History: 2019: CBSE [Delhi] : Set II

Coins are useful to know about an empire, its rulers and the nature of economy and the extent of territory. Symbols and figures etched on them are very crucial to reconstruct the pasts.

Al-Biruni’s Kitab-ul-Hind is considered as a voluminous text because it has 80 chapters on subjects such as religion and philosophy, festivals, astronomy, alchemy, manners and customs, social life, weights and measures, iconography, laws and metrology.

(i) During the 17^th century, about 15 per cent of the population lived in the Mughal towns.

(ii) The Mughal cities were camp towns, whose existence depended on the imperial court’s growth and decline.

(i) A new Black Town in Madras housed weavers, artisans, middlemen and interpreters of the East India Company.

(ii) It resembled traditional Indian towns, with living quarters built around its own temple and bazaar.

(i) Recent archaeological excavations suggest that Harappans brought copper from Oman, on the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula.

(ii) Chemical analyses reveal that both Omani copper and Harappan artefacts have traces of nickel, attesting a common origin.

(iii) Archaeological findings of a distinctive type of vessel prove other traces of contact Harappans had with West Asia. For example, a large Harappan jar, coated with a thick layer of black clay, has been excavated at many Omani sites. Such thick coatings prevent the percolation of liquids.

(v) Though the contents carried in these vessels are not clear, it is possible that the Harappans exchanged them for Omani copper.

(i) There were five major political centres in the Mauryan Empire – the capital Pataliputra and the provincial centres of Taxila, Ujjayini, Tosali and Suvarnagiri.

(ii) Administrative control was strongest in areas around the capital and the provincial centres.

(iii) Provincial centres were carefully chosen for economic reasons; for example, Taxila and Ujjayini were situated on important long-distance trade routes, while Suvarnagiri (in Karnataka) was popular for its gold mines.

(iv) Communication along both land and riverine routes was organised properly.

(v) Mauryan army played significant role in arranging provisions and protection for the soldiers and tarvellers.

(vi) There was a committee, with six subcommittees, for coordinating military activity.

(i) Rituals associated with Mahanavami Dibba were performed on day of Mahanavami (great ninth day) of Dusehra festival.

(ii) Vijayanagara kings displayed their prosperity and power on this occasion.

(iii) Worship of the image, the state horse and sacrifice of animals were part of rituals.

(iv) Dances, wrestling matches, and processions of decorated elephants, horses and chariots and soldiers were held.

(v) Chief nayakas and subordinate kings presented ritual tributes to the king and his guests.

(vi) The festival’s last day ended with the king inspecting his army and those of the nayakas.

(vii) Simultaneously, the nayakas presented expensive gifts to the king, with the required tribute.

(i) N.G. Ranga (socialist and leader of the peasant movement) urged the Constituent Assembly to interpret the term ‘minorities’ in economic terms.

(ii) For him, real minorities were poverty-stricken and downtrodden people.

(iii) He welcomed the legal rights the Constitution guaranteed to all; but highlighted its limits.

(iv) He argued that the lives of rural poor would not change just by fundamental legal right to live, to get employment and to express opinions through meetings, conferences, associations and civil liberties.

(iv) He emphasised on the importance of creating conditions where these rights could be effectively realised.

(v) He contended that they needed protection, economic development and welfare measures.

(i) Before 1860s, America supplied three-fourths of raw cotton to British industries. But the American Civil War (1861) affected cotton supply, forcing British cotton merchants to look for alternative sources.

(ii) Simultaneously, Indian cotton prices increased. Traders in Bombay piled up raw cotton to meet British demand. They gave advances to urban sahukars, who provided credit to rural moneylenders for securing cotton supply.

(iii) This enticed Deccan ryots to borrow `100 to cultivate cotton for more profits.

(iv) When Civil War ended, American cotton supply to Britain recommenced and Indian cotton supply declined. This ended credit circulation, while cotton cultivation and prices fell.

(v) Deccan ryots were trapped in high debts for longer periods.

(i) The rebel proclamations in 1857 repeatedly appealed to Indians of all religious communities to fight against the British.

(ii) Though many proclamations were issued by Muslim princes, they took care to respect Hindu sentiments.

(iii) The rebellion was seen as a war on both Hindus and Muslims in India.

(iv) The ishtahars invoked the glorious Mughal rule and the peaceful coexistence of different communities.

(v) Rebels issued the proclamation, under the name of Bahadur Shah, and appealed to follow both Muhammad and Mahavir in their fight against colonial rule.

(vi) During the Revolt, religious divisions between Hindus and Muslim were hardly noticeable, despite communal conspiracies by the British.