india

• How did India face difficulties from British rule?

  • essentially structured for British benefits: Gold standard being detrimental to Indian economic interests for example
  • heavy taxation
  • partition of Bengal (Muslims=east Hindus=west)
  • agricultural development of answering Britains needs= famine.
  • railways? seem beneficial but more for Britain, increasing trade so more economic interest than people of India
  • westernised, land for mosques and temples made for churches instead
• how long did did EIC last and what was brought next?

  1603-1858, Government of India Act introduced in the same year:

  • territories in EIC passed onto Queen Victoria
  • any responsibility of Indian affairs passed on to new Secretary of state, with Indian council helping
  • civil service placed under control.
• why was india wanted?

  • army- in Bengal, Madras and Bombay army consisted of Brahmin in Caste system which is highly respected. forces consisted of 200,000 men. (India annoyed due to poor pay and trying to take in lower caste, which is insult to traditional status)
  • note that army in the actual British Indian army consisted of 230,000 Indian Sepoys and 40,000 soldiers of European origin
• what was created in 1885?

  National Congress
• what ultimately caused the mutiny?

  • Engfield p52 rifle, would have to bite cartridge to release bullet from paper but greased with pork/beef fat which is offensive to Hindu and Muslim sepoys, and seen to Christianise country.
  • March 29th 1857 Mangal Pandey attacked several officers and sentenced to death
• start of Indian mutiny?


  outbreak began a couple months after Pandey incident in Mierut, 85 officers 10th May (Madras and Bombay officers remained mainly loyal to British however)

  • Mutineers went to Delhi and emperor reluctantly gave blessing for empire, but recapture of Delhi for British was priority.
  • Sept 14th men scraped together for UK so attacked, destroying Cashmere gate
  • Cawnpore also strategically important (crossroad between 2 major highways)
• events toward end of mutiny?

  Mutineers killed 120 innocent women and children July 15th, following day:

  • as a result British arrived and hung many mutineers without trial/ blowing from gun was favoured if trials occurred, humiliates religion so will not arrive into afterlife in one piece.
• who was in the Indian Civil Service?

  hierarchy=descending order:

  • Queen empress/King emperor (territory passed onto)
  • secretary of state for India/India council (received powers/duties from directors/15 members assist secretary of state as advisors)
  • viceroy (relied on native population and rulers)
  • Indian Civil service/provincial Gov/Legislative council (normally all white male, 1,000 servants/oversaw local councils/reported practical issues/5 people ruled with viceroy, responsible for finance army economic and home affairs etc.)
  • Native Princes (treaty alliance with UK, external affairs/defence)