The Partition of IndiaHigh School

Tennessee Geographic Alliance One Day Geography Workshop

InstructorKristi Neuroth

Ravenwood High SchoolBrentwood, TN

Overview of Session1. What is the partition of India?

2. Bellringer

3. Class assignment

4. Extension activity

5. Additional lessons and resources

Tennessee Standards•W.73 List the reasons for, and the effects of, the partition of the Indian subcontinent into India and Pakistan in 1947. (G, H, P)  

Connections to Common Core Standards

•CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.WHST.9-10.2.BDevelop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of the topic.

What does “partition” mean?

Simply stated, partition means “Breaking Apart”

•The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire that led to the creation of the separate states of India and Pakistan in 1947. 

What caused the partition of India?

• “August 14, 1947 saw the birth of the new Islamic Republic of Pakistan. India won its freedom from colonial rule at midnight the next day, ending nearly 350 years of British presence in India. When the British left, they partitioned India, creating the separate countries of India and Pakistan to accommodate religious differences between Pakistan, which has a majority Muslim population, and India, which is primarily Hindu.”

Additional Reading:1. http://postcolonialstudies.emory.edu/partition-of-india/2. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/the-road-to-partition/india-pakistan-relations

Thinking Geographically

1. Why do you think the inter-communial conflict was located along the areas which would eventually become the border?

2. Why were Muslims and Hindus fleeing in different directions?

BELL RINGER Analyzing the partition of India Spatially: Thinking like a Geographer

• Study the maps provided on the following slides. Take a look at the physical and human geography of the Indian Subcontinent to see if you can make any initial predictions about why India broke into several smaller states.

Class Assignment http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/panjab1947/default.htm

1. Each student will be assigned one of the 5 people/groups of people below.

2. The student will read the interview with their person/people (see student handouts).

3. Students will meet together in groups of 5 (one representing each person) and will discuss what they learned.

4. Students will complete part 2 of the assignment on the student handouts.

Extension Activity

Write a one page journal entry from the position of one of the people in the group discussion. The journal entry should be written from the perspective of that person during the partition of India and Pakistan. Include as many references as possible to the geographic landscape (both human and physical).

UK National Archives Resources

• Personal Stories (From different religious groups) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/panjab1947/default.htm

• Partition Voices: http://www.andrewwhitehead.net/partition-voices.html

• Tons of film and audio resources! http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/the-road-to-partition.htm

• Tips for students on how to use primary resources: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/students/primary-sources.htm

Additional Resources

• Postcolonial Studies at Emory University: http://postcolonialstudies.emory.edu/partition-of-india/

• “The Hidden Story of Partition and its Legacies” BBC News: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/modern/partition1947_01.shtml

• UK National Archives: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/topics/the-road-to-partition.htm

• UCLA “The Partition of India”: http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/History/Independent/partition.html

• NY Times “Potent Memories from a Divided India”: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/14/arts/potent-memories-from-a-divided-india.html?_r=0

• The Guardian “Partition – the birth of India and Pakistan: interactive”: http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2012/sep/06/india-pakistan-partition-interactive