Modular Answer Sheet Pre board -II (2016-17)

Class XII

Subject: History

Q.1. Mention the evidences which prove the agricultural activities of Harappan culture.

Ans. 1Terracotta models of the plough have been found at sites in Cholistan and at Banawali (Haryana).

2 Archaeologists have also found evidence of a ploughed field at Kalibangan (Rajasthan), associated with Early Harappan levels.

The field had two seats of furrows at right angles to each other, suggesting that two different crops were grown together. Archaeologists have also tried to identify the tools used for harvesting.

Q.2. Who were Alvars and Nayanars? Mention the support they got from the Chola rulers.

Ans. The Alvars and the Nayanars were considered as the founder of Bhakti movement in southern India.

The Alvars were the devotees of Lord Vishnu, while the Nayanars followed Shaivism.

Both Alvars and Nayanar strongly criticised the social and religious malpractices prevalent in the society.

Q.3. State any two difficulties faced by the Census Commissions appointed by the British.

Ans. 1 People themselves refused to cooperate or gave evasive answers to the census officials.

1 2 They were suspicious of census operations and believed that enquiries were being conducted to impose new taxes.

3 Upper-Caste people were also unwilling to give any information regarding the women of their household.

Women were supposed to remain secluded within the interior of the household and not subjected to public gaze or public enquiry.

Q.4. How do archaeologists trace socio-economic differences in Harappan society? What are the difference that they notice?

Ans. The archaeologists find many socio-economic disparities in the Harappan society. They make the following disparities as their base for further study:

1. Burials: We find many burials at the Harappan sites. At that time, the dead were generally lain in pits. Along with the dead body, different kinds of things were also kept. These things could be precious or ordinary. There were also a difference in the pits in which dead were buried. The precious things reflected the strong economic condition of the dead. The common things were the symbol of his/her weak economic position.

2. Things of Luxury: The archaeologists also study artefacts to identify many other social and economic differences. These things can be classified as utilitarian and luxuries. The utilitarian things are objects of daily use. They are made of ordinary material such as stone or clay. They include querns, pottery and body scrubbers. They were possessed by all the people in all the Harappan settlements. On the other hand, the luxuries were those objects which were rare and made from costly and non-local materials or were made with the help of complicated technologies. For example, the post of faience(a material prepared with the mixture of silica, colour and gum) were considered costly and precious because they were very difficult to make. The economic status of those societies was comparatively high where such things have been found.

Q5. Why did SanchiSupta survive while Amravati did not? Explain.

2 Ans. 1. Amaravati was discovered before scholars understood the value of the finds and realized how critical it was to preserve things where they had been found instead of removing them from the site.

2. When Sanchi was “discovered” in the 1818, three of its four gateways were still standing, the fourth was lying on the spot where it had fallen and the mound was in good condition

3. Even So, it was suggested that the gateway be taken to either Paris or London; finally a number of factors helped to keep Sanchi as it was, and so it stands, where as the mahachaitya at Amaravati is now just an insignificant little mound, totally denuded of its former glory.

Q6. How were the water requirements of vijayanagara met?

Ans. 1The need of water in vijayanagara was fulfilled from the natural basin formed by the river Tungbhadra which flowed in the north eastern direction.

This river was surrounded by stunning granite hills which formed a girdle around the city.

Vijayanagara got built large embankments to store water. They also constructed reservoirs of varying sizes.

They also made arrangements to store the rain water as this was the most arid zone of the peninsula .

A very large tank was got built in the fifteenth century.It is now called Kamalapuram tank. The water of this tank served the following purposes:

(i) It irrigated the nearby fields.

(ii) It fulfilled the needs of the royal centre.

The ruins of the Hiriya canal have also been found. This canal drew water from a dam across the Tungabhadra river. It irrigated the cultivated valley.

Q7. Examine the importance and limitations of Ain-i-Akbari as a source of Akbar’s region.

3 Ans. The importance and limitations of Ain-i-Akbari as a source of Akbar’s region can be examined as under:

I. Importance of the Ain-i-Akbari :

(i) The Ain-i-Akbari was the crystal clear mirror depicting historical and administrative project of classification undertaken by Abu’l Fazl. This gigantic project was taken by him at the order of Emperor Akbar and was completed in 1598, the 42 reignal years of Mughal emperor.

(ii) The Ain was a comprehensive and logical historical document which was also known as the Akbar Nama. The Ain consists of five books(daftars). It is a wonderful creation and an immeasurable mine of rational information about the Mughal empire during Akbar’s region.

