Mahatma Gandhi transformed the Indian National Movement into a mass movement by involving peasants, workers, students, women and ordinary citizens. His political philosophy was based on truth, non-violence, Satyagraha and peaceful resistance against injustice. Between 1917 and 1942, Gandhi led several important campaigns against British colonial rule. The Champaran Satyagraha, Kheda Satyagraha, Non-Cooperation Movement, Civil Disobedience Movement and Quit India Movement became important milestones in the freedom struggle.
1. Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
The Champaran Satyagraha was Gandhi's first major Satyagraha in India. It took place in Champaran, Bihar, where indigo cultivators suffered under the exploitative plantation system. Many peasants were compelled to cultivate indigo under the Tinkathia system, which required them to grow indigo on a portion of their land.
Gandhi visited Champaran in 1917 after being persuaded by Raj Kumar Shukla, a local cultivator. He investigated the peasants' grievances and organized peaceful resistance. Despite official opposition, Gandhi continued his work. The government eventually appointed an inquiry committee that included Gandhi, and reforms followed.
The Champaran movement established Gandhi as a prominent leader who could connect national politics with the problems of ordinary people.
2. Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
The Ahmedabad Mill Strike took place in Gujarat in 1918. Textile workers demanded better wages during a period of rising prices and economic difficulties. Gandhi supported the workers and encouraged them to remain united and peaceful.
When negotiations failed, Gandhi undertook a fast to strengthen the workers' resolve. The dispute was eventually settled through arbitration, with the workers receiving a wage increase.
The Ahmedabad movement demonstrated Gandhi's use of non-violent methods in industrial disputes and his commitment to improving workers' conditions.
3. Kheda Satyagraha (1918)
The Kheda Satyagraha was another important early Gandhian campaign. In Kheda district of Gujarat, crop failure and agricultural distress made it difficult for peasants to pay land revenue. The peasants demanded suspension of revenue collection under the prevailing circumstances.
Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and other local leaders supported the peasants. They organized a peaceful campaign of non-payment among those unable to meet the demand. The government eventually granted revenue relief to eligible cultivators.
Champaran, Ahmedabad and Kheda helped establish the practical foundations of Gandhi's methods of mass mobilization.
4. Rowlatt Satyagraha (1919)
The Rowlatt Act of 1919 extended the colonial government's powers to detain individuals and suppress political activities without the ordinary legal safeguards associated with open trial. Gandhi opposed the legislation because he considered it unjust and repressive.
He called for a nationwide hartal and peaceful protest. The agitation brought together people from different regions and communities. However, protests in several places turned violent. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre in Amritsar on 13 April 1919, when troops under General Dyer fired on a gathering, intensified public anger against British rule.
The Rowlatt Satyagraha marked an important stage in the expansion of the national movement, although Gandhi subsequently suspended the campaign amid the outbreak of violence.
5. Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)
The Non-Cooperation Movement was one of Gandhi's first major nationwide campaigns against British rule. It developed in the context of the Rowlatt Act, the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the Khilafat issue.
Gandhi urged Indians to withdraw cooperation from colonial institutions. The movement included the surrender of titles, boycotts of government schools and colleges, withdrawal from certain courts, the boycott of foreign cloth and the promotion of khadi and indigenous goods.
Students, lawyers, traders, peasants and other groups participated in different regions. The movement significantly widened the social base of Indian nationalism.
However, the Chauri Chaura incident in the United Provinces on 5 February 1922, during which a crowd set fire to a police station and killed policemen, changed the course of the campaign. Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement in February 1922 because he believed that the movement had departed from the principle of non-violence.
6. Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934)
The Civil Disobedience Movement was another major phase of Gandhi's struggle against British rule. At the Lahore Session of the Indian National Congress in December 1929, under Jawaharlal Nehru's presidency, the demand for Purna Swaraj, or complete independence, was adopted as the national goal.
On 12 March 1930, Gandhi began the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram with selected followers. After travelling to the coastal village of Dandi, he broke the salt law on 6 April 1930. Salt became a powerful symbol because the British government controlled its production and imposed a tax on it.
The movement spread across India. People broke salt laws, boycotted foreign goods, and in some regions refused to pay certain taxes. Women also participated in protests, picketing and other forms of civil disobedience.
