Class 8 History - From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power

Introduction

• Chapter Overview: British East India Company's transformation from a trading entity to a colonial power in India.
• Relevance: Understanding how modern Indian history and British colonialism are interconnected.

Chapter Highlights

The Arrival of the British East India Company

• Primary Objective: Initially for trade purposes, focused on spices, silk, and cotton from India.
• Initial Settlement: Established trade posts and factories, most notably in Bengal.

Expansion of British Power

Military Conflicts and Strategies

• Battle of Plassey (1757): Victory marked the beginning of British political control in India.
• Battle of Buxar (1764): Further consolidated British power, leading to the acquisition of Diwani rights in Bengal.

Administrative Policies

• Subsidiary Alliance: Introduced by Richard Wellesley, forced Indian rulers to follow British guidelines and disallow their own armed forces.
• Doctrine of Lapse: Introduced by Lord Dalhousie, allowed the British to annex any Indian state without a direct male heir.
• Claim to Paramountcy: Asserted British supremacy over Indian states, used to justify annexation.

Administrative Units

• Presidencies: Bengal, Madras, and Bombay presidencies each headed by a Governor and supervised by the Governor-General of India.
• District Administration: Introduction of the role of the District Collector, responsible for revenue collection and law and order.

Resistance and Rebellion

Key Figures and Events

• Rani Chennamma: Led an anti-British resistance movement in Kittur, arrested in 1824, died in 1829.
• Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Ruled Punjab, his death in 1839 led to British annexation of Punjab.
• First War of Independence (1857): Revolts against British policies such as the Doctrine of Lapse and Subsidiary Alliance.
• Anglo-Mysore Wars: Series of conflicts with rulers like Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan, resulting in British dominance over Mysore.
• Anglo-Maratha Wars: Led to the collapse of the Maratha Empire and British control over significant territories.

Transformations in Military and Justice Systems

Military Reforms

• Shift from Cavalry to Infantry: Due to advancements in warfare technology, focused on training infantry with modern arms.
• Uniform Military Culture: Implemented European-style training, drills, and discipline.

Judicial Reforms

• Court System: Introduction of criminal (Faujdari Adalat) and civil courts (Diwani Adalat), supervised by European officials.
• District Administration: Districts became the main administrative units, headed by Collectors responsible for revenue and law and order.

Conclusion

• British Territorial Expansion: By 1857, the British controlled 63% of Indian territory and governed 78% of the population.
• Role of Technology: Advances like steamships reduced travel time, strengthening British hold over India.
• Impact of Policies: Subsidiary Alliance, Doctrine of Lapse, and military reforms played crucial roles in British expansion.

Key Terms

• Diwani Rights: The right to collect revenue and taxes.
• Subsidiary Alliance: An alliance system forcing Indian rulers to disband their armed forces and pay for British forces.
• Doctrine of Lapse: Policy of annexing states without a male heir.
• Paramountcy: Assertion of British supremacy over Indian states.
• Presidencies: Administrative units (Bengal, Madras, Bombay) under British control.
• District Collector: Official responsible for revenue and law and order in a district.
• Faujdari Adalat: Criminal court.
• Diwani Adalat: Civil court.