Case Study Questions Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where
CBSE Class 8 Case Study Questions History Introduction: How, When and Where. Important Case Study Questions for Class 8 Board Exam Students. Here we have arranged some Important Case Base Questions for students who are searching for Paragraph Based Questions Introduction: How, When and Where.
At Case Study Questions there will given a Paragraph. In where some Important Questions will made on that respective Case Based Study. There will various types of marks will given 1 marks, 2 marks, 5 marks, 5 marks.
Case Study 1
In 1817, James Mill, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, published a massive three-volume work, A History of British India. In this, he divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British. This periodisation came to be widely accepted. Can you think of any problem with this way of looking at Indian history? Why do we try and divide history into different periods? We do so in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us. So the terms through which we periodise – that is, demarcate the difference between periods – become important. They reflect our ideas about the past. They show how we see the significance of the change from one period to the next.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 1
1.) Who published ‘A History of British India’?
Ans: James Mill, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, published ‘A History of British India’.
2.) When James Mill published ‘A History of British India’?
Ans: In 1817, James Mill, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, published ‘A History of British India’.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 2
1.) How many periods are there in Indian History? Write about their name.
Ans: James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British.
2.) Why do we try and divide history into different periods?
Ans: We do so in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us.
Case Study 2
Moving away from British classification, historians have usually divided Indian history into ‘ancient’, ‘medieval’ and ‘modern’. This division too has its problems. It is a periodisation that is borrowed from the West where the modern period was associated with the growth of all the forces of modernity – science, reason, democracy, liberty and equality. Medieval was a term used to describe a society where these features of modern society did not exist. Can we uncritically accept this characterisation of the modern period to describe the period of our study? As you will see in this book, under British rule people did not have equality, freedom or liberty. Nor was the period one of economic growth and progress. Many historians therefore refer to this period as ‘colonial’. What is colonial? In this book, you will read about the way the British came to conquer the country and establish their rule, subjugating local nawabs and rajas. You will see how they established control over the economy and society, collected revenue to meet all their expenses, bought the goods they wanted at low prices, produced crops they needed for export, and you will understand the changes that came about as a consequence. You will also come to know about the changes British rule brought about in values and tastes, customs and practices. When the subjugation of one country by another leads to these kinds of political, economic, social and cultural changes, we refer to the process as colonisation. You will, however, find that all classes and groups did not experience these changes in the same way. That is why, the book is called Our Pasts in the plural.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 1
1.) Why the term ‘Medieval’was used?
Ans: Medieval was a term used to describe a society where these features of modern society did not exist.
2.) According to historians how Indian history was divided?
Ans: Historians have usually divided Indian history into ‘ancient’, ‘medieval’ and ‘modern’.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 2
1.) Why Historians refer modern period as ‘colonial’ period?
Ans: As we can see, under British rule people did not have equality, freedom or liberty. Nor was the period one of economic growth and progress. Many historians therefore refer to this period as ‘colonial’.
2.) Why did British come to India?
Ans: The British came to conquer India and establish their rule, subjugating local nawabs and rajas.
Case Study 3
The practice of surveying also became common under the colonial administration. The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered. By the early nineteenth century, detailed surveys were being carried out to map the entire country. In the villages, revenue surveys were conducted. The effort was to know the topography, the soil quality, the flora, the fauna, the local histories, and the cropping pattern – all the facts seen as necessary to know about to administer the region. From the end of the nineteenth century, Census operations were held every ten years. These prepared detailed records of the number of people in all the provinces of India, noting information on castes, religions and occupation. There were many other surveys – botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, anthropological surveys, forest surveys.
News papers provide accounts of the movements in different parts of the country. Here is a report of a police strike in 1946. More than 2000 policemen in Delhi refused to take their food on Thursday morning as a protest against their low salaries and the bad quality of food supplied to them from the Police Lines kitchen. As the news spread to the other police stations, the men there also refused to take food … One of the strikers said: “The food supplied to us from the Police Lines kitchen is not fit for human consumption.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 1
1.) Which practice became common under the colonial administration?
Ans: The practice of surveying became common under the colonial administration.
2.) By the early nineteenth century, which surveys were conducted in the villages?
Ans: In the villages, revenue surveys were conducted.
QUESTIONS MARKS: 2
1.) Name about some other surveys by the early nineteenth century.
Ans: There were many other surveys – botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, anthropological surveys, forest surveys.
2.) Write about the report of a police strike in 1946.
Ans: More than 2000 policemen in Delhi refused to take their food on Thursday morning as a protest against their low salaries and the bad quality of food supplied to them from the Police Lines kitchen. As the news spread to the other police stations, the men there also refused to take food.
Case Study 4
The dates we select, the dates around which we compose our story of the past, are not important on their own. They become vital because we focus on a particular set of events as important. If our focus of study changes, if we begin to look at new issues, a new set of dates will appear significant. Consider an example. In the histories written by British historians in India, the rule of each GovernorGeneral was important. These histories began with the rule of the first Governor-General, Warren Hastings, and ended with the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten. In separate chapters, we read about the deeds of others — Hastings, Wellesley, Bentinck, Dalhousie, Canning,Lawrence, Lytton, Ripon, Curzon, Harding, Irwin. It was a seemingly never-ending succession of GovernorGenerals and Viceroys. All the dates in these history books were linked to these personalities – to their activities, policies and achievements. It was as if there was nothing outside their lives that was important for us to know. The chronology of their lives marked the different chapters of the history of British India. When we write history, or a story, we divide it into chapters. Why do we do this? It is to give each chapter some coherence. It is to tell a story in a way that makes some sense and can be followed. In the process we focus only on those events that help us to give shape to the story we are telling. In the histories that revolve around the life of British Governor-Generals, the activities of Indians simply do not fit, they have no space. What, then, do we do? Clearly, we need another format for our history. This would mean that the old dates will no longer have the significance they earlier had. A new set of dates will become more important for us to know.
1.) Explain the importance of dates in history?
Ans. The dates we select, the dates around which we compose our story of the past, are not important on their own. They become vital because we focus on a particular set of events as important. If our focus of study changes, if we begin to look at new issues, a new set of dates will appear significant.
2.) Name the first and the last governor general of India.
Ans. The first governor general was Warren Hastings and the last was Lord Mountbatten.
3.) Why is history or a story divided into several chapters?
Ans. History or a story is divided into several chapters to give each chapter some coherence. It is to tell a story in a way that makes some sense and can be followed
Case Study 5
In 1817, James Mill, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, published a massive three-volume work, A History of British India. In this, he divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim and British. This periodisation came to be widely accepted. Why do we try and divide history into different periods? We do so in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us. So the terms through which we periodise – that is, demarcate the difference between periods – become important. They reflect our ideas about the past. They show how we see the significance of the change from one period to the next. Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe. According to his telling of history, before the British came to India, Hindu and Muslim despots ruled the country. Religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices dominated social life. British rule, Mill felt, could civilise India. To do this, it was necessary to introduce European manners, arts, institutions and laws in India. Mill, in fact, suggested that the British should conquer all the territories in India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of the Indian people. For India was not capable of progress without British help.
1.) Who was James Mill? What works did he publish?
Ans. In 1817, James Mill, a Scottish economist and political philosopher, published a massive three-volume work, A History of British India
2.) What is the importance of dividing history into different periods?
Ans. We divide history into different periods in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us. So the terms through which we periodise – that is, demarcate the difference between periods – become important. They reflect our ideas about the past. They show how we see the significance of the change from one period to the next.
3.) How could the Europeans civilise India according to Mill?
Ans. British rule, Mill felt, could civilise India. To do this, it was necessary to introduce European manners, arts, institutions and laws in India. Mill, in fact, suggested that the British should conquer all the territories in India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of the Indian people. For India was not capable of progress without British help.
