Arrival Of The British

Question 1

East India Company

Answer 1

• Private Trading Company
• Queen Elizabeth 1, gave permission to a group of merchants to trade in India.
• EIC, got permission from Shah Jahan in 1608, and spent 4 years establishing infrastructure.
• They set up factories in Bombay, Chennai, Calcutta.
• Officially started business in 1612.
• Went to watch with Aurangzeb in 1618, but were defeated and pardoned.
• Over time they gained power, and kicked out the Fench, Dutch, and the Portuguese.
• They traded and were interested in; spices, opium, cotton, yarn, sugar, and Jewels
• As the Mughals’ power dwindled, they became ever stronger.

Question 2

Robert Clive (1725-1774)

Answer 2

• Humble beginnings, rise through the ranks
• Military Genius
• contributed greatly to British success and power
• Won the battles of Buxer, Plassey, Arcot, and Pondicherry.
• Boredom was his big problem, and he attempted suicide thrice
• Eventually slitted his own throat

Question 3

Black Hole Of Calcutta (1756)

Answer 3

• British fortified their residency, which was against their agreement with Nawab Siraj ud Daula.
• So he attacked and captured Fort William.
• There he cramped 64 captives in a confined room.
• By morning 23 had been killed.

Question 4

Battle Of Plassey (1757)

Answer 4

• Subsequent to the Black Hole, Robert Clive wanted revenge.
• Captured Nawab’s bunting lodge in Plassey.
• Nawab retaliated, with an army of 50,000.
• The battle began at 6 o Clock in the morning.
• The outcome saw Nawab defeated.
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• Factors contributing to the outcome were;
  1) Mir Jafer, his general’s betrayal. (Bribed)
  2) It rained the previous night(wetting the gunpowder, rendering it Nugatory)
  3) The pound cannons and flint lock pistols, startling the elephants, who trampled over the troops.
• In the after math Nawab was captured and killed.
• Mir Jafer, was made the new Nawab of Bengal.
• Robert Clive exploited Bengal.
• Shah Alam and Mir Qasim tried to overthrow British rule but were defeated in the Battle of Buxer in 1764

Question 5

Exploitation Of Bengal And Act Of Parliament(1773) And The Pitts India Act(1784)

Answer 5

• EIC caused corruption and anarchy.
• They forced people to present them with gifts.

- exploited the poor.
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1773
- The British acted by passing an Act Of Parliament, which required the EIC, to govern justly.
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1784
- Pitts India Act was passed which took away the EIC’s administrative control.
- This included;

1) The British Govt. taking full control.
2) A Govn General was appointed to control the 3 bases(Madras, Bombay, Calcutta)
3) Provincial Governors
4) Commander in chief
5) New Legal and civil system.
- EIC was restricted to trade
- This was done to restore British reputation.

Question 6

Tips Sultan

Answer 6

• Lion of India
• Ruler is Mysore
• Enemy of the British
• Gave education to his people
• gave up his own lands
• killed in type battle of Mysore

Question 7

Annexation of Sindh (1843)

Answer 7

• Russian expansion( British didn’t want Afghanistan to fall into Russian hands, as they could then attack India)
• They wanted help from Ranjit Singh(Punjab), to install a pro British rule in Afghanistan, but he refused.
• They then advanced themselves.
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• In 1841, a rebellion had killed all the British troops they had sent, which humiliated them.
• So they went after Sindh(easy target) to restore their reputation.
• Sindh was ruled by Amirs, who were under British allegiance.
• So Sir Charles Napier provokes them, and they attacked the British, giving them the excuse they needed to retaliate.
• The British then defeated them, and they captured Sindh.

Question 8

Annexation Of Punjab (1849)

Answer 8

• After Ranjit Singh’s death, there were arguments of succession, amongst the Sikh.
• In fear of the British occupying Punjab the Sikhs attacked them ferociously but were defeated, in the BATTLE OF ALIWAL.
• This was followed by the TREATY OF LAHORE.
• Gulab Singh Dogra, helped the British annex Punjab, and in return was given Jammu and Kashmir.

Question 9

Doctrine Of Lapse

Answer 9

• Gulab Singh Dogra
• If any Nawab or ruler died without a male heir, their lands would be annexed by the British.
• However the annexed lands, disregarding the presence of male heirs.