British Imperialism in India

India

Great Britain in India 1600’s Great Britain set up trading posts through out India

British East India Company ● controlled British trade in India

British East India Company 1800’s: company operated in India with no regulation by British government company had its own army Company army led by British army officers

Sepoys Indians who joined British armies in India Resented by other Indians

“Jewel in the Crown” Great Britain considered India its most precious jewel (colony) in its Imperial crown

“Jewel in the Crown” Industrial Revolution turned India into a major supplier of raw materials to Great Britain 300 million Indians were a large market for British products

“Jewel in the Crown” British forbade India from trading on its own with other countries India was forced to produce raw materials for only Britain and to buy finished products from only Britain

Raw Materials Taken from India Tea Indigo (dye for clothing)

Raw Materials Taken from India Coffee Cotton

Positives for India Great Britain laid the world’s third largest railroad network in India Railroads brought unity to disconnected regions in India Modern road network ■ Telephone and telegraph lines Dams, bridges, canals Sanitation and public health improved Schools/ colleges founded Truces between local warring rulers in India

Negatives for India British held all political and economic power Cash crops made it impossible for small farmers to produce enough food for themselves Racist attitudes of most British officials and missionaries threatened Indian traditional life

Indians Rebel Indians were angry at attempts to forcefully convert them to Christianity By 1850 most Indians hated that Great Britain owned their country ■ Indians were angry at the constant racism expressed towards them by the British Indians were angry Britain controlled all useful land in their country

Sepoy Mutiny 1857 gossip spread amongst Sepoys (Indian soldiers for the British) the seals of their ammunition had to be bitten off they believed the British dipped the seals of their ammunition in beef and pork (Hindus can not eat beef/ Muslims can not eat pork)

Sepoy Mutiny British commander was outraged when 85 Sepoys refused to accept the ammunition The Sepoys were jailed for disobeying orders May 10, 1857 Sepoys rebelled; because they were sick of British harassment East India Company took more than a year to regain control of the country

Ram Mohun Roy (1772-1833) Leader of movement to make changes to India so they could be free from Britain.

Amritsar Massacre (Spring 1919) alliance of Hindus and Muslims scared the British 10,000 Hindus and Muslims went to the city of Amritsar to pray and hear political speeches

Amritsar Massacre (Spring 1919) Britain had earlier banned public protests: Britain issued the ban without informing most Indians! British General Reginald Dyer ordered his troops to fire on the unarmed crowd without warning Shooting lasted 10 minutes: 400 Indians Killed; 1200 wounded news of the massacre spread rapidly across India: Indians demanded independence

Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Amritsar Massacre set the stage for Mohandas Gandhi to become leader of the Indian Independence Movement

Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) Gandhi preached/practiced Civil Disobedience-deliberate and public refusal to obey any unjust law Also he told people not to buy British products.

Great Britain Grants India Self-Rule 1935 Government of India Act ■ British Parliament allows India some self- rule Gandhi and his campaign was successful This was the first step in full independence for India India does not get full independence till after WWII