Class XII – History Sample Paper – 1

Ans. a) Nana Saheb

Ans. a) Augustus Cleveland

Ans. c) Uttaradhyayana Sutta

Ans. b) Gupta dynasty

Ans. c) Ain-i Akbari

Ans. a) All of these

Ans. a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Ans. b) Kabir

Ans. d) Meerut Cantt

Ans. c) All of these

Ans. b) Kailashnath Temple

Ans. b) Hansa Mehta

Ans. c) 2, 1, 4, 3

Ans. b) H.H. Cole

Ans. d) Jawaharlal Nehru

Ans. a) Jaipal Singh

Ans. c) Cotton and Sugarcane

Ans. d) Kalibangan

Ans. d) India

Ans. a) Colin Mackenzie

Ans. b) All of these

Ans. i. According to the Brahmans, society was based on the four-fold caste system. The Brahmans ranked at the top of the social order and the Sudras and untouchables at the bottom. They followed texts like Manusmriti etc.

ii. This division was divinely ordained as the four social categories were supposed to have come from the body of Purusha.brahmanas from the head, kshatriya from arms, vaishyas from thigh and Sudras from the foot. This division could not be changed nor the position of the Brahmans or Kshatriyas challenged.

iii. . According to Sutta Pitaka, humans initially lived in a state of contentment, happy with their lot and taking from nature only what they needed.

iv. Sutta Pitaka suggested that originally human beings did not have fully evolved bodily forms nor were the world of plants fully developed .all things lived in an idyllic state of peace

Ans. Mahabharata is a dynamic text and it contains a vivid description of battles, forests, palaces, and settlements. It was originally written in Sanskrit. The growth of Mahabharata did not stop with the Sanskrit version. Over the centuries, versions of epic were written in a variety of languages. Today it is available in various languages. It depicts an on-going dialogue between the people and communities between hand and on another hand with those who wrote the texts. Several stories originated in the specific regions that have been incorporated in it, thus, it becomes a big epical text. The main story of the novel has been narrated in different ways. episodes have depicted in the painting and sculptures. They also provided themes for a wide range of performing arts- play, dance and other kinds of narration.

Ans. It was a system where artisans and individual peasant households entered into a mutually negotiated system of remuneration, most of the time goods for services. For example, eighteenth century records suggested that zamindars in Bengal payed blacksmiths, carpenters, goldsmiths for their work by paying them a small daily allowance and diet money. The term jajmani was not popular during sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

Ans. The permanent settlement of land revenue rarely extended to any region beyond Bengal because:

i. The increased price of agriculture products made the landlord’s income high. But it also made no change in income of East India company. Thus, the colonial government wanted to maximise its land revenue by introducing temporary revenue settlements instead of permanent settlements.

ii. When British officials devised permanent settlements, they were influenced by the economic theories at that time. But on a view of economist Ricardo, it stated that it needed to tax the surplus agricultural produce to enhance its revenue. So the British officials thought that permanent settlement was not a proper method to collect the tax.

Ans. The British introduced a land revenue policy known as Summary Settlement in 1856 . It was believed that the taluqdars had established their hold over land through force and fraud with no permanent stakes in land. The Summary Settlement proceeded to remove the taluqdars wherever possible.

The result was the taluqdars who hold 67 % of the total number of villages in Awadh in pre-British times had come down to 38 % after the Summary Settlement. The taluqdars of Southern Awadh was the hardest hit and some lost more than half of the total number of villages they held previously.

Ans. Hazara Rama Temple is one of the most beautiful temples of the Vijayanagara Empire. It was constructed by Krishnadeva Raya at Hampi in 1520. This was probably meant to be used only by the king and his family. It was constructed by using both bricks and stones. The temple was divided into various sections like Garvagriha, Mandapas, Vimana etc. All are stones curved and impressive. The hall was full of pillars as a base, as depicting the scenes of Ramayana are engraved on the wall and pillars. The scene related to Mahanavami were also engraved on the outer wall of the Temple. When the Vijayanagara city was looted and destroyed, many of the structures or buildings were destroyed. Later, the practice of building large structures were continued by the nayakas. Now many of these buildings have survived.

