CBSE-Class-10-Social-Science-Question-bank-History-Chapter-6-Work-Life-and-Leisure

Class 10^th Social Science- Work, Life and Leisure

WORK, LIFE AND LEISURE

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

Q.1. What were the changes in the kind of work available to women in London between the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries? Explain the factors which led to this change.

Ans. The world wars resulted in the slump of male population. Women and children replaced many

of the workforce. Women started working in industries and factories. They also assisted their

men in war efforts mostly as nurses, spies, etc. Status of women improved indirectly. Some

women took in lodges on rent to increase family income, while others were involved in

tailoring, washing and matchbox making, etc.

Q.2. How does the existence of a large urban population affect each of the following? Illustrate with historical examples.

(a) A private landlord.

Ans. A private landlord benefits by increasing the rent and he has more control over the price.

The rising population would lead to increasing demand for space, e.g. renting of buildings

at high rates were common in London and Bombay.

(b) A Police Superintendent in charge of law and order.

Ans. Anyone involved with law and order would find it difficult with increasing population in

urban areas. He would have to work hard to maintain law and order as crime rates are

usually high in cities. For example, London people employed policemen to curb the rising

crimes during night.

(c) A leader of a political party.

Ans. Political leaders would have more people voting and hence more responsibilities.

In cities, masses of people could be drawn to the political causes as it happened in the

Bloody Sunday of November, 1887 in London. The metropolitan character of cities would

compel him/her to be more secular and liberal on the one hand. On the other hand,

extremism or conservatism might also win them votes as a reactionary phenomenon, e.g.

rise of Nazis in Germany or Liberal Democrats in France.

Q.3. Give explanations for the following:

(i) Why a number of Bombay films were about the lives of migrants?

Ans. Most of the actors in the film industry were migrants from Lahore, Calcutta, Madras and

other parts. They contributed to the blending of culture, dream and stars as well as slums

of Bombay. Thus, a number of Bombay films were about the lives of migrants who

encountered the pressures of life.

(ii) What led to the major expansion of Bombay’s population in the mid-nineteenth century?

Ans. The construction of cotton textile industries in Bombay as early as 1854 and the

introduction of Railways led to large scale migration of workers and labourers. An average

of 20 persons lived in each house in Bombay in 1872. By the year 1921, about 85 cotton

mills employed 1,46,000 workers.

Q.4. Why did well-off Londonders support the need to build housing for the poor in the 19^th century? Give three reasons. (2010)

Ans. The congestion in the 19th century London led to a yearning for a cleaner and better city.

Poverty was strikingly visible in the city and in 1887, Charles Booth, a Liverpool shipowner

found, after a first social survey, that one fifth of the London population was very poor and

expected to live till 29 years only. They were most likely to die in a “workhouse, hospital or

lunatic asylum.”

The well-off people began to realise the need for housing for the poor. First, the vast mass of

one-room houses occupied by the poor were serious health hazards. They were overcrowded,

badly ventilated and lacked sanitation. Second, there were worries about fire hazards created

by poor housing. Third, there was a fear of social disorder, specially after the Russian Revolution

in 1917. Workers’ mass houses were planned to prevent London from turning rebellious.

Q.5. Explain any three reasons why the population of London expanded from the middle of

the 18th century.

Ans. (i) Industrial Revolution led to factories being built and industries flourished. The setting up

of industries led to thousands and thousands of migrants to shift to London from rural

areas. By 1750, one out of every nine people of England and Wales lived in London.

(ii) There were five types of industries, beside the London dockyards. Industries like (i) wood

and furniture, (ii) metals and engineering (iii) printing and stationery, (iv) precision

products like surgical instruments, watches and objects of precious metals and (v) clothing

and footwear employed large number of workers.

(iii) London attracted all kinds of skilled, semi-skilled, unskilled workers and its population

grew by leaps and bounds from the middle of the 18th century. The manufacturing of cars

during the First World War, raised its population from one million to four million during

the 19th century.

Q.6. What led to the major expansion of Bombay’s population in the mid-nineteenth century?

Ans. Bombay quickly expanded as a city with the growth of trade in cotton and opium. Large

communities of traders and bankers as well as artisans and shopkeepers came to settle in

Bombay. The establishment of textile mills later led to further migrations. The first cotton mill

started in 1884 and by 1921 there were 85 cotton mills with about 146,000 workers. One-fourth

of Bombay’s inhabitants were born in Bombay. The rest were migrants from Ratnagiri, who

came to work in the Bombay mills.

Bombay dominated maritime trade of India till the 20th century. It was also the junction head

of two major railways. The railways encouraged more migration to the city. Famines also drove

people to migrate from dry regions of Kutch to Bombay in 1885–1889. The flood of migrants

led to a rapid rise in the population of Bombay.

Q.7. Why did well off Londoners support the need to build housing for the poor in the nineteenth century?

Ans. Concern for housing for the urban poor increased due to several reasons:

(i) Threat to public health.

(ii) Fire hazards.

(iii) Fear of rebellion and revolt of the working class as it happened in Russian revolution in

1917, leading to establishment of Communism.

Workers’ mass housing schemes were thus planned to prevent such incidences. Architect

and planner Ebenezer Howard developed the principle of the Garden City. Raymond

Unwin and Barry Parker designed the garden city of New Earswick.

During the world wars, the British State took the responsibility for housing the working

class and a million houses were built, mostly of single family cottages, built by local

authorities. The city expanded and suburbs were developed, which made forms of mass

transport necessary.

Q.8. Explain the social changes in London which led to the need for the underground railway. Why was the development of the underground railway criticised?

Ans. The congestion of traffic and fumes increased with the increase in wealth and vehicles plying

on the roads. They also needed a solution to the housing problem. To solve this problem,

underground trains were constructed which met with lot of cynicism initially. It was criticised

initially because :

(i) A newspaper reported the danger to health and asphyxiation (lack of air) and heat.

(ii) It was referred to as iron monsters, which added to the mess of the city. Charles Dickens

in ‘Dombey and Son’ described its destructive process in construction.

(iii) About 900 houses were destroyed to make two miles of railways.

However, it partially solved the housing crisis by carrying large masses to and from the city

to the suburbs. It also broke down social distinction and new ones were created.

Q.9. Explain what is meant by the Haussmanisation of Paris. To what extent would you support or oppose this form of development? Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper, to either support or oppose this, giving reasons for your view.

Ans. Haussmanisation of Paris refers to the forcible reconstruction of cities to enhance their beauty

and impose order. The poor were evicted from the centre of Paris to reduce the possibility of

political rebellion and to beautify the city.

Baron Haussmann was the chief architect of Paris during the reign of King Louis Napoleon

III (1852). Haussmann was also the Prefect of Seine and by the 1870s one-fifth of the streets

of Paris were his creation.

I would support Haussmanisation of Paris or any city to a certain degree, provided the

government takes certain initiatives for rehabilitation of the displaced people. More important

is the preservation of historical monuments and environment through proper planning.

A letter, written to the editor of The Times of India, will verify my claim.

Green Park,

New Delhi.

Dated : 1st June, 2007

The Editor,

The Times of India,

ITO,

New Delhi.

Dear Sir,

I am sending you this letter as a concerned citizen of New Delhi. The recent decision by the

ruling government to start the ‘Haussmanisation of Delhi’ is an encouraging news. The problem

of overcrowded buildings and roads are a menace to environment and safety. As much as I care

for the poor people who will be displaced by this development, I feel that it is the right decision

before it is too late.