The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed on 5 March 1931. Gandhi agreed to suspend the movement and attend the Second Round Table Conference in London. The conference did not produce an agreement on India's constitutional future, and civil disobedience resumed in 1932. The movement was eventually withdrawn in 1934.
7. Quit India Movement (1942)
The Quit India Movement was launched during the Second World War. The British government had involved India in the war without obtaining the consent of Indian political representatives. The failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 further weakened hopes of an immediate constitutional settlement.
On 8 August 1942, the All India Congress Committee passed the Quit India Resolution in Bombay. Gandhi called upon the people to act with determination and gave the famous call, "Do or Die."
The following day, Gandhi and many other Congress leaders were arrested. Despite the arrests, protests, demonstrations, strikes and acts of resistance spread across different parts of the country. In several places, local groups organized underground activities, while the British authorities used arrests and force to suppress the movement.
The Quit India Movement did not immediately end British rule, but it demonstrated the strength of the demand for independence and the difficulty of governing India without broad public cooperation.
## Importance of Gandhian Movements ##
Gandhian movements transformed Indian nationalism in several ways. First, they expanded participation beyond educated urban elites and brought peasants, workers, women and students into political activity. Second, they popularized Satyagraha and non-violent resistance as methods of challenging colonial authority. Third, campaigns such as the Non-Cooperation Movement and the Dandi March gave national politics recognizable symbols and practical methods of participation.
Nevertheless, the movements faced limitations. Participation varied across regions and social groups, communal tensions persisted, and the suspension of campaigns sometimes disappointed activists who wanted more immediate action. British repression also weakened organized resistance at different moments.
Despite these challenges, Gandhian politics helped sustain the demand for self-government and complete independence over several decades.
| PRACTICE SET | MCQS WITH EXPLANATIONS |
Q1. Arrange the following Gandhian movements in chronological order.
* Kheda Satyagraha
* Champaran Satyagraha
* Rowlatt Satyagraha
* Ahmedabad Mill Strike
Choose the correct answer:
A. 2 → 4 → 1 → 3
B. 4 → 2 → 3 → 1
C. 2 → 1 → 4 → 3
D. 1 → 4 → 2 → 3
Correct answer: A
Explanation: Champaran Satyagraha took place in 1917. The Ahmedabad Mill Strike and Kheda Satyagraha followed in 1918. The Rowlatt Satyagraha occurred in 1919. These events show Gandhi's progression from local campaigns to wider political mobilization.
Q2. Consider the following events associated with the Non-Cooperation Movement.
✓ The movement was launched in 1920.
✓ The Chauri Chaura incident occurred in February 1922.
✓ Gandhi withdrew the movement after the Chauri Chaura incident.
✓ The Gandhi–Irwin Pact directly ended the Non-Cooperation Movement.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 2, 3 and 4 only
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The Non-Cooperation Movement began in 1920 and was withdrawn in February 1922 after the Chauri Chaura violence.
The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed much later, in March 1931, during the Civil Disobedience phase.
Q3. Which sequence correctly describes the principal developments of the Salt Satyagraha?
A. Gandhi–Irwin Pact → Dandi March → Lahore Session → Salt Law violation
B. Lahore Session → Dandi March begins → Salt Law violation → Gandhi–Irwin Pact
C. Dandi March → Rowlatt Act → Salt Law violation → Gandhi–Irwin Pact
D. Salt Law violation → Lahore Session → Dandi March → Gandhi–Irwin Pact
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The Lahore Session adopted Purna Swaraj in December 1929. Gandhi began the Dandi March on 12 March 1930 and broke the salt law on 6 April 1930. The Gandhi–Irwin Pact followed on 5 March 1931.
Q4. Consider the following statements about the "Non-Cooperation Movement."
✓ It involved the boycott of selected British educational institutions and law courts.
✓ It encouraged the use of khadi and indigenous goods.
✓ It began after the Dandi March of 1930.
✓ It was withdrawn following the Chauri Chaura incident.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 3 only
C. 1, 2 and 4 only
D. 2, 3 and 4 only
Correct answer: C
Q5. Consider the following statements about the "Civil Disobedience Movement".
✓ It included deliberate violations of selected colonial laws.
✓ The Salt March began at Sabarmati Ashram.
✓ The Gandhi–Irwin Pact was signed before the Dandi March.
