Did 1858 mark "A New Order" in India?

Question 1

What was the Governor of India act?

Answer 1

1) Removed East India Company from ruling India

2) Removed the Doctrine of Lapse

Question 2

How did/didn’t the Governor of India act change things?

Answer 2

1) Viceroy was the same as governor general

2) Queen Victoria being Empress of India = loyalty from Princes in order to keep their land

Question 3

What was the Religious Laissez Faire?

Answer 3

Christian missionaries who had arrived were stopped from setting up Christian schools

Question 4

What were the army reforms?

Answer 4

1) Only Indians whose regions had been loyal to the British during the mutiny were allowed to be recruited
2) Ratio of British:Indian soldiers decreased to 2:1
3) Only British soldiers controlled “scientific” branches of army (e.g. artillery)
3) Indian troops mixed with soldiers from different regions who spoke different languages

Question 5

How did/didn’t army reforms change things?

Answer 5

It changed things because British didn’t have to rely on Sepoys for military support; Indian soldiers more trustworthy; Increase in British military power

Question 6

What were the Large Landlords?

Answer 6

British support of large landlords meant the people who owned the most land and were most powerful were loyal to the British

Question 7

Did the Large Landlord scheme change things?

Answer 7

No, social hierarchy similar to pre-British rule with elite and princes favoured in roles of power

Question 8

Give examples of the technological modernisation?

Answer 8

1) Railroad improvement (Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta to Delhi)
2) Raniganj (W Bengal) had 50 coal mines by 1869
3) 20,000 miles worth of telegraph wire by 1880

Question 9

Did technological modernisation change things?

Answer 9

Yes, it created…

1) Job opportunities
2) Emerging middle class
3) Connected people
4) Improvement in travel

Question 10

Describe the Mutiny’s legacy of Racial Distrust

Answer 10

1) Britons living separately from Indians

2) More British clubs and cliques in India (“The British Club”

Question 11

Did the racial distrust change things?

Answer 11

Yes, it changed British-Indian relations

1) Created a distinct barrier between rulers and ruled
2) Built up resentment
3) Differing treatment of the two races

Question 12

Describe administrative changes that took place

Answer 12

1) Indian Councils Act converted VR’s Exec. Council into a mini cabinet
2) VR handled Foreign Department
3) Limited appointments; British weren’t sincere in sounding “native opinion”
4) Regardless of how well-spoken, Indians no lunger trusted by British civil servants
5) Punjab system judged as best as they provided troops for the British during mutiny
6) John Lawrence returned to India as VR hoping to est. his system that he directed for Punjab across whole of India

Question 13

Did administrative change make a difference?

Answer 13

No, British tried to put up a facade they were giving natives more of a role in their own government but intention was to suppress any other power in India than British.

Question 14

Describe agricultural growth

Answer 14

1) Development of tea plantations after Assam Clearance Act 1854 which gave up to 3000 acres of prime tea land to europeans promising to cultivate tea for export
2) 1850: one large tea plantation producing 200,000 pounds of tea per years
3) By 1871: 295 plantations producing 6.25 million pounds
4) Mysore had first European Coffee plantation in 1830s and multiplied tenfold over 20 years after mutiny until disease hit coffee industry in 1885
5) By 1885, over a quarter million acres of S India planted in coffee producing 30 million+ beans per year

Question 15

Did agricultural growth change things?

Answer 15

Yes, acts passed and opportunities arose which meant an increase in production and cultivation of indigo, tea and coffee. Benefitted India’s economy

Question 16

Describe cotton growth

Answer 16

1) 1861: 8 mills in Bombay, 200,000 spindles, over 2500 looms
2) Civil War in US= price of Indian cotton increased because higher demand
3) 1900: 200 mills, 5 million spindles, produces almost 500 million pounds of cotton every year (production of mil cloth met less than 10% of India’s home demand)

Question 17

Describe Lancashire vs. Bombay mill production

Answer 17

1) 1875…: Lancashire mill produced 1/2-2/3 of Indian annual imports
2) British Gov did all it could to help Lancashire against Bombay in production and revenue: they reduced/ removed import tax
3) 1879: VR Lytton overruled his entire council to accommodate Lancashire by removing all import duties on cotton from Britain despote Indian desperation for revenue due to a year of famine in Maharashtra

Question 18

Describe jute growth

Answer 18

1) Crimean War gave impetus to expand jute production to export to Scotland
2) After a decade of little growth, Bengals’ jute industry made huge strides by 1882, 20 large mills lining Hughli River with 20,000 workers

Question 19

Did cotton and jute growth change anything?

Answer 19

Yes: boom in Indian economy; provided jobs
No: British lacked receptiveness and prioritising their own prosperity over Indian growth in economy; encouraging cash crops rather that food