Imperialism in India

Global II: Spiconardi

East India Company

East India Company British trading company that controlled 3/5 of India without government interferenceUsed raw materials from India for industrial

factories in England

Jewel in the Crown

India was viewed as Britain’s most valuable colony 300 million people (That’s a

huge market) Vast natural resources

Jute Wheat Tea Cotton Opium

Indians were forced to by British goods Could not buy goods made

in their own country (i.e. shirts)

Impact of British Imperialism Benefits (Positives) Detriments (Negatives)

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

East India Company is in financially difficulty Need to expand revenue, so they expanded territory in India Annexed 80,000 square miles of land, which included 4.5 million

people

In order to keep control of this new territory, establish an army of 200,000 soldiers comprise of Indians These soldiers are known as the Sepoys

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

Divide & ConquerSepoy soldiers were angry that they were

policing their fellow Indians Indians felt betrayed by Sepoy working for the

British Believed the British were turning Indians against

one another

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

TortureKarl Marx writes in article in The New York

Daily Tribune stating the British government allowed British officers a series of appeals if accused of torture

Most didn’t face the penalty for their crimes

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

TaxationThe East India company levied heavy taxes

on the people of IndiaThe Land Tax

Paid 3 shillings for every acre of land An acre, on average, produced, 8 shillings worth of crops

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

Religion Most of India is comprised of Hindus and Muslims Rumors spread that the new bullet cartridges are

sealed with beef & pork fat Pork is a forbidden substance to Muslims Eating beef is “bad luck” for Hindus

British made the Hindu practice of suttee illegal

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

The Insurgency May 9, 1857

Several sepoys refuse to use their cartridges Imprisoned & sentenced to 10 years hard labor Ridiculed by fellow Indians during march to prison

May 10, 1857 Members of the other sepoy brigades broke rank and turned

on their officers Rumors circulate that sepoys were massacring Christians

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

Insurgency British send in troops

to put down mutiny British violently attack

Indian civilians

Legacy After 1 year of fighting

Sepoys are unsuccessful

Hindus and Muslims did not get along

Britain takes complete control of India (End of Mughal rule in India)

Sepoy Rebellion/Mutiny

The RetaliationRebels punished using cruel methods