The British East India Company set up trading Posts in India. The French, Portuguese, Danish and the Dutch also set up trading settlements. The Portuguese were the first of European Powers to establish trading settlements in India.
Full Answer
What factors led to the British takeover of India?
The British East India Company and Robert Clive were major factors in the British takeover of India. The British East India Company set up trading Posts in India. The French, Portuguese, Danish and the Dutch also set up trading settlements. The Portuguese were the first of European Powers to establish trading settlements in India.
When did the British start trading in India?
Britain had been trading in India since about 1600, but it did not begin to seize large sections of land until 1757, after the Battle of Plassey. This battle pitted 3,000 soldiers of the British East India Company against the 50,000-strong army of the young Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah, and his French East India Company allies.
Which countries set up trading settlements in India?
The French, Portuguese, Danish and the Dutch also set up trading settlements. The Portuguese were the first of European Powers to establish trading settlements in India. British and French conflicts in the mid 1700s were echoed in conflicts between the respective trading companies and their clients and benefactors in India.
When did the British rule India?
Britain ruled major parts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from 1858 to 1947, a period known as the British Raj. Britain ruled major parts of India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh from 1858 to 1947, a period known as the British Raj. Menu Home The British Raj in India
Did Britain establish colonies in India?
The British Raj refers to the direct rule of the British crown over its colonial holdings in India. Although English colonial ventures had begun centuries before, it was not until the Indian Rebellion of 1857 when the British Government directly administered the subcontinent.
What was created by British India?
Independence from British rule was achieved in 1947 with the formation of two nations, the Dominions of India and Pakistan, the latter including East Bengal, present-day Bangladesh.
How did India develop during the British rule?
Under British rule, India's share of the world economy declined from 24.4% in 1700 down to 4.2% in 1950. India's GDP (PPP) per capita was stagnant during the Mughal Empire and began to decline prior to the onset of British rule. India's share of global industrial output declined from 25% in 1750 down to 2% in 1900.
What did the British do to India?
In addition to decimating the economy, the British inflicted massive suffering on the Indian people. Tharoor estimates that some 35 million Indians died because of British policy in a succession of famines.
How did India benefit from British rule?
Improvement of government in the native states. Security of life and property. Services of educated administrators, who have achieved these results. Materially: Loans for railways and irrigation. Development of a few valuable products, such as indigo, tea, coffee, silk, etc.
What changes did Britain make in India?
New laws like the Regulating Act of 1773, Pitts India Act 1784, various Charter Acts etc led to the constitutional development. On the administration part, too various changes were introduced – particularly the revenue administration, civil services, police, army, and judicial services.
What if India was never colonized?
World War II wouldn't have affected India India had always been a peaceful nation and would have nothing to with the World War II had it not been under the rule of the British. More than two million sons of our soil were sent to fight the Axis powers in a war we had nothing to do with.
How did British exploit India?
The British officers exploited Indians in many ways. They imposed heavy taxes on Indians farmers and reduced import duty on goods manufactured in England and imported to India. Even they cut the thumbs of expert artisans.
Was India rich before British rule?
From the 1st century CE to the start of British colonisation in India in the 17th century, India's GDP was between about 25 and 35% of the world's total GDP, which dropped to 2% by Independence of India in 1947.
What was India before British rule?
Before the advent of colonial rule, India was a self-sufficient and flourishing economy. Evidently, our country was popularly known as the golden eagle. India had already established itself on the world map with a decent amount of exports.
What was one positive result of the British Raj rule in India?
What was one positive result of the British raj's rule in India? India had a developed infrastructure, including railroads and communications. the materials used to make rifle cartridges.
What was British imperialism in India?
Throughout the late 1700s, the British East India Company expanded its control over large sections of eastern India from its main base in Bengal. For example, by the mid-1800s, the company had come to control all of the Indian subcontinent and ruled over the country through direct administration.
When did Britain begin trading with India?
Britain had been trading in India since about 1600, but it did not begin to seize large sections of land until 1757, after the Battle of Plassey. This battle pitted 3,000 soldiers of the British East India Company against the 50,000-strong army of the young Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah, and his French East India Company allies. 3
How long did the British rule India?
Consider the fact that Indian written history stretches back almost 4,000 years, to the civilization centers of the Indus Valley Culture at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. Also, by 1850, India had a population of at least 200 million. 1 .
How much of India was controlled by the British Raj?
It should be noted that the British Raj included only about two-thirds of modern India, with the other portions under the control of local princes. However, Britain exerted great pressure on these princes, effectively controlling all of India.
