British companies started involving with Indian trading industry during 1600s.
Before, India was ruled by the Mughal Empire, which began to collapse by 1707.
After the Battle of Plassey, the British East India Company took over India
Until the early 19th century, India was controlled by the East India Company with
little interference from the real British government.
The Company owned a army of Indians called the Sepoys (1857-1859).
Due the the land full of natural resources and 300 million people who lack
technology, The East India Company was able to gain a lot of profit.
British considered India as one of their properties. They called India as ‘the Jewel in the
Crown.’
The first thing British started making are the rules against India. Britain did not want
India to gain any profit, further developing. So, Britain took all the resources away and
forced India to buy products made in Britain only.
On August 2, 1858, the Government of India Act was passed, giving all the
authority in India to Queen Victoria.
The Suez Canal was built in India to shorten the time of transporting from Britain
to India to 3 weeks from 3 months. ("Imperialism in India.”)
While more house, buildings, bridges built, Indian companies destroyed.
Hindu Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 in order to gain self-control
back. Although it was ignored by British Government, it gained native people’
attention, encouraging them to consume Indian products.
In 1905, the British partitioned the state of Bengal, and the Hindu Indian National
Congress gained more power, because the citizens disagreed to the state of Bengal.
The Muslim League supported the European Government while India fell into a
deep depression.
In 1919, the Rowlatt Acts was passed by the Britain government causing the most
violent protests.
On April 13, 1919 20 thousand men, women, and children gathered in a public square
in Punjab to protest and British general R.E.H. Dyer defended with 50 soldiers shooting,
killing 400 people and injuring 1200 people.
Rxn.
European trying to gain control of
the Indians and educate them
their own way.
The picture of India rebelling against
Europe by forming Hindu National
Congress.
The British thought that it was
their own duty to spread their
area. They thought they were
superior as being whites but
also controlling large amounts
of land. Also, India will make
them even richer by adding
supply, natural resources and
servants.
Intolerable is what the Indians
thought. At first, Indians simply
listened obediently, as time passed
by, conditions grew worse and
Indians felt a growing resentment
and hatred towards the British for
just exploiting them without
consents.
Beck, Roger B.. Modern World History: Patterns of Interaction. United States
of America: Mcdougal Littell, 2006.
"East India Company - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia. 13 Jan. 2009
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_East_India_Company>.
"Imperialism in India." The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences & the
Arts. 13 Jan. 2009 <http://asms.k12.ar.us/classes/humanities/worldstud/9798/imper/india/india.htm>.
"India Cartoons." CartoonStock - Cartoon Pictures, Political Cartoons,
Animations.. 14 Jan. 2009
<http://www.cartoonstock.com/vintage/directory/i/india.asp>.