|
|
 |
SELECT
ONE |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
| + BRIEF HISTORY OF INDIA |
The English East India Company was formed in 1600 to trade with India. In 1639 the English established a trading base in India in what is now Chennai. In 1662 the English king married a Portuguese princess and he was given Bombay. In 1668 it was sold to the East India Company. In 1690 the English established a base in Bengal, which grew into Calcutta. In the late 17th century the Dutch also declined and the French replaced them. In 1673 the French established a base at Pondicherry.
In the 18th century there was bitter rivalry between the French and the English, and they both began to interfere in Indian politics.
The Seven Years war between Britain and France began in 1756. With the outbreak of war the ruler of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula captured the British base at Calcutta. The East India Company sent a force led by Robert Clive and recaptured Calcutta. Soon he took over the whole of Bengal and the company began to rule Bengal directly. Clive's victory ensured that India would eventually become a British colony not a French one. However the Company did not take over India straight away. It was a gradual process, which took several decades. The East India Company eliminated French influence in India and began to subdue other Indian states.
The British started taking over more and more territory and Indian states were forced to accept British 'protection'. The state of Hyderabad made a treaty with the British in 1798 and retained some independence but other states were forced to accept British rule.
In 1803, the British took Agra and Delhi. At that time Delhi was still ruled by the last Mughal emperor. By 1819 the East India Company was in control of most of India except the North West.
With the British rule came some cultural changes in India. In 1829 the custom of “Sati”, where widows threw themselves onto their husbands’ funeral pyre, was abolished. In 1835 English was made the official language.
THE MUTINY OF 1857
The East India Company had long employed Indians as soldiers. There were supposed to be not more than 4 Indian soldiers to every British one. However the British had withdrawn troops to serve in conflicts elsewhere. By 1857 there were only 40,000 British troops in India and 311,000 Indians. The mutiny began on May 10, 1857. It was sparked by the fact that soldiers were issued a new rifle - the Enfield. It was said the cartridge was greased with fat from cows, that’s sacred to Hindus, and pigs that’s considered unclean by Muslims.
Meerut was the starting point of the mutiny against the British and the uprising spread rapidly. The rebels took Delhi and proclaimed the restoration of the old Mughal Empire. The rebellion spread across Central and Northern India but the south did not rise. Soldiers in Madras and Bombay stayed loyal to the British. Eventually the British were able to re-establish control. By the end of 1858 the rebellion was over, but the East India Company had lost control of India. On September 1, 1858 control was transferred to the British government.
THE DAWN OF NEW INDIA
Despite of the fact that the Mutiny was crushed, the desire for independence did not die. The Indian National Congress was founded in 1885. The Muslim League was founded in 1906.
In 1861 legislative bodies was formed for India. However the members were not elected. They were appointed by the governor-general or by provincial governors. Most of their members were British. After the mutiny the ratio of British soldiers to Indians was increased. In 1877 Queen Victoria was made Empress of India.
In the late 19th century the British created a network of railways in India. The first train made in India was built in Bombay in 1865. Improved communications meant the different parts of India were bought closer together. In the late 19th century a number of newspapers were founded, which went to play a major role in mobilizing public opinion.
In 1905 the British divided Bengal, in line with their divide and rule policy. This move provoked unrest in Bengal. People demonstrated and boycotted British goods.
|
|
>> 1 2 3 4 5 |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
