7th Grade UBD - Unit 5 – South Asia
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History’s Impact on South Asia- South Asia’s religions,
languages, politics and culture are rooted in its ancient
past.
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Life In South Asia- Family and village are the
foundation of Indian life.
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South Asia Divided- Most 0f South Asia was ruled by
the British from 1800s until 1947. After independence,
the subcontinent was divided into several nations.
Video- Sights and Sounds of India
Reading Handout- Eyewitness to History 12

South Asia’s civilization is one of the worlds
oldest.

Many people migrated into South Asia,
creating today’s mix of languages and
religions.

South Asian nations today have had problems
in building political unity.
By the beginning of the 21st century, South Asia had a population of well over 1
billion people. Its annual rate of growth is so high that it will soon have more
people than China. Rapid population growth has put pressure on the region’s
resources and environment. There are not enough jobs for everyone. Many
people live in poverty. India, which is the most heavily populated country in the
region, struggles to feed its people.
What do you think?

Why is it important for countries to control population growth?

How do you think continuing population growth will affect life in South Asia?

The movements of people
and ideas through the
nations of South Asia have
produced a varied and
exciting history.

Similarities and differences
among these nations have
led to both development and
conflict.
Key Term
Sanskrit- An
ancient IndoAryan language
that is the
classical
language of India
and of Hinduism.

South Asia has a long rich history. The subcontinent was
seldom united. Rulers known as rajahs established small
kingdoms across the northern plains.

Rival rajahs often turned the plain into a battlefield.
Sometimes, a strong rajah united the North.

Meanwhile, small competing kingdoms dominated
southern South Asia.
Key Term
Rajahs- Early
Asian Aryan
rulers. The
name comes
from a Sanskrit
word that
means “king.”

In 1600, Queen Elizabeth I
of England gave trade
rights to the East India
Company, an organization
of English merchants, to
trade in India and East
and Southeast Asia.

The British set up
factories and trading
centers.

The East India Company
shipped spices, tea,
cotton, silk, indigo (used
for dyeing), sugar, and
gunpowder to England.

Gradually, the British
increased their power.

The British army and navy,
merchants, and Christian
missionaries came to India,
bringing new technology for
railroads, the telegraph,
steamships, and new
methods of irrigation.

They also introduced
the British legal
system, with new laws
regarding
landownership, and
made English the
official language.
Indians responded to the British in different ways.
 Some chose to live just as they had before the British
arrived.
 Others chose to interact economically with the British by
working for and with them while maintaining their
traditions.
 Still others studied the British traditions and adopted
what seemed useful while keeping their own traditions.
Reading Handout- Establishing Modern India

Today South Asia is home to
many religions.

Their importance may be seen
in countless religious festivals
and the towering temples that
soar skyward in every large city.

Hindu temples are covered in
elaborate carvings of gods,
goddesses, animals and plants.

Most of India’s festivals,
temples, and worshippers
are Hindu.

More than 80 percent of
the population follows
this faith. Hinduism is one
of the world’s oldest living
religions.

Hindus respect all life. They
believe the Universal Spirit
lives in every creature.

Hindus especially honor cows
as a sacred animal. Cows
roam freely. Hindus do not kill
cows. In fact , most Hindus do
not eat any meat.

Hindus also believe in
reincarnation, the idea that
the soul is reborn after death
into a human or other form of
life.

The cycle of birth, death, and
rebirth continues until the soul
becomes perfect and is unified
with the Universal Spirit.
Key Term
ReincarnationThe belief that
the soul is
reborn after
death in human
–or some other
form.

Karma is the idea that a
person’s every action affects
his or her fate in the next life.

Bad actions can lead to
rebirth in a lower form. While
those who act correctly
acquire good karma. Their
souls are rewarded in the
next life.

