Roots of Diversity

Teacher Directions: Options for this activity include:

● Individual activity meant to be completed in a separate document within one class

time.
● Use some questions each day as an opener or closer for class time.
● Post the prompt and questions throughout the class on large sheets of paper and
allow students to add answers during class time over several days.

When a country has a large diversity in areas of culture like religion and language, this is
often the effect of certain events or factors such as immigration, colonization, conquests,
invasion, and trade.

South Asia, especially India, is diverse in both religion and language. Explore answers to
these questions in order to help you understand the reasons India is so diverse.

1. Who were the following people, and how did their actions affect what is now India?
A. Vasco de Gama
B. Emperor Akbar
C. Empress Victoria
D. Mahatma Gandhi

2. What is the East India Trading Company, and how did its growth affect India?

3. Record the approximate population of India in the following years:

1881: ____________________

1921: ____________________

1947: ____________________

2020: ____________________

4. What percentage of India practices the following religions: Buddhism, Hinduism,

Muslim, Christianity? (Answer can be written or illustraed with pie chart or graph)

5. Name the four most spoken languages in India, and briefly describe how they were
Introduced into the country.