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Early Nationalism and Swadeshi Class 8 History Notes

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 8 · India's Long Road to Independence

Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries: Class 8 Notes and Questions

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

After 1858 the Crown ruled India, but discontent grew. Reformers, the Indian National Congress (1885), the Kuka and Birsa Munda movements and the Partition of Bengal (1905) fed a Swadeshi and boycott wave. In 1907 the Congress split at Surat between Moderates and Nationalists, revolutionaries such as the Anushilan Samiti and Ghadar Party acted, and the 1916 Lucknow Pact and Home Rule Movement followed.

Understand Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries

After 1857. In 1858 the Crown took direct control, ruling through the Secretary of State for India in London and the Viceroy in India. A royal proclamation promised respect for the rights of princes (about 560 princely states under British 'paramountcy') and non-interference in religion, but NCERT says these promises were not honoured in practice: Residents interfered in princely states, missionary activity had state support, land taxes caused famines, and Indians were treated as inferior (lower pay, biased juries, segregated spaces). The 1878 Arms Act barred Indians from keeping arms and the Vernacular Press Act censored Indian-language newspapers.

Early resistance. The Paika Sangram (Khorda, Odisha, 1817 and after): the Raja of Khorda lost territory and authority at the Jagannath temple; the Paikas, the peasant militia, lost rent-free lands to taxes; Buxi Jagabandhu led the rising, taking Puri; the British imposed martial law and contained the main uprising by May 1817, while he waged guerrilla war until his surrender in 1825. The Sambalpur Uprising (1827-1862): triggered by interference in royal succession and annexation; Surendra Sai led resistance with his brothers; the battle of Kudopali in December 1857 saw fifty-seven fighters led by Chhabila Sai sacrifice their lives; Surendra Sai died in prison after 37 years of captivity.

Reformers. Brahmo Samaj (Raja Ram Mohan Roy, 1828, Calcutta): against child marriage and caste discrimination, for widow rights and girls' education. Arya Samaj (Swami Dayananda Saraswati, 1875, Bombay): return to the Vedas, rationalism, equality, women's education. Others: Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Syed Ahmed Khan, Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule.

Cultural currents. Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay wrote *Anandamath* (1882), in which the poem *Bande Mataram* (composed 1875) appears; Tagore sang it at the 1896 Congress; it was adopted as the National Song in 1950. Swami Vivekananda (born 1863; spoke at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago, 1893) urged self-confidence: 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached'; National Youth Day is 12 January.

Indian National Congress (1885). Founded with the help of A.O. Hume, Dadabhai Naoroji and W.C. Bonnerjee (first president) at Bombay with 72 delegates. At first it had faith in British rule and passed resolutions seeking greater Indian participation; the government largely ignored them.

Growing discontent. Kuka (Namdhari) Movement under Baba Ram Singh in Punjab: social reform, rejection of foreign goods, own postal system; 65 Kukas were executed in 1872 and Ram Singh exiled to Burma. The Chapekar brothers shot the Plague Commissioner of Poona (1897). Bal Gangadhar Tilak ('Lokmanya'; newspaper *Kesari*; Ganesh and Shivaji festivals) was imprisoned for sedition. Birsa Munda led the 'Ulgulaan' of 1899-1900 in Chota Nagpur and died in jail at 24. Anushilan Samiti (1902) and Abhinav Bharat (V.D. Savarkar) were secret societies.

Partition of Bengal (1905). Viceroy Curzon announced it, officially for administration but, as NCERT says, in line with 'divide and rule' between the largely Muslim east and largely Hindu west. It provoked protests led by Tagore, Surendranath Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal and others; rakhis were tied as a sign of unity. Swadeshi (of one's own country) and boycott of foreign goods followed, with bonfires of foreign cloth. NCERT notes earlier Swadeshi enterprises (Tata's Swadeshi Mills 1886, Punjab National Bank 1895, Bengal Chemicals 1901). The partition was annulled in 1911.

Nationalists and the Muslim League. In 1906 *Bande Mataram* daily (Bipin Chandra Pal, then Aurobindo Ghose) spread the call of absolute autonomy; the National Council of Education and Bengal National College opened. The Calcutta Congress (December 1906, president Dadabhai Naoroji) declared Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education. The All-India Muslim League was founded at Dhaka in December 1906 to protect Muslim political interests.

