 Sepoy Mutiny and its Consequences ( ) Mr. Grossmann Global 10 R/H

Before the Mutiny  India was fragmented, the Mughal Empire was on the decline  British East India Company controlled several areas, most trade and many resources in the name of the British Crown  The company hired Indian soldiers called sepoys to protect their investments and property

Why India?

Why India  Located centrally in Southern Asia, good spot for trade  Cash crops like indigo, sugar, spices, cotton opium, etc.  Market for finished goods  Population for labor and military service

The Sepoy Mutiny  British disregard for Indian culture and religion  Doctrine of Lapse  Conquering of Oudh  Lack of respect and representation for Indians in government and the military  Low salaries and discrimination  Cow/pork fat on gun cartridges Many Causes Although the exact cause is uncertain, the mutiny started in Northern India and spread quickly among the population

Aftermath  The rebellion is put down relatively quickly and Great Britain takes control of the country from the East India Company  Indirect  Direct control  The Raj in India begins in 1858, lasts until 1947 when India gains independence  Both positive and negative changes were implemented by the British  A growing number of Indians began to push for independence

Changes  Discrimination of Indians in many important government and military positions  Building up of infrastructure (railroads, canals, roads, etc.)  Increased focus on education and industry  Use of Indian soldiers to fight in British wars  Cash crop production hurt local farmers

The Indian National Congress  Increased education created a new middle class in India after the rebellion.  The Indian National Congress formed in 1885 to debate a larger role for Indians in the government  The Congress was split between moderates and extremists, and soon began to push for independence.  In 1915, a new leader arrived, splitting the Congress into two separate groups.

Gandhi Film Excerpts  

Mohandas Gandhi  Extensive experience in South Africa fighting for equal rights for Indians  Returns to India in 1915, tours country preaching nonviolence and living as a peasant  Uses civil disobedience across India against unfair laws and acts of injustice, arrested numerous times  Attempts to gain Indian independence, upset at partition of India in 1947  Assassinated in 1948, one year after India gains independence

Independence Terms  Muslim League: Political party in India representing Muslim interests. Key in negotiating for the partition of India.  Amritsar Massacre: 1919 massacre of Indians meeting publicly after curfew, with over 1,000 casualties. Turned public opinion against Britain in India and worldwide.  Salt March: 1930 nonviolent protest led by Gandhi involving a march to sea to make salt (a taxed good). Resulted in widespread disobedience, arrests and anti-British sentiments.  Civil disobedience: Active refusal to obey laws or demands of an authority. Widely used by Gandhi and Indians in their protests against the British.  Caste System: Entrenched social order in India with each caste holding a role in society. Gandhi fought to end this system and it is today illegal.

Partition of India  As a part of the independence plan, India was split into 2 countries, India and Pakistan  Pakistan was split into West and East (East Pakistan eventually became Bangladesh)  Split was hasty, poorly planned, and the separation line was drawn without much thought  Resulted in the largest mass migration in human history  Some 14 million people were displaced  Hundreds of thousands of people were killed in the ensuing violence 

Continued Animosity  India and Pakistan have fought over territory numerous times (Kashmir)  The two have gone to war four times since partition  Both countries have nuclear capabilities  

Political Cartoons  Symbols: Stands for larger concepts or ideas.  Exaggeration: Authors exaggerate certain characteristics to make a point.  Labeling: Certain people or objects are labeled to make it clear what they stand for.  Analogy: Comparison between two unlike things, can familiarize a concept for the viewer