World Cultures - Central Dauphin School District
World Cultures
South Asia Unit
Chapter 7
Geography and Early History of South Asia
Section 1 – The Shape of the Land
The Himalayas and Hindu Kush formed barriers separating South Asia from the rest of Asia
The Indian Subcontinent
South Asia is a large triangular peninsula
Juts southward from the continent of Asian
Bounded on north by the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountains
On west by the Arabian Sean
On the south by the Indian Ocean
On the east by the Bay of Bengal
These seas have linked South Asia to other parts of the world
Also called the Indian subcontinent
Subcontinent – large landmass that is smaller than a continent
Contains eight independent nations
India (the largest), Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, and
the Maldives
Major landforms of the geographic regions
Northern mountains, northern plains, Deccan Plateau
Northern Mountains
Contains many of the world’s largest mountains
Includes Mount Everest, on the border of Nepal and Tibet
Khyber Pass makes movement possible from other parts of Asia
Route of invaders and traders
River systems have their source in streams fed by melting snow form the mountains
People living in these isolated valleys have developed their own ways of life
Northern Plains – also know as the Indo-Gangetic plain
Area just south of the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush
Stretches in a great curve from Pakistan across India into Bangladesh
Area benefits from the three large rives of the subcontinent
Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra
Steady source of water, fertile soil, long growing season make the Indo-Gangetic Plain
densely populated
Indus River
Principle river of Pakistan, empties into the Arabian Sea
Ganges River
Flows eastward across India and joins the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh
Most holy river – shrines and temples line its banks
Ganges and Brahmaputra create an enormous delta on the Bay of Bengal
Delta region has very fertile soil but is subject to terrible flooding
Thar Desert – western end of the northern plains
Covers 100,000 square miles of India and Pakistan
Daccan Plateau
South of the great plains lies the triangular Deccan Plateau
Occupies nearly half of South Asia
Mountains border the Deccan Plateau on three sides
Vindhua Mountains in the north separate the plateau from the Indo-Gangetic Plain
Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats (ghats) – passes that cut through the mountains
Section 2 – Climate and Resources
Monsoon – a seasonal wind that dominated the climate of South Asia
Two monsoon seasons
Wet monsoons of summer
Arrive in late May or early June until October
Land heats the air, it rises, cool, moist air from the sea causes rain
Dry monsoon of winter
Arrives by October
Cool air masses from the northern mountains sink, winds blow back
toward the sea
Monsoons are the key to life of farmers
If summer monsoons are late, the plants wither and dies – result – famine
If summer monsoons bring to much rain, rivers overflow and wash away
crops
Flooding and Storms in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated nations in the world
Among the world’s poorest countries
Most of population is crowded into the delta
Delta is below sea level
Flooding during monsoon season is common
More than 50 cyclones have struck since 1900
Rainfall and Vegetation
Monsoons affect unevenly – causes great variations in climate and vegetation
Mountains affect rainfall
Directly south of the Himalayas – have heavy rainfall
Some mountains create a “rain shadow”
One side of mountain receives plenty of moisture,
Other side of mountain gets almost none
Temperatures also vary greatly across the subcontinent
Northern mountains and upper slopes of the Western Ghats temps can be cold
Most of South Asia has a tropical climate
Natural Resources
Parts of South Asia have fertile soil, especially the Indo-Gangetic Plain
Water is scarce in many parts of the Subcontinent
While rain is plentiful – most falls during the wet monsoon season
On the Deccan Plateau the water lies in rock deep below ground
Mineral resources
Many parts of India have large reserves of iron ore, also rich in manganese, bauxite,
copper
Northern plains – coal is plentiful, also has mica, limestone, gypsum
Has few sources of oil
Indian government supports the use of nuclear power
The Peoples of South Asia
2010 population – US 309 million
Region 1.57 billion
Indian 1.17 billion 2nd largest population – behind China
Pakistan 187 million