(iii) The Ain consists of five books or daftars. The first three books comprehensively elaborate the administration. The first book, known as manzil-abadi describes the royal household and its maintaince. Sipah- abadi the second book,gives a detailed account of the military and civil administration. Mulk-abadi the third book, gives the account of fiscal analysis and information on revenue rates.

(iv) Though the Ain was officially sponsored document yet it proved much more than simply a reproduction of official papers. Abu’l Fazl did a heroic job and maintained its authenticity that is why the book was revised five times. To maintain its relevance , the oral testimonies were crossed- checked and duly verified before being included as facts.

II. Limitations of the Ain:

(i) The historians have highlighted the glaring errors particularly transcriptional errors in the Ain. Hence, the book has some limitations.

(ii) The process of data collection has not been done uniformally from all provinces.

(iii) Many provinces or subas were given importance over others. Some Subas have detailed information about the caste composition of the

4 zamindar, however, such information is not available for Orissa and Bengal.

(iv) The scope of data collection is also limited . The list of prices and wages mentioned in the Ain is mainly taken from data related to regions in or around the royal capital of Agra. Hence, it is of limited relevance for the rest of the Mughal empire.

Conclusion : Despite its limitations, the Ain is an outstanding document of its times. Abu’l Fazl’s extra ordinary wisdom placed the Ain well ahead of its era. The Ain constitutes a benchmark for studing India. It provides fascination glimpses into the gigantic structure and comprehensive organisation of the Mughal Empire.

Q8. In What way was the livelihood of the Paharias different from that of the Santhals?

Ans. The Paharias lived around the Rajmahal hills. They were hostile and apprehensive towards the government officials. They were not willing to talk to outside travellers.

Livelihood of the Paharias : The Paharias earned their livelihood by adopting the following professions.

(i)They practiced shifting cultivation.

(ii) They grew a variety of pulses and millets.

(iii) They collected mahua (a flower) for food.

(iv) They reared silk-worms and collected silk cocoons and resin for sale.

(v) They collected wood for charcoal production.

(vi) They used the patches of grass on the land as pasture for the cattle.

(vii) They hunted wild animals.

(viii) They also raided the plains where the settled agriculturalists lived.

5 (ix) They resisted the intrusion of outsiders. If ever they allowed them, they negotiated political relations with them. They got a regular tribute from the zamindars.

(x) They accepted tool from the traders. In return, they protected the traders. They also ensured that their goods were not plundered by anyone.

Livelihood of the Santhals: The Santhals had come into Bengal around the 1780s. They earned their livelihood by adopting the following jobs:

(i) They cleared forests and cut down timber.

(ii) They ploughed land and grew rice and cotton.

(iii) They expanded cultivation and increased the inflow of revenue in the coffers of the East India Company.

(iv) They cultivated many commercial crops for the market.

(v) They also dealt with traders and money-lenders.

Q.9 . “The rumours in1857 began to make snse when seen in the context of the policies pursued by the British from late 1820s.” Support your answer with evidence.

Ans. Rumours in 1857 made sense in context of the policies pursued by The British from late 1820’s as follows :

(i) Reforms of William Bentinck in education. Introduction of western ideas and institutions.

(ii) Reforms like abolition of sati.

(iii) Annexation of Awadh on the basis of mis-governance.

(iv) Annexation of Jhansi and Satara-British refused to recognize adoption.

(v) Reforms like Widow Remarriage Act.

6 (vi) Reforming socio-religious customs like landholding, inheritance etc.

(vii) Activities of Christian missionaries.

Rumours had an impact on the minds of people under these uncertain times.

Ans.10.1 Harmony underlined Akbar’s cultural policy. He wanted his subjects to live in communal harmony. a) He adopted the ideal of Sulh-i-kul(absolute peace) which meant that all religions had equal freedom of expression b) He himself set the example of harmonius existence by celebrating Holi and Nauroz and abolishing jiziya.

10.2 Communal conflicts still cause dissension in contemporary India. For a smooth functioning of our democracy and upholding the principles of our Constitution, these issues should be resolved so that people co-exist peacefully. a) The state should come down heavily on communal elements without trying to appease any particular group and should rise above vote politics. b) Cultural integration programmes should be introduced in all schools and academic institutions in order to make the students understand and appreciate cultural diversity of our country, and inculcate respect for all religions and all people of India . (Value points given and these are to be explained by the candidates)

Q11. Discuss the main features of Mauryan administration. Which of these elements are evident in the Asokan inscriptions that you have studied?

