Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years | History VII | Questions and Answers

 

Our Past II | JANDKNCERT

Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years | History VII | Questions and Answers

 

Chapter 1: Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years

 

Let’s Recall

Question 1. Who was considered a ‘foreigner’ in the past?
Answer: In the past, a ‘foreigner’ meant someone who was not part of the same society or culture, like a traveler or stranger from another place or country.

Question 2. State whether true or false:
Answer:

(a) We do not find inscriptions for the period after 700. – False
(b) The Marathas asserted their political importance during this period. – True
(c) Forest-dwellers were sometimes pushed out of their lands. – True
(d) Sultan Ghiyas Uddin Balban controlled Assam, Manipur and Kashmir. – False

Question 3. Fill in the blanks:

Answer:
(a) Archives are places where manuscripts are kept.
(b) Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions.
(c) The Rajput were a group of warrior people.
(d) Sanskrit was the language of administration under the Cholas.

Question 4. What were some of the major religious developments during this period?

Answer:

·        Rise of Bhakti and Sufi movements.

·        Worship of a personal god became popular.

·        Saints like Kabir and Baba Guru Nanak preached devotion and equality.

Question 5. What kind of changes took place between 700 and 1750?

Answer:

·        Political: Rise and fall of kingdoms and empires.

·        Cultural: Emergence of new languages and traditions.

·        Economic: Growth of towns and trade.

·        Religious: Spread of Bhakti and Sufi ideas.

Question 6. What do you mean by ‘archives?
Answer: Archives are places where manuscripts and historical records are stored and preserved.

 

Let’s Understand

Question 6. In what ways has the meaning of the term “Hindustan” changed over the centuries?

Answer:

·        In the 13th century, “Hindustan” referred to the lands around the Indus River (by Minhaj-i-Siraj).

·        Later, Babur used it for the entire Indian subcontinent.

·        Over time, it became more of a geographical and cultural identity, especially during British rule.

Question 7. How were the affairs of jatis regulated?

Answer:

·        Jati Panchayats or councils enforced rules on marriage, work, and rituals.

·        Jatis were part of local governance and functioned within larger village or town administrations.

Question 8. What does the term pan-regional empire mean?
Answer: It refers to an empire that spans across a large region or multiple areas, bringing diverse territories under a single political rule.
Example: Mughals or Cholas built pan-regional empires.

 

Let’s Discuss

Question 9. What are the difficulties that historians face in using manuscripts?

Answer:

·        Manuscripts were handwritten, often with different scripts and abbreviations.

·        Many had damaged pages, inconsistent spelling, or were hard to read.

·        Copied versions could have errors, making interpretation difficult.

Question 10. How do historians divide the past into periods? Do they face any problems in doing so?

Answer:

·        Historians divide history based on economic, political, and cultural developments, like Ancient, Medieval, and Modern periods.

·        However, these labels are Eurocentric and may not accurately represent Indian history, leading to oversimplification.