From Trade to Territory Class 8 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 2

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Last Updated on March 23, 2024 by XAM CONTENT

Here you will find revision notes for CBSE Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 2 From Trade to Territory. It is a part of Revision Notes for CBSE Class 8 Social Science Series.

From Trade to Territory Class 8 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 2 (PDF Download)

Notes

  • The British originally came to India with the objective of trade but gradually annexed major territories of our land to become the supreme masters.
  • In 1600, the East India Company acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I, granting it the sole right to trade with the East.
  • However, this charter could not prevent other European powers from entering the Eastern markets and hence the British had to compete with other European powers like French, Portuguese and Dutch who had also come to India for trade.
  • The first English factory was set up on the banks of the river Hugli in 1651.
  • The Company started building settlements around the factory and bribed Mughal officials into giving the Company zamindari rights over three villages, one of them being Kalikata which later became Calcutta.
  • The Company soon got into conflicts with the local Nawabs as the British were reluctant to pay taxes for their trade. Their practice to trade duty free resulted in enormous loss of revenue in Bengal.
  • The conflicts led to confrontations and finally culminated to the famous Battle of Plassey in 1757 with the defeat of Nawab Sirajuddaulah.
  • In 1765, the Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal which was a major turning point for the British. It allowed the Company to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal. This revenue was now used by the Company to purchase cotton and silk in India while meeting the cost of further fortifications.
  • The Company started to expand its power by annexing more land. After the Battle of Buxar (1764), the Company appointed Residents in Indian states.
  • After the introduction of “subsidiary alliance”, many territories were ceded by the British.
  • Down south in Mysore, Tipu Sultan stopped the export of sandalwood, pepper and cardamom through the ports of his kingdom, and disallowed local merchants from trading with the Company in 1785 which infuriated the British and resulted in four battles. In the last battle, the Company defeated Tipu and forcibly imposed a subsidiary alliance on the state.
  • In a similar way, from the late eighteenth century the Company also sought to curb and eventually destroy Maratha power.
  • Under Lord Hastings (Governor-General from 1813 to 1823), a new policy of “paramountcy” was initiated which held the British as supreme and all powerful.
  • In the late 1830s, the East India Company worried that Russia might invade India from the north-west and hence they started annexing land in the northwestern parts of India. Afghanistan, Sind and ultimately Punjab was captured on this pretext.
  • The final wave of annexations occurred under Lord Dalhousie when he introduced the Doctrine of Lapse.
  • In 1856, Awadh was taken over on the pretext of ‘misgovernment’.
  • New administrative reforms were undertaken and British territories were broadly divided into administrative units called Presidencies.
  • From 1772 a new system of justice was established where each district was to have two courts – a criminal court and a civil court.
  • The Collector became an important figure and the administration of each district was at his disposal.
  • Major reforms were brought about in the army of the Company where cavalry was replaced with infantry regiments.
  • Indian soldiers were subject to European training and discipline which created several caste and community tensions culminating the revolt of 1857.
  • By 1857, the Company came to exercise direct rule over about 63 per cent of the territory and 78 per cent of the population of the Indian subcontinent.

Important Keywords

  • Charter (noun): a document issued by the government that gives rights to a person or group. Origin: Middle English charter.
  • Venture: (verb): to start something new. Origin: Middle English venteren.
  • Fortification (noun): to build or strengthen a structure. Origin: Late Latin fortificare.
  • Culminated (verb): to result in something. Origin: Medieval Latin culminates.
  • Negotiation (noun) trying to reach an agreement. Origin: Latin negotiari.
  • Confederacy: Alliance
  • Mufti: A jurist of the Muslim community responsible for expounding the law that the Qazi would administer.
  • Misgovernments: It means malfunctioning of government or administration.
  • Paramountcy: Supreme power.
  • Misgovernments: A heavy gun used by infanty soldiers.
  • Matchlock: An early type of gun in which the powder was ignited by a match.

Important Dates

  • 1600 : The East India Company acquired a charter from the ruler of England, Queen Elizabeth I, granting it the sole right to trade with the East.
  • 1498 : Vasco da Gama discovered the sea route to India via Cape of Good Hope.
  • 1651 : The first English factory was set up on the banks of the river Hugli.
  • 1757 : Battle of Plassey
  • 1765 : Mir Jafar Died. The Mughal emperor appointed the Company as the Diwan of the provinces of Bengal.
  • 1764 : Robert Clive was appointed the Governor of Bengal.
  • 1764 : Battle of Buxar
  • 1785 : Tipu Sultan stopped the export of sandalwood, pepper and cardamom through the ports of his kingdom, and disallowed local merchants from trading with the Company.
  • 1761 : Third Battle of Panipat
  • 1849 : Punjab was annexed.
  • 1856 : Company took over Awadh.
  • 1857 : The Revolt of 1857 began.
  • 1772 : A new system of justice was established.

We hope the given revision notes for From Trade to Territory helps you in your learning.

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CBSE Class 8 Social Science Revision Notes for all chapter

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