Question

some opportunities and challenges that was in india during british rule

Answer 1

Though the British successfully gained control over Bengal, the imposition of British rule throughout India was not an easy task. A number of regional powers opposed them and tried to resist the efforts of territorial expansion of the British. Let us read about the various wars waged by the British against the Indian states. (i) Anglo-mysore Wars Mysore emerged as a powerful state under an able leadership of Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan in the second half of the eighteenth century. Four wars took place between Mysore and the British. Finally the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799) ended in the heroic defeat and death of Tipu Sultan. With this a glorious chapter of struggle between Mysore and the English came to an end. Large ports like Kanara, Coimbatore and Seringapatam were secured by the British. Figure 5.5 Tipu Sultan (ii) Anglo-maratha Wars The Marathas were another formidable power in western and central India during the second half of the eighteenth century. But the struggle for power among themselves gave the British an opportunity to intervene in their internal matters. Many wars took place between the British and the Marathas mainly on account of the Subsidiary Alliance (which you will read in 5.2.1). The Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-19) was the last war between them. The English defeated the Peshwa, dethroned him and annexed all his territories. The Peshwa was pensioned off and sent to Bithur near Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. (iii) Anglo-sikh Wars In north-west India, the Sikhs under their able leader Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1792- 1839) became an effective political and military force. The British power in India