Here are the NCERT Solutions for Class 8 students. History Chapter 1 How, When and Where (Long Type Answer Qs and Short type Answer Qs)
Q 1.
State whether true or false:
(a) James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim, and Christian.
(b) Official documents help us understand what the people of the country think.
(c) The British thought surveys were important for effective administration.
Answer.
(a) False
(b) False
(c) True
Q 2. What is the problem with the periodization of Indian history that James Mill offers?
Answer.
James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British. This periodisation has its own problem. It is difficult to refer to any period of history as ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’ because a variety of faiths existed simultaneously in these periods.
It is also not justified to characterize an age through the religion of the rulers of the time. What it suggests is that the lives and practices of others do not really matter. It is worth-mentioning that even rulers in ancient India did not all share the same faith.
Q 3. Why did the British preserve official documents?
Answer.
The British preserved documents because of the following reasons:
Any information or proof of any decision can be read/used from the preserved documents.
The preserved documents reveal the progress made by the country in the past.
One can study the notes and reports that were prepared in the past
Their copies may be made and used in modern times.
Documents helped us understand the social, economic, and history of those times.
Q 4. How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different from that found in police reports?
Answer.
The information Historians get from old Newspapers is different from that found in Police Reports as newspapers advocate free speech; whereas a police report may contain information that has been shaped.
Newspapers present the complete truth, while police reports may provide details that have been fabricated to suit the interests of a particular powerful party.
Old Newspapers Information Different from Police Reports
To write about a specific period of history, a historian must have complete knowledge of that period and thus must consult multiple sources of information.
There are three types of information sources: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
This classification is based on the material’s uniqueness.
A historian must record information; multiple sources of information are required for him to have a broad and clear picture.
Newspapers, public accounts, official documents, and police records are all sources of information.
Old Newspapers
Information provided in the newspapers was majorly based on the real-time reporting of facts and mainly on what people of the country felt and thought about any particular incident or issue.
Also, at that time, they added what official records are.
Police Reports
Police records are official and backed up by official documents.
These records, while official, may be biased.
They essentially relay the officials’ side of the story as they see fit and correct.
Furthermore, police records may be skewed due to the opinions of those in power.
Q 5. Can you think of examples of surveys in your world today? Think about how toy companies get information about what young people enjoy playing with or how the government finds out about the number of young people in school. What can a historian derive from such surveys?
Answer.
Surveys are done by government and private companies.
on demographic changes, employment, incomes, tastes, interests, possessions, etc.
Manually or with the use of technology.
At different places like home, schools, institutions, malls, etc.
Historians may get information about preferences, lifestyle, demographic changes, political, social, economic life, etc.
Exercise Questions
Q 1.
(i) A History of British India was written by
(a) Charles Darwin
(b) James Mill
(c) Albert Einstein
(d) ThomasHardy
(ii) The first Governor-General of India was
(a) Lord Dathousie
(b) Lord Mountbatten
(c) Lord William Bentinck
(d) Warren Hastings
(iii) The National Archives of India came up in the
(a) 1920s
(b) 1930s
(c) 1940s
(d) 1950s
(iv) The word ‘Calligrapher’ means
(a) One who is specialized in the art of painting.
(b) One who is specialized in the art of music.
(c) One who is specialized in the art of beautiful writing.
(d) One who is specialized in the art of public speaking.
(v) Census operations are held
(a) every five years
(b) every seven years
(c) every ten years
(d) every twelve years
Answer.
(i)(b), (ii)(d), (iii)(a), (iv)(c), (v)(c).
Q 2.
Fill in the blanks with appropriate words to complete each sentence.
(i) The colonial government gave much importance to the practice of ”Surveying”.
(ii) Historians have usually divided Indian history into ancient, “medieval” and “modern”.
(iii) A History of British India is a massive “three-volume” work.
(iv) Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a “lower” level of civilization than Europe.
(v) The British established specialized institutions like “archives” and “museums” to preserve important documents.
Answer.
(i) Surveying
(ii) medieval- modem
(iii) three-volume
(iv) lower
(v) archives- museums
Q 3.
State whether each of the following statements is True or False.
(i) The British were very particular about preserving official documents.
(ii) Printing began to spread by the middle of the 20th century.
(iii) The periodisation of Indian history offered by James Mill was not at all accepted.
(iv) The British carried out detailed surveys by the early 19th century in order to map the entire country.
(v) James Mill glorified India and its culture in his book A History of British India.
Answer.
(i) True,
(ii) False,
Printing did not begin to spread by the middle of the 20th century, as stated in the question. The spread of printing began in the 15th century with the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg.
(iii) False,
(iv) True,
(v) False.
James Mill's book “A History of British India” is known for its harsh criticism of Indian culture and civilization.
Mill viewed India as a backward and stagnant society that needed the intervention of the British to bring about progress and development.
He believed that Indian society was divided along religious and caste lines and that the natives were superstitious and lacked rationality.
Mill's book was written during the period of British colonial rule in India, and his views were shaped by the prevailing colonial attitudes towards Indian culture and society.
