Table of Contents
Social Science Extra Questions -History
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Chapter 1 – How, When, and Where
Question 1
Define the word ‘history’.
Solution:
‘A record of all known past events’ is History.
Question 2
What are the events that are usually recorded in history books?
Solution:
Warfare, kings’ coronations and events linked to kingdoms and rulers’ lives are the most commonly documented occurrences.
Question 3
Mention a few other events, which if recorded, will make history more interesting to everyone.
Solution:
Historians could write on societal changes, how people traveled and exchanged news in the past, and how people lived in the past.
Question 4
Who created the first map of India?
Solution:
The earliest map of India was created by Major James Rennel, an English geographer, historian, and oceanographer. Major-General Sir Robert Clive directed him to make the chart.
Question 5
What do we mean by ‘time-span’ in connection with historical events?
Solution:
When a specific date for an event in the past cannot be determined, only an approximate period may be determined. This period is referred to as the period. When discussing changes in particular social practices, exact dates cannot be given; instead, a period can be given, such as “people in India gave up the practice of sati throughout the late nineteenth century.”
Question 6
What did British historians in India write about?
Solution:
Governor Generals and Viceroys ruled India, according to British historians in India. Their history books were limited to the activities, policies, and accomplishments of the Governor Generals. The lives of these Governor Generals were linked to all the documented events with particular dates.
Question 7
Why is it important to have dates or time frames while writing History?
Solution:
To divide the history book into chapters, we’ll need dates and historical periods. It is vital to maintain a level of uniformity throughout each chapter. Dates assist us in keeping track of history logically and understandably.
Dates can aid historians in concentrating on the events they are writing about.
Question 8
Who wrote the book ‘The History of British India’?
Solution:
James Mill wrote ‘The History of British India.’ In 1773, James Mill was born. He was a philosopher, historian, economist, and political theorist from Scotland. This novel was his finest literary achievement.
Question 9
Why did James Mill divide his book, ‘The History of British India’ into the Hindu, Muslim, and British Periods?
Solution:
Before the British arrived in India, Hindu and Muslim tyrants, according to Mill, dominated the country. In Indian society, there was religious intolerance, caste prejudice, and superstitious customs. Only the British, according to James Mill, could refine the Indians and provide them enlightenment and happiness. He believed that uplifting the oppressed Indians required European culture, arts, and law.
As a result, James Mill divided his book into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and British, to prove his point that the period before British control was one of darkness, whereas British reign represented all forces of progress and civilization.
Question 10
How were historians able to write about the last 250 years of Indian history?
Solution:
From the official records kept by the British Administration, historians were able to write on the last 250 years of Indian history.
Question 11
How were records preserved during British rule?
Solution:
To preserve valuable records, archives and museums were founded.
Question 12
Write a brief note on the National Archives of India.
Solution:
The National Archives of India is the repository for the Government of India’s non-current records, which it holds in trust for administrators and scholars to utilize. It is an attached office of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s Department of Culture. It began as the Imperial Record Department in March 1891 in Kolkata, and with the move of the National Capital from Calcutta to New Delhi in 1911, it was relocated to its current location in New Delhi in 1926.
Question 13
Apart from official records what are the other sources of information that are available to historians?
Solution:
The following are some of the other sources of knowledge available to historians:
People’s diaries
Pilgrims’ and travelers’ accounts
Autobiographies of well-known people
Newspapers and popular booklets
Leaders, reformers, poets, and novelists wrote several books and letters.
