Class 8 History MCQs Chapter 1: How When and Where

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Topic Wise MCQs: How When and Where

I. How Important are Dates?

1. What was the traditional focus of history?
a) The cultural and social changes that occurred over time.
b) The establishment of dates for events and battles.
c) The history of rulers and their policies.
d) The economic changes that occurred in society.

2. Why do people tend to associate history with dates?
a) Because specific dates can be determined for events such as wars and battles.
b) Because historians always write about dates in their texts.
c) Because people have always been fascinated with specific dates.
d) Because dates are the most important aspect of history.

3. Is it always possible to fix precise dates for historical processes?
a) Yes, it is always possible to fix precise dates for historical processes.
b) No, sometimes it is incorrect to fix precise dates for processes that happen over a period of time.
c) It depends on the type of historical process being examined.
d) Only major historical processes can be precisely dated.

4. What kinds of questions do historians ask in modern times?
a) Questions about the dates of significant events in history.
b) Questions about the economic and social changes that occurred in society.
c) Questions about the personal lives of rulers and kings.
d) Questions about the cultural and artistic achievements of a particular time period.

5. How has the focus of history changed in recent years?
a) Historians now focus more on the personal lives of rulers and kings.
b) Historians now focus more on the cultural and artistic achievements of a particular time period.
c) Historians now focus more on the economic and social changes that occurred in society.
d) Historians have not changed their focus in recent years.

Answers:

1. c) The history of rulers and their policies.
2. a) Because specific dates can be determined for events such as wars and battles.
3. b) No, sometimes it is incorrect to fix precise dates for processes that happen over a period of time.
4. b) Questions about the economic and social changes that occurred in society.
5. c) Historians now focus more on the economic and social changes that occurred in society.

Which dates?

1. Why do certain dates become significant in the study of history?
a) Because they mark important political events
b) Because they are linked to the activities of important personalities
c) Because they are associated with significant social and cultural changes
d) Because they have been recognized as important by previous historians

2. In the histories written by British historians in India, which of the following was considered important?
a) The activities of Indian society
b) The rule of each Governor-General
c) The cultural and religious practices of Indians
d) The trade and commerce activities of British East India Company

3. Why do historians divide history into chapters?
a) To make it easier to follow
b) To ensure that each event is given equal importance
c) To highlight the role of specific personalities in history
d) To demonstrate the interconnectedness of events

4. How does the focus of study influence the significance of certain dates in history?
a) It makes previously important dates less significant
b) It makes previously insignificant dates more important
c) It has no impact on the significance of dates in history
d) It depends on the type of events being studied

5. What does the author suggest as a solution to the problem of excluding the activities of Indians in histories that revolve around British Governor-Generals?
a) Writing a separate history of Indian society
b) Incorporating the activities of Indians into the existing format
c) Changing the format of the history
d) Ignoring the activities of Indians entirely

Answers:

1. b) Because they are linked to the activities of important personalities
2. b) The rule of each Governor-General
3. a) To make it easier to follow
4. b) It makes previously insignificant dates more important
5. c) Changing the format of the history

How do we periodise?

1. What was James Mill’s periodisation of Indian history and why did it become widely accepted?
a) Hindu, Muslim and British periods, because he believed British rule was necessary for India’s progress.
b) Ancient, medieval and modern periods, because it was a Western concept.
c) Pre-British, British and post-British periods, because it reflected the key changes in India’s history.

2. What problem do historians find with James Mill’s periodisation of Indian history?
a) It only takes into account the religion of the rulers at the time.
b) It divides Indian history into too many periods, making it difficult to understand.
c) It reflects a biased perspective that British rule was necessary for India’s progress.

3. Why do historians try to divide history into different periods?
a) To capture the central features of a time and demarcate the difference between periods.
b) To make history easier to remember.
c) To identify the key figures who shaped history.

4. What is the problem with dividing Indian history into ‘ancient’, ‘medieval’ and ‘modern’ periods?
a) It is a Western concept that does not accurately reflect India’s history.
b) It suggests that modernity is associated with science, reason, democracy, liberty and equality.
c) It does not take into account the period of British colonial rule.

5. What do historians mean when they refer to the period of British rule in India as ‘colonial’?
a) It was a period of economic growth and progress.
b) It was a period of equality, freedom and liberty.
c) It reflects the fact that India was under British colonial rule during that time.

Answers:

1. a) Hindu, Muslim and British periods, because he believed British rule was necessary for India’s progress.
2. c) It reflects a biased perspective that British rule was necessary for India’s progress.
3. a) To capture the central features of a time and demarcate the difference between periods.
4. b) It suggests that modernity is associated with science, reason, democracy, liberty and equality.
5. c) It reflects the fact that India was under British colonial rule during that time.

