Class 10 History - The Age of Industrialisation

Industrialisation is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one.

1. Before the Industrial Revolution

• Proto-industrialisation: Large-scale industrial production for an international market not based on factories.
• Peasants and artisans worked in the countryside for merchants.

2. Coming up of the Factory

• The first symbol of the new era was Cotton.
• Richard Arkwright created the cotton mill.
• Production now happened under one roof, allowing better supervision.

3. The Pace of Industrial Change

• Most dynamic industries in Britain were cotton and metals.
• Traditional industries were not easily displaced by new machines.
• Steam Engine (James Watt): Revolutionised production but was adopted slowly by cautious industrialists.

4. Life of the Workers

• Abundance of labour meant low wages and job insecurity.
• Seasonality of work meant many were unemployed for half the year.
• Introduction of Spinning Jenny led to protests by women workers.

5. Industrialisation in the Colonies (India)

• Before machine-age, Indian silk and cotton goods dominated the world market.
• The East India Company appointed Gomasthas to supervise weavers and eliminate competition.
• By the end of the 18th century, Indian exports declined as British mills began to flood the market.

📈 Key Industrialists of India

• Dwarkanath Tagore: Invested in shipping, mining, and banking.
• J.N. Tata: Established the first iron and steel works at Jamshedpur in 1912.

Understand the difference between Hand Labour and Steam Power for your long answers! 🚂🏭