Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 9 History Book Solutions Chapter 4 Industrial Revolution: Colonialism and Imperialism offer valuable context and analysis.
WBBSE Class 9 History Chapter 4 Question Answer – Industrial Revolution: Colonialism and Imperialism
Very Short Answer (VSA) Type Questions : (1 mark for each question)
Question 1.
In which year Spinning Jenny was invented?
Answer:
Spinning Jenny was invented in 1765.
Question 2.
Who invented the Water Frame?
Answer:
Water Frame was invented by Richard Arckwright.
Question 3.
Who is known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp’?
Answer:
Florence Nightingale is known as the ‘Lady with the Lamp.’
Question 4.
Who wrote ‘Organisation of Labour’?
Answer:
‘Organisation of Labour’ was written by Louis Blance.
Question 5.
In which year was the International Workingmen’s Association founded?
Answer:
The International Workingmen’s Association was founded in 1864.
Question 6.
Where was the first congress of the International Workingmen’s Association held?
Answer:
The first congress of International Workingmen’s Association was held in Geneva.
Question 7.
Which book is known as the Bible of Socialism?
Answer:
‘Das Capital’ written by Karl Marx is known as the Bible of Socialism.
Question 8.
Who was the author of the book ‘What is Property’?
Answer:
The author of the book ‘What is Property’ was Joseph Proudhon.
Question 9.
Who first coined the term ‘Socialism’?
Answer:
Saint Simon first coined the term socialism.
Question 10.
Who was the first important early socialist thinker?
Answer:
The first important early socialist thinker was St. Simon.
Question 11.
Who is known as the ‘Father of British Socialism’?
Answer:
Robert Owen is known as the ‘Father of British Socialism’.
Question 12.
When was the term ‘Industrial Revolution’ first used?
Answer:
The term Industrial Revolution was first used in 1837.
Question 13.
Which machine revolutionised the process of cotton spinning?
Answer:
James Hargreaves’ Spinning Jenny revolutionised the process of cotton spinning.
Question 14.
Who invented steam locomotive?
Answer:
George Stephenson invented steam locomotive.
Question 15.
Which invention of John Kay revolutionized the textile industry?
Answer:
John Kay’s ‘Flying Shuttle’ revolutionized the textile industry.
Question 16.
Who invented optical telegraph?
Answer:
Optical telegraph was invented by Claude Chappe.
Question 17.
Where was the first Iron Bridge constructed?
Answer:
The first Iron Bridge was constructed in 1781 in Shropshire, England.
Question 18.
Name the countries where industrialisation took place after England.
Answer:
After England industrialisation took place in France, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Russia etc.
Question 19.
When did the Chartist Movement start?
Answer:
The Chartist Movement started in 1838.
Question 20.
When was London Working Men’s Association founded?
Answer:
London Working Men’s Association was founded in 1836.
Question 21.
Who founded London Working Men’s Association?
Answer:
The London Working Men’s Association was founded by William Lovett and Francis Place.
Question 22.
Name some leaders of Chartist Movement.
Answer:
Some leaders of Chartist Movement were Feargus O’Connor, Earnest Jones, O’ Brien etc.
Question 23.
Give names of two scholars who were among the first to use the term ‘Industrial Revolution’.
Answer:
Two scholars who were among the first to use the term ‘Industrial Revolution’ were Auguste Blanqui, a French economist and Arnold Toynbee, the great historian.
Question 24.
Where did the Industrial Revolution first start?
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution first started in England.
Question 25.
What are the three ingredients necessary for Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
The three main ingredients necessary for Industrial Revolution are-
- raw materials
- capital
- labour.
Question 26.
Define the term ‘Capitalism’.
Answer:
Capitalism is an economic system in which the principal means of production, distribution and exchange are in private hands and are operated for profit.
Question 27.
Which country is known as the ‘manufactory of the world’?
Answer:
England is known as the ‘manufactory of the world’.
Question 28.
Which country is known as ‘The Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire’?
Answer:
India is known as ‘The Jewel in the Crown of the British Empire’.
Question 29.
Who invented the ‘Flying Shuttle’?
Answer:
John Kay invented the ‘Flying Shuttle’.
Question 30.
Who invented the Spinning Jenny?
Answer:
James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny.
Question 31.
Who was James Watt?
Answer:
James Watt was a Scottish inventor who redesigned the steam engine so that it produced more power and consumed less fuel.
Question 32.
Where was the first modern railway line opened?
Answer:
The first modern railway line was opened from Darlington to Stockton in England.
Question 33.
When and where did railways first start in Germany?
Answer:
Railways first started in 1835 in Bavaria (Germany).
Question 34.
Name two cities of England which developed around industries.
Answer:
Two cities which developed around industries are Liverpool and Manchester.
Question 35.
Who gave leadership in ‘Luddite riot’?
Answer:
General Ned Ludd gave leadership in the ‘Luddite riot’.
Question 36.
Name the workers’ union formed under the leadership of Robert Owen.
Answer:
The workers’ union formed under the leadership of Robert Owen is ‘Grand Consolidated National Union’.
Question 37.
Who was Saint Simon ?
Answer:
Saint Simon (1760-1825) was a Utopian Socialist who advocated common ownership of all land and capital to be managed scientifically by the state.
Question 38.
Name one Utopian socialist.
Answer:
Charles Fourier was a Utopian socialist.
Question 39.
Who is known as the founder of Scientific Socialism ?
Answer:
Karl Marx is known as the founder of Scientific Socialism.
Question 40.
Who wrote ‘Communist Manifesto?’
Answer:
‘Communist Manifesto’ was written by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels.
Question 41.
Who wrote ‘Das Capital’?
Answer:
‘Das Capital’ was written by Karl Marx.
Question 42.
Name two European countries which established their colonies outside Europe.
Answer:
Two European countries which established their colonies outside Europe are Germany and France.
Question 43.
Name two places of Africa where Portugal established her colonies.
Answer:
Two places of Africa where Portugal established her colonies were Angola and Mozambique.
Question 44.
When was the Entente Cordiale signed?
Answer:
The Entente Cordiale was signed in 1904.
Question 45.
Name the two opposite camps which developed in Europe before the outbreak of the First World War.
Answer:
The two opposite camps which developed in Europe before the outbreak of the First World War were
1. the Triple Alliance.
2. the Triple Entente.
Question 46.
Name the main contending powers in the partition of China.
Answer:
The main contending powers in the partition of China were Britain, France, Germany and Russia.
Question 47.
What was the period of First World War?
Answer:
The period of the First World War was 19141918.
Question 48.
Which country declared war on Serbia in 1914 ?
Answer:
Austria declared war on Serbia in 1914.
Question 49.
Which country established colony in Senegal?
Answer:
France established colony in Senagal.
Question 50.
When was the Suez Canal opened?
Answer:
The Suez Canal was opened in 1869.
Question 51.
Where did England establish colonies?
Answer:
England established colonies in India, Burma, Ceylon, Afghanistan, Persia, China.
Question 52.
Where did France establish colonies?
Answer:
France established colonies in India, Burma, Indo-China.
Question 53.
Name some colonies of Germany.
Answer:
Some colonies of Germany were Burundi, Rwanda, Camaroon, Togoland etc.
Question 54.
Name some colonies of Italy.
Answer:
Some colonies of Italy were Somaliland, Abyssynia, Eritrea etc.
Question 55.
Which European powers establish colonies in Asia?
Answer:
The European powers which establish colonies in Asia were Portugal, Holland, England, France, Denmark etc.
Question 56.
When was the Suez Canal construction completed?
Answer:
The Suez Canal construction was completed in 1869.
Question 57.
Who built the Aswan Dam across river Nile?
Answer:
The Aswan Dam was built across the river Nile by Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Question 58.
Which company constructed the Suez Canal?
