Advent of Europeans
| Power | Year | Key Settlement |
|---|
| Portuguese | 1498 (Vasco da Gama) | Goa (1510) |
| Dutch | 1602 | Pulicat, Masulipatnam |
| English | 1600 (chartered), 1613 (first factory) | Surat, Madras, Bombay, Calcutta |
| French | 1664 | Pondicherry (1673) |
British Expansion — Key Battles
| Battle | Year | Significance |
|---|
| Battle of Plassey | 1757 | Clive defeats Siraj-ud-Daulah — foundation of British power |
| Battle of Buxar | 1764 | British defeat combined forces — Diwani rights of Bengal (1765) |
📌 Expansion Policies: Subsidiary Alliance (Wellesley) and Doctrine of Lapse (Dalhousie) — Dalhousie annexed Awadh (1856) on grounds of misgovernance, a key grievance behind the 1857 Revolt.
Economic Impact of British Rule
- Drain of Wealth theory — Dadabhai Naoroji; wealth transferred to Britain without adequate return.
- Deindustrialisation — one-way free trade destroyed Indian handicrafts/textile industries.
- Permanent Settlement (1793) — Cornwallis, Bengal; Ryotwari — Madras/Bombay; Mahalwari — Punjab/NWP.
Key Acts and Reforms
| Act | Year | Key Provision |
|---|
| Regulating Act | 1773 | Governor-General of Bengal created |
| Charter Act | 1833 | Governor-General of India; Company's trade ended |
| Government of India Act | 1858 | Crown rule begins post-1857 Revolt |
| Indian Councils Act (Morley-Minto) | 1909 | Separate electorates for Muslims |
| Government of India Act (Montford) | 1919 | Dyarchy in provinces |
| Government of India Act | 1935 | Provincial autonomy; template for 1950 Constitution |
Quick Revision Table
| Topic | One-Line Recall |
|---|
| Plassey → Buxar → Diwani | 1757 → 1764 → 1765 |
| Doctrine of Lapse | Dalhousie; no natural heir → annexation |
| 1858 Act | Ends Company rule; Crown rule begins |
✅ SSC Focus: European arrival sequence and settlements · Plassey-Buxar-Diwani chronology · Drain of Wealth and deindustrialisation concepts · Key Acts and their single defining feature.