Among the following options, which was the earliest mass movement launched under Indian leadership directly against British rule in the twentieth century?

Introduction / Context:
The Indian freedom struggle in the twentieth century saw several large scale mass movements that mobilised people across regions and classes. These movements, led by different leaders and organisations, gradually undermined British authority. Understanding the chronological order of these movements is crucial for exam questions on modern Indian history. This question asks you to identify which of the listed movements was the earliest major mass movement launched directly against British rule in the twentieth century.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on twentieth century mass movements against British rule.
• The options include Non Cooperation, Swadeshi, Quit India, Khilafat and Civil Disobedience.
• We must choose the earliest among these in terms of its launch date.
• We assume standard textbook dating for all these movements.

Concept / Approach:
The Swadeshi Movement began in 1905 as a reaction to the partition of Bengal announced in 1905 and implemented in 1906. It encouraged the boycott of British goods and the promotion of indigenous products. This makes it earlier than the Khilafat Movement and Gandhi led movements like Non Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India. Non Cooperation started in 1920, Civil Disobedience around 1930 and Quit India in 1942. The Khilafat Movement also gained momentum between 1919 and 1924. Therefore, among the given options, the Swadeshi Movement is the earliest major mass movement of the twentieth century.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Assign approximate start years to each movement: Swadeshi Movement around 1905, Non Cooperation in 1920, Khilafat around 1919, Civil Disobedience around 1930 and Quit India in 1942. Step 2: Arrange these dates in chronological order to see which one comes first. Step 3: Notice that 1905, the Swadeshi Movement, is clearly earlier than 1919, 1920, 1930 and 1942. Step 4: Confirm that the Swadeshi Movement was indeed a mass movement directed against British policies, especially the partition of Bengal. Step 5: Select Swadeshi Movement as the earliest movement among the options provided.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard modern Indian history textbooks clearly state that the Swadeshi Movement emerged in response to Lord Curzon s partition of Bengal. It involved widespread boycotts, public meetings and promotion of indigenous industries, and is often described as an early phase of the national movement in the twentieth century. The Non Cooperation Movement, Khilafat agitation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India campaigns all came later. This time line confirms that Swadeshi is the correct answer.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Non-Cooperation Movement: Launched in 1920 under Gandhi s leadership, significantly later than 1905. Quit India Movement: Started in 1942, near the end of the freedom struggle, and is one of the last major mass movements. Khilafat Movement: Although it overlapped with Non Cooperation, it gained strength around 1919 and is still later than the 1905 Swadeshi agitation. Civil Disobedience Movement: Began with the Salt March in 1930, much later than the Swadeshi Movement.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes think first of Gandhi led movements, because they are heavily emphasised in textbooks, and may forget the earlier Swadeshi phase of the national movement led by leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Aurobindo Ghosh. Another error is to mix up the chronological order of Khilafat and Swadeshi, since both involved emotional mass participation. To avoid confusion, remember that Swadeshi around 1905 represents the early stage of mass political mobilisation in the twentieth century, followed by Khilafat and Non Cooperation in the post First World War period.

Final Answer:
Among the options given, the earliest twentieth century mass movement against British rule was the Swadeshi Movement.