Summary

Modern Indian History Class 15

A brief overview of the previous class - (05:01 PM)

Annexation of Awadh - (05:07 PM)

ToA was a form of the subsidiary alliance (SA) but a concrete shape was given by Wellesley 9805 when the formal SA treaty was signed in 1801.
Awadh was important as three-fifth of indigo cultivation was in Awadh + importance of the export of Awadh raw cotton to China.
Subsidy demanded under the Treaty of Allahabad 1765 was gradually increased by EIC to compensate for high war expenditure.
The arrival of Wellesley 9805 - He interfered in the succession of Awadh. After the death of Asaf Ud-daula 7597, EIC refused to accept his son Wazir Ali 9798 as Nawab and made uncle Sadat Ali Khan II Nawab (in 1798) in return for some territory and 76 lakh rupees as an annual subsidy.
Conflict arose with Sadat Ali Khan II due to interference by the British resident + misuse of the Dastaks since 1765 + Nawab defaulted on payment of subsidy in 1801. Therefore, now Richard Wellesley 9805 sent his brother Henry to impose SA on Awadh in 1801 + half of Awadh was annexed as permanent payment of subsidy (* LR from this territory = 1.3 crore v/s justified/decided 76 lakh). Therefore, EIC annexed Gorakhpur - Rohilkhand doab.
Despite permanent payment of subsidy, EIC continues to demand more money, therefore, Nawab was forced to increase taxes and became unpopular among Zamindars and peasants + now the oppression of peasants due to high LR, therefore, fear of peasant revolts by 1855 + by 1855 British resident became the real centre of power. For example - held his informal court, therefore, degrading the status of Nawab.
Now, Dalhousie 4856 accused Nawab of maladministration (Nawab - Wajid Ali Shah) while in reality, high subsidy demand was responsible for the situation but Nawab had no powers and all responsibilities as a British resident established indirect rule.
In 1856, Dalhousie annexed the rest of Awadh on grounds of maladministration (to protect British paramount interests of trade and business in Awadh).

Anglo-Sikh Wars - (05:31 PM)

Background -
As per the policy of the ring fence, the British also wanted stable frontiers to ensure the protection of the British empire from foreign invasions.
If a neighbouring power threatened the frontiers or the frontier state became weak, then the British acted and annexed the frontier state or tried to establish indirect rule in the border Indian state or the immediate neighbourhood of India. Example - In Afghanistan.
Make a flowchart from the board
Reasons for 1st Anglo-Sikh war 1845 -
After the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh 0139, factionalism increased in Punjab polity with rivalries between Sindhanwalias (Misl chief), Dogras from Jammu (poor wazirs), the Khalsa army and princes from the Royal family.
Also, there were succession disputes and political murders + there was the rise of the Khalsa army as a political power in the Sikh polity it talked about the idea of the rule of Panchayats which threatened the British, therefore, political instability in frontier states + rise of Khalsa army as a political player led to action by British in form of first Anglo-Sikh war where British + Dogras v/s Sikh state (GGI = Hardinge 1844-48).
Results -
This led to the humiliating treaty of Lahore 1846 where
a) the size of the Khalsa army was decreased and an EIC army was stationed.
b) EIC annexed Jalandhar doab.
c) Kashmir was given to Raja Gulab Singh Dogra of Jammu (*J&K)
d) Maharaja Dilip Singh 4349 is now to be advised by a British resident, that is, the policy of indirect rule was initiated.
There was another treaty in December 1846, whereby, the mother of Dilip Singh was removed as regent, and a regency council headed by a British resident was set up.
Therefore, the British control of military and internal administration.
Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-49) by Dalhousie 4856
Reasons = two Sikh chiefs/governors revolted against the British + Dalhousie 4856 an empire builder.
Result = full annexation of Punjab.

Expansionism of British - (06:18 PM)

Draw a diagram from the board (on the core area and a new threat).
With empire building, the core kept on expanding leading to new fears about protecting the core and leading to further empire building, therefore, the 19th century saw a series of annexations and wars by the British.
Proof =
First Burma war (1824-28)
Reason - Bengal Frontier was under threat due to expansionist Burma in the 18th and 19th centuries. Burma had made Manipur, Cachar, and then Assam its sphere of influence in the 19th century + after six years of no war after the third Anglo-Maratha war (1817-19), the EIC army wanted something, therefore argued that expansion by Burma inspiring Indian rulers against EIC and this led to first Burma war 1824-28.
Result = treaty of Yandobo = Assam and Nagaland annexed + Arakan, Tenaserin in lower Burma annexed.
Later in 1830, Cachar annexed.
Coorg was annexed in 1834 and Coorg became the first coffee-producing area.
First Afghan War (1838-42)
Reason = Fear of Russia that is, the northwest frontier.
Result = British established indirect rule in Afghanistan.
Sindh was annexed in 1843.
Annexations by Dalhousie - Sambhalpur in 1849, Bhagat in 1850, Udaipur in 1852, Nagpur in 1853, and Jhansi in 1854.
2nd Burma War (1852-53) - annexed Pegu
In 1853, Berar of Hyderabad was annexed instead of subsidy under SA 1798.
In 1856, the annexation of Awadh was on grounds of maladministration.
No more annexations were done after the revolt of 1857. By 1857, India = British India (direct rule of EIC and it was 67% of the territory and 78% of the population), and the rest were 565 princely states (indirect rule via a policy of paramountcy).

