Teacher Explains
✨ India's Riches
Alright class, let's jump into our next chapter: 'The Arrival of the British'. Before we dive in, let's warm up our brains with a little word puzzle! Use the clues I'm about to give you to spell out a word related to today's topic.
✨ European Interest
(Read the clues one by one: 'Bihar and Bengal both start with this letter... This letter appears twice in 'farmer'... The ninth letter of the alphabet... Cotton, tea and turban have this letter in common... Take a guess what this letter could be... Snakes have this letter in their name and in their sound... Harp and Harmonium start with this letter.')
✨ Trade Routes and Taxes
Did you figure out the answer? That's right, the answer is 'British'! These are the people who came to India centuries ago. Now, we're going to explore why they came and how everything unfolded. For centuries, India was known for its incredible wealth and natural resources. Indian merchants traded valuable goods like cotton, silk, spices, and precious metals far and wide, becoming rich and famous. This attracted foreign merchants, especially Europeans, who wanted to profit from trading with India. Spices were a particularly hot commodity!
✨ Think about It
For a long time, trade between India and Europe happened through land routes, but these routes passed through West Asia, where Arab and Turkish rulers charged hefty taxes, making the goods expensive for Europeans. So, the Europeans decided to look for a better option...