I give full support to this development process for the following reasons :

(i) It will provide employment. Constant flow of migrants is a menace to planning and regulations. Migration and rising population create unemployment. Unemployment creates frustrations and anti-social elements. Hence, a proper infrastructure like Metro will provide employment to certain groups.

(ii) The expansion of roads will reduce traffic jams and traffic related accidents.

(iii) Beautification of cities and well planned buildings are necessary to avoid more pollution and overcrowding.

(iv) It will compel people to move out from crowded areas and suburbs will be more developed.

(v) A city is not only a place for living, but also a place for cultural and commercial activity.

Therefore, a city needs to be well planned, well regulated and safe for expansion and further development. Otherwise an ill-managed city will decline and everyone will be losers in the end.

Though the poor will be displaced, I hope that the Government will undertake expansion of

cities by providing compensations and building houses in appropriate places with proper

infrastructure.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Xmen.

Class X

Q.10. To what extent does the government regulation and new laws solve the problems of pollution? Discuss one example of each of the success and failure of legislation that changed the quality of (a) public life (b) private life.

Ans. The biggest crisis that men face is the problem of pollution. Pollution is the main cause for

the phenomenon known as global warming. According to this theory, the temperature of the

earth is changing due to pollution of atmosphere leading to global warming. Governments all

over the world are being encouraged to regulate the amount of pollution but with little success.

An attempt was made in the 1992 Earth Summit and the 1997 conference of the UN

Framework Convention on Climate Change. Different nations addressed the issue of global

warming. However, these causes were hindered by conflicting national economic agendas and

disputes between the rich and poor nations. They disagreed over the cost and consequences of

reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in relation to the development issues. The success and

failure of legislated government policies that has affected public and private lives are:

(a) Public life :

Success : In New Delhi, the capital of India, public life was positively affected by the

legislation of introducing CNG-run (Compressed Natural Gas) auto rickshaws and taxis.

Carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 70 to 90%, while carbon dioxide, a cause for

global warming, is reduced by 10%.

Failure : The Smoke Abatement Acts of 1847 and 1853 in Britain failed because it was

difficult to monitor or measure smoke emission in those days and owners got away with

small adjustments to their machinery.

(b) Private life :

Success : Private lives of individuals were affected in a positive way with the introduction of

LPG gas (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) which replaced the traditional burning of coal or woods.

Failure : The high levels of pollution were a consequence of the huge population that

depended on dung and wood as fuels in their daily lives. Though the inspectors of Bengal

Smoke Nuisance Commission managed to control industrial smoke, controlling domestic

smoke was more difficult

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS

Q.1. The city of Calcutta in the 19th century India amazed and confused writers and many others because :

(a) It was city full of opportunities — for trade and commerce, education and jobs

(b) It was full of cheats, poverty, poor quality housing, confusion of caste, and gender and religious identities in the city

c) It offered a series of contrasting images and experiences – wealth and poverty, splendor and dirt, opportunities and disappointments

(d) All of these

Ans. (d)

Q.2. Which of the following statements is/are true about ancient cities?

(a) Ancient cities developed only along the rivers

(b) Ancient cities developed when an increase in food supplies made it possible to support a wide range of non-food producers

(d) All of these

Ans. (d)

Q.3. Which of the following industries did not exist in London before the First World War?

(a) Clothing and footwear, wood and furniture

(b) Metals and engineering, printing and stationery

(d) Motor cars and electrical goods

Ans. (d)

Q.4. The map shows the growth of London and its population in four different areas. The Work-Life-and-Leisure
reasons are :

(a) Increase in factories, and number of industries like motor cars and electrical goods

(b) Employment of larger number of people in industries and factories

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.5. Who were the philanthropists?

(a) People who wanted to stop crime, and work for social upliftment

(b) People who worked for social upliftment and charity, donating time and money for the purpose

(d) People who worried about law and order

Ans. (b)

Q.6. Who was Charles Booth and what is he known for?

(a) A rich merchant who made a social survey of London workers

(b) A philanthropist who worked for the poor in London

(d) A writer on the social conditions in London in the 19th century

Ans. (c)

Q.7. Which of the following were the features of urban life in the cities in the 19th century?

(a) Excessive noise pollution

(b) Air and water pollution due to large quantities of refuse and waste products

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.8. People in industrial cities believed that the black fog created :

(a) Bad tempers, smoke-related illnesses and dirty clothes

(b) Black skies and black vegetables

(d) Serious ecological problems

Ans. (a)

Q.9. ‘Temperance Movement’ was :

(a) An attempt by the social reformers aimed at reducing consumption of alcoholic drinks amongst the upper classes

(b) A reform movement led by the rich to stop drinking on the streets

(c) A middle-class led social reform movement in Britain and USA, aimed at reducing alcoholism amongst the working classes

(d) None of these

Ans. (c)

Q.10. Which of the following statements are correct about Charles Booth’s survey?

(a) The poor were expected to die “in a workhouse, hospital or lunatic asylum”

(b) The life expectancy of the poor was 29 years, the gentry and middle-class had life expectancy of 55 years

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.11. How can we prove the popularity of the underground railway in London?

(a) By newspapers praising its services

(b) By increase in the number of passengers travelling in them, losing their fear of travelling underground

(c) On 10th January 1863, 10,000 passengers were carried in trains running every ten minutes, by 1880, 40 million passengers were carried a year.

(d) Both (b) and (c)

Ans. (d)

Q.12. The underground railway was not very popular in the beginning. The reasons were :

(a) They were considered a menace to health – a mixture of sulphur, coal, dust and foul fumes

(b) To make two miles of railway, 900 houses had to be destroyed; this led to a massive displacement of the poor

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.13. ‘Individualism’ is a theory which promotes :

(a) A new spirit among men and women, freedom from collective values

(b) The liberty, rights or independent action of the individual rather that of the community

(d) Public space as a male preserve and domestic sphere as the proper place for women

Ans. (b)

Q.14. The congestion in the 19th century industrial city led to a yearning for :

(a) A clean country air, a holiday home in the countryside for the rich

(b) Making ‘new lungs’, for the city, a Green Belt around London

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.15. The working class people spent their holidays and leisure time in the late 18^th century :

(a) In singing and dancing at home

(b) Meeting in pubs for a drink, exchanging news and sometimes organising a political action

(d) In visiting museums

Ans. (b)

Q.16. The various steps taken to clear up London were :

(a) Large blocks of apartments were built, like in Berlin and New York

(b) Localities were decongested and open spaces were left to reduce the pollution and, constructing landscape of the city.

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.17. Name the entertainment which became the great mass entertainment for mixed audiences by the early 20th century

(a) Holidays by the seaside (b) Travelling to historical places in England

Ans. (c)

Q.18. Presidency cities in India in the early 19th century were

(a) Bombay, Calcutta and Madras (b) Bengal, Gujarat and Bombay

Ans. (a)

Q.19. The premier city in India in the 19th century was

(a) Calcutta (b) Madras (c) Bombay (d) Surat

Ans. (c)

Q.20. Bombay came under the control of the British when

(a) King Charles II, the king of Britain, married the Portuguese princess and Bombay was given as a part of dowry to England in 1661

(b) The British defeated the Portuguese in India and took away Bombay from them

(d) The Portuguese exchanged Bombay with the British possession of Diu

Ans. (a)

Q.21. The main reasons why people migrated to Bombay in the 19th century were :

(a) Bombay became the capital of the Bombay presidency in 1819

(b) The growth of trade in cotton and opium, led to a large number of artisans, traders and bankers and shopkeepers settling in Bombay

(d) Both (b) and (c)

Ans. (d)

Q.22. The two calamities which affected Bombay in the late 19th century were :

(a) Lack of essential amenities like space and food

(b) The famine of Kutch (1888-89) and the plague of 1898

(d) The ruthless behaviour of the district authorities and the flood of migrants

Ans. (b)

Q.23. Which statement does not describe correctly conditions in a chawl?

