Tropical Dependency

1450-1850

(1500s to 1700s)
• Longest period of Indian unification
• Muslim minority governing Hindu majority
(1 million people)
• Generally tolerant of religions = Peace
• “Golden Age” of art, architecture, trade
• EX = Akbar the Great (1556-1569)

(1500s to 1700s)
• Portuguese exploration (da Gama) led to increased trade interest
• Portuguese = Goa
• Dutch East India Company = Sri Lanka
• British East India Company = Calcutta,
Bombay, Madras

(1500s to 1700s)
• Emperor Aurangzeb (ruled 1658-1707)
• Expanded Mughal territory, but…
• Very puritanical reign
• Taxed non-Muslims
• Revoked rights of Hindus
• Religious tensions mounted and revolts became common

• Aurangzeb & ineffective gov’t virtually ended Mughal rule
• Regionalism
• British East India Company & French became more influential
• Seven Years War
• British East India Company established a monopoly, with particular interest in:
• cotton, spices, opium, indigo

But…
How were less than 100,000 British able to dominate 325,000,000 unwilling
Indians?

Company interactions:
• At first learned Indian culture & intermarried
• Kept Indian bankers & merchants benefiting from British trade
• Heavily influenced policies of Indian princes
• Pitted Hindus against Muslims
• Used Sepoys
• British trained Indian soldiers to protect trade

Mid-19 th century

•
Perception of Indian customs shifted from appreciation to condemnation
• Began educating Indians:
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English, British Lit, Bible
Further divides Indian society
• British Built railroads, telegraphs, & postal service
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Further empowers British

Revealing confrontation over Sati:
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A group of brahmans complained to a British official, Charles Napier, that his refusal to allow them to burn the widow of a prominent leader of their community was a violation of their social customs.
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Napier replied, “The burning of widows is your custom. Prepare the funeral pyre. But my nation also has a custom. When men burn women alive, we hang them and confiscate all their property.
My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to our national customs.”

sparking transition…
Sepoy Rebellion:
(1857-1859)
• Violence started after rumors of equipping Sepoy’s with guns that are greased with animal fat
• Huge casualties - lack of org
• Victorious British quipped –
• “India is saved by the telegraph”

1850-1914

Results of Rebellion:
• British tighten hold on India –
• Move to formal colony
• Set-up official colonial government – “Raj”
• More direct rule
• Tax Indian textiles, salt
• Tight British grip leads to organized
Indian nationalist movements

• Railroads & telegraph connections established by British foster Indian identity
• Western education spreads ideas of gov
1. Indian National Congress
• Often urban, British educated, Hindus
2. Muslim League


Create a list of newspaper headlines to describe events in India between
1750 and 1914.