British Empire 1890-1914

• which countries did Britain consolidate power in East Africa?

  • Zanzibar
  • Uganda
  • Kenya
  • Somaliland
• how did Britain consolidate power in Zanzibar?


  • declared a protectorate in 1890
  • a series of puppet rulers were installed
  • agreed to abolish slave trade on John Kirk's request
• how did Britain consolidate power in Uganda?


  • British East Africa Company took control in 1890, became Crown Colony in 1894.
  • 1890 Salisbury agreed to give Germany Tanganyika leaving Britain Kenya and Uganda.
  • Constructed Ugandan Railway (Lunatic Express, 2,500 died)
  • Was a source of cotton
• what is the Ugandan railway?


  • AKA 'Lunatic Line'
  • caused the deaths of 2,500 workers- around 100 eaten by lions in Tsavo incident
  • supported by Chamberlain
  • consolidated British control of Uganda, also linked colonies with each other
• how did Britain consolidate power in Kenya?

  • Used as a route to Uganda, known as East African Protectorate
  • made protectorate in 1895 became a formal colony in 1920
  • Force used to suppress German supported Muslim majority
  • 'White Highlanders' seized the most fertile lands
• how did Britain consolidate power in Somaliland?

  • Protectorate in 1888
  • offered strategic value due to its closeness to the Gulf of Aden and being the horn of Africa
• which countries did Britain consolidate power in West Africa?

  • Sierra Leone
  • Nigeria
  • Ashantiland
• how did Britain consolidate power in Sierra Leone?

  Became British colony in 1808, transferred from the Sierra Leone Company
• how did Britain consolidate power in Nigeria?

  • Under control of Royal Niger Company from 1890s
  • the company's position worsened causing it to become formal protectorate in 1900
  • 1914 North and South Nigeria are reunited. Became a formal colony through 'effective occupation' that was set out in Berlin Conference
• how did Britain consolidate power in Ashantiland?


  • from 1823-1896 fought 4 wars with the British
  • The 4th was sparked by King Prempeh's refusal to give land, he was removed by force and Ashantiland was annexed and became a formal colony in 1902
• how did Britian consolidate power in Sudan?

  • Gordon killed in 1885, same year Salisbury becomes PM and wants to reconquer Sudan
  • In 1896, Italian and French forces increase influence in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) causing Salisbury to want to regain control of Sudan to maintain influence across the Nile
  • Kitchener constructed the Sudan Military Railway, giving Britain transport and telegraph advantage. 1898 Kitchener wins Battle of Omdurman then in next year marches on Fashoda were French troops backed down
• how did Britain maintain control in India?

  -The extension of education became important as India's economy developed. However, in 1872, 3.5% of India's population was literate. In 1911, 5.9% of India's population was literate.

  
  

  -The Indian Civil Service adopted a policy of 'divide and rule', accentuating divisions in caste, religion, and location.

  There was a growing divide between the Anglo-Indian elite and illiterate rural masses.

  
  

  -The partition of Bengal was intended to divide India into a Muslim-majority East and a Hindu-majority West in 1901 by Curzon. This move caused an uproar as many wealthy Hindus had owned land in the East. the Morley-Minto reforms in 1909 introduced more democratic reforms for Indians

  
  

  -Viceroy Hardinge declared war in ww2 on behalf of India. Also moved India's capital to Delhi to undermine Hindu revolutionaries
• how did Britain maintain control in Egypt?

  • Capitulations: made European in Egypt exempt from Muslim laws
  • Caisse de la Dette: 50% of Egypt's revenue was paid to European creditors
  • Baring with the Granville Doctrine controlled Egyptian ministers, despite partially elected parliament. Also 5,000 British soldiers were added to Egypt's forces giving them control over their army as well
  • Reforms like the Aswan Dam in 1902 gave water for irrigation. Productivity in cotton and sugar industries rose by 200%. Tourism through Thomas Cook was encouraged, giving Egypt more revenue
• what challenges were there to British authority in Uganda?

