Indian Independence
The Fall of the British Raj…
Key Terms
• British East India
Company
• Economic Motives
• Sepoy Mutiny
• Satyagraha
• Civil Disobedience
• Jawaharlal Nehru
• Muhammad Ali
Jinnah
• Mohandas Gandhi
• Partition of India
British East India Company
• Trading Company from Great Britain
• Britain in India due to Economic Motives
• Powerful. “Tight” with the crown.
• Ruled most of India with Private Armies for 100 years
• 1757 -1857
Sepoy Mutiny (1857)
• British East India Company in power
• Indian people resentful
• SPARK!!! – BEIC Forced Hindu and Muslim soldiers to bite off
paper cartridges for their rifles
• Why is that a problem?
• Cartridges were greased with animal fat, mainly pork or beef.
• Hindus – don’t eat beef, many vegetarian
• Muslims – don’t eat pork
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Sepoy Mutiny (continued)
Indian
Soldiers
Revolt!
Revolt!
British
Officers
Result:
• After the Sepoy Mutiny, the British crown took control of India
• BEIC out… Great Britain in!
Independence Movement
• Most Famous leader  Mohandas Gandhi
• Characterized by Non-violence
• Satyagraha – Gandhi’s brand of Non violent protest / Civil
Disobedience
• After WWII, Great Britain was weakened, and was willing to
grant India Independence
• What needed to be figured out first?
• India given Independence in 1947
Linguistic Diversity
The Big Split: Hindu vs. Muslim
British India
Hindu
Muslim
Other
The Big Split: Hindu vs. Muslim
• For centuries, Hindus and
Muslims lived together in
India
• Periods of Peace
• Periods of Violence
• The British Raj kept the
peace
• Muslims were concerned
that they would not be
safe in an “independent
India”.
British India
3 Men… 3 Visions for an
Independent India
• Activist
• Hindu Leader
• Wanted a United
India
• Passionately wanted a
United India
• Philosophy of NonViolence and Civil
Disobedience
• Spiritual/Philosophic
al
• Muslim Leader
• Wanted United
India, but was
worried about
the safety of
Muslims.
• In the end,
would push for a
separate country
for Muslims
India Region Split based on Religion
India
• Hindu
• Today’s India
Pakistan
• Islamic (Muslims)
• Divided into East and
West Pakistan
• East Pakistan would
become independent in
1971…
• What country?
• Bangladesh
• a
• Definition – The dividing of
the India subcontinent into
India (Hindu) and Pakistan
(Islamic), based on religious
demographics.
• Violence erupts!
• Muslims attack Hindus
• Hindus attack Muslims
• Muslims in India fled for
Pakistan
• Hindus in Pakistan fled for
India
• Nearly 1,000,000 people
killed in violence.
• 12 million displaced
Partition of India
Kashmir
• a
Review
•
1. Who did the Indian people fight against during the Sepoy Mutiny? Why?
•
2. What was the “Partition of India”? What was it separated into (Hint: Two different Countries)?
•
3. How did the Partition of India lead to the the conflict over the region of Kashimir today?
•
4. What two countries claim the right to Kashmir today?
•
5. What modern day country used to be known as East Pakistan?
_______________________Company
British ________
Plan for _________________
(Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah)
(Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah)
____________! (1947)
Two Countries(Partition)
__________
_________ People
First Leader- _______
-___________
-___________
-__________
__________
(East/West)
________ People
First Leader - _______
British East India Company
British Rule
Plan for Independence
(Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah)
(Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah)
Independence! (1947)
Two Countries(Partition)
India
Hindu People
First Leader- Nehru
-Disappointed
-Displeased
-Sad
Pakistan
(East/West)
Muslim People
First Leader - Jinnah