Chpt. 23: Imperialism & India Learning Objectives Language Objectives Describe how the British East India Company came to rule India Explain how the Sepoy Rebellion led to British rule over India Compare and contrast India under different rulers Tell how Mahatma Gandhi’s revolution was different from most other revolutions

Fall of the Mogul Empire Moguls ruled India for almost 200 years Aurangzeb was the last Mogul emperor He was harsh He destroyed Hindu temples, making them angry Tried to force non-Muslims to convert to Islam After his death, India divided into kingdoms, who fought each other As Moguls grew weaker, stronger countries took control of India

British East India Company Europe & India traded goods since late 1400s Dutch, Portuguese, French & British fought for control of Indian trade In 1600s British East India Company formed & set up trading posts in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras Dutch East India Company set up in Java, Indonesia

British East India Company As Mogul empire grew weaker, British East India Company became more involved in affairs of India Took sides in Civil Wars Supported rulers who were favorable to the Company When French East India Company came to India, it caused a war between Britain & France Robert Clive led British to victory Used Indian soldiers called Sepoys Drove France out of India

East India Company Rules East India agents became stronger than rajas By 1850, British agents controlled more than half of India British were placed in all important positions Led sepoy armies Became wealthy landowners Imposed British way of life onto Indian society Christian churches Indians did not like the Company or British ways

Sepoy Rebellion East India agents built up armies of sepoys to protect their power Did not even try to understand Indian customs and culture – sepoys must follow British ways When British started using different bullets, it led to a rebellion Cartridges were greased with fat from cows & pigs Hindus cannot eat cow meat Muslims cannot eat pork They refused to bite off the end of the cartridges British put down the rebellion, but Britain saw that the Company couldn’t be trusted to control India

British Rule British parliament took over rule in 1858, making India a colony of Britain Now called “British India” Queen Victoria appointed a viceroy to run the colony; she was named empress of India

British Rule India is called “Jewel of the British Empire” Very profitable for Britain British government treated Indians more fairly than the Company did Helped farmers dig irrigation canals Set up hospitals Built railroads, factories, schools, roads Tried to eliminate harsh caste system, which kept people poor British tried to solve long-term problem of poverty in India

British Rule Most Indians were still unhappy with British rule Some still very poor Raw materials going to British industries Goods made in Britain & sold in India hurt Indian industries Indian spinners & weavers lost jobs as machine-made cloth was imported into India All top jobs went to British British look down on Indians; think they are superior

Ideas of Independence Indian students sent to Britain for education learn about democracy Want independence for India Educated Indians found the Indian National Congress Pretended to be working on improving relations with Britain, but were actually plotting revolution Violent rebellions were put down by British British allowed some Indians to participate in government, but the protests continued

Ideas of Independence British troops fired on an unarmed group of Indians in Amritsar in 1919 Killed 400 Injured1,200 The massacre was a turning point between British & Indians Indians more determined to keep fighting for Independence No real leader for the movement until Mahatma Gandhi

Amritsar Massacre

Mahatma Gandhi Hindu Merchant caste Studied law in London, England Lawyer in South Africa for 21 years – SA ruled by Britain also Worked for Indians who were discriminated against In 1915 he returned to India Started working for independence from Britain 1920 he became leader of Indian National Congress He believed in non-violent resistance & civil disobedience Mohandas K. Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi led Indians to refuse to obey British government “Conquer by love” Followers called him Mahatma, means “Great Soul” He taught that British fought with guns; they would fight with civil disobedience – refusing to work for British Mines, shops, factories

Mahatma Gandhi Led poor people to a revolution for independence He did not believe in the caste system, & lived among the poorest, the untouchables, for many years He lived simply – wore only a linen loincloth

Mahatma Gandhi He led thousands of Indian women to train tracks They laid down and stopped the British trains Led a peaceful march 200 miles to the ocean to get salt when British put an unfair tax on salt He was arrested for his activities – in jail for 7 years British eventually listen to Gandhi and his followers

Gandhi Fasts for Peace British knew they would have to leave Offered independence to India Muslims and Hindus fought & India was divided into two nations Pakistan – Muslim India – Hindu The country gained independence in 1947 The fighting continued, so Gandhi went on a fast – stopped eating – until the fighting stopped He almost starved to death, so Hindus & Muslims stopped fighting He was assassinated soon after by a Hindu