BRITISH EXPANSION 1750 TO 1850

14-MARK QUESTIONS
Q.1) How successful was the Indian resistance to British attempts to take
control of the lands in sub-continent during 1750 to 1856? Explain your
answer.

Q.2) 'Indian resistance to British attempts to take control of lands in the sub-
continent in the hundred years before 1850 was totally unsuccessful.' Do you
agree? Give Reasons for your answer.

Q.3)How successful were the British attempts to take control of lands in the
sub-continent between 1750 and 1856?

NOTE:
 These are same questions in different wordings
 Also remember these questions demand events, and not reasons, leading
to gradual British control of India. Annexation by wars with their
outcomes and other policies with their effects to be explained in the
answer.
SAMPLE ANSWER
The British gradually took control of the sub-continent between 1750 to 1850.

The British initially came to India for trading. They got permission from the
Mughals to trade in 1612; the trade proved very profitable. To continue and
promote trade British found it necessary to capture Indian territories.

The First Indian resistance and the first battle against an Indian ruler occurred in
1757 known as the Battle of Plassey. In this battle Nawab Saraj-ud-daula of Bengal
was defeated by the British. As a result, Bengal came under British control and
they thoroughly exploited the wealth of Bengal and completely plundered it.

The next Indian resistance and battle was the battle of Buxar in 1764 in which Mir
Qasim combined army with Nawab of Oudh and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II;
yet they were defeated by the British and as a result Bihar and Orissa came under
British control.
The British wanted full control of the south India to ensure their spice trade.
Mysore was a strong and well organized state in south and was ruled by Tipu
Sultan, although he was successful in defeating British in several battles but he
could not resist for long and was killed by British in 1799 after which south India
also fell under British control.

The Marathas had grown in power and were the only one giving British tough
resistance but they too in 1818, were defeated by British and whole of Deccan
came under British control.

In 1843 Sindh was annexed by the British when Amirs of Sindh were defeated.
Punjab was under the Sikh rule and Ranjit Singh was a strong ruler but after his
death the Sikh kingdom scrambled and Punjab was annexed by the British after
two Sikh wars in 1849.

In 1852 the British annexed several states of India by applying the policy of
'Doctrine of Lapse'. In 1856 a large and rich state Oudh was under British control
by the excuse of inefficient ruler.

The major battle between the Indian forces and the British took place in 1857
which is called the War of Independence or the 1857 Revolt. It started from Meerut
and battles took place between the Indian rebel forces and the British at Delhi,
Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi and Gwalior. But all the attempts to defeat British were
failed.

The main reason for the British success was that the British Army in India was
superior in weapons, equipment and training. They did not lack supplies and funds.
On the other hand; the Indian states were disunited and there was not any central
power to face the British. The Indians lacked weapons and supplies and funds.
There was lack of coordination between the rulers of the states, no common cause,
no planning; everyone was fighting for their own selfish purpose.

Thus the British, due to their strong military and superiority, were successful in
their attempts to take control of the sub-continent between 1750 and 1856.

However, the Indian resistance to British attempts to take control of the lands were
unsuccessful and by 1858 the whole of India fell under control of the British.