How, When and Where
Welcome to HSLC Guru! In this lesson we explore Class 8 Social Science History Chapter 1 — How, When and Where. This opening chapter explains how historians decide on dates, divide the past into periods, and use different sources to reconstruct the story of modern India. The notes below follow the ASSEB (Assam State School Education Board) prescribed textbook and are presented in simple English with detailed question answers, a chapter summary, additional MCQs, fill in the blanks, true or false statements, and a glossary of key terms to help students prepare confidently for examinations.
Summary
History is closely connected with dates because dates help us know when an event happened, and they allow historians to compare events and trace changes over time. Earlier, history was written almost entirely around the dates of battles, kings, coronations, and treaties. With the change in our understanding of the past, historians now study dates linked to social, economic, and cultural changes too. Dates are decided according to what we want to focus on. For example, the date of the introduction of the printing press, the start of railways, or the founding of a city becomes important when we wish to study those particular themes. So dates are not fixed by themselves — they become significant because of the questions historians ask.
The division of history into periods is called periodisation. In 1817, the British historian James Mill published a massive three-volume work titled “A History of British India”. He divided Indian history into three periods — Hindu, Muslim, and British. Mill believed that before the British, India was ruled by Hindu and Muslim despots and that society was filled with superstition. He argued that British rule alone could civilise India. This classification has been criticised because it identifies entire periods only by the religion of the rulers, ignoring the diversity of beliefs in any one period. Modern historians prefer to divide Indian history into ancient, medieval, and modern periods, although this classification borrowed from the West has its own limitations as the term modern in the West stands for growth of science and democracy, while in India the modern age was a time of colonial subjugation.
To reconstruct the story of the past, historians depend on a variety of sources. Official records of the British administration are very important because the British believed that every order, instruction, decision, study, and investigation had to be carefully written down. They preserved these records in record rooms attached to administrative offices, in archives, and in museums. The National Archives of India, set up in the 1920s, is the largest collection of such records. Apart from official documents, historians also use surveys (revenue surveys, census, botanical, zoological, archaeological, forest, etc.), the writings of travellers and missionaries, newspapers, autobiographies of important persons, accounts written by leaders and reformers, and paintings. These varied sources together help in understanding events from many sides.
However, official records do not always tell us what other people in the country felt and thought. To know about the lives of ordinary people — workers, peasants, tribals, and women — historians have to look at diaries, popular booklets, autobiographies, folk literature, and oral traditions. The British colonial state was deeply interested in classifying and categorising society for easier administration. They surveyed land, counted people, and prepared revenue records to control resources and collect taxes. Studying this period of colonial rule and how it transformed Indian society, economy, and politics is what makes Class 8 history so important. The chapter prepares students to think critically about how the past is written, who writes it, and whose voices may be missing from the records.
Textbook Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Type Questions (1 Mark)
Q1. Who wrote “A History of British India”?
Answer: The British historian James Mill wrote “A History of British India” in 1817.
Q2. Into how many periods did James Mill divide Indian history?
Answer: James Mill divided Indian history into three periods — Hindu, Muslim, and British.
Q3. What is periodisation?
Answer: Periodisation is the division of history into different periods so that the special features of each period can be studied easily.
Q4. When was the National Archives of India set up?
Answer: The National Archives of India was set up in the 1920s.
Q5. Name the capital of British India before 1911.
Answer: Calcutta was the capital of British India before 1911.
Q6. When did the British shift their capital from Calcutta to Delhi?
Answer: The British shifted their capital from Calcutta to Delhi in 1911.
Q7. Mention one important source of history.
Answer: Official records of the British administration are an important source of history.
Q8. What is a calligraphist?
Answer: A calligraphist is a person who specialises in the art of beautiful writing.
Q9. Name any two surveys conducted under colonial administration.
Answer: Two surveys conducted under colonial administration were the revenue survey and the census.
Q10. What do we mean by “modern” period in Indian history?
Answer: In Indian history, the modern period roughly refers to the time from the eighteenth century onwards when British rule was established, although this classification carries certain limitations.
Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Marks)
Q1. Why are dates important in history?
Answer: Dates are important in history because they tell us when an event took place. They help historians arrange events in the proper order and study how one event led to another. Dates also help in comparing the past with the present and in understanding the speed of change in society. Without dates, history would only be a confusing mixture of events without a sense of time.
Q2. Why is James Mill’s classification of Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods criticised?
