History LF
History LF
(CBSE)
Learning Framework for Classes 11-12 History
(CBSE)
Learning Framework for Classes 11-12 History
(CBSE)
Learning Framework for Classes 11-12 History
(CBSE)
FOREWORD
The vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 released by the Government of India, directs that children not only learn but more importantly
learn how to learn. Education must move towards less content, and more towards learning about how to think critically and solve problems, how to
be creative and multidisciplinary, and how to innovate, adapt, and absorb new material in novel and changing fields. Pedagogy must evolve to make
education more experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible, and, of course,
enjoyable. The policy has a clear mandate for competency-based education (CBE) to enhance the acquisition of critical 21st-century skills by the
learners. The first determinant for implementing CBE is a curriculum which is aligned with defined learning outcomes and that clearly states the
indicators to be achieved.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has collaborated with Educational Initiatives (Ei), to develop the Learning Framework for twelve
subjects of Grades 11 and 12, i.e., English, Hindi, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Economics, Accountancy, Business
Studies and Computer Science. This Learning Framework comprises explicitly stated knowledge, skills and dispositions that an education system
should try to achieve. These frameworks would help develop a common shared understanding among teachers, students and other stakeholders and
would serve as a common benchmark for teaching, learning and assessment across the country.
These frameworks present indicators that are aligned with the CBSE curriculum and the NCERT learning outcomes. They further outline samples of
pedagogical processes and assessment strategies to encourage curiosity, objectivity, and creativity with a view to nurturing scientific temper. This
framework would be a key resource for teachers as they execute the curriculum. They have been developed to ensure that teachers align the learning
to meet the set quality standards and also use it to track the learning levels of students. The effort has been to synchronize focus on quality education
with uniformity in quality standards across CBSE schools.
We hope these frameworks will not only become a reference point for competency-based education across the country but also facilitate the planning
and design of teaching-learning processes and assessment strategies by teachers and other stakeholders.
Please note that the learning frameworks have been drafted based on the 2022-23 curriculum. Certain chapters and topics that have been
rationalized in the 2023-24 curriculum are retained in this document. In this learning framework, the content units and topics are based on the 2022-
23 syllabus, even though there is no change in the rationalized syllabus of 2023-24.
Feedback regarding the framework is welcome. Any further feedback and suggestions will be incorporated in subsequent editions.
Team CBSE
The National Education Policy 2020 has outlined the importance of competency-based education in classrooms, leading to curricular and pedagogical
reforms in the school systems. The policy emphasizes the development of higher-order skills such as analysis, critical thinking and problem-solving
through classroom instructions and aligned assessments. These skills are important indicators which will further the dissemination of pedagogy and
learning outcomes across schools and boards.
In order to propagate indicator-based learning through ‘Learning Frameworks’, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has collaborated
with Educational Initiatives (Ei). Learning frameworks are a comprehensive package which provides learning outcomes, indicators, assessment
frameworks, samples of pedagogical processes, tools and techniques for formative assessment, blueprints, assessment items and rubrics. 12 such
frameworks have been developed for English, Hindi, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Geography, Economics, Accountancy,
Business Studies and Computer Science in Classes 11 and 12.
The frameworks are adopted from the learning outcomes outlined in the NCERT which are mapped to key concepts of the content. These content
domain-specific learning outcomes are broken down into indicators which define the specific skills a learner needs to attain. A clear understanding
of these LOs will be immensely helpful for teachers and students to learn better. This document will help teachers to focus on skills of the subject in
addition to concepts.
As per the National Focus Group Position paper on Teaching of Social Sciences at the Senior Secondary stage (4.4), "the objectives of the social science
courses at this stage may be to assist students to explore their interests and aptitudes in order to choose appropriate university courses and/or
careers, to encourage them to explore higher levels of knowledge in different disciplines, to promote problem-solving abilities and creative thinking
in the citizens of tomorrow, to introduce students to different ways of collecting and processing data and information in specific disciplines, and help
them arrive at conclusions, and to generate new insights and knowledge in the process."
As per NCERT Learning Outcomes for Higher Secondary Stage, "Through a graduating scheme that progresses from the elementary stage onwards,
the basis of teaching and learning of history at this stage becomes one of historiography-based approach to develop an innate understanding of the
subject both across domains as well as time and space. Thus, the themes have been organised in such a manner that the students instead of digesting
only the grand narratives of history as it usually happens in the case of chronological histories, find in them ample opportunities to delve deeper into
their many-sided realities to uncover for themselves the general process of historical development. This rationale envisages history as a critical
discipline that relies on certain rigorous methods of source-based enquiry to learn about the past at this stage."
The first principle of studying history at this stage expects students to develop an understanding of how historians write history. Thus, the students
are expected to appreciate the way historians follow the trails that lead to the past by selecting, assembling, and reading their sources critically.
Following this historians analyse different types of sources, interpret each type of source, and draw a larger picture of the past by connecting different
events and processes. Secondly, the study of history entails a capacity to relate and compare developments in different situations, understanding
connections between similar processes located in different time periods or geographical regions. The final level in the study of history is when we
can draw relations between the past and present. Central to the pedagogy is the development of a historiography-based approach which enables
students to gain a deep and innate understanding of history that transcends chronological narratives.
Therefore, the syllabus not only re-affirms its emphasis on the fundamental idea of how historical knowledge is constituted through critical
appraisals and re-appraisals of sources but also takes the students on a journey along various themes to demonstrate it, both, in relation to the World
(Class XI) and Indian (Class XII) history. This rationale envisages history as a critical discipline that relies on certain rigorous methods of source-
based enquiry to learn about the past. It should be emphasized to students that history is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing
about the past, rather than just a collection of facts. This approach equips students to be informed, thoughtful, and inquiry-driven citizens who can
engage with history in a meaningful and transformative manner, both in academic pursuits and in the broader context of society.
Learning Outcomes at the Higher Secondary stage developed by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) mention the
following curricular expectations for History.
CE1. As the first principle of studying history at this stage, the curriculum expects the students to develop an understanding of how historians write
history. Thus, to start with, they are expected to appreciate the way historians follow the trails that lead to the past by way of selecting,
assembling and then reading their sources critically. Secondly, as a part of this process, they are expected to figure out what different types of
sources can reveal and what they cannot. Finally, they are expected to acquire an overall understanding of how the historians analyze different
types of sources, the various problems and difficulties they encounter while interpreting each type of source, and at the end, the way they
draw a larger picture of the past by connecting different events and processes.
CE2. Secondly, having gone through the process of studying history through a thematic approach, the students are expected to have the capacity to
relate and compare developments in different situations, understand connections between similar processes located in different time periods,
and find out the contributions of various methods of social inquiry which feed into historical investigations. In addition, the students are also
expected to have an idea of the specific debates that surround each theme even as they acquire a sense of the wider historical processes, which
connect them.
CE3. Finally, the students are also expected to understand the utility of different pedagogical tools and techniques such as maps, timelines, flow-
charts, pictorial illustrations, numbering of figures, citations, colour coding different activities and use of proper terms and concepts that are
innate to delineating history and use them appropriately.
The content for History for classes 11-12 in the CBSE curriculum has been organized around content units.
Content units for the two grades, along with the chapters from the NCERT textbooks are mentioned in the tables below.
Table I. Grade 11 Content units and textbook chapters
8. PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE: Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire
10. REBELS AND THE RAJ: 1857 Revolt and its Representations
11. MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
“As the Board is progressively allowing more space to 'learning outcome based' assessment in place of textbook driven assessment, question papers of Board
examinations will have more questions based on real-life situations requiring students to apply, analyze, evaluate and synthesize information as per the stipulated
outcomes. The core-competencies to be assessed in all questions, however, will be from the prescribed syllabus and textbooks recommended therein. This will
eliminate predictability and rote learning to a large extent.”
Revised Bloom’s taxonomy (Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001) of cognitive process dimension has six categories, each associated with a set of specific
cognitive processes. CBSE curriculum intends to have a balance of these categories of intellectual tasks in the teaching-learning and assessment of
learning of a subject. These six categories as described in the revised Bloom’s taxonomy, with their specific cognitive processes, are mentioned below.
Some more examples of kinds of assessment tasks that can be associated with the different cognitive domains are given below. The following list
should be taken as an indicative not an exhaustive one.
Remember
● recognising ● recognising the main causes of major events in history.