Answer:
The Suez Canal was construced by ‘Universal Maritime Suez Canal Company’.
Question 59.
When was the Suez Canal nationalised?
Answer:
The Suez Canal was nationalised in 1956 (26 July)
Question 60.
Who nationalised the Suez Canal?
Answer:
Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal.
Question 61.
When and between whom was the battle of Buxar fought?
Answer:
The battle of Buxar was fought in 1764 between Mir Kasim, the Nawab of Bengal, Shah Alam II, the Mughal emperor and Shuja-ud-daula, the Nawab of Oudh on one side and the English on the other.
Question 62.
When and between whom was the battle of Plassey fought?
Answer:
The battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 between Siraj-ud-daula, the Nawab of Bengal and the English East India Company.
Question 63.
After which battle the English established their supremacy in Bengal?
Answer:
The English established their supremacy in Bengal after the battle of Plassey (1757)
Question 64.
Which period is known as the ‘Age of Imperialism’?
Answer:
The period extending from 15th to 19th century, when different countries of Europe extended their colonies in different parts of the world, is known as the ‘Age of Imperialism’.
Question 65.
Which period is known as the ‘Age of New Imperialism’?
Answer:
The period between 1870 and 1914 is known as the ‘Age of new imperialism.’
Question 66.
In which essay did Rabindranath Tagore write about militant nationalism?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore, in his essay ‘Nationalism in India’ wrote about militant nationalism.
Question 67.
Which policy proposed that no Chinese port was to be considered an exclusive property of any particular foreign power?
Answer:
The Open Door Policy (1899) proposed that no Chinese port was to be considered an exclusive property of any particular foreign power.
Question 68.
Who announced the Open Door policy?
Answer:
The Open Door policy was announced by John Hay.
Question 69.
When and between whom was the Treaty of Nanking signed?
Answer:
The Treaty of Nanking was signed in 1842 between England and China.
Question 70.
When did the First Opium War take place?
Answer:
The First Opium War took place in 1839.
Question 71.
Which treaty was signed after the First Opium War?
Answer:
The Treaty of Nanking was signed after the First Opium War.
Question 72.
When and between whom did the Second Opium War take place?
Answer:
The Second Opium War took place in 185661 between England and China.
Question 73.
Between whom was the Treaty of Tientsin signed?
Answer:
The Treaty of Tientsin was signed between China and the English on one side and the French on the other.
Question 74.
Which US ship first landed in China for trade and commerce?
Answer:
The US ship ‘Empress of China’ first landed in China for trade and commerce.
Question 75.
By which treaty China granted ‘extraterritorial rights’ to England?
Answer:
By the Treaty of Bogue (1843) China granted extra-Territorial rights to England.
Question 76.
Who invented Telegraph?
Answer:
Telegraph was invented by Samuel Morse.
Question 77.
When did the first telegraph system start in India?
Answer:
The first telegraph system started in India in 1850.
Question 78.
Which continent is known as the ‘Dark Continent’?
Answer:
Africa is known as the ‘Dark Continent’.
Question 79.
Which countries established colonies in Africa?
Answer:
Countries like England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Holland etc. established colonies in Africa.
Question 80.
Which countries took part in the partition of Africa?
Answer:
Countries like England, France, Belgium, Germany etc. took part in the partition of Africa.
Question 81.
Between whom was the Entente Cordiale signed?
Answer:
The Entente Cordiale was signed between England and France.
Question 82.
What was the direct cause of the first World War?
Answer:
The direct cause of the First World War was the Sarajevo murder incident.
Question 83.
To which nationality did Gavrilo Princip belong?
Answer:
Gavrilo Princip was a Slav nationalist.
Question 84.
Which nation was called the nation of assassins’ by Austria?
Answer:
Serbia was called the ‘nation of assassins’ by Austria.
Question 85.
Who was responsible for the Sarajevo murder?
Answer:
The ‘Black Hand’, a terrorist party was responsible for the Sarajevo murder.
Question 86.
Where is Sarajevo situated?
Answer:
Sarajevo is situated in Bosnia.
Question 87.
Who was the emperor of Germany during the First World War?
Answer:
The emperor of Germany during the First World War was Kaiser William II.
Question 88.
When did Austria attack Serbia?
Answer:
Austria attacked the Serbian capital Belgrade on 28 July 1914.
Short Answer (SA) Type Questions : (2 marks for each question)
Question 1.
What was the industrial Revolution ?
Answer:
During the second half of the 18th century, far-reaching changes began in the economic life the people as a result of scientific inventions in different industries. These changes are referred to as the Industrial Revolution. Industrial Revolution means a thorough transformation in the methods of production and transportation, the general substitution of power-driven machinery for hand labour. Human labour came to be replaced more and more by machines producing more goods.
Question 2.
What are the main features of Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
The main features of Industrial Revolution are:
- Mechanisation of industry and use of modern technology for production
- Production of goods by machines and factories instead of individual labour and cottage industries
- Investment of huge amount of capital
- Marketing the finished goods on a large scale for profit
- Introduction of modern transport system.
Question 3.
What conditions are necessary for industrialisation?
Answer:
The following conditions are necessary for industrialisation.
- Natural resources like coal and iron
- Sufficient capital
- Plenty of raw materials
- Cheap labour
- Markets for finished goods
- Political stability
- Favourable government policy
- Cheap and efficient system of administration
- Suitable climate
- Enterprising and energetic people.
Question 4.
Which are the main locations of the Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
The main locations of the Industrial Revolution were: England, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, USA, Japan and China.
Question 5.
Name two scientific inventions which helped in Industrial Revolution in England.
Answer:
Two scientific inventions which helped in Industrial Revolution in England are:
- Steam engine invented by James Watt.
- Safety Lamp invented by Humphry Davy.
Question 6.
What do you mean by division of labour?
Answer:
An important aspect of Industrial Revolution is division of labour. The productive process is divided into several parts and each part was to be produced separately. Division of labour helps in specialisation of a particular process but the labourer becomes ignorant of the total system of production.
Question 7.
How did the Industrial Revolution lead to the growth of new cities?
Answer:
Before the Industrial Revolution, people lived primarily in villages. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. After the Industrial Revolution, there was a migration of displaced agricultural labourers to industrial areas on a large scale who sought and found employment in the industries. Towns gradually developed around these industrial centres.
Question 8
Name two industrial cities of England.
Answer:
Two cities which developed around the industrial areas in England are-
- Manchester
- Leeds.
Question 9
Name some industrial cities which grew up as a result of industrial revolution.
Answer:
Some industrial cities which grew up as a result of industrial revolution were Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Liverpool etc.
Question 10.
What is industrial capital?
Answer:
From after the Industrial Revolution the capitalists of England invested huge capital on industrial production rather than investing in trade and commerce. This capital is called ‘Industrial Capital’.
Question 11.
Why did Industrial Revolution first start in England?
Answer:
Industrial Revolution first started in England because of –
- Political stability of the country.
- England’s unrivalled power in overseas trade
- Availability of cheap abundant wage labourers
- Huge colonies in different parts of the world
- Good network of navigable rivers
- Abundance of natural resources like coal and iron.
Question 12.
Mention two reasons why industrialisation started late in Russia.
Answer:
Two reasons why industrialisation started late in Russia were:
- the Russian feudal lords were more interested in agriculture rather than on industries.
- There was lack of industrial capital in Russia.
Question 13.
Why was England known as the ‘manufactory of the world’?
Answer:
Industrial Revolution first took place in England. Big mills and factories were established which produced huge quantities of goods. In the 19th century England alone produced half of the worlds’ industrial manufactured goods. So England was known as the ‘manufactory of the world.’
The parliamentary reforms in England during the 19th century were the direct outcome of the Industrial Revolution.
Question 14.
Why continental goods could not compete with British made goods in the international market?
