India

India - The Golden Bird

European Arrival and Colonization

• The Portuguese were the first Europeans to arrive in India.
• They established a colony in Goa in 1510.
• Vasco da Gama, a Portuguese explorer, discovered the sea route to India in 1498.
• The Mughal Empire gradually declined during the eighteenth century.
• Private companies from the Netherlands, Britain, and France sought to extend their influence in India.

The Spice Trade

• Early trade between Europe and Asia primarily involved spices.
• Examples of spices include black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon.
• Spices were considered important for preserving meat due to the lack of refrigeration.
• Spices became precious commodities.
• Spices were thought to have healing properties.
• They were used in early European medicines.
• Most spices, such as pepper, cloves, cardamom, and cinnamon, came from India.
• Apart from spices, fine qualities of cotton and wool were also traded.