INDIA
1857- Indian mutiny
- Increased cultural and racial insensitivity, catalyst=rifle cartridges greased with pig fat
- Bengal Native Infantry attacked officers, slow British reaction, scattered and with late
reinforces
1858 – The Royal Proclamation and Government of India act
- Transfer of power from EIC to the crown, Viceroy, ICS set up, administrative and
financial reforms, Proclamation=symbolic, British sovereignty, formality
- Doctrine of Lapse cancelled, British stopped policy of annexation
1861 – Indian councils Act
- Transformed Viceroy’s executive council into cabinet
1876 – Royal Titles act
- Queen became empress of India, symbolised British expansion
Lord Lytton 1876-1880
1876-78 – Great Indian famine
- Failed monsoon, ancient systems overridden by the British to establish cash crops,
dire conditions (cannibalism, suicides, selling of children), British on precipice of
great human tragedy
- Lord Lytton pressured into action, heavy labour camps, airbrushed by glorious
accounts of the Raj
1878 – Vernacular Press Act
- Censor and limit freedom of non-English (vernacular) press to ban criticism of Raj
- Resentment became catalyst for growing discontent
Lord Rippon 1880-1884
1881
- Press act repealed
- First Factory Act aimed to improve working conditions, welfare of working children,
limited scope but significant impact
- Educational reforms under Wood’s Dispatch (under EIC)
1882- Resolution on local self-governance
- Ripon emphasized need for democratic representation, municipal committees grew,
essential permission from Raj but very minimal intervention
- Hunter commission established
1884 – Ilbert Bill
- Rippon wanted to abolish racial prejudice- Indians could claim trial by jury where half
were Indian- antagonism between British and Indians fueled- Rippon became
disillusioned and resigned- rise of nationalism
Lord Dufferin 1884-1888
- ‘iron hand in a velvet glove’
- Appointed to smooth over feathers of ICS, actions alienated western-educated
Indians and led to formation of INC
- Deep racist antipathy for Indian nationalism, draconian antagonist legislation to
punish Indians and their reactions
1885- Indian National Congress
, - First convened in Bombay, initially only forum for discussion, later evolved into
challenging the Raj’s legitimacy, encouraged by renascence in Asiatic revolution-
Japan victory over Russia 1905)
Lord Curzon 1898-1905
- Well informed about customs, financial background, well suited viceroy
- Saw Indians as commodities, his example terrorized rather than inspired
- Epitome of social Darwinist British administrator, obsession with efficiency, seemingly
inexhaustible capacity for desk work
- Created board to control Indian railways, 6000 more miles of railway tracks
- Created new province, appointed director- general for preserving India’s cultural past
(1905 Partition of Bengal)
- Bengali terrorist movement boycotted British goods, massive petition calling for an
end to the partition disregarded, mockery to justice, worst features of British
bureaucratic rule
- Curzon-Kitchner disagreements led to Curzon’s resignation
1899-1900 Famine
- Failed monsoon- strong El Nino
- Cholera epidemic, malaria, mosquito outbreak
- Dark tourism, even wealthy affected
- Deliberate to stop overcrowding and weaken resistance?
