HISTORY IMPORTANT: All points should follow the following pattern: reason -> explanation -> conclusion Some (many) points in the following document may not follow said pattern due to the ignorance of the writer, please tweak them yourself. Some points may be unsatisfactory, due to the incompetence of the writer. CH 1: CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE DECLINE OF THE MUGHAL EMPIRE Q: Who were the Mughals? [4] The Mughals were a ruling dynasty in India. Babur founded the Mughal empire in 1526. From 1526 to 1707, the Mughals excelled in Art, literature, and architecture. At its peak, the empire stretched from Afghanistan to Bengal and from Kashmir to Deccan, under Aurangzeb. However, after the death of Aurangzeb in 1707, the empire declined, and was formally abolished by the British in 1858. Q: Who was Aurangzeb? [4] Aurangzeb was the son of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. He himself became the emperor after defeating his two brothers, in 1658. At its peak, his empire extended from Kashmir to Deccan and from Afghanistan to Bengal. He passed away in 1707, and was the last of the great Mughal Emperors. Q: Describe some of Aurangzeb’s religious policies. [4] Aurangzeb earned hostility and hate from his non-Muslim subjects for many of his religious policies: he introduced Jizya, a tax levied solely on non-Muslims, destroyed some Hindu temples and even tried banning the Hindu practice of Suttee. He was also strict in enforcing Islamic law, and tried fixing the length of beard men were required to keep. Q: Why is Aurangzeb blamed for the fall of the Mughal Empire? [7] ● Aurangzeb fought a number of long wars against the Marathas, Sikhs, Gurkas, Pathans, and Rajputs. Most costly of these were the wars against the Maratha tribe in Deccan. Many expert generals lost their lives in those wars, leading to a decline in military expertise. This made it difficult for the Mughals to preserve their already vast empire, in the presence of many opposing armies, leading to the decline of the Mughal Empire ● Aurangzeb, to avoid the wars of succession, divided the empire among his sons. However, he did not succeed in preventing infighting, as fighting broke out among his sons and eventually, Prince Muazzan established himself as the emperor. However, he died only a few years later, and then his four sons fought with each other and then the victor, Jahandar Shah, was murdered within a year. In this way, the stable Mughal empire became weak and divided, leading to its decline, as Aurangzeb could not give a proper system of succession. ● Aurangzeb imposed the Jizya tax - a tax on Non-Muslims. This was greatly disliked by the non-Muslims since Jizya was collected for providing protection to said non-Muslims, yet many of them served in the Mughal army. Therefore, resentment grew among them which led to the decline of the Mughal Empire. Q: Why was the imposition of Jizya opposed by the Hindus? [7] (needs major improvement) ● Jizya is an Islamic tax taken for providing protection to non-Muslims: if a Muslim government takes Jizya, then the non-Muslims living within its territory will not have to fight to protect it. Auranzeb too imposed the Jizya tax for ‘providing protection to the non Muslims’, however, many Hindus actually served in Aurangzeb's army. Thus, Jizya was actually oppressive since it was contradicting its purpose, and so, was opposed by the Hindus. ● Aurangzeb, having imposed jizya, simultaneously cut many other taxes that applied to the general population. Hence, overall, taxes on Muslims decreased drastically while taxes on the non-Muslims did not decrease by as much. This was seen by the Hindus as an attempt to economically pressure them to accept Islam and hence, they opposed it. ● King Akbar had abolished the jizya tax. As Akbar had a large number of Rajput around him e.g. his army commander Moan Singh and finance minister Joder Mall. Rajput princes had attained highest ranks as generals and governors in Mughal services. That was how Akbar gained their trust and cooperation. However when jizya was imposed by Aurangzeb, it produced an angry reaction. That is why hindu community objected to jizya. ● Jizya was seen as a threat to the Hindu identity and culture. The payment of jizya, according to the Hindus, was connected to the conversion to Islam and many Hindus felt that their culture and religious practices were being violated by the Muslim rulers. The imposition of Jizya was perceived as an attempt to crush the Hindu identity and subsume Hindus into the Muslim community. The jizya tax created a sense of insecurity among the Hindus as they felt that their way of life was under attack. Therefore, they opposed the Jizya tax. Q: Why did the Mughal Empire decline following the reign of Aurangzeb? [7] ● There was no law of succession in the Mughal empire. There was usually a struggle for succession after the death of a ruler which ended in war. Succession mostly depended on the ability of the candidate and the support he could get. The wars of