Chapter IV The Age of
Industrialisation
Class 10 NCERT History: India and the Contemporary World-II
Updated for 2024-2025 Exams
Q.1. Explain the
following:
a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning
Jenny.
Ans. Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny
because it threatened their jobs. The machine allowed a single worker to spin
multiple spindles of thread at once, reducing the demand for labor. This fear
of unemployment led to the violent resistance by the workers, particularly
women who were primarily involved in hand spinning.
b) In the seventeenth century, merchants from towns in
Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages.
Ans. During the seventeenth century, merchants in Europe
employed peasants and artisans within villages to avoid the control of urban
craft guilds, which restricted competition and production. Merchants supplied
raw materials to peasants, who processed the goods in their homes, creating a
system known as proto-industrialisation. This enabled merchants to increase
production for the international market without relying on urban craftspeople.
c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth
century.
Ans. The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth
century due to the rise of European trading companies like the British and
Dutch East India Companies, which gained control over trade. The monopolization
of trade by these companies shifted commerce to European-controlled ports like
Bombay and Calcutta, leading to the decline of traditional Indian ports such as
Surat.
d) The East India Company appointed gomasthas to supervise
weavers in India.
Ans. The East India Company appointed gomasthas to supervise
weavers to ensure regular supplies of cotton and silk textiles. Gomasthas were
company agents responsible for overseeing production, collecting goods, and
ensuring quality. They often forced weavers to sell exclusively to the company,
eliminating competition and ensuring the Company’s monopoly over trade.
Q.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.
Ans. False
b) The international market for fine textiles was dominated
by India till the eighteenth century.
Ans. True
c) The American Civil War resulted in the reduction of
cotton exports from India.
Ans. False
d) The introduction of the fly shuttle enabled handloom
workers to improve their productivity.
Ans. True
Q.3. Explain what is
meant by proto-industrialisation.
Ans. Proto-industrialisation refers to the phase of
industrial production that took place before the establishment of factories.
During this period, merchants in Europe organized production by providing raw
materials to peasants and artisans in rural areas, who processed goods in their
homes. This system allowed merchants to avoid the control of urban craft
guilds, increase production for international markets, and lay the foundation
for the later factory-based industrial revolution.
### Chapter IV: The Age of Industrialisation (Continued)
Q.4. Why did some
industrialists in nineteenth-century Europe prefer hand labor over
machines?
Ans. In nineteenth-century Europe, some industrialists
preferred hand labor over machines because it was cheaper and more flexible.
There was an abundant supply of labor, especially in Britain, where poor
peasants migrated to cities in search of work. Hand labor was particularly
preferred for producing goods with intricate designs or custom orders, which
machines could not replicate. Additionally, seasonal industries like breweries
and gas works employed workers for specific peak times, making it unnecessary
to invest in expensive machines for continuous production.
Q.5. How did the East
India Company procure regular supplies of cotton and silk textiles from Indian
weavers?
Ans. The East India Company ensured regular supplies of
cotton and silk textiles from Indian weavers by appointing gomasthas
(supervisors) to oversee the production process. They gave advances to weavers
to buy raw materials, and in return, the weavers were bound to sell their
finished products only to the Company. The Company’s monopoly over trade and
its control of weavers, often enforced with coercion, ensured a steady supply
of goods. Gomasthas also regulated quality and collected the goods for export,
eliminating competition from other buyers.
Q.6. Why did
industrial production in India increase during the First World War?
Ans. Industrial production in India increased during the
First World War because British factories were occupied with war-related
production, which reduced imports of British goods into India. This created a
demand for locally produced goods in the Indian market, particularly textiles
and other consumer products. Indian factories were also called upon to supply
war-related materials such as jute bags, cloth for uniforms, and leather goods.
The war stimulated industrial growth as new factories were established,
existing factories expanded, and Indian industrialists captured a larger share
of the domestic market.
Q.7. Select any one
industry in your region and find out its history. How has the technology
changed? Where do the workers come from? How are the products advertised and
marketed?
Ans. (This question can vary depending on the your region.)