The engraving shows a historical encounter in 1765 in which the Mughal emperor Shah ‘Alam II grantedthe British East India Company, represented by Robert Clive, the right to collect tax revenue from theMughal provinces of Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar.2. a) Identify ONE way in which the event depicted in the image reflects political changes in the global balance ofpower in the eighteenth century.b) Explain ONE way in which the event depicted in the image reflects economic changes in Asia in theeighteenth century.c) Explain ONE significant way in which Great Britain’s relationship with South Asia changed in thenineteenth century, compared with the relationship depicted in the image.GO ON TO THE NEXT PAGE.-3-© 2018 The College Board.Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org.

a) The event depicted in the image reflects political changes in the global balance of power in the eighteenth century in that it shows the shift of power from the Mughal Empire to the British East India Company. This is evident in the act of the Mughal emperor granting the British East India Company the right to collect tax revenue from the Mughal provinces. This signifies the diminishing power of the Mughal Empire and the rising influence of the British in India, and by extension, in Asia.

b) The event depicted in the image reflects economic changes in Asia in the eighteenth century in that it shows the increasing economic control of the British East India Company over the rich provinces of Bengal, Orissa, and Bihar. The right to collect tax revenue gave the British East India Company significant economic power and control over the resources of these provinces. This is indicative of the shift in economic power from local rulers to foreign companies in Asia during this period.

c) One significant way in which Great Britain’s relationship with South Asia changed in the nineteenth century, compared with the relationship depicted in the image, is that it became more direct and formalized. In the eighteenth century, as depicted in the image, the British East India Company, a private company, was the main actor in the relationship. However, in the nineteenth century, following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British government took direct control of India, marking the beginning of the British Raj. This change meant that the relationship was no longer mediated by a company but was instead a direct colonial rule by the British government.