What is a colonial?

1. What is colonialism?
a) The process of gaining independence from a colonial power.
b) The process of subjugating one country to political, economic, social and cultural changes by another country.
c) The process of establishing colonies on foreign lands for the purpose of settlement and exploitation.
d) The process of forming alliances with other countries to expand territory and resources.

2. What are some of the changes brought about by British rule mentioned in the passage?
a) The establishment of local government.
b) The promotion of traditional values and customs.
c) The expansion of economic opportunities for all classes.
d) The imposition of British culture and practices.

3. How did different groups experience the changes brought about by British rule?
a) They all experienced the changes in the same way.
b) The lower classes experienced the changes more positively than the upper classes.
c) The upper classes experienced the changes more positively than the lower classes.
d) Different classes and groups experienced the changes differently.

4. What is the significance of the title “Our Pasts”?
a) It refers to the history of British colonization in India.
b) It emphasizes the diversity of experiences during British rule.
c) It highlights the importance of traditional Indian customs and practices.
d) It suggests that the book is a comprehensive history of India.

Answers:

1. b) The process of subjugating one country to political, economic, social and cultural changes by another country.
2. d) The imposition of British culture and practices.
3. d) Different classes and groups experienced the changes differently.
4. b) It emphasizes the diversity of experiences during British rule.

II. How do We Know?

Administration produces records

1. What was the primary belief of the British administration when it came to writing?
a) Writing was a waste of time
b) Writing was an important tool for studying and debating
c) Writing was only necessary for personal use
d) Writing was a skill that only a few people possessed

2. Why did the British administration set up record rooms?
a) To keep track of all their official documents
b) To preserve all important records and letters
c) To help historians write about Indian history
d) To provide a space for calligraphists to practice their craft

3. Which administrative institutions had record rooms?
a) Only the collectorate and provincial secretariats
b) Only the lawcourts and archives
c) All administrative institutions
d) None of the above

4. What is the significance of the notes and reports that district officials prepared?
a) They provide insight into the thoughts and actions of lower-level administrators
b) They are useless and not worth studying
c) They were destroyed by the British administration
d) They were only written in the early years of the nineteenth century

5. How were documents copied out in the early years of the nineteenth century?
a) They were typed on a typewriter
b) They were photocopied
c) They were written by calligraphists
d) They were printed as proceedings of each government department.

Answers:

1. b) Writing was an important tool for studying and debating
2. b) To preserve all important records and letters
3. c) All administrative institutions
4. a) They provide insight into the thoughts and actions of lower-level administrators
5. c) They were written by calligraphists

Surveys become important:

1. Why did the British undertake surveys in India?
a) To map the entire country
b) To study the history of India
c) To know about the local cuisine
d) To promote tourism in India

2. Which of the following was NOT studied in the revenue surveys carried out in villages?
a) Soil quality
b) Cropping pattern
c) Local histories
d) Local politics

3. What was the frequency of Census operations held in India from the end of the nineteenth century?
a) Every five years
b) Every ten years
c) Every fifteen years
d) Every twenty years

4. Which of the following surveys was NOT carried out in India during the colonial period?
a) Botanical surveys
b) Zoological surveys
c) Archaeological surveys
d) Astronomical surveys

5. What kind of information was recorded in the Census operations carried out in India?
a) Information on castes, religions and occupation
b) Information on fashion trends
c) Information on popular movies
d) Information on local languages spoken

Answers:

1. a) To map the entire country
2. d) Local politics
3. b) Every ten years
4. d) Astronomical surveys
5. a) Information on castes, religions and occupation

What official records do not tell

1. What do official records tell us about a country’s history?
a) What the officials thought
b) What the people felt and experienced
c) What lay behind people’s actions
d) None of the above

2. What types of sources can we look to in order to understand the perspectives of those who were not literate?
a) Diaries of people
b) Accounts of pilgrims and travellers
c) Autobiographies of important personalities
d) Popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars

3. What new sources of information became available as printing spread?
a) Autobiographies of important personalities
b) Accounts of pilgrims and travellers
c) Poems and novels
d) Newspapers

4. What type of people do official records not help us understand?
a) Tribals and peasants
b) Workers in the mines
c) The poor on the streets
d) All of the above

5. What must we do in order to understand how history was experienced and lived by those who were not literate?
a) Read diaries and autobiographies
b) Look to popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars
c) Make a little bit of effort
d) All of the above

Answers:

1. a) What the officials thought
2. d) Popular booklets that were sold in the local bazaars
3. d) Newspapers
4. d) All of the above
5. c) Make a little bit of effort