● recalling ● recalling the dates of and people associated with major historical events.
● listing the chronology of historical events.
Understand
● interpreting ● interpreting the impact of specific historical events.
● exemplifying ● give examples to demonstrate an understanding of social customs during different periods of history.
● classifying
● classify civilisations based on the types of societal structure, etc.
● summarizing
● inferring ● summarise the context which led to a major pivot in conditions in a geographical location.
● comparing ● make inferences from historical texts.
● explaining
● make comparisons between two civilisations, colonisation events, etc.
● explain the different people’s movements in France, England, India, China, etc.
Apply
● executing ● identifying key links between historical events and present-day socio-political structures.
● implementing
Evaluate
● checking ● checking for the authenticity and generality of historical accounts.
● critiquing ● critiquing the way developmental activities, and different rulers changed the lives of women, locals, tribals, etc.
Create
● generating ● generating maps of the different conquests, colonisation events, etc.
● planning ● planning a critical historical inquiry into specific events, people, etc.
● producing
● producing critical analyzes of various historical decisions.
Some specific examples of tasks from different cognitive domains are described below for two content chapters from classes 11 and 12 NCERT
History textbooks. A chapter may not always cover all six cognitive domains. The following list of tasks should be taken as an indicative list not a
comprehensive one.
CHAPTER 6 – CLASS 11
● Name the factors that led to the feudal system in Western Europe.
Remember
● Name the three orders in the feudal system of Western Europe.
Understand ● Explain the difference between the second and third order in terms of their social and economic standing.
Apply ● Show how the clergy and the religious heads had absolute power in the feudal system.
Analyze ● Analyze the life of serfs from the point of view of the clergy.
Create ● What similarities and differences can you see between the feudal society of Western Europe and the Indian society?
Table V: Chapter 11. Rebels and the Raj - The Revolt of 1857 and Its Representations – Class:12
Apply ● How did the revolution in 1857 lay the foundation for the future movements for independence?
● Draw comparisons between the way the revolt of 1857 was depicted in Indian works of art as opposed to British
Analyze works of art.
● Analyze the immediate social, economic and administrative impact of annexing Awadh.
● What were the measures that the British took to quell the revolt of 1857? Evaluate the success of each of these
Evaluate
measures.
● Plan a way to study the discrepancies in retelling of the revolt of 1857 in popular media and the accounts from
Create
primary sources.
“Competency based Learning focuses on the student’s demonstration of desired learning outcomes as central to the learning process. Learning outcomes are
statements of abilities that are expected students will gain as a result of learning the activity. Learning outcomes are, thus, statements of what a learner is
expected to know, understand and/or be able to demonstrate after completion of a process of learning. Therefore, the focus is on measuring learning through
attainment of prescribed learning outcomes, rather than on measuring time.”
[Senior School Curriculum, CBSE]
Following learning outcomes for the senior secondary stage developed by the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) state
important knowledge, skills and dispositions students need to attain at the end of an academic year in classes 11 and 12 in the context of learning
History.
(1) Illustrate how archaeological excavations are undertaken and their findings are interpreted by scholars to reconstruct the past.
(2) Trace India’s history to its earliest times based on the various archaeological findings from the banks of the Indus River and throw light on its
characteristic features.
(3) Illustrate how inscriptions are deciphered and interpreted by historians and explain the way in which the political and economic history of
India from the 4th century BCE to the 5th century CE (commensurate with the Mauryan to the Gupta period) has been made based on the
interpretations of the Asokan inscriptions and the Gupta period land grants.
(4) Demonstrate an understanding of various issues involved in the reconstruction of social history and how analysis of textual sources helps in
doing so especially in reference to the Mahabharata.
(5) Discuss major religious developments in ancient India and explain how different types of sources including that of art, architecture and
sculptures are used to trace these developments, particularly in reference to Buddhism.
(6) Discuss developments in agrarian relations in India during the 16th and the 17th centuries based on the official account as provided by the
Ain-iAkbari and also explain the need to supplement the said official account with other sources.
(7) Display their familiarity with the political history of medieval India particularly in reference to the Mughals and provide an understanding of
how court chronicles and other sources are used to reconstruct such histories.
(8) Discuss the ways in which architecture – such as that of temples, forts and irrigation facilities – is used as source material to reconstruct
history and explain the relationship between architecture and the political system particularly in reference to the Vijayanagara Empire.
(9) Discuss the ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints and along with that demonstrate their familiarity with the religious developments in
India during the medieval period.
(10) Provide an appraisal of their familiarity with travellers’ accounts – such as that of Alberuni, Ibn Batuta and Bernier – and how such accounts
have been interpreted and used by historians as sources of social history.
Learning Framework for Classes 11-12 History 12
(CBSE)
(11) Discuss the changes which colonialism brought about in India during the late 18th and 19th centuries and how these changes affected the
lives of zamindars, peasants and artisans living in India’s countryside.
(12) Explain the limits of using official sources for understanding the lives of people, especially in the colonial context.
(13) Discuss the events associated with the Revolt of 1857-58, and how these events were recorded and subsequently reinterpreted.
(14) Explain the connections between colonialism and the building of new urban centres in the 18th and 19th century India and demonstrate their
familiarity with the making of such centres in Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi.
(15) Demonstrate their familiarity with the important movements that are associated with India’s struggle for freedom from 1918 to 1948 and an
understanding of the nature of leadership which Mahatma Gandhi provided to these movements.
(16) Discuss how historians read and interpret newspaper reports, diaries and letters to use these as historical sources to reconstruct the history
of India’s freedom movement and also understand the nature of Gandhian politics and leadership.
(17) Discuss the events that are associated with the story of India’s partition on account of the success of communal politics during the last decade
of the nationalist movement using the oral testimonies of those who lived through those eventful years and point out both the possibilities
and limits of using such sources.
(18) Demonstrate their familiarity with the history of the early years after India’s independence and how these were shaped as the founding ideals
of the new nation-state were debated in the Constituent Assembly and a constitution came into being.
The learning outcomes defined by NCERT are generic and broadly defined for the content defined in the curriculum. They articulate the discipline-
specific skills that students need to attain through learning different concepts in the syllabus. A clear understanding of the scope of these learning
outcomes for each concept dealt with in the NCERT textbook chapters will be very helpful for both teachers and students in planning teaching and
learning better. The following process has been followed to list out the content domain-specific learning outcomes (CLOs) and indicators for all the
content units and textbook chapters.
Table VI: Content domain specific learning outcomes and indicators – Class:11
Content domain
Unit and
Key concept NCERT Learning Outcomes (LOs) specific Learning Indicators
chapter
Outcomes (CLOs)
specific reference to the Roman to present-day North Africa and the Middle
and the Mongol Empires. locations. East.
C21. Identifies the present-
day areas that fell under the
Roman Empire
3. Nomadic
C38. Describes the
Empires
occupational structure, social
structure and geographical
location of the Mongols.
CLO10. Describe the
LO6. Explain the phenomena of the C39. Examines the
Social, Political and social structure of the
rise, growth and fall of Empires in relationship between the
Military Mongols in the context
specific reference to the Roman agrarian and nomadic Mongol
Organisation of their nomadic
and the Mongol Empires. economies.
existence.
C40. Analyzes the
contradictions between the
Mongolian nomadic and
sedentary elements.
4. The Three
Orders LO9. Explain important historical
phenomena like feudalism, C54. Explain the factors that
renaissance and reformation, led to the decline of the
CLO15. Describes the economic expansion in
geographical discoveries and
The Crisis of the decline of the Europe.
confrontation of cultures
Fourteenth Century economic expansion in
happening on account of such C55. Explain the impact of the
Europe.
discoveries and subsequent decline of the economic
colonisation and the debates expansion in Europe.
surrounding these phenomena.
LO9. Explain important historical CLO20. Summarises C68. Justifies why this period
Rise of the phenomena like feudalism, the reasons why this was crucial in bringing about
Renaissance renaissance and reformation, period signalled the the age of reformation in
geographical discoveries and reformation in Europe. Europe.
confrontation of cultures
LO12. Demonstrate an
C96. Compares the
understanding of the concept of
Roads to CLO30. Compares the approaches to modernisation
modernisation and its application
Modernisation histories of East Asia of various East Asian
in various forms in East Asia
countries.
during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Indus river and throw light on its also undertaken in C12. Describes how material
characteristic features. small and large cities. procurement was undertaken
in the earliest times in
Harappan sites.
