British History in India

British East India Company

Mar 15, 1700

1700's Great Britain was a trading presence along the coast of India

Mughal Emperors

Mar 15, 1740

Emperors had provided a secure framework for trade GB started to intervene in politics by the 1750's

British East India Trade Company

Mar 15, 1750

Began to wage war along the coast
* Excersised political power in state of Bengal, up the Ganges to Delhi and by the 1800's through most of the peninsula.
*Military dominance over all of India by 1800

Battle of Plassey

Mar 15, 1757

Robert Clive led British troops

British control Calcutta

Mar 15, 1765

Ending point of Battle of Plassey East India Company was supported by huge armies of British regulars and Indian Sepoys

Industrial Revolution in Great Britain

Mar 15, 1851

India was viewed as a market
Discouraged industry in India
Forced to buy British goods
Indians had to raise cash crops to pay for British Goods
(TEA, PEPPER, COFFEE, COTTON)

Sepoy Mutiny

Mar 29, 1857

Political Cause - Expansion of East India Company
Social Cause - British law forbade SATI & Christian Missionairies trying to convert Hindu popiulation
Economic Cause - Indian Soldiers were treated unfairly
Religious Causes - Conversion - Christian converts could inherit ancestral lands
Military Cause - Sepoys came from high caste, but were treated poorly
IMMEDIATE CAUSE - Greased Cartridges (Hindus & Muslims felt this was a deliberate attempt to defile Hindus and Muslims

Queen Victoria

Mar 15, 1877

Empress of India

Effects of British Rule

Mar 15, 1880

Built Roads and Ports
Built Railroads and Telegraph

Social Changes in India

Mar 15, 1881

Improved Health Care & Sanitation (population growth)
Britsih set up schools and colleges (english language)
British educated Indian Middle class developed

INDIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS

Mar 15, 1885

Strongest among British Educated Elite
1. Modernize India & reform British system
2. Favored return to Hindi Traditions Congress called for gradual changes
Urged GB to open up government jobs to Indians

Muslim League

Mar 15, 1906

Ali Jinnah separate Hindu & Muslim india

Mohandas K. Gandhi

Mar 15, 1919

Gandhi wanted INC to strive for Home Rule India should be governed by Indians

Amritsar massacre

Apr 13, 1919

General Reginald Dyer
Britian had banned public gatherings
GB opened fire on 10,000 indians at Amritsar 379 dead, 1100 wounded

Gandhi's Principles

Mar 15, 1920

Non violence / respect for all life
Civil Disobedience (Henry David Thoreau)
SATYAGRAHA - "convert the wrongdoer"

Civil Disobedience

Mar 15, 1922

Gandhi urged non violent resistance
support strikes and protests
boycotting British goods

The Salt March

Mar 15, 1930

Symbolic protest on the tax of salt
Gandhi marched 240 miles to sea to illegaly make salt

WW II Begins

Mar 15, 1939

India had no desire to fight in WWII on Great Britain's behalf INC refused to support the war 20,000 INC arrested

WWII is Over

Mar 15, 1945

GB realized they can't afford or control India

Hindu vs Muslim Conflict

Mar 16, 1945

Ali Jinnah wants a separate Muslim state

Rioting

Mar 15, 1946

Widespread rioting broke out between Hindu's and Muslims

Indian Independence Act

Mar 15, 1947

This act ended British Rule Hindu India
Muslim Pakistan

Jawaharal Nehru

Mar 16, 1947

1st Indian Prime Minister

Ali Jinnah

Mar 17, 1947

Governor General of Pakistan

results of Partition

Mar 18, 1947

500,000 died in rioting and violence 15 million involved in mass migration

Gandhi Assassinated

Jan 15, 1948

Assassinated by Hindu for being too soft on Muslims