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Grade 10 → History → The Age of Industrialization → 4.7-Exercises (The Age of Industrialization)
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Solved Example: 4-7-01
1. Explain the following:
a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny.
b) In the seventeenth century merchants from towns in Europe began employing peasants and artisans within the villages.
c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth century.
d) The East India Company appointed gomasthas to supervise weavers in India.
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Solution:
Explanations of Historical Events
a) Women workers in Britain attacked the Spinning Jenny in the late 18th century as a response to job losses caused by mechanization. They feared that this new technology would reduce their wages and eliminate traditional weaving jobs.
b) In the seventeenth century, merchants from European towns employed peasants and artisans in villages to expand production. This system allowed for the outsourcing of labor, creating a network of rural workers who could produce goods for urban markets.
c) The port of Surat declined by the end of the eighteenth century due to competition from other ports, the rise of British colonial power, and changes in trade routes, which undermined its economic significance.
d) The East India Company appointed gomasthas to supervise weavers in India to ensure the quality and quantity of textiles. These agents acted as intermediaries between the Company and local artisans, often imposing strict controls on production.
Solved Example: 4-7-02
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.
b) The international market for fine textiles was dominated by India till the
eighteenth century.
c) The American Civil War resulted in the reduction of cotton exports from India.
d) The introduction of the fly shuttle enabled handloom workers to improve their
productivity.
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Solution:
True or False Statements
a) False
b) True
c) True
d) True
Solved Example: 4-7-03
Explain what is meant by proto-industrialisation.
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Solution:
Proto-Industrialisation
Proto-industrialisation refers to the preliminary phase of industrialization that occurred before the full-scale development of factories and mechanized production. It involved the rise of a network of rural industries where peasants and artisans engaged in production for local and international markets, often working from home. This period saw increased demand for goods, particularly textiles, driven by merchants who sourced products from rural areas. Proto-industrialisation played a crucial role in transforming economies and societies, setting the stage for the later industrial revolution by fostering new labor relations and production techniques.
