Professional Documents
Culture Documents
India
Historical Role Play Scenarios
Background Information
The Mughal Empire (Muslim) in India is declining and there is a lot of
fighting between the Muslims and Hindus living in India.
The collapse of the Mughal Empire occurred at the same time as the
British and French are attempting to establish control over India
(Pakistan & Bangladesh). Britain and France get into a war (Seven
Years War - 1763) in which the French and pushed out of India and
the British take control.
The British created the British East India Company and they ruled
India through economic imperialism.
In 1813 the British government took away some of the British East
India Company’s power, but they still remained a large part of
controlling life in India.
Economic Impacts on India (1)
In order for the British East
India company to ensure they
were profitable they made it
illegal for India to produce
any finished goods (ex:
clothing).
India was only allowed to
produce raw materials that
could be used by the British.
India’s only option was to
purchase finished products
from the British.
Economic Impacts on India (2)
The British also greatly
restricted India’s ability to
farm for food.
India was forced to produce
cash crops for the British to
trade such as: tea, indigo (a
dye), coffee, cotton, and
opium.
This policy caused issues with
famine in much of India.
Your Role
In this activity you are one of the following:
A British citizen who works for the British East India Company
A Muslim Sepoy – a Muslim Indian who is a soldier for the British East
India Company
A Hindu Sepoy – a Hindu Indian who is a soldier for the British East
India Company
A sepoy is a soldier for the British East India Company. They are native
Indians who are recruited into serving the British East India Company.
Being a sepoy provided a decent income when the British eliminated
many of India’s industries and jobs.
Scenario 1 - 1856
A group of Christian missionaries arrive. They want to
set up schools in order to preach their religion to the
Indian people.
The Christian missionaries believe that the Indian
social caste systems are wrong, and that both Islam
(the religion of Muslims) and Hinduism are evil
religions.
What will you do?
If you are British, will you allow them to set up schools and preach to the sepoys?
If you are a sepoy how will you react? Consider, the conflicts and options this may present
to you.
What Actually Happened?
Many Christian missionaries came
to India to spread their religion.
The members of the British East
India Company were not concerned
with the social or religious customs
of India.
Both Hindus and Muslims were
frequently offended by missionaries
racist and negative attitudes
towards their beliefs and rarely
converted or listened to them.
Scenario 2 – May 9, 1857