Vocabulary
Decolonization
The process of transition from colonial rule to independence
Indian National Congress
byname Congress Party, broadly based political party of India. Formed in 1885, the Indian National Congress dominated the Indian movement for independence from Great Britain. It subsequently formed most of India’s governments from the time of independence and often had a strong presence in many state governments.
Amritsar Massacre
April 13, 1919, in which British troops fired on a large crowd of unarmed Indians in an open space known as the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in the Punjab region (now in Punjab state) of India, killing several hundred people and wounding many hundreds more. It marked a turning point in India’s modern history, in that it left a permanent scar on Indo-British relations and was the prelude to Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi’s full commitment to the cause of Indian nationalism and independence from Britain.
15. Compare and contrast the importance of nationalism to two independence movements, each from a different region.
Nationalism
Patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts. Often marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries
How and in what ways was the Partition of India and Pakistan a challenge for both India and Pakistan?
Social, Political, and Economic
Social 1) increased tensions for all religious groups - especially in regions where they were the minority
Political 1) divisions amongst communities 2) government had to provide money for relocated refugees 3) increased tensions/violence/wars between the different nations
Economic 1) some refugees were displaced to regions with good economies and means for refugees to start new lives in other regions refugees had little to no economic opportunity
a policy of passive political resistance, especially that advocated by Mahatma Gandhi against British rule in India.
Satyagraha
Nationalism
Patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts. Often marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist and political ethicist. Employing nonviolent resistance, he led the successful campaign for India's independence from British rule. He inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.
What Communal Tensions existed in the movement? How would these tensions negatively impact the movement?
a disturbing development in the mid-1920s was the growth of tension and violence between religious communities. This was partly due to the enlergence ofa politicised form of Hinduism, called Hindutwa, which promoted an anti-Muslim nrssage.
What was the Massacre of Amritsar? Was it an internal or an external factor? In what ways was it a cause of the growth of the independence movement of India?
Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, Jallianwala also spelled Jallianwalla, also called Massacre of Amritsar, incident on April 13, 1919, in which British troops fired on a large crowd of unarmed Indians in an open space known as the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar in the Punjab region (now in Punjab state) of India, killing several hundred people and wounding many hundreds more. It marked a turning point in India’s modern history, in that it left a permanent scar on Indo-British relations and was the prelude to Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi’s full commitment to the cause of Indian nationalism and independence from Britain.
Internal Factor
Describe how the position of the "Untouchable" caste was a social challenge. What steps did the government take to try and fix this issue? What problems remained?
The 1950 Constitution abolished the class and the practice of "untouchability". Members of this "class" were free to use the same shops, schools, and places of worship as any other citizen. Special government funding was set aside to help them access land, housing, health care, education, and legal aide.
New laws and special aid did not abolish social disadvantages and discrimination. Oppression was still common in rural areas and could include brutal violence. There was often resentment bc of the preferential treatment.
the lowest category in the caste system, they traditionally suffered many forms of discrimination. They could not own land, enter temples or use common resources such as village wells or roads. They performed all the menial work, such as carrying water, tanning leather and working the land, usually as sharecroppers.
"Untouchables"
Partition
the action or state of dividing or being divided into parts.
Muslim League
Muslim League, original name All India Muslim League, political group that led the movement calling for a separate Muslim nation to be created at the time of the partition of British India (1947). The Muslim League was founded in 1906 to safeguard the rights of Indian Muslims. At first the league was encouraged by the British and was generally favourable to their rule, but the organization adopted self-government for India as its goal in 1913. For several decades the league and its leaders, notably Mohammed Ali Jinnah, called for Hindu-Muslim unity in a united and independent India. It was not until 1940 that the league called for the formation of a Muslim state that would be separate from the projected independent country of India.
To what extent could it be argued that the INC was an elitist organization? Why and how would this impact its reach? Who worked to make it a movement of the people?
The Indian National Congress was arguably very elitist. Most of its members came from the highest positions of society of all religious and ethnic backgrounds. In some ways its elitism would cause people to respect the organization, but in other ways, it wasn't seen as an organization by the people for the people. Why would I sacrifice myself, my job, or my family to do what this group of people, who have never known what it means to suffer, tells me to do? When Gandhi joined the movement and became its main spokesperson, he upset a lot of the conservative members of the INC because of his acceptance and desire for the working classes of India.
