Finding a constant theme throughout a counties history can be a tedious and frustrating task. Finding the same theme that carries its self through the history of not one but two countries can be even more of an exhausting task. Place those countries on opposite sides of the world, with different languages, different religions, and vastly different cultures. Now you must find the connecting theme between the two of them. Confused? This is how I felt when I was told to find a thesis that applies to both Colonial India and Colonia Mexico. Both India and Mexico were colonized by European powers and were subjected to violence and racial segregation. But this is true of most European colonies. Upon looking at the collection of photographs at DeGolyer library, I noticed a topic that occurred in many of the photos. Bridges, roads, and railways graced the forefront of many of these historic photos. This infrastructure was built at the demand of the colonizing powers. During and after colonial rule, both India and Mexico experienced a boom in infrastructure that resulted in an increase of trade and transpiration.

 

When studying history some of the most reliable and informative sources are photographs. Original and untouched photos do not only tell us history but they show us it. They bring the stories that one hears in textbooks to life. The DeGolyer library’s collections of William Johnson’s, Abel Briquet’s, and Townshend Phot’s photographs take the viewer into colonial India and 1800 hundreds Mexico. They depict social, political, and economical issues that plagued these colonized countries. The photographs show in depth images religious practices and gender standards that are read about but are not often viewed. Most importantly these photographs give people an image to identify with the early infrastructure and railway systems of the 1800 and 1900 hundreds.

 

India and Mexico were colonized a hundred years apart from each other. This time difference caused the production of different types of infrastructure under colonial rule. Mexico was colonized in the 1500s and gained independence in 1821 far before India was released from colonialism. At the time of Mexican colonization roads were the only recognized form of transportation infrastructure. A few years after Mexico gained independence, the county would turn to railways as its new mean of transportation and trade. Parts of India were colonized by the British East India company as early as 1757. It was not until 1858 that india was directly colonized by the British. In 1947 after decades of suppression India gained its independence from Britain[1]. During India’s time under British rule railroads became a preferred method of transportation around the world. As a result the British focused their time on creating and expanding the railway system within India. With time the railway system grew and in 1901 the railways in India were the longest in the world when measured by route mile[2]. In the same year it was estimated that 189,098,000 people rode on the trains and the railroads employed 354,902 people[3]. Even though this development happened years apart, many similarities can be seen in the process of achieving this new infrastructure and the importance of railways in both countries economies.

 

While under colonial rule of the Spanish, Mexico experienced pressure to conform to the European life style. The Europeans pushed religion, language, and racial segregation upon the native Mexican people. Along with the introduction of new cultural beliefs came the European desire to develop Mexico. Spain tried to make Mexico a modern country and with that came the introduction of new infrastructure. Much of this infrastructure came in the form of churches and European style buildings. But with these new buildings came the introduction of roads. The first and only roads built during colonization were located on the pacific coast[4]. The roads were built for easy access to the ports and ships for trade. The Spanish’s intention was to exploit Mexico for its goods and natural resources. With the introduction of these roads the Spanish could easily bring goods to the port cities to then be traded with other European countries.

 

In 1821 Mexico gained its independence from the Spanish. At this time the country was about four million square kilometers and had about 6,800,000 inhabitants spread all around the land[5]. Faced with the issue of how citizens and goods would be able to easily go from one region to another, Mexico came up with an idea to benefit transportation. At this time trains were becoming an increasingly popular mode of transportation specifically for trade. Mexico decided that railway system would be the best way to connect towns in rural Mexico to large

port cities. The constructions of these railroads were strictly for Economic and Developmental reasons[6]. These railways systems reached all the way to rural farmland where the trains would pick up goods to bring into the cities. Typically in the more rural areas the railroads track and bridges were simple and made of wood. As the system entered the urban areas the bridges became far more structural sound with with stone arches. With the introduction of the railway system goods could now be brought to people in rural Mexico who would have other wise struggled to find the supplies they need. The primary reason for the railway system was trade and for this reason nearly all railways led to a port city. When Mexico was colonized the British used infrastructure to exploit goods from Mexico but it was after Independence that trade with Mexico really took off. The introduction of the railways and easy access to port cities opened up many economic opportunities for Mexico.

 

The construction of the first railroads in India began in 1850[7]. The British decided to build the railroad system with the intentions for “economic exploitation of commodity resources and greater mobility of armed forces[8]”. To do so the British had to gain better access to the sea, which would result in an easier process of trading, the railroads started in Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta[9]. The process of building railroads in the late 1800’s and early1900’s was complicated and tiresome. In the Punjab areas the first step was the deforestation of the

area in which the rails would be placed[10]. Indian people were forced to destroy their own land in order to obey the wishes of the British government. The ground had to be cleared to make way for the rails and trees had to be harvested in order to supply wood for construction. Townshend Phot’s photo exposes the result of this mass deforestation. Few trees are pictured and the ground is coated in dry crumbling dirt. The evidence of this deforestation still remains today and is constant reminder of the impact that colonization had on not only Indian culture but also the environment.

