Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where Questions and Answers

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Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where

 

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where

 

Introduction: How, When and Where – Given in this post is NCERT Solutions Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where Important Question Answers. The important questions we have compiled will help the students to brush up on their knowledge about the subject. Students can practice Class 8 History Chapter 1 important questions to understand the subject better and improve their performance in the exam. The NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science (History) provided here will also give students an idea about how to write the answers.

 

Source Based Questions 

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow-

A. There was a time when historians were fascinated with dates. There were heated debates about the dates on which rulers were crowned or battles were fought. In the common-sense notion, history was synonymous with dates. You may have heard people say, “I find history boring because it is all about memorizing dates.” Is such a conception true? History is certainly about changes that occur over time. It is about finding out how things were in the past and how things have changed. As soon as we compare the past with the present, we refer to time, we talk of “before” and “after”.

1 Why were historians fascinated with dates?

Ans. In the common-sense notion, history was synonymous with dates. It is a chronological sequence of our past. 

2 By what criteria do we choose a set of dates as important?

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.

3 Why is it sometimes incorrect to fix precise dates?

Ans. Sometimes it is actually incorrect to fix precise dates to processes that happen over a period of time. People in India did not begin drinking tea one fine day; they developed a taste for it over time. There can be no one clear date for a process such as this. Similarly, we cannot fix one single date on which British rule was established, or the national movement started, or changes took place within the economy and society. All these things happened over a stretch of time.

4 Why is history associated with dates?

Ans. This association has a reason. There was a time when history was an account of battles and big events. It was about rulers and their policies. Historians wrote about the year a king was crowned, the year he married, the year he had a child,etc. For events such as these, specific dates can be determined, and in histories such as these, debates about dates continue to be important.

5 History is certainly about ________ that occur over time.

Ans. History is certainly about changes that occur over time.

 

B. 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 Why do we divide history into chapters?

Ans. It is to give each chapter some coherence. 

2  What is referred to as coherence in the above paragraph?

Ans. Coherence in the above paragraph 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.

3 In the histories that revolve around the life of British Governor-Generals, the activities of Indians simply do not fit. True/False?

Ans. True, In the histories that revolve around the life of British Governor-Generals, the activities of Indians simply do not fit

4 In the histories that revolve around the life of British Governor-Generals, the activities of Indians simply do not fit. What do we do?

Ans. 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.

5 Give an example where setting dates is important?

Ans. 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,Irwin. It was a seemingly never-ending succession of Governor- Generals 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.  

 

C. 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.

1 Why do we try and divide history into different periods?

Ans. We try and divide history into different periods  in an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us.

2 Are the terms through which history is periodised important?

Ans. Yes, We try and 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.

3 What do the terms show?

Ans. The terms reflect our ideas about the past. They show how we see the significance of the change from one period to the next.

4 Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a higher level of civilisation than Europe. True/False?

Ans. False, Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe.

5 What was Mill’s telling of history?

Ans. According to Mill’s 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.

 

D. 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.

1 Name one important source of British administration?

Ans. One important source is the official records of the British administration.

2 Why were official records important?

Ans. The British believed that the act of writing was important. Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation had to be clearly written up, so as the things could be properly studied and debated, hence the official records were important. 

3 The British also felt that all important documents and letters needed to be carefully preserved. True/False?

Ans. True, The British also felt that all important documents and letters needed to be carefully preserved. 

4 How did the British preserve all important documents?

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.

5 Which all places had record rooms?

Ans. The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the law courts – all had their record rooms. Specialised institutions like archives and museums were also established to preserve important records.

 

 

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) (1 Mark)

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) are a type of objective assessment in which a person is asked to choose one or more correct answers from a list of available options. An MCQ presents a question along with several possible answers.

