History Notes Chapter 3 Effects of British rule Class 8 Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – History Class 8
1. Establishment of East India Company

• European powers (Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British) competed to control the Indian market.
• The British faced opposition from local rulers and other European powers.
• The British entered Maratha politics through Raghunathrao, leading to the Anglo-Maratha wars (1774-1818).

2. Anglo-Maratha Wars

1. First War (1775-1782): Marathas united and defeated the British; ended with the Treaty of Salbai (1782).

2. Second War (1803-1805): Bajirao II signed the Treaty of Vasai (1802) under the Subsidiary Alliance, increasing British interference.

3. Third War (1817-1818): Bajirao II was defeated, leading to British control over the Maratha region.

3. Subsidiary Alliance (1798)

Introduced by Lord Wellesley to establish British dominance.

Indian rulers had to:

• Keep British troops and pay for their maintenance.
• Get British permission for war and alliances.
• Accept a British resident (advisor) in their courts.

4. Chhatrapati Pratapsingh of Satara

• Signed a treaty with the British.
• Dethroned and exiled to Kashi (1847).
• Rango Bapuji Gupte fought a legal battle for his rights but failed.

5. Dual Government System

• Introduced by Robert Clive in 1765 in Bengal.
• Company collected revenue while the Nawab managed law and order.
• Led to corruption and exploitation of local people.

6. Acts Passed by the British Parliament

Regulating Act (1773): Governor of Bengal became Governor-General (Lord Warren Hastings was the first).

Pitt’s India Act (1784): Created a Board of Control to supervise the East India Company.

Other Acts (1813, 1833, 1853) increased British government control over the Company.

7. British Administration in India

Civil Services: Introduced by Lord Cornwallis to strengthen British control.

• Districts were created, led by District Collectors.
• Competitive exams (ICS) were introduced to select officers.

Military and Police Force: Used to protect British interests and suppress revolts.

Judicial System: Established Civil and Criminal Courts and later High Courts.

8. Economic Policies of the British

Land Revenue System:

• Land was measured, and fixed taxes were imposed.
• Payment was in cash; failure to pay led to land confiscation.

Consequences:

• Farmers sold crops at low prices to pay taxes.
• Farmers had to borrow from moneylenders and often lost their lands.

Commercialization of Agriculture:

• Shift from food crops to cash crops like cotton, indigo, tea, and tobacco.
• Led to rural poverty and food shortages.

9. Impact on Indian Industries

Decline of Traditional Industries:

• Heavy taxes on Indian exports and cheap machine-made imports from England.
• Indian artisans lost jobs as local industries collapsed.

Development of New Industries:

• Kawasjee Nanabhoy Davar set up the first textile mill in Mumbai (1854).
• Jamshedji Tata established Tata Iron and Steel in Jamshedpur (1907).

10. Development of Transport and Communication

• Railways: First railway line from Mumbai to Thane (1853).
• Telegraph: Introduced in 1853, connecting major cities and military bases.
• Postal System: Established for better communication and administration.

11. Social and Cultural Impact

Social Reforms:

• Sati Prohibition Act (1829): Banned the practice of Sati (by Lord William Bentinck).
• Widow Remarriage Act (1856): Allowed widow remarriage (by Lord Dalhousie).

Education:

• Lord Macaulay introduced English education (1835).
• Universities were established in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai (1857).
• Western education spread modern ideas and led to social reform movements.

12. Key Terms and Concepts

• Colonialism: Exploitation of a weaker country by a powerful one.
• Imperialism: Establishing control over other regions for political and economic gain.
• Civil Services: Bureaucratic system to administer British territories.
• Commercialization of Agriculture: Shifting from subsistence farming to cash crops.

13. Important Figures and Their Work