From Trade to Territory

This history chapter traces how the English East India Company, a trading company given a charter by Queen Elizabeth I in 1600, became the ruler of large parts of India. You will see how the Company competed with the Portuguese, Dutch and French, set up its first factory on the banks of the Hugli in 1651, and quarrelled with the nawabs of Bengal over trade privileges. The Battle of Plassey in 1757, where Robert Clive defeated Sirajuddaulah with the help of Mir Jafar, and the Battle of Buxar in 1764 made the Company powerful, and in 1765 the Mughal emperor gave it the Diwani of Bengal, the right to collect revenue. You will then learn how the Company expanded through wars against Tipu Sultan of Mysore and the Marathas, and through policies such as subsidiary alliance under Lord Wellesley, paramountcy under Lord Hastings and the Doctrine of Lapse under Lord Dalhousie, which led to the annexation of Jhansi, Nagpur and finally Awadh in 1856. The chapter also explains the new administration of presidencies, collectors, courts and the Company army.

Detailed Worksheet: From Trade to Territory Section A - Definitions (10 marks) 1. What was a royal charter? What did the charter of 1600 allow the East India Company to do? (2 marks) 2. What was a farman? How did the farman of 1717 help the Company? (2 marks) 3. What was the Diwani? When and from whom did the Company obtain the Diwani of Bengal? (2 marks) 4. What was the subsidiary alliance? Who introduced it? (2 marks) 5. What was the Doctrine of Lapse? Name two states annexed under it. (2 marks) Section B - Calculations and Applications (15 marks) 6. Arrange these events in chronological order and write the year of each: Battle of Buxar, grant of Diwani, Battle of Plassey, death of Aurangzeb, Company charter, annexation of Awadh. (3 marks) 7. Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore from 1782 to 1799, and his father Haidar Ali from 1761 to 1782. For how many years did each rule? Name the battle or event that ended Tipu's rule and its year. (3 marks) 8. The four Anglo-Mysore wars were fought in 1767-69, 1780-84, 1790-92 and 1799. Find the total time span from the start of the first to the end of the last war. What was the final result? (3 marks) 9. Match each Governor-General with his policy or action: Lord Wellesley, Lord Hastings, Lord Dalhousie, Warren Hastings. Policies: (i) Doctrine of Lapse (ii) subsidiary alliance (iii) paramountcy (iv) judicial reforms of 1772 with two courts in each district. (3 marks) 10. Lord Dalhousie annexed Satara (1848), Sambalpur (1850), Udaipur (1852), Nagpur (1853) and Jhansi (1854). How many states did he annex under the Doctrine of Lapse between 1848 and 1854? How many years after the annexation of Jhansi was Awadh annexed, and on what ground? (3 marks) Section C - Diagrams (10 marks) 11. On an outline map of India, mark the three presidencies of Bengal, Madras and Bombay, along with Plassey, Buxar, Seringapatam and Awadh. (4 marks) 12. Draw a flowchart showing the steps by which the Company moved from trade to political power in Bengal between 1651 and 1765. (3 marks) 13. Draw a timeline from 1750 to 1860 marking at least six major events of Company expansion. (3 marks) Section D - Analysis and Higher-order Thinking (15 marks) 14. Explain the causes of conflict between the Company and the nawabs of Bengal. Why was the Battle of Plassey important for the Company? (5 marks) 15. Why did the Company see Tipu Sultan as a dangerous enemy? Describe the steps Tipu took to strengthen Mysore, and how the Company finally defeated him. (5 marks) 16. Describe the main changes the Company made in administration and in the army. How did the new system of courts work after 1772? (5 marks) Instructions: Time allowed 2 hours. Attempt all sections. Write dates accurately and use outline maps where asked.