Examine the British control over India. How did it set the stage for later British expansion? In what ways British control of India represent the best and worst of British rule?
The British began to colonize India in the mid to late 1800’s. They began by establishing many trading posts throughout India, They set them up with the English East India Company. They traded for many goods such as silk, fine porcelain, spices, pepper, and cotton. Later they began expressing more interest in tea and coffee which quickly became their priorities, and their most prominent trade items. When the British took over India they quickly began to colonize and turn it into their main priority. They turned it into one of the worlds biggest Opium producers and many other extremely valuable goods. The opium grown there played a critical role in initiating the Opium War in China. The British also began to suppress traditional Indian cultures, beliefs, and traditions. They highly stressed the adoption of British culture. In return India would ship raw materials back to Great Britain and then would by goods manufactured in Britain. In turn, India fed Britain everything they had, which put Britain in a bad spot if India were to collapse or fight back for their independence.