Describe briefly the changes that came in towns from the mid-18th century onwards.
(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.
Explain briefly the difference between town and countryside in precolonial period.
Describe briefly the changes that came about in the Indian towns during the 18th century.
Or
Explain the changes that came in eighteenth century in towns established by Mughals.
How did the colonial cities reflect the mercantile culture of the British rulers? Explain.
Describe the social changes brought in the new colonial cities.