How many people died in the Bengal famine?
While British soldiers and traders made their fortunes, the Indians starved. Between 1770 and 1773, about 10 million people (one-third of the population) died of famine in Bengal. 4 .
What did the British think of their rule?
The British thought of their rule as a form of "autocratic paternalism.". The British also created "divide and rule" policies, pitting Hindu and Muslim Indians against one another. In 1905, the colonial government divided Bengal into Hindu and Muslim sections; this division was revoked after strong protests.
What did Queen Victoria promise to the British government?
Queen Victoria promised that the British government would work to "better" its Indian subjects. To the British, this meant educating the Indians in British modes of thought and stamping out cultural practices such as sati —the practice of immolating a widow on the death of her husband.
What happened to the British after the Mughal rebellion?
Following the rebellion, the British government abolished the remaining vestiges of the Mughal Dynasty and the East India Company. The Emperor, Bahadur Shah, was convicted of sedition and exiled to Burma .
What was the colonial Indian subcontinent?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Colonial India was the part of the Indian subcontinent that was under the jurisdiction of European colonial powers during the Age of Discovery. European power was exerted both by conquest and trade, especially in spices.
What was the part of the Indian subcontinent that was under the jurisdiction of European colonial powers during the Age of?
Timeline. v. t. e. Colonial India was the part of the Indian subcontinent that was under the jurisdiction of European colonial powers during the Age of Discovery. European power was exerted both by conquest and trade, especially in spices.
What was the main base of the Dutch in India?
The next to arrive were the Dutch, with their main base in Ceylon. Their expansion into India was halted, after their defeat in the Battle of Colachel by the Kingdom of Travancore, during the Travancore-Dutch War . Trading rivalries among the seafaring European powers brought other European powers to India.
What European powers were involved in the trade of India?
Trading rivalries among the seafaring European powers brought other European powers to India. The Dutch Republic, England, France, and Denmark-Norway all established trading posts in India in the early 17th century. As the Mughal Empire disintegrated in the early 18th century, and then as the Maratha Empire became weakened after the third battle of Panipat, many relatively weak and unstable Indian states which emerged were increasingly open to manipulation by the Europeans, through dependent Indian rulers.
How did the famines affect India?
India suffered a series of crop failures in the late 19th century, leading to widespread famines in which at least ten million people died. Responding to earlier famines as threats to the stability of their control, the East India Company had already begun to concern itself with famine prevention during the early colonial period. This greatly expanded during the Raj, in which commissions were set up after each famine to investigate the causes and implement new policies, which took until the early 1900s to have an effect.
When did Portugal conquer India?
In 1571, the Portuguese were defeated by the Zamorin forces in the battle at Chaliyam Fort. Ruins of the Portuguese built St Thomas Fort at Tangasseri in Kollam city , est. in 1518. Though Portugal 's presence in India initially started in 1498, their colonial rule lasted from 1505 until 1961.
Which kingdom was the first Portuguese colony?
The ruler of the Kingdom of Tanur, who was a vassal to the Zamorin of Calicut, sided with the Portuguese, against his overlord at Kozhikode. As a result, the Kingdom of Tanur ( Vettathunadu) became one of the earliest Portuguese Colonies in India. The ruler of Tanur also sided with Cochin.
What are the straits settlements?
Straits Settlements, former British crown colony on the Strait of Malacca, comprising four trade centres, Penang, Singapore, Malacca, and Labuan, established or taken over by the British East India Company.
When was Penang established?
The British settlement at Penang was founded in 1786, at Singapore in 1819; Malacca, occupied by the British during the Napoleonic Wars, was transferred to the East India Company in 1824. The three territories were established as a crown colony in 1867.
When did Labuan become part of Singapore?
Labuan, which became part of Singapore Settlement in 1907, was constituted a fourth separate settlement in 1912. The Straits colony, occupied by Japanese during World War II, was broken up in 1946, when Singapore became a separate crown colony.
Who advised London to deviate from the rule?
IN 1959, THE BRITISH GOVERNOR OF BOMBAY, LORD “ ELPHINSTON” ADVISED LONDON THE ROMAN MAXIM “ DEVIDE ET IMPERA” ( Devide and rule) WILL BE OURS.
What was the revolt of 1857 called?
