6. relations with indigenous peoples 1857-1890 Flashcards
1
Q
summary of the Indian Mutiny
A
- a failed rebellion against the rule of the British East India Company within India
- the main cause was the anger felt by landlords and nobles who had been deprived of their lands by Governor-General Dalhousie
2
Q
main causes of the rebellion
A
- Sepoys were unhappy with the pay inequality compared to British soldiers.
- Sepoys were suspicious that rifle cartridges used animal fat which went against their religious beliefs
- Indian princes had lost their states or had to pay high protection fees to the EIC.
- An overtaxed population
- Concerns that traditional Indian cultural practices were under threat.
- Concerns for traditional Indian manufacturing industries facing unfair competition from EIC imports.
- British snobbery and institutional racism which prevented them from becoming officers
3
Q
sepoys attitudes towards the EIC
A
- felt their grievances weren’t being addressed
- angered by the fact that they received significantly lower pay than the British soldiers, especially as their wages hadn’t been raised for 50 years
- they were also angered by the fact that the company permitted missionaries with the idea of ‘westernisation’ of India, which was viewed as an attack on their culture as it regarded their social, religious and regional customs
4
Q
significance of the cartridges
A
- served as the catalyst for the rebellion
- the animal fat grease offended Hindu and Muslim beliefs
- many believed this was a deliberate policy on the part of the Company to break down the caste system of the Sepoy
- added weight to existing concerns about forced conversion to Christianity
5
Q
economic causes of the Mutiny
A
- many felt the company was asking for heavy taxes from the locals
- this included an increase in taxation on land
- The resumption of tax-free land and confiscation of jagirs caused discontent
- These changes caused widespread resentment not only among the landed aristocracy but also caused great havoc to a larger section of the middle-class people
6
Q
outbreak of the Indian Mutiny- Meerut
A
- 85 sepoys refused to use the new cartridges which they felt were unclean
- they were court-martialled and imprisoned
- In response to this, 4000 sepoys mutinied. They quickly overwhelmed the British and the imprisoned sepoys were released
- began to shoot every British individual in sight as well as Indians who converted to Christianity
7
Q
capture of Delhi
A
- fell to the mutineers, becoming the centre of the rebellion
- news of these events encouraged further rebellions, showing how British authority had collapsed
- occupied a key strategic position between Calcutta and the new territories of the Punjab
8
Q
events of Cawnpore
A
- Sahib learnt that a British relief force was approaching, offering the garrison safe passage
- The British boarded waiting boats and were then fired upon
- the surviving 120 women and children were imprisoned and murdered
- Havelock’s relief force arrived
- Sahib gathered an army to recapture the city, meaning the city was now in rebel hands
- Sahib’s men were defeated north of the city
9
Q
British reaction to the Cawnpore events
A
- inflamed British feelings, installing a desire for revenge
- In the early months of the British recovery few mutineers were captured alive
- Thousands were indiscriminately hanged and many innocent civilians killed
- When trials were held, those convicted of mutiny were blown from cannon
10
Q
limitations of the rebellion
A
- it was not a unified revolt
- while all of the population wanted freedom from Britain, the notion of a united India was rare
- Most of the sepoys hoped to restore Mughal rule under Bahadur Shah. But the inhabitants of Oudh wanted their Nawab back, and the people of Jhansi wanted their old state restored
11
Q
how the Company dealt with the rebellion
A
- employed the regular British Army regiments, along with loyal Sikh troops and new allies such as the Gurkhas from Nepal
12
Q
why the rebellion was suppressed
A
- the Company had significantly greater resources
- lack of coordination amongst the rebels in terms of command and demands due to the varying grievances that different groups wanted addressed
13
Q
impact of the Mutiny on British opinions
A
- made them search for the errors they thought they had made in their colonial rule
- reports in Britain emphasised the savagery of the Indians, ignoring that of the British which contributed to the souring of the relationship
- much of the public believed their rule of India was a liberating experience for the Indians
14
Q
immediate political response to the Mutiny
A
- Parliament formally dissolved the Company in 1858 handing control to the Crown, introducing the British Raj
- in 1877, Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India
- Although she never visited India, she issued an 1858 proclamation, promising no further interference in religious traditions or matters relating to succession
15
Q
reconstruction of the Indian Army
A
- instilled fear in the British government, as they realised how the Indian population would no longer support the British when the need arose
- Indians were placed under British command and denied officer ranking
- British elements in the army were improved and strengthened to ensure loyalty and support the military and safeguard British rule
- the number of Indian soldiers was reduced from 2.38 million in 1857 to 1.4 million in 1863
- Simultaneously, the number of England soldiers increased from 45,000 to 65,000
- all artillery in India was put under British control
16
Q
ending of the policy of annexation
A
- The revolt made the government realise the importance of the princely states and hence wanted to gain their support
- the British were also suspicious of the Russian invasion of India under the ongoing circumstances
- They felt the need to unite the princely states and use them during times of need
- Hence, the policy of annexation of the princely states was given up.
