Class Viii. Social Studies
Chap --1 History and its importance
1. Why are dates important in history ?
2. What makes dates important?
3. How do we periodise ?
4. What is colonial?
5. Sources of information
6. Surveys become important
7. what official records do not reveal?
1. Why are dates important in history?
History is the journey of past to understand how how changes have affected our lives.
Most of the times we take things for granted. But sometimes activities like visiting a heritage site forces us to look into the past to understand the current situation much better .
e. g:- when you see the paintings in the Ellora Caves ,you can wonder how our ancestors developed many colours from plants.
Connection of dates with history
Dates help us to know the order in which certain events took place .It makes history easy to understand .
e. g:- During the period of history many Kings ruled us . In those times historians who wrote about the year the king was crowned, got married, had child, went on war and died.
2. What makes dates important?
A date becomes important because of a particular event that occurred on the date.
Example :- 15th August -
It is an important because India gained independence on this date.
3. How do we periodise ?
Division by James mill
James mill ,a Scottish political philosopher published a book History of British India. In this book he divided Indian history into three periods Hindu Muslim and British .
Mill's view about India
James mil considered India to be filled with ignorance orthodoxy religious intolerance. He believed that the British rule actually represented progress and civilization .
Division by other historian
Other historians divided Indian history into three periods ------ ancient, Medieval and Modern.
Drawback of this division
The use of term modern to describe British rule in India was incorrect. Because we did not have equality, freedom or economic growth like Europe. That is why many historian refer to this period as colonial.
4. What is colonial?
Some historian preferred modern period to be called as colonial period because India was the colony of British in those times.
The British came to India as traders and slowly became its ruler by defeating the local rulers .
Colonisation
The political ,social, economic and cultural changes brought about by the subjugation of one country by another is called Colonisation.
5. Sources of information
The most important source of information about this period is the official records of the British administration.
#Official records
➡️ British had the very good habit of writing down everything they do .
➡️All the records were securely kept in the libraries, museums and archives .
➡️Initially these documents were written by calligraphists. But with the spread of printing a large number of copies were available with all government departments.
6. Surveys became important
Surveys
Around the 19th century surveys were started in the entire country. They provide details of revenue, pattern of cropping, flora - fauna and topography .
Census
The census was started in the final years of the nineteenth century .It gave detailed information about the people of every state of India.
other surveys
In the countries surveys were also carried out on botany , zoology and forests etc.
7. What official records do not reveal?
They tell us several interesting things but they do not provide information about the day-to-day life of the people. For gaining information about them we have to depend on other sources like -----
• Account of travellers
• Newspaper
• Biographies of important people
• Writings of novelists and poets
Even they usually tell us about the educated people . They do not tell us much about lives of tribals, poor people and peasants .
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