AREA OF META DATA CONTENT

THEME Timeline of Governor Generals in British India- From 1773-

1857
SUBJECT History

LINKAGE OF THEME
WITH CHAPTERS(NAME)
CLASS/LEVEL Class VIII

Target Audience Students

OBJECTIVES  To create awareness on the work done by various

Governor Generals in a chronological order
 To associate important events and developments that
took place during the rule of Governor Generals
DESCRIPTION The British East India Company became one of the
most powerful mercantile organizations by its sheer
monopoly over import of goods from India to
Britain. Over the years they saw a massive expansion
of their trading operations in India with numerous
trading posts being established along the coast line.
Eventually its interests turned from trade to territory
during the 18th century. The Company began to rule
large areas of India with its own private armies,
exercising military power and assuming
administrative functions. To govern the large
territories acquired by the British, the office of the
Governor General was created in 1773 with the title
of the Governor General of the Presidency of Fort
William. The office was re-designated with title of
Governor General of India in 1833 when the British
Crown granted complete authority over all of India.

Key Words Governor General, Viceroy, East India Company, Regulating Act
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of 1773
Content Developer Mily Roy
Subject Coordinator Mily Roy
CIET Coordinator Indu Kumar

THE EAST INDIA COMPANY

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The British East India Company that was established in 1600 as The
Company of Merchants of London Trading into the East Indies became one
of the most powerful mercantile organizations by its sheer monopoly over
import of goods from India to Britain. The Company established its first
factory in the town of Machilipatnam on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay
of Bengal and it gradually acquired unequaled trade privileges from
the Mughal emperors. Over the years they was saw a massive expansion of
their trading operations in India with numerous trading posts being
established along the east and west coasts of India. English communities
developed around the three presidency towns of Calcutta, Bombay, and
Madras.

Coat of Arms (1608)

East India House, London Company Flag (1801)

FROM TRADE TO TERRITORY

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Painting depicting an official of the Company Ships in Bombay Harbour, 1731

During its first century of operation the focus of the Company was trade, but
eventually its interests turned from trade to territory during the 18th century, as
the power of the Mughal emperors began to weaken. The Company began to
rule large areas of India with its own private armies, exercising military power
and assuming administrative functions. The Battle of Plassey and Battle of Buxar,
which led to the defeat of Indian powers, left the company in control
of Bengal and a major military and political power in India. The rule of the
British East India Company effectively began in 1757 and lasted till 1858 when,
following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the Government of India Act 1858 led to
the British Crown assuming direct contol of India.

Capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor

OFFICE OF GOVERNOR GENERAL AND VICEROY

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The Regulating Act of 1773 created the office with the title of Governor-General
of Bengal who was appointed by the Court of Directors of the East India
Company (EIC) to whom he was responsible. The office was re-designated with
title of Governor General of India. Lord Warren Hastings was the first Governor
General. After the1857 Uprising Company rule was brought to an end, and
the British India along with princely states came under the direct rule of the
Crown. Following the adoption of the Government of India Act of 1858, the
Governor-General as representing the Crown came to be known as the Viceroy.
The Viceroy was appointed by the sovereign on the advice of the British
government. He was the direct representative of the Crown who dealt with
the princely states of India, and whose relationship was not with the British
government, but directly with the monarch.

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TIMELINE OF GOVERNOR GENERALS 1773-1857

GOVERNOR GENERAL PERIOD EVENTS/CONTRIBUTIONS/REFORMS

WARREN HASTINGS 1773-  First Governor General of Bengal

1785  Stopped Dual System of
government in Bengal
 Establishment of Board of Revenue
in Calcutta
 Abolished the systems of dastaks
or free passes
 Stopped the annual payment given
to Shah Alam II, Mughal Emperor
 Known for his expansionist policy-
the Rohilla war, the First Anglo
Maratha war and the Second
Anglo-Mysore war
 Establishment of civil court and
criminal court in each district
 Moved treasury from Murshidabad
to Calcutta
 The Asiatic Society of Bengal was
founded during his tenure

Warren Hastings with his wife

Memorial of Warren Hastings in Daylesford
Marianne
Churchyard

SIR JOHN
MACPHERSON 1785- He held the post temporarily
1768

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LORD CORNWALLIS

1786-  Introduced the Permanent

1793 Settlement of Bengal to establish
permanent zamindari rights to
collect land revenue.
 Introduced a number of rules and
regualtions to curb corruption in
the Company
 Set up courts at the district, state
and provincial levels. 4 provincial
courts were set up in Dhaks,
Calcutta, Murshidabad and Patna.
 Reorganization of police
administration.
 Third Anglo-Mysore war and defeat
of Tipu Sultan.

