Africa, India & The New British

EmpirePresented By the Amazing &

Fantabulous Team of Aditi Sharma & Sunnie Lee

Africa

New Kingdoms & National Identity

• Conflicts in farm lands, droughts and problems created several kingdoms in Africa.

• As kingdoms expanded national identity

and wealth increased along with the spread of culture.

The Zulu Kingdom

Founded by Shaka in 1818 in South Africa due to conflicts in grazing and farming lands.

Islamic Movements • During this time period Islamic movements and

reforms increased. • Jihad (holy war), was used to add new lands

where governments spread and promoted Islam.

• The greatest movement was in the The Huasa States (N. Nigeria).Led by Usuman dan Fodio, overthrew the government and formed the Sokoto Caliphate.

The Sokoto Caliphate (1809-1906)

• Largest state in West Africa since the fall of the Songhai and until the British conquest in 1903.

• Located mostly in Northern Nigeria.• Development led to increase in spread of

Islamic elements and education.

Egypt: Muhammad Ali • Muhammad Ali arose after

Napoleonic rule• Created the strongest state in

Africa through the use of Western methods for modernization.

• Changes under his rule:• Increase in Agricultural

Production• European style school system &

Military college• Egyptian Peasants required to

cultivate cotton for export.

Aren't I attractive?

Results of His Rule

•Results

• Population Doubled

• Trade with Europe increased by 600%

• New Class of educated Egyptians replaced the aristocracy.

•His grandson, Ismail’s rule further increased modernization, British involvement and led to Cairo as the capital of Egypt.

Ethiopia

• The Christian rulers of Ethiopia regained control and reunited territories.

• Strong loyal armies were created from the purchase of modern weapons increasing loyalties.

• A giant cannon was constructed but, failed with the attack of the British.

Invaders, Explorers & Trade

France vs. Algeria• In 1830, France invaded Algeria, a

state that provided olive oil and grain to France.

• This invasion begun the “Scramble for Africa”.

• Failure the pay of debts by the French to the Algerians = dispute & resistance for 18 years led by Abd al-Quadir.

• After his death another 30 years were spent in eliminating resistance from the mountains.

European Explorers• European explorers had peaceful expeditions

keen on exploring the secrets of Africa and wanted to asses the mineral wealth and convert Africans to Christianity.

• David Livingston: Missionary doctor that spotted locations for Christian mission and traced the Zambezi river.

• Explorers were able to move unharmed from place to place. Strangers were seldom harmed and received with gratitude.

Consequences of Abolition of Slavery

• In response to abolition of slavery Africans increased their “Legitimate trade”(trade of goods other than slaves) which led to new exports like palm oil.

• Led to the spread of foreign and Western cultural influences. • Slaves in British colony, Sierra Leone were liberated

and lived in Freetown where they were provided with education.

• Several people of African descent returned to their ancestral lands. ( The formation of Liberia)

• Slavery shifted towards the Southern and Eastern Africa.

India Under British Rule

India-->British• South Asia was impacted more severely by European

commercial/cultural/colonial expansion than Africao Europeans only laid claim to small parts of Africa

but...o ...nearly all of India was under direct/indirect

British rule 1750-1870• During the 250 years after founding the EIC, Britain:

o Commandeered colonies and trade of the Dutch (dissolving Dutch East India Company in 1795)

o Fought off French and Indian challenges (blocking France in 1763)

o Took Mughal Empire over (last Mughal emperor, dethroned in 1858)

Company Men• Mughal power weakened in the 18th century: several areas took

advantageo European (Dutch, British, French) power took overo (1739) Iranian armies defeated Mughal forces & sacked Delhi o Indian states asserted independence (Maratha Confederation

-- a coalition of states in central India -- controlled more land than Mughals). They had nawabs (Muslim princes who were deputies of the Mughal emperor) who ruled the states.

• Far flung European trading was risky. Their success depended on "company men" (hard-drinking, ambitious young men) who used bargaining and fighting to persuade Indian rulers to allow them to establish strategic trading posts.

• The companies hired sepoys (trained Indian troops) to protect their fortified warehouses from attack by other Europeans.

