Nearly Losing an Empire: the British in India, 1829-58

Question 1

Bankruptcy because of what causes the Crown to control the East India Company by 1786

Answer 1

The Treaty of Paris - 3rd September 1783 following the end of the ARW

Question 2

The collapse of what causes the EIC to appoint themselves as the ‘tax-collectors’ for the Crown?

Answer 2

The Mughal Empire

Question 3

The EIC is not part of the government but merely an economic brand. What can we compare this to today?

Answer 3

Apple

Question 4

What were Nabobs?

Answer 4

Company employees who made their fortune in India

Question 5

The Poor mangagement and excessive corruption by Nabobs leads to what?

Answer 5

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

Question 6

The Charter Act in 1833 did what?

Answer 6

Ended all of th Companies commercial activities completely + gave Gov of Bengal legislative power in India

Question 7

The Charter Act in 1833 switches British Representatives to a more adminstrative role. What do Britians now see themselves as?

Answer 7

Ruling the territories, as oppossed to simply engagin in commercial interests

Question 8

What significant factor helped the British collect taxs?

Answer 8

Thier Armies in each presiecny (Bengal, Madras +Bombay)

Question 9

What does the ‘Government of India Act’ (1833) do?

Answer 9

Gives Gov of India responisbility for both policy and administration of territories inc legislative control

Question 10

Who ws the Govenor of India in 1833 who first benefitted of off the Govt of India Act?

Answer 10

Sir William Bentnick

Question 11

Pre 1833, the role of the Governor was merely to co-ordinate treaties and alliances.
What does this change to?

Answer 11

Administration and Legislation of ALL territory under British control

Question 12

By 1857, what % of European Soldiers were there in the Indian army

Answer 12

52%

Question 13

By 1800, how much territory did the company increase control to ?

Answer 13

243,000km2

Question 14

Give one reason why the Company army increased in size from 1800?

Answer 14

There was a period of calm following the deafeat of Napoleon after the ‘Battle of Waterloo’ in 1815.
The company offered constant military engagement

Question 15

Short Summary of the ‘First Afghan War’ (1838-1842)

Answer 15

• British fear of a Russian invasion
• Disaster - cost 20,000 lives and 15m

Question 16

When was Sind formally annexed?

Answer 16

1843

Question 17

When was Punjab under British control?

Answer 17

1849

Question 18

Until 1911, where was the heart of trade and Capitla of British India?

Answer 18

Calcutta

Question 19

How big was the Bengali army

Answer 19

Bengal army was double the size of presidency armies

Question 20

What doe Britian see themselves as ?

Answer 20

Paternalistic, Altruistic, seeking to ‘improve’ and ‘modernise’ India

Question 21

What are the Consequences of Evangelical Christianity arriving ?

Answer 21

• Judgement of other Religions as ‘inferior’
• British Women make racial relationships taboo
• By 1850, tiny proportion of company men involved with Indian Women

Question 22

What is the impact of Jeremy Bentham’s Utalitarianism?

Answer 22

Dalhousie and Bentick Reforms;
- Make English the officials langauge of govt
- Allocating Company funds for education to only English-Speaking insittutions

Question 23

What was Thagi?

Answer 23

An urdu word for those who robbed and gurotted people in THE NAME OF HINDU GODDESS

Question 24

What departments are set up in 1835 to ‘modernise’ India?

Answer 24

Thagi and Dacioly Departments
- 1000 hung, 3000tried + punished

Question 25

What is Sati?

Answer 25

tradition of killing ones self - pefromed by Hindu widows when their husband would die - Remarriage is not an option

Question 26

What Act was passed to combat sati?

Answer 26

the 'Act of Abolition' (1829) - driven by evangerlical christians + Govt Bentnick

Question 27

When was the total ban of Sati in India?

Answer 27

1861

Question 28

When were laws passed by Bentnick against female infacide?

Answer 28

1795 + 1802

Question 29

What was the initial reaction to Missionaries

Answer 29

Sceptical; - first missionaries were banned from Calcutta

Question 30

Who was the man that wanted to teach Englsih in schools to higher castes in 1830?

Answer 30

Alexander Duff

Question 31

What was the 'Education Act' and when?

Answer 31

1835, Bentick makes english the language of Govt under pressure from Evans

Question 32

What created local tensions among evans and Indians?

Answer 32

Living in close quaters together

Question 33

What is the word for spreading Prostentism?

Answer 33

Proseltisation

Question 34

What are three long-term reasons for the Indian Rebellion in 1857

Answer 34

1) Dalhousie Reforms 2) Peasant uprisings over excessive tax 3) Culture clash

Question 35

When was Awadh annexed?

Answer 35

7th Feb 1856

Question 36

Why was Awadh wanted by th British?

Answer 36

Rich Province Traditional recruting ground for Bengali Army

Question 37

What led to the rebellion in Awadh being worse than elsewhere?

Answer 37

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

Question 38

What was the 'General Service Enlistment Act' and when?

Answer 38

1856, Forced Bengalis to serve even if it meant marching across water, which would pollute their caste status n

Question 39

What was the 'Doctrine of Lapse'

Answer 39

If a ruler dies, British get the state - Directly against Hindu Law which allowed for succession of adopted sons in care of death

Question 40

What day did the Indian Rebellion begin?

Answer 40

9th May 1857

Question 41

What religious insentivity by the British is seen as a major casue for what happened on the 9th of May?

Answer 41

Among Sepoys, fears of new cartridges laced with animal fat - Hindus and Muslims unhappy

Question 42

What happened on the 9th May?

Answer 42

Sepoy Regiments rise up while British at church - Massacre of Land Owners and women and children

Question 43

What is the importance of the Luckno siege in May?

Answer 43

British Resistance - Held out for 87 days

Question 44

3 examples of brutal treatment of the Rebels by the British

Answer 44

- Enitre Villages massacred - Fored to eat pork + beef; then hanged - 40 men strapped to cannon + blown apart

Question 45

What is the 'Government of India Act' in 1858 ?

Answer 45

2nd August - Ends all Company Rule - Britian now ruels India DIRECTLY through a viceroy

Question 46

What are some promises made by the Govt of India Act - 1858 ?

Answer 46

- Annexation of Territory ceases - Promises of religous freedom + natives rights - British steer clear of land reform

Question 47

How much did the Rebellion cost the British?

Answer 47

50m

Question 48

After the Rebllion, what % is the Indian sepoys reduced to and how does this affect the ratio to Britih soldiers?

Answer 48

reduced bu 40% Changes ration from 9:1 to 3:1