British Imperialism Analysis
British Imperialism in India
Pre-Colonization: The Mughal Empire Prior to British imperialism, the Mughal Empire governed the majority of the Indian subcontinent. Unsatisfied with his modest kingdom, Fergana, Babur (r. 1526-1530) expanded into Kabul in 1504, serving as a base for his conquests. When he defeated the the Sultan of Delhi at the Battle of Panipat in 1526, he declared himself emperor, founding the Mughal Empire. His large, well-trained cavalry and artillery provided him the advantage of agility and speed over his enemies' infantries in his conquests.
Surprisingly, the emperor to establish the foundation of the Mughal Empire was, in fact, not a Mughal. Sher Shah Suri exiled Humayun, son of Babur, i would regain his throne a decade …show more content…
The Portuguese continued to dominate the Indian Ocean trade until their defeat at the Battle of Swally in 1612, which gave the British East India Company (EIC) the opportunity to trade. Granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the EIC was a joint-stock company with a fifteen-year monopoly on English trade in the Indies. England’s interest in India was commercial at first. The EIC’s first trading post was in Surat (modern-day Gujarat), where it traded textiles, like muslin and chintz. In addition, India provided saltpeter, opium, and pepper. Later, when India became a part of the British Empire, it would also produce cash crops, like indigo, along with sugar, rice, and …show more content…
The Permanent Settlement by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 set a constant tax rate to extract more revenue from landholders. Although the purpose was to create a mediator between the EIC and the rural peasantry, Cornwallis also wanted to create an “Indian version of the English gentleman-farmer” (Metcalf 78). Another system, known as the ryotwari system, created a direct relationship between the two. This was driven by the notion of a minor peasant-farmer who struggled to retain his land. Other ideologies arose regarding the British image of India. Orientalism, founded by William Jones, sought to record India at its height, the ancient Hindu India equivalent to the glory of ancient Greece and Rome. It was a mixture of profound respect for India, and pity for its perceived decline. On the other hand, Anglicanism aimed to completely reject Indian culture, viewing it as outdated, superstitious, and inferior to the
Pre-Colonization: The Mughal Empire Prior to British imperialism, the Mughal Empire governed the majority of the Indian subcontinent. Unsatisfied with his modest kingdom, Fergana, Babur (r. 1526-1530) expanded into Kabul in 1504, serving as a base for his conquests. When he defeated the the Sultan of Delhi at the Battle of Panipat in 1526, he declared himself emperor, founding the Mughal Empire. His large, well-trained cavalry and artillery provided him the advantage of agility and speed over his enemies' infantries in his conquests.
Surprisingly, the emperor to establish the foundation of the Mughal Empire was, in fact, not a Mughal. Sher Shah Suri exiled Humayun, son of Babur, i would regain his throne a decade …show more content…
The Portuguese continued to dominate the Indian Ocean trade until their defeat at the Battle of Swally in 1612, which gave the British East India Company (EIC) the opportunity to trade. Granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the EIC was a joint-stock company with a fifteen-year monopoly on English trade in the Indies. England’s interest in India was commercial at first. The EIC’s first trading post was in Surat (modern-day Gujarat), where it traded textiles, like muslin and chintz. In addition, India provided saltpeter, opium, and pepper. Later, when India became a part of the British Empire, it would also produce cash crops, like indigo, along with sugar, rice, and …show more content…
The Permanent Settlement by Lord Cornwallis in 1793 set a constant tax rate to extract more revenue from landholders. Although the purpose was to create a mediator between the EIC and the rural peasantry, Cornwallis also wanted to create an “Indian version of the English gentleman-farmer” (Metcalf 78). Another system, known as the ryotwari system, created a direct relationship between the two. This was driven by the notion of a minor peasant-farmer who struggled to retain his land. Other ideologies arose regarding the British image of India. Orientalism, founded by William Jones, sought to record India at its height, the ancient Hindu India equivalent to the glory of ancient Greece and Rome. It was a mixture of profound respect for India, and pity for its perceived decline. On the other hand, Anglicanism aimed to completely reject Indian culture, viewing it as outdated, superstitious, and inferior to the