Answer:
Continental goods could not compete with British made goods in the international market because:
- The quality of British made goods was very high
- England had a huge colonial market
- England had a strong navy.
Question 15.
Why did factory system develop?
Answer:
Before the factory system there was localised form of production. Production was made one at a time by individual workers at small workshops or at home. As machines became larger, huge quantities of goods were produced within a short time with the help of machines. Division of labour was introduced. This was not possible in the case of cottage industries. So factory system developed.
Question 16.
Why did industrialisation start late in France than England?
Answer:
Industrialisation started late in France than England because:
- France was torn by revolution during 1789-1848.
- Nonavailability of coal
- Lack of transport
- Lack of capital
- Undeveloped banking system
- Industrialisation was not encouraged by rulers
- Medieval outlook of life.
Question 17.
How did natural environment helped in the Industrial Revolution of England?
Answer:
Natural environment helped in the Industrial Revolution of England because:
- raw. materials were easily available
- good supply of coal and iron
- suitable climate for spinning
- good network of navigable rivers.
Question 18.
What was the role of women in the Industrial Revolutions of England?
Answer:
As the Industrial Revolution unfolded in England, women got themselves involved in textile mills, factories and mines. They were employed by factory owners in large numbers and were paid very meagre wages. Their terms of work were humiliating and they were compelled to live in filthy urban slums.
Question 19.
Which is the First International Working Men’s Union? When was it established and under whose leadership?
Answer:
1. The First International Working Men’s Union is the Communist League.
2. It was established in 1847 under the leadership of Karl Marx.
Question 20.
What is ‘Habeas Corpus’?
Answer:
Habeas Corpus is a court order requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge or into court and show a valid reason for that person’s detention. It safeguards individual freedom against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.
Question 21.
What do you mean by ‘Luddite riot’?
Answer:
‘Luddite riot’ was a protest movement of the workers led by General Ned Ludd in England. The rioteers demanded
- a minimum wage.
- control over labour for women and children.
- work for those who had lost their job because of the coming of machinery
- right to form trade unions so that they could present these demands legally and officially.
Question 22.
What is Paris Commune?
Answer:
In 1871, the revolutionary workers of Paris established an organisation known as Paris Commune and defied the central government and captured power. On 18 March this Commune exercised administrative power in Paris for almost two months.
Question 23.
What is ‘Bloody May Week’?
Answer:
In 1871 when the revolutionary workers of Paris established the Paris Commune in order to take over the administration of Paris in their own hands, the soldiers of the French government fired indiscriminately on the revolutionary workers. There was desperate fighting for a week (22 May-29 May). About 17,000 persons were killed. Historians refer to this week as ‘Bloody May Week’.
Question 24.
What is ‘March of the Blanketeers’?
Answer:
Thousands of workers started a march in 1819 from Manchester towards the Parliament House in London in order to put forward their long standing demands for improvement of their working conditions. The workers carried with them their blankets on their shoulders for sleeping at night. This was known as ‘March of the Blanketeers’.
Question 25.
Who are called ‘Utopian Socialists’?
Answer:
The pre-Marxist socialists and thinkers are called early socialists or ‘Utopian Socialists’. Some well known Utopian socialist were Saint Simon, Charles Fourier and Robert Owen.
Question 26.
Name the books which contain the political ideals of Karl Marx.
Answer:
The books which contain political ideals of Karl Marx are:
- Communist Manifesto
- Das Capital
- Critique of Political Economy
- Poverty of Philosophy.
Question 27.
Name some Utopian socialist thinkers.
Answer:
Robert Owen, Charles Fourier, Saint Simon, Louis Blanc, Proudhon are some of the Eutopian socialist thinkers.
Question 28.
Who is known as the ‘Father of anarchism’? Name some propounders of anarchism.
Answer:
Proudhon is known as the ‘Father of anarchism’.
Some propounders of anarchism were Bakunin, Murray Bookchin, Alexander Berkman, Camillo Berneri etc.
Question 29.
Mention two demerits of Utopian socialists.
Answer:
Two demerits of Utopian socialists were:
- The Utopian socialists were imaginative socialists without any practical sense.
- The Utopian socialists could not think of class struggle. They never understood that the interest of the worker and the employer were antagonistic and mutally divergent.
Question 30.
What do you understand by the term ‘imperialism’?
Answer:
The term ‘imperialism’ means the practice of extending the control, power or rule by a country over the economic and political life of the people of areas outside its own boundaries. This may be done by direct rule over the country, or indirect control of the people or through settlements. The essential feature of imperialism is exploitation. The imperialist power subordinates the colony of the country which it controls indirectly to serve its own economic and political interests.
Question 31.
What is colonialism?
Answer:
Colonialism is a system whereby in an attempt to increase profits and control markets and raw materials, countries try to dominate and control weaker nations and turn them into their colonies. Colonies are ruthlessly exploited by the dominant country.
Question 32.
What is Neo-colonialism?
Answer:
Neo-colonialism means that western European countries and the USA, even after decolonisation, exerted a great deal of control over the new states, which continued to need the markets and the investment that the West could provide.
Question 33.
How did industrialisation gave birth to imperialism?
Answer:
Two basic requirements of industrialisation are [1] regular supply of raw materials and [2] markets to sell finished goods. To meet their needs industrialised countries like Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan started a scramble to establish colonies in Asia, Africa and Latin America. These colonies served both purposes i.e., as supplier of raw materials and easy markets to sell finished goods. Industrialisation thus gave birth to imperialism.
Question 34.
What do you mean by capitalism?
Answer:
Capitalism is an economic system in which the principal means of production, distribution and exchange lie in private hands and are operated for profit. Society is divided among owners of industries and wage earners.
Question 35.
In the 19th century what changes took place in the nature of the trade relations between England and India? Give two reasons for these changes.
Answer:
In the 18th century, English merchants used to purchase Indian goods and earn profits by selling them in England and other European countries. In the 19th century, changes took place in the nature of trade between England and India. During this period, Britain did not import goods from India. On the other hand, the Indian market was flooded with British goods and India who had so long been a manufacturer and exporter of finished goods became an exporter of agricultural products like indigo, cotton, jute and wheat.
Question 36.
What were the wars through which the English established their control over Mysore?
Answer:
The wars through which the English established their control over Mysore were:
- First Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69)
- Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84)
- Third Anglo-Mysore War (1790-92)
- Fourth Anglo-Mysore War (1799).
Question 37.
What were the wars through which the English established their supremacy over the Marathas?
Answer:
The wars through which the English established their supremacy over the Marathas were:
- First Anglo-Maratha War (1782-85)
- Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803-05)
- Third Anglo-Maratha War (1818).
Question 38.
What were the battles through which the English had established their supremacy in Bengal?
Answer:
The battles through which the English established their supremacy over Bengal were:
- The Battle of Plassey (1757)
- The Battle of Buxar (1764).
Question 39.
What do you mean by ‘drain of wealth’?
Answer:
From the 18th century upto the middle of the 19th century the East India Company and its servants collected a huge amount of wealth from India and sent the entire amount to England. This flow of wealth from India to England is known as the ‘drain of wealth’. The ways wealth was transferred to England were presents, collusive contracts, private trade, free merchants and investments.
Question 40.
Mention two reasons for the decline of Indian industries during British rule.
Answer:
Two reasons for the decline of Indian industries during British rule were:
1. Indian goods could not compete with the British made goods which were fine and cheap.
2. Imposition of heavy tariff on Indian goods made them expensive.
Question 41.
Which company first established railway in India and when?
Answer:
The first railway was established in India by the Great Indian Peninsular Railway company in 1853.
Question 42.
What was declared in the ‘Open Door Policy?
Answer:
Sir John Hay, the US Secretary of State, issued the famous Open Door Policy (1899). According to it no Chinese port was to be considered an exclusive property of any particular foreign power.
Question 43.
Who was known as ‘Navigator’? Name two sailors of his country.