Case Study 6
One important source is the official records of the British administration. The British believed that the act of writing was important. Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation had to be clearly written up. Once this was done, things could be properly studied and debated. This conviction produced an administrative culture of memos, notings and reports. The British also felt that all important documents and letters needed to be carefully preserved. So they set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions. The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the lawcourts – all had their record rooms. Specialised institutions like archives and museums were also established to preserve important records. Letters and memos that moved from one branch of the administration to another in the early years of the nineteenth century can still be read in the archives. In the early years of the nineteenth century, these documents were carefully copied out and beautifully written by calligraphists – that is, by those who specialised in the art of beautiful writing. By the middle of the nineteenth century, with the spread of printing, multiple copies of these records were printed as proceedings of each government department.
1.) Why was the act of writing important for the British?
Ans. The British believed that the act of writing was important. Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation had to be clearly written up. Once this was done, things could be properly studied and debated. This conviction produced an administrative culture of memos, notings and reports.
2.) Why was preservation of documents crucial for the British?How did the British make sure that the documents were preserved?
Ans. The British also felt that all important documents and letters needed to be carefully preserved. So they set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions. The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the lawcourts – all had their record rooms. Ans. The British made several record rooms in every building. Specialised institutions like archives and museums were also established to preserve important records.
3.) How did printing become common during the British rule?
Ans. In the early years of the nineteenth century, these documents were carefully copied out and beautifully written by calligraphists – that is, by those who specialised in the art of beautiful writing. By the middle of the nineteenth century, with the spread of printing, multiple copies of these records were printed as proceedings of each government department.
Case Study 7
The practice of surveying also became common under the colonial administration. The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered. By the early nineteenth century, detailed surveys were being carried out to map the entire country. In the villages, revenue surveys were conducted. The effort was to know the topography, the soil quality, the flora, the fauna, the local histories, and the cropping pattern – all the facts seen as necessary to know about to administer the region. From the end of the nineteenth century, Census operations were held every ten years. These prepared detailed records of the number of people in all the provinces of India, noting information on castes, religions and occupation. There were many other surveys – botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, anthropological surveys, forest surveys.
1.) Why were Surveys being conducted in villages and towns?Why was survey common under the british rule?
Ans. By the early nineteenth century, detailed surveys were being carried out to map the entire country. In the villages, revenue surveys were conducted. The effort was to know the topography, the soil quality, the flora, the fauna, the local histories, and the cropping pattern – all the facts seen as necessary to know about to administer the region. . The practice of surveying also became common under the colonial administration. The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered
2.) What were census operations done during the British period?
Ans. From the end of the nineteenth century, Census operations were held every ten years. These prepared detailed records of the number of people in all the provinces of India, noting information on castes, religions and occupation
3.) Name a few types of Surveys conducted during the British rule.
Ans. There were many other surveys – botanical surveys, zoological surveys, archaeological surveys, anthropological surveys, forest surveys.
Case Study 8
From this vast corpus of records we can get to know a lot, but we must remember that these are official records. They tell us what the officials thought, what they were interested in, and what they wished to preserve for posterity. These records do not always help us understand what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions. For that we need to look elsewhere. When we begin to search for these other sources, we find them in plenty, though they are more difficult to get than official records. We have diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travellers, autobiographies of important personalities, and popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars. As printing spread, newspapers were published and issues were debated in public. Leaders and reformers wrote to spread their ideas, poets and novelists wrote to express their feelings. All these sources, however, were produced by those who were literate. From these, we will not be able to understand how history was experienced and lived by the tribals and the peasants, the workers in the mines or the poor on the streets. Getting to know their lives is a more difficult task.
1.) What knowledge do we gather from the official records during the British rule?
Ans. They tell us what the officials thought, what they were interested in, and what they wished to preserve for posterity. These records do not always help us understand what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their actions
2.) What sources other than official records tell us about the lives of people during the British time?
Ans. Sources like diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travellers, autobiographies of important personalities, and popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars, tell us about the lives of common people.
3.) How important was newspaper during the British raj? What were its shortcomings?
Ans. As printing spread, newspapers were published and issues were debated in public. Leaders and reformers wrote to spread their ideas, poets and novelists wrote to express their feelings. All these sources, however, were produced by those who were literate.
From the newspaper sources we will not be able to understand how history was experienced and lived by the tribals and the peasants, the workers in the mines or the poor on the streets as they were only for the educated and the literates.
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