How did it lead to the development of empire? Flashcards
(26 cards)
How has war led to the development of empires?
- Britain became part of the Norman Kingdom after 1066
- Boer Wars
- India
Who were the Boers?
Farmers living in South Africa
They were descendants of Dutch settlers
What was the First Boer War?
British invaded Cape Colony (the Boer territory) and absorbed it into its empire
Boers set up two new colonies - the Transvaal and Orange Free State
In 1857, diamonds were discovered in the new state, and the British offered to unite with the Boers 🙄
The Boers refused, and British troops were sent to politely ask the Boers to agree 🤩
The Boers fought against the British troops viciously, such as at the Battle of Majuba hill 1881, temporarily stopping the British takeover
When was the First Boer War?
1867-81
Why was there a Second Boer War?
In 1886, gold was discovered in the Boer states
Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman, saw this as an opportunity to open dozens of mines in Boer territory
He founded De Beers in 1888, which owned most of the diamond and gold fields in Southern Africa
Thousands of British workers arrived in the area, threatening the Boers
Their leader, Paul Kruger, refused to give the workers any rights and prevented Rhodes from mining in the Transvaal
In response, Rhodes sponsored a plan to remove Kruger, which failed, worsening relations between the two parties, and ultimately dragging Britain back into war
When was the Second Boer War?
1899-1902
What was the Second Boer War?
In 1899, a second war broke out and initially the Boers continued their fierce resistance
The British underestimated the Boers, who were skilled weapons with modern weapons and knowledge of their terrain
In response to their failure, Britain sent 500,000 troops to fight 50,000 Boers
British soldiers were equipped with the most advanced weaponry - machine guns, rifles, shells
General Kitchener, the British general, introduced a ‘Scorched Earth’ policy, where British soldier were instructed to destroy everything in their paths
Crops were burned, livestock killed, water supplies poisoned
Boers were sent to concentration camps where they died from illness, poor conditions and exhaustion
The Boers were forced to surrender by 1902
What were the more obvious consequences of the Boer wars?
The Transvaal and Orange Free State became British colonies but could make important decisions about their governing -> In 1910 they joined with Cape Colony to form the Union of South Africa
Both sides lost vast number of soldiers and Boers lost many civilians
Showed what Britain was willing to sacrifice to defend its empire
What were the unexpected impacts of the Boer wars?
1/3 of British men who volunteered to fight were unfit for duty
30% of London people were too poor to eat properly, despite being employed
In 1906 the Government addressed these concerns by introducing free school meals, health checks and treatments for children
Domestic science (the study of nutrition, clothing, household skills, childcare etc) was encouraged due to people being so physically unfit to fight
Unemployment benefit (‘dole’), sick pay and job centres introduced
These improvements still help vulnerable people in British society today
How have ideas led to the development of empires?
English colonisers in the 19th/20th century - imperialism/Social Darwinism
Settlers in North America in the 1600s -> belief of superiority -> settlers had more advanced weapons and technology, more numbers, spread foreign diseases -> natives had to adapt or move inland -> less than 0.7% of the present American population are indigenous American
Similarly Empire builders felt superior to Indians -> sepoys felt disrespected and inferior which led to rebellion
What was imperialism and social Darwinism?
Beliefs used by British empire builders such as Cecil Rhodes to justify the colonisation of other lands
Imperialism was the belief that Britain should expand its empire across the world by any means possible
Social Darwinism was the belief that stronger nations and people are superior to weaker ones, and should be able to take over their land
Why is Cecil Rhodes controversial?
View 1: He was a great historical figure
- He provided Britain and South Africa with vast wealth
- Made South Africa more stable
- Institutions such as universities benefitted from his
generosity
- He was a ‘man of his time’ and should not be judged to
modern standards
View 2: He was a racist and oppressed others
- His actions in the Transvaal led to war which killed
thousands
- Made it harder for black people to vote when he was a
politician
- There should be no excuses for his behaviour or
actions, no matter when he lived
The overall message is that he is a figure that should be recognised, not glorified or celebrated
Why did India appeal to Europeans?
Rich in natural resources - iron, silk, copper, gold, spices, tea, timber, diamonds
Trade links with India could make a country very powerful, and in the beginning (1500s) European nations would barter with local traders to then bring back expensive goods to sell
Trading stations - massive, armed warehouses that transformed raw materials into goods - were established along the Indian coast
What was the East India Company and how did it impact trade in India?
All of Britain’s trading stations were ran by one company - The East India Company
Established in 1600, transported cheap goods to trade abroad
They took the traded resources such as spices, silk, coffee and sold them back in Britain
EIC had a monopoly on British trade in India
Had trading posts in Bombay, Surat and Madras
India became the base for Britain’s global trade and businessmen and monarchs made a fortune
The EIC grew so powerful that it had its own army and navy
What was happening in India in the 1700s that trading companies took advantage of?
There was a civil war between religious groups in India, and European nations and trading companies offered Hindu princes their support in exchange for land and goods
Some also directly fought against the princes
When was the Battle of Plassey?
1757
What happened to the EIC in the 1700s?
The EIC began to take more and more land with its army and navy
At the Battle of Plassey (1757), Robert Clive led the company troops to victory, allowing the EIC to take over Bengal
Robert Clive went on to become Governor of Bengal, a rich Indian region
The EIC fought other nations to claim their trading posts
When was the Government of India Act?
1773
What was the Government of India Act?
More and more of India was being taken over by the EIC, but the company was going bankrupt due to a decline in American trade
The British government solved the company’s financial problems by splitting control of the British territories in India between the government and the EIC
When was the Indian Rebellion?
1857-58
What was the Indian rebellion?
By the 1850s, most of India was controlled by the British government and the EIC
The British claimed to improve the lives of Indians by building infrastructure and creating jobs, but many remained unhappy
Branches of the British army known as sepoys, who were recruited local Indians, felt disrespected and inferior
In 1857, the new Enfield rifle was introduced, which had a cartridge that involved biting the top to release the gunpowder
The issue was that the paper cartridge was soaked in pork and beef fat, which Muslims and Hindus cannot consume for religious reasons
On the 9th May, 85 sepoys refused to use the cartridges
They were arrested and imprisoned, but freed a day later by other rebels
The situation worsened by July, when rebels carried out the Bibigar massacre, causing British outrage
70,000 troops sent to India to exact revenge
Indians were brutally tortured and murdered
The rebellion ended a year later
What happened in July 1857?
The Bibigar massacre, where 200 British women and children were killed at Cawpore
When did the Indian Rebellion end?
8th July 1858
What was the impact of the Indian rebellion?
Britain became more cautious about how they governed India, and did not interfere with religious affairs
EIC’s ruling was replaced by direct rule from the British government
India office and viceroy took care of matters