Surat split (1907). Moderates (Naoroji, Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, Surendranath Banerjee) wanted to step back to minor concessions; Nationalists (Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo) left and held a separate session.

Revolutionaries. Khudiram Bose and Prafulla Chaki (1908; Khudiram hanged at 18); the Alipore Bomb Case in which Aurobindo was acquitted; Tilak sentenced to six years in Mandalay. Bombs at Viceroy Hardinge (1912). Ghadar Movement (1914-15) by Indians in North America (Lala Hardayal, Sohan Singh Bhakna) tried to trigger a mutiny in the army; Kartar Singh Sarabha was executed at 19. Bagha Jatin died in a gunbattle on 9 September 1915 awaiting German arms. The Cellular Jail in the Andamans ('Kala Pani') held many revolutionaries.

Home Rule and the Lucknow Pact (1916). Tilak reunited the two Congress factions, the Congress and League signed the Lucknow Pact (Congress accepted separate electorates for Muslims), and Tilak and Annie Besant launched the Home Rule Movement for self-government within the Empire.

Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries: key facts

Dates of early nationalism
1858Crown rule
1885Congress
1905Partition of Bengal
1906Muslim League
1907Surat split
1911partition annulled
1916Lucknow Pact
Timeline.
Moderates versus Nationalists
Moderates: Naoroji, Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta, Banerjee | Nationalists: Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo, Bipin Chandra Pal
Lal-Bal-Pal for Lajpat Rai, Tilak, Pal.
Swadeshi programme
  • Boycott of foreign goods
  • Promotion of Indian goods
  • National education
  • Passive resistance
Four elements.
Revolutionary groups
  • Anushilan Samiti 1902
  • Abhinav Bharat 1904
  • Ghadar Movement 1914-15
  • Yugantar newspaper
Know one leader for each.
Reform movements
  • Brahmo Samaj 1828
  • Arya Samaj 1875
  • Phule couple
  • Syed Ahmed Khan
  • Vidyasagar
Education and social reform.

How to answer Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries questions

Questions ask for causes and results of the Partition of Bengal, differences between Moderates and Nationalists, methods of revolutionaries, and the role of reformers and movements.

  1. 1Put events on a timeline before answering so dates are in order.
  2. 2For two groups, compare their goals, methods and leaders in two columns.
  3. 3For the Partition of Bengal, give the official reason, the NCERT view, the protest methods and the 1911 result.
  4. 4Name a leader and a place for each movement.
  5. 5Treat violent episodes factually with dates and avoid praise or blame in your own words beyond what NCERT states.

Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Boycott and Swadeshi today

Suppose a town's shopkeepers and customers agree to buy more locally made notebooks and fewer imported ones, hoping local workshops will grow.

Which 1905 idea does this resemble, and why can it be difficult to sustain?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Preferring home-made goods is Swadeshi.
  2. It helps local industry and reduces dependence.
  3. NCERT notes that boycott of institutions was limited because India's own institutions were not yet ready to replace them.

Answer: It resembles Swadeshi, the promotion of Indian-made goods to strengthen local industry and reduce dependence. It is hard to sustain unless local alternatives are ready, as NCERT says boycott of British institutions had limited impact because Indian institutions were not yet ready to replace them.

Memory hook: To boycott, you need a ready alternative.

Tricks to remember Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Lal-Bal-Pal

    Lala Lajpat Rai (Punjab), Bal Gangadhar Tilak (Maharashtra), Bipin Chandra Pal (Bengal).

    Use it when: Leaders of the Nationalist camp.

  • 1905-06-07-11

    Partition 1905, League 1906, Surat 1907, annulled 1911.

    Use it when: Sequence of events.

  • S-S-B-N

    Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott, National education (1906 Congress).

    Use it when: Calcutta resolution.

Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Who founded the League? · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

The All-India Muslim League was founded in:
(a) 1885 at Bombay
(b) 1906 at Dhaka
(c) 1916 at Lucknow
(d) 1930 at Allahabad

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. NCERT: founded at Dhaka in December 1906 (1 mark).

