The Partition of India: Triumph of Independence, Tragedy of Division

National History Day
2019 Guides - Theme: Triumph & Tragedy in History
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Partition of India 1947

Getting Started

Begin your research by brainstorming keywords - the words and phrases you’ll use to search for books, articles, websites, government documents, and other resources. These may include names of people and places or historical concepts like eras and movements. A librarian can suggest “subject headings” to find the most relevant resources.

Example Keywords & Catalog Subject Headings

India AND Partition
India AND Pakistan AND 1947
India -- History -- Partition, 1947

Books/Print Resources at DPL

Midnight's furies : the deadly legacy of India's partition, Hajari, Nisid, auth…
Indian summer : the secret history of the end of an empire, Von Tunzelmann, Ale…
The other side of silence : voices from the partition of India, Butalia, Urvash…
Midnight's descendants : a history of South Asia since partition, Keay, John. (…
The Partition of 1947 (Streaming Video)
A split India : negotiating independence (Streaming Video)

Database/Online Resources

Library databases are online collections of information, organized for research. Databases contain articles, eBooks, images, maps, primary sources and more. If you don’t have a library card, register online for immediate access to these resources.The following recommended databases are available on our Research and Teen Social Studies pages.

Gale eBooks

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Sample Articles
Ray, Jayita. "State Formation." Encyclopedia of India, edited by Stanley Wolpert, vol. 4, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006, pp. 102-107.
Omar, Irfan A. "Muslims." Encyclopedia of India, edited by Stanley Wolpert, vol. 3, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2006, pp. 198-205.
Sample Articles
NEVILLE, Robert. "Houses Divided." Life, vol. 23, 11 Aug. 1947, pp. 19-20.
"Birth of Two Nations." Life, vol. 23, 08 Sept. 1947, pp. 38-39.
TAYLOR, Edmond. "India's Black Morning." New Republic, vol. 117, 13 Oct. 1947, pp. 18-19.
FRYKENBERG, Robert Eric. "Partition of India: A Quarter Century After." American Historical Review, vol. 77, Apr. 1972, pp. 463-472.
Sample Articles
By A.M. ROSENTHAL. "Roots of Hindu-Moslem Hatreds." New York Times (1923-Current file), Sep 10, 1965, pp. 15.
By ELIE ABELSpecial to The New,York Times. "Nehru Hints Error in Partition of India." New York Times (1923-Current file), Feb 08, 1959, pp. 1.
By HERBERT L MATTHEWSSpecial to THE NEW,YORK TIMES. "BRITAIN ACHIEVES SOLUTION IN INDIA; LEADERS ACCEPT IT." New York Times (1923-Current file), Jun 04, 1947, pp. 1.

World History (Gale)

From the ancient world to today’s headlines. A chronicle of the great cultures and societies that have formed the history of the human race. Rare primary sources, reliable reference and multimedia content put this vast topic into context.

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Sample Articles
"Preserving Partition." NYTimes.com Video Collection, 13 Aug. 2013.
Doshi, Vidhi, and Nisar Mehdi. "70 years later, survivors recall the horrors of India-Pakistan partition." Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2017.

Internet Sources

Before using information you find on the internet for assignments and research, it is important to establish that the information comes from a reliable and appropriate source. The following websites, from government, academic and nonprofit organizations, have been evaluated for authority, accuracy, content and currency.

"December 2017: India-Pakistan Partition", Origins: Current Events in Historica…
Published by the History Departments at The Ohio State University and Miami University, this resource looks back at the victory of independence but also the tragedies of the partition of India.
"What was the Partition of India?", BBC Newsround
Research guide from the BBC that includes an introduction to the topic, what happened, why it happened, what the impact was, what it was like, and what the current situation is.
"India-Pakistan Partition News", Al Jazeera
A website hosted by Al Jazeera News that includes news, perspective, documentary video, interactive photo albums, and an interactive map of how the partition borders were drawn.

Related Research Guides

Denver Public Library and Primary Resources
Conflicts Over Borders Necessitate Compromise: The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

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