History Notes

Unit 1: The Reformation

The Renaissance

 The Renaissance was a cultural movement that began in Italy in the 14 th century
and spread across Europe through things such as the printing press.
 There were many key features in the Renaissance that led to people challenging
the Catholic Church:
o Humanism was introduced during the Renaissance. Before, people
believed that God gave you your place in the world: it didn’t matter if you
were a king or a peasant, God chose that for you. People believed Kings
were chosen by God and that the Pope was God’s representative on Earth.
Humanism contradicted that, suggesting humans can control their own
lives and that they could have many talents, not just what God chose for
them. This challenged the Church as people began thinking they had
control over their own destiny.
o Religion was also affected. People in Western Europe all were Catholic and
gave money and land to the Church so it could run schools, churches and
hospitals. However, the Church was making a lot of money and their
actions began to be questioned. People suggested that you could enjoy
life without upsetting God and that you could have luxurious celebrations,
food and music.
o Education was controlled by the Church and raised people to be Church
leaders. Books were in Latin, which people couldn’t read, so people just
accepted the Church’s information was accepted as fact. The growth of
universities led to the spread of humanism, more subjects could be
studied such as law, philosophy and medicine. Renaissance
writers produced works in their own language, instead of using Latin,
exposing people to different ideas and knowledge. They learnt more
about the stories of Greek gods and goddesses. People now had exterior
knowledge and challenged the Church.
o Books used to be made by hand and by the Church so the books were
expensive, took a long time to make and only included Church-approved
ideas. When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, books could
be made much easily and this allowed people to spread non-Church-
approved ideas which led to challenging.
o Art in medieval times was mostly of religious themes but now, there was
more interest in the human form. There was less emphasis on religious
art, people strayed away from religion. Important advancements in art
included the use of perspective, more realistic portrayals of the human
form, and detailed landscapes.

Key words

 Radical – something total, extreme of far-reaching

  Reformation – the action of restructuring (reforming) the Church
 Renaissance – a rebirth of interest in ancient Greece and Rome with scientific
discoveries and great art.

Martin Luther

 At the age of 21, Luther is caught in a thunder storm which he is terrified of as

he heard when you die you have to earn you place in heaven and he believed
he hadn’t quite done that yet.
 He prayed to a saint to ask God to look after him and if he managed to survive,
that he would dedicate his life to God.
 Luther survived and became a monk but soon
became unhappy with what the Church was doing.
He though the Church was being corrupt.
 Some of his criticisms were:
o The Church was selling fake relics and bones
of saints for money.
o That the Church was selling indulgences to
get to heaven. He believed this was unfair to
the poor and that the Church was promising
sinful souls that they would go to heaven
when they wouldn’t.
o He didn’t like tithes – a 10% tax by the
Church.
o He also dislikes that the Bible was only in
Latin and Greek as he believed that the Bible
was the word of God to all people and that
everyone should have access to God. He
believed that faith alone, rather than good works, was the way to
salvation.
 To address these issues, Luther attacked 95 theses to the Church door at
Wittenberg in protest in 1517.
 Those who followed him and supported him were known as the Protestants.
 This challenged the Church as people began realizing the Luther was right and
supported him instead of the Church.
 Besides the theses, he also sent a letter to the Archbishop of Mainz to show that
he wasn’t a fan of indulgences and that the Church shouldn’t deliver sinful souls
false promises.
 Because of Martin Luther, Europe was split in many different denominations of
Christianity which led to the decrease power of the Church and conflict for
centuries to come. He had split the Church in two.
 This was seen as radical at it affected many people for a very long time.

Key Word

 Protestant – a form of Christianity which broke away from the Catholic Church
and made the Church more accessible to ordinary people.

