Paper 3, Option 35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914 - 4 Nearly losing an empire: the British in India, 1829–58 — Edexcel A-Level History
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Paper 3, Option 35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914 - 4 Nearly losing an empire: the British in India, 1829–58 explained
Paper 3, Option 35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914 - 4 Nearly losing an empire: the British in India, 1829–58 covers 3 specification points, including The role of the East India Company and the… and The drive against Sati and female infanticide;….
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Open a point below for its explanation and revision guidance.
The role of the East India Company and the Governor General; the importance of Bengal and the Company Army.
In India, the East India Company transitioned from a trading body to a territorial ruler. By the 1833 Charter Act, its commercial functions ceased, acting solely as an administrative agency. It ruled through a Governor General, who commanded civil administration and military force under the authority of the Company and the British government. Bengal mattered as the Company's earliest and richest territorial base, supplying revenue, troops and the port of Calcutta, becoming the springboard for expansion. The Company Army was central to that power: Indian sepoys and the Company's own European regiments enforced authority, but their conditions, pay and religious sensitivities made them a source of tension, culminating in the 1857 rebellion.
William Sleeman’s campaign against Thagi: the drive against Sati and female infanticide; the impact of missionaries.
This topic examines British social reform in India under William Sleeman and others. Sleeman’s campaign against Thagi involved intelligence gathering, informers and special courts to suppress the Thagi cult, which was accused of ritual murder. The drive against Sati (widow burning) and female infanticide involved legal bans, surveillance and persuasion, often led by officials like Bentinck and Sleeman. Missionaries, such as William Carey and Alexander Duff, promoted Christianity and Western education, influencing reform but also provoking resentment. Students should assess the impact of these campaigns: they reduced some practices but faced resistance, and missionary activity contributed to cultural tensions that later fuelled the 1857 Rebellion. The topic requires understanding of methods, motives and consequences.
The Indian Rebellion: the reforms of Dalhousie; the annexation of Awadh; outbreak and events in Meerut, Cawnpore and Delhi; the siege and relief of Lucknow; reasons why the British retained control.
This topic covers the Indian Rebellion of 1857–58, focusing on causes and key events. Dalhousie’s reforms, including the Doctrine of Lapse and modernisation, angered Indian rulers and sepoys. The annexation of Awadh in 1856, justified by misgovernment, particularly upset sepoys from Awadh and their families. The rebellion broke out in Meerut in May 1857, spread to Delhi where rebels proclaimed Bahadur Shah II as emperor, and involved atrocities at Cawnpore. The siege and relief of Lucknow saw British forces besieged and later relieved by Colin Campbell. The British retained control due to military reinforcements, loyal Indian princes, and divisions among rebels. Students should analyse causes, events, and reasons for British survival.
Your focus
- Explain the role of the East India Company and the Governor General in governing British India.
- Analyse the importance of Bengal and the Company Army to British power in India.
- Assess how these roles contributed to the crisis of 1857 and the end of Company rule.
Show all 9 objectives
- Describe Sleeman’s campaign against Thagi and its methods.
- Explain the British drive against Sati and female infanticide.
- Evaluate the impact of missionaries on Indian society and British rule.
- Explain the impact of Dalhousie’s reforms and the annexation of Awadh.
- Describe the outbreak and key events at Meerut, Cawnpore, and Delhi.
- Analyse the siege and relief of Lucknow and the reasons why the British retained control.
Paper 3, Option 35.1: Britain: losing and gaining an empire, 1763–1914 - 4 Nearly losing an empire: the British in India, 1829–58 exam tips
Marking Points
- Explains the East India Company's transition from a trading corporation to a territorial ruler, noting the end of its commercial functions in 1833.
- Explains the Governor General's role as head of civil and military administration, acting under the authority of the Company and the British government.
- Shows why Bengal was important: revenue, resources, the Calcutta base and a starting point for further expansion.
- Shows the importance of the Company Army: sepoys and Company European troops upheld rule, and their grievances contributed to the 1857 crisis.
- Links these roles to the wider theme of nearly losing an empire, leading to the end of Company rule after 1858.
- Explain Sleeman’s methods against Thagi: use of informers, intelligence networks, and special courts to convict Thagi gangs.
- Describe the campaign against Sati: Bentinck’s Regulation XVII of 1829 banned Sati, with Sleeman enforcing it through surveillance and prosecution.
- Analyse the drive against female infanticide: British officials used persuasion, surveillance, and legal penalties, particularly in regions like Awadh and Rajputana.
- Assess the impact of missionaries: they established schools and churches, promoted Western education, and their criticism of Hindu practices fuelled resentment among Indians.
- Evaluate the mixed results of these reforms: some practices declined, but resistance and cultural insensitivity contributed to growing anti-British sentiment.
- Explain Dalhousie’s reforms: Doctrine of Lapse, annexations, and modernisation that alienated Indian rulers and sepoys.
- Describe the annexation of Awadh in 1856 and its impact on sepoys and local population.
- Outline the outbreak at Meerut: the mutiny of sepoys, march to Delhi, and proclamation of Bahadur Shah II.
- Detail events at Cawnpore: siege, massacre of British civilians, and its propaganda impact.
- Analyse the siege and relief of Lucknow: initial siege, defence by Henry Lawrence, and relief by Colin Campbell.
- Evaluate reasons why the British retained control: military superiority, loyal princes, lack of unified rebel leadership, and use of telegraph.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Distinguish the Company's administrative and military functions, using Bengal as a concrete example of its territorial power.
- 💡Connect the Company Army to the causes of 1857, showing how military grievance became a political crisis.
- 💡Use specific examples: Sleeman’s use of approvers, Bentinck’s 1829 ban, and missionary schools in Calcutta.
- 💡Link reforms to the broader context of British India, showing how they contributed to the 1857 Rebellion.
- 💡Analyse both intended and unintended consequences of reform efforts to reach higher marks.
- 💡Use precise dates and locations: Meerut (May 1857), Delhi (proclamation), Cawnpore (massacre), Lucknow (siege and relief).
- 💡Link causes to events: show how Dalhousie’s reforms and Awadh annexation led to discontent.
- 💡For 'reasons why the British retained control', consider military, political, and technological factors.
Common Mistakes
- Treating the Company as a trading body throughout the period; correct by noting its commercial functions ended in 1833, after which it acted solely as an administrative agency.
- Assuming the Governor General was the Crown's direct representative; correct by noting this title (Viceroy) was only adopted after 1858; before then, he represented the Company.
- Confusing the Company Army with the regular British Army; correct by distinguishing the EIC's own sepoy and European regiments from Crown regiments stationed in India.
- Error: Assuming Sleeman only targeted Thagi. Correction: He also enforced bans on Sati and female infanticide, showing broader reformist aims.
- Error: Overstating the success of missionary work. Correction: Missionaries had limited conversions but significant cultural impact, often increasing tensions.
- Error: Confusing Sati with female infanticide. Correction: Sati is widow burning; female infanticide is the killing of infant girls. Both were targeted but are distinct practices.
- Error: Confusing the order of events at Cawnpore and Lucknow. Correction: Cawnpore involved a siege and massacre before the siege of Lucknow.
- Error: Attributing the rebellion solely to the greased cartridge issue. Correction: The cartridge was a trigger, but deeper causes included Dalhousie’s reforms and annexation of Awadh.
- Error: Assuming all Indians rebelled. Correction: Many Indian princes and soldiers remained loyal, which was crucial to British survival.