Advent of the Europeans in India
- What is it
about?
- This section
talks about how European countries (like
the Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British) came to India and how it
marked the beginning of modern Indian history.
- Key Idea:
- History is continuous – it doesn’t have clear-cut divisions
between ancient, medieval, and modern periods.
- But for
convenience, we say modern Indian history began
when Europeans arrived in India.
- When Did
Europeans Come?
- Europeans
started coming to India in the 15th century (even
before the Mughal Empire was fully established).
- The first to
arrive were the Portuguese in
1498, led by Vasco da
Gama.
- Why is This
Important?
- The arrival of
Europeans changed India’s economy, politics, and culture.
- It eventually
led to British rule in India, which shaped modern India.
Key
Points to Remember:
- Modern Indian
history is often said to begin with the arrival of Europeans.
- Europeans
started coming to India in the 15th century.
- The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in 1498.
- Their arrival
marked the start of big changes in India.