Differences between Catholics and Protestants

  Catholic characteristics:
o The church services in Catholic churches were in Latin (The Roman’s
language) as they have done for 1000 years. They still used it as it was
familiar and fed people’s faith.
o The Catholic Church believed ordinary people couldn’t understand the
Bible and that they should be guided by the Pope as he’s God’s
representative.
o Catholics believed Churches should be full of colour and have fine statues
of saints to show the glory of God.
o The Catholic Church believed the bishops should elect the priests as they
know best.
o Catholics believed that the Protestants were wrong, ‘heretics’ who would
go to hell and were dangerous. Catholics believed it was their duty to stop
them from spreading their false ideas even if they had to kill them.
o The Catholics said that people needed priests to find God as the priests
are supposedly the link between people and God. Priests should where
special robes to show their special status (show off).
 Protestant characteristics:
o The Protestants believed the Church services should be in English as
nobody understood what the priests were saying.
o Protestants believed that people should be guided by Jesus Christ and the
Bible as it’s the word of God and that it should be translated into English
for Ordinary people to understand.
o Protestants believed churches should be simple as fancy churches draw
attention away from God. They also believed that statues and pictures
should be removed. Also, priests should wear simple clothes as they are
not special people.
o Protestants believed they should choose their own priests and that they
didn’t need to have bishops choose priests for them.
o People like Martin Luther believed the Church had lost its way and was
particularly cross that you paid to get your sins forgiven. He and his
supporters (The Protestants)
protested. The changes they wanted
were called the Reformation.
 Catholics and Protestants did have similar
beliefs and both believed that if you believe
the wrong thing, you’ll go to hell for eternity.

Henry VII – Defender of the Faith

 The English were excited when Henry

became king in 1509. He was handsome,
friendly, loved to have the best clothes, had
an excellent education which led to him
speaking several languages, could play
instruments and even sing beautifully. He
was also a good athlete and definitely knew
how to have fun.
  Though he came across as a friendly king, he was actually very stubborn and
thought a lot of himself just like many kings before him, thinking he was always
right. He believed that since he was chosen by God to be king, that he was the
most important person in the country.
 Henry dreamed of becoming the most powerful ruler in Europe, fighting big
battles abroad, being a hero as well as starting a war with France and winning.
 He was also desperate to continue the royal line (the Tudors) and really wanted
to have a son to inherit the throne.
 Henry was devout Catholic, praying five times a day and strongly believing in
the Church’s teachings and traditions. He strongly despised Protestant ideas and
when he heard about what Martin Luther was doing, he wrote a whole book
named ‘In Defence of the Seven Sacraments’ to express his support for the
Catholic Church and criticize Luther’s ideas.
 The Pope was pleased by this and gave Henry the title of ‘Fidei Defensor’ which
in English translates to ‘Defender of the Faith’ This title still appears on British
coins today.
 Henry had a wife, Spanish princess Catherine of Aragon, who helped him
become more powerful. She supported Henry, was intelligent and had many
talents which included being a determined leader. While Henry was away
fighting battles in France, he nominated Catherine the “Regent and Governess
of England, Wales and Ireland” to rule while he was away. She became an
important part in defeating the Scottish army and even considered sending
Henry the corpse of the King of Scotland to show her success. While Henry was
away pursuing his dreams, he knew the country was in good hands.

Birth, Marriage and Death

 People were controlled by the Church. You had to be baptized and go to Church
to go to heaven, to ask permission for marriage and you had to have your last
Vites read to you before your death in order to go to heaven.

Henry – The Believer of Indulgences

 Henry’s worship was typical. He believed indulgences could forgive your sins
and even got Catherine to be forgiven. He was mad when Luther criticized
indulgences and therefore complained by writing the book ‘In Defence of the
Seven Sacraments.

The Power of the Monasteries

 Lots of people relied on monasteries, particularly the poor. They offered support
and other services such as schooling. Without monasteries, people would
struggle, not having health or education.

Henry – The Devout Catholic

 Henry had prayer scrolls and a crucified Christ. He also has sacred texts such as
Latin prayers which were common to be devout. These scrolls allowed Henry to
have a better chance of getting into heaven. Henry’s inscriptions suggest that
he used his religious objects for holy purposes and believed the teachings.

