📘 Chapter 1: How, When and Where
✅ A. Objective Type Questions (MCQs)
Q1. Who was the last Viceroy of British India?
a) Lord Curzon
b) Lord Mountbatten
c) Warren Hastings
d) Lord Dalhousie
👉 Answer: b) Lord Mountbatten
Q2. The British started recording history from which year?
a) 1757
b) 1857
c) 1600
d) 1900
👉 Answer: b) 1857
Q3. Who was the first Governor-General of India?
a) William Bentinck
b) Warren Hastings
c) Lord Dalhousie
d) Lord Mountbatten
👉 Answer: b) Warren Hastings
Q4. What do dates in history usually refer to?
a) Accidents
b) Battles and changes in rulers
c) Personal events
d) Festivals
👉 Answer: b) Battles and changes in rulers
Q5. Who introduced the census in India?
a) Lord Canning
b) Lord Mountbatten
c) British Government
d) William Bentinck
👉 Answer: c) British Government
✍️B. Fill in the Blanks
1. The practice of surveying was introduced by the __________.
👉 Answer: British
2. James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and
__________.
👉 Answer: British
3. The British preserved official records in __________.
👉 Answer: Archives
4. Historians use __________ and reports as sources of information.
👉 Answer: official records
5. Census operations in India began in the year __________.
👉 Answer: 1871
📝 C. Short Answer Type Questions (2-3 Lines)
Q1. Why did the British record surveys and official data?
👉 Answer: The British recorded surveys and official data to control and
administer the vast territory of India more effectively. It helped them in
taxation, law enforcement, and planning.
Q2. What are the drawbacks of the classification of Indian history by James
Mill?
👉 Answer: James Mill’s classification was biased and based on religious
domination. It ignored the cultural, social, and economic developments and
portrayed Muslim and Hindu rule as despotic.
Q3. What is the importance of official records in writing history?
👉 Answer: Official records such as letters, reports, memos, and notes provide
reliable, factual, and administrative details that help historians reconstruct
events of the past.
Q4. What is meant by the term ‘Colonialism’?
👉 Answer: Colonialism refers to the political, economic, and cultural
domination of one country by another, like the British rule in India.
📜 D. Long Answer Type Questions (4-5 Marks)
Q1. How did surveys become important under the colonial administration?
👉 Answer:
Surveys became a key tool for the British administration. They conducted
revenue surveys to assess land and taxes, archaeological surveys to
understand historical importance, and botanical and zoological surveys for
natural resources. This data helped them in controlling the region, managing
laws, taxes, and economic exploitation. The first census started in 1871 to
record population details, caste, professions, etc., which was repeated every
ten years.
Q2. Why do we need to be careful while reading colonial historical sources?
👉 Answer:
Colonial historical sources were written by British officials who often
portrayed Indians as backward and uncivilized. Their aim was to justify
British rule. These records are one-sided and do not represent the voices of
common Indian people. Therefore, historians must critically examine these
sources along with other local texts, oral histories, and vernacular sources to
get a balanced view.
Q3. Describe the contribution of James Mill to Indian historiography.
👉 Answer:
James Mill was a Scottish economist and historian who wrote A History of
British India in 1817. He divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu,
Muslim, and British. He believed that British rule was essential for civilizing
India. His work reflected a Eurocentric and prejudiced view and ignored the
richness and diversity of Indian history.