New
New
Year 10
AQA
The origins of British rule in India
I can recall that the Mughal Empire initially had control over India but that the power of the East India Company expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries.
New
New
Year 10
AQA
The origins of British rule in India
I can recall that the Mughal Empire initially had control over India but that the power of the East India Company expanded in the 18th and 19th centuries.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Prior to the arrival of Britain, the Indian subcontinent was ruled by the Muslim Mughal Empire.
- Under the rule of Aurangzeb, the power of the Mughals decreased due to war and economic difficulties.
- In 1600 the East India Company was founded and was given a monopoly over trade in East Asia.
- In the 1757 Battle of Plassey, Robert Clive's East India Company gained control over India.
- In the 18th and 19th centuries the East India Company expanded its control along with government involvement.
Keywords
Monopoly - exclusive control over a supply of or trade in a commodity or service
Sepoy - an Indian soldier serving in the British or another European order
Nawab - a native governor during the time of the Mughal Empire
Common misconception
The British were the only European power trying to gain control over India.
The British, French and Dutch were all attempting to gain a foothold in India and expand their influence there.
Ensure students understand that the East India Company began as a business that took control of parts of India and gradually expanded this control over India through negotiation and military force.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which word describes the movement of people into a new area or country?
Q2.
Complete the sentence: Enslaved people were forcibly transported to the Americas from West Africa in the Slave Trade.
Q3.
Which of the following were the most important factors in causing migration in the 16th and 17th centuries?
role of individuals - William the Conqueror's actions
war - the Hundred Years' War
Q4.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, where did migration lead to a distinct identity emerging?
England
Q5.
Put the following time periods in chronological order.
Q6.
In which direction did migration occur in the 16th and 17th centuries?
northward
eastward
southward
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
Which word describes exclusive control over a supply of or trade in a commodity or service?
Q2.
Who ruled the Indian subcontinent prior to the arrival of Britain?
Vikings
Normans
Angevins
Q3.
Which company was founded in 1600 and soon established trading posts in Surat, Madras and Bombay?
Q4.
Who ruled over the Hindu princes, creating a vast and stable empire in India from 1556 to 1605?
Alexander the Great
Genghis Khan
Aurangzeb
Q5.
Which of the following products were exported by the EIC from India?
silver
gold
Q6.
Who led the EIC to victory at the Battle of Plassey in 1757?
Akbar the Great
Aurangzeb
Siraj-ud-Daula
Additional material
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