Henry VII’s Break from Rome

  One of Henry’s main aims was to produce a male heir to inherit the throne when
he died. This was a problem as Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon, only had
a daughter and was now too old to produce more children.
 Because of this, Henry wanted to divorce Catherine and to do this, he required
the support of the Pope. Unfortunately for Henry, Pope Clementine VII declined.
 Even though Henry lacked the Pope’s support, he divorced Catherine anyways
and married Anne Boleyn which led to Henry’s excommunication from the
Catholic Church.
 Henry, aided by his Chief Minister Thomas Cromwell, broke from Rome and in
1534, Parliament passed the Act of Supremacy which made him the ‘Supreme
head of the Church’. Not of the Catholic Church, but of his own Church: The
Church of England.
 In this Church, things worked differently:
o Henry now appointed the Archbishop of Canterbury and all bishops
instead of the Pope.
o Churches were ordered to have an English Bible and services were in
English, not Latin.
 Henry feared monastic communities that supported the Pope instead of him. He
also wanted the money and land of the monasteries to fund his army. So, in
1536, he dissolved the monasteries, seizing their land and wealth. He closed
over 800 monasteries. This led to the downfall of many people who depended
upon monasteries and led to a bad view of Henry VIII.
 The Church of England was now completely separate from Europe.
 This Break from Rome happened due to three main reasons:
o Henry wanted a male heir, as mentioned previously, and needed a
divorce, which the Pope declined, in order to re-marry and have a son.
o Henry was aware that the Catholic Church in England held lots of wealth,
power and land. He knew that the monasteries had lots of money and
wealth and he wanted to take this for himself. Also, money sent to the
Pope would now be sent to him.
o The Monarch was powerful but everyone saw the Pope as an ultimate
being that was even more powerful. By breaking with Rome, the Pope
would be out of the picture and he’d be the main leader. Also, he could
now appoint Bishops and Archbishops and by dissolving monasteries
meant that nuns/monks who lived there wound now have no support or
power.
 This Break from Romes was radical as it challenged ideas believed and followed
for centuries, such as the King now having more power in England than the
Pope. Countries all over the world may have been flabbergasted but follow in
Henry’s footsteps, sending shockwaves throughout the world. Many people who
were once dependent on monasteries now had nowhere to go and faced many
issues. As you can see, it was radical as it affected many people over a long
period of time.

Key Words

 Excommunication – The action of officially excluding someone from the Catholic

Church (damning to hell).
  Annulment – A legal procedure of cancelling a marriage.
 Break with Rome – When Henry VIII separates England from the Catholic Church
in Rome and then makes himself of the Church (not the Pope).

The Dissolution of the Monasteries

 Monasteries had many important roles including:

o Monks and nuns did a lot of charity work, so monasteries helped the poor
in their local communities.
o Monasteries were places of learning, monks and nuns often being the only
people who could read.
o Monks and nuns taught people about Christianity which was really
important to the English people.
o Monks and nuns were very loyal to God, taking vows of loyalty to Him.
o Monasteries were beautiful places that were very old and people
respected their history.
 The following sources suggest how monasteries and Henry were at the time:
o Source A from a History textbook. This paragraph describes the strength
of the monasteries at a time Henry had fallen out with the pope about
getting a divorce. There were nearly 1000 monasteries in England and in
total there were nearly 10,000 monks. These monks were Catholic and
loyal to the Pope at a time in which Henry VIII needed their loyalty in his
fight with the
Pope over his
divorce from
Catherine of
Aragon. Most
monks
remained loyal
to the Pope.
o Source B from
a speech by
Martin Luther
given at the
Diet of Worms
in 1521. The monasteries and the monks who live in them have forgotten
their purpose and their meaning. Monks spend too long isolated from the
people of their communities being forced to take vows of poverty, chastity
(avoiding sexual relations) and even silence that have nothing to do with
true devotion to God. If monasteries are cut off from the people then they
serve no purpose. Things that serve no purpose must change or be
brought to an end.
o Source C from a letter from Henry VIII to Thomas Cromwell, his chief
advisor 1535. There are hundreds of monasteries all over England and
each one of them sitting on land that is worth a fortune. Return that land
to me and the Crown will be richer than ever before. With the monastic
lands in our possession, we can afford to be most generous to our beloved
loyal servants such as you.
 o Source D from a letter by Thomas Cromwell to the Lord Chancellor, 1536.
The Lord Chancellor kept records of how much money the king had to
spend. No king in the world has been as kind to the Church than Henry
VIII. He has allowed them to have lands and the right to raise tithes
(taxes). And the Church has repaid this generosity with disloyalty to His
majesty, Henry VIII in not supporting him in his time of need. For centuries
there has been a strange bargain in England between the Church and
State authorities that must end.
o Source E from an inspector of the monasteries to Thomas Cromwell, 1536.
(Cromwell sent out four inspectors to visit monasteries and gather
evidence against them that they should be closed). You will be pleased to
note that I have followed your instructions exactly. I arrived at the
monastery before they were expecting me. I saw that the dining table was
covered in sinful cards for gambling and that bottles of wine were lying
about. The whole place was a filthy mess and was more like an inn (pub)
than a House of God.

