The migrations throughout history have had a significant impact on both the countries and the regions of the migrated. The migrations of the Hindus and Muslims between Pakistan and India and also the Africans to Americas, has caused influential change. The migrations both caused change yet, they were very unique from each other. The migrations between Pakistan and India were almost all voluntary. Ghandi, a forerunner for Indian independence, hoped the Muslims and Hindus could eventually unite in one country.
However, chaos broke out due to such differences in the society (Doc 7). Ghandi finally accepted the fact that there had to be two different countries but still begged for a peaceful settlement. After Ghandi was assassinated by a radical Hindu, the mass migration of Hindus and Muslims between the two countries began. This is possibly one of the most famous migrations due to the speed and the amount of people moved between the two countries.
The speed of the migrations had many negative effects on both societies. Many towns and living conditions simply were destroyed because of the mass movement (Doc 8). People , such as the minorities who chose not to move (Doc 8), or the people left with no aid (Doc 9) were left separated. The Muslim population struggled to have political unity because of the geographic separation of Pakistan. Islam formed a bridge connecting east and west Pakistan.
Even today there are barriers in Pakistan. Unlike the migration of Hindus and Muslim, the migration of Africans to the Americas was completely forced. The slave trade started when Bishop Bartolomeo de las Casas was looking for a way to stop the Native Americans from dying of European diseases. Later he regretted his decision because he saw the inhuman mistreatment of the slaves (Doc 1). The triangle trade route was used to have Europeans bring goods to Africa in order to trade for slaves.
Plantation owners deemed slaves as a necessary part to plantation life (Doc 2). The African society was torn apart by slave wars. Africa then became politically fragmented. Although both migrations seem similar, the migrations were extremely unique and different. While Africa was torn by warring tribes, India and Pakistan were left desolate by the destruction of mass migration. Both migrations still have lingering effects on the areas. The changes brought by both migrations helped to shape our world.
