Expansion and Empire Flashcards
Reasons why Britain became interested in colonising India?
India’s economic benefits and natural resources.
European competition for prestige and power.
Loss of American colonies meant Britain was looking elsewhere to expand.
India was ruled by princes who did not get along after the fall of the Mughal empire in 1740 so it was easier to take over
What was the East India Company
Set up in 1600, it was a company granted with a monopoly on English trade with south asia
By 1740 It wanted to expand its influence in India to maintain economic interests by builiding a private army
Who were Nabobs
Many nabobs began their careers as East India Company employees in roles such as traders, administrators, or military officers.
Through trade, taxation, military conquests, or gifts from local rulers, they accumulated vast wealth, often exploiting India’s resources.
Explain the significance of Robert Clive And Warren Hastings to the development of British control in India.
Robert Clive secured British dominance after his victory at the Battle of Plassey (1757), which broke French influence and made the East India Company the de facto ruler of Bengal. His administrative reforms, including the Diwani rights (1765), gave Britain control over Bengal’s revenue, funding further expansion. However, his rule also sparked corruption scandals, prompting calls for oversight.
Warren Hastings, as the first Governor-General of India (1773–1785), established a centralized administration, reformed the justice system, and defended British territories against rival Indian powers and the French. Despite later impeachment for alleged corruption, he laid the foundations for the British Raj, ensuring efficient governance and military control.
Who were Sepoys
Indian troops in the EIC private army
List reasons for the Sepoys being unhappy with how they were being treated
Unfair treatment e.g. dangerous missions and only British officers.
New cartridges that were made using animal fat that went against religious practice
What was the Great Rebellion?
The Great Rebellion, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Sepoy Mutiny, or First War of Indian Independence, was a large-scale uprising against British rule in India. The rebellion, which began in Meerut on May 10, 1857, spread across much of northern and central India and marked a significant moment in the history of British India. It was a key turning point that eventually led to the dissolution of the East India Company and the direct control of India by the British Crown.70000 British troops were sent to supress the rebellion.
What was the government of India act 1858?
This Act was a response to the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (also known as the Sepoy Mutiny). It marked the end of the East India Company’s rule and the beginning of direct British control over India.
Key Features:
Transfer of Power: The administration of India was transferred from the East India Company to the British Crown.
Establishment of the British Raj: India came under the direct rule of the British government, and the Governor-General of India became the Viceroy of India, representing the British Crown.
Control Over Indian Affairs: The British Crown took over the governance of India, and the Secretary of State for India was created to oversee Indian affairs in the British government.
Indian Civil Services (ICS): The Act confirmed the continuation of the Indian Civil Services, a body of British officials who governed India. The ICS remained overwhelmingly British and was a powerful tool of British administration.
Disbandment of the East India Company: The Act formally ended the rule of the East India Company, which had been the primary agent of British rule in India since the mid-18th century.
Changes to how Britain governed India after 1857?
-Religion: The British tried to interfere less with religion
- Economics: Trade to India began to expand with the British acquisition of the Suez Canal in
1875
- Education: The British interfered less with education. However, The Indian Universities Act
created universities in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras.
- Government: The Raj became the new system of governance. Indians had more say in the
running of India and in government.
- Social: An Indian middle class started to emerge with the new opportunities. However,
Indians were still treated as inferior to the British.
Explain the significance of the 1857 Indian Rebellion to the development of the British Empire. [8
marks]
When the Indian mutiny morphed into a widespread rebellion against British rule, the British
government had to deploy some 70,000 to India to supress it. The Great Rebellion ended officially in
July of 1858 and would have significant consequences on the development of the British Empire.
The British Government was taken aback at the level of animosity that had been shown towards the
British during the Great Rebellion. Significantly, they decided to replace East India Company control
with direct and total rule from the British Crown through the Government of India Act 1858. Indians
were to be treated as ‘equal subjects’ within the British Empire with the British interfering less in
education and religion. Some received more opportunities for middle class jobs and social climbing
with universities being opened in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras through the Indian Universities Act.
Although, this was limited through the Caste System.
The governing of India would now be carried out through a nominated Secretary of State for India
who acted as a representative of the Queen – the Viceroy. This system was called the Raj. Perhaps
most significantly, the Great Rebellion had sparked nationalist fervour in India and leaders such as
Gandhi would emerge in the fight against colonialism, culminating in India declaring its
independence in 1947. This nationalism would reach far and wide, influencing other nationalist
leaders across the British Empire in their quest for independence.
What were the 4 reasons for European Interest in Africa
Competition between european nations
Commerce
Christianity
Civilisation
What is the suez canal
A man-made waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, allowing ships to travel between Europe and Asia without circumnavigating Africa.It was built int the 1870s by the British in Egypt to help ships travel to India.
