The growth of European empires was not trouble free.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2021). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The Mutiny broke out among the 'sepoys' in the Bengal army of the East India Company.
2. [1] It broke out in 1857.
3. [1] The mutiny began in Meerut but spread more widely.
4. [1] The soldiers were issued bullets greased with cow or pig fat which offended those following the Hindu and Muslim religions.
5. [1] The concerns of the sepoys were ignored.
6. [1] Many Indians were discontented with British rule.
7. [1] The city of Lucknow was destroyed in the fighting and reprisals which followed.
8. [1] Many Chinese people became addicted to opium.
9. [1] The trade continued because it was valuable to the British.
10. [1] The British wanted trade with China to buy valuable goods such as silk and tea.
11. [1] The opium trade encouraged illegal activities such as smuggling.
12. [1] The opium trade had negative consequences for China.
13. [4-5] The opium trade was damaging to China because opium addiction increased during the Qing dynasty. It became such a problem that the Emperor prohibited the sale and smoking of opium. However, the trade continued and in 1796 the Jiaqing emperor outlawed opium importation and cultivation to try to prevent this from happening.
14. [1] Nearly 10 million native people died under Belgian rule in the Congo.
15. [1] Native peoples were often forced to work as slaves or in near slave conditions.
16. [1] The health and education of native peoples was ignored.
17. [1] The British built hospitals and schools.
18. [1] Some local producers benefited from the development of trade.
19. [1] In French colonies the native peoples were assimilated and gained rights as French citizens.
20. [1] Native peoples were treated badly in many colonies.
21. [7-9] In some colonies native peoples were treated harshly. For example, in the Congo there were many human rights abuses against the native peoples and almost 10 million died under Leopold's rule. Native peoples, even children, were forced to work as slaves in rubber plantations. They were treated brutally if they did not meet their work targets.
22. [7-9] Native peoples were not always treated harshly. The British built roads, railways, schools and hospitals and this generally improved the standard of living of native peoples by increasing their mobility, improving their health and giving them an education. There were benefits to the native peoples from trade. Raw materials such as bananas, palm oil, rubber, cocoa and tea were exchanged for manufactured goods.