1. The British in India

2. The Spice Trade
Pepper, cinnamon, rice, tea, cotton, indigo etc. all were in great demand in Europe
Very expensive due to taxes and tariffs by Italians and Turks

3. 15th and 16th centuries
Vasco da Gama sailed round Cape of Good Hope and finds new trade route to India
British and French set up trading posts
Trading posts become centers of power
not established by govt., but by trading companies

4. British Expansion British East India Company
Monopoly over trade in India, China and East Indies
Had power to sign treaties, maintain armies and govern itself
Attracted Indians to work for company
Sepoys – Indians serving in the army of European country

5. Reasons for British Success in India
British brought all of India under their control:
Collapse of ruling Moghul empire-disorganized
“Divide and conquer” policy – played on weaknesses of local rulers
Superior military and naval power

6. Drastic Changes Made English official language Abolished Suttee
Stopped female infanticide
Set up postal and telegraph system
Railroads, canals for irrigation, roads
Education in every province, higher education in English
Private ownership of land introduced

7. Great Uprising of 1857 Immediate causes:
New cartridges were greased with animal fat
Requirement that sepoys must serve outside of India
Forced Christianity
British were destroying Indian traditional culture
Meerut army post, the sepoys killed every European man, woman and child… spread to other posts as well

8. Sepoy Rebellion
Mutiny defeated after 1 yr., British reprisals were brutal
ie: Entire population driven from Delhi and thousands slaughtered
Both Indians and Muslims fighting side by side
South India did not join, nor did Sikhs in the North

9. The British Raj
After revolt, British Parliament passed “An Act for the Better Government of India” – completely takes over the East India Co.’s empire
British govt. of India is Raj – the Hindi word for kingdom

10. Government of India India divided into 2 unequal parts:
British India – 3/5 of subcontinent in most productive areas
Native India – 1/3 of land in princely states scattered all over
Some ruled by Hindu leaders, maharajahs
Some ruled by Islamic rulers, nawabs or nizams
British official advisor, resident
Princes could control schools, courts and soldiers
British controlled foreign affairs and internal relations

11. Colonization
1876, Parliament makes Queen Victoria the Empress of India and ruler over all parts of India
British India ruled by a Viceroy, with help of other British officials
Indian govt. positions mainly given to selected men from the Indian Civil Service, (most were British)
Under Raj, Indians had almost no voice in their govt.

12. Benefits of British Rule
Pax Britanica – law and order creates political unity previously unknown in India
Best railroad system in Asia, 4,000-40,000 miles
National Postal and telegraph system
Canal system irrigates millions of acres
Public health measures against cholera, smallpox, etc. lower death rate

13. Benefits of British Rule
Famine relief system aided millions when harvests were poor
New schools at all levels – English is used in higher levels of ed. – study ideas of democracy and nationalism
Equality before law regardless of status
Industrialization,
shipping and banking
facilities expanded

14. Limitations of British Rule
Many profits drained from India go to benefit Britain
The improvements mentioned were paid for by Indian taxes, (one of reasons for American Revolution)
Famines caused by British production of commercial crops instead of food

15. Limitations of British Rule
British manufactured goods sold cheaper than Indian hand-made goods
Taxes collected in cash, bad for poor, increases debt and poverty
Separation of ruler from ruled
Indians treated as inferiors
socially, morally and
culturally
British segregated society
further, “Europeans Only”
signs for public facilities