Answer:
1. The Portuguese sailor Prince Henry was knwon as ‘Navigator’.
2. Two sailors of his country were Vasco da Gama and Bartholomew Diaz.
Question 44.
When was the Suez Canal constructed? What is its importance?
Answer:
The contruction of Suez Canal began in 1859.
The Suez Canal is the connecting link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea via the Indian Ocean. It is a direct route for shipping between Asia and Europe. It shortened the travel route between Western Europe and ports in East Africa and Asia.
Question 45.
Name the countries that rushed to Africa to establish colonies.
Answer:
The countries that rushed to establish colonies in Africa were Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Spain.
Question 46.
What do you understand by ‘Scramble for Africa’?
Answer:
During the 1800 s, France, Britain, Italy, Spain, Germany and Belgium competed with each other to establish a foothold in Africa as it was rich in natural resources. They thought that they required to do this to maintain their lifestyle and to develop their homelands. This rush among the various European powers to establish colonies in Africa is known as ‘Scramble for Africa’.
Question 47.
How was the Union of South Africa formed?
Answer:
The Union of South Africa was formed by the unification of the Cape Colony, the Natal Colony, the Transvaal, and the Orange River Colony. It included the territories that were formerly a part of the South African Republic and the Orange Free State.
Question 48.
When did World War I break out? What was the ‘Sarajevo incident’?
Answer:
World War I broke out on 28 July, 1914. On June 28, 1914, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, nephew of emperor Joseph of Austria and heir to the throne of Austria was assassinated along with his wife Sophia in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, by Gavrilo Princip, a member of ‘Black
Hand’ terrorist organisation. This incident is known as ‘Sarajevo incident’.
Question 49.
In which year was the Triple Alliance formed? Who were the members of the Triple Alliance?
Answer:
1. The Triple Alliance was formed in the year 1882.
2. The members of the Triple Alliance were Germany, Austria and Italy.
Question 50.
What were the places in Africa where England established her colonies?
Answer:
England established her colonies in Africa in places like Rhodesia, Goldcoast, Nigeria, Somali Land, Nasaland, North Egypt, Cape Colony, Orange, Transvaal, Sudan, East Africa, Bechuanaland, Uganda, Gambia etc.
Question 51.
In which year was the Triple Entente formed? Who were the members of the Triple Entente?
Answer:
1. The Triple Entente was formed in the year 1907.
2. The members of the Triple Entente were England, France and Russia.
Analytical Answer (AA) Type Questions (4 marks for each question)
Question 1.
When did the Industrial Revolution take place?
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution is a term used to describe those changes that occurred in Britain from the 1780’s to the 1820’s. But this view has been increasingly challenged by historiAnswer: It is argued that it would be more appropriate to use the term to describe the changes in economy and society that occurred between 1850 to 1914.
Sustained industrialisation started after the 1850s. It is only from the 1850 s that the number of people living in urban areas went up dramatically and most of them were workers in industries. Only 20% of Britain’s workers lived in rural areas. Based on the above observations many historians have argued that there are strong grounds for regarding the period 1850-1914 as the period of Industrial Revolution.
Question 2.
What were the inventions of Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution had far-reaching effects. Many new machines were invented. In 1733, John Kaye invented a new machine, known as the Flying Shuttle which brought a complete change in the weaving system. In 1764 another important invention was the Spinning Jenny made by James Hargreaves.
Some years later, Richard Arkwright brought further improvement in the method of spinning by introducing rollers worked with water power (1769). The yarn that these machines turned out was both finer and stronger than the yarn produced before. Ten years later, Samuel Crompton invented another machine by combining the devices of Hargreaves and Arkwright, called the mule. In 1781 James Watt successfully devised the system of using steam power to work the machines.
Question 3.
What was the effect of industrialisation on transport?
Answer:
There was a close relationship between industrialisation and improvement in transportation. The effects of industrialisation on transport were:
- For rapid and safe transport of raw materials and manufactured goods from centres of production to consumption centres macadamised roads i.e., pucca roads were constructed.
- Canals were dug primarily for cheap and easy shipment of coal from mines to industries. Canals were also used for transportation of goods and passengers.
- Steam engines were used in railways to carry heavy loads and passengers; steam ships were used to carry goods and passengers across oceAnswer:
- Growth of transport promoted internal and external trade and led to economic integration and interdependence of nations.
Question 4.
How did the factory system originate?
Answer:
The effect of the scientific discoveries and inventions which happened after the French Revolution were revolutionary in character. They changed the entire face of England, both rural and urban. The ordinary workman could no longer live in a poverty cottage and weave cloth on his own loom. Now that machines were set up, he had to go where the machines were working and find a job. There hundreds and even thousands of people worked under the same roof. They assembled together under a factory shed and worked with tools and machineries supplied by the factory owner. This gave rise to the factory system.
Question 5.
What were the effects of Industrial Revolution on the communication system?
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution had a great impact on the communication system. The means of communication improved greatly. Samuel Morse (1791-1872), an American invented telegraph to send messages. The Trans-Atlantic undersea cable connecting the United States with Europe continent was laid by Cyrus W.Field in 1866. Graham Bell invented the Telephone System in 1876.
Guglielmo Marconi was the most important person in the application of radio waves into industry. Marconi was the first to demonstrate the utility of the wireless in saving life at sea. Wireless telegraph was invented which made it possible to send signals to any part of the world. Moreover, the radar was also developed which was used as a means of land defence, as well as in ships and planes during World War II.
Question 6.
What were the effects of the introduction of railways in different countries of the world?
Answer:
The effect of the introduction of railways in different countries of the world varied greatly.
1. The effect of the railways was positive in imperialist countries e.g. Britain. The railways not only revolutionised transport system, it also spearheaded the industrial revolution in imperialist countries like Britain, France, Portugal and Spain.
2. Railways provided better, cheaper, faster and easy means of transport; unified different areas and had great impact on industries.
3. Railways boosted activity in construction and public works department, provided employment, and accelerated trade and commerce.
4. On the other hand, railways in countries like India resulted in further colonisation and underdevelopment of the economy.
5. As a result of the introduction of railways the colonisers were able to fully tap the untapped resources of the colonised country for raw materials and then send finished goods to the remote parts of the country.
Question 7.
Why did the Industrial Revolution first start in Britain?
Answer:
Industrial Revolution first started in Britain due to the following reasons:
1. Unlike other European countries such as France, Britain was politically stable with England, Wales and Scotland unified under a monarchy.
2. Britain’s unrivalled power in overseas trade enabled accumulation of vast profits, which provided necessary capital for investment.
3. In England Agricultural Revolution and Enclosure Movement preceded Industrial Revolution. The landless farmers who migrated to towns in large numbers provided cheap abundant wage labour to work in factories.
4. A single currency, common laws, a market not fragmented by local taxes, use of money as medium of exchange, all worked to Britain’s advantage.
5. Huge colonies in different parts of the world supplied raw materials for the industries and were ready markets for finished goods.
6. Emergence of London as centre of global trade.
7. Good network of navigable rivers and indented coastline enabled good and cheap mode of water transport.
8. Natural resources like coal and iron were available in plenty and technological inventions largely helped industrialisation.
Question 8.
Why did industrialisation start late in France than England?
Answer:
While England was having rapid industrialisation France was lagging behind due to the following reasons:
1. France was torn by revolution during the period 1789-1848. Socioeconomic and political disorder was a major obstacle to industrialisation in France.
2. Another hindrance to industrialisation was the non-availability of coal. Industrialisation made steady progress in mid-eighteenth century when the coalfields were tapped.
3. Another cause of late industrialisation was that France suffered from transport crisis. Raw materials could not be easily brought to the industrial towns for lack of transport, nor manufactured goods could be sent to the market.
