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Emergence of the Colonial Economy

ICSE · Class 11 · History

Complete topic list for Emergence of the Colonial Economy in ICSE Class 11 History. Key concepts, sub-topics, and what to focus on for board exams.

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4 Topics · ICSE Class 11 History

Topics in Emergence of the Colonial Economy

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1. Development of Transport and Communication

  • Before British rule, India had its own land routes and river transport system. The East India Company initially NEGLECTED these systems as it was busy expanding territory and trade.
  • Three main reasons pushed the Company to develop transport: (a) Economic – British merchants needed roads to carry raw materials to ports and dump British goods in Indian markets; (b) Capital investme
  • Lord William Bentinck was the FIRST to improve transport. He ordered construction of a trunk road between Calcutta and U.P. He also improved river transport between Calcutta and Assam using steamers,
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2. Deindustrialisation and British Economic Policy

  • After the Industrial Revolution (from 1760), England's factories produced surplus goods. They needed new markets. India, with its vast population, became the ideal market.
  • Lancashire and Manchester merchants lobbied the British Parliament to: (1) Ban Indian handicraft imports to England; (2) Open India's market to British machine-made goods; (3) End the Company's monopo
  • Heavy import duties were imposed on Indian goods entering England: import duty on Indian calico was 18% in 1797 but rose sharply to 67.5% in 1824. Duty on Indian sugar was enhanced THREE times.
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3. Land Revenue Policies – Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari, and Mahalwari

  • In the pre-British period, land revenue was 1/6 to 1/3 of produce. Cultivators were NOT evicted as long as they paid rent regularly. The Company changed this fundamentally.
  • After the Grant of Diwani in 1765, the Company tried to extract MAXIMUM revenue from land, treating occupied areas as estates.
  • Lord Warren Hastings introduced FIVE-YEAR SETTLEMENT with the highest bidder – this failed. He then tried annual settlement – this also failed.
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4. Development of Modern Industries

  • The British used India's cheap labour, abundant raw materials, and banking facilities to set up industries that served British interests – mainly agricultural-based industries.
  • Industries focused on: cotton, cotton threads, textiles, jute products, sugar, tea, and coal – all raw material based.
  • JUTE INDUSTRY: First jute mill of India was founded at RISHRA near Calcutta in 1855. A huge number of jute mills were subsequently built on BOTH SIDES of the river HOOGHLY in Bengal. India occupied a

Key Concepts

This refers to the systematic destructionRailways were introduced primarily to facilitateIntroduced by Lord Cornwallis in BengalApplied in Southern and Western IndiaBefore British rule

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Emergence of the Colonial Economy for ICSE Class 11 History?
Emergence of the Colonial Economy covers several key topics that are frequently asked in ICSE Class 11 board exams. Focus on the core concepts listed on this page and practise related questions to build confidence.
How to score full marks in Emergence of the Colonial Economy — ICSE Class 11 History?
Start by understanding all key concepts. Practise previous year questions from this chapter. Revise formulas and definitions regularly. Use flashcards for quick revision before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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