Q1 From a layman’s point of view, which one of the following option is synonymous with the study of History and very difficult to memorise?
A) Dates
B) Census
C) Surveys
D) Artefacts
Ans. A) Dates

Q2.When did Tipu Sultan become the ruler of Mysore?
A) 1781
B) 1780
C) 1779
D) 1782
Ans. D) 1782

Q3 The chosen set of dates by the Historians becomes more vital when the focus is on a
A) Particular set of events
B) Particular Location
C) Particular Battle
D) Particular King
Ans. A) Particular set of events

Q4 History is considered to be a study of _____________.
A) Comparisons
B) The Present
C) The Past
D) The Future
Ans. C) The Past

Q5 What is Imperialism?
A) Imperialism is a political system
B) Imperialism is a technical term
C) Imperialism is a traditional system
D) None of these
Ans. A) Imperialism is a political system

Q6 What are the sources of information of the periods?
A) Primary sources
B) Secondary sources
C) Both A and B
D) None of these
Ans. C) Both A and B

Q7 James Mill was of the opinion that before British came to India, __________ruled the country.
A) Hindus and Muslims
B) Only Hindus
C) Hindus, Muslims and Christians
D) Only Muslims
Ans. A) Hindus and Muslims

Q8 Given below are some reasons to study History in the present world. Select the one that is not applicable to the study of history
A) Since the future is moulded on the basis of past events, it is important to study History.
B) History is a record of people, places, events of the present arranged in chronological order.
C) History is all about finding out how things have changed over a period of time.
D) History is a catalogue of events, to understand about people, their customs, traditions etc.
Ans. B) History is a record of people, places, events of the present arranged in chronological order.

Q9 A list of historical events is given below. Choose the one where a precise date can be fixed.
A) Start of Mughal Rule in India
B) Start of British rule in India
C) Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi
D) Start of Non- cooperation Movement
Ans. C) Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi

Q10 Name the three volume work of James Mill, the Scottish economist and philosopher.
A) Glimpses of India
B) History of British India
C) An ancient History of India
D) Glimpses of British History
Ans. B) History of British India

Q11 Historians often compared Past with the Present and always referred to _________. i.e. Before and After.
A) Event
B) Time
C) Period
D) Phase
Ans. B) Time

Q12 What was the important suggestion made by James Mill to the British?
A) British should conquer all the territories in India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of Indian People
B) Introduction of European manners and Western education will lower the level of Indian civilization
C) With Religious tolerance, caste taboos and other superstitious practices only India can progress.
D) India will progress without British help.
Ans. A) British should conquer all the territories in India to ensure the enlightenment and happiness of Indian People

Q13 Historians believed that Time does not have _________ dates in terms of a particular year or month
A) Abstruse
B) Precise
C) Ambiguous
D) Imprecise
Ans. B) Precise

Q14 Pick out the statement that does not justify the significance of a timeline in History.
A) A timeline helps to identify the chronological occurrence of an event in a planned and arranged manner
B) A timeline helps to keep information according to the sequence of events
C) A timeline is not a graphical interpretation
D) A timeline is organized according to the dates
Ans. C) A timeline is not a graphical interpretation

Q15 History is about finding out how things were in the past and how things have ________
A) Changed
B) Started
C) Ended/completed
D) Evolved
Ans. A) Changed

Q16 When Historians write History, they divide it into different chapters. Why?
A) To give a neat look and presentation
B) To give each chapter some coherence
C) For easier selection of dates.
D) To associate the events separately
Ans. B) To give each chapter some coherence

Q17 Goddess _____ was a symbol of British power in India.
A) Victoria
B) Athena
C) Britannia
D) Elizabeth
Ans. A) Victoria

Q18 ______ was the first Governor General of India.
A) Lord Dalhousie
B) Lord Canning
C) Warren Hastings
D) Robert Clive
Ans. A) Lord Dalhousie

Q19 “A History of British India” was written by
A) Nicholas Louis
B) Clive Loyd
C) James Mill
D) John Henry
Ans. C) James Mill

Q20 According to Mills, all ____ societies were of lower level.
A) African
B) Asian
C) European
D) American
Ans. B) Asian

Q21 National Museum is located at ________
A) Delhi
B) Kolkata
C) Madras
D) Shimla
Ans. B) Kolkata

Q22 British introduced practise of ______ to know about rural topography.
A) judiciary
B) revenue collection
C) surveying
D) mapping
Ans. C) surveying

Q23 _______ came up in the 1920s to store important documents.
A) Victoria Memorial
B) Parliamentary House
C) National Archieve of India
D) Settlements
Ans. C) National Archieve of India

Q24 British documents were carefully copied by ____ during the 18th century.
A) writer
B) calligraphists
C) military personal
D) journalists
Ans. B) calligraphists

Q25 An important source regarding dates is _____ of British administration.
A) rule
B) official records
C) judiciary
D) brutuality
Ans. B) official records

 

 

Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark)

Q1. Who was the last Viceroy of India?

