AS Recap Test

1750

-Robert Clive 1748-1750- Clive gets a taste of soldiering
-Siege of Arcot- supplies were low
1756- The Newab of Bengal started to resist the British
-Newab of Bengal kept British soldiers prison as the Black Hole of Calcutta
-lead to the battle of Plassey in 1757 at Bengal
-French and Indian Princes creating alliances
-Hasting appointed governor General 1773-1785 over 3 provinces
-Hastings taken to trial by Edmund Burke on charges of corruption “shaking the pagoda tree”- taking money from India.
-Impeached in 1787due to corruption. Wellesley joins the army.
- Acquitted in 1795
1796- Wellesley becomes colonel
1798- Fourth Anglo-Mysore war breaks out against Sultan Tippoo
-1799- Pitts India Act- the legislation to prevent the corruption of India

1800

Arthur Wellesley
Like Clive, Wellesley was brought up in a family who, although had a lot of respect, were bankrupt, Wellesley also went into the army the same way Clive did. He was born to prominent ascendancy, joined the army in 1787 and in only nine years became colonel in 1796.
Wellesley can be seen to be very similar to Clive as he had the same drive, the same amount of bravery and his upbringing and background were also very similar. His bravery can be shown when he went to the battle of Seringapatam in the middle of India. It was untouched by the East India Company and so should his "exploring side".
However, unlike Clive, Arthur Wellesley's brother was appointed the new Governor General of India, which could have given Arthur a boost into getting the high position of Military Advisor.
On the other hand, though it was only an order and was not a successful one, Like Clive, Wellesley was willing to make an attack on the main Maratha army close to Assaye, despite the fact that he had a small force. Many of the events that did take place with Wellesley are similar to those of Clive, but the main difference is that Wellesley was able to achieve everything without having a relationship with any Nawab or Sultan, based in a treacherous reputation.

"He found the East India Company a trading body, but left it an imperial power."

This is a very powerful statement and makes you think about whether Mornington actually had to do what he did for his benefit or for the benefit of the company. The statement is agreeable as both Mornington and Pitt "formed a design of acquiring a great empire in India to compensate for the loss of the American colonies", quote suggesting that as the British were cast of of America they thought of India as a second chance or like a desperate attempt to salvage what they can. In addition, the rivalry against France may have been seen to be intimidating, as if they were plotting, with India, behind Britain's back, "effect the disbandment of the French troops entertained by the Nizam of Hyderabad", suggesting they were feeling threatened and had to do everything they could to stop the coalition of the French and the Princes in India.
The preparations of war, ordered by Mornington, were the first step of effecting the disbandment, showing how Britain were changing from being territorial to becoming somewhat in charge of the situation. Further more, the killing of Tippoo Sultan in 1799 ended the invasion and caused Britain to take further control as "the French influence in India was extinguished" and this may have caused Britain to go power crazy with forty million people and ten millions of revenue being added to the British domains. The idea of repression was also added as powers of the Maratha and all other Princes were reduced so that Britain became the true dominant authority over all India.
Britain did start of using India as a "trading body" by occupying the parts of Bombay, Calcutta and Madras, but eventually, and in a way, inevitably, they did leave it an imperial power by reducing the amount of authority, so that they were dominant, and by abolishing the French to become more superior and take more of what they thought should have been theirs anyway.
Taking the statement into account, the East India Company could have continued if Mornington did not abolish the French and take power from the princes, as Robert Clive did win and Hastings did consolidate and if it was left the way it was the British may have done all the work for nothing as the French could have made a success of the disbandment.