Chapter 1: How, When, and Where
1. How Important Are Dates in History?
Historians once focused heavily on dates, debating when rulers were crowned or
battles were fought.
Common perception: "History = memorizing dates." But that's not entirely true.
o History is about changes over time—understanding what life was like then
compared to now.
o Example: Imagine sipping tea. Did people always drink tea? No! It became
popular gradually.
Key Idea: Not all events have a single starting date, like tea-drinking or British rule.
Some changes take years or even centuries.
2. Why Do We Need to Periodize History?
James Mill's Periodization:
o Divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods.
o Problems:
Oversimplifies history by focusing only on rulers’ religions.
Ignores the diversity of beliefs, cultures, and contributions of the
people.
Modern Periodization:
o Historians now prefer terms like Ancient, Medieval, and Modern.
o But "Modern" doesn't always mean progress:
During British rule, there was colonization, not liberty or equality.
Colonization:
When one country controls another, bringing political, social, and economic changes.
3. What Sources Do Historians Use?
Official Records:
o British administration documented everything: policies, reports, and
surveys.
o They believed that writing ensured better governance.
Surveys:
o Conducted to collect information about land, population, crops, etc.
o Example: Census held every 10 years to record data on caste, religion, and
occupations.
Museums & Archives:
o British established National Archives and museums (e.g., SPS Museum in
Kashmir) to preserve records.
4. What Do Official Records Miss?
Official records show only what the government wanted to highlight.
Other sources tell us about ordinary people:
o Diaries, autobiographies, letters, newspapers, folk tales, and songs.
o Example: Folk traditions in Jammu and Kashmir like Ladishah and Bhand
Pather depict the lives of common people.
5. Activities to Think About
Activity 1: Fig. 1
Look at the image of Brahmins offering Shastras to Britannia.
Observation: The picture shows an imperial perception—it suggests Indians willingly
handed over their culture to the British.
Activity 2: Sources 1 & 2
Compare the reports on the 1946 mutiny and the police strike:
Source 1 (Government Report): Focuses on controlling the mutiny.
Source 2 (Newspaper Report): Highlights the grievances of policemen.
6. Let’s Recall
1. True or False:
o James Mill divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, Christian. (False)
o Official documents help us understand what the people thought. (False)
o The British thought surveys were important for effective administration.
(True)
Key Takeaways
History isn’t just about dates—it’s about understanding changes over time.
Periodization and sources reflect how we see the past.
Different sources (official vs. personal) give different perspectives on history.
Activity: Look at Sources 1 and 2. Do you find any differences in the nature of
reporting? Explain what you observe.
Answer:
Observation: Source 1 might focus on official reports, providing structured, factual, and formal
accounts of events from a government perspective. Source 2, on the other hand, could be more
personal or anecdotal, such as letters or newspapers, reflecting public sentiments and individual
experiences.
Explanation: Official reports usually emphasize administrative efficiency and policy outcomes,
while other sources, like newspapers, often highlight public reactions, criticism, and societal
impacts. This creates a broader, multi-faceted understanding of historical events.
Let’s Recall
1. State whether true or false:
o (a) False – James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and
British (not Christian).
o (b) False – Official documents primarily reflect the thoughts and actions of the ruling
authorities, not the general public.
o (c) True – The British conducted surveys extensively, believing they were essential for
effective administration.
Let’s Discuss
2. What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James Mill offers?
Answer:
o James Mill’s periodisation oversimplifies Indian history by dividing it solely based on
the religion of the rulers.
o It neglects the cultural, economic, and social continuities across these periods.
o It fails to recognize the coexistence and contributions of various communities during
these times.
3. Why did the British preserve official documents?
Answer:
o The British preserved official documents to ensure continuity in administration and
reference for future governance.
o These records helped them justify their policies and maintain control over the population.
o They were also used as tools to project the British as efficient and benevolent rulers.
4. How will the information historians get from old newspapers be different from that found
in police reports?
Answer:
o Old newspapers provide insights into public opinion, cultural trends, and societal
reactions. They may also highlight marginalized voices and critique the authorities.
o Police reports, however, are focused on criminal incidents, law enforcement, and
government concerns. They often reflect the ruling power’s priorities and may lack
neutrality.
5.Discuss the significance of administrative reports and land surveys as a valuable source for
writing the history of the modern period of Jammu and Kashmir.
Answer:
Administrative reports document policies, governance, and socio-economic changes, shedding light
on British strategies and their impact on the region.