Answer: (b) 1906 at Dhaka

Example 2: Moderates and Nationalists (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

State three differences between the Moderates and the Nationalists in the Congress. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Moderates sought minor administrative concessions and gradual self-government within the Empire; Nationalists wanted Swaraj or nothing less than independence (1 mark).
  2. Nationalists backed Swadeshi, boycott and national education as mass methods (1 mark).
  3. Leaders: Moderates Naoroji, Gokhale, Mehta; Nationalists Tilak, Lajpat Rai, Aurobindo (1 mark).

Answer: The Moderates wanted minor administrative concessions and a gradual move to self-government within the British Empire, while the Nationalists demanded Swaraj, and called for nothing less than independence. The Nationalists favoured mass methods such as Swadeshi, boycott and national education, whereas the Moderates preferred petitions and dialogue. Dadabhai Naoroji, Gokhale and Pherozeshah Mehta were among the Moderates; Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo Ghose led the Nationalists.

Example 3: Assertion-reason: partition annulled · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): The Partition of Bengal was annulled in 1911.
Reason (R): Popular sentiment against the partition continued, with Swadeshi and boycott movements.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. NCERT states that, owing to continuing popular sentiment, the government withdrew the partition in 1911 (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 4: Partition of Bengal (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Why was Bengal partitioned in 1905? Describe the protests against it and its two main results. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Official motive: efficient administration of a very large presidency; NCERT sees 'divide and rule' between the largely Muslim east and largely Hindu west (1 mark).
  2. Opposition: Tagore, Surendranath Banerjee, Bipin Chandra Pal and others united people across communities (1 mark).
  3. Protests: meetings, processions, Vande Mataram songs (banned), rakhis tied for unity (1 mark).
  4. Result 1: sharpened division between the communities as many Muslim leaders defended the partition (1 mark).
  5. Result 2: the Swadeshi and boycott movements, with the partition annulled in 1911 (1 mark).

Answer: Viceroy Curzon announced the partition of the large Bengal presidency in 1905, officially for administrative efficiency, though NCERT describes it as an application of divide and rule between the largely Muslim eastern and largely Hindu western parts. Leaders such as Tagore, Surendranath Banerjee and Bipin Chandra Pal united people across communities in protest; meetings and processions multiplied, Vande Mataram was sung in the streets until banned, and rakhis were tied as a symbol of unity. One result was a sharper division between the two communities, as most Muslim leaders defended the partition. The other was the rise of the Swadeshi and boycott movements, with bonfires of foreign goods and the promotion of Indian-made products. Because of continuing popular sentiment, the partition was withdrawn in 1911.

Example 5: Case: Birsa Munda · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer.

Birsa Munda of the Munda tribe in Chota Nagpur galvanised tribal resistance against British exploitation, oppressive landlords and the inroads of missionaries. He led the 'Ulgulaan', or Great Tumult, of 1899-1900. The police and some churches were attacked, and the authorities repressed the rising. Arrested early in 1900, Birsa died in jail four months later at the age of 24, but remains a revered figure.

(i) Name the uprising and its years. (1)
(ii) Name two causes of the discontent of the tribal communities. (1)
(iii) Why is Birsa still remembered even though the uprising was suppressed? (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Ulgulaan, 1899-1900 (1 mark).
  2. (ii) Any two: British exploitation, oppressive landlords, missionary inroads, loss of land (1 mark).
  3. (iii) He restored tribal faith, rights and dignity; his impact lived on among tribal communities of eastern India (2 marks).

Answer: (i) The Ulgulaan (Great Tumult) of 1899-1900. (ii) British exploitation and oppressive landlords (also missionary inroads). (iii) Birsa asserted that he would restore tribal faith, rights and dignity and became a prophet of tribal revival; although he died young in jail, his influence on tribal communities of eastern India lived on and he remains revered.

Where students lose marks in Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Dating the Muslim League to 1885 or 1916

    Confusing events.

    Wrong working

    The Muslim League was founded in 1885.

    Right working

    1906 at Dhaka; 1885 was the Congress.

    Do this: Make a timeline.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Mixing up Moderates and Nationalists

    Name similarity with 'extremists'.

    Wrong working

    Naoroji was a Nationalist leader at Surat.

    Right working

    Naoroji, Gokhale and Mehta were Moderates; Tilak, Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo were Nationalists.

    Do this: Learn leaders against group.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

  • Mistake: Writing that the Congress demanded independence from the start

    Hindsight.

