7th Grade UBD - Unit 5 – South Asia. Government and Politics- India has a constitutional government that ensures democratic rights. Economic Development-

Modern India7th Grade UBD - Unit 5 – South Asia

Preview

Government and Politics- India has a

constitutional government that ensures

democratic rights.

Economic Development- India has industry and

commerce. Still, nearly half of the people are poor.

Society and Culture- India is a leader in modern

entertainment. Yet traditional entertainment and

foods remain popular.

Reach Into Your Background

India has great deal of

cultural diversity, or

variety. Think about

the idea of diversity.

The United States is

culturally diverse, too.

Why do you think this

is so?

(5 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Introducing IndiaVideo- Introducing India

Key Ideas- Government and Politics

India has preserved its democratic government

despite many obstacles.

India’s great size and diversity pose problems for the

nation.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have continued

since partition. India tried to keep friendly relations

with the Soviet Union and the United States during

the Cold War.

Democracy Amid Diversity

Great Britain granted

independence to India and

Pakistan in 1947.

Since then, India has built a

tradition of democratic

government. Its constitution

set goals of justice, liberty,

equality, and brotherhood.

Elections in India are very

competitive.

Democracy Amid Diversity

Like the United States,

India has a federal

system: power is

divided between the

federal government and

the states.

Voters elect candidates

to local, state, and

national offices.

Challenges to Unity

India’s unity has faced

severe tests. All of India has

rarely in its history been

unified under one

government.

Many forces threaten to tear

India apart. They include

religious conflict, regional

differences.

India and the World

India won

independence just as

the Cold War conflict

between the United

States and the Soviet

Union began.

India did not want to

line up with either the

United States or the

Soviet Union so it

adopted a policy of

nonalignment.

Key Term

Nonalignmen

t- A country’s

policy of

avoiding

alliances with

any

superpower.

India and the World

To protect its borders, India

has spent heavily on defense.

In 1974, it successfully tested

an atomic bomb.

India claimed it wanted to

develop nuclear power for

peaceful purposes.

But it has refused to sign a

treaty that bans the use of

nuclear weapons.

Key Term

The Cold War-

A time of

tension

between the

United States

and the former

Soviet Union

without actually

war; it lasted

from 1945 to

1991.

The Cold WarReading Handout- The Cold War

Questions

1. In what year did India and Pakistan gain

independence from Great Britain?

2. Like the United States, India has a

federal system where power is divided

between what levels of government?

Answers

1. In what year did India and Pakistan gain

independence from Great Britain?

Great Britain granted independence to India and Pakistan in

1947.

2. Like the United States, India has a federal system

where power is divided between what levels of

government?

India has a federal system where power is divided between

the federal government and the state governments.

Key Ideas- Economic Development

Reforms in India have encouraged economic

growth.

Despite progress India is still a country of

contrasts between modern industrial centers

and subsistence farmers.

Caste is an obstacle to economic change, but

efforts to ease caste restriction faces

protests.

Economic Growth

By the 1980s India’s

economy was not growing.

So the government turned

to economic reforms.

It cut back on regulations

and privatized government

run industries.

Today, India ranks among

the world’s leading

industrial nations.

Economic Growth

India has a mixed economy that combines

government-run industries and private

industries.

The government also nationalized, or took

over, the ownership of some industries.

To protect Indian industries from foreign

competition, the government restricted

imports.

Key Term

Capital-

Money used

for

investment.

Key Term

Nationalized-

Ownership of

industries

taken over by

the

government.

Industry

India is a nation of

contrasts. Small

businesses thrive in

villages. In other places,

huge manufacturing

centers make steel and

other products.

India’s cottage

industries are valuable

to the nation’s economy.

Key Term

Cottage

Industries-

Small family

businesses,

where goods

are made in

the home.

Industry

Huge industrial

centers are also

important to India.

Industry spreads

out from India’s

leading cities.

Rail Systems

Good

transportation has

sped up India’s

development.

Rail transport is

the most

important. India

has one of the

world’s largest rail

systems.

Eyewitness to History 14Reading Handout- Eyewitness to History 14

Caste System

The caste system is still

important in modern

India. However, it is less

rigid in cities because

people of different castes

mingle while working.

The caste system

remains strong in

villages.

Two Faces of India

Only a minority of people

enjoy the wealth India

has produced.

Great wealth and great

poverty are a terrible

contrast in today’s India.

The rich and the large

middle class enjoy a high

standard of living while

the poor struggle to

simply survive.

India-Rich and PoorVideo- Rich and Poor

Questions

1. How do living conditions of the

wealthy compare with living

conditions of the poor?

2. What do you think is the greatest

problem facing India today? Explain

why.

Answers

1. How do living conditions of the wealthy compare

with living conditions of the poor?

Wealthy people live in large houses with servants and

own several cars. The children go to a private school

and the family gets medical care whenever they need

it. The poor struggle to survive in India.

2. What do you think is the greatest problem facing

India today? Explain why.

Students answers will vary.

Key Ideas- Society and Culture

India has varied rich traditions

in dance and music.

Even as India modernizes, its

ancient tastes and culture

remain vivid and alive.

The Foods of South Asia

Many of the food

traditions of India,

Pakistan, and the rest

of the region are

thousands of years

old.

They reflect religion,

tradition, and culture.

The Foods of South Asia

India has several food

traditions, including the

use of a wide variety of

spices.

Hindus are strict

vegetarians. As protein

substitutes, Indian food

often includes beans,

peas and peanuts.

Key Term

Vegetarian -

A person who

does not eat

meat.

The Foods of South Asia

India and Pakistan tend to

mix ingredients into thick

spicy dishes commonly called

curry.

The curry is typically served

hot with either rice or

flatbread called naan.

Indians and Pakistanis use the

naan to scoop up the curry

when they eat.

The Foods of South Asia

Because Pakistan is

largely Muslim, cuisine

there is made to specific

Islamic practices

regarding food

preparation.

For example, Pakistani

foods don’t use pork.

Rather, their traditional

dishes include meats like

chicken, lamb, and beef.

Questions

1. What do Indians and Pakistanis use to

scoop up the curry when they eat?

2. Pakistani traditional dishes include

meats like chicken, lamb, and beef as

substitutes to what type of food?

Answers

1. What do Indians and Pakistanis use to scoop up the

curry when they eat?

Indians and Pakistanis use the naan, a type of bread,

to scoop up the curry when they eat.

2. Pakistani traditional dishes include meats like chicken,

lamb, and beef as substitutes to what type of food?

Pakistani foods don’t use pork in traditional dishes.

Independent Activity

What has been the

“muddiest” point so

far in this lesson? That

is, what topic remains

the least clear to you?

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)