On a piece of paper
illustrate what you might
be in your next life. Make
sure to write at least two
paragraphs explaining
why you think you will
exist in this new form in
your next life. (8 minutes)

What if you had little choice
when it came to choosing a job?
Suppose that you were
expected to work in the same
occupation as the rest of your
family. Write a few sentences
telling how you would feel
about this situation.
(5 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
answer with theirs.
What things are
the same and what
things are
different? (3
minutes)
Video- An Introduction to Hinduism and Caste

The caste system is a
rigid social structure
that emerged over
thousands of years.

Over many centuries,
each caste came to have
a well-defined position.

Today, the caste system in India is
weakening.

After independence from Great
Britain, India became a democracy.
Today, India is the world’s largest
democracy.

In the spirit of democracy, India
passed laws to protect everyone from
caste discrimination.

The caste system is slow to
change in rural areas since its
hard to enforce the laws India has
passed.

In crowded cities, however it is
easier for people from different
caste levels to blend into society.
People there also tend to be more
tolerant.

After Hinduism, Islam has
the largest number of
followers in South Asia.

Today there are conflicts
between Hindus and
Muslims in India and
causes instability in the
region and the world.
1.
Islam is the major religion of Pakistan and Bangladesh.
2.
In those countries, more than 90 percent of the population is
Muslim.
3.
Islam is based on the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
4.
The Quran, is the holy book of Islam.
5.
Although Islam began in the Middle East, it spread to South
Asia with the Muslim conquerors who invaded the region over
the centuries.
HINDUISM
ISLAM






Belief in one God.
The Quran provides same
rules for everyone.
Muslims have a duty to
convert others to Islam.
All believers are equal before
God.
Cows (but not pork) may be
eaten for food.
No human or animal images
or music in worship.






Belief in many gods and
goddesses.
Different rules for different
castes.
No effort to convert others;
individuals are born into
Hinduism.
Individuals unequal; spiritual
status revealed by
membership in caste
Cows are sacred.
Music; elaborately carved
images of gods and animals.

Around 500 BCE, the religion known as Buddhism took root in
South Asia.

The faith incorporates the Hindu concepts of reincarnation and
karma.

Buddha also taught the path to inner peace through
understanding and confronting the reasons for human
suffering.

After his death, Buddhism spread through South Asia and
became a dominant faith in East and Southeast Asia.

At the heart of Buddhism are the Four
Noble Truths:
 Life is full of suffering.
 The cause of suffering is desire.
 The cure for suffering is to
overcome desire.
 The way to end desire and achieve
salvation is to follow the Middle
Way.

The Middle Way was a guide to correct
conduct. It includes ethical, or moral
rules.
Key Term
BuddhismBuddhism
teaches that
meditation and
good religious
and moral
behavior can lead
to Nirvana.
1.
What is the main religion of India?
2.
What is the caste system and how is
the caste system different in cities and
rural villages?
What is the main religion of India and what are its followers called.
1.

The main religion of India is Hinduism and people who practice
Hinduism are known as Hindu’s.
2.
What is the caste system and how is the caste system different in
cities and rural villages?
 The caste system divides people in order from the bottom of society
to the top. The caste system is slow to change in rural areas since it’s
hard to enforce the laws India has passed. In crowded cities,
however it is easier for people from different caste levels to blend
into society. People there also tend to be more tolerant.

The family is the basic unit of South Asian
society. Family interests come before an
individual’s wishes.

Most South Asians live in villages. Villages
follow traditional ways of life.

The caste system remains strong in Indian
villages. It is less rigid in cities.
Video- Weather Patterns of South Asia

Monsoons are one of the most
important aspects of the climate
of South Asia.

The word “monsoon” comes from
the Arabic word for “seasons.”
This is because it is the monsoons
that bring the seasons to South
Asia.

It is the defining element of
climate, and of agriculture, in
South Asia.

The monsoons are wind patterns
that control the climate of the
region.

In the summer, the monsoons bring
warm, moist air from the Indian
Ocean causing heavy rains.

In the winter, the wind pattern
reverses itself. Cool, dry winds blow
from the northwest across India.
These bring drought to the region.
Key Term
Monsoon- A
strong wind that
brings heavy rain
to South Asia in
the summer and
droughts in the
winter.