(a) People of every caste and community lived amicably in the chawls

(b) People had to keep the windows of their rooms closed, due to proximity of filthy gutters, privies, buffalo stables etc.

(d) Streets were used for cooking, washing, sleeping and for different types of leisure

activities

Ans. (a)

Q.24. How could the problem of scarcity of land in Bombay be solved?

(a) By building high-rise buildings

(b) Through population control

(d) By stopping migration to Bombay and sending people to their original homes

Ans. (c)

Q.25. “Reclamation” means :

(a) To take back land from the rich and build multistoreyed buildings on them

(b) To reclaim the land sold to the rich, to take away their bungalows and build for the poor

(d) To reclaim marshy or submerged areas or other wasteland for settlements, cultivation or

other use

Ans. (d)

Q.26. ‘Akharas’ were :

(a) Open spaces used for leisure activities

(b) A place for exchange of news about jobs, strikes, riots or demonstrations

(d) Traditional wrestling schools, located in every neighbourhood, where the young were trained to ensure both physical and moral fitness

Ans. (d)

Q.27. Which Indian city was the first to get a smoke nuisance legislation?

(a) Bombay in 1800 (b) Madras in 1863 (c) Calcutta in 1863 (d) Bombay in 1863

Ans. (c)

Q.28. Which of the following statements supports the view that Calcutta has a long history of air pollution?

(a) It is built on marshy land, the resulting fog combined with smoke from industries pollutes the air

(b) It has a huge population that depends on dung and wood as fuel in their daily life

(d) All the above

Ans. (d)

Q.29. The rice mills of Tolleygunge tackled the problem of pollution by

(a) Reclaiming marshy lands and building factories on them to prevent smog

(b) Not allowing railways to bring coal to them

(d) Controlling smoke through legislation

Ans. (c)

Q.30. Who finally controlled industrial smoke in Calcutta?

(a) The Bengal government through legislation

(b) The inspectors of Bengal Smoke Nuisance Commission

(d) All the above

Ans. (b)

Q.31. Which of the following statements proves that Bombay city was more crowded than London in the late 19th century and early 20th century?

(a) Average space enjoyed by a Londoner in the 1840s was 155 square yards

(b) Bombay had only 95 square yards

(d) By 1972, London had an average of 8 persons per house but the density in Bombay was as high as 20

Ans. (d)

Q.32. Andrew Mearus, a clergyman, in his book ‘The Bitter Cry of Outcast London’ (1880) showed :

(a) how children were pushed into low-paid work by their parents

(b) how crime was more profitable than working in small factories

(d) how crime was more profitable than labouring in small underpaid factories.

Ans. (d)

Q.33. The London poor exploded in a riot in 1886, because :

(a) They demanded relief from the terrible conditions of poverty

(b) The police had dispersed their peaceful march from Deptford to London

(d) A severe winter in 1886 had brought all outside work to a standstill and added to the misery and poverty of the London poor

Ans. (d)

Q.34. Inspite of all the problems, why are people attracted to cities?

(a) Cities offer a life full of variety and excitement

(b) Cities are attractive because they offer freedom and opportunity to migrants

(d) Both (b) and (c)

Ans. (d)

Q.35. The very first section of the underground railways in the world was opened on 10 January, 1863 between which two stations of London?

(a) Bombay to Thane (b) London to Paris

Ans. (d)

The very first section of the underground railways the world was opened on 10 January, 1863 between which two stations of London?

(a) Farrington street to Bakers station (b) Paddington street to Farrington street

Ans. (b)

Q.36. Which among the following was the first movie made by Dada Saheb Phalke?

(a) CID (b) Bombay (c) Raja Harishchandra (d) Devdas

Ans. (c)

Q.37. Who among following wrote a novel ‘Debganer Martye Agoman’ (The Gods Visit Earth)?

(a) Durgacharan Roy (b) Bankim Chandra (c) Rowlandson (d) Raymond Unwin

Ans. (a)

Q.38. What does Mayapuri mean to Bombay?

(a) A city of life (b) A city of dreams

Ans. (b)

Q.39. Which one of the following is not a Presidency city?

(a) Bombay (b) Calcutta (c) Kanpur (d) Madras

Ans. (c)

Q.40. Which one of the following sub-urban of Bombay was a mill village?

(a) Thane (b) Kalyan (c) Girangaon (d) None of these

Ans. (c)

Q.41. In the novel “Debganer Martye Agoman” (The Gods Visit Earth) the Gods were so impressed by Calcutta that they decided to build what of the following in heaven?

(a) A factory (b) A bridge (c) A monument (d) A museum

Ans. (d)

Q.42. What was Chartism a movement for?

(a) Equal pay for equal work (b) For adult male franchise

Ans. (b)

Q.43. Which one of the following statements about chawls is not true?

(a) They were multi-storeyed structures (b) Working class people lived here

Ans. (c)

Q.44. Bombay passed into British hands as dowry in the marriage of Britain’s King Charles II to which one of the following?

(a) A French princess (b) A Portuguese princess

Ans. (b)

Q.45. What was referred to as ‘iron monsters’?

(a) Industrial cities (b) New factories

Ans. (d)

Q.46. To which of the following European powers did the seven islands of Bombay belong before passing into the hands of the British?

(a) German (b) French (c) Dutch (d) Portuguese

Ans. (d)

Q.47. The first movie in India was shot in 1896 by :

(a) Dada Saheb Phalke (b) Harishchandra Bhatwadekar

Ans. (b)

Q.48. Town planning in Bombay came up as a result of fear of :

(a) Social revolution (b) Plague epidemic

Ans. (b)

Q.49. Which of the following factors did not encourage migration into Bombay on a large scale?

(a) Bombay dominated the maritime trade of India for a long time

(b) Bombay had enough job opportunity for all who came

(d) Famine in adjoining regions such as Kutch drove people into Bombay

Ans. (a)

Q.50. Which of the following industries in London did not employ large numbers of people in the 19th century?

(a) Clothing and footwear (b) Wood and furniture

Ans. (c)

Q.51. Where was the first underground railway built?

(a) New York (b) Moscow (c) London (d) Kolkatta

Ans. (c)

Q.52. Who wrote ‘The Bitter Cry of Outcast London’?

(a) Andrew Mearns (b) Charles Dickens (c) Ebenezer Howard (d) Durgacharan Ray

Ans. (a)

Q.53. Which city of India is called ‘Mayapuri’ or the city of dreams?

(a) Delhi (b) Chandigarh (c) Poona (d) Bombay

Ans. (d)

Q54. Who developed the principle of Garden City?

(a) Thomas Hardy (b) Charles Dickens

Ans. (d)

Q.55. Who was the producer of the film “Raja Harishchandra”?

(a) Dada Sahib Phalke (b) B. R. Chopra

Ans. (a)

Q.56. In which of the following year Bombay became the capital of the Bombay presidency?

(a) 1819 (b) 1850 (c) 1872 (d) 1880

Ans. (a)

Q.57. Which of the following books was written by Andrew Mearns, a clergyman?

