From Trade To Territory - Class 8 History - Extra Questions

• Battle of Plassey was fought between the East India Company headed by Robert Clive and the Nawab of Bengal (Siraj-Ud-Daulah) and his French Troop. This led to the end of the French forces and consolidation and development of the British rule in India.
  
• The Battle of Buxar was the decisive battle which defined British as a ruler. It was fought between English Forces, and a combined army of Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal, Nawab of Oudh and Shah Alam II, Mughal Emperor. Robert Clive made political settlements with Emperor Shah Alam II and Shuja-Ud-Daula of Awadh in the Treaty of Allahabad which was signed in 1765.
  

This was a major breakthrough for the Company because Diwani allowed it to use the vast revenue resources of Bengal. The Company could use the revenue to finance its trade and other expenses. The company also used this revenue to strengthen its military power.

The colonial city of Calcutta was a centre of administration, a port and an European residential enclave. The Europeans were living in high amenity in well-serviced areas. On the other hand, the natives were living in unplanned, congested areas. The Europeans enjoyed bungalows and clubs. They enjoyed race, golf courses, soccer and cricket. They had domestic water supply, proper electricity, sewage links etc. On the other hand the natives lacked these facilities. At a later stage, the city of Calcutta started growing with Europeans towns, growing south and south-west of the Parle Street. Calcutta developed as a cultural city of India. Dramas, Group theaters, Indian classical music, religious and social festivals, etc. enriched its cultural heritage. The people participated and contributed in these events enthusiastically. Bankim Chandra, Rabindra Nath Tagore, etc. were some prominent poets of the colonial age.   Calcutta was also known for its cuisine. Rice and macher jhole (fish curry), rasagolla, sandesh, misthi roti, etc. were famous. During colonial period Calcutta had many grand examples of architecture. These were adorned with Gothic, Roman, Oriental and Indo-Islamic motifs. Indian Museum, Victoria Memorial, National Library of India, Academy of fine arts etc. are some examples.  

Satyendranath Tagore was the first Indian who passed the Indian Civil Service Examination in June 1863. He was the brother of Rabindranath Tagore.

After the death of Aurangzeb, the Bengal Nawabs asserted their power and autonomy. The nawabs refused to grant the company concessions, demanded large tributes, denied the right to mint coins, and other benefits which company refused and conflict between Bengal nawabs and East India arose.

After the decline of the Mughal empire, The political volume was filled by number of independent powers such as Marathas, Sikhs and Mysore of Tipu sultan. All the three regional powers wanted their independence from British East India Company because of that British fought three different wars with these regional powers.

Mir Qasim, the nawab of Bengal, was determined to gain independence from the British. Abandoning Murshidabad as his capital, he went to live at Munger, where he began to gather a large army. 
In 1763, he entered into a conflict with the British. The situation was aggravated after he ordered the cold-blooded murder of 148 British soldiers in Patna. Soon, the British troops captured Patna, compelling Mir Qasim to take refuge with Shuja ud-Daulah (nawab-wazir of Awadh) and the Mughal Emperor Shah Alam. 
The trio, united in their objective of expelling the British, marched towards Patna and took up position at Buxar, on the Ganges. The Battle of Buxar took place on 22 October, 1764, in which Major Hector Munro, after a hard-fought battle, managed to defeat the allies. With this victory, the military conquest of Bengal and Bihar by the British was complete. With no further need of a puppet Nawab, the Company took control of Bengal.

Robert Clive introduced the system of Dual Government in Bengal. 

In 1765, Robert Clive brought in the ‘Dual-government’ concept. As per this concept, the British had the right to collect land taxes, whereas the Nawab had power over administrative issues like justice and others. Like this, the British gained political control over India to protect their business interest.

Battle of Plassey and Buxar:

Under Murshid Quli Khan, Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control. He was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province. Although never a formal subadar, Murshid Quli Khan very quickly seized all the power that went with that office. Soon, he began to command the revenue administration of the state. In order to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major re-assessment of the revenues of Bengal. Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars.

A subsidiary alliance. in South Asian history. describes a tributary alliance between a Native state and either French India. or later the British East India Company. They were to be protected by the East India Company but had to pay for the subsidiary forces that the company was to maintain for protection.