🌟 Our Pasts–III

🏰 Chapter 1: How, When, and Where

🎯 Introduction

History is not just about remembering dates and kings; it is the story of people, places, events, and changes over time. This first chapter explains:
✅ How history is studied
✅ Why “when” (time) matters
✅ Where (place and sources) are important

🕰️ 1. How Do We Study History?

📖 Earlier View of History

• History was once only about big rulers, battles, and dynasties.
• Example: Mughal kings, British governors, wars and victories.
• People thought history = chronology of kings and conquests.

🌍 Modern View of History

• Today, history also studies ordinary people’s lives.
• It includes:
  • 👩‍🌾 Farmers & workers
  • 🏭 Craftsmen & traders
  • 📚 Students & teachers
  • 👩‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families & communities

👉 So, history is the story of all of us – not just rulers.

🗓️ 2. Why is “When” Important?

• Time (dates) gives us sequence of events.
• Without dates, events become confusing.

Example:

👉 If we know:

• 1857 – Revolt against British
• 1885 – Formation of Indian National Congress
• 1947 – Independence

We can connect events and understand progress.

But…

• Only remembering dates of kings is boring.
• We must know why things changed.

🗺️ 3. Where Do We Find History? (Sources)

To study the past, historians depend on sources.

📝 Types of Sources:

1. Official Records (created by the British)
   • British kept detailed documents:
     • 📜 Letters, Reports, Acts
     • 📊 Surveys, Maps
     • 🏛️ Revenue records
   • Example: “The National Archives of India” in New Delhi keeps lakhs of such records.
2. Surveys by the British
   • They measured land, studied forests, rivers, crops, and people.
   • They even conducted Census (population count).
3. Other Sources
   • 📰 Newspapers
   • ✍️ Diaries, Autobiographies
   • 🎨 Paintings, Photographs
   • 🏺 Archaeology & old monuments

👉 Together, these sources help us reconstruct history.

⚔️ 4. How British Saw Indian History

The British divided Indian history into three broad periods:

1. Hindu Period
2. Muslim Period
3. British Period

But this division is biased because:

• It focuses only on religion of rulers.
• It ignores the lives of common people.

✅ Modern Division of Indian History

Now, historians divide Indian history into:

1. Ancient India – Stone Age to 700 CE
2. Medieval India – 700 CE to 1700 CE
3. Modern India – 1700 CE onwards (includes British rule & freedom struggle)

👉 This is more scientific because it looks at social, political, economic changes.

👑 5. The Importance of Dates and Events

Why Dates Matter:

• Help us place events in order.
• Show us cause and effect.

Example:

• 📍 1757 – Battle of Plassey → British gained power.
• 📍 1857 – Revolt → Indians resisted British.
• 📍 1947 – Independence → Freedom achieved.

Why Not Just Dates?

History is not about memorising dates but about:

• Why events happened
• How people’s lives changed

📊 6. What Did the British Record?

• Laws and Rules – British made acts like Vernacular Press Act, Rowlatt Act.
• Census – Every 10 years from 1871, counted population.
• Surveys – Mapped villages, rivers, forests, crops.
• Revenue Records – Collected land tax from farmers.

👉 Their aim: control India better.

👨‍🏫 7. Importance of This Chapter

• Helps us understand how history is written.
• Shows us why dates, sources, and perspectives matter.
• Reminds us that history is not only about kings, but also about ordinary people.

🌈 Notes ( Tips)

✅ History is the study of change over time.
✅ It includes people, events, and places.
✅ Earlier history = kings & wars → Now history = people’s lives.
✅ “When” = Dates help us connect events.
✅ “Where” = Sources like records, surveys, newspapers.
✅ British divided history wrongly (Hindu–Muslim–British).
✅ Modern history looks at social, economic, political change.
✅ History helps us understand the past, present, and future.

✨ Quick Revision (Points to Remember)

1. History = Study of the past.
2. Earlier history = rulers & battles.
3. Modern history = ordinary people’s lives too.
4. Dates are important = sequence of events.
5. Sources of history = records, surveys, newspapers, paintings.
6. British periodisation = Hindu–Muslim–British (biased).
7. Modern division = Ancient–Medieval–Modern.
8. British records = census, laws, maps, revenue.
9. Why study history? = to know change & struggle.
10. Chapter theme = history is about how, when, and where.