What issue existed in relation to partition and princely states?
All but three princely states chose to join India or Pakistan. The three states that did not choose were Kashmir and Jammu , Junagarh, and Hyderabad.
Junagarh was a largely Hindu princely state ruled by a Muslim leader. They initially wanted to join Pakistan, but India intervened and called for a vote. 91% voted to join India.
Hyderabad was physically taken over. It was literally in the middle of the new country of India.
Kashmir initially wanted its independence as a separate state. Pakistan tried invading Kashmir and as a result they chose to join India because they promised to protect Kashmir's autonomy. They didn't. Kashmir has a a majority of Muslims.
the promotion of Hindu values and the creation of a state modelled on Hindu beliefs and culture, was the aim of a militant Hindu nationalist group, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which was formed in 1925.
Hindutwa
Sovereignty
the authority of a state to govern itself or another state.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah
First Governor-General of Pakistan
For several decades the league and its leaders, notably Mohammed Ali Jinnah, called for Hindu-Muslim unity in a united and independent India. It was not until 1940 that the league called for the formation of a Muslim state that would be separate from the projected independent country of India. The league wanted a separate nation for India’s Muslims because it feared that an independent India would be dominated by Hindus.
Jinnah and the Muslim League led the struggle for the partition of British India into separate Hindu and Muslim states, and after the formation of Pakistan in 1947 the league became Pakistan’s dominant political party. In that year it was renamed the All Pakistan Muslim League. But the league functioned less effectively as a modern political party in Pakistan than it had as a mass-based pressure group in British India, and hence it gradually declined in popularity and cohesion.
The first large-scale boycott against British goods took place in the province of Bengal. The British tried to partition Bengal based on religion (Hindu/Muslim). What strategy were the British trying to implement? Based on reasoning, why would the British want to cause this partition? What impact would the success of this boycott have on what would become India's independence movement? Would this event be considered an external factor for growth or an internal factor for growth?
The British were trying to implement divide and conquer. One reason why they were trying to implement this was because the province of Bengal had become more financially independent of Great Britain and it held the British capital of Calcutta. 80 million people lived in this province. The success of this movement proved to the movement that they had when push came to shove they were able to financially and economically force the British into making concessions. It also impacted moderates who had previously believed that independence wasn't a possibility. Finally, it united India under a common issue. People from all over India supported the boycott leading to its success. This event would be considered an internal factor as it took place in India.
Why were Gandhi and Nehru against the partition of India and Paksitan?
"Hindus and Muslims were sons of the same soil of India; they were brothers who therefore must strive to keep India free and united." - India was not a Hindu state. It was a secular state. All religious groups were to be safe in India.
Indian Rebellion of 1857
Indian Mutiny, also called Sepoy Mutiny or First War of Independence,
widespread but unsuccessful rebellion against British rule in India in 1857–59. Begun in Meerut by Indian troops (sepoys) in the service of the British East India Company, it spread to Delhi, Agra, Kanpur, and Lucknow. In India it is often called the First War of Independence and other similar names.
He had the power to to decide whether the power would be handed over to one, two or more states, where the borders between them would be and what would happen to the "princely states"
Mountbatten decided on the two-state solution - the maps were not released until days before independence was granted resulting in mass waves of violence between fearful refugees. Mountbatten did however help the situation with the princely states. He successfully helped to lead negotiations with the different princely states for them to join either Pakistan or India.
The worldwide Great Depression and the Wall Street Crash 1929 was an example of _______ factor. This event led to the growth of India's independence movement because ...
External Factor
Overseas markets for India's exports declined, and the value of export crops dropped substantially. This forced Indian peasants to borrow to survive and, when debt became unmanageable, they were thrown off the land, creating masses of rural unemployed. As a result, millions of peasants migrated to the cities in search of work, adding to the numbers of urban unemployed. The impact of the Depression on India was one of the causes of civil unrest in the 1930s, as dissatisfied and unemployed people joined the nationalist movement.