Vessantara Jataka as an
example.
C53. Explains how historians
try to understand the meaning
of sculptures using literary
sources.
accounts have been interpreted women and slaves in Battuta’s visit to India with
and used by historians as sources India. evidence.
of social history. C71. Analyzes societal
5. THROUGH
treatment of women through
THE EYES OF
the lens of sati.
TRAVELLERS:
Perceptions of C72. Examines reasons why
Society contemporary travellers chose
not to learn about the lives of
common women.
6. BHAKTI-SUFI
C79. Analyzes the impact of
TRADITIONS:
Changes in the arrival of the Turks on
Religious Beliefs culture and religion.
and Devotional C80. Describes the shari’a law
Texts LO9. Discuss the ideas and and zimmi.
CLO31. Explains the
practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints
rise and prevalence of C81. Analyzes the social and
Religious Ferment and along with that demonstrate
Muslim rulers from religious differences in sub-
in North India their familiarity with the religious
711 to the 16th groups of Islamic people in
developments in India during the
Century. India.
medieval period.
C82. Correlates contextual
Islamic traditions with
predominant Islamic
architecture in these regions.
recorded and subsequently re- rebellion and its C146. Evaluates the success of
interpreted. success. the British’s measures.
a New Era The Powers of the independence and how these were the federal structure federalism structure of the
State shaped as the founding ideals of the became a part of the Constitution.
new nation-state were debated in constitution. C174. Compares the arguments
the Constituent Assembly and a for centralisation and
constitution came into being. decentralisation during the
Constitution-building exercise
with evidence for each.
“The pedagogical practices should be learner centric. It is expected of a teacher to ensure an atmosphere for students to feel free to ask
questions. They would promote active learning among students with a focus on reflections, connecting with the world around them, creating
and constructing knowledge. The role of a teacher should be that of a facilitator who would encourage collaborative learning and development
of multiple skills through the generous use of resources via diverse approaches for transacting the curriculum.”
[CBSE Curriculum for classes 11-12]
NCERT higher secondary stage learning outcomes document provides a common set of pedagogical processes for each subject. Keeping these as
guidelines, specific pedagogical processes and assessment strategies for a topic from one chapter each from classes 11 and 12 have been developed
as suggestions and are shared in this section. These instances of pedagogical process and assessment strategies should enable teachers to derive
principles for making the alignment between learning outcomes, pedagogical practices and assessment in their classrooms and to use these for
creating their lesson plans. The key principles considered while designing the pedagogical processes and assessment strategies are the following:
1. Keeping learner at the centre
● Since new knowledge is built over existing knowledge, both pedagogy and assessment should focus on students’ pre-requisite knowledge,
skills, attitudes, and beliefs that they bring in a classroom setting.
● Constructivist approaches to learning with the student being at the centre of the learning process as an active constructor of knowledge
must be emphasized.
● Since students effectively learn by doing, classroom processes should involve activities, analysis and discussions. Systematic
experimentation as a tool to discover/verify theoretical principles must be included.
2. Focusing on learning outcomes
● Learning outcomes indicate what a student will be able to do at the end of an instruction unit by precisely breaking down broad goals of
History education (apply reasoning to develop conceptual understanding, develop process skills and experimental, observational,
manipulative, decision-making and investigatory skills, etc.) to more measurable and observable behaviour for each class.
● Students learn better when the method of teaching, learning activities and assessment strategies are all aligned well to the learning
outcomes. Pedagogical processes and assessment strategies should be aligned to both content domains and cognitive skills as mentioned
in this document earlier.
CLASS 12
Unit 8. PEASANTS, ZAMINDARS AND THE STATE: Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire
Unit 10. REBELS AND THE RAJ: 1857 Revolt and its Representations
Unit 12. MAHATMA GANDHI AND THE NATIONALIST MOVEMENT: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
Total 80
Table XI: Test paper design and question-type mark distribution – Class:12
Table XII: Test paper design and cognitive domain-wise mark distribution – Class:12
Apply 13-18
Total 80
The course of history in senior secondary classes is to enable students to know that history is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of
knowing about the past rather than just a collection of facts. The syllabus helps them to understand the process, through which a historian collects,
chooses, scrutinizes and assembles different types of evidences to write history.
CBSE has decided to introduce project work in history for classes XI and XII in 2013-14 as a part of regular studies in the classroom, as project work
gives students an opportunity to develop higher cognitive skills. It takes students to a life beyond textbooks and provides them a platform to refer to
materials, gather information, analyze it further to obtain relevant information and decide what matters to keep and hence understand how history
is constructed.
Students are expected to conduct experiments, do project-based activities, etc. throughout the course of 2 years.
Distribution of
Activity
marks
Bibliography 1 Mark
Viva 4 Marks
Total 20 Marks
Content Domain
Writing and City Life
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO3. Connects the tradition of writing, and written record keeping to the rise of civilisations.
Learning outcome
C16. Infers the connection between the growth of human civilisation and the evidence for the tradition of writing from
Indicator
written tablets and common scripts.
Marks 1 mark
Time 1 minute
Early cities emerged as the meeting ground for trade and mixing of cultures and traditions. At the same time, the art of
Item Stem
writing developed. What was the reason writing developed with the development of cities?
Writing was developed to maintain Student understands that the trade led to multiple complex exchanges,
Correct answer records of multiple complex trade and the development of writing helped in maintaining records of the
transactions. movement of goods.
Writing was developed to create epics Student misunderstands the basic need for writing. Once the writing was
Distractor 2
based on social interactions in the cities. developed, epics were written.
Content Domain
Writing and City Life
(Chapter name)
Content Domain CLO7. Elucidates the progress of human civilization with the growth of city life based on evidence of tools, trade,
Learning outcome economy, social norms, and architecture of early cities.
C13. Elucidates the progress of human civilisation with the growth of city life by describing the social traditions in the
Indicator
early cities.
Time 1-minute
“It has been estimated that one of the temples took 1500 men working 10 hours a day, five years to build.” This is a
Item Stem statement about a temple in the Mesopotamian city of Uruk.
What evidence did historians use to estimate the effort to build the temple?
Mesopotamians gave rations to all workers and kept Reason: Mesopotamians kept diligent records of the ration
Correct answer
a record of these for each worker. given to each worker per day.
There are paintings showing the workers getting Explanation: There are no records of paintings for any specific
Distractor 3
rations from the lords near the city of Uruk. temple in Uruk.
Content Domain
An Empire Across Three Continents
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO13. Describes the Late Antiquity period of the Roman Empire.
Learning outcome
Indicator C34. Summarises the factors that led to the decline of the Roman Empire.
Marks 1 mark
Time 1 minute
Item Stem The Roman monetary system went from silver to gold. What is the primary reason for this?
The silver mines in Spain ran out of silver and there Reason: This is correct. Spanish silver mines were wiped
Correct answer
was a dearth of silver in the Roman Empire. clean.
The Romans discovered gold mines in Spain, and they Explanation: No new mines were discovered, but the silver
Distractor 1
were flush with gold. mines of Spain had been depleted.
Content domain
The Three Orders
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO13. Explains the three orders of feudal society.
Learning outcome
Marks 3 marks
Time 5 minutes
Marking Scheme
Mark Answer
0.5 Describes the way Western European society existed after the fall of the Roman Empire.
1.5 Explains the role of people moving into towns in creating a new order.
Content domain
Nomadic Empires
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO24. Describes the role of Genghis Khan and his army in the expansion of the Mongol Empire.
Learning outcome
Indicator C60. Explains the role of Genghis Khan as a key historical figure in shaping history in Central Asia.
Marking Scheme
Mark Answer
2 Opinions of recent historians on the diversity and size of the Mongol Empire.
Content Domain
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings - Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE - 600 CE)
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO18. Explains the context for the rise of Buddhism.
Learning outcome
Indicator C44. Describes the key ideas discussed in various Buddhist schools of thought as recorded in the Tipitaka.
Marks 1 mark
Time 1 minute
Biographies about religious figures may not be the most reliable sources to learn about religious leaders.
Item Stem
Reason: These accounts were written by the followers of that particular religion.
