Modern Indian History Mind Map Notes for SSC Exams

Modern Indian History has so many dates, persons and movements that it is easy to mix them up. A mind map puts them in order on one page. This Modern Indian History mind map for SSC has India from 1757 to 1947 in the centre and ten branches: Europeans, battles, rulers, the revolt, reformers, Congress, early movements, Gandhian movements, the road to freedom and independence.

The Centre: Modern India (1757–1947)

The period begins with the Battle of Plassey in 1757 and ends with independence on 15 August 1947.

The Mind Map

• 1. Arrival of Europeans
  • Portuguese: Vasco da Gama reached Calicut in 1498
  • Dutch, English (East India Company, 1600) and French followed
  • The English finally won the struggle for power
• 2. Key Battles
  • Battle of Plassey, 1757
  • Third Battle of Panipat, 1761
  • Battle of Buxar, 1764
• 3. Rulers and Policies
  • Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of Bengal
  • Lord Cornwallis: Permanent Settlement (1793)
  • Lord Wellesley: Subsidiary Alliance
  • Lord William Bentinck: abolished sati (1829)
  • Lord Dalhousie: Doctrine of Lapse and the first railway (1853)
• 4. Revolt of 1857
  • Began at Meerut on 10 May 1857
  • Mangal Pandey at Barrackpore
  • Ended Company rule through the Government of India Act, 1858
• 5. Social and Religious Reformers
  • Raja Ram Mohan Roy: Brahmo Samaj (1828)
  • Swami Dayanand Saraswati: Arya Samaj (1875)
  • Swami Vivekananda: Ramakrishna Mission (1897)
  • Sir Syed Ahmad Khan: Aligarh movement
• 6. Indian National Congress
  • Founded in 1885; A. O. Hume was the founder
  • First president: W. C. Bonnerjee
  • Moderates and Extremists (Lal-Bal-Pal)
• 7. Early Movements
  • Partition of Bengal by Lord Curzon, 1905
  • Swadeshi movement
  • Muslim League founded in 1906
  • Morley-Minto Reforms 1909, Lucknow Pact 1916 and Home Rule movements 1916
• 8. Gandhian Era
  • Champaran 1917, Kheda and Ahmedabad 1918
  • Rowlatt Act and Jallianwala Bagh, 1919
  • Non-Cooperation Movement, 1920
  • Dandi March and Civil Disobedience, 1930
  • Quit India Movement, 1942
• 9. Road to Freedom
  • Simon Commission 1927 and Nehru Report 1928
  • Lahore Session 1929: Purna Swaraj
  • Government of India Act, 1935
  • Cripps Mission 1942 and INA of Subhas Chandra Bose
  • Cabinet Mission 1946
• 10. Independence
  • Mountbatten Plan, 3 June 1947
  • Indian Independence Act, 1947
  • 15 August 1947: India became free

Timeline Strip

Quick Tips

• Learn the timeline strip first, then add the branches.
• Link every movement with the leader and the year.
• Draw the map by hand and colour each branch.
• Revise the map with the detailed notes for each branch.

Quick Revision Points

• Plassey 1757, Revolt 1857, Congress 1885 and Independence 1947.
• Dalhousie introduced the Doctrine of Lapse.
• Gandhi started Non-Cooperation in 1920 and Quit India in 1942.
• The Government of India Act of 1858 ended Company rule.
• Lord Curzon partitioned Bengal in 1905.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. In which year was the Battle of Plassey fought?
   Answer: 1757
2. Who founded the Brahmo Samaj?
   Answer: Raja Ram Mohan Roy
3. Who founded the Arya Samaj?
   Answer: Swami Dayanand Saraswati
4. Who was the first president of the Indian National Congress?
   Answer: W. C. Bonnerjee
5. Who partitioned Bengal in 1905?
   Answer: Lord Curzon
6. In which year did the Non-Cooperation Movement begin?
   Answer: 1920
7. In which year was the Dandi March?
   Answer: 1930
8. In which year was the Quit India Movement?
   Answer: 1942
9. Which Act ended the rule of the East India Company?
   Answer: Government of India Act, 1858
10. Who introduced the Subsidiary Alliance?
    Answer: Lord Wellesley

How to Practise This Chapter

Draw this mind map yourself on a blank page once, with the centre in the middle and the branches around it, because drawing is the best way to remember. Then test yourself with our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all maps on the MindMaps page and the Formula Guide and Mnemonics pages. For the detailed notes, read Revolt of 1857, Indian National Congress Sessions and Presidents and Gandhian Era. The previous map is Indian Polity and the next map is Indian Geography.

Frequently Asked Questions

What period does modern Indian history cover?

It covers the period from 1757 to 1947.

Which battle started the British rule in Bengal?

The Battle of Plassey in 1757.

When did the Revolt of 1857 begin?

It began at Meerut on 10 May 1857.

When was the Indian National Congress founded?

It was founded in 1885.

Who was the first president of the Congress?

W. C. Bonnerjee.

When was Bengal partitioned?

Bengal was partitioned in 1905 by Lord Curzon.

When did the Non-Cooperation Movement begin?

In 1920.

What was the Dandi March?

It was the march of Gandhi in 1930 to break the salt law, and it began the Civil Disobedience Movement.

When was the Quit India Movement launched?

On 8 August 1942.

When did India become independent?

On 15 August 1947.

Is Modern History important for SSC exams?

Yes. Many questions in the General Awareness section come from modern history.

How can I remember the dates easily?

Learn the timeline strip first and add the persons and movements to each date.