Quiz on Indian National Movements Timeline — 50 GK Questions
The **Indian National Movement** is a monumental period in global history, characterized by decades of struggle, sacrifice, and strategic non-violence that ultimately led to India's independence from British rule. Navigating the vast timeline, from the Revolt of 1857 to the dawn of freedom in 1947, requires a deep understanding of key events, pivotal leaders, and significant socio-political developments. This **Indian National Movement Quiz** presents 50 challenging **Independence Struggle Timeline MCQs** designed to test your knowledge of this critical era. Engage with these questions to solidify your grasp on the **Indian Freedom Movement Questions** and enhance your overall **Indian History GK Quiz** preparation. It's a comprehensive journey through the milestones of national awakening.
Test Your Knowledge: 50 Indian National Movement Quiz Questions
1. In which year was the Indian National Congress (INC) founded?
- A. 1883
- B. 1884
- C. 1886
- D. 1885
2. Who was the first President of the Indian National Congress?
- A. Dadabhai Naoroji
- B. Badruddin Tyabji
- C. W.C. Bonnerjee
- D. A.O. Hume
3. The famous resolution 'Poorna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) was adopted by the INC in which session?
- A. Calcutta Session, 1928
- B. Lahore Session, 1929
- C. Karachi Session, 1931
- D. Tripuri Session, 1939
4. When did the Partition of Bengal take place?
- A. 1905
- B. 1906
- C. 1911
- D. 1919
5. The Morley-Minto Reforms were introduced in which year?
- A. 1907
- B. 1905
- C. 1911
- D. 1909
6. Who among the following was a Moderate leader in the INC?
- A. Gopal Krishna Gokhale
- B. Lala Lajpat Rai
- C. Bipin Chandra Pal
- D. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
7. The Lucknow Pact (1916) was an agreement between the INC and which other party?
- A. Hindu Mahasabha
- B. Muslim League
- C. Justice Party
- D. Akali Dal
8. Who established the Home Rule League in Madras in 1916?
- A. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- B. Mahatma Gandhi
- C. Annie Besant
- D. Jawaharlal Nehru
9. The Jallianwala Bagh Massacre took place in which city?
- A. Amritsar
- B. Lahore
- C. Delhi
- D. Meerut
10. Mahatma Gandhi launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in which year?
- A. 1918
- B. 1919
- C. 1921
- D. 1920
Key Milestones: Early Phase of the Indian Freedom Movement Questions (1885-1920)
11. The Chauri Chaura incident, which led to the suspension of the Non-Cooperation Movement, occurred in which year?
- A. 1922
- B. 1920
- C. 1924
- D. 1925
12. The Simon Commission visited India in which year?
- A. 1925
- B. 1926
- C. 1928
- D. 1930
13. The famous Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) was started in which year?
- A. 1929
- B. 1930
- C. 1931
- D. 1932
14. Who was the Viceroy of India during the Dandi March?
- A. Lord Irwin
- B. Lord Reading
- C. Lord Willingdon
- D. Lord Linlithgow
15. The three Round Table Conferences were held in which city?
- A. Bombay
- B. Delhi
- C. Calcutta
- D. London
16. Who attended all three Round Table Conferences?
- A. Mahatma Gandhi
- B. Jawaharlal Nehru
- C. B.R. Ambedkar
- D. Sardar Patel
17. The Government of India Act, which introduced Provincial Autonomy, was passed in which year?
- A. 1932
- B. 1935
- C. 1937
- D. 1942
18. Subhash Chandra Bose founded the Forward Bloc in which year?
- A. 1939
- B. 1940
- C. 1941
- D. 1942
19. The 'August Offer' was made by the British in which year?
- A. 1939
- B. 1941
- C. 1942
- D. 1940
20. The Cripps Mission came to India in which year?
- A. 1940
- B. 1941
- C. 1942
- D. 1943
Crucial Events: Independence Struggle Timeline MCQs (1921-1942)