Key Word

 Monastery – A religious building where monks and nuns live and work.

Consequences and Long-Term Impacts of Henry’s Choice

 There were several impacts of Henry’s choice:

o The shutting down of monasteries which many people relied on, ruining
their lives.
o Henry being declared the head of the Church which shaped religion in
Europe forever.
o People were given hope, a connection to God and a feeling of power.
o The Bible was now in English.
 The rulers that came after him also had an impact:
o Edward I was Henry’s first heir and was a strong Protestant. He removed
Catholic traditions and made England mostly Protestant.
o Mary I was a strong Catholic who made England Catholic again, restored
the Pope’s authority and brought back Catholic tradition. She killed many
Protestants.
o Elizabeth I wanted to stop conflict between Catholics and Protestants, She
re-established the Church of England which was now mostly protestant
but allowed Catholic traditions. She made herself the head and punished
Catholics that didn’t accept her.

Unit 2: Empires

Why did European Countries want an Empire?

 European countries wanted Empires for many reasons.

o European countries could gain immense wealth from taking wealth and
land from colonies, tax and established trade routes.
o God was big reason. Europeans were Christian and as Christians they had
the duty to spread their religion.
 o They also wanted to spread culture as they thought their “superior”
culture would benefit colonies.
o Glory was another reason. If you participated in conquests, you could
become glorious and renowned as a war hero.
o The thrill of exploration was a contributing factor as people just wanted
the thrill.
 Today, you can still see impacts in colonies’ culture and language due to their
mother countries.

Key Words

 Empire – A collection of countries that are ruled over by one leading ‘mother’
country.
 Colony – The name usually given to a place controlled by a mother county.
 Colonising – The act of taking over other countries.
 Imperialism – The desire to take over other countries.

