Notes Class 10 History Chapter 3 The Making of Global World

Notes For All Chapters History Class 10 CBSE

Introduction

• Globalisation today refers to worldwide economic, social, and cultural connections.
• But globalisation has a long history of:
  • Trade of goods and ideas
  • Migration of people for work
  • Spread of crops, inventions, and even diseases
• Human societies have been interconnected since ancient times.

1. The Pre-modern World

1.1 Silk Routes Link the World

• Silk routes = ancient trade routes connecting Asia, Europe, and Africa.
• Existed before the Christian era and active till the 15th century.
• Goods traded:
  • Chinese silk, pottery, spices, and Indian textiles
  • Precious metals (gold, silver) from Europe
• Cultural exchange also took place:
  • Buddhism spread from India
  • Christian missionaries and Muslim preachers travelled
• Proved that trade + culture were deeply connected.

1.2 Food Travels: Spaghetti and Potato

• Food shows long-distance cultural contact.
• Example:
  • Noodles → Spaghetti (via China/Arab traders).
  • Similar foods existed in India & Japan.
• Many crops unknown in Europe/Asia until after Columbus discovered the Americas (1492).
• Crops from the Americas (introduced later):
  • Potato, maize, chillies, tomatoes, groundnuts, soya, sweet potato.
• Example of impact:
  • Potato in Ireland became staple food.
  • During the Irish Potato Famine (1845–49), when crop failed → 1 million died, many emigrated.

1.3 Conquest, Disease and Trade

• 16th century: Europeans discovered sea route to Asia and crossed to America.
• America before Europeans: Isolated for millions of years.
• After conquest:
  • Precious metals (especially silver) from Peru & Mexico enriched Europe.
  • El Dorado (city of gold) legend attracted explorers.
• Spanish & Portuguese conquest:
  • Not only due to weapons, but also diseases like smallpox.
  • Natives had no immunity → population decline → easy conquest.
• Plantations in Americas:
  • Worked by African slaves.
  • Grew sugar & cotton for Europe.
• By 18th century:
  • China & India = richest countries in Asia.
  • But China restricted trade, Europe’s role grew, Americas became important.
  • Europe emerged as centre of world trade.

2. The Nineteenth Century (1815–1914)

Economists identified 3 types of flows in global economy:

• Trade (mainly in goods like wheat, cotton, cloth).
• Labour (migration of workers).
• Capital (money for investment).

2.1 A World Economy Takes Shape

• Britain’s Corn Laws (kept food prices high) were abolished → allowed cheap imports.
• Result:
  • British agriculture declined.
  • Workers lost jobs, many migrated to cities or abroad.
• Cheap imports increased food consumption.
• Lands cleared in America, Australia, Russia, Eastern Europe to produce wheat & other crops.
• Infrastructure needed: railways, ports, houses → required capital & labour.
• Migration: 50 million Europeans moved to America/Australia in 19th century.
• By 1890 → global agricultural economy developed.

2.2 Role of Technology

• Railways, steamships, telegraph = crucial inventions.
• Colonialism encouraged investment in transport & communication.
• Example: refrigerated ships → allowed meat to be shipped long distances cheaply.
• This made meat affordable to Europe’s poor → improved diets → social stability.

2.3 Late 19th Century Colonialism

• Trade expanded, but colonial control increased.
• Berlin Conference (1885): European powers divided Africa.
• Britain, France expanded; Germany, Belgium, USA also gained colonies.
• Colonisation brought loss of freedom & livelihoods to colonised societies.

2.4 Rinderpest (Cattle Plague) in Africa

• Came to Africa in late 1880s with cattle imported from Asia.
• Spread rapidly, killed 90% of African cattle by 1897.
• Result:
  • Destroyed African livelihoods.
  • Forced people to work in European plantations & mines.
  • Gave Europeans control over scarce resources.

