NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (History : Our Past III) Chapter 6 Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners

NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (History: Our Past III)

The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 8 Social Science (History : Our Past III) Chapter – 6 (Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.

History (Our Pasts – III)

• Chapter – 1 — How, When and Where
• Chapter – 2 — From Trade to Territory The Company Establishes Power
• Chapter – 3 — Ruling the Countryside
• Chapter – 4 — Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age
• Chapter – 5 — When People Rebel 1857 and after
• Chapter – 7 — Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation
• Chapter – 8 — Women, Caste and Reform
• Chapter – 9 — The Making of the National Movement: 1870s – 1947
• Chapter – 10 — India after Independence

Chapter – 6 (Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners)

Let’s Recall

1. What kinds of cloth had a large market in Europe?

Answer – Indian textiles had been renowned for its quality and fine craftsmanship. Cotton, wool, and silk from India had a large market in Europe. Different varieties of textiles such as Muslin, Chintz, cossaes, bandanna etc. were in huge demand in Europe.

2. What is jamdani?

Answer – Jamdani is a fine muslin on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread is used.

3. What is a bandanna?

Answer – The word “bandanna” refers to any brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head. The term is derived from the word “bandhna” (Hindi for tying) which refers to a variety of brightly coloured cloth produced through a method of tying and dying.

4. Who are the Agaria?

Answer – A group of men and women who formed a community of iron smelters is known as Agaria.

5. Fill in the blanks.

(a) The word chintz comes from the word _________.
(b) Tipu’s sword was made of_________ steel.
(c) India’s textile exports declined in the _________ century.

Answer –

(a) The word chintz comes from the word chhint.
(b) Tipu’s sword was made of wootz steel.
(c) India’s textile exports declined in the nineteenth century.

Let’s Discuss

6. How do the names of different textiles tell us about their histories?

Answer – The different textiles like ‘muslin’, ‘chintz’, ‘calico’ and ‘bandanna’ have a history to their names:

• Muslin – The cloth was named after the European traders who saw five types of cotton textiles carried by the Arab traders in Mosul. They named all woven textiles as ‘muslin’ after that.
• Chintz – This name is derived from a Hindi name called ‘Chhint’ which is a small piece of cloth with floral designs.
• Calico – Portuguese came to Calicut first in search of spices. However, the cotton textile they took back from Calicut to Spain was called Calico.
• Bandanna – The term was derived from the Hindi word ‘Bandhna’. It is a scarf with prints. It is made for head or neck.

7. Why did the wool and silk producers in England protest against the import of Indian textiles in the early eighteenth century?

Answer – The wool and silk producers in England protested against the import of Indian textiles in the early eighteenth century because they found themselves unable to compete with the Indian textiles that were available in fine quality and at low prices in the market. The English wool and silk producers wanted a ban on Indian textiles to secure their business in England.

8. How did the development of cotton industries in Britain affect textile producers in India?

Answer – The development of cotton industries in Britain affected textile producers in India in several ways, i.e.,

• Indian textiles now had to compete with British textiles in the European and American markets.
• Exporting textiles to England also became increasingly difficult since very high duties were imposed on Indian textiles imported into Britain.  

9. Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline in the nineteenth century?

Answer – The decline of the Indian iron smelting industry has following reasons:

• The new forest laws led to the decline of craft of iron smelting.
• When the colonial government prevented people from entering the reserved forests, the iron smelters could not find wood for charcoal.
• Even when they were granted access the iron smelters had to pay a very high tax to the forest department for every furnace used. This reduced their income.
• Moreover iron and steel was being imported from Britain.

10. What problems did the Indian textile industry face in the early years of its development?

Answer – The problems faced by the Indian textile industry are given below.

• Competition – They had to face large British industries that were already present in the market.
• Export – It was a challenge for them to export to England due to the huge export prices.
• Failure – English cotton textiles ousted Indian textiles from its parent markets like America, Africa and Europe.
• No Buyers – Europeans started avoiding the weavers of Bengal and did not buy from them, which made the Bengal weavers the worst hit.

11. What helped TISCO expand steel production during the First World War?

Answer – The following reasons led to TISCO’s expansion:

• World War-I – The war demanded a huge amount of iron and steel for the production of ammunition, which was a demand that Britain had to entertain.
• Indian markets turned to TISCO for rail work to supply iron and steel.
• TISCO built shells and carriage wheels for World War-I.
• By 1919, the British government started buying 90 per cent of the steel manufactured by the TISCO.