The Portuguese Empire and the Spanish Empire

 Several people were responsible for Portugal travelling to so many places and
expanding its Empire:
o Prince Henry the Navigator (1394 – 1490) only sailed on certain trips to
conquer known lands but not exploration. He was responsible for
advancing exploration along the coast of Africa, Azores, Madeira, the
western African coast and as far down as Sierra Leone were explored
under his guidance. He established a school of navigation in Sagres,
sponsored expeditions and the caravel, a ship for long voyages, was
designed under his guidance. He is credited with beginning the Age of
Exploration and his support led to the discovery of new trade routes.
o Bartolomeu Dias (1450 – 1500) was the first European to sail around the
southern tip of Africa, the Cape of Good Hope, in 1488, proving there was
a viable sea route to the Indian Ocean. His expedition was funded by King
John II. He used two caravels and a supply ship and faced dangerous
weather conditions, sailing far into the Atlantic before turning East. Dias
named the tip the Cape of Storms but King John II renamed it Cape of
Good Hope due to the optimism of the possible sea route to India. He
paved the way for future explorers and opened up a route for exploration
and trade.
o Vasco da Gama (1460 – 1524) was the first European to sail directly from
Europe to India, rounding the Cape of Good Hope in 1497 and getting to
India in 1498. His voyage was sponsored by Mauel I and he followed the
route pioneered by earlier explorers, using knowledge from Arab sailors to
cross the Indian Ocean. He opened the sea route to the Indian ocean,
allowed Portugal to dominate the spice trade and led to Portuguese
influence on Asia and began an era of global trade.
 Portugal and Spain had several impacts through colonialization including:
o Portugal became rich by taking resources like gold and spices from
colonies such as Brazil and Mozambique, which made the kingdom
wealthier.
o Native cultures, such as the Tupi people in Brazil, were harmed as their
traditions and languages were often wiped out by Portuguese influence.
o Portugal created strong trade routes across the Indian Ocean, bringing
goods like spices from India and Malacca, making Portugal a key player in
global trade.
o Millions of Africans and Indigenous people, especially in Angola, were
taken as slaves and sent to work on sugar plantations in Brazil, which was
harsh and deadly.
o Portugal improved shipbuilding and navigational skills, creating better
ships like the caravel, which helped Portugal explore and control sea
routes around the world.
o Portugal used colonies like Goa in India and Brazil mostly for their own
profit, taking natural resources and making colonies rely on Portugal for
trade.
o Diseases such as smallpox were introduced to colonies in the Americas
and Africa by the Portuguese, causing large numbers of deaths, especially
among Indigenous people in Brazil.
o Local people such as the Kingdom of Kongo, often fought against
Portuguese tule, leading to violent conflicts like the Kongo-Portuguese War
in the 1600s.
o There was cultural exchange between Portugal and its colonies. New foods
like maize, potatoes and tobacco from the Americas became part of
Portuguese life and diet.
o Portugal controlled the economics of its colonies by setting up monopolies
on products like sugar and spices, making Portugal wealthier but hurting
local economies.
o Portugal built roads and ports in colonies like Brazil, which helped trade
and communication but these mostly benefited Portuguese merchants and
traders.
o Diseases like smallpox, measles and influenza brought by Europeans killed
millions of Native Americans. For example, the population of Mexico from
25 million to 1 million in 100 years.
o Spanish missionaries like those in Peru and Mexico forced Native
Americans to become Christian. Temples to gods like Huitzilopochtli
(Aztec) were destroyed and replaced with churches.
o Many native languages, like the Inca language Quechua, were replaced by
Spanish and Portuguese.
o Spanish explorers like Francisco Pizarro took gold and silver from the Inca
Empire. Huge amounts were sent to Spain, but Native Americans were left
poor.
o Native Americans were forced to work in farms and silver mines, like the
Potosí mines in Bolivia, in terrible conditions. Many died from overwork
and disease.
o Native Americans lost fertile lands to European settlers. For example, in
Brazil, forests were cleared to make sugar plantations, leaving locals
displaced.
 o Spanish settlers built large sugar plantations in Northeast Brazil, where
enslaved Native Americans and later African slaves were forced to work.
o Spanish settlers married Native Americans, creating mestizos (mixed-race
people). While mestizos became a large population group, they often
faced discrimination.
o Tools like metal axes and weapons like muskets change Native American
economies. For example, in trade with Europeans, some tribes became
dependent on European goods.
o The Spanish replaced Native rulers like the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II
with Spanish officials called viceroys who governed large areas of land.
o Indigenous leaders like Túpac Amaru in Peru led uprisings against Spanish
rule but were defeated. Revolts were often punished with violence.
o Spain set up viceroyalties, or colonial governments, to rule the Americas.
For example, the Viceroyalty of New Spain controlled much of Mexico and
Central America.
o The Native population in the Americas fell dramatically after
colonialisation, In the Caribbean, nearly all indigenous people disappeared
within 50 years.
o Natural resources like timber from Brazilian forests and silver from Bolivia
were exported to Europe. The locals who worked to gather these resources
saw no benefit.
o Spain and Portugal divided the Americas in 1494 using the Treaty of
Tordesillas, giving Portugal control of Brazil and Spain control of most of
South and Central America, ignoring Native Americans.
 This exploration of Portugal and Spain began in the end of the 15 th and Start of
the 16th Centrurt, driven by the search for trade routes, wealth and spread of
religion.
 Since the two countries were competing for the Americas, in 1494 the Treatry of
Tordesillas was signed to split the world between them to prevent conflict.
 Portugal focused on Brazil while Spain got most of South America.