succession had been very costly, emptying the royal treasury and leading to the decline of the Mughal empire. ● Later Mughals were weak and inefficient. They lived an extravagant lifestyle, loved music and poetry, and even spent state resources on personal comfort. Because of this, they could not effectively defend or administer the vast empire, leading to its decline. ● The coming of the British was another major cause for the decline of the empire. Their economic and military strength was greater due to the industrial revolution: British industries were producing cheap manufactured goods which were exported to the entire world. With the wealth that they created, the British could produce military power that the Mughals simply could not match. Therefore, when the British exerted their influence, the Mughals couldn't sustain their influence, and hence, the empire declined. Q: Why were the succession disputes important in the decline of the Mughal Empire? [7] ● The succession disputes led to the decline of the military as they divided the military into different factions supporting different princes. This made the military, and thus the government, more vulnerable to invaders like Nadir Shah and to rebels like the Marathas who played a vital role in the decline of the Mughal Empire. ● Secondly, the succession disputes decreased the unity of the Mughal government as they divided it and its supporters into different groups and factions, resulting in a disunited and inefficient administration, leading to the decline of the empire. ● Thirdly, a huge sum of money was spent fighting with each other. With the royal treasury being emptied, heavy taxes were imposed to fund the wars. This eroded the economy and had an adverse effect on the economic development of the Mughal empire, leading to its decline. Some other reasons for decline: ● Towards the beginning of the decline, the courtiers had become more powerful than the emperor himself as in the case of Alamgir II, who had been assassinated in a power struggle. There were groups of nobles who wanted to bring the prince of their interest into power. For this, they didn’t even hesitate to assassinate the other princes. Thus, a weak center resulted in an extremely inefficient administration and hence, decline. ● Foreign invasions also weakened the empire as Ahmed Shah captured Punjab and Kashmir and Nadir Shah looted and plundered the Mughal capital Delhi. It exposed the weakness of the Mughal army in front of the British, who were then encouraged to take over the Mughal empire. Extra point: Although Aurangzeb cut down many local taxes, generally, taxation was very high during his reign. He not only had to fund his military campaigns, but also spent huge sums on building luxurious palaces, like the Pearl Mosque in Delhi, which was built for his private prayers. The taxes resulting from his heavy spending meant that by the time of his death, he had become an unpopular ruler. Q: Describe what the Marathas did. [4] The Marathas formed a Hindu Empire in southern India. They engaged in guerilla warfare against the Mughals, and were a constant source of difficulty for them. Aurangzeb spent over 25 years trying to defeat the Maratha forces, ultimately failing, and after his death, they continued to take land from the Mughals. In 1737, they defeated the Mughal army and plundered Delhi. Q: Who was Shivaji? [4] Shivaji was a ferocious Marathan fighter and was the founder of the Maratha empire in Southern India. He fought the Mughals from 1657 to 1668, innovating many military tactics, including guerilla warfare. He greatly contributed to the strengthening of Maratha power and died in 1680. Q: Why were the Deccan Wars an important reason for the decline of the Mughal Empire? [7] ● The money spent on the wars weakened the economy as, due to the royal treasury being emptied, heavy taxes were imposed on the public to fund the administration and the war. Thus, the costs for businesses increased, leading to less willingness to open businesses, and the purchasing power, and hence demand, of the people also decreased. Therefore, production decreased and slowly, the economy started crumbling. ● The empire, due to the prolonged wars, wasn’t managed properly as Aurangzeb had to stay away frequently from his capital and hence, could not focus on administration. Slowly, he lost his grip on the Government, corruption grew in civil services and administration became inefficient, leading to the decline of the Mughal empire. ● No attention was paid to the country’s development as money was spent only on warfare. Neglecting education, public works, infrastructure, etc. resulted in backwardness and no economic development, leading to the decline of the Empire. Q: Why did the Maratha empire decline after the decline of the Mughal Empire? [7] ● By the mid-eighteenth century, the Marathas replaced the Mughals as the strongest force in India: they had control over a very vast territory, great wealth and more soldiers than any other Indian ruler at the