17
Q
beginning of the divide and rule policy
A
- the British realised that the unity amongst the Indians could be dangerous for their existence and so started the policy of divide and rule between different castes and classes
- led to a division of the country’s people and deteriorated unity
18
Q
reaction of the Mutiny in Britain
A
- the scale of punishment by the British “Army of Retribution” was considered largely appropriate and justified in a Britain shocked by embellished reports of atrocities carried out against British troops and civilians by the rebels
- These atrocities were often used to justify the British reaction to the rebellion
19
Q
political changes in India following the Mutiny
A
- A secretary of state for India was appointed and the Crown’s viceroy became head of the government
- Britain began to employ higher caste Indians and rulers in the government
- more Indians were recruited into the Indian civil service
20
Q
effect of the rebellion on the Indians
A
- all serious hope of a revival of the past or an exclusion of the West diminished
- the traditional structure of Indian society began to break down and was eventually superseded by a Westernized class system
- in the long term, this created a strong middle class with a heightened sense of nationalism
21
Q
aims of the new state
A
- was required to govern with much more sensitivity to the feelings of Indians and to take account of their wishes
- programmes of reform were introduced throughout India
22
Q
societal reforms following the Indian Mutiny
A
- the relationship was soured by the experience of rebellion, and the reports in Britain which emphasised the savagery of the Indians, while ignoring the brutality of the British
- Although the British tried to act in a more religiously sensitive way in the wake of the Mutiny, they also grew more aloof. Whereas the earlier years of the century had seen some degree of curiosity about administration for the Indian culture, after 1858 a greater degree of separation set in
23
Q
changes and reforms to the system of adminstration
A
- Although the Indian Raj was administered under British notions of fairness, the legal systems imposed favoured the white man and were far too complex and expensive too help the poor, especially in matters of land tenure
24
Q
Viceroy Canning’s reforms
A
- between 1859-1861, he made a tour of India to win back those who had been dispossessed or felt alienated by British rule
- some land and titles were returned to native Indian
- Star of India medals were introduced
- positions in the Imperial Assembly or Statutory Civil Service were shared amongst the Indian nobility
- more educational establishments, teaching in English were opened
25
Q
educational reforms overview
A
- the supposed equality of opportunity offered by British rule may have provided more educational opportunities for the wealthier but did little for the mass of peasants
- those with education found it hard to obtain promotions beyond the lower ranks of the colonial bureaucracy
- illiteracy rates remained widespread
26
Q
educational reforms
A
- Universities were established in Bombay and Calcutta in 1857
- elite schools such as Mayo College were set up to produce ‘Westernised Oriental Gentlemen’
- By 1887, around 60,000 entered the universities, mostly in the Arts, and around 2000 in law
- of the 1712 Calcutta students to graduate by 1882, over 1/3 entered government service and slightly more went into the legal profession
27
Q
economic reforms overview
A
- the greatest change to the economy following the Mutiny was a growth investment, particularly in the railways, which were built for a strategic rather than economic purpose but helped stimulate trade and the development of previously inaccessible areas
- Trains were used to lend a higher profile to British rule and help affirm control, such as with quick transportation of personnel and soldiers
28
Q
economic reforms
A
- some European style factories were built, yet since the bulk of manufactured goods came from Britain, there was virtually no heavy industry
- subsistence farming prevailed, although the number of tea plantations increased from 1 in 1851, to 295 by 1871
- there was an increase in the domestic production of raw cotton for export to Britain in the 1880s and 1890s
29
Q
benefits of the British Raj
A
- built railways, but these were geared to needs of control and trade
- offered markets for Indian agricultural produce, but this encouraged specialisation in the higher value cash crops such as rice and wheat, at the cost of lower value grains such as rye and barley which were the main food staple for most the population. India became dependent on food imports and consumption per head declined
- provided jobs for Indians such as on railways, in the army, police and civil service. However, only a minority of Indians could obtain such employment
30
Q
limitations of the British raj
A
- Poverty continued with high death rates from famine
