ACTIVITY 3: HISTORICAL ENQUIRY How did the East India Company change people’s lives in Britain and Asia? ACTIVITY 3: HISTORICAL ENQUIRY

AN INTRODUCTION The East India Company

Creation of ‘the Company’ Key Stage 3 – How did the East India Company change lives in Britain and Asia? Creation of ‘the Company’ London merchants hoped to secure their own supply of spices from the ‘East Indies’. Queen Elizabeth I signs Charter creating ‘The Company of Merchants of London Trading to the East Indies’. The East India Company: An Introduction Background: Creation of ‘the Company’ For many years, the Dutch had monopolized the spice trade and in 1599 they raised the price of pepper from 3 shillings (15p) to 8 shillings (40p) a pound (0.45 kg). At the same time, they announced that they would enlarge their eastern fleets by purchasing English ships. Exasperated London merchants demanded action and called a meeting, chaired by the Lord Mayor. They decided that they should secure their own supplies of spices. On 31 December 1600, Queen Elizabeth I signed the Charter creating 'The Company of Merchants of London Trading to the East Indies'. Over 200 subscribers raised almost £70,000 – a massive amount at that time - for a voyage to the east. The Company was granted a monopoly on all English trade east of the Cape of Good Hope.

Key Stage 3 – How did the East India Company change lives in Britain and Asia? Monopoly The Company was granted a monopoly on all English trade east of the Cape of Good Hope. Until 1813, it was the sole company importing goods like spices, cotton and indigo from India to Britain. The East India Company: An Introduction Background: Monopoly A monopoly is sole control of trade in a particular commodity. The Company was granted a monopoly on all English trade east of the Cape of Good Hope (near the southern-most tip of Africa). For centuries, the Company held a monopoly of trade with the east. Until 1813, it was the sole company importing goods like spices, cotton and indigo from India to Britain. The Company maintained its monopoly over the lucrative China trade in tea and silk until 1833. Its sole trading rights were always a source of controversy and were eventually revoked by Parliament.

Key Stage 3 – How did the East India Company change lives in Britain and Asia? Early voyages to Asia Sir James Lancaster commanded the first Company expedition to Asia, returning with a cargo of pepper. In 1607, the Company established a trading post at Surat, on the west coast of India. The East India Company: An Introduction Background: Early voyages to Asia In 1601, Sir James Lancaster sailed from Woolwich for the East Indies with 500 men and a fleet of five ships, led by the flagship Red Dragon. The fleet sailed for the Banda Islands off Indonesia, which were the centre of eastern spice growing. Lancaster found it hard to exchange his English cloth for spices in the East Indies, as local people did not want woollen garments in such hot climates. However, after he captured a Portuguese carrack full of Indian cottons, he was able to trade these instead. Lancaster set up the Company's first trading post at Bantam in 1602. He returned to London with a cargo of pepper the following September. Further fleets followed Lancaster's and the Company began to prosper as it sought access to Asian markets and commodities.  In 1607 it established a trading post at Surat on the west coast of India.

Canton Bombay  Seringapatum  Delhi  Calcutta  Surat The East India Company: An Introduction Source information Map of India, 1760 © iStock photos. All other images in this resource © NMM