India topic 1 and 2

Indian Rebellion

(1857-1858) Massive uprising of much of India against British rule; also called the Indian Mutiny or the Sepoy Mutiny from the fact that the rebellion first broke out among Indian troops in British employ.

Great Famine of 1876-78

A famine in India under the British Raj. It began in 1876 after an intense drought resulting in crop failure in the Deccan Plateau. It affected south and southwestern India (Madras, Mysore, Hyderabad, and Bombay) for a period of two years. In its second year famine also spread north to some regions of the Central Provinces and the North-Western Provinces, and to a small area in the Punjab. The famine ultimately covered an area of 670,000 square kilometres (257,000 sq mi) and caused distress to a population totaling 58,500,000. The death toll from this famine is estimated to be in the range of 5.5 million people. British economic policies played a substantial role in exporting grain out of India and otherwise exacerbating the famine's mortality. In his acclaimed book Late Victorian Holocausts, Mike Davis called the famine a "colonial genocide" perpetrated by Great Britain. Some, including Niall Ferguson, dispute this judgment, while others, including Adam Jones, affirm it.

Vernacular Press Act

A law the British passed to stop the publication of articles that criticized British authority

Indian National Congress

A movement and political party founded in 1885 to demand greater Indian participation in government. Its membership was middle class, and its demands were modest until World War I. Led after 1920 by Mohandas K. Gandhi, appealing to the poor.

Lord Curzon

A viceroy of India and a conservative who was pro-imperialism and wanted to increase Britain's rule in Africa. Responsible for the P of B.

Royal Titles Act of 1876

Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which officially recognized Queen Victoria as "Empress of India."

East India Company

An English company formed in 1600 to develop trade with the new British colonies in India and southeastern Asia.

Muslim League (1906)

An organization formed in 1906 to protect the interests of India's Muslims, which later proposed that India be divided into separate Muslim and Hindu nations.

Swadeshi

Boycott of british goods to make English make concessions for Indians

Lord Canning

Charles John Canning was an English statesman and Governor-General (Viceroy) of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Battle of Plassey (1757)

Decisive victory by the British East India Company over Bengali and French forces. Was a part of the Seven Years War [the 1st world war in history] Defeat led to reduction in French influence and eventually complete British control of India that lasted until 1948.

Princely States

Domains of Indian princes allied with the British Raj; agents of East India Company were stationed at the rulers courts to ensure compliance; made up over one-third of the British Indian Empire

Swaraj

Gandhi's message to people of India about self-rule. Swaraj literally means "self rule"

Gokhale

Gokhale was a senior leader of the Indian National Congress. Leader of the moderate faction of the Congress party that advocated reforms by working with existing government institutions.

Tilak

Indian nationalist, teacher, lawyer and an independence activist. Tilak was one of the first and strongest advocates of Swaraj ("self-rule") and a strong radical in Indian consciousness.

Sepoys

Indian troops who served in the British army

Ilbert Bill

Intended to give Indian judges the authority and jurisdiction to try British offenders in criminal cases (which was illegal at that time). It led to intense opposition in Britain and from British settlers in India that played on racial tensions. The bitter controversy deepened antagonism between the British and Indians and was a prelude to the formation of the Indian National Congress the following year.

Bahadur Shah Zafar

Last Mughal King. Reinstated as ruler during Indian Rebellion

Bengal Famine of 1943

Major famine in the Bengal province in British India during World War II. An estimated 2.1-3 million, out of a population of 60.3 million, died of starvation, malaria and other diseases aggravated by malnutrition, population displacement, unsanitary conditions and lack of health care

Sati

Means "Virtuous Woman". Hindu practice where a woman is expected to throw herself onto her husband's funeral fire. Banned by Queen Victoria.

Akbar

Most illustrious sultan of the Mughal Empire in India (r. 1556-1605). He expanded the empire and pursued a policy of conciliation with Hindus.

