Few national movements that shaped India's Independence in the 19th century

Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act and Jallianwalla Bagh incident

Rowlatt Act or Black Act was passed through the Imperial Legislative Council in Delhi on 18 March 1919 with the purpose of suppressing the growing nationalist upsurge in the country and repressing the political activities across the nation. And Mahatma Gandhi decided to launch a nationwide satyagraha against the injustice law as the Rowlatt Act (Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act of 1919). So Non-violent civil disobedience against Rowlatt act begins with a strike (hartal) on 6 April 1919. Many shops closed down, workers went on strike, and rallies were organized in several parts of the country. Afraid by the protest British administration arrested local leaders of Amritsar and on 10 April Amritsar police fired on a peaceful procession which provoked the violent protest by people. Hence Martial law imposed and General Reginald Dyer took command.

And then on 13 April 1919 Jallianwalla Bagh incident or Massacre of Amritsar took place. On that day a huge crowd was gathered in the Jallianwalla Bagh, some people came to celebrate Baisakhi and others came to protest against the British administration's injustice actions. Then General Reginald Dyer entered the garden with his troops, closed the exits, and set the fire on the crowd, killing at least 379 people and wounding over 1,200 people. Later Mahatma Gandhi called off the movement seeing it's violent form. 

Non-cooperation movement and chauri chakra incidence

Gandhi Ji believed that British rule was established in India only because of the cooperation of Indians and if Indians refused to cooperate, British rule would not sustain and swaraj would come in India. And this idea became the foundation of the non-cooperation movement. According to Mahatma Gandhi, the non-cooperation movement should begin with a surrender of titles that the government awarded, resignation from the civil services, army, police, and courts, and boycotting British cloths, schools, and other goods. Wearing Khadi cloths and buying only Indian-made goods were part of this movement. Hence the non- cooperation- khilafat movement started in January 1921 and different social groups participated in the movement with different aspirations and ideas.

On 4 February 1922, in Chauri Chaura, a place near Gorakhpur Uttar Pradesh, a large group of participants of the Non-cooperation movement clashed with police who set fire on the crowd to control the protest. And then in the revenge, the enraged crowd attacked the police station and open fire on it which killed the numerous policemen and chaprassis inside the police station. Hearing this violent incident Gandhi Ji called off the non- cooperation movement in February 1922.

Civil Disobedience Movement and Salt March

On 31 January 1930, Mahatma Gandhi sent a letter to viceroy Irwin demanding a abolish of the salt tax with several other demands. Not satisfied with the response of Irwin Mahatma Gandhi begin his infamous salt match (Dandi March) on 12 March with 78 of his trusted volunteers. They walked for 24 days covering the distance over 240 miles from Gandhiji's ashram in Sabarmati to the Gujarati coastal town of Dandi. And on 6 April Gandhiji publicly violated the law by manufacturing salt from seawater. 

And this Salt Satyagraha and Dandi March marked the onset of Civil Disobedience. In addition to boycotting British goods and service people also started violating colonial laws. Later on, several leaders including Abdul Ghaffar Khan and Mahatma Gandhi get arrested and this civil Disobedience movement also turned violent. Hence Mahatma Gandhi once again call off the movement and entered into Gandhi-Irwin Pact on 5 March 1931. However, in 1932 Mahatma Gandhi re-launched the civil disobedience movement.

Quit India movement

On 8 August 1942 in Bombay, All-India Congress Committee launched the "quit India" or "August movement" to begin the non- violent nationwide struggle and demanding the immediate transfer of power from Britishers to Indians. Gandhiji also delivered his famous "Do or Die" speech on the same occasion. Mahatma Gandhi and many Congress leaders had been arrested after the Quit India movement was launched. It took more than a year to suppress the movement by the British administration.