Section 1 (1857-1890) Flashcards
What was the ‘swing to the east’?
A shift in British Colonial priorities at the start of the 18th century to Africa and Asia after the loss of their US colony. This was fuelled by the growing demands for resources for the growing British industries
Why were trade and the economy reasons for British expansion in Africa?
During the second half of the 19th Century, many new traders arrived in Africa, setting up new trade routes and links as well as exploiting the local natural resources. The traders were often followed by the military
How did personal influence cause British expansion in Africa?
Merchant imperialist such as George Goldie and Cecil Rhodes capitalised on the swathe of natural resources in Africa and set up trade posts and ports, stimulating colonial expansion.
Victorian explores published maps and tales of exotic places also helped to stimulate and grow colonial excitement and interest, ultimately helping colonialism to increase
How did strategic factors cause British expansion in Africa?
British colonies along the West Coast e.g. the Gold Coast and Cape of good hope were built / seized in order to protect their trading ports.
The cape colony was set up purely for strategic factors as it protected the sea route to the Middle East, Australia, China and most importantly India
How did moral factors increase British expansion in Africa?
From the 1860s onwards, many Christian missionaries saw it as their duty to convert the ‘heathens’ in Africa and to promote civilisation as they saw it as their duty to do so. The most notable of these was David Livingstone who went to Africa in 1858 to ‘open a path for Christianity’
Why did Britain’s interest in Egypt grown in the 1860’s?
British mills were being starved of cotton during the American civil war from 1861-65 and so many traders went to Egypt in search of replacement cotton. This resulted in many traders investing in Egyptian cotton and its government
What was Isma’il Pasha’s modernisation program, and when was it initiated?
His modernisation program came into force when he came to power in 1863. It consisted of improving irrigation, schools, street lighting and pushing for the construction of the Suez Canal
When was the Suez Canal completed, and who had the largest share in it?
Construction was completed in 1869 and the French has the largest share in the Canal
Who brought shares in the Canal for Britain, and why?
Benjamin Disraeli brought shares in the Canal for Britain in 1875. This is because the British were fearful that their interest in India and the Cape colony were being threatened by the Canal and so they wanted greater control over it
Why did the British establish control in Egypt in 1882?
- The Egyptian installed an anti-European Government which made the British wary of trate and investment and of the 100,000 Europeans in Egypt
- Political tensions meant that Violence erupted in the streets leaving 50 Europeans dead
- Further revolts resulted in Gladstone sending Naval forces to bombard Alexandria
- British troops invaded and took control of Cairo and the Suez Canal
Who were the Mahdists and what were their aims?
They were Islamic Jihadis who sought to liberate Sudan from Egyptian and British rule
How did Colonel Charles Gordon die?
After General Hicks was killed when attacking the Mahdists in 1883, Gladstone ordered Gordon to oversee the evacuation of British and Egyptian troops from Khartoum in 1884.
However, in 1885 Khartoum was overrun by Mahdists and as a result General Gordon was beheaded. Gladstone did not retaliate as he was anxious to not lose any more life or waste anymore money
What were the main causes of the Indian Mutiny?
-The East India Company (EIC) had started to become administrators rather than just traders. They started to conquer more of India, putting a strain on resources and over taxing the locals
-India landlords were being deprived of their land by the British ‘Governor-General’.
The Doctrine of Lapse allowed the British to take over Indian Land if there was no appropriate heir
- The British flooding of Indian markets meant that local traders had to sell their products for much lower prices which angered many Indian traders
- ‘Westernisation’ changed so much in daily life, and many Indians felt as if they were being forced to accept ‘Alien’ culture
- The British failed to appreciate local religions and their importance to the locals. This was demonstrated by the cartridge controversy, which many saw as being the trigger to the Mutiny. This was when new Army cartridges contained animal fat which angered many Indians due to their religious beliefs
What happened during the Indian Mutiny?
- The Mutiny was started by Sepoys in Meent in May 1857
- The Sepoys took control of Northern cities such as Bahadur, Shah and Zafar
- Those involved included disconnected landowners, peasants who hated taxes and those who had lost out under British rule
- The main battlegrounds were at Dehil, Cawnpore and Lucknow
- Cawnpore massacre takes place
- 70,000 fresh troops were sent to India, and British forces gave swift and brutal revenge
- Indian princes remained loyal, as did sepoys in Bengal, Punjab, Bombay and Madras
- Gurkhas, Sikhs and Pathon regiments remained loyal
- British rule was not entirely reasserted until June 1858 after the battle of Gwalla, South of Delhi
- Peace was declared on the 8th July 1858
When was the Cawnpore massacre, and what happened during it?
It took place from 4th June 1857 to the 25th June 1857
- Sepoys turned on their British officers and set fire to their quarters
- The British fled to a small fort but were destroyed by canon fire
- On The 10th June British reinforcements left Britain for India
- The Barracks held out until the hospital block was destroyed on the 12th June
- On The 25th June the British agreed to leave in order to allow the survivors in the Barracks to be able to leave. However, that was a trap and the survivors were killed
- In total, the Massacre killed 500 British men, women and children
- In Britain the news of the massacre caused horror and outrage
What was the reaction to the Cawnpore massacre?
- The leader of the British troops Colonel James Neill order troops to murder hundreds of Indians in retaliation
- Hundreds of Indiana were killed, regardless of if they were involved in the massacre or not
- Many of those who were killed were strung up from Mango trees in order to act as a deterrent against defiance
What are som things the Mutiny resulted in?
- The East India Company’s rule ended
- The British Indian Army was reformed: Sepoy units were more closely supervised and Sepoys were treated with greater respect
- The British adopted a policy of appeasement with the powers of old India which meant that Indian rulers had their prestige restored
- British rule was now from a Secretary of State, Indian council and a Viceroy who all ran affairs
What did the Government of India Act of 1858 say?
- The rule of The East Indian company was abolished. The government of India was taken over by the crown and Queen Victoria was the supreme monarch
- The Court of Directors and the board of control were abolished and replaced by the Secretary of State for India and the Indian council
- A Viceroy replaced the EIC’s Governor General
- The Indian people were promised their rights (such as freedom of religion) under this act
- Pardons were given to all Indians apart from those who killed British people and Princes retained their former status
- The Doctrine of Lapse was discarded under this act.
When was the Brussels conference and what was decided?
The conference took place in 1876
They decided that:
-Africa could not develop and harvest resources on its own and so Europeans had to intervene
-The routes to Africa’s Great Lakes had to be developed either by road or rail
-An international African association had to be established in order to coordinate the European’s efforts
The conference increased competition between European countries and led many European nations to establish their own African advisors
When was the Berlin conference, and what was decided?
The conference took place in the middle of the Scramble for Africa in 1884-85
It was decided that:
-All Nations were permitted to trade in the basin of the Congo
-There would be free trade in Africa
-The European powers would help protect the natives and suppress the slave trade
-The powers should support European cultural undertakings e.g. science/charity and protect explorers and missionaries
-If any country took over new land they should inform the other countries who would assert their own claims
This triggered the new scramble for Africa
What was the informal empire?
Countries that were not ruled or governed by Britain but still remained under their influence e.g. through trade deals
