Indian Colonial History Key Figures - 1857 - 1914

Question 1

Who was the governor-general of the EIC in 1828?

Answer 1

Lord Bentinck

Question 2

True/False

English was made the official language of law under Bentinck

Answer 2

True

Question 3

True/False

Traditional Indian customs were encouraged

Answer 3

False

Question 4

True/False

Irrigation schemes were implemented

Answer 4

True

Question 5

True/False

Dalhousie reformed the tax system

Answer 5

True

Question 6

Who set out to improve communications by building roads and railways

Answer 6

Dalhousie

Question 7

Was Earl Canning part of the Conservative Party?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

Who was the governor-general of the EIC during the Indian Mutiny?

Answer 8

Earl Canning

Question 9

When did Earl Canning become Viceroy Of India?

Answer 9

1858

Question 10

Did Canning encourage railway development and the infusion of Indian officials in his council?

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

Did Canning help establish universities in India?

Answer 11

Yes, in Calcutta, Madras and Bombay

Question 12

True/False

Earl Canning introduced a land revenue in Oudh that was bad for the landowners

Answer 12

True

Question 13

Was Disraeli an Imperialist or a liberal politician?

Answer 13

He was a strong imperialist and part of the conservative party

Question 14

What benefits did the buying of shares in the Suez Canal give Disraeli?

Answer 14

It prevented France from gaining a vital trading route. Gave British ships a quick route to India. Provided the British with a stop to repair ships

Question 15

What time period was Curzon the Viceroy of India?

Answer 15

1899 - 1905

Question 16

What are three of Curzon’s reforms?

Answer 16

List of possible answers:

1. civil service
2. founded the imperial cadet corps to give native princes military training
3. universities
4. police
5. lowered taxes

Question 17

What was one of Curzon’s failures in 1905?

Answer 17

The Partition of Bengal

Question 18

What was the partition of Bengal?

Answer 18

Bengal was divided into two separate provinces. East = Muslim. West = Hindu.

Question 19

What were the reasons for tension and anger from the Hindus in the West of Bengal?

Answer 19

1. Hindu elite were angry as many owned land in the East.

2. Hindus saw this as payback for their criticism of British Rule

Question 20

When was Viceroy Minto appointed?

Answer 20

1905 - after Curzon had resigned, after the failure in Bengal

Question 21

Who helped Minto introduce reforms in 1909 to appease the Bengals?

Answer 21

John Morley - Secretary of State for India

Question 22

One of Minto’s reforms was the Indian Council Act. What did this enable?

Answer 22

27 Indians elected from provinces joined the Viceroys council

Question 23

True/False

During the 1890s political opposition to the British grew and nationalist newspapers emerged in India

Answer 23

True - this protest was mainly amongst the educated professional Indians

Question 24

Who was the editor of the newspaper Kesari?

Answer 24

Bal Talik

Question 25

What was Talik accused of?

What year was he sent to prison?

Answer 25

Inciting the murder of a medical officer and stirring up hostility
1908

Question 26

Who was Gokhale Krishna?

Answer 26

He was a social reformer who founded an organization to help the underprivileged in India

Question 27

What group did Gokhale lead during the early years of Indian Independence

Answer 27

the moderate nationalists

Question 28

What were some of the things Gokhale advocated for?

Answer 28

1. gradual reform
2. working with the existing government
3. constitutional methods to bring about reform

Question 29

Who became the joint secretaries of the Congress party in 1895?

Answer 29

Bal Talik and Gokhale Krishna

Question 30

Which prominent political leader regarded Gokhale as their Guru?

Answer 30

Gandhi