Oxford AQA History: A Level and AS Component 1: The British Empire c1857-1967
Summary notes covering the theme of relations with indigenous people, for breadth option 1J British Empire . Includes key interactions and events with indigenous people, and the differences between groups. Broken down by area in Empire and time frame - helpful for knowing what to include for differ...
Expansion and Contraction of Empire 1857-1967 Summary Notes
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RELATIONS WITH INDEIGENOUS PEOPLE
1857-1890:
Indian Mutiny:
Events:
Causes – poor pay, changes to service, cultural sensitivity of new Enfield rifle cartridge, anger of land
deprivations by Governor-General Dalhousie
Bengali sepoys refused orders Feb 1857, other areas followed suit, sepoys captured Meerut, Lucknow,
Cawnpore and Agra, urban and rural citizens also joined the fighting
British soldiers, wives and children tortured, Indians blown from canons and forced to break caste laws
British defeated forces led by Rani of Jhansi, full control reasserted June 1858 at final battle at Gwalior
Impact:
Political – Gov of India Act 1858 transferred all power to British Crown, Dalhousie’s Doctrine of Lapse
removed, November 1858 proclamation created new structure for governing India (Secretary of Sate for
India, Viceroy) – change to formalise arrangements, continuity as Britain had always been superior
Military – disloyal sepoys disbanded, more British soldiers, greater respect to sepoy beliefs, sepoys not
permitted to use heavy artillery or be promoted - complete change, fear of another mutiny
Industry – greater investment after 1957, 15000 miles of railway laid by 1880, manufactured goods still came
from Britain – grew but did not change, most Indians still involved in subsistence farming
Education – hundreds of schools founded to introduce more Indians into public administration, first
universities established in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras in 1857 – developed as had started before 1857,
but not complete change as most Indians remained illiterate
Attitudes – greater separation after horrors of mutiny , EIC courts merged with British law, more care over
religiously sensitive areas, missionary activity discouraged when it had previously been encouraged –
developed beliefs of superiority over indigenous people
Boers and Bantus:
Dutch settlers moved to South Africa to form Cape Colony in 1652, Britain took it over in 1806, Boers ignored
their arrival and moved away from governors and administrative centres.
Saw themselves as uniquely independent – Afrikaners
British order in 1823 to English to be the official language and the 1833 emancipation of British slaves
angered Boers, many moved towards the Orange Free State
Britain wanted confederation of Southern Africa after discovery of diamonds in Kimberly in 1867
Boers refused confederation of territory in 1875, Britain annexed Transvaal after Boers couldn’t defeat Pedi
tribe claiming they were protecting white settlers
Bartle Frere provoked war with Zulus, invaded Zululand 1878, British defeat at Isandlwana humiliating (2400
British soldiers killed, cost £5 million), defeated Zulu, Zululand incorporated into Natal
Boers no longer needed British protection when Zulus were defeated, declared independence in 1880
Boers attacked British army garrisons, culminated at Majuba Hill February 1881 with British defeat
Forced to sign Convention of Pretoria which recognised Boer self-government in the Transvaal but Britain
had control over external affairs
Germans arrived in Sout Africa in 1884, Britain annexed Bechuanaland in 1885 to prevent alliance of
Transvaal and German South West Africa
1890-1914:
Changes to British Rule:
India:
, Oppressed Indian professionals began the emergence of nationalist newspapers, writers were imprisoned
for sedition
Curzon’s Partition of Bengal grew opposition – protests, petitions, boycotts – successful to reunite Bengal in
1911
Africa:
Somaliland – Dervishes tried to prevent Christian encroachments in Somaliland, not fully suppressed until
after WW1
Zanzibar – Barghash briefly assumed power in August 1896 commanding 3000 men, but fled after heavy
bombardment from British ships
West Africa – challenge to Governor Cardew of Seirra Leone’s ‘hut tax’, scorched earth policy used to end
opposition and 96 rebels hanged
Sudan:
Kitchener’s conquest of the Sudan in the Battle of Omdurman and fall of Khartoum 1898 ended the Mahdist
regime which had destroyed the Sudanese economy and declined the population by 50% through famine,
disease and persecution
Britain tried to introduce modern government, penal codes, land tenure rules and taxation which was not
cooperated with by tribes
Hangings were used to execute any Mahdists uprisings
Economic development grew, telegraph and railway lines, opening of Port Sudan in 1906, 1911 Gezira
scheme to provide high-quality cotton and improvements to irrigation systems
Causes and Consequences of Boer War:
Causes:
Englishman Tom Edgar shot by Transvaal police in 1898
Political – uitlanders voting rights 50,000 British lived in Transvaal and Orange Free State but could not vote
until they had loved there for 14 years, aim of expanding into South Africa
Economic - Discovery of Gold at Witwatersrand 1886, sought by trading companies, bringing non-Boers
Europeans into Africa (uitlanders), high tariffs on trade, mine owner ‘Rand millionaires’ supported uitlander
rights to increase profit
Aggressive individuals
Milner – Br High Commissioner for South Africa, May 1899 Bloemfontein Conference Milner
demanded voting rights for uitlander within 5 years, aggressive negotiation with Kruger, Kruger
suggested 7 years, Milner denied conference to discuss issues
Chamberlain – colonial secretary, persuaded Conservatives that Boers were a threat, appointed
Milner, sent troops to Transvaal Autumn 1899 to intimidate Kruger
October 9th 1899 – Kruger demanded British troops leave Transvaal borders, Britain did not reply, Oct 11 th
Boers invaded
Events:
First 5 months Boers were winning – Ladysmith, Mafeking, Stormberg, Magersfontein, Colenso, Speioenkop
– British ‘black week’
Kitchener and reinforcements arrive – scorched earth policy, concentration camps
Britain began to regain victories mid 1900, Conservatives win Khaki election, Boers launch guerrilla war until
1902
Consequences:
115,000 living in camps by end of war, 28000 died – international and domestic condemnation
Cost £230 million
Abandoned Splendid isolation – alliance with Japan/dreadnaughts/National Efficiency Campaign when
liberals in 1906 election
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