British Imperialism in India

The Sepoy Mutiny British East India Co. becomes actively involved in India’s political and military affairs In the minds of most British people, the British culture was superior by far to Indian culture British East India Co. hired Indian soldiers known as sepoys

The Sepoy Mutiny (cont.) Immediate cause: rumor – British were issuing their Indian troops new bullet cartridges w/ cow and pig fat Problem: cow sacred to Hindus; Muslims believed pork to be taboo Response: sepoys killed 50 European men, women, and children

Background Notes

The Sepoy Mutiny (cont.) Events: Revolt quickly crushed by British troops and Indian soldiers loyal to the British Rivalries between Hindus and Muslims kept the Indians from working together Result: British Parliament transferred power from East India Co. to British government Viceroy – governor who ruled as a representative of a monarch

Benefits of British rule Brought order and stability New school system: train Indian children to serve in gov’t and army System only served elite Indians (90% of Indians illiterate) Technology introduced in India Railroads, telegraph, and postal service

Costs of British Rule Economic: Agricultural: Social: British manufactured goods destroyed local industries British textile industry hurt Indian textiles and put many women out of work Increased taxes Agricultural: Many farmers became tenant framers Farmers switch from subsistence crops to cash crops Social: British rule was degrading: Indians never considered equals British racism led to Indian Nationalist movements

Indian National Movement Preferred reform to revolution Indian National Congress: Goals Seek independence for all Indians, regardless of class or religion did NOT seek immediate independence, but wanted a share in the governing process Difficulties: Religious Tension between Hindu and Muslim leaders led to calls for a separate Muslim League

Colonial Indian Culture British domination led to a political and cultural awakening Spread of nationalism led writers to search for literary forms to express a national identity Culture was expressed through a love-hate relationship w/ G.B.

Nationalism in India Early 1800s – Indians began demanding more modernization & greater role in gov’t Ram Mohun Roy – “Father of Modern India”: campaigned for the end to traditional practices: arranged child marriages rigid caste system widow suicide

Ritual of Sati Sati (Su-thi , a.k.a. suttee) is the traditional Hindu practice of a widow throwing herself on her husband's funeral pyre. Sati was prevalent among certain sects of the society in ancient India, who either took the vow or deemed it a great honor to die on the funeral pyres of their husbands.

Child Marriages In India during the 1860s, marriage meant girls getting married below 8 or 9 years old. It wasn’t until 1880 that child marriage as a problem became a public issue in India and examples of young wives being killed and or raped by their “husbands” brought the tradition to an end.