21. The Quit India Movement was launched in which year?
- A. 1940
- B. 1942
- C. 1943
- D. 1945
22. Who gave the slogan "Do or Die" (Karo Ya Maro) during the Quit India Movement?
- A. Mahatma Gandhi
- B. Subhash Chandra Bose
- C. Jawaharlal Nehru
- D. Sardar Patel
23. The Indian National Army (INA) was first conceived by whom?
- A. Subhash Chandra Bose
- B. Rash Behari Bose
- C. Mohan Singh
- D. V.D. Savarkar
24. Who was the Viceroy of India when the Quit India Movement began?
- A. Lord Mountbatten
- B. Lord Wavell
- C. Lord Linlithgow
- D. Lord Linlithgow
25. The Cabinet Mission came to India in which year?
- A. 1945
- B. 1946
- C. 1947
- D. 1948
26. Who was the British Prime Minister when India achieved independence?
- A. Clement Attlee
- B. Winston Churchill
- C. Neville Chamberlain
- D. Stanley Baldwin
27. The Mountbatten Plan, which provided for the partition of India, was announced on which date?
- A. February 20, 1947
- B. March 22, 1947
- C. June 3, 1947
- D. July 18, 1947
28. The first session of the Constituent Assembly was held in which year?
- A. 1945
- B. 1947
- C. 1948
- D. 1946
29. The Bardoli Satyagraha (1928) was led by whom?
- A. Mahatma Gandhi
- B. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- C. Morarji Desai
- D. J.B. Kripalani
30. Who coined the term 'Pakistan'?
- A. Choudhary Rahmat Ali
- B. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
- C. Allama Iqbal
- D. Liaquat Ali Khan
Post-War Struggle: Indian National Movement Quiz on the Final Years (1943-1947)
31. The Communal Award (1932) was announced by which British Prime Minister?
- A. Winston Churchill
- B. David Lloyd George
- C. Clement Attlee
- D. Ramsay MacDonald
32. The Gandhi-Irwin Pact was signed in which year?
- A. 1930
- B. 1931
- C. 1932
- D. 1933
33. Who was known as the 'Frontier Gandhi'?
- A. Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
- B. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- C. Muhammad Ali Jinnah
- D. Shaikh Abdullah
34. The August Declaration of 1917, which promised responsible government, is also known as the:
- A. Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
- B. Minto-Morley Reforms
- C. Montagu Declaration
- D. Cripps Proposal
35. The Kakori Conspiracy Case (1925) was associated with which revolutionary organization?
- A. Hindustan Republican Association (HRA)
- B. Anushilan Samiti
- C. Gadar Party
- D. Abhinav Bharat Society
36. Who was the founder of the Gadar Party in 1913?
- A. Rash Behari Bose
- B. V.D. Savarkar
- C. Lala Hardayal
- D. Sohan Singh Bhakna
37. Bal Gangadhar Tilak famously declared, "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it" in which year?
- A. 1905
- B. 1916
- C. 1918
- D. 1920
38. The First Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi in India was held in:
- A. Kheda
- B. Ahmedabad
- C. Champaran
- D. Dandi
39. Who was the editor of the newspaper 'Kesari'?
- A. Bal Gangadhar Tilak
- B. Bipin Chandra Pal
- C. Lala Lajpat Rai
- D. G.K. Gokhale
40. The Rowlatt Act was passed in which year?
- A. 1918
- B. 1919
- C. 1920
- D. 1921
Personalities and Reforms: Indian History GK Quiz on Leadership and Legislation
41. The Second Round Table Conference (1931) was attended by:
- A. Sardar Patel
- B. B.R. Ambedkar and Jinnah
- C. Tej Bahadur Sapru
- D. Mahatma Gandhi
42. The Direct Action Day (August 16, 1946) was called by which political party?
- A. Indian National Congress
- B. Forward Bloc
- C. Muslim League
- D. Communist Party of India
43. Who was the first Indian woman President of the INC?
- A. Sarojini Naidu
- B. Annie Besant
- C. Nellie Sengupta
- D. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit
44. In which year was the capital of British India shifted from Calcutta to Delhi?
- A. 1905
- B. 1911
- C. 1912
- D. 1915
45. Who assassinated General Dyer in London?
- A. Bhagat Singh
- B. Rajguru
- C. Sukhdev
- D. Udham Singh
46. The All India Khilafat Conference was held in Delhi in:
- A. 1919
- B. 1920
- C. 1921
- D. 1922
47. Who was the President of the INC at the time of India's independence?
- A. Jawaharlal Nehru
- B. Sardar Patel
- C. J.B. Kripalani
- D. Pattabhi Sitaramayya
48. The Nehru Report (1928) was prepared by a committee headed by:
- A. Jawaharlal Nehru
- B. Motilal Nehru
- C. Mahatma Gandhi
- D. Tej Bahadur Sapru
49. The famous slogan "Inquilab Zindabad" (Long Live the Revolution) was popularized by:
- A. Bhagat Singh
- B. Muhammad Iqbal
- C. Hasrat Mohani
- D. Subhash Chandra Bose
50. India achieved complete independence (became a republic) on:
- A. August 15, 1947
- B. January 26, 1947
- C. December 9, 1946
- D. January 26, 1950
Comprehensive Review: Final Assessment of Indian National Movement Timeline
This extensive **Indian National Movement Quiz** serves as a vital tool for assessing and reinforcing your knowledge of the most critical period in modern **Indian History GK Quiz**. By tackling these 50 **Independence Struggle Timeline MCQs**, you have systematically revisited pivotal dates, landmark legislation, and the contributions of key leaders from the Moderate phase right up to the transfer of power. The structure, designed to test chronological understanding and factual recall, provides immediate feedback, transforming a simple quiz into an active learning experience. Mastering these **Indian Freedom Movement Questions** is fundamental for competitive exams and essential for appreciating the monumental struggle that forged the modern nation of India. Use this framework to identify gaps in your knowledge and pursue further study on specific movements or personalities.