Bangladesh 159 million
Bangladesh and Pakistan rank among the 10 most populous countries in the world
Three quarters of the people of South Asia depend on farming to make a living
Geographic features tend to separate people into regional and local groups
Wide variety of customs and practices
Religious beliefs also vary
Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhist
Languages
India has more than 700 languages and dialects
Dialects – a regional version of a language with its own words, expressions,
and pronunciations
Most widely spoken language in India is Hindi
India recognizes 15 official languages and 35 other major regional languages
Often these languages are written in different scripts
Cultural diversity has enriched the region, but it also poses a challenge to the government
Section 3 – Early Civilizations of India
Indus Valley Civilization
India’s first civilization grew up in a fertile rive valley
Lasted about 1,000 years
Had planned cities
Archaeologists think that the cities were built as capitals of a strong empire
Merchants of the Indus Valley traded with the peoples of the Middle East
Unsolved Puxxles
Archaeologists have found caring pictographic writing
Scholars have been unable to decipher the meaning of the writings
Decipher – determine the meaning of
Decline of the Indus Valley Civilization
By 2,000 BC the cities showed signs of decay
First believed invaders had conquered the Indus Valley
New evidence suggest the decline was due to natural causes
Climate change, over use of land
As the civilization decayed, people migrated to other parts of the subcontinent
Arrival of the Aryans
The arrival of the nomadic and warlike people, the Aryans, may have contributed to the
final collapse of the Indus Valley civilization
Aryan migration into India tool hundreds of years
Aryan Culture
Gradually spread out across the northern plains
Much of what we know comes from Vedas -oral religious traditions
Aryans developed a written language – Sanskrit – traditions were written down
Aryan worship centered on sacrifices to the gods
Aryans settled into villages
Aryans were bother farmers and herders
They placed great value on cattle
Divided people into four classes - varna
Brahmans – priest – top of society
Kshatrisuas – warriors
Vaisyas – landowners, merchants, herders
Sudras – servants, peasants who waited on others – bottom of society
Over time, the social classes developed into a more rigid system of caste
Caste – social groups based on birth
Chapter 8
Heritage of South Asia
Section 1 – Religious Traditions
Hindu customs vary greatly across the subcontinent
Hinduism developed over thousands of years
Basic Hindu Beliefs
Hinduism is the chief religion of India
Hinduism has no founder or formal church
Its roots lie in ancient Aryan beliefs and practices
Hinduism is a way of life
Most important texts are the Verdas and the Upanishads
Verdas – contain eternal truths that were revealed to wise men
Upanishads – help to explain the ideas contained in the Vedas
Hindus worship thousands of gods
Each god is a part of a single, supreme force or reality of the universe – Brahman
Three main goads of Hinduism – Brahma, Vishnu, Siva
Brahma - creator
Vishnu - preserver
Siva – destroyer
Each of these gods can take many forms and has his own family
Different sects – religious groups – worship one or another of these gods
Hindus believe in the unity of all life
Every person has an essential self – atman
To Hindus, atman and brahman are the same thing
To Hindus it is important to respect nature and not struggle against it
Reincarnation – rebirth of the soul in various forms
True goal of life is moksha
The freeing of the soul from the body so that the soul can unite with brahman
Cannot be achieved in one lifetime – purpose of reincarnation
Karma – belief that every deed, mental or physical, in this life affects a person’s fate in a
future life
Every good deed sooner or later results in happiness
Every evil deed sooner or later brings sorrow
Hinduism and the Caste System
Beliefs about rebirth and karma are closely tied to the caste system
Caste system set up a strict social and religious order
You remain in the caste into which you were born for life
Belief is that a person’s caste is a result of karma
Hindus believe that the Brahmans, the highest caste, are closest to moksha
Each caste has its own dharma
Dharma – duties and obligations - obedience to caste rules as well as to moral laws
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama – Buddha – “Enlightened One”
Four Noble Truths
Suffering is universal
