HISTORY (VII)- CHAPTER 1 -TRACING CHANGES THROUGH A THOUSAND YEARS (LESSON NOTES)

HISTORY (VII)- CHAPTER 1

TRACING CHANGES THROUGH A THOUSAND YEARS

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø The book OUR PASTS-II is focused on the medieval history of India. The period from the second half of the 8th century up to first half of the 18th century is known as the “medieval period” of Indian history. In this lesson we will try to understand the changes occurred in this sub continent during the long span of thousand years in different aspect as map, sources , foods, religions, society etc. 

v CARTOGRAPHY

Ø The art of making map is called as cartography. The first map was made by by Arab geographer Al-Idrisi (1154). After that a French cartographer (1720) give a large sketch of the Indian subcontinent.

v NEW AND OLD TERMINOLOGIES

Ø The terminology or the meaning of words are change in the long span of time For example-

Ø HINDUSTAN

§  The term Hindustan was coined by Minhaj-i-Siraj, a chronicler who wrote in Persian for areas around Punjab, Haryana, and the lands between the Ganga and the Yamuna.

§  Babur used Hindustan to describe the flora and fauna and the culture of the inhabitants of the subcontinent.

§  Fourteenth-century poet Amir Khusrau used the word, Hind.

§  In the present time Hindustan refer for a nation or a country.

Ø FOREIGNER

§  In the earlier time foreigner refer for the persons who are not belonging to the same society. For example a farmer is a foreigner for a trader.In Hindi, the term ‘pardesi’ was used to describe an alien. In Persian, it was called ‘ajnabi’.

§  In present it is refer for the person belong to other nation.

v HISTORY AND SOURCES

Ø Archaeological sources

§  It includes monuments, inscriptions, temples, coins, tombs, ornaments and paintings.

Ø Literary sources

§  Since paper became available in good quantum after 12^th century so lot of written accounts in the form of chronicles, autobiographies, farmaans and accounts of foreign travellers were also available. These were stored in Archieves. Manuscripts were written by expert scribes.

Ø Problems to read these literary source.

§  These are not original books. They are copied by scribes.

§  The scribe may not understand the handwriting of earlier scribes. They write the words or sentences according to their own way.

§  So many changes occurred in the present written materials.

§  So it is very important to analysis the written record which is find out by the historians.

v CHANGES OCCURRED IN LONG SPAN OF YEARS

Ø Technological changes-

§  A Persian wheel started to use to fetch the water and used in irrigation

PERSIAN WHEEL  AND SPINNING WHEEL

§  The spinning wheel in weaving

§  Firearms in combat

Ø Changes in the food items-

§  New foods and beverages arrived in the subcontinent:

§   Like potatoes, corn, chillies, tea and coffee.

Ø New Social and Political Group

§  In this period many political group emerged become powerful. Most popular among them were Rajputs means the son of rulers.

§  Other groups of warriors were Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, Ahoms and Kayasthas in different areas.

Ø Changes in the society

§  Society became more differentiated and many sub-groups emerged from the Varnas known as jati.

§  They were ranked on the basis of their backgrounds and their occupations. An assembly of elders called Jati Panchayat. It had their own system of ruling. They framed rules and regulations in order to manage their own people.

§  Though ranks were not fixed permanently and varied according to the power, influence and resources controlled by the members of the jati.

 Ø Economics changes-

§  Extension of agriculture and rulers started to collect more taxes.

§  Clearing of forest faorced the forest dewellers to migrate.

Ø Changes in the religious affairs

§  In this period was many changes occurred in Hinduism as the emergence of the idea of Bhakti, worship of new deities, Construction of temples by royals  and the growing importance of Brahmanas, the priests,

§  The teachings of the Holy Quran were also brought to India in the seventh century.

§  Followers of Islam were divided into two sub-sects—’Shias’ and ‘Sunnis’.

·       Shia Muslims who believed that the Prophet’s son-in-law, Ali, was the legitimate leader of the Muslim community

·       The Sunni Muslims who accepted the authority of the early leaders (khalifas) of the community, and the succeeding Khalifas.

v REGIONS AND EMPIRES

Ø Large states like those of the Cholas, the Tughlaqs, or the Mughals encompassed many regions.

Ø A Sanskrit prashsti that praises Delhi Sultan Balban tells that he was the ruler of a vast empire that stretched from Bengal in the east to Ghazni in Afghanistan in the west and included all of South India (Dravida).

Ø There were considerable conflicts between various states.

Ø When the Mughal Empire declined in the 18th century, it led to the re-emergence of regional states.

v HISTORICAL PERIODS

Ø The British historians James mill had written a book “ History of British India” in which he divided the history of India into three periods: Hindu, Muslim and British.

Ø But that periodisation was focused only on the religion of the rulers. so many historian divided the Indian history into these three periods as-

·       Ancient History-(Early time to 700 AD)

·       Medieval History (700 AD to 1700)

·       Modern history (1700 on wards-)

v GLOSSORY

v Archive- A place where documents and manuscripts are preserved. All national and state governments have archives where they keep all their old official records and transactions.

v Two kinds of handwriting in Arabic-The nastaliq style is cursive and easy to read,  and the shikaste is denser and more difficult.
v Chronicler-A person who writes accounts of important or historical events. Ziyauddin Barani was a famous chronicler of fourteenth century.