Understanding the Indian National Movement Timeline: From Inception to Independence
The **Indian National Movement** is not merely a sequence of dates, but a complex, multifaceted struggle that evolved over nearly a century, transitioning from appeals and petitions to mass non-violent resistance and revolutionary actions. The movement, beginning formally with the establishment of the Indian National Congress (INC) in 1885, was a crucible that forged national identity and unity across diverse religious, linguistic, and cultural lines. Understanding the distinct phases—Moderate, Extremist, and Gandhian—is crucial for mastering the **Independence Struggle Timeline MCQs** presented in the preceding quiz.
Characterized by leaders like Dadabhai Naoroji and G.K. Gokhale, who used constitutional means like petitions, prayers, and protests to seek administrative reforms within the British framework.
Marked by the Swadeshi movement and leaders like the 'Lal-Bal-Pal' trio, who advocated for 'Swaraj' (self-rule) and employed direct action like boycotts and national education, leading to the Surat Split (1907).
Dominated by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of Satyagraha (non-violent resistance), seeing the launch of mass movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India.
The Emergence of Mass Politics (1919-1935)
The post-World War I period saw the rise of Mahatma Gandhi, who transformed the national struggle into a mass movement. His return to India and initial successes in Champaran, Kheda, and Ahmedabad laid the groundwork for the first pan-Indian agitations. The Rowlatt Act and the devastating Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919 galvanized the nation, prompting Gandhi to launch the **Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922)**. This was a watershed moment, integrating the Khilafat issue and drawing widespread public participation, though it was abruptly called off after the Chauri Chaura incident.
This Act was monumental, introducing provincial autonomy and establishing a federal structure (though never fully implemented). It provided the constitutional basis for the formation of provincial governments, which the INC contested and won in most provinces in 1937, marking their first major taste of political power.
The **Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934)**, famously inaugurated by the Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha), was another major thrust. It challenged the most visible symbol of British exploitation: the salt tax. This movement saw unprecedented participation from women and peasants and resulted in the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, which paved the way for the Second Round Table Conference in London.
The Final Push and Achievement of Independence (1942-1947)
The outbreak of World War II dramatically altered the political landscape. Indian leaders were angered by the unilateral decision of the Viceroy to involve India in the war. The failure of the Cripps Mission (1942), which offered dominion status after the war, solidified the belief that only immediate and complete independence was acceptable.
"Freedom is never dear at any price. It is the breath of life. What would a man not pay for living?" - Mahatma Gandhi, encapsulating the spirit behind the final movements for independence.
The **Quit India Movement (1942)**, with the powerful slogan ‘Do or Die,’ was the movement’s most ferocious stage. It was a spontaneous, leaderless rebellion after the mass arrest of key leaders, demonstrating the depth of anti-British sentiment. Simultaneously, Subhash Chandra Bose’s efforts with the Indian National Army (INA) challenged British authority from outside India, providing a powerful narrative of armed resistance.
While the goal of independence was achieved on August 15, 1947, it came at the cost of the Partition of India, a direct consequence of the escalating political differences, particularly between the INC and the Muslim League (following the failure of the Cabinet Mission Plan in 1946), leading to immense communal violence and displacement.
Frequently Asked Indian Freedom Movement Questions
A. The Lahore Session was pivotal as the INC, under the presidency of Jawaharlal Nehru, passed the resolution for 'Poorna Swaraj' (Complete Independence) and decided that January 26th should be celebrated as Independence Day, laying the philosophical groundwork for the Republic Day celebration later.
A. The Moderates believed in constitutional agitation (petitions, appeals) and aimed for gradual self-governance within the British Empire. The Extremists (Radicals) believed in more assertive methods like boycotts, strikes, and mass participation, aiming for complete Swaraj outside the British Empire, as a matter of right rather than petition.
A. The Cabinet Mission aimed to devise a framework for India's Constitution and an interim government. It rejected the demand for a separate Pakistan but proposed a complex three-tier federal structure for India to accommodate the Muslim League's concerns, which was ultimately not accepted by both major parties.
Key Takeaways from the Indian National Movement Timeline
- The **Indian National Movement Quiz** highlights the movement's evolution from a petitioning body (INC, 1885) to a mass-based organization utilizing non-violent resistance.
- Major movements like Non-Cooperation (1920) and Civil Disobedience (1930) were fundamental in mobilizing the masses and challenging British authority directly.
- The period from 1939 to 1947, encompassing the Quit India Movement and the INA’s efforts, represents the final, decisive phase of the struggle.
- Legislation like the Government of India Acts (1909, 1919, 1935) introduced incremental, yet critical, political reforms.
- The legacy of the movement is a foundational commitment to democracy, secularism, and non-violence, despite the tragic event of Partition.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Resilience and Unity
The journey through the **Independence Struggle Timeline MCQs** and the detailed analysis underscores the unprecedented scale and resilience of the Indian people. From the intellectual awakening of the late 19th century to the final triumph of 1947, the movement remains a powerful testament to the effectiveness of non-violent political action combined with revolutionary fervor. Mastery of these **Indian History GK Quiz** elements is essential not just for academic success, but for truly appreciating the democratic foundations of the world’s largest democracy.
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