Cause of suffering is desire
Only way to end suffering is to crush desire
If people give up desire the can achieve nirvana
Nirvana – condition of wanting nothing
The way to end desire is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path
Practical guide to right conduct
Stressed understanding of the cause of suffering, compassion for
All creatures, kindness, and truthfulness
Buddha thought of himself as a Hindu – and like Hindus --
Believed salvation was achieved when the individual self escapes the body
Believed in karma and reincarnation
Unlike Hindus Buddha
Denied the existence of any gods
Taught priest were not necessary
People had to seek nirvana on their own by following the Noble Eightfold Path
Rejected the caste system
Spread of Buddhism
Set up monasteries and convents
Buddha’s teachings were written down in the Three Baskets of Wisdom
Buddhist missionaries carried the new ideas to other parts of Asia
Two sects grew within Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
Stressed the monastic life as a way to reach nirvana
Consider Buddha to be a teacher, not worshipped as a god
Mahayana Buddhism
Worshipped Buddha and other enlightened ones as gods
Buddhism has almost disappeared in South Asia
Many Buddhist ideas have been absorbed into Hinduism
Other Religious Traditions
Jainism also developed in South Asia
Like Buddhism, grew out of efforts to reform Hinduism
Rejected the power of the Brahman
Taught reincarnation
Emphasized ahimsa – nonviolence
Avoid harming any living creature
Sweep the ground before they walk on it so as not to harm any living thing
Section 2 – Powerful Empires
Maurya Empire
First ruler to unite the northern plain was Chandragupta Maurya
In 321 BC founded the Maurya dynasty – ruling family
Mauryas ruled India for 140 years
Empire stretched across the northern plain from the Bay of Bengal to the Hindu Kush
Appointed thousands of officials to help rule
Empire enjoyed peace, trade flourished,
Government built irrigation systems and maintained roads
Asoka – grandson of Chandragupta – ruled from 269 BC to 232 BC
Brought the Maurya Empire to the height of its power
At first ruled harshly
Converted to Buddhism – renounced violence
Encourage unity among his subjects
Urged tolerance of one another
Had his laws carved on rocks and pillars for all to see
Asoka’s example has influenced Indian leaders down to the present
To promote Buddhism in the empire, Asoka ordered the building of thousand of stupas
Stupas – shrines containing remains of the Buddha
Asoka worked to spread Buddhism to foreign lands
His efforts helped to make Buddhism a major world religion
Small Kingdoms
For the 500 years after the decline of the Maurya Empire the northern plain had multiple
invaders
Greeks from Bactria, a kingdom north of the Hindu Kush
Pahlavas from Persia
Kushans from Central Asia
Each group brought their own cultures and ideas
Over time these were absorbed into Hindu culture
Southern India developed separately from the north
Dravidians, not Aryans
Spoke Tamil
Hinduism spread slowly in the south
In Tamil kingdoms trade flourished
The Gupta Empire
Lasted from 320 AD to 535 AD
Expanded their rule over much of northern India
Trade increased, particularly with China
Indian scholars developed the concept of zero and invented the decimal system
Scholars figured the correct shape and size of the Earth
As Gupta power declined, the Huns, nomadic people from Central Asia invaded
Muslim Expansion Into India
Around 1200, Muslim rulers set up a capital at Delhi
For 300 years Delhi sultans – rulers, governed much of northern and central India
Did not force Hindu subjects to adopt Islam
Non-Muslims paid special taxes
Could not hold government jobs
Delhi sultans introduced Persian culture into South Asia
Decline of Delhi sultanate
1398 invasion – Mongols from Central Asia
Attacked and destroyed Delhi
Killed or enslaved the entire population of Delhi
1529, another Mongol army invaded – led by Babur founded the Mughal Empire
Mughal – is the Persian word for Mongol
A Clash of Beliefs
Differences in beliefs of Muslims and Hindus was too great
Led to conflicts
Muslim armies destroyed Hindu temples
Muslims and Hindus learned to live together
Blending of Hindu and Muslim traditions
New language – Urdu – combined Persian and Hindi – written in Arabic script
The Mughal Empire
Founded by Babur in 1526 – lasted more than 300 years
United most peoples of South Asia
Golden Age occurred during the reign of Akbar the Great –grandson of Babur
1556 – 1605
Adopted religious toleration
Abolished the special tax on Hindus
