Influence Of British Imperialism On India

Britain taking control over India had been overall a heart wrenching experience for the Indians’ ways of living because the British converted the old ways into new ways. They changed most of India’s society by bringing in different forms of technology that they had never seen before. Although trade and influence dates back to the 1600s, true British control spanned for only 200 years and the British conquered and “evolved” India’s governments, economy, and views.

India was taken over for more than 200 years by a strong empire and as the empire’s power declined, a strong company’s influence grew; the company came out with a surprise that wasn’t in its favor. In the 16th and 17th century most of India and Pakistan was ruled by the Mughal empire;

Until the mid-1700s, Mughal rulers had a dominant empire in India for more than 200 years; Britain turned from commercial interests into political interests and the Mughal empire had collapsed from a strong lack of rulers. As Mughal power was lost, the British East India Company’s influence grew; the company won trading rights on the fridge of the Mughal empire in the 1600s and by the mid-1800s, three-fifths of India was overridden. “The East India Company emerged as a powerful commercial and political organization and evolved from an enterprise run by a group of City of London merchants.” The main goal of the East India Company was to get big money and the leading officials were the ones that often grew rich: improved roads, preserved peace, and reduced banditry were great outcomes of the company. Missionaries came trying to convert all Indians to Christianity because they felt it was needed for Indian religions and Western education and legal procedures were brought up and introduced by the British in the early 1800s. The British had also tried to press for social change, the end to slavery, the caste system, women's position in the family, and banned sati-a Hindu custom, for the most part, practiced by the upper class. The East India Company had made some risky moves that weren’t liked by many in the 1850s: to serve and fight

Some Indians liked what changes Britain made, but some Indians felt that the answer to change lay with their own Hindu or Muslim cultures. Ram Mohun Roy combined both views and today is often hailed as the founder of Indian nationalism. Ram Mohun Roy spoke freely and took his views to the leaders in the East India Company and helped abolish the custom of Sati and demanded equal inheritance rights for women. During British rule, Western-educated Indians were making a nationalist movement; they dreamed of ending imperial rule. In 1885, nationalist leaders organized the Indian National Congress and they wanted greater democracy and the Congress party looked forward to self-rule, but supported Western-style modernization. In the beginning, Muslims and Hindus worked together for self-rule, however, Muslims got tired of Hindu control of the Congress party. In 1906, the Muslim League was formed so they could pursue their own goals and, eventually they wanted a separate Muslim