time. However, they lacked the competent people needed to manage these resources. Hence, they couldn’t keep control over the occupied areas and therefore, the Maratha empire declined. ● Maratha families began to show loyalty to local rulers rather than to the main Peshwa (head) of the Marathas. Therefore, their strength was divided which resulted in the decline of the Maratha empire. ● The Marathas fought a war in 1761, the Third Battle of Panipat, in which they suffered a devastating defeat. The Marathas couldn’t stand against the military genius of Ahmed Shah Abdali. Their army was destroyed and their main leaders were killed because of which they could never fully recover, resulting in the decline of the Maratha empire. Q: Describe what the Persians did. [4] In 1738, the Persian leader Nadir Shah invaded the Mughal empire. He defeated Muhamad Shah’s forces at Karnal, after which, he captured and sacked the Mughal capital Delhi. Wanting only to plunder, he left after two months, taking not only huge amounts of gold and jewels, but also the Mughals' pride and prestige. Q: Why did Nadir Shah invade India? [7] ● Mughal Emperor Muhammad Shah gave refuge to some Persian rebels. This annoyed the Persian ruler Nadir Shah greatly who wanted to not only get hold of the rebels but also to punish the Mughal Empire for supporting his enemies. Thus, he invaded the Mughal empire, in order to punish it. ● Nadir Shah was aware that the Mughals were in decline and their military had become weak due to constant years of devastating fighting. Hence, the weakness of the Mughal military prompted Nadir Shah to invade India. ● The Mughal Empire, although in decline, was the richest empire in the world at the time. Therefore, the greed of Nadir Shah for wealth and riches inclined him to invade India, so that he could plunder the place and collect as much wealth as possible. Q: Describe what the Afghans did. [4] In 1747, an Afghan general, Ahmed Shah Durrani, attacked Kabul, Peshawar and Lahore. By 1749, he had gained control of Punjab and by 1756, added Kashmir and Multan to his possessions. He utterly destroyed the Marathas in the Third Battle of Panipat, 1761. Q: Describe the Third Battle of Panipat 1761. [4] The Third Battle of Panipat was fought between the Maratha empire and the Afghan general, Ahmed Shah Durrani. It was one of the bloodiest battles in Indian history, with upwards of a 100,000 killed. It resulted in a crushing defeat for the Marathas, who were so badly weakened that they could never rise again. Q: What was the East India Company? [4] The East India Company was a private trading company established in 1600 in England. It reached India in 1608, at Surat. It used to buy spices, silks, and cotton from India and sell these items in Europe, making huge profits. It gradually grew its influence and in 1757, defeated the Indians in the battle of Plassey, taking control of Bengal and exploiting it to the fullest. Q: Why did the EIC become involved in the subcontinent? [7] ● The EIC was aware that India was well-supplied with goods like silk, cotton, indigo, spices, salts, etc. and even the addictive drug opium. The British needed these goods to feed their factories and so, the EIC realized that it would be very profitable to become involved in this trade. Hence, the EIC became involved in the subcontinent. ● The British wanted to expand their influence and trade to the far East and SouthEast Asia. For this, they needed to establish a strategic port in the subcontinent as India was at an international crossroads and warm waters were especially attractive year round. Thus, to establish a strategic port, they became involved in the subcontinent. ● The Dutch and Portuguese had already established trading bases in India and were earning huge profits. Since they were rivals to the British, the EIC could not see them prospering. Therefore, it became involved in the subcontinent to oust its rivals and to monopolize its trade. Q: Why were the British able to replace the Mughals? [7] ● The Mughal army, though large, was weak and inefficient as the Mughals did not make any attempt to improve their arms or their forces. Their out-modelled equipment and war methods were barely effective. Therefore, they failed to stop the invaders and the empire gradually fell into the hands of the British. ● There was usually a struggle for succession after the death of a ruler as there was no law of succession in the Mughal empire. These struggles resulted in wars which continued on for years. Therefore, in the absence of a strong government, invaders like the British were able to grow stronger and eventually, replace the Mughals. ● The British had modern weapons as they had had the industrial revolution which enabled them to have stocks of guns and bombs against the Mughals’ swords. Hence, the superiority of the army made it possible for the British to replace the Mughals. ● Competent rulers like robert clive Q: Describe the Battle of Plassey. [4] In 1756, the French encouraged the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula, to