The Early Freedom Struggle

🎯 Learning Objective

Learn the founding of the Congress, the Partition of Bengal, Swadeshi, the Surat Split and Home Rule.

💡 Concept

• The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on 28 December 1885 at Bombay; its founder was A.O. Hume, a retired British civil servant.
• Its first president was Womesh Chandra (W.C.) Bonnerjee.
• Dadabhai Naoroji, the 'Grand Old Man of India', put forward the 'Drain of Wealth' theory in his book 'Poverty and Un-British Rule in India'.
• The Partition of Bengal was ordered in 1905 by Lord Curzon and came into effect on 16 October 1905; it was annulled in 1911.
• The Swadeshi Movement (1905) called for boycotting British goods and using Indian goods; its leaders included the trio 'Lal-Bal-Pal'.
• 'Lal-Bal-Pal' were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Bipin Chandra Pal.
• The Surat Split of 1907 divided the Congress into Moderates and Extremists.
• The Home Rule Movement (1916) was led by Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, demanding self-government; Tilak declared 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'.

✏️ Easy Example

Q. Who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885?

1. It was set up by a retired British civil servant
2. That founder was A.O. Hume (its first president was W.C. Bonnerjee)

Answer: A.O. Hume

🇮🇳 Real-Life Example

The INC's 1885 founding, the 1905 Partition of Bengal, and the 'Lal-Bal-Pal' trio are backbone facts of the freedom-struggle section that appear in almost every attempt.

📝 Exam-Level Example

Q. The Partition of Bengal (1905) was carried out by which Viceroy?

1. It sparked the Swadeshi Movement
2. It was ordered by Lord Curzon

Answer: Lord Curzon

📝 Exam-Level Example

Q. Who gave the slogan 'Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it'?

1. He was a leader of the Home Rule and Swadeshi movements
2. The slogan is by Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Answer: Bal Gangadhar Tilak

🪄 Memory Trick

'Lal-Bal-Pal' = Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal — the Swadeshi extremist trio.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

• ❌ Confusing the founder (A.O. Hume) with the first president (W.C. Bonnerjee) of the Congress.
• ❌ Mixing up the years: Partition of Bengal 1905, Surat Split 1907, Home Rule 1916.

🏆 Exam Tips

• ✅ INC founded 1885; remember Hume (founder) and Bonnerjee (first president) as a pair.
• ✅ Bengal partition (1905) → Swadeshi → Surat Split (1907) is a neat chain of causes.

📌 Summary

• INC founded 28 Dec 1885 by A.O. Hume; first president W.C. Bonnerjee
• Partition of Bengal 1905 (Curzon) → Swadeshi Movement
• 'Lal-Bal-Pal' led the Swadeshi extremists
• Surat Split 1907; Home Rule 1916 (Tilak & Annie Besant)