South Asia

Colonization• British colonized India to get access to their

cotton goods, spices, silk & indigo (a plant from which blue dye is made).

Sepoy/Indian Rebellion 1857

• 1st Indian War for independence from British

• Indians angered by British imposing British laws & customs, outlawing many traditional Indian customs.

• Rebellion united the Indians together.

Indian soldier facing execution for protesting the new use of the new rifles smeared with beef & pork grease. Photo

from the movie ”MANGAL PANDEY: THE RISING”

Gandhi (1869-1948)

& Independence• Urged Indians to be peaceful use

non-violent resistance .

• Gandhi & others imprisoned multiple times for protesting.

• 1947 India gained independence from England.

• Amazing! A powerful nation (England) defeated by a peaceful revolution.

Gandhi Bio Video

India/Pakistan Partition• When the British left, they divided India

into 2 parts: – Pakistan: Muslim – India: Hindu

• Fighting began over this new border & the “Kashmir region”.

• Gandhi (78 yrs!) – 5 day hunger strike, stopped the fighting.

• 12 days later, a Hindu man, who disagreed with Gandhi's ideas of peace & tolerance for ALL, shot & killed Gandhi.

The Indian Caste System

Hinduism see religions notes from 1st

semester

• World’s oldest religion.

• More than just a philosophy, is a way of life.

• Hinduism has no founder , no single set of beliefs, no basic religious text (not bound by a single doctrine).

Sikhism see “Religions” notes from 1st semester for detailed information

• Sikhism combines the Muslim belief in one god with

the Hindu belief in karma & reincarnation. • A fast growing religion found in India.

Ganges RiverFor Hindus…

• Holy river

• Expected to bathe in this river at least once in your lifetime.

• washes away your sins.

TAJ MAHALता�ज महल

Built by the ruler Shah Jahan in the 17th Century as a tomb for his wife.

India’s “Green India’s “Green Revolution”Revolution”

1940’s-1970’s1940’s-1970’s

India’s “Green India’s “Green Revolution”Revolution”

1940’s-1970’s1940’s-1970’s GOAL GOAL make make India self-India self-sufficient in food sufficient in food grains.grains.

Introduced Introduced modern science, modern science, technology, technology, fertilizers & fertilizers & irrigation irrigation methods to help methods to help farmers triple farmers triple their crops their crops

• Use of high yielding varieties (HYV) of seeds

• Irrigation

• Use of insecticides and pesticides

• Consolidation of holdings

• Land reforms

• Improved rural infrastructure

• Supply of agricultural credit

• Use of (chemical) fertilizers

• Use of Sprinklers or Drip Irrigation