0 ratings0% found this document useful (0 votes) 70 views6 pagesHistory Chapter 1
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content,
claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
1 « Where, When and How
SS
For centuries, explorers have travelled around the world for :
adventure. In 1492, Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer,
decided to sail westward from Spain hoping to reach Asia. He
Janded on an island which blocked the westward movement to.
the East. This new island came to be called the West Indies. He
later explored parts of the Atlantic coast, not realizing that he
had discovered the Americas. In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan sailed
‘westward and went around the world. Magellan's voyage became the
first successful attempt to circumnavigate the Earth,
When the European ships first arrived on the shores of the Indian subcontinent, the
ire ruled over this vast region. The heart of the Mughal Empire was in the
densely populated Ganges river basin, Initially, the Mughal rulers did not feel threatened
‘by the Europeans dominating the seas. They were pleased with the money coming in from
trade, The European traders needed to maintain a cordial relationship with the rulers in
order to establish profitable trade in the region. However, the Mughal Empire began to
decline in the early years of the 18th century, just as the East India Company began to
increase its ‘
a FACT CHE
Periodization of Indian History
History Of India into Hindu, |
in that order, However, thisIndia and the Industrial Re
The published a imi
17th and the early pa y. Tra
gold, silver and precious stones w
spices, such as peppe nutmeg We
trem to cook elaborately flavoured dishes as well as to Pr
and perfumes. In the early seventeenth century, pepper was t
‘Company’ trade. Much of the pepper made its way from Lond¢
During the eighteenth century, the main indu india were invo
textiles, ship building, handicrafts, tannery, perfumery king
Industrial Revolution in progress, the British needed both raw mate
to sell their finished products.
India had many skilled weavers and dyers, who produced beautif
textiles increased at a fast pace, and a number of unique patterns and desig
from India. Unfortunately, the imperial policy of the British industries
made goods slowly led to a decline in the popularity of Indian handicrafts:
QI, Why were spices so important to European traders?
Q2. How do you think a trading company extended their influence over an entire c
corns, cloves and
ustries in
paper-
Sources to Study the Colonial Period
British
wus archives and
‘There is no shortage of sources through which we learn about the colonial period. Th
particular, not just about keeping records, but also in maintaining them. Nur
were built as a result. Let us learn about them.
Archaeological Sources
‘These comprise monuments, artefacts, inscriptions, coins and pots. Some examples of the monuments
Dethi built during the British period are India Gate, the Secretariat Complex, the Parliament House (or
known as the House of Parliament) and the Teen Murti Bhavan.
Official Records
‘These cover all levels of administration, from the district to
the central government. The Bish Crown also kept a variety
official records. By reading these, one can trace every
development and follow the processes of decision-making.
Records of European Companies
‘The records ofthe Portuguese the Dutch and the French are
important, as they give us an insight into the histories of
17aband itt centres. They are inion te eine
of view of economic history, but one gets information of the
Political set-up too.Indigenous Literary Sources
in y,,| The SijartlMutakherin (A Review of Modern Times) by Mir Gholam Hussein Khan
pos
Bed th_*| Indianlliterary source, It covers a period of 70 years, che
‘onicling the decline of the Mughals, the rise
©. Ind Marathas and the steps that led to the occupation of the country by the British. Another im so
ans us is the diary of Ananda Ranga Pillai, Chief Interpreter to Governor Joseph Francois Dupleix
“dicing, | Weiting in Tamil, he recorded the reversals seen in politics and everyday life in the souther
St Ingjy | India during the governor generalship of Dupleix
‘Some institutions are a treasure trove of historical artefacts and documents. Such an institution, the Bharat
ind silk | —tedhas Samshodhak Mandal, was founded in 1910 by the doyen of ns, Vishwanath Kashinath
ith 1, Rajwade and Sardar K C Mchendale. It is a Premier research inst e, The original manuscript of the
Mrket, | famous travelogue Maaza Prawas (My Travels) by Godse Bhatji gives & first-hand account ofthe revelto
1857, including the Tast morients of the Rani of Jhansi
Indian
gland
Surveys and Census Br itt
Different kinds of surveys were conducted to provide
the government with information regarding certain Peep cinnct ad: written primary
: sources, what other sources can he or she look
tatters like population, topography, archacology for? What about buildings, archaeological
and forests, The British began conducting surveys so
cting ou finds, artwork or craft tools? What do these
that territories could be earmarked for fixing land teary ailcasiocaspsarwie a
revenue. This data provides valuable information. i
they leave out?‘een invaded by the Arabs, Turks, Afghanis a:
u tae lst 10,000 years of history. Whaat qualt
. “
reed to sell our products in villages because of
‘ofthe weavers in British India and in the preseny
improve their conditions?
rs and list at least three dif
Nese ports, first to the
‘rights of legal contro}
or confrontation, the
sans and the Japanese
esbelow and look at a map to |
fan travellers enter India
But it can get quite difficult to remember all the date
‘will help you remember historical dates:
tryleaving ut the first two digits as you wou
id recall only the number
cquires its first territory in Bombay. Here, you will notice
e number =1, 6nd 5 making it easier to remember
mbers can be put into equations. For example
suchas birthdays, festivals or other significant dates
‘and try attaching it to a rhyme. For example,
Coan
https://wi
Last accessExercises
Choose the correct answers
1, These sources comprise of monumnents, artefacts, inscriptions, coins and pots.
a Literary sources, b, Archaeological sources
<< Newspapers 4 Surveys
2, The Bharat Itihas Samshodhak Mandal was founded in 1910 by Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade and
‘a. Godse Bhatii Ub. Sardar K C Mehendale
‘¢ Governor Joseph Francois Dupleix d, Mir Gholam Hussein Khan
2 ied a fate te
a. Bengal Herald b. Bengal Gazette © Bombay Herald d. none of these
| Bibliographies, reference books, commentaries and treatises are examples of
‘primary sources —_b. secondary sources. both aandb 4 none of these
call the period when India was colonized by the British the
[Period 'b. modern period ¢. colonial period d. medieval period
ruc and F for false.
ogical sources are primary sources of studying the past.
did not build any buildings or monuments in India.
ofthe Portuguese the Dutch and the Prench are important, as they give us an