Changes

When the Civil War broke out in America, and the South expected Britain to intervene on its side in order to protect the production of cotton, Britain turned to Indian cotton instead.  Britain also benefited from many other forms of agriculture or raw materials from India:  indigo, coffee, tea, jute and even opium (now an illegal drug).  The British would profit by selling the opium to the Chinese, which caused addiction and severe problems for China.

When the Civil War broke out in America, and the South expected Britain to intervene on its side in order to protect the production of cotton, Britain turned to Indian cotton instead.  Britain also benefited from many other forms of agriculture or raw materials from India:  indigo, coffee, tea, jute and even opium (now an illegal drug).  The British would profit by selling the opium to the Chinese, which caused addiction and severe problems for China.

To be fair, the British also made many improvements in India, building roads, railroads, hospitals, schools, and improving the overall infrastructure and sanitation.  The British also brought Christianity to India, which causes some resentment and had only limited success in converting Indians from Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, all of which remain more popular than Christianity there.  But certainly the British improved India immensely.

To be fair, the British also brought immense improvements in India, building roads, railroads, hospitals, schools, and improving the overall infrastructure and sanitation.  The British also brought Christianity to India, which causes some resentment and had only limited success in converting Indians from Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, all of which remain more popular than Christianity there.  The British also brought the English language to India, where it is spoken widely today.  Certainly the British conferred enormous benefits on India, and there is a friendly relationship between the two countries to this day.  The two nations have a friendly rivalry in cricket, which is the British counterpart of American baseball.

Demands for independence in India began as early as 1857, when Indian soldiers (“sepoys”) acquired new cartridge-based rifles.  Soldiers were instructed to bite off the cartridge seals before loading the cartridges into the rifles and firing them.  But then a rumor spread that the cartridges were sealed with beef fat (prohibited by Hinduism) and pork fat (prohibited by Islam).  Many were angered by this rumor, and in the Sepoy Rebellion or Sepoy Mutiny, Indians revolted against the British in northern India.  The British suppressed it and continued to rule India directly as part of a 200-year period known as the Raj (1757-1947).

British rule in India lasted for a 200-year period known as the Raj (1757-1947).  Inevitable demands for independence in India began as early as 1857, when Indian soldiers (“sepoys”) acquired new cartridge-based rifles.  Soldiers were instructed to bite off the cartridge seals before loading the cartridges into the rifles and firing them.  But then a rumor spread that the cartridges were sealed with beef fat (prohibited by Hinduism) and pork fat (prohibited by Islam).  Many were angered by this rumor, and in the Sepoy Rebellion or Sepoy Mutiny, Indians revolted against the British in northern India.  The British suppressed it and continued to rule India directly.

There were peaceful calls for independence for India dating back to the early 1800s.  Educated leaders such as Ram Mohun Roy sought an end to the caste system and the practice of sati by widows who would throw themselves on the funeral pyres of their deceased husbands.  The British did prohibit sati and it is debatable how widespread that practice really was.  In the late 1800s, a nationalist group called the Indian National Congress formed to demand independence, and in the early 1900s the Muslim League made similar demands.

There were peaceful calls for independence for India dating back from the early 1800s.  Educated leaders such as Ram Mohun Roy sought an end to the caste system and the practice of sati by widows who would throw themselves on the funeral pyres of their deceased husbands.  The British did prohibit sati and it is debatable how widespread that practice really was.  In the late 1800s, a nationalist group called the Indian National Congress formed to demand independence, and in the early 1900s the Muslim League made similar demands.

But all attempts at independence for India failed throughout the 1800s because of religious divisions.  The Hindus and Muslims could never agree, and the Sikhs, a military offshoot of the Hindus that resisted Islam, remained loyal to the British.   

But all attempts at independence for India failed throughout the 1800s because of religious divisions.  The Hindus and Muslims could never agree, and the Sikhs, a military offshoot of the Hindus that resisted Islam, remained loyal to the British.  Real independence for India would not occur until after World War II, in the middle of the 20th century.

=== Southeast Asia ===

=== Southeast Asia ===