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Why did the relations between the Europeans and native Australians become strained?

Captain Cook, a British sailor discovered Australia in 1770. Initially, the relations between the Europeans and native Australians were cordial. But with the assassination of James Cook by a native, the relations between the Europeans and the native Australians strained. They adopted a hostile attitude towards them.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Write on the following: (i) The Gold Rush (ii) Position of natives in Australia

The Gold Rush: It was expected that there was gold in America. Traces of gold were found in the USA, California in the 1840’s. It only led to the ‘Gold Rush’. A lot of Europeans went to America in the expectation of making a quick fortune. It also led to the building of railway lines throughout the continent. Thousands of Chinese workers were also recruited. Position of natives in Australia: In the late 18th century, there were about 350-750 native communities. Each community had its own language. Most of the communities resided in the north, i.e. called Torres Strait Islanders. Hence, the word, ‘aborigines’ is not used to describe them as they migrated from different places and belonged to a different race.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

How did the Europeans justify the displacement of the natives?

The Europeans justified the displacement of the natives by saying that they (the natives) did know the judicious use of their land. They criticized them by calling them sluggish. They were unaware about their crafts skill to produce goods for the market. Natives were also criticized on the ground that they were not interested in learning English and wearing western dress. So they deserved to die out. Wild bisons were killed on a large scale to clear prairies for farmland.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Discuss the methods adopted by the Europeans to displace the natives.

Answer: With the expansion of European settlement in America, natives were displaced from the region concerned. The methods adopted by the Europeans to displace the natives were the following: They used to inspire the native peoples to abandon those regions. In case the natives refused to abandon those areas, they were threatened. They had deceitfully acquired more land from the natives and forced them out from here.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

How will you justify that the Europeans and the natives of America had different perceptions regarding forests and agriculture?

Both the Europeans and the natives of America had different perceptions regarding forests and agriculture. The Europeans cleared the forests with iron tools to make it ready for agriculture. Doing so they wanted to increase the area under maize and other crops. The natives were surprised at their activities. They never used to grow crops as much as required for subsistence. They never taught about growing crops to make profit. They believed that forests are their source of strength and considered it a sin to cut them. In this way, they had different perceptions regarding forests and agriculture.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Why did the Europeans start to come and settle down in America during 19th century? Write any three reasons behind it.

The Europeans started to come and settle down in America during 19th century. The possible reasons behind it were the following: In France and Britain the younger sons had no right to inherit their father’s property. Therefore, they were eager to buy their own property and took keen interest to settle down in America. The farmers of Germany, Italy and Sweden had lost their land to big landlords. Now, they wanted to own some land and migrated to the USA in search of pasture- land. The people of Poland also started migrating to America, because here land was available at comparatively less rates. The Polish people were quite happy to work in Prairie grasslands because it reminded them about the steppes to their home town. It encouraged them to buy more land here.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Discuss the views of Washington Irving regarding the natives.

Washington Irving was a famous American writer who personally got a chance to meet North American natives. According to him, they lived with the white people and spoke less. Because they were unaware about their language. When they gathered together, they did not miss even a single chance to entertain themselves by mocking at the Europeans. The Europeans, on the other hand, believed that the natives respected them because they impressed the Indians with their magnificence and glory. But it was a fact that the Europeans did not treat the natives with respect.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

What were the views of natives regarding trade and the Europeans?

Natives’ views regarding trade: They had different views as compared to Europeans. The natives considered exchange of gifts between friends as a social behavior but for the Europeans it was just for profit making. The European traders wanted to earn more money by selling items such as fish and fur. The natives were unable to understand why the European traders sometimes offer so much in lieu of exchange of goods and at other time they offer so little for the same. They did not know any thing about trade. Views about the Europeans: They remained unaware about the Europeans for quite a long-time. In their folk tales, they portrayed the white people, i.e. the European traders as greedy and foolish people.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

How did the exchange of goods between the European traders and the natives of North- America prove beneficial for the Europeans?

After arriving North America, the European traders came to know that the native peoples assembled regularly at the bank of the river Mississippi with an objective for exchange of goods. They exchanged handicrafts and food items. Only those goods were exchanged which were not available in a particular region. The European traders took part in the exchange of food items with an objective to boost their trade. They gave items like blankets, vessels, and gun. These items proved beneficial for the natives in one or another way. Before the advent of the Europeans the natives were not familiar with the wine. But the European made them addicted of wine. It proved very beneficial for the Europeans and succeeded in dictating their terms to the natives.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

What do you know about the earliest inhabitants of North America?

It is estimated that the earliest inhabitants of North America came from Asia on a land bridge across the Bering Straits about 30,000 years ago. They moved towards the south during the Ice Age 10,000 years ago. The oldest artefact was found in America about 11,000 years ago. About 5000 years ago due to climatic stability population began to increase. Before the advent of Europeans, the native Americans used to live along the river valleys and produced crops such as maize and several kinds of vegetables.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Discuss the physiographic features of the continent of North America.

