From Trade

To Territory
By- Daksh Devansh
Purpose of Trading
• At first, the British enter in Indian
sub-continent as traders seeking
spices. Spices were the primary
way of preserving meat in Europe
prior to the modern age. Then,
having more modern and effective
weapons, the sub-continent was
brought into the Empire at
gunpoint.
• The British landed on the Indian
Subcontinent at the port of Surat on 
August 24, 1608 AD for the purpose
of trade, but after 7 years British got
royal order (i.e. Farman) to establish
a factory at Surat under the
leadership of Sir Thomas Roe
(Ambassador of James I). Following
this, the East India Company also
got similar permission from the
Vijaynagara Empire to set up their
second factory at Massulipatnam.
• The British eclipsed the other
European trading company and over
the years they saw a massive
expansion of their trading operations
in India. Numerous trading posts were
established along the east and west
coasts of India and considerable
English communities developed
around the three presidency towns of
Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras. They
majorly traded in Silk, Indigo Dye,
Cotton, Tea, and Opium. 20 years
later, the Company spread its presence
to the East of India by setting up a
factory in Kolkata.
The life of Common People (Men)
• The family lives of people were separated by two distinctions: roles
for men versus roles for women, and social class. In general, men were
the breadwinners, providing income for the family, whereas the
mothers were in charge of the household. This role grew more
prominent with more wealth, as with that came more estate to manage.
Marriage was also very closely tied to social class; women were
seldom married into lower social rungs. It also came with heavy social
implications for the family’s legacy and reputation among their peers.
Role of Women
• Women had to take on various roles in the household
during the 17th and 18th centuries. They were
responsible for running the household, and for more
affluent families, managing the servants. Women, or
mothers, were also responsible for raising and
educating their children. In addition, they were
responsible for cooking and feeding the family. This
required women to be well-educated in medicinal
and culinary uses of herbs and plants, needlework,
reading, and writing. In general, women had very few
rights and experienced oppression at the hands of
the patriarchy.
Agricultural Products
• Few Indian commercial crops—such as
Cotton, indigo, opium, wheat, and rice—
made it to the global market under
the British Raj in India. The second half of
the 19th century saw some increase in land
under cultivation and agricultural
production expanded at an average rate of
about 1% per year by the later 19th century.
Due to extensive irrigation by canal
networks Punjab, Narmada valley,
and Andhra Pradesh became centers of
agrarian reforms.