CLIL History

M4 Decolonization MATERIALS India and Pakistan After the Second World War the European imperial powers changed their policy in administering colonies and made important concessions with the purpose of containing the growing discontent. The United Kingdom, for example, extended the right of citizenship to all the inhabitants in the Commonwealth, but was later forced to revise this law because a massive number of immigrants began to reach England from the colonies. After World War I and in particular during the 1930s London had tried to foster forms of self-government in India in response to a nationalist movement that was claiming independence. The leader of India s non-violent independence movement against British rule was Gandhi, who launched the slogan Quit India . He asked Indians to use forms of non-violent resistance and civil disobedience to make the British withdraw from the country. Later, after World War II, the Labour government in the United Kingdom had to face some difficult problems like their foreign policy, which dealt with the Cold War request of diplomatic and military commitment alongside the Western bloc. Moreover, there was the need to focus on the domestic policy, in particular on the organization of the National Healthcare System which required great investments. In this context, in 1947, the independence of India was recognized. The Indian subcontinent became two new independent States that were divided along religious lines. India was a Hindu-majority country whereas Pakistan was a Muslim country. Pakistan was made up of two non-adjacent areas lying to the West and to the East of India. The partition resulted in riots, lootings, murders and millions of refugees pouring across new borders. ACTIVITY 4.A Match the following words to their meanings. 1. concessions a. money, goods or property taken by force 2. foster b. retreat from 3. quit c. something conceded by a controlling authority 4. withdraw d. depart from 5. commitment e. dedication to a long-term action 6. riots f. promote the growth or development of something 7. lootings g. noisy, violent public disorder ACTIVITY 4.B After reading the text India and Pakistan, combine parts 1-5 to parts a-e to make complete sentences. 1. The United Kingdom extended the right of 2. Gandhi asked Indians to use forms of non-violent resistance and 3. Gandhi was the leader of India s non-violent independence movement against British and 4. The Indian subcontinent became two new independent 5. Pakistan was a Muslim country that was made up of two non-adjacent a. civil disobedience to make the British withdraw from the country. b. areas lying to the West and to the East of India. c. citizenship to all the inhabitants in the Commonwealth. d. launched the slogan Quit India . e. States divided along religious lines. 35