2015 South Asia Unit Study Guide and Extra Credit Opportunities
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Answer each question on a separate piece of paper. It may be as long as you would like.
IT MUST BE IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND NOT CUT AND PASTED FROM THE POWERPOINTS!
The questions should be numbered as they appear on the study guide.
When you answer the questions, you should do it in outline, chart, or use bullet form.
o Writing in paragraph form is not user-friendly and takes up too much time and makes
it harder to use on the test.
ACADEMIC A ONLY: You may use your completed study guide on the unit tests.
BOTH LEVELS: If you complete the study guide fully, you can earn up to 10 points extra credit
added to the EACH of main unit tests’ grades.
There will be TWO TESTS in this unit. They are indicated in the study guide.
Lesson One: Geography of South Asia
1. What is a subcontinent? Why is this concept important to the geography of India?
2. What are the major bodies of water and rivers for India? What are the key characteristics of
each? What problems do each specifically face? What impact do they each have on India?
3. What are the major mountain ranges of the subcontinent? What are the key characteristics of
each? What impact do they each have on India?
4. What are the major plain areas? How do they tie into the rivers and early Indian history? How
do these areas support agriculture and farming? What is the relationship with these areas and the
Green Revolution?
5. What is the major plateau of the subcontinent? What are the key characteristics of it? What
impact does this area have on India?
6. What is the major desert of the subcontinent? What are the key characteristics of it? What
impact does this area have on India?
7. What are the major climate zones of India? What are the key characteristics of each? What
impact does each have on India?
8. What are monsoons? How do they affect India’s seasons, daily life, and the economy?
9. How is India diverse religiously, in terms of language, etc? How does this benefit India? How
does this cause problems for India?
10. Possible Short Answer: What environmental problems plague India? What are the key
characteristics of each? What are the effects?
11. Possible Short Answer: Be able to examine the role of monsoons on the subcontinent of South
Asia…the positives and negatives.
Lesson Two: Religions of South Asia
12. Hinduism: History, Major Beliefs, Major Practices, Ways of Worship, Where They Worship, Views
on God or Gods, Holy Texts, Connections to the Caste System, Similarities and Differences to the
Other Religions of India
13. Buddhism: History, Major Beliefs, Major Practices, Ways of Worship, Where They Worship,
Views on God or Gods, Holy Texts, Views on the Caste System, Similarities and Differences to the
Other Religions of India
14. Sikhism: History, Major Beliefs, Major Practices, Ways of Worship, Where They Worship, Views
on God or Gods, Holy Text, Similarities and Differences to the Other Religions of India
15. Jainism: History, Major Beliefs, Major Practices, Ways of Worship, Where They Worship, Views
on God or Gods, Holy Texts, Similarities and Differences to the Other Religions of India
16. Possible Short Answer: Be able to compare and contrast Hinduism and Buddhism with a
minimum of THREE SIMILARITIES and THREE DIFFERENCES.
17. Possible Short Answer: Be able to examine the connections and relationships in the development
of Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism in relation to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam.
Lesson Three: Caste System of India
18. What is the caste system? What are its historical origins?
19. What is the religious basis for the caste system in relation to the Laws of Manu and Hinduism?
20. What are the benefits of the caste system?
21. What are the negatives of the caste system?
22. How is caste determined?
23. What are the main characteristics of the Brahmin caste?
24. What are the main characteristics of the Kshatriya caste?
25. What are the main characteristics of the Vaisyas caste?
26. What are the main characteristics of the Sudras caste?
27. What are the main characteristics of the Untouchables/Harijan/Dalits caste?
28. Possible Short Answer: How does the modern caste system function? What are the issues with
it? How has the Indian government tried to handle this problem? Has this been successful or not, and
why?
First Unit Test:________________________________________________
Lesson Four: British Rule of India
29. Why did Britain become interested in India as a colony?
30. What role did the British East India Company have in gaining control of India? How was this
done---what were the changes made in India under its rule?
31. What did the Jewel in the Crown refer to?
32. How did the Raj System work? Impact of this?
33. What was the Sepoy Mutiny? Be able to examine the causes, main events, and effects.
34. What were the causes of the famines in India? How did the British respond? Impact of this?
35. What did Britain do with India during World War One? What was the Rowlatt Act? What impact
did this have?
36. What was the Amristar Massacre? Be able to examine the causes, main events, and effects.
37. Possible Short Answer: Be able to examine the positives/benefits and the negatives of British rule
of India.
Lesson Five: Nationalism, Gandhi and Independence for India and Pakistan
38. What were the main events in the independence movement within India: Ram Mohun Roy, Indian
National Congress, Muslim League, and other Indian Nationalists?
39. How did the events in South Africa shape Gandhi and his views of civil disobedience and as an
activist?
40. What was Ashram and Kheda? Why did Gandhi do this?
41. How did the events of World War One and the Amristar Massacre affect Gandhi and the
independence movement?
42. What was Satyagraha? Examples? How did Gandhi follow this policy as he resisted British rule?
43. What was the Salt March? What were the causes, main events, and effects of it?
44. During the 1930s, Gandhi went on many fasts. Why?
45. Howe did the events of World War Two lead to India gaining independence?
46. What were Gandhi’s views on the partition of India into India and Pakistan? Why?
47. What was Gandhi assassinated? What is his legacy?
48. Possible Short Answer: Be able to define Gandhi’s view of civil disobedience and give three
different examples of how he used this to resist the British with details.
