South Asia Nationalist Movement & Independence

Review

Imperialism British East India Company: At first learned Indian culture & intermarriedAt first 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 from British tradeKept Indian bankers & merchants benefiting from British trade Used SepoysUsed Sepoys British trained Indian soldiers to protect tradeBritish trained Indian soldiers to protect trade

Major Event Sepoy Rebellion, 1857 = Sepoy Rebellion, 1857 = Great Mutiny v. 1st War for Independence Great Mutiny v. 1st War for Independence Sepoy’s revolt results in colonization. Sign of early nationalism Sepoy’s revolt results in colonization. Sign 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 color, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.”“A class of persons, Indian in blood and color, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.” Tight British grip leads to organized Indian nationalist movementsTight British grip leads to organized Indian nationalist 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 = Amritsar Massacre Amritsar Massacre Ended Indian effort to operate within British control Ended Indian effort to operate within British control

Gandhi Gandhi broadened nationalist movement through civil disobedience

Major Event Salt March, 1930 =Salt March “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 1 st prime minister of India Muhammad Ali Jinnah, becomes 1 st 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)