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New
Year 10
AQA

The impact of British rule in India

I can recall that Britain's control of India impacted both countries significantly and that historians' interpretations differ.

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New
New
Year 10
AQA

The impact of British rule in India

I can recall that Britain's control of India impacted both countries significantly and that historians' interpretations differ.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. By 1876, Queen Victoria was declared Empress of India, ruling with the help of a viceroy and anglicised Indian elite.
  2. The British improved infrastructure in India for economic purposes and implemented healthcare initiatives.
  3. Britain was criticised for exploiting India’s resources and either failing to prevent, or contributing to, famine.
  4. Historians' interpretations of the impact of British rule on India differ from one to another.

Common misconception

Cultural exchange between Britain and India was 'one-way'.

Cultural exchange between Britain and India moved in both directions, with both countries being permanently changed by the other.

Keywords

  • Anglicised - adapted and shaped in such a way as to exhibit English characteristics

  • Infrastructure - building projects that help enable travel and communication within a country, for example, roads, railways, etc.

  • Irrigation - waterways enabling crop growth in areas where beforehand it was not possible

  • Customs - the ways of behaving and societal rules that a group of people follow

  • Authoritarianism - ruling in a non-democratic way, often enforcing the law through violence

Ensure students are aware that the vast majority of historians acknowledge the nuanced impact of British rule over India, without reducing it to thinking purely in terms of 'positive' or 'negative'.
Teacher tip

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes a colony administered by the British government within the British Empire?
Correct Answer: Crown Colony
Q2.
Complete the sentence: The Indian took place in 1857 and represented a serious challenge to British rule.
Correct Answer: Rebellion
Q3.
What was the catalyst for the War of Independence?
The EIC replaced Indian traditions.
the introduction of the 'doctrine of lapse'
Correct answer: the introduction of the new Enfield rifle
Q4.
What happened on 10th May 1857?
The sepoys' rebellion were brutally suppressed.
Correct answer: The sepoys’ discontent reached its peak.
Correct answer: A group of sepoys shot dead several British officers.
A group of British officers shot dead several sepoys.
Q5.
What were the impacts of the Bibighar Massacre?
Correct answer: shocked and outraged the British public
Correct answer: the deaths of 200 British women and children
the deaths of 200 Indian women and children
Correct answer: led to the deployment of 70 000 additional British troops
led to the deployment of 70 000 additional Indian troops
Q6.
Put the following events in chronological order.
1 - The Indian Rebellion broke out.
2 - The rebellion spread across India.
3 - The Bibighar Massacre
4 - The British state took over the running of India from the EIC.
5 - A viceroy was appointed to rule over India.

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which word describes being adapted and shaped in such a way as to exhibit English characteristics?
Correct Answer: anglicised
Q2.
Which word describes the ways of behaving and societal rules that a group of people follow?
Correct Answer: customs
Q3.
Complete the sentence: By 1876, Queen Victoria was declared __________, ruling with the help of a viceroy and anglicised Indian elite.
Viceroy of India
Queen of India
Empress of India
Q4.
Which of the following led to growing dissatisfaction among the Indian population towards British rule?
Correct answer: poor conditions for Indians compared to Britons
Queen Victoria’s opinions on India
Correct answer: Britain's use of cultural imperialism
poor conditions for Britons compared to Indians
Correct answer: brutal treatment of anyone who disagreed with Britain
Q5.
Match the evidence to the interpretation of British rule in India.
Correct Answer:positive interpretation,infrastructure development and modernisation efforts

infrastructure development and modernisation efforts

Correct Answer:negative interpretation,exploitation of the Indian population

exploitation of the Indian population

Correct Answer:positive interpretation,laid the groundwork for India's economic and social progress

laid the groundwork for India's economic and social progress

Correct Answer:negative interpretation,exploitation of the country’s natural resources

exploitation of the country’s natural resources

Correct Answer:positive interpretation,Britain was enriched culturally

Britain was enriched culturally

Correct Answer:negative interpretation,cultural imperialism

cultural imperialism

Q6.
By establishing factories across India, Britain produced which of the following products?
pottery
leather
Correct answer: cotton and woollen cloth
Correct answer: flour

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