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AQA History A Level British Empire > 1.2 - Imperial and colonial policy > Flashcards

1.2 - Imperial and colonial policy Flashcards

1
Q

What was the Colonial Office?

A

Established in 1801, initially combined with the war office, functioning separately from 1854. Divided into 5 departments: North America, Australia, the West Indies, Africa, and the Mediterranean, plus General from 1870. Headed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

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2
Q

Who were the longest-serving colonial secretaries between 1857 and 1890?

A
  • Duke of Newcastle (1859-64)
  • Earl of Kimberly (1870-74)
  • Earl of Carmon (1874-78)
  • 15th Earl of Derby (1882-85)
  • Lord Knutsford (1887-92)
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3
Q

How did the work of the Colonial Secretary change in the 19th century?

A

Increased enormously, although some white settler colonies became self-governing during this period.

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4
Q

What were ‘Orders in Council’?

A

‘Orders in Council’ were issued on the advice of law officers in London to administer Crown colonies without local consultation.

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5
Q

Did the Colonial Office have responsibility for all British territories?

A

No, some protectorates and areas like Egypt and treaty ports in China were under the Foreign Office, and there was a separate India office from 1858.

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6
Q

Which white settler colonies were granted ‘Responsible Government’?

A
  • Canada (1848)
  • Newfoundland (1855)
  • New South Wales (1855)
  • Victoria (1855)
  • New Zealand (1856)
  • Tasmania (1856)
  • South Australia (1857)
  • Queensland (1859)
  • Cape Colony (1872)
  • Western Australia (1890)
  • Natal (1893)
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7
Q

How were the white settler colonies administered after the Durham Report?

A

British governors ruled with the support of representative assemblies, appointing ministers who could command a majority.

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8
Q

Why did the West Indian colonies remain under direct British rule?

A

The number of voters was small, with white people representing only 1,903 of 456,000 Jamaicans in 1864.

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9
Q

How did the governance of India change in 1858?

A

The British East India Company handed control of India over to the British government, and the company was dissolved.

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10
Q

What led to the change of rule in India in 1858?

A

The mutiny of Indian Sepoys in 1857 and the need to prevent recurrence.

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11
Q

What were the terms of the Government of India Act (1858)?

A
  • EIC’s territories passed to the Queen
  • Creation of Secretary of State for India
  • Appointment of an Indian Council of 15 members
  • Crown appointed a Viceroy
  • Indian Civil Service placed under control of Secretary of State.
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12
Q

How was India administrated from 1858?

A
  • Viceroy ruled with a legislative council
  • Provincial governors represented the Viceroy
  • District Officers oversaw local councils
  • Approx. 1000 British Civil Servants in the Indian Civil Service.
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13
Q

What were the basic administrative functions in India after 1858?

A
  • Collection of taxes
  • Maintenance of law and order
  • Running of courts (English law prevailed).
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14
Q

How did the British administration show respect for traditional Indian practices after the mutiny?

A

Greater respect was shown for traditional Indian practices and customs, with assurance from the Queen against meddling with traditional Indian religious culture.

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15
Q

When did the Queen become Empress of India?

A

January 1877.

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16
Q

What was the impact of the change from company to crown rule in India from the Indian perspective?

A

Brought little change.

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17
Q

How did the Viceroy rely on the native population?

A

The Viceroy relied on native rulers in charge of 565 nominally independent Princely States.

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18
Q

What was the ‘doctrine of laps’ and how did its removal affect Princely States?

A

The ‘doctrine of laps’ ensured Princely States fell under British rule when their ruler’s line of descent ended. Its removal helped ensure the princes’ loyalty.

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19
Q

What role did the Indian bureaucracy play in British rule?

A

The British community relied on increasing numbers of Indian bureaucracies, part of a growing middle class demanding a greater say in administration.

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20
Q

What was the significance of the Indian National Congress?

A

The Indian National Congress, set up in 1885, became a vehicle for India’s eventual independence.

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21
Q

What was the recruitment strategy for the civil service in India?

A

Bilingual Indians were recruited as low-level clerks to act as intermediaries between the British elite and the mass of the population.

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22
Q

How did Britain’s military control change after 1858?

A

The East India Company’s armies were brought under the control of the Crown with a raised ratio of British to Indian troops of roughly 1:2.

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23
Q

What strategies did Britain employ to prevent unity among Indian troops?

A

Regiments of native Indian troops were cut off from one another and deliberately mixed different castes and religions.

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24
Q

Which groups were enlisted in the British army after the mutiny?

A

Greater numbers of Gurkhas and Sikhs were enlisted to replace the Bengali troops.

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25
Q

What was the British policy regarding officer rankings for Indian troops?

A

Indians were denied officer rankings, although the British were ordered to show greater respect for their beliefs and traditions.

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26
Q

What infrastructure improvements aided India’s defense?

A

The growth of railways added 3000 miles of track, exaggerating British presence and enabling swifter troop deployment.

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27
Q

What was the purpose of the Imperial Police Force?

A

The Imperial Police Force was set up as an extra layer of security to avoid reliance on the army.

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28
Q

What economic challenges did Britain face from 1870 to 1890?

A

Britain faced high duties from industrial rivals, an economic depression, failing profits, and unemployment.

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29
Q

Which countries posed a threat to the British Empire during this period?

A

The greatest threats came from Russia, France, and a brief involvement from Germany.

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30
Q

When did Germany become a unified nation, and what was the significance?

A

Germany became united in 1871, gaining the potential to dominate central Europe and disrupt the peace.

31
Q

What military developments occurred in Germany post-1871?

A

Germany had a powerful military that defeated France in the Franco-Prussian War but did not have a navy to rival Britain at that time.

32
Q

How did Germany’s imperial ambitions threaten Britain?

