1. India Today

3. Five Fast Facts  India has the second largest population in the world, with over 1.2 billion people.  The major religions of India include Hinduism 80.5%, Islam 13.4%, Christianity 2.3%, Sikhism 1.9%  The highest mountain in India—and the 3 rd highest in the world-- is Kanchenjunga, standing at 28,209 ft).  Many different languages are spoken in India. The main ones are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu. English is spoken widely because India was a British colony  The most populous city is Mumbai—20.5 million people in metropolitan area-3 times the population of Washington State

4. Varna (Social Hierarchy) Shudras(laborers) Vaishyas (Landowners and merchants) Kshatriyas (warriors) Brahmins(priests)

5. Pariahs [Harijan]   also called “Untouchables”, people considered impure because of their work (gravediggers, trash collectors, butchers)  They were called untouchables since even their touch was impure

6. BRITISH RAJ.

8. Mughals (Moguls)  Moguls are Muslims and moved in from Afghanistan  Made Islam the official religion (80% still Hindu)  At first, practiced religious tolerance  Took great pride in art, literature and architecture.  Established in India in the 1500s and at its peak in the 1600s  Controlled most of India  Immensely powerful by the time of the British arrival

9. British Raj  1600s British basically begged for the right to do business with Moguls  Ruler of Moguls didn’t really see what the British could do for his empire  1700s British East Indian Company business is doing extremely well  Started creating its own army  Moguls started becoming weak

10. The “Jewel in the Crown” of the British Empire  Railroads served export raw materials and expand military power.  British forced farmers to grow “Cash Crops” instead of food: Cotton, Indigo (blue dye), Tea  India with 300 million people was a huge potential market for British goods  The British only allowed India to export raw materials and forced them to import manufactured goods from Britain.  The Indian economy suffered, clothing factories shut down while the English economy prospered

11. The Sepoy Army The British East India Company recruits an army of Indian soldiers (from different groups and castes). They restrict Indian factories from competing with British companies.  They tax Indian farmers,  To pay Indian troops,  To control India.

12. 1857  Economic problems are severe: Indians are forced to grow and export cash crops (whose price is volatile) and there are few jobs.  Growing sense of resentment and nationalism.  Technology: The British East India Company introduces a new rifle, with new cartridges. To load the new rifles, troops must bite off a small piece of the cartridge.

14. The Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny  Extreme brutality on both sides.  Civilians/families killed, summary executions.  The Indians cannot unite, Sikhs support the British. Indians don’t want a return of the Mughal Empire  Both sides end up angry, scared, and distrustful.

15. British Raj  1858-1947  India officially became a British colony  Throughout the remainder of the 1800s life in India was peaceful, but many Indians distrust the British  AND…British introduced unpopular policies that led to start of Indian Nationalism  Also huge famines occur in the late 1800s; effects made worse because so much land is devoted to “cash crops”

16. South India Famine of 1876-1878 5.5 million dead

17.  Indian anger increases  Economic conditions:  Taxes, monopolies: Salt, textiles (cloth and clothing)  Rowlatt Act 1919  Restricted freedom of the press  Allowed the British to imprison anyone without a trial

18. Great Britain dominates Asia

20. GANDHI “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

21. Interesting Facts  Mohandas K. Gandhi  Born in 1869 into the vaishya (merchant) caste  Entered an arranged marriage at the age of 13  Went to university in both India and England to become a lawyer  Suffered from terrible “stage fright”

22. Philosophy  Ahimsa: non-violence  Satyagraha: “devotion to the truth” or non-violent protest  Simplicity: dress, food, etc. "There are many causes that I am prepared to die for but no causes that I am prepared to kill for".

24. Pacifism  Opposition to war and violence  Even when “fighting”  Are you a pacifist?  Scale 1-10

25. Champaran Agitation  1918  In this district, Indians lived in extreme poverty as farmers on British owned land  During a famine in 1918, the British increased taxes on the farmers  Gandhi publicized the situation and organized the civil resistance of tens of thousands Indian farmers  When the British tried to expel him from the region, hundreds of thousands protested and the British negotiated new rights for the farmers

26. Because of Champaran…  Gandhi became a national hero  People began calling him:  Mahatma (Great Soul)  Bapu (Father)

27. Goals: 1. Indian independence 2. Unity and peace between Hindus and Muslims 3. Elimination (no more) of poverty 4. Treating people in the castes system better

28.  Hunger Strikes  Strike  Picketing  Riot  Taking Hostage  Boycott  Music/Art  Self-Immolation Which kinds of protest?

29. Defining Moments….