The Age of Industrialisation
Short Questions
1. What is meant by proto-industrialisation?
Answer: Proto-industrialisation was the early phase of industrial production carried out in villages before factories came up.
2. Why did merchants move to the countryside in the 17th and 18th centuries?
Answer: Merchants moved to avoid restrictions of urban guilds and expand production.
3. Who created the cotton mill in England?
Answer: Richard Arkwright created the cotton mill.
4. Which were the most dynamic industries in Britain during the first phase of industrialisation?
Answer: Cotton and metals were the most dynamic industries.
5. Why were steam engines not used widely in the early stages?
Answer: Steam engines were costly, broke down often, and were slow to be accepted.
6. Why did some industrialists in Europe prefer hand labour?
Answer: Because human labour was cheap and suitable for seasonal demand.
7. Who were the gomasthas?
Answer: Gomasthas were East India Company officials who supervised weavers and collected supplies.
8. Which port towns of India declined by the 18th century?
Answer: Surat and Hoogly declined by the 18th century.
9. Which new ports grew under colonial power?
Answer: Bombay and Calcutta grew as new colonial ports.
10. Why did Indian weavers face problems after the 1850s?
Answer: They faced competition from cheap Manchester imports and shortage of good cotton.
11. When was the first cotton mill set up in Bombay?
Answer: The first cotton mill in Bombay was set up in 1854.
12. Who set up the first Indian jute mill?
Answer: Seth Hukumchand set up the first Indian jute mill in 1917.
13. What was the role of jobbers in factories?
Answer: Jobbers recruited workers, helped them settle, and sometimes exploited them.
14. What was the fly shuttle?
Answer: The fly shuttle was a mechanical device that increased the speed of weaving.
15. How did advertisements help in selling goods?
Answer: Advertisements created demand by using images of gods, kings, and nationalist messages.
Long Questions
1. Explain the main features of proto-industrialisation in Europe.
Answer: Proto-industrialisation was the phase before factory industries. Merchants provided money and raw materials to peasants and artisans in the countryside to produce goods. This helped peasants earn extra income and linked town and countryside in a commercial network.
2. How did the invention of the cotton mill change the production system?
Answer: The cotton mill brought all processes under one roof. It allowed better supervision of production, quality control, and regulation of workers. Costly machines could now be maintained in one place, making production faster and organised.
3. Why was hand labour preferred over machines in Victorian Britain?
Answer: Britain had plenty of cheap labour, so machines were not always necessary. Seasonal industries like breweries and gas works required temporary workers. Hand-made goods were also seen as refined and fashionable by the upper classes.
4. What problems did Indian weavers face under the East India Company?
Answer: The Company appointed gomasthas who forced weavers to sell only to them at low prices. Weavers had to take loans and could not bargain freely. Harsh treatment and exploitation often forced weavers to close workshops or migrate.
5. How did Manchester industries affect Indian textiles?
Answer: Manchester industries produced cheap machine-made cloth. The British imposed import duties on Indian textiles and flooded the Indian market with their goods. As a result, Indian weavers lost both export and local markets.
6. Describe the role of Indian entrepreneurs in the growth of industries.
Answer: Indian businessmen like Dwarkanath Tagore, Jamsetjee Tata, and Dinshaw Petit invested in industries. Many gained wealth from trade with China and later turned to cotton, jute, and steel industries. They helped lay the foundation of Indian industrialisation.
7. How did workers get jobs in Indian factories?
Answer: Getting jobs was difficult due to high demand and fewer posts. Industrialists employed jobbers who recruited workers, often from their villages. Jobbers also helped workers settle in the city but demanded money and gifts in return.
8. What was the impact of the First World War on Indian industries?
Answer: During the war, Manchester industries focused on war production, reducing imports to India. Indian mills supplied cloth, jute bags, boots, and uniforms to the army. This created a boom in industrial production in India.
9. Why did handloom industries survive in the 20th century?
Answer: Handloom industries adapted new technologies like the fly shuttle to improve productivity. They also produced fine varieties like Banarasi saris that mills could not copy. The demand for handloom by the rich ensured their survival.
10. How were advertisements used to promote industrial goods in India?
Answer: Manufacturers used colourful labels with images of gods, kings, and national leaders to attract buyers. Calendars were also printed, reaching even illiterate people. Indian manufacturers used swadeshi messages to encourage people to buy Indian goods.
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