(a) The Gods Visit Earth (b) The Bitter Cry of Outcast London

Ans. (b)

Q.58. Which one of the following statements is appropriate for ‘chawls’?

(a) Chawls were multistoreyed structures

(b) Chawls were single story structures

(d) None of the above

Ans. (a)

Q.59. When was the very first section of the underground railway in world opened?

(a) 10 Jan 1860 (b) 10 Jan 1861 (c) 10 Jan 1862 (d) 10 Jan 1863

Ans. (d)

Q.60. Which one of the following was used in Tollygunge rice mills in place of coal ?

(a) Petrol (b) Wood (c) Rice husk (d) All of the above

Ans. (c)

Q.61. Which one of the following cities had a long history of air pollution?

(a) Mumbai (b) Calcutta (Kolkata) (c) Chennai (d) Delhi

Ans. (b)

Q.62. Which one of the following cities was designed as a garden city by Raymond Unwin and

Barry Parker?

(a) London (b) Manchester (c) New Earswick (d) Lancashire

Ans. (c)

Q.63. A variety of steps were taken to clean up which one of the following cities?

(a) Chicago (b) Berlin (c) New York (d) London

Ans. (d)

Q.64. In which of the following years the Backbay Reconstruction Company got the right to reclaim western of share?

(a) 1858 (b) 1862 (c) 1864 (d) 1848

Ans. (c)

Q.65. When was the Bombay Improvement Trust established?

(a) 1861 (b) 1898 (c) 1899 (d) 1862

Ans. (b)

Q.66. Bombay was first under whose control? [2010, 2011 (T-1)]

(a) Portuguese (b) English (c) French (d) Dutch

Ans. (a)

Q.67. When did the earliest reclamation project in Bomaby begin?

(a) 1780 (b) 1784 (c) 1783 (d) None

Ans. (b)

Q.68. Who designed the Garden City of New Earswick?

(a) Barry Parker (b) Ebenezer Howard

Ans. (c)

Q.69. Which movie did Dada Saheb Phalke make?

(a) CID (b) Guest House

Ans. (c)

Q.70. Name one factor which changed the form of urbanisation in the modern world.

[2011 (T-1)]

(a) Capitalism (b) Socialism

Ans. (c)

Q.71. Which of the following writers, wrote several volumes on the London labour in the mid of the 19th century?

(a) Leo Tolstoy (b) Henry Mayhew (c) Thomas Hardy (d) None of these

Ans. (b)

Q.72. Rent control was introduced in Britain during the

Ans. (a)

Q.73. Which of the following groups demanded the Right to Vote for adult males in Britain during the 18th century?

(a) The Christian Movement (b) Temperance Movement

Ans. (d)

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. Describe how cities developed in ancient and medieval period in the world, giving example.

Ans. Cities like Mohenjodaro and Mesopotamia emerged on the bank of big river systems, namely

the Sindh, Tigris and Euphrates. These cities supported large populations with trade and

commerce. They served as administrative centres.

In medieval times, cities grew out in the periphery of important buildings and trading centres. For example, most of the medieval towns and cities in Europe has an imposing Church in the centre as an imposing structure.

Q.2. Give a brief description of London as a city in 1750s.

Ans. London was a colossal city or metropolis. It was a densely populated city. It also became the

centre of administration as the capital of Britain. Its population was approximately 6,75,000.

There was a rapid growth of population from 1 million in 1810 to 4 million in 1880. Migrants

from rural areas were attracted to the textile mills of Manchester and Leeds in large numbers after

1850s. Slums and social crimes increased, distinction between the rich and the poor widened.

Q.3. List some steps taken to clean up London.

Describe any three steps to clean London in 18th and 19th century.

Ans.(a) Decongestion of localities by introduction of rent control.

(b) Increasing green open spaces by building suburbs or countryside homes by the rich.

(d) Landscaping and building cottages for single family etc.

Q.4. How does the historian Gareth Stedman Jones describe the 19th century London?

Ans. According to Jones “London was a city of clerks and shopkeepers, of small masters and skilled

artisans, of a growing number of semi-skilled and sweated out workers, of soldiers and

servants, of casual labourers, street sellers and beggars.” It was a powerful magnet for migrant

populations even though it did not have large factories. Five major types of major industries

employed a large number of workers, beside the London Dockyards.

Q.5. Why, along with growth as a city, London became a centre for crime?

Who were those who were concerned about crime?

Ans. It is reported that in the 1870s, 20,000 criminals were living in London. Crime had become

a matter of great concern to the police and the philanthropists. Police was worried about the

law and order and the philanthropists were anxious about public morality. The industrialists

wanted a hard-working and orderly labour force.

According to Henry Mayhew, who wrote several books on London labour, the ‘criminals’ were

in fact poor people who lived by stealing lead from roofs, food from shops, lumps of coal,

clothes drying on hedges. Others were more skilled in their trade, experts in their jobs. There

were cheats and tricksters, pickpockets and petty thieves crowding London streets. The main

reason was the huge population of London, less number of jobs and the poverty of the majority

which made it a city of crime.

Q.6. How was the problem of planning and expansion done in Bombay?

Ans. Expansion of land was difficult due to scarcity of land. Hence, land reclamation was the means

they used. The earliest project of joining one landmass to another led to the emergence of

seven islands of Bombay. The process began in 1784 under the governorship of William

Hornby, who approved the building of a great sea wall to prevent floods. Reclamation of land

from sea also continued throughout mid-nineteenth century by government and private

companies. The city expanded by about 22 square miles although mounting cost forced many

private companies to close down.

Q.7. Describe in three points the social changes in the city of London with respect to entertainment and leisure of the people due to industrialisation.

Describe any three sources of entertainment for common people of London.

Ans. (i) For wealthy Britishers, an annual ‘London Season’ was organised which included several

cultural events, such as the opera, the threatre and the classical music performances.

(ii) Working classes met in pubs and taverns to have a drink, exchange news and sometimes

to also organise political action.

(iii) Libraries, art galleries and museums were established in the 19th century to provide

entertainment for the common people. Music halls were popular among the lower classes, and by the early 20th century, cinema became a means of great mass entertainment for mixed audiences.

Q.8. How did the development of cities influence the ecology and environment in the late nineteenth century? Explain by giving an example of Calcutta (Kolkata).

“Cities developed at the cost of ecology and environment.” Explain with examples.

Ans. City development everywhere has been at the expense of ecology and environment. To accommodate factories, housing and other institutions, natural features are either transformed or flattened out. Large quantities of refuse and waste products pollute air and water and excessive noise becomes a feature of urban life.

In the late 19th century, use of coal in homes and industries raised serious problems. For example, in Calcutta, inhabitants inhaled grey smoke, particularly in winter. Since Calcutta was built on marshy land, the fog and smoke combined to generate a thick black smog. High levels of pollution were a result of the huge population using dung and wood as fuel in their daily life. Main polluters were the industries that used steam engines run on coal. The

introduction of the railway in 1855 brought a new dangerous pollutant – coal from Raniganj.

It had a high content of ash. Calcutta became the first Indian city in 1863 to get smoke nuisance legislation. In 1920, the rice mills of Tollygunge began to burn rice husk instead of coal, and people complained of “black soot falling like drizzling rain” causing bad tempers, dirty clothes and smoke-related illnesses. The inspectors of Bengal Smoke

Nuisance Committee finally managed to control industrial smoke, but found controlling domestic smoke more difficult.

