Homework Castle Learning Assignment #4 due tomorrow. Review Assignment #1 due Wednesday.

Aim #4: How did India become independent, and what challenges has it faced since 1947? June 1, 2015

I. Independence for India (1947) A.In 1947, Great Britain grants independence to India. Unfortunately, Hindus and Muslims in the country can’t agree on a government and fighting breaks out. B.Partition of India (1947): British officials drew up borders that turned India into two separate countries: India (for Hindus) and Pakistan (for Muslims). C.The partition set off mass migrations of Muslims fleeing India and Hindus fleeing Pakistan. Millions were killed crossing the borders. D.Gandhi tries to bring peace, but is assassinated by a Hindu extremist in 1948.

II. India Since 1947 A. Jawaharlal Nehru was India’s first Prime Minister ( ). He was followed by his daughter Indira Gandhi ( ) and her son Rajiv Gandhi ( ). B. India becomes the world’s largest parliamentary democracy (a system taken from the British) and has a growing economy, but it still has many problems: Traditional Hindu caste system and restrictions on the rights of women stand in the way of social equality. Rapid population growth = millions living in poverty Religious extremism: The Sikhs (religious group that combines Hindu and Muslim ideas) wanted their own state in Punjab during the 1980s. They assassinate Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. India and Pakistan compete over the territory of Kashmir (it is controlled by India, but has a mostly Muslim population). They fight wars over it in and This could still lead to nuclear war today!