attack the EIC base in Calcutta. He successfully captured the city but soon, in 1757, Robert Clive arrived with an army of 3000 soldiers. He bribed Mir Jafar, one of Siraj’s key commanders, who’s betrayal resulted in the defeat of the Nawab’s forces of 50,000. Mir Jafar was made the Nawab of Bengal for turning against Siraj and supporting Clive. Q: Why did the Battle of Plassey take place? [7] ● Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daula, took control of the city of Calcutta, which was the trading base of the EIC, and drove out the British in 1756 as he was informed of the illegal activities of the EIC. Therefore, the EIC, to take revenge, made a plan to overthrow the Nawab, resulting in the Battle of Plassey. ● The army commander of Bengal, Mir Jaffr, was an ambitious man and conspired with the EIC to take control of Bengal by killing the Nawab of Bengal in a battle. Hence, the ambitions of Mir Jaffr resulted in the battle of Plassey. ● Bengal was a rich and prosperous province. The EIC wanted to capture the riches and treasures of Bengal. For this purpose, it fought to overthrow the Nawab of Bengal, resulting in the battle of Plassey. Q: Who was Robert Clive? [4] Robert Clive was a British general of great qualities. He is known as the founder of British rule in India. His military skills enabled the EIC to defeat the French. He planned the Battle of Plassey and defeated the Nawab of Bengal. He had charges of looting and plundering Bengal, and committed suicide in 1773. Q: Explain why Robert Clive was successful in the Battle of Plassey. [7] ● Robert Clive managed to bribe one of the key military commanders of the Nawabs army, Mir Jaffr. As a result, Jaffr did not mobilize the troops when the battle began and throughout the course of the battle, he gave wrong orders to the troops on where to move, causing a stampede to occur, which greatly affected the effectiveness of the Indian army. Thus, in the absence of proper directions, the Indians faced a crushing defeat. ● During the battle, heavy rain occurred. Clive, acting cleverly, ordered his men to cover their cannons and weapons, while the Indians kept firing. Consequently, when the rain subsided, the Indians could not fire their weapons due to wet gunpowder, which allowed the British to win. ● The British troops, though smaller in number, were better trained and more disciplined compared to the Nawab’s forces, which were largely a mix of different factions with varying loyalties. Thus, the discipline of his soldiers allowed Robert Clive to win the battle. Q: What was the ‘Black Hole Tragedy’? [4] The Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daula, to punish the British for their illegal activities, marched onto Calcutta and seized the company’s Fort William. The 64 captured British residents were locked up in a small room so tightly that it resembled the density of a black hole. The next morning, 23 of them were found dead. The event was used by the British to incite anger against the Nawab. Q: Who was Mir Jaffr? [4] Mir Jafr was the army commander of Bengal. However, he was an ambitious man and conspired against the Nawab of Bengal with the EIC: in the battle of Plassey, he, being the army commander, gave wrong orders to his troops, causing a stampede to occur and resulting in the defeat of the Bengali forces. He was made the Nawab of Bengal for supporting the British. Q: Who was Mir Qasim? [4] He succeeded Mir Jaffr as the Nawab of Bengal in 1760. In 1764, he joined forces with the Nawab of Oudh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II to drive the EIC out of Bengal. They fought the battle of Buxar, in which they were badly defeated. The EIC became even stronger, taking control of the revenue collection of Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. Q: Describe the Battle of Buxar. [4] In 1764, Mir Jafr’s son, Mir Qasim, joined forces with the Nawab of Oudh and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II to drive the EIC out of Bengal. They were unsuccessful in their attempt and the EIC became even stronger, taking control of the revenue collection of Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. Q: Why was the coming of the British an important reason for the decline of the Mughal empire? [7] ● The British economically exploited the Mughals: they arrived in the subcontinent in the 1600’s as mere merchants. They bought Indian goods and sold them in Europe, benefiting both themselves and the Indians. However, in 1717, the British secured a farman, royal decree, from the Mughal Emperor, granting them duty free trading rights in Bengal. The British exploited this privilege to avoid paying taxes, directly contributing to the decline of the Mughal empire. ● Then, in the battle of Buxar 1764, the British defeated the combined forces of the Nawab of Bengal, Nawab of Oudh, and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II, taking control of revenue collection in Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. Taking