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British in India
Pre-Imperialism
• British East India Company 1600’s• Mughal Dynasty lost power, B.E.I.C. seized
opportunity. • Battle of Plassey (1757) over Bengal territory.
Allowed BEIC to grow rich enough to take stronger hold of country. – “British rule in India had "an unsavoury beginning and
something of that bitter taste has clung to it ever since." Jawaharlal Nehru
British Control• Gov’t. “officially” regulated company. Why
would they do this?• Company had own army with British officers
and sepoys. • Sepoys were Indian soldiers working for BEIC.• “Jewel in the Crown.”
Economic Demands
• Restrictions on economy by British gov’t:– India=raw materials/U.K.=finished goods– India couldn’t compete w/ British finished
goods.
Economic Output
• Plantation crops were most of raw materials produced. – Tea, indigo, coffee, cotton, opium, jute..
Rebellion
• Frustrated w/ racism, scared of possibility that they may make them convert.
• Sepoy seen as “a delicate and dangerous machine, which a little mismanagement may easily turn against us.”
Beginnings
• How did it start? – Rumor about cartridges spread. Refused
ammo./ were jailed. Rebellion started next day.
– Oversea travel is offense to some who follow Hindu religion
• England sent troops to help BEIC• Why couldn’t the Indians win?
– Religious split between Hindu and Muslim.
Result• England takes
control of India in 1858 because of mutiny, and punish the Indians who revolted.
• Hung, or lashed to cannons and blown away – religious aspects
British Raj
• 1857-1947 Period of direct British Rule
• Viceroy.• 11 provinces with
British running each district. Over 300 million controlled by 3,500!
• Racist attitudes = distrust and anger.
Nationalist Groups
• Indian National Congress– Fought for
political rights at first
– Changed to social, nationalist ideas
– Gandhi begins his movement
India becomes valuable
• One thing allowed India to become valuable. What was it?
Impact
• Positives:– World’s 3rd largest railroad network connected
regions, roads/phones/bridges/irrigation etc.=modernization, health and education.
• Negatives– Social/Economic/Political freedoms lost– Cash crops=famine (30 Million dead in 100
years)– Racist attitudes=Indian traditions lost and
nationalistic movement