Chapter 9: South Asia in Chapter 9: South Asia in TransitionTransition

Section 1: Freedom and Section 1: Freedom and PartitionPartition

Lesson QuestionsLesson Questions

Why did Gandhi help India win Why did Gandhi help India win independence from Britain?independence from Britain?

How did WWII affect the struggle for How did WWII affect the struggle for independence?independence?

What cultural differences led to the What cultural differences led to the partition of India?partition of India?

Growing Unrest from the British Growing Unrest from the British EmpireEmpire

- Indian nationalists demand freedom Indian nationalists demand freedom in 1919, hoping their cooperation in 1919, hoping their cooperation from WWI would grant them freedomfrom WWI would grant them freedom

- G.B. responded by limiting their G.B. responded by limiting their freedom of press, furthermore freedom of press, furthermore General DyerGeneral Dyer banned their rights to banned their rights to public gatherings after 5 British public gatherings after 5 British officials were killedofficials were killed

Unrest continuedUnrest continued April 13April 13thth, 1919: , 1919: the Amritsar Massacrethe Amritsar Massacre 10,000 Indians gather for protest in 10,000 Indians gather for protest in

northwestern India, General Dyer and his northwestern India, General Dyer and his troops open firetroops open fire

379 dead, 1100 wounded379 dead, 1100 wounded The incident increased violence from both The incident increased violence from both

sides and led to the distrust of G.B.sides and led to the distrust of G.B.

Mohandas GandhiMohandas Gandhi Gandhi led the Indian nationalist Gandhi led the Indian nationalist

movement from around 1914movement from around 1914 His leadership skills allowed him to attract His leadership skills allowed him to attract

all types of different classes from rich to all types of different classes from rich to poorpoor

The congress party of India was mainly The congress party of India was mainly middle class, but he managed to get poor middle class, but he managed to get poor people and Indians who benefited from people and Indians who benefited from British rule on his sideBritish rule on his side

Gandhi’s PrinciplesGandhi’s Principles He studied law in London and had little success as a He studied law in London and had little success as a

lawyer when he returned to Indialawyer when he returned to India He developed his He developed his satyagrahasatyagraha or “truth force”or “truth force” from his from his

experience in South Africaexperience in South Africa Gandhi said his teachings were from Hinduism and Gandhi said his teachings were from Hinduism and

ChristianityChristianity Hinduism stressed nonviolence and respect for lifeHinduism stressed nonviolence and respect for life Christianity taught forgiveness of one’s enemiesChristianity taught forgiveness of one’s enemies He was influenced heavily by American philosopher He was influenced heavily by American philosopher

Henry David Thoreau, whom practiced civil Henry David Thoreau, whom practiced civil disobedience, or the refusal to obey unjust lawsdisobedience, or the refusal to obey unjust laws

Gandhi hoped to make the world aware of British Gandhi hoped to make the world aware of British injustice by accepting punishment without striking injustice by accepting punishment without striking back.back.

He hoped to awaken in the British a sense of their He hoped to awaken in the British a sense of their own wrongdoingown wrongdoing

Gandhi’s AppealGandhi’s Appeal He gained appeal by drawing on the rich heritage He gained appeal by drawing on the rich heritage

of Indiaof India He gave up western ways and encouraged He gave up western ways and encouraged

traditional Indian industries such as spinning traditional Indian industries such as spinning cottoncotton

Gandhi dressed simply in white garments much Gandhi dressed simply in white garments much like the India’s poor peoplelike the India’s poor people

He stressed morals and ways of life such as He stressed morals and ways of life such as virtue, self-discipline, fasting, and being a virtue, self-discipline, fasting, and being a vegetarian; which are all values of devout Hindusvegetarian; which are all values of devout Hindus

Mahatma or “Great Soul” became his nameMahatma or “Great Soul” became his name The Mahatma wanted reforms for the lower The Mahatma wanted reforms for the lower

castes and political power for Muslimscastes and political power for Muslims

Campaign of Civil disobedienceCampaign of Civil disobedience The early 1920’s: the Mahatma travels around the

country supporting worker strikes and protests He calls for a boycott on British made goods 1930: Salt March: the Satyagraha movement to

protest the tax on salt led by Gandhi, followers go on a 200-mile march to

the coast to harvest salt They also broke the British ban on manufacturing

salt by making it from sea water The result was the arrest of Gandhi and 50,000

followers Furthermore, it gained worldwide support for India

and Britain’s government began to debate if holding onto India was worth it

Pictures of the Salt MarchPictures of the Salt March

Moving Toward IndependenceMoving Toward Independence WWII started in the west in 1939 with the WWII started in the west in 1939 with the

invasion of Poland by Germanyinvasion of Poland by Germany The Indian National Congress refused to The Indian National Congress refused to

support the war and Gandhi organized a support the war and Gandhi organized a “Quit India” movement“Quit India” movement

20,000 Congress members and supporters 20,000 Congress members and supporters are arrestedare arrested

1945: war-weakened Britain realized it can 1945: war-weakened Britain realized it can no longer maintain Indiano longer maintain India

Nationalist forces became too strong and Nationalist forces became too strong and British popular opinion opposed keeping British popular opinion opposed keeping their coloniestheir colonies

Hindu- Muslim ConflictHindu- Muslim Conflict Hindus and Muslims had cooperated in the Hindus and Muslims had cooperated in the

nationalist movementnationalist movement G.B. encouraged their divisions to weaken their G.B. encouraged their divisions to weaken their

grip over the regiongrip over the region The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah, The Muslim League, led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah,

asked for a separate Muslim stateasked for a separate Muslim state Religious differences caused a clash between the Religious differences caused a clash between the

Muslims and HindusMuslims and Hindus Also, some Muslims feared for their rights to be Also, some Muslims feared for their rights to be

dominated by a Hindu majoritydominated by a Hindu majority Gandhi thought the groups could live together, if Gandhi thought the groups could live together, if

they respected each other and treated each other they respected each other and treated each other as familyas family

Hindus distrusted the Muslims and looked at them Hindus distrusted the Muslims and looked at them as foreign conquerorsas foreign conquerors

Economic and political differences also increased Economic and political differences also increased the tension the tension

The Subcontinent DividedThe Subcontinent Divided 1946: Rioting breaks out between Hindus 1946: Rioting breaks out between Hindus

and Muslimsand Muslims 1947: the British Parliament tried to 1947: the British Parliament tried to

prevent civil war by passing the Indian prevent civil war by passing the Indian Independence ActIndependence Act

This act partitioned the Indian subcontinent This act partitioned the Indian subcontinent into two independent nationsinto two independent nations

Pakistan- Muslim ruled by Governor Pakistan- Muslim ruled by Governor General JinnahGeneral Jinnah

India – Hindu ruled by Prime Minister NehruIndia – Hindu ruled by Prime Minister Nehru

JinnahNehru

PartitionPartition The division led to increased violenceThe division led to increased violence Both governments on each side stressed a policy Both governments on each side stressed a policy

of religious toleration, however distrust was deeply of religious toleration, however distrust was deeply rootedrooted

500,000 people would die as a result500,000 people would die as a result To escape death on both sides, roughly 15 million To escape death on both sides, roughly 15 million

people migrated to their religious majority countrypeople migrated to their religious majority country Gandhi refused to celebrate the independence and Gandhi refused to celebrate the independence and

in prayer services he recited from the Koran, the in prayer services he recited from the Koran, the Bible, and the Bhagavad-GitaBible, and the Bhagavad-Gita

A Hindu extremist assassinated Gandhi because A Hindu extremist assassinated Gandhi because he believed he betrayed his own peoplehe believed he betrayed his own people