The British became successful in establishing rule in India after the battle of Plassey and buxar -explain
Answers
Answer:
Did you know that the British originally came as a small trading company and were reluctant to
acquire territories? How then did they come to be masters of a vast empire? In this chapter you will
see how this came about and also learn how East India Company came into power, how trade
expanded, how new rules for business were implemented, and also about The Battle of Plassey,
etc. With the help of these CBSE Class 8 Social Science History notes for Chapter 2 - From Trade
to Territory, students can write their History exam confidently.
Overview
The last powerful Mughal ruler was Aurangzeb and after his death in 1707, many Mughal
governors (subadars) and big zamindars began asserting their authority and establishing regional
kingdoms. By the second half of the eighteenth century, a new power emerged on the political
horizon – the British.
East India Company Comes East
The East India Company, in 1600, acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I,
granting the Company sole right to trade with the East. According to the charter, the Company
could venture across the oceans, looking for new lands to buy goods at a cheaper price, and carry
them back to Europe to sell at higher prices. The Portuguese established their presence on the
western coast of India and had their base in Goa. By the early seventeenth century, the Dutch were
exploring the possibilities of trade in the Indian Ocean and very soon the French arrived on the
scene.
All the companies are interested in buying the same things. The fine qualities of cotton, silk,
pepper, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon were in great demand. The urge to secure markets led to
fierce battles between the trading companies. Trade was carried on with arms and trading posts
were protected through fortification.
East India Company begins trade in Bengal
In 1651, the first English factory was set up. It was the base from which the Company’s traders,
known as “factors”, operated. In the warehouse of the factory, goods for export were stored. The
Company by 1696 built a fort around the settlement. The Company continuously tried to press for
more concessions and manipulate existing privileges.
How trade led to battles
The conflict between the Company and the nawabs of Bengal intensified. The Bengal nawabs
refused to grant the Company concessions, demanded large tributes for the Company’s right to
trade, denied it any right to mint coins, and stopped it from extending its fortifications. They also
claimed that the Company was depriving the Bengal government of huge amounts of revenue and
undermining the authority of the nawab. The conflicts led to confrontations and finally culminated in
the famous Battle of Plassey.