The timeline and the events representing the movement for Indian independence span from the year 1857 all the way until independence in 1947. Many things happened during this time period but, there were a few major events that shaped the entire independence movement. These events were the rebellion of 1857, the partition of Bengal, creation of the Muslim League, World War I, and World War II.
The Rebellion of 1857
The Rebellion of 1857
The rebellion of 1857 was when the British officially took control of India. Leading up to the rebellion, the East India Company maintained control of a large part of the Indian subcontinent. By using sepoys, Indian soldiers, the East India Company was able to maintain control in the various regions that they were doing business in. In 1857, the sepoys working for the East India Company rebelled, and caused significant damage to the company. The rebellion started in the town of Meerut and eventually spread across India, which resulted in the dissolution of the East India Company. After this event the British government began to seriously reconsider its involvement in India. With the dissolution of the East India Company the British government decided to take direct control of India. The British government took control by centralizing their power in India. With a stronger government in place the British also deployed soldiers to serve in India. After the reorganization of power a British raj, ruler of India, was put into power over the entire subcontinent. This event was very important in regards to the Indian independence movement. This is because the rebellion of 1857 is recognized as the first event that started the movement towards a free India.
The Partition of Bengal and the Muslim League
The partition of Bengal in 1905 was the next major step towards a divided and independent India. In 1905 Bengal was split into two different provinces. There was the Muslim majority (East Bengal) and the Hindu province (West Bengal). This partition received heavy protests and the boycott of British goods from the Hindu majority because they controlled most of the trade and commerce in the region. The Hindus were also very worried because they were now becoming a minority within part of Bengal. The Muslims saw these protests as threatening, Muslims believed that the Hindu majority was working to oppress them. Fearing reforms from the Hindu majority Muslim leaders worked together and created the Muslim League in 1906. Before the British took control Muslim elites had significant control of India. Through the Muslim League they demanded equal representation in the Indian government and wanted separate elections for Muslims. In 1911 Bengal was reunited after several years of protests from the Hindu majority. Since Muslims benefited from the partition the reunification of Bengal was very upsetting for them. They began to resent the British and the idea of the partition of India became fully cemented in Muslim society. The partition of Bengal and the creation of the Muslim League were very significant in the timeline towards an independent India. These events drove a wedge between the Hindu majority and the Muslim minority. Together, they could no longer see eye to eye on political ideology, and the creation of a separate Muslim state became the new goal for Muslims across India.
Indians in WWI
World War I
In 1914 World War I broke out. This event was very important for Indian independence. In need of support, the British government called upon India in order to bolster their troop levels. Together, British and Indian soldiers were fighting side by side which ended up gathering more support for Indian independence. Through the use of Indian soldiers, the Muslim League and the Indian Congress demanded more independence from British rule. Together in 1916, the Lucknow Pact was created. The idea behind the pact was to allow Indians to have self government in India. The Muslims also wanted a set number of seats reserved for them in Indian government. These new demands from the Indians were seen as a very nationalistic stance and put the British government in a new position regarding Indian rule. As time went on the British government began to tighten down on Indians, and rule with much more force than before. This tactic only further distanced the British from the Indian populace, making the demands for independence that much stronger.
World War II
Indians in WWII
By 1939 the main leaders of the Indian independence movement had been working towards their goal. Muhammad Ali Jinnah led the Muslim League and Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were the main leaders of the Indian Congress. In 1939 when The British went to war with Germany, the British raj also declared war without Indian support. With the war waging on, British resources became scarce and they could no longer devote as much attention to Indian as before. Therefore, when the Congress party began to demand for an independent India again, the British immediately jailed many of the Congressional leaders. This event allowed the Muslim League to gain more control in negotiations with the British and gather more support for their ideals in India. With the war drawing to an end, British resources were completely exhausted. No longer could the British government keep its hold over India. The greatly reduced British presence in India brought about a large amount of religious violence. With the continuation of extremist groups fighting each other the Indian nation soon found that they had no choice but to divide.
Independence
India achieved independence in 1947. The weeks leading up to independence were very difficult and saw lots of violence between Hindus and Muslims. With the demands of the Muslim League and the growing tensions between Hindus and Muslims there was little choice for India besides partition. As the date for the independence of India was reaching its fruition, the boundaries for Pakistan and India had still yet to be decided. This caused lots of violence in the Punjab region especially between Sikhs and Muslims. Overall, the independence and partition of India was rushed by the British and ended somewhat poorly for the Indians. While they did achieve their Independence many people had to be relocated and in the process of migration, lots of people either died or were taken captive by opportunistic groups.
Full timeline of the Indian independence movement
Tryst with Destiny, Indian independence speech by Nehru.