  • Nandi people resisted the construction of the Ugandan Railway (as it went through their land)
  • 1905 their leader (Samoei) is killed by British captain Richard Meinertzhagen
• what challenges were there to British authority in Kenya?

  • Harry Thuku led the kikuyu rebellion against forced identity cards in 1922, was arrested
  • Britain used a divide and rule policy, favouring the masai tribe over the kikuyu
• what challenges were there to British authority in Somaliland?

  mohammed abdullah hassan, known as 'mad mullah' led forces against british control for 2 decades
• what were challenges to British rule in India?


  -1898 Kaal newspaper founded (was indian nationalist). Its cheif editor Bal Tilak was charged with sedition after defending two Bengali youths who threw a bomb into the carridge of who they thought was the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Calcutta in 1908. Was released in 1916 and tries to unite Hindus and Muslims.

  
  

  -In 1903, the Young India Society sas formed by Vinaya Damodar Savarkar and his brother the organisation became home to revolutionaries and activists.

  
  

  -The partition of Bengal sparked a six year uprising against the British Raj

  
  

  -In 1909, Arthur Jackson and Curzon Wyllie (British officials) were assassinated by Indian revolutionaries. The British Empire clamped down on Indian nationalism. Revolutionary writers were imprisoned and newspapers were shut down. However, the Empire did concede to Indian demands by allowing Bengal to be reunited.

  
  

  -The swadeshi (self-sufficiency) movement emerged after the partition of Bengal. It encouraged buying only goods produced locally in India, instead of goods produced by foreign countries or companies.

  
  

  - The educated elite formed the Indian National Congress in 1885 to campaign for Home Rule.

  Those in the lower castes formed the 'Servants of India Society' and agitated for reform in Indian legislation.

  
  

  . India reunited in 1911 due to political protests
• name some influential british administrators in this time?

  • Evelyn Baring
  • George Curzon
  • Alfred Milner
  • Cecil Rhodes
  • Joseph Chamberlain
• what were challenges to British rule in Egypt?

  • The Denshawai Incident in 1906, where British officials killing the pigeons that the locals ate for sport resulted in a clash were an officer died- response from British saw many arrested and 4 sentenced to death. This inflamed nationalist sentiment and made some believe that co-operation was not possible
  • Baring resigned due to this and Eldon Gorst replaced him, Gorst increased press censorship to prevent pro-nationalist stories from being published
  • 1914, Kitchener replaced Gorst and made Egypt a formal protectorate due to WW1
• what challenges were there to British authority in Zanzibar?

  • Khalid bin Barghash led a 3 day uprising against the British supported Sultan in 1896
  • Britain regained control and exile him to German East Africa
• what challenges were there to British authority in Sierra Leone?

  • 1898, Governor Cardew introduced a hut tax
  • Cardew hanged 96 chiefs for their resistance to these measures
  • showed lack of care for locals and that British rule was for wealth extraction
• how was Evelyn Baring siginificant?

  • Consul General of Egypt, saw himself as a moral reformer, eg with the Aswan Dam and trying to stop slavery
  • resigned in 1907 due to the Denshawai incident in 1906
• how was Alfred Milner siginificant?

  • Appointed High Commissioner of Southern Africa in 1897, believed in British racial superiority
  • regarded the indigenous population as "chilidren, needing and appreciating a just paternal government"
  • oversaw the second Boer War
  • after the war he established 'Milner's Kindergarten' (a group of young administrators and lawyers) to resettle the Boers and promote economic growth
  • he launched an English education programme to fit into British superiority
• how was George Curzon siginificant?

  • Viceroy of India, created the North West Frontier Province in 1901 to secure the Indian borders against Russian incursions into Tibet and Afganistan
  • Believed he had a moral imperial duty, viewed Indians as inferior
  • Oversaw the construction of railways, irrigation projects and medical education
  • Encouraged divide and rule through the promotion of an Anglo-Indian identity in the Indian elite, seen with the Imperial Cadet Corp in 1901 to give the Indian elite military education
  • in 1905 partitioned Bengal to weaken wealthy Hindu elites
• how was Joseph Chamberlain significant?

