East India Company

The East India Company was a British trading company established in 1600, initially to trade in spices with India and Southeast Asia. Over time, it expanded its activities to include tea, cotton, and other goods. The company gained significant political power, effectively ruling large parts of India by the 18th century. Its practices led to economic exploitation and widespread hardship, culminating in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. In response, the British government dissolved the company in 1874, taking direct control over India, which became a British colony. The company's legacy remains a complex part of colonial history.