South AsiaSouth Asia

A Brief History

Executive Summary

A. India Under British Rule

B. Freedom—And Partition

India Under British RuleIndia Under British Rule

A. India Under British Rule

1. In 1600, England set up the East India

trading company to trade with India

* British trade gold and silver for

textiles, i.e. cloth, such as silk and

cotton

2. Over time, Britain gained control of India’s

government

3. In 1858, India became an official colony of

Britain

Freedom and PartitionFreedom and Partition

B. Freedom and Partition

1. Indians were tired of British rule and

formed the Indian National Congress

(INC) in 1920

* Led by Mohandas Gandhi

2. Gandhi used civil disobedience to influence

British

* Peaceful gatherings, strikes

3. Following the end of WWII, Britain was too

weak to hold on to India

Freedom and PartitionFreedom and Partition

B. Freedom and Partition

4. Fighting between Hindus and Muslims

left hundreds of thousands dead

5. In 1947, England passed the Indian

Independence Act

a. India would be free of British rule

b. Created Pakistan for Muslims and

India for Hindus