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