The French Colonialisation of Algeria

 The Scramble for Africa was the invasion, occupation and division of Africa by
European powers including:
o Belgium;
o France;
o Germany;
o Italy;
o Portugal;
o Spain;
o And the UK.
 They wanted to extend their control to Africa to get the many natural resources
found there, including diamonds, sugar, salt, iron, golf, petroleum, cocoa beans
and different woods. They also did this to rise in power.
 To avoid conflict, the Berlin Conference took place in 1884 without any input of
Africans. The countries had become colonial powers through the ‘slave trade’,
resource trade and military acts and wanted to come together to divide Africa
 through bids to avoid conflict, not taking the indigenous people into
consideration.
 France invaded Algeria in 1830 and ruled it for 130 years as they wanted the
area for resources, location near Europe and so they could civilise Algerians to
make them more European.
 The French took land from the Algerians to build farms and settlements for the
French.
 They also introduced French laws, schools and government systems.
 Many Algerians, like leader Emir Abdelkader, resisted rule and fought to defend
their land and culture. This led to tension between the two countries.
 Several sources suggest different opinions about the colonialisation, some of it
may be due to bias as French people tend to want to support their country and
its decisions. Here are some examples:
o Albert Sarraut, a French colonial administrator, in his1923 speech about
the mission of French colonialisation. We must bring to the native
populations the indispensable necessities of life, education and health.
Through colonialisation, France has created roads, schools and hospitals to
uplift these regions. It is not merely conquest; it is a duty to spread
civilisation and progress to areas that lacked it before.
o Declaration by the Front de Libération Nationale (FLN) in 1954, calling for
Algerian independence. The Algerian people have endured over a century
of injustice, oppression and exploitation under French rule. Our lands have
been confiscated, our culture systematically erased, and our people
treated as second-class citizens. We have no choice but to rise and
reclaim our dignity, our freedom and our future as an independent nation.
o Testimony of a French settler, recorded in a local newspaper in Algeria,
1890. When I arrived in Algeria, the land was vast and full of potential, but
it needed cultivation. The French government provided us with resources
and infrastructure to build thriving farms and towns. Algerians work the
land alongside us and with the newly built railway system our crops reach
markets across the region.
o Emir Abdelkader, leader of the Algerian resistance, in a letter to a French
official, 1847. Your soldiers burn our villages, destroy our crops and leave
our people without homes. The Algerian people fight not out of greed or
ambition but because they have no other choice. We ask for nothing more
than to live on our land, practice our religion and protect our families.
o By the turn of the century, more than two million hectares of Algeria’s
most fertile land hade been taken by French settlers. This displacement
forced many Algerian farmers to abandon their traditional ways of life.
They were often left with rocky, less productive soil or became labourers
on land that once belonged to their families.
o Except from Frantz Fanon’s post-colonial analysis ‘The Wretched Earth’ in
1961. Colonialism is not a gentle process of integration or collaboration. It
is a system of exploitation, built on violence and maintained through
oppression. The colonised are denied their identity, culture and autonomy,
leading to inevitable resistance and conflict.
 o Memoir of a French officer, reflecting on his time during the Algerian War
of Independence (1954 – 1962). The war in Algeria was unlike anything I
had experienced. It was not just about fighting rebels; it was about
controlling the population. We built schools and clinics to win their loyalty,
but the rebels’ message of independence was powerful. Every action we
took seemed to deepen their hatred and the violence escalated on both
sides.
o Study on Algerian migration to France, published in 1980, reflecting on
colonial ties. The migration of Algerians to France during and after
colonialisation reveals a complex relationship. Many Algerians sought
better opportunities in France but face discrimination and exclusion. The
cultural ties formed during colonial rule were strong, but they were often
highlighted deep inequalities and misunderstandings.

