Describe how nationalism led to independence in India.

India before independence

While the concept of India as a single unified nation can be found as far back as the Mauryan Empire, the modern Indian Nationalist movement was based on territorial nationalism and grew in opposition to the British Raj.

India during the fight for independence

The middle class began to rise up into groups to pressure the British leadership and demand equality.

In Summary

There were many Indians who did not like the British Raj. The people of India built upon ancient ideas of them being one people and began to see themselves as one people. Without paying attention to differences in religion, caste, or ethnic group, they all came together as one people against the British Raj.