British India

The control over India by the British dates back as far as the seventeenth century. It began with Queen Elizabeth in 1600, who demanded control over the colony of India for the use of the East India Trading Company. This company evolved and grew from 1601 to 1613, trading between countries and bringing in extreme money for England. Following this in the late 1600s, the country fell apart and was cancelled altogether. Britain then began to take over India by allowing British officials and citizens to move to India. This not only changed the system of classes in India, now having British at the top of their social system, but the dress, schooling, and language began to change within Indian citizens. Many Indian citizens liked having the British crown rule over their country; however, many citizens found it to be oppressing their culture. Children in India were no longer learning the Indian customs and traditions, but rather being taught to wear Western clothing and speak English. This taught the Indian citizens a whole new way of life and culture. However, it also taught the British the way a different culture knew to live their life. The British people became familiar with many of the Indian customs and traditions, and it was not until 1947, after World War II, that Britain granted India their independence. Indian customs and traditions then came back, and the youth of India was once again taught their family traditions. However, British crown rule over India is a prime example of the teaching and learning process that takes place with colonizers and colonies. Not only do the inhabitants of the colonies learn, but so do the colonizers.