4. Moreover, the people of France had a medieval outlook. They had contempt for persons who earned money by their own labours, landholding and taking part in administration were regarded as virtues. This medieval outlook of life was a hindrance to industrial growth.
5. The industrialists of France were not encouraged by the rulers of France. Lack of capital, scarcity of coal, undeveloped banking system slackened the process of industrialisation in France.
Question 9.
Why did industrialisation start late in Germany?
Answer:
Industrialisation started later in Germany than other countries of Europe. The reasons were:
1. Germany was divided into numerous states which were often at war with each other. This political disunity slackened the growth of industrialisation in Germany.
2. As the population in Germany did not increase tremendously there was scarcity of cheap labour.
3. When Napoleon of France conquered Germany the whole economic system of Germany broke down. Moreover, banking system did not develop so as to help industrialisation.
4. As there was not much demand of industrial goods in an agricultural country like Germany industries did not develop. As Germany had no colonies there was no opportunity of selling German goods in foreign markets.
5. Both land and sea routes of Germany were under developed. As a result there were great problems in the communication system.
Question 10.
What were the steps taken by Bismarck to industrialise Germany?
Answer:
Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany, took different steps to industrialise Germany. These were:
1. Reorganised the banking system in order to remove the scarcity of capital in Germany.
2. He introduced federal currency called Reichmark, a standard tariff for internal trade and standard weights and measures which helped a lot in industrialisation.
3. He granted protection to the developing German industries by imposing import tariff on foreign goods. So German industries could quickly grow without competition from foreign manufacturers.
Question 11.
What were the main constraints to industrialisation in Germany?
Answer:
Industrialisation started rather late in Germany. This was due to many obstacles which Germany faced. These obstacles were:
1. Germany was divided into 39 states dominated by foreign powers. Each state followed its own tariff of export and import policies.
2. Napoleonic wars had devastated Germany economically. Proper banking system did not develop. As a result there was scarcity of capital necessary for industrialisation.
3. Germany was mainly an agricultural country. As a result industrial goods were not in much demand in the market. Germany did not have colonies to sell her goods and from where she would draw raw materials and labour.
4. The transport system in Germany was undeveloped. As a result transportation of goods from one place to another became difficult.
Question 12.
How did the Industrial Revolution lead to colonial expansion?
Answer:
As a result of the Industrial Revolution, huge quantities of finished goods were produced within a short time which was more than what was necessary for the domestic markets of the European countries. This ultimately led to the rise of colonial expansionism in the undeveloped countries of the world.
The industrialised countries like Britain, France and Germany found that their home markets were not enough to sell the huge production of the factories. So they sought new markets by capturing colonies where they could sell their finished goods. So they began to extend their colonial empire in industrially backward countries of Asia like India, China, Burma, Ceylon, Egypt and Congo.
Question 13.
Explain why Indian industries declined in the 19 th century.
Answer:
The economic policies followed in India by the British were determined by the needs of the British economy which led to the ruin of Indian industries. The most destructive activity of the British in India was the deliberate ruin of native industries specially traditional cottage industries. The causes of decline of Indian industries were:
1. During the post-Industrial Revolution period the Indian cotton textile industry and other indigenous industries like sugar, salt, pepper etc. were totally destroyed in the interests of the British capitalists and industrialists.
2. The oppression of the craftsmen by the servants of the East India Company, high import duties and the restrictions imposed on the import of Indian goods into Britain and Europe led to the decline of Indian industries.
3. Moreover, the influx of foreign goods into India after passing of the Charter Act of 1813 , export of raw materials at cheap rates, absence of any inclination of protecting Indian industries on the part of the British government also led to the ruination of Indian industries. Indian nationalist historians describe this industrial decline in India as ‘deindustrialisation’.
Question 14.
How was the life of the workers after the Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
Evidence of British factory records reveal that the workers had miserable lives after the Industrial Revolution. The living conditions of the workers were far from satisfactory.
1. The wages they were paid were extremely low.
2. Their houses were in terrible slums and were dirty.
3. The hours of their work were unlimited.
4. They had to live in small rooms.
5. Women and child labourers were inhumanly treated. They were subjected to long monotonous hours of work in unhealthy environment under strict discipline and cruel forms of punishment.
6. The conditions in the mines were even worse. In the narrow passages children pushed coal trucks along with the adults. They were paid meagre salaries.
7. The crowded towns and damp factories were disastrous for the workers. This ruined their health. Several labourers were injured in the factories during working hours and these sick and injured workers were removed from their jobs and no compensation was paid to them.
Question 15.
What was the impact of Industrial Revolution on different classes of women in society?
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution had varied impact on different classes of women in society.
1. It made life of the women of upper and middle class families more comfortable. These women had more time for leisure, entertainment, pursuit of intellectual activities such as reading and writing of novels.
2. Women from low-income families who were actively involved in domestic work and farms earlier sought employment in factories. They were employed by factory owners in large numbers and were mercilessly exploited. They worked for long hours and were paid very meagre wages.
3. Women may well have gained increased financial independence and self-esteem from jobs but this was more than offset by the humiliating terms of work and the filthy urban slums that industrial work compelled them to live in.
Question 16.
What is ‘Peterloo Massacre’?
Answer:
In the early period of Industrial Revolution the condition of the workers in factories was miserable. The workers organisations in England resorted to strikes and other forms of violence to improve their material condition. The Tory government passed prohibitory acts against working class meetings and denied them the right of Habeus Corpus.
The workers could not be suppressed. Thousands of workers started a march from Manchester towards the Parliament House in London in 1819 in order to put forward their demands they carried blankets on their shoulders for sleeping at night. This was ridiculed by Tory newspaper as ‘March of the Blanketeers’.
The army fired on these unarmed workers and killed eleven of them at St. Peters. Thousands of them were wounded. The press of London condemned this massacre and ridiculed it as ‘Peterloo Massacre’, a name invented to rhyme with Waterloo. The government under pressure changed its attitude and withdrew the Combination Act and Anti-Trade Union Act.
Question 17.
Give an account of the Chartist Movement in England.
Answer:
The Chartist Movement is an important chapter in the history of working class movement in England. The London Working Men’s Association was founded in 1836 by William Lovett. This organisation presented a large petition to the British Parliament which was known as ‘People’s Charter’. It said:
- Members of Parliament must be annually elected.
- There must be equal voting rights.
- Electoral areas must have equal population.
- The property qualification for becoming a Member of Parliament should be abolished.
- Elected members of Parliament must be granted some allowances.
The association threatened the government that if the demands made in the Charter are rejected they will call general strike all over the country and paralyse the government. The government tried to pacify the workers by passing a series of welfare acts in 1838.
The Chartist movement left its influence and served as an inspiration to later workers’ movement.
Question 18.
Write a short note on Robert Owen.
Answer:
Robert Owen was a socialist thinker. He upheld the view that the capitalists should share a portion of his profit with his employee. He introduced a new doctrine known as ‘New Harmony.’ He believed that if the workers are satisfied and reasonably rewarded, they would work for the improvement of production in factories. He rejected any competition between employer and worker. He himself was a factory owner. He introduced many benefits for his workers. The workers were given a share of his profit and received discount when they bought things from the factory where they worked. The cooperative movement that he started spread over Britain and to other countries as well.
Question 19.
What was Hobson’s view about imperialism?
Answer:
Hobson, an economic historian, theorised that capitalism led to imperialism which ultimately led to the First World War. According to him the industrialists of Britain, France and Germany accumulated excessive amount of capital. These industrial capitalists forced their respective governments to establish colonies in order to have abundant supply of raw materials and to invest the surplus capital in the colonies. Capitalist governments of different countries entered into competition with each other to establish monopoly right on colonies which ultimately led to war.
Question 20.
What was Lenin’s view about colonialism?