Ans. Asokan inscriptions mention all the main features of Mauryan administration like king-subjects relationship,political centres, important officers and their duties etc. Same sort of messages were engraved on inscriptions found in western frontier province of modern Pakistan, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Uttarakhand and other places. Some of the main features evident in the Asokan inscriptions and few others are given below:

7 (i) Five main Political Centres : Largest political centre of Mauryan empire was capital itself i.e.,Pataliputra. Except this, there is mention of four provincial centres in Asokan inscriptions. These four centres were Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri.

(ii) Unequal Administrative System : Mauryan empire was quite large and included areas in the empire were of different types like mountainous region of Afghanistan and coastal areas of Orissa. It was not possible to establish an equal or same administrative system in such a diverse empire. But probably strict administrative control could have been there in capital of empire and other provincial centres.

(iii) Selection of Provincial Centres : Provincial centres were selected very carefully. Taxila and Ujjayini were situated on important trading routes of long journey. Suvarnagiri was important for the gold mines of Karnataka.

(iv) Providing Easy Communication: Communication along both land and riverine routes was vital for the existence of empire. It took weeks or months to reach provinces from the capital. It is obvious that arrangement of diet and protection of people moving through the routes could have been an important issue.

(v) Committee and Sub-Committees: Megasthenes mentioned about one committee and six sub-committees for coordinating military activities.

(a) First sub-committees looked after the navy.

(b)The second managed transport and provisions.

(c) The third sub-committee was responsible for infantry.

(d) The fourth was responsible for horses, the fifth for chariots and sixth for elephants.

Activities of second sub-committee were little bit varied. It arranged for bullockearts to carry equipments, procuring folder for animalsand food for soliders and recruiting artisans and servants to look after the soliders.

8 (vi) Appontement of Dhamma Mahamatras : Ashoka tried to maintain unity in his empire. He also done this by propagating Dhamma. Concepts of Dhamma were very simple and universal. He was of the view that obeying the Dhamma will be good for people in this world and beyond this world. That’s why special officers called Dhamma Mahamatras were appointed. This activity is also mentioned in inscriptions.

Q12. Explain the origin consolidation and they role of zamindars in the village. Were they an exploitative class?

Ans. The origin, Consolidation and the role of the zamindars:

(i) Contemporary documents give an impression that conquest may have been the source of the origin of some zamindaris. The dispossession of weaker people by a powerful military chieftain was quite often a way of expanding a zamindari. It is however unlikely.

(ii) More important were the slow processes of zamindari consolidation, which are also documented in sources. These involved colonization of new lands, by transfer of rights, by order of state and by purchase.

(iii) A combination of factors also allowed the consolidation of clan-or lineage- based zamindaris. For example, the Rajputs and Jats adopted these strategies to consolidate their control over vast sweathes of territory in northern India.

Their nature as an exploitative class: Generally zamindars are painted as an exploitative class.

(i) The zamindars held extensive personal lands termed milkiyat, meaning property. Milikiyat lands were cultivated for the private use of zamindars, often with the help of hired or servile labour.

(ii) Zamindars also derived their power from the fact that they could often collect revenue on behalf of the state, a service for which they were compensated financially.

9 (iii) Zamindars spearheaded the colonization of agricultural land, and helped in settling cultivators by providing them with the means of cultivation, including cash loans.

Q.13. Examine the strengths and limitations of oral history. How have oral- history techniques furthered our understanding of Partition?

Ans. Oral history has a wider scope to acquaint us about any historic or general event. Besides there are narratives, memories, diaries and family histories. They also help us to understand and comprehend any event that occurred in the past.

The partition of India occurred due to compelling circumstances of those times. It was not just a political event and had a deeper meaning attached to it.

Strengths of Oral History

(i) It helps us in grasping new experiences. It also adds new events to our memories.

(ii) It is quite helpful for the historians as it enables them to describe an incident vividly and comprehensively.

(iii) It provides information other than he government policy and official records.

(iv) It broadens the scope of history.

(v) It enables the historians to explore the experiences of the ignored people.

Limitation of Oral History

(i) It lacks concretenes and authenticity.

(ii) It is not chronological.

(iii) It makes generalisation difficult as a large picture cannot be built from micro- evidence.

(iv) One witness is no witness.

10 (v) It is difficult to Counter-check the oral sources.

(vi) Oral sources are not easily available. Sometimes people do not like to talk about their personal experiences.

(vii) Sometimes meaningful data is not available due to weak memory of the person.

Q14. In What way did Mahatama Gandhi transform the nature of the national movement?

