The decision to partition India into two countries as part of its independence from Britain in August 1947 had dramatic consequences. The creation of Pakistan as a separate, Muslim state from India, a secular state, set off waves of displacement, migration, and violence. In this lesson, students weigh the options of leaders in 1947 and use primary sources to evaluate the Partition Plan.
![Early-20th century map shows the British Empire in India](/sites/default/files/styles/content_image/public/lessons/2017-11/India%20Partition.png?itok=yTbrcEqG)
Image: Early-20th-century map shows the British Empire in India. From the World Digital Library.