How did Britain gain control over most of India by 1858?

Answer 1

In the early 1600s, the British East India Company won trading rights on the fringe of the Mughal empire. As Mughal power declined, the company's influence grew. By the mid-1800s, it controlled three fifths of India. As Mughal power crumbled, India fragmented. Indians with different traditions and dozens of different languages were not able to unite against the newcomers. Where British diplomacy or intrigue did not work, their superior weapons overpowered local rulers.

Angry sepoys rose up against their British officers. The Sepoy Rebellion swept across northern and central India. Several sepoy regiments marched off to Delhi, the old Mughal capital. There, they hailed the last Mughal ruler as their leader.

The sepoys brutally massacred British men, women, and children in some places. But the British soon rallied and crushed the revolt. They then took terrible revenge for their earlier losses, torching villages and slaughtering thousands of unarmed Indians.

The Sepoy Rebellion left a bitter legacy of fear, hatred, and mistrust on both sides. It also brought major changes in British policy. In 1858, Parliament ended the rule of the East India Company and put India directly under the British crown.

Answer 2

As a result of the mutiny, the British ended the rule of the East India Company in 1858. From then on, the British government would rule India directly. Although the British moved away from some of the social regulations that had angered many Indians, distrust continued between the British and the Indians.

The era of British control in India brought many changes. The British introduced their own governmental, legal, and educational systems, the English language, and new forms of technology and industry. These changes to India's economy and society, combined with unhappiness over foreign control, led to the growth of nationalism in India.

Britain gained control over India by ending the rule of the East India Company. This was in the year 1858.

Answer 3

The British came to India as traders in the form of East India Company and have never dreamt to rule the vast Indian subcontinent. At that time, there were some princely states,always engaged in fighting among themselves.With the success of East India Company,they understood that India is grapevine and can easily be captured taking advantage of their internal conflicts,and by their own modern armery.In fact the defeat of Sirajdoulla at the battlefield of Palassey in 1757, paved the way for British entry in India and gradually the princely states came under its control. So,it was irony of fate that British flag was hoisted at Lalkella and we were under British rule for long 200 years !