Answer:
Lenin in his pamphlet ‘Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism’ pointed out that in a capitalist economy the government has no control over surplus production of goods. The industrial owners believe that they will earn more profits if they produce more. When the market is full of goods there is no further demand for goods in the home market. In that case the industrial owners force the government to capture new colonies where
they could get monopoly market in order to sell surplus goods and also get cheap raw materials. The competition for the capture of colonies ultimately leads to imperialism.
Question 21.
What is ‘drain of wealth’?
Answer:
The drain of wealth from India which started during the period following the Battle of Plassey in 1757 is an important feature of British imperialism. From the 18th century up to the middle of the 19th century, English East India Company and its servants collected a huge amount of wealth from India and sent the entire amount to England. This flow of wealth from India to England is known as the drain of wealth. Historians have observed that wealth was transferred from India to England in five ways, These were:
- presents
- collusive contracts
- private trade
- free merchants
- investment.
Question 22.
What do you mean by ‘Plassey Plunder’?
Answer:
The Battle of Plassey was fought in 1757 between Siraj-ud-daula, the Nawab of Bengal and the English East India Company in which the English became victorious. The English victory marked the beginning of the plunder of Bengal’s economic resources. The company extracted a sum of Rs. 17700000 from Mir Jafar as compensation and Robert Clive alone received over 2 million rupees from the new Nawab. During the post-Plassey period the English drained so much of wealth out of Bengal that her economy was completely shattered and this drain of wealth from Bengal is known as ‘Plassey Plunder’.
Question 23.
Write a note on Berlin Congress.
Answer:
The Eastern Question was not solved by the Crimean War (1854-56) and the Peace of Paris. During the nationalist movement in Bulgaria, the Turkish army killed many BulgariAnswer: Russia defeated Turkey and imposed the Treaty of San Stephano (1877) on Turkey. England and other European powers opposed this Treaty of San Stephano. In the international conference convened at Berlin in 1878 known as Berlin Congress, Bismarck acted as President. The terms of the Treaty of San Stephano were altered and a new pact, Berlin Treaty (1878) was signed. According to it
- Serbia, Montenegro and Romania were declared free.
- Russia was given Bessarabia. She also got the provinces of Batum, Kars and Armenia.
- England got the island of Cyprus. England assured safety of the Turkish empire.
- The Sultan of Turkey promised to grant full religious freedom.
- Serbia was to enjoy semi-independent status under nominal Turkish suzerainty.
- Moldavia and Wallachia were also to enjoy autonomy under nominal Turkish rule.
Question 24.
What do you mean by ‘Cutting of Chinese Melon’?
Answer:
In the mid-nineteenth century different European powers like Britain, France, Russia made attempts to penetrate into the Chinese empire. After 1860 the’ambition of the European powers continued to grew. They now wanted more territories. In 1873 Russia, England and France obtained bases of territories or spheres of influence in China. Japan too followed their example and made war on China (1894-95) in which China was defeated.
The weakness of China stood more distinct than ever after her defeat at the hands of little known Japan. This encouraged the western powers to make fresh bids for territorial gains in China. But it was soon found that the gains obtained by one power at China’s expense made other powers jealous. In other words, many powers wanted to cut China into slices, as if it were a melon. European powers like Britain, Russia, Germany and France were the main contenders for the partition of China.
Question 25.
What is ‘Open Door Policy’?
Answer:
In the Sino-Japanese War (1894) China was defeated by Japan which inaugurated the process of dismemberment of China. Countries like Russia, Britain, France and Germany were the main contenders for the partition of China. Russia occupied North China and obtained permission to build a railway line.
Germany landed an army in China and took possession of some important territories. France acquired Kwangchow. Britain got Hong Kong and some concessions. Thus the economically important areas of China passed into foreign hands. At this juncture Sir John Hay, the US Secretary of State, issued the famous Open Door Policy (1899) according to which no Chinese port was to be considered an exclusive property of any particular foreign power.
Question 26.
What is ‘Dreikaiserbund’?
Answer:
Bismarck, the Chancellor of Germany, was eager to have friendly relation with different countries. He had good relation with Austria but the problem was that the relations between Austria and Russia generally remained strained over to the Eastern Question. Therefore, Bismarck concluded a friendly alliance with Russia and Austria.
His chief aim was not only to secure the friendship of Russia but also to improve the relations between Austria and Russia. This alliance of three emperors of Germany, Austria and Russia is known as ‘Dreikaiserbund’. It was neither a definite treaty, nor an alliance. It was only a compromise among the three emperors. It is also known as ‘Three Emperors’ League’ (1873).
Question 27.
Write a note on Entente Cordiale (1904).
Answer:
After concluding the Anglo-Japanese alliance in 1902 Britain turned towards France, the enemy of Germany. France also wanted Britain as her ally so that she could concentrate against Germany. In 1904 Britain and France reached a series of agreements. These agreements settled their old colonial disputes in Siam, Madagascar and West Africa, New Hebrides and fighting rights in Newfoundland.
Moreover, France recognised Egypt and Sudan as British spheres of influence. Britain recognised Morocco as French sphere of influence. It was also decided that both England and France would recognise their spheres of influence. This Entente Cordiale (friendly agreement) was signed in 1904.
Question 28.
What were ‘Triple Alliance’ and ‘Triple Entente’?
Answer:
Before War World I, two opposite alliances developed due to Bismarck’s diplomacy. These two opposite alliances were-Triple Alliance and Triple Entente.
1. Triple Alliance (1882): In 1879 Germany entered into an alliance with AustriaHungary. In 1882 Italy joined the AustriaGerman alliance. As a result, the alliance came to be known as the Triple Alliance.
2. Triple Entente (1907): German foreign policy changed after Bismarck’s death. Germany ignored Russia and so, Russia began to lean towards France. Meanwhile England tried to enter into an alliance with Germany but failed. So, in 1904, England made an alliance with France. At last with the signing of the Anglo-Russian convention the Triple Entente came into existence.
Question 29.
To what extent did imperialist rivalry lead to the outbreak of the First World War?
Answer:
Imperialist rivalry among different countries of Europe was an important cause of the outbreak of the First World War. The Industrial Revolution led to the production of huge surplus goods in various countries of Europe. The growth of industries and the accumulation of excess capital created the necessity of finding new markets and new areas for capital investment. The industrialists put pressure on the governments of their respective countries to adopt a policy of colonial expansion.
The industrially developed countries like England, France, Russia, Spain and Portugal had already established their colonial empires in Asia and Africa. The Industrial Revolution came late to Germany but she became a highly industrially developed country during the reign of Kaiser William II. The German industrialists pressed the German government to adopt an aggressive imperialist policy. Colonial rivalry among different countries compelled them to adopt a policy of aggressive imperialism. This was one of the causes for the outbreak of the First World War.
Question 30.
What were the reasons responsible for the non-entry of the Europeans in the African region?
Answer:
Africa is a big continent. Before 19th century it was famous in the world as ‘Dark Continent’. Inspite of being very near to Europe, the Europeans had no knowledge of it. The following reasons were responsible for the non-entry of the Europeans in the African region:
- The climate of Africa was uncongenial. Its geographical features were unfavourable. Most of the provinces of Africa were infertile except Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
- The desert of Sahara which was in the north of Africa was extremely hot.
- There was a great scarcity of water and vegetables.
Dense forest existed in the south of Sahara desert where fierce animals abounded. [4] There were many marshy lands in Africa. A great number of streams were there which were the greatest hindrance to the means of communication.
Question 31.
Why did socialism attain great popularity with the working class?
Answer:
The conflict and contradiction between the workers and capitalists led to frequent lockouts and strikes. It was under this condition that socialism took its birth. Socialism advocated the levelling of the difference between the poor and the rich by improving the condition of the workers. It was after Karl Marx, the German philosopher that socialism became popular. In the ‘Communist Manifesto’, Karl Marx and Frederick Engels gave a clarion call to the workers of the world to unite and struggle to get their rights.
