South Asia Review

South Asia Test Review

By Mr. Saccomanno

Aryans

Thousands of years ago, a group of cattle herders relocated to central India. They brought with them a rigid caste structure which divided people into four classes.

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This is an example of Cultural Diffusion.

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Is dividing people into castes (Classes) a good thing or a bad thing? ​

India's freedom from British Rule

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Who Was Gandhi?

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• ​ He used peaceful protests to make a change

• He managed to lead a peaceful revolution against the British Empire in the mid-20th century and make his own country free.

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On August 15, 1947, India became an independent country, and so did Pakistan.

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Hint: Gandhi used PEACEFUL methods of resistance

Why was this important to early India?​

1. It provided a defense from invaders from the north;

2. It provided protection from India's enemies.

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Fact: The snow on the Himalayas ​doesn't melt!

The Himalayan Mountains provided a natural physical barrier between India and China. ​

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Although the number zero originated in India, it was spread by Arabic travelers around the world.

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Hence the term "Arabic numbers"​

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Fact: the symbols of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 were all made in India!

Where did the number zero come from?

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Vaisakhi

What is it? Why is is important?

Vaisakhi, also pronounced Baisakhi, marks the first day of the month of Vaisakh and is traditionally celebrated annually on April 13th and sometimes April 14th as a celebration of spring harvest primarily in Northern India. Further, other Indian cultures and diaspora celebrate this festival too.

Fact: It is a very important day for the Sikhs.

​It marks the Sikh new year and commemorates the formation of Khalsa panth of warriors under Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.

Harvest Festival

​ In 1699, Guru Gobind Singh chose the festival as the moment to establish the Khalsa

Guru Gobind ​​Singh

The collective name given to Sikhs who've been baptised.

Khalsa ​​

Signifies the victory of brightness over darkness.

Diwali (Deepavali)

​ India's biggest and most important holiday of the year.

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Deepavali is the Sanskrit word for ​"array of lights."

What happened when British rule ended in India?

​Under colonialism, Indian religion clashed directly with British Christianity.

• ​In 1947 the British withdrew from the area and it was partitioned into two independent countries - India (mostly Hindu) and Pakistan (mostly Muslim).

Fact: This greatly improved the government of India

The ability of American companies to hire a large labor force in India at a lower rate of pay to work in call centers has decreased the number of jobs in America and created a middle class in India

Question: Do you think this is ok to do? Why? Why not?

Outsourcing

​Hiring workers in other countries to do a set of jobs

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Other factors:

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• Life expectancy;

• Literacy (Ability to read)​;

• Population ​

Don't get fooled by the large numbers! GDP Per Capita is the most important indicator.

GDP Per Capita is the ultimate indicator of the health of a country's economy!

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​The Green Revolution was a period when productivity of global agriculture increased drastically as a result of new advances.

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For example: Crops grew because of ​research and development.

Green Revolution