History Solution Class 8 Chapter 7

7. Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners

Facts that Matter

·         The Industrialisation of Britain had a close connection with the conquest and colonisation of India.

·         English East India Company’s interest in trade led to the occupation of territory and the pattern of trade changed over the decades.

·         In the late 18^th century the Company was buying good in India and exporting them to England and Europe; making profit through the sale.

·         With the growth of industrial production, British industrialists began to see India as a vast market for their industrial products and very soon manufactured goods from Britain began flooding India. This badly affected Indian crafts and industries.

·         Just take the example of Indian textiles. Needless to say that Indian textile was world famous for their quality and craftsmanship.

·          From the 16^th century European trading companies began buying Indian textile for sale in Europe.

·         Here it is worth mentioning that Indian textile was famous in western markets under different names such as muslin, calico etc.

·         Printed cotton cloths were called chintz, cossanes, khassa and bandanna.

·         From the 1680s there started a craze for printed Indian cotton textiles in England and Europe mainly for their beautiful floral design, fine texture and to relative cheapness.

·         The popularity of Indian textiles during the early 18^th century worried the wool silk makers in England. They began protesting against the import of Indian cotton textiles.

·         In fact textile industries had just begun in England at this time. Unable to compete with Indian textiles, English producers wanted a secure market within the country by preventing the entry of Indian textiles. The first to grow under government protection was the calico printing industry. Indian designs were now imitated and printed in England on white muslin or plain unbleached Indian cloth.

·         Competition with Indian textiles led to a search for technological innovation in England. The invention of spinning jenny in 1764 and steam engine in 1786 revolutionised cotton textile weaving. Cloth could now be woven in large quantities and cheaply too.

·         However, Indian textiles continued to dominate world trade till the end of the 18^th century. European trading companies made huge profits out of this flourishing trade.

·         In India, textile production was concentrated in four regions in the early 19^th century-Bengal, Deccan in Eastern Bengal (now Bangladesh), regions along the Coromandel Coast and Gujarat.

·         However, Indian textile began to decline with the development of cotton industries in Britain and by the beginning of the 19^th century; English-made cotton textile successfully ousted Indian goods from their traditional market in Africa, America and Europe.

·         This badly affected the weavers of India. They lost their employment. Bengal weavers were the worst hit.

·         English and European companies stopped buying Indian goods.

·         Situation became worse by the 1830s when British cotton cloth flooded Indian markets.

·         This affected both specialist weavers and spinners. Thousands of rural women who made a living by spinning cotton thread became jobless.

·         However, handloom weaving continued to exist to some extent. This was because some types of cloths could not be supplied by machines failed to produce saris with intricate borders or cloths with traditional woven patterns.

·         Many weavers and spinners who lost their livelihood now became agricultural labourers. Some migrated to cities in search of work and yet others went out of the country to work in plantations in Africa and South America.

·         Some handloom weavers got employment in the new cotton mills that were established in different parts of India.

·         The first cotton mill in India was set up as a spinning mill in Bombay in 1854. Afterwards mills came up in other cities too, for examples Ahmedabad and Kanpur.

·         The textile factory industry faced various problems in the beginning.

·         The first major spurt in the development of cotton factory production in India was during the First World War when textile imports from Britain declined and Indian factories were called upon to produce cloth for military supplies.

·         Indian Wootz steel which was produced all over south India, fascinated European scientists. However, the Wootz steel making process was completely lost by the mid-19^th century. The reason behind this was that when the British conquered India, the import of iron and steel from England began to displace the iron and steel produced by the crafts people in India. As a result several iron smelters lost their job. The demand for iron produced by them inevitably lowered.

·         By the early 20^th century, the artisans producing iron and steel faced a new competition with the coming of iron and steel factories in India.

·         The Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) began producing steel in 1912.

·         Soon in 1914 First World War broke out. Steel produced in Britain had to meet the demands of war in Europe. So imports to British Steel into India declined and the Indian Railways that was expanding at that time turned to TISCO for supply of rails.

·         It was the best moment for the TISCO to flourish.

·         The war dragged on for several years and 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.

Words that Matter

·         Chintz: It is derived from the Hindi word chhint. This is a cloth with small and colourful flowery designs.

·         Bandanna: The word refers 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.

·         Spinning Jenny: A machine by which a single worker could operate several spindles on to which thread was spun. When the wheel was turned all the spindles rotated.

·         Charkha and takli: Household spinning instruments. The thread was spun on the charkha and rolled on the takli.

·         Rangrez: The dyer who dyed the thread.

·         Chhipigar: Block printer.

·         Aurang: A Persian term for a warehouse-a place where goods are collected before being sold.

·         Smelting: The process of obtaining a metal from rock or soil by heating it to a very high temperature, or of melting objects made from metal in order to use the metal to make something new.

·         Bellows: A device or equipment that can pump air.

·         Slag heaps: The waste left when smelting metal.

Dateline:

·         1720: The British government enacted a legislation banning the use of printed cotton textiles-chintz.

·         1764: Spinning Jenny was invented.

·         1786: Steam engine was invented.

·         1854: The first Cotton Mill in India was established in Bombay.

