Part 2: How was India changed by British Imperialism?

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1 IMPERIALISM Part 2: How was India changed by British Imperialism?

2 Part 1 : How was India changed by British Imperialism? Objective: Understand how the people of India were impacted by political control changing hands from the the British East India Company to the British Crown. Assessment Goals: Explain the political, economic, and social consequences of the British Imperialism (Learning Targets 7, 8, & 9). Category Evidence (Provide at least two historical examples for each.) Political Causes (LT8) Social Causes (L7) Economic Causes (LT9) Notes Graphs: (Create something similar in your notes) Describe what it was like in India after British Imperialism Government Culture: Art, architecture, Dress, Religion, etc. Economy/Trade/Geographic Advantages Day 1: Government: Political Changes in India- The British Raj Video: - Begin at 2:50-3:50 John Green: : Begin at 8:25-10: : Beginning of the Raj In 1858, British Crown rule was established in India, ending a century of control by the East India Company. The life and death struggle that preceded this formalisation of British control lasted nearly two years, cost 36 million, and is variously referred to as the 'Great Rebellion', the 'Indian Mutiny' or the 'First War of Indian Independence'. 1

3 Inevitably, the consequences of this bloody rupture marked the nature of political, social and economic rule that the British established in its wake. It is important to note that the Raj (in Hindi meaning 'to rule' or 'kingdom') never encompassed the entire land mass of the sub-continent. Two-fifths of the sub-continent continued to be independently governed by over 560 large and small principalities, some of whose rulers had fought the British during the 'Great Rebellion', but with whom the Raj now entered into treaties of mutual cooperation. The first steps were taken toward self-government in British India in the late 19th century with the appointment of Indian counsellors to advise the British viceroy and the establishment of provincial councils with Indian members; the British subsequently widened participation in legislative councils with the Indian Councils Act of Municipal Corporations and District Boards were created for local administration; they included elected Indian members. Map of the Northern Bombay Presidency, 1909 The Government of India Act of 1909 also known as the Morley-Minto Reforms (John Morley was the secretary of state for India, and Gilbert Elliot, fourth earl of Minto, was viceroy) gave Indians limited roles in the central and provincial legislatures, known as legislative councils. Indians had previously been appointed to legislative councils, but after the reforms some were elected to them. At the centre, the majority of council members continued to be government-appointed officials, and the viceroy was in no way responsible to the legislature. At the provincial level, the elected members, together with unofficial appointees, outnumbered the appointed officials, but responsibility of the governor to the legislature was not contemplated. Morley made it clear in introducing the legislation to the British Parliament that parliamentary self-government was not the goal of the British government. Directions: Place the items listed below the graphic organizer in one of the two categories. Blessing Curse 2

4 A - The 300 million population of India was ruled by only 20,000 British troops and officials, suggesting there was little opposition to their presence. B- The British built 24,000 miles of railway track in India up to 1904, much of which is still used today. C- India was hit by numerous famines during British rule. During the Great Famine of 1876, around 10 million Indian people died D- The British ensured that they could rule India by setting off different parts of Indian society against each other, a policy known as divide and rule. E- Indians were given significant roles. Indian princes kept power in their regions, and Indians could gain promotion in the army and government. F- Wealthy Indians approved of British rule, because the British gave them more power. However, the poor of India were kept poor and oppressed. G- Britain used Indian soldiers to fight wars all over the world, such as the Boer war in South Africa from % of India s wealth was spent on the army. H- During the Great Famine, the British continued to export Indian crops, instead of leaving them for the Indian people to eat. Directions: Analyze the following political cartoons about the British perception on India. What does this say about how Great Britain handled India and how they should handle India after the Sepoy Rebellion. Too "Civil" By Half The British Lion's Vengeance on the Bengal Tiger The Governor-General Defending the Poor Sepoy. Punch, 33 (22 August 1857): Punch 33 (7 November 1857): 191 Text: Text: Context: Context: Subtext: Subtext: 3

