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Religion in India
Over 80% of India is Hindu despite centuries of Muslim rule About 10-12% of India is Muslim, Muslim leaders generally were from foreign lands About 2.5% are Christian
Caste System
Hindu society was divided into major castes or classes There are four major castes, but thousands of sub-castes People are born into a caste and upward mobility is next to impossible people only married within their caste
Caste System
Part of a complex system of job division each caste had a role within the community Strict rules dictated behavior Hindu idea of reincarnation played into the system to advance you must live well and then you will be reborn into a higher caste
Direct Control
1857 Sepoy Rebellion takes place Started with misunderstanding that new bullets had animal grease on them (sacred to Hindus and unclean to Muslims) British government saw uprising as a sign that Indians could cause more problems in the future and took direct control of government
Culture Clash
English and Western ideas promoted as elite Limited social contact between British and Indians Only Hindus who became Christians could hold government positions
Culture Clash
Instruction in English, became language of the educated British did stop suttees (killing wife when the husband dies), child marriages (as early as nine or ten), and infanticide (killing of infant girls because they were too costly to marry)
Impact
Modernized India (railroads, irrigation, dams, better sanitation and education) British held all economic and political power Restricted domestic industries
Mohandas Gandhi
Educated as a lawyer in London Spent twenty years in South Africa as a lawyer fighting discrimination against Indian immigrants
Mohandas Gandhi
Developed and executed non-violent philosophy His actions were aggressive and provocative, but did not employ violence 1915 Returned to India and began participating in the Indian National Congress Influenced an ideological shift from possible violent revolt to non-violent action to gain independence
Mohandas Gandhi
Gandhi changed the focus of movement to improve conditions for rural population He also fought against the caste system and called the untouchables children of god Eventually helped gain Indias independence in 1947 Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 Despite his tremendous influence, after his death many of his teachings and tactics for conflict resolution were dismissed