Modern History chronology tables and charts personalities and events overview
Chronology of Modern Indian History (1500–1947) with Reasons 📜
This table provides key events along with the reasons behind them.
🔹 16th Century (1500–1599)
| Year | Event | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1498 | Vasco da Gama arrives in Calicut | European search for new trade routes to India, bypassing Arab traders |
| 1526 | First Battle of Panipat – Babur defeats Ibrahim Lodi | Weakness of Delhi Sultanate, Babur's superior artillery |
| 1556 | Second Battle of Panipat – Akbar defeats Hemu | Akbar's strategy and superior military tactics |
| 1576 | Battle of Haldighati – Akbar vs. Maharana Pratap | Akbar's expansionist policy, resistance by Rajputs |
| 1582 | Akbar introduces Din-i-Ilahi | Religious tolerance, effort to create a unified empire |
🔹 17th Century (1600–1699)
| Year | Event | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1600 | East India Company (EIC) established | British interest in Indian trade (spices, textiles) |
| 1615 | Sir Thomas Roe secures trade rights | Mughal wealth attracted European traders |
| 1658 | Aurangzeb seizes power, defeats Dara Shikoh | Religious orthodoxy, power struggle in Mughal court |
| 1666 | Shivaji escapes from Agra | Mughal oppression, rise of Marathas |
| 1674 | Shivaji crowned as Chhatrapati | Maratha resistance against Mughal expansion |
| 1686 | British clash with Mughals (Child’s War) | British ambitions to control Indian trade |
| 1690 | Foundation of Calcutta by Job Charnock | British needed a strategic trade settlement |
🔹 18th Century (1700–1799)
| Year | Event | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1707 | Death of Aurangzeb, Mughal decline | Religious policies, financial strain due to continuous wars |
| 1739 | Nadir Shah invades Delhi | Weak Mughal empire, lack of strong leadership |
| 1757 | Battle of Plassey – British defeat Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah | British military superiority, betrayal by Mir Jafar |
| 1764 | Battle of Buxar – British defeat Indian alliance | Conflict over British revenue collection rights |
| 1773 | Regulating Act – Warren Hastings becomes first Governor-General | British needed administrative control over expanding Indian territories |
| 1784 | Pitt’s India Act – British govt. controls EIC | British corruption in India, need for accountability |
| 1793 | Permanent Settlement introduced by Lord Cornwallis | British revenue collection stability |
🔹 19th Century (1800–1899)
| Year | Event | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1802 | Treaty of Bassein – British control Marathas | British expansionism, Maratha internal conflicts |
| 1818 | Third Anglo-Maratha War – End of Maratha rule | British superior military & diplomacy |
| 1829 | Abolition of Sati by Lord William Bentinck | Social reform, pressure from reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy |
| 1835 | English Education Act – Macaulay’s policy | British wanted to create an English-educated Indian class |
| 1853 | First railway in India (Mumbai to Thane) | British economic interests, administrative efficiency |
| 1857 | First War of Independence (Revolt of 1857) | Political discontent, economic exploitation, religious interference |
| 1858 | Government of India Act – End of EIC rule, British Crown takes control | Aftermath of 1857 revolt, need for better governance |
| 1876 | Queen Victoria declared Empress of India | British formalization of colonial rule |
| 1885 | Indian National Congress (INC) formed | Growing Indian political consciousness |
🔹 20th Century (1900–1947)
| Year | Event | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1905 | Partition of Bengal, Swadeshi Movement starts | British "Divide and Rule" policy, administrative reasons |
| 1909 | Morley-Minto Reforms – Separate electorates for Muslims | British strategy to divide Hindus & Muslims |
| 1911 | Delhi Durbar – Capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi | To weaken Bengal’s political influence, historical significance of Delhi |
| 1919 | Rowlatt Act – Arrest without trial | British fear of revolutionary activities |
| 1919 | Jallianwala Bagh Massacre | British crackdown on peaceful protestors |
| 1919 | Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms – Dyarchy introduced | British attempt to pacify Indian demands for self-rule |
| 1920 | Non-Cooperation Movement by Gandhi | Jallianwala Bagh outrage, demand for Swaraj |
| 1922 | Chauri Chaura Incident – Movement withdrawn | Gandhi's belief in non-violence |
| 1928 | Simon Commission arrives, boycotted by Indians | No Indian representation in the commission |
| 1930 | Civil Disobedience Movement, Salt March | Protest against British salt monopoly |
| 1935 | Government of India Act – Provincial autonomy | British attempt to delay full independence |
| 1942 | Quit India Movement launched by Gandhi | Demand for immediate British withdrawal |
| 1946 | Cabinet Mission Plan | British plan for India's transition to independence |
| 1947 | India gains Independence, Partition of India & Pakistan | British economic decline, rising nationalist movements |
🔹 Conclusion
- 1500-1700 → Rise of European traders, Mughal dominance
- 1700-1857 → Mughal decline, British conquest
- 1858-1947 → British Crown rule, rise of Indian nationalism, struggle for independence
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European Powers in India – Key Details
| European Power | Year of Arrival | First Factory/Trade Post | Year of Establishment | First Fort | Year of Establishment | Year of Departure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portuguese 🇵🇹 | 1498 (Vasco da Gama) | Calicut (Kerala) | 1500 | Fort Emmanuel (Cochin) | 1503 | 1961 (Goa Liberation) |
| Dutch 🇳🇱 | 1605 | Masulipatnam (Andhra Pradesh) | 1605 | Fort Geldria (Pulicat, Tamil Nadu) | 1610 | 1825 (Defeated by British) |
| English 🇬🇧 | 1608 (Captain Hawkins) | Surat (Gujarat) | 1613 | Fort St. George (Madras, Tamil Nadu) | 1644 | 1947 (Independence) |
| Danish 🇩🇰 | 1616 | Tranquebar (Tamil Nadu) | 1620 | Dansborg Fort (Tranquebar) | 1620 | 1845 (Sold territories to British) |
| French 🇫🇷 | 1664 | Surat (Gujarat) | 1668 | Fort Louis (Pondicherry) | 1709 | 1954 (Pondicherry merged with India) |
🔹 Key Takeaways
✔ Portuguese were the first to arrive and the last to leave (1961).
✔ Dutch controlled spice trade but lost to the British.
✔ British established dominance after defeating other European powers.
✔ French held on to Pondicherry until 1954.
✔ Danish were the smallest European power in India.
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Rowlatt Act, 1919 – Key Details 📜
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Anarchical and Revolutionary Crimes Act, 1919 |
| Introduced By | Sir Sidney Rowlatt (Chairman of Rowlatt Committee) |
| Objective | Suppress revolutionary activities and curb anti-British movements |
| Key Provisions | 🔹 Allowed imprisonment without trial for up to 2 years 🔹 Enabled warrantless arrests 🔹 Restricted press freedom 🔹 Gave police & British officials extensive powers |
| Reason for Enactment | Rising revolutionary activities and protests after World War I |
| Indian Reaction | Strong opposition, widespread protests, and nationwide unrest |
| Gandhi’s Role | Launched the Rowlatt Satyagraha on April 6, 1919, as a response |
| Jallianwala Bagh Massacre | April 13, 1919 – Brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Amritsar |
| Repeal | Act was never fully enforced but repealed in 1922 due to mass protests |
Impact of Rowlatt Act ⚡
- Increased anti-British sentiments 🇮🇳
- Strengthened nationalist movements (led to Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920)
- Exposed British repression, causing widespread outrage
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