Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners

Q1. Fill in the blanks.

                           i.        The word chintz comes from the word chhint.

                          ii.        Tipu’s sword was made of Wootz steel.

                         iii.        India’s textile exports declined in the nineteenth century.

                         iv.        Bandanna patterns were mostly produced in Rajasthan and Gujarat.

                          v.        For coloured textiles, the thread was dyed by the dyer, known as rangrez.

                         vi.        Wootz steel making process was widely known in south India.

          vii.        In 1764, the spinning jenny was invented by John Kaye.

          viii.        The Tata Iron and Steel factory was set up on the banks of the river Subarnarekha.

                          ix.        The invention of the steam engine by Richard Arkwright in 1786 revolutionised cotton textile weaving.

                           x.        The charkha and the takli were household spinning instruments.

Q2. True/False

                            i.        Surat in Gujarat on the west coast of India was one of the most important ports of the Indian Ocean trade. True

                            ii.        Indian Wootz steel fascinated European scientists. True

                           iii.        In most communities weaving was a task done by women. False

                           iv.        From the 1850s, Britain came to be known as the “workshop of the world”. True

                            v.        The Dutch, the French and the English companies purchased cotton and silk textiles in India by importing copper. False

                           vi.        Khadi gradually became a symbol of nationalism. True

           vii.        Iron smelting in India was extremely common till the end of the nineteenth century. True

           viii.        The furnaces were most often built of clay and sun-dried bricks. True

Q3. During which period patola weaving was famous?

Ans. Patola weaving was famous in mid-nineteenth century.

 
Q4. Why were bellows used?

Ans. Bellows were used for pumping air that kept the charcoal burning.

Q5. When and where was the first cotton mill set up in India?

Ans. The first cotton mill in India was set up as a spinning mill in Bombay in 1854.

Q6. What were piece goods?

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

Q7. What is Jamdani?

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

Q8. Why were Indian textiles renowned in the world?

Ans. Indian textiles had long been renowned both for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship.

Q9. What were the most important centres of jamdani weaving?

Ans. The most important centres of jamdani weaving were Dacca in Bengal and Lucknow in the United Provinces.

Q10. Name the place where chintz was produced during the mid- nineteenth century?

Ans. Chintz was produced in Masulipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, in mid-nineteenth century.

Q11. How did the European trading companies purchase cotton and silk textiles in India?

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

Q12. What did Mahatma Gandhi urge people during national movement?

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

Q13. What made Britain the foremost industrial nation in the nineteenth century?

Ans. Mechanised production of cotton textiles made Britain the foremost industrial nation in the nineteenth century.

Q14. How did Indian cotton factories prove to be helpful during the First World War?

Ans. During the First World War when textile imports from Britain declined and Indian factories were called upon to produce cloth for military supplies.

Q15. Name two towns emerged as important new centres of weaving in the late nineteenth century.

Ans. Sholapur in western India and Madura in South India emerged as important new centres of weaving in the late nineteenth century.

Q16. Why were printed Indian cotton textiles popular in England?
Or
Why there was craze for printed Indian cotton textiles in England and Europe?

Ans. There was craze for printed Indian cotton textiles in England and Europe mainly for their exquisite floral designs, fine texture and relative cheapness.