The establishment of the British East India Company in 1600 significantly impacted global trade and colonialism. Initially set up to trade in spices, the Company expanded its scope to include cotton, silk, tea, and opium, ultimately exercising political and military control over large territories in India. The Company's influence facilitated British imperial expansion and laid the groundwork for the British Raj. Its practices, including exploitation and resource extraction, significantly altered the structure of Indian society and economy. The Company also played a crucial role in the rising tensions leading to the Indian Rebellion of 1857.