Ans. Before the entry of Mahatma Gandhi into Indian politics, the freedom struggle was just a nominal movement. Only resolutions were passed by the leaders and sent to the government. Besides the national movement remained confined to only limited areas. It did not engulf the whole country. A few areas of India were under the influence of revolutionaries. A few other areas were under the influence of the assertive nationalist. But after the emergence of Mahatma Gandhi, the national movement did not remain confined to a few leaders and led the participation of all the people. It became a mass movement because of the following reasons:

(i) Principles of Truth and Non-Violence : When Mahatma Gandhi entered the Indian politics, he adopted two cardinal principal of truth and non-violence. The truth meant an insistence on the righteous conduct and right path. Non- violence meant the government actions should be opposed peacefully. The people had seen that Mahatma Gandhi had sincerely helped the British during the First World War. He also exhorted the people to cooperate with the British Government but when british show their true colours after the war was over and passed the Rowlatt Act to crush the Indians, Gandhiji gave a call for strike in the whole country.It was a non-violent step taken to the vindicate the causego of truth. All the Indians whole-heartedly participated in this strike.

(ii) Satyagraha and Non-Cooperation Movement: Mahatma Gandhi had resorted to the path of Satyangraha for the first time against the white government South Africa. He had compelled the white government to bow before him. When he launched Non-Cooperation Movement in India, Ganhiji adopted the policy of Satyagraha. He called upon the people not to cooperate

11 with the British Government, All the people of the country plunged into this national movement against the British rule. The students stayed away from their classes in the government educational institutions. The lawyers boycotted the law-Courts. The official left their jobs and the common people boycotted foreign goods. The people of India belonging to all castes, classes, religions and professions, filled all the jails by courting their arrests. The British rule was shaken to its foundations by the mammoth participation of the people in North Cooperation Movement.

(iii) Breaking Salt Laws and Civil Disobedience Movement: Gandhiji led his world-famous Dandi March on 12 March 1930.A large number of people joined the March which started from Sabarmati Ashram, and culminated at Dandi on the sea-shore where Gandhiji broke one of the most widely disliked laws in British India, i.e., the Salt Law. Gandhiji also exhorted all the people to break this drastic law in their own regions. He also advised them not to pay any tax to the British Government. This method of protesting against the British Government deeply impressed the local and foreign press. As a result, there was a mass upsurge against the colonial rule.

(iv) Opposition to Injustice: Mahatma Gandhiji always opposed injustice. He kept fasts to favour and protect the untouchables. He forcedthe British Government to bow before the might of the common people. All the great leaders bowed before the miraculous charm of Gandhiji. In fact, Gandhiji was such a leader whom everybody in the country liked to follow.

(v) Encouragement to Swadeshi : Gandhi encouraged the people of India to adopt swadeshi things or goods in life. He himself worked on the Charkha daily. Under this magnetic influence, many people burnt the foreign goods which inculcated national spirit among the people. They whole-heartedly participated in the national movement to attain complete independence from the colonial rule.

Q15.1 Why did Gandhiji make an appeal to Duryodhana not to fight against the Pandavas?

12 Ans. Gandhari made an appeal to Duryodhana not to fight against the Pandavas because it is not in his interest. The war sis nothing except destruction. It is not always necessarity that victory could come in war. Greed and anger drag a man away from his motives. By defeating greed and anger one could hsav his state.

15.2 Why did Duryodhana not listen to Gandhari?

Ans. He did not listen to his mother’s(Gandhari’s) advice because:

(i) He was very ambitious and used to consider Pandavas his political rivals and enemies.’

(ii) He was very proud and angry. He can not get rid of his evil sense. At the same time he was not aware of the evil effects of the war.

15.3 Do you agree or not with the stand taken by Duryodhana? Give two reasons?

Ans. No, we do not agree with the stand taken by Duryodhana, because :

(i) He was proud and took the decision very quickly without knowing their conscquences.

(ii) He underestimated the power of the Pandavas who were both braves and kind. They were his cousins brothers. The proud and anger Duryodhana brought the decline of Kauravas power.

Ans 16.1 Colin Mackenzie was a famous engineer, Surveyor and cartographer, who was appointed as the first Surveyor General of India in 1815.

16.2 He collected information about Hampi from the priest of Virupaksha Temple.

16.3 The careful study and observation of these sources gave a new direction to scholars.

Ans. 17.1 The provision of separate electorates was not good for the country. It was like a poision in the political system. It had turned one community against another. As a result it had divided the nation and caused blood shed. Hence, we are a separate nation now.

13 17.2 Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel thought that the provision of separate electorates was like a poision in the political system. People turned into riotous. It cause bloodshed and divided the country. It has rather ruined the country.

17.3 The provision of separate electorates was the mischief o the British. They have gone but left their mischief behind. Obviously they deliberately introduced it to divided the people. Hence, the demand for separate electorate provoked anger amongst most nationalist.

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