The revolt of 1857 called by britishers as Sepoy mutiny or 1857 revolt and we call it First war of Independence . After 1850s, England started investing large amounts of capital in Railways, shipping, banking, loans to govt of India, coal mining and little amount in tea gardens. They were in no mood to lose their investment on account of follies of East India Company. The bosses at London thought it was the high time to transfer the power from East India Company to British crown by INDIA ACT and the power to govern India had been transferred to crown on 28th June, 1858 headed by GOVERNOR GENERAL directly answerable to British parliament.
What was the first thing that the Meerut mutineers did?
Anyway, one of the first thing that was done by the Meerut mutineers was to come to Delhi and proclaim Bahadur Shah Zafar as the Emperor of India, which he accepted reluctantly.
What were the tactics used by the British?
The hai subsidy, reservation in politics, communal award and the biggest partition of bengal were all the tactics used by the British.
Was India a concept in 1857?
There was no concept of India in 1857 and the guy who got his title stripped by British and exiled tk Yangon would have been restored as the emperor. That was the revolutionaries goal. He was their unanimously chosen leader.
Which country held the colonial possessions of India?
Denmark–Norway held colonial possessions in India for more than 200 years, including the town of Tharangambadi in present-day Tamil Nadu state, Serampore in present-day West Bengal, and the Nicobar Islands, currently part of India's union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Danish and Norwegian presence in India was ...
What was the name of the Danish colony in India?
Danish India was the name given to the colonies of Denmark ( Denmark–Norway before 1814) in India, forming part of the Danish colonial empire. Denmark–Norway held colonial possessions in India for more than 200 years, including the town of Tharangambadi in present-day Tamil Nadu state, Serampore in present-day West Bengal, and the Nicobar Islands, currently part of India's union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Danish and Norwegian presence in India was of little significance to the major European powers as they presented neither a military nor a mercantile threat. Dano-Norwegian ventures in India, as elsewhere, were typically undercapitalised and never able to dominate or monopolise trade routes in the same way that British, French, and Portuguese ventures could.
What was the Dutch influence in 1640?
Dutch influence (1640-1649) 1640 – Denmark-Norway attempt to sell Fort Danesborg to the Dutch for a second time. 1642 – Danish-Norway colony declares war on Mogul Empire and commences raiding ships in the Bay of Bengal.
Which country gained independence from Denmark in 1814?
In 1814 Norway gained independence from Denmark.
When did the Nicobar Islands become Danish?
1 January 1756 – The Nicobar Islands are declared Danish-Norwegian property under the name Frederiksøerne (Frederick's Islands). 1756-1760 - All colonisation efforts on the islands fail with settlers wiped out by malaria. Danish-Norwegian claims to the islands were later sold to the British.
Who was the Danish-Norwegian leader who built a wall around the town of Bengal?
An illiterate commoner, Kongsbakke was loyal to his country and successfully held the fort under a Danish-Norwegian flag against successive sieges by the Nayak for non-payment of tribute, whilst seizing ships in the Bay of Bengal. Using the proceeds of the sale of their goods to repair his defenses, he built a wall around the town and negotiated a settlement with the Nayak.
When did the Danish-Norwegian colony arrive in Andaman Islands?
December 1755 – Danish-Norwegian settlers arrive on Andaman Islands. The colony experiences outbreaks of malaria that saw the settlement abandoned periodically until 1848, when it was abandoned for good. This sporadic occupation led to encroachments of other colonial powers onto the islands including Austria and Britain.
European Scramble For Colonies in Asia
The Battle of Plassey
- Britain had been trading in India since about 1600, but it did not begin to seize large sections of land until 1757, after the Battle of Plassey. This battle pitted 3,000 soldiers of the British East India Company against the 50,000-strong army of the young Nawab of Bengal, Siraj ud Daulah, and his French East India Company allies.3 Fighting began...