Statue of Cornwallis in Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

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Cornwallis receiving Tipu
Sultan’s sons as hostages.

SIR JOHN SHORE

1793-  Considered an expert in
1798 revenue matters
 Was revenue adviser to
Warren Hastings
 Policy of Non-intervention
 Charter Act of 1793

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SIR ALURED CLARKE 1798

LORD WELLESLEY 1798-  Introduction of Subsidiary

1805 Alliance System
 Fourth Anglo Mysore War
1799
 Second Anglo-Maratha War (
1803–05 )
 Founded Fort William College
at Calcutta
 Formation of Madras
Presidency

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SIR GEORGE BARLOW
1805- Mutiny of Vellore took place in 1806
in which a large number of British
1807
soldiers were wounded or killed by
Indian sepoys.

Pillar commemorating the Vellore sepoy Mutiny.

LORD MINTO I
 He concluded the Treaty of
Amritsar (1809) with Maharaja
Ranjit Singh to define their regions
occupied in the Punjab.
 Charter Act of 1813

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LORD HASTINGS
1813-  Known for his aggressive
1823 imperialist policies
 Treaty of Sagauli with Nepal in
1816
 Suppression of the Pindaris
 Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817-
1818)
 Establishment of Ryotwari System
in Madras and Mahalwari System
in Central India, Punjab And
Western UP
 Encouraged the foundation of
vernacular schools

LORD AMHERST 1823-

1828  First Anglo Burmese War (1824-
26)

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LORD WILLIAM
BENTINCK 1828-  Known as the Liberal Governor
1835 General.
 Charter Act of 1833
 Started the practice of appointing
Indians in Company’s service
 Abolished the provincial courts of
appeal
 Prohibition of practice of sati in
1829.
 Suppression of the ‘thugs’,who
were hereditary robbers.
 Introduction of English Education,
 Foundation of the Calcutta
Medical College.

Lady William Cavendish-Bentinck

SIR CHARLES
METCALFE
1835- Abolition Of Press restrictions
1836

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 Portrait of Akbar II with Sir Charles Metcalf and
court dignitaries

LORD AUCKLAND 1836-

1842 First Anglo-Afghan War

LORD 1842-
ELLENBOROUGH 1844

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SIR HENRY HARDINGE 1844-  First Anglo-Sikh war in 1845
1848  Treaty of Amritsar in 1846

Statue of Hardinge in Calcutta

LORD DALHOUSIE 1848-
1856  Doctrine of Lapse
 Introduced the Electric Telegraph
System in India in 1852
 Charles Wood Dispatch of 1854” to
India reorganizing the whole
structure of education.
 Second Anglo-Burmese War
 First Railway line connecting
Bombay and Thane
 Post Office Act, 1854
 Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act,
1856
 Established Public Works
Department
 Established Engineering College
at Roorkee
 established separate Public Works
Department
 Abolished the practice of human
sacrifice
 Passed the Widow Remarriage Act
in 1855

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Susan Hay, wife of
Lord Dalhousie Portrait of Lord Dalhousie by John Watson-Gordon,
1847.
.

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ACTIVITY 1

Place the information given below in the relevant column.

CIET: Drag and drop the information given below.

GOVERNOR EVENT/CONTRIBUTION/REFORM
GENERAL

Lord Dalhousie

Sir Charles Metcalfe

Lord William Bentinck

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Warren Hastings

Lord Wellesley

OPTIONS

Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance System

Introduced the Electric Telegraph System in India in 1852

Prohibition of practice of sati in 1829

First Governor General

Abolition of Press restrictions

Correct Answer

Lord Dalhousie : Introduced the Electric Telegraph System in

India in 1852

Sir Charles Metcalfe: Abolition of Press restrictions

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 Lord William Bentinck: Prohibition of practice of sati in 1829

Warren Hastings: First Governor General

Lord Wellesley: Introduction of Subsidiary Alliance System

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/East_India_House_by
_Thomas_Malton_the_Younger.jpg/220px-
East_India_House_by_Thomas_Malton_the_Younger.jpg

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