British India India—Mughal Empire
1600s—Portuguese control trade in Goa
1661—British East India Co. controlled trade in Bombay
1691—British establish port of Calcutta
They were annoyed with Europeans but viewed them as harmless European Interest in India
Europeans need and have a high demand for spices, cotton, and other goods
Europeans trade by land over what route?
SILKSILK ROAD ROAD CompanyCompany Men Men
InIn thethe eighteentheighteenth centurycentury thethe MughalMughal EmpireEmpire waswas defeateddefeated andand itsits capitalcapital sackedsacked byby maraudingmarauding IranianIranian armiesarmies
Internally,Internally, thethe MughalMughal’’ss deputiesdeputies ((nawabsnawabs)) hadhad becomebecome dede factofacto independentindependent rulersrulers ofof theirtheir statesstates British,British, French,French, andand DutchDutch companiescompanies staffedstaffed byby ambitiousambitious youngyoung ““CompanyCompany MenMen”” establishedestablished tradingtrading postsposts andand strategicstrategic placesplaces TheyThey hiredhired IndianIndian troopstroops ((sepoyssepoys)) toto defenddefend them.them. ByBy thethe earlyearly 1800s1800s thethe BritishBritish EastEast IndiaIndia CompanyCompany hadhad pushedpushed thethe FrenchFrench outout ofof southsouth India,India, forcedforced thethe MughalMughal EmpireEmpire toto recognizerecognize CompanyCompany rulerule overover Bengal,Bengal, andand takentaken controlcontrol ofof largelarge territoriesterritories thatthat becamebecame thethe corecore ofof whatwhat wouldwould bebe calledcalled thethe ““BombayBombay Presidency.Presidency.”” Britain and India
Britain uses military force to subdue local independent rulers in India
British East India Company
Traded Indian drugs to China for tea for English RajRaj and and Rebellion, Rebellion, 1818 1818––18571857
TheThe BritishBritish rajraj (reign)(reign) overover IndiaIndia aimedaimed bothboth toto introduceintroduce administrativeadministrative andand socialsocial reformreform
AlsoAlso toto holdhold thethe supportsupport ofof IndianIndian alliesallies byby respectingrespecting IndianIndian socialsocial andand religiousreligious customs.customs.
TheseThese contradictorycontradictory goalsgoals ledled toto manymany inconsistenciesinconsistencies inin BritishBritish policiespolicies towardtoward IndiaIndia BeforeBefore 18501850 thethe BritishBritish createdcreated aa governmentgovernment thatthat reliedrelied onon sepoysepoy militarymilitary power,power, disarmeddisarmed thethe warriorswarriors ofof thethe IndianIndian states,states, gavegave freefree reignreign toto ChristianChristian missionaries,missionaries, andand establishedestablished aa privateprivate landland ownershipownership systemsystem inin orderorder toto easeease taxtax collection.collection.
AtAt thethe samesame time,time, thethe BritishBritish bolsteredbolstered thethe ““traditionaltraditional”” powerpower ofof princesprinces andand holyholy menmen andand inventedinvented ““traditionaltraditional”” ritualsrituals toto celebratecelebrate theirtheir ownown rule.rule. BritishBritish politicalpolitical andand economiceconomic influenceinfluence benefitedbenefited IndianIndian eliteselites andand createdcreated jobsjobs inin somesome sectorssectors whilewhile bringingbringing newnew oppressionoppression toto thethe poorpoor andand causingcausing thethe collapsecollapse ofof thethe traditionaltraditional textiletextile industryindustry DiscontentDiscontent amongamong thethe needyneedy andand particularlyparticularly amongamong thethe IndianIndian soldierssoldiers ledled toto thethe SepoySepoy RebellionRebellion ofof 1857.1857.
TheThe rebellionrebellion waswas suppressedsuppressed inin 1858,1858, butbut itit gavegave thethe BritishBritish aa severesevere shockshock Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-58
Sepoys: Indian riflemen in British army units Enfield cartridges greased with fat (cow & pig) offensive to Hindu & Muslim Troops mutinied, killed British officers, and targeted foreigners, killing many & laying siege to British garrisons India-Sepoy Rebellion 1857 British Response to the Mutiny
British forces sent to reclaim India
Bring ‘divine justice’ to “black-faced, blood-crazed savages”
The Times of London: “Execute every mutineer” “The Devil’s Wind” (British Retaliation)
Whole villages hanged for ‘sympathizing’
Blown to bits to deny entry to paradise
‘divine justice’ – “God is on our side” India—British Parliament
1858 British parliament took control of India from the East India Company
Mughal rulers were sent into exile
1877—Queen Victoria—Empress of India
Upper caste learned English, Christianity spread, and RRs and canals were built British Government Takes Over
After the Sepoy Rebellion British government takes control
India becomes main source of cotton for English textile mills
Finished goods were re-sold in India
Destroyed local hand-made clothes IndiaIndia waswas aa majormajor suppliersupplier ofof rawraw materialsmaterials
IndiansIndians mustmust IndiansIndians mustmust produceproduce rawraw JewelJewel inin thethe CrownCrown buybuy finishedfinished materialsmaterials forfor goodsgoods fromfrom BritainBritain BritainBritain
Tea,Tea, indigo,indigo, coffee,coffee, cotton,cotton, andand jute,jute, opiumopium
The Good and the Bad
Britain improved: Britain ruined Hospitals Freedom Transportation Self-determination Communication Social system Road Habits/customs Canals Increased racism Education Economic Laws & safety exploitation Improved status for women PoliticalPolitical ReformReform andand IndustrialIndustrial ImpactImpact
AfterAfter thethe rebellionrebellion ofof 18571857––18581858 thethe BritishBritish eliminatedeliminated thethe lastlast tracestraces ofof MughalMughal andand CompanyCompany rulerule andand installedinstalled aa newnew government,government, administeredadministered fromfrom London.London.
TheThe newnew governmentgovernment continuedcontinued toto emphasizeemphasize bothboth traditiontradition andand reform,reform, maintainedmaintained IndianIndian princesprinces inin luxury,luxury, andand stagedstaged elaborateelaborate ceremonialceremonial pageantspageants knownknown asas durbarsdurbars AfterAfter thethe SepoySepoy rebellionrebellion aa riserise inin IndianIndian nationalismnationalism beginsbegins toto taketake effect.effect. India Independence Where This Is Headed
1880’s India sets up a national congress to work towards independence Britain reluctant to give up prize World War I and World War II interrupt India’s independence Mohandas Gandhi leader in peaceful movement to gain independence in 1848 India divides into Pakistan (Muslim) and India (Hindu)