·         1912: The Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) began producing steel.

Let’s Recall

1. What kinds of cloths had a large market in Europe/

Chintz, cossaes or khassa and bandanna.

2. What is jamdani?

Jamdani is a fine muslin on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white.

3. What is bandanna?

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.

4. Who are the Agarias?

A group of men and women carrying basket-loads of iron are known as the Agaria.

5. Fill in the blanks:

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 19^th century.

Let’s Discuss

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

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 muslin.

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 textile 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.

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

Textile industry had just begun to develop in England in the early 18^th 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.

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

The development of cotton industries in Britain badly affected textile producers in India:

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

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

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

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

9. Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline in the 19^th century?

There were several reasons:

i) 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 others jobs.

ii) 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.

iii) By the late 19^th 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 problem did the Indian textile industry face in the early years of its development?

In the early years of its development the Indian textile industry feced several problems:

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

ii) 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.

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

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.

More Questions Solved

1. Multiple Choice questions

Choose the correct option:

 i) One of the most important Indian parts of the 17^th century.

a) Bombay       b) Madras       c) Surat           d) Vishakhapatnam

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

iii) The job of rangrez was to

a) Weave cloth

b) Dye thread

c) Transport goods to the markets

d) Spin thread on the charkha

iv) The first cotton mill in India was established in

a) Gujarat        b) Bombay      c) Madras        d) West Bengal

v) Wootz steel was produced all over

a) South India                b) North India          c) Central India      d) North-east India

2. Fill in the blanks:

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence.

i) The cotton textiles which the Portuguese too back to Europe, alongwith the spices came to be known as Calico.

ii) The Spinning Jenny was invented by John Kaye.

iii) Weavers often belonged to communities that specialised in Weaving.

iv) Sholapur and Madura emerged as important new centres of weaving in the late 19^th century.

v) Indian Wootz steel fascinated European scientists.

vi) The Tata Iron and Steel factory is situated on the banks of the river Subarnarekha.

vii) TISCO had to expend its capacity and extend the size of its factory to meet the demands of the War.

3. True or False:

State weather each of the following statements is True or False.

i) From the 1850s, Britain came to be known as the ‘workshop of the world’.

ii) The invention of spinning jenny and steam engine revolutionised cotton textile weaving in England.

iii) European trading companies such as the Dutch, the French and the English purchased cotton and silk textiles in India by importing diamond.

iv) Men were usually involved in the work of spinning.

v) Iron smelting in India was extremely common till the end of the 19^th century.

vi) The Tata Iron and Steel Company began to produce steel after the First World War.

4. Match the following:

Match the items given in Column A correctly with those given in Column B.

A                                              B

i) Mulmul                                            a) Dacca

ii) Chintz                                              b) Printed cotton textiles

iii) Patola                                             c) Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan

iv) Tanti, julahas, devangs                  d) Weaving communities

v) Chhipigars                                       e) Block printers

5. Very short answer type questions:

1. Give two reasons why Indian textiles were renowned all over the world.

Their fine quality and beautiful craftsmanship made them renowned all over the world.

2. Why were printed Indian cotton textiles popular in England?

Printed Indian cotton textiles were popular in England for their exquisite floral designs, fine texture and relative cheapness.

3. During which period patola weaving was famous?

It was famous during the mid-19^th century.

4. Name the origin of word calico.

Calicut.

5. Name the important centres of jamdani weaving.

Dacca in Bengal and Lucknow in the United Provinces (U.P.).

6. Name two places where chintz were produced during the mid-19^th century.

Masulipatnam and Andhra Pradesh.

7. How did European trading companies purchase cotton and silk textiles in India?

European trading companies purchased cotton and silk in India by importing silver.

8. Name the household spinning instrument.

Charkha and takli.

9. What did Mahatma Gandhi urged people during the national movement?

During the national movement Mahatma Gandhi urged people to boycott imported textiles and use hand-spun and hand-woven cloth.

10. What became a symbol of nationalism?

Khadi became a symbol of nationalism.

11. How did growth of cotton mills in the country prove to be a boon for the poor peasants, artisans and agricultural labourers?

They got work in the mills.

12. How did Indian cotton factories prove to be helpful during the First World War?

They began to produce cloth for military supplies.

13. Why was Tipu’s sword so special?

Tipu’s sword was made of Wootz steel. Wootz steel when made into swords produced a very sharp edge that could easily rip through the opponent’s armour.

14. Why was the Wootz steel making process completely lost by the mid-19^th century?

a) The sword and armour making industry died with the conquest of India by British.

b) Imports of iron and steel from England displaced the iron and steel produced by craftsmen in India.

15. What were the furnaces made of?

The furnaces were made of clay and Sun-dried bricks.

16. Why were bellows used?

Bellows were used to keep the charcoal burning.

17. What were piece goods?

Piece goods were usually woven cloth pieces that were 20 yards long and 1 yard wide.

6. Short Answer type questions:

1. How were Indian textiles viewed in the world market?

Indian was the largest producer of the cotton textiles in the world before the British conquered Bengal around 1750. Indian textiles had long been renowned both for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship. They were extensively traded in Southeast Asia and west and central Asia. From the 16^th century European trading companies began buying Indian textiles for sale in Europe.

