History of Sub-continent

1. BRITISH RULE IN INDIA
PRESENTED BY: AMNA ILYAS
ROLL NO. 03
GROUP: BBA (HONs.), 7TH SEMESTER
SECTION: (A), MORNING
SESSION: (2015-2019)

2. CONTENTS
Background
• What does mean by British raj?
• Who was 1st Britain came to India?
• How they came to in India?
• Why India is so important?
• East India company (EIC)
historical turning point
• Siraj-ul-Daulah
• Tipu Sultan
Factors behind the British raj
Sepoy rebellion
Colonial rule
Impacts of British rule
1600
1757
1857

3. WELCOME TO
PRESENTATION

4. WHAT IS THE BRITISH RAJ?
The British raj (“reign” in Hindi) was the British rule in
the Indian sub-continent between 1858 and 1947
It was not a sudden process
-- begin in 1750s
-- took full control in 1857
1600
1757
1857

5. 1st Britisher who went to India
Sir John Mildenhall,
Queen Elizabeth I's ambassador, 1599.

6. Foreigners could enter India mainly through two routes–
• Land-route across the north-west
• Sea routes
As India was known for spice trading with other countries
• Highly demanded in Europe
• Arabs transported spice from India to Europe
• For more profit , searching for direct route (sea)
• 1st Portuguese, Vasco de Gama was succeeded to find
out sea route, in 1498.
• After 100 years of trading, 1500 1600
In 1600, a company was made by Britain EIC ( East India Company)
In 1602, a company was made by Netherland ( Dutch India Company)

8. An agreement made b/w British and Dutch (EIC), and then
• British (EIC) Company got India
• Dutch (EIC) got southern Asia parts
• Throughout the 18th century, British power in India grew
while power of Mughal rulers declined.
• The British (EIC) was given power to be actively involved
in India’s political and military affairs.
• To rule India, British (EIC) built its own military and forts.

9. • Great Britain considered India its most precious jewel in its important crown.
• The industrial revolution turned India into a major supplier of raw materials to
great Britain.
• 300 million Indians was a large market for British products.
• Britain relied more on raw materials from India as war around the world cut off
British supplies from other places,
• e.g. American civil war made Indian cotton more important to great Britain
because it was cutoff by America
RAW MATERIAL
Tea
Coffee
Cotton
opium
WHY INDIA IS SO IMPORTANT?

10. BRITISH EAST INDIA
COMPANY (EIC)
The British East India Company (1600–1858) was originally a
private company granted a trade monopoly with
the East Indies by Queen Elizabeth I. Its success in extracting
concessions from native rulers eventually led to its de facto
control over much of modern India between 1757 and 1858
• Indian soldier hired by the British (EIC)
• Used to defend forts and British (EIC) in India against
moghal rulers of India and other European power

11. historical turning
points

12. 1767-69
1780
1790
1799
Siraj- ud- Dsulah
• Nawab of bangal
• The battle of plassey (1757)
Tipu Sultan
Anglo of Mysor war

13. 1. Vacuum of power
2. Flag followed the trade
3. Lack of unity among Indian states
4. British were strong at sea
5. Divide and rule
6. Technological & military superiority
FACTORS BEHIND THE ESTABILISHMENT OF BRITISH RULE
The British had firmly established their position by the middle of the
nineteenth century and a large part of India came under their direct rule.

14. Vacuum of power
There was a vacuum of power in India after the Mughal Empire falling under its own weight. Its
various governors and rebel commanders established their superiority at different places and started
fighting against each other. This gave the British the opportunity to establish their trading posts in
India.
Flag followed the trade
These trading posts were used to store the goods and for that British built many warehouses, which
gave them an excuse to build forts and to build up armies to "protect" them. The East India Company
made treaties with most of the kings to keep them satisfied so that they would not try and fight
against the British.
Lack of unity among Indian states
Even though there were powerful Indian states like Punjab, Mysore and the Marathas that ruled
Indian subcontinent during the mid-19th century, many of them were fighting with each other for
different reasons.

15. British were strong at sea
The British came through the sea; they established their naval power in the Indian Ocean before
coming to the Indian mainland. Since none of the Indian states had a strong navy to challenge the
British supremacy, they had an easy run to establish themselves in the coastal regions of India.
Divide and Rule
The British took advantage of the situation as the Indian rulers failed to create a stable social,
political and economic order. The British took advantage of the deep division of Indian, social, political
and economic structure. They adopted the policy of ‘Divide and Rule,’ policy and played one state
against the other. Slowly many Indian states had fallen prey to the British designs and were forced to
fight with each other.
Technological and Military superiority
The Indian armies were badly-trained and poorly-paid was no match for the disciplined and well-
trained British forces. The Indians were technologically backward as well.
In comparison the British had technological military and transportation superiority over Indians. The
British had developed new techniques of warfare that was unknown to Indians.
The British army’s were a united lot and moved much faster under a unified command. The British
would retaliate if their trading fort was attacked by some overconfident governor or prince.

16. The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857
Sepoys were Indian soldiers serving under British or other European order.
Started in Delhi
Riffle cartridge was rumored to be greased with pig & cow fat.
• Muslims are forbidden to touch pork
• Hindus worship cattle
This angered Muslim & Hindu sepoys as they had to bite off the
end of cartridges to load their guns, they refused.

17. BRITISH COLONIAL RULE
• After the Sepoys mutiny the British took over the
rule of India from British (EIC).
• An official called a viceroy was appointed to rule
as governor and represented of the crown.
• The viceroy had a staff of 3,500 and ruled over
300 million people .
A rule by wealthy and powerful nation over weaker
country is known as Colonial rule

18. • Benefits
1. Brought order and stability to divide the society.
2. A school system was created ( in English only and only 10% of Indians were
able to attend).
3. Railroads, the telegraphs and postal service were introduced to India.
• Costs
1. Economics– British entrepreneurs benefited, while millions of India faced
terrible hardships
2. Taxes were high.
3. Indians were encouraged to grow cotton, leading to food shortages. b/w
1800 and 1900, 30 million people were killed.
4. Indian were unable to rise the highest position in the society, that were
reserved for the British. The British showed little respect to Indian’s cultural
heritage.
5. All these led to the rise of India nationalist movement

19. Impacts of British rule
• Built railroads, telegraph lines, dam &
bridges etc.
• Encouraged nomadic herders to settle
into farming, cash crops.
• Medical improvements, better health
care
• Peace and order to countryside.
• Eliminated slavery, some injustices of
caste system, outlawed Sati.
• Introduction to inexpensive factory-made
textiles ruined India’s hand weaving
industry.
• Deforestation due to farming.
• Followed the cash-crop policies that led to
famine, they were growing cotton rather
than food.
• Population growth also strained the food
supply.