Correct answer Both assertion and reason are true, and the reason is the correct explanation for assertion. Reason:
Distractor 1 Both assertion and reason are true, but the reason is not the correct explanation for assertion. Explanation
Content domain Peasants, Zamindars and the State - Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. sixteenth- seventeenth
(Chapter name) centuries)
Content Domain
CLO44. Describes and evaluates the Zamindar system of rural India.
Learning outcome
Indicator C115. Analyzes the factors that led to the consolidation of clan-based zamindars.
Marks 5
Prove that there was a direct correlation between caste, income levels and social status in Mughal society with evidence.
Item stem
Do you think this correlation holds true in present-day India too? Why do you say so?
Marking Scheme
Explains that there were a number of social groups that were denied access to land and forced to engage in menial
2
labour, despite an abundance of cultivable land in the Mughal society.
Uses the examples of the halalkhoran and the mallahzadas to prove that caste-based distinctions were rampant in the
1.5
empire.
1.5 Draws common elements of these correlations and compares them to present-day conditions of “lower castes” in India.
Content domain
Bhakti- Sufi Traditions Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth century)
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO31. Describes the rise and prevalence of Muslim rulers from 711 to the 16th Century.
Learning outcome
Indicator C81. Analyzes the social and religious differences in sub-groups of Islamic people in India.
Marks 5
Explain, with examples, how Islam was practiced when the religion began to proliferate in India. What elements of it
Item stem
remained universal and what features became diversified to suit the needs of different social groups?
Marking Scheme
Mark Answer
2 Explains, with examples, the universal elements of Islam that were followed by ruling kings as well as commoners.
2 Explains, with examples, the diversities in the practice of Islam that were adopted on a case-by-case basis.
Explains this blend of universal features interspersed with local traditions in the architecture of Islamic structures in
1
India.
Content domain
Through the Eyes of Travellers Perceptions of Society (c. tenth to seventeenth century)
(Chapter name)
Content Domain CLO26. Describes the life and works of Ibn Battuta in the context of Indian history.
Learning outcome CLO27. Describes the account of Francois Bernier on India.
Indicator C67. Compares and contrasts the opinions that Ibn Battuta and François Bernier had about India.
Marks 5 marks
Compare the perspectives that François Bernier and Ibn Battuta had of India with evidence. Do you think either
Item stem
perspective was the only ‘correct’ opinion to have? Why do you think so?
Marking Scheme
Mark Answer
1 Details the perspectives that Ibn Battuta had on India and the features of India that were remarkable to him.
1 Details the perspectives that François Bernier had on India and the features of India that stood out to him.
2 Compare these perspectives and infers deeper ideas that these travellers possessed from it.
Either asserts that multiple perspectives are integral to analysis or asserts that one social perspective was only ‘correct’,
1
with due rationale for both.
Content domain
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings - Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE - 600 CE)
(Chapter name)
Content Domain
CLO21. Describes the location, structure and learnings from the Buddhist stupas in Sanchi and Amravati.
Learning outcome
Indicator C51. Compares the quality of monument preservation in Sanchi and Amaravati.
Marks 1 mark
Time 1 minute
On the Indian map, locate the ancient site that Shahjehan Begum took measures to protect and develop. This site is now
Item stem
a revered religious site.
Marking Scheme
Mark Answer
Multiple-Choice Question
Essential The earliest written records of human settlements are of Mesopotamian cities and these records help with an accurate picture
Idea of the city life during this period.
Item stem + Imagine you are a trader coming into the city of Uruk in Mesopotamia with various agricultural supplies. Possessing what skill
question would be most advantageous for you?
Correct This is correct because all the notes of how much goods were
Writing and reading the cuneiform script.
answer coming in and out of the city would be recorded on clay tablets.
Distractor 2 Advanced knowledge of the star positions. May confuse traders to be maritime experts.
Urbanisation led to cities becoming less self-reliant which led to trading which in turn led to the evolution of division of
Essential Idea
labour.
The kingdom of Mari was established in the 1800 BCE and the civilisation of Mesopotamia was a mature one by then with
modern-day cities developing and people playing different roles. List out the contemporary counterparts to the roles that
existed in Mesopotamia with one sentence about why these roles are like modern jobs.
Item stem + 1. King
question
2. Farmers
3. Officers inspecting goods on boats passing the cities
4. Scholars and intellectuals
1. King – Would be like the leader of a nation or president or the prime minister of a country. The king’s role
was to protect the people of the city from outside attacks, settle disputes and look after the welfare of the
people. The king also built structures for protection like walls around the city and temples for the benefit
of the public.
Sample answer 2. Farmers – Farmers of the day were like the modern-day farmers in their role of growing crops for the 4 marks
needs of the city and for trade.
3. Officers inspecting goods on boats passing the cities – Customs officials in the modern day are closest to
this profession. The officers of Mesopotamia would calculate the worth of the goods on boats passing
through the city and levy a percentage tax on it.
Marking Rubric:
For each correctly identified profession 0.5 mark
Part 1
Multiple-Choice Question
The success and growth of the Roman Empire was built not only on a robust political system and a society in which women
Essential Idea
held strong legal positions but also on slave labourers, who had limited or no rights.
Item stem + Slaves were not found engaged in agricultural activities in the Roman Empire of the later period. What was the most
question pertinent reason for this?
From the 4th Century onward, the Roman Empire shrunk in the West, but thrived in the East with a variety of influences
Essential Idea
from different religions and regions.
Item stem + In the 4th century, the Roman Empire in the East witnessed monetary stability and economic growth. Imagine you were a
question ruling elite of the Empire in this kingdom; how would this have caused everyday changes in your life?
If I were a ruling elite of the East of the Roman Empire, I would be aware that considerable investments were
made in rural development, industrialization, newer technologies and long-distance trade by members of the
governing class such as me.
Sample answer In everyday matters, this would mean grandiose styles and structures of architecture. My residence would 2 marks
have been extremely luxurious, and I would have had the resources to live a grand life. All my friends would
live lives similar to this as well – other members of the governing gentry. Affluent lifestyles would have been
commonplace.
Part 2 Elaborates on the everyday lives of a member of this social class. 1 mark
The Mongol leaders innovated and compromised as the needs, economies and people over their vast Empire were not
Essential Idea
homogenous.
The Mongol rulers belonged to different religious groups, ethnic groups and linguistic groups; and yet administered their
Item stem +
kingdom in a harmonious manner. As a student of history, which of these would you consider the most valuable takeaway
question
from this knowledge to present-day life in India?
The knowledge of how kings ought to behave from The behaviour of these kings was not noteworthy enough to
Distractor 1
research on the Mongol rulers. set an example, so this answer is incorrect.
The idea of nomadic lifestyles, and its application in Nomadic lifestyles are not applicable to a large section of
Distractor 2
present-day countries with existing lifestyles. society owing to current lifestyles, so this answer is incorrect.
The ways of totalitarianism that these rulers practiced, Authoritarianism, as displayed by these rulers, has no place in
Distractor 3
and their applicability in democracies. an ideal democracy and hence this answer is incorrect.
Essential Idea A transcontinental Empire was established by the Mongols under the leadership of Genghis Khan.
Item stem + 1. How did Genghis Khan engage in the erasure of individuals’ tribal identities in his army?
question 2. What do you think might have been the objective behind deliberate action like this?
Genghis Khan worked to systematically erase the old tribal identities of the different groups who joined his
confederacy. His army was organised according to the old steppe system of decimal units: in divisions of 10s,
100s, 1,000s and 10,000 soldiers. In the old system, the clan and the tribe would have coexisted within the
decimal units, but Genghis Khan stopped this practice. He divided the old tribal groupings and distributed
their members into new military units. Any individual who tried to move from his allotted group without
Sample answer permission received harsh punishment. The largest unit of soldiers, approximating 10,000 soldiers now 3 marks
included fragmented groups of people from a variety of different tribes and clans.
From my knowledge of his conquests and military ideas, I believe that Genghis Khan engaged in this strategy
to change the existing sociocultural system of the army and wanted all entities’ identities to be tied to the
Empire and himself. This systematic erasure would have been driven by the need for all identities to be
merged into one – that of belonging to his dynasty.
Marking Rubric:
Explains Genghis Khan’s actions for identity erasure. 2 marks
Part 1
Essential Idea The changing relationships between the three orders – Christian priests, land-owning nobles, and peasants – between the 9th
and 16th centuries was key in shaping Western European history.