Appointed Hindus to jobs in government
Taj Mahal build by Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan as a monument to his wife
Power weakened in the 1700s
Caused by wasteful spending
Akbar’s successors ended his policy of toleration
Closed Hindu schools
Dismissed Hindus from government jobs
These actions led to a revolt by Hindu princes
Arrival of Europeans
Section 3 – Patterns of Life
The Caste System
Indian society developed into a complex system based on class and caste
The four varna – classes – of Aryan society
Brahmans – priest – top of society
Kshatrisuas – warriors
Vaisyas – landowners, merchants, herders
Sudras – servants, peasants who waited on others – bottom of society
Firth group emerged
Untouchable – the lowest level of society
Caste system based on the idea that there are separate kinds of humans
Higher caste people considered purer – closer to moksha
New subcaste emerged as new occupations developed
Higher caste persons risked spiritual pollution if they had contact with lower caste
Each occupation had its own caste – jobs were determined at birth
Rules determined which gods caste members worshipped
Where they lived and what they wore
Caste system created a sense of stability and order
Each caste looked after their own
At the same time different casts depended on one another
The caste system was deeply imbedded in law, custom, and religious tradition
Village Life
The basic unit of society
Headman governed the village
Villages varied in sized
Villages were generally self-sufficient
Villagers relied on cattle for plowing, transporting goods, and milk
Some scholars suggest that cattle became sacred in part because of their economic
importance
Family Life
Indians identify first with their family then with the village
Value joint family – a form of the extended family
Family was patriarchal
The oldest male was “Father”
Had complete control over the household
Strong family ties created a sense of order
Often marriages were arranged
The higher a family’s caste, the more costly the marriage would be
Women’s Lives
Within family and society women had few rights
Duty was to marry, wait on her husband, and bear sons
Hindus believe that women alone had shakti – creative energy
Women were thought to lack the knowledge to control their power
They were seen as dangerous unless ruled by a man
Higher-caste women had to obey especially strict rules
Required to live in Purdah – complete seclusion
Rarely left home
Kept separate from all men except their husbands and close relatives
Widows were forbidden to remarry
Expected to spend her life in prayer
Widow considered unlucky
Ignored by family members
Some widow threw themselves on their husbands’ funeral fires
The became sati – “virtuous women”
Sati wiped away the sins of the husband and herself
Section 4 – India Under British Rule
In 1498 the Portuguese captain Vasco da Gama reached India
Dutch, French, and British soon followed
The Mughal emperors kept tight control of European activity until the empire declined
The British had come as traders then turned their attention to conquest
Mughal Emperors and European Traders
Portuguese quickly built a trading empire in Asian
In the 1600s the Dutch broke the Portuguese trade monopoly in Asia
Monopoly – complete control over a market or a product
English and French also sought trading rights from the Mughals
In the 1700s the Mughal Empire entered its decline
Rival princes set up their own almost independent kingdoms
Britain and France took advantage of the empire’s decline
Competed to control the small kingdoms
By the 1760s British forces had overcome the French
East India Company Rule
Robert Clive, an administrator of the East India Company
Won control of the wealthy Indian state of Bengal
Appointed local rulers who favored the interest of the East India Company
The East India Company forced Indian rulers to sign treaties granting it
greater power
Gained enormous wealth from India
Set up a law code and a court system
Took control of more land
Some areas ruled directly – others ruled indirectly through local princes
British Rule
The British government took steps to check the increasing power of the East Indian Company
By 1950s Indians had many grievance against British rule
Outlawed ritual suicide by widows and other Hindu practices
Indian princes dislike being told what to do
High taxes anger farmers
Hindus and Muslims resented efforts of missionaries
Sepoy Rebellion
Sepoys – Indian troops who served in the British army
Sepoys heard rumors that their guns were greased with beef or pork fat