Ans. Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India.

Q2. Who was James Mill?

Ans. He was a Scottish economist and a political philosopher who published a massive three volume work- A History of British India. 

Q3. How did Mills divide Indian History?

Ans. Mills divided Indian History into three periods namely, Hindu, Muslim and British.

Q4. Why did the British establish botanical gardens?

Ans. To collect plant specimens and information about their uses.

Q5. Who wrote the book ‘The History of British India’?

Ans. ‘The History of British India’ was written by James Mill.

Q6. Why did the British set up record rooms attached to all administrative institutions?

Ans. They did so to preserve important documents and letters there.

Q7. How do dates become important in history?

Ans. Dates become vital in history because we focus on a particular set of events as important.

Q8. Why do we divide history into different periods?

Ans. In an attempt to capture the characteristics of a time, its central features as they appear to us.

Q9. What is the Botanical Survey of India?

Ans. The Botanical Survey of India (1351) is an institution set up by the Government of India in 1890 to survey the plant resources of the Indian empire.

Q10. What was an important aspect of the histories written by the British historians in India?

Ans. The rule of each Governor-General was an important aspect.

Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)

 

Q1. With what did the British historians associate the modern period?

Ans. The development of all modernity’s forces – science, reason, democracy, liberty, and equality – was identified with the British modern age.

Q2. What evil practices, according to James Mill, dominated the Indian social life before the British came to India? 

Ans.  Social life was governed by religious intolerance, caste taboos, and superstitious practises according to James Mill.

Q3. What was an important aspect of the histories written by the British historians in India?

Ans. The rule of each Governor-General was crucial in the histories produced by British historians in India.

Q4. What were the things that official records did not tell?

Ans. Official documents do not always assist us comprehend how other individuals felt in the country or what motivated their actions.

Q5. Mention the events for which specific dates can be determined.

Ans. The year a king was crowned, the year he married, the year he had a child, the year he fought a specific battle, the year he died, and the year the new monarch was crowned.

Q6. Why do many historians refer to modern period as colonial?

Ans. People did not have equality, freedom, or liberty under British control. Neither was it a period of economic growth and prosperity. As a result, many historians refer to this time as “colonial.”

Q7. Who are calligraphists? How were they important in the early nineteenth century?

Ans. Calligraphists are specialists in the art of beautiful handwriting. Calligraphists meticulously copied and artistically wrote papers in the early nineteenth century.

Q8. What sources do historians use in writing about the last 250 years of Indian history?

Ans. The official records of the British administration are a significant source. Other sources include personal diaries, pilgrim and trip tales, autobiographies of famous persons, and popular pamphlets distributed in local bazaars.

Q9. What official records do not tell? From where do we get such information?

Ans. Official documents do not always assist us to comprehend how other individuals felt in the country or what motivated their actions. We have personal diaries, pilgrim and trip stories, autobiographies of famous persons, and popular books sold in local bazaars for this purpose.

Q10. Why did the British preserve official documents?

Ans. The act of writing was essential to the British. Every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, and inquiry had to be documented in detail. After that, topics could be thoroughly researched and argued. This conviction resulted in an administrative culture dominated by memoranda, notices, and reports.

Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)

Q1. How did the invention of the printing press help in spreading news and information?

Ans. The printing press is a machine used to mass produce printed stuff, mostly text in the form of books, pamphlets, and newspapers.

Previously, documents or materials were handwritten by specialists or amateurs known as calligraphists. The previous manual procedure was time consuming and inefficient. The arrival of the printing press increased the speed of work.

Newspapers were published as printing spread, and topics were argued in public. Leaders and reformers were able to easily spread their ideas. Poets and writers could write and express their emotions and sentiments, which might now reach a wider audience.

Q2. How did James Mill view India?

