ANNUAL SYLLABUS: SESSION-2025-26
(CLASS-XII)
SUBJECT- HISTORY (027)
Book 1 CHAPTER 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones: The Harappan Civilization The
Themes in Indian Story of the First Cities: Harappan Archaeology:
History Part- 1 Broad overview: Early urban centres. Story of discovery: Harappan civilization.
Excerpt: Archaeological report on a major site.
Discussion: How it has been utilized by archaeologists/historians. Map work
Chapter 2: Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies (c.600
BCE 600 CE) Political and Economic History: How Inscriptions tell a story.
Broad overview: Political and economic history from the Mauryan to the Gupta
period.
Story of discovery: Inscriptions and the decipherment of the script. Shifts in the
understanding of political and economic history. Excerpt: Asokan inscription
and Gupta period land grant. Discussion: Interpretation of inscriptions by
historians.
CHAPTER 3. Kinship, Caste and Class, Early Societies ( c.600 BCE 600
CE)
Social Histories: Using the Mahabharata:
Broad overview: Issues in social history, including caste, class, kinship and
gender.
Story of discovery: Transmission and publications of the Mahabharata.
Excerpt: from the Mahabharata, illustrating how it has been used by historians.
Discussion: Other sources for reconstructing social history.
Map work Homework and project work for summer vacations. CHAPTER 4:
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings: Cultural developments (c.600 BCE - 600
CE) A History of Buddhism: Sanchi Stupa
Broad overview: A brief review of religious histories of Vedic religion, Jainism,
Vaishnavism, Saivism (Puranic Hinduism). Focus on Buddhism.
Story of discovery: Sanchi stupa.
Excerpt: Reproduction of sculptures from Sanchi.
Discussion: Ways in which sculpture has been interpreted by historians
Map Work
Book 2 CHAPTER 5: Through The Eyes of Travellers: Perception of Society (c.
Themes in Indian Tenth to Seventeenth century) Medieval Society through Travellers'
History Part-2 Accounts:
Broad Overview: Outline of social and cultural life as they appear in travellers
accounts.
Story of their writings: A discussion of where they travelled, why they travelled,
what they wrote, and for whom they wrote. Excerpts: from Alberuni, Ibn
Battuta, Francois Bernier.
Discussion- What these travel accounts can tell us and how they have been
interpreted by historians.
CHAPTER 6: The Bhakti-Sufi Traditions: Changes in religious beliefs and
devotional texts (c.Eighth to Eigthteenth century)
Broad overview:
(a)Outline of religious developments during this period.
(b)Ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints. Story of Transmission: How
Bhakti-Sufi compositions have been preserved. Excerpt: Extracts from selected
Bhakti-Sufi works.
Discussion on Ways in which these have been interpreted by historians
Chapter 7: An Imperial Capital Vijayanagara (c.Fourteenth to Sixteenth
century)
Broad overview:
(a) Outline of new buildings during Vijayanagar period-temples, forts,
irrigation facilities.
(b) Relationship between architecture and the political system. Story of
Discovery: Account of how Hampi was found.
Excerpt: Visuals of buildings at Hampi.
Discussion: Ways in which historians have analysed and interpreted these
structures.
Map work
Chapter 8: Peasants, Zamindars and The State: Agrarian society and the
Mughal empire (c.Sixteenth-Seventeenth centuries) Agrarian Relations:
The Ain-i- Akbari
Broad overview:
(a)Structure of agrarian relations in the 16th and 17th centuries.
(b)Patterns of change over the period.
Story of Discovery: Account of the compilation and translation of Ain-i-Akbari.
Excerpt: from the Ain-i-Akbari Discussion: Ways in which historians have used
the text to reconstruct history.
Syllabus of mid-term Examination to be completed by 06/09/2025
DISCUSSION ON QUESTION PAPER
PROJECT WORK
Book 3 CHAPTER 9: Colonialism And the Countryside: Exploring Official
Themes in Indian Archives)
History Part-3 Broad overview:
(a)Life of zamindars, peasants and artisans in the late 18th century
(b)East India Company, revenue settlements and surveys. (c)Changes over the
nineteenth century.
Official records: An account of why official investigations into rural societies
were undertaken and the types of records and reports produced. Excerpts: From
Fifth Report, Accounts of Frances Buchanan-Hamilton and Deccan Riots
Report. Discussion: What the official records tell and do not tell, and how they
have been used by historians.
Map work.
CHAPTER 10: Rebels and the Raj- The Revolt of 1857 and Its
Representations
Broad overview: The events of 1857-58. How these events were recorded and
narrated?
Focus: Lucknow.
Excerpts: Pictures of 1857. Extracts from contemporary accounts.
Discussion: How the pictures of 1857 shaped British opinion of what had
happened.
Map Work
CHAPTER 11: Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement: Civil
Disobedience and Beyond
Broad overview:
(a)The Nationalist Movement 1918- 48.
(b)The nature of Gandhian politics and leadership.
Focus: Mahatma Gandhi and the three movements and his last days as “finest
hours”
Excerpts: Reports from English and Indian language newspapers and other
contemporary writings.
Discussion: How newspapers can be a source of history.
Map work
CHAPTER 12: Framing the Constitution The Beginning of a New Era
Broad overview:
(a)Independence and the new nation state.
(b)The making of the Constitution.
Focus: The Constitutional Assembly debates.
Excerpts: from the debates.
Discussion: What such debates reveal and how they can be analysed.
Map work
Project Work
● Entire Syllabus to be completed by 06/12/2025
