India and Pakistan

1
India and Pakistan

• Applied World History

2
The Indian Caste System

• For hundreds of years, a caste system existed in
  India. It is based in the Hindu religion.
• The highest class is the Brahman, or priestly
  class.
• Then comes the Kshatriya, or warrior and ruling
  class.
• Next are the Vaisha, or traders and merchants.
• Then comes the Sudra, or worker / farmers.
• Outside of the caste system is the group called
  the untouchables.

3
How did the Caste System Work?

• You were born into the caste of your parents and
  could never leave go up or down.
• Hindus believe in reincarnation. They believed
  that if they lived a good life, they could be
  born into a higher caste.
• Your caste dictates your spouse, choice of
  career, and many other aspects of your life.
• The Untouchables were outside of this system, and
  those in higher castes believed that if they came
  into contact with an Untouchable they had to
  purify themselves.

4
India in the Early 20th Century

• India had been ruled over as a colony by the
  British since the mid 1800s.
• We have already talked about resentment towards
  the British and the Sepoy Rebellion.
• In 1919, this resentment grew because of the
  Amritsar Massacre.
• 400 unarmed Indians were killed at a peaceful
  protest.
• Indians were determined to rule themselves.

5
Mohandas Gandhi Emerges

• Gandhi takes control of the Indian National
  Congress, which called for Indian Independence in
  1914.
• He tried to unite all Indians, regardless of
  religious or ethnic background.
• He led nonviolent protests that drew the worlds
  attentions.

6
Gandhi Practices Non-Violence

• Gandhi preached the Hindu practice of Ahimsa, or
  nonviolence and reverence of all living things.
• He practiced civil disobedience, or the practice
  of refusing to obey unjust laws.
• He also argued for equal treatment for all
  Indians, including Untouchables.

7
Gandhi Leads Non-Violent Protests

• Gandhi called for boycotts of British products,
  especially textiles.
• He used the spinning wheel and traditional Indian
  industry as a symbol and rallying point.
• His nonviolent protests drew mass support
  throughout India and the world.

8
The Salt March

• Gandhi took a stand against the salt monopoly in
  India.
• Salt was readily available in the sea, but
  Indians were forced to buy it from the British.
• Gandhi set out in 1930 marching towards the sea
  with 78 followers.
• When he arrived, numbers were in the thousands.
• He picked up sea salt and was arrested.
• Other villages followed his lead.

9
The Response to the Salt March

• Gandhi was quickly arrested.
• Tens of thousands of Indians who followed his
  lead were imprisoned as well.
• The British reaction was criticized by
  governments and individuals around the world.

10
India After World War II

• After World War II, Britain decided that it could
  no longer control India.
• However, the question arose about what would
  happen to the Muslim minority in India.
• Violence was spiraling out of control between the
  Hindus and the Muslims of India.

11
Two New Countries are Created.

• In 1947, two new countries are created.
• The area of India that had been primarily Hindu
  becomes India and the area that was primarily
  Islamic became Pakistan.
• As soon as the new border became known, huge
  numbers of people began to migrate.

12
Refugees and Violence

• Millions of Muslims in the new India began to
  flee to Pakistan.
• Millions of Hindus in the new Pakistan began to
  flee to India.
• These people lost all of their property.
• This movement led to violence and over a million
  people were killed.
• Many others died of starvation or exposure on the
  road.

13
Problems Early

• Soon after the independence of these two
  countries, Gandhi is assassinated.
• The two countries also go to war over a border
  province called Kashmir. They will go to war
  over it again in 1965 and will continue to
  skirmish over it to the present day.

14
Problems Today

• Pakistan and India still do not get along.
• They still skirmish regularly over Kashmir.
• Since 1998, they have each had nuclear weapons.
  This is clearly not a good thing.
• Pakistan also shares a border with Afghanistan.

15
Pakistan and the War on Terror

• Pakistan shares a border with Afghanistan today.
• Many Taliban fighters and possibly al Qaeda
  members are hiding in these mountains.
• The government of Pakistan supports the US but
  problems continue in this region.