Second Phase of the Indian National Movement (Assertives)

Chapter in a nutshell: The second phase (1905–1916) saw assertive/radical nationalism. The Partition of Bengal (1905) triggered the Swadeshi & Boycott movements. The Congress split at Surat (1907) into Moderates and Extremists (Lal–Bal–Pal), who demanded Swaraj. The Muslim League (1906) formed, and Hindu-Muslim/Congress-League unity was sealed by the Lucknow Pact (1916).

1. Partition of Bengal (1905)

• Done by Lord Curzon, splitting Bengal into a Muslim-majority East and Hindu-majority West.
• Official reason: administrative convenience. Real aim: "divide and rule" — split Hindus and Muslims and weaken nationalism.
• Reaction: huge protests, the Swadeshi and Boycott movements; finally annulled in 1911 — an early nationalist victory.

2. Swadeshi & Boycott Movements

• Swadeshi: use Indian-made goods; promote indigenous industries and national education.
• Boycott: reject British goods, schools, courts and titles.
• These mobilised students, women and the masses and gave the movement an economic + cultural edge.

3. The Surat Split (1907)

4. The Assertives (Radicals) — "Lal–Bal–Pal"

5. Muslim League (1906) & Lucknow Pact (1916)

• All-India Muslim League founded in 1906 (Dhaka) to protect Muslim interests; the British granted separate electorates (Morley-Minto Reforms, 1909).
• Lucknow Pact (1916): Congress and the Muslim League came together (helped by Tilak and Jinnah) and presented joint demands — a high point of Hindu-Muslim unity. The Moderates and Extremists also reunited in the Congress.

6. Worked / Structured Examples (ICSE pattern)

7. Key Terms — Quick Glossary

8. Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Saying the Partition of Bengal was for genuine administration — its real motive was divide and rule.
• Confusing Moderates (reform) with Extremists (Swaraj).
• Forgetting the Partition was annulled in 1911.
• Misnaming Lal-Bal-Pal (Lajpat Rai, Tilak, Pal).
• Mixing up the Surat Split (1907) with the Lucknow Pact (1916).

9. Likely Exam Questions (with crisp answers)

1. Who carried out the Partition of Bengal? → Lord Curzon (1905).
2. Name the movements it triggered. → Swadeshi and Boycott.
3. When was the Partition annulled? → 1911.
4. What happened at the Surat Split? → The Congress divided into Moderates and Extremists (1907).
5. State the aim and methods of the Assertives. → Swaraj; boycott, swadeshi and mass agitation.
6. Who said "Swaraj is my birthright"? → Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
7. Why is Tilak called the "Father of Indian Unrest"? → For his fiery demand for Swaraj and mass mobilisation.
8. Name the festivals Tilak used to unite people. → Ganesh Chaturthi and Shivaji Utsav.
9. When and where was the Muslim League founded? → 1906, at Dhaka.
10. What did the Lucknow Pact achieve? → Congress-League (Hindu-Muslim) unity on joint demands.
11. Name Tilak's two newspapers. → Kesari (Marathi) and Maratha (English).
12. Who was the "Lion of Punjab"? → Lala Lajpat Rai.
13. Differentiate Moderate and Extremist methods. → Petitions/dialogue vs boycott/agitation.
14. What did "divide and rule" mean here? → Setting Hindus and Muslims against each other to weaken unity.

10. Forms of the Swadeshi/Boycott Movement

• Economic: burning foreign cloth, promoting Indian mills, handlooms and industries.
• Educational: national schools/colleges (e.g. National Council of Education) free of British control.
• Cultural: patriotic songs ("Vande Mataram"), festivals, and literature to inspire pride.
• Mass involvement: students, women and ordinary people joined — a new, broad base for the movement.

11. Why the Assertives Rose

• Disappointment with the slow Moderate methods.
• Anger at the Partition of Bengal and British arrogance.
• Pride from the rediscovery of India's past and events abroad (e.g. Japan's 1905 victory over Russia showed Asians could defeat a European power).

12. Morley–Minto Reforms (1909)

13. More Worked / Structured Examples

14. More Exam Questions (with crisp answers)

1. Name the song that became the anthem of the Swadeshi Movement. → Vande Mataram.
2. Which reform introduced separate electorates? → The Morley-Minto Reforms (1909).
3. Name the body set up for national education. → The National Council of Education.
4. Who reunited the Congress factions in 1916? → They reunited at the Lucknow session (Tilak, with Annie Besant's help).
5. State one method unique to the Extremists. → Boycott of British goods and institutions (mass agitation).
6. Why did the British grant separate electorates? → To divide Hindus and Muslims (divide and rule).
7. Name the city associated with the 1907 Congress split. → Surat.
8. What was the immediate cause of the Swadeshi Movement? → The Partition of Bengal (1905).
9. Name two outcomes of the second phase. → Mass participation in the movement and the demand for Swaraj.
10. Who founded the Home Rule Leagues during this era? → Tilak and Annie Besant.

15. Final Quick-Revision Q&A

1. Define Swaraj. → Self-rule or self-government for Indians.
2. Who annulled the Partition of Bengal and when? → The British, in 1911.
3. Name the British policy behind the partition. → Divide and rule.
4. Name the trio of Assertive leaders. → Lal-Bal-Pal.
5. Which festival did Tilak revive to unite Maharashtra? → Ganesh Chaturthi.
6. What did the Boycott Movement reject? → British goods, schools, courts and titles.
7. Which 1916 pact united Congress and the League? → The Lucknow Pact.
8. Name Tilak Marathi newspaper. → Kesari.
9. In which year was the Muslim League formed? → 1906.
10. Why did mass participation increase in this phase? → Boycott/Swadeshi drew in students, women and ordinary people.
11. Name the Bengal leader of the boycott movement. → Bipin Chandra Pal.
12. State one cultural method used to spread nationalism. → Patriotic songs and festivals (e.g. Vande Mataram, Shivaji Utsav).
13. What did the Extremists think of the Moderates? → That their petitioning was too slow and ineffective.
14. Name an Asian event that boosted Indian confidence in 1905. → Japan defeating Russia.
15. What was the chief demand of the second phase? → Swaraj (self-rule).
16. Which reform of 1909 encouraged communalism? → Separate electorates (Morley-Minto).
17. Who were the Home Rule League founders? → Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant.
18. Name two pillars of the Swadeshi Movement. → Use of Indian goods and national education.
19. Which province first faced partition under Curzon? → Bengal.
20. Did the Extremists want to stay within British rule? → No; they demanded full self-rule (Swaraj).
21. Name the year span of the second (Assertive) phase. → 1905-1916.
22. Name the assertive leader from Punjab and his title. → Lala Lajpat Rai, the Lion of Punjab.
23. State one long-term effect of separate electorates. → They deepened Hindu-Muslim political division, leading toward Partition.
24. Which movement promoted indigenous industry? → The Swadeshi Movement.
25. Name the slogan that captured the Assertive spirit. → Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it.
26. What new social groups joined the movement in this phase? → Students, women and the common masses.