Sarah Abelow A British in Timeline 1600 –The Company, a group of British merchants, is created. The East India Company was given exclusive trading rights in the 1613- Trading Post at established 1615 - The company acquires its first territory in Bombay when Sir meets the Mughal Emperor Jhanghir and gains the right to build a in Surat. This factory was later to be followed by many factories and trading posts along the Indian Coasts. 1717 – the Mughal Emperor exempts the East India Company from paying the standard customs and duties. 1744 - 1763 - Anglo-French War In India. The actual onset of the struggles arose from Anglo-French commercial and political rivalry in India and political rivalry in Europe. There were a number of conflicts between the two countries over this period. Yet, it ended with the , which stipulated an end of French presence in India, which allowed Britain to expand to control India’s government and markets. This is also reflected in the conflict between the two countries in Europe and the Americas at the same time. 1756- The “” episode takes place. The Muslim ruler of had kidnapped and killed Company men in Calcutta. The result was the company sent Clive to handle the situation. Historians now question the legitimacy of this story and some believe that it was a myth perpetuated by the EIC to legitimize their expansion in the sub continent. 1757 – The occurs. After The East India Company backed another player in a local power struggle and fortified Fort William without the local leader’s permission. Siraj Ud Daulah attacked and captured Fort William. The East India Company under Clive regains control, kill this prince and take his territory of Bengal. 1773 – Regulating Act is approved. This act added the positions of a -General and a council to supervise the company’s actions in India. These positions were appointed by parliament. 1784- India Act, which limited the power of the East India Company, was enacted. This act also gave more power to the Governor-General. These two acts reveal the trend of diminishing EIC power and increasing the power of the British government in the sub- continent. As a result Cornwallis reforms the and the tax collection methods in attempts to curb corruption in the systems. 1792 - The EIC defeats the Marathas and Tippu Sultan of Mysore so they expand their territorial control. 1857-1858 - of the at , The Rebellion becomes a War of Independence. The Indian Mutiny started in when angry Sepoys broke open the town jail and released their comrades, who had refused to bite the new cartridges. They had refused to bite the cartridges because they were made with beef fat which Hindus are not allowed to eat. The mutineers joined by other unhappy Indians killed many English settlers and Christians in the area. They attacked European trading posts, homes and barracks across India under the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah. The massacre at Meerut led the British to retaliate who countered this rebellion so they could re-establish British rule in India. Bahadur Shah was removed from power and the British Crown takes over India. This is the beginning of the Raj and the East India Company’s political control in India was dismantled. 1864 – The First Indian admitted for a post in the Civil Service. 1876- is pronounced Empress of India and India officially becomes part of the . 1885 - is formed to get more government involvement for educated Indians. Initially the congress did not support independence but as the British did not acquiesce their demands time and time again, the congress evolved to favor complete independence from . became a prominent figure in the congress. Gandhi and the congress eventually created the mass independence movement of Indians even with their many differences with culture and caste. 1906 -though the Congress made genuine efforts to enlist the Muslim community in its struggle for Indian independence, it was inevitably a Hindu-dominated organization, and Muslims knew that an independent united India would inevitably be ruled by Hindus. So the Muslim League was founded as a political party that desired independence and the partitioning of a Muslim State separate from India that would later be . 1909 – The Morley-Minto Reforms were devised to quiet the discontent of Indians by opening numerous high positions to qualified, educated Indians. Although these reforms did not give them any control over the government, it encouraged more Indian participation in the government. The congress viewed it as a step in the right direction but they still pushed from more direct control in the government. 1914-1918 – World War I. Many Indian volunteers fought for the British in World War I and Indian factories supplied the Allied forces. British promise to give concessions for Indian sacrifices after the war but they do not truly follow through on these promises so there is a shift for more government control for Indians to complete control of the government for Indians. 1917 – Montague’s promise of self-rule for India – This promise was not carried through at the end of the war, which led the Indian Congress to refuse to support World War II. 1918-19 - Parliament passes the Rowlatt Acts. This act authorized the government to imprison anyone suspected of terrorism against the Raja without the right to a trial. It was very unpopular for Indians because it mainly excused the arrest of peaceful Indians who were against British rule. 1919 – Amristar Massacre. The British massacred 400 unarmed Indians who were peacefully listening to political speeches. This incident further swayed Indian sentiment against the British because of their cruelty and unjust behavior. Montague Chelmsford Reforms. These reforms were an attempt to fulfill the wartime promises. This program gave Indians a larger role in the government by requiring that three of the seven-person ’s advisory council would be Indian. Also there would be Indian representation in the two-house legislature. Indians would not be in control but they would have positions of influence. 1927- Formed. This commission was assigned to assess the effects of the Montagu Chelmsford Reforms. But the Indians were angry because no Indians were asked to be on the commission, so they did not cooperate with the commission. As a result the British propose the round table conferences. 1930-32 – Round Table Conferences - These discussions included every Indian interest group, which made them ineffective and chaotic. It became quite clear that there was no way for England to satisfy every single interest group. Tensions between the Muslim league and the Indian Congress became more apparent. 1935 – Act was a new plan for the Indian government, which would establish a partnership between the Indians and the British. These reforms would eventually lead to India becoming a dominion of the British Empire. 1942 – “Quit India” movement is initiated against the British because the Indians now wanted complete independence from the British. Gandhi led this non-cooperative, non- violent movement. It led to the arrest of Gandhi and Nehru. 1938-1945 – World War II – the Muslim league supports the war effort, as do some Indian troops. However, the Indian National Congress refuses to support the war effort. They had the ideology that if the British were fighting to preserve they should be allowing democratic home-rule to be practiced in India. 1947 -India and Pakistan become self-governing. Nehru is . Since Hindu and Pakistan is Muslim, there were mass migrations to the Pakistan for Muslims within India’s borders and vice versa. There was also violence after the departure of the British with riots and mobs of people of different religions against each other as the borders of these two countries were being decided.