His work has been criticized for its Eurocentric bias and for perpetuating negative stereotypes about Indian civilization.
In conclusion, James Mill's A History of British India did not glorify India and its culture, but rather portrayed it in a negative light.
Q 4.
Match the items given in Column A correctly with those given in Column B.
Answer.
(i) (c),
Archives - a place where historical documents or records of a government, etc. are kept.
(ii) (a),
Museum - A building in which objects of historical or scientific interest are kept to show them to the public.
(iii) (d),
Carrying out surveys - An important taste of the British administration.
(iv) (b)
Colonization - Subjugation or Dominance of one country by another.
Very Short Answer Type Questions
Q 1.
Name the events for which specific dates can be determined.
Answer.
The events for which specific dates can be determined:
- The year a king was crowned,
- the year he married,
- the year he had a child,
- the year he fought a particular battle,
- the year he died, etc.
Q 2.
What was an important aspect of the histories written by the British historians in India?
Answer.
The rule of each Governor-General was an important aspect.
Q 3.
Who was James Mill?
Answer.
He was a Scottish economist and political philosopher and is known for his book A History of British India.
James Mill was a British historian who wrote the book- "The History of British India" in 1817. In this book, he proposed a periodization of Indian history that divided it into three periods - Hindu, Muslim, and British. However, this periodization was not accepted by everyone in India.
Reasons for rejection:
1. Biased view:
James Mill's periodisation was criticized for being biased towards British rule in India. He saw British rule as a civilizing force that rescued India from the backwardness of the Hindu and Muslim periods. This view was not accepted by many Indians who saw British rule as a form of colonization.
2. Ignored regional diversity:
Mill's periodizationperiodization also ignored the regional diversity of Indian history. India has a rich and diverse history that cannot be easily divided into three broad categories. Each region has its own unique history and culture that cannot be ignored.
3. Hindu-Muslim divide:
Mill's periodization also perpetuated the Hindu-Muslim divide in Indian history. By dividing Indian history into Hindu and Muslim periods, he reinforced the idea that India had a history of religious conflict. This view was not accepted by many Indians who saw India's history as one of cultural and religious diversity.
4. Lack of Indian perspective:
Mill's periodization was also criticized for lacking an Indian perspective. He wrote about Indian history from a British perspective and did not take into account the views and opinions of Indians themselves.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, James Mill's periodization of Indian history was not accepted by many Indians because of its biased view, ignorance of regional diversity, the perpetuation of the Hindu-Muslim divide, and lack of an Indian perspective.
Today, historians use a more nuanced and inclusive approach to studying Indian history that takes into account the diverse perspectives and experiences of the Indian people.
Q 4.
What was Mill’s opinion about Asian societies?
Answer.
In Mill’s opinion, all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilization than Europe.
Q 5.
What evil practices, according to James Mill, dominated the Indian social life before the British came to India?
Answer.
According to James Mill, the evil practices that dominated Indian social life were religious intolerance, caste taboos, and superstitious practices.
Q 6.
How did paintings project the Governor-General?
Answer.
Paintings projected Governor-Generals as powerful figures.
The history books were the source of the deeds of the Governor-general whereas the biographies of the governor-general glorified the Governor-general as a person of good morality and the paintings of them further projected the governor-general as strong and powerful.
Q 7.
Why do many historians refer to the modern period as colonial?
Answer.
Many historians refer to the Modern Period as Colonial because there was no freedom, equality, or liberty during the British rule in India.
Additionally, the modern era was merely modern in name only; there was, so to speak, no economic advancement. A significant aspect of British rule was colonialism.
The modern era in India is thought to have started around the middle of the eighteenth century.
It is because, under British rule people did not have equality, freedom or liberty— that are the symbols of modernity.
Reasons for Historians referring to the Modern Period as Colonial
As a result of the lack of freedom, equality, or liberty experienced by people living under British rule, many historians refer to the modern era as colonial. These are the core representations of modernity.
We refer to the process as colonization when it results in these types of political, economic, social, and cultural changes in one country by another.
Colonialism is defined as the “control by one power over a dependent area or people.”
In other words, colonialism actually refers to a violent invasion in which one country seizes power over another and claims its territory as its own.
The act of founding colonies in countries other than one’s own refers to colonialism.
Colonialism, about British rule in India, encouraged the immigration of British people to govern the country and utilize its natural resources.
Colonialism, therefore, tends to bring social, cultural, economic, and political changes as well.
Q 8.
Mention one important source used by historians in writing about the last 230 years of Indian history.
Answer.
The official records of the British administration.
Q 9.
What is done under census?
Answer.
It records the number of people living in all the provinces of India and gathers information on castes, religions, and occupations.
Q 10.
What do official records not tell?
Answer.
Official records do not tell what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions.
Q 11.
Why do we try to divide history into different periods?
Answer.
We do so to capture the characteristics of a time, and its central features as they appear to us.
Short Answer Type Questions
Q 1.
How did James Mill view India?
Answer.
