1. Notes #3 – British India to Indian Independence

2. The British expand their empire to include India.
The British East India Company, known for tea, became interested in India because of its exotic trade goods.
- By mid-1850’s, Britain controlled 3/5th of India

3. What were the British Imperialistic Motives in India?
1. Economic:
India was a source of raw materials & served as a new market
Britain helped to modernize India by:
building roads, r.r.’s & telegraph lines.
developing industry
Pushing the growth of cash crops; such as cotton

4. What were the British Imperialistic Motives in India?
2. Political:
British held top jobs in government (indirect rule)
Forced Sepoy’s (Indian soldiers) to serve in British military
3. Religion & Ideological
Spread Christianity
Improved medical care & education
British felt they were making improvements to Indian life

5. Native Indians resist British imperialism.
Sepoy Rebellion – (1858)
Sepoy’s rebel against British changes that violated their Hindu religion & massacre a British village
Result: British Parliament takes direct rule and military control of India

6. Indians resist British imperialism
2. Indian National Congress: (1885)
The goal of the Congress was to bring self-rule back to India.
Members included: educated Indian professionals & businessmen.
As a result of British education, Indians used ideas like democracy & equality against the British.
Indians also wanted these values for themselves.

8. The Leader of the Indian Nationalism Movement was Mohandas Gandhi
In the 1920’s, Gandhi led movements for Indian Independence by using Civil Disobedience. Civil Disobedience is the refusal to obey unjust laws.
Gandhi embraced ideas of democracy and equality and pushed for Indian independence
An example of civil disobedience was the salt march in March, 1930
Gandhi protested the British monopoly on salt
Gandhi was arrested but it brought national attention to Gandhi’s fight for Indian Independence.

9. Indian Independence came in 1947.
(After WWII!)

10. A Modern Connection: What is the connection between Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.
Describe what is similar about the two pictures.
Why do you think using civil disobedience worked so well for Gandhi and later Martin Luther King Jr.?
What, if any, are the similarities between these two leaders?