Final answer:
Pulicat was the main center of activities for the Dutch East India Company after they established a factory there in 1610. The town served as a significant trading post for the Dutch, marking their influence and control over regional trade through a network of factories acting as hubs for mercantile exchanges.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the factory was established in Pulicat in 1610, it became the main center of activities for the Dutch East India Company, a European colonial trading entity. The town of Pulicat, also known historically as Palliacatta or Paliacate in Western sources, was an important trading post for the Dutch, who were competing with other colonial powers such as the British and French during that period. The Dutch used their establishments like Pulicat as trading posts, equipped with offices and warehouses, known as factories, which were significant in enhancing their control over regional trade.
Over time, the Dutch continued to expand their trading network and influence in the region, establishing additional factories and trade posts in other parts of India and in colonies around the world. These establishments served as hubs for the exchange of goods and played a crucial role in the colonial mercantile system.