THE BRITISH IN INDIA

1. THE BRITISH IN INDIA Ruled largely by the British East India Company They hired sepoys, Indian soldiers, for protection

2. Key Events Sepoy mutiny (The Great Rebellion) – a revolt of the sepoys, the First War of Independence, in 1857. Began because of a growing Indian distrust of the British. After its failure, India officially became a British possession

3. Key People Queen Victoria – British Queen (Empress of India) Mohandas Gandhi – leader of the nonviolent movement for independence Rabindranath Tagore – writer and poet, social reformer, spiritual leader, educator, philosopher, singer, painter, and international spokesperson for moral concerns

4. RESULTS Political: British provided a single system of law and government that unified India. Provided jobs, educational opportunities, and English as a unifying language Economic: built roads and railroads and set up the telegraph system. Destroyed India’s cottage industry by selling British manufactured goods

5. RESULTS CONTINUED… • Health: Built hospitals, introduced new medicines, and provided famine relief. Health care led to a population explosion (with no increase in economic opportunities) • Social: British looked down upon Indians and treated Indian culture as inferior. Indian workers provided inexpensive labor (worked long hours under poor conditions)

6. POLITICAL: ECONOMIC: IMPACT OF BRITISH RULE IN INDIA HEALTH: SOCIAL:

7. Assignment Make two separate charts listing the advantages and disadvantages of British rule in India. Consider both the Indian perspective and the British perspective. Advantages Disadvantages Indian Perspective Indian Perspective British Perspective British Perspective