Question

describe any five causes of the expansion of Bombay in the 19th century

Answer 1

The five prominent reasons for the expansion of Bombay and . due to which it emerged as a centre of trade and other activities were
(i) Bombay became the capital of the Bombay
presidency. With the growth of trade in cotton and opium, large communities of traders, bankers, artisans, shopkeepers came to settle in Bombay
(ii) By 1921, there were 85 cotton mills in Bombay with about 146000 workers. Large number of people migrated here in search of job.
(iii) Bombay dominated the maritime trade of India till well into the 20th century.
(iv) Bombay was the junction head of two major railways-Central and Western railways. It encouraged a large number of migration.
(v) By 1925, Bombay became India’s film capital, producing films for the national audience.
Gradually, Bombay became an important administrative centre and a major industrial centre in Western India.

Answer 2

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1. Wide communities of merchants and bankers, as well as artisans and shopkeepers came to settle in Bombay with the growth of cotton and opium trade.

2. Establishing textile mills has resulted in a fresh migration wave.

3. Large numbers were coming in from the surrounding ratnagiri district to work in the bombay mills.

4. Until the twentieth century Bombay dominated maritime trade off India.

5. This was situated at the center of two major railway junctions.

6. The railways facilitated migration into the city to an even higher degree.

7. In 1888-89, famine in the dry kutch regions forced significant numbers of people into bombay.