be in action. The extremist leaders established education institutions for creating a generation concerned about own language and tradition. The extremist leaders were of the opinion that if lakhs of people take part in the freedom movement and challenge the British government by struggling against them only then success will be achieved. They unanimously believed that the movement should be made more severe. But they did not adopt the means of armed revolution rather insisted for an extensive public agitation. The moderates laid the foundation of freedom movement and the extremists carried forward the movement.

Teacher's Note

Extremist leaders believed in fighting harder and making the British listen through big public movements. Lokmanya Tilak was clever - he used religious festivals to bring people together.

Exam Trick

Remember: Extremist = Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal. They used newspapers, festivals, and public meetings to fight for freedom, not guns.

Points to Remember

Extremists believed in severe struggle for freedom from 1905 to 1920.
Lala Lajpat Rai, Tilak, and Bipin Chandra Pal were extremist leaders.
They used newspapers, festivals, and education to awaken people.
Tilak organised Shiv Jayanti and Ganesh Utsav as public gatherings.
They wanted public agitation, not armed violence.

In 1897, in Pune, the epidemic of Plague had spread on a large scale. Hundreds of people died due to it. An officer named Rand was appointed. The plague patients were searched out and oppressive measures were adopted. As a revenge, the Chapekar brothers assassinated Rand. The government tried to connect relation of Lokmanya Tilak with this conspiracy. After being unsuccessful the government imprisoned Tilak with revenge.

Partition Of Bengal

The British decided to use the policy of 'Divide and Rule' to create a rift between Hindu-Muslim community. The then Viceroy Lord Curzon contributed to it. Bengal was a very large province. To carry out the work of this province was difficult from administrative point of view. By putting up this reason, in 1905, he declared the partition of Bengal province. With this partition, arrangement was made such that majority Muslims will remain in East Bengal and West Bengal for majority of Hindus. The hidden strategy of the British was, if the Hindu-Muslims were divided, due to partition, then the freedom movement will be weakened.

Teacher's Note

The British tried to divide Hindus and Muslims by dividing Bengal. They thought if Indians fight with each other, they will not fight with the British. This is called "divide and rule".

Exam Trick

Remember: Partition of Bengal in 1905 = divide Hindus and Muslims = weaken freedom movement. This was a trick by Lord Curzon.

Points to Remember

Lord Curzon divided Bengal into East and West in 1905.
East Bengal had more Muslims, West Bengal had more Hindus.
British wanted to create division between Hindus and Muslims.
They thought divided Indians would be weak.
This was the "Divide and Rule" policy.

Anti Partition Movement

There was public awakening against partition not only in Bengal but all over India. 16 October, the day of partition was observed as National Mourning Day. All over India there were protest meetings to condemn the Government's decision. 'Vande Mataram' came to be sung everywhere. As a symbol of unity, 'Raksha Bandhan' programmes were held. Students in large number boycotted government schools and colleges and participated in the movement