Aurangzeb

Mughal emperor in India and great-grandson of Akbar 'the Great', under whom the empire reached its greatest extent, only to collapse after his death.

Mughal Empire

Muslim state (1526-1857) exercising dominion over most of India in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Government of India Act 1858

Outlined the liquidation of the British East India Company (who had up to this point been ruling British India under the auspices of Parliament) and the transference of its functions to the British Crown

Indian Councils Act of 1909/ Morley-Minto Reforms

Permitted Indian Councils to discuss the budget and introduce bills. However, members were not allowed to embarrass the government and viceroy could disallow any proposal without explanation. It recognized separate electorates for Muslims. This meant muslims would have their own elections for legislative seats that were reserved for them. However, many muslims believed that simple democratic elections would favor the Hindu majority and give Muslims less representation than they deserved.

Montagu Declaration 1917

Reforms introduced by the British colonial government in India to introduce self-governing institutions gradually to India. The reforms take their name from Edwin Samuel Montagu, the Secretary of State for India during the latter parts of World War I and Lord Chelmsford, Viceroy of India between 1916 and 1921. The reforms were outlined in the Montagu-Chelmsford Report prepared in 1918 and formed the basis of the Government of India Act 1919.These are related to constitutional reforms. Indian nationalists considered that the reforms did not go far enough while British conservatives were critical of them.The important features of this act were as follows: 1.The Central Legislative Council was now to consist of two houses- The Imperial Legislative and the Council of States. 2.The provinces were to follow the Dual Government System or Dyarchy.

Sikhs

Sect in northwest India; early leaders tried to bridge differences between Hindu and Muslim, but Mughal persecution led to anti-Muslim feeling

Mangal Pandey

Sepoy leader of the Indian Rebellion

Irwin Declaration 1929

The Declaration was a five-line statement made in simple non-legal language. It attempted to clarify to its British and Indian audiences that the intention of the British government was to facilitate India attaining dominion status in the future. However, the Declaration made no mention of any timeline for this to happen.

Indian Councils Act 1861

The Indian Councils Act 1861 was passed by British Parliament on 1st August 1861 to make substantial changes in the composition of the Governor General's council for executive & legislative purposes. The most significant feature of this Act was the association of Indians with the legislation work.

Indian Civil Service

The elite professional class of officials who administered the government of British India. Originally composed exclusively of well-educated British men, it gradually added qualified Indians. Entry into its elite ranks was through examinations that Indians were eligible to take, but these tests were offered only in England.

Lee Enfield Rifle

The standard rifle given to most soldiers from the early 1900s

Partition of Bengal (1905)

This refers to the decision by the colonial government to partition the eastern Indian province of Bengal under the Viceroyalty of Lord Curzon (1899-1905). The new eastern state had a Muslim majority population and was an attempt by the colonial state to shore up the support of Muslim landholding elites and provide new venues for their socioeconomic advancement within the colonial state. However, the vivisection of a historically united homeland, along with other Bengali discontents with colonial policies, led to the development of a vigorous protest movement. Eventually the Partition was reversed in 1911, but the idea of the division of India's intermingled population along religious lines foreshadowed India and Pakistan's eventual independence settlement and Partition in 1947.

Lord Ripon

Viceroy of India who wanted to repeal the Ilbert Bill

Lord Lytton

Viceroy of India. Associated with the Vernacular Press Act, the Arms Act and the salt tax

Government of India Act of 1935

Was the last pre-independence constitution of the British Raj. It granted Indian provinces autonomy. Direct elections are introduced for the first time. The right to vote was increased from seven million to thirty-five million.

Ghandi

leader of Indian National Congress, used non-violent protest to help gain Indian Independence

Untouchables

lowest class of people in the caste system of Hinduism, do all the dirty work of society

Queen Victoria

queen of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India from 1837 to 1901 (1819-1901)

Brahmin

the highest of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of priests