India Under The East India Company
- The East India Company was primarily interested in the trade of cotton, silk, tea, and opium, but following the Battle of Plassey, it functioned as the military authority in growing sections of India as well. By 1770, heavy Company taxation and other policies had left millions of Bengalis impoverished. While British soldiers and traders made their fortunes, the Indians starved. Betwe…
The Indian 'Mutiny' of 1857
- Many Indians were distressed by the rapid cultural changes imposed by the British. They worried that Hindu and Muslim India would be Christianized. In 1857, a new type of rifle cartridge was given to the soldiers of the British Indian Army. Rumors spread that the cartridges had been greased with pig and cow fat, an abomination to both major Indian religions. On May 10, 1857, th…
Control of India Shifts to The India Office
- Following the rebellion, the British government abolished the remaining vestiges of the Mughal Dynasty and the East India Company. The Emperor, Bahadur Shah, was convicted of sedition and exiled to Burma. Control of India was given to a British Governor-General, who reported back to the British Parliament. It should be noted that the British Raj included only about two-thirds of m…
'Autocratic Paternalism'
- Queen Victoria promised that the British government would work to "better" its Indian subjects. To the British, this meant educating the Indians in British modes of thought and stamping out cultural practices such as sati—the practice of immolating a widow on the death of her husband. The British thought of their rule as a form of "autocratic paternalism." The British also created "divid…
British India During World War I
- During World War I, Britain declared war on Germany on India's behalf, without consulting Indian leaders. About 1.5 million Indian soldiers and laborers were serving in the British Indian Army by the time of the Armistice.5 A total of 60,000 Indian soldiers were killed or reported missing.6 Although most of India rallied to the British flag, Bengal and Punjab were less easy to control. M…
British India During World War II
- When World War II broke out, India once again contributed hugely to the British war effort. In addition to troops, the princely states donated substantial amounts of cash. By the end of the war, India had an incredible volunteer army of 2.5 million men.9 About 87,000 Indian soldiers died in combat.10 The Indian independence movement was very strong by this time, and British rule …
The Struggle For Indian Independence
- Even as World War IIraged on, Gandhi and other members of the Indian National Congress (INC) demonstrated against British rule. The 1935 Government of India Act had provided for the establishment of provincial legislatures across the colony. The Act also created a federal government for the provinces and princely states and granted the right to vote to about 10% of I…
Arrests of Gandhi and Inc Leadership
- Gandhi and the INC did not trust the British envoy and demanded immediate independence in return for their cooperation. When the talks broke down, the INC launched the "Quit India" movement, calling for the immediate withdrawal of Britain from India. In response, the British arrested the INC's leadership, including Gandhi and his wife. Mass demonstrations were carried …
Overview
Colonial India was the part of the Indian subcontinent that was under the jurisdiction of European colonial powers during the Age of Discovery. European power was exerted both by conquest and trade, especially in spices. The search for the wealth and prosperity of India led to the colonisation of the Americas after Christopher Columbus went to the Americas in 1492. Only a few years lat…
French
Following the Portuguese, English, and Dutch, the French also established trading bases in India. Their first establishment was in Pondicherry on the Coromandel Coast in southeastern India in 1674. Subsequent French settlements were Chandernagore in Bengal, northeastern India in 1688, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh in 1723, Mahe in 1725, and Karaikal in 1739. The French were c…
Portuguese
Long after the decline of the Roman Empire's sea-borne trade with India, the Portuguese were the next Europeans to sail there for the purpose of trade, first arriving by ship in May 1498. The first successful voyage to India was by Vasco da Gama in 1498, when after sailing around the Cape of Good Hope he arrived in Calicut, now in Kerala. Having arrived there, he obtained from Saamoothiri Rajah permission …
Dutch
The Dutch East India Company established trading posts along different parts of the Indian coast. For some time, they controlled the Malabar southwest coast (Pallipuram, Cochin, Cochin de Baixo/Santa Cruz, Quilon (Coylan), Cannanore, Kundapura, Kayamkulam, Ponnani) and the Coromandel southeastern coast (Golkonda, Bhimunipatnam, Pulicat, Parangippettai, Negapatnam) and Surat (161…
English and British India
At the end of the 16th century, England and the United Netherlands began to challenge Portugal's monopoly of trade with Asia, forming private joint-stock companies to finance the voyages: the English (later British) East India Company, and the Dutch East India Company, which were chartered in 1600 and 1602 respectively. These companies were intended to carry on the lucrative spice tr…
Danish
Denmark–Norway held colonial possessions in India for more than 200 years, but the Danish presence in India was of little significance to the major European powers as they presented neither a military nor a mercantile threat. Denmark–Norway established trading outposts in Tranquebar, Tamil Nadu (1620), Serampore, West Bengal (1755), Calicut, Kerala (1752) and the Nicobar I…
Other external powers
The Swedish East India Company, active between 1731 and 1813, briefly possessed a factory in Parangipettai.
The Austrian colonisation of the Nicobar Islands (German: Nikobaren, renamed to the Theresia Islands [Theresia-Inseln]) involved a series of three separate attempts to colonize and settle the Nicobar Islands by the Habsburg monarchy, and later the Austrian Empire, between 1778 and 188…
Wars
The wars that took place involving the British East India Company or British India during the Colonial era:
• Anglo-Mysore Wars
• Anglo-Maratha Wars
• First Anglo-Sikh War