British in India

East India CompanyJoint-stock company

Cotton, tea, opium, silk, indigo dye

Controlled large parts of India 1757 – 1858

Special relationship with British government Gave it a monopoly

Fought with other countries – wanted permanent ports in India

Treaty with Jahangir 1615 – arranged with

Emperor Jahangir (Akbar’s son) for permanent trading posts

Sarat, Madras, Calcutta

However, things were not always so peaceful…

Sir Robert CliveBorn in Shropshire, England

Expelled from 3 schools

However, excellent soldier

Largely credited with having established British supremacy in India

Clive goes to India…India had become divided after Aurangzeb’s

death

Black Hole of CalcuttaAlleged 123 out of 146 died

Battle of PlasseyClive defeats Mughal-led

army

To the victor goes the spoils

East India Company receives 2.5 million pounds and the power to tax

Clive becomes Governor of Bengal

Clive given 30,000 poundsClive tries to steal as much local wealth as possible –

eventually gets put on trial:“"A great prince was dependent on my pleasure, an

opulent city lay at my mercy; its richest bankers bid against each other for my smiles; I walked through vaults which were thrown open to me alone, piled on either hand with gold and jewels! Mr. Chairman, at this moment I stand astonished at my own moderation”- Clive at his impeachment trial

Bengal Famine 17701772 – Company established

capital in Calcutta and becomes directly involved in governance

Famine estimated to have killed 1/3 of the population – about 10-15 million people

Increased taxes by 3-4 timesFood brought out of the country

Also enacted policies to prevent reserve supplies

Not all bad…Railroads

Universities

Cities

Democracy

English Language

Aftermath1858 – Company rule handed over to Britain –

India becomes part of British empire

1916 – Gandhi leads struggle for independence

1947 – independence grantedPartition (divided) India and Pakistan

250,000 – 500,00 deaths