GET INTO THE SQUARE!!

THE HISTORY OF INDIA

The History of India L.I. To understand what a colony is. To be able to explain why colonialism caused countries to have reduced development and lead to greater global inequality To be able to demonstrate different events about colonialism during the history of India

ACTIVITY! Fill in the missing words with the new vocabulary. Once you are complete check it with a teacher and then stick it in your book.

THE BRITISH EMPIRE From the sixteenth century onwards, the leaders of Europe believed it was their right to try to conquer other parts of the world and develop empires. They set up colonies across the world where they could push the natives out of their land and create their own towns and cities. They were also used for trade and to have somewhere to stop off when they were sailing. India became one of these colonies officially in the nineteenth century but it was first controlled by the East India Trading Company who set up a base there for trade. Soon India owed Britain a lot of money and the whole country became very poor.

ACTIVITY! Each group will get a piece of paper with a historical event about India. Act it out to the class so we can guess what it is!

1770 10 million Indian people die in a famine as a result of British wanting half of their food to pay for the Indian debt. Even today India is still in debt to Britain, with over 360 million there living in poverty. 1857 The Indians rise up against the East India Trading Company because of bad treatment leading to a massive rebellion. The EITC won and Queen Victoria formally took over as Empress of India. 1756 Uprising against the EITC took place at Fort William in Calcutta (India) and all the British prisoners put into a tiny jail. They suffocated in the heat and cramped conditions and 130/146 died within hours. Britain was furious. 1947 India gains independence from Britain because they helped fight in WW2. The entire country are population are still in debt to Britain though. 1600s To get access to India’s spices, rice, silk, tea and jewels the East India Trading Company from Britain sets up trading posts in India and takes over the local people.

ACTIVITY! Now stick the different events of Indian history in your book on a double page. Add these other historical events. 2013: India’s debt to Britain reaches £230 Billion 1914: Indian soldiers take part in World War One as part of the British Empire’s army 1921: Mohandas Ghandi becomes leader of the Indian National Congress and gets them to fight for independence

Is it right for someone to find something and take it as their own? Arrange with a pupil that you will take their bag from them and claim it as being yours. This symbolises colonialism.

Can you think of any other times in history when things have been taken from one country by another?