To Hindus cows are sacred – Muslims forbidden to touch pork
New law required them to fight for Britain in foreign lands
Hindus believed they would lose caste if they traveled overseas
Rebellion broke out in 1857
Lasted several months
The British put down the rebellion
In 1858, the British government took over India as a colony
Ruled most of India directly
What remained in the hands of local rulers required them to sign treaties
Treaties gave control of their foreign and military affairs to the British
British reformed law codes and controlled the court system
British moved away from using Indian soldiers
Set up their own civil serve
Set out to create a new class of British-educated Indians
Effects of British Rule
Brought economic and social changes to South Asia
Improved roads and modernized ports
Built railroads and telegraph systems
Helped the British increase trade and control their colony
Also brought Indians in different regions closer together
Helped to destroy the traditional Indian economy and tied India economically to Britain
By the mid-1800s the Industrial Revolution was in full swing in Britain
India became a market for their goods
Local Indian industries were discouraged
Laws limited the British imports of Indian-made goods
Indians had to buy expensive British-made products
To pay for the goods Indians began growing cash crops
Social changes
Improved health care and sanitary conditions
Led to an increase in population
Young people moved to cities to find jobs
Set up schools and colleges to educate higher-caste Indians
Stressed the English language and culture
A British educated middle-class emerged
Education increased the resentment against foreign rule
Contributed to the growth of Indian nationalism
Indian Nationalism
Strongest among the British-educated elite
At first disagreement among nationalist
Some wanted to modernized India and reform the system of British rule
Others favored a return to Hindu traditions
Build a new India blending the best of Hindu and western cultures
Hindu nationalists won support among poor peasants and other working people
In time rejected foreign rule completely and demanded independence
Indians formed various groups to work for change
INC – Indian National Congress – 1885
Most members were Hindus
Called for gradual change, urged the opening of more government jobs for
Indians
After WW I took a more forceful stand under the leadership of
Mohandas Gandhi
Supported home rule
Pressured, Britain promised self-government to India in time
Muslim League – 1906
Tension and distrust kept Hindus and Muslims apart
By 1930s, came to believe that the subcontinent must be divided in two
A nation for Hindus and one for Muslims
Chapter 9
South Asia in Transition
Section 1 – Freedom – And Partition
Growing Unrest
During and after WW I, Indian nationalist increased their demand for freedom
Britain responded with harsh new laws
Limiting freedom of the press and other rights
Banned public gatherings
April 13, 1919 – gathering of more than 10,000 Indians in Amritsar
British troops opened fire
379 Indians killed, 1,100 injured
Amritsar Massacre deepened distrust of British and increased call for separation from British
Mohandas Gandhi
Attorney – united many groups within the nationalist movement
Won backing of common people and Indians who had benefited from British rule
Gandhi’s principles
Developed ideas about the use of nonviolent resistance to end injustice
Called the method satyagraha – “truth force”
Influenced by Hindu and Christian traditions
Influenced by Henry David Thoreau
Civil disobedience – the refusal to obey unjust laws
Appealing to Hindus of all classes
Gave up western ways – encouraged traditional Indian industries
Followers called him Mahatma – “Great Soul”
Rejected some features of the caste system
Salt March
1930, used satyagraha to protest the tax on salt
Marched to the sea and made their own salt
Gandhi and 50,000 others arrested
British responded to nonviolent Indian protest with force
Moving Toward Independence
Indian National Congress refused to support Britain in WW II unless Britain promised
Immediate independence
Britain refused
Gandhi organized a “Quit India” movement
Policy of non-cooperation
Continued campaign of civil disobedience
By 1945 war weakened Britain realized it could no longer keep India
Hindu-Muslim conflict over independence
Deep difference in religious beliefs
Muslims believe their rights would not be respected
The Subcontinent Divided
1946, rioting broke out between Hindus and Muslims
1947, British parliament passed the Indian Independence Act