✓ The movement resumed in 1932 after an earlier suspension.
Which statements are correct?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 2 and 4 only
C. 2 and 3 only
D. 1, 3 and 4 only
Correct answer: B
Q6. Which of the following statements about the "Gandhi–Irwin Pact" is CORRECT?
A. It was signed in 1922 to end the Non-Cooperation Movement.
B. It was signed in 1931 and provided for the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and Gandhi's participation in the Second Round Table Conference.
C. It immediately granted India complete independence.
D. It was signed after the Quit India Movement in 1942.
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The pact was signed on 5 March 1931 between Gandhi and Viceroy Lord Irwin. Congress agreed to suspend the Civil Disobedience Movement, and Gandhi agreed to attend the Second Round Table Conference in London. The pact did not grant independence, and the conference failed to produce a final settlement.
Q7. Why did Gandhi choose salt as the central symbol of the 1930 Civil Disobedience Movement?
A. Salt production was the exclusive occupation of Congress members.
B. Salt was a basic necessity, and the colonial salt laws affected ordinary people across social groups.
C. The salt law had been introduced by the Indian National Congress.
D. The Dandi March was designed exclusively to secure higher wages for textile workers.
Correct answer: B
Explanation: Salt was used by rich and poor alike, making it a powerful symbol of colonial economic control. By challenging the salt laws, Gandhi gave the independence movement an accessible issue that could mobilize people who might not otherwise participate in constitutional politics.
Q8. Match each event with its correct year:
1. Champaran Satyagraha A. 1919
2. Kheda Satyagraha B. 1917
3. Rowlatt Satyagraha C. 1942
4. Quit India Movement D. 1918
Choose the correct code:
A. 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-C
B. 1-D, 2-B, 3-C, 4-A
C. 1-A, 2-C, 3-D, 4-B
D. 1-C, 2-A, 3-B, 4-D
Correct Answer: A
Q9. Which of the following pairs is INCORRECTLY matched?
A. Champaran Satyagraha — 1917
B. Non-Cooperation Movement — 1920
C. Dandi March — 1930
D. Quit India Movement — 1930
Correct Answer: D
Q10. Which of the following movements was the first major Satyagraha undertaken by Mahatma Gandhi in India?
A. Kheda Satyagraha
B. Champaran Satyagraha
C. Ahmedabad Mill Strike
D. Rowlatt Satyagraha
Correct Answer: B
Q11. What was the principal issue behind the Kheda Satyagraha of 1918?
A. The demand for higher wages by textile workers
B. Opposition to the salt tax
C. The demand for land revenue relief following crop failure
D. Opposition to the partition of Bengal
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Kheda Satyagraha took place in Gujarat in 1918. Crop failure and agricultural distress made it difficult for peasants to pay land revenue. Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel supported the peasants' demand for relief. The campaign used peaceful resistance, including refusal to pay revenue among those unable to pay.
Q12. Which principle formed the philosophical foundation of Gandhi's major political movements?
A. Armed revolution
B. Violent resistance
C. Satyagraha and non-violence
D. Military expansion
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Satyagraha means resistance based on truth and moral force. Gandhi believed that injustice could be challenged through non-violent action, civil disobedience and the withdrawal of cooperation. His methods included peaceful demonstrations, boycotts, fasting and non-payment campaigns in appropriate circumstances. Although the movements sometimes experienced violence, non-violence remained central to Gandhi's political philosophy.
Q13. Which event directly led Gandhi to withdraw the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1922?
A. Jallianwala Bagh massacre
B. Chauri Chaura incident
C. Dandi March
D. Simon Commission protest
Correct Answer: B
Q14. Which act of protest became the defining symbol of the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930?
A. Boycott of government schools
B. Surrender of British titles
C. Breaking the British salt law
D. Formation of the Swaraj Party
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Gandhi began the Dandi March on 12 March 1930 and reached Dandi on 6 April 1930, where he broke the salt law. The British salt laws restricted production and sale and imposed a tax on salt, an essential commodity used by all sections of society. Gandhi selected salt as a symbol of colonial economic control. The action inspired widespread civil disobedience throughout India.
Q15. On which date did Gandhi begin the historic Dandi March?
