The British Raj in India Flashcards
What was important in the development of empires?
19th century Nationalism
What was the British Raj?
Period of British rule on the Indian subcontinent
What was the period covered by the British Raj?
1757 to 1947
Who was the imperial ruling organisation over much of Asia?
The East India Trading Company
Why was there much distrust of the East India Trading Company by the native people?
They felt it was corrupt and only sought to better the British empire (causing mutiny)
What was EIC?
East India Company
What did the size of EIC allow for?
Was so large it had its own army bigger then the British army at the time
How many soldiers were in the EIC army?
260,000
What did the EIC act as?
Acted as sovereign power on behalf of the British crown
What did the power of EIC allow it to do?
To take control of India and its surrounding nations
What meant that the EIC eventually lost power?
Rebellion of the Indian people in 1857
What did many Indian civilians believe was happening to their traditions due to presence of the British?
Traditions were being eroded and that the teaching in British schools in India was exposing children to moral danger
What were some Indian soldiers convinced the EIC were masterminding?
The mass conversions of Hindus and Muslims to Christianity
What reason involving the Enfield rifle lead to the Sepoy Mutiny?
Sepoys were required to bite the cartridge open to release the powder the grease on the cartridges was rumoured to be tallow from beef (offensive to Hindus) and lard from pork (offensive to Muslims)
What did the British government do with the EIC and India?
Took possession of the companies assets and imposed direct rule
What was the British Raj intended to do?
Increase Indian participation in governance
What meant that national independence movements increased in India?
powerlessness of Indians to determine their own future without the consent of the British
What did Queen Victoria add to her title?
Empress of India
What was the typical attitude of British officials who went to India during the raj?
Was to “take up the white mans burden”
What did Britons live in whist staying in India during the raj?
Pukka Sahibs
Was there much mixing between the British and India during the raj?
Not much as British remained in private clubs and well guarded military camps
What did the British living in India want to remain aloof from?
Native contamination
What happened to British contacts with Indian society during the raj?
Diminished in every respect
Understanding of Indian culture replaced for most part by suspicion fear and indifference
When did the British raj last till?
1947
What happened to India when the British raj ended?
British provinces of India were partitioned into 2 sovereign states
What 2 sovereign states was India partitioned into after the British raj?
Dominion of India
Dominion of Pakistan
What did most of the princely states decide to join after the British raj had ended?
Either Indian or Pakistan dominion
What did the 2 dominions later become? (British raj)
Republic of India
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
What happened to the eastern half of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
Even later became the Peoples Republic if Bangladesh
What is the British raj a good case study for?
Imperial power (globalisation/ superpower)
Nationalism
Nation ceding power of a nation as its rule was contested
