The British Empire in India
I- Indian imperialism began with
•The British East India Companyset up trading posts in India to
control trade between India and
Britain.
N No total British control of India,
-
yet…
•India’s ruling Mughal Empire kept
European traders under control.
D Decline of the Mughal Empire
-
•Beginning in 1707 allowed for the
British East India Company to begin
controlling India’s political and
economic life.
I India = Britain’s “Jewel in the Crown”
-
• Industrial Revolution has turned Great
Britain into an industrial giant and India
provides raw materials for production
• “Jewel in the Crown” – the most valuable
of Britain’s colonies
• British setup restrictions that prevented
Indian economy from operating on its ownforced to sell raw materials to Britain only
and purchase only British goods  growing
resentment among many Indians
The East India Company even had its own
army, led by British officers
and staffed by sepoys, or Indian soldiers.
•By the 1830s, the East India Company
(regulated by British Government) ruled
India.
•Many Indians resented British rule.
A Angry Indians = total British control
-
•In 1857, a large number of British-trained
Indian soldiers(sepoys) rebelled against their British
officers
•Sepoys believed that their bullet cartridges
were sealed with pork and beef fat.
•Muslims who don’t eat pork and Hindus who believe
the cow to be sacred- had to break cartridges w. their
teeth. They believed they were being forced to violate
their religion
Sepoy Rebellion
•The Sepoy
Rebellion was put
down and India
became a British
possession
•British rule in
India from 17571947
•became known as
Raj
British
Imperialism in
India
Positive RED
Negative
BLUE
The British provided a single system of
law and government, unifying India. They
also introduced English as a unifying
language.
The British built roads, bridges, and
railroads in India. They set up
telegraph wires. However, India’s
cottage industries, in which goods
were made in homes, were hurt by
competition with British goods.
The British built hospitals, introduced
new medicines, and provided famine
relief. At the same time, health care
improvements led to a population
explosion without an increase in
economic opportunities.
Indians were also looked down
upon by the British and their culture
was treated as inferior to European
culture. Indian workers provided the
British with inexpensive labor.
Indians worked for long hours under
terrible working conditions. The British
gained wealth while Indians were
exploited.
Foldable:
FORMS OF IMPERIALISM
• Colony
• Protectorate
• Sphere of Influence
Colony
TOP
• Group of people who
leave their native
country to form a
settlement in a new
land
• ***Still connected to
their “mother
country”***
BOTTOM
• Direct Rule: officials
sent from “MC” to
rule, impose culture,
language, politics and
economics
Protectorate
TOP
• Country whose
policies are guided by
a foreign country- not
directly ruled.
• Local rulers left in
place, but accepted
advice regarding
trade, industry,
politics &
missionaries.
BOTTOM
• Indirect Rule: use of
local rulers to
administer laws &
codes of “MC”,
encourage
cooperation to
prepare for future
industry.
• EX: England & US
Sphere of Influence
TOP
• Area in which an
outside power claims
exclusive investment
& trading/economic
privilege
BOTTOM
• When one country
has trading rights in
another place
Sepoy Rebellion
“You Are There” Diary
Your task:
Write a diary entry as if you were a sepoy living in
India during the Sepoy Rebellion
Keep in mind this is not a report on the event but the thoughts and feelings of
someone living through it.
Your diary should include any key terms or people involved with the event in
some way.
Instructions:
•Write a one-paragraph entry about the beginning of the event. Include the date.
Briefly described how the event began.
•Write a one-paragraph entry about the middle of the event. Include the date.
Mention whether things are better than the beginning or not.
•Write a one-paragraph entry about the end of the event. Include the date.
Describe your character’s feelings about the event now that he/she has lived
through the whole thing.