Coloured
Coloured
SOCIAL SCIENCE
A Book With a Difference
Based on New NCERT Textbooks and CBSE Guidelines
OurPasts-III(History)•ResourcesandDevelopment(Geography)•SocialandPoliticalLife-III(Civics)
CLASS VIII
R K Gupta
&
Muskaan Gupta
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PREFACE
This book Social Science is a step towards achieving excellence and has
been written strictly as per the latest NCERT textbook and CBSE guidelines for students
associated with class VIII.
We are confident that Social Science will prove useful for all students. Any
suggestion for the improvement of the book shall be gracefully accepted and appreciated.
Authors
(v)
CONTENTS
HISTORY
Our PastsIII
(1137)
Pages
1. Introduction: How, When and Where ... 2
2. From Trade to Territory: The Company Establishes Power ... 13
3. Ruling the Countryside ... 35
4. Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age ... 51
5. When People Rebel: 1857 and After ... 67
6. Civilising the Native, Educating the Nation ... 83
7. Women, Caste and Reform ... 98
8. The Making of the National Movement : 1870s1947 ... 115
GEOGRAPHY
Resources and Development
(139223)
1. Resources ... 140
2. Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources ... 151
3. Agriculture ... 173
4. Industries ... 192
5. Human Resources ... 211
(vii)
CIVICS
Social and Political LifeIII
(225351)
Unit One: The Indian Constitution and Secularism
1. The Indian Constitution ... 226
2. Understanding Secularism ... 243
Watch me
on
• Facts to Remember
• Glossary and Word Origin
• Solved NCERT Textbook Exercises/ Intext Questions and Activities
• Additional Important Questions with their Answers
• Map Work for Practice
• Test Your Knowledge Exercises for Self Evaluation
Visit us at www.newagegolden.com
1
INTRODUCTION: HOW, WHEN AND WHERE
+ I. FACTS TO REMEMBER
l History has been associated with dates and events. It is about before
and after.
l Initially, it was an account of battles and big events; about rulers and their
policies. Dates were important because a certain event happened on that
date.
l James Mill wrote a three volume book, A History of British India in 1817.
In this he divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim and
British.
l According to Mill, all Asiatic societies were at a lower level of civilization
than Europe. Before British rule, India was dominated by religious
intolerance, caste system and bigotry.
l Historians divide history intoAncient, Medieval and Modern periods.
This division has been borrowed from the West.
l Modern period is associated with growth of science, reason, democracy
etc. but these features were not visible in India during British rule.
l British considered art of writing as important. All their plans, policies and
instructions were written. They preserved their official documents in record
rooms, archives or museums.
l Surveying was very important during colonial period. These gave details
about British territory and their rule.
l Diaries of people, biographies and autobiographies give details about literate
people of that time.
Watch me on
INTRODUCTION: HOW, WHEN AND WHERE 3
Lets imagine
Imagine that you are a historian wanting to find out about how agriculture
changed in a remote tribal area after independence. List the different
ways in which you would find information on this.
Answers:
l Manuscripts (handwritten or original documents).
l Records.
l Documents and letters.
l National Archives.
l Surveys.
l Official documents, letters and memos.
l Interview with old tribal persons.
Lets recall
1. State whether true or false:
(a) James Mill divided Indian history into three periodsHindu, Muslim,
Christian.
(b) Official documents help us understand what the people of the country
think.
(c) The British thought surveys were important for effective
administration.
Answers:
(a) True (b) False (c) True.
Lets discuss
2. What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James
Mill offers?
Ans. Problem with the periodisation of Indian history:
It is difficult to refer to any period of history on the basis of faith of
ruler. Many faiths co-exist at a particular time.
Such as, Kabir Panthi, Sikhs, Sufis, in North; and Shaivism, Vaishnavism etc. in
South.
More so, during Ancient period, not all the rulers followed same faith.
Examples: Hindus in south India, such as Vijaynagar Empire,
Muslims, Sultans in North.
3. Why did the British preserve official documents ?
Ans. The British preserved documents because of the following reasons:
l Any information or proof of any decision can be read/used from the
preserved documents.
l The preserved documents reveal the progress made by a country in the
past.
l Their copies may be made and used in modern times.
l Documents were helpful in understanding social, economical and history
of that times.
4. How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different
from that found in police reports ?
Ans. The information, the historians get from old newspapers is different from
that found in police reports. Reasons:
Police records are true and pragmatic.
Information printed in newspapers is affected by the views and thinking
of the correspondents, news editors, etc.
Lets do
5. Can you think of examples of surveys in your world today? Think about
how toy companies get information about what young people enjoy playing
with or how the government finds out about the number of young people
in school. What can a historian derive from such surveys ?
Answer to be attempted by the students.
Hints:
Surveys are done by government and private companies.
On demographic changes, employment, incomes, tastes, interests,
possessions, etc.
Manually or with use of technology.
At different places like homes, schools, institutions, malls, etc.
Historians may get information about preferences, life style, demographic
changes, political, social, economic life, etc.
INTRODUCTION: HOW, WHEN AND WHERE 5
Examples:
l British historians in India emphasised the rule of each Governor-General.
l These historians began with the rule of the first Governor-General, Warren
Hastings and finished with the last Viceroy, Lord Mountbatten.
Q. 1.7. Name the prominent five Governor Generals who governed
India between 1773 and 1857.
Ans. l Warren Hastings l Lord Irwin
l Lord Canning.
brutally.
l As per Mill, British rule was able to civilise India. For this European
democracy and liberty. But we were under British rule, without any
of these features.
l India lacked growth and progress during this time.
2. HOW DO WE KNOW?
+ VII. ACTIVITIES
Activity 1
Look carefully at Fig. 1 and write a paragraph explaining how this image
projects an imperial perception. (See NCERT Textbook, page 1)
Ans. Related Points
l Rennel was asked by Robert Clive to produce maps of Hindustan.
l Rennel was an enthusiastic supporter of British conquest of India.
l The picture here suggests that Indians willingly gave over their ancient
Activity 2
Interview your mother or another member of your family to find out about
their life. Now divide their life into different periods and list out the significant
events in each period. Explain the basis of your periodisation.
(NCERT Textbook, page 3)
Ans. Do this activity yourself.
Hints: Mothers life
l Early childhood l Educational period
Activity 3
Look at Sources 1 and 2. Do you find any differences in the nature of reporting ?
Explain what you observe. (Sources: NCERT Textbook, page 5 and page 7)
Study the sources and write your observations:
Ans. Yes, we find differences in the nature of reporting:
l Source 1 is the report given by the Director of Intelligence. This report is
Watch me
on
• Facts to Remember
• Glossary and Word Origin
• Solved NCERT Textbook Exercises/ Intext Questions and Activities
• Additional Important Questions with their Answers
• Map Work for Practice
• Test Your Knowledge Exercises for Self Evaluation
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