Lord Minto 1905-1910
1906 Simla Deputation
- Muslim leaders draw up separate elctorates
1909 Morley Minto reforms
- Morley= liberal reformer, wanted Indians more involved to eliminate sense of
inferiority
- Necessary as concession to fight backlash over partition of Bengal and spreading
riots and ensure Punjabi army loyalty
1915 Defense of India Act
- Prevent anti-war and revolutionary activities during WW1
Lord Chelmsford 1916-21
1916
- Lucknow Pact- Muslim league and congress reach compromise on separate
electorates, unity with INC and Muslims assured, healed rifts in relationship of two
bodies
- Home rule leagues- Bal Tilak and Annie Beesant focused on raising political
awareness in previously unpoliticised provinces= stepping stone for Gandhi’s
campaigns
1917
- Montagu Declaration- Montagu=liberal, declaration was vague, no time frame,
implication that British were warming up to self-governance
1919
- Rowlatt act- reintroduction of war time controls, fears of mutiny
- Amritsar massacre- gathering of 20,000 Punjabis to pass resolutiona against Rowlatt
act and express sympathies for dead, Dyer and posse of infantry men killed 400, 1500
wounded, martial law passed
- Government of India Act- concessions to reward Indian participation in WW1
, - Gandhi’s national satyagraha to boycott British goods, elections and withhold taxes
1919-22 Khilafat movement
- Reaction of Muslims to being asked to fight against Turkey, endorsed by Gandhi-
criticized by Jinnah who saw Gandhi’s involvement as an opportunistic scheme
Lord Irwin 1926-1931
1928 Nehru Report
- First draft of Indian constitution, guaranteed freedoms, permanent Hindu majority
displeased Muslims
1929 Irwin Declaration
- More sympathetic labour government determined to bring about reconciliation,
Indians invited for round table discussions
1930 Salt satyagraha
- Gandhi set out with untouchables, selected to demonstrate universality of mission
and reporters, against British salt tax
- Gandhi’s arrest triggered protests and strikes- program of repression and arrests by
British
Lord Willingdon 1931-1936
1931
Gandhi-Irwin pact
- Both wanted way out of impasse- suspension of civil disobedience, Gandhi to attend
second meeting in London, congress supporters released and property returned
Nov. 1930- Jan. 1931 First round table conference
- No congress/Gandhi, India to be run as dominion and federation, participation in all
levels of government, ended on note of optimism
Feb. 1931 New Delhi inaugurated as capital
- Building of Raj buildings undermined air of compromise- British gave impression they
were there to stay
Sept. – Dec. 1931 Second round table conference
- Hindus and Muslims could not agree on a workable constitution, minorities
alienated, fears they would join with princes to form opposition
1932
Nov. - Dec. 1932 Third round table conference
- Collapsed in confusion, minimal attendance, minorities create their own constitution,
Gandhi blamed- claimed to speak for everyone
- British tactic all along?
Communal award- all classes to be given separate electorates, Gandhi reacts
dramatically declaring ‘fast-until-death’ in an attempt to blackmail Raj to withdraw the
Award
Yerveda Pact
- Agreement to discuss proposals with Gandhi in Yerveda jail, settled on election
system for untouchables and money allocated for their political education
Lord Linlithgow 1936-44
- Traditionalist imperialist, suppressed nationalist campaigns, committed India to WW2
(Hindu reaction= resignation from positions of authority)
1937 Elections
- Win for Hindus, Muslims fared badly
1940
1857- Indian mutiny
- Increased cultural and racial insensitivity, catalyst=rifle cartridges greased with pig fat
- Bengal Native Infantry attacked officers, slow British reaction, scattered and with late
reinforces
1858 – The Royal Proclamation and Government of India act
- Transfer of power from EIC to the crown, Viceroy, ICS set up, administrative and
financial reforms, Proclamation=symbolic, British sovereignty, formality
- Doctrine of Lapse cancelled, British stopped policy of annexation
1861 – Indian councils Act
- Transformed Viceroy’s executive council into cabinet
1876 – Royal Titles act
- Queen became empress of India, symbolised British expansion
Lord Lytton 1876-1880
1876-78 – Great Indian famine
- Failed monsoon, ancient systems overridden by the British to establish cash crops,
dire conditions (cannibalism, suicides, selling of children), British on precipice of
great human tragedy
- Lord Lytton pressured into action, heavy labour camps, airbrushed by glorious
accounts of the Raj
1878 – Vernacular Press Act
- Censor and limit freedom of non-English (vernacular) press to ban criticism of Raj
- Resentment became catalyst for growing discontent
Lord Rippon 1880-1884
1881
- Press act repealed
- First Factory Act aimed to improve working conditions, welfare of working children,
limited scope but significant impact
- Educational reforms under Wood’s Dispatch (under EIC)
1882- Resolution on local self-governance
- Ripon emphasized need for democratic representation, municipal committees grew,
essential permission from Raj but very minimal intervention
- Hunter commission established
1884 – Ilbert Bill
- Rippon wanted to abolish racial prejudice- Indians could claim trial by jury where half
were Indian- antagonism between British and Indians fueled- Rippon became
disillusioned and resigned- rise of nationalism
Lord Dufferin 1884-1888
- ‘iron hand in a velvet glove’
- Appointed to smooth over feathers of ICS, actions alienated western-educated
Indians and led to formation of INC
- Deep racist antipathy for Indian nationalism, draconian antagonist legislation to
punish Indians and their reactions
1885- Indian National Congress
, - First convened in Bombay, initially only forum for discussion, later evolved into
challenging the Raj’s legitimacy, encouraged by renascence in Asiatic revolution-
Japan victory over Russia 1905)
Lord Curzon 1898-1905
- Well informed about customs, financial background, well suited viceroy
- Saw Indians as commodities, his example terrorized rather than inspired
- Epitome of social Darwinist British administrator, obsession with efficiency, seemingly
inexhaustible capacity for desk work
- Created board to control Indian railways, 6000 more miles of railway tracks
- Created new province, appointed director- general for preserving India’s cultural past
(1905 Partition of Bengal)
- Bengali terrorist movement boycotted British goods, massive petition calling for an
end to the partition disregarded, mockery to justice, worst features of British
bureaucratic rule
- Curzon-Kitchner disagreements led to Curzon’s resignation
1899-1900 Famine
- Failed monsoon- strong El Nino
- Cholera epidemic, malaria, mosquito outbreak
- Dark tourism, even wealthy affected
- Deliberate to stop overcrowding and weaken resistance?