Ans. James Mill’s perspective on India:-

  1. Mill believed that all Asian societies were less civilised than Europe.
  2. Before the British arrived in India, Hindu and Muslim despots dominated the country, according to his version of history. Social life was governed by religious intolerance, caste taboos, and superstitious practises.
  3. Mill believed that British authority had the potential to civilise India. In reality, Mill proposed that the British capture all of India in order to assure the Indian people’s education and happiness. Without British assistance, India could not progress.

Q3. Why did the British preserve official documents?

Ans. The British kept documents for the following reasons:

  • The stored documents can be utilised to read/use any information or proof of any choice.
  • The preserved records demonstrate the country’s past progress.
  • One can look at the notes and reports that were prepared in the past.
  • Their duplicates can be manufactured and used in the present era.
  • Documents were useful in comprehending the social, economic, and historical circumstances of the time.

Q4. What do official records not tell? How do we come to know about them?

Ans. Official documents do not always assist us comprehend how other individuals felt in the country or what motivated their actions. We have diaries of people, tales of pilgrims and travellers, autobiographies of famous people, popular novels, and so on that were sold in local bazaars. Newspapers began to be published as the printing press spread, and public debate on topics began. Poets and novelists wrote to convey their feelings, while leaders and reformers wrote to propagate their beliefs.

Q5. Historians divide Indian history into ancient, medieval and modem. But this division too has its problems. What are these problems?

Ans. This periodization is inherited from the West, where the modern period was connected with the development of all the forces of modernity such as science, reason, democracy, liberty, and equality. Medieval was a term used to characterise a society that lacked the characteristics of modern society.

This description of the modern period is difficult for us to accept. It is important to note here that during British authority, Indians did not have equality, freedom, or liberty. During that time, the country also lacked economic growth and advancement. As a result, many historians refer to the modern period as the colonial period.

Q6. How did the British conquer India and establish their rule?

Ans. The British conquered India in three ways:

  1. They ruled over local nawabs and rajas.
  2. They acquired control over the economy and society by collecting revenue to cover all of their expenses, purchasing commodities at lower prices, and producing crops for export.
  3. They brought about changes in rulers, as well as conventions and practices.

As a result, they shaped everything in their favour and quickly controlled the country.

Q7. How do the official records of the British administration help historians to write about the last 250 years of Indian history?

Ans. The act of writing was essential to the British. As a result, they documented every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, investigation, and so on. They believed that once this was completed, topics could be thoroughly researched and argued. This conviction resulted in an administrative culture dominated by memos, notings, and reports.

The British were particularly concerned about preserving all crucial documents and letters. They did this by establishing record rooms in all administrative institutions such as the village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, law courts, and so on. They also established archives and museums in order to preserve valuable records.

Letters and memos that were passed from one arm of government to another in the early nineteenth century can still be found 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.

Q8. How did surveys become important under the colonial administration?

Ans. The British placed a high value on surveying because they believed that a country needed to be thoroughly understood before it could be efficiently administered. As a result, by the early nineteenth century, they had completed extensive surveys in order to map the entire country. They carried out revenue surveys in villages. They worked hard to learn about the geography, soil quality, flora and wildlife, local histories, and cropping patterns. They also instituted census operations, which were held every ten years beginning at the end of the nineteenth century. They kept meticulous statistics of the number of inhabitants in each province of India, noting 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.

Q9. Observe the picture below taken from the NCERT textbook (page 1) and answer the questions that follow:

(i) What does the picture try to suggest?
(ii) Explain how this image projects an imperial perception.

image Imperial perception

Ans. (i) The image attempts to convey the idea that Indians willingly surrendered their ancient writings scriptures (shashtra) to Britannia, the emblem of British might, as if requesting her to become the protector of Indian culture.
(ii) This image clearly displays imperial superiority. The lion’s image represents superior power. The empire bestows, and its subjects are constantly devoted to the throne.

Q10. Observe the picture below taken from NCERT textbook (page 5) and answer the questions that follow:

(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?

National Archives of India

Ans. (i) It is the National Archives of India.
(ii) It came up in the 1920s.
(iii)  When Delhi was built, it was located close to the Viceregal Palace.
(iv) It reflects the importance of this institution in the British eyes.
 
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