"Black Hole of Calcutta" and "Bombay Presidency"

• EIC established an outpost at the fishing port of Calcutta in 169. A new nawab pressed claims for additional tributes, overran the fort in 1756, and captured a group of EIC men of which several died of suffocation

• A large EIC force from Madras led by Robert Clive overthrew nawab to avenge their deaths. Weak Mughal acknowledged EIC's right to rule Bengal in 1765, Calcutta grew into a city of 250,000 by 1788

• Clive also used a large EIC force from Arcot during the Seven Years War (1756-1763) to secure victory for British Indian nawab candidate-->advantage over French traders

• Third major center of British power was Bombay

• After long series of contest with Martha Confederation rulers, the EIC gained advantage in 1818. They annexed large territories to form the "Bombay Presidency"

British Raj• "raj" - reign• Many inconsistencies of British policy towards India

o British raj wanted to remake India through administrative reform/economic development/technology

o Company men tempered interference with Indian culture in order to avoid starting rebellions

• British policies included:o Create a powerful and efficient system of governmento Disarm approx. 2 million warriors and turn them to

civilian taskso Give freer reign to Christian missionarieso Substitute ownership of private property for India's

overlapping patterns of landholding

Rebellion• British and Indian elites worked together/against each

other but ordinary people suffered (women, "untouchables," "tribals," and the poor found less benefit in British reforms)

• Transformation of economy proved good and bad. British raj created many new jobs resulting from growth of internal/external trade but competition of cotton goods drove many Indians out of handicraft textile industry

• Beneficial economic changes were disruptive and had no safety net for the needy-->constant local rebellions

• Discontent growing among Indian soldiers as well, and the events of the "Sepoy Rebellion" (1857-1858) escalated quickly as changes offended the soldiers-->turning point in history of modern India

Political Reform & Industrial Impact• 1858 - Britain eliminated last traces of Mughal and Company rule• Tried to convince Indian princes that British viceroys were Mughal

descent and held great pageants called durbars• Indian Civil Service - powerful and efficient bureaucracy that

controlled Indian masses (Recruitment by open examinations given in Britain, worked to exclude Indians)

• India's trade expanded rapidly after involvement with industrial Britaino Invested millions to improve irrigationo Exports: tea, cotton, sugar and other agricultural commoditieso Imported manufactured goods from Britain

• Indian government ushered in new technology i.e. railroad boom and telegraph

• Spread of cholera due to freer movement of Indian pilgrims - kala mari (black death) was a divine punishment

Nationalism

• Success and failures of British India sparked Indian nationalism

• Many Indian intellectuals moved to Western secular values and nationalism as the way to reclaim India for its people

• Majority of nationalists came from middle class (prospered from increase of trade/manufacturing)

• Indian National Congress (1885)

The British Eastern Empire

Several Factors allowed the development of the British Eastern Empire

• String of military victories• New policies favoring free trade• Increase in Maritime Commerce

Colonial Rivalry & Expansion• Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815): The British defeat

of Dutch & French = more control in Africa, South E Asia and the Caribbean.

• Cape Colony: • Valuable supply station for ships going from

Britain to India. • The British protected African rights and

alienated Afrikaners.• In response, descendants of earlier French and

Dutch settlers (the Afrikaners) begun the “Great Trek” to found new colonies

Imperial Policies• British = "reluctant builders":

more interested in trade than territorial expansion.

• The British began to encourage free trade and build new ships like the clipper ships.

• New advancement and policies Increased size of trade, lowered shipping costs and greatly impacted the environment.

Clipper Ships: Built with iron & huge canvas sails.

Colonization of Australia and New Zealand

• New ships and shipping-->third form of British rule in South Pacific

• Australia remained fairly remote until Captain James Cook made first systematic European exploration of New Zealand in 1769-1778

• Australian and New Zealand populations=vulnerable to disease (like Amerindians)

• "Aborigines" - first permanent British settlers in Australia (rush of people after discovery of gold)

• Sperm whales caught British interest in New Zealand• Australia - powerful trade unions• New Zealand - availability of land to common people,

one of first states in world to grant women right to vote (1894)

Labor Migrations• British India - greatest source of laborers and British

colonies were their principal destinations• Britain's emancipation of slaves in 1834, freed Africans

unwilling to do work, needed new laborers-->turned to India's impoverished people

• Larger, faster ships made transporting laborers more affordable (spread of disease on ships)

• Laborers served under contracts of indenture which bound them to work for a specific period (5-7 yrs)o Paid small salaryo Provided housing, clothing, medical care

• Most people who signed contracts were trying to improve their lives by emigrating

A Short & Sweet Conclusion

• During this period the most important factor was the growing dominance of the British in World Commerce.

• Rapidly growing exchanges and trade was mutually beneficial because, Industrialization created new jobs and markets for African and Asian goods.