160: Relations with Indigenous people 1857-1890

Question 1

When was the British Raj established?

Answer 1

1858

Question 2

When was the Indian mutiny?

Answer 2

February 1857 to June 1858

Question 3

Among which group did the Indian mutiny first break out?

Answer 3

The Sepoys in Bengal

Question 4

Name some governmental impacts of the Indian mutiny?

Answer 4

• Increase in British control.
• More seperation between British and Indian people.
• Some land and titles returned.

Question 5

What was the situation regarding Indian native peoples in the British administration from 1858 to 1890?

Answer 5

• A few low level, clerk positions open to them, hard to rise in the ranks.
• High education requirements for these positions.
• Served as a buffer to general population.

Question 6

What economic changes ensued under the British Raj?

Answer 6

• New markets for Indian crops reduce diversity of farming and the country becomes reliant on food imports.
• Famine deaths still high.
• Increase in tea and cotton production for Britain.

Question 7

What changes to infrastructure followed the Indian mutiny, what was the purpose?

Answer 7

• Railway system, to maintain control and increase trade.

- Reduction in Indian industry due to cheap foreign manufacture being introduced.

Question 8

What changes did Britain make to education in India following the Indian Mutiny?

Answer 8

• More universities, but westernised and urban.
• Discouraged missionaries.
• Opened many universities.
• The aim was to educate Indians to become ‘English in taste, opinions, and morals’.

Question 9

What impact did British educational reforms in India have?

Answer 9

Little, illiteracy still prevailed across the country. But increase in universities did lead to more upper class professionals such as lawyers or civil servants.

Question 10

What changes did Britain make after the Indian Mutiny with regard to religion in India?

Answer 10

• More religiously sensitive, changes to marriage and family laws.
• Discouraged christian missionaries.

Question 11

When were diamonds discovered in West Griqua land?

Answer 11

1867

Question 12

What territory was established by the Griqua people after they were displaced from West Griqua Land? What happened to it?

Answer 12

Griqualand East, est 1873. It was annexed by the British a year later.

Question 13

When does Britain announce its annexation of the Transvaal? And why?

Answer 13

1877. To defend white European settlers, namely the Boers, against Pedi and Zulu people.

Question 14

When does Britain launch its invasion against Zululand?

Answer 14

1879

Question 15

What important actions do the Boers take in 1880?

Answer 15

Declare complete independence from the British and begin to turn on them, attacking their army garrisons across the Transvaal.

Question 16

What is the significance of Majuba hill?

Answer 16

Major British loss against the Boers in 1781, 100 Britons dead, final battle of the first Boer war. Leads to Britain signing an agreement of Boer self-government, but not total independence.

Question 17

When do Germans first start to arrive in South West Africa? What is the impact of this?

Answer 17

1884, Britain fears unification with the Transvaal, so annexes Bechuanaland which lies between the Transvaal and the German territories.

Question 18

When is gold discovered in the Transvaal, what are the consequences?

Answer 18

1886, prompts an influx of Uitlanders and Bantu people.

Question 19

What does Uitlander mean?

Answer 19

Non Boer, white Europeans.

Question 20

When does Cecil Rhodes receive his charter for the South Africa Company? Why is this important?

Answer 20

1889, shows Britain’s ever growing control over South Africa spreading through business owners (informally) as well as formally.

Question 21

What was the British impact on Bantu people during this period?

Answer 21

• Economic development of their homelands did not benefit them as profits stayed in the hands of white settlers.
• Their home regions were eroded by encroaching British settlement.
• Laws were passed limited Black involvement in the ownership of mines or in trading; relegating Black people to manual labour.
• In British regions, native people were often forced to live in segregated neighbourhoods or mining compounds.