Chapter 6 - Relations With Indigenous Peoples Flashcards
Who did the Indian mutiny involve?
Sepoys in the Bengal Army
Why were they different to ordinary labourers?
They were mainly peasant soldiers and proud of their military status
What were the factors that caused the Mutiny?
Grievances about pay
Changes to their condition of service
Cartridges in the new Enfield riffles
Landlords + Nobles deprived of their lands by Governor-General Dalhousie
Why were the cartridges a problem?
They were greased in animal fat
Offended both Hindus and Muslims
When did the Sepoys start refusing to obey orders?
Feb 1857
What did they do at Meerut?
Turned on their British officers and set up a mob on local Europeans
What did they attempt to do when they seized control of most northern cities?
Resurrect the old Mughal Emperor as a figurehead
What were some of the rebels?
Discontented land owners who lost out on British rule
Peasants who resented taxation
Who were executed to stop the restoration of the Mughal dynasty?
The Emperor’s sons
What were the effects in Delhi and Lucknow?
Villages burnt
Mutineers tortured
British officers, wives + children murdered
When was British rule reasserted?
Jun 1858
What happened just before that?
Battle at Gwalior
What did Britain use India as a means of after the mutiny?
Providing compensation
What were examples of this?
Extension of rail network
Growth of tea trade
What changed in the ruling of India after the mutiny?
It was passed onto the British govt
Internal wars ended
Had a single centralised govt
How was the mutiny reported?
Emphasised ‘savagery’ of Indians but not brutality of the British
What difference did the mutiny make in their attitudes?
Before people were curious and admired the Indian culture but after there was more ignorance
Who did the legal systems favour?
The white man
Wealthier Indians
What did the ‘equality of opportunity’ provide?
More educational opportunities for some wealthier Indians
But even people with education found it hard to obtain promotions above the lower ranks of colonial bureaucracy
Why were railways more beneficial for the British?
They helped the needs of trade and control
Most villages lacked even mud roads
What were the problems with Britains new markets for produce?
It encouraged specialisation
Lower costing grain production decreased
This was most people’s food staple
Became dependent on imports
Consumption per head decreased
How much land did the irrigation projects cover?
6%
Where did the land improvements happen?
Where they supported British commercial interests
Why in the long term did Britains cheap manufacturers not benefit India?
They were unable to develop viable industries of their own like before
Who did Britain provide schools and universities to?
The privileged
Illiteracy was widespread
What did Britain provide jobs in for the Indians?
Railways, army, police, civil service
Only a minority could have this employment
What did the famine cause?
High death rates
Who made a tour of India between 1859 and 1861?
Viceroy Canning
What was the aim of the tour?
To win back support if people were dispossessed or felt alienated by B rule