The growth of the East India Company as a private army
I can explain why the British East India Company grew in power during the first half of the 18th century.
The growth of the East India Company as a private army
I can explain why the British East India Company grew in power during the first half of the 18th century.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Trade was considered important for a country's power in the 18th century.
- The British East India Company and French Compagnie des Indes competed over trade in India.
- The British and French made alliances with Indian successor states.
- The EIC and Compagnie des Indes recruited private armies, mostly made up of sepoys.
- The EIC and Comapgnie des Indes used their armies to fight against one another, and to support their Indian allies.
Keywords
Successor states - a successor state is a smaller country which is formed after a larger country begins to breakdown
Alliance - an alliance is an agreement between two or more countries to work together
Nawab - a nawab was an Indian ruler who declared their loyalty to the Mughal emperor but ruled a local area as they wished
Sepoy - a sepoy was an Indian soldier serving in a European army
Recruited - someone is recruited if they agree to join an organisation, especially an army
Common misconception
The East India Company relied entirely on European soldiers.
The EIC increasingly recruited sepoy soldiers to serve in its army from the late-1740s onwards.
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: The growth of the East India Company as a private army, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 8 history lesson on: The growth of the East India Company as a private army, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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Explore more key stage 3 history lessons from the The East India Company: when did Mughal authority collapse? unit, dive into the full secondary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
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