The Evolution of the British presence in India For more than 200 years before the Indian Mutiny of 1857, there had been a British presence in India. British colonization began at Surat, after the establishment of a factory (the English term for the trading post system originally established by Europeans in foreign territories) in 1613. Over the years the British expanded, creating forts for protection and larger trading stations. Eventually, to make certain that there would be stability and a successful trade business, Britain deployed many of its armed forces and also raised native forces, thus becoming an active power in 18th Century India. The area of British control increased. British expansion affected the entire sub-continent at last partially. The turning point of the Indian Mutiny of 1857 of was ingenious, however there were several factors that proved key in engineering a British victory and maintaining power after the battle. The changes the British enforced, the battles themselves, and the benefits of the victory granted the British permanent access to India. The relationship of the British with their Indian subject gradually became worse as time passed. The invention of the steamships may be partially responsible for the tension between the two peoples, a momentous change in the operation of trade. “The British East India Company had been using steamboats to help maneuver large sailing ships into the narrow harbors of India. Steam technology was then used to link the British outposts in northern India. The Ganges River runs west to east across most of the northern part of south Asia. It provided a natural highway for steamboats to deliver goods, troops, and mail across the wide expanse of the northern frontier. In essence, steam power was used to shrink the size of northern India.” (Fitzgerald) Another significant event was the arrival of missionaries from protestant England. The missionaries cast their teachings upon the very conservative Indians, who preferred their own customs and institutions to other people. Indians especially preferred their own religions and Evangelical Christians had little respect, or understanding of, these ancient practices and beliefs. In fact, in Indian culture, “Care is taken ‘not to offend the sensibilities’ of the followers of other religions.” (Wirth) It would have been highly offensive to Indian Muslims and Hindus that “Missionaries try by hook or crook to get converts and target especially the lower classes and even children.” (Wirth). Yet another British change that caused major dissent among the aristocracy was the adjustment to inheritance laws. The British Indian Government enacted the Indian Succession Act of 1865, causing a further religious divide, as the law didn’t apply to Christians. The Succession Act enforced that the only benefactors, and receptors of the deceased’s property, are those offspring that are lineal descendants. The phrase "lineal descendant" means a descendant born out of a lawful marriage. Thus an illegitimate son or daughter cannot be said to be a lineal descendant, and receives no share. Indian unrest had grown to its breaking point. “On 10th May incendiary fires began at Meerut: then the sepoys massacred their officers and marched away to Delhi.” (Gilliat). The new rifles, which had been issued by the British army, contained a cartridge that required the soldier to bite of the end in order to load the weapon. To make this process easier, the cartridges were greased with the animal fat of a cow or pig. “The Mahommedans, so it was said, believed that the mixture contained hog's lard: thus we had touched on the tenderest spot of both races. The "greased cartridge" became known first to one of the guards in the arsenal at Fort William; and this man ran horror-stricken and told his comrades there was a plot to destroy caste.” (Gilliat) The rumor quickly spread throughout the Indian regiment that this process was being used, and according to Lord Roberts, a leader of British forces, “The affair betrayed and incredible disregard of the natives’ religious prejudices.” (Gilliat) The mutineers took Delhi first with the help of more native regiments, and from there, the rebellion spread quickly but unevenly. Throughout the many battles at, Delhi, Cawnpore, and Lucknow, the natives were never able to completely seize all of India. Britain did manage to survive the fourteen month long battle, but with severe losses. Both the rebels and the British looked at people of the opposite color as enemies, and would slaughter them. Both sides butchered women and children. “Meanwhile, risings and massacres occurred throughout Oude and the Doab… At Cawnpur, Nana Sahib ordered a massacre of men, women and children after promising safe passage…” (Gilliat) The Indian Mutiny of 1857 soon became to be known as the greatest of all imperial wars.
Now that the British had won the war, their next struggle was to retain control. “Mir Jafar was placed on the throne of Bengal as the Nawab on 25th June 1757, immediately after the Battle of Plassey. The New Nawab was nothing but a puppet in the hands of the British, who started playing the role of kingmaker… The English got the territory of twenty-four Parganas from the Nawab” (Jhabbu) the British instantly set up a figurehead. Through Mir Jafar, and later Mir Kasim, the British fully established total control over India. The British acquired significant amounts of land through their victory, attaining all French land in Bengal, placing Bengal firmly in British hands. This was essential for the British in order to gain control over the remainder of India. “The establishment of control over Bengal made it possible for the English to conquer northern India.” (Jhabbu) The Bengalese addition also allowed for economic expansion, because the East India Trading Company obtained exclusive use of Bengal as a trading port. “Thus the merchants of the East India Company grew richer and richer day by day. The company even went to the extent of establishing a mint at Calcutta and introduced its own currency to prove its sovereign authority in Bengal.” (Jhabbu). The British were easily able to keep control over India, and even spread their influence to include northern India.
What started out as a blatant disregard for Indian customs, turned into one of the bloodiest wars of the 19th Century. To the British, it was a series of small skirmishes on the part of the mutineers, which were defeated in a reasonable amount of time. To the nationalist Indians however, it was a war for independence and ultimately a trial run for achieving their own freedom. This mutiny, called the 'epic of the Race' by historian Sir Charles Crostwaithe, was the beginning of the end for the British Empire. During the early stages of battle, many Indians, probably the majority, were loyal to their British rulers. However, where the rebellion gained traction was the indignation of the people against British changes, the disregard of Indian customs regarding religion, and the interference of the British in the ruling system of India. The natives were sick of the British imposing their ideas, and their way of life on them. The type of radical change, which Britain imposed on India during these times, was all that the natives needed to realize and envision a better, freer India. Although, the revolt was a little under two years, it made its impact on the way that Britain looked at India, and also how the Indian people viewed themselves. The mutiny allowed differences of the Indian people to be thrown away, creating a one common goal for independence. Alas, the Indians lost, and Britain ruled India with an iron thumb, using it for its resources and squeezing as much revenue as possible out through the East India Trading Company. However futile, the Indian Mutiny of 1865 was heroic for the Indian people, and became an essential and significant event in world history.

Bibliography * Brown, Judith M. (1994), Modern India: The Origins of an Asian Democracy (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 480, ISBN 0-19-873113-2. * Jhabbu, R. “What are the Results of the Battle of Plassey?” Preserve Articles, Web. 19 Nov. 2013. < http://www.preservearticles.com/2012010619992/what-are-the-results-of-the-battle-of-plassey.html> * Fitzgerald, Richard D. "The Steamboat: First Instrument of Imperialism." Science and Its Times: Understanding the Social Significance of Scientific Discovery. Ed. Josh Lauer and Neil Schlager. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2000. 516-518. Global Issues In Context. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. * Wirth, Maria. "The Truth of Christian Missionaries in India." India Facts. India Facts, 5 Oct. 2013. Web. 17 Dec. 2013. <http://www.indiafacts.co.in/the-truth-of-christian-missionaries-in-india/>. * Indian Succession Act of 1865 * Gilliat, Edward. Heroes of the Indian Mutiny; Stories of Heroic Deeds, Intrepidity, and Determination in the Face of Fearful Odds during the Great Mutiny,. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1914. Print.