Asia
Section 1
Section 1
Asia
South Asia after Empire
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• Starting Points Map: Asia
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Independence and Conflict
• Map: Religious Groups in India and Pakistan
• India after Independence
• Challenges in South Asia
Asia
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Section 1
Section 1
Asia
South Asia after Empire
Main Idea
India gained its independence from Great Britain, but the region
entered an era of conflict and challenges.
Reading Focus
• What events led to independence and conflict in India?
• What happened to India after the nation won its
independence?
• What challenges face the countries of South Asia?
Section 1
Asia
Independence and Conflict
Great Britain had controlled India for nearly two hundred years, but by
the early 1900s the British control of the region was starting to
weaken. At the same time, religious tensions were pulling India apart.
Nationalism Grows
INC and War
• Movement for
independence gained
strength in early
1900s
• British told Indians to
fight for allies in
World War II
• By mid-1930s Indian
National Congress,
Mohandas Gandhi
had won some selfrule for Indians
• Forced to participate
in war for democracy
while being denied
independence, INC
refused to support
war effort
Quit India
• Gandhi began “Quit
India” campaign
• British imprisoned
Gandhi, INC officials
• Riots erupted
• Convinced British
maintaining control of
India too costly
Section 1
Asia
Religious Conflict and Partition
Religious Groups
• India had long had two main religious groups: Hindus, Muslims
• 1940, home to 255 million Hindus, 92 million Muslims
• Smaller numbers of Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists
Muslim Fears
• As hopes for Indian independence rose, so did religious tensions
• Some Muslims feared large Hindu population would dominate independent
democratic India, wanted separate nation to protect their rights
Muslim League
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah led Muslim League, worked for interests of India’s
Muslims
• 1940, Muslim League called for a partition, division of India, creation of
separate Muslim, Hindu countries
Section 1
Asia
British Favored Partition
Violence Increased
Two New Nations
• Gandhi strongly opposed
division of India, little he could
do
• Great Britain formally ended
colonial rule of India, August
1947
• Violence between Muslims,
Hindus increased during early
1940s
• Two new nations created:
Muslim East and West
Pakistan, Hindu India
• British leaders believed partition
best way to ensure safe, stable
region
• Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first
prime minister: “A new star
rises, the star of freedom in the
East…”
• Divided India into separate
Hindu, Muslim nations
Asia
Section 1
Asia
Section 1
Violence After Partition
• Division of India also divided religious groups living there
• Most Pakistan residents Muslim; most in India were Hindu
• Followers of other religions lived in each new country as well
• Millions of people on each side decided to move
Gandhi Victim of Violence
• As millions crossed subcontinent, violence between religious groups
flared; over a million people died
• Gandhi also victim of bloodshed
• January 1948, shot, killed by fellow Hindu who blamed Gandhi for
partition, believed he sacrificed Hindu interests to protect Muslims
Section 1
Asia
War over Kashmir
• Not all border issues had been settled at partition
• Major point of conflict, region of Kashmir, near
northern border of India, Pakistan
– India, Pakistan began to fight over control of Kashmir
– Continued until 1949 cease-fire divided region into two parts,
one controlled by each nation
• Later China claimed control of part of Kashmir as well
Asia
Section 1
Identify Cause and Effect
How did India’s independence lead to
conflict?
Answer(s): When India gained independence,
new nations were formed along religious lines,
leading to conflicts between the groups.
Section 1
Asia
India after Independence
India became the world’s largest democracy when the nation won its
independence in 1947.
