The Renaissance and geographical discoveries
A school library has one hand-written book and it takes months to write. Once a printing press arrives, the same book reaches hundreds of children in a day. Europe went through a similar change.
The 13th to 16th centuries in Europe are the Renaissance. Greek and Roman traditions were revived, the human being became the centre of thought, and the foundation of the modern era was laid.
Key idea 1 : Changes of the Renaissance — Art, architecture and philosophy flourished. Leonardo da Vinci was a painter and a scientist; ‘Mona Lisa’ and ‘The Last Supper’ are his immortal paintings. Literature was written in local languages. Around 1450 Johannes Gutenberg of Germany invented the printing press, so new ideas reached every section of society.
Key idea 2 : Religious reform — Priests of the Church took advantage of people’s ignorance and made them perform unnecessary rituals. Independent thinkers criticised these old ideas. So human freedom and rationalism gained importance.
Key idea 3 : Geographical discoveries — In 1453 the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople and the overland trade route to Asia passed into their hands. So Europeans began to search for a sea route to India. In 1487 Bartolomeu Dias reached the tip of Africa (the Cape of Good Hope), in 1492 Columbus sailed west and reached the east coast of America, and in 1498 Vasco da Gama reached Calicut.
- Easy : Who invented the printing press? — Johannes Gutenberg, around 1450.
- Medium : Why was there a need to find new sea routes? — The Turks had blocked the overland route.
- Exam-type : Why is the Renaissance called the foundation of the modern era? — Progress in art and science, religious reform and geographical discoveries all happened then.
In the figure: One event was followed by voyage after voyage, and finally Europe found the sea route to India.
What happened before? In 1452 Orban, a Hungarian cannon-maker, offered his giant cannons to the Byzantine emperor Constantine XI. The emperor could not afford them, so Orban went to the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II, who gave him plenty of money and materials. His biggest cannon needed about sixty oxen to drag it to the city. In April 1453 those very cannons began to pound the city walls.
What happened next? Constantinople fell on 29 May 1453. According to the textbook, once the overland route was in Turkish hands, European sailors went looking for sea routes. In 1487 Bartolomeu Dias set out in search of India and in 1498 Vasco da Gama reached Calicut.
1453 (Constantinople) → new sea routes → 1498 (India). Remember cause and effect together.
It is wrong to say Columbus reached India. He set out for India but reached the coast of the American continent.
Memory clue: Three sailors, three years: Dias 87, Columbus 92, Gama 98.
Spot the difference
| Sailor | Year | What he did |
|---|---|---|
| Bartolomeu Dias | 1487 | Reached the tip of Africa (Cape of Good Hope) |
| Christopher Columbus | 1492 | Sailed west, reached the east coast of America |
| Vasco da Gama | 1498 | Passed the Cape and reached Calicut |
The Renaissance and geographical discoveries
In the app you can move this figure with your finger.
Open in the appPractice questions
- 1What is the Renaissance?
- 2Name two famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci.
- 3Who conquered Constantinople and when?
- 4What change did the printing press bring?
- 5At which place in India did Vasco da Gama arrive?
- 6What is the common mistake about Columbus and what is the truth?
- 7What followed after Constantinople was conquered?
- 8How did the sultan having the cannons affect the fate of the city?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The 13th to 16th century in Europe; revival of Greek-Roman traditions and growth of human thought.
- 2Mona Lisa and The Last Supper.
- 3The Ottoman Turks, in 1453.
- 4New ideas and knowledge reached all sections of society.
- 5Calicut.
- 6People think he reached India; in truth he reached the east coast of America.
- 7Europeans began to search for sea routes: Dias (1487) and Vasco da Gama (1498).
- 8Orban’s cannons broke the walls and the city fell on 29 May 1453.
Revolutions and new concepts
In a class the teacher makes all the rules and adds a new fine on the students. The children join together and say, ‘Listen to us too when you make rules.’ Many revolutions between kings and subjects began in this way.
A revolution is a big and rapid change in government, society or the economy. The 18th and 19th centuries are called the ‘Age of Revolutions’.
Key idea 1 : Political revolutions — In England the Bill of Rights of 1689 limited the king’s power and established the sovereignty of Parliament. In America England put oppressive taxes on thirteen colonies, so the Americans fought under George Washington and the United States was born. In 1789 the people of France rose against an unjust monarchy and set up a republic; it gave the world the values of liberty, equality and fraternity.
Key idea 2 : The Industrial Revolution — In the later part of the 18th century steam-driven machines arrived in England. Big factories replaced cottage industries and the railway and the steamer became modes of transport. So England was called the ‘World Factory’.
Key idea 3 : Capitalism, colonialism, imperialism — New sea routes increased trade and many traders joined to form companies. The wealth they collected became capital, and capitalism arose. When a strong country exploited another region and made it a colony, it was colonialism. And ruling over other countries by holding many colonies is imperialism.
- Easy : Which three values did the French Revolution give? — Liberty, equality and fraternity.
- Medium : Why did the American colonies revolt against England? — The English Parliament had put oppressive restrictions and taxes on them.
- Exam-type : What was the effect when machines began to make huge quantities of goods? — Foreign markets were needed to sell them and bring raw material; so colonialism grew.
In the figure: One change led to the next, and finally European countries built empires across the world.
Colonialism = making one region a colony; imperialism = ruling over many colonies.
It is wrong to treat the American War of Independence and the French Revolution as the same. In America colonies freed themselves from England; in France the people overthrew their own monarchy.
