THE BRITISH RAJ AND THE FIRST WAR OF INDEPENDENCE

Learn about

The arrival of the Europeans in India.

The establishment of the British Empire in India.

The rising discontent among the Indians.

The Revolt of 1857.

European Traders

India was very famous for its spices, gold, pearls and silk.

Vasco da Gama came to India in the 15th century.

The Dutch, French and English traders followed the Portuguese to India.

The British defeated the others & formed the English East India Company in 1600.

The British got the funds for Industrial Revolution from India.

British Control So, they now needed a steady

supply of raw materials for their factories.

They now wanted control over the land.

Meanwhile, the Mughal Empire in India had started declining. The British took advantage of the constant fighting between regional kingdoms.

The first stage was marked by the Battle of Plassey (1757).

The farmers in India were forced to grow crops like Indigo & Cotton. (they purchased these at very low prices)

The finished products were sold in India.The Indian indigenous industries suffered.

Discontent among Indians

The British made unjust law to take control over more & more kingdoms.

Many of the Indians- the farmers, workers, traders and rulers were angry & dissatisfied with the British rule.

On 29 March 1857, Mangal Pandey attacked a British officer near Kolkata.

The revolt of 1857

The new rifles that the soldiers had to use- to load these rifles, they had to bite off the ends of greased cartridges.

A rumor spread among the soldiers that the cartridges were greased with the fat of cows and pig.

On 10 May 1857 The Indian soldiers in Meerut shot down their officers.The last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was asked to lead the revolt.

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