Today, as in the past, family
teaches children to respect
and obey their elders.

Parents decide how much
schooling their children will
have and what skills they will
learn. Even as children, they
know that their family’s
interests will come first.

Young children are
allowed freedom to
play until they are
about seven years old.
Older children may
attend the local
primary school. For
most family members,
days are filled with the
hard work of farm life.

Village life revolves around
planting, harvesting, or
waiting for the monsoon. It
has changed little for
centuries. Yet the modern
world is affecting old ways.
Paved roads instead of dirt
tracks link some villages to
towns and cities.

Larger villages may have money
and electricity to power light
bulbs or pumps.

Families with relatives working
in a city may have money for
luxury items.

So far, outside influences have
not made dramatic changes in
the lives of village families.

In rural India, girls usually
marry at an early age, often
in their teens. After the
marriage, the bride moves
into the home of her
husband’s family. There, she
is expected to serve and to
obey her mother-in-law.
1.
The word “monsoon” comes from the
Arabic word meaning what?
2.
In India today, as in the past, who
teaches children to respect and obey
their elders?
The word “monsoon” comes from the Arabic word meaning
1.
what?

The word “monsoon” comes from the Arabic word for
“seasons.” This is because it is the monsoons that bring the
seasons to South Asia.
2.
In India today, as in the past, who teaches children to respect
and obey their elders?
▪ The family teaches children to respect and obey their elders.

In an age of imperialism, Great Britain gained
control of India.

Mohandas Gandhi spurred Indian nationalists
to win freedom through nonviolence.

Independence for India meant the division of
the subcontinent into several nations.
Reading Handout- British Imperialism in India

The British organized
the Indian government
and set up a modern
legal system, built
huge networks of
railroads, telegraph
lines, opened schools,
improved healthcare,
and repaired irrigation
systems.



Critics, on the other
hand, point out that
British policies were
designed to make India a
profitable colony.
Railroads linked the
interior to the coast to
bring goods and
minerals to ports for
export.
In school, boys received
a Western education
with British, not Indian,
history.



The British set up
schools to educate
young Indians in Western
ways.
Their goal was to change
South Asians into
Englishmen.
Many inwardly resented
the British though for
taking away their
traditional way of life.

Under growing pressure the
British eventually gave
Indians some self-rule.

The change to greater Indian
authority was not easy.

Many Indians died during
riots. Others were jailed for
protesting British rule.

Mohandas Gandhi is
honored as the
founder of modern
India. He led the fight
against British rule
through nonviolent
resistance.
Reading Handout- Eyewitness to History 13
Key Term
Nonviolent
Resistance- Is the
practice of achieving
goals through
protests, civil
disobedience,
economic or political
noncooperation, and
other methods,
without using violence.

Great Britain was the most influential colonial power
in South Asia for 300 years. Indians fought for and
won their independence in 1947.
 Mohandas Gandhi helped unite the Indian people, Hindu
and Muslim, to fight for independence.
 After independence, the subcontinent of India divided into
two nations, India and Pakistan.
 Conflicts between India and Pakistan continues today.
Key Term
Partition- To
divide into two
or more
territorial units
having separate
political status.
1.
Mohandas Gandhi is honored as the
founder of modern India. How did he lead
the fight against British rule?
2.
What are the ways the British modernized
South Asia?
Mohandas Gandhi is honored as the founder of
1.
modern India. How did he lead the fight against
British rule?

Mohandas Gandhi led the fight against British rule through
nonviolent resistance.
2.
What are the ways the British modernized South
Asia?
▪
They built railroads, expanded irrigation, and forced the
cultivation of cash crops.

What has been the
“muddiest” point so far in
this lesson? That is, what
topic remains the least
clear to you? (4 minutes)

Work with a
neighbor and
compare your
muddiest point with
theirs. Compare
what things are the
same and what
things are different?
(3 minutes)