English With The British East India Company example essay topic

INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA Introduction Because of Muslim control of the trade arteries between the Mediterranean and India, various European monarchs had begun to dream of a new route to the Far East. The Portuguese devoted remarkable zeal and initiative to the search for such a route, and in 1497 and 1498 Vasco Da Gama, one of the royal navigators, led an expedition around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean. On May 19, 1498, Da Gama sailed into the harbor of Calicut, on the Malabar Coast, opening a new era of Indian history. This way, they hoped to control the sea routes of the rich East Indies trade with Europe. Dutch, English and French traders fought the Portuguese, and then each other, for control of Asian trade. Finally, the Portuguese lost many of their Indian trading ports, partly because of poor management.

French trading company established a base at Pondicherry. A Dutch firm built up control of trade in Java and the Spice Islands. The English, with the British East India Company which was formed in 1600 with Royal Charter from Queen Elizabeth I, established the most important trading posts and forts at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras and imposed its rules. But how did India react faced to this new government? In a first part, we will study how India was governed by England and in a second part, why and how India rebelled against this government. I. The British control over India A. The British take of power The European powers gained little in India as long as strong rulers held the Mogul Empire together. But soon after Emperor Aurangzeb died in 1707, the Maratha tribesmen conquered central and western India.

The army of Nadir Shah, a Persian ruler, successfully raided northern India. The Sikhs, a religious group, founded their own kingdom in that region. By the mid-1700's, there was no longer a strong central power in India. The British East India Company took advantage of this situation and gained control over much of India before the Indians realised it.

At first, the company's agents had merely competed with other European traders. Later, they developed great political power by various means. For example, the agents obtained the right to collect taxes. They also turned Indian princes against each other. The company waged several wars against princes who refused to give in peacefully to its rule. The East India Company became the leading power in India in 1757.

That year, Robert Clive led troops of the company to victory over Indian forces in the battle of Plassey. In 1774, Warren Hastings became the company's first governor-general of India. Between 1800 and 1857, the East India company waged wars against Afghanistan, Burma, Nepal and the area that included the Punjab and Kashmir. The company used both Indian and British troops to win more territory. The eager of the company brought poverty and bitterness to many Indians. B. The British ruling In 1858, the British government took over the rule of India from the East India Company. The British parliament received direct control over all land governed by the country.

This area came to be known as British India. In the rest of India, most of the local princes agreed to accept British supervision. Those who had supported the East India Company during the Sepoy Rebellion signed treaties with Great Britain. Other Indians were made princes of various territories in exchange for the support they promised the British government. The parts of India under this indirect control by Great britain were called the Indian states. A few small areas of coastal land remained French or Portuguese colonies until the mid-1900's.

Queen Victoria of Great Britain appointed a viceroy to head the Indian government. The viceroy served directly under the secretary of state for India. Though this cabinet member, the viceroy was responsible to the British parliament. The Indian Councils Act of 1861 provided the viceroy with a council of five British members, also appointed by the queen. In 1877, Victoria became empress of India. Indian troops under British officers defeated Afghanistan in the Second Afghan War (1878-1881).

This victory established India's northern boundary. India also defeated Burma in the Third Burmese War (1885). As a result, all of Burma became a province of India. The British built railroad, telegraph and telephone systems in India. They enlarged the Indian irrigation systems. The British also developed a system of food relief that helped the Indian people during periods of famine.