Colonialism in India can be marked by the arrival of Europeans, specifically the Portuguese lead by Vasco De Gama in 1600’s. True control over parts of India though and those to took the largest control were the Brits. Originally lead by the British East India Company the marks of British rule can be seen in India as early as 1674 when the British East India Company established Calcutta as their base of activity and had to suppress native revolts to maintain control (Agatucci, 1998). In much of the early time in colonial India land was fought over between the natives, the Dutch, French, and British.

By the late 1700’s most of the colonized portions of India were ruled by the British East India Company and therefore indirectly the British Crown (Agatucci, 1998). By the mid 1800’s English education and many British systems of internal structure caused many Indian’s to fear the loss of cultural identity. One interesting way that Great Britain gain control of Indian provinces was through Dalhousie’s Annexationist Policy, it gave Britain the right to govern any India state where there was no natural heir to the throne, so as native rulers died Britain would gain control of the provinces (Agatucci, 1998). In 1876 Queen Victoria was declared Empress of India further cementing Great Britain’s ruler over India (Agatucci, 1998).

India’s Nationalist and Independence movements where a slow boiling thing; it was more of a long standing resentment and fear that brought about India’s independence then a sudden fight. Post WWI two nationalist Indian groups the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League would demand and receive promises of more self governance from the British; however the British would go on to fail in these promises and pass the Rowlatt Acts, which suspended civil rights for Indians and enacted martial law in areas were uprisings were prevalent