START OF INDIA'S CROWN RULE 1857- Flashcards
colonial policy, administration etc
1
Q
bullet point the causes of the indian mutiny
A
- taxation / economic causes
- cultural causes / interferance
- administrative causes
- treatment of local individuals
2
Q
how was TAXATION / ECONOMICS a cause of the indian mutiny with precise evidence
A
- vast economic exploitation of local indians
- british goods flooded and sidelined indian markets (ie textile + cotton)
- 83% of locally produced goods were extracted from peasants from Orissa
- the british impose limitations on the planting and growing of mulberry and silk - land revenues + high costs
- 60-80% of families were in debt
- permanent settlement act 1793 - land revenues were fixed at high rates
- consistently high taxation rates - 56% in most regions
- if tax was not provided, local peasants were beaten
- zamindars became responsible for collecting taxation
3
Q
how was CULTURAL INTERFERENCE a cause of the indian mutiny
A
- enfield cartridge controversy on may 10th 1857 - refused to use pork and cow fat in cartridges (violates hinduism and the caste concept) - insensitive
- at meerut, troops are imprisoned for a refusal to use cartridges
- native policy? - introduction of the India Bill 1813 - granted permission for the use and power of missionaries in India, which they felt undermined hinduism and was attempting to eradicate this practice
- this was consolidated by bhadur shah II being removed as a muslim leader - bangalore conspiracy 1830s - again notions of violating hinduism and the cultural provisions it imposes - a pig’s head is left outside a mosque
- changes to practice and convention
- 1856 hindu marriages act - legalised the remarriage of widows under EIC rule
- sati practice is outlawed in 1827
4
Q
how were ADMINISTRATIVE CAUSES the cause of the indian mutiny
A
- dalhousie’s doctrine of lapse - if there was no male heir to land, it was ceded to the British - gradually expanding British control
- ie Maratha of Satara
- 1854 - annexation of awadh 1856 - traditional elites who lived in this area lost territory, and there is dissatisfaction over the British imposing their rule here
- local elites were stripped of their power - british violate traditional rule and generational control of elites
- 1773 regulating act - consolidate British power and expanded british power, whilst reducing local indian power
5
Q
how was TREATMENT a cause of the indian mutiny
A
- treatment of peasantry
- bengali weavers were consistently put in concentration camps - treatment of sepoys
- there were 4x more sepoys than British in india - british deemed them as a threat
- in 1852, dalhousie ordered sepoys to burma - extensive local displacement, sepoys refuse
-1856 general service act by Canning (forced sepoys to serve overseas which would damage their caste system)
6
Q
5 key statistics and facts about the indian mutiny itself 1857
A
- 13,000 british died, 40,000 indians died
2.
7
Q
describe the 1858 government of india act
A
- the EIC was nationalised and was placed under crown rule
- a secretary of state for india, and a viceroy position were created
- there was an India Council created, of 15 members, with expertise of indian affairs and was used to advise on indian problems
- the indian civil service was continued under the secretary of state
- the doctrine of lapse was ‘overturned’ - giving power to local princely states
- the policy of religious laissez faire was overturned
- cartridges are removed from use
8
Q
list the 5 key events in the indian mutiny, briefly describing each
A
- mangal pandey rebellion 1857
- pandey attempts to shoot a british officer with his foot due to cartridge incidents in march 1858
- pandey is hung for challenging EIC control
- but his resistance encouraged others to resist EIC control - cartridge controvery at meerut
- the british implement cartridges using pig and cow fat
- indians (specifically hindus) refuse to use these
- the british strip positions and titles from these resistant sepoys, by sentencing them to hard labour
- liberation supports break into gaos to let out those imprisoned
- 50 europeans killed - cawnpore uprising
- rebel forces shoot with nana sahib against british forces, and destroy their supplies
- mutineers then slaughter british forces, in which the british soliders respond by doing the same thing - seige of lucknow by mutineers
- mutineers would initiate rebellions against the british expansion in lucknow with EIC forces and Agra
- british soliders are barricaded and massacred
- 2500 casualties - relief of lucknow
- the british try to provide aid access to lucknow, which fail
- over 2000 die trying to deliver aid
- this forces the british to withdraw
9
Q
describe how india was ruled under the EIC
A
- there was strict control, through a monarch, governor and local councils
- there were native states, and british states
- it was taken by robert clive
- there was an imposed hierarchy system, giving amplified voices to upper classes - this further entrenched inferiority of local individuals
- the british were extremely reliant on local help, but were generally supported because they would offer technology and advancement
- the british were assertive in ruling and were much more outcome driven (much more about what material could be obtained)
- india was heavily westernised through anglican laws being introduced, which undermined hindu culture, teaching christianity as to be of more importance
- it was through military action (ie battle of plassey) that the british expanded into india without consent
- it was an informal empire (as the british had control over administration, tax collection, and exploiting resources)
10
Q
british attitudes to the indian peoples they ruled in 1857
A
- notion of racial inferiority toward indians and being comfordable with violating their culture
- strict attitudes - felt threatened by local elite rule, and felt the need to have the british government infiltrated on a local scale to counteract this
