Untitled Flashcards Set

Colonization

The expansion of an empire through the formation of colonies in new lands, often through force.

Cultural Exchange

The sharing and blending of cultures, ideas, and goods between colonizers and the colonized.

Informal Imperialism

Influence without direct control, where there is no formal claim to sovereignty over another nation.

Sphere of Influence

An area where a foreign power claims exclusive rights to trade and investment without direct governance.

Direct Rule

A governance strategy where the imperial power directly controls the government of a colony.

Indirect Rule

A governance strategy where local rulers maintain their authority while being overseen by colonial powers.

Joint-stock company

Businesses owned by investors designed to share the risks and rewards of colonial ventures.

British East India Company (BEIC)

A private corporation established to exploit trade opportunities in India, particularly in spices.

Sepoy

Indian soldiers who served the British East India Company and enforced colonial rule.

Sepoy Rebellion

A major uprising against British rule in India sparked by discontent among Sepoys.

Government of India Act 1858

Legislation that transferred control from the British East India Company to the British government.

Famine

An extreme shortage of food leading to widespread hunger and death.

Mangal Pandey

A sepoy who is considered a symbol of Indian nationalism and resistance against British rule.

Crown Colony

India as a colony directly governed by the British crown, limiting self-governance opportunities.

Indian National Congress

A political party formed in 1885 that played a crucial role in India's independence movement.

Partition of Bengal

The British division of Bengal in 1905, which fueled religious divisions and nationalist sentiments.

Swadeshi Movement

A movement promoting the boycott of British goods to resist colonial rule.

All-India Muslim League

A political party representing Indian Muslims that eventually contributed to the creation of Pakistan.

Lucknow Pact

An alliance between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League promoting unity for independence.

Jallianwala Bagh (Amritsar) Massacre

A violent event in 1919 that intensified Indian anger against British rule.

Salt March

A nonviolent protest led by Gandhi against British salt laws, drawing global attention.

Satyagraha

Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience.

Quit India Movement

A mass protest demanding an end to British rule in India during World War II.

Direct Action Day

A day of protest called by Jinnah that escalated into violence and led to India's partition.

Partition of India

The 1947 division of British India into two independent nations, India and Pakistan.

White Man’s Burden

The belief that Western powers had a duty to civilize and modernize other races.

Social Darwinism

The application of ‘survival of the fittest’ to justify imperialism and economic competition.

Guangzhou (Canton)

A major Chinese port city that served as the primary trade gateway with Europe.

Opium

A narcotic traded by Britain in China, leading to addiction and the Opium Wars.

Silver

The primary currency in China, which was essential for trade with Europeans.

Lin Tse-hsu

A Chinese official known for his anti-opium campaign that contributed to the Opium Wars.

Treaty of Nanking (Nanjing)

The first unequal treaty that forced China to open ports to British trade.

Taiping Rebellion

A deadly civil war in China that weakened the Qing Dynasty and led to chaos.

Sino-Japanese War

A conflict between China and Japan over Korea, marking a turning point in power dynamics in East Asia.

Lord George Macartney

A British diplomat who led the first British embassy to China in 1792, aiming to establish trade relations and address issues with British merchants.

Treaty of Tientsin (Tianjin) and Convention of Peking (Beijing)

The Treaty of Tientsin (1856-1858) concluded the Second Opium War, opening Chinese ports to foreign trade and allowing foreign legations in Beijing; the Convention of Peking (1860) finalized these terms, further expanding concessions to foreign powers and formalizing the cession of Hong Kong.

The Righteous and Harmonious Fists

A secret society in China that led the Boxer Rebellion, aiming to rid China of foreign influence and missionaries.

Boxer Rebellion

An anti-imperialist uprising in China between 1899 and 1901, led by the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, which sought to expel foreign powers and was eventually suppressed by an international coalition.