- developed schemes for irrigation and land improvements, but these only took place where they supported British commercial interests, affecting only 6% of the land
31
Q
overall attitudes to the changes in India
A
- Some Indian princes and landlords supported the Raj, however for the majority of the population, British rule was regarded with indifference
- many British believed that their ‘benign rule’ in India was a genuinely liberating experience for the Indians
- Whig reformist Macauley believed that educating the Indians to ensure they became ‘English in taste, in opinions, in morals’, was sufficient a reason to justify the British domination of the subcontinent
32
Q
overview of relations with the Boers and Bantu peoples
A
- the Cape Colony neighboured the republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal
- these republics were in the hands of the Boers
- relations had been reasonably peaceable until the middle of the century and the British had recognised the Boer states in 1850, although they still claimed some control over their affairs
- in the 2nd of the century, circumstances changed and Britain came into conflict with the Boers and native Bantu tribes
33
Q
relations with the Boers and Bantu 1867-1880
A
- discovery of diamonds near Kimberley in 1867 opened the path towards greater friction as it sparked a ‘diamond rush’, attracting white settlers and Bantu peoples to the area
-in 1868, the British annexed Basutoland through the claim that the indigenous Africans were seeking British protection against the Boers - 1871= annexed West Griqualand
34
Q
annexation of West Griquland in 1871
A
- Following this, 2000 Griqua trekked eastwards to establish Griqualand East in 1873
- this was annexed by Britain in 1874
- the British proposed a federation of the British and Boer territories in 1875 but was strongly rejected
- the area suffered from extreme instability as both groups tried to exert greater control
- in the Xhosa War of 1877-78, the British easily disarmed tribesmen and annexed their communities to the Cape
35
Q
Boers conflict with the Pedi tribe
A
- there had been ongoing friction as Boer farmers accused the Pedi of stealing their livestock and the Pedi accused them of stealing their children to use them as slaves
- Gold was discovered in 1873, escalating the situation as the Boers were crossing the border without paying tribute to the Pedi King who refused to allow this to continue and so Boers declared war in 1876
- the Boers were initially successful but failed to take the Pedi stronghold of Tsate and were forced to retreat
- they signed a peace treaty in 1877, agreeing to pay the Boers 2000 citizens and become citizens of the Transvaal
36
Q
impact of Boers failure with the Pedi tribe
A
- seizing on the failure, the British announced the annexation of the Transvaal in 1877 with the claim they needed to defend white settlers against the Pedis and the Zulus
- Boers reluctantly accepted British aid, and so Britain launched an invasion of Zululand in 1879 and it was incorporated into Natal
- the campaign was rounded off with an attack of the Pedi
- However, once the Zulus had been defeated, the Boers declared their total independence from Britain in 1880
37
Q
relationship with the Boers 1880-1890
A
- from 1880, the Boers turned on the British, attacking army garrisons across the Transvaal and winning a series of victories that culminated in a British failure in 1881 with over 150 deaths
- the British were forced to sign the Convention of Pretoria, which recognised Boer self-government in the Transvaal although the British still claimed a right to control over external affairs
38
Q
increasing tensions with the Boers 1880-1890
A
-further problems arose with the arrival of the Germans in south-west Africa in 1884
- the German presence raised British fears that the Boers might form an alliance with Germany
- in 1885, the British annexed Bechuanaland as a strategic attempt to prevent the combining of the German and Boer colonies
39
Q
further causes of tension with the Boers 1880-1890
A
- new gold discoveries in 1886 at Pretoria produced further instability as it was eagerly sought by trading companies and brought a mass of Uitlanders into the Transvaal
- for example, Rhodes received a charter for his British South Africa Company in 1889 and sought to enrich himself as well as extend the Empire
- his ultimate aim was to create a continuous British land rate from Cape Town to Egypt
- in 1890, his company established a fort at Salisbury in Mashonaland, bringing another area under British control
- by 1890, British dominance in SA was far assured
40
Q
treatment of the Bantu
A
- little thought was given to the local Bantu tribes whose land was increasingly eroded by the white settlers
-the discovery of diamond did increase the wealth of the region but the profits belonged to the settlers - laws were passed which limited the rights of black Africans to have any claims over the mines or to trade in their products and so they were forced into manual labour
- black workers were forced to stay in separated neighbourhoods on mining compounds