Physiographic features of the continent of North America: This continent extends from Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer, from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. The Rocky Mountain chain is to the east of the Great plains, the Great Lakes, the valleys of the Mississippi and the Ohio and the Appalachian Mountains. The Great lakes, the valleys of Mississippi and Ohio, and the great plains lie toward the east of the continent. Mexico is situated towards its south.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

What do you understand by ‘Imperialism’? Name a few countries who encouraged imperialism.

When a country establishes its economic and political control over any other country it is known as imperialism. The imperial country tries to maintain its strict control over the resources of colonial countries. The countries which encouraged the policy of imperialism were the following: Great Britain Spain France Holland Portugal

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Imagine an encounter in California in about 1880 between four people: a former African slave, a Chinese labourer, a German who had come out in the Gold Rush, and a native of the Hopi tribe, and narrate their conversation.

It is an activity based question. Students are advised to attempt it with the help of their teachers.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

How satisfactory is a museum gallery display in explaining the culture of a people? Give examples from your own experience of a museum.

Answer: A museum gallery displays the culture of a people in the following ways: In museum, we seek information regarding dialects and languages. Remains of pots, apparels, ornaments and other things are displayed. Books, research papers, survey reports and works of historians and archaeologists are kept in the gallery of museum. Icons of the ancient periods, the theology in its basic forms and coins are also found in the museum.In fact, the museum is a storehouse of all the things symbolizing cultures of human beings from prehistoric period to the present. These things display cultures of the respective periods.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Why was the history of the Australian native peoples left out of the history books?

European settlers and native peoples interacted on the issue of land after the emergence of North America. They were displaced by the Europeans. Early settlers were convicts deported from England. Hence, they were unknown to the area. They had not even their own tradition and history. Nothing has been written in American and Australian history textbooks about the native peoples. That is why the Australian native peoples were left out of history. It could be made possible from the decade of 1960’s that native peoples started keeping their records.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

What did the ‘frontier’ mean to the Americans?

The conquest and purchase of land by the Americans resulted in the extension of boundaries. The natives of America were compelled to move accordingly. The boundary where natives reached was known as ‘Frontier’.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Other than the use of English, what other features of English economic and social life do you notice in 19th century USA?

In the 19th century, the landscapes of America changed immensely. The Europeans treated the land in a different way. Some of the migrants from Britain and France were eager to have their own land in America. In the prairie grasslands, people from Poland were happy to work. They wanted to buy huge properties at low cost. They cleared land and developed agriculture. They introduced crops which could not grow in Europe and therefore, could be sold for the profit. To protect their farms they hunted wild animals. With the invention of barbed wire in 1873 they felt totally secured.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

Comment on any points of difference between the native peoples of South and North America.

Owing to topographical differences, South Americans were hunter-gatherers, agriculturists and herders. They were simple people contended with their means. In North America, native people used to live in band in villages along the river valleys. They ate fish and meat and cultivated vegetables and maize. The natives of South America maintained empire, while the natives of North America did not maintain it.

HistoryClass 11CBSE

What are Trade unions? Discuss its aim while they were formed.

Trade union is an organisation of workers who have banded together to achieve common goals in key areas, such as working conditions. Trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with employers. This may include the negotiation of wages, work rules, complaint procedures, rules governing hiring, promotion of workers, benefits, workplace safety and policies. The agreements negotiated by the union leaders are binding on the rank and file members and the employer and in some cases on other non-member workers. Trade unions became popular in many countries during the Industrial Revolution. Aims of the formation of Trade unions To fight for the well-being of the workers. To fight against the injustice and malpractices in the industries. To fight for regulating the working hours for the workers. To fight for higher wages of the workers for their work done. To demand better services facilities and the working conditions of the workers. These were formed to maintain the harmonious relations between the employer and the employ

HistoryClass 11CBSE

The invention of steam power proved helpful in the industrialization of Britain. How?

Steam generates tremendous power. Power is essential for the growth of any industry. Water has been the major source of energy since a long time. It was just used as hydraulic power. But it had been limited only to certain areas, seasons and by the speed of flow of the water. Now it was used as steam. Pressure was provided by steam power at high temperatures. Mining industries and Steam Power. Firstly, steam power was used in mining industries. There was a very serious problem in mining and that was flooding. The increase of demand for coal and metals increased. Efforts were also made to obtain them from deeper mines. Thomas Savery built a model of steam engine in 1698 to drain mines. Its name was Miner’s Friend. It worked in shallow depth and under intense pressure. Another steam engine was built by Thomas New comen in 1712. It had the major effect of losing energy due to the continuous cooling of the condensing cylinder. Steam Power used in Factories. The steam engine had been used only in coal mines till 1769. James Watt developed his machine in 1769. He converted the steam engine from being a mere pump into a prime mover. This machine supplied energy to power machines in factories. Watt created the Soho Foundry in Birmingham in 1775 with the help of Matthew Boulton. In this foundry Watt’s steam engines were produced in great numbers. Steam engine technology was further developed after 1800 C.E. Following factors contributed to its development: The use of lighter and stronger metals. The manufacture of more accurate machine tools. The spread of better scientific knowledge. Steam engine technology was further developed with the use of higher, stronger metals.

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