The British East India Company

Why did India become the focal point of the British East India trade by the end of the 17th century?

Cotton cloth woven by Indian weavers was being imported into Britain in huge quantities to supply a worldwide demand for cheap, washable, lightweight, fabrics for dresses and furnishings.

How did the British East India Company form?

It formed from Britain using India as one of its major trading posts.

Describe the two phases of the British presence in India.

Phase 1: British were a trading presence at certain points along the coast. Phase 2: They began to wage war on land in eastern and south-eastern India and to reap the reward of successful warfare, which was the exercise of political, notably over the rich province of Bengal.

What were the causes of the Indian Rebellion of 1857?

Several decades of rule by the British East India Company and the persistence of Christian missionaries had created deep concern among many Indians that the British intended to completely undermine traditional social systems.

What were the effects of the Indian Rebellion on native Indians?

The British Crown assumed direct control of the colony and eventually entertained certain reforms that gave greater voice to Indians in the government.

What were the effects of the Indian Rebellion on Britain?

The Indian Rebellion destroyed the rule of the East India Company.

Why did the British East India Company start to intervene in Indian politics beginning in the 1750s?

The Mughal Empire disintegrated into smaller states.

How did the British East India Company govern its Indian states?

The governors of the Company's commercial settlements became governors of provinces and, although the East India Company continued to trade, many of its servants became administrators in the new British regimes.

What happened as a result of the Anglo-French War?

The local ruler in Bengal took control of Calcutta. Influence changed to outright rule.