British Exploitation of India

• In 1600, the English East India Company (EEIC) gained a charter from Queen Elizabeth I to control trade in India.
• The British aimed to control Bengal, India's richest province.
• The British defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah, the Nawab of Bengal at the Battle of Plassey in 1757.
• The Battle of Buxar in 1764 resulted in a British victory.
• Following Buxar, the Company began ruling Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
• Exploitation of Bengal began, Zamindars became landowners and farmers lost their land rights.
• Factories in Britain used raw materials from India.
• Indians had to grow indigo for factories instead of food and faced poverty due to taxes and crop failures.

Exploitation by the British

• British rule went against the interests of the Indian population and exploited its resources, taking wealth to Britain.
• Indians were forced to produce goods such as indigo and cotton used in factories in England.
• Indian craftspeople could not compete with factory-made goods from Britain, so they gave up their professions.
• Indian goods such as muslin production declined.
• Railways, telegraph, and postal systems, along with modern Western education, were introduced by the British.
• The British introduced the railways, telegraph and postal system to control resources in India and help British interests.
• Political awareness grew among Indians due to Western education.
• India saw the rise of numerous social and religious reformers.
• A new awakening gave people a common purpose to fight against British rule.

Timeline of the Indian Freedom Struggle (1800-1916)

Rise of Social Reformers (1800 onwards)

• Educated Indians questioned British rule, marking the start of India's freedom struggle.
• Leaders included Raja Rammohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda, Dayanand Saraswati, and Sayyid Ahmad Khan.
• Urged improving conditions for women, spreading modern education, and ending superstitious beliefs.

Formation of the Indian National Congress (INC) (1885)

• The INC was formed to politically unite Indians.
• Allan Octavian Hume, a retired English official, established the INC.
• Other key figures included Dadabhai Naoroji and Surendranath Banerjea.
• Early leaders aimed for gradual freedom, larger Indian participation in administration and politics.

Partition of Bengal (1905)

• The British divided Bengal into two parts. British declared Bengal too large to manage under one administration, but aimed to weaken Hindu-Muslim unity.

Swadeshi and Boycott Movements (1905-08)

• It Encouraged the use of Indian-manufactured goods.
• Boycotted or stopped using goods made in England and other parts of Europe.
• Indians gave up British jobs, titles, and schools.
• British goods destroyed publicly, with "Vande Mataram" an anthem for the struggle.
• Resulted in the opening of textile mills, handloom units, and matchbox factories in Bengal.

Beginning of Armed Revolutions (1905)

• Revolutionary groups formed to engage the Bristish in armed conflict.
• Bagha Jatin sacrificed his life to fight to gain independence.
• Revolutionaries included Khudiram Bose, Aurobindo Ghosh, and Prafulla Chaki.

Annulment of Partition of Bengal (1911)

• Mass protests forced the British to reverse the Partition of Bengal
• Seat of central government moved from Calcutta to Delhi.

Foundation of Home Rule Leagues (1915-16)

• Indian leaders aimed for self-government during World War I, but realized the British had no intention of releasing power.
• Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant started Home Rule Leagues to advocate freedom and self-rule.
• "Swaraj is my birthright, and I shall have it" was Tilak's slogan.

Revolt 1857

• After 100 years of the Battle of Plassey, the Indian people rose in revolt against the British rule in 1857.
• The revolt occurred in 1857 and is known as the First War of Indian Independence.
• Leaders of the Revolt include: Mangal Pandey, Rani Lakshmi Bai, Nana Sahib, Tantia Tope, Kunwar Singh, Begum Hazrat Mahal and Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar
• The revolt was suppressed by the British.

End of EEIC's Rule (1858)

• India was brought under British rule.
• Queen Victoria was declared the Empress of India.