Detailed explanations in West Bengal Board Class 8 History Book Solutions Chapter 1 The Idea of History offer valuable context and analysis.
WBBSE Class 8 History Chapter 1 Question Answer – The Idea of History
Multiple Choice Questions & Answers :
Question 1.
Present can be known from –
i) present
ii) past
iii) future
Aus :
ii) past
Question 2.
Photograph can tell a lot about-
i) cconomic history
ii) social history
iii) political history
iv) all of these are true
Answer:
iv) all of these are true
Question 3.
Chandragupta Naurya was a-
i) Budhist
ii) mughal
iii) jaina
iv) parsian
Answer:
iii) jaina
Question 4.
Indians proved that they were not-
i) uncivilized
ii) civilized
iii) developed
Answer:
i) uncivilized
Question 5.
The history of different countries is-
i) different
ii) not different
Answer:
i) different
Question 6.
Rajabali was written for dealing about-
i) ancient Intia
ii) modern India
iii) the kings
Answer:
iii) the kings
Question 7.
James Mill divided Indian histery into-
i) ancient, mediaval, modern period
ii) Hindu, Muslim, Briritsh period [
Answer:
ii) Hindu, Muslim. Briritsh period
Question 8.
Titumir, Birsa, Munda were-
i) terrorist
ii) touble maker
iii) freedom fighters
Answer:
iii) freedom fighters
Question 9.
Who had declared, Siraj-ud-dullaho had ordered to kill ihe innecent British employes-
i) Indian historian
ii) British historian
iii) All historians
Answer:
ii) British historian
Question 10.
Two photographs taken by the different persons upon the same subject, may be hold up-
i) different meanings
ii) same meanings
Answer:
i) different meanings
Question 11.
“You and I andeveryone together will write our own history” Said-
i) Rabindranath
ii) Vivekananda
iii) Saratchandra
iv) Bankimchandra
Answer:
iv) Bankimchandra
Fill in the blanks :
Question 1.
We must drop the false ________ that history of the countries need be same.
Answer:
belief.
Question 2.
The present dis-determined by the ________.
Answer:
past.
Question 3.
The logic tha the British rulers put up for establishing a colony in India, was this that Indians were ________.
Answer:
Uncivilized
Question 4.
The Indians proud the existence of ________ history.
Answer:
indigenous.
Question 5.
James Mill has dividied Indian history into ________ parts.
Answer:
Three.
Question 6.
The history book written by Mrityunjay Bidyalankar is ________.
Answer:
Rajabali
Question 7.
The historian writes ________ in accordiance to the way of his understanding and finding of an incident.
Answer:
History.
Question 8.
In Indian history British period was named after the name of the ________.
Answer:
nation.
Question 9.
Accrording to Mill in Indian history Muslim period was ________.
Answer:
‘the dark age’
Question 10.
Through ________ a powerful country dominates a comperatively weak nation.
Answer:
imperialism.
Question 11.
Photographs cannot always be treated as ________ cvidence.
Answer:
absolute
Question 12.
There are ________ sources of writing modern history.
Answer:
various
State whether True or False:
Question 1.
There will be no problem if the history is written by own.
Answer:
False.
Question 2.
James Mill divided Indian history into History of Hindu, Muslim and British.
Answer:
True.
Question 3.
There is a possibility of the historian, pulling of there personal opinion into an objective analysis of history.
Answer:
True.
Question 4.
Allan Oetavian Hume has entire credit for the foundation of Indian National Congress.
Answer:
False
Question 5.
The meaning of two photograph on same subject can be diferent.
Answer:
True.
Question 6.
There is no realation between imperialism and colonialisma.
Answer:
False.
Question 7.
According to Bankimchandra Bengaliees have to write their own history.
Answer:
True.
Question 8.
Titumir was a freedom fighter.
Answer:
True.
Question 9.
Paintings, maps, posters, newspapers, advertisements provide historical data.
Answer:
True.
Question 10.
Source material for modern history is not easily available.
Answer:
False.
Match the column A with column B.