2. How did the inventions of spinning jenny and steam engine revolutionise cotton textile weaving in England?

Textile industries had just emerged in England in the early 18^th century. So, it was difficult for the English producers to compete with Indian textiles. This competition with the Indian textiles led to search for technological innovation in England. In 1764, the spinning jenny was invented by John Kaye which increased the productivity of the traditional spindles.

Then the steam engine was invented by Richard Arkwright in 1786.  

These two inventions revolutionised cotton textile weaving in England. Cloth could now be woven in immense quantities and cheaply too.

3. Give a description of the four regions where textile production was concentrated in the early 19^th century.

Textile production was concentrated in the following four regions in the early 19^th century.

a) Bengal was one of the most important centres. Located along the numerous rivers in the delta, the production centres in the Bengal could easily transport goods to distant places.

b) Dacca in Eastern Bengal, present-day Bangladesh, was the foremost textile centre in the 18^th century. It was famous for its mulmul and jamdani weaving.

c) Textile production was concentrated along the Coromandal coast stretching from Madras to northern Andhra Pradesh.

d) On the western coast there were important weaving centres in Gujarat.

4. Who were the weavers? Name some communities famous for weaving.

Weavers often belonged to communities that specialised in weaving. Their skills were passed on from one generation to the next.

List of some communities famous for weaving includes:

a) The Tanti weavers of Bengal.

b) The Julahas or Momin weavers of north India.

c) Sale and Kaikotlar and Devangs of South India.

5. Describe the process of cloth making.

The process of cloth making consists of two stages:

a) The first stage of production was spinning, i.e. work done mostly by women. The charkha and the takli were household spinning instruments. The thread was spun on the charkha and rolled on the takli.

b) When the spinning was over the thread was woven into cloth by the weaver.

In most communities weaving was a task by men. For coloured textiles, the thread was dyed by the dyer, called rangrez. For painted cloth the weavers needed the help of specialist block printers called chhipigars.

6. Handloom production did not completely die in India. Why?

This was because some types of cloth could not be supplied by machines. Just take the example of saris with intricate borders and cloths with traditional woven patterns. Machines could not produce them. These had a wide demand not only amongst the rich but also amongst the middle classes. Moreover, the textile manufacturers in Britain could not produce the very coarse cloths used by the poor people in India.

In the late 19^th century, Sholapur and Madura grew as important new centres of weaving. During the national movement, Gandhiji urged people to use hand-spun and hand-woven cloth Khadi which gradually became a symbol of nationalism.

7. Give a brief description of growth of cotton mills in India.

The first cotton mill in India set up as a spinning mill in Bombay in 1854. By 1900, over 84 mills started operating in Bombay.

Mills were set up in other cities too. The first mill in Ahmedabad was started in 1861. A year later a mill was established in Kanpur, in the united provinces. Growth of cotton mills led to a demand for labour. As a result thousands of poor peasants, artisans and agricultural labourers moved to cities to work in the mills.

8. Who are the Agarias? Why did they leave their village?

The Agarias are community of iron smelters. They are specialised in the craft of iron smelting.

In the late 19^th century a series of Famines devastated the dry tracts of India. In central India, many of the Agarias iron smelters stopped work, deserted their villages and migrated, looking for some other work to survive the hard times. A large number of them never worked their furnaces again.

7. Long answer type questions:

1. Write a few lines on each of the following:

a) Patola weave: Patola weave came into existence in the mid-19^th century. It was woven in Surat, Ahmedabad and Patan. It was highly valued in Indonesia. It became a part of the local weaving tradition there.

b) Jamdani weave: Jamdani weave grew in the early 20^th century. Jamdani is a fine muslin on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white. Often a mixture cotton and gold thread was used. The most important centres of jamdani weaving were Decca in Bengal and Lucknow in the United Provinces.

c) Chintz: The term chintz is derived from the Hindi word chhint, a cloth with small and colourful flowery designs. It was produced in Masulipatnam and Andhra Pradesh in the mid-19^th century. It was in great demand in England and Europe.

2. How did iron and steel factories come up in India?

Jamsetji Tata and decided to spend a large part of his fortune to build a bif iron and steel industry in India. But this could not be done without identifying the sources of fine quality iron ore. For this reason his son, Dorabji Tata along with Charles Weld, an American geologist, began travelling in Chhatisgarh in search of iron ore deposits. It was the year 1904.

One day, after travelling for many hours in the forests, Weld and Dorabji came upon a small village where they met the Agarias, who were carrying basket loads of iron ore. When asked where they has found the iron ore, the Agarias pointed to hill in the distance, Weld and Dorabji rushed to the hill. On exploring the hill the geologist declared that they had at last found what they had been looking for.

But there was a problem. The region was dry and the Tatas had to search for a more suitable place to set up their factory.

A few years later a large area of forest was cleared on the banks of the river Subarnarekha to set up the factory and an industrial township, i.e. Jamshedpur. Here there was water near iron ore deposits. The Tata Iron and Steel Company, popularly known as TISCO began producing steel in 1912.