The major challenge in India was that they had multiple religions. Sikhism Hinduism Islam Sikh and Hindu mobs slaughtered Muslims fleeing into Pakistan Muslims massacred Hindu and Sikh neighbors
Federal System- powers are divided between strong central government and smaller local governments Do we have a federal system in the United States? Nehru Dynasty – Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi
1 st Congress Party – Wanted self rule of India from Great Britain (mostly Hindu’s) BJP – Bharatiya Janata Party They wanted the government to be based off of Hindu principles. When they rose to power conflict began to rise between Hindu’s and Muslims
Ayodhya – The BJP backed a plan to destroy a mosque in Ayodhya because they claimed it stood on sacred Hindu land The BJP wanted a Hindu temple there
Indira Gandhi – She was killed by two of her Sikh bodyguards This ignited battles between Hindu’s and Sikhs Rajiv Gandhi – He was assassinated in 1991 Violence continued between Tamil- speaking Hindu’s and Buddhist in Sri Lanka
Adopted socialist model by drawing up 5 year plans to set economic goals and manage resources India lacked oil and natural gas. This cost impacted there economic growth. Education – Indian government built schools and universities. The literacy rate went up, but unevenly Boys were higher than girls
Farming – Nehru tried to make India self sufficient by using the Green Revolution New seed, chemical fertilizer, and irrigation methods helped crop output. However, only farmers with enough land and money could afford to grow the new crops Most farmers still used the old methods and tried to rely on monsoons
Overpopulation? Reform economically?
In the 1930’s Gandhi campaigned to end the inhumane treatment of the untouchables, whom he called Harijans – children of God India’s 1950 constitution banned discrimination against the untouchables Was it successful? Why or why not? Women – at independence women gained the right to vote along with other legal rights