away important tax revenue from the Mughals, they greatly contributed to their decline. ● In 1803, the British entered Delhi and forced the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam, to accept that he was ruling under ‘British Protection’. Thus, it was the British that made the Mughals a mere puppet state, and were thus an important reason for the decline of the empire. Q: What was the Industrial revolution? [4] The Industrial revolution is the name given the process of industrialization of Europe, Britain being the birthplace. Factories began to produce goods in bulk. The steam engine was developed, providing power to run machines, trains and steamships. All this resulted in the growth of a rich business community in England. Advanced weaponry like rifles and bombs, and a powerful navy were additional benefits of this process, leading to the British becoming a major military and colonial power. Q: How did the Industrial revolution change England? [7] ● The Industrial revolution improved the lives of the people of England: It brought with it factories that produced goods in bulk, which made everyday items like textiles, utensils and tools more affordable. Further advancements in transport, like railways and steamships, and better urban infrastructure, generally improved the overall quality of life for the common people of England. ● The goods that factories produced were also exported to much of the world, especially to British colonies, where they were sold for cheap and could easily beat local goods in both quality, consistency, and price. These exports earned huge wealth for England and made it an economic powerhouse. ● The Industrial revolution brought with it advanced weaponry and a powerful navy that would allow Britain to conquer and colonise much of Asia and Africa, and gain extreme political importance. Thus, the revolution also made England a major military and colonial power. Q: Why were the British successful in maintaining control over the subcontinent? [7] ● At the time, there was no strong, uniting force in India. India was a collection of disunited territories with a variety of different rulers with different religions and cultures. They fought with each other and often saw the British as potential allies in their arguments with their neighbours, rather than potential enemies. Thus, in the absence of any force to unite the Indians against the British, they could easily maintain their control. ● The Industrial revolution resulted in Britain being much more technologically advanced than India. It had superior weapons: rifles and bombs against swords and bows, and better means of communications: railways and telegraphs against messenger horses and pigeons. Thus, due to a superior military, the British were able to maintain control over the subcontinent. ● The British also had the confidence that went along with these technological advantages. A major reason for the British success in India was that they always believed that they would succeed. Their political belief was that progress was simply inevitable. Such an attitude allowed the British to fight with much more confidence, successfully maintaining control over the subcontinent. ● The British had superior leadership with the likes of Robert Clive, whose incredible mind and thinking was displayed in the battle of Plassey, the Indians, on the other hand, had no competent rulers that could keep up with the superior leadership of the British, allowing the British to maintain control over the subcontinent. Q: What was the Parliament Act 1773? [4] The Parliament Act of 1773, also known as the ‘Regulating Act’, was enacted to lessen corruption in British India: it appointed a Governor-General over Bengal and established a supreme court in Calcutta. The EIC was allowed to continue trade, but company officials were banned from accepting gifts from local rulers, to reduce corruption. Q: Why was Robet Clive appointed the first Governor of Bengal? [7] ● Robert Clive was a very gifted military commander and displayed his skills by firstly defeating the French, and then greatly strengthening British control in India: in 1751, he defeated the Nawab of Carnatik, Chanda Sahib in the Battle of Arcot, who was being assisted by the French. These victories increased British influence in Southern India and laid the foundation of British rule. Thus, it was only natural that such a gifted commander be appointed as the first Governor of Bengal. ● Robert Clive became prominent when he defeated the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daula, in the battle of Plassey. In the battle, he proved his strategic skills by managing to bribe one of the key commanders of the Nawab, Mir Jaffr, whose betrayal resulted in victory for the British. Thus, it was due to Robert Clive that Bengal fell into British hands and so, he was appointed as the first Governor. ● Then, in the Battle of Buxar, 1764, Robert Clive defeated the combined forces of the Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim, Nawab of