19 th century British dominance of India 1795-1905

1. 19th century British dominance of India1795-1905 Presentation created by Robert Martinez Primary Content Source: A Short History of the World Images as cited.

2. During the second half of the 18th century, the British East India Company increased its control of India. Initially, it had no plans for the conquest of India, but viewed its role as primarily commercial. Territories were only annexed to protect the company’s commercial interests. khyber.org history.howstuffworks.com

3. The threat of an invasion of India by Napoleon prompted a more proactive British policy. Mysore was defeated in 1799 and the Maratha Confederacy was conquered in 1818.

4. Annexed territories included Kumaon and Ceylon, Peishwa’s Lands and Chota Nagpur. Independent states such as Hyderabad, Rajputana and Kashmir were reduced to dependencies, with British troops garrisoned on their territory. weaponsandwarfare.com

5. From 1848, Lord Dalhousie, the governor-general, followed the policy of ‘lapse.’ When a Hindu prince died without heir, his lands automatically passed to the Company. craftycristian.com

6. The British acquired several new territories in the course of military campaigns to protect India’s borders to the northwest and east. To secure the northwest frontier from the possibility of Russian incursion, the Company twice attempted to take control of Afghanistan. asianhistory.about.com

7. In both the First and Second Afghan Wars (1839-1842 and 1878-1880), the British occupied Kabul but failed to dominate the rest of the country. The northwest frontier of British India was extended with the conquest of Sind the Punjab. britishbattles.com

8. In response to a threat from Burma in the east, the Company took over Assam, Arakan and Tenasserim (1824-1826). Burma was brought under full British control in 1886. heritage-history.com asiantribune.com

9. The East India Company was successful in defending India from external threats, but was often less sure-footed in its dealings with India’s people. thediplomat.com

10. The prohibition of local customs and traditions under Lord Bentinck (governor-general 1828-1835), the practice of Christian conversion, and the insistence on English as the language of education and commerce, all contributed to growing discontent among Indians. This flared into a full-scale rebellion known as the Indian Mutiny, in 1857. en.wikipedia.org

11. The Indian Mutiny began in one of the Company’s native armies, the Bengal sepoys, who were stationed in Meerut, near Delhi. A rumor spread among Hindu and Muslim soldiers that the rifle cartridges had been greased with pork and beef fat, which would have violated the dietary laws of both religions. en.wikipedia.org

12. The rebellion spread quickly through northern and central India. Delhi was captured and two other cities besieged. However, the rebels were poorly organized with few weapons, and by 1859, they had been defeated. en.wikipedia.org

13. Nevertheless, the rebellion sent shockwaves through British India, and caused widespread changes. The first and most noticeable change came in 1858. The East India Company was dissolved and the British government began to rule India directly. victorianweb.org

14. There were other less overt changes. A mutual distrust soured relations between the rulers and the indigenous population from that time on. The Anglo-Indian community became more insular and disconnected from the native population. britishempire.co.uk

15. Gurkha and Sikh troops, who had remained loyal during the rebellion, formed the core of the reformed British Indian army. .himalayan-imports.com

16. The period in which India was ruled directly by the British government is known as the Raj. In the administration of its territories, the East India Company had already introduced British-style institutions, including a British judicial system. en.wikipedia.org

17. The process of Westernization gathered pace during the Raj. Railway, telephone and telegraph networks were constructed; irrigation schemes expanded; and universities established. en.wikipedia.org

18. Indians were educated in the principles of a competitive market economy and Protestant values. However, in many ways Britain’s economic interests would not have been well served by transforming India into a fully Westernized nation. opinion-maker.org

19. In fact, the British did little to promote industrialization, aware that India’s primary purpose was to supply raw materials for British manufacturers – particularly cotton for the textile industry – and to provide a captive market for British goods. vam.ac.uk

20. After the Indian Mutiny, Indians were increasingly denied a role in the administration of their country. Many began to desire a more representative form of government. history1800s.about.com

21. The other resource that India had in abundance was people. Thousands of Indian men served as soldiers, defending the British Empire around the world. tingsic.tumblr.com

22. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885, initially to promote the cause Indians within the empire. However, by the early 1900s it had emerged as the major voice of Indian nationalist aspirations, calling for a government and constitution that reflected the will of the entire population. pbs.org

23. Soon this demand would evolve into a movement to end British rule in India. indianetzone.com