The British Take Over India

1
The British Take Over India

• British rule and policies that were insensitive
  to Indian culture led to the Sepoy Rebellion in
  1857. After the failed rebellion, the British
  government increased its control, bringing both
  benefits and injustice to the people of India.
  Indians resisted by forming the Indian National
  Congress and the Muslim League.

2

• Early 1600s, the British East India Company got
  trading rights on the edge of the Mughal Empire?
  as Mughal power fell, the company increased its
  influence
• The British were able to soon control all of
  India? Why?India had become fragmented and this
  weakened them
• Britains goal in India?make

3

• British also improved roads, introduced western
  education, tried to convert Indians to
  Christianity, worked to end slavery and the
  caste system, and to improve the position of
  women within the family
• Indians resented Britain?Indians were shut out of
  high posts and large-scale manufacturing and many
  British laws violated ancient customs and
  traditions

4
Sepoy Rebellion

• Sepoy Indian troop
• East India Company did several things that
  angered Indians
• 1. required sepoys to serve anywhere, even
  overseas?for high-caste Hindus, this was an
  offense against their religion
• 2. Created a new law that allowed Hindu widows to
  remarry
• 3. British issued new rifles and told the sepoys
  they had to bite off the tips of the cartridges
  the cartridges were greased with animal fat (pigs
  or cows)?this violated the religions of Muslims
  and Hindus?if a sepoy refused he was dismissed
  without pay

5

• This triggered the Sepoy Rebellion
• The British put down the rebellion and punished
  the Sepoys
• Result?
• 1. a bitter legacy of fear, hatred, and mistrust
  on both sides
• 2. 1858-British ended the rule of the East India
  Company and put India under the direct rule of
  the British crown.
• 3. More British troops were sent to India and
  taxes were raised

6
British Influence in India

• Britain modernized the country?
• New markets were opened
• Indias natural resources made Britain very rich
• Industrial Revolution in Britain brought many
  machine made goods to India?this undermined
  Indias hand made textiles
• Changed India agriculture?encouraged nomadic
  herders to settle into farming and produce cash
  crops (cotton)
• Peace and order was brought to India?new legal
  system brought justice to all regardless of class

7
Growing Indian Nationalism

• Many Indians wanted to be independent
• Western-educated Indians started a nationalist
  movement?they knew western ideals of democracy
  and equality and demanded an end to imperial rule
  by Britain
• Indian National Congress?1885-also called the
  National Congress Party -wanted peaceful protest
  to gain independenceasked for greater
  democracywanted eventual self-rule but supported
  western-style modernization

8

• Muslim League?at first Hindus and Muslims worked
  together for self-rule, but soon Muslims began to
  resent Hindu domination of the Congress Party and
  worried that a Hindu run government might oppress
  Muslims?in 1906 Muslims formed the Muslim League
  and wanted a separate Muslim state