Oudh, and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. With this victory the entire province of Bengal and neighbouring territories came under British rule, thanks to Robert Clive, and so, it was important to make him the first Governor General. Q: What was the India Act of 1784? [4] The India Act of 1784, also known as the Pitts India Act, was enacted to strengthen government control over the East India Company and improve governance. It allowed the EIC to continue its trade, but placed the administrative functions under the British government, appointing a Governor-General, a Commander-in-Chief, and introducing a police force and legal system. Q: Was the India Act of 1784 (Pitt's India Act) the main reason the British were able to expand beyond Bengal, between 1784 and 1850? Explain your answer. [14] The Pitt’s India act was an important reason for expansion: ● The act appointed a Governor General over the three British Presidencies which united the British and the first Governor General, Warren Hastings, introduced many policies that helped the British expand like stopping the war against the Marathas and taking steps against corruption. This allowed the British to expand beyond Bengal. ● A Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces was appointed, taking away this responsibility from the Governor-General. This not only allowed the governor general to transfer his focus fully towards expansion but also enabled the army to become more organized and hence, allowed the British to expand. ● Efficiency was further improved when a police force and legal system was introduced which controlled the local people and criminals or rebels were punished. Civil Servants were also appointed. Thus, law and order was maintained in the occupied areas, allowing the British to focus on expanding beyond Bengal. Q: Why did the British government take control of the EIC? [7] ● The East India Company had been established to gain as much profit as possible, whether legal or not: there were countless reports of the mismanagement, corruption, bribery, and financial embezzlement carried out by the EIC officials. The officials had even become accustomed to receiving personal ‘gifts’ from the Indian rulers, though such gifts were only bribes. All of this damaged the reputation of the British government in a way it could simply not accept and so, it took control of the EIC, to crack down against this corruption and protect its reputation. ● The British government wanted to make India its colony so that it could ensure that India was governed according to British state interests rather than by the profit driven motives of a trading company. ● The Russians, enemies of the British, were desperately trying to get access to a warm water sea. By way of Afghanistan, they could’ve invaded India to get access to the ports of the Indian ocean and gain a huge strategic and economic advantage. To counter this, the British government wanted to deploy a British force on the NW border, and so, had to take control from the EIC. Q: Who was Warren Hastings? [4] Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General of British India, ruling from 1773–1785. He played a key role in establishing British control in India. He signed a treaty with the Marathas ending the war between them and the British and allowing the British to expand their influence elsewhere. He was later impeached in Britain for corruption but was then acquitted. Q: How did Warren Hastings strengthen British rule in India? [7] ● Warren Hastings was a very studious employee of the East India Company and worked very hard to raise revenue of the Company: he introduced the concept of putting the position of tax collector up for auction. This tempted many to acquire the post by paying heavy money to the Company and once they did so, they would employ all tactics to extort taxes from the Indians, even the poor. Thus, he strengthened British financial control over India ● The Maratha were a decently strong force that were creating great difficulty for the British. Warren Hastings signed a treaty with them, ending the Maratha-British war, and allowing the British to extend their influence elsewhere. Thus, he allowed the British to strengthen their rule by signing such wise treatises. ● Warren Hastings reorganized the judicial system by establishing civil and criminal courts in every district, placing British judges in key positions. This helped to structure the administration and thus, strengthen British rule in India. Q: Who was Lord Wellesley? [4] Lord Wellesley served as the Governor General of India from 1792 to 1805. He introduced subsidiary alliances under which local Indian rulers were persuaded to accept the defense offered by the British. He defeated and killed Tipu Sultan in May 1799. He took over Oudh, Carnatic, and Surat. Q: Who was Tipu Sultan? [4] Tipu was the Sultan of Mysore, located in Southern India. He was a formidable enemy of the British, fighting and winning many wars against them. The EIC launched a propaganda