5 Day 2: Cultural Changes in India Caste System: The caste system in India is an ancient part of Indian society. Created through Indian religions, the caste system divides people into four Varna categories; Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (agriculturalists), and Shudras (servants). The Dalits (untouchables) is a group that does not exist within any of the four Varna categories. This system was supported and encouraged by the British Government. Some people believe it may have been created by the British to maintain control in India, however this is unlikely as religious scripture supports the caste system. British colonial rulers would have self-imposed themselves as Brahmin during this evolution of the Caste system. Brahmins were considered the embodiment of purity, and untouchables the embodiment of pollution. Physical contact between the two groups was absolutely prohibited. Brahmins adhered so strongly to this rule that they felt obliged to bathe if even the shadow of an untouchable fell across them. Vedic texts from the Hindu religion, which have been compiled, legitimized, and interpreted by the Brahmans, provide the rationale for the hierarchical classification and the rituals governing social behavior. There were, and still are, rules that are laid down concerning appropriate occupational pursuit, appropriate behavior within and between castes, as well as rules related to marriage. Racism British attitudes toward Indians shifted from relative openness to insularity and racism, even against those with comparable background and achievement as well as loyalty. British families and their servants lived in cantonments at a distance from Indian settlements. Private clubs where the British gathered for social interaction became symbols of exclusivity and snobbery that refused to disappear decades after the British had left India. In 1883 the government of India attempted to remove race barriers in criminal jurisdictions by introducing a bill empowering Indian judges to adjudicate offences committed by Europeans. Public protests and editorials in the British press, however, forced the viceroy George Robinson, First Marquess of Ripon, (who served from 1880 to 1884), to capitulate and modify the bill drastically. The Bengali "Hindu intelligentsia" learned a valuable political lesson from this "white mutiny": the effectiveness of well-orchestrated agitation through demonstrations in the streets and publicity in the media when seeking redress for real and imagined grievances. Education: Initially, the East India Company did not think that it was its duty to impart education to Indians. It allowed the old system of education to continue. Pathsalas, which imparted a special type of education geared towards meeting the requirements of a rural society, were open to all. Sanskrit education was imparted in tols. Muslims attended Madrasas. Higher education was confined primarily to upper castes. This system of education was eventually changed by the British. Around the beginning of the 19th century, the Company became aware of the need for introducing Western education in India. However, Christian missionaries, who were interested in 4

6 spreading Christianity through education, had already established several educational institutions which were attached to their churches. At the same time 'educational institutions' were established in the country, with the sole agenda of wiping out the thought of freedom from the minds of Indian youth by inculcating in them the 'value' of British presence in the subcontinent. It was assumed that these institutions spread 'modern education.' This modern education had less to do with disseminating scientific, rational thinking and more to do with an acquiescence of West's superiority. Religion: entities/ Christian missionaries encountered no real opposition from the local Hindu population, perhaps because the Hindu religious landscape was a pluralistic one and thus a more accepting culture towards various customs and beliefs. Unlike Hinduism and its tolerance for religious plurality, Christian demonstrated little acceptance of religious diversity Hindus were fit only for conversion (More 1998:107). As a result, in 1701, Muslims and Hindus were prohibited from engaging in their religious ceremonies during Easter and on Sunday. Furthermore, attempts by missionaries to destroy Shiva temples were met with resistance initiated by every caste of the Hindu community. The biggest obstacle the missionaries encountered in their desire for Christian conversions was that of caste. Christian converts were ostracized by their families, the caste and Brahman priests. Furthermore, caste marriage was endogamous, making it very difficult for a Christian convert to find bride in the same caste (More 1998:115) Technology/Communication: The first telegraph line from Calcutta to Agra was opened in The Post and Telegraph Department was also established in the same year. A half-anna postage stamp would carry a letter from one part of the country to another. The improvement in communications eventually helped to foster a sense of unity among Indians. The concept of the country as a whole now took precedence over regional and provincial isolationism. Books, journals and newspapers circulated widely and were now easily available to educated Indians all over the country. Clothing: Dressing the Indian woman through history Justin Rowlatt South Asia correspondent to BBC In Bengal, in the Victorian era, some women did not wear blouses under their saris - they went bare-breasted. This did not suit Victorian society, which had its own ideas of propriety, and blouses increasingly became the norm. 5

