Class 8 History Chapter 6

Chapter 6 Colonialism and the City

Question. 1. State whether true of false:

(a) In the Western world, modem cities grew with industrialisation.
(b) Surat and Machlipatnam developed in the nineteenth century.
(c) In the twentieth century, the majority of Indians lived in cities.
(d) After 1857 no worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years.
(e) More money was spent on cleaning Old Delhi than New Delhi.
Answer. (a) True (b) False
(c) False (d) True
(e) False

Question.2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The first structure to successfully use the dome was called the …………
(b) The two architects who designed New Delhi and Shahjahanabad were …………… and ………..
(c) The British saw overcrowded spaces as …………
(d) In 1888 an extension scheme called the …………. was devised.
Answer. (a) Central dome
(b) Edward Lutyens; Herber Baker
(c) Unhygienic
(d) Lahore Gate Improvement Scheme

Question.3. Identify three differences in the city design of New Delhi and Shahjahanabad.
Answer. Three differences were:
(i) Shahjahanabad was crowded with mohallas, and several dozen bazaars. But New Delhi was not crowded nor were there mazes of narrow by-lanes.
(ii) Shahjahanabad was not established in a planned manner while New Delhi was beautifully planned.
(iii) There was chaos everywhere in Shahjahanabad. But New Delhi represented a sense of law and order. ’

Question.4. Who lived in the ‘white’ areas in cities such as Madras?
Answer. The British lived in the ‘white’ areas in cities such as Madras.

Question.5. What is meant by de-urbanisation?
Answer. De-urbanisation is a process by which more and more people began to live in villages or rural areas.
In the late 18th century, Calcutta, Bombay and Madras emerged as Presidency cities. They became the centres of British power in different regions of India. At the same time, several smaller cities declined. Old trading centres and ports could not survive when the flow of trade shifted to new centres. Similarly, earlier centres of regional power collapsed with the defeat of local rurals by the British and new centres of administration grew. This process is described as de-urbanisation.

Question.6. Why did the British choose to hold a grand Durbar in Delhi although it was not a capital?
Answer. During the Revolt of 1857, the British had realised that the Mughal emperor was still important to the people and they saw him as their leader. It was therefore important to celebrate British power with pomp and show in Delhi— the city the Mughal emperors had ruled earlier. The British thought that by doing this they would acknowledge people about their power and authority.

Question.7. How did the Old City of Delhi change under British rule?
Answer. The British changed the Old City of Delhi entirely. They wanted Delhi to forget its Mughal past. Hence, the area around the Fort was completely cleared of gardens, pavilions and mosques. They either destroyed, the mosques or put them to other uses. For example, the Zinat-al-Masjid was converted into a bakery. No worship was allowed in the Jama Masjid for five years.
One-third of the city was demolished and its canals were filled up.
In the 1870s, the western walls of Shahjahanabad were broken to establish the railway and to allow the city to expand beyond the walls. The British began living in the sprawling Civil Lines area that came up in the north, away from the Indians in the Walled City.
The Delhi College was turned into a school and shut down in 1877.

Question.8. How did the partition affect life in Delhi?
Answer. India got partitioned in 1947 and this led to a massive transfer of populations on both sides of the new border. As a result, the population of Delhi increased all of a sudden. The job of the people changed and the culture of the city became different. Most of these migrants were from Punjab. They stayed in camps, schools, etc. While some got the opportunity to occupy residences that had been vacated by the Muslims. Yet others were housed in refugee colonies. New colonies like Lajpat Nagar and Tilak Nagar grew at this time. Shops and stalls were set up to cater the needs of the migrants, schools and colleges were opened. The migrants coming to Delhi were rural landlords, lawyers, teachers, traders and small shopkeepers. Partition changed their lives and occupations. They had tp take up new jobs like hawkers, vendors, carpenters, and ironsmiths.

Question.9. Find out the history of the town you live in or of any town nearby. Check when and how it grew, and how it has changed over the years. You could look at the history of the bazaars, the buildings, cultural institutions, and settlements.
Answer. Attempt yourself.

Question.10. Make a list of at least ten occupations in the city, town or village to which you belong, and find out how long they have existed. What does this tell you about the changes within this area?
Answer. I live in a village, I find here the following occupations in which villagers are engaged:
(i) Farming (ii) Fishing
(iii) Teaching (iv) Carpentry
(v) Grocery (vi) Vending
(vii) Weaving (viii) Cattle rearing
(ix) Blacksmith (x) Barber These occupations have existed from a long time in the village. We have seen many changes in the methods of these occupations. With spread of education and awareness, many new technologies have been adopted. For example, in the beginning farmers used ploughs in their fields but now they are using tractors.