Answer: Mill’s classification is criticised because it identifies entire periods of Indian history only by the religion of the ruling group. Many religions and communities existed side by side in every age, and rulers did not represent all of them. Moreover, Mill viewed pre-British India as backward and superstitious, which is an unfair judgement. Such a classification ignores social, economic, and cultural diversity and presents a biased picture.
Q3. What are the limitations of dividing Indian history into ancient, medieval, and modern periods?
Answer: This classification has been borrowed from the Western world where the modern age stands for growth of science, freedom, equality, and democracy. In India the modern period is associated with the establishment of British colonial rule, which brought subjugation, exploitation, and loss of freedom. So the term “modern” in the Indian context cannot fully match its Western meaning, which makes the classification unsatisfactory.
Q4. Why did the British preserve official records carefully?
Answer: The British believed that every order, plan, decision, and inquiry should be written down so that it could be referred to in future. Written records, they thought, helped in proper study, debate, and decision-making. They built record rooms, archives, and museums to preserve such documents. This practice has provided historians with rich material to study the colonial period.
Q5. Mention any three sources, other than official records, used by historians to study modern Indian history.
Answer: Apart from official records, historians use newspapers, which carry reports of events; autobiographies and biographies of important persons that give personal accounts; and paintings, which show how people, places, and events looked at a particular time. Diaries, travellers’ accounts, and oral traditions are also valuable sources.
Q6. What were the main types of surveys conducted by the British in India?
Answer: The British conducted many surveys to collect detailed information about India. The revenue survey recorded land, soil, crops, and ownership for tax purposes. The census counted the population and noted the caste, religion, and occupation of people. Botanical, zoological, archaeological, anthropological, and forest surveys were also organised. These surveys helped the British control resources, plan administration, and tighten their rule.
Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 Marks)
Q1. Explain how historians decide on the dates of events. Why do dates change in importance with the change of focus?
Answer: Historians decide on dates according to the kind of questions they wish to answer. In earlier times, history was written mainly about kings and rulers, so dates of battles, coronations, and treaties were considered most important. Today, historians are also interested in how ordinary people lived, how trade developed, when railways and printing began, and when laws and reforms were introduced. So the dates linked to such events also become significant. For example, when we study the spread of education in India, the date of the founding of a particular university becomes important. When we study communication, the date when the first newspaper was printed becomes important. So dates are not fixed by themselves; they become important because of what historians want to focus on. As the focus of history changes, the importance of certain dates also changes.
Q2. Discuss in detail why James Mill’s periodisation of Indian history is considered problematic.
Answer: James Mill, in his book “A History of British India” (1817), divided Indian history into three periods — Hindu, Muslim, and British. This periodisation is problematic for several reasons. First, it labels entire ages by the religion of rulers, ignoring the fact that different religions and communities lived together throughout Indian history. Second, Mill saw pre-British India as a land of despotism, superstition, and ignorance, and felt that British rule was needed to civilise Indians. This was a biased and racist view. Third, Mill failed to recognise the rich social, cultural, economic, and intellectual life of pre-British India. Finally, his idea justified British colonial rule and presented it as a benefit, which was not the truth. Modern historians therefore reject this division and prefer terms like ancient, medieval, and modern, while remaining aware of the limitations of even those categories.
Q3. Describe the various sources used by historians to study modern Indian history.
Answer: Historians of modern India draw upon many different sources. (i) Official records — letters, reports, memoranda, and minutes prepared by the British administration are kept in record rooms and archives like the National Archives of India. They tell us how the British thought and acted. (ii) Surveys — revenue surveys, census, botanical, zoological, archaeological, and forest surveys provide a huge amount of data. (iii) Newspapers and journals — both English and Indian language papers carry news, opinions, and debates. (iv) Autobiographies, biographies, diaries, and personal letters of leaders, reformers, and common people give individual experiences. (v) Travellers’ accounts and missionary writings present the views of outsiders. (vi) Paintings, photographs, and posters show visual aspects of the time. (vii) Oral traditions, folk songs, and popular booklets reveal the feelings of common people. By combining these different sources, historians try to build a balanced picture of the past.
Q4. What was the importance of the National Archives of India and the colonial habit of record-keeping?