campaign against him, decoloring him as ‘the monster of Mysore’. He was helped by the French during his wars with the British. Lord Wellesley's army defeated and killed him with the help of the Marathas and the Nizam of Hyderabad in the 4th Anglo-Mysore war in 1799 Q: Describe the Anglo-Mysore wars. [4] The Anglo-Mysore wars were a series of 4 wars between the rulers of Mysore, Sultan Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan, and the British. The Indians were victorious in the first 2 wars, but were defeated in the second two, with Tipu being killed in the fourth. These victories gave the British control of a huge territory of Southern India. Q: Why was Tipu Sultan defeated in the 4th Anglo-Mysore war. [7] ● The British East India Company strategically allied with two of Tipu Sultan’s main enemies: the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Marathas. These were powerful Indian states with large armies. Tipu had previously fought against both, and now with them siding with the British, he was left isolated. This three-pronged alliance allowed the British to launch a coordinated attack from multiple directions, surrounding Mysore and cutting off Tipu’s support and supply routes, resulting in Tipus defeat. ● The British had a much stronger military. Not only were their troops disciplined and motivated, they also had advanced technology and logistical support that allowed them to win the war and defeat Tipu. ● In the end, the real cause of Tipu’s defeat turned out to be Mir Sadiq betrayal - a member of Tipu’s court, he withdrew troops at a crucial moment, leaving parts of the fortress undefended. This allowed the British a clear path to break through the defences, directly contributing to Tipu’s death and defeat. Q: How did the British Government continue to grow after 1773? [7] ● The British signed treaties with those communities against whom fighting wouldn’t be beneficial. For example, in 1782, the first Governor General of India, Warren Hastings, signed a treaty, ending the war between the British and the Marathas, as he deemed it against Britain’s interests. This gave the British an opportunity to extend their influence elsewhere. Hence, the British Government continued to grow after 1773. ● The British successfully removed those that proved to be hurdles in their way. For example, in 1799, Governor General Lord Wellsley invaded Mysore and killed its ruler, Tipu Sultan, who had firmly resisted the British in their expansionist desires. With his death, there was no strong, organized opposition from the Muslims of India, allowing the British to grow. ● The Marathas had been defeated in 1818 as after the third Battle of Panipat in 1761, Maratha power had been badly crushed and they couldn’t rise again. Thus, the weakness of the Marathas allowed the British to continue to occupy more and more territory. Q: How successful was Indian resistance to British attempts to take control of the land of the subcontinent between 1750 and 1850? Explain your answer. [14] Indian resistance had been quite successful at some places: ● In southern India, the Marathas and the rulers of Mysore offered stiff resistance to the British. Hyder Ali, assisted by his son and the French naval force, achieved a significant victory in 1780-1782, capturing Carnatic and Arcot. After his death, his son, Tipu Sultan, continued to strongly resist the British, winning many wars and battles against them, and capturing Bangalore and Bendore. Thus, an example of successful Indian resistance to the British. ● In 1756, the Nawab of Bengal, Siraj-ud-Daula, waged a war against the forces of the EIC in an attempt to drive them away from Bengal. He captured the EIC’s base in Calcutta and forced them to retreat to Fulta. This successful attempt at resisting the British was proof that even the local rulers were strong enough to deal with the EIC. ● Another resistance against the EIC was held by Ranjit SIngh, the strong ruler of Punjab. During his reign, the British didn’t even dare to enter Punjab and rather, signed a treaty of perpetual friendship with him in 1809. Although he did not fight the British, his mere presence served as an example of successful Indian resistance to the British. However, there were certain instances in which Indian resistance failed: ● In 1757, in the Battle of Plassey, the British with a force of 3000 were able to defeat the forces of the Nawab of Bengal which were almost 50,000 strong. Thus, one of the largest and most prosperous provinces of India, Bengal, fell into the hands of the British. ● In 1764, in the Battle of Buxar, the British decisively defeated the combined forces of the Nawab of Bengal, the Nawab of Awadh, and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II. This victory solidified British control over Bengal, granting them Diwani rights (the right to collect revenue), which increased their financial strength and allowed them to maintain a more powerful army. ● In 1782, the Governor-General Warren Hastings signed a treaty ending the first