Reconstructing History - Workbook Answer sheet

 

1. Reconstructing History

 

1.Fill in the blanks(R)

a)     The state of society and economy during the age of Mauryas was depicted in the book Arthashastra.

b)    The word ‘history’ has its origins in the Greek word historia which means Learning/knowing by inquiry.

c)     Dionysius Exiguus invented the AD/BC concept.

d)    A timeline tells us the sequence in which events happen.

 

2. Name the following: (R/U)

a)     The writings engraved on a coin, medal or a monument.
Inscription

b)    Manmade objects that have historical or cultural significance.
Artefacts

c)     The stories or legends based on common people’s life.
Folk tales

d)    A written collection of one’s memories.
Memoirs

 

3.Choose the appropriate option.(U/AP)

 

a)     Which category of books would the Panchatantra, Hitopdesha, jatakas fall under?

i)      Memoirs

ii)     Biographies

iii)  Folk tales

iv)   Autobiographies

 

b)    What do coins give us information about?

i)      The territorial extent of the ruler

ii)     The religious and cultural state of various ages.

iii)   The advancement made in metallurgy during the period.

iv)  All of the above.

 

c)     Which of these periods is an example of Proto History?

i)     Chalcolithic age

ii)     Neolithic age

iii)   The Mauryan Age

iv)   The Sangam Age

 

d)    Who were the two groups of people who entered India from the Northwestern regions?
i) Iranians and Greeks
ii) Afghans and Iranians

iii) Turks and Afghans
iv) Chinese and Arabs

4. Answer the following in one sentence.(R)

a)What are the two forms of literary sources that help us to reconstruct history of India?

Manuscripts or as textual literature

 

b) Name the language used to write the Sangam literature.

Tamil.

c) Why do the works written by foreign travellers have to be read with some   caution?

As some of the travellers made certain observations about India which are not     correct.

 

e)    What kind of information do religious scriptures provide us with?
Information about the social, political, cultural and religious life of people is known through the study of scriptures.

5. Answer the following questions in detail.(AP/EV)

 

a. Describe the influence of geography in shaping the history of India.

The geography of a country plays a significant role in shaping its history. The Southern, peninsular part of the Indian sub-continent is surrounded by seas, while the Himalayas in the North and mountain ranges of the East and West separate North India from the rest of Asia. Nevertheless, the Bolan, Gomal and Khyber passes in the Northwest, allowed the early migration of various races from Central and West Asia to invade India. Passes along the Northern Mountains linked with Central Asia and Tibet, assisted in the spread of Buddhism into these regions. In the northeast mountains, there are fewer passes, which effectively kept China separated from India. However, the importance of the Himalayas and mountain ranges has more to do with the fact that the two great perennial river systems, the Indus and the Ganga, arise from them. Both these systems gave rise to the fertile northern plains on which arose the ancient civilisation.The navigability of the northern rivers helped internal trade and commerce; Ancient river ports such as Kanauj, Banaras (present-day Varanasi), Pataliputra (present-day Patna) and Prayag (present-day Prayagraj) became centres of trade. This, along with the productivity of the fertile plains, helped the growth of large kingdoms. To the south of the Gangetic plain are the Vindhya Ranges. They cut across the middle of the subcontinent, thus, acting as a barrier between the northern and the southern parts of the subcontinent. This led to the creation of two distinct cultures – the Vedic culture of the North and the Dravidian culture of the South.

 

b. How does the religious literature helps us to reconstruct the Indian history?

Information about the social, political, cultural and religious life of people is known through the study of scriptures. They provide us with information about the social conditions and religious beliefs during Vedic and later Vedic period. The four Vedas – the Rig Veda , the Yajur Veda , the Sama Veda , and the Atharva Veda belong to the ancient religious texts. Other ancient texts comprise of the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas, the Upanishads, the Epics – Ramayana and Mahabharata , and the Puranas . The Jain texts composed in 6th century CE impart with the information on political history of present-day eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The religious books of the Buddhists provide information about the historical personalities and incidents. They throw light on the life of the Gautam Buddha and some of his contemporaries.

 

c. Evaluate the importance of studying history.

The study of history helps us understand how the present world evolved over long centuries of development. It tells us about the history of the present. We all live in a society, but it was not the way we see it.  History makes us aware about these pasts. It takes us to another age, another world in which people lived their lives differently. Their food, clothes, buildings, society, economy, faiths, beliefs, arts and crafts were completely different. History equips us with the knowledge and understanding of the past, which is necessary for coping with the present. Subsequently, it helps us to plan for a better future. People who lived before us made several discoveries and inventions which eventually transformed many societies. The study of history explicates how such changes have taken place over a period of time. These changes were apparently so small and often so gradual that their impact was not even noticedby the people atthat point in time. It is only when we study about the past; we observe such changes and its impact. It is not merely about the kings, queens, great men or their conquests and policies. It is also about the lives and activities of ordinary people. One can develop important qualities and skills by studying history. Therefore it becomes essential to study history to understand how our pasts have shaped the present.

 

 

6.Classify the following archaeological sources.(AN/AP)

 

TajMahal, Rig Veda, Buttons,Aranyakas,Konark Sun Temple,Ramayana,  pots ,Red fort, Upanishads, jewellery, SanchiStupa, Puranas

 

Literature	Artefacts	Monuments
Rig Veda Aranyakas Ramayana Upanishads Puranas	Buttons Pots jewellery	TajMahal Konark Sun Temple Red fort SanchiStupa

 

7) ‘Coins give us information that no other source does.’ Justify the statement. (AN/EV)

The metal used in the coins indicates the advancement made in metallurgy during the period. They also throw light on the economic history of the era. Coins tell us about the territorial extent of the ruler as well as the chronology of a ruling dynasty. The images on the coins help us in interpreting the religious and cultural state of various ages. For example, the coins of Chandragupta II bear the figure of Goddess Lakshmi, whereas gold coins of his successor Kumargupta I show him as a devotee of God Kartikeya.

 

8. Why do historians break history into periods or phases? (EV/CR)

     Refer Textbook chapter for answer