Later on Marx wrote ‘Das capital’ in which he talked about exploitation of workers by the capitalist class, the class war, labour theory of value and spoke in favour of the establishment of the socialist state. He asked the workers to remain united everywhere, take over the charge of government by force and establish a socialist state which world be run by the working class. This made great appeal to the workers and socialism attained great popularity with the working class.
Explanatory Answer (EA) Type Questions (8 marks for each question)
Question 1.
What were the economic, political and social effects of the Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
The effects of the Industrial Revolution was far reaching. It had effects on economy, society and polity.
1. Economic Effects: The Industrial Revolution led to the decline of small scale industries and resulted in the rise of the factory system. It led to division of labour, specialisation in output and created an unprecedented supply of goods. This led to a scramble for colonies amongst the European powers because colonies supplied cheap raw materials for factories and ready markets for finished goods. The invention of machines threw a large number of workers out of jobs and many became unemployed.
2. Social Effects: There was a large scale migration of workers from rural to industrial areas. The workers were forced to work for very long hours. The living condition of the workers of the factories was horrible. Women and children were employed in large numbers in factories and were mercilessly exploited. An unbridgeable gulf was created between the capitalists and the labourers.
3. Political Effects: As a result of Industrial Revolution the status of newly industrialised nations were greatly increased in international politics. The newly emerged capitalist class came forward to participate in politics. Industrial workers, in course of time, became a great political force. Spirit of communism and socialism flourished in England due to labour movement. The socialists raised voices of protest against the atrocities of the capitalists and the government was forced to pass some factory acts.
Question 2.
Make a comparative study of industrial Revolution in England and the continent.
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution first started in England in the 18th century. Big mills and factories were established where goods of daily necessity were manufactured. England became the ‘workshop of the world’.
Industrialisation started rather late in France due to the French Revolution. Another major problem in the development of French industry was the scarcity of coal. While in England the Industrial Revolution had been the contribution of the capitalist class, in France industrialisation was achieved mainly through governmental initiative. By 1848 France became an industrial power but it lagged behind England. France was second to England in 1870 so far as export of industrial products were concerned.
As compared to England, industrialisation started late in Germany also, as Germany was divided into numerous small states. The real beginning of Industrial Revolution in Germany was only after her national unification in 1870. Once it begun, Germany’s industrial production grew rapidly and Germany outstripped Britain in steel and became the world leader in chemical industries.
The real beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Russia dates from 1861 after the Emancipation Statute of 1861 was passed. It was not until the Five-Year Plan that Soviet Union became a major industrial power.
Question 3.
What were the effects of British industrialisation on India?
Answer:
The principal motive for the coming of the English East India Company was to participate in and make profits from trade but over time India was reduced to the status of a British colony.
Indian silk and cotton had a wide market in Britain but with the coming of the Industrial Revolution the whole scenario changed. The effects of British industrialisation on India were:
- India was flooded with cheap machine-made goods whereby Indian textiles lost their market in India also.
- Laws were passed in Britain to prohibit and restrict the sale of Indian goods.
- India was reduced to the level of supplier of raw materials (e.g. cotton, silk, indigo) and importer of British machine-made goods.
- Desire for new markets for British goods resulted in Britain’s undertaking fresh conquest in India.
- Free and unrestricted supply of British goods proved detrimental to the Indian handicrafts as they were faced with unequal competition of machine made goods.
- Self-sufficiency of Indian villages came to an end.
- There was stagnation in Indian agriculture. The British did nothing to improve Indian agriculture.
Question 4.
Give a brief account of the development of telegraph system.
Answer:
Telegram is the device or system for transmitting messages to a distant place by making and breaking electrical connection. It was the first form of communication that could be sent over a great distance. Its creation was one of the key inventions to the industrial age. The use of telegram became very popular from the middle of the 19th century. The telegram system played an important part in establishing and expanding colonies by the industrially developed countries.
In India the first experimental electric telegram line was started between Calcutta and Diamond Harbour (1850). In 1851 it was opened for the use of the British East India Company. In 1854 telegram link was established between Calcutta and Agra, Bombay and Madras.
Telegram line of 20,000 miles was established in America in 1851. In 1866 when Atlantic Cable was installed, link could be established between England and America. As a result England’s imperialistic rule was consolidated in America.
Telegram was also introduced in the colonies of Africa. A company of Denmark established telegram system in China in 1871. In 1872 the first telegram system was introduced in Australia and later on in Malay, Vietnam and other places.
As a result of the introduction of telegram the European powers were able to establish quick control over the colonies. Foreign control over the colonies was strengthened. Trade of the industrialised countries was increased.
Question 5.
Give an account of the socialist movement in Europe.
Answer:
The Industrial Revolution led to the decline of small scale industries and encouraged the rise of the factory system. The living condition of the workers of the factories was terrible. The socialists raised their voices of protest against the dismal condition of the workers created by industrialisation.
1. Robert Owen, an humanitarian factory-owner upheld the view that the capitalists should share a portion of his profits with his employees. As a factory owner he introduced many benefits for the workers.
2. Fourier, a Frenchman pleaded for a new social organisation based on cooperative communities.
3. Another socialist thinker was St. Simon who advocated that the state should assume control of production and distribution.
4. Proudhon wanted to abolish private ownership of property.
5. Louis Blanc, a French thinker advocated that the state must come forward to protect the rights of workers and make laws. He condemned accumulation of unlimited profit of the employer and advocated that the profit should be equitably divided between the landlord and workers.
6. Other socialists were Philippe Buonarroti, Auguste Blanqui. They condemned competition which led to exploitation of workers.
7. The greatest advocates of socialism were Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. To them history was a class struggle, especially between the upper middle classes and the proletariat. In the ‘Communist Manifesto’ Marx made an appeal to the workers of the world to unite.
Question 6.
What was the role of Karl Marx in the spread of socialism?
Answer:
In the first half of 19th century the ideals of Utopian Socialism was very popular, but Utopian Socialism failed to show the right path to the society.
In the second half of 19th century Karl Marx (1818-83) made popular his ideas of scientific socialism which is also known as ‘Marxism’. As he was a radical thinker he was banished from his homeland Prussia and he took shelter first in France and then in Brussels in Belgium. In 1843 he moved to Paris where he formed his lifelong friendship with Friedrich Engels (1820-95) and established the ‘Communist League’ with his help.
In 1864, he convened the International Working Men’s Association which was also known as the First International. Marx, as the leader of this organisation, tried to lay down the strategy and tactics for the unification of the workers of the worid.
In 1848, Marx and Engels brought out the famous Communist Manifesto. “Workers of the World unite: You have nothing to lose but your chains and a world to win” were the inspiring words of the Manifesto. Marx wrote that few men who owned the factories exploited workers because these people depended on
them. Marx wanted working people to revolt. If they did so, the wealth could be distributed among all, and not remain concentrated in the hands of a few people.
While in London he brought out his great work ‘Das Capital’ in 1867 and established his claim to be regarded as the founder of modern socialism. In this book capitalism was criticised and class struggle was emphasised. The book is called the Bible of Socialism. The important principles of Marxism are:
- Historical materialism
- Surplus capitalism
- Class struggle
- Revolution.
Karl Marx did not live to see the fulfilment of his dream. He had given hope to the oppressed section of the people all over the world. The value of Marxism lies in the hope and aspiration it has aroused among the suffering humanity holding out to them the prospect of a better and happier world to live in.
Question 7.
What were the causes of the scramble for Africa?
Answer:
During the 1800 s, there was a rush among the European countries to establish their colonies in Africa which is known as the ‘Race for Africa’ or the ‘Scramble for Africa’. There were many causes of the scramble for Africa which are discussed below.