Land surveys provide detailed information on landholding patterns, agricultural practices, and
revenue systems, helping historians analyze the transformation of rural and tribal economies.
Together, these sources offer critical insights into how colonial policies shaped Jammu and Kashmir’s
socio-economic landscape.
Let’s Do
6. Can you think of examples of surveys in your world today? What can a historian derive from
such surveys?
Answer:
Examples:
Toy companies conducting surveys to understand children’s preferences.
Government censuses determining the number of children enrolled in school.
Online platforms surveying user preferences for better marketing strategies.
What historians can derive:
Surveys provide valuable data on societal trends, preferences, and economic activities.
They help historians understand how lifestyles, consumption patterns, and demographics evolved
over time.
7. 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.
Answer:
Official Records: Government policies, land reforms, and agricultural surveys.
Oral Histories: Interviews with tribal elders to capture traditional practices and changes over time.
Archival Documents: Old land revenue records and development plans.
Local Narratives: Folk songs, stories, and tribal art reflecting agricultural practices.
Newspapers: Reports on agricultural development or government initiatives in the area.
Visual Evidence: Photographs, satellite images, and maps showing land use changes.
کاورکں، ک:1بب
یریکاہہ؟
ایوقتجنرخیریںسبرثت۔اانںکتنےنیجںکےنکیریںپبدتسب
ےتت۔عمسچمیریکمصفیرییتانت۔آپنوگںکیکسےگک"میریررنلہکن
یصفیرییتانکنمہ۔" کیترترسہ؟
اسکپےنکع،یرییوقکھتےنواللیںکبرےمہ۔ییضمںیکتاورکیلہ
ہ"پ" اور"ب" کبتاتہ۔،ہوقکبرےمبتاتہ،ہ۔جہہیضکنابنحلساتہ
اپروبمہبیگمہہانںوںکبرےمیریسالتناتجہرےارتگتنجتہ۔ہانںوںکایہ
جیہسنجتت۔لککہحتاتہاورایسالاتہجحمیریےت،سلہ
ہ۔
م،ککسککرےےئپتیاآپسچسہکوگےئیکفپکشوعےئ؟نیکیکسبہتی
ےئآپھچسہکریگویںکباورریگویںکبینسپوگللصکطاتت؟صاخر
تھوقآپیننےہگکاخراتکچسپوگںیکست؟
یسیریسالہوقکتراتکطفلنتہ۔لوقہخصھلیمکحبسواضنکن
س۔
یریکمصفیرین
یننہضورینککعکخصیریکت،کنکںیوقکھتیقاتہ۔م،اوسنموگںن
ایتناےنےئپشوعنک،بیعتتوقکھتب۔
اسطح،یکمہکدونیتمکمئےئ،یمکیکشوعےئ،یماوررشےملیںک
آئ۔یسںیایےصمےئ۔ہانکصفایوقکےصمبناسہ،نککخصتنیھلم۔
پب،یریکیریںسکںجوانیہ؟اسکسیہکایوقتجیریصفجںاوربےواقتکحل
ت۔یبتوےںاورانکیلںپمکبت۔نرخنھوںکحبسبتوےںکبیگںکبنک،جانکت
ن،وتی،ج،اورنتکیری۔
یریکنایابستی
ابنرخنناعتیللہ۔ابوہتیہکوگکروبیےتت،کپااتاورےتت،شکیق
اتت،ببارکب،اورتفاوررشہکیل۔
م
」㐮 㘵جیزمکاوسنکیریکتان
م
1817م」㐮 㘵،جیزمن"ہیآفدٹاای" ل،جماسناوسنیریکتاتوارمتک :او،م،اور
دونی۔یتبمرےئلاسمکلئہ۔
مکینتکدونیتماوسنکبییفبسہ،کناسکباوسنیقناس۔لککتورک
صفاانکاہساننسہ؟کااسوقمااہکوگایھتنرہت؟
نررائسیریل
دونیتورکاکریتسویاتاہایتااہاتہ،لیصفحمکایتاورمتاتتےتہ۔عامک
ابتاورانکعکپککنسکلتیررائجکخط،اخرات،وےی،کنںاورعامروایتکطف
تیضوریہ۔
آپکآجکتورکاوےکیل؟
کآپآجکبینکاوےکیلتےسہ؟جانبنوالکںیننکلاوےاتہکبںککن
سانپہ؟
