Podcast
Questions and Answers
The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively ______.
The British believed that a country had to be properly known before it could be effectively ______.
administered
From the end of the nineteenth century, ______ operations were held every ten years.
From the end of the nineteenth century, ______ operations were held every ten years.
Census
Official records do not tell what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their ______.
Official records do not tell what other people in the country felt, and what lay behind their ______.
actions
Sources of unofficial records include diaries of people and accounts of ______ and travellers.
Sources of unofficial records include diaries of people and accounts of ______ and travellers.
These records help understand how history was experienced by the ______ and the peasants.
These records help understand how history was experienced by the ______ and the peasants.
Previously, history was an account of ______ and big events such as the year a king was crowned.
Previously, history was an account of ______ and big events such as the year a king was crowned.
Historians now look more towards why and how things happen, rather than ______ when things happened.
Historians now look more towards why and how things happen, rather than ______ when things happened.
In 1817, James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and ______.
In 1817, James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and ______.
Many historians refer to the British rule period as '______' because it lacked equality and freedom.
Many historians refer to the British rule period as '______' because it lacked equality and freedom.
The periodisation of Indian history is borrowed from the ______, where modernity encompassed science and democracy.
The periodisation of Indian history is borrowed from the ______, where modernity encompassed science and democracy.
British rule brought about changes in values, tastes, customs, and ______.
British rule brought about changes in values, tastes, customs, and ______.
The subjugation of one country by another that leads to political, economic, and social changes is referred to as ______.
The subjugation of one country by another that leads to political, economic, and social changes is referred to as ______.
The official records of the British administration are one of the important ______ used by historians.
The official records of the British administration are one of the important ______ used by historians.
Flashcards
Importance of written records in British India
Importance of written records in British India
The British colonial administration in India prioritized written documentation, believing that it was essential for effective governance. They established record rooms to preserve important documents and letters.
Surveying in British India
Surveying in British India
The British conducted comprehensive surveys in India to gain a thorough understanding of the land and its people. This included mapping the country, assessing soil quality, and studying local histories and agricultural practices.
Census in British India
Census in British India
The decennial census, initiated in the late 19th century, provided detailed population data for all provinces of India, including information on caste, religion, and occupation.
Unofficial records in Indian History
Unofficial records in Indian History
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Limitations of Official Records
Limitations of Official Records
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History as Dates
History as Dates
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Shifting Focus in History
Shifting Focus in History
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Historical Periodization
Historical Periodization
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Mill's Periodization of Indian History
Mill's Periodization of Indian History
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Traditional Periodization of Indian History
Traditional Periodization of Indian History
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British Rule as 'Colonial'
British Rule as 'Colonial'
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Colonization
Colonization
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British Official Records
British Official Records
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Study Notes
Understanding History's Progression
- Early history focused on dates of events like coronations, marriages, wars, and deaths.
- Modern history emphasizes why and how events occurred, selecting dates to highlight important developments.
- Periodization (dividing history into periods) is used to understand characteristics of a time and its features.
Periodization in Indian History
- James Mill, in "A History of British India" (1817), divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods, viewing Asian societies as less developed than Europe.
- Common divisions also include ancient, medieval, and modern, borrowing from Western concepts.
- Modern period is associated with development of science, reason, democracy, liberty, and equality.
- Medieval period is one where these features were absent.
- Colonial period refers to British rule, characterized by the lack of equality, freedom, liberty and economic progress. British conquest led to subjugation, control over resources, and imposed economic/cultural changes.
Sources of Historical Knowledge
- Official Sources: British records (instructions, policies, agreements, surveys, censuses) were meticulously documented.
- Administrative records, meticulously preserved.
- Surveys of land, topography, resources, and society to administer better (detailed plans/maps).
- Censuses conducted every ten years, detailing population demographics (castes, religions, occupation).
- Other surveys like botanical, zoological, archaeological, anthropological, and forest surveys.
- Unofficial Sources: Necessary to understand perspectives beyond official accounts. Examples Include:
- Diaries
- Accounts of travelers and pilgrims
- Autobiographies of important people
- Local books
- Newspapers
- Writings of leaders and reformers
- Writings of poets and novelists
- Unofficial sources give insights into the lived experiences of varied groups in society (tribals, peasants, workers, poor).
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