Colonization of India

Arrival of Europeans - 1498

• Portuguese first arrived and were followed shortly by the Dutch, French, and British

• By 1600, England set up the East India Companyo Textiles (cloth) were the most important good traded

• Khaki, Calico, Dungarees

Control of India• Eventually the British and French fought for

control over India with GB winning• GB allows the East India Company (EIC) to

manage India and it expands British control

East India Company Rule

• EIC success can be attributed to Robert Cliveo Defeated the French,

gained control of India• He forced Indian rulers

to sign treaties granting him powero Eventually gained the

right to collect taxes

Sepoy Rebellion• Foreigners were a threat to India’s way of

life• Sepoy = Indian soldiers in GB army• Broke out in 1857 from general unrest in

both Muslim and Hindu populations (Beef/Pork fat?)

• Put down by GB and results in full colonization of India by GB

Effects of British Rule

The Good• Improved Roads• Built Railroads• Built Telegraph Lines• Improved Sanitary

Conditions

The Bad• Decline in Indian

industries and economy

• Forced to buy expensive British goodso Had to grow Cash

Crops• Taught British

ethnocentrism

The British wanted to create “a class of persons, Indian

in blood and color, but English in taste, in opinions, in morals, and in intellect.”

– British Official

Rise of Indian Nationalism

• Nationalism – An intense pride in ones country

• Arose from the British educated Indianso Why?

• Rejected foreign rule and demanded independence.

Indian Freedom

Amritsar Massacre• Occurred after GB limited the freedom of

press and other rights when nationalist began demanding freedom.

• April 13, 1919 – 10,000 Indians gathered to defy a British general’s orders to not publicly gather.

• General ordered British army to open fire.o 379 Killed; 1,100 injured

• It was the turning point in the independence struggle.o More distrust of the British

Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi

• Became the key figure of the independence movement.

• Inspired people from all caste’s to work for change.

Gandhi’s Principles• Rooted in Hindu beliefs and Christian

traditionso Hindu – nonviolence and respect for all lifeo Christian – Teaching of love, even enemies

• Innovator in non-violent protestso Civil Disobedience• Refusing to obey unjust laws

Goal of Non-Violence• “Convert the wrongdoer”• Hoped to make the world aware of the

injustices by accepting punishment without striking back.

Gandhi's Appeal• Ideas were appealing to Hindus of all classes.

o Gave up western ways; encouraged Indian industries

• He lived simply.o Dressed same as the poor; Vegetarian

• Followers called him Mahatma = “Great Soul”• Demanded better treatment for

untouchables.• Early 1920’s he encouraging nonviolent

protests and boycotting of British goods.

The Salt March - 1930• British laws forbade Indians to make salt.

o Had to buy from GB; Heavily taxed.• Gandhi leads a group of protesters on a 200

mile march to the ocean where they made salt.• Results in Gandhi and 50,000 protesters being

arrested.o Increased world support for Indian nationalists.

• British continued to respond to later nonviolent protests w/ force.o People in Britain began debating on whether

holding on to India was worth it.

Independence• Facilitated by World War II

o Why?

Division of Indian Subcontinent

• 2 groups of people live in Indiao Hinduo Muslim

• 1947 – GB passed the Indian Independence Act, officially ending rule over India and divided the subcontinent into 2.o India : Hinduo Pakistan : Muslim

Hindu-Muslim Conflict• Hindus and Muslims did not trust each other

and violence broke out (500,000 die).• Muslims fled India, Hindus fled Pakistan – 15

million took part in mass migration• Gandhi was sickened by the violence and

began to hold prayer meetings and recited verses from numerous holy texts.o Assassinated in 1948 by a Hindu extremist.

Conflict Today• The Hindu-Muslim Conflict which began in 1947 is

still a problem today.• Most recently, 2002, Indian (Hindu) and Pakistani

(Muslim) violence sprang up over the region of Kashmir.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6r-hFwLikQ