Column A | Column B |
a) Bimbisara | i) a Buddhist |
b) The word modern refers to | ii) ‘History of British India’ |
c) Different individuals have viewed | iii) was a Bhuddhist |
d) History is not the same | iv) for the Hindu rulers |
e) Bimbisar was | v) wrote Rajabali |
f) In 1817 James Mill wrote | vi) history differently |
g) Mill wrote that the Muslim period | vii) whatever is recent |
h) In 1808 Mrityunjoy Vidyalankar | viii) was the dark age of Indian History ix) in all countries |
i) Mill had little respect | Column B |
Answer:
a) Bimbisara was a Bhuddhist.
b) The word modern refers to whatever is recent.
c) Different individuals have viewed history differently.
d) History is not the same in all countries.
e) Bimbisar was a Buddhist.
f) In 1817 James Mill wrote ‘Histc of British India’.
g) Mill wrote that the Muslim period was the dark age of Indian History.
h) In 1808 Mrityunjoy Vidyalankar wrote Rajabali.
i) Mill had little respect for the Hindu rulers.
Appropriate explanation:
a) The British established their rule in Indian cause-
i) to civilise the uncivilised Indians.
ii) to spread impreialism
iii) to spread their trade and commerce.
Answer:
to spread imperialism.
b) the indigo cultivator cultivated indigo because-
i) it was most profitable
ii) the indigo cultivator borrowed moncy from British.
iii) to pay off their loan.
Answer:
to pay off their loan
c) The Bengalees have to write their own history because-
i) the history of Bangalees written by British is full of wrong.
ii) the foreigners do not know how to write history.
iii) the foreigners do not know Bengali languages.
Answer:
The history of Bengalees written by British is full of wrong.
Answer in a sentence :
Question 1.
The history of India that we read, memorise for examinations is mearly a nightmare of the dark time of India-Who said this?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore said this.
Question 2.
By what is the present determined?
Answer:
The present is determined by Past.
Question 3.
What was the logic put up by the British for establishing British rule in India?
Answer:
The logic was that it was their duty to civilize the uncivilized Indians.
Question 4.
What was the counter logic of Indians?
Answer:
The Indians argued that Indian history is not less glorious than British history.
Question 5.
What is in history besides the name of the king emperor or the desemiption of the battel?
Answer:
Britsh these there are many arguments in favour and against in history.
Question 6.
‘History is not the same in all countries’–Who said this?
Answer:
Rabindranath Tagore said this.
Question 7.
Why did Bankim chandra say-A Bengali has to write the history of Bengalis.
Answer:
He said this because the historty of Bengali writter by the foreigners are full of errors.
Question 8.
Why will the problem not be solved if we write our own history?
Answer:
Becasue history is wirten according to the writer’s view and realization.
Question 9.
Why arguments are arisen about the sequence of same incdient?
Answer:
Because the eyes and mind vary with the variation of the person.
Question 10.
What are the different ages of Indian history?
Answer:
The different ages of Indian history are ancient medieval and modern.
Question 11.
What is the name of the book of Mrityunjay Bidyalankar?
Answer:
The name of the history book of Mrilty unjay Vidylankar in Rajabali.
Question 12.
From where Mrityunjay Bidyalankar started counting history
Answer:
He started counting history from the period of Yudhistira of Mahabharata.
Question 13.
What is the name of the book written by James Mill?
Answer:
The name of the book written by James Mill is History of British India.
Question 14.
How did Mill divide Indian history?
Answer:
Mill divided Indian History into Hindu, Muslim and British period.
Question 15.
From whose writing the era division was based on the religion of the ruler?
Answer:
From Mills writing the era division was based on the religion of the ruler.
Question 16.
How was Mill’s periodisation Changed?
Answer:
Mill’s periodisation changed into ancient, medieval and modern.
Question 17.
What era Aurangazeb region belonged to?
Answer:
Aurangazeb ear belonged to medieval period.
Question 18.
What era the battle of Palassey belonged to?
Answer:
The battle of Palassey (1757) belonged to modern era.
Question 19.
What are the sources of history of mordern era?
Answer:
In modern era the sources of history are paintings, books, maps, poster, newspaper, advertisement, administrater’s document, diaries, letters, land deeds etc.
Question 20.
Why ean the autobiography not be directly used as source?
Answer:
It is because the writer of the autobiography has viewed the world from the personal stand paint.
Question 21.
Why may the two photographs taken by two different persons upon the same subject, hold up different meanings?
Answer:
It is because the eye of camera is controlled by the eye of cameraman.
Question 22.
How are the peasant and the tribal movements of Indian seen by British?
Answer:
The peasant and the tribal movementes are seen as disturbance or disruption by the British.
Question 23.
What does the peasant and tribal movements mean to the Indians?
Answer:
To the Indians the peasent and tribal movements mean freedom movement.
Question 24.
What is Imperialism?
Answer:
Imperialism is a process by which a stronger coutnry dominates a weaker country.
Question 25.
