4A Reading Guide

Topic 4 Reading Guide

Themes
1) How did the British legitimize their rule in India?
2) What forms of resistance did the Indians use against the British? What were the different beliefs behind them?
3) What were the divisions in Indian society that hampered independence movements?
4) How did the British react to Indian resistance?

Webct Readings
Outbreak of Mutiny
1) What role did the servants play?
2) Why would the story of the servants be appealing to the English? What does it say about English rule?
3) In the last paragraph, how do the English react to their suffering? How would this appeal to the English?

Bal Gangadhar Tilak
1) What does it mean to be a moderate or an extremist? How do these labels change?
2) What is the British government’s key weakness in India?
3) How does Tilak think this weakness can be exploited?

Gandhi
1) What did Gandhi learn from jail?
2) How did Gandhi’s self-sacrifice help his life? What political lessons does it have?
3) What does self denial do in Gandhi’s view?

Supplementary Reading
302-314
343-354