1. A History of India

2. The Ganges River System
1,560 miles long

3. “Mata Ganga” (Mother Ganges)

4. The Himalayas “him” [snow] “aalaya” [home]
Mt. Everest is 29,035 feet. It is the highest mt. peak in the world.

5. The Rohtang Pass
13,051 ft high
Only open from May to November

6. Traffic Jam in Rohtang Pass…

7. Indian History
Up to the 1800’s India subcontinent was ruled over by many different groups simultaneously.
The most powerful of the groups were the Mughals.

8. Mughal Empire
True rise of power in India was in 1556 with Akbar the Great
Descendants of Genghis Khan and the Mongols
Mixed Persian languages and architecture with traditional Indian themes
Taj Mahal

9. The British Arrive
East India Co. – Wanted to monopolize the spice trade out of India.
E.I.C. negotiated with Mugals for trade ports and built factories out of Bengal in exchange for naval support from Britain.

10. British Take Over India
1760 – 1790
Constant wars in India
British decide only way to stop wars is to take control
British control India by 1818

11. Indian Nationalist Movements
India’s Two Nationalist Groups:
Hindu Indian National Congress (1885)
Muslim League (1905)

12. WWI and Indians
Over one million Indians enlisted in the British army during WWI
Promise of reforms; eventual self-government
Rowlatt Acts
Allowed the British to jail protesters without trial for up to two years
Banned Public Meetings
Violation of Individual Rights?

13. Amritsar Massacre 1919
10,000 Hindus and Muslims gathered at Amritsar to protest the Rowlatt Acts
British troops fired on the crowd
400 died, over 1000 were wounded
Only increased the nationalist fervor in India

14. Mohandas K. Gandhi
Emerged as leader of nationalist movement after Amritsar Massacre
Blended beliefs of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism
“ahimsa”- Jainist belief of
Non-Violence
Followers called him
“Mahatma” meaning
“great soul”

15. Gandhi Civil Disobedience: Boycotts Salt March
Deliberate and public refusal to obey an unjust law (through non-violent means)
Boycotts
Gandhi encouraged Indians to refuse to purchase British goods, attend public schools, pay taxes, or vote in any British-run elections
Encouraged Indians to make their own cloth
Had his own spinning wheel
Salt March
240 mile march to the
sea

16. Limited Self-Rule 1935 Government of India Act Post WWI
Local self-government and limited democratic elections
Not total independence
Caused a return of tensions between Hindus and Muslims
Post WWI
Global push for self-determination and an end to colonialism
British at point of Bankruptcy

17. India’s Independence
India becomes independent
in July 1947

18. People key to India’s Independence
Mohandas Gandhi
mass civil disobedience
total non-violence
inspired movements for civil rights
and freedom across the world
Jawaharlal Nehru
The first and longest-serving
prime minister of independent India