7 Image copyright British Library Board, Photo 124/(36) Image caption Bengali women in the early 1860s It was Jnanadanandini Debi, the wife of Satyendranath Tagore - brother of the famous Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore - who popularised the blouses, jackets and chemises and the modern style of the sari today after she was reportedly refused entry to clubs under the Raj for wearing the sari fabric over her bare breasts. Tagore is believed to have actively encouraged his wife to adopt Western ideas. The terms "blouse" and "petticoat" - both English - made the leap into Indian vocabulary in the Victorian era. Shirts also came to be worn under the sari as part of high fashion and these rather British innovations are considered traditional garments. Image copyright Press Eye Even though it can be revealing, as the crop top leaves the midriff bare, the sari blouse has long been deemed decorous and associated with tradition. In India it was important for a woman to cover her body with a draped fabric here no matter what is underneath. The British influence only became stronger over time. We see different kinds of blouses coming in with sleeve structures, and various necklines. Image copyright The British Library Board, Photo 1000/46(4641) I At the height of the Victorian era the British and Indian fashions rather resemble each other In India, unlike in Britain, there are no written codes of conduct or sumptuary laws about what should be worn. What was considered suitable was spread through word of mouth. 6

8 Architecture: It was a combination of the Gothic revival style with that of the Neo-Classical, Indo-Islamic and Indian architectural style that was initiated by the British architects in British India during late 19th century and soon became a favoured style. With time, large number of buildings and infrastructures started coming up in this style including institutions, government buildings, railway stations, post offices and rest houses among others. One of the most revered and famous chef d'oeuvres of British colonial era remains the grand and exquisite Victoria Memorial located in Calcutta that was dedicated to the memory of Queen Victoria. This monument made of white marble epitomising beauty and elegance was designed by William Emerson and showcases Saracenic revivalist style of architecture comprising of a fine blend of British architectural style with that of Deccani, Egyptian, Venetian, Mughal and other Islamic styles. Other Social Changes: In 1829, Sati or the practice of burning a widow with her dead husband was made illegal or punishable by law. Slavery was declared illegal. With Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar s assistance, the Widow Remarriage Act was passed by Lord Dalhousie in Vidyasagar also campaigned against child marriage and polygamy.the cruel custom of offering little children as sacrifice to please God, practised by certain tribes, was banned by Governor General Lord Hardinge.It is important to note that since the reform movement started in Bengal, its impact was first felt here. It took time to spread it all over India. Directions: Analyze the following political cartoons. 1. What impression does this source give of life in the British empire in terms of the following issues: - the treatment of native peoples in the British empire? - the relationship between the British and the high ranking members of Indian society? - Whose culture is being represented here? The British or Indian? 2. Explain whether you think this source gives a positive or negative view of the empire. 7

9 Day 3: Economic Changes in India Reading 1: Some of the modernization associated with the industrial revolution did benefit India during this period. Foreign investors set up mills around Calcutta, and Indian merchants set up cotton textile factories in Gujrat and around Bombay. However, this was accompanied by the collapse of traditional industry, which was faced with the ferocious competition of cheap British-made goods. When the British arrived to India for trading, a prosperous India accounted for more than 17 percent of the world GDP, but when the British left India in 1947, it is believed that India accounted for less than one percent of the world Gross Domestic Product. Approximately 25 major famines spread through states such as Tamil Nadu in South India, Bihar in the north, and Bengal in the east in the latter half of the nineteenth century, killing million Indians. During the famine of the Curzon administration spent 10,000,000 (money of the day) and at its peak 4,500,000 people were on famine relief. From the 1880s onwards British administrators built a series of irrigation canals in India, much of it for the purpose of famine prevention. [14] After 1902 there was not a single famine in India until 1943 in Bengal. 'What the British added was above all the power of a unified an authoritarian state, which acted because it saw the danger of drought and famine to its rule' 8