  • Colonial Secretary (1895-1903), the most ardent imperialist in the Cabinet
  • His Tariff Reform League introduced the idea of Imperial Preference, behind the construction of the Ugandan railway, supported the Jamerson Raid, oversaw the annexation of Ashantiland in 1901
  • Advocate for colonial development and granted monopolies to British companies to build more railways in other African colonies
• how was Cecil Rhodes significant?

  • in 1888 founded De Beers Mining company (owned 90% of global diamond industry) 1889 founded the British South Africa Company
  • became Cape Colony PM in 1890, sent settlers to Fort Salisbury in 1890, later became Rhodesia
  • had deep imperial ambitions, believed in the racial superiority of the British, envisioned British control from "the Cape to Cairo" but was blocked by German East Africa in 1891
  • resigned after the 1895 Jamerson Raid
• how did the Empire make Britain wealthier?

  • Britain dominated global exports, in 1913 32% of all manufactured goods were from Britain, main exports were: insurance, shipping, machinary and coal
  • Britain traded with Empire more than any other part of the world (10% of beef and 15% of wheat from Canada)
  • Britain got Indian exports (cotton and tea) at a cheap price, this benifited British consumers and was exported again at a higher price. Tariffs made British goods cheaper than other goods in India
• how did the Empire cost Britain?

  • Upper middle class people resented the higher taxes needed for imperial defence (especially the navy)
  • Reliance on Empire caused slower modernising compared to Germany and US, seen in Britain not developing artificial rubber due to source in Malaya
  • Some thought colonial food imports and labour depressed domestic food industry and wages. Investment in Empire was more profitable (due to higher interest rates on loans). Caused competition against British industries (Indian cotton mills competed with Lancashire mills)
• what were the debates around trade?

  • Joseph Chamberlain's Imperial Preference meant to promote imperial ties and encourage colonies to trade with Britain over Germany or the US
  • His ideas were rejected in the 1906 general election were the Liberal Party won in a landslide victory. They pursued "free market" policies over protectionism
• How was the Empire seen in British culture at home?


  • In schools history and geography glorified the Empire and figures like Clive, Rhodes and Gordon. Newspapers like Boys Own Paper promoted Empire to boys. In all-boys public schools muscular christianity was pushed.
  • The Daily Mail, set up in 1896, was cheap targeted the lower-classes and was very pro-imperialism
  • 1902 first Empire Day celebrated and the 1911 coronation of George V with its "Festival of the Empire" were public celebrations
  • Elgar's "Imperial March" was a music that identified with the Empire
• Who were key critics of Empire?

  • John Hobson (economist, author of 'Imperialism' in 1902) called the 2nd Boer War a "capitalist plot" between mine owners
  • Emily Hobhouse (welfare campaigner and anti-war activist) highlighted the horrific conditions of the concentration camps in the Boer War, 90% of who died in the camps were children
  • William Digby (writer and journalist) raised awareness the Great Famine in India of 1876-1878 (5.5 million died), raised this issue in Parliament and blamed the government's non-intervention
• What was National Efficiency?

  • The Boer War was an embarrassment for Britain -failing to defeat a smaller army. 1/3 of army recruits were unfit for service due to malnutrition. 75% of recruits in Manchester
  • scorched earth policy and the use of concentration camps disproved Britain's façade of a civilizing force
  • To combat situation at home the gov passed 1902 Education Act (improved schools and opened more secondary schools). 1906 Free School Meals Initiative to combat malnutrition. 1907 Imperial College was created to match German scientific education
• How was British rule challenged in Sudan?

  • Mahdist opposition after Britain regained control, continued multiple times in the early 1900s. Local tribes refused to pay taxes
  • British troops frequently had to reists these rebellions. Reports of British troops brutality during and after the battle of Omurdan removed idea of "civilising force". Rebels hung publicly
  • It took 3 decades to subdue resistance
• How was Sudan developed economically?

  • The Sudan Military Railway
  • Port Sudan city constructed in 1906, stimulates local economy
  • Irrigation through the Gezira Scheme