Item stem + If you belonged to 9th-century Europe as a member of the third order, which of these statements would be most true to your
question social and economic situation?
Correct answer Depending on the class of peasantry I belonged to, I This is the correct answer, since within the third order
would have more rights than other classes of the third landless labourers (serfs) were treated less than free peasants,
order. and women and children had harsher and more demanding
working conditions.
Distractor 1 I would have freedom on aspects such as marriage that This statement is untrue, lords decided all courses of action in
are unrelated to my occupation. a serf’s life.
Distractor 2 I could trust the nobility under whom I worked to keep This is an incorrect statement.
my best interests in mind, irrespective of the Lord I
worked under.
Distractor 3 I could command a fair market price for my wages from Labour rent would go directly to the lord, and was not paid to
the Lord under whom I worked. workers. So, this is incorrect.
Essential Idea Post the fall of the Roman Empire, there was no unifying force, and hence social organisation was based on control of land.
After the Post the fall of the Roman Empire, land was the basis on which social organization was determined.
Item stem + Who benefited from this, and what were these benefits?
question What do you think is the primary basis on which social organization in India is currently done?
Can you draw any similarities between these ways of organization in Rome of this time period and present-day India?
After the fall of the Roman Empire, social organization was determined on the basis of land ownership and
control. This development most benefited the second order; the nobility. Under this system, the noble enjoyed
a privileged status. He had absolute control over his property, in perpetuity. He could raise troops called
‘feudal levies’. The lord held his own courts of justice and could even coin his own money. He was the lord of
all the people settled on his land. He owned vast tracts of land which contained his own dwellings, his private
fields and pastures and the homes and fields of his tenant-peasants. His house was called a manor. His private
lands were cultivated by peasants, who were also expected to act as foot soldiers in battle when required, in
Sample answer 5 marks
addition to working on their own farms.
In a present-day context, I believe social organization in India today primarily occurs on the basis of the
wealth one possesses. While land could be one form of this, it is not restricted to land alone but the assets, the
income and the investments one possesses.
I am able to make several similarities to these two situations. On the face of it, it is evident that in both
situations, the basis for commanding resources and services is economic in nature. Secondly, this wealth also
allows these individuals to employ the services of workers for their houses and other spaces. Both sections of
Marking Rubric:
Identifies the beneficiaries of this social organization correctly and explains the benefits that accrued to them. 2 marks
Part 1
Part 2 Opines on what the student believes is the basis for social organization in India currently. 1 mark
Draws similarities between the mode of organization in Rome and what the student believes is the mode of
Part 3 2 marks
organization in India.
Multiple-Choice Question
Item stem + Copernicus, on discovering that the Earth and other planets revolve around the sun, did not make this information public
question until his death. Which of these is the larger rationale behind this?
Science was not advanced enough for the scientist to This is an incorrect statement since the scientist had found
Distractor 1
definitively determine this fact. this with considerable evidence.
Distractor 2 Science was not palatable to the common masses. This is not a statement that has been proven to be true.
Between the 14th and 17th century urban culture developed and towns became centres of trade, art, and culture in Western
Essential Idea
Europe.
In the 15th century, women’s writings revealed their conviction that they should have “economic power, property and
education to achieve an identity in a world dominated by men”. With this statement in mind, analyze the following excerpt.
Balthasar Castiglione, author and diplomat, wrote in his book The Courtier (1528):
'I hold that a woman should in no way resemble a man as regards her ways, manners, words, gestures and bearing. Thus just as it is very
Item stem + fitting that a man should display a certain robust and sturdy manliness, so it is well for a woman to have a certain soft and delicate
question tenderness, with an air of feminine sweetness in her every movement, which, in her going and staying and whatsoever she does, always
makes her appear a woman, without any resemblance to a man. If this precept be added to the rules that these gentlemen have taught the
courtier, then I think that she ought to be able to make use of many of them, and adorn herself with the finest accomplishments... For I
consider that many virtues of the mind are as necessary to a woman as to a man; as it is to be of good family; to shun affectation: to be
naturallythe
Compare graceful;
ideas to
ofbe well mannered,
women on their clever and prudent;
empowerment withto the
be neither
wordsproud, envious orand
of Castiglione evil-tongued, nor vain... to
make connections of perform
the samewell
to and
a
gracefully the sports suitable for women.'
present-day situation.
Sample answer This time period witnessed women such as Isabella d’Este and Cassandra Fedele demand equal participation 3 marks
of women in education, and equal availability of opportunities for women and men in the realm of learning.
Most of these ideas are present today as well, with men forming ideas and suggestions on how women ought
to conduct themselves, what their responsibilities ought to be and what is ‘suitable’ for them. The nature of
condescension that any such discourse contains has been carried through centuries, as is clearly visible from
this excerpt.
Marking Rubric:
Compare the ideas of women and men of this period with evidence. 1.5 marks
Part 1
The migration of Europeans to the Americas and Australia led to the migrants settling in the foreign lands and eventually
Essential Idea
making up the majority in these regions.
In 1854, the President of the USA received a letter from a native leader, Chief Seattle. The president had asked the chief to sign a treaty
giving a large part of the land they lived on to the American government. The Chief replied:
Item stem +
question 'How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If you do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle
of the water, how can one buy them? Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine-needle, every sandy shore, every
mist in the dark woods, every clearing and every humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses
through the trees carries the memories of the red man...
So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land, he asks much of us. The Great Chief sends word that he
What seemed
will reserve us to be the
a place so central
that we concern of this leader?
can live comfortably. He will be our father and we will be his children. So we will consider your offer to
buy our land. But it will not be easy. For this land is sacred to us. The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water
but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you land, you must remember that it is sacred and teach your children that it is sacred and that
Option Reason/Explanation for this option
each ghostly you must reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur
is the voice of my father's father...'
That resources were priceless and that the idea of
Correct answer This is the correct answer.
‘buying’ nature was not one he understood.
That the American government would not care for the The leader makes no such claims, so this is an incorrect
Distractor 1
tribe’s resources. deduction.
Distractor 2 That the leader was worried for the safety of his people. The leader does not mention this at all, so this is also incorrect.
The migration of Europeans to the Americas and Australia led to the migrants settling in the foreign lands and eventually
Essential Idea
making up the majority in these regions.
‘This unfortunate race which we have been taking so much pains to civilise… have justified extermination.’
Item stem +
question
In colonization attempts by the Europeans in the cases of the Americas, Australia and even India, what seems to be the
guiding principle behind attempts to ‘civilise’ the native people of these lands? What is your stance on this rationale?
In any such colonization attempt, the Europeans’ guiding principle has been that the culture, lifestyle and
philosophy of any native groups are ‘backward’, and that these ways of being ought to be changed for
Sample answer effective development. The way to do this is through the ‘civilisation’ of these groups by inculcating 3 marks
European ideas into them. Any attempt by native groups such as these to defy European ideas were seen as
‘unfortunate’ and ‘incapable of civilisation’.
Marking Rubric:
Explains the guiding principle behind these civilisation attempts. 2 marks
Part 1
Multiple-Choice Question
Essential Japan’s push for modernisation was based on industries. Their expansion goals were justified by calls to liberate Japan from
Idea Western influences.
Society needs to adopt older ways of being since there was This is also a misleading statement, since changing back to
Distractor 3
less pollution in the past. ‘older ways’ can cost the country its economic position.
Modern China emerged post the liberalisation of the economy. This was at the end of China’s attempts to free themselves
Essential Idea
from outside influence.
Item stem +
How would you describe the development plan of modern-day China? What do you think of this development?
question
China, in a bid to modernize the country and quell the outside influence on the country, engaged in the
Sample answer liberalisation of the country. While this has created powerful economic growth for the country, it is key to 3 marks
consider whether this is development in its truest form. While calling for power to the people, the Chinese
Communist Party has built a highly centralised state. The country’s political system continues to be
Marking Rubric:
Explains the current development of China. 2 marks
Part 1
Multiple-Choice Question
The towns of the Harappan civilisation were well-planned and comprised of big buildings which were not seen in the region
Essential Idea
prior to this time.
Analyze this plan of the Citadel in Mohenjodaro. As a student of history, what inferences can you make about the Harappan
civilisation’s approach to architecture?