    Wrong working

    The Congress demanded complete independence in 1885.

    Right working

    It began by expressing faith in British rule and seeking greater participation.

    Do this: Trace the change: 1885, 1906, 1929.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Prepare a one-page timeline of 1858-1919 and revise it daily.
  • Give the NCERT terms Moderates and Nationalists; NCERT notes that the Nationalists did not consider themselves 'extreme'.
  • Cite one unintended result when asked about colonial policies.
  • Treat communal and violent episodes with factual wording and attribute any judgement to NCERT.

Practice questions on Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    Who presided over the Congress session of December 1906 at Calcutta that declared Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education?
    (a) Tilak
    (b) Gokhale
    (c) Dadabhai Naoroji
    (d) W.C. Bonnerjee

    Hint

    Also the first Indian MP.

    Answer

    (c) Dadabhai Naoroji

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    What was the Lucknow Pact (1916)? (2 marks)

    Hint

    Congress and League.

    Answer

    It was an agreement between the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League at the Lucknow session in 1916. The Congress accepted separate electorates for Muslims in elections to the legislative councils, and the pact promoted Congress-League cooperation.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    Explain the aims and methods of the Ghadar Movement. (3 marks)

    Hint

    World War I; Indians abroad; army.

    Answer

    The Ghadar Movement of 1914-15 aimed to trigger a pan-Indian mutiny within the British Indian Army while Britain was busy with World War I. It was organised by the Ghadar Party, founded by Indian migrants in North America such as Lala Hardayal and Sohan Singh Bhakna, many of whom returned to India; Rash Behari Bose, Sachindra Nath Sanyal and Kartar Singh Sarabha tried to infiltrate the army. British intelligence uncovered the plot, leading to arrests and executions.

  4. Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

    Assertion (A): The Congress at its founding in 1885 demanded complete independence.
    Reason (R): Its early resolutions asked for greater Indian participation in governance and expressed loyalty to the Crown.
    (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
    (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    (c) A is true, but R is false.
    (d) A is false, but R is true.

    Hint

    Check A against R.

    Answer

    (d) A is false, but R is true.

  5. Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    'The Partition of Bengal produced results the colonial rulers had not planned.' Explain this using the Swadeshi movement, the founding of the Muslim League and the ban on Vande Mataram, and say what the later Surat split showed about the national movement. (5 marks)

    Hint

    Unintended: mass awakening, Swadeshi; also communal division; Surat showed divisions on methods.

    Answer

    The authorities expected to manage Bengal more easily, and also hoped to divide communities. Instead, protests spread among students and citizens; Vande Mataram was sung in processions, prompting a ban, and Swadeshi and boycott mobilised people to promote Indian goods and reduce economic dependence. The Congress declared Swaraj, Swadeshi, Boycott and National Education in 1906, a more radical objective than before. At the same time, the partition sharpened divisions: most Muslim leaders defended it and the All-India Muslim League was founded in December 1906. The Surat split of 1907 showed that the national movement itself had differing approaches: Moderates preferred gradual change while Nationalists under Tilak, Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo wanted Swaraj, so the movement was strong in energy but divided in method.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.Who was the first president of the Indian National Congress?Show answer

    Womesh Chunder Bonnerjee.

  2. 2.What does 'Swadeshi' mean?Show answer

    Of one's own country; the promotion of Indian-made goods.

  3. 3.Which revolutionary group published the newspaper Yugantar?Show answer

    A group linked with the Anushilan Samiti, led by Barindra Ghose.

  4. 4.Who led the Paika Sangram resistance?Show answer

    Buxi Jagabandhu.

  5. 5.Who launched the Home Rule Movement in 1916?Show answer

    Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.

Early Nationalism, Swadeshi and the Revolutionaries: frequently asked questions

Why was the Partition of Bengal opposed?

It was seen as an application of divide and rule between the largely Muslim east and largely Hindu west and an attack on Bengal's solidarity, so people across communities protested.

What was the Surat split?

The 1907 Congress session at which Moderates and Nationalists clashed; the Nationalists led by Tilak, Lajpat Rai and Aurobindo walked out and held a separate session.

What was the Ulgulaan?

The Great Tumult of 1899-1900, an uprising led by Birsa Munda against colonial exploitation, landlords and missionary inroads.