Ans. These can be understood through following points:

i. In order to identify centres of craft production, archaeologists usually look for the raw materials, like stone nodules, whole shells, copper ore, unfinished objects, rejected and waste materials.

ii. Both Nageshwar and Balakot are near coast and shell objects are found here. These areas were specialised centre for making shell objects, including bangles, ladles and inlay, which were taken to other settlement.

iii. Similarly, some finished products like different pots and beads are found in Lothal and Chanhudaro, which were taken to the large urban centres such as Mohenjodaro and Harappa.

iv. For making beads, stones like carnelian, jasper, crystal, quartz, steatite and metals like copper, bronze, gold, and other materials like shell, faience, terracotta were used. For making beads, grinding, polishing and drilling were done.

v. In order to identify the craft production centre, archaeologists look for raw materials and tools. Large waste pieces of raw materials indicated the specialised craft production centres.

Ans. The Indus valley civilisation is also called the Harappan culture. Archaeologists use the term culture for a group of objects, distinctive in style, that are usually found together within a specific geographical area and period of time. In the case of the Harappan culture, these distinctive objects include seals, beads, weights, stone blades and even baked bricks. These objects were found from areas as far apart as Afghanistan, Jammu, Baluchistan (Pakistan) and Gujarat. Named after Harappa the first site where this unique culture was discovered, the civilisation is dated between C. 2600 and 1900 BCE. There were earlier and later cultures often called Early Harappan and Late Harappan, in the same area. The Harappan civilisation is sometimes called the Mature Harappan culture to distinguish it from these cultures.

Ans. Francois Bernier, a Frenchman, was a doctor, political philosopher and historian. Like many others, he came to the Mughal Empire in search of opportunities. Bernier travelled to several parts of the country and wrote an account of what he saw, frequently comparing what he saw in India with the situation in Europe.

The question of land ownership or landed property:

i. According to Bernier, one of the fundamental differences between Mughal India and Europe was the lack of private property in land in the former. He was a firm believer in the virtues of private property and saw crown ownership of land as being harmful to both the state and its people. As an extension of this, Bernier described Indian society as consisting of undifferentiated masses of impoverished people, subjugated by a small minority of a very rich and powerful ruling class.

ii. Bernier’s descriptions influenced Western theorists from the eighteenth century onwards. The French philosopher Montesquieu, for instance, used this account to develop the idea of oriental despotism, according to which rulers in Asia (the Orient or the East) enjoyed absolute authority over their subjects, who were kept in conditions of subjugation and poverty, arguing that all land belonged to the king and that private property was non-existent. As in the case of the question of landownership, Bernier was drawing an oversimplified picture. There were all kinds of towns: manufacturing towns, trading towns, port towns, sacred centres, pilgrimage towns, etc.

Ans. Bernier’s assessment of Indian rural society was not correct. It was far away from the truth, but it is not acceptable. There is some truth in his description which is evident from the following facts.

i. According to his account, the Mughal empire was the owner of the land and distributed among its nobles. It had a disastrous impact on society.

ii. According to him the system of a crown of ownership of land was not good. It was because the landholders could not pass on their land to their children. They did not make any long-term investment on the land.

iii. As there was no private property in land, there was not any improvement in the landlord class. This system ruins agriculture and led to the opinion of peasants.

iv. Peasants didn’t work because of the bad treatment received by the higher authorities.

Bernier’s view regarding Indian society had the following features:

i. The rich people were in the minority.

ii. It had the poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, no middle class existed there.

iii. Bernier considered the Mughal emperor as the king of Beggars and Barbarians. All the cities and towns were ruined and had contaminated with polluted air. All the fields were covered with bushes and unwanted plants. It means the Mughal empire was at the verge of decline and the King exploited the subjects. Crown ownership was the root cause of all these happenings.

