Indian Mutiny 1857-1890

Question 1

colonial office

Answer 1

headed by a cabinet minister
has to deal with demands of territorial acquisitions
policies known as orders of council
divided into 5 departments : N america, Australia, west indies, africa and mediterranean
India had its own department

Question 2

Indian office

Answer 2

handled indian affairs
reflected importance of british involvement in india and that the mutiny had shaken british confidence

Question 3

india’s administration

Answer 3

overseen by british east indian company
long-standing grievances among the population sparked a rebellion in 1857
this was brutally quashed and the company was dissolved
british control was assumed

Question 4

government of india act 1858

Answer 4

east indian company territories were passed to the queen and company was dissolved
secretary of state of india was created
a council of 15 members with experience in Indian affairs assisted the secretary of state
appointed a vice roy
civil service placed under control of secretary of state
main priority to keep control of

Question 5

viceroy

Answer 5

ruled india through a thin white line of white british authority supported by an Indian civil service which many could not gain access too due to need for educational qualifications
represented by provincial governors

Question 6

indian civil service

Answer 6

candidates continued to compete for positions through academic examinations offering open competition
but most senior members were white males due to this
bilingual indians were recruited as low level clerks

Question 7

native princes

Answer 7

removal of doctrine of lapse ensured loyalty as their estate did not go to the british

Question 8

legal system

Answer 8

english law prevailed
attention was paid to traditional indian practices and customs
missionaries were discouraged
promotion of education
building of public work schemes - railway and irrigation

Question 9

india’s defence

Answer 9

proportion of british to indian troops - 2:1
regiments fo troops were cut off ron each other to prevent rebellious thoughts spreading
deliberately mixed by caste and religion
enlisted more Gurkhas and Sikhs who remained loyal during the mutiny
62 of 74 bengal regiments disbanded
indians forbidden from officer positions
ordered to show greater respect to sepoy beliefs and traditions

Question 10

cause of mutiny - army dissatisfaction

Answer 10

low pay and harsh punishments
overseas deployment
increased recruitment of Sikhs and Gurkhas who were considered inferior to Bengals -ignorance

Question 11

cause - prophecies

Answer 11

after battle of plessey 1757, rumours that british rule would come to an end after 100 years
circulation of lotus flower

Question 12

cause - religion

Answer 12

222 christian missionaries stations set up across india
hindus who converted were able to inherit property
showed british ignorance and idea of superiority
ignorance to traditional customs - bringing in doctrine of lapse

Question 13

catalyst to mutiny

Answer 13

introduction of Enfield rifles - cartridge made of pig and cow fat
had to be torn with teeth - direction insult to religion
sepoys at meerut began to turn on british officers

Question 14

where did most of the fighting occur

Answer 14

lucknow
arga
cawnpore

Question 15

Indians actions

Answer 15

joined by urban population
some were discontented land owners,bothers peasants who resented taxation

Question 16

british retaliation

Answer 16

cawnpore - made indian soldiers lick prisoner cells clean of british blood
made Bengals be executed by those in lower castes

Question 17

government and society

Answer 17

tried to become more religiously sensitive
imposed legal systems which favourited the british as they were too complex and expensive to help the poor
railways were geared to needs of trade
encouraged markets but encouraged production of higher value crops = became reliant on imports
viceroy channing introduced star of india

Question 18

economic change

Answer 18

irrigation schemes - only affected 6 percent of land
better public health measures = stop spread of cholera, population of 206 million by 1871
2 miles of railway laid per day , 1857 = 288 miles, 1880 =2000
couldn’t develop heavy industry as forced to buy british manufactured goods
tea plantations increased from 1 in 1851 to 295 by 1871
taxes mainly spent on maintaining army - instilling control
poverty and famine remained high
subsistence farming prevailed
only minority of indians could obtain employment

Question 19

educational reform

Answer 19

built new universities at Bombay, Mudras and Calcutta
mainly benefit the rich
1857-87 x 60,000 indians attended
1100 appointment in civil service came from these
creates job opportunities
mary carpenter = campaigned for college for girls and training for female teachers
largely benefitted the rich
focus on creating westernised oriental gentlemen - created out of racial hierarchical views

Question 20

general views in india

Answer 20

social Darwinist - indian were not seen as equals and it was britains job to civilise them and improve their bad condition

Question 21

impact on indigenous people

Answer 21

little change to the ordinary person as most changes were small scale or only benefitted the elite

Question 22

1885 indian national congress

Answer 22

came in a lot later than most changes
at first created as a forum for debate and for middle classes to act their grievances
but with little change occurring from this, became a place for resistance
idea that giving india a bit of representation whilst britain remained in control