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11 Reading 3: Under the pressure of its industrialists, British government often imposed a protective tariff on Indian Textiles. Therefore, within a few years, India went from being an exporter of clothes to becoming an exporter of raw cotton and an importer of British clothes. This reversal made a huge impact on the Indian handloom weaving industry leading to its virtual collapse. It also created unemployment for a large community of weavers. The main aim of the British was to transform India into a consumer of British goods. As a result, textile, metal work, glass and paper industries were soon out of work. By 1813, the Indian handicrafts lost both their domestic as well as foreign market. Indian goods could not compete with the British factory-made products where machines were used. These markets were now captured and monopolised by Britain by means of war and colonization. From an exporter India became an importer of these goods. They extracted money from the Indian rulers, merchants, zamindars and even the common people. Added to this drain were the profit made through trade and also the salaries of the officials. It was evident that their economic policies were meant to serve the interests of the British Empire. Vocabulary: Duty: Taxes which are paid to the government on goods that are bought or sold Tax: A sum of money demanded by a government for its support for facilities or services, levied upon incomes, property, sales. Tariff: An official list or table showing the duties or custom imposed by a government on imports or exports. 10

12 Land: Since ancient times, the main source of livelihood for the people were agriculture. Hence, land tax had formed a principal source of revenue for all the emperors all over the world. In the 18th century, the main occupation of the Indian people were agriculture. During British rule, revenue from land kept on increasing, and the reasons for this were many. Earlier the British had come to trade with India. Gradually they wanted to conquer the vast territory of India for which they needed a lot of money. They also needed money for trade, projects of the company as well as for the cost of running the administration. The British carried out a number of land revenue experiments which caused hardship to cultivators. They extracted taxes from the farmers to finance their policies and war efforts. Direct and indirect means were carried out to bring about this collection of revenue for the British. This affected the lives of the people who could not meet their daily needs because they had to provide the landowners and the collectors their share in the produce. Local administration failed to provide relief and natural justice to the rural poor. Money-Lending: Time bound and excessive demand of revenue by the British government forced the peasants to take loans from the moneylenders. These moneylenders often exploited the peasants by charging high interest rates. They often used unfair means like false accounting, forged signatures and thumb impressions. The new legal system and the policy introduced by the British only helped the moneylenders who were either local merchants or landlords. In most cases, the peasants failed to pay back the loan with full interest. Thus, their lands gradually passed into the hands of the money-lending Class. Transportation: The means of transport in India at that time were bullock carts, camels and pack animals. England on the other hand needed railways that connected the raw material producing areas with the exporting ports and to facilitate the movement of British goods to different parts of the country as well as bring raw materials to the ports. The vast network of railways that you witness today was pioneered during the latter half of the 19th century. This opened avenue for British bankers and investors to invest surplus wealth and material in the construction of railways. Railways benefited the British capitalists in two important ways. First, it made trading in commodities much easier and profitable by connecting the internal markets with the ports. Secondly, the rail engines, coaches and the capital input for building of rail lines came from Britain. The British capitalists who invested in railways were also guaranteed a minimum profit of 5% by the government. These companies were also given free land with a lease of 99 years. Although the railways were set up for the advantage of British trade, they also played an important role in the national awakening of the country. Though the British had never anticipated, the extensive transport network and improved education brought people and ideas closer. Directions: Analyze the following political cartoons. Mending the Lesson Political Economy. Take care my Dear John. Don t interfere with the Law of Supply and Demand. John Bull. I don t Miss Prudence. She Demands and I Supply. December 20, Text: Context: Subtext 11

13 Day 4: British Colonial Rule in India /britishruleinindia.pdf Directions: Read the account carefully and answer the questions below. "England's Account with India" (From the letter of a Native Hindu)â "'Great Britainâ owe a debt to the Indian peasant, a debt of millions upon millions.' We know that India annually remits to England a sum estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 for home charges, pensions, interest and the like. We know that the people of India are virtually debarred from the highest posts in India, except a very small percentage, and that 15,000,000 are annually paid to European officials employed in India and sending all their savings to Europe. We know that our ancient industries, like weaving and spinning and dyeing, have been killed by European competition, and that the land is so heavily taxed in so many provinces that the peasant cannot save in good years for years of bad harvest. We know that an army is kept in India, and paid for by India, sufficient for England's imperial requirements over the best parts of Africa and Asia. We know that our finances are adjusted by executive councils in India and Great Britain, in which the people of India have no seat and that in the taxation of India we have no voice. These are some of the burdens we bear in India, and these are some of the causes of famine from which we periodically suffer. Will Englishmen add to them the burden of paying for British forts and armies, British establishments, and wars in various parts of Africa and Asia â from the Suez Canal to Mozambique, from the Tigris to the Malay Peninsula? Will the English conscience reconcile itself to thus proceeding in a year when 90,000,000 of people are affected by the worst famine that India has ever known, and 5,000,000 are actually attending relief centers?â Is there no statesmen in England at the present day who will give us a new India bill, moderating land tax, reducing expenditure, opening up the higher services to the people of India, and giving them some control over their finances? Is there no Englishman of this generation who will stand up for justice to India? Article found in the Anti-Imperialism Scrapbook of William Lloyd Garrison, Jr., Garrison Family Papers, Box 287, Northampton, MA 1.The author mentions several places as being under the control of Great Britain. Locate those places in your atlas and label them on your world map. How extensive was the British Empire? Given the location of other colonies, why do you think the British wanted to retain control of India? 2.According to this account, how did Great Britain exert its control over India? Was having control over India beneficial to Great Britain? Why or why not (cite specific examples). 3. According to this account, what effect did British control have on India? Make a list of the various effects and decide if they were positive or negative for the people of India. Be sure to explain why you think so. 4.Who is the author of this account? Is it important to consider the authorship? Why or why not? 5.Based on what you have read, what do you foresee happening should the British continue to retain control over India? 6.Pretend you are living in India and you agree with the author's statements. Develop a plan of action to achieve your goal - identify five steps that could be taken. 12

14 India was Britain s most important colony the jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Ruling India gave the British great political and financial rewards, as well as national pride. But for many Indians, British rule was a source of frustration and humiliation. This frustration gave rise to powerful feelings of nationalism. The Raj The era of British rule in India is often called the British Raj, a Hindi word meaning rule. The administration of India was carried out by a government agency called the Indian Civil Service (ICS). Though they were ruling India, most officials of the ICS were British. The ICS employed very few Indians, leaving many educated Indians frustrated at having no say in their own government. Many British officials in India believed themselves superior to the people they governed. As a result, they lived in segregated neighborhoods and belonged to exclusive clubs. Most of these officials believed that they were improving the lives of the Indian people through westernization. Yet many prejudiced British officials believed that Indians were utterly incapable of governing themselves. During the Raj, the /British built railroads, roads, and canals in India. By 1910, India had the fourth-largest railroad network in the world. Britain interested in transportation for two reasons: to move troops to troubled spots more easily and to help sell British products throughout India. British historian J. A. R. Marriot wrote in his 1932 book, The English in India, British brains, British enterprise have changed the face of India. Means of communication have been developed. There are great numbers of bridges, more than 40,000 miles of railway, and 70,000 miles of paved roads India now has improved sanitation and a higher standard of living. I ndia was an important market for British manufactured goods, but that was not its only economic significance. It was a source of raw materials, such as cotton, tea, indigo, and jute. In fact, India became one of the most significant sources of raw cotton for British textile factories in the 1860s, after cotton in the United States became unavailable during the American Civil War. In addition, taxes collected from Indian land owners paid for the administration of India and the Indian army. Although India had been a major exporter of textiles to Asia until the early 1800s, the British closed Indian textile factories to prevent competition with British companies. By the mid-1800s, India primarily exported raw materials rather than manufactured goods. This shift led Jawaharlal Nehru to write in The Discovery of India that the economic development of India was stopped and the growth of new industry was prevented India became an agricultural colony of industrial England. It supplied raw materials and provided markets for England s industrial goods The poverty of the country grew. The standard of living fell to terribly low levels. The Rise of Indian Nationalism Many groups in India found the changes that came with British rule deeply disturbing. Indian elites and middle classes resented having so few opportunities to participate in government. Still, it took more than resentment to build a nationalist movement. That movement did not take off until Indians began to see themselves as having the same rights as Europeans. This idea was first expressed by the reformer Ram Mohun Roy in the 1820s. Roy felt that the British were violating the Indian people s rights, including the rights of free speech and religion. - Marriot and Nehru offer strikingly different assessments of the impact of British imperialism in India. Which do you find more believable? Why? Day 5: Assessment: Explain the political, economic, and social consequences of the British Imperialism (Learning Targets 7, 8, & 9). 13

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