Chapter: 18 Expension and Consolidation of the British Empire
1) Who initiated the
policy of Subsidiary Alliance?
Lord Wellesley
2) When did Lord
Wellesley become the Governor General of India?
1798 AD
3) Which state was the
first to ratify the Subsidiary Alliance?
Haidrabad
4) Apart from the
Subsidiary Alliance, what other methods did Lord Wellesley use to expand the
British Empire?
Wars and Pensions
5) Where did Tipu
Sultan rule over?
Mysore
6) The Treaty of Sagoli
was signed between which two parties?
The British and the Gorkhas
7) Which British
Governor General saved the people from the plunder of Gorkhas and Pindaris?
Lord Hastings
8) Which British
Governor General is considered to be the greatest imperialist Governor General
of India?
Lord Dalhousie
9) What was the policy
adopted by Lord Dalhousie to annex the Indian States?
Doctrine of Lapse
10) When did Lord Dalhousie
become the Governor General of India?
1848 AD
11) When was Punjab
annexed to the British Empire?
1849 AD
12) Which was the first
Indian state to be annexed by the British under the Doctrine of Lapse?
Satara
13) On what charges,
did the British annex the Awadh?
Misgovernence
14) When was the first
Anglo-Afghan War fought?
1839 AD
15) What was the
biggest revolt of the Indians against the British?
The Revolt of 1857
16) Which date was
fixed for the revolt of 1857?
May 31, 1857
17) When did the revolt
of 1857 start?
March 29, 1857
18) Where did the
revolt of 1857 start?
Barrackpore (Calcutta)
19) When did the Indian
troops start a mutiny at Meerut?
May 10, 1857
20) Who was the first
martyr of 1857 revolt?
Mangal Pandey
21) What was the immediate
cause of the revolt of 1857?
Greased cartridges
22) By what other name
is the revolt of 1857 known?
The First War of Independence and the
Spy Mutiny
23) Whom did the rebels
declared their king?
Bahadur Shah Zafar
24) Where did the
British send Bahadur Shah Zafar as a prisoner?
Rangoon
25) Who led the revolt
in Jhansi?
Rani Lakshmi Bai and Tantia Tope
26) Who was the leader
of the rebels in Bihar?
Kanwar Singh
27) When did the rule
of East India Company end?
1858 AD
28) When was the
proclamation of Queen Victoria read?
November 1, 1858
29) On November 1,
1858, India came under whose rule?
Queen Victoria
30) Who is considered
as the founder of civil services in India?
Lord Cornwallis
31) Who was the first
Indian to qualify the Civil Services Examination?
Satyendra Nath Tagore
(Short Answer Type Questions)
1. What do you mean by
Subsidiary System?
The policy of annexation adopted by Lord Wellesley is known as the Subsidiary System .in this system.
1. Indian ruler who accepted the
subsidiary system with the British would keep the British army and shall pay
for it either in money or in the shape of territory to the British.
2. The British in return would
protect such a state from internal disorders and external dangers.
2. How Lord Dalhousie
was annexed Satara in to the British Empire?
Satara was the first state which was
annexed in the British Empire in the name of Doctrine of Lapse. The ruler of
Satara had no natural heir so he adopted a son before he died in 1848 A.O. But
Lord Dalhousie declared his state to be lapsed to the sovereign power because
such an adoption without the prior permission of the Company was illegal. The
Directors of the Company also vindicated the stand taken by the Dalhousie.
3. How the Punjab was
annexed in to the British Empire?
During Lord Dalhousie’s time the
Second Sikh-Anglo war (1848-49) was fought. The Sikhs suffered total rout in
the battles of Ram Nagar. Chillianwala, Multan and Gujrat. Therefore, Lord Dalhousie
took a firm decision to annex the Punjab. On this occasion he said,” No peace
can be maintained in India unless the Sikhs nation is fully subdued.” Thus on
March29, 1849 A.D. the Punjab was declared to be annexed to the British Empire.
4. What do you mean by
‘Doctrine of Lapse.’?
The ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ meant that if
any Indian ruler died without a heir, his state would be annexed in to the
British empire. Satara, Udaipur, Jhansi and Nagpur etc were states which Lord
Dalhousie annexed under the ‘Doctrine of Lapse’
5. Write about the
organisation of Civil service under the British Empire.