2.5 Indentured Labour Migration from India

• Indentured labour = bonded labour under contract (usually 5 years).
• Indian migrants went to:
  • Caribbean islands (Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam)
  • Mauritius, Fiji, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), Malaya
  • Tea plantations in Assam.
• Mostly from: UP, Bihar, central India, Tamil Nadu.
• Causes: poverty, debt, decline of cottage industries, land rents.
• Recruitment by agents → often misleading/forced.
• Harsh working & living conditions.
• But labourers also created new cultural forms:
  • Hosay festival in Trinidad
  • Rastafarianism, Chutney music
• Many stayed back after contracts → formed Indian communities abroad.
• System ended in 1921 (due to opposition by Indian nationalists).

2.6 Indian Entrepreneurs & Trade

• Indian bankers & traders supported global trade:
  • Shikaripuri Shroffs, Nattukottai Chettiars → financed export agriculture.
  • Sindhi traders set up shops worldwide.
• India’s role in global trade:
  • Before industrialisation → exported fine cottons.
  • After British industrialisation → India’s textile exports declined.
  • India exported more raw materials (cotton, indigo, opium).
  • Britain had trade surplus with India → used it to balance trade with other countries.
  • India’s wealth used to pay for Britain’s global expenses (“Home Charges”).

3. The Inter-war Economy (1914–1945)

3.1 First World War (1914–18)

• Allies: Britain, France, Russia, later USA.
• Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Turkey.
• First modern industrial war: machine guns, tanks, aircraft, chemicals.
• 9 million dead, 20 million injured.
• Women worked in industries.
• War disrupted global economy.
• US became world’s largest creditor nation.

3.2 Post-war Recovery

• Britain lost dominance, burdened with debt to USA.
• Unemployment high (1 in 5 workers jobless in 1921).
• Agriculture crisis: wheat supply → oversupply → price crash.

3.3 Mass Production in USA

• Henry Ford’s assembly line (1914) revolutionised car production.
• Cars produced faster & cheaper.
• Workers paid $5/day (double wages).
• US became world’s leading economic power in 1920s.
• Consumer goods (cars, radios, fridges) purchased through hire purchase (credit).
• Economy grew, but collapsed in 1929.

3.4 The Great Depression (1929–1930s)

• Caused by:
  1. Agricultural overproduction → price crash.
  2. Dependence on US loans → when loans stopped, crisis spread.
• Effects:
  • Bank failures, business closures.
  • Massive unemployment.
  • World trade collapsed.

3.5 Impact on India

• India = exporter of agricultural goods, importer of manufactures.
• Depression impact:
  • Exports & imports nearly halved (1928–34).
  • Wheat prices fell 50%, jute prices fell 60%.
  • Peasants heavily indebted.
  • Gold exports increased (peasants sold jewellery to survive).
• Urban areas: middle-class benefited as prices fell.
• Depression years coincided with Civil Disobedience Movement (1930s).

4. Rebuilding the World Economy (Post–1945)

4.1 Second World War (1939–45)

• Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan.
• Allies: Britain, France, USSR, USA.
• 60 million deaths, massive destruction.

4.2 Bretton Woods System (1944)

• Conference at Bretton Woods, USA.
• Set up:
  • IMF (International Monetary Fund) → manage financial stability.
  • World Bank → provide loans for reconstruction.
• Introduced fixed exchange rate system (currencies linked to US dollar, dollar linked to gold).
• Aim: ensure economic stability + full employment.

4.3 Decolonisation and New Nations

• After WWII → many Asian & African colonies gained independence.
• Newly independent countries = poor, lacked resources.
• Formed G-77 (Group of 77) to demand:
  • Fairer trade, better prices, more aid, control over natural resources.
• Demanded a New International Economic Order (NIEO).

4.4 End of Bretton Woods & Beginning of Globalisation

• 1970s: US dollar weakened, fixed exchange rate collapsed → shift to floating exchange rates.
• Developing countries forced to borrow from private banks, leading to debt crises.
• MNCs relocated production to low-wage countries (like China, India).
• By late 20th century → globalisation accelerated, trade & capital flows increased.