Indian Nationalism & Nation-building 1858-1947 Indian Nationalism & Nation-building

If a British Colonial Official were asked to provide evidence of the ways by which British Rule benefitted India, what would he say? If an Indian citizen were asked to give proof of the ways British Rule harmed India, what would he or she say? 1858-1947

Roots of Indian Nationalism If the Indian people want independence, what could possibly unite them in hopes of achieving that goal? common desire to see British removed cultural unity But was India really united culturally? -who are the Indians really? Hindu Indians? ( =majority) Muslim Indians? ( =minority) There were many different cultural groups in India & many Indian nationalist movements w/ various strategies to meet their goals.

The Indian National Congress an early Indian nationalist organization established 1885 led by European-educated Indians after WWI, became interested in winning freedoms & independence for ALL Indians early members: Mahatma Gandhi Jawaharlal Nehru Muhammad Ali Jinnah many Muslims left in 1906  formed “Muslim League” different goals for independence

Two NATIONALIST Paths to INDEPENDENCE… The Muslim League Goal: independent Indian nation for Muslims (Pakistan) Key leaders: Jinnah Strategy: satisfy & support the British so they’ll eventually create a free Muslim nation from India Indian National Congress Goal: independent nation for all Indians Key leaders: Gandhi & Nehru Strategy: civil- disobedience passive resistance

“We [Muslim Indians] want a separate state of our own “We [Muslim Indians] want a separate state of our own. There we can live according to our own notions of life … We should be free … Is Britain going to stand with its bayonets and hand over authority to the Indian majority?” Muhammad Ali Jinnah

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” -Gandhi Image: Gandhi practicing civil disobedience by producing cotton cloth in his own home, thus breaking the British law forbidding Indians from producing their own.

1930s-40s: Strategies for Independence Gandhi’s Civil Disobedience: refused to comply with certain laws seen as unfair or unjust as a peaceful form of political protest encouraged peaceful strikes, boycotts, marches fasting example: Salt March, 1930 Jinnah’s Muslim League: built up fears amongst Muslims that Hindus would dominate them after independence encouraged Muslim Indian support for British

Gandhi’s Salt March, 1930 Part of Gandhi’s civil disobedience campaign to convince Britain to grant India its independence Non-violently protested against the British salt monopoly in India Gandhi led peaceful protestors on a 24 day, 240 mile march to the Indian Ocean to produce salt without paying the salt tax Gandhi’s Salt March created global awareness of Britain’s mis-rule of India and brought large numbers of Indians to the pro-independence movement.

Gandhi & Nehru

A Negotiated Independence: 1945-1947 After WWII, British Parliament agreed to independence. negotiations with both nationalist movements end result  partition [division] & independence of India, 1947: BRITISH INDIA INDEPENDENT INDIA INDEPENDENT PAKISTAN created where Muslim majority lived Jinnah = 1st prime minister Muslim League Islamic republic became a dictatorship created where Hindu majority lived Nehru = 1st prime minister Indian National Congress world’s largest democracy

India & Pakistan: Results of Partition 12 million forced to migrate across new borders  refugee crisis Hindu-Muslim violence intensified conflict over Kashmir continues nuclear arms race terrorist attacks