How did India become independent from the British?

Indian
independence from Great Britain was the culmination of many movements and events that took place
over the course of a ninety-year span beginning in 1857. Let's look at some of these movements
which would eventually lead to independence.

It can be argued that in the
Sepoy Rebellion, also known as the Indian Mutiny, of 1857 stirred the initial feelings that led
to the ultimate independence movement. The harsh British response to this rebellion planted the
seeds of future independence movements in the minds of many Indians.

In 1885
the Indian National Congress formed with the goal of increasing Indian autonomy and lessening
British control over many of India's internal affairs. This congress pushed for many reforms to
counter the poverty in their country which they considered to be the result of British rule.
During the early 20th century, this group organized boycotts of British goods and other
non-violent means of weakening British control and power in the country.

The
arrival of Mahatma Gandhi in 1915 also spurred on the independence movement. He quickly started
organizing peasants and laborers to protest against oppressive colonial laws. He was a great
uniting force for the various independence-minded factions in India.

The
post-WWI Khilafat Movement was a joint effort by Indian Muslims and Nationalists who were
angered that the British overthrew the Islamic Caliphate after the war. Over a five-year span,
they organized many anti-British protests around the country. This led to even greater
anti-British sentiment, particularly among Muslims who saw the British actions as
anti-Muslim.

In August 1942, Gandhi called for an orderly British withdrawal
from India. This spurred Indian freedom fighters to call for a total disobedience movement
against Great Britain in what became known as the Quit India Movement. This movement gathered
wide support across India. Since the British were preoccupied at the time with World War II,
they did not have the resources to overcome this.

After the war, the British
came to the realization that they had lost the ability to effectively govern India. Three
generations of independence movements had made it clear that Indians would no longer tolerate
colonial rule. Indeed, imperialism was falling away around the world. In 1947, the British
Parliament passed the Indian Independence Act, which effectively gave India its
independence.

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