NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science History
(India and the Contemporary World – II)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 10 Social Science – History (India and the Contemporary World – II) Chapter – 4 (The Age of Industrialisation) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Chapter – 4 (The Age of Industrialisation)
Exercises
| Write in brief |
1. Explain the following:
a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny.
Answer – Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny because it speeded up the spinning process, and consequently, reduced labour demand. This caused a valid fear of unemployment among women working in the woollen industry. Till date, they had survived on hand spinning, but this was placed in peril by the new machine.
b) In the seventeenth century, merchants from towns in Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages.
Answer – In the seventeenth century, merchants from towns in Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages because production in urban areas could not be increased due to the presence of powerful trade guilds. These maintained control over production, regulated prices and competition, and restricted the entry of new people in the trade. Monopolisation was also a common tactic. In the countryside, there were no such rules, and impoverished peasants welcomed these merchants.
c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth century.
Answer – The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth century on account of the growing power of European companies in trade with India. They secured many concessions from local courts as well as the monopoly rights to trade. This led to a decline of the old ports of Surat and Hoogly from where local merchants had operated. Exports slowed and local banks here went bankrupt.
d) The East India Company appointed ‘gomasthas’ to supervise weavers in India.
Answer – The company tried to eliminate the existing traders and brokers connected with the cloth trade and establish more direct control over the weavers. It appointed a paid servant called Gomastha to supervise weavers, collect supplies, and examine the quality of cloth.
2. Write True or False against each statement.
(a) At the end of the nineteenth century, 80 per cent of the total workforce in Europe was employed in the technologically advanced industrial sector.
(b) The international market for fine textiles was dominated by India till the eighteenth century.
(c) The American Civil War resulted in the reduction of cotton exports from India.
(d) The introduction of the fly shuttle enabled handloom workers to improve their productivity.
Answer –
(a) At the end of the nineteenth century, 80 per cent of the total workforce in Europe was employed in the technologically advanced industrial sector. (False)
(b) The international market for fine textiles was dominated by India till the eighteenth century. (True)
(c) The American Civil War resulted in the reduction of cotton exports from India. (False)
(d) The introduction of the fly shuttle enabled handloom workers to improve their productivity. (True)
3. Explain what is meant by proto-industrialisation.
Answer – Proto-industrialisation is the phase of industrialisation that was not based on the factory system. Before the coming of factories, there was large-scale industrial production for an international market. This part of industrial history is known as proto-industrialisation.
| Discuss |
1. Why did some industrialists in nineteenth-century Europe prefer hand labour over machines?
Answer – Some industrialists in nineteenth-century England preferred hand labour over machines because there was no labour shortage in the market, and as a result, there was no problem of high wage costs either. Industrialists did not wish to replace hand labour with machines that would require large capital investment. Also, in industries where the production and amount of labour required were dependent on the seasons, hand labour was preferred for its lower costs. Apart from this, many goods could only be manufactured by hand. Machines could provide mass quantities of a uniform product. But the demand was for intricate designs and shapes; this required human skill, and not mechanical technology. Handmade products also stood for refinement and class status. It was commonly believed that machine-made goods were for export to the colonies.
2. How did the East India Company procure regular supplies of cotton and silk textiles from Indian weavers?
Answer – After establishing political power, the East India Company successfully procured regular supplies of cotton and silk textiles from Indian weavers via a series of actions. These actions were aimed at eliminating competition from other colonial powers, controlling costs and ensuring regular supplies of cotton and silk goods for Britain. Firstly, it appointed gomasthas or paid servants to supervise weavers, collect supplies and examine textile quality. Secondly, it disallowed Company weavers from dealing with other buyers. This was ascertained by a system of giving advances to the weavers for procuring raw materials. Those who took these loans could not sell their cloth to anyone but the gomasthas.
3. Imagine that you have been asked to write an article for an encyclopedia on Britain and the history of cotton. Write your piece using information from the entire.
Answer – Britain and the History of Cotton During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, merchants would trade with rural people in textile production. A clothier would buy wool from a wool stapler, carry it to the spinners, and then, take the yarn to the weavers, fuller and dyers for further levels of production. London was the finishing centre for these goods. This phase in British manufacturing history is known as proto-industrialization.
In this phase, cotton was the leading sector in the first stage of industrialization. Most inventions in the textile production sector were met with disregard and hatred by the workers because machines implied less hand labor and lower employment needs. The Spinning Jenny was one such invention. Women in the woolen-industry opposed and sought to destroy it because it was taking over their place in the labour market.
Before such technological advancements, Britain imported silk and cotton goods from industry in India to its full potential, often by force, for the benefit of Britain. Later, Manchester became the hub of cotton production. Subsequently, India was turned into the major buyer of British cotton goods. During the First World War, British factories were too busy providing for war needs. Hence, demand for Indian textiles rose once again. The history of cotton in Britain is replete with such fluctuations of demand and supply.
4. Why did industrial production in India increase during the First World War?
Answer – Industrial production in India increased during the First World War due to the following reasons :
(i) While British mills busy with war production to meet the needs of the army Manchester imports into India declined.
(ii) With the decline of imports suddenly, Indian mills had a vast home market to supply.
(iii) As the war prolonged, Indian factories were called upon to supply war needs also, such as Jute bags, cloth for uniforms of soldiers, tents, leather boots, etc and lots of other items.
(iv) New factories were set up and old ones organized multiple shifts; during the war years Indian industries boomed.
(v) Overall, the First World War gave a boost to Indian industries.