Ans. The following causes were responsible for the downfall of Gupta dynasty:

i. Weak successors: There was no other strong successor in the Gupta dynasty to manage the vast empire after Samudragupta. Hence, as soon as the central power got weakened, many independent kingdoms were established.

ii. Lack of any law of succession: There was no definite law of succession during the Gupta reign. Hence, as soon as some king died, the situation got so tense as in the civil war. Whosoever was mighty managed to become the ruler. ‘Might is Right’ was the order of the day. War had become inevitable to ascend the throne.

iii. Negligence of frontiers: No other ruler made any arrangements for the defence of the frontiers after Chandragupta-II. Hence the doors for the foreign invaders were always open.

iv. Effects of Buddhism: The principle of non-violence crippled military power. Hence, those Gupta rulers whoever adopted Buddhism had invited the enemies to their empire indirectly.

v. Vast Empire: Keeping in view the vast empire, it was quite essential to have able administrators. But the rulers were now weak and incapable. They were incompetent to bear the burden of the administration.

vi. Military weakness: Now the rulers no longer paid attention to the military discipline and re-organization.

vii. The Hunas’ invasions: The invasions of the Hunas broke the backbones of the Gupta empire. Lawlessness and disorder became rampant all over.

viii. Internal revolts: The rebellions became a common feature in the event of the weakness of the central power which could not be quelled by the incompetent rulers. Hence, they sought independence.

Ans. Following are the development of new technologies in agriculture in the Indian sub-continent from the 6th century BCE to 400 A.D:

i. Agriculture in the subcontinent has a long and richly diverse history, evident in the archaeological record. From the sixth century BCE, we can trace certain developments that had a long-term significance in some parts of the subcontinent. One was the growing spread of plough agriculture in fertile alluvial river valleys such as those of the Ganga and the Kaveri.

ii. The iron-tipped ploughshare, in particular, led to a growth in productivity as it allowed the farmer to turn the soil very effectively.

iii. The production of paddy was dramatically increased by the introduction of transplantation in some parts of the Ganga Valley. Transplantation is a process used for paddy cultivation in areas where water is plentifully available. Here, seeds are the first broadcast; when the saplings have grown they are transplanted in waterlogged fields. This ensures the survival of many more plants and higher yields.

iv. During the first millennium, CE plough agriculture spread to other parts of the subcontinent as well. It is, however, important to remember that plough agriculture was no uniformly or automatically beneficial. It was not suited to hilly terrains and was most effective in alluvial soils.

v. Another strategy adopted to increase agricultural production was the use of irrigation, using wells and tanks, and less commonly, canals. Construction was organised by communities as well as by individuals. The latter, usually powerful men including kings often recorded such activities in inscriptions.

vi. Historians had tried to find out some new aspects of agricultural technology through tools and texts. For instance, in some cases, archaeologists find iron agricultural tools in an excavations-an obvious indication that new technologies were being adopted. But what about transplantation? Here historians depend on vivid descriptions of agricultural activities in Buddhist texts.

Ans. Salt-Satyagraha: Background

Gandhiji concentrated on his social reform activities for many months following the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920- 22). In 1928, though, he began to consider returning to politics.

An all-India movement was launched at that time to oppose the all-White Simon Commission, ]dispatched from England to explore constitutional amendments and give suggestions to the administration.

Gandhiji chose not to participate in this struggle, but he did give his endorsement, as he did with a farmer’s satyagraha in Bardoli in 1928 (Bardoli Satyagraha).

The Congress met in Lahore at the end of December 1929 for its annual session.

The appointment of Jawaharlal Nehru as President signaled the handover of power to the next generation and the declaration of adherence to “Purna Swaraj,” or complete freedom.

“Independence Day” was marked on January 26, 1930, including the national flag being displayed in various locations and nationalist tunes being performed.

Gandhiji gave specific directions on how the occasion would be commemorated.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC) was permitted by the Lahore Congress in 1929 to undertake a campaign of civil disobedience, notably non-payment of taxes.

The CWC meeting at Sabarmati Ashram in February 1930 gave Gandhiji the authority to initiate the Civil Disobedience Campaign at any moment and location he wanted.

