Battle of Plassey in Indian History

Battle of Plassey in Indian History Battle of Plassey - Conflict Date: The Battle of Plassey was fought June 23, 1757, during the Seven Years War (1756-1763). Armies Commanders British East India Company Colonel Robert Clive3,000 men Nawab of Bengal Siraj Ud DaulahMohan LalMir MadanMir Jafar Ali Khanapprox. 53,000 men Battle of Plassey - Background: While fighting raged in Europe and North America during the French Indian/Seven Years War, it also spilled over to the more faraway outposts of the British and French Empires making the conflict the worlds first global war. In India, the two nations trading interests were represented by the French and British East India Companies. In asserting their power, both organizations built their own military forces and recruited additional sepoy units. In 1756, fighting began in Bengal after both sides began reinforcing their trading stations. This angered the local Nawab, Siraj-ud-Duala, who ordered military preparations to cease. The British refused and in a short time the Nawabs forces had seized the British East India Companys stations, including Calcutta. After taking Fort William in Calcutta, a large number of British prisoners were herded into a tiny prison. Dubbed the Black Hole of Calcutta, many died from heat exhaustion and being smothered. The British East India Company moved quickly to regain its position in Bengal and dispatched forces under Colonel Robert Clive from Madras. The Plassey Campaign: Carried by four ships of line commanded by Vice Admiral Charles Watson, Clives force re-took Calcutta and attacked Hooghly. After a brief battle with the Nawabs army on February 4, Clive was able to conclude a treaty which saw all British property returned. Concerned about growing British power in Bengal, the Nawab began corresponding with the French. At this same time, the badly outnumbered Clive began making deals with the Nawabs officers to overthrow him. Reaching out to Mir Jafar, Siraj Ud Daulahs military commander, he convinced him to switch sides during the next battle in exchange for the nawabship. On June 23 the two armies met near Palashi. The Nawab opened the battle with an ineffective cannonade which ceased around noon when heavy rains fell on the battlefield. The Company troops covered their cannon and muskets, while the Nawabs and French did not. When the storm cleared, the Clive ordered an attack. With their muskets useless due to wet powder, and with Mir Jafars divisions unwilling to fight, the Nawabs remaining troops were forced to retreat. Aftermath of the Battle of Plassey: Clives army suffered a mere 22 killed and 50 wounded as opposed to over 500 for the Nawab. Following the battle, Clive saw that Mir Jafar was made nawab on June 29. Deposed and lacking support, Siraj-ud-Duala attempted to flee to Patna but was captured and executed by Mir Jafars forces on July 2. The victory at Plassey effectively eliminated French influence in Bengal and saw the British gain control of the region through favorable treaties with Mir Jafar. A pivotal moment in Indian history, Plassey saw the British establish a firm base from which to bring the remainder of the subcontinent under their control. Selected Sources History of War: Battle of PlasseyModern History Sourcebook: Sir Robert Clive: The Battle of Plassey, 1757History of Islam: Battle of Plassey

Quantum Entanglement in Physics

Quantum Entanglement in Physics Quantum entanglement is one of the central principles of quantum physics, though it is also highly misunderstood. In short, quantum entanglement means that multiple particles are linked together in a way such that the measurement of one particles quantum state determines the possible quantum states of the other particles. This connection isnt depending on the location of the particles in space. Even if you separate entangled particles by billions of miles, changing one particle will induce a change in the other. Even though quantum entanglement appears to transmit information instantaneously, it doesnt actually violate the classical speed of light because theres no movement through space. The Classic Quantum Entanglement Example The classic example of quantum entanglement is called the EPR paradox. In a simplified version of this case, consider a particle with quantum spin 0 that decays into two new particles, Particle A and Particle B. Particle A and Particle B head off in opposite directions. However, the original particle had a quantum spin of 0. Each of the new particles has a quantum spin of 1/2, but because they have to add up to 0, one is 1/2 and one is -1/2. This relationship means that the two particles are entangled. When you measure the spin of Particle A, that measurement has an impact on the possible results you could get when measuring the spin of Particle B. And this isnt just an interesting theoretical prediction ​but has been verified experimentally through tests of Bells Theorem. One important thing to remember is that in quantum physics, the original uncertainty about the particles quantum state isnt just a lack of knowledge. A fundamental property of quantum theory is that prior to the act of measurement, the particle really doesnt have a definite state, but is in a superposition of all possible states. This is best modeled by the classic quantum physics thought experiment, Schroedingers Cat, where a quantum mechanics approach results in an unobserved cat that is both alive and dead simultaneously. The Wavefunction of the Universe One way of interpreting things is to consider the entire universe as one single wavefunction. In this representation, this wavefunction of the universe would contain a term that defines the quantum state of each and every particle. It is this approach that leaves open the door for claims that everything is connected, which often gets manipulated (either intentionally or through honest confusion) to end up with things like the physics errors in The Secret. Though this interpretation does mean that the quantum state of every particle in the universe affects the wavefunction of every other particle, it does so in a way that is only mathematical. There is really no sort of experiment which could ever - even in principle - discover the effect in one place showing up in another location. Practical Applications of Quantum Entanglement Although quantum entanglement seems like bizarre science fiction, there are already practical applications of the concept. It is being used for deep-space communications and cryptography. For example, NASAs Lunar Atmosphere Dust and Environment Explorer (LADEE) demonstrated how quantum entanglement could be used to upload and download information between the spacecraft and a ground-based receiver. Edited by Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.