Podcast
Questions and Answers
What type of culture did the British administrative system produce?
What type of culture did the British administrative system produce?
- An administrative culture of memos, notings and reports (correct)
- A written culture
- An oral culture
- A record-keeping culture
Why did the British feel that all important documents and letters needed to be preserved?
Why did the British feel that all important documents and letters needed to be preserved?
- To keep a record of their taxes
- To keep a record of their wars
- To study and debate properly (correct)
- To communicate with other countries
What was happening in 1946 in India?
What was happening in 1946 in India?
- A war broke out with Pakistan
- A great famine occurred
- India gained independence
- The British government was trying to put down a mutiny (correct)
Where were arrangements made for the Army to take over ships and establishments?
Where were arrangements made for the Army to take over ships and establishments?
What was attached to all administrative institutions?
What was attached to all administrative institutions?
What does Fig. 6 depict?
What does Fig. 6 depict?
Why did the British believe that the act of writing was important?
Why did the British believe that the act of writing was important?
What was the sample report from?
What was the sample report from?
What is emphasized in Fig. 6?
What is emphasized in Fig. 6?
What is the purpose of newspapers according to the content?
What is the purpose of newspapers according to the content?
What type of records did the British administration produce?
What type of records did the British administration produce?
In what year was the drawing by James Prinsep created?
In what year was the drawing by James Prinsep created?
What is the description of the condition of something according to Source 2?
What is the description of the condition of something according to Source 2?
What is being described in Source 2?
What is being described in Source 2?
Where were the National Museum and the National Archives located?
Where were the National Museum and the National Archives located?
Why did the British conduct detailed surveys of the country?
Why did the British conduct detailed surveys of the country?
What type of surveys were conducted in the villages?
What type of surveys were conducted in the villages?
In which century did the British start conducting detailed surveys of the country?
In which century did the British start conducting detailed surveys of the country?
What was the significance of the location of the National Archives and the National Museum?
What was the significance of the location of the National Archives and the National Museum?
What was the role of the Director of Intelligence, HQ India Command?
What was the role of the Director of Intelligence, HQ India Command?
When did the National Archives of India come up?
When did the National Archives of India come up?
What was the purpose of surveying under the colonial administration?
What was the purpose of surveying under the colonial administration?
What do official records sometimes fail to provide?
What do official records sometimes fail to provide?
What is mentioned as a limitation of diaries, accounts of pilgrims, and popular booklets?
What is mentioned as a limitation of diaries, accounts of pilgrims, and popular booklets?
What do leaders and reformers write to do?
What do leaders and reformers write to do?
Why are some sources more difficult to get than official records?
Why are some sources more difficult to get than official records?
What is a challenge in understanding the lives of tribals, peasants, and workers?
What is a challenge in understanding the lives of tribals, peasants, and workers?
What is mentioned as a benefit of making an effort to find other sources?
What is mentioned as a benefit of making an effort to find other sources?
What is mentioned as a problem with the food supplied to the strikers?
What is mentioned as a problem with the food supplied to the strikers?
What is mentioned as a type of source that was published and debated in public?
What is mentioned as a type of source that was published and debated in public?
What is the title given to Prince Arthur, the third son of Queen Victoria?
What is the title given to Prince Arthur, the third son of Queen Victoria?
Who was the first Governor-General mentioned in the histories written by British historians?
Who was the first Governor-General mentioned in the histories written by British historians?
What is the primary focus of the histories written by British historians in India?
What is the primary focus of the histories written by British historians in India?
Why do we divide history into chapters?
Why do we divide history into chapters?
Who is the last Viceroy mentioned in the histories written by British historians?
Who is the last Viceroy mentioned in the histories written by British historians?
What is the purpose of linking dates to the lives of Governor-Generals and Viceroys?
What is the purpose of linking dates to the lives of Governor-Generals and Viceroys?
What is the problem with the way history is written according to the content?
What is the problem with the way history is written according to the content?
What is suggested as an alternative way to write history?
What is suggested as an alternative way to write history?
Study Notes
British Historians in India
- British historians wrote about the rule of each Governor-General, with separate chapters on the deeds of Warren Hastings, Wellesley, Bentinck, Dalhousie, Canning, Lawrence, Lytton, Ripon, Curzon, Harding, and Irwin.
- The histories began with the first Governor-General and ended with the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten.
- The dates in these history books were linked to the lives of these personalities, making it seem like there was nothing important outside their lives that was worth knowing.
Writing History Differently
- Can we write about the history of British India in a different way, focusing on the activities of different groups and classes in Indian society?
- When writing history, we divide it into chapters to give each chapter coherence and to tell a story that makes sense.
Sources for Writing History
- Official records of the British administration are an important source for writing about the last 250 years of Indian history.
- These records include reports, memos, notings, and letters that were carefully preserved in record rooms attached to administrative institutions.
- The British believed in the importance of writing and preserving records, which produced an administrative culture of documentation.
Surveys and Mapping
- The British conducted detailed surveys to map the entire country, believing that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively administered.
- Revenue surveys were conducted in villages, which tell us what the officials thought and what lay behind their actions.
Newspapers as Sources
- Newspapers provide accounts of movements and events in different parts of the country, such as reports of strikes and protests.
- These records do not always help us understand what ordinary people felt and what lay behind their actions.
Beyond Official Records
- Diaries, accounts of pilgrims and travelers, autobiographies, popular booklets, and newspapers are alternative sources that provide a more diverse perspective on history.
- However, these sources were produced by literate individuals and do not represent the experiences and lives of tribals, peasants, workers, and the poor.
- To understand their lives, we need to make an effort to uncover and explore alternative sources.
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Description
A quiz about the history of British India, focusing on the rule of each Governor-General and Viceroy, including Warren Hastings and Lord Mountbatten.
