The colonial period, the freedom movement in Andhra, and the path to statehood.
The Andhra region came under British control gradually, with parts falling under the Madras Presidency. The Zamindari system was widely implemented, shaping the region's agrarian relations for over a century, while some areas — notably the princely state of Hyderabad under the Nizam — remained outside direct British rule.
Beyond participation in the national movement, the Andhra region saw significant local resistance, including the Rampa Rebellion (1922-24) led by Alluri Sitarama Raju against British forest policies, and active participation in the Non-Cooperation and Civil Disobedience movements led by Congress leaders like Tanguturi Prakasam.
Following independence, demands for a separate Telugu-speaking state grew. The death of Potti Sriramulu during a hunger strike in 1952 galvanised the movement, leading to the formation of Andhra State in 1953 — India's first state formed on linguistic lines — which later merged with the Telugu-speaking parts of Hyderabad State in 1956 to form Andhra Pradesh.
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