Q.9. Give three reasons why Bombay in known as the city of dreams.

Ans. Bombay appears to many people as Mayapuri – a City of Dreams.

(i) By 1925, Bombay became the capital city of films in India. It attracted migrants from Lahore, Calcutta, Madras and other parts. They contributed to the blending of culture, dream and stars as well as slums of Bombay. Bombay started producing films for a national audience.

(ii) The film industry in 1947 invested money in about 50 Indian films and the amount was Rs 756 million. By 1987, the film industry employed 520,000 people.

(iii) Bombay films have contributed in a big way to produce an image of the city as a blend of dream and reality, slums and star bungalows. It is acclaimed as one of the biggest film industries of the world. Bollywood now produces

over 1000 films every year. Since 1913, Indian cinema has made a journey from simple silent movies to sound films, from coloured films to technically advanced movies of the present day.

PREVIOUS YEARS’ QUESTIONS

Q.10. Describe in three points the Social changes in the city of London with respect to entertainment and leisure of the people due to industrialisation. (

Ans. (i) For wealthy Britishers, an annual ‘London season’ was organised which included several

cultural events, such as the opera, the threatre and the classical dance performances.

(ii) Working classes met in pubs and taverns to have a drink, exchange news and sometimes

to also organise political action.

(iii) Libraries, art galleries and museums were established in the 19th century to provide

entertainment for the common people. Music halls were common among the lower

classes, and by the early 20th century, cinema became the source of great master

entertainment for mixed audiences.

Q.11. Explain the social changes which led to the need for the underground railways in London.

Ans. The congestion in the 19th century industrial London had led many wealthy residents of

London to build homes in the countryside. Architect Ebenezer Howard developed the principle

of ‘Garden City’, a pleasant place, full of plants and trees, where people could both live and

work. Between the two world wars, the British State built a million houses, single family

cottages for working classes. The city extended now beyond the range, where people could walk

to work. The development of suburbs made new forms of mass transport absolutely necessary.

To persuade people to leave the city and live in garden suburbs, some new means of travelling

to the city for work was essential. The London underground railway solved the housing crisis

by carrying large masses of people to and from the city.

Q.12. What was the tradition of ‘London Season’? Explain different forms of entertainment that came up in nineteenth century England to provide leisure activities for the people.

Ans. For wealthy Britishers, there had been an annual ‘London Season’. Several cultural events, as the opera, the theatre, the classical musical performances were organised for an elite group of 300-400 families.

Many new types of large-scale entertainment for the common people came up. Libraries, art galleries and museums were established to provide entertainment to people who swarmed them. Music halls were popular among lower classes, and by the 20th century, cinema became the great mass entertainer for mixed audiences. British industrial workers were encouraged to spend their holidays by the sea. Over a million British went to the seaside in 1883; their number increased to 7 million in 1939.

Write about the pollution problems of Calcutta (Kolkata) in the 19th century.

Q.13. How did the development of cities influence the ecology and environment in the late Nineteenth century? Explain by giving an example of Calcutta (Kolkata).

In the late 19th century, use of coal in homes and industries raised serious problems. For example, in Calcutta, inhabitants inhaled grey smoke, particularly in winter. Since Calcutta was built on marshy land, the fog and smoke combined to generate a thick black smog. High level of pollution was a result of the huge population using dung and wood as fuel in their daily life. Main polluters were the industries that used steam engines run on coal. The introduction of the railway in 1855 brought a new dangerous pollutant — coal from Raniganj. It had a high

content of ash. Calcutta became the first Indian city in 1863 to get smoke nuisance legislation. In 1920, the rice mills of Tollygunge began to burn rice husk instead of coal, and people complained of “black soot falling like drizzling rain” causing bad tempers, dirty clothes and smoke related illnesses. The inspectors of Bengal Smoke Nuisance Committee finally managed to control industrial smoke, but found controlling domestic smoke more difficult.

Q.14. Mention Various measures taken to decongest London in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Explain any four steps taken to clean up London in the 19th Century.

Ans. (i) Rent control to prevent severe housing shortage.

(ii) Building a Green Belt around London as “New Lungs” for the city.

(iii) Building holiday homes in the country side by wealthy residents of London.

(iv) Ebenezer Howard, an architect and planner, planned “Garden City” full of plants and trees where people could work as well as live.

Raymond Unwin and Barry Parker designed the Garden city of New Earswick.

A million houses, were built by local authorities.

Q.15. Explain in brief the history of land reclamation in Mumbai.

Ans. Originally Bombay was a city of several islands which were joined into one land mass over a period of time. The first project began in 1784, when the Governor of Bombay, William Hornby, approved the building of the great sea wall. It was done to prevent flooding of the lowlying areas of Bombay.

In the mid-nineteenth century, several plans were formulated for reclamation of more land from the sea. Both private and Government companies took part in it. In 1864, the Black Bay Reclamation Company won the right to reclaim the western shore from the tip of Malabar Hill to the end of Colaba. This meant levelling of hills around Bombay. By the 1870s, though most private companies had closed down because of the high cost of reclamation, Bombay had expanded to about 22 square miles. As the population continued to increase rapidly, more and more area was reclaimed from the sea.

Q.16. How far was underground railway able to solve transport problems as well as housing crisis in London in the nineteenth century?

Ans. The London underground railway partially solved the housing crisis by carrying large masses of people to and from the city. On the first day of its opening on 10 January 1863, the underground railway carried 10,000 passengers between Paddingtion and Farrington Street in London. By 1880 the expanded train service was carrying 40 million passengers a year. As a result the population in the city became more dispersed. Better planned suburbs came up and a good railway network enabled large numbers to live outside central London and travel to work.

Q.17. Why did the well-off Londoners support the need to build housing for the poor in the 19th century?

Ans. The well-off people of London demanded that slums should be cleared in London. Slowly these people came to realise that there was a need for housing for the poor. The reasons were that, first, the vast mass of one-room house occupied by the poor were seen as a serious threat to public health. They were overcrowded, badly ventilated and locked sanitation. Second : They were seen as fire hazards due to poor housing. Third : There was a fear of social disorder, specially after the Russian Revolution in 1917. Workers’ mass housing schemes were planned to prevent the London poor from turning rebellious.

Q.18. How did the people of all classes entertain themselves in their leisure time in Urban Britain after industrialisation?

Ans. The weallthy British had a long ‘‘London Season.’’ They organised cultural events like the opera, theatre and classical music performances for the elite group of 300-400 families. The working classes met in pubs to have a drink, exchange news and sometimes to organize political action.

With industrialisation, large-scale entertainment for the common people came into being with the state help. Libraries, art galleries and museums were built for the improvement of people and create a pride in British achievements. When entry was made free in 1810, the number of visitors shot up to 825,901 in 1846. Music halls were popular among lower classes and by the early 20th century cinema became the great mass entertainment for mixed audiences. British

industrial workers were encouraged to spend their holidays near the seaside. Nearly 7 million people visited Blackpool in 1939.

Q.19. What was the impact of industrialisation and urbanization on the family in Britain in the nineteenth century?

Ans. The function and shape of the family was completely transformed by life in the industrial city.

(i) Ties between members of households loosened

(ii) Among working class the institution of marriage tended to break down

(iii) Women of upper and middles classes in Britain, faced increasingly high level of isolation.

Their lives though were made easier by maids who cooked, cleared and cared for young children on low wages.

(iv) Women who worked had some control over their lives, specially among the lower social classes. Many reformers felt that marriage as an institution had broken down.