The British Colonialisation of Australia

 In 1787, the British discovered Australia and decided to turn the continent into a
jail as British prisons were overflowing. Criminals had been sent to America for
many years but after America’s independence, they had to find this new place.
From the discovery to 1868, over 160, 000 convicts were sent from England to
Australia.
 Cells were extremely small, convicts had to work long hours and people, like
nine-year-old James Lynch, were sent there for small crimes such as stealing
toys and other kinds of theft.
 The natives of Australia were the Aborigines, which by a picture made by the
British seem to have tried to be treated equally but that wasn’t the case.
 The British destroyed the Aboriginal way of life through many factors including:
o Bringing diseases like Cholera and Influenza that infected Aborigines and
let to many deaths due to their lack of immunity to such diseases.
o The British introduced them to rum which ruined their lives through poor,
drunk decisions.
o From the beginning, conflict emerged between the convicts and natives,
as the convicts would steal the Aborigines’ boomerangs and sell them as
souvenirs. The prisoners saw the Aborigines as savages as they could
understand their way of life, seeing them as pest that could be killed with
no hesitation.
o As the colony grew, animals such as kangaroos that natives relied on for
clothing and food were driven out for sheepo and cows. Forests were cut
down and medicinal plant that the Aborigines relied on vanished. Their
way of life was ruined.
o The British declared that all of Australia belonged to the crown, arguing
that the natives didn’t have the right to the land as they just wandered
around, forcing the aborigines off their land. By 1830, seeing Aboriginal
families drunk and in English rags around Sydney was a common sight.

The British Empire’s Impact on India

 Most Indians were Muslim or Hindu and the British respected that but
Evangelical Christians started believing God had sent them to convert the
 Indians to Christianity. This led to disrespect for Indian religion as Christian ideas
were pushed through.
 There was a tradition where when a man dies, his wife was expected to be
burned alive with her husband’s corpse to show how much she loved him.
Hindus strongly supported this but a small group got the British to ban this,
causing a lot of anger. Now the small group is celebrated for stopping this
painful ritual.
 Britain enforced their laws in India and made sure everyone followed them,
leading to the destruction of criminal gangs and even the richest following laws.
Though, sometimes, Europeans got treated better than natives. Indian workers
were exploited and raw materials (iron ore, copper, gold, silver, gemstones, tea
and timber) were brought back to Britain.
 Schools were created in India, increasing the number from 170 to 2900,
introducing British discoveries and inventions. Schools weren’t very accessible
though, only wealth Indians being able to afford it and there weren’t enough for
the demand. Though, some argue the British civilised Indians by the making of
these schools.
 The British promised to share power but top jobs remained in the Europeans’
hands. All laws were made in London and little attention was paid to how their
choices would impact the ideas and feelings of natives. The British like their
comforts in India and were able to live a more luxurious life than in England due
to their hordes of servants.
 Canals, railways, dams and roads were built quickly in India when the British
took control and by 1900, 50, 000 miles of road had been built and 70, 000
miles of canals had been dug. The most famous Viceroy of India, George Curzon,
set up a national irrigation system to relieve famine and rebuilt Indian building
such as the Taj Mahal.
 Many taxes were introduced but most of the money went to improving life in
Britain, not India. People were poor and famines were common and whilst
Britain did donate to the native population, the problem wasn’t fixed. In the late
1800s, a terrible famine struck India and led to about 6 million deaths and many
Indians blamed the British for lack of help.
 All top jobs were controlled by Europeans and Indians did less skilled jobs such
as being servants. Britain held back Indian factories so they wouldn’t surpass
British ones and Indian workers were exploited and raw materials were brought
to Britain.