Item stem +
question
The Harappan civilisation’s architecture was guided by While the structures in the Harappan civilisation were grand
Distractor 1 ideas of grandeur, and a bid to outshine other and impressive, no evidence specifies that the objective of
civilisations of the world of the same time. these structures was to impress this grandeur on people.
The architects of Mohenjodaro wanted the city to be This is an inaccurate inference to derive from this image, and
Distractor 2
attractive for people to come to settle in. neither is it true.
The artefacts, seals, weights, etc. are evidence that towns of the Harappan civilisation shared communication and trade with
Essential Idea
parts of the subcontinent and with faraway lands.
Item stem + It is an established fact that the Harappan civilisation engaged in trade within and beyond the subcontinent, and that there
question was communication with these lands. Using textual evidence, justify this assertion.
To determine that the Harappan civilisation was rich in inter-region trade and communication, it is essential
to focus on the overwhelming evidence that supports this assertion.
1. The discovery of seals and sealings from the archaeological sites such as Ropar presents evidence that
long-distance communication was carried out in the Harappan civilisation. These seals were designed in
ways that determined the security of packages as well as the determining of the sender’s identity.
2. The evidence of scripts found in the Harappan civilisation also indicates that communication within and
beyond the region was a well-established practice. Considering the variety of everyday objects these
Sample answer inscriptions were found on, it can be determined that literacy, and hence communication, was a 5 marks
widespread phenomenon.
3. Archaeological research that finds Harappan artefacts in distant lands – such as a large Harappan jar
coated with a thick layer of black clay that been found at Omani sites, traces of common copper particles
found in Omani and Harappan finds, archaeological evidence of Harappan seals, weights, dice and beads
in far-off lands, Mesopotamian texts that mention contact with regions named Dilmun, Magan and
Meluhha, (possible sites in the Harappan region), and inscriptions of boats and seals are also strong
indicators that trade, communication and exchange happened between the Harappan civilisation and
other regions.
Marking Rubric: Mentions that seals and sealings were indicative of communication, and of the usage of these seals with
1 mark
Part 1 evidence.
Mentions how evidence about script and inscriptions are indicative of literacy and communication using
Part 2 1 mark
justification.
Part 3 Mentions evidence of Harappan artefacts found in far-off lands with concrete examples. 3 marks
Multiple-Choice Question
This was the period of the rise of kingdoms or chiefdoms. Chiefs were not bound to be linked by heredity, while kings were
Essential Idea
linked by heredity and some also deemed to have divine powers.
Item stem +
What was the primary difference between a kingdom like that of the Pandyas and of the Mauryan Empire?
question
From the 6th century BCE, technological advancements in agriculture and irrigation led to an increase in crop yields, though
Essential Idea the increase benefitted only certain sections of the rural society. Urban societies were centres of trade and coins were used
for exchange of goods.
In the 6th century BCE, there were technological advancements in agriculture that enabled an increase in crop yields. Some
Item stem + of these were the shift to plough agriculture, the use of irrigation and the usage of the iron ploughshare.
question
Were the benefits of these advancements equal to all social classes? Support your answer with evidence.
While these technologies often led to an increase in production, the benefits were very uneven. It is evident
that there was a growing differentiation among people engaged in agriculture. Stories in the Buddhist
tradition, refer to landless agricultural labourers, small peasants, as well as large landholders. The term
gahapati was often used in Pali texts to refer to small peasants and landholders. The large landholders, as
well as the village headman, emerged as powerful figures and often exercised control over other cultivators.
Sample answer Early Tamil literature (the Sangam texts) also mentions different categories of people living in the villages – 5 marks
large landowners or vellalar, ploughmen or uzhavar and slaves or adimai. It is likely that these differences
were based on differential access to land, labour and some of the new technologies. In such a situation,
questions of control over land must have become crucial, as these were often discussed in legal texts.
From these examples, it can be concluded that while technological advancements were occurring in this
period, these disproportionately benefited the well-off.
Marking Rubric: Mentions all the technological improvements in agriculture around the 6th century BCE. 2 marks
Part 2 Specifies, with evidence, differential access to land, labour and agricultural advancements. 3 marks
Multiple-Choice Question
Essential Idea The Mahabharata may not be accurate, but it gives a realistic glimpse into the social systems between 600 BCE and 600 CE.
Read the following excerpt from the Mahabharata of the Kauravas’ mother, Gandhari, engaged in conversation with her son
Duryodhana.
A mother's advice
The Mahabharata describes how, when war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas became almost inevitable, Gandhari made one
Item stem + last appeal to her eldest son Duryodhana:
question
By making peace you honour your father and me, as well as your well-wishers ... it is the wise man in control of his senses who guards
his kingdom. Greed and anger drag a man away from his profits; by defeating these two enemies a king conquers the earth... You will
happily enjoy the earth, my son, along with the wise and heroic Pandavas ... There is no good in a war, no law (dharma) and profit
(artha), let alone happiness; nor is there (necessarily) victory in the end - don't set your mind on war ...
Considering these words and Duryodhana’s subsequent actions, what can you possibly determine about the social position
ofDuryodhana
mothers indid
thisnot listen to this advice and fought and lost the war.
period?
Essential Idea Society had many divisions along kinships, caste, class, and gender, most of which are even prevalent today.
Item stem + Centring your analysis around women’s status and agency, compare the rules of marriage in ~500 BCE with present-day
question customs of marriage.
Around ~500 BCE, patriliny was excessively practised, meaning that sons inherited the position and
resources of their fathers on their demise. In this situation, it is integral to look at the status of daughters.
Sample answer They had no claims to the resources of the household. At the same time, marrying them into families 5 marks
outside the kin was considered desirable. This system referred to as exogamy, meant that the lives of young
girls and women belonging to families that claimed high status were often carefully regulated to ensure that
they were married at the “right” time and to the “right” person. This gave rise to the belief that kanyadana
Marking Rubric:
Explains, with evidence, the customs and rules around marriage in 500 BCE. 2 marks
Part 1
Part 2 Opines on present-day customs about marriage by quoting from direct or observed experience. 2 marks
Part 3 Makes a connection between rules in the past and the present. 1 mark
Philosophers and thinkers tried to understand the world around them and recorded their thoughts as texts, sculptures and
Essential Idea
architecture.
Item stem +
At the time of their inception, how were Buddhist sanghas different from typical social life?
question
Bhikkhunis were welcomed into sanghas from the There is not enough evidence to prove or disprove this
Distractor 1
inception of the religion. statement.
Philosophers and thinkers tried to understand the world around them and recorded their thoughts as texts, sculptures and
Essential Idea
architecture.
Item stem + How did Jainism spread to many parts of India? In a present-day situation, if one wanted to propagate a new religion among
question the masses, what would be the methods they could employ to achieve this successfully?
Jaina scholars produced a wealth of literature in a variety of languages – Prakrit, Sanskrit and
Tamil. These manuscripts were carefully preserved in libraries attached to temples. Stone
sculptures associated with religious traditions have also been produced by devotees of the Jaina
Tirthankaras, and have been recovered from several sites throughout the subcontinent. Through
these symbols, Jainism, its central ideas and messages had spread to many parts of India.
Sample answer In the present day, with the technology and the resources available, I would propagate religion 3 marks
by first investigating what it is that ails people in general through direct engagement. I would
understand these concerns and incorporate them into the messaging of my religion. I would then
make the religion, its central ideas and messages clear to the general populace through digital
and print resources, and I would also ensure direct communication with me about this religion
would be possible.
Marking
Rubric: Specifies how Jainism spread to many parts of the country with examples. 2 marks
Part 1
Travellers from other lands had a distinct perspective on prevailing conditions in society, and this perspective helps
Essential Idea
historians get a well-rounded account of life from 600 BCE to 600 CE.
This is what Ibn Juzayy, who was deputed to write what Ibn Battuta dictated, said in his introduction:
A gracious direction was transmitted (by the ruler) that he (Ibn Battuta) should dictate an account of the cities which he had seen in
his travel, and of the interesting events which had clung to his memory, and that he should speak of those whom he had met of the
Item stem +
rulers of countries, of their distinguished men of learning, and their pious saints. Accordingly, he dictated upon these subjects a
question
narrative which gave entertainment to the mind and delight to the ears and eyes, with a variety of curious particulars by the exposition
of which he gave edification and of marvellous things, by referring to which he aroused interest.
On reading this third-person account of Ibn Battuta’s travels, which of the following do you think makes the writing of
travellers like Ibn Battuta distinctive?