Ended British rule
Provided for the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two independent nations
Hindu dominated Indian – Jawaharlal Nehru – Prime Minister of India
Muslim majority Pakistan – Jinnal – Governor General of Pakistan
Violence led to the death of more than 500,000
Millions of Hindus fled Pakistan for India
Millions of Muslims fled India for Pakistan
January 1948, a Hindu extremist assassinated Mahatma Gandhi
Section 2 – Political Challenges
India’s Government
1949, Indian leaders wrote a constitution
Created a federal system
Central government and governments of 25 states and territories
Parliamentary democracy – government ruled democratically by a national representative
body that has supreme legislative powers
President is head of state but has little power
Leader of the political party that wins the most seats in parliament becomes prime minister
Two houses of parliament
Upper house – Rajya Sabha – Council of State – chosen by the state legislatures
Lower house – Lok Sabha – House of the People – direct voter elections
Indian has more than a dozen national political parties
Many based on different caste, language, and religious groups
If no party wins a majority in elections a coalition government is formed
Coalition – ruling alliance of several different political parties
Dividing and Unifying Forces
Poverty and illiteracy are still widespread
Caste system poses problems as India seeks to modernize
Efforts to help the lower casts and poor have been met with strong opposition
Untouchable suffer most
Constitution declared untouchability illegal
Outlawed discrimination against untouchables
Opened government jobs
Caused protest from higher castes
Cultural diversity is another dividing force
Some ethnic and language groups have demanded their own states
Sikh separatism
Make up 2 percent of population
Strong military traditions
Increased violence
Hindu-Muslim conflicts continue to plague India
The main reason for the success of India is their commitment to democratic traditions
The bond of Hindu religion and traditions
India’s Leaders
Jawaharlal Nehru
Led Indian for 17 years after independence
Hoped to create a secular, casteless India
Secular – country with no official religion
Indira Gandhi
Nehru’s daughter
Tried to modernize the country
Faced economic woes and charges of corruption
1984 - Assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards
Rajiv Gandhi
Indira Gandhi’s son
Became prime minister after the death of his mother
1991 – assassinated by Tamil guerrillas
Section 3 – Economic Development
Economic Goals
India’s new leaders were determined to become free of economic dependence
Nehru adopted many socialist principles
Regulated the economy and issued a series of five-year plans
Set up a mixed economy
Government control of large industries – mining, transportation, energy
Private ownership of smaller businesses – production of consumer goods
Industrial Growth
During early independence, industry made impressive gains
By the 1960s, India ranked as the seventh most industrialized nation
Growth slowed in the 1970s
In part due to the rise in petroleum prices
India must import much of its oil
Economic slowdown forced economic reforms
Government moved to privatization of industries
These changes got India’s economy moving again
During the 1990s, Indian had one of the world’s fastest growing economies
Poverty remains widespread in India
To keep up with rapid population growth, India needs to create millions of new
jobs each year
Progress in Agriculture
Farming continues to be the heart of the Indian economy
About three-quarters of all Indians live in rural areas
Most are struggling subsistence farmers
Leaders worked hard to improve farm production
Major investment into new irrigation systems
Helped farmers to plant a second, dry-season crop
Landless peasants worked as tenant farmers
Tenant farmers – farmers who rent land from a large landowner and pays wither
in cash or with a portion of the crop
Government set up a program of land reform – redistribution of land
Limited success
Landowners with political clout block enforcement of the law
Tenant farmers did not have the money to buy the land
New technology – Green Revolution – improved output in the 60s and 70s
Today, India prows enough food to export some crops
Section 4 – Changing Patterns of Life
Village Life
Villages have changed little
Have kept their traditional economies
Some have cottage industries
Cottage industries – small businesses run from the home
