Brutish imperialism in India

dropdown The Mughal Empire of India fell into decline in the early 1700s. By the mid-1700s, the British East India Company was the most important power in India. The company held huge amounts of land. The company even had its own army. This army was led by British officers. It was staffed by sepoys, Indian soldiers. dropdown India was the main supplier of raw materials for Britain. The British called India the “jewel in the crown” because it was Britain’s most valuable colony. dropdown India enjoyed some benefits from British rule. India’s rail system was the third largest in the world. The railroad helped make India’s economy more modern. The British made other improvements, too. They built telephone and telegraph lines, dams, bridges, and canals. They also improved sanitation and public health and built schools. dropdown But British rule also caused problems. A great deal of wealth owed from India to Britain. Indian industry died out because of British trade laws. Many farmers and villages could no longer feed themselves because they were forced to grow cash crops. India suffered famines in the late 1800s. In addition, most British officials had racist attitudes that threatened Indian culture. dropdown By the mid-1800s, many Indians resented British rule. In 1857, some Indian soldiers heard rumors about British weapons. The rumors offended the Indians’ religious feelings. The British handled the situation badly. The Indian soldiers rebelled. This rebellion has been called the Sepoy Mutiny. It took the East India Company and British troops a year to put it down. dropdown The Sepoy Mutiny failed because the Indians were divided. Muslims and Hindus did not trust each other. After the revolt, the British government took direct control of British India.