Travel writers were extremely interested in gaining an This statement is true, but it does not answer the question
Distractor 2
understanding of local practices and traditions. prompt.
Travellers’ accounts will include the experiences of their times, comparisons to their home countries and certain inherent
Essential Idea
biases.
Item stem + In detail, explain François Bernier’s understanding of the Mughal Empire as ‘degenerate’. What do you think caused him to
question have this perception?
According to François Bernier, a fundamental issue in Mughal India 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. He thought that in the Mughal Empire, the emperor owned all
the land and distributed it among his nobles and that this had disastrous consequences for the economy and
society. Owing to crown ownership of land, argued Bernier, landholders could not pass on their land to their
children. So, they were averse to any long-term investment in the sustenance and expansion of production.
The absence of private property in land was, according to Bernier, a deterrent to wealth creation among the
Sample answer common folk. It is to be noted that no official Mughal documents suggest that the state was the sole owner of 5 marks
the land.
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. Between the
poorest of the poor and the richest of the rich, there was no social group or class worth the name.
Owing to these factors, Bernier believed the land to be degenerate. He was concerned with comparing and
contrasting what he saw in India with the situation in Europe in general and France in particular, focusing on
Marking Rubric:
With examples and evidence, provides justification to Bernier’s opinion of the Mughal Empire. 3 marks
Part 1
Provides an explanation for this opinion by providing evidence from the chapter on his comparison of the
Part 2 2 marks
Empire to Europe on multiple levels.
Multiple-Choice Question
Essential Idea Inclusive, diverse and dynamic groups arose between the 8th and 18th century because of religious or social exclusion.
Item stem +
Why did newer bhakti movements of appeal to varied sections of society?
question
The rules of these movements were not as rigid and This is the correct answer, as this is the distinctive difference
Correct answer
exclusionary as well-established religious movements. between bhakti movements and established religions.
The traditions of such groups were fluid and even core messages were changed or abandoned if they were irrelevant or
Essential Idea
outdated.
The following is an excerpt written by Basavanna, the founder of the Virashaiva tradition.
From this, what can you understand about the newer bhakti movements’ approach to established Brahminical traditions?
Would you consider newer bhakti movements and sufi movements as an evolution from Brahminical traditions? Why/why
not?
It is a well-established fact that newer Bhakti traditions, it can be gathered that the proponents of these
movements generally did not approve of religious practices established by Brahmins. From this excerpt, one
Sample answer can understand that these movements did not approve of idol worship, of the offerings Brahmins made to 4 marks
religious deities, and of the general manner in which Brahminical traditions around service, caste distinctions
and societal treatment prevailed.
Marking Rubric: Establishes that the newer Bhakti movements were different from the existing Brahminical traditions with
2 marks
Part 1 evidence from the excerpt.
Part 2 Explains the reason why/why not these forms of religions were more evolved than Brahminical traditions. 2 marks
Multiple-Choice Question
The evidence for the South Indian Empire of Vijayanagara comes primarily from remains of buildings, temples, and other
Essential Idea
structures. Epigraphs, artefacts, and inscriptions also support the assertion that Vijayanagara was a grand kingdom.
Item stem +
Observe this elevation drawing of the Lotus Mahal of Vijayanagara, and of the detailing on one arch.
question
The architecture of Vijayanagara was guided by Indo- This statement is untrue, the architecture was guided by Indo-
Distractor 3
Saracenic techniques. Islamic techniques.
The evidence for the South Indian empire of Vijayanagara comes primarily from the remains of buildings, temples, and
Essential Idea
other structures. Epigraphs, artefacts, and inscriptions also support the assertion that Vijayanagara was a grand kingdom.
Observe this diagram, which outlines the architectural plan of Vijayanagar. Pay attention to the river channels, the main
river, the fortification and the structure of the kingdom, and connect this to the knowledge you have about the Vijayanagara
Empire.
Item stem +
question
a. From the diagram, the intense fortification attempts of the town are visible – especially in the royal centre.
This also corresponds with the fortification attempts that one has learnt about the Vijayanagara Empire.
These encircled not only the city but also its agricultural hinterland and forests. The outermost wall
linked the hills surrounding the city. The massive masonry construction was slightly tapered. No mortar
or cementing agent was employed anywhere in the construction. The stone blocks were wedge-shaped,
which held them in place, and the inner portion of the walls was of earth packed with rubble. Square or
rectangular bastions projected outwards. From this description, it can be gathered that the security
efforts of the kingdom were strongly in place.
Sample answer b. As can be observed from the image, the Sacred Centre of the kingdom housed multiple temples and places 8 marks
of worship. In addition, Field surveys indicate that the entire area was dotted with numerous shrines and
small temples, pointing to the prevalence of a variety of cults, perhaps supported by different
communities. The surveys also indicate that wells, rainwater tanks as well as temple tanks may have
served as sources of water for ordinary town dwellers.
c. It can be observed from the image that the urban core of the kingdom was spread out among a significant
portion of the land, pointing to evidence that it was significant in the kingdom. The houses of the
kingdom’s people have been found to live in the urban core. A sixteenth-century traveller described the
houses of ordinary people, which have not survived for archaeological research as thatched, but well-built
Marking Rubric: Infers and draws conclusions about the condition of the fortification attempts of the kingdom and other
2 marks
Part 1 security measures.
Infers and draws conclusions about the religious spaces in the kingdom from the diagram and adds to existing
Part 2 2 marks
knowledge from the textbook.
Infers and draws conclusions about the urban life in the kingdom from the diagram and adding to existing
Part 3 2 marks
knowledge from the textbook.
Opines on possible reasons for the higher fortification of certain spaces of the kingdom that are in line with
Part 4 2 marks
students’ knowledge of the kingdom and logic. The sample answer is one possible answer in this direction.
Landowners and farm workers claimed rights to agricultural produce, which led to competition, conflict, and cooperation
Essential Idea
between them.
Item stem + Which of the following is the strongest evidence that the peasantry and the zamindars had a relationship that was
question cooperative, despite significant exploitation of the farm workers by the landowners?
There is evidence that the zamindars gave farm This is an inaccurate statement; the text does not offer any such
Distractor 1
labourers a fixed percentage of the produce. statement.
Working in the milkiyat of Zamindars usually offered This is also a statement that cannot be backed by textual
Distractor 3
farm owners higher wages. evidence.
In the 16th and 17th centuries, crops were grown not just for consumption but also for trade. Owing to this, rural agrarian
Essential Idea
production was marked by interference in the form of revenue collectors, record keepers, etc.
Item stem + Why did the Mughal Empire, under Akbar’s rule, construct an elaborate state apparatus to monitor agricultural production?
question How did the Empire go about this task on a day-to-day level?
The Mughals were particular about monitoring agricultural production because revenue from the land was the
economic mainstay of the Mughal Empire. This apparatus included the office of the diwan who was
responsible for supervising the fiscal system of the empire. So, revenue officials and record keepers became
significant in the agricultural landscape of the Empire.
The State engaged in this process in a multi-pronged manner. It first tried to acquire specific information
Sample answer about the extent of the agricultural lands in the empire and what these lands produced before fixing the 5 marks
burden of taxes on people. The land revenue arrangements consisted of two stages – first, assessment and
then actual collection. The jama was the amount assessed, as opposed to hasil, the amount collected. In his list
of duties of the revenue collector, Akbar decreed that while he should strive to make cultivators pay in cash,
the option of payment in kind was also to be kept open. While fixing revenue, the attempt of the state was to
maximise its claims. The scope of actually realising these claims was, however, sometimes thwarted by local
conditions. Both cultivated and cultivable lands were measured in each province.
Marking Rubric: Specifies the reason for the administrative focus on agriculture as the reliance of the State on farming for
2 marks
Part 1 revenue accurately with support.
Multiple-Choice Question
The dynamics between the peasants, zamindars, moneylenders and the British East India Company were influenced by the
Essential Idea
tax collection system, leaving the peasants in intense debt-cycles.
Item stem +
Which of these is the most pertinent reason for the failure of the Permanent Settlement?
question
As part of the Permanent Settlement, the zamindars were This is untrue, revenue decisions were not taken by the
Distractor 1
free to decide the revenue to be charged. zamindars.
