Imperialism in India

Who is Robert Olive?

• He led the East India Company troops in a decisive victory over Indian forced allied with the French at the Battle of Plassey → from then until 1858, EIC became leading power

East India Company

• A British trading company established in 1600, it played a significant role in the expansion of British colonial rule in India'

• Company had its own army - led by British officers and staffed by Sepoys

Mughals

• A prominent dynasty that ruled most of India in the early 16th

• By 1707, Mughal empire was collapsing since dozens of small states, ruled by a maharajah (ruler) broke away from Mughal control.

Sepoys

• Indian soldiers employed by the British East India Company

“Jewel in the crown”

• Refers to title British describes India—most valuable of all Britain’s colonies

• India was a major supplier of raw materials for that workshop.

• Its 300 million people were also a large potential market for British-made goods.

Sepoy Mutiny

• A major uprising against the British East India Company in May 10, 1857

• Fueled by the British jailing those who refused to accept the cartridges—which were against their religious beliefs

• Marched to Delhi & captured the city of Delhi

• Rebellion spread to northern and central India, most of northern India

Raj

• As a result of mutiny, britain took direct command of India

• the part that is under British rule — British rule over India from 1757 until 1947.

Rowlatt Acts

• A set of laws made in 1919 by the British government in India

• allowed the government to jail protesters without trial for as long as two years

Ram Mohun Roy

• a modern-thinking, well educated Indian,

• began a campaign to move India away from traditional practices and ideas.

• “Father of Modern India”

• if practices were not changed → then continue to be controlled by outsiders

Amritsar Massacre

• In 1919, British troops opened fire on a large crowd of unarmed Indians in Amritsar, Punjab, protesting against the Rowlatt Acts.

• Indians were unaware that British govt. had banned public meetings but British commander thought they were defying

• It significantly fueled the Indian independence movement.

Mohandas K. Gandhi

• Indian leader who advocated for nonviolent resistance against British rule.

• Urged Indian National Congress to follow a policy of noncooperation w/ British Govt. — Civil Disobedience

• Followers called him Mahatma — “great soul.”

• Died on January 30, 1948 — killed by a Hindu extremist

Civil Disobedience

the deliberate and public refusal to obey an unjust law, and nonviolence as the means to achieve independence.

How did Gandhi use civil disobedience to weaken British’s authority over India?

• Boycotts — refusing British goods, services, and institution → took a economic toll on British

Salt March

• peaceful protest where Gandhi & his followers walked 240 miles to the seacoast → to create their own salt to defy Salt Acts

• afterward, demonstrators were marching to the British saltworks, but got attacked by police officers. A journalist, witness, wrote on it → Gandhi’s independence movement won worldwide support

Congress Party

• The Indian National Congress

• Most members = Hindu, but the party at times had many muslims members
  

Muslim League

• In competition to Congress Party

• Founded in 1906 to protect muslim interests

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

• Leader of muslim league and key figure in the struggle for Indian independence.

Mustafa Kemal

• brilliant commander

• led Turkish nationalist in fighting back the Greeks and their British backers

• In 1923, became president of Turkey and wanted to transform it to a modern nation

• Ataturk — “father of the Turks”

Reza Shah Pahlavi

• Persia’s new leader,

• set out to modernize his country

• kept all power in his own hands.

• In 1935, changed Persia → Iran

Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud

• In 1902, began a successful campaign to unify Arabia.

• In 1932, renamed new kingdom Saudi Arabia after his family.

• a member of a once-powerful Arabian family

• brought some modern technology

Sikhs

• religious group that had been hostile to Mughals

• remained loyal to British after Sepoy mutiny

• mainstay of British’s army in India

Sati

• A Hindu practice involving the ritual of a widow setting herself on fire on her husband's funeral pyre

Thugee

• A criminal organization in India known for committing acts of robbery and murder during the 19th century

Partition

• the division of India into separate Hindu and Muslim nations

• northwest & eastern regions of India = Pakistan (muslim territories

• lead to significant violence and mass migrations

Jawaharlal Nehru

• the independent nation’s first prime minister

• devoted follower of Gandhi

• Modernized India — reorganization of states by language

• Died in 1964

Indira Gandhi

• Nehru’s daughter

• Chosen as prime minister in 1964

• Her son, Rajiv Gandhi, took over as prime minister after her murder

Benazir Bhutto

• Daughter of Ali Bhutto who took over Pakistan following a civil war

• Twice elected prime minister