49. Possible Short Answer: What was Gandhi’s vision for independent India? After examining the
issues facing modern India and Pakistan, has his vision been achieved? Why or why not? Be able to
support with three different examples and analysis.
Lesson Six: Partition of India and Pakistan
50. What were the reasons for the partition of India and Pakistan?
51. How was the partition handled? What were the major events?
52. What was the impact of the partition?
Lesson Seven: Modern Pakistan
53. What were the issues over the partition of India and Pakistan? How was it handled? How did it
lead to the war and eventual creation of Bangladesh?
54. What is the political history of Pakistan? Who are the main leaders since independence? What
have been the main issues and achievements for each?
55. What are the economic issues for Pakistan? How does this contribute to political instability?
56. What role does the Taliban play in Pakistan?
57. Possible Short Answer: India and Pakistan have butted heads repeatedly over Kashmir and their
nuclear rivalry. Be able to explore each of the issues in depth.
Lesson Eight: Modern India
58. Who are the main leaders of India since independence? What have been the main issues and
achievements for each?
59. Possible Short Answer: What are India’s economic strengths? Be able to examine three
different examples with historical evidence.
60. Possible Short Answer: What are the major issues India is currently struggling with? Be able to
examine three different examples with historical evidence.
Second Unit Test:_____________________________________________
Possible Extra Credit Activities For The India Unit:
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These will be due the either five days before the end of the third marking period or when the
India Unit Notebook is collected.
They must be typed and done in color.
1. Write an Acrostic Poem for INDIA’S GEOGRAPHY. Worth up to 15 Points.
a. Each line should start with the given letter.
b. Each line must be a well-developed sentences that identifies, explains, provides
examples, or examines causes and effects.
c. Do not repeat concepts.
2. Create a Metaphorical Representation on the Caste System in India. Worth up to 50 Points.
a. The assignment was: done neatly, in color, on a blank piece of paper, and the
paragraphs were typed, spell-checked, and grammar-checked. Watch for
capitalization errors! The assignment reflected good effort and thought.
b. You must come up with your own metaphor, simile, or analogy.
c. Under the chosen metaphor, simile, or analogy, the student illustrated a scene that
supported the literary comparison:
i. The student incorporated specific historical information into the drawing using
key terms and words.
ii. The student incorporated specific historical information into the drawing using
historical images from the computer and also hand-drawn.
iii. You must include the positives and negatives within the art portion.
iv. Do this in color and on a blank piece of paper.
d. On the back of the Metaphorical Representation, the student wrote TWO typed, welldeveloped paragraphs. In the paragraphs, the student:
i. Explained the literary comparison using referring to the specific historical
elements in the illustration and explaining their relationships to your literary
comparison.
ii. Used specifics from your notes.
iii. Did not write vague or general statements.
iv. Do not keep repeating the same information or point to make it appear
longer.
v. Provided analysis of the supportive illustration as well.
vi. Each paragraph was a minimum of four well-developed sentences.
3. Create a Political Cartoon on ONE OR MORE of the issues facing Modern India like
urbanization, slums, nuclear rivalry with Pakistan. Worth up to 60 Points.
a. Writer’s Purposes: You are to create a political cartoon that takes a critical stance and
examines and evaluates the causes or events of the chosen topic.
b. FCA One: The political cartoon uses sarcasm to make a commentary on your chosen topic.
 It must focus on a specific aspects of the theory and address the hypocrisy of
action, the stupidity of the action, or abuses of power with historical specifics.
c. _FCA Two: The political cartoon has specific historical information on the chosen topic
integrated into the cartoon itself using HISTORICAL IMAGES (A Required Political Cartoon
Strategy) from Ms. Barben’s Powerpoint or online.
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You MUST USE HISTORICAL/RECENT IMAGES WITHIN YOUR POLITICAL CARTOON.
IT CANNOT BE ALL HAND-DRAWN.
THIS MUST BE DONE IN COLOR.
d._FCA Three: You must use a minimum of TWO different political cartoon strategies in your
political cartoon:
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Required: Caption or Title that shows the irony of the idea---Powerful
Commentary
Optional: Select ONE
o Symbols
o Exaggeration/Distortion
o Labeling
o Analogy
o Metaphor
o Caricature
o Satire
o Stereotypes
o Humor
o Irony
e._FCA Four: On the back, the students provided THREE TYPED and well-developed
paragraphs (four to six strong sentences) explaining:
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Remember a well-developed sentence should identify and define, explain and provide
examples, or connect and analyze.
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First Paragraph:
 Review the historical concepts, people, positives and negatives about your
chosen Arab Spring Revolution.
 DO NOT JUST LIST INFORMATION but explain in your own words.
 Make connections between the historical content to how you used sarcasm
and historical information within your political cartoon.
Second Paragraph:
 Explain how you developed the caption or title for your political cartoon.
 What historical point is it to drive home? Why?
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What message is it to convey to the reader? How does your caption do this?
Third Paragraph:
 Explain how you chose your other TWO political cartoon strategies.
 Why were they chosen? How were they used in your political cartoon?
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