South Asia Nationalist Movement & Independence

Review

Imperialism British East India CompanyBritish East India Company::• At firstAt first learned Indian culture & intermarried learned Indian culture & intermarried

• Used Indian princes as figureheadsUsed Indian princes as figureheads• Pitted Hindus against MuslimsPitted Hindus against Muslims

• Kept Indian bankers & merchants benefiting Kept Indian bankers & merchants benefiting from British tradefrom British trade

• Used Used SepoysSepoys• British trained Indian soldiers to protect British trained Indian soldiers to protect

tradetrade

Major Event • Sepoy Rebellion, 1857 = Sepoy Rebellion, 1857 = • Great Mutiny v. 1st War for IndependenceGreat Mutiny v. 1st War for Independence• Sepoy’s revolt results in colonization. Sign Sepoy’s revolt results in colonization. Sign

of early nationalism of early nationalism

British Raj • British tighten hold on IndiaBritish tighten hold on India

• Set-up official colonial government – “Raj”Set-up official colonial government – “Raj”• Tax Indian textiles, saltTax Indian textiles, salt• Impose British educationImpose British education

• ““A class of persons, Indian in blood and A class of persons, Indian in blood and color, but English in taste, in opinions, in color, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.”morals, and in intellect.”

• Tight British grip leads to organized Indian Tight British grip leads to organized Indian nationalist movementsnationalist movements

Years Leading Up To WWI

Years leading up to WWI

• Earlier colonization = • large class of Western-educated elites • earlier nationalism

• Groups like the Indian National Congress were formed • Virtually all of the INC was Hindu, lived in

cities, & British educated• Muslim community watched suspiciously

Militant Nationalism

Social Foundations of a Mass Movement

• Increasingly resented Britain draining India economically

• B.G. Tilak garners first public support via stressing violent rebellion & Hindu revivalism

British Response

• Britain attempted to prevent full independence movement by brokering some political freedoms through INC

After WWI – Major Event • Amritsar Massacre, 1919 = Amritsar Massacre, 1919 = • Ended Indian effort to operate within British Ended Indian effort to operate within British

controlcontrol

Gandhi

• Gandhi broadened nationalist movement through civil disobedience

Major Event

• Salt March, 1930 = • “Tea Party” of India. Solidified Gandhi’s

popularity and effort at peaceful protest.

WWII• Strain from WWII coupled with British

control fostered greater resentment

• INC organized a “Quit India Movement”• Advocated complete independence

from Britain• soldiers stopped fighting WWII• local officials quit gov’t jobs• citizens boycotted British goods• used strikes & work stoppages

Winning Independence

• INC (led by Gandhi) sought united & multicultural but independent India

• Muslim League (led by Muhammad Ali Jinnah) sought separate Muslim state

Partition• Partition & hasty

British pullout = creates Muslim state (Pakistan)

• Pakistan: clumsy 2-part country (East & West)

• Tension b/t East & West Pakistan

• 1971 → Bangladesh

Independence WWII & Partition:• Muslim League “wins” debate• Partition was messy & millions fled to the

“correct” side of the new border• Millions killed in the process • Problems continue – clear divisions are

difficult: Kashmir

Gandhi’s Legacy

• Gandhi failed to create a

peaceful, multicultural India• Assassinated for teachings

•Indians had power to change events•Shredded legitimacy of British rule•Embodied national cause•Forged links b/t classes•Mobilized thousands•Spread civil disobedience

•Raj’s government never threatened•WWII caused independence•India was partitioned

Independence

• Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhi’s close ally, becomes 1st prime minister of India

• Muhammad Ali Jinnah, becomes 1st Governor-General of Pakistan

Goals of Independent India

• Secular democracy• Outlaw caste• Economic independence

Challenges Remain:• Caste differences remain• Hindu-Muslim clashes• Cultural diversity

Two Indias

What did you LEARN about India after independence

based on the article?

Reflection of History?

• Diversity, Tension, Innovation• Federation:• allows a fair degree of autonomy to

states• States based around linguistic & large

ethnic groups) • Hindu nationalism v. Islam• Green Revolution

Summary • British set up BEIC

• Exploit division b/t Hindus & Muslims• British rule contradicts many Indian

customs – nationalism grows• Sepoy Rebellion, INC, Muslim League

• Rise of Gandhi & nonviolent protest• WWII weakens Britain• India divided into two nations: India

(Hindu/secular), Pakistan (Muslim)