Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners (SOCIAL SCIENCE)

Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners

Question 1. What kinds of cloth had a large market in Europe? Answer: Chintz, cossaes or khassa and bandanna.

Question 2. What is jamdani? Answer: Jamdani is a fine muslin on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white.

Question 3. What is bandanna? Answer: Bandanna is a brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head. Originally, the term derived from the word ‘bandhna’ and referred to a variety of brightly coloured cloth produced through a method of tying and dying.

Question 4. Who are the Agarias? Answer: Groups of men and women carrying basket-loads of iron are known as the Agarias.

Question 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) chintz (b) Wootz (c) 19th.

Question 6. How do the names of different textiles tell us about their history? Answer: European traders first saw fine cotton cloth from India carried by Arab

merchants in Mosul in present-day Iraq. Hence, they began to refer to all finally woven textiles as muslino. When the Portuguese first came to India in search of spices, they landed in Calicut on the Kerala coast in south-west India. The cotton textiles which they took back to Europe came to be known as calico, which is derived from Calicut. Printed cotton cloths called chintz, cossaes or khassa and bandanna were also in great demand. The chintz is derived from the Hindi word chhint, a cloth with small and colourful flowery designs. The word bandanna is referred to any brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head. Originally, the term derived from the word ‘bandhna’ and referred to a variety of brightly coloured cloth produced through a method of tying and dying.

Question 7. Why did the wool and silk producers in England protest against the import of Indian textiles in the early eighteenth century? Answer: Textile industry had just begun to develop in England in the early 18th century. The wool and silk producers in England found themselves unable to compete with Indian textiles. They wanted to secure market within the country by preventing the entry of Indian textiles. Therefore, they protested against its import.

Question 8. How did the development of cotton industries in Britain affect textile producers in India? Answer: The development of cotton industries in Britain badly affected textile producers in India:

Indian textiles now had to compete with British textiles in the European and American markets.

Exporting textiles to England became increasingly difficult since very high duties were imposed on Indian textiles imported into Britain,

Thousands of weavers in India became unemployed. Bengal weavers were the worst hit.

By the 1830s British cotton cloth flooded Indian markets. This affected not only specialist weavers but also spinners.

Question 9. Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline in the nineteenth century? Answer: 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 was 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. All these reasons caused the decline of the Indian iron smelting industry.

Question 10. What problems did the Indian textile industry face in the early years of its development? Answer: In the early years of its development the Indian textile industry faced several problems:

It found it difficult to compete with the cheap textiles imported from Britain.

In most countries, governments supported industrialisation by imposing heavy duties on imports. This eliminated competition and protected newly born industries. But the colonial government in India refused such protection to local industries. However, during the First World War when textile imports from Britain declined Indian factories were called upon to produce cloth for military supplies. This boosted up cotton factory production in India.

Question 11. What helped TISCO expand steel production durinq the First World War? Answer:

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 war in Europe. So, imports ‘of British steel into India declined and the Indian Railways turned to TISCO for 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.

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