Human Pasts Humans have different pasts. We use the term pasts in plural because different groups of humans had different past life. Some were kings, administrators, military men while others were farmers, merchants, craftspeople, artisans, hunters and herders. Each of them followed different practices, lifestyle, customs and rituals. They also followed different religions. What is History? History is the study of events, people and their way of life in the past. It tells us about past settlements, economy and society. It also tells us about the clothes people wore, their food habits and their occupations. The study of past also helps us understand the beliefs and faith of the people in past. From the life of a hunter-gatherer, (one who cither hunted animals or gathered food), the early humansbegancultivating landand then slowly moved towards a modern lifestyle. The study of history allows us to understand arstor, 1. Introducing History | Who am I? Where did I come from? Our parents or | {grandparents help us to find answers to all these questions. | |. But, if we wanted to know who our ancestors were, or how | they lived in the past, we will have to study history. ' how and why such changes have taken place over a long period of time. It, thus, tells us how people gradually made discoveries and inventions which led to their development. History also helps us to understand our present and mould our future too. Our pastis divided into long stretches of time or periods to make it easier to study. One of the most common division is into Prehistory, Protohistory and History. wre no written records. We rely entirely on wrchaeology to know about the lives and history of the people living during this period. Archaeologists explore, excavate and study the remains to understand the history of prehistoric people and civilization. Protohistory Protohistory is the period for which we find cords, but they are fewIndus Valley Civilization falls under this period. We have not been able to decipher thi Sources of History History is studied on the basis of records of the past events. These records are known as sources of history. The scholars who study the past using various sources are called historians. They explore clues and material left behind by the people in the past. The sources of a period can include fossil remains, bones, remains of settlements, monuments, utensils and pottery, tools and implements, literature and written records, paintings, inscriptions, edicts and coins. Broadly, we can divide the sources of history into two groups—archaeological and literary. Archaeological sources The archaeological sources include fossil remains, artefacts, tools and implements, edicts and inscriptions, monuments, coins, and so on. The scholars who explore these sources of the past are called archaeologists. Fossil remains Fossils are remains of plants, animals or human body parts from the past preserved in rocks. These have been buried for millions of years. The imprints of hard body parts such artefacts + remains of human-made objects as bones or skulls, leave a permanent mark on the rocks. Fossils are the main source of information for many species of plants and animals that have become extinct, for example, dinosaurs. A Anexample of fossil Monuments Monuments are ancient buildings and structures such as stupas, temples, mosques, tombs, palaces and forts. They throw light on the social, religious and cultural life of the people of the period in which they were built, rebuilt, or altered. They also give an insight into the architectural styles that evolved during their period of construction. ‘A Sanchi Stupa For example, Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh is an important Buddhist monument. The stupa’s design and material tells us that it was originally built of bricks during Ashoka’s time. It was expanded and rebuilt with stones during the Sunga period. An inscription on the southern gate of the stupa informs us that the gate was added by King Satakarni of the Satavahana dynasty.The northern gate and the panels also depict stories from the