- treated their rule in india as an opportunity for enlightenment, which violated cultural boundaries
- the british were very transactional and self interested, becoming less interested in co-operating with locals, but more interested in furthering individual gain
- treated indian culture as ethnocentric, causing hostility stemming from religious divides (lack of respect)
*resultantly, indians were extremely bitter to the british presence and frustrated at their casualty in undermining hinduism - there was less religious and economic freedom, displaying how british rule (with no mandate) had infiltrated into daily life)
11
Q
what were the motivations for a british presence in india
A
- economic motivations
- rich resources in cotton, indigo etc
- would enrich the domestic economy
- profit driven which could be reinvested in britain
- would provide stable income + growth - civilising motivations
- wanted to spread ideas about christianity and provide a degree of religious enlightenment
- felt an obligation to spread their religious values
12
Q
give some key examples of exploitation by the EIC of local indian workers
A
- bengali weavers
- rounded up in concentration camps to produce a threshold amount of product
- poor treatment of weavers (displays profit driven british) - opium produce
- rely on opium production to fuel trade of tea with china
13
Q
describe the famine of 1768/1769 and british responses to it
A
- lack of water and rain = lack of crop cultivation
- caused over 3-5 million deaths
- the EIC refuses to provide aid, and deem it as ‘beyond their responsibility’
- british continue with normal tax collection
- leads to the 1773 regulating act so the state was now involved in imperial matters
14
Q
describe victoria’s declaration of november 1858
A
- india would be governed by a british monarch
- attempt at reconciliation - she pardoned the offences of those during the mutiny - attempt to reconstruct relations and eradicate mutual hostility
- claims at this need for impartiality and openness toward indians
15
Q
give the 5 main leaders of the indian mutiny and their role
A
- nana sahib
- led the cawnpore massacre after being denied inheritance rights in peshwa region and the doctrine of lapse
- led to the bibighar and satichaura massacre which killed 300 - rani of jhansi
- her son was refused inheritance rights under the doctrine of lapse - bahdur shah II
- was a muslim leader who was chosen by the EIC because he was a compliant prisoner
- led mutineers in meerut - mangal pandey
- led the pandey rebellion in 1857 over cartridges
- shot himself later - he became a symbol of protecting the hindu faith - bahadur khan
- emphasised the need for hindu, muslim unity against british
- displayed the emphasis and priority of religious protection
*describes relations with indigenous peoples
16
Q
bullet point the reasons for the failure of the indian mutiny for the british
A
- lack of effective strategy
- soliders are not well trained
- lack of ample machinery and artillery counter mutineers
- indians are strapped to cannons and told to lick blood (idea that this was exposed to the media) - indian troops
- under khan, it was advocated for muslims and hindu’s to unite, which forced the british to fight a front which was solidified
- indian troops betray many of the traditional methods of fighting
- strong religious leadership - difficult conditions
- geographically limited - difficult supply lines
- famine breaks out
- solar eclipse - encourages people to stay indoors
- famine during the mutiny, killing over 100,000 people - indian population
- much of the indian population supported the massacre and bribe local people to join - enforces this idea that the cause of the mutiny was living standards and conditions
17
Q
consequences of the indian mutiny
A
- the EIC is nationalised and crown rule is therefore extended over india in 1858
- the mogul emperor is put on trial and his sons executed so rebels lost hope of continuing this dynasty
- india became depleted - villages were burnt etc
18
Q
when did Victoria become empress of India
A
1877
- she was appointed as this by Disraeli
- this was to further assert British imperial power and strength / constant presence in India
19
Q
describe the administration of india after the mutiny, under crown rule
A
- there was a viceroy (initially canning)
- there was a legislative council, of which had expertise in areas of finance, law, the army, the economy and home affairs
- there were then provincial governors who had a more local presence and would have their own leg councils for provincial problems
20
Q
list the viceroys of india from 1858-1900
A
21
Q
describe the indian civil service
A
- was an institution used to ease administration
- consisted of around 1000 British people, with relatively little indian people actually on the service
- it became a symbol of status and wealth, given it had connotations of being elitist
- there were high standards of exams taken in order to get into the service
- indian members of the civil service only increased from 30-60 by 1914
22
Q
describe the administration of india
A
- there was a viceroy of india who had a legislative council, with expertise in finance, law, home affairs, the economy and the army
- there were then provincial governors who had their own leg councils, but were more focused on local administration and representing the viceroy on practical issues
- there were also princely states which were ruled by maharajahs and were loyal to the crown (had ‘agents’ and ‘residents’ to influence policy)
- this administration would collect taxation, maintain law and order and administer the law
23
Q
list all the viceroys from 1858-1900
A
1858-1862 = lord canning
1862-1863 = earl of elgin
1864-1869 = lawrence
1869-1872 = earl of mayo
1872-1876 = lord of northbrook
1876-1880 = earl of lytton
1880-1884 = earl of dufferin
1884-1894 = marquess of lansdowne
1894-1899 = earl of elgin (different one)
1899-1905 = lord curzon
24
Q
describe the indian civil service
A
- the civil service was effectively used to administer the raj and assist the viceroy in maintaining power
