"The Age of Industrialisation" for Class 10 CBSE History:
Extra 20 long-answer questions from the chapter 4
1-5: Pre-Industrialization and Early Industrial Growth
1. Describe the condition of industries before the Industrial Revolution.
Answer:
Before industrialization, production was based on handicrafts and small-scale industries.
Guilds controlled trade, regulated quality, and fixed wages.
Most goods were made in homes or small workshops under the putting-out system.
Merchants supplied raw materials to artisans and collected finished goods for sale.
The demand for mass production was low, and markets were small.
2. Why did industrialization first begin in Britain?
Answer:
Abundant raw materials like coal and iron, which powered machines.
Technological advancements, such as the steam engine by James Watt.
Expansion of trade networks with colonies providing raw materials and markets.
Strong banking system for investment in industries.
Availability of labour due to agricultural changes and urban migration.
3. What were the major inventions of the Industrial Revolution?
Answer:
Spinning Jenny (James Hargreaves, 1764) – Increased the speed of spinning cotton thread.
Flying Shuttle (John Kay, 1733) – Made weaving faster.
Power Loom (Edmund Cartwright, 1787) – Mechanized weaving on a large scale.
Steam Engine (James Watt, 1775) – Provided efficient energy for factories and railways.
Railways and steamships – Improved transport and trade.
4. How did industrialization change the social structure?
Answer:
Rise of factory owners (capitalists) and decline of traditional artisans.
Growth of working-class people in urban areas.
Increase in women and child laborers in factories.
Urbanization, as people migrated to cities for jobs.
Wealth inequality, as industrialists became rich while workers faced hardship.
5. What role did railways play in industrialization?
Answer:
Railways connected raw material sources to factories.
Helped in faster movement of goods and people.
Reduced transportation costs and expanded markets.
Enabled mass production by ensuring steady supply chains.
Led to the growth of new industrial cities along railway lines.
6-10: Industrialization and Its Impact on India
6. How did British industrialization impact Indian textile industries?
Answer:
Indian textiles declined due to cheap British machine-made cloth.
Heavy taxes on Indian goods but free entry of British textiles into India.
Indian weavers lost jobs as demand for handmade cloth fell.
Raw materials (cotton, indigo) were exported to Britain, leaving little for local industries.
Indian textile mills grew slowly due to lack of government support.
7. Why did Indian industries grow during World War I?
Answer:
British factories focused on war production, reducing imports to India.
Indian industries expanded to meet the demand for textiles, steel, and chemicals.
Rise of new industrialists like Tata and Birla.
Increase in job opportunities in Indian factories.
Strengthened India's self-sufficiency in industrial production.
8. What was the Swadeshi Movement? How did it help Indian industries?
Answer:
Launched in 1905 to boycott British goods and promote Indian products.
Increased demand for Indian textiles, soap, and salt.
Encouraged Indian entrepreneurs like Tata to invest in industry.
Boosted self-reliance and industrial nationalism.
Created awareness about economic exploitation under British rule.
9. What challenges did Indian industrialists face under British rule?
Answer:
British companies dominated key industries like textiles and jute.
Indian businessmen lacked financial support from British banks.
Import duties were high on Indian goods, reducing competitiveness.
British monopolized shipping and railways, making exports costly.
No government support for Indian entrepreneurs.
10. How did Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) contribute to industrial growth?
Answer:
Established in 1907 by Jamsetji Tata in Jamshedpur.
First major Indian-owned steel factory, reducing dependence on British steel.
Provided employment to thousands of workers.
Helped in railway construction and military equipment.
Paved the way for India’s industrial self-sufficiency.
11-15: Factory System and Labour Movements
11. What were the working conditions in early factories?
Answer:
Long working hours (12-14 hours/day).
Low wages and job insecurity.
Poor sanitation and unsafe working conditions.
No labour laws, so workers had no rights.
Use of child and women labour at lower wages.
12. How did industrialization lead to urbanization?
Answer:
Factories needed workers, leading to migration from villages to cities.
Cities grew near industrial centres like Bombay and Calcutta.
Increase in slums and poor living conditions due to overpopulation.
Development of railways, roads, and housing in industrial areas.
Rise of a middle-class of traders and managers.
13. What were the main demands of labour unions in the 19th century?
Answer:
Higher wages and shorter working hours.
Better working conditions (safety and hygiene).
End of child labour in factories.
Job security and fair treatment.
Right to form trade unions and protest.
14. What was the Factory Act of 1819?
Answer:
One of the first labour laws in Britain.
Banned employment of children under 9 years in factories.
Limited working hours for children to 12 hours/day.
Aimed to improve working conditions but was poorly enforced.
Later factory acts provided stronger protections.
15. Why did industrialists prefer machines over hand labor?
Answer:
Machines produced goods faster and in larger quantities.
Reduced dependency on skilled workers.
Lowered production costs.
Ensured uniform quality of goods.
Allowed factories to operate 24/7.
16-20: Social and Economic Effects of Industrialization
16. How did industrialization impact the environment?
Answer:
Deforestation for factory and railway expansion.
Air pollution from coal-burning industries.
Water pollution from chemical waste.
Overcrowding in cities, leading to sanitation problems.
Loss of agricultural land to industrial growth.
17. How did the middle class benefit from industrialization?
Answer:
New jobs in banking, trade, and management.
Increased wealth and social status.
Education and literacy rates improved.
More political power and representation.
Growth of a consumer culture due to mass production.
18. What was the impact of industrialization on artisans and craftsmen?
Answer:
Lost jobs as factories produced goods cheaply.
Decline of handloom and handicrafts.
Many were forced to work in factories at low wages.
Shift from rural cottage industries to urban industries.
Increased poverty in traditional craft villages.
19. How did industrialization affect women workers?
Answer:
Increased employment in textile and garment industries.
Low wages and long working hours.
Unsafe working conditions in factories.
Restricted to low-skilled jobs.
Few opportunities for education and career growth.
20. What were the major negative effects of industrialization?
Answer:
Exploitation of workers (low wages, long hours).
Child labour in factories and mines.
Environmental pollution increased.
Loss of traditional industries.
Growth of slums and poor living conditions in cities.
