India and Imperialsim

Essay by snipesHigh School, 10th grade February 2004

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An event significantly impacts a country if that event changes the lifestyle of that country's people. For example, the introduction of pop music is not an example of an impact. It may have started a new genre of music, but that did not change anything except for the kind of music people listen to. Jazz, on the other hand, not only introduced a new genre of music, but it gave African-Americans a sense of identity; something that they came up with is part of American culture, therefore they are part of that culture themselves. This is what sets impacting events apart from the rest.

The same can be applied to determining how much Imperialism affected India. By analyzing the changes in culture, economics, and technology that British rule has brought to India, one will see just how much influence Britain had on India.

British rule in India modernized the country to a certain extent and made it more European, but at an enormous price.

The British stripped India of all of its wealth, resources, and national freedom.

Europeans had sought trade relations with India ever since the 15th century. The culturally rich and wealthy country attracted merchants because of its highly sought after spices, as well as its light, colorful, textiles. Since these products were in high demand in Europe, merchants that got a hold of them usually gained decent profit. Once founded in 1600, the legendary British East India Company made revenues of up to one million pounds per year on goods imported from India. India's wealth was the main factor that eventually attracted imperialist England to India.

The rise of Imperialism marked the point after which European powers (mainly the East India Company) began to see India as a chance to gain a monopoly on the spices and...