backround to india and the east india company Flashcards

1
Q

what was india’s climate/geography like

A

very diverse (from west deserts to north mountains)
people depend on seasonal monsoons for survival making india prone to famine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

why did india’s climate/geography make it hard to govern

A

vas geography means a vast strategy is needed
large population means british are outnumbered
famines cause riots for food

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what were the different religious groups in india

A

hinduism
mughals
marathas
sikhs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

describe the hindus

A

it’s a polytheistic faith and people were divided into castes which were determined by birth status
the brahmins were at the top then kshatryia then vaishya then sudra and the untouchables at the bottom

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

describe the mughals

A

they were of islam faith in the north
there casey system was based on quality of belief

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

how did the marathas affect brittan

A

they were the main opposition in the 17th century

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

describe the sikhs

A

they were in the punjab area and had a fusion of faith between hinduism and islam
amritsar was the holy city

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

how did the variety of ethnic and religious groups make india hard to control

A

they will have to balance respect for the groups
have to accommodate for each group differently
have not navigate different languages
there was tension between groups

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

who did india’s history make it hard to control

A

indians have experience of take overs/power struggles
british will have to be careful of who they give power to

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

how did the east india company gain the right to rule india

A

through the monopoly granted by the monarch in 1600 and a charter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

when did the east india company have significant presence

A

from 1757 (post 7 year war) to 1857 (indian rebellion)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

how did the east india company’s political control increase

A

through agreements with nawarbs and princes
the mughal empire began its decline

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

how did the east india company have military control

A

through their own private army of indian soldiers
fortifications in bombay, calcutta and madras establishing law and order

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

what did the east india company’s governing role entail

A

public administration
tax collection
this encouraged british to migrate for work and money

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

by what year did the british government become concerned with the east india company and why

A

1773
thought they were too powerful
they also still had the power to take the charter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what items did the east india company trade from india

A

opium- china
jute-world wide post crimean war
cotton- world wide post american civil war

17
Q

what trade laws did the east india company introduce to india

A

forbid india from trading with other countries on its own
india could only sell raw materials
finished products should be bought from britain
not competition with britan

18
Q

what was the impact of the harsh trade laws the east india company set on india

A

the indian industry died out
many farmers couldn’t feed themselves as they were made to grow cash crops making famines worse

19
Q

what did the paternalistic attitude of the east india company lead to

A

attempts to change indian culture and religious beliefs to be ‘more civilised’
westernisation

20
Q

what religious practices did the east india company ban and when

A

sati- when the widow throws herself onto the cremation prior criminalised in 1829
thuggee- when people would stab random people and kill them banned from 1837

21
Q

what social structures were built and what was their problems

A

education systems, railways and telegram
no regard of local concerns of pace of change

22
Q

what did the east india company make the official language

A

english for law administration and government

23
Q

what was the policy of annexation (doctrine of lapse)

A

if a ruler of an indian state dies without an heir then the province was declared british territory

24
Q

what is the indian rebellion also known as

A

indian mutiny
first war of indian independence

25
Q

why was it known as the indian mutiny by brits at the time

A

to play down the breadth of the uprising
it was the first major insurgency against british rule

26
Q

what were some of the main causes of the indian rebellion

A

doctrine of lapse- caused resentment and job loss
frustration with taxes and annexation
army conditions
religious tensions- mixed caste railways/ attempts to end religious customs

27
Q

what was the final spark of the indian rebellion (last cause)

A

sepoys outraged by rumours that the new cartridges were greased by pork(islam) and beef(hindus)

28
Q

explain the events of the indian rebellion

A

85 sepoys refused to use cartridge were court marshalled and humiliated
they were broken out by mutineers who had massacred all local europeans
mutiny spread through bengal army but bombay, madras and sikhs were loyal
very unorganised
rebel leaders called mughal emperor to take control
400 surrendered british killed
large wave of revenge killing and arson attacks
5 month siege at lucknow with 3000 british reports of rape and abuse and freed by the non-sepoy british army

29
Q

when was order restored after the indian rebellion

A

june 1858 at gawliar

30
Q

what were the consequences of the indian rebellion

A

retribution for fear
entire villages massacred
indians forced to lick blood off walls eat pork/beef then hung
indians strapped to cannons then blown up
reduction of sepoys in the army
sepoys given choice of grease
systems for quick communication built

31
Q

what was the biggest consequence of the indian rebellion

A

it led to the british raj

32
Q

why did the mutiny fail

A

unorganised
mughal emperor didn’t help
no clear/consistent leadership
sikh army was loyal
princes didn’t take part in

33
Q

why was the british raj set up

A

as the east india company was deemed too powerful and badly managed

34
Q

how did the british raj divide india

A

into 11 provinces and 250 districts

35
Q

what did the government of india act of 1858 do

A

gave the east india company’s administrative duty’s to the queen
created a secretary of state, indian council and viceroy