Nearly Losing an Empire: the British in India, 1829-58 Flashcards
Bankruptcy because of what causes the Crown to control the East India Company by 1786
The Treaty of Paris - 3rd September 1783 following the end of the ARW
The collapse of what causes the EIC to appoint themselves as the ‘tax-collectors’ for the Crown?
The Mughal Empire
The EIC is not part of the government but merely an economic brand. What can we compare this to today?
Apple
What were Nabobs?
Company employees who made their fortune in India
The Poor mangagement and excessive corruption by Nabobs leads to what?
Three Acts;
Regulatory Act (1773) - counicl of 5 in calcutta
Act 1774 (Board of privy councillors makes company subordinate to the crown)
Act 1786 - Govenor General has excessive power over council
The Charter Act in 1833 did what?
Ended all of th Companies commercial activities completely + gave Gov of Bengal legislative power in India
The Charter Act in 1833 switches British Representatives to a more adminstrative role. What do Britians now see themselves as?
Ruling the territories, as oppossed to simply engagin in commercial interests
What significant factor helped the British collect taxs?
Thier Armies in each presiecny (Bengal, Madras +Bombay)
What does the ‘Government of India Act’ (1833) do?
Gives Gov of India responisbility for both policy and administration of territories inc legislative control
Who ws the Govenor of India in 1833 who first benefitted of off the Govt of India Act?
Sir William Bentnick
Pre 1833, the role of the Governor was merely to co-ordinate treaties and alliances.
What does this change to?
Administration and Legislation of ALL territory under British control
By 1857, what % of European Soldiers were there in the Indian army
52%
By 1800, how much territory did the company increase control to ?
243,000km2
Give one reason why the Company army increased in size from 1800?
There was a period of calm following the deafeat of Napoleon after the ‘Battle of Waterloo’ in 1815.
The company offered constant military engagement
Short Summary of the ‘First Afghan War’ (1838-1842)
- British fear of a Russian invasion
- Disaster - cost 20,000 lives and 15m
When was Sind formally annexed?
1843
When was Punjab under British control?
1849
Until 1911, where was the heart of trade and Capitla of British India?
Calcutta
How big was the Bengali army
Bengal army was double the size of presidency armies
What doe Britian see themselves as ?
Paternalistic, Altruistic, seeking to ‘improve’ and ‘modernise’ India
What are the Consequences of Evangelical Christianity arriving ?
- Judgement of other Religions as ‘inferior’
- British Women make racial relationships taboo
- By 1850, tiny proportion of company men involved with Indian Women
What is the impact of Jeremy Bentham’s Utalitarianism?
Dalhousie and Bentick Reforms;
- Make English the officials langauge of govt
- Allocating Company funds for education to only English-Speaking insittutions
What was Thagi?
An urdu word for those who robbed and gurotted people in THE NAME OF HINDU GODDESS
What departments are set up in 1835 to ‘modernise’ India?
Thagi and Dacioly Departments
- 1000 hung, 3000tried + punished
What is Sati?
tradition of killing ones self - pefromed by Hindu widows when their husband would die
- Remarriage is not an option
What Act was passed to combat sati?
the ‘Act of Abolition’ (1829)
- driven by evangerlical christians + Govt Bentnick
When was the total ban of Sati in India?
1861
When were laws passed by Bentnick against female infacide?
1795 + 1802
What was the initial reaction to Missionaries
Sceptical;
- first missionaries were banned from Calcutta
Who was the man that wanted to teach Englsih in schools to higher castes in 1830?
Alexander Duff
What was the ‘Education Act’ and when?
1835,
Bentick makes english the language of Govt under pressure from Evans
What created local tensions among evans and Indians?
Living in close quaters together
What is the word for spreading Prostentism?
Proseltisation
What are three long-term reasons for the Indian Rebellion in 1857
1) Dalhousie Reforms
2) Peasant uprisings over excessive tax
3) Culture clash
When was Awadh annexed?
7th Feb 1856
Why was Awadh wanted by th British?
Rich Province
Traditional recruting ground for Bengali Army
What led to the rebellion in Awadh being worse than elsewhere?
Wanting to reform, British took land from all landowners
Each landowner responsible for servants + others
British attack on ‘Social order’ is destablising which leads to mutiny
What was the ‘General Service Enlistment Act’ and when?
1856,
Forced Bengalis to serve even if it meant marching across water, which would pollute their caste status n
What was the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’
If a ruler dies, British get the state
- Directly against Hindu Law which allowed for succession of adopted sons in care of death
What day did the Indian Rebellion begin?
9th May 1857
What religious insentivity by the British is seen as a major casue for what happened on the 9th of May?
Among Sepoys, fears of new cartridges laced with animal fat
- Hindus and Muslims unhappy
What happened on the 9th May?
Sepoy Regiments rise up while British at church
- Massacre of Land Owners and women and children
What is the importance of the Luckno siege in May?
British Resistance
- Held out for 87 days
3 examples of brutal treatment of the Rebels by the British
- Enitre Villages massacred
- Fored to eat pork + beef; then hanged
- 40 men strapped to cannon + blown apart
What is the ‘Government of India Act’ in 1858 ?
2nd August
- Ends all Company Rule
- Britian now ruels India DIRECTLY through a viceroy
What are some promises made by the Govt of India Act - 1858 ?
- Annexation of Territory ceases
- Promises of religous freedom + natives rights
- British steer clear of land reform
How much did the Rebellion cost the British?
50m
After the Rebllion, what % is the Indian sepoys reduced to and how does this affect the ratio to Britih soldiers?
reduced bu 40%
Changes ration from 9:1 to 3:1