India Under Nehru
Nonaligned Movement
• Prime Minister Jawaharlal
Nehru led India through difficult
early years of independence
• Under Nehru, India utilized
modern science, technology to
improve industry, agriculture
• Emphasized need for unity,
economic and social reforms,
respect for democratic ideals
• Played important role in
formation of nonaligned
movement during Cold War
• Worked to increase legal rights
of women, improve lives of
poor, prevent discrimination
• Focused on economic
development instead of taking
sides in the conflict
Section 1
Asia
After Nehru
• 1964, Nehru died; two years later, daughter Indira Gandhi elected
prime minister; served four terms
• Rise to power showed role of women in India society improved after
independence
• Faced challenge from a Sikh independence movement in state of
Punjab
Attack at Golden Temple
• 1984, militant Sikhs occupied
Golden Temple, holiest shrine
• Gandhi ordered Indian troops to
drive militants out of temple
Gandhi Assassinated
• Violent attack outraged many
Sikhs, including those who had not
supported militants
• Hundreds of people killed
• October 1984, Gandhi’s Sikh
bodyguards assassinated her
• Attack damaged temple, Sikh holy
scriptures
• Touched off wave of anti-Sikh
violence, left thousands dead
Section 1
Asia
Modern India
Industrial Growth
Prosperity and Poverty
• 1990s, India undertook reforms
that have led to significant
economic gains
• Indian economy has grown at
remarkable rate in recent years
• Government loosened controls
on many industries, reduced
trade barriers to help encourage
growth of new businesses
• Although most Indians still work
in agriculture, service industries
have expanded rapidly
• Strong economy has brought
prosperity to only minority of
country’s 1.1 billion people
• Millions live in poverty in
crowded cities
• Variety of charity groups work to
provide clothing, food, medical
aid to poor
Section 1
Asia
Summarize
How did India change after winning its
independence?
Answer(s): focused on economic development;
increased rights for women and the poor; became
the world's largest democracy
Section 1
Asia
Challenges in South Asia
The history of other nations in South Asia has been as turbulent as that
of India. Today, those nations face a range of challenges.
Civil War in Pakistan
India Joins the Battle
• 1947, Pakistan created in two
parts, West and East
• 1971, East Pakistan decided to
seek independence
• Separate areas, deep differences in
language, religion, culture
• Pakistani government responded
with armed force
• Government policies, spending
favored West, East remained poor
• Civil war followed, thousands of
people died
After India sent troops to support East Pakistan, Pakistan was forced to
accept the independence of the East—now called Bangladesh.
Section 1
Asia
Bangladesh and Pakistan
Troubles in Bangladesh
Instability in Pakistan
• One of poorest, most densely
populated countries in the world
• Pakistan has also faced
instability since civil war
• Only a few feet above sea level,
devastating floods, storms often
sweep across country, killing
many, leading to widespread
famine
• Ethnic, religious conflicts
common
• Series of governments since
independence
• Now trying to build stable
democracy
• Disagreements about role of
Islam in government
• Many leaders have taken
power; some elected, some
through military coups
Section 1
Asia
Continuing Issues
Musharraf
• 1999, General Pervez Musharraf overthrew elected government,
took power
• Musharraf’s government has worked with U.S. to fight al Qaeda,
Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan
Nuclear Weapons
• Relations between India, Pakistan usually tense
• War near-constant threat
• 1974, India’s testing of nuclear weapon caused alarm around world
• 1998, after another Indian test, Pakistan tested own nuclear bomb
• Threat of nuclear war has kept tensions high
Section 1
Asia
Ethnic and Religious Tensions
Conflict in Region
• Region continues to experience
powerful divisions, conflict
• Based on religious, ethnic
differences
Sri Lanka
• Ethnic fighting also plagues
India’s neighbor, Sri Lanka
• As Ceylon, island was British
colony until late 1940s
Hindu, Muslim Hostility
• Much stems from longstanding
hostility between Hindus,
Muslims
• Continues to cause conflicts
between India, Pakistan
Ethnic Fighting
• Fighting between Buddhist
Sinhalese majority, Hindu Tamil
minority killed thousands
• Religious tension intensified
struggle between ethnic groups
Asia
Section 1
Identify Supporting Details
What challenges do the nations of South
Asia face today?
Answer(s): poverty, religious and ethnic tensions,
nuclear weapons, famine, political upheaval