Answer: The British administration believed that proper governance required written records of every decision and instruction. From the late eighteenth century onwards, they began to preserve official letters, reports, notes, and survey results in record rooms attached to all administrative offices — the tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, and the secretariat. Specialised institutions called archives and museums were also set up to keep important documents safe. The National Archives of India, established in the 1920s, became the largest of such repositories. The importance of this record-keeping is that it has left behind a very large quantity of source material for historians. We can study the colonial economy, administration, education, and policies in great detail because of these records. However, since they were prepared from the rulers’ point of view, they often hide the views of the ruled. So historians must use them carefully along with other sources.
Q5. Why is it said that history is more than the story of kings and battles? How has the writing of history changed in modern times?
Answer: Earlier, history was written mainly as the story of kings, queens, wars, and royal courts. Common people, peasants, workers, tribals, and women hardly found a place in such writings. In modern times, the writing of history has changed greatly. Historians now study the lives of ordinary people, the way they earned their living, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, the festivals they celebrated, and the troubles they faced. They look at how the economy worked, how trade and industries grew, how cities and railways developed, how schools and newspapers spread, and how social reform movements shaped society. To do this, they make use of many new kinds of sources such as diaries, autobiographies, folk songs, oral traditions, and paintings. This wider approach makes history more inclusive and helps us understand the whole society and not just its rulers.
Additional Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Q1. “A History of British India” was written by:
(a) Warren Hastings
(b) James Mill
(c) Lord Curzon
(d) William Jones
Answer: (b) James Mill
Q2. James Mill’s book was published in the year:
(a) 1757
(b) 1817
(c) 1857
(d) 1911
Answer: (b) 1817
Q3. The capital of British India was shifted from Calcutta to Delhi in:
(a) 1905
(b) 1911
(c) 1919
(d) 1947
Answer: (b) 1911
Q4. The National Archives of India was established in the:
(a) 1850s
(b) 1880s
(c) 1920s
(d) 1950s
Answer: (c) 1920s
Q5. Which of the following is NOT a periodisation suggested by James Mill?
(a) Hindu
(b) Muslim
(c) British
(d) Modern
Answer: (d) Modern
Q6. A person who specialises in the art of beautiful writing is called a:
(a) Cartographer
(b) Calligraphist
(c) Historian
(d) Surveyor
Answer: (b) Calligraphist
Q7. Which of the following is a primary source of modern Indian history?
(a) Folk songs
(b) Television serials
(c) Modern textbooks
(d) Imaginary novels
Answer: (a) Folk songs
Q8. The system of dividing history into periods is called:
(a) Chronology
(b) Periodisation
(c) Genealogy
(d) Biography
Answer: (b) Periodisation
Q9. Which of these surveys was used to count the population?
(a) Revenue survey
(b) Census
(c) Botanical survey
(d) Forest survey
Answer: (b) Census
Q10. Which of the following best describes the modern period in Indian history?
(a) Time of Vedic culture
(b) Period of British colonial rule and after
(c) Time of the Mughal Empire
(d) Pre-historic age
Answer: (b) Period of British colonial rule and after
Fill in the Blanks
Q1. James Mill divided Indian history into __________ periods.
Answer: three
Q2. The book “A History of British India” was published in the year __________.
Answer: 1817
Q3. The British shifted their capital from Calcutta to __________ in 1911.
Answer: Delhi
Q4. The National Archives of India was established in the __________.
Answer: 1920s
Q5. A person who practises the art of beautiful writing is called a __________.
Answer: calligraphist
True or False
Q1. James Mill praised pre-British Indian society as advanced and civilised.
Answer: False
Q2. Dates of events become important according to the focus of historians.
Answer: True
Q3. Newspapers cannot be used as sources of modern history.
Answer: False
Q4. The National Archives of India contains a large number of official records.
Answer: True
Q5. The terms ancient, medieval, and modern were originally used in Western history.
Answer: True
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| History | The study of the past, including events, people, and societies. |
| Periodisation | The division of history into different periods to study them easily. |
| Archive | A place where historical documents and records are preserved. |
| National Archives | The largest official repository of records of the Government of India, set up in the 1920s. |
| Calligraphist | A person skilled in the art of beautiful writing. |
| Census | An official survey that counts the population and records information about people. |
| Revenue Survey | A survey conducted to record details of land for the purpose of collecting tax. |
| Colonial | Belonging to or relating to a country ruled by another country, here referring to British rule in India. |
| Source | Material such as documents, books, paintings, or oral accounts that provides information about the past. |
| Autobiography | An account of a person’s own life written by themselves. |
| Manuscript | A handwritten document, often very old. |
| Modern Period | In Indian history, the period roughly from the eighteenth century, marked by British rule and after. |