Revolt of 1857 - (07:07 PM)

Question) What began as a fight for religion ended as a war of independence as there is no doubt that rebels wanted to get rid of the alien government and restore the old order of which the King of Delhi was the rightful representative. Do you support this view?
1857 revolt = Sepoy mutiny + Civil rebellion/uprising

Reasons - (07:17 PM)

The grievance of Sepoys
Service-related -
a) discrimination between Indian sepoys and European sepoys in salaries and pensions.
b) there was a focus on building a uniform military culture by the British and a decrease in financial expenditure which contributed to the grievances of sepoys.
c) to compensate for high war expenditure, there was a decrease in the salaries of sepoys + in 1856, there was an end of allowance for service outside their region which caused grievance among sepoys.
Socio-religious -
a) there was high racism toward Indian sepoys For Example - were usually referred to as Suar/pigs.
b) there were Christian missionaries in barracks which created fear of conversion among Indian sepoys.
c) Since the 1813 charter act, there was a focus on the westernization of India including the spread of Christianity in India.
d) Also British now tried to develop a uniform culture in the army as it would lead to better control over sepoys, increased unity among sepoys over time, decreased loyalty to caste and religion, and increased commitment to the employer.
e) There was also a rumour of mixing cow and pig bone dust with flour and a rumour of cartridges of the new Enfield rifle that replaced Brown Bess musket, having grease made of cow and pig fat and they were to be bitten off before loading.
Political reasons -
a) Awadh was annexed in 1856.
Agrarian/Economic grievance -
a) Sepoy was a peasant in uniform since he came from a peasant family and therefore was hurt by the loss of family land to the British government due to high land revenue and to the moneylender due to indebtedness.
b) Also now, the rural population joined, therefore sepoy mutiny was followed by civil rebellion.

Reasons for civil rebellion - (07:28 PM)

Feudal elements/Rajas/Nobility –
a) Loss of kingdom due to annexations by the British by application of Doctrine of Lapse or taking over of Awadh on grounds of maladministration led to grievances among dispossessed rulers.
b) These annexations were done in line with the policy of paramountcy. Examples – Satara 1848, Nagpur, Sambalpur, and Bhagat 1850, Udaipur 1852, and Jhansi 1853. (Do-Lapse). Along with Nawab, the entire aristocracy was negatively affected. Therefore, these disposed princes offered leadership.
Big Landowners/Taluqdars/Zamindars -
a) Application of Mahalwari settlement in North-west provinces and Awadh led to the loss of land for Taluqdars as in this system, land ownership in many cases was given to the actual cultivator leading to loss of personal estates for Taluqdars. Therefore, it led to the loss of economic status.
b) British focussed on building a strong centralized state and therefore, private forts and private armies of Taluqdars were disbanded leading to a loss of military status. Now there was to be the rule of law under the British that is equality before the law which hurt their social status and therefore, Taluqdars provided leadership to peasants.
Artisans/Peasants-
a) Artisans were utterly destroyed by the British-made machines as machines produced a cheaper and better quality product.
b) Peasants - High land revenue and indebtedness to moneylenders which lead to landlessness.
Religion -
The whole rural society had a fear that their religion is under threat -
a) Since 1813, there was an inflow of Christian missionaries and there were forced conversions under police protection.
b) The socio-religious reforms of the British, for example - The widow remarriages act 1856 escalated the fear that the British wanted to destroy traditional customs and religious practices.
c) They gave the right of inheritance to those who converted to Christianity and therefore, escalated religious conversions.
d) British began taxing revenue-free lands of religious sects, mosques, and temples and therefore, Hindus and Muslims both felt a threat to their religion, and Pundits and Maulvis spread hatred against the British among the people.
There was a common feeling among the Indians that British rule is immoral due to all of the above-mentioned grievances and therefore, the goal of the 1857 revolt was to restore the pre-British order - political, economic, social, and religious.

Agents - (07:56 PM)

Sadhus and Maulvis were the agents of spreading hatred against the British.

Topics for the Next Class - Dictation of the Revolt of 1857