Gandhiji’s deadline to the Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin (1926-31), in which he stated that the minimal demands had been neglected and that the only alternative option forward was civil disobedience.

Salt Satyagraha: Consequences

On 2nd March 1930, Lord Irwin was informed about the Salt March by Gandhi.

On 12th March 1930, he lead a group of people from Sabarmati Ashram. He decided to walk through the villages of Gujarat.

The March started with 80 people but as the March went on more than 50,000 people joined Gandhi in the protest.

When the group of people reached the coastal Village of Dandi on 6th April 1930, Gandhi made salt from seawater breaking the salt act against the government.

Throughout the protest, the people in March were strictly instructed to not get involved in any kind of violence.

Gandhi addressed the crowd and gave a speech against the government.

Salt-Satyagraha: Outcome

The twenty-four-day-long civil disobedience movement led to the Gandhi-Irwin Pact which favored the Indian freedom struggle. In the pact it was decided that civil disobedience would be ended by Indians, the salt will be allowed for domestic use for everyone, the arrested Indians for breaking the salt law were released and Gandhi was allowed to attend the second round table conference.

Ans. The Non-Cooperation Movement was one of Gandhiji’s first organized acts of large-scale Satyagraha for Swaraj because according to Gandhiji if noncooperation was effectively carried out, India would win swaraj within a year. Following are the events that this movement involved.

Emboldened by the success of Rowlatt Satyagraha Gandhiji called for a campaign of Non-Cooperation with British Rule. Gandhiji coupled Non-Cooperation with Khilafat and adjoined Hindus and Muslims to end colonial rule.

These movements unleashed a surge of popular action that was altogether unprecedented in colonial India. Indians did not cooperate with the government at any level.

Boycott of schools, college, and law courts. The working class went on strike. National schools, and colleges were opened.

Non-payment of taxes by farmers of Awadh and peasants in Kumaun refused to carry loads for colonial officials.

Renunciation of titles and voluntary association with the government. The movement entailed denial, renunciation and self-discipline. It was training for and t was training for self-rule.

Gandhiji encouraged the communication of the nationalist message in the mother tongue, rather than in the language of the rulers, English.

This movement changed the course of Indian history. Poor peasants, workers, artisans, students, lawyers and industrialists joined the movement. Indian entrepreneurs were quick to recognise that, in a free India, the favours enjoyed by their British competitors would come to an end.

Gandhiji promoted home-spun cloth (khadi) because on the economic front Indians had to learn to become self-reliant – hence his stress on the significance of wearing khadi rather than mill-made cloth imported from overseas.

Ans. The above given verses in excerpt were composed in 6th century BCE.

Ans. The source of these verses was Chhandogya Upanishad.

Ans. The ideology of Upanishads was the rebirth of human depended on his deeds. Human was always searched for ultimate reality which can be attained by following Upanishad.

Ans. Appar was born in the middle of the 7th century to Thiru Pukalanar and Mathiniyar as their second child in a village called Thiruvamur in Tamil Nadu. It is believed that Appar was relieved of his pain instantly. Understanding the extent of Lord Shiva’s power. He started visiting other Shiva temples. Appar sanctified all these temples by his verses and was also involved in the cleaning of the dilapidated temples.

Ans. Appar teachings are compiled in a book named Tevaram.

Ans. Both of them opposed the domination of Brahmins in society. The Brahmins were the ultimate power and regulate the socioreligious norms. They hated the lower caste people and treated them very badly. Both Appar and Tondaradippodi opposed these phenomena. According to them, all are equal and should be treated equally.

Ans. Dr. Ambedkar felt that separate electorates were essential to protect the depressed classes from the tyranny of the upper castes and give them much needed social status.

Ans. Society used the labour and services of the depressed classes but kept them at a social distance. They were not allowed entry into temples. Intermixing and inter-dining with other castes was not allowed. They had no access to education.

Ans. Education should be made free for them so that they can compete equally with other castes. They should be given access to public places.

Ans.

Ans. A – Dholavira B – Lothal