British Imperialism over India

Oliver: intro, 2, 3, 8 (O)

Ben: 4, 6 (B)
Avi: 5 (A)
Briana: 7 (Br)
Destiny: 9, 10 (D)
(slide intro)
O: Hey! Were covering the British Imperialism over India like the first slide says!
(slide two)
O: So during the 1700s the Mughal Empire fell. The British East India Company or
rather the British Government held large amounts of Indian land. They also had an
army of Sepoys (Indian soldiers) in India.
Their main goals were to improve the roads, preserve peace, end slavery/caste
system, improve womens position in society, and finally to spread Christianity.
(slide 3)
O: Here we see the map of India. It shows the growth of the Mughal Empire during
the 1500s and the early 1700s.
The yellow represents the addition in 1605 by Akbar, and the orange represents the
addition in 1707 by Aurengzeb.
(slide 4)
B: Ill be covering the relationship between Britain and India.
British treated India like the crown jewel. This was because India was the main
supplier of raw materials such as tea, indigo, cotton, coffee, jute, and opium.
(slide 5)
A: British Rule over India had its pros and cons.
The pros were that
-The railroad network was the 3rd largest in the entire world!
-Indian economy was modernized.

-Oh not to mention that new technology like telephones/ telegrams, dams. Bridges,
and canals were introduced.
-There was also an improvement in sanitations, health and educations.
Cons were:
-Indian industry declined due to British trade laws
-People starved because of the forced cash crop growth
-They were put under racist pressures and that threated their culture and way of life.

(slide 6)
B: Going back to the relationship between the Indians and Brits, the once somewhat
peaceful relationship started to sour. The tensions started to rise. What led to this
was.
The East Indian Company started to require Sepoys to server overseas.
The new law of allowing widows to remarry was approved, which went against
Indian cultures.
Rumors of the rifle-cartriges were greased with animal fat was spread. This was one
of the main things that set off the sepoys because the Hindu religion considered
cows as sacred, and Muslims werent allowed to eat pork.
In a long term effect, the Indians started to resist British dominance and
interference in the traditional life.
(slide 7)
Br: Ill be going over the Sepoy Mutiny!
As you saw in the slide before the Indians and the British were in a pretty bad
shape. Because of all the tensions and such the Sepoys rebelled against the British
officers.
The British officers were brutally massacred and in response to this act of violence
the Brits crushed the revolt. They changed their policy and the Parliament put India
directly under their rule.
Sepoy mutiny ultimately failed and Indians were divided into Hindus and Muslims.

(slide 8)

O: Hindus versus Muslims.

Indians couldnt unite against the British due to
-weak leadership
-serious culture split
-Hindus didnt want Muslim Mughal Empire restored
-Hindus prefered Brits over Muslims
-Sikhs remained loyal to Brits
(slide 9)
D: The Raj refers to the British rule over India during 1757 through 1947.
The cabin minister was in Direct London policy however, India demanded
modernization and greater rules in ruling themselves.
An important person during this time period was an Indian scholar named Ram
Mohun Roy. He believed that India could learn from the West. It was revitalize their
culture. He was considered the founder of Indian Nationlism.
2 groups formed the Indian National Congress in 1835 and Muslim league in 1906
which led to self government.
(slide 10)
D: Finally we move onto the effect British imperialism had on India.
India had the largest economy from the 1rst to the 18 th century. They had about
33% share of the world GDP (gross domestic producy) in the 1rst century to about
29% in 1000AD and finally 1700 AD with 24%.
Angus Maddison argued that Indias share of world income went from 24% in the
1700s to a low 4% in 1952 due to British Imperialism. At the peak of the British
Raj, around 60% of India was administered by the British and in these areas there
are pockets of extreme poverty in the present day.
The remaining 40% that was not under the British Raj is home to the most
developed areas.
Hence showing British Imperialism had depleted India and seems to have had a bit
of a negative effect on the economy of India.