The jotedars and zamindars worked in coalition to charge This is untrue, the jotedars were not working in partnership
Distractor 2
high revenues from farm labourers. with the zamindars.
The dynamics between the peasants, zamindars, moneylenders and the British East India Company were influenced by the
Essential Idea
tax collection system, leaving the peasants in intense debt cycles.
Item stem +
Briefly explain the cotton boom of the 1860s in India and its aftermath in the context of a debt cycle.
question
When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, cotton imports from America fell to less than three per cent
of the normal: from over 2,000,000 bales (of 400 lbs each) in 1861 to 55,000 bales in 1862 – resulting in
emergency messages being sent to India and elsewhere to increase cotton exports to Britain. In Bombay,
cotton merchants visited the cotton districts to assess supplies and encourage cultivation. As cotton prices
soared, export merchants in Bombay were keen to secure as much cotton as possible to meet the British
demand. So, they gave advances to urban sahukars who in turn extended credit to those rural moneylenders
who promised to secure the produce. Owing to the boom in the market, credit flowed easily, and this resulted
in lending optimism. These developments had a profound impact on the Deccan countryside. The ryots in the
Sample answer Deccan villages suddenly found access to seemingly limitless credit. Sahukars were more than willing to 5 marks
extend long-term loans. While the American crisis continued, cotton production in the Bombay Deccan
expanded. Between 1860 and 1864 cotton acreage doubled. By 1862 over 90 per cent of cotton imports into
Britain were coming from India. However, these boom years did not bring prosperity to all cotton producers
in an equitable manner – some rich peasants did gain, but for the large majority, cotton expansion meant
heavier debt.
As the Civil War ended, cotton production in America revived and Indian cotton exports to Britain steadily
declined. Owing to the lessened demand, lenders were not keen on extending credit to the ryots. Amidst this
and the falling production, the revenue demanded by the Company also increased by significant amounts. The
Marking Rubric:
Explains the cotton boom in India, its reasons and the effect this had on credit availability and production. 3 marks
Part 1
Explains the aftermath of the cotton boom with reasons in terms of lessened demand and lesser credit
Part 2 1 mark
availability.
Using the Limitation Law and its manipulation, explains the aftermath of the cotton boom in the context of a
Part 3 1 mark
debt cycle.
Chapter 11 Rebels and the Raj: The Revolt of 1857 and its Representations
Essential Idea The soldiers, kings, zamindars, etc. had crucial roles to play during the revolt of 1857.
Item stem +
Which of these was the most important factor that contributed to the uprising against the British in the 1940s?
question
The White superiors passed racial remarks against the While this is a cause for sepoy dissatisfaction, this was not the
Distractor 2
sepoys. only or most significant reason for the collective uprising.
Chapter 11 Rebels and the Raj: The Revolt of 1857 and its Representations
The policies and actions of the British East India Company made locals believe that the Britishers were intent on ‘reforming’
Essential Idea
them. This mindset was susceptible to rumours which in turn led to the revolt of 1857.
Item stem + Briefly describe one of the rumours that were circulating in 1857 in India. What were some of the reasons for collective
question belief in these rumours?
One such rumour was that the British government had hatched a conspiracy to destroy the caste and religion
of Hindus and Muslims. According to the rumours, the British had mixed the bone dust of cows and pigs into
the flour that was sold in the market to achieve this. In towns and cantonments, sepoys and the common
people refused to touch the atta. There was fear and suspicion that the British wanted to convert Indians to
Sample answer Christianity. Panic spread fast, which the British officers tried to allay, with unsuccessful results. 3 marks
From a logical standpoint, rumours such as these do sound illogical, but these need to be analyzed in context
of the larger sociocultural reality to ascertain why people believed in these rumours. Around this time, the
British adopted policies aimed at “reforming” Indian society by introducing Western education, Western ideas
and Western institutions.
Marking Rubric:
Explains, in detail, any particular rumour that was prevalent among the masses around this time. 2 marks
Part 1
Part 2 Explains the reason for the belief in such rumours. 1 mark
Chapter 13 Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
The activities, decisions and interactions of Gandhi had immense impact on locals and the British rulers between 1915 and
Essential Idea
1948.
Item stem +
What was the deeper messaging and call-to-action behind Gandhi’s speech at Banaras Hindu University in 1916?
question
Chapter 13 Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
Reconstructing an individual’s historical biography entails an examination of various sources like contemporary literature,
Essential Idea
news items, live accounts, personal correspondence and the like.
An account of Gandhi can be gathered from multiple sources – public speeches, private correspondence, autobiographies,
Item stem + official records and press items.
question While reconstructing an influential individual’s history, each of these sources is valuable. Elaborate the unique uses and
limitations of any two of these specified sources.
1. Autobiographies –
a. An autobiography provides us with the best possible insight into a person’s life, considering it is
written from their vantage point.
b. However, it also is directed by the individual itself and is hence prone to a lot of bias and writing that
stems from a lack of or improper reflection.
Sample answer 2 marks
2. Official records –
a. Official records are important in gaining a clear understanding of significant events in an individual’s
life.
b. However, these records often do not show the incentive/rationale/motivator to these acts, and hence
can be incomplete.
Multiple-Choice Question
The process of arriving at the Constitution in a country as large, diverse and varied as India involved much deliberation,
Essential Idea
debate and discourse.
Item stem + Gandhi opposed B.R. Ambedkar’s demand for separate electorates for the Depressed Castes. What was his rationale for this
question opposition?
The process of arriving at the Constitution in a country as large, diverse and varied as India involved much deliberation,
Essential Idea
debate and discourse.
Item stem + In the context of deciding the language of the nation, what was R.V. Dhulekar’s argument? What could have been one
question possible ramification of this?
Dhulekar wanted Hindi to be declared as the National Language of the country, not as one of its Official
Languages. He attacked those who protested that Hindi was being forced on the nation, and mocked at those
who said, in the name of Mahatma Gandhi, that Hindustani rather than Hindi ought to be the national
language.
Sample answer There are obvious concerns with this approach – one of which I will highlight. India is a diverse country, with 3 marks
different languages spoken in different parts of the country. Even within these parts, there are different
dialects and indigenous languages in the country. To profess that Hindi ought to be the only National
Language of the country amidst this diversity is reductive and deeply exclusionary of the rest of the country’s
citizens.
Marking Rubric:
Recalls Dhulekar’s arguments for Hindi being the National Language of the country with evidence. 1 mark
Part 1
1. Position paper: National focus group on teaching Social Studies, NCERT 2006
2. CBSE Draft Learning Objectives.
3. National Curriculum Framework, NCERT 2005
4. History Curriculum Document, NCERT
5. NCERT Class 11 History Textbook
6. NCERT Class 12 History Textbook
7. Pedagogy of Teaching History: Comparing the Chronologic and Thematic Approaches, Daniel Tew, 2014.
8. Preparing history teachers to develop young people's historical thinking, Terrie Epstein, 2012.
ADVISORY
● Smt. Nidhi Chhibber, IAS, Chairperson, CBSE
GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT
● Dr. Joseph Emmanuel, Director (Academics), CBSE
● Dr. Praggya M. Singh, Director, (Academics-Assessment), CBSE
● Dr. Sweta Singh, Joint Secretary (Academics), CBSE
● Mr. Manish Kumar Tyagi, Under Secretary (Academics), CBSE
● Mr. Sridhar Rajagopalan, Chief Learning Officer, Ei
● Mr. Nishchal Shukla, Vice President, Content Development & Pedagogical Research, Ei
PLANNING AND EXECUTION
● Mr. Ritesh Agarwal, Associate Vice President, Ei
● Mr. Varun Kappal, Program Director, Ei
● Ms. Manisha Upreti, Manager, Ei
● Mr. H.M Shahnawaz Khan, Associate Manager, Ei
● Mr. Muzaffar Ahmad, Education Specialist, Ei
CONTENT DEVELOPMENT TEAM
● Ms. Rashim Vaid, Ex-employee, Ei
● Mr. Avikant Bhardwaj, Ex-employee, Ei
● Ms. Saiqua Sultan, Associate Manager, Ei
● Ms. Ritu Lamba, Founder, Things Education
REVIEWERS
● Ms. Vinita Rikhi, HOD Social Science & History, ASN S.S School, Mayur Vihar, Delhi.
● Ms. Kavita Dhar, PGT History, Bal Bharti Public School, Pitampura, Delhi