(v) When women lost their industrial jobs, conservative people forced them to withdraw into their homes. 20th century saw another change, the family became the heart of new market – of goods, services and of ideas. Families after the war became smaller units.

Q.20. The Many Sides of Bombay

My father came down the Sahyadris

A quilt over his shoulder

He stood at the doorstep

With nothing but his labour

.....

I carried a tiffin box

To the mill since childhood

I was cast the way

A smith forges a hammer

I learned my ropes

Working on a loom

Learnt on occasion

To go on strike

My father withered away toiling

So will I and will my little ones

Perhaps they too face such sad nights

Wrapped in coils of darkness

(i) Where did the father come from?

(ii) Why did he come to Bombay?

(iii) Write one similarity between the father and son’s life in Bombay.

Ans. (i) The father came down from the Sahyadris.

(ii) To earn a living in a mill.

(iii) The father withered away toiling all his life and the son is going to meet the same fate

— toil, depression and hardly any relief from both.

Q.21. Throw light on some of the land reclamation projects of Bombay.

Ans. The earliest project of land reclamation began in 1784. The Bombay Governor had great sea wall built to prevent flooding of low-lying areas. Government and private companies joined hands and formulated plans to recaim more and more land. In 1864, Back Bay Reclamation Company won the right to reclaim the western foreshore from the tip of Malabar hill to the end of Colaba. By the 1870s the city had expanded to 22 sq km. Bombay Port Trust built a dry dock between 1914-1918 and used the excavated earth to create the 22 acre Ballard Estate. Much later, the

famous Marine Drive of Bombay was developed.

Q.22. Explain any three efforts made by women in London to increase their income during eighteenth century.

Ans.

(i) Women tried to solve their financial problems by working in the factories.

(ii) When technological development deprived them of their jobs, they started working as domestic help. Out of a quarter million domestic helps the vast majority were women.

A large number of women used their homes to increase family income by taking in lodgers. They took up tailoring, washing or match-box making. During the war, they were once again employed in war-time industries and offices.

See answer to Q. 8

Q.23. Highlight any three problems faced by people who migrated to Bombay.

Ans. (i) The biggest problem was housing. 70% of the working people lived in thickly populated

‘chawls’ of Bombay. Chawls were multi-storeyed structures, with one room tenements which had no private toilets. Rents were high. People had to keep their windows closed even in humid weather due to close proximity of filthy gutters, privies, buffalo stables etc.

(ii) There was an acute shortage of water due to unplanned expansion of the city. People often quarrelled for a turn at the tap.

(iii) People had to use streets and neighborhoods for various activities like cooking, washing and sleeping. There was constant fear of epidemics, specially like plague, due to unclean surroundings and too many people.

Q.24. According to Durgacharan Ray, in what three ways did the city life of Calcutta present contrasting images of opportunities?

‘Calcutta in the 19th century was a city of contrasts.’ How is this reflected in Durgacharan Ray’s novel “Deb nagar Martaye Aagman”?

Ans. The city life of Calcutta was full of contrasts, according to Durgacharan Ray.

1. In the 19th century, Calcutta was brimming with opportunities — for trade, commerce and jobs.

2. But on the hand, another aspect of its life was — its cheats, thieves, its appalling poverty and the poor quality of housing.

The Gods themselves were cheated by the shopkeepers.

3. There was confusion of caste, religious and gender identities in the city. All social distinctions that appeared to be natural and normal seemed to be breaking down. The contrasting images were of wealth and poverty, splendour and dirt, opportunities and disappointments.

Q.25. Which cities were called ‘Presidency Cities’ in the 19th century India? Mention any two main features of these cities.

Ans. The capitals of the Bombay, Bengal and Madras Presidencies in British India were called

‘‘Presidency Cities”. Their special features were :

(i) They were multi-functional cities, they had major ports, warehouses, homes and offices, army camps as well as educational institutions, museums and libraries.

(ii) A large number of people lived in these cities. Bombay had a population of nearly 1,500,000 people in 1941 as compared to 644,405 in 1872. The cities combined political and economic functions for the entire region.

Q.26. Crime became an object of widespread concern in London. Comment and state what steps were taken to control it.

Ans. London was a colossal city by 1750 with a bursting population. By 1880 the population was about 4 million. Crime flourished as London grew. It is reported there were 20,000 criminals living in London by the 1870s. The police worried about the law and order and philanthropists worried about public morality. Industrialists wanted a hard-working, orderly labour force. Actually the ‘‘criminals’’ were in fact poor people who lived by stealing food from shops, lumps of coal and clothes drying on hedges.

Steps taken to control crime were :

(i) Population of the criminals was counted, their activities were watched and their way of life were investigated.

(ii) Authorities imposed high penalties for crime and offered work to the ‘deserving poor.’’

(iii) Compulsory Elementary Education Act was passed so that children went to school rather than take to crime or work in underpaid factories.

(iv) The need for housing for the poor was recognised to stop the poor from turning rebellious.

Q.27. Why were people in the beginning afraid to travel in the London underground railway?

Ans. People were afraid to travel in London underground railway because they thought they were a menace to health. A newspaper reader warned the public ‘‘of compartments full of smoking pipes, the foul atmosphere, which was a mixture of sulphur, coal dust and fumes from the gas lamps.’’ He thought he would die of asphyxiation and heat.

Many people called the railway ‘‘iron monsters,’’ which added to the mess and unhealthiness of the city. The famous writer, Charles Dickens, in one of his words criticised the railway for destroyed houses, knocking down sheets, deep pits and trenches thrown about.’’ To make two miles of railway, 900 houses were dug up and had led to the massive displacement of the London poor.

Q.28. Who was Ebenezer Howard? Explain the principle of the Garden City developed by him.

Ans. Ebenezer Howard was an architect and town planners. He developed the principle of the

Garden City, a pleasant space full of plants and trees, where people would live and work. He

believed this would also produce better quality citizens.

Q.29. How did the technological developments in the late 18th century affect the women workforce in Europe?

Ans. See answer to 17, (Technological development made women lose their jobs in the factories, machines replaced them. They had to work from homes or work as domestic helpers. The 1861 Census reported that out of quarter of a million domestic workers vast majority were women, many of them recent migrants to London. A large number of women augmented the family income by taking in lodgers and through activities like tailoring, washing or match-box

making.

Q.30. Why was the underground railways referred to as the ‘Iron Monsters’?

Ans. The underground railways resulted in massive destruction in the process of construction. The railway coaches and railroads were made of iron. Green spaces were hardly available. Iron pillars, bridges and other works of iron could be seen everywhere. The underground railways were a menace to health and environment. The whole system appeared to be like a huge monster.

Q.31. What was the Temperance Movement? What was its main aim?

Ans. It was largely a middle-class-led social reform movement which emerged in Britain and America from the nineteenth century onwards. This movement identified alcoholism as the cause of the ruin of families and society, and aimed at reducing the consumption of alcoholic drinks, particularly amongst the working classes.

Q.32. Why did the population of London expand from the middle of the eighteenth century? Give three reasons.

Ans. (i) The city of London was a powerful magnet for migrant populations. It was a city of clerks, shopkeepers, skilled and semi-skilled artisans, soldiers, servants and beggars. It was the city of classes as well as masses.

(ii) Apart from London dockyards, five major types of industries employed large number of workers. These industries included clothing, printing, footwear, metal and engineering.

(iii) During the First World War London began manufacturing motor cars and electrical goods and number of large factories multiplied.

