Understanding Migration: T-Chart Activity—India

Section 3: Using T-Charts and Writing Prompts to Explore Migration

Section 3 contains a series of parallel activities that explore specific real-world examples of migration. Each short unit contains a simple reading, written for a middle-level audience, a T-chart activity, and a writing prompt, which can be done as an individual class assignment, in small groups, as an entire class, or as homework. Case Study 2: The Partition of India After colonial rule, the British left India in 1947, under the agreement that it be Partitioned-divided-along religious lines. Areas where a majority of Hindus lived were given to India; areas where mostly Muslims lived became the new country of Pakistan. After Partition millions of people found themselves on the "wrong" side of the border. The city of Calcutta and the surrounding area, whose population was 75% Hindu, were awarded to India. This case study asks students to consider whether Calcutta's Muslim residents should remain or to set out and create new lives in Pakistan.