British Imperialism in India

1. British Imperialism in India

2. Before Colonization:The Mughal Empire In the Mughal Empire (1526-1757), Muslims were favored over the majority Hindus. Decline of the Mughals began with religious conflict between Muslims and Hindus and resulted in infighting and a dividedempire. Muslims were the majority in the Northwest (modern Pakistan) and Northeast (modern Bangladesh). Many cities and some villages were mixed.

3. India—MughalEmpire • 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

4. British Imperialism • “The Sun never sets on the British Empire” • Britain had established colonies all around the world • India was one of their most important • Called the “jewel of the crown”

5. India was a major supplier of raw materials Indians must buy finished goods from Britain Indians must produce raw materials for Britain Jewel in the Crown Tea, indigo, coffee, cotton, and jute, opium

6. British East India Company • Established to control trade between India and Britain (1600) • Company established trading rights in India during the Mughal Empire

7. British East India Company • Mughal Empire was in decline • Early 1700’s • States began to break away from Mughal rule • East India Company gained control of large parts of India

8. British East India Company • Company ran India without interference from Britain • Established its own army • Led by British officers • Used Indian soldiers known as Sepoys

9. British East India Company • British tried to force changes on India • Brought western education • Tried to end caste system • Banned Hindu custom of sati • Practice of Hindu widows throwing themselves on husbands funeral pyre • Christian missionaries tried to spread religion • Indians saw this as an attack on Hinduism and their culture

10. SepoyMutiny • British officers angered Sepoys by demanding they follow rules that go against their religious beliefs (1857) • Were required to bite off bullet cartridges covered in pork and beef fat • Cows sacred to Hindus • Muslims not allowed to eat pork

11. SepoyMutiny • British punished Sepoys who refused to load rifles • Hindus and Muslims revolted against the British in 1857 • Both sides committed atrocities against each other • British crushed the rebellion in 1858

12. Areas of the Sepoy Mutiny, 1857

13. 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”

14. “The Devil’s Wind” (BritishRetaliation) • Whole villages hanged for ‘sympathizing’ • Blown to bits to deny entry to paradise • ‘divine justice’ – “God is on our side”

18. British gov’t rules India directly Led to feelings of distrust between Indians and British Britain ended the rule of the British East India Company Atrocities committed by both sides Impact of the Sepoy Mutiny

19. The British Raj • Raj refers to the period of British direct rule in India • Indian Civil Service • Government agency that carried the British administration of India

20. 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

21. British Government Takes Over • After the Sepoy Rebellion  British government takes control • Viceroy or governor set up • India becomes main source of cotton for English textile mills • Finished goods were re-sold in India • Destroyed local hand-made clothes

23. Positives of British Rule Negatives of British Rule • New roads and Railroads link India • Telegraph and Postal systems unite people in India • Irrigation systems improve farming • New laws mean justice for all people • Exposure to western education • Customs that threatened Human rights ended • Indian resources are removed from India and sent to Britain • Indians forced to buy British made goods instead of local made products • Farms grow cash crops rather than food crops • Indians are treated as inferior • British try to replace Indian culture with western culture

24. Victoria Station, Bombay

25. Chartered Bank of Calcutta, 1915

26. What did the British get? • Control over raw materials, especially cotton, to ports for shipment to England • To bring manufactured goods from England for sale in an expanding Indian market • Insanely rich • Spread of British language, customs, and religion • Theft of many artworks and cultural treasures – sculpture, paintings and other Indian artifacts - which can be seen in many British museums today • The chance for any Englishman with half a brain to come to India, make a name for himself, get rich, and have a position of power and respect

27. Kicking India around

28. What was negative for the British? • Paid for infrastructure (roads, telephone, railroads, etc.) and development • Paid for education • Money spent on military and government in India • Needed a large military presence to maintain control • Created the class of educated Indians (the INC) who would force the British to leave India in 1947—less than a century after the beginning of Direct Rule

29. Indian Nationalism • The British rule of India during the Raj contributed to the growth of Indian nationalism • Desire for self rule among Indians

30. Indians felt they were treated as 2nd class citizens Barred from top jobs in Indian Civil Service Rise of Nationalism in India Paid less than British workers Wanted more of a say in government

31. Indian Nationalism • Ram Mohun Roy • Believed Indians had to change in order to be free from western control • Change some traditional practices • Sati, rigid caste structure, arranged marriages • Called for India to modernize and westernize • writings contributed to growth of nationalism

32. Growth of Indian Nationalism Hindu Indian National Congress (1885) Became leaders of Indian Independence Desire for Self Rule Muslim League (1906) Muslim

33. Indian Nationalism • The Indian National Congress (1885) • Primarily made up of Hindus • Pushed for self rule • Boycotted British goods to protest division of Bengal by religion • Swadeshi boycott • Wore only traditional Indian clothing

34. Indian Nationalism • The Muslim League • Formed to protect the interest of Muslims in India • Called for self rule

35. Partition!