India and South Asia 1871 CE
The history of British India almost ended in a great rebellion, but the British were able to regain control.
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What is happening in India and South Asia in 1871CE
The end of the Sikh empire
After Ranjit Singh‘s death in 1839, the Sikh empire which he had so skillfully built up rapidly fell into chaos. The army of the British East India Company then marched in and brought its territory under its control. This left the British in complete control of the Indian sub-continent.
The Great Rebellion
In 1857, however, the history of the British empire in India almost came to a sudden and violent end when many Indian troops in the Company’s army rebelled against their British masters. The rebellion spread, and was supported by many Indians, of all castes, including some princes. Several important cities in northern India fell to the rebels. The majority of the Indian troops remained loyal to the British, however, and several Indian princes rallied to the British. All the southern part of India remained untouched by the rebellion. Nevertheless, it was only with the utmost difficulty that the situation was brought under control. The rebellion lasted more than a year.
Direct rule
By the time peace had been restored, the British had brought an end to the rule of the East India Company. From now on, the British parliament took over direct responsibility for governing India. The British set about creating an efficient civil service, which was inspired by the Chinese imperial system, and became the model for the civil service in Britain.
Burma and Afghanistan
Meanwhile, the British have been extending their power into most of Burma, and have also made a disastrous attempt to bring Afghanistan under their control (1838-42).
Industrialization
Within the India, the British are beginning to introduce industrialization, most notably in starting to develop a railway system which will span the subcontinent.
Next map: India and South Asia, 1914
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The British Raj in 1856 and the following maps
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Civilizations related to India and South Asia
2700BCE - 1700BCE Indus Valley Civilization 1500BCE - 500BCE The Vedic Age of Ancient India 700BCE - 350BCE Classical Period of Ancient India 350BCE - 150BCE The Mauryan empire of Ancient India 250BCE - 250CE Gandhara Civilization of Ancient India 200BCE - 1000CE Deccan Empires of Ancient and Medieval India 800CE - 1200CE The Rajputs of India 1200CE - 1500CE The Delhi Sultanate of India 1526CE - 1758CE The Mughal Empire 1758CE - 1947CE British IndiaSubscribe for more great content – and remove ads
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