New Nations in South Asia and Southeast Asia

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to the independence and development of nations in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Partition

The division of British-ruled India into separate Hindu and Muslim nations (India and Pakistan) in 1947.

Sikh

A South Asian religious minority; some sought greater autonomy or independence in the Punjab region of India.

Kashmir

A state in the Himalayas, a point of contention between India and Pakistan, with both countries claiming and controlling parts of it.

Jawaharlal Nehru

India's first prime minister who worked to build a modern, secular nation, increase economic growth, and reduce discrimination against lower castes.

Dalits

People in the lowest castes in India, for whom the government set aside jobs and places in universities.

Indira Gandhi

Prime minister of India for most of the 1960s, 1970s and up to 1984; had global influence but faced challenges due to religious conflicts.

Punjab

A prosperous, largely Sikh state in India where some Sikhs wanted greater autonomy.

Golden Temple

The most prominent Sikh house of worship where Sikh dissidents organized protests; it was later attacked by Indian troops.

Bangladesh

Formerly East Pakistan, it declared independence in 1971 due to governmental neglect and cultural differences; means “Bengali nation”

Nonalignment

A policy of neutrality during the Cold War, adopted by some developing nations to avoid alignment with either the United States or the Soviet Union.

Autocratic

A government in which a single ruler or party has unlimited power.

Aung San Suu Kyi

A Burmese political leader who fought for democracy in Myanmar despite facing house arrest and opposition from the military junta.

Sukarno

The first president of Indonesia, who led the country's independence movement and later embraced guided democracy.

Suharto

An Indonesian general who seized power in 1965 and ruled as president for over 30 years, implementing the New Order.

East Timor

A former Portuguese colony that was annexed by Indonesia in 1975, later gaining independence in 2002 after years of conflict.

Ferdinand Marcos

President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986; declared martial law in 1972, becoming an increasingly autocratic ruler.

Benigno Aquino

A Philippine senator and vocal critic of President Marcos, his assassination in 1983 ignited widespread protests.

Corazon Aquino

The wife of Benigno Aquino who became president of the Philippines in 1986 after Marcos was ousted; she worked to restore democracy.