The Story of The British East India Company

With many posts in Eastern India, the British were able to purchase and trade goods that would otherwise not be available, such as teas, opium, silks and porcelain. Before Governmental control, The British East India Company was able to strive economically as well as in the military. In the following pages I hope to explain how this trade company flourished between the 1600-1800 and the impact that the British government had on the abolishment of the Company.

The British East India Company was a trade movement starting in 1600 by Queen Elizabeth the I. There were earlier companies interested in trade with the East Indies such as the Duth East India Company. The English saw how trading the rare product that the others were could help them become wealthy. Because the Dutch had already started trade, the English would learn that they were not welcome. I believe that Queen Elizabeth was looking to make London more 'popular', because before then it was insignificant. Having been one of the most influencial trade companies within England, it was sad to see that it later was taken over by the British government and went down.

The shipmen were so excited about the new charter and being able to use their newfound talents in the act of sailing long distances. There was prior records of the British going westward, but this was new territory. The first voyage was in 1601 and was led by Sir James Lancaster, who was appointed by the queen. A total of £72,000 was raised which helped supply the four ships that were sent out in 1600. The five vessels were the Red Dragon which Lancaster was on, the Hector, the Ascension, the Guest, and the susan which in total housed 480 men. The Guest was added as a vessel to keep food and supplies that would h...

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...ns, 1857.

This source was pretty cool. It was a list of the Parliamentary Papers from 1857-58 and I was able to use that to explain the India Act of 1857

Roy, Kaushik . Army in British India : From Colonial Warfare to Total War 1857 - 1947. Huntingdon: Bloomsbury Publishing , 2012.

Roy has a crazy first name I would never try to pronounce, and was helpful with a breakdown of the sieges. He was pretty descriptive and I enjoyed reading the book.

St. John, Ian. The Making of the Raj : India Under the East India Company. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger, 2012.eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost), EBSCOhost(accessed April 2, 2014).

This book I actually found while at the MKE airport over spring break. I didn't have any cash, so I wasnt able to purchase it. I was very excited when I found it online, because what I read from it at the bookstore was very informational.