1. Introduction to History
History is basically about studying changes that happen over time. When we study history, we compare what happened in the past with what’s happening now. It all starts with having curiosity and asking questions about history.
You might wonder:
- When did people start drinking tea?
- How did people travel before railways existed?
- How was news shared before newspapers came?
Remember, history is not just about memorising dates, dates were considered very imp in history, but now history is more about understanding how societies lived in the past.
2. Role and Selection of Dates
In older history books, dates were super imp. Historians used to debate a lot about events related to rulers, like when they were crowned, when they fought wars, and when they died. Specific dates were used to mark these events.
But nowadays, dates aren’t that imp in modern history. Why? Because historians now study broader changes that happened gradually over time. For example, there’s no single date when people started drinking tea – it happened slowly.
Dates become imp only because of the events we choose to highlight. British history of India mostly focused on what Governor-Generals did:
- Like when Warren Hastings ruled, those dates became imp
When we start focusing on other groups of people, different dates become imp. That’s why we need flexible timelines for different kinds of historical stories.
3. Periodisation of Indian History
Dividing history into periods helps us understand different eras better. James Mill divided Indian history into three periods:
- Hindu period
- Muslim period
- British period
This division suggests that the religion of rulers defined entire eras. But this ignores the fact that people of many different faiths lived together during these periods. Not all ancient rulers followed the same faith!
Mill thought pre-British India was uncivilised and ruled by despots. He believed British rule brought progress and civilisation to India.
Modern historians use different periods:
- Ancient
- Medieval
- Modern
The modern period is usually linked with science, democracy and equality. But British rule didn’t have freedom or equality, so historians call it the colonial period instead.
4. Understanding the Colonial Period
The British gradually conquered India by subjugating nawabs and rajas. They controlled our economy, society and collected revenue. They bought goods cheaply from India and made us produce crops for export.
Colonial rule changed our values, customs and social practices. Colonisation caused big changes in:
- Politics
- Economy
- Culture
Different groups of people experienced these changes differently. Not everyone saw progress or benefits from British rule. Colonial rule shaped how India’s history moved forward.
5. Sources of Historical Knowledge
Historians rely on many different sources to study history. British official records are imp primary sources. The British really valued written documents like:
- Memos
- Reports
- Letters
They preserved these records in archives and museums for future study. Early records were copied by calligraphists, but later they were printed.
The British conducted many surveys to map villages, population and resources:
| Type of Survey | What They Studied |
|---|---|
| Revenue surveys | Soil types, crops |
| Census | Castes, religions |
Non-official sources are also imp, like diaries, newspapers and accounts written by travellers. Newspapers reported public debates and movements. For example, a 1946 police strike for better food was covered in newspapers.
6. Limitations and Perspectives of Sources
Official records mostly show what British officials thought and wanted to preserve. They don’t tell us what common people were thinking or feeling. That’s why non-official sources are imp – they give us different perspectives.
Non-official sources include writings by:
- Leaders
- Poets
- Novelists
But there’s a problem – most sources come from educated, literate people. We don’t have many records about tribal people or peasants’ lives. Understanding their experiences is really challenging.
It’s best to combine official and non-official sources. For example:
- Official reports about the 1946 naval mutiny focus on how to control it
- Newspaper reports show public unrest and support for the mutiny
7. Questions and Answers
State whether true or false:
- (a) James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim, Christian: False. Mills divided history into Hindu, Muslim and British periods, not Christian.
- (b) Official documents help us understand what the people of the country think: False. Official documents show what British officials thought, not what normal people were thinking.
- (c) The British thought surveys were imp for effective administration: True. They did lots of surveys to understand India’s land, resources and people for better governance.
What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James Mill offers? The problem with Mill’s way of dividing Indian history is that he only looked at ruler’s religion. He ignored that many different faiths existed together during these periods. It’s like saying people of other faiths weren’t imp at all!
Why did the British preserve official documents? The British kept all those official documents because they believed writing was very imp for studying, debating and recording policies and decisions. They made record rooms, archives and museums to carefully store all the memos, letters and reports for future reference.
How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different from that found in police reports? Old newspapers give different information than police reports because newspapers show public opinions, movements and debates. They reflect what people were thinking. Police reports only give official view focusing on law and order, like details of the 1946 police strike, without caring much about what public thinks.
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