Maratha war, fought between the British and the Marathas. This gave the British an opportunity to extend their influence since now, the Maratha threat was over. Hence, an example of the Indians not being able to resist the British ● In 1803, the British entered Delhi and forced the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam to accept that he was ruling under British protection. This meant that the British were indirect rulers of India as Delhi, the capital was now under their control and the Mughal emperor was a mere puppet. The Mughals were unable to prevent this, and hence an example of Indians not being able to resist the British. In conclusion, the Indians were completely unable to resist British attempts at taking control of the land of the subcontinent as after the defeat of Tipu Sultan, the Tiger of Mysore, in 1799, by the forces of Lord Wellesley, there was no strong united opposition to the British and they were able to play the different factions of India against one another, easily conquering the subcontinent. Q: Was the Industrial revolution in Britain the most important reason why the British were able to take control of India between 1750-1850? Explain [14] The Industrial revolution was an important reason why the British were able to take control of the subcontinent: ● The Industrial revolution gave the British huge fighting prowess since using their new found technology, they could mass produce fighting equipment like guns and bombs against the Mughals swords and bows. Thus, using their superior equipment, the British could defeat Indian armies sometimes much larger than theirs, like in the battle of Plassey, where 3000 British defeated 50,000 Indians. Hence, the Industrial revolution was important. ● The Industrial revolution also allowed the British to generate huge amounts of wealth: British industries would mass-produce cheap goods and would export and sell them all over the world. This allowed them to generate wealth that the Indians simply could not match. Using this wealth, they could buy weapons and armies, allowing them to conquer india. Hence, the industrial revolution was important. ● The Industrial revolution also allowed the British to build the railway network that they used to completely choke the Indians: the railways could be used to transport raw materials and goods, sure, but also soldiers. Hence, wherever there was Indian resistance, the British could efficiently and quickly respond due to the railways provided by the Industrial revolution. However, there were other reasons as well: ● In 1798, Lord Wellesley persuaded local rulers to sign subsidiary alliances with the British: the local rulers would continue to run the affairs of their states but British soldiers would protect them. In return, the rulers had to pay the costs of the troops and had to accept a British Adviser. Hence, the British were able to extend their control over India through such policies. ● Signing wise treatises like the Treaty with the Marathas and the treaty of perpetual friendship. ● Defeating Tipu Sultan. ● Strong and clever leaders like robert clive ● Pits india act; law system and police force reduced chances of uprising In conclusion, there were many reasons the British were able to take control of India since India was a very divided land: not only were there huge religious divisions but the people were also divided by distance, language, customs, and economic circumstances. There was nothing to unite them against a foreign invasion and hence, the British were easily able to take control of the subcontinent. Q: Why did the British build railways in India in the 19 th century? ● The subcontinent was the producer of many goods which were used in British industries like salt, jute, cotton, silk, coal, etc. However, there was no efficient method to transport these goods to the sea ports. Hence, to transport raw materials from their source to sea ports, the British built the railway system. ● British industries were mass producing cheap goods. However, they needed a market to sell these goods to and make a profit. Laying down a railway network would make India much more accessible as a market as it would allow the British to efficiently transport manufactured goods. Hence, they built the railway system. ● India was a vast country and efficient administration needed swift means of communication. This was especially true in the case of an uprising, where troops quickly needed to be transported so that they could crush the uprising before it could spread. Hence, the British built the railways to transport soldiers. Q: How did the British Government make use of its Cotton trade? [7] ● The British had a complete monopoly on India’s cotton trade. This proved very profitable as, at one point in time, the EIC stopped the export of all cotton cloth from India and instead, raw cotton was shipped to England where it was processed into cotton cloth which was then taken back to and sold in India. Thus, the cotton textile industry developed in Britain, jobs w