A. 26 January 1930
B. 12 March 1930
C. 6 April 1930
D. 5 March 1931
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Gandhi began the Dandi March from Sabarmati Ashram on 12 March 1930 with selected followers. The march continued towards the coastal village of Dandi in Gujarat. Gandhi broke the salt law on 6 April 1930.
Q16. When was the Quit India Resolution passed by the All India Congress Committee?
A. 26 January 1930
B. 5 March 1931
C. 8 August 1942
D. 15 August 1947
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: The Quit India Resolution was passed in Bombay on 8 August 1942. Gandhi gave the famous call, “Do or Die,” urging Indians to pursue independence with determination. Gandhi and other major Congress leaders were arrested the following day.
Q17. Which leader persuaded Mahatma Gandhi to visit Champaran to investigate the grievances of indigo cultivators?
A. Raj Kumar Shukla
B. Motilal Nehru
C. C. R. Das
D. Lala Lajpat Rai
Correct Answer: A
Q18. Which leader worked closely with Gandhi during the Kheda Satyagraha and later became known as the “Iron Man of India”?
A. Jawaharlal Nehru
B. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
C. Subhas Chandra Bose
D. Bhagat Singh
Correct Answer: B
Q19. Who was the first individual Satyagrahi selected by Gandhi during the Individual Satyagraha launched in 1940?
A. Jawaharlal Nehru
B. Vinoba Bhave
C. Rajendra Prasad
D. C. Rajagopalachari
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Gandhi launched Individual Satyagraha in 1940 to oppose India's involvement in the Second World War without the consent of Indian representatives. Vinoba Bhave was selected as the first individual Satyagrahi, followed by Jawaharlal Nehru as the second. Unlike a nationwide mass uprising, this campaign involved selected individuals expressing opposition through non-violent protest.
Q20. Match the movement with the event most closely associated with its suspension or agreement.
1. Non-Cooperation Movement
2. Civil Disobedience Movement
3. Quit India Movement
A. Chauri Chaura incident
B. Gandhi–Irwin Pact
C. Arrest of Congress leaders in August 1942
Choose the correct answer:
A. 1-A, 2-B, 3-C
B. 1-B, 2-C, 3-A
C. 1-C, 2-A, 3-B
D. 1-A, 2-C, 3-B
Correct Answer: A
Explanation:
✓ Gandhi withdrew the Non-Cooperation Movement following the Chauri Chaura violence in 1922.
✓ The Gandhi–Irwin Pact of March 1931 led to the suspension of the Civil Disobedience Movement and Gandhi's participation in the Second Round Table Conference.
✓ During the Quit India Movement, Gandhi and other Congress leaders were arrested on 9 August 1942, triggering widespread protests.
Q21. Which system forced many peasants in Champaran to cultivate indigo on a portion of their land?
A. Ryotwari system
B. Mahalwari system
C. Tinkathia system
D. Permanent Settlement
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Under the Tinkathia system, cultivators were generally compelled to grow indigo on three-twentieths of their land. The system placed considerable pressure on peasants, who faced exploitative cultivation arrangements.
Q22. Which British legislation became the immediate focus of Gandhi's nationwide Satyagraha in 1919?
A. Regulating Act of 1773
B. Government of India Act of 1919
C. Rowlatt Act of 1919
D. Indian Councils Act of 1909
Correct Answer: C
Q23. Which event took place on 13 April 1919 and intensified Indian opposition to British rule?
A. Chauri Chaura incident
B. Jallianwala Bagh massacre
C. Dandi March
D. Bardoli Satyagraha
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: On 13 April 1919, troops under Brigadier-General Reginald Dyer fired on a gathering at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. The massacre caused widespread outrage across India and became a turning point in public attitudes towards British rule.
Q24. Which of the following was promoted by Gandhi as part of the constructive programme associated with the national movement?
A. Dependence on imported cloth
B. Promotion of khadi and indigenous goods
C. Exclusive participation of wealthy industrialists
D. Complete withdrawal from village life
Correct Answer: B
Q25. Who was the Viceroy of India when the Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in 1920?
A. Lord Curzon
B. Lord Chelmsford
C. Lord Irwin
D. Lord Wavell
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Lord Chelmsford served as Viceroy from 1916 to 1921. The Non-Cooperation Movement was launched in 1920 during his tenure.
