Navrachana School, Sama
History - Class 8
CHAPTER - 1
INTRODUCTION: HOW, WHEN AND WHERE
(FOR THOSE WHO MISSED THE CLASS)
Glossary:
Official records - Official records are those that are recognized and authorized
by a government, organization, or authority. These records are typically
documented, verified, and maintained by a responsible entity, and are often
used for legal or administrative purposes. Examples of official records include
birth certificates, marriage licenses, and government reports.
Unofficial records - Unofficial records, on the other hand, are not recognized
or authorized by a government or authority. These records may be created by
individuals or organizations for personal or non-official purposes, and may not
be subject to verification or maintenance. Examples of unofficial records
include personal diaries, social media posts, and unofficial transcripts.
Q1. Name the first Governor General of the British India?
Ans. Warren Hastings was the first Governor General of the British India.
Q2. Who was James Mill? How did he periodise Indian History?
Ans.
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.
We cannot refer to any period of history as ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’.
A variety of faiths exist simultaneously in these periods.
We cannot characterise an age only through the religion of the rulers of the
time.
The lives and practices of the others also matter.
We should also remember that even rulers in ancient India did not all share
the same faith.
Q3. What do you understand by the term colonisation?
Ans. When the subjugation of one country by another leads to political, economic,
social and cultural changes, we refer to the process as colonisation.
Q4. What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James
Mill offers?
Ans.
We cannot refer to any period of history as ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’. As a variety
of faiths exist simultaneously in these periods.
We cannot characterise an age only through the religion of the rulers of the
time. As the lives and practices of the others also really matter. We should
also remember that even rulers in ancient India did not all share the same
faith.
Q5. Why did the British preserve official documents?
Ans.
The British believed that the act of writing was important.
Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation had to be
clearly written up.
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.
Specialised institutions like archives and museums were also established to
preserve important records.
Q6. How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different
from that found in police reports?
Ans.
The information in police reports tell us only about what officials thought,
what they were interested in and what they wished to preserve for future
generation.
These records do not always help the historians understand what other
people in the country felt and what lay behind their actions.
However, the information from old newspapers tells us about the feelings
and actions of common people of the country.
This information may be affected by the personal views of the news editor,
but from these, the historians can infer what common men thought about the
incident.
