Indian National Movement: Important Dates from 1857 to 1947

The freedom movement is a favourite topic in every Bihar exam. Learn it as a timeline and connect each event to a leader, a place and an outcome.

1857–1905: Revolt and early nationalism

• 1857: The Revolt began at Meerut on 10 May. In Bihar, Babu Veer Kunwar Singh of Jagdispur led the rebels.
• 1885: Indian National Congress founded in Bombay; first president W. C. Bonnerjee.
• 1905: Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon; Swadeshi movement began.

1906–1919: Moderates, extremists and Gandhi

• 1906: Muslim League founded at Dhaka.
• 1907: Surat split in the Congress between moderates and extremists.
• 1911: Partition of Bengal annulled; capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. In 1912 Bihar was created as a separate province.
• 1916: Lucknow Pact between the Congress and the Muslim League.
• 1917: Champaran Satyagraha – Gandhi's first major movement in India, in Bihar, against forced indigo cultivation.
• 1919: Rowlatt Act; Jallianwala Bagh massacre on 13 April.

1920–1934: Mass movements

• 1920–22: Non-Cooperation Movement, withdrawn after Chauri Chaura (1922).
• 1928: Simon Commission boycott.
• 1929: Lahore session – demand for Purna Swaraj.
• 1930: Dandi March (12 March) and Civil Disobedience Movement.
• 1931: Gandhi–Irwin Pact; 1932: Communal Award and Poona Pact.

1935–1947: Towards independence

• 1935: Government of India Act.
• 1940: Lahore Resolution of the Muslim League; August Offer.
• 1942: Cripps Mission; Quit India Movement launched on 8 August.
• 1946: Cabinet Mission; interim government formed.
• 1947: Mountbatten Plan on 3 June; independence on 15 August 1947.

Bihar's contribution

Remember Champaran (1917), Dr. Rajendra Prasad (biography), Veer Kunwar Singh (biography) and Jayaprakash Narayan's role in the 1942 movement.