The Indian Civil Service has been
called the steel frame which reared and sustained the
British rule in India. The credit and founding the Indian Civil Service
goes to Lord Cornwallis. Cornwallis saw that
the company’s servants were corrupt due to their low salaries. He asked the Company’s Directors to raise their salaries.
Promotion was to be given by seniority so as to do justice
to every employee and ensure efficiency and smooth working.
(Long Answer Type Questions)
1. Write a critical
essay on the Subsidiary Alliance of Lord Wellesley.
Lord Wellesley was one of the famous
Governor-Generals of India. When he came to India as a Governor-General at that
time, the Political position of company was not sound. The main aim of Lord
Wellesley was to curb the growing power of the Indian rulers and establish the
supremacy of the company. Meaning of Subsidiary Alliance: To enhance the
British power or influence of British in India Lord Wellesley adopted
Subsidiary Alliance in 1798 A.D. The rulers abiding by the terms of this
Alliance had to maintain a British army in their territory. All the expenditure
of this army was borne by the ruler concerned. He had to keep an English
Resident at his court. He could neither fight nor enter into a treaty with any
other ruler without consulting the British.
The following rulers
accepted the terms of the Subsidiary Alliance:
1. Nizam of Hyderabad: the Nizam of Hyderabad
was the first one to accept the Alliance in 1798 A.D. He agreed to maintain the
British army in his state as well as to make a yearly payment.
2. Sultan of Mysore: After Hyderabad
Wellesley diverted his attention toward Mysore. Sultan of Mysore Tipu was very
powerful he wanted to put an end to British rule with the help of the French.
When Tipu refuse to accept Wellesley plan of Subsidiary Alliance Wellseley
invaded Mysore and killed Tipu in 1799 fourth battle of Mysore. The new sultan
of Mysore Krishna Rao accepted the Subsidiary Allianc.
3. Nawab of Avadh: in 1801 A.D. Lord
Wellesley compelled the Nawab of Avadh to accept Subsidiary Alliance.
4. Peshwa Baji Rao II: Lord Wellesley entered
into the treaty of Bassein with Peshwa Baji Rao II in 1802 A.D. According to
this treaty the Peshwa accepted the terms of Subsidiary Alliance. Apart from
the above rulers, the rulers of Baroda, Travancore, Jaipur, Jodhpur andUdaipur
states also accepted Subsidiary Alliance.
Merits of Subsidiary
Alliance:
1. On account of this the influence
of the British was enhanced on many Indian rulers.
2. A huge British army was prepared
without any expenditure.
3. The British obtained ample wealth
and territories from Indian rulers.
4. On account of this treaty, the
British were able to finish the French power in India.
Demerits of Subsidiary
Alliance:
1. It almost put an end to the
freedom of the Indian rulers.
2. It gave a severe blow to the
economy of the Indian Kings.
3. This treaty proved to be a trap
for the Indian rulers. Thereafter, these rulers were accused of mismanagement
and their states were annexed to the British kingdom.
Thus we see that although the Indians
suffered a great loss on account of the subsidiary Alliance but Lord Wellesley
was quite successful in establishing the supremacy of the British.
2. What was the theory
of Lapse?
Meaning of Doctrine of Lapse: According to the theory of lapse if
any king died without the offspring then in such type of the circumstances, the
adopted son of that king could not become the successor of that king and such
type of the state was annexed to the empire of the company.
State annexed through
the theory of Lapse:
1. Satara 1848 A.D.: In 1848 A.D the King of
Satara died without offspring. Before his death, he adopted a son but did not
get the permission of the East India Company. Therefore, Dalhousie by assuming
Satara as subordinate kingdom, declared it to be annexed to the empire of the company.
2. Sambalpur 1850 A.D. In Orissa, Sambalpur
was under Maratha chief Bhonsle. After his decline he came under the
sovereignty of the British. The king Narayan Singh of there had died without offspring.
He did not adopt any child. Therefore, after his death in 1850 A.D. Dalhousie
annexed his state to the empire of the company.
3. Jaitpur 1850 A.D. The king of Jaitpur
situated in Bundelkhand, had no son. Therefore, after his death in 1850 A.D.
