The British Take Over India Chapter 12 Section 2

Indian Diversity The British conquered vast territory by exploiting diversity of India Indians who had different traditions and languages were not able to unite against new comers (the British) The British took advantage of the Indians by encouraging competition and disunity

East Indian Company British Policy British Officials Introduced Make more money Make leading officials very rich In the process they tried to: Improved roads Preserve peace and reduce Banditry (robbers) End slavery & the caste system (the organization of classes within a society) Western education Legal procedures Christianity ( by trying to convert Indians) Social change The improvement of the position of women in the family

One law that was changed: Sati=a Hindu custom practiced mainly by the upper class. A widow would join her husband in death by throwing herself on his funeral fire.

FYI Hinduism All life is sacred Basic beliefs Animals respected Cow is sacred Most Hindus are vegetarians Basic beliefs World is evil Reincarnation after death (animal or human) Soul purified by completion of caste duties Reverence for animals Escape world’s evils through prayer

Causes of Discontent Unpopular Moves by East Indian Co. They required the sepoys (Indian soldiers) to serve anywhere, in India or overseas FYI- It was an offense against the Hindu religion to travel overseas for the high-caste Hindus It passed laws for Hindus widows to remarry (This was viewed by the Hindus as a Christian conspiracy to undermine the Hindu beliefs) British issued rifles to sepoys in which the sepoys had to bite off the tips of cartridges that was made of animal fat of cows or pigs. Hindus believed cows were sacred and pigs were forbidden to Muslims

Rebellion & Aftermath Sepoys Rebel British Crushed Revolts Sepoys had an uprising against their British officers which spread across India Sepoys murdered British men, women, & children Torched villages Murdered thousands of unarmed Indians This left bitterness, fear, & mistrust on both sides Parliament ended East Indian Co. & sent more troops to India

Positives and Negatives POSITIVE EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM ON COLONIAL POWERS + Provides manufacturers with cheap raw materials and markets + Profitable business opportunities: increased trade + Opened up colonial careers for government officials and military men + More military bases, human resources, and world prestige   NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM ON COLONIAL POWERS - Taxpayers had to finance colonial improvements and defense - Colonial rivalries often resulted in war - Increased the belief that colonial people are inferior to you - Colonial people disliked their ruling people POSITIVE EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM ON COLONIES + Established industries, furthered agriculture, and developed natural resources + Improved communication and transportation + Trained people with new skills and provided employment + Constructed educational and health facilities + Attempted to stop native warfare as well as barbaric practices + Introduced Western Culture: Christianity, democracy, and modern science + Trained colonies in the ideas of government   NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF IMPERIALISM ON COLONIES - Drained wealth from the area - Only emphasized mineral and agricultural production, and discouraged colonial manufacturing - Required long hours of work with very little pay - Discriminated against native people and degraded the culture - Introduced new diseases - Imperial countries were often known as the native oppressors

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