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Colonial Cities

Question
CBSEENHS12027833
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Describe briefly the changes that came in towns from the mid-18th century onwards.

Solution

(i) From the mid-eighteenth century, there was a new phase of change. Commercial centers such as Surat, Masulipatnam and Dhaka, which had grown in the seventeenth century delined when trade shifted to other places. Madras, Calcutta and Bombay rapidly emerged as the new economic capitals.

(ii) From the early years, the colonial government was keen on mapping. It felt that good maps were necessary to understand the landscape and know the topography. This knowledge would allow better control over the region.

(iii) From the late nineteenth century the British tried to raise money for administration towns through the systematic annual collection of Municipal taxes.

(iv) A careful study of censuses reveals some fascinating trends. After 1800, urbanization in India was sluggish. All through the nineteenth century up to the first two decades of the twentieth, the proportion of the urban population to the total population in India was extremely low and had remained stagnant.

Some More Questions From Colonial Cities Chapter

Examine how concerns of defence and health gave shape to Calcutta.

What are the different colonial architectural styles which can be seen in Bombay city?

How were urban centres transformed during the eighteenth century?

What were the new kinds of public places that emerged in the colonial city? What functions did they serve?

What were the concerns that influenced town planning in the nineteenth century?

To what extent were social relations transformed in the new cities?

On an outline map of India, trace the major rivers and hill ranges. Plot ten cities mentioned in the chapter, including Bombay. Calcutta and Madras, and prepare a brief note on why the importance of any two cities that you have marked (one colonial and one precolonial) changed in the nineteenth century.

You have been reading about big colonial cities. Choose any small town with a long history. It could be a temple town, market town, administrative centre, a pilgrimage centre or a combination of these. Find out how the town was established, when it developed, and how its history changed during modern times.

Choose five different types of buildings in your town or village. For each of these, find out when it was built, how it was planned, how resources were obtained for its construction, and how long it took to built it. What do the architectural features of the buildings express?

Choose five different types of buildings in your town or village. For each of these, find out when it was built, how it was planned, how resources were obtained for its construction, and how long it took to built it. What do the architectural features of the buildings express ?

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