NCERT Solutions Class 8, Social Science, History, Chapter "Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners".
1. What kinds of cloth had a large market in Europe?
Solution:
Cotton and silk textiles had a huge market in Europe. Indian textiles were by far the most popular, both for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship. Different varieties of Indian textiles were sold in the Western markets; for example, chintz, cossaes or khassa, bandanna and jamdani. From the 1680s, there started a craze for printed Indian cotton textiles in England and Europe, mainly for their exquisite floral designs, fine texture and relative cheapness.
2. What is jamdani?
Solution:
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 bandanna?
Solution:
'Bandanna' refers to brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head produced through a method of tying and dying.
4. Who are the Agarias?
Solution:
The Agarias are an Indian community of iron smelters.
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.
Solution:
(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.
6. How do the names of different textiles tell us about their histories?
Solution:
By tracing the origins of the names of different textiles, one can find out a lot about their histories. Take the case of muslin—a word that refers to any finely woven textile. This word is a derivative of the city of Mosul (in present-day Iraq). It was here that the European traders first encountered fine cotton cloth from India, which was brought over from India by Arab merchants. Another example is calico—the general name for all cotton textiles. This word is derived from the word Calicut, a city on the coast of Kerala. When the Portuguese first came to India, they landed in Calicut, and the cotton textiles that they took along with them to Europe came to be called calico. Chintz, a printed cotton cloth, is a term that is derived from the Hindi word chhint—a cloth with small and colourful flowery designs. Bandanna, which refers to any brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head, is a term that leads one to the Hindi word for tying, that is, bandhna—a variety of brightly coloured cloth produced through a method of tying and dying. The widespread use of such words shows how popular Indian textiles had become in different parts of the world.
7. Why did the wool and silk producers in England protest against the import of Indian textiles in the early eighteenth century?
Solution:
By the early eighteenth century, worried by the popularity of Indian textiles, the wool and silk makers in England began protesting against the import of Indian cotton textiles. At this time, the textile industries had just begun to develop in England. Unable to compete with Indian textiles, English producers wanted a secure market within the country by preventing the entry of Indian textiles.
8. How did the development of cotton industries in Britain affect textile producers in India?
Solution:
Cotton industries in Britain developed and adversely affected textile producers in India in several ways:
i. Indian textiles faced competition from British textiles in the European and American markets.
ii. Export of textiles to England became more and more difficult because the British Govt, imposed very high duties on Indian textiles.
iii. In the beginning of the 19th century, cotton textiles made in Britain successfully ousted Indian goods from their traditional markets in Africa, America and Europe.
iv. Thousands of weavers in India were now thrown out of employment.
- Bengal weavers were the worst hit.
- English and European companies stopped to buy Indian goods. Their agents no longer gave out advances to weavers to secure supplies.
- Distressed weavers wrote petitions to the government to help them.
v. By the 1830s British cotton cloth flooded Indian markets. Actually by the 1880s, 67% of all the cotton clothes worn by Indians were made of cloth produced in Britain. This affected not only specialist weavers but also spinners.
vi. Thousands of rural spinner women were rendered jobless.
9. Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline in the nineteenth century?
Solution:
There were several reasons:
- The new forest laws of the colonial government prevented people from entering the reserved forests. Now it became difficult for the iron smelters to find wood for charcoal. Getting iron ore was also a big problem. Hence, many gave up their craft and looked for other jobs.
- In some areas the government did grant access to the forest. But the iron smelters had to pay a very high tax to the forest department for every furnace they used. This reduced their income.
- By the late 19th century iron and steel were being imported from Britain. Ironsmiths in India began using the imported iron to manufacture utensils and implements. This inevitably lowered the demand for iron produced by local smelters.
10. What problems did the Indian textile industry face in the early years of its development?
Solution:
During the early period of its development, the textile industry in India faced many problems.
- In most countries, governments supported local manufacturers by imposing heavy duties on imports. This finished the competition and protected their infant industries.
- English producers wanted a secure market within the country by preventing the entry of Indian textiles. British government enacted the Calico Act.
- The colonial government in India usually refused such protection to local industries.
11. What helped TISCO expand steel production during the First World War?
Solution:
Before the First World War India imported British steel for rails. When in 1914 the war broke out, steel produced in Britain now had to meet the demands of the war in Europe. So, imports ‘of British steel into India declined and the Indian Railways turned to TISCO for the supply of rails.
As the war dragged on for several years, TISCO had to produce shells and carriage wheels for the war. By 1919 the colonial government was buying 90% of the steel manufactured by TISCO. Over time TISCO became the biggest steel industry within the British empire.
Choose the correct option:
(i) One of the most important Indian ports of the 17th century.
(a) Bombay
(b) Madras
(c) Surat
(d) Vishakhapatnam
The correct option is : (c) Surat
(ii) Bandana patterns were mostly produced in
(a) Rajasthan and Gujarat
(b) Rajasthan and Orissa
(c) Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh
(d) Chhattisgarh and West Bengal
The correct option is : (a) Rajasthan and Gujarat
(iii) The job of a rangrez was to
(a) Weave cloth
(b) Dye thread
(c) Transport goods to. the markets
(d) Spin thread on the charkha
The correct option is : (b) Dye thread
(iv) The first cotton mill in India was established in
(a) Gujarat
(b) Bombay
(c) Madras
(d) West Bengal
The correct option is : (b) Bombay
(v) Wootz steel was produced all over
(a) South India
(b) North India
(c) Central India
(d) North-east India
The correct option is : (a) South India
