British India History

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Questions and Answers

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?

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?

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?

Bombay Signup and view all the answers

What was attached to all administrative institutions?

Record rooms Signup and view all the answers

What does Fig. 6 depict?

Mapping and survey operations in progress in Bengal Signup and view all the answers

Why did the British believe that the act of writing was important?

Because it helped in proper study and debate Signup and view all the answers

What was the sample report from?

Bombay Dockyards Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized in Fig. 6?

The scientific nature of the project Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of newspapers according to the content?

To provide accounts of movements in different parts of the country Signup and view all the answers

What type of records did the British administration produce?

Official records Signup and view all the answers

In what year was the drawing by James Prinsep created?

1832 Signup and view all the answers

What is the description of the condition of something according to Source 2?

Not fit for human consumption Signup and view all the answers

What is being described in Source 2?

A police strike Signup and view all the answers

Where were the National Museum and the National Archives located?

Close to the Viceregal Palace Signup and view all the answers

Why did the British conduct detailed surveys of the country?

To effectively administer the country Signup and view all the answers

What type of surveys were conducted in the villages?

Revenue surveys Signup and view all the answers

In which century did the British start conducting detailed surveys of the country?

Early 19th century Signup and view all the answers

What was the significance of the location of the National Archives and the National Museum?

They reflected the importance of these institutions Signup and view all the answers

What was the role of the Director of Intelligence, HQ India Command?

Providing intelligence reports Signup and view all the answers

When did the National Archives of India come up?

In the 1920s Signup and view all the answers

What was the purpose of surveying under the colonial administration?

To effectively administer the country Signup and view all the answers

What do official records sometimes fail to provide?

A complete understanding of what people in the country felt Signup and view all the answers

What is mentioned as a limitation of diaries, accounts of pilgrims, and popular booklets?

They are produced by literate people Signup and view all the answers

What do leaders and reformers write to do?

Spread their ideas Signup and view all the answers

Why are some sources more difficult to get than official records?

Because they are more difficult to find Signup and view all the answers

What is a challenge in understanding the lives of tribals, peasants, and workers?

Understanding how they lived and experienced history Signup and view all the answers

What is mentioned as a benefit of making an effort to find other sources?

We can understand how history was experienced by tribals and peasants Signup and view all the answers

What is mentioned as a problem with the food supplied to the strikers?

It was not fit for human consumption Signup and view all the answers

What is mentioned as a type of source that was published and debated in public?

Newspapers Signup and view all the answers

What is the title given to Prince Arthur, the third son of Queen Victoria?

Duke of Connaught Signup and view all the answers

Who was the first Governor-General mentioned in the histories written by British historians?

Warren Hastings Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the histories written by British historians in India?

The rule of each Governor-General and Viceroy Signup and view all the answers

Why do we divide history into chapters?

To give each chapter some coherence Signup and view all the answers

Who is the last Viceroy mentioned in the histories written by British historians?

Lord Mountbatten Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of linking dates to the lives of Governor-Generals and Viceroys?

To mark the different chapters of the history of British India Signup and view all the answers

What is the problem with the way history is written according to the content?

It focuses too much on the lives of Governor-Generals Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested as an alternative way to write history?

Focusing on the activities of different groups and classes in Indian society Signup and view all the answers

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.