Why was indigo cultivated in Bengal?
Answer:
Indigo was cultivated in Bengal to fulfil the demand at the cloth factories in England.
Answer in 30-40 words :
Question 1.
Give reason for and against of establishment of British rule in India?
Answer:
Accoridng to British the Indians are uncivilized. They had lack of education and scientific knowledge. To make them civilized it was needed to establish the British rule in India. On the other hand the Indians prolished against the laque. They brought the reference from Emperor Ashoka to Emperor Akbar, from Aryabhatta to Chaitanyadev. The Indians proued the existence of indigenous history.
Question 2.
Why it is important that who is writing the history?
Answer:
If any foreigner writes the history of Bengalees he will write the history, from his point of view. The history of Bengalles written by foreign historians are full of errors. If the view changes the consequence also changes. So the the arguments arise. For the difference of view points the significance of the incidents may change.
Question 4.
Why the problems will not be solved if we write our own history?
Answer:
If the history is written by the educated people it is defined by the view point of the writes. Then the common poor people will be left out. This fact has revealed in case of India. In Indian history thousands of nameless people were neglected who joined in Santhal revolt.
Question 4.
Why are there so arguments over history?
Answer:
Different individuals have viewed history differently. History is often defined by the view point of the writers. These creates the occation for historical debeates.
Question 5.
When was the era division started in Indian History?
Answer:
In 1808 to Mrityun Bidyalankar wrote a book of history called Rajabali and he started counting history from the period of king Yudhisthira of Mahabharata. James Mill in his book History of British India, devided Indian history into Hindu, Nuslim and British. In course of time the division changed into ancient medieval and modern.
Question 6.
What is the main features of Mill’s ear division of the ruler?
Answer:
The first two periods were named on the basis of religion. the third period was named on the basis of race, thus the third was not Chritian. but British peried. The all rullers of Hindu period were not Hindus. Chandragupta Murya was Jain and Bimbisara was Buddhist. On the other hand in Muslim period relegiously. to learnt liberal ruler Akbar was indentified by his religion.
Question 7.
Why is it said that division of era is very simplified?
Answer:
It is because Era ‘refers to a large passage of time. Individuals in each era have their own unique characteristics of living. These characteristics do not change overnight. It is not always possible to fix all calculated date to the changing of eras.
Question 8.
What is the problem of use autobiography as direct souree of hsitory?
Answer:
The writer of the autobiography has viewed the world from his personal stand point. If any historian uses such source without judging well, he may be led to a biased or even a wrong opinion. For example, William Wedderburn has credited Allan Octavian Hume in his biography of the latter, with the formation of Indian National Congress. Later it has been found Hume’s eredit was not entirely merited.
Question 9.
Why has the uprising of the peasants and tribals been viewed from two angles?
Answer:
In the eyes of British rulers the uprising to presants and tribal has been viewed as disturbances or disruption. The official documents of the time support this view. However in different view, the peasant and tribal movement are seen as anti-colonial movements.
Question 10.
How imperialism justified?
Answer:
A stronger country subjugates a weaker country and controls the wealth and public of the weaker nation. It is said that, the weaks are notonly weak they are uncivilized also. To make them civilze is duty of the imperialists. But it is an one sided shameless reason for the imperialists to tulfil their own benefit.
Question 11.
Which are the sources of modern history.
Answer:
There are various sources of modern history. They are paintings, photos, books, administrative document, book, diaries, letters, land deeds, etc. Besides coins, sculptures, maps. poster, and newspapers also provide sources of history:
Answer in 120-160 words :
Question 1.
Why is the story of wolf and the young lamb mentioned here? What does it mean by putting the other characters in place of wolf and the young lamb?
Answer:
With the help of the story of the wolf and the young lamb it is shown that the present is ditermined by the past. The logic behind many present actions is derived from history.
If we replace the wolf with a foreign indigo merchant and the young lamb with indigo farmer it will be seen that a debt that was run by the indigo farmer to the sabib merchant, gradually would turn heriditary. So to pay off his farming. On the other hand history can useful to get relief and establish rights. If the young lamb can furnish proof from history that the wolf’s logic is incorrect, the wolf let him go.
Now the wolf is replaced by the British ruler and young lamb is replaced by the common people of India. The logic that the British rulers put up for establishing a colony in India, was this that the Indians were uncivilized. On the other hand the Indians proud that they were not uncevilized by giving the reference from history. They mentioned the history from Aryabhatta to Chaityannadev and proved the evidence of indigenous history which was no less glorious than British History.