Lord Minto 1905-1910
1906 Simla Deputation
- Muslim leaders draw up separate elctorates
1909 Morley Minto reforms
- Morley= liberal reformer, wanted Indians more involved to eliminate sense of
inferiority
- Necessary as concession to fight backlash over partition of Bengal and spreading
riots and ensure Punjabi army loyalty
1915 Defense of India Act
- Prevent anti-war and revolutionary activities during WW1
Lord Chelmsford 1916-21
1916
- Lucknow Pact- Muslim league and congress reach compromise on separate
electorates, unity with INC and Muslims assured, healed rifts in relationship of two
bodies
- Home rule leagues- Bal Tilak and Annie Beesant focused on raising political
awareness in previously unpoliticised provinces= stepping stone for Gandhi’s
campaigns
1917
- Montagu Declaration- Montagu=liberal, declaration was vague, no time frame,
implication that British were warming up to self-governance
1919
- Rowlatt act- reintroduction of war time controls, fears of mutiny
- Amritsar massacre- gathering of 20,000 Punjabis to pass resolutiona against Rowlatt
act and express sympathies for dead, Dyer and posse of infantry men killed 400, 1500
wounded, martial law passed
- Government of India Act- concessions to reward Indian participation in WW1
, - Gandhi’s national satyagraha to boycott British goods, elections and withhold taxes
1919-22 Khilafat movement
- Reaction of Muslims to being asked to fight against Turkey, endorsed by Gandhi-
criticized by Jinnah who saw Gandhi’s involvement as an opportunistic scheme
Lord Irwin 1926-1931
1928 Nehru Report
- First draft of Indian constitution, guaranteed freedoms, permanent Hindu majority
displeased Muslims
1929 Irwin Declaration
- More sympathetic labour government determined to bring about reconciliation,
Indians invited for round table discussions
1930 Salt satyagraha
- Gandhi set out with untouchables, selected to demonstrate universality of mission
and reporters, against British salt tax
- Gandhi’s arrest triggered protests and strikes- program of repression and arrests by
British
Lord Willingdon 1931-1936
1931
Gandhi-Irwin pact
- Both wanted way out of impasse- suspension of civil disobedience, Gandhi to attend
second meeting in London, congress supporters released and property returned
Nov. 1930- Jan. 1931 First round table conference
- No congress/Gandhi, India to be run as dominion and federation, participation in all
levels of government, ended on note of optimism
Feb. 1931 New Delhi inaugurated as capital
- Building of Raj buildings undermined air of compromise- British gave impression they
were there to stay
Sept. – Dec. 1931 Second round table conference
- Hindus and Muslims could not agree on a workable constitution, minorities
alienated, fears they would join with princes to form opposition
1932
Nov. - Dec. 1932 Third round table conference
- Collapsed in confusion, minimal attendance, minorities create their own constitution,
Gandhi blamed- claimed to speak for everyone
- British tactic all along?
Communal award- all classes to be given separate electorates, Gandhi reacts
dramatically declaring ‘fast-until-death’ in an attempt to blackmail Raj to withdraw the
Award
Yerveda Pact
- Agreement to discuss proposals with Gandhi in Yerveda jail, settled on election
system for untouchables and money allocated for their political education
Lord Linlithgow 1936-44
- Traditionalist imperialist, suppressed nationalist campaigns, committed India to WW2
(Hindu reaction= resignation from positions of authority)
1937 Elections
- Win for Hindus, Muslims fared badly
1940