Q.33. Highlight the principal features of the social life of people living in Bombay.

Ans. The European elite, the richer Parsis, Muslims and uppercaste traders and industrialists lived in sprawling, spacious bungalows. But more than 70 per cent of the working people lived in the thickly populated chawls of Bombay. The homes being small, streets and neighbourhoods were used for a variety of activities such as cooking, washing and sleeping. Liquor shops and akharas came up in empty spot. Streets were also used for different types of leisure activities. Chawls were also the place for exchange of news about jobs, strikes, riots or demonstrations.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What are the characteristics of a city?

Ans. The following are some of the features of cities:

(i) Ancient cities mostly emerged as riverine civilisations like Ur, Nippur and Mohenjodaro.

(ii) Cities developed only with the increase in food supply so that it could support non-food producers.

(iii) Cities were often centres of political power with administrative network, trade and industry. In medieval Europe, some towns and cities also emerged in the periphery of religious institutions like Church or important buildings.

(iv) Cities were of different sizes and complexity. It could be a modern day metropolis which combined political and economic functions for an entire region or a smaller town.

Q.2. Discuss how London emerged as the largest city in the world in the nineteenth century.

Ans. The city of London became the largest city in the world by the late nineteenth century. It was

the most powerful imperial centre by the beginning of the twentieth century. Various factors

were responsible for it, as given below :

Causes :

(i) Increase in population. One out of every nine people of England and Wales lived in

London. Industrial revolution started in Britain. The enclosures of farms and abolishment

of corn laws made many farmers migrate to towns and cities such as London, Manchester

and Leeds. Migrants from rural areas were attracted to the textile mills of Manchester and

Leeds in large numbers after the 1850s.

(ii) Colonisation and political dominance in global trade led to great wealth and capital,

making London the hub of world trade and commerce.

(iii) The population expanded throughout the nineteenth century from one million in 1810 to

4 million in 1880. They constituted aristocrats, administrators, semi-skilled and skilled

artisans, workers, traders, beggars, etc.

(iv) Important industries were the dockyards, clothing, footwear, metallurgy, etc.

(v) During the First World War, London began manufacturing motor cars and electrical goods.

Q.3. Describe how industrialisation changed the social status of women.

Ans. The upper and the middle-class women faced higher levels of isolation. However, their

lives were made easier by rising number of domestic maids who cooked, cleaned and cared

for young children on low wages. An 1861 Census recorded quarter of a million domestic

servants in London of whom most were women migrants. On the other hand, women who

worked for wages, particularly the lower social classes, had more control of their lives.

In cities, individualism replaced the collective value of earlier rural communities.

However, men and women did not share the new urban space equally. Later, many women lost

their industrial jobs and conservative section managed to force women to withdraw into their

homes. Hence, public spaces increasingly became male-dominated.

Q.4. How is a large city a threat and an opportunity? Explain with appropriate examples.

Ans. A large city is a threat and an opportunity. A modern city is also called a metropolis for its

complex functions and relations amongst the dwellers. It is a threat to environment and peace

because crime rates are high due to the differences between the rich and the poor. A police

superintendent would face difficulty in maintaining law and order. A city is a place where the

weak are exploited by the powerful and the rich, e.g. women and children were exploited in

industrial cities of London, Leeds, Manchester, etc.

On the other hand, it is an opportunity for those who are in power. Landlords benefit by raising

the rents as demands for space increase. It is also an opportunity for women who are wage

earners as they become economically independent. Social divisions based on class and caste

also break down in different ways like travelling in public transport, etc.

PREVIOUS YEARS’ QUESTIONS

Q.5. Describe the lifestyle of British workers in the 19th century.

Ans. Most of the workers were employed in industries and factories. Because of bursting population

led to unemployment and crime and an increase in the number of poor.

Factories employed large number of women in the early 19th century but they lost their

industrial jobs due to technological developments. Most women worked as domestic servants;

of them many were migrants to London. Large numbers of children were pushed into low-paid

work, often by their parents. Children took to crime as it earned them more money than honest

work. A young thief could earn 10 shillings 6 pence a week from thieving – honest work

fetched him this money after making 1,296 match boxes in a day.

Most workers lived in unsafe tenements which were health hazards, overcrowded, badly

ventilated and lacking sanitation. Poor housing was a constant fire hazard. The workers could

only expect a lifespan of 29 years. The workers were expected to die, according to Charles

Booth, in a ‘work house, hospital or a lunatic asylum.’

There was a widespread fear of social disorder, because of the unhealthy, poverty stricken life

the workers led.

Q.6. When and where was the very first section of the underground railway in the world

opened? Describe in brief the difficulties of travelling in the underground railway.

Ans. The first section of the underground railway in the world opened on 10 January 1863 between

Paddington and Farringtion Street in London. On that day 10,000 passengers were carried with

trams running every ten minutes.

At first, the people were afraid to travel undergound. They found the atmosphere a mixture of sulphur, coal dust and foul fumes from the gas lamps above and found them a danger to health.

Most felt the “Iron Monsters” added to the mess and unhealthiness of the city. To make two miles of railways, 900 houses had to be destroyed. Streets were knocked up, pits and trenches dug. The underground railway led to a massive displacement of the London poor, specially during the two world wars.

The underground railway broke down social distinctions but also created new ones.

Q.7. What forms of entertainment came up in the 19th century in England to provide leisure activities for the people?

Mention any four new types of entertainment that come up in 19th century England for the common people.

Ans. For wealthy Britishers, there had been an annual ‘London Season.’ Several cultural events, as the opera, the theatre, the classical musical performances were organised for an elite group of 300-400 families. Many new types of large-scale entertainment for the common people came up. Libraries, art galleries and museums were established to provide entertainment to people who swarmed them. Music halls were popular among lower classes, and by the 20th century, cinema became the great mass entertainer for mixed audiences. British industrial workers were encouraged to spend their holidays by the sea. Over a million Britishes went to the seaside in 1883; their number increased to 7 million in 1939.

Q.8. Explain any three causes of air pollution in Calcutta in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Which body controlled industrial pollution?

Ans. See answer to Q 4 (in Short Answer Questions)

(i) High levels of pollution were a consequence of the huge population that depended on dung and wood as fuel in their daily life.

(ii) Main polluters were the industries and establishments that used steam engines run on coal.

(iii) The city was built on marshy land, the resulting fog combined with smoke generated thick black smog and Calcutta’s inhabitants inhaled grey smoke, specially in winter. A new pollutant coal — was added by the railways. The body that controlled industrial pollution was Bengal Smoke Nuisance Commission.

Q.9. Give four reasons for the expansion of Bombay’s population in the nineteenth century.

What led to major expansion of Bombay’s population in the mid-nineteenth century?

Ans. Four reasons for Bombay’s expansion :

(i) When Bombay became the capital of Bombay Presidency in 1819, the city expanded. With the growth of trade in cotton and opium, large communities of traders, bankers, as well as artisans and shopkeepers came to settle in Bombay.

(ii) When textile mills were established in Bombay there was fresh surge of migration. The first cotton textile mill in Bombay was established in 1854. In 1921, there were 85 cotton mills with about 146,000 workers. About one-fourth of Bombay’s inhabitants between 1881 and 1931 were born in Bombay, the rest were migrants from nearby district of Ratnagiri to work in Bombay mills.

(iii) Bombay was a junction of two major railways. This encouraged an even higher scale of migration into the city. For example, famine in dry regions of Kutch drove large number to Bombay in 1888-89.

