Objective 4.5 Imperialism in India

British East India Company (BEIC)

A joint stock company that was granted a contract by Queen Elizabeth the 1st. It's goal was to make money for shareholders- had the power to mint its own money, raise its own army, command its own forts, make treaties as well as declare war

Mughal Empire

a period of powerful Muslim rule of India from the 1500s to the 1700s, worked with the BEIC, signed treaties to allow the BEIC to live and build forts in India and eventually waived all taxes for trade

Vasco de Gama

A Portuguese sailor who was the first European to sail around southern Africa to the Indian Ocean, bringing the Portuguese to India and setting up a spices trading post

Sepoys

Indian troops who served the BEIC

Battle of Plassey

1757 battle that established British control over India

Direct rule

European nations sent over a governor to rule to a foreign land (India)

Sepoy Rebellion

soldiers working of the BEIC rebelled against the company, after the rebellion was shut down, the British took full direct control of India

Reasons for Sepoy Rebellions

lower pay, rifle cartridges greased with cow and pork fat, frustration over having no say in the government and not respecting their religions, and little respect for the Indian people and customs

Indian National Congress

group formed by Hindu nationalist leaders of India in the late 1800's to gain greater democracy and eventual self-rule, Gandhi became the leader

Nationalism

A strong feeling of pride in and devotion to one's country, the desire to establish self rule

Rowlatt Acts

Laws passed that allowed the British government in India to jail anti-British protesters without trial for as long as two years

Mohandas Gandhi

the leader of the Indian independence movement ( INC), remembered for helping free India from British imperialism, known for his nonviolent protests, wanted to keep India a united nation with Hindus and Muslims

Muslim League

an organization formed to protect the interests of India's Muslim minority, led by Mohammad Jinnah, later proposed that India be divided into separate Muslim and Hindu nations

Civil Disobedience

nonviolent, public refusal to obey allegedly unjust laws.

Satyagraha

"Truth force," a term used by Gandhi to describe peaceful boycotts, strikes, noncooperation, and mass demonstrations to promote Indian independence

Salt March

Act of civil disobedience to defy the hated Salt Acts which required Indians to purchase their salt from the government and pay a high sales tax, Gandhi led 240 mile march to the sea to harvest salt

Quit India Campaign

Civil disobedience campaign by INC to force the British to leave India, peaceful protests and boycotts, urged India to deny any support to Britain's efforts in World War II in an effort to gain independence

Amritsar Massacre

British troops, led by General Dyer, fired upon nearly 10,000 Indians peacefully gathered to protest the Rowlatt Acts, 379 were killed and thousands wounded - this event would deepen the distrust of the British

Raj

British administration in India ( those in control of government)

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Indian Muslim politician, leader of the Muslim League, promoted a two nation state, one for Muslims ( Pakistan) and one for Hindus ( India)

Jawaharlal Nehru

member of the INC, became the first prime minister of and independent India

Roger Clive

led British soldiers to defeat the Nawab of Bengal, taking over the area and putting the Bengal empire under direct rule of the BEIC

"Jewel of the Empire"

Britain's nickname for India due to the amount of money it brought to the nation, India had vast natural resources and a high population for a market

General Reginald Dyer

British general who commanded his troops to open fire at the mass of protestors gathered at Amritsar

Ram Mohun Roy

Western-educated Indian leader, early 19th century; his writings inspired indian reformenrsr to adopt more Western ways in an effort to British rule ( if they changed, then they would have no reason to "justify" their imperialism of the nation

Indian Independence Act

1947. British Act creating self-rule & partition of the subcontinent in India and Pakistan, which resulted in 17 million displaced and over one million killed

Impacts of British Rule

Reasons WHY the British colonized India

Economic (raw materials, new markets, taxes), Political ( global power, strategic location, military advantage), Cultural (wanted to "westernize"- language, religion, education)

HOW was Britain able to colonize India

The British East India Company and the Sepoy soldiers

Impact of British Rule (argued positives)

Building on infrastructure, social changes ( ending sati, child marriages)

Impact of British Rule (argued negatives)

economic exploitation, taxes, famines, human rights violations