Important Movements in Indian Freedom Struggle
(Including Tribal, Peasant, and Popular Uprisings)
Tribal Movements
These were against:
• British land revenue policies
• Forest laws
• Moneylenders (Sahukars)
• Zamindari exploitation
Major Tribal Revolts (Chronological Table)
| Year | Movement | Leader | Region | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1774–79 | Halba Rebellion | – | Bastar | British interference |
| 1831–32 | Kol Rebellion | Buddhu Bhagat | Chotanagpur | Land alienation |
| 1855–56 | Santhal Rebellion | Sidhu & Kanhu | Jharkhand | Zamindars & moneylenders |
| 1879–80 | Rampa Rebellion | Alluri Sitarama Raju (later phase 1922–24) | Andhra | Forest laws |
| 1899–1900 | Munda Rebellion (Ulgulan) | Birsa Munda | Jharkhand | Land & forest exploitation |
| 1910 | Bastar Rebellion | Gunda Dhur | Chhattisgarh | Forest restrictions |
| 1917–19 | Tana Bhagat Movement | Jatra Bhagat | Bihar | Tax resistance |
| 1922–24 | Rampa Rebellion (Major Phase) | Alluri Sitarama Raju | Andhra | Forest Act |
Most Important Tribal Movements for Exams
Santhal Rebellion (1855–56)
Munda Ulgulan (1899–1900)
Kol Rebellion (1831)
Rampa Rebellion (1922–24)
UPSC repeatedly asks about Birsa Munda and Santhal uprising.
Peasant Movement
Peasant movements were mainly against:
• High land revenue
• Indigo cultivation
• Zamindari oppression
Important Peasant Movements
| Year | Movement | Leader | Region | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859–60 | Indigo Revolt | Digambar Biswas | Bengal | Against forced indigo cultivation |
| 1875 | Deccan Riots | – | Maharashtra | Against moneylenders |
| 1917 | Champaran Satyagraha | Mahatma Gandhi | Bihar | Against Indigo system |
| 1918 | Kheda Satyagraha | Gandhi, Sardar Patel | Gujarat | Tax suspension |
| 1921 | Moplah Rebellion | Ali Musaliar | Kerala | Agrarian + religious issues |
| 1928 | Bardoli Satyagraha | Sardar Patel | Gujarat | Revenue increase protest |
| 1936 | All India Kisan Sabha | Swami Sahajanand | Bihar | Peasant rights organization |
| 1946 | Tebhaga Movement | Kisan Sabha | Bengal | Sharecroppers demand 2/3 produce |
| 1946–51 | Telangana Movement | Communist leaders | Hyderabad | Against feudal landlords |
Very Important for Exams
Champaran – 1917
Kheda – 1918
Bardoli – 1928
Tebhaga – 1946
Telangana – 1946
Revolutionary Movements
| Year | Movement | Leader |
|---|---|---|
| 1915 | Ghadar Movement | Lala Hardayal |
| 1925 | Kakori Conspiracy | Ram Prasad Bismil |
| 1928 | HSRA Activities | Bhagat Singh |
| 1930 | Chittagong Armoury Raid | Surya Sen |
Major Gandhian Mass Movements
| Year | Movement | Important Point |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Non-Cooperation | Khilafat linked |
| 1930 | Civil Disobedience | Dandi March |
| 1942 | Quit India | Do or Die |
Women & Social Movements
• Self-Respect Movement (Periyar, 1925)
• Harijan Movement (Gandhi, 1932)
• Temple Entry Movement
Frequently Asked Leaders (One-Line Revision)
Birsa Munda – Munda Revolt
Sidhu & Kanhu – Santhal Revolt
Alluri Sitarama Raju – Rampa Rebellion
Gunda Dhur – Bastar Revolt
Swami Sahajanand – Kisan Sabha
Sardar Patel – Bardoli
Chronology
Santhal (1855) → Indigo (1859) → Deccan (1875) → Munda (1899) → Champaran (1917) → Bardoli (1928) → Tebhaga (1946)