Periodisation
James Mill divided Indian History into 3 parts, Hindu, Muslim and Christian. Is this statement true or false? If not, correct the error.
No, It is British, not Christian.
Who is a historian?
A person who studies or who is an expert in history
Whom did Robert Clive ask to produce the maps of Hindustan?
James Rennel
Name types of surveys taken by the british.
Botanical surveys, Zoological surveys, Archaeological surveys, Anthropological surveys and Forest surveys.
This is an image that was used in several books by the British. Briefly explain what the picture represents.
file:///Users/lakshmannagar/Downloads/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-25%20at%202.52.26%20PM-converted.pdf
The picture represents the rebels as greedy, vicious and brutal.
On which basis did the British divide Indian history?
They divided history on basis of religion.
What practices dominated social life in India?
Religious intolerance , caste taboos and superstitions
Who was the first governor general of India?
General Warren Hastings
Where were records preserved during British rule?
The village tahsildar’s office, the collectorate, the commissioner’s office, the provincial secretariats, the lawcourts had record rooms.
Important records were preserved in archives and museums.
Who is the man in the following picture? What is the painting projecting him as?
file:///Users/lakshmannagar/Downloads/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-25%20at%206.26.27%20PM-converted.pdf
The man in the picture is Warren Hastings, governor-general of India in 1773. The painting projected him as a powerful figure.
Why do we try to divide history into different periods?
We do so in an attempt to capture the characterstics of a time.
How did old advertisements help in popularising products?
Advertisements helped in popularising products by associating them with the royals. This technique often brought attention to the product and popularised new tastes.
Who was the last viceroy of India?
Lord Mountbatten
How important are dates in history?
Dates become important in history because we need to record history to make some sense and be followed.
Dates also help historians to focus on those particular events about which they are writing.
What is happening in the following picture?
file:///Users/lakshmannagar/Downloads/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-25%20at%205.17.17%20PM-converted%20(3).pdf
Brahmans offering the Shastras to Britannia, frontispiece to the first map produced by James Rennel, 1782
What did Mill think of Asian societies?
Mill thought that all Asian societies were at a lower level of civilisation than Europe. According to his telling of history, before the British came to India, Hindu and Muslim despots ruled the country. Religious intolerance, caste taboos and superstitious practices dominated social life.
What is colonialism?
Colonialism is a policy in which a stronger power (government/nation) takes control of another nation/area with the aim of economic dominance. Colonisers impose their religion, economics, language and practices upon the people.
Who was James mill? Name one of his works.
James Mill was a Scottish economist and political philosopher. He published a three-volume work called 'A History of British India.'
What things did the official records not tell?
The official records did not let us know how the people felt about the action and laws imposed on them.
What plant is shown in the following picture? Why did the British collect plant specimens?
file:///Users/lakshmannagar/Downloads/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-25%20at%206.22.26%20PM-converted.pdf
The picture shows a custard apple plant. Plant collecting was needed for purposes of research and cultivation. Botanical gardens and natural history museums established by the British collected plant specimens and information about their uses. Artists were asked to draw pictures of these specimens to keep a record. They also used this to know the topography.
How do historians divide the history of India?
Historians usually divided Indian history into three categories that were-
Ancient
Medieval
Modern
What sources were used by historians in writing the History of the British rule over India?
The following are the sources used by historians-
-The official records of the British administration.
-The letters and documents that were preserved carefully.
-Records preserved from the administration offices.
-The surveys that were taken by the colonial government.
Name any three British governors in India during the British rule.
Warren Hastings, Lord Mountbatten, Wellesley, Bentinck, Dalhousie, Canning, Lawrence, Lytton, Ripon, Curzon, Harding, Irwin.
The Periodisation of Indian History made by James Mill during 1817 was unjustified. Why?
The problem with James Mill periodisation is unjustified as-
-It is not accurate to refer to any period of history as 'Hindu' , 'Muslim' because a various faiths existed simultaneously in those times/periods.
-It is also not justified to characterise an age through the religion of the rulers of the time. this gives the impression that the lives and practices of the local people did not really matter.
-Naming a period of time as 'British' also implies that before the british rule, the Asian societies were at a lower level of civilization.
Name the structure shown in the picture. Where was the structure located and when did it come up? What does it reflect about the British?
file:///Users/lakshmannagar/Downloads/Screen%20Shot%202021-06-25%20at%206.26.52%20PM-converted.pdf
-The National Archives of India
-It came up in the 1920s. When New Delhi was built, the National Museum and the National Archives were both located close to the Viceregal Palace.
-This location reflects the importance these institutions had in the British imagination.