• Feeling of exploitation: When the British came to India, they built railways,
established cotton factories and tea plantations. They also set up schools for richer
Indians. To the Indians, they thought that the British had come to increase their
wealth and power.
• Education: The educated Indians benefited from some opportunities but hated
being treated as second-class citizens.
• National developments: The Indians were given a minor role in local affairs.
• The First World War: Following their contribution to the war, the British gave
promises of increased self-government. However, the Indians were disappointed.
• Success of Chinese nationalists: Between 1898-1900, there was a serious
uprising by the Chinese against their colonial masters (Boxer Revolution). Later, Dr
Sun Yatsen organized the Kuomitang party which organized a revolution against the
Manchu dynasty and declared independence.
• Versailles Treaty: The idea of self-determination put forward by Wilson increased
nationalistic feelings.
• Indian problems: The standards of living were very low and there were a lot of
diseases.
INDIAN RESISTANCE
THE INDIA NATIONAL CONGRESS
The problems in India prompted the Indians to resort to political activism,
As a
result, they formed the India National Congress in 1885 with the aim of fighting for
increased participation in government.
WHY THE INDEPENDENCE WAS DELAYED
1. Religious rivalry
There were two most dominant religions i.e Islam and Hinduism.
In 1905, there were riots in Punjab/Bengal .Following this, the British decided to
increase
representation f Indians in the Assembly,
Muslims thought that the Hindus were
going to be favoured so they formed the Muslim League
in 1906 under Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
2. Nature of Indian society
• They believed in caste system.
• This created lack of unity hence hindered progress.
• Later, Mahatma Gandhi managed to bring unity.
THE REFORMS
THE 1909 MORLEY-MINTO REFORMS
• Minto was a viceroy (British representative) while Morley was the Indian
secretary of state.
• The reforms followed the 1905 riots and congress demanded for greater
participation in parliament.
• The Indians were therefore given a chance to criticize and advise the
government.
• The government also gave a separate representation to Muslims. To the Hindus,
this was a polic of'divide and rule.'
THE 1918 MONTAGU-CHEMSFORD REFORMS
Montagu was the secretary of state while Chemsford was the viceroy.
By 1917, the Hindus and Moslems had formed a temporary alliance.
As a reaction, the government was forced to grant Indians a measure of self-
government. Under
this: "
a commission was to be held ten years later to see if Indians were ready for self
government.
However, the British were still to control key government ministries e.g tax, law and
order.
THE AMRISTAR MASSACRE OF 1919
• This was a violent protest by Indians in the town of Amristar in North-West India.
• Five British were killed and many Indians were killed and wounded.
• This strengthened nationalism as the massacre exposed British cruelty and
showed that the Briti; were not ready to grant self-government.
LORD IRWIN (1926-31)
• Was one of the most sympathetic viceroys who was in favour of the dominion
status of India.
• As a result, Round Table conferences were held in London between 1930-31.
MUSLIMS DEMAND PAKISTAN
In 1937, elections were held. Congress led by Jawaharlal Nehru won a majority
of the seats,
Members of the Muslim League were not offered positions hence
this was a basis for Muslims tc
demand a separate state.
Because of this lack of cooperation, the British were
reluctant to grant full self-government.
WHY THE PARTITION WAS NECESSARY
a. To ease the hostilities between Hindus and Muslims.
b. To reduce the tension that followed violence which broke out after Nehru was
invited to form an interim government.
c. Lack of military strength of the British meant that the partition was better than
bloodshed. In 1947, India was granted independence with Nehru as the first
president
KENYA
AFRICAN GRIEVANCES
• Land alienation: The Kikuyu Rural Association openly protested against this in
1920 in Kiambu; the coffee-growing district of Kenya.
• Experiences of soldiers in the First World War: Africans had fought in a war
whose benefits they did no't share with Europeans.
AFRICAN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
In 1921, more militant protests were organized by a group called Young Kikuyu
Association led
by Harry Thuku.
Their concerns were:
certified labour pass/kipande.
Harsh labourr laws.
Compulsory hut taxes.
In 1925, the Kikuyu Central Association (K.C.A) was
formed with similar grievances including
unemployment and poor education for African children. However, this group had the
following
problems:
difficulty in organizing effective political protests on a Kenya-wide basis.
Travel for organizers was very expensive.
The kipande system restricted movement.
Ethnic suspicions among the Africans were very common yet the protests demanded
loyalty, trust and confidentiality.
In 1928, the group was joined by Johnstone Kamau (Mzee Jomo Kenyatta) who
became its
Secretary General. It was him who became a major threat to the colonialists in Kenya's
history,
In 1929, he was sent to London by the KCA to present a petition to the British
government for
election of Africans in the Legislative Council. o In 1931, he went back to London to
present grievances concerning work permits and land before
the British parliament.
By 1939, KCA had emerged as the main organization for African protests.
In 1940,
it was banned, its newspaper was seized and its activities were declared a threat to the
country's security.
THE MAU-MAU PERIOD
• In 1947, Kenyatta became president of the newly formed Kenya African Union (KAU)
• By 1950, wide-spread unemployment and lack of land among the large Kikuyu
population led to more militant action.
• Following the 1951 violence which began with arson and cattle-killing, government
blamed a secret society called Mau-Mau.
• In 1952, under the then governor, Sir Evely Baring, government declared a state of
emergency and Jomo Kenyatta was arrested.
• However, the Mau-Mau protests brought some changes e.g
• The 1954 Royal Commission of Inquiry recommended that racial basis of land
allocation should be abolished.
• The 1955 Swynnerton Plan called for freehold land system based on land
demarcation and registration including giving credit access to farmers, technical
assistance and improved water supplies.
THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE
In 1960, two political parties were formed:
1. Kenya African National Union (KANU) ethnically made up of Kikuyu, Luo and the old
guard of the banned KAU.
Its leaders' were Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga (representing Kenyatta who was still
in prison).
2. Kenya African Democratic Union (KADU) ethnically of Kamba, kalenjin Masai and
Mijikenda led by Ronald Ngala and Daniel Arap Moi.
In May 1960, KANU elected the imprisoned leader, Kenyatta as its president.
On 4 August 1961, the then governor, Sir Patrick Renison released Kenyatta.
In 1962, a temporary coalition between KANU and KADU was formed.
Following the general elections of 1 June 1963, Kenya attained self-government with
Kenyatta as the first Prime minister,
On 12* December 1963, Kenya was granted
independence with Mzee Jomo Kenyatta as its
first president.