Here is a comprehensive guide to Chapter 8 (B) from the “Swadesh Adhyayan” textbook, created to help you prepare thoroughly for your upcoming AHSEC Class 12 exams. This guide includes a summary, complete textual answers, and other important questions.
Chapter 8 (B):
Crafts and Industries in Assam: British Age
Summary Note
This chapter discusses the initiation of modern, large-scale industries in Assam during the colonial period (post-1826). This era marked a significant shift from the pre-British subsistence-level cottage industries to a capitalist system of production driven by commercial interests. The British administration systematically surveyed Assam’s natural resources for commercial utilization, linking the state’s economy to the global market.
The primary modern industries established by the British were:
- Tea Industry: This was the first and most significant agro-based industry. The discovery of the indigenous tea plant in Assam by Robert Bruce in 1823 led the British to establish experimental tea cultivation to break the Chinese monopoly on tea trade. The Tea Committee, formed in 1834 under Lord William Bentinck, spearheaded this effort. The first boxes of Assam tea were sent to London in 1837 and were found to be of excellent quality. This led to the formation of the first tea company, the Assam Tea Company, in 1839. The industry grew rapidly, but faced challenges like a shortage of local labor, which led to the large-scale migration of workers from central India (the “tea tribes”).
- Mineral Oil Industry: The existence of oil was known from the early 19th century. Systematic exploration began after the British took over. The first successful boring for oil was done at Digboi in 1888 by the Assam Railway and Trading Company (ARTC). The first oil company in Assam was the Assam Oil Company (AOC), and the Digboi Refinery, the first in Asia, was established. This industry played a crucial role in Assam’s economy, though its initial phase was marked by difficulties in transport and a lack of skilled workers.
- Coal Industry: The British also focused on exploiting Assam’s coal reserves, primarily to fuel the railways and tea factories. Coal beds were identified in Upper Assam (Makum, Jaipur, Tirap) and the Naga Hills. The Assam Railway and Trading Company (ARTC) was instrumental in developing the coalfields, starting the Ledo Colliery in 1882. The expansion of railways and steam navigation on the Brahmaputra created a growing demand for coal.
- Railway Industry: The introduction of railways was a colonial phenomenon driven by administrative and commercial needs. In Assam, railways were primarily opened to transport tea and coal from the remote gardens and mines to the river ports for shipment to Calcutta. The first line was opened by the ARTC in 1882. This network gradually expanded, connecting Assam to the rest of India and playing a vital role in its economic development.
The chapter concludes by noting the profound impact of this industrial development on Assam’s life and culture. It led to a massive influx of outsiders (tea garden laborers, Bengali clerks, European planters), which changed the state’s demography and influenced its socio-cultural fabric.
Complete Textual Question and Answer
A. 1. Who is the author of ‘A Geographical Sketch of Assam’?
(This question is not directly answered in the chapter text.)
2. When did the British rule start in Assam?
Answer: The British rule started in Assam after the Treaty of Yandaboo in 1826.
3. What is the name of the first tea company in Assam?
Answer: The name of the first tea company in Assam was the Assam Tea Company.
4. In whose governor generalship the ‘Tea Committee’ was formed?
Answer: The ‘Tea Committee’ was formed during the Governor Generalship of Lord William Bentinck in 1834.
5. When was the first systematic boring for mineral oil done in Assam?
Answer: The first systematic boring for mineral oil commenced at Naharpung in November 1866.
6. What is the scientific name of Assam Tea?
Answer: The botanical name of Assam Tea is Camellia Sinensis var. Assamica.
7. What is the name of the first petroleum company in Assam?
Answer: The name of the first petroleum company in Assam was the Assam Oil Company (AOC).
8. What historic decision was taken by Lord Delhousie in 1853?
Answer: The historic decision taken by Lord Dalhousie in 1853 was to approve the introduction of railways in India, which led to the beginning of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway.
9. When was the first railway line opened in Assam?
Answer: The first railway line in Assam was opened by the Assam Railway and Trading Company (ARTC) in 1882, connecting Dibrugarh and Dinjan mainly to transport tea.
10. From where Arunodoi was published?
Answer: The Orunodoi, the first Assamese monthly, was published from the Sibsagar press by the American Baptist Missionaries.
B. Write Short Notes on :
(a) Tea Industry: The tea industry is the primary agro-based industry of Assam, initiated by the British in the 1830s to find an alternative to Chinese tea. After the discovery of the indigenous tea plant, the Tea Committee was formed in 1834, and the Assam Tea Company was established in 1839. The industry grew rapidly, leading to the establishment of hundreds of tea gardens and making Assam the biggest tea-producing area in the world. It also led to the migration of a large labor force from central India.
(b) ARTC: The Assam Railway and Trading Company (ARTC) was a pioneering colonial-era company that played a crucial role in the industrial development of Upper Assam. It was instrumental in developing the coalfields of Makum and the oil fields at Digboi. It also established the first railway line in Assam in 1882 (the Dibru-Sadiya railway) primarily to transport tea and coal.
(c) Petroleum industry: The petroleum industry in Assam began with the first systematic boring for oil in 1866. The first successful well was bored at Digboi in 1888 by the ARTC. This led to the formation of the Assam Oil Company (AOC) and the establishment of the Digboi Refinery, the first in Asia. The industry grew significantly in the post-colonial period with the involvement of public sector companies like OIL and ONGC.
(d) H B Medlicot: H.B. Medlicot was the Deputy Superintendent of the Geological Survey of India. In 1864, he surveyed the coal beds of Upper Assam and divided them into two groups: Jaypur and Tirap. His survey report was crucial for the commercial development of the coal industry in Assam. He recommended the terms and conditions for leasing out the coal fields.
C. Prepare a note on the beginning of petroleum industry in Assam.
Answer: The beginning of the petroleum industry in Assam can be traced to the mid-19th century. Although traces of oil were known, the first systematic boring was started by F.A. Goodenough at Naharpung in 1866, which was unsuccessful. The real breakthrough came in 1888 when the Assam Railway and Trading Company (ARTC) conducted a successful boring at Digboi. This discovery led to the establishment of the Assam Oil Company (AOC) and the construction of Asia’s first oil refinery at Digboi. The initial phase was challenging due to poor transport and lack of skilled workers, but the industry gradually grew to become a cornerstone of Assam’s economy.
D. Write briefly about the contribution of the British Missionaries to Assamese language and literature.
Answer: The British (American Baptist) Missionaries made immense contributions to Assamese language and literature. They established the first printing press in Sibsagar and, in 1846, published the first Assamese monthly journal, ‘Orunodoi’. This journal initiated a new era in Assamese literature by disseminating western thoughts and knowledge. The missionaries also published grammars and dictionaries, which helped to standardize the language. Their efforts were instrumental in getting Assamese reinstated as the official language in 1873, after it had been replaced by Bengali.
E. Discuss the changes initiated by British rule in Assam.
Answer: British rule initiated far-reaching changes in Assam’s society and economy. They replaced the traditional Ahom administrative and revenue systems with their own, which led to peasant uprisings. They introduced modern industries like tea, coal, and oil, linking Assam’s economy to the global market. They developed transport infrastructure, particularly railways, for commercial exploitation of resources. This industrialization led to a massive influx of migrants, including tea garden laborers from central India and Bengali clerks, which drastically changed the state’s demography. The introduction of English education and the work of Christian missionaries led to the emergence of a new, educated middle class and an intellectual awakening in the region.
