The Road to IndependenceAn epilogue of sorts

Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs, Oh My!

Hinduism (Hindus): the majority religion in India; followed by Gandhi and most members of Congress

Islam (Muslims): the majority religion in present-day Pakistan; followed by Muhammad Ali Jinnah and most members of the Muslim League

Sikhism (Sikhs): the majority religion in the Punjab (a province in northwest India); concerned with protecting their political power and religious freedom

Some Key TermsCongress Party

Formed 1885; Gandhi takes over in 1920

Primarily Hindu political party dedicated to independence

Unified Indians across castes, backgrounds, and (sort of) religions in the name of independence

Muslim LeagueFormed 1906

Primarily Muslim political party aimed at advancing the interests of Muslims in British India

Successfully advocated the partition of India and Pakistan into separate states

Two Conflicts

British vs. IndiansPolitical independence + repressive rule

Economic independence

Hindus vs. Muslims (and Sikhs)Muslims are a minority in British India, but heavily concentrated in a few areas

Initial demand: more powerful local government more power for Muslims

Eventual demand: Pakistan as homeland for Muslims

Satyagraha, and other hard-to-spell terms

Satyagraha: Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent non-cooperation; literally “truth-force”

Ahimsa: non-violence (according to Gandhi, absence of violent thought as well as violent actions)

Swadeshi: strategy of achieving economic independence from the British Empire by refusing to buy British-made goods

Khadi: a hand-spun, hand-woven cloth that replaced British-made, imported clothing

Swaraj: “self-rule,” or strategy of achieving political independence from foreign domination

World War I

1917: Britain announces plan to give Indians more rights

1918: WWI ends

1919: Government of India Act gives Indians power in local government, but keeps national affairs in British hands

1914: World War I begins

1.4 million soldiers of the British Indian Army (both British and Indian) fight in the war

You’re halfway through!

Here are some hamsters dressed as dinosaurs

The Amritsar Massacre

April 13, 1919

British army fires on a nonviolent, defenseless crowd of protesters and pilgrims, killing hundreds

Galvanizes Indian resistance and the first non-cooperation movement under Gandhi

British failure to punish General Dyer further angers Indians

The Salt March

March-May 1930

240-mile march to illegally produce salt, followed by a raid on the Dharasana Salt Works

SignificanceSparked large-scale resistance against the salt tax and British rule

Drew international attention to the Indian independence struggle

Did not lead to major concessions from the British

World War II

Britain joins WWII in September 1939

British Governor-General brings India into war

Muslim League supports war

Congress debates whether to support war

March 1942: Cripps Mission – failed attempt to convince Congress to support the war

India sends over 2 million volunteers to fight in the war

Quit India

August 1942 through roughly 1944

Campaign led by Congress Party to force the British out of India by massive, nonviolent resistance

British respond harshly60,000 Congress leaders imprisoned immediately after start of movement

Mass arrests and public flogging of demonstrators

Ultimately failed to change much

The End of the Raj

WWII ends in 1945; Britain is economically devastated

July 1945: Labour Party wins elections in Britain and rapidly moves toward independence

Ongoing dispute between Congress and Muslim League over how to achieve independence

Mohammed Ali Jinnah: calls for separate Muslim state

Hastily drawn borders between India and Pakistan

Partition

August 14 and 15, 1947

Two components:Independence of the British Indian Empire

Division of India (mostly Hindu) and Pakistan (mostly Muslim)

Represented a victory for both Congress and the Muslim League

Mass migration, riots, and deaths – 10 million migrants

Left border disputes unsettled