India 1829-58 Flashcards
How did the purpose of India to the British change by 1829?
It shifted from seeing India as purely commercial venture and started to want to ‘improve’ and ‘modernise’ India driven by a sense of racial and cultural superiority.
Why did a sense of racial superiority rise in Company workers?
The growth of Evangelical Christianity and the arrive of British Women - racial intermingling that was commonplace in early / 18th century company men now became socially taboo (by 1850, the wills of company men showed a tiny proportion of men were involved in interracial relationships).
How were the motivations of Bentinck’s reforms different to Dalhousie’s reforms?
Bentinck’s reforms were driven by altruistic and moral reasons whereas Dalhousie was motivated by frustration with social structures and inefficiency of the princely states he wanted to annex.
What is Thagi?
(Urdu word) Highway robbery and ritual murder practiced by bandits in the service of the Hindu Goddess of destruction Kali.
What government department was created in 1835 by Sleeman and why?
Thugge and Dacoity department due to Sleeman’s devotion to eradicate the practice after capturing a Thagi and his confession of the social network and they way that Thagi worked (which was also how the department operated to catch more Thagi).
How many Thagi were tried and punished due to this department?
3000 in total - 1000 hanged or transported.
What was the significance of the campaign against Thagi throughout the Empire?
It led to self congratulation and depicted as a wholly altruistic act - Sleeman became and imperial hero and stories of him were told in Britain with a moral message.
How was the campaign against Thagi received by Indians?
It was not resented - compared to other reforms - and was mostly accepted.
What was Sati?
Self immolation by Hindu widows to reflect sanctity of marriage bond. Mostly practiced by higher castes - suggests motivation was religious rather than economic. 600 deaths a year estimated.
When was Sati abolished across Britain’s occupied states in India?
Act of Abolition - 1829
Timeline of campaign against Sati?
Banned in Calcutta in 1798 and in 1813 missionaries were allowed to preach against Sati and other practices. Ram Mohan Roy - Hindu Philosopher that campaigned against the practice in 1818 - he advised against the ban due to possible religious backlash, but once it was enforced he supported it.
When were laws enforced against Female Infanticide?
1795 and 1802 - female infanticide was more harshly punished in some parts of Northern India were the practice was common due to lack of money and the shame of being an unmarried mother.
What was the attitude of the company officials towards these changes?
They were anxious to upset the population
What happened that allowed more missionaries into India?
The Charter Act 1813 meant that missionaries were no longer banned from practicing India.
What did missionaries do in India?(examples)
Exercised influence against Sati and taught English in schools to attract higher caste Indians to Christianity (they would also try to convince them that Christianity was superior by teaching Bible studies), persuaded them to make English the official language of the government.
What did missionaries mainly focus on?
Trying to convert through education.
How was the reaction to missionaries?
Some embraced the introduction of western philosophies such was Ram Mohan Roy, most developed a resistance to western influence - Bengal became the centre of Indian cultural ideas - this added to the undercurrents of opposition that company officials faced in administration of policies and tax. They destabilised relations long term as most missionaries were poor and therefore lived in close proximity to other Indians which only increased resentment to cultural change.
What years did Dalhousie serve as governor general?
1848 - 1856.
Describe Dalhousie’s attitudes to reform: (as well as some of his reforms)
He was a moderniser and committed utilitarian. He introduced rail roads, penny post and telegraphs.
How did Dalhousie view the Princely States and how did he deal with them?
He saw the as getting in the way of his modernising reforms.
- Assumed British paramountcy over them. This meant they could intervene in the affairs of the princely states in certain conditions.
3 requirements for the British to intervene in the princely states?
-> The Doctrine of Lapse - when a ruler dies and he has no heir the state passes to the British. This contradicted Hindu law which allowed an adopted son to be selected.
-> Misgovernment of state.
-> To redefine the possessions of a ruler as non-hereditary and therefore subject to the doctrine of lapse.
What was viewed as Dalhousie’s worst Blunder?
The Annexation of Awadh - 1856.
What happened during the Annexation of Awadh?
The Shah was deposed after being deemed unfit to rule and subject to Doctrine of Lapse. Awadh was a prosperous state - therefore the company wanted to be in control. They also announced all land would be taken from Talukdars who were unable to prove legal title to their land.
Why was this particularly bad?
This was resented by sepoys as they were from Awadh as well as people in Awadh. This caused resentment within the company armies themselves.
Immediate cause of the Indian independence war?
There was a rumour the new cartridges for the guns were lubricated with animal fat which went against their religion. This seemed to confirm their fears that the British had a dark plan for other religions in India.
What was the other reason the army was in Unrest?
General service enlistment Act 1856- this broke the tradition of soldiers not having to serve where they cant march. (They couldn’t march over water as this would pollute their caste status.) This was very contentious as most sepoys came from higher caste Hindus.
