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Learn about the British Empire's impact on India, from the Mughal rule to the East India Company's dominance and the Sepoy Mutiny, leading to the British Raj.
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The British in India (the Age of Imperialism)
Bellwork • What is the most valuable object that you own? Why does it mean so much to you? Explain in detail.
“The Jewel in the Crown” • India was considered the “jewel in the crown” of the British Empire. What do you think this meant?
Before the British came: • India had been ruled by the Mughal Empire, which began its conquest of India in 1526 by a descendant of Genghis Khan(“Mughal is the Persian word for “Mongol”) • The Mughal emperors were Muslims, but rules for 200 years over more than one hundred million subjects, approximately 85% of whom were non-Muslims: principally Hindus, as well Sikhs, Jains and Christians. • At their height, under Akbar, they were tolerant of other religions. Akbar even married into the families of his rivals: by the time he died, he had more than 300 wives, including many Hindu princesses and even 2 Christian women of Portuguese descent. • Due to his many alliances, Hindus fought for Akbar and his finance minister, military commander and his chief advisor were all Hindu. • Later, however, Mughal rulers became increasingly oppressive. They reversed earlier policies of religious tolerance.
Before the British came (cont’d) • Aurangzeb caused such bitter anger, that Hindu clans banded together and rebelled against him; constant warfare bankrupted the country and hatred and divisions between religious groups made India easy prey for the divide and conquer strategy of the British.
The Company Raj • Without parallel in world history, the British East India Company became a company that owned a nation. • Company’s encounters with foreign competitors eventually required it to assemble its own military and administrative departments. The company became an imperial power. • The Company saw the power vacuum opened up by Mughal collapse. At its peak, the company’s army numbered roughly 320,000 soldiers – only 40,000 were European.
The Company Raj (cont’d) • By mid-19th century, the East India Company was the greatest power on the Indian subcontinent. They had the largest civil service and wielded the largest army. They governed a population of 200 million. • They effectively succeeded the Mughals as the next Indian Empire • Company had 2 ways of ruling – direct rule by annexing territory, and indirect rule by making alliances with princely states who agreed to British overloadship, but ruled their own territory
The Company Raj (cont’d) • As time went on, religious powers began to gain influence over Company policy; they sent in missionaries to try to convert the populace; they banned the practice of suttee, which was the first British interference in Hindu religious ritual and provoked broad resentment; they allowed Hindu widows to marry again (against Hindu law) and they extended education to women (which Muslims didn’t like)
The Indian (Sepoy) Mutiny • Called the Mutiny by the British, but Indian’s called it the First War of Independence (differing perspectives) • Sepoy: formal name of Indian military soldier in the service of an European superpower • The introduction of the Enfield Rifle – soldier had to bite off the tip of the cartridge. Rumors said that the cartridges were greased with a mixture of cow and pig fat (defiled both Hindus and Muslims). They believed it was a plot to destroy their caste and force them to become Christians.
The Indian (Sepoy) Mutiny (cont’d) Significance: First time Hindus and Muslims were able to work together – the British policy of divide and conquer failed.
The British Raj • After the Mutiny, the Company was abolished and the British government took over direct control of India. In 1876, Queen Victoria was declared Empress of India. • 2 sides of debate raged in England: Conservative Tories glorified hierarchy and believed in white racial superiority. Liberals believed that Indians, due to culture and history, were simply backward, and - with proper education – could someday be just like Englishmen