Who Were the Boers?
Dutch settlers in South Africa.
The Great Trek (1835–1840s)
A mass migration of Boers from the Cape Colony into the interior of South Africa.
To escape British rule as the British abolished slavery and the Boers had many enslaved people and establish independent republics.
Who Was Cecil Rhodes?
Founding the De Beers diamond company in 1888 and expanding British influence in southern Africa. He was an imperialist believing Britain was superior to other nations and should influence as much of the world as possible. Became prime minister of cape colony in 1890.
What was the jameson raid
A failed raid led by Leander Starr Jameson to overthrow the Transvaal government. Rhodes Secretly supported the raid to extend British control. Rhodes was forced to resign as Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.
First Boer War (1880–1881)
Cause: British attempts to annex the Transvaal.
Outcome: Boer victory; Transvaal regained independence under British suzerainty.
Key Battle: Battle of Majuba Hill (1881).
Second Boer War (1899–1902)
Cause: Tensions over British expansion and control of gold and diamond mines in Boer territories.
Key Events:
Boer guerrilla warfare.
British use of scorched-earth tactics and concentration camps.
Outcome: British victory; Boer republics became part of the British Empire.
Boer Camp Population
Total Detainees: Approximately 115,000 Boer civilians (mostly women and children).
Breakdown:
25,000–28,000 Boer deaths (mostly children under 16).
Mortality rate: ~20–25%.
Black African Camp Population
Total Detainees: Around 115,000–140,000 Black Africans.
Deaths: Estimated 14,000–20,000 due to disease and poor conditions.
Mortality Rate: ~10–15%.
Long term impact of boer war:
Human Cost: Over 40,000 total deaths (Boers and Black Africans).
Legacy:
A dark chapter in British colonial history.
Contributed to Afrikaner nationalism and resentment toward British rule.
What is Social Darwinism?
Definition: A 19th-century ideology applying Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection to human societies.
Core Idea: “Survival of the fittest” justifies social, economic, and racial hierarchies.
Natural Selection: Stronger individuals and groups naturally dominate weaker ones.
Racial Hierarchy: Used to justify colonialism and racism.
Irish Migration to Britain
Time Period: Late 18th to 19th century.
Reasons: Economic hardship and the Potato Famine. They came to work on rails and roads.
Population: By 1861, around 600,000 Irish-born people in Britain, mainly in Glasgow, Liverpool, and London.
Challenges: Faced violence, persecution, and poor living conditions.
Jewish Migration to Britain
Reasons: Escaping persecution and pogroms in Eastern Europe especially in 1882 where new laws persecuted Jewish people as blaming them for the assassination of Tsar Alexander II.
Challenges: Faced hostility, high rents, and accusations of stealing jobs.
Legislation: Aliens Act of 1905 restricted immigration.
Contributions: Established Jewish Free School in East London in 1822 and excelled in trades like tailoring and furniture making.
Indian Migration to Africa
Purpose: Building railways in British African provinces like Kenya and Uganda.
Population: Nearly 30,000 Indian workers migrated.
Legacy: Many remained in Africa, contributing to the Asian communities in Kenya and Uganda.
Challenges: Pay and Conditions were poor, railway dubbed Lunatic Line due to danger of project. In the 1970s many expulsions against the Asian Community in Uganda.
British Migration to Australia
Initial Settlement: Convicts sent to Australia in a bid to empty the prisons through forced migration starting in 1788.After James Cook discovered Australia in 1770.
Impact on Indigenous People: Aboriginal people were displaced and killed.
Legacy: Many convicts stayed after completing sentences, and Australia became part of the British Empire.
Explain the Significance of colonies like India and the Cape Colony to the British Empire.
India was the “Jewel in the Crown” of the empire, providing immense wealth through trade (cotton, tea, spices) and later industrial exploitation. Its vast resources and manpower fueled Britain’s economy, while its strategic location secured naval dominance in the Indian Ocean. The East India Company’s rule (1757–1858) and subsequent British Raj (1858–1947) exemplified imperial control, with India becoming a hub for military recruitment (e.g., Sepoy troops) and colonial administration.
The Cape Colony (acquired in 1806) was a critical maritime choke point, controlling the sea route to India via the Cape of Good Hope. It supplied fresh provisions for ships, later becoming a settler colony that expanded British influence into southern Africa. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold (1886) further entrenched its economic importance, though it also intensified conflicts like the Boer Wars.
Together, these colonies exemplified Britain’s imperial economy (resource extraction, trade monopolies), military reach, and geopolitical strategy, enabling its dominance in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Their loss (India in 1947, South Africa in 1961) marked the empire’s decline.
