NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 6: Colonialism and the City

The changes that happened to cities under the Colonial Rule will be elaborated in the chapter. The wreckage caused the fall of old cities and the reason behind building the new cities. The points can briefly describe the chapter-

• Major cities of the pre-colonial era were sites of trade. However, this norm underwent a huge change when the country was under British rule.
• Major cities under the British were the ports, which were centres where finished goods exported raw materials, and Britishers imported finished goods.
• The older cities which were famous for their craft and artistic work declined. Cities like Machlipatnam, Surat, and Seringapatam, to name a few were de-urbanised during the 19 th century. Only 11 percent of Indians remained in these cities by the beginning of the 20 th century.
• Bombay's city began to grow when the East India Company started using Bombay as its main port in western India.
• In the late eighteenth century, cities like Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras rose in importance. They became known as Presidency cities. They turned into the centres of British power in the different regions of India.
• Soon these cities were urbanised, i.e., more and more people began to reside in towns and cities.
• Many areas in and around Delhi were demolished, and the city was divided into two parts, the white part for British residence and the black part for the Indians to reside.
• New Delhi was constructed as a 10-square-mile city on Raisina Hill, south of the existing city. Two architects, Edward Lutyens and Herbert Baker, were called on to design New Delhi and its buildings.

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