(iv) Bombay became a premier city of India in the late 19th century. It dominated maritime trade of India and its population expanded from 644, 405 on 1572 to nearly, 1,500,000 in 1941

Q.10. “The function and the shape of the family were completely transformed by life in the industrial city of Britain in the 18th century.” Explain any four points.

Explain four changes that took place in the family life in the 18th century and promoted individualism in city life.

Ans. (i) Ties between members of family loosened.

(ii) Among working classes the institution of marriage tended to break down.

(iii) Women of upper and middle class faced high level of isolation, though their life became easier by maids who cooked, cleaned or cared for young children.

(iv) Women who worked had some control over their lives. Women without jobs were forced to withdraw into their camp.

(v) 20th century saw homes another change, the family became smaller unit after the war. A new spirit of individualism was encouraged among men and women, and a freedom from collective values that were a feature of the smaller rural communities.

Q.11. Why the population of London multiplied in the late 19th and early 20th century?

Ans. By 1750, one out of every nine people of England and Wales lived in London. It was a colossal city with a population of about 675,000. Its population multiplied four-fold in the 70 years between 1810 and 1880, increasing from one million to 4 million. London was a powerful magnet for migrant populations. The 19th century London was “a city of clerks, shopkeepers, small masters and skilled artisans, growing number of semi-skilled out workers, soldiers, servants, casual labourers, sheet sellers and beggars.’’ London’s dockyards and five major types of industries employed large number of workers. The five were : Clothing and footwear, wood and furniture, metals and engineering, printing and stationery, and precision products like surgical instruments, watches, and objects of precious

metals.During the First World War (1914-18) London began manufacturing motor cars and electrical

goods, which led to increase in population as more workers were needed.

Q.12. Explain any four characteristics of Marginal Groups in London.

Ans. Marginal Groups in London were about 20,000 criminals who worried the police about law and order. The people who made a living by crime were in fact poor people who lived by stealing lead from roofs, food from shops, lumps of coal and clothes drying on hedges. There were others who were more skilled at their trade, experts at their jobs. They were cheats, tricksterts, pickpockets and petty thieves crowding the streets of London. Women were forced out of work from factories due to technological development they formed a large group that worked as domestic servants. They also worked at home to increase their income by taking in ladgers, working as tailors, wasting etc only during the war, they found jobs in factories and offices. Large number of children were forced into low-paid work. ‘‘A child of 7 could easily make 10 shillings led a week from thieving — a low-paid worker had to make 56 gross of match boxes a week to earn that much” (According to an article by Andrew Mearns). Only by the passage of Compulsory Elementary Education Act in 1870 and passing of Factory Acts (since 1872) children were kept out of industrial work. So, the marginal groups were the criminals, women are workforce and children forced to work

in low-paid jobs.

Q.13. Explain the merits and drawbacks of underground rail of London.

Ans. See answer to Q. 6, Q 25 short answer.

Merits : It partly solved the housing crisis by carrying large masses of people to and from the city.

When the first section of the underground in the world opened on 10 January, 1863, it carried 10,000 passengers, with trains running every ten minutes.

By 1850, the trains were carrying 40 million passengers a year. By the 20th century, most large metropolises such as New York, Tokyo, Chicago had indispensable metro services.

The population in cities became more dispersed. Better planned suburbs and a good railway network enabled large numbers to live outside central London and travel to work.

Drawbacks :They created more pollution and were considered by people to be a menace to health. Passengers complained of smoking pipes, an atmosphere which was a mixture of sulphur, coal dust and foul fumes causing asphyxiation. Many called the the trains ‘‘iron monsters’’ adding to mess and unhealthiness.

To make two miles of railway, 900 houses were knocked down. It led to a displacement of the London poor, specially between the two wars. They wore down social distinctions but also created new ones.

Q.14. Explain the lifestyle of workers of the mid-19th century in Britain.

Ans. The mid-century workers in London did not have proper houses to live in. They had to find residence in cheap, usually unsafe tenements. According to a survey by a Liverpool shipowner in 1887, as many as one million Londoners

(about 1/5 of the population of London at that time were very poor, expected to live upto an average age of 29 as compared to 55 among the gentry and the middle class. They were expected to die in a ‘‘workhouse, hospital or lunatic asylum.

There were constant worries about fire hazard created by poor housing. The one-room houses occupied by the poor were a serious threat to public health. There was a constant fear of uprising by the poor. The only leisure for working classes was to meet in pubs and drink, exchange news and sometimes also organise for political action. Crime flourished among workers who did not have jobs. Children were forced to work for low wages. Women tried to earn by working at home or domestic maids. Later on there was a drive to build more houses, clearn up the city, provide libraries and museums for the workers. Workers were encouraged to take annual leave and go to the seaside like Blackpool. Cinema also became a means of mass entertainment.

Q.15. Explain why a number of films were about the life of migrants in the Bombay film industry. Name two movies whose songs became very popular.

Ans. There were a number of films about migrants because many people in the film industry were themselves migrants. They came from cities like Lahore, Calcutta, Madras and contributed to the national character of the industry. Many famous writers like Ismat Chugtai, Saadat Hasan Manto were associated with Hindi cinema. People who came from Lahore now in Pakistan, contributed the most to the development of the Hindi cinema. The films dealt with the arrival in the city of new migrants and the real pressures of life they had to deal with : the two movies are CID (1956) and Guest House (1959).

Q.16. How did city development occur at the cost of ecology and environment?

Ans. Natural features were transformed in response to the growing demand for space for factories, touring and other institutions. Large quantities of refuse and waste production polluted air and water, while excessive noise became a feature of urban life. Hundreds of factory chimneys spewed black smoke into the skies. Domestic sewage and factory wastes polluted water and soil. There was serious housing problems in the cities resulting in congestion, overcrowding

and sanitation problems. Streets were full of squalour and crowded with houseless migrants. Cities like London, Bombay and Calcutta were over-populated and over-polluted.

Q.17. How did the condition of women workers change from 19th to 20th century in London?

Ans. As cities developed in the 19th century, women lost their industrial jobs. Conservative people opposed their presence in public spaces and women were forced to withdraw into their houses. The public space became exclusively a male preserve and the domestic sphere was seen as the proper place for women. But from 1870s onwards women’s participation in political movements increased. In the 20th century large number of women were employed in factories

and offices and they raised voices in public fora.

Q.18. Explain the social changes in London which led to the need for the underground railways. Why was the development of undergroud railways criticised?

Ans. Between the two World Wars (1919 – 39), the responsibility for housing the working classes

was accepted by the British state, and a million houses were built for them in sub-urban areas

by local authorities. The city had gradually extended beyond the range where people could

walk to work. Development of suburbs made new forms of mass transport very necessary. The

London underground railway partially solved the housing crisis by carrying large masses of

people to and from the city. Underground railway created huge ecological and environmental

problem. The process of construction led to large scale destruction of forests and other natural

features.

Q.19. “The city of London had a powerful migrant population.” Explain the reason.

Ans. (i) London had hundreds of small factories and workshops. It was a city of clerks, shopkeepers, skilled and semi-skilled artisans, soldiers and servants, casual labourers, street vendors, etc.

(ii) Apart from London dockyards, five major types of small industries employed large number of people.

(iii) During the First World War (1914-18) London began manufacturing motor cars and electrical goods. Hundreds of large factories sprang up employing thousands of workers.

Work, Life and Leisure

Class 10th Social Science- Work, Life and Leisure

Class 10^th Social Science- Work, Life and Leisure