Memory clue: Revolution → capital → colony → empire.
Spot the difference
| Concept | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Capitalism | Trade wealth turns into capital used for profit | Trading companies |
| Colonialism | A strong country exploits a region and makes it a colony | British rule in India |
| Imperialism | Ruling other countries by holding many colonies | European rule in Asia and Africa |
Practice questions
- 1What did the Bill of Rights of 1689 achieve?
- 2In which year did the French Revolution take place?
- 3Why was England called the ‘World Factory’?
- 4Define colonialism.
- 5What is imperialism?
- 6How did capitalism arise?
- 7What was the result after the American colonies rose against England?
- 8How did the Industrial Revolution help imperialism grow?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1The king’s power was limited and the sovereignty of Parliament was established.
- 2In 1789.
- 3Because machines made huge quantities of goods there and it was prosperous in industry.
- 4A powerful country exploiting another region and making it its colony.
- 5The system in which a powerful country controls other countries through many colonies.
- 6New sea routes brought traders together, companies formed and wealth became capital.
- 7Fighting under George Washington they defeated England and the United States was formed.
- 8Machine-made goods needed markets and raw materials, so countries increased their colonies.
The East India Company’s rise in India
A shopkeeper puts up a shop in a lane with permission. Later he starts taking the whole road under his control and uses his own men against anyone who objects. The Company’s story is somewhat like that.
The British founded the East India Company in 1600. With the permission of Emperor Jahangir it set up a factory at Surat. A company that came for trade slowly became the ruler of India.
Key idea 1 : Rivalry with the French — England and France fought three Carnatic Wars for trade in India. England won the third. So the British no longer had any strong European rival in India.
Key idea 2 : Foundation of rule in Bengal — In 1756 Siraj-ud-Daulah became the Nawab of Bengal. The Company misused its trade concessions and built fortifications around its factory at Kolkata without permission. So the Nawab took the factory. Robert Clive tempted the commander Mir Jafar with the promise of making him Nawab. In the Battle of Plassey in 1757 Mir Jafar’s army did not take part in the fight and Siraj-ud-Daulah lost. After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, the Treaty of Allahabad gave the Company the right to collect Bengal’s revenue.
Key idea 3 : Other regions — Tipu Sultan of Mysore died in the battle of Srirangapatna in 1799 and Mysore came under the British. Sindh was taken in 1843 because the route to Afghanistan passed through it. After Ranjit Singh’s death there were two Sikh wars in Punjab, and in 1849 the whole of Punjab went to the British.
- Easy : When was the East India Company founded? — In 1600.
- Medium : Why did Siraj-ud-Daulah lose at Plassey? — Commander Mir Jafar’s army did not actually join the battle.
- Exam-type : What big right did the Company get after Buxar? — To collect Bengal’s revenue; this made its foundation firm.
In the figure: A company that began with trade reached Sindh and Punjab within about 250 years.
What happened before? Before Plassey Clive had a problem. Omichand (Amir Chand), a rich merchant in the plot, demanded a large sum and threatened to reveal the plan otherwise. So two treaties were drawn up: the real one on white paper (without Omichand’s name) and another on red paper (with his payment). According to most historians, Admiral Watson refused to sign the red treaty and his signature was added to it on Clive’s direction.
What happened next? After the battle of 23 June 1757 Mir Jafar became Nawab. According to the textbook, he later began to oppose the British and his son-in-law Mir Kasim was made Nawab. The next quarrel led to Buxar.
What happened before? In March 1763 Mir Kasim took a bold decision: he abolished all internal duties for everyone. Until then Indian merchants paid duty while the Company’s private traders could move goods without paying. Now everyone was equal and the Company lost its advantage. The Company did not accept this and war between the Company and the Nawab began in 1763 itself.
What happened next? On 22 October 1764 the Company won at Buxar. In August 1765 under the Treaty of Allahabad the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II gave the Company the diwani of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, that is, the right to collect revenue. A trading company now owned the revenue of a large region.
Plassey 1757 = won through betrayal; Buxar 1764 = a real military win and the revenue right.
It is wrong to think the Company conquered all of Bengal at Plassey. The decisive military win was at Buxar (1764).
Memory clue: Fifty-seven by trick, sixty-four by force.
Spot the difference
| Event | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Battle of Plassey | 1757 | Mir Jafar became Nawab, British influence grew |
| Battle of Buxar | 1764 | Treaty of Allahabad, revenue right went to the Company |
| Srirangapatna | 1799 | Tipu Sultan died, Mysore went to the British |
| Punjab | 1849 | Sikh state ended and passed to the British |
The East India Company’s rise in India
In the app you can move this figure with your finger.
Open in the appPractice questions
- 1Whose permission did the East India Company get for its factory in India?
- 2Between whom were the Carnatic Wars fought?
- 3In which year was the Battle of Plassey fought?
- 4Why did Sindh seem important to the British?
- 5What did the Treaty of Allahabad give the Company?
- 6What was the result of Mir Kasim abolishing the duties?
- 7Why did Clive have two treaties made before Plassey?
- 8How did the Company’s position change after the victory at Buxar?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Emperor Jahangir.
- 2Between England and France.
- 3In 1757.
- 4Because the route to Afghanistan passed through Sindh.
- 5The right to collect Bengal’s revenue (diwani).
- 6The Company lost its advantage and went to war, which led on to the Battle of Buxar.
- 7To keep Omichand quiet by showing him a false treaty.
- 8It was no longer only a trading company; it gained power over the revenue of Bengal, Bihar and Odisha.