- it lacked radical diversity, typically consisting of white men in positions of power
- there were around 1000 civil service staff in this period
- it had elitist connotations, due to the associations of high wealth and status with its positions
- there were competitive civil service exams used to be in these positions, in order to obtain the most expertise
- the number of indians in the civil service only increased from 30-60 from 1890-1914
- billingual indians were recruited in 13 provinces to be a ‘bridge’ between local indians and the british elite
25
Q
when was queen victoria declared empress of india
A
1877
- was appointed by disraeli - mainly was a political act
- was also an act to display how the british wanted to assert their constant imperial presence and power
26
Q
describe the princely states from 1858, and why were they created
A
- these were local states ruled by maharajahs
- was about 40% of india at this time
- by 1900, 72 million people were governed under a princely state
- there were 565 princely states
- princely states were created BECAUSE the doctrine of lapse was removed under the 1858 act
- princely states were typically very loyal to the crown and respected british sovereignty - had an alliance
- there was a ‘resident’ or ‘agent’ was installed to oversee affairs to represent the viceroy
examples: kashmir, rajputana
27
Q
describe changes to the defence system in india after 1858
A
- the army was strengthened to prevent future uprising and challenge to british administration
- more indian officers than british officers were added (70,000 british, and 125,000 native indians by the late 1880s)
- native indians were trained and would enforce order in their own regions
- however, locals were cut off from one another to prevent unity
- natives were mixed by caste and religion to prevent unity and mutual dislike for the british
- there was a higher proportion of sikhs in the army (bc they were loyal during the mutiny)
- 62/74 bengali regiments for disbanded because they were not loyal to the british in the mutiny
- canning creates the Imperial Police Force
- the number of british officials increased, with indians all placed under their control
28
Q
describe changes to law in india
A
- english law was treated as ‘superior’, as EIC courts were merged with crown courts
- the legal systems failed to represent and provide adequate protections for the vulnerable and instead favoured the elite, white man
29
Q
when was the Imperial Police Force created in India
A
1861
- created by lord canning
30
Q
describe and give examples of the british actively being scared of future rebellion, and taking measures to prevent this
A
- separating indians based on caste and religion in defensive duty, as to prevent their unity
- deployed indian troops abroad
- 1859 = 10,000 indians to Shanghai in 2nd Opium War
- 1882 = 7000 sent to Egypt to suppress Pasha’s revolt (shipped from Portsmouth)
31
Q
describe british administration in white settler colonies and give examples of this
A
- policy of ‘responsible government’ - much more laid back
- the british ruled only with the support of representative legislative assemblies
- representative assemblies would then command a majority - indirect??
- in white majority nations, the british used direct rule
1872 = cape colony
1890 = western australia
32
Q
when and where dos the indian mutiny end
A
gwalior
- 20th june 1858
33
Q
give 3 key examples of British attempts to reconciliate with indians
A
- 1859-1861 - canning makes a tour of india to win back local support
- star of india medals introduced 1861 by Victoria (examples include the Knight Grand Commander)
- recipients include Scindia (maharajah in gwalior) and Duleep Singh
34
Q
describe the expansion of education in india from 1858 with examples
A
- 1857 = charles wood founded key universities in Bombay, Madras and Calcutta
- prestigious schools were established - ie Mauo College in Rajasthan (example of westernisation)
- from 1857-1887 = 60,000 indians entered these universities
- 2000 entered government service by 1882 (more diversity in job fields)
- mary carpenter was critical in opening up colleges in Bombay and Ahmedabad
35
Q
describe western attitudes to india after the mutiny
A
- this idea of ‘noble savage’ and the need for the british to remain in india in order to enforce a civilising mission
- there was support for ‘westernising’ india
- the british were ignorant and ignored their brutality toward indians
- the british were dissmissive and determined to change indian culture
- reform in india was centered around the elite, failing to help the poorest in society
- felt british rule was ‘liberating’ for indians
36
Q
who and when set up the National Indian Association
A
mary carpenter in 1870
37
Q
economic changes in India post mutiny
A
- increasing investment in railways to stimulate inaccessible trade and flexible movement for goods
- this allowed for development in run down areas and increasing growth
- agricultural industries thrived, especially in farming - stimulating local employment
- railway development developed to 2 miles a day
38
Q
give the fact about tea plantations and economic growth in india from 1851
A
tea plantations increased from 1 in 1851 to 295 in 1871
39
Q
describe british investment in railways in this period
A
- railways were invested in to promote quicker movement
- railway staff included christian indians and those more loyal to the raj
- this formed ‘railway colonies’
40
Q
describe the knife of sugar statement / its importance
A
a statement made in 1871 by Dadabhai Naoroji
- it displays how educated indians (who were typically loyal to the british) recognise the benefits and lack of benefit of empire
- recognition by elites that empire was extractive and materialistic
*displays if empire was benefitting locals
41
Q
what was the 1835 brief minute on education
A
- a quote displaying the british emphasis on a civilising mission within india
- displays a perception of indian incompetence
42
Q
A