A

Germany sought to acquire an empire, controlling vast colonial areas by 1890, which threatened British interests.

33
Q

What was the Berlin Conference and its relation to German expansion?

A

The Berlin Conference was called by Bismarck after establishing Germany’s credibility in Africa, acquiring territories mainly between 1884 and 1885.

34
Q

What was the state of the German economy compared to Britain by the early 1900s?

A

Germany’s economy overtook Britain’s by the early 1900s, with a larger population and access to more raw materials.

35
Q

True or False: The German public was highly interested in having an empire.

A

False: By 1914, only 25,000 Germans had moved to the empire, including temporary residents.

36
Q

Fill in the blank: Germany’s expansion in SW Africa was seen as a threat to the _______.

A

[Cape Colony]

37
Q

What was Bismarck’s view of British Prime Ministers Disraeli and Gladstone?

A

Bismarck liked Disraeli but disliked Gladstone, believing liberalism was idealistic.

38
Q

What political change in France posed a threat to the British Empire?

A

Recovery from political upheaval in the first half of the 19th Century

39
Q

What was France determined to recover after the Franco-Prussian War?

A

Prestige by increasing its empire

40
Q

What naval initiative did France undertake to explore new territories?

A

Naval building programme

41
Q

In which region did France establish a foothold in the 1860s?

A

Indo-China

42
Q

Why was French expansion in Indo-China seen as a threat to the British?

A

It threatened the eastern frontier of British India in Burma and trade access in the far east

43
Q

Which region did France pursue new markets in due to the long depression?

A

Africa, particularly West Africa

44
Q

How did France’s actions affect the Ottoman Empire compared to Britain?

A

France chipped away more readily at the Ottoman Empire than the British

45
Q

What was France’s reaction to Britain’s control over Egypt?

A

France wanted to act fast to prevent further British expansion in Africa

46
Q

What were France’s ambitions concerning the Sudan?

A

To unite French West Africa with French Somaliland on the Red Sea

47
Q

What incident marked a turning point in the French threat to the British Empire?

A

The Fashoda incident

48
Q

What was Russia’s territorial expansion in the 1870s seen as a threat to?

A

The British Raj in India

49
Q

What diplomatic relations did Russia pursue that alarmed the British?

A

Relations with the Amir of Afghanistan

50
Q

What was Russia’s population in 1870, and why was it significant?

A

Approx. 77 million, allowing for a large army potential

51
Q

What major railway project did Russia undertake that concerned the British?

A

The Trans-Caspian Railway

52
Q

What was the British response to French activity in Indo-China?

A

Annexation of territory in Malaya

53
Q

What was the outcome of Britain’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1878?

A

Establishment of a British protectorate to reduce Russian influence

54
Q

What was the primary motivation behind the Brussels Conference of 1876?

A

To protect Belgian interests in the Congo

55
Q

What principle was established at the Berlin Conference regarding land occupation?

A

Effective occupation

56
Q

What was the impact of the Berlin Conference on African territories by 1900?

A

90% of Africa was under European control

57
Q

What did the General Act of the Berlin Conference stipulate about trading in Africa?

A

All nations should be permitted to trade in the basins and mouths of the Congo and Niger rivers

58
Q

True or False: The Berlin Conference included African representation.

A

False

59
Q

What was one significant drawback of the Berlin Conference for indigenous populations?

A

Little concern for natural borders of ethnic, linguistic, or religious divisions

60
Q

What did the Berlin Conference fail to address regarding the slave trade?

A

No concerted effort to combat the African or Arab slave trade

61
Q

What is the ‘informal empire’ in the context of British influence?

A

Areas influenced by Britain without legal claims, often through economic means

The informal empire involved free trade agreements and British investments in various regions.

62
Q

What benefits did Britain gain from its informal empire?

A

Power around the world without the costs of responsibility

This allowed Britain to influence regions economically without formal colonization.

63
Q

How did British culture and language spread in informal empire regions?

A

Through strong economic links and settlement by British citizens

The cultural influence was often a byproduct of economic dominance.

64
Q

What were the treaties of Nanking and Tientsin?

A

Agreements that granted Britain trading bases in China

These treaties led to British settlements in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

65
Q

What was the primary product used by Britain to finance its activities in China?

A

Opium

The sale of opium to China was essential for funding the British East India Company’s operations.

66
Q

Who was Robert Heart and what was his role in China?

A

Head of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs office

He worked to protect British interests while acting under the Chi’ing government.

67
Q

What strategy did Britain use to maintain its influence in East Africa?

A

Exercised influence through trade and the activities of John Kirk

The establishment of a British minister in Zanzibar in 1891 solidified this influence.

68
Q

How did Britain establish control over Afghanistan?

A

Threat of full invasion secured the Treaty of Gandamak

This treaty granted Britain strategic territorial gains and control over Afghanistan’s foreign policy.

69
Q

What percentage of British exports and imports did South America account for in the late 19th century?

A

10%

This indicates the significant economic relationship between Britain and South America.

70
Q

What actions did Britain take to enforce trade agreements in South America?

A

Used threats of force and naval power

Examples include pressures on Mexico, Peru, and Chile to uphold trade treaties.

71
Q

What was the role of British investment in Argentina between 1850-1900?

A

10% of all foreign investment occurred here

British investments facilitated the construction of extensive railways and influenced local business.

72
Q

What impact did British citizens have on life in Buenos Aires?

A

Lived an elite lifestyle with their own institutions

The British community influenced local culture and economy significantly.

73
Q

Fill in the blank: A British financier, Charles Morrison, acquired the _______ in 1881.

A

Mercantile Bank of the River Plate

This acquisition allowed for direct investment in Argentina’s utilities.

AQA History A Level British Empire (8 decks)

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