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What was the primary effect of the British victories in the Carnatic wars, the Battle of Plassey, and the Battle of Buxar?
What was the primary effect of the British victories in the Carnatic wars, the Battle of Plassey, and the Battle of Buxar?
Which of the following best describes the methods used by the British to expand their territorial control in India?
Which of the following best describes the methods used by the British to expand their territorial control in India?
What led to the First Anglo-Mysore War?
What led to the First Anglo-Mysore War?
What was the major consequence of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War?
What was the major consequence of the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War?
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What was a notable British strategy employed during the Anglo-Maratha wars?
What was a notable British strategy employed during the Anglo-Maratha wars?
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The British victories at the Carnatic Wars, the Battle of Plassey, and the Battle of Buxar helped them become rulers of Bengal, Bihar, and ______.
The British victories at the Carnatic Wars, the Battle of Plassey, and the Battle of Buxar helped them become rulers of Bengal, Bihar, and ______.
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The three principal methods used by the British for the conquest of India were direct warfare, subsidiary alliance, and the doctrine of ______.
The three principal methods used by the British for the conquest of India were direct warfare, subsidiary alliance, and the doctrine of ______.
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Hyder Ali defeated the British in the First ______ War.
Hyder Ali defeated the British in the First ______ War.
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Tipu Sultan was defeated and killed by the British at Seringapatam in the Fourth ______ War.
Tipu Sultan was defeated and killed by the British at Seringapatam in the Fourth ______ War.
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During the Anglo-Maratha Wars, the British encouraged the rivalry between the various Maratha ______.
During the Anglo-Maratha Wars, the British encouraged the rivalry between the various Maratha ______.
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Besides direct warfare, what other two methods did the British utilize to gain control in India?
Besides direct warfare, what other two methods did the British utilize to gain control in India?
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What action by Tipu Sultan led to the British forming an alliance against him in 1792?
What action by Tipu Sultan led to the British forming an alliance against him in 1792?
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What happened to Tipu Sultan's kingdom after his defeat in 1792, at Seringapatam?
What happened to Tipu Sultan's kingdom after his defeat in 1792, at Seringapatam?
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How did Lord Wellesley ensure continued relations with another Indian state after the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war?
How did Lord Wellesley ensure continued relations with another Indian state after the Fourth Anglo-Mysore war?
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Over what period of time were the Anglo-Maratha Wars fought?
Over what period of time were the Anglo-Maratha Wars fought?
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Study Notes
British Conquest of India (1765-1857)
- British gained a firm foothold through Carnatic Wars, Battle of Plassey, and Battle of Buxar, controlling Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
- The Mughal emperor became a puppet; the Nawabs of Awadh and Carnatic became dependent on British rule.
- British conquest spanned roughly 100 years (1765-1857), encompassing the entire Indian subcontinent.
- British were the rulers of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa.
Methods of Conquest
- British employed three key methods: direct warfare, subsidiary alliance, and the doctrine of lapse.
- Lord Wellesley (Governor-General 1798) used these methods to establish British supremacy.
Anglo-Mysore Wars (1769 – 1799)
- Four wars were fought between Mysore (Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan) and British forces.
- Mysore, under Hyder Ali, emerged as a powerful, unified Indian state.
- The British challenged Mysore's growing power.
- Hyder Ali defeated the British in the First Mysore War.
- Tipu Sultan continued the struggle and expanded Mysore's territory.
- Tipu Sultan attacked Travancore, leading to a British alliance with the Marathas and Nizam. Tipu Sultan attacked Travancore, trying to capture a remaining English spice exporting port, inciting the alliance of the British against him.
- British secured a victory at Seringapatam (Srirangapatnam) in 1792; Tipu lost half his kingdom.
- Tipu Sultan's two sons were taken hostage by the British.
- Refusal to join the subsidiary system led to Tipu Sultan's defeat and death in the Fourth Mysore War (1799).
- Mysore was restored to the previous Hindu rulers, gaining loyalty of another Indian state.
- British expanded their territories from the east to the west coasts of India after the Fourth Mysore War.
Anglo-Maratha Wars (1775-1818)
- Four wars waged over 40 years.
- British exploited rivalries among Maratha chiefs.
- After the Third Battle of Panipat (1761), four major Maratha powers emerged: Gaikwars, Bhonsles, Holkars, and Sindhias.
- First Maratha War (1775-1782): British supported Raghunath Rao, Marathas backed Madhav Rao II.
- British suffered a defeat at Wadgaon in 1779; the Treaty of Wadgaon (1779), forced British to return all gains from Raghunath Rao.
- The Treaty of Salbai (1782) resulted in limited British gains, including Salsette Island.
- Second Maratha War (1802-1805): Baji Rao II fled to British protection, signing the Treaty of Bassein.
- British victory, Wellesley recalled to England due to the costly war.
- Allied Maratha chiefs fought against the British, but were defeated.
- Third Maratha War (1817-1818): Baji Rao II attempted to unite the Marathas against the British.
- British victory, abolishing the Peshwa position; Baji Rao II was pensioned off and granted an estate near Kanpur with an annual pension.
- All Maratha chiefs joined the subsidiary system.
Anglo-Sikh Wars
- British focused on northwestern India after 1818.
- Ranjit Singh expanded the the Punjab kingdom.
- Treaty of Amritsar (1809) limited Ranjit Singh's expansion to regions beyond the Sutlej River; Britain took various Sikh states east of the Sutlej, like Patiala, Nabha, and Kapurthala; the British frontier extended from the Yamuna to the Sutlej.
- First Anglo-Sikh War (1845-1846): Jalandhar Doab annexed, Dalip Singh became Maharaja of Punjab.
- Second Anglo-Sikh War (1848-1849): Punjab became a British vassal state.
- The Treaty of Lahore (1846) recognized Dalip Singh as the last Maharaja of the Sikhs.
- After Ranjit Singh's death, British intervention in Punjab led to confrontations which resulted in the two wars.
Annexation of Awadh
- Lord Dalhousie annexed Awadh in 1856, citing alleged misgovernance. Awadh was a significant market for English manufactured goods.
Reasons for British Success
- Absence of strong central Indian leadership after Mughal decline.
- Disunity among Indian states.
- British military and naval superiority.
- Subsidiary alliance and doctrine of lapse ensured partial control of Indian states.
- Initial British non-interference in religious matters.
- British exploited internal conflicts and rivalries among Indian rulers.
- Superior British weaponry and military training.
- Lack of unity among Indian states benefited British.
- British successfully exploited rivalry between Indian kingdoms making it easier to defeat them.
- Superior British military and naval capabilities.
- British control over Indian states through subsidiary alliances and doctrine of lapse led to the lack of resistance to conquest by many rulers.
- British non-interference in religious matters initially limited resistance from the population.
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Description
Explore the significant events and methods of the British conquest of India from 1765 to 1857. This quiz covers key battles, the strategies employed by the British, and the dynamics with local powers like Mysore. Test your knowledge on the colonial impact during this era of Indian history.
