Other European Powers
Denmark East India Company
- Founded in 1616 under King Christian IV.
- Admiral Ove Gjedde established a post at Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu) in 1620.
- Reason for decline: They were unable to compete with the British economically and militarily.
France East India Company
- Founded in 1664 under King Louis XIV.
- Francisco Caron led the first expedition in 1667, establishing the first factory at Surat in 1668. Another factory was set up at Masulipatnam.
- Reason for decline: The company did not receive strong support from French merchants.
- Fought three major Carnatic Wars against the British, which ultimately led to their decline in India.
The Revolt of 1857
Also known as the First War of Independence.
Timeline of Events
- August 1856: Greased cartridges made with cow/pig flesh were produced at Fort William.
- December 1856: The British decided to introduce these cartridges to the Indian Army.
- Jan/Feb 1857: The new cartridges were implemented.
- Base Date (29 March 1857): At Barrackpore, Bengal, Mangal Pandey of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry shot at British officers in protest. He was hanged on April 8, 1857.
- Start Date (10 May 1857): The revolt began in Meerut.
- 11 May 1857: Rebels reached and captured Delhi, choosing the last Mughal King, Bahadur Shah Zafar, as their leader. The rebels held Delhi for 4 months before it was recaptured by the British.
- Expected Date: The original planned date for the uprising was 31st May 1857.
Causes of the Revolt
- The Policy of Annexation: Aggressive expansionist policies by the British.
- The Doctrine of Lapse (Main Cause): Introduced by Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856). If an Indian ruler died without a natural heir, their state would be annexed. Satara was the first state captured in 1848.
- Social & Economical Causes: Interference in social customs and exploitative economic policies.
- Army Causes: Discrimination in the army and the greased cartridges incident.
Reasons for Failure
- Lack of a common plan and coordination.
- Lack of unity among some Indian rulers and freedom fighters.
Key Events under Lord Dalhousie (1848-1856)
- Doctrine of Lapse: Annexed several states including Satara (1848), Jaipur and Sambalpur (1849), Nagpur and Jhansi (1854), and Awadh (1856, on grounds of misrule).
- Railways: Introduced the first railway line in India, connecting Bombay and Thane in 1853.
- Telegraph: Laid the first telegraph line from Calcutta to Agra in 1853.
- Postal System: Introduced the modern postal system with the Post Office Act of 1854.
- Public Works Department (PWD): Established a separate PWD for the construction of roads, canals, and bridges.
- Widow Remarriage Act (1856): Drafted during his tenure and passed by his successor, Lord Canning.
Leaders of the 1857 Revolt
| Leader(s) | Details | State/Center |
|---|---|---|
| Bahadur Shah Zafar | Led by General Bakht Khan. | Delhi |
| Nana Saheb | Adopted son of Peshwa Baji Rao II. Aided by Tantia Tope & Azimullah. | Kanpur |
| Begum Hazrat Mahal | Wife of the Nawab of Awadh. Fought to reclaim Lucknow for her son, Birjis Qadr. | Lucknow |
| Rani Lakshmibai | Fought for her adopted son's right to the throne of Jhansi. | Jhansi |
| Kunwar Singh | A landlord (zamindar) who joined the rebellion. | Arrah, Bihar |
| Khan Bahadur Khan | Descendant of the former ruler of Rohilkhand. | Bareilly |
| Maulvi Ahmadullah | One of the main leaders of the revolt. | Faizabad |
| Tantia Tope | Nana Saheb's general, who continued a guerrilla war against the British. | Gwalior |
Aftermath of the Revolt
The revolt marked a major turning point in the history of British rule in India.
- The Government of India Act 1858 was passed.
- The rule of the British East India Company ended, and the Crown Rule began, with the British monarch becoming the sovereign of India.
- The title of 'Governor-General' was changed to 'Viceroy'.
- Lord Canning, who was the Governor-General from 1856-1858, became the first Viceroy of India (1858-1862).
Indian National Congress (INC)
Founded in 1885 by A.O. Hume during the time of Viceroy Lord Dufferin.
Key Sessions of the INC (1885-1920)
| Year | Location | President | Importance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1885 | Bombay | W.C. Bonnerjee | 1st Session; 1st Hindu President. |
| 1886 | Calcutta | Dadabhai Naoroji | 1st Parsi President. |
| 1887 | Madras | Badruddin Tyabji | 1st Muslim President. |
| 1888 | Allahabad | George Yule | 1st English President. |
| 1896 | Calcutta | Rahimtulla M. Sayani | National Song 'Vande Mataram' sung for the first time. |
| 1899 | Lucknow | Romesh Chandra Dutt | Demand for permanent fixation of land revenue. |
| 1901 | Calcutta | Dinshaw E. Wacha | First time Gandhiji appeared on a Congress platform. |
| 1905 | Benares | Gopal Krishna Gokhale | Formal proclamation of the Swadeshi Movement. |
| 1906 | Calcutta | Dadabhai Naoroji | The word 'Swaraj' was first used. |
| 1907 | Surat | Rash Behari Ghosh | Split in Congress (Moderates & Extremists). |
| 1911 | Calcutta | B.N. Dhar | 'Jana Gana Mana' recited for the first time. |
| 1916 | Lucknow | A.C. Majumdar | Unity of Moderates and Extremists; Lucknow Pact signed. |
| 1917 | Calcutta | Annie Besant | 1st woman President of Congress. |
| 1918 (Spl) | Bombay | Syed Hasan Imam | Convened to discuss the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms. |
| 1919 | Amritsar | Motilal Nehru | Congress extended support to Khilafat Movement. |
| 1920 (Spl) | Calcutta | Lala Lajpat Rai | Mahatma Gandhi moved the Non-Cooperation resolution. |
| 1920 | Nagpur | C. Vijayaraghavachariar | Non-Cooperation program adopted; Congress constitution changed. |