Growing number of villages have electricity, clinics, schools, telephones
Some villagers buy factory-made goods
A few can afford tractors
Government has taken steps to improve health care
Health clinics bring better medical care to rural areas
As a result a decrease in infant mortality
Infant mortality – the rate at which babies die
Modernization and the Caste System
Government has tried to weaken the caste system
Caste affects occupations
Higher caste can afford education for their children
People from different caste mix more freely
Urbanization has weakened caste distinctions
Often the background of your city neighbor is not known
Educated, westernized Indians reject caste differences
Improving Education
Indian leaders knew that education was necessary
Government built schools in each state
Today 80 percent of elementary age children get some schooling
Literacy rate is 52 percent
More boys get educated than girls
High caste students are more likely to continue their education
Family Life
Couples are marrying later
Many marriages are still arranged
Family structure is also changing
CIA dwelling families live in nuclear not joint families
Women have gained some legal rights
Have the right to vote, own property, and divorce, widow can remarry
Section 5 – Other Nations of South Asia
Pakistan Since Independence
At independence Pakistan consisted of West Pakistan and East Pakistan
West Pakistan bordered the Middle East and had frequent droughts
East Pakistan bordered Southeast Asia and suffered from frequent floods
West Pakistan dominated the government
Promoted industry and provided aid to the people of the west
East Pakistan resented the unequal treatment
1970 cyclone caused enormous damage to East Pakistan
The government was slow to act
1971, with the help of India East Pakistan broke away and became independent Bangladesh
Most of the population in Pakistan lives in rural areas
Government has invested heavily in agriculture
Pakistan has built chemical, auto, and steel factories
Has developed a strong textile industry
Illiteracy is high and millions live in poverty
Pakistan has experience long periods of military rule
Pakistan has felt the effects of the Islamic revival
1991, the Koran was made the supreme law of the land
it has not been widely used
Bangladesh
Densely populated
Natural disasters and a huge population have limited progress in Bangladesh
Without massive aid, Bangladesh cannot improve its communications and transportation
system
Afghanistan
Mountainous landlocked nation
Over centuries settled by the Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, and Uzbek trial groups
Each group developed its own language and customs
During the 1800s resisted British and Russian efforts to take over their land
1979 to 1989, Soviet troops supported a harsh communist government
Late 1990s, Taliban, a fundamentalist Muslim group gained power
Imposed an extreme form of Islam on the country
One of the poorest countries in the world – war has left the country in ruins
Sri Lanka
Won independence from Britain after World War II
1972 changed its name from Ceylon to Sri Lanka
Developed economy based on export crops – tea, rubber, and coconuts
Literacy rate of more than 75 percent
Ethnic and religious divisions
70 percent of Sri Lankans speak Sinhalese and practice Buddhism
18 percent speak Tamil and practice Hinduism
Tamils charged that they faced discrimination in education, jobs, and land ownership
1980s, Sinhalese-Tamil tensions burst into violence
Disrupted the entire country
At first India supported the Tamil separatists
Later prime minister Rajiv Gandhi sent Indian troops to help Sri Lanka fight the Tamil
Tamil extremists felt betrayed – assassinated Gandhi in 1991
In 2002, the Tamil rebels and the government agreed to a cease-fire
The two sides began peace talks
Small Nations of the Subcontinent
Bhutan and Nepal are landlocked countries in the Himalayas
Bhutan is a monarchy – most of the people are Buddhist
Nepal is a monarchy – most of the people are Hindu
The two countries are among the least developed and most isolated nations in the world
Chapter 10
South Asia in the World Today
Section 1 – Regional and Global Issues
Indian and the Subcontinent
In size and strength, India dominates the subcontinent
Since 1947, relations between India and Pakistan have remained tense
Violence following partition left a legacy of bitterness and distrust
Created territorial disputes that remain unresolved
Kashmir – a region of India
Indus River and many of its tributaries flow through Kashmir
The nation that controls Kashmir controls the source of irrigation water
