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The East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading with India. The East India Company traded mainly in cotton, silk, indigo dye, tea, and opium. England soon came to rule India by administration. Company rule in India lasted until 1858, when Indians rebelled. The Company itself was finally dissolved on 1 January 1874. -
Anglo-French War In India
The actual onset of the struggles arose from Anglo-French commercial and political rivalry in India and political rivalry in Europe. There were a number of conflicts between the two countries over this period. Yet, it ended with the Treaty Of Paris, which stipulated an end of French presence in India, which allowed Britain to expand to control India’s government and markets. This is also reflected in the conflict between the two countries in Europe and the Americas at the same time. -
India Act
which limited the power of the East India Company, was enacted. This act also gave more power to the Governor-General. These two acts reveal the trend of diminishing EIC power and increasing the power of the British government in the sub- continent. As a result Cornwallis reforms the Civil Service and the tax collection methods in attempts to curb corruption in the systems. -
EIC Power in India was Diminished
Sepoys were sent to jail because they refused to bite cartridges. Sepoys had refused to bite cartridges because they were made with beef fat which Hindus are not allowed to eat. The Indians killed many English settlers in the area. They attacked European trading posts and homes across India. The massacre led the British to retaliate who countered this rebellion so they could re-establish British rule in India. The East India Company’s political control in India was dismantled. -
Queen Victoria
Queen Victoria is pronounced Empress of India and India officially becomes part of the British Empire. -
Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress is formed to get more government involvement for educated Indians. Initially the congress did not support independence but as the British did not acquiesce their demands time and time again, the congress evolved to favor complete independence from England. Mahatma Gandhi became a prominent figure in the congress. Gandhi and the congress eventually created the mass independence movement of Indians even with their many differences with culture and caste. -
The Muslim League
though the Congress made genuine efforts to enlist the Muslim community in its struggle for Indian independence, it was inevitably a Hindu-dominated organization, and Muslims knew that an independent united India would inevitably be ruled by Hindus. So the Muslim League was founded as a political party that desired independence and the partitioning of a Muslim State separate from India that would later be Pakistan. -
World War 1
World War I. Many Indian volunteers fought for the British in World War I and Indian factories supplied the Allied forces. British promise to give concessions for Indian sacrifices after the war but they do not truly follow through on these promises so there is a shift for more government control for Indians to complete control of the government for Indians. -
Rowlatt Acts
Parliament passes the Rowlatt Acts. This act authorized the government to imprison anyone suspected of terrorism against the Raja without the right to a trial. It was very unpopular for Indians because it mainly excused the arrest of peaceful Indians who were against British rule. -
Amristar Massacre
The British massacred 400 unarmed Indians who were peacefully listening to political speeches. This incident further swayed Indian sentiment against the British because of their cruelty and unjust behavior. -
Government of India Act
Government of India Act was a new plan for the Indian government, which would establish a partnership between the Indians and the British. These reforms would eventually lead to India becoming a dominion of the British Empire. -
World War 2
The Muslim league supports the war effort, as do some Indian troops. However, the Indian National Congress refuses to support the war effort. They had the ideology that if the British were fighting to preserve democracy they should be allowing democratic home-rule to be practiced in India. -
"Quit India" Movement
“Quit India” movement is initiated against the British because the Indians now wanted complete independence from the British. Gandhi led this non-cooperative, non- violent movement. It led to the arrest of Gandhi and Nehru. -
India-Pakistan
India and Pakistan become self-governing. Nehru is prime minister of India. Since India is Hindu and Pakistan is Muslim, there were mass migrations to the Pakistan for Muslims within India’s borders and vice versa. There was also violence after the departure of the British with riots and mobs of people of different religions against each other as the borders of these two countries were being decided.
