Name:_____________________
Date:____________________
Guided Reading on “The Indian Independence Movement, 1905-1947”
1) How has India’s climate affected its agricultural productivity? Why did over 2 million Indians die in the years
between 1896 and 1900 due to climatic factors? Despite periodic famines, how much had India’s population grown
between 1900 and 1941? What pressures did this cause? (908)
2) How were Indians divided in classes (castes), languages, and religion? What percentage of India was Muslim
and in which region had Muslim leaders, the maharajahs, dominated? (908)
3) How was India ruled under the British? Which types of technology did the British introduce to India and which
did they not want to introduce? Why? How did Indians react to British colonization? (909)
4) Describe the background of the Indian National Congress and the All-India Muslim League? How did the British
take advantage of religious divisions in India? How was this ultimately reflected in Indian politics? (911)
5) What did the British promise in 1917 in the face of Indian protests after WWI? What was the Amritsar Massacre
of 1919? How did it affect Indian public opinion? (912)
6) Who was Mahatma K. Gandhi? Why was he called “Mahatma”? What were some of his unusual political
opinions? Why did he attract such a large number of followers including the disadvantaged? (912)
7) What were some of the brilliant political tactics adopted by Gandhi in his pursuit for independence? (912-913)
8) Describe when and how India achieved independence? Why did this result in partition? Who were the leaders of
the countries that would become India and Pakistan? What were some of the tragedies of partition?