The British Empire: Colonial India

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The British Empire Colonial India

• Modern World History
• Mr. Garza

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The British Empire

• Since the 1500s, Great Britain (England) worked
  to expand their empire.
• The more lands under Britains control meant more
  materials it had and more products it could sell.

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The British Empire
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The British empire

• Great Britain had lands all over the world. A
  popular phrase that British people would say was,
  The sun never sets on the British Empire.
• But the crown jewel of the empire, the place that
  brought the most profit and wealth, was India.

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British India

• In the 1600s, the British East India Company set
  up trading posts in a few major Indian cities.
• In the mid 1700s the Indian Mughal dynasty that
  ruled, collapsed. The East India Company took
  advantage and basically took over India with its
  own private army.

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British India
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British India

• In the 1800s, the British government got more
  involved in security, government and regulating
  trade in India.

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Benefits to the British

• India provided huge amounts of raw materials that
  could be sent to Britain.
• Britains factories could then manufacture goods
  from it.
• Indias 300 million people were also a large
  market for British goods.

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Benefits for India

• Unfortunately, there were less benefits for the
  native Indians.
• Britain did not allow Indians to manufacture for
  themselves. They had to buy British goods only.
• The British did set up a railroad network, but it
  only transported British goods.

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Sepoy Rebellion

• In 1857, Sepoys, which were Indian soldiers in
  the British army, rebelled.
• There were already feelings of resentment towards
  the British for their control and their poor
  treatment of the natives. The rebellion broke
  out over the lubricant on a rifle.

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Sepoy Rebellion
The British Enfield Rifle.
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Sepoy rebellion

• Rumors spread that the cartridges for the Enfield
  rifle were lubricated with beef and pork fat.
• Soldiers had to bite the seal off of the
  cartridges before loading.
• Hindu Indians were offended because cows are
  sacred to their faith.
• Muslim Indians were offended because pork was
  considered a pollutant.

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Sepoy Rebellion
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Sepoy Rebellion
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Sepoy Rebellion

• Sepoys that refused to use the cartridges were
  jailed.
• The next day, the Sepoys rebelled.
• Fighting lasted for over a year. Finally, the
  East India Company regained control.
• After that, the British government was much more
  involved in controlling India.

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Sepoy Rebellion
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Sepoy Rebellion
The Fate of rebellious Indians
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India after the Rebellion

• The British now felt more disgust with the
  Indians.
• Their racist attitudes dominated Indian social
  life.

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It is the consciousness of the inherent
superiority of the European which has won for us
India. However well-educated and clever a native
may be, and however brave he may prove himself, I
believe that no rank we can bestow on him would
cause him to be considered an equal of the
British officer. - LORD KITCHENER, British
Commander of the army in India
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• Not until 1947 would India find independence and
  equality.