The British Take Over India CHAPTER 24, SECTION 4

East India Company and Rebellion The Mughal Empire had ruled India for almost 200 years, but by the 1700s, it was weakening due to weak rulers Britain then began to get interested As the Mughal Empire weakened, the different cultures in the region fragmented England took advantage of this to encourage competition and disunity Also used weapons

British East India Company Main goal: MAKE MONEY Also worked some to improve roads, preserve peace and reduce crime British officials also worked to spread Christianity, end slavery and the caste system, and improve the lives of women (banned sati)

Growing Discontent In the 1850s, the British did several things that upset Indians Required sepoys (Indian soldiers) to serve anywhere, which went against their religion Allowed Hindu women to remarry. Many Hindus viewed both of these things as Christian conspiracies to undermine their beliefs In 1857 the British issued new rifles to the sepoys, that needed the tips of cartridges off before loading them into the rifles. The cartridges were greased in animal fat (cows or pigs). When the troops refused they were sent home without pay.

Rebellion and Aftermath Angry sepoys rose up against the British officers The rebellion spread across India, and they tried to recognize the last Mughal ruler as their leader In some places, the sepoys brutally murdered British families and children British quickly stopped the revolt and sought revenge by burning villages and killing thousands of unarmed Indians Result: Hatred on both sides, as well as major changes in British policy  Pariament put India directly under British rule, and ended the EIC. Raised taxes, sent more troops, and slowed reforms

Impact of British Colonial Rule After 1858, British Parliament set up colonial rule, called the British Raj A British viceroy governed in the name of the Queen of England British officials held the top positions, while Indians had most other jobs British policy tried to incorporate India into the overall British economy, while also trying to get India modernized to Western culture

An Unequal Partnership Britain saw India as a market and a source of raw materials, so they improved Indian transportation to help move their factory-made goods across the land The telegraph and Suez Canal also gave British more control British factories ruined India’s hand-weaving traditions Forced nomadic farmers to settle, and pushed farmers to grow cash crops like cotton, which led to deforestation

continued The British introduced medial improvements and new farming methods which led to a population boom This put a strain on the food supplies, especially as more land was being used to grow exports such as cash crops In the late 1800s, famines swept India

Benefits of British Rule Revised the legal system in India to promote justice for Indians regardless of caste Railroads helped Indians move across the country Telegraph and postal service helped communication, and better communication helped bridge regional differences and develop a sense of national unity The upper classes of Indians sent their kids to British schools, and some grew rich

Different Views on Culture Some educated Indians were impressed by British power and technology, and wanted the Indians to follow Others felt that change should come from their own Hindu and Muslim cultures In the early 1800s, a man named Ram Mohun Roy thought that India should learn from the West but also reform their own culture Condemned some traditions such as the caste system, child marriage, sati and purdah. Also set up educational societies that helped renew pride in Indian culture He is often considered the founder of Indian nationalism

British Attitudes The British could not decide on how to feel about Indians, either Some admired Indian philosophy and culture But most British knew almost nothing about Indian culture, and dismissed it Most people did not bother to get to know Indian culture or traditions, they just assumed it was not necessary

Indian Nationalism Grows The British educated some Indians for high positions, assuming that it would encourage British power Had the opposite effect: it had led to a nationalist movement based on Western ideas of democracy and equality In 1885 nationalist leaders organized the Indian National Congress. They believed in peaceful protest and hoped for self-rule with Western-style modernization Muslims and Hindus worked together some, but Muslims resented Hindu leadership in the congress, and in 1906 they created their own Muslim League to follow their own goals Some even talked of a separate Muslim state