Worksheet Solutions: Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years

Multiple Choice Questions

Q. 1. Who was Al-Idrisi? 
a. Cartographer
b. Choreographer 
c. Scribe 
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); Cartographer

Q. 2. Who is a cartographer? 
a. A person who makes painting 
b. A person who make maps 
c. A person who make sketch 
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (b); A person who make maps 

Q. 3. What do you mean by 'archives'? 
a. Place where manuscripts were collected 
b. Place where diamonds were collected 
c. Place where maps were collected
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); Place where manuscripts were collected

Q. 4. Who used the term Hindustan in the thirteenth century? 
a. Minhaj- i- Siraj 
b. Babur 
c. Ziyauddin Barani 
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); Minhaj- i- Siraj

Q. 5. What were the new crops and beverages that arrived in Indian sub-continent in the medieval period? 
a. Corn 
b. Coffee 
c. Potato 
d. All of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (d); All of these

Q. 6. Name the new religion of medieval age? 
a. Hinduism 
b. Sikhism 
c. Islam 
d. Christianity 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (c); Islam

Q. 7. Why were only Brahmans dominated in the society during the medieval period? 
a. They were only class to proficient in Sanskrit language 
b. They were only class to proficient in British language
c. They were only class to proficient in Hindi language 
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); They were only class to proficient in Sanskrit language

Q. 8. The records written in praise of rulers were called 
a. Prashasti 
b. Manuscript 
c. Inscription 
d. All of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); Prashasti

Q. 9. Who divided the Indian history in three periods i .e. Hindu,Muslim and British 
a. The Indian historians 
b. The Muslims historians 
c. The Mughal historians 
d. The British historian 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (d); The British historian 

Q. 10. Who was considered a 'foreigner' in the past? 
a. Any stranger that is not the part of society 
b. Citizen of that village 
c. Both a and b 
d. None of these 

Ans: The correct answer is Option (a); Any stranger that is not the part of society.

One Word Answer

1) The study of past is called ___________________ 

2) When did Islam reached India ______________________ 

3) Name the holy book of Muslims _____________________ 

4) Name the two groups of Muslims ________________ and __________________ 

5) They believe that Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, was the rightful leader.  ___________________ 

6) It is a history of the king of Kashmir._________________ 

7) How have Britishers divided the Indian History? ____________________ 

8) What is the term is used for a stranger ______________________ 

9) The people who use to copy manuscript were called _____________________ 

10) An influential, wealthy individual who supports another person was known as _________________

Answers:

1) History
2) 10th Century
3) Quran
4) Shia and Sunni
5)Shia Muslims
6) Rajatarangini by Kalhana
7) Hindu, Muslim and British
8) Foreigner
9) Scribes
10) Patron

Short Question Answers

Q.1. How do Sunni and Shia Muslims differ?

Sunni and Shia Muslims differ primarily in their beliefs about leadership in the Muslim community:

• Shia Muslims believe that Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, was the rightful leader.
• Sunni Muslims accept the authority of the early leaders, known as Khalifas, who succeeded the Prophet.

Q.2. What was the extent of Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban's empire?

Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban's empire stretched from Bengal (Gauda) in the east to Ghazni (Gajjana) in Afghanistan in the west and included all of south India (Dravida).

Q.3. Which century marked the beginning of the medieval period? Why?

The eighth century is taken as the beginning of the medieval period because society, economy, politics, religion, and culture underwent many changes during this century.

Q.4. List some of the technological changes associated with this period.

Some notable technological changes from this period include:

• The Persian wheel for irrigation
• The spinning wheel for weaving
• Firearms for combat

Q.5. Who were the scribes? 

Scribes were the people who copied manuscripts by hand before the invention of automatic printing.

Q.6. How are travelogues an important literary source?

Travelogues from foreign visitors to India during the medieval period are significant literary sources for several reasons:

• They provide valuable insights into the various places visited.
• These writings detail the people encountered during their travels.
• They offer accounts of political events and trade practices of the time.
• Travelogues also document the commerce and cultural exchanges occurring in India.

Q.7. How have historians divided history during the middle of the 19th century?