James Mill did not cherish any positive ideas about India. He thought all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilization than Europe.
According to his telling of history, before the British came to India, the Hindu and the Muslim despots ruled the country.
Religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices dominated social life. He felt that only British rule could civilize India.
He suggested that the British should conquer all the territories of India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of the Indian people. For India was not capable of progress without the help of the British.
Q 2.
Historians divide Indian history into ancient, medieval, and modern. But this division too has its problems. What are these problems?
Answer.
This periodization has been borrowed from the West where the modern period was associated with the growth of the forces of modernity such as science, reason, democracy, liberty, and equality.
Medieval was a term used to describe a society where these features of modern society did not exist.
It is difficult for us to accept this characterization of the modern period. Here, it is worth mentioning that Indians did not have equality, freedom, or liberty under British rule.
The country also lacked economic growth and progress in that period. Therefore, many historians refer to the modern period as the colonial period.
Q 3.
What did the British do to preserve important official documents and letters?
Answer.
The British felt the need to preserve all the important official documents and letters. For this, they set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions.
The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, and the law courts – all had their record rooms.
The British also established specialized institutions such as archives and museums to preserve important records.
Meaning of words:
Tahsildar - A revenue officer
Q 4.
What do official records not tell? How do we come to know about them?
Answer.
Official records do not always help us understand what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions.
For that we have diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travelers, autobiographies of important personalities, and popular books, etc. that were sold in the local bazaars.
With the spread of printing presses, newspapers came to be published and issues began to be debated in public.
Leaders and reformers wrote to spread their ideas. Poets and novelists wrote to express their feelings.
Q 5.
How did the British conquer India and establish their rule?
Answer.
The British conquered India in the following ways:
They subjugated and dominated local Nawabs and Rajas.
They established control over the economy and society collected revenue to meet all their expenses, bought goods they wanted at lower prices, and produced crops they needed for export.
They brought changes in rulers and tastes, customs, and practices.
Thus, they molded everything in their favor. Then, they dominated and subjugated the country very soon.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q 1.
How do the official records of the British administration help historians to write about the last 250 years of Indian history?
Answer.
The British believed that the act of writing was important. Hence, they got to write up every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation, etc.
They thought that once this was done, things could be properly studied and debated. This conviction produced an administrative culture of memos, notings, and reports.
The British were very interested in preserving all important documents and letters.
For this, they established record rooms attached to all administrative institutions such as the village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, law courts, etc. They also set up archives and museums to preserve important records.
Letters and memos that moved from one branch of the administration to smother in the early years of the 19th century can still be read in the archives.
Historians can also take help from the notes and reports that district officials prepared or the instructions and directives that were sent by officials at the top to the provincial administrators.
Q 2.
How did surveys become important under the colonial administration?
Answer.
The British gave much importance to the practice of surveying because they believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered. Therefore, they carried out detailed surveys by the early 19th century to map the entire country:
They conducted revenue surveys in villages.
They made efforts to know the topography, the soil quality, the flora, the fauna, the local histories, and the cropping pattern.
They also introduced census operations, held at the interval of every ten years from the end of the 19th century. They prepared detailed records of the number of people in all the provinces of India, noting information on castes, religions, and occupations separately.
The British also carried on several other surveys such as botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, forest surveys, etc. In this way, they gathered all the facts that were essential for administering a country.
Source-Based Questions
Q 1.
Read the following extract (source 2) taken from the NCERT textbook on page 7 and answer the questions that follow:
Qs:
(i) Why did the policemen in Delhi refuse to take their food on Thursday morning?
(ii) How did the men in other police stations react when they came to know about the protest?
(iii) What was the comment of one of the strikers on the food supplied to them?
Answers:
(i) They did so as a protest against their low salaries and the inferior quality of food supplied to them from the Police Lines kitchen.
(ii) They also refused to take food.
(iii) One of the strikers said that the food they supplied was not fit for human consumption. Even cattle (animals) would not eat the chapatis and dal they had to eat.
Picture-Based Questions
Q 1.
Observe the picture below taken from the NCERT textbook (page 1) and answer the questions that follow:
Qs:
(i) What does the above picture try to suggest?
(ii) Explain how this image projects an imperial perception.
Answers:
(i) The picture tries to suggest that Indians willingly gave over their ancient texts and scriptures (shashtra) to Britannia, the symbol of British power, as if asking her to become the protector of Indian culture.
(ii) This image clearly depicts imperial superiority. The image of the lion symbolizes superior power. The empire is the giver and its subjects are always loyal to the throne.
Q 2.
Observe the picture below taken from the NCERT textbook (page 5) and answer the questions that follow:
Qs:
(i) What is it?
(ii) When did it come up?
(iii) Where was it located when Delhi was built?
(iv) What does this location reflect?
Answers:
(i) It is the National Archives of India.
(ii) It came up in the 1920s.
(iii) When Delhi was built, it was close to the Viceregal Palace, also known as Rashtrapati Bhavan.
(iv) It reflects the importance of this institution in the British eyes.
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