This event caused one of the largest additions to the India's independence movement
How and in what ways did Nehru fight against communalism? How significant was communalism as a challenge?
Both Gandhi and Nehru were deeply committed to Indian Pluralism and human rights and individual dignity. Both Gandhi and Nehru were aware and appreciative of the contribution to Indian culture by all communities, particularly of Muslims.
The Governor-General of India (1773–1950, from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India, commonly shortened to Viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the Emperor/Empress of India and after Indian independence in 1947, the representative of the Indian head of state. The office was created in 1773, with the title of Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William.
Princely states
There were 562 princely states.
Princely states were the areas that could be as big as a state in the United States to as small as a few acres. They were ruled by Maharajas (Hindu princes) or Nawabs (Muslim princes). Depending on the princely state they only had so much power.
World War I was an example of an ______ factor. Some members of the nationalist movement believed that they should support the British in World War I? Whereas some members of the nationalist movements believed it was time to demand more rights. Explain both of these arguments. How did World War I eventually lead to the growth of India's Independence Movement? How would soldier's experiences in Europe impact how they felt about British rule?
External
People who would say to push the British at this time might have believed that it was the right time because they were weaker. However, the majority believed they should support Britain. They believed this because they believed "Indians hoped that their sacrifices in the war would result in reforms that would give them greater representation in government."
in 1917 the British government announced its intention to encourage 'the gradual development of self-governing institutions' in India. The proposals, however, were rejected by both Congress and the Muslim League as not going far enough. Then, in 1918, instead of reform a series of harsh repressive measures were introduced to crush the opposition. The anger at this situation was compounded by the effects of the worldwide 1918 influenza epidemic, which killed twelve million Indians.
By the end of the war, it had become obvious to many Indians just how dependent Britain had been on their help to secure victory over Germany. Indian soldiers returning from Western Europe passed on their experience of the high living standards and wealth of even the poorest classes in Britain and France when compared to the people of India.
Communalism
is described as an ideology stating the division between states (people, groups of people or communities) on the basis of ethnicity, religion, beliefs, values, etc.
Jawaharlal Nehru
was an Indian anti-colonial nationalist, secular humanist, social democrat,[2] statesman and author who was a central figure in India during the middle of the 20th century. Nehru was a principal leader of the Indian nationalist movement in the 1930s and 1940s. Upon India's independence in 1947, he became the first Prime Minister of India, serving for 16 years.
World War II was an example of an _______ factor.
In what ways did World War II lead to the growth of India's independence movement?
- British viceroy committed India to fight on the Allied side against Germany without consulting the Indian legislative council. This act was legal and constitutional, but it emphasised India's subservience to the colonial power.
- The war created political opportunities for the Indian nationalists.
- The British simply did not have the resources to suppress a potential nationalist rising in India while they were fighting the war.
- In 1941, the British prime minister, Winston Churchill, signed the Atlantic Charter, a document that supported the right of all peoples to political self-determination. However, shortly afterwards, Churchill told the British parliament that this provision did not apply to India.
- India made a major contribution to the Allied victory in the war. Not only did Indian soldiers fight in North Africa, Italy, and Burma, but also the Indian economy was a significant factor in the final defeat of the Axis powers.
The war transformed India's economic relationship with Britain. Before the war, India had been in debt to Britain. However, during the war, Britain's need to fund the war forced it to borrow heavily from India — so much so that by 1945 the economic relationship between the two states had been reversed, with Britain owing India huge sums of money.
The war also placed strains on India.Two million people died in the great Bengal Famine of 1943, which was caused partly by the loss of rice imports from Japanese-occupied Burma and partly by a British administrative decision to divert food from the Bengal countryside to feed the military instead.
The Second World War had a negative impact on the British econorny. Although Britain emerged victorious, the burden of sustaining the war effort proved costly. By 1945, Britain's economy was on the brink of collapse, and it became apparent that it would be impossible to maintain a global empire.
What was the Caste System and how could it be described a cause of the independence movement for India?
The caste system has existed in some form in India for at least 3,000 years. It is a social hierarchy passed down through families, and it can dictate the professions a person can work in as well as aspects of their social lives, including whom they can marry.
The British took advantage of the already existing Caste System and used it to further the divides