Dalhousie annexed it to empire of the company.
4. Bhehat 1850 A.D. Baghat was a small
kingdom in modern Himachal Pardesh. The king of it had no son. Therefore, after
his death in 1850 A.D. Dalhousie annexed Baghat also to the empire the company.
5. Udaipur 1852 A.D. The king of Udaipur
died without son and in 1852 A.D. Dalhousie by applying the theory of Lapse on
Udaipur annexed it to the empire of the company.
6. Jhansi 1853 A.D. In 1854 A.D. Rao
Gangadhar also died without offspring. Lord Dalhousie did not accept his
adopted son Anand Rao his successor and annexed state of Jhansi to the empire
of the company.
7. Nagpur 1854 A.D. It was a big kingdom of t
he Marathas. In 1817 A.D. Lord Hasting had accepted a minor successor of Bhonsla
dynasty as its King. Till he became adult, Sir Richard Jenkins continued to act
as Resident in it. In 1830 A.D. the king became adult and the administration of
kingdom was handed over to him but in 1853 A.O. The king died without any offspring.
Dalhousie annexed Nagpur to the empire of the company.
3. Describe the main
changes in civil services and army during British Period.
History of Civil Services before 1858 A.D.: Civil Services were called the steel
frame of the British Empire. Lord Cornwallis is considered the founder of Civil
Services. He started giving jobs according to the qualifications. He raised the
salary of employees of the company a great deal so that they would not resort
to bribe. He restricted the employees of the company from conducting personal
business.
Through the Charter Act of 1833 A.D. The Indian were promised that they
would be recruited in the Civil Services according to their qualifications, but
actually nothing was done in this connection.
In 1853 A.D. the Company made the examination
for the selection of the able candidates for the higher posts compulsory. This
examination was conducted only in England and its medium was English.
Civil Services from 1858 A.D. to 1919
A.D. In 1858 A.D. the Queen Victoria of England made an important Proclamation.
In this Proclamation, the Indians were promised jobs on merit. But just like
before this time too, the British did not pay any heed to give it the practical
shape. Till 1863 A.D. only one Indian could be recruited in the Civil Services.
He was Sataynder Nath Tagore.
In 1878 A.D. the age limit for the
examination was reduced to 19 years.
All the services were divided into
three categories in 1888 A.D. on the recommendations of the Commission set up
by Lord Dufferin.
1. England Civil Services 2.
Provincial Services 3. Professional Services.
According to the declaration made by
lord Montague in 1917 A.D. 33 percent seats in the civil Services were reserved
for the Indians in 1918 A.D.
Civil Services fram 1919 to 1947 A.D: In 1923 A.D. Lee Commission
recommended to increase the number of Indians in the Civil Services and to set
up a Public Service Commission in India. According to the 1935 A.D. Act the
Viceroy was given the right to make appointment for All India Services and the
Governors were given the right to make appointments for the Provincial
Services. Public Service Commissions were set up in the Centre and State. The
Civil services was re-established after India got independence in 1947 A.D.
Army Services before 1857 A.D. Army formed the major base of the
British administration in India. The Army of the East India Company rendered a
significance contribution in the expansion of British Empire. A large number of
Indians were recruited in this army. Till 1856 A.D. the maximum salary given to
the Indians was only Rs. 300 per month and only three persons received it. All
the officers in the army were English. In 1857 A.D. the total strength of the
army of the Company was 3, 11,400. In this the number of Indian soldiers was 2,
65000.
Army Services after 1857A.D: After 1857 A.D. the following
important changes were made inthe army services of India:
1. The number of British soldiers in
the army was increased.
2. Artillery and other important
department of the army were kept in the hands of the British only.
3. The soldiers belonging to various
castes and religions were mingled so that they would not dare to revolt against
the British.
4. In 1895 A.D. all the armies were
brought under a Commissioner in Chief.
5. The number of the soldiers of
Avadh, Orissa and Central India was reduced after the revolt of 1857 A.D.
6. Now an increasing number of Sikhs,
Gurkhas and Pathans began to be recruited in the army.
7. A bigger portion of the annual
budget of India began to be spent on the army.
