India Flashcards
When was the East India Company established?
In 1600.
Why was the East India Company initially established?
To trade exotic goods from India like spices, dyes, and silks.
Who were nabobs?
They were men who joined the EIC after realising that they could make fortunes through it, and some became very successful at it.
Who were the two most well-known nabobs?
- Robert Clive
- Warren Hastings
How did the East India Company protect itself?
It set up an army to protect itself from other European powers trying to take over the profitable trade in India.
This army also helped the EIC later take over more and more Indian territory.
Who was Robert Clive?
He began working with the EIC as a small-scale trader but went to work for the EIC’s army, becoming an officer.
What happened in the Battle of Plassey?
Robert Clive defeated the ruler of Bengal, which was India’s most populated state.
The EIC gained a lot of wealth and power through the state of Bengal.
When did the Battle of Plassey happen?
1757.
Why was Robert Clive significant?
During his role as an officer, he helped expand the EIC’s territory in India. This success also led to the signing of the Treaty of Allahabad in 1765.
What was the Treaty of Allahabad and when was it signed?
It was signed in 1765.
The Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II was forced to allow the EIC to collect Diwani (taxes) from the people in Bengal.
This Treaty transformed the EIC from traders to rulers.
Who was Warren Hastings?
- He came from a poor background but migrated to India to work for the EIC.
- Through the EIC, he became one of the wealthiest men in Britain.
- After serving the EIC for 20 years, he became the first Governor of Fort William in 1773.
What attitudes did Warren Hastings have towards the Indian people?
- He disapproved of harsh treatment of the Indian people by some in the EIC.
- As Governor, he promoted cultural mixing, and built a Muslim school in Calcutta and encouraged the study of Indian culture and language.
Why was Warren Hastings significant?
- He became the first Governor of Fort William, therefore he practically ruled the parts of India that Britain had control over.
- He vastly extended British power in India by using the army to gain power over more Indian states.
How powerful were nabobs?
- They became very rich and powerful in India.
- Their power also reflected in the parliament back in Britain because they could use their wealth to buy seats in parliament.
How many nabobs were in parliament in 1767 compared to 20 years later.
In 1767, there were five nabobs in parliament, however, twenty years later, there were 45.
What was the India Act?
The India Act allowed the British Parliament to be more involved in the controlling of India, decreasing the EIC’s power.
When was the India Act passed?
1784.
What was the Doctrine of Lapse?
It stated that if an Indian prince did not have an heir, he could not adopt one.
This meant that if the prince died, he had no one to pass his land to and the British would seize the land immediately.
The British clashed with Indian culture; what did the British do against the Hindus?
They introduced a law that allowed Hindu widows to remarry and banned the Hindu practise of suttee (this was when the widow would throw herself on top of the funeral pyre during her husband’s cremation).
What was India known as in The British Empire?
It was known as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the Empire.
When did the Indian Rebellion happen?
In 1857.
Who were the Sepoys?
The Sepoys were Indian soldiers who served in the EIC’s army.
What did the EIC do to the guns that the Sepoys used?
The cartridges in the guns began to be greased with beef and pork fat.
Since the sepoys had to bite off the ends of the cartridges before using them, they would get the animal fat in their mouths, which was against their Hindu and Muslim beliefs.
What happened in the Indian Rebellion?
85 Sepoys said they would not use the cartridges, and so they were sentenced to prison.
The British chained the imprisoned sepoys by the ankles and shamed them in front of 4000 other Sepoys.