 

The process of building a railroad is dangerous and exhausting. Townshend Phot’s photo exposes the reality of railway construction in India. Nearly all of those who did the manual labor were from Indian backgrounds. The Europeans were in charge and drew the construction plans while the native people over worked in the strong Indian sun. This photo shows evidence that these men worked in extremely dangerous situations. The infrastructure that they stood on was crowded with hundreds on men and the walkways look as if they could crumble at anytime. These Indian men risked their life in order to keep their job but the British did not seem to mind. The British government saw the Indians as second-class citizens and therefore could justify putting them in danger.

 

The British Government built the railway system with the intention to increase trade and military mobility. To their surprise the Indian public took a liking to the railway system and quickly adapted trains as major mode of transportation. The railways connected India and brought people to areas of the country that they rarely had an opportunity to go to before. With the growing popularity of trains among natives came an increase in religious pilgrimages as well as the promotion of economic development[11]. Indians were faced with an opportunity for trade. More than ever before their country was connected and they could bring goods from one region to another. The railroads, for the most part, benefitted India so much so that during a Indian National Congress an Indian statesman in 1885 wrote, “ What a glorious change the railway has made in old and long neglected India! If India is to become a homogeneous nation, and is ever to achieve solidarity, it must be by means of the Railways as a means of transport[12]”. The railway system continued to grow stretching miles across farmland, over rives, and through hills. As seen in William Johnsons photograph, beautiful arched bridges were built in the middle of underdeveloped farmland. Farmers watched as trains crossed the bridge on their way to the next big city. These railway

systems were built with the intention to benefit the British and their trade systems. While this was achieved and the British gained easier access to the port cities the railway system benefitted the Indians as much as the British. Indians were finally about to see their country and participate in trade and religious pilgrimages in far off region.

Colonized at different times and by different European powers, it’s daunting to find a similarity between Mexico and India. The introduction of transportation infrastructure, specifically railroads, ties these two countries together. In both cases the colonizing European powers introduced new infrastructure in order to benefit themselves economically. This infrastructure was intended to increase trade by exploiting the native country for goods and easily transporting them to port cities. In both countries the European power was successful in their mission to increase their trade rate. That being said India and Mexico also reached economic success with the introduction of this infrastructure specifically the railroad systems.  Trains gave natives citizens the ability to moves around their own country. As these citizens traveled from place to place they brought goods with them to sell.  Railways were responsible for big economic booms in both India and Mexico which helped contribute to their ability to function with out European colonization.

[1] “Colonialism on the March.” Newsweek 130, no. 5 (August 4, 1997): 44. Academic Search Complete.

[2] Kerr, Ian J. “Colonial India, Its Railways, and the Cliometricians.” Journal of Transport History 35, no.1 (2014); 114-20.

[3] Kerr, Ian J. “Colonial India, Its Railways, and the Cliometricians.”

[4] Dye, Alexander V. “Railways and Revolutions in Mexico.” Foreign Affairs 5, no. 2 (January 1927): 321-23. JSTOR.

[5] Cuellar, Alfredo B. “Railroad Problems of Mexico.” Annals of the American

Academy of Political and Social Science 187 (1936): 193-2006. JSTOR

[6] Dye, Alexander V. “Railways and Revolutions in Mexico.” Foreign Affairs 5, no. 2 (January 1927): 321-23. JSTOR.

[7] Kerr, Ian J. “Colonial India, Its Railways, and the Cliometricians.” Journal of Transport History 35, no.1 (2014); 114-20.

[8] Conlon, Frank. “Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India.” Technology and Culture 49, no. 2 (April 2008): 471-72. JSTOR.

[9] Conlon, Frank. “Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India.”

[10] Das, Pallavi. “Colonialism and the Environment in India: Railways and Deforestation In the 19th Century Punjab.” Journal of Asian and African Studies 46, no. 1 (February 1, 2011): 38-53. Academic Search Complete.

[11] Conlon, Frank. “Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India.” Technology and Culture 49, no. 2 (April 2008): 471-72. JSTOR.

[12] Conlon, Frank. “Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India.”

 

 

Bibliography

“Colonialism on the March.” Newsweek 130, no. 5 (August 4, 1997): 44. Academic search complete.

 

Conlon, Frank. “Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India.” Technology and Culture 49, no. 2 (April 2008): 471-72. JSTOR.

 

Cuellar, Alfredo B. “Railroad Problems of Mexico.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 187 (1936): 193-2006. JSTOR.

 

Briquet, Abel. Macquina Fairlie. Photograph. 1890.

 

Briquet, Abel. Viaducto de Jajalpa. Photograph. 1885.

 

Das, Pallavi. “Colonialism and the Environment in India: Railways and Deforestation In the 19th Century Punjab.” Journal of Asian and African Studies 46, no. 1 (February 1, 2011): 38-53. Academic Search Complete.

 

Dye, Alexander V. “Railways and Revolutions in Mexico.” Foreign Affairs 5, no. 2 (January 1927): 321-23. JSTOR.

 

Johnson, William. Train in Bridge. Photograph. 1855.

 

Kerr, Ian J. “Colonial India, Its Railways, and the Cliometricians.” Journal of Transport History 35, no.1 (2014): 114-20.

 

Phot, Townshend. Bengal-Nagpur Railway Construction. Photograph. 1890.