1. The Industrial Revolution first started in England and then spread to all other parts of Europe. The factories which were established to produce different types of things needed raw materials such as cotton, coal, iron ore and others. Africa was a very rich source of all such raw materials. So the various European countries competed with each other to establish their colonies in Africa.
2. After the Industrial Revolution when new machines were introduced the rate of production increased manifold. They not only met the demand of the people but also generated surplus goods. The Europeans required a big market to sell these extra goods and a vast country like Africa was a good market for them.
3. Africa is rich in gold, diamonds, rubies and precious stones. The Europeans took Africa to be a rich source for making money.
4. There were some other causes for the scramble for Africa. Some countries desired to establish their colonies only because other countries already had their colonies in Africa.
5. Moreover, there were some countries which thought that the strength of a country depends on the number of colonies it had. So they wanted to establish their colonies in Africa.
Question 8.
Which country got the epithet ‘The jewel in the crown of the British empire’? Give an account of the transformation of India from an exporter to an importer.
Answer:
India got the epithet ‘The jewel in the crown of the British empire’.
The transformation of India from an exporter to an importer is an interesting chapter in the economic history of India. In the 18th century English merchants used to purchase Indian goods and earn profit by selling these in England and other European countries. In the 19th century changes took place in the nature of trade between England and India. During this period Britain did not import manufactured goods from India; on the other hand, Indian markets were flooded with British goods and India, which was so long a manufacturer and exporter of finished goods, became an exporter of agricultural products like indigo, cotton, jute and wheat.
The transformation of India from an exporter to an importer were due to several reasons :
1. In 1700 the British government prohibited the use of Bengal silk clothes. In 1720 the British Parliament passed an act prohibiting import of coloured cotton cloths and imposed huge taxes on cotton goods imported in England.
2. When the Industrial Revolution broke out in England there was a total change in the system of production, huge quantities of goods were produced. Raw materials were necessary for the industries and Britain also needed a ready market for selling her surplus finished goods.
3. By the Charter Act of 1813 the monopoly of East India Company’s trade with India was abolished and a policy of free trade was introduced. As a result more British merchants began to arrive in India to flood Indian markets with machine-made British commodities.
Question 9.
What policy did Mussolini take to fulfil his imperial design in Ethiopia?
Answer:
Mussolini, the Fascist dictator of Italy, became hungry for colonies. Mussolini had been eager to bring the East African country of Ethiopia (Abyssinia) under Italian sway and to exploit its raw materials and minerals. An agreement was reached in 1925 between Italy and Britain which promised Italy certain concessions in Ethiopia. Ethiopia vainly protested to the League of Nations against the foreign sphere of influence in Ethiopia. In 1928 a treaty of perpetual friendship and arbitration was concluded between Italy and Ethiopia.
When Haile Selassie became the emperor of Ethiopia he turned down the request of Italy for concessions and favour. In 1934 there occurred a clash between the Ethiopian force and Italian troops near the villagers of Walwal. The Italian government demanded an apology and compensation from the Ethiopian government. Emperor Haile Selassie appealed to the League of Nations for protection. At League Council’s suggestions representatives of Britain, France and Italy met at Paris (1935).
Britain and France agreed to give Italy extensive economic rights in Ethiopia. While the League Commission was in Abyssinia, Italy launched an attack on Abyssinia. The League Council declared Italy an aggressor nation and imposed economic blockade on Italy. Partial economic sanction could not put any pressure upon Italy. Italy defied the League of Nations and resigned from its membership. In 1936 Ethiopia was formally annexed to Italy.
Question 10.
What was the role of Suez Canal in the development of communication and transportation system?
Answer:
Along with the expansion of industrialisation attention of the European countries was drawn to the use of waterways for carrying goods like coal, iron etc. So side by side with the existing waterways canals began to be constructed.
Industrialised countries in different parts of the world constructed a number of artificial canals to make journey faster and easier.The most important of all these canals was the Suez Canal. It was difficult for the western industrialised countries to maintain commercial relationship with the eastern countries covering long distances. It was also a huge wastage of time and money. To make journey between the East and the West faster, digging of the Suez Canal through Egypt by France began in 1859.
In 1869 the Canal was opened commercially and ships began to pass through the Suez Canal. From 1869 England, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and other European countries began to use this canal extensively to maintain trade relation with the eastern countries. Universal Suez Canal Company took responsibility of the canal for 99 years on the basis of a contract.
To maintain security of the Suez Canal the British government got this right to station British soldiers in this region upto 1956. So though the Suez Canal was an integral part of Egypt it lost control over the Suez Canal and its adjacent areas.
The European countries could easily keep close contact with the eastern countries through the Suez Canal. Imperialist control over the eastern countries was much more strengthened. British control over India became stronger. Through the control of Suez Canal region Anglo-French supremacy in middle and east Africa was gradually strengthened.
Question 11.
Give an account of western bid for supremacy in China.
Answer:
For thousands of years since the beginning of her history China lived in a state of isolation but the western powers were keen to establish contact with her. In the midnineteenth century Britain and USA made attempts to penetrate into the Chinese empire.
Opium was introduced in China by the English traders. Opium in large quantities were imported in China by the British. All classes of Chinese people gradually became addicted to opium. The Chinese government issued orders putting a bar on the import of opium. War broke out when the Chinese seized British vessels carrying opium and destroyed their cargo. In the First Opium War (1839-42) the Chinese were defeated by the British and the Treaty of Nanking was concluded between Britain and China. The Treaty of Nanking
- legalized the opium trade.
- opened up five ports including Canton to foreign trade.
- ceded Hong Kong to the British.
- proclaimed that the British subjects would no longer be subject to Chinese law.
- made China pay war indemnity.
France and England took advantages of China’s weakness and declared war. The Second Opium War (1857-58) like the first war ended in China’s defeat. The Tientsin Treaty (1861) which ended the war –
- opened eleven more ports to foreign trade
- compelled China to set up foreign mission in Beijing
- pay heavy war indemnity
- admit that foreign residents in China would be under the laws of respective countries and not the laws of China. After 1860 the ambition of the European powers continued to grow.
They now wanted more territories. Russia, France and England obtained bases of territories or spheres of influence in China. Japan too followed their example and declared war on China (1894-95) and compelled China to surrender.
The weakness of China encouraged the western powers to make fresh bids for territorial gains in China, but it was soon found that the gains obtained by one power at China’s expense made other powers jealous. In other words, while many powers wanted to cut China into slices, as if it was a melon, the interests of one power came into conflict with those of other.
The western powers were torn with jealousies against one another, to such an extent that they had little hesitation in accepting the Hay Memorandum (1901) which recommended
1. equal opportunities for all nations to trade in China.
2. that the western powers should throw their respective spheres of influence open to all and 3. above all, they should guarantee the territorial integrity of China. Thus China was saved from being partitioned among the western powers.
Question 12.
What were the causes of the First World War?
Answer:
The outbreak of the First World War on July 28, 1914 is the most outstanding event of the early 19 th century. Its causes were many and varied.
1. One of the most important causes of the war was militarism. All the states were afraid of one another. Germany formed the Triple Alliance with Italy and Austria (1882) and France formed the Triple Entente with England and Russia (1907). In order to gain supremacy over the sea Germany built many ships which caused suspicion to other European powers, especially to France and England.
2. Another cause of the war was exaggerated nationalism. In some European states, nationalism and patriotism had degenerated into ultra nationalism.
3. Imperialism was also an important cause of the war. Germany was anxious to establish colonies in Asia and Africa but could not do so as France and England were against her. This caused resentment in Germany.
4. The immediate cause of the war was the murder of the Austrian Archduke, Francis Ferdinand and his wife Sophia at Sarajevo in Bosnia in. 1914. They were murdered by Gavrilo Princip, a member of ‘Black Hand’ terrorist organisation. The government of Austria attributed the murder to Serbian intrigue. This attack of Austria on Serbia ultimately led to the outbreak of World War I within a short period.