Kashmir had never been under British control
At partition, Kashmir tried to stay independent
When Muslims rebelled, Kashmir asked India for help
Pakistan sent troops to support the Muslims
UN cease-fire left Kashmir divided between India and Pakistan
One third went to Pakistan the remainder to India
Solution satisfied no one
Since the 1980s, Muslim separatist have fought to create an independent Kashmir
Pakistan want a plebiscite – popular vote – to let the people of Kashmir decide
Believes the Muslim majority would vote to join Pakistan
India opposes the vote
Fears a vote would encourage other separatist groups
2001 tensions rose again after a terrorist attack on the Indian parliament
A new war between India and Pakistan poses greater risk
Both countries are armed with nuclear weapons
Both nations see nuclear weapons as symbols of national pride
Before they had nuclear weapons, the nations went to war three time
1947 and 1964 they fought over Kashmir
1971 was broke out when India helped Bangladesh beak away from Pakistan
Tension between the countries reduce the chance of them reducing their stocks of weapons
Indians relations with Bangladesh are often strained
Bangladesh wants India to build more flood control projects
Indian is slow to invest in these projects
India has closed its borders with Bangladesh to stop the flow of people trying to
escape poverty in Bangladesh
Indian and the World
During the Cold War India chose to follow a policy of nonalignment
Welcomed economic aid from both the US and the Soviet Union
After independence, India sought friendly relations with China
In the 1950s, Chinese forces occupied Tibet
This occupation strained India Chinese relations
Border disputes have flared to violence
Pakistan and the World
Took a strong anti-Communist stand during the Cold War
Saw the nearby Soviet Union as a threat
Joined military alliances set up by the US
Received military and economic aid from the US
Since the break up of the Soviet Union, Pakistan has loosened ties with the US
Turned toward the Muslim countries of the Middle East
Close geographic and cultural ties
Afghanistan and the World
Afghanistan is a buffer state – a small country located between larger, hostile powers –
Between Pakistan and the former Soviet Union and China
1979 to 1989, Soviet forces were in Afghanistan supporting a communist government
More than 3 million Afghans fled into Pakistan
Aided by Pakistan and the US, Afghan fighters resisted communist rule
When Soviet troops withdrew, Afghan warlords battled for power
1997, Taliban imposed a harsh and extreme form of Islam
Protected Osama Bin Laden
US military campaign drove the Taliban from power
Section 2 – Looking to the Future
“Hug-the-Tree” Movement
Started by women in northern India to save Himalayan forest from destruction
Environmental Issues
Concern about the effects of modernization on the environment
Many kinds of development have negative as well as positive effects
Narmada Valley Project (NVP)
Calls for the building of 30 major dams and more than 3,000 smaller dams
Supports – provide water for irrigation, produce electric power
Critics – flood farmland, destroy wildlife, displace people, submerge
sacred shrines
1984, Bhopal chemical plant accident
Released deadly gas into atmosphere
Killed more than 2,000 people
Other issues include:
Large-scale limestone quarrying, nuclear power plants, deforestation,
chemical insecticides and fertilizers
Crisis in Numbers
Threats to the environment closely linked to the population explosion
Growing numbers of people compete for scarce resources
At the current growth rate, India’s population will soon overtake that of China
Causes of rapid population growth
Improved medical care – more people live longer
Decrease in infant mortality rate
Effects of rapid population growth
Greater population density
Agriculture can not keep up with demand
Strain on limited resources
Education and jobs for the young
Family planning through education has had limited effect
People in cities have smaller families
Rural landowners have smaller families
Poorer farmers do not have access to family planning resources
Age-old traditions
Farmers depend on children to work the land and care for elderly
Continue to have children until a more highly valued boy is born
The World of Cities
Rapid population growth contributes to urbanization
Most newcomers to cities are landless peasants
Not enough jobs or housing
Poor live in crowded slums
A small but growing middle class
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