✓ Lord Curzon was associated with the Partition of Bengal in 1905
✓ Lord Irwin with the Gandhi–Irwin Pact of 1931
✓ Lord Wavell with the Wavell Plan and Simla Conference of 1945.
Q26. Which organization was formed in 1923 by leaders who wanted to enter legislative councils after the withdrawal of the Non-Cooperation Movement?
A. Forward Bloc
B. Swaraj Party
C. Ghadar Party
D. Indian Independence League
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Swaraj Party was founded in 1923 by Chittaranjan Das and Motilal Nehru. Its members wanted to enter legislative councils and obstruct colonial governance from within. Their approach differed from that of Congress leaders who preferred to focus on constructive work outside the councils after the Non-Cooperation Movement was withdrawn.
Q27. Which agreement led to Gandhi's participation in the Second Round Table Conference in London in 1931?
A. Lucknow Pact
B. Poona Pact
C. Gandhi–Irwin Pact
D. Cabinet Mission Plan
Correct Answer: C
Q28. Who was the British Prime Minister during the Second Round Table Conference in 1931?
A. Winston Churchill
B. Ramsay MacDonald
C. Clement Attlee
D. Stanley Baldwin
Correct Answer: B
Q29. Which movement was resumed in 1932 after Gandhi returned from the Second Round Table Conference?
A. Swadeshi Movement
B. Civil Disobedience Movement
C. Home Rule Movement
D. Non-Cooperation Movement
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Gandhi returned from London without securing the constitutional settlement he sought. The British government had also intensified repression against Congress. The Civil Disobedience Movement resumed in 1932, but arrests and restrictions weakened its organization. Gandhi eventually withdrew the movement in 1934.
Q30. Which of the following was the main purpose of Individual Satyagraha launched in 1940?
A. To demand the immediate introduction of the salt tax
B. To protest India's involvement in the Second World War without Indian consent
C. To support the Simon Commission
D. To demand the partition of Bengal
Correct Answer: B
Q31. Where was the Quit India Resolution passed on 8 August 1942?
A. Lahore
B. Calcutta
C. Bombay
D. Madras
Correct Answer: C
Q32. Which of the following statements about the 'Quit India Movement' is correct?
A. It immediately resulted in Indian independence in August 1942.
B. It began after the failure of the Cripps Mission and demanded an end to British rule.
C. It was restricted entirely to the salt-producing regions of India.
D. Gandhi launched it before the First World War.
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The failure of the Cripps Mission in 1942 contributed to Congress's demand for an immediate end to British rule. The Quit India Resolution was passed on 8 August 1942. The movement faced widespread arrests and repression and did not immediately secure independence, which came on 15 August 1947.
Q33. Which movement involved the deliberate breaking of colonial laws as a form of protest?
A. Civil Disobedience Movement
B. Swadeshi Movement alone
C. Home Rule Movement alone
D. Khilafat Movement alone
Answer: A
Q34. Gandhi participated in which Round Table Conference?
A. First only
B. Second only
C. Third only
D. All three
Answer: B
Q35. Which statement best explains the historical significance of the Gandhian movements?
A. They relied exclusively on armed rebellion
B. They restricted political participation to wealthy Indians
C. They expanded mass participation and popularized non-violent resistance against colonial rule
D. They immediately secured independence in 1922
Answer: C
QUICK REVISION: IMPORTANT FACTS
✓ Champaran Satyagraha -------- 1917
✓ Tinkathia system --------- Indigo cultivation
✓ Ahmedabad Mill Strike --------- 1918; textile workers' wages
✓ Kheda Satyagraha ------- 1918; land-revenue relief
✓ Rowlatt Satyagraha -------- 1919
✓ Swaraj Party ------------- 1923
✓ Non-Cooperation Movement launched ------ 1920
✓ Chauri Chaura incident ------- 5 February 1922
✓ Lahore Congress Session ------ 1929; Purna swaraj
✓ Dandi March began ------ 12 March 1930; began from Sabarmati Ashram
✓ Gandhi–Irwin Pact ----- 5 March 1931
✓ Individual Satyagraha's first participant -----Vinoba Bhave
✓ Cripps Mission ------ 1942
✓ Quit India Resolution ------ 8 August 1942
✓ “Do or Die” ------- Quit India Movement
✓ India's Independence ----- 15 August 1947