In the middle of the nineteenth century, British historians divided the history of India into three periods: "Hindu", "Muslim" and "British". This division was based on the idea that the religion of rulers was the only important historical change, and that there were no other significant developments - in the economy, society, or culture.

Q.8. Who was considered a "foreigner" in the past?

In the medieval period a "foreigner" was any stranger who appeared, say in a given village, someone who was not a part of that society or culture. A city-dweller, therefore, might have regarded a forest-dweller as a "foreigner", but two peasants living in the same village were not foreigners to each other, even though they may have had different religious or caste backgrounds.

Q.9. Why was there a dramatic increase in the variety of textual records between 700 to 1750 CE?

During this period, paper became cheaper and widely available. This resulted in a dramatic increase in the variety of textual records between 700 to 1750 CE. People started using paper to write holy texts, chronicles of rulers, letters, and teachings of saints, petitions and judicial records, and registers of accounts and taxes.

Q.10. Why do you think that there were many literary sources from the medieval period?

The number and variety of textual records increased significantly during the medieval period, gradually replacing other forms of information. Key factors include:

• Cheaper Paper: The cost of paper decreased, making it more accessible.
• Types of Writings: People wrote holy texts, chronicles of rulers, letters, teachings of saints, petitions, judicial records, and tax registers.
• Collection of Manuscripts: Wealthy individuals, rulers, monasteries, and temples collected manuscripts.
• Libraries and Archives: These manuscripts were stored in libraries and archives, providing valuable information for historians.

However, the absence of the printing press meant that scribes copied manuscripts by hand, leading to small but significant differences over time.

Q.11. What do you know about chronicles?

A chronicle is a record of the rule of the kings and life at the court. Most kings had court chroniclers who wrote in detail about what happened during their reign. Some important chronicles of the medieval period are:
(i) Rajatarangini by Kalhana, which is a history of the king of Kashmir.
(ii) Tarikh-i-Firoz Shahi by Zia-ud-din Barani, which describes the history of the Sultans of Delhi till the reign of Firoz Shah Tughluq.
(iii) Tarikh-e-Ferishta by Ferishta, which is a record of the history of the Delhi Sultans, from the time of Turks till the seventeenth century.

Q.12. What are the archaeological sources of the medieval period?

Archaeological sources of the medieval period include:

• Inscriptions: These are writings or drawings found on stones, pillars, clay or copper tablets, and walls of caves, temples, and monuments.
• Archaeological remains and monuments: This category includes ancient ruins and structures uncovered through excavation and exploration.
• Coins: Ancient coins, typically made of gold, silver, copper, or lead, often feature religious and legendary symbols, providing insights into the culture of the time. They may also depict figures of kings and gods.

Q.13. How were the affairs of jatis regulated?

Affairs of jatis were regulated in several ways:

• As society evolved, people were organised into jatis or sub-castes based on their backgrounds and occupations.
• Ranks within jatis were not fixed; they changed depending on the power, influence, and resources of their members. The status of a jati could differ across regions.
• Jatis created their own rules to govern the behaviour of their members. These rules were enforced by a council of elders, known as the jati panchayat. However, jatis also had to adhere to village regulations.
• Multiple villages were often overseen by a chieftain, forming a small unit within a larger state.

Q.14. How do historians divide the past into periods? Do they face any problems in doing so?

Historians look to economic and social factors to characterize the major elements of different moments of the past.
The problem faced by historians in dividing the past into periods
(i) These thousand years of Indian history witnessed considerable change. After all, the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries were quite different from the eighth or the eleventh. Therefore, describing the entire period as one historical unit is not without its problems.
(ii) Moreover, the "medieval" period is often contrasted with the "modern" period. "Modernity" carries with it a sense of material progress and intellectual advancement. This seems to suggest that the medieval period was lacking in any change whatsoever. But of course, we know this was not the case.
(iii) During these thousand years the societies of the subcontinent were transformed often and economies in several regions reached a level of prosperity that attracted the interest of European trading companies.

Q.15. Mention the manner in which history was divided by historians during the middle of the 19th century.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, British historians divided the history of India into three periods: "Hindu", "Muslim" and "British". This division was based on the idea that the religion of rulers was the only important historical change, and that there were no other significant developments - in the economy, society, or culture.