Class 10 History: The Making of a Global World Chapter in 10 Points

“The Making of a Global World” traces how the world became increasingly interconnected through trade, migration, technological changes, and political events. This chapter explains how goods, ideas, crops, and people have moved across continents for centuries, shaping cultures and economies. It highlights the importance of ancient trade routes, European conquests, indentured labour, and the impact of the World Wars and the Great Depression. It also explores how global institutions like the IMF and World Bank emerged after 1945. Understanding this long history helps students grasp the roots of modern globalisation and its influence on today’s interconnected world.

Class 10 History: The Making of a Global World — 10 Most Important Points

1. Pre-Modern World & Silk Routes

Ancient trade routes like the Silk Routes connected Asia, Europe, and North Africa. These routes enabled the movement of silk, spices, textiles, precious metals, ideas, inventions, and even religions such as Buddhism and Christianity.

2. Food Travels: Potato, Maize & Spaghetti

Crops from the Americas—potato, chillies, tomatoes, maize—reached Europe and Asia, transforming diets and increasing population. Food items like noodles (China) influenced dishes like spaghetti, showing long-term cultural exchange.

3. Conquest, Disease & Colonial Expansion

European conquest of the Americas in the 16th century was driven by military power and deadly germs like smallpox. Indigenous populations lacked immunity, making colonisation easier and enabling European wealth extraction.

4. The Nineteenth Century: Three Major Flows

Global integration accelerated due to:

• Trade flow (cotton, wheat, cloth)

• Labour flow (migration of workers)

• Capital flow (investments worldwide)

5. Role of Technology

Innovations such as railways, steamships, telegraph, and refrigerated ships revolutionised transport and communication. Refrigerated ships boosted meat exports, improving European diets.

6. Rinderpest in Africa (Cattle Plague)

The deadly cattle disease Rinderpest killed 90% of African cattle in the 1880s. This destroyed livelihoods, enabling European colonisers to force Africans into wage labour and strengthen control over African territories.

7. Indentured Labour Migration

Millions of Indians and Chinese migrated as indentured labourers to plantations, mines, and rail projects in Fiji, Caribbean, Mauritius, and Malaya. Many were deceived or coerced, living in harsh conditions similar to slavery.

8. First World War & Inter-War Economy

WWI disrupted economies as factories shifted to war supplies. After the war, fragile economies faced shortages, inflation, and unemployment.

9. The Great Depression (1929)

Triggered by overproduction, falling agricultural prices, and the US stock market crash, the Great Depression caused global unemployment, trade collapse, and price crashes.

10. Bretton Woods System (Post-1945)

In 1944, world leaders formed the IMF and World Bank at Bretton Woods to stabilise global finance and support reconstruction. This laid the foundation for post-war global economic cooperation.