Great Britain Imperialism In Central Asia

By: Nick Cerillo, Erica Sutton, Cord Depalma, Nathen Powers


Great Britain began its policy of imperialism in India so they could make money, and they did this well. The East India Company imported valuable spices through routes over Asia and the Middle East. A popular spice was opium; Great Britian sold it in Chinese markets and sometimes traded it for silver. The competetion with other countries triggered the need for a military force to be present.

When the East India Company was in business, they encouraged people to grow crops, like cotton, for profit instead of for themselves. Because of this, India is now one of the biggest cotton producers in the world. At the same time, Indians didn't grow enough food for themselves. After a period of population growth (from Westernization), there was a famine.

external image india.gif
Great Britain's trade with India led to trade with China. After India, imperialism for Great Britain spread to Hong Kong in 1842, Burma in 1886, and Kowloon in 1898 to increase trade.

All of the the countries that Great Britain took over became under British rule. In India, the British rule was known as the "Raj", which means the king. In China, the British took control of many territories in port cities. They took over these territories and made them under British rule so when they did something wrong they would not get into trouble with China.

Great Britian took control of Central Asia because of a trading conflict with China. Great Britian used Central Asia's good like cotton and opium to solve the issue.

The Indian people resented the British because they were making money off of them and opposing their values and customs. In 1857-1858, there was the Indian Mutiny, where the Indian people rebeled against the British. The Indians lost and the British got full control of India.

Does Britain still control India today?

http://www.sparknotes.com/history/european/1871-1914/section7.rhtml
http://history1800s.about.com/od/thebritishempire/tp/indiatimeline01.htm
http://history1800s.about.com/od/thebritishempire/tp/indiatimeline01.htm
http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/india.cfm
http://www.victorianweb.org/history/empire/india/eic.html