What led to the development of a sense of nationalism among the Indians?
Answers
1. Political and Administrative Unity:
One of the significant results of the British conquest of India was the establishment of a centralized state. It brought about a political and administrative unification of the country.
The pre- British India was divided into numerous feudal states frequently struggling among themselves to extend their boundaries. The British authority established a centralized state structure in India with a uniform reign of law. They enacted and codified laws which were applicable to every citizen of the state. These laws were enforced by a hierarchically graded system of tribunals.
hope it helps...
Nationalism in India saw its own rise and falls.
The first rise of nationalism happened in India during the legendary revolution of 1857.
The reasons behind this were the constant humiliation of the sentiments of masses by the British by policies like Doctrine of Lapse.
The revolution of 1857 was mainly constituted by the Indian sepoys in British army and the regional rulers.
The sepoys’ intentions were hurt because of the new Enfield rifle cartridges.
The cartridges of the rifles came wrapped in a glazed paper which was found to be made up from the fat of cows and pigs.
Hindus held cows sacred and pork was forbidden in Islam, so it hurt both religions equally.
The rulers were angered because of the unauthorized control of power by British in their areas by the use of policies like Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse.
The movement wasn’t supported by the masses and hence failed.
After that, the freedom struggle settled down for a while till the unfortunate Jalianwala Bagh incident where the British army open fired on the peaceful civilian protest which involved even ladies and children.
That incident and the hanging of the revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.
This led to a nation wide resentment among the masses all over India which ultimately ended up with British leaving India free.