Weavers, Iron Smelters and Factory Owners: CBSE Class 8 History Chapter 6 Notes

Key Terms for Exams

Chintz

A type of brightly coloured and printed cotton cloth, originally from India, that was very popular in England and Europe.

Calico

A general name for all cotton textiles that European traders first encountered in Calicut (Kozhikode), India.

Bandanna

Derived from the Hindi word 'bandhna' (to tie), it refers to any brightly coloured and printed scarf for the neck or head, made using the tie-and-dye method.

Spinning Jenny

A multi-spindle spinning frame invented in 1764 by James Hargreaves in England. It drastically increased the productivity of spinning yarn.

Smelting

The process of extracting a metal from its ore by heating it to a high temperature. In this chapter, it refers to the traditional Indian method of producing iron.

Wootz Steel

A special type of high-carbon steel produced in South India. It was used to make extremely sharp and tough swords, like Tipu Sultan's, and was famous in Europe.

De-industrialisation

The process of decline in traditional industrial activity in a region or country. In India, it refers to the decline of handicrafts and cottage industries under British rule.

Bellows

A device with an air bag that emits a stream of air when squeezed. It was used in iron smelting to pump air into the charcoal fire to keep it burning hot.

The World Market for Indian Textiles

Before the British conquest, India was the world's foremost producer of cotton textiles. Indian textiles were renowned for their fine quality and exquisite craftsmanship. European traders first encountered fine cotton cloth from India carried by Arab merchants in Mosul (present-day Iraq), and they began referring to all finely woven textiles as 'muslin'. When the Portuguese first came to India in search of spices, they landed in Calicut on the Kerala coast and took back cotton textiles to Europe, along with the spices. These textiles came to be known as 'calico'. Other popular varieties included chintz, cossaes (or khassa), and bandanna. The vibrant colours and designs of Indian textiles made them a status symbol in Europe. The demand was so high that by the early eighteenth century, English wool and silk makers began protesting against the import of Indian cotton textiles, leading to the British government passing the Calico Act in 1720, which banned the use of printed cotton textiles (chintz) in England.

Indian Weavers vs. British Mills: A Tale of Two Industries

Must Remember

• {"point":"The words 'muslin', 'calico', and 'chintz' show the global reputation of Indian textiles before British rule."}
• {"point":"The invention of the Spinning Jenny (1764) and the steam engine (1786) revolutionised cotton weaving in England."}
• {"point":"The two major impacts on Indian weavers were: loss of overseas markets and competition from cheap British machine-made cloth in the Indian market."}
• {"point":"By the 1880s, two-thirds of all cotton clothes worn by Indians were made in Britain."}
• {"point":"Wootz steel, famous for its hardness and sharp edge, was produced in South India and declined by the mid-19th century due to British forest laws and conquest."}
• {"point":"The Agarias were a community of iron smelters in Central India who were severely affected by forest laws that restricted their access to wood and iron ore."}
• {"point":"The Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) was established in 1907 by Dorabji Tata in Jamshedpur (Sakchi), on the banks of the river Subarnarekha."}
• {"point":"TISCO's growth was boosted during World War I (1914-1918) as steel imports from Britain declined and the colonial government turned to TISCO for war supplies."}

How Traditional Iron Smelting Was Done

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Exam Strategy

For this chapter, focus on cause and effect. For example, 'Cause: The Industrial Revolution in England.' -> 'Effect: Decline of Indian textile industry.' Create a simple timeline in your notes to remember the sequence of key events:

1. 1764: Spinning Jenny invention.
2. 1720: Calico Act in Britain.
3. 1907: TISCO is established.
4. 1914-1918: World War I boosts TISCO's production.

Be prepared for questions that ask you to explain 'why' something happened, such as 'Why did the sword of Tipu Sultan have a special quality?' or 'Why did the Indian iron smelting industry decline?'

Quick Revision Check

• Who were the Agarias? The Agarias were a community of iron smelters in the central provinces of India who specialised in the craft of iron smelting.
• What was the 'Spinning Jenny'? It was a machine invented by James Hargreaves in 1764 that could spin several threads at once, greatly increasing the productivity of yarn production in England.
• When and where was TISCO set up? TISCO (Tata Iron and Steel Company) was set up in 1907 at Sakchi (later renamed Jamshedpur) in modern-day Jharkhand.
• What were two main problems faced by Indian cotton weavers in the nineteenth century? 1. Their export market collapsed due to high import duties in Britain. 2. The Indian market was flooded with cheap, machine-made textiles from Manchester.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions