Indian Independence and the Question of Partition

Part I traces the transformation of the British East India Company from a trading company operating in the Mughal Empire to a colonial power. There is one lesson aligned with Part I: The Great Revolt of 1857: Source Analysis.

In Part II, students read about British colonial rule on the subcontinent and the Indian resistance movements that grew in response. Students then examine the negotiations following World War II that led to partition and independence. There are two lessons aligned with Part II: 1) Mapping Religion in Bengal, and 2) Satyagraha: Gandhi, King and Mandela.

Part III provides an overview of the aftermath of 1947 and the continuing challenges from partition. There are two lessons aligned with Part III: 1) Remembering Partition, and 2) Looking at Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan Today.

Students examine excerpts from history books, photographs, and literature from Indian and British authors to see the different ways the Great Revolt of 1857 has been portrayed.

Students analyze data from the 1931 All-India Census. Using a map of Bengal, students calculate and mark the major religious groups in the province.

Students explore primary sources from Mohandas Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela to learn about satyagraha and consider its international impact.

The Options Role Play: is the key lesson in the unit. Students simulate the debate in Bengal in 1947 between local political groups and the British over the fate of the province: unity or partition.

Students examine the human toll of partition through oral histories and diary entries.

Students analyze photographs from the present to learn about life and society on the subcontinent and weigh the benefits and limitations of using photos to learn about the subcontinent.

Synthesis Lesson: Students read eight documents pertaining to India's post–1947 foreign policy strategy and answer a series of documents-based questions.