PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS AGAINST THE BRITISH



Published on 03 Oct 2025

The People’s resistance against the British was majorly an expression of discontent against discrimination, racial segregation and harassment of the masses in the hands of political overlords.  It manifested in localised uprisings, economic protests, and communal riots aimed at securing their interests, which laid the groundwork for the organised and widespread resistance during the national freedom movement.

Types of Resistance by the People

According to Bipan Chandra, the resistance took the form of three broad forms: Civil Rebellions, Tribal uprisings and Peasant revolts.

Types

Features

Examples

Civil Rebellions

  • Uprisings in urban areas against specific colonial policies.

  • Different from the demands of rural apprehensions 

  • Not completely unaffected by the woes of rural issues, it also spilled over to urban areas

  • Paika Rebellion (1817)

  • Sannyasi Rebellion

  • Indigo Revolt

Tribal Uprisings

  • By tribal communities against British rule

  • Primarily to preserve their traditional life and to oust the outsiders (or dikus).

  • Khasi Uprising

  • Singphos Rebellion

  • Ho and Munda Uprisings

Peasant Movements

  • Revolts by rural agricultural communities, primarily peasants, against oppressive British revenue policies.

  • Narkelberia Uprising

  • Moplah Uprisings

  • Ramosi Uprising

Military Revolts

  • Indians employed in the Company's forces

  • Questioned the discriminative treatment of Indians in the troops.

  • The Bengal Sepoy Mutiny of 1764

  • Vellore Mutiny of 1806


Tags:
History & Culture

Keywords:
PEOPLE’S RESISTANCE MOVEMENTS AGAINST THE BRITISH localised uprisings economic protests and communal riots Types of Resistance by the People Civil Rebellions Tribal uprisings and Peasant revolts Paika Rebellion 1817 Sannyasi Rebellion Indigo Revolt Khasi Uprising Singphos Rebellion Narkelberia Uprising Moplah Uprisings The Bengal Sepoy Mutiny of 1764 Military Revolts Vellore Mutiny of 1806 Ramosi Uprising Ho and Munda Uprisings

Syllabus:
General Studies Paper 1

Topics:
Modern Indian History

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