In the 19th century, India was completely colonized by Britain. The Great Rebellion of 1857 became a turning point in colonial rule.
Basic Knowledge
Britain expanded into India through the East India Company (established in 1600). In the Battle of Plassey in 1757, it defeated the Nawab of Bengal and the French allied forces, gaining a foothold for its rule over India. By the first half of the 19th century, Britain had defeated the Maratha Confederacy and the Sikh Kingdom and controlled almost the entire subcontinent. On May 10, 1857, a rebellion by the sepoys (Indian mercenaries of the East India Company) triggered the Indian Rebellion (Sepoy Rebellion, First War of Indian Independence). It spread throughout northern India under the leadership of the Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah II. The British army suppressed it in 1858, the East India Company was dissolved, the Mughal Empire came to an end in 1858, and the British government began direct rule. In 1877, Queen Victoria also became Empress of India, establishing the Indian Empire.
1600 British East India Company established
1757 Battle of Plassey
1857-58 Indian Rebellion (Sepoy Rebellion)
1858 Mughal Empire ends, East India Company dissolved, direct British rule
1877 Indian Empire established (Queen Victoria＝Empress of India)
1885 Indian National Congress established (moderates)
1905 Partition of Bengal Order→intensification of anti-British movements
1906 Four Calcutta resolutions (Swadeshi, Swaraj, and others)
Further Study (Background and Effects)
The immediate trigger of the rebellion was the rumor that the cartridges of new rifles issued to the sepoys were greased with cow and pig fat (cows are sacred in Hinduism, while pigs are considered impure in Islam). Background causes included dissatisfaction with Britain’s heavy land taxes, lack of understanding of caste and religion, Christian missionary work, and the policy of annexing princely states (Doctrine of Lapse). After the rebellion, Britain used conflicts between Hindus and Muslims through divide and rule. In 1885, the Indian National Congress (the foundation of the later independence movement) was established under British leadership as a moderate organization. However, the Partition of Bengal Order in 1905 (division by religion) provoked opposition and intensified anti-British movements. At the Calcutta session of 1906, four resolutions were adopted: Swadeshi (use of domestically produced goods), Swaraj (self-government), boycott of British goods, and national education. These movements later led to Gandhi’s nonviolent campaigns.
- Battle of Plassey＝1757, starting point of British rule in India
- Indian Rebellion＝1857-58, sepoys
- End of the Mughal Empire＝1858
- Indian Empire＝1877, Queen Victoria
- Indian National Congress＝established in 1885
- Partition of Bengal Order＝1905, exploiting religious conflict
- Four Calcutta resolutions＝Swadeshi・Swaraj・boycott of British goods・national education
Points of Caution (Easily Confused)
① There were several East India Companies, including the British (1600), Dutch (1602), and French (1604) companies, but the British East India Company was the most successful. ② Sepoys (Indian mercenaries of the British East India Company) and the Ever-Victorious Army (a British-led force that suppressed the Taiping Rebellion) were different. ③ Divide and rule was a standard method of British rule in India and was later used in Palestine as well. ④ Distinguish the meanings of Swadeshi (use of domestically produced goods) and Swaraj (self-government).
Practice
- What was the name of the rebellion of Indian mercenaries that began in 1857?
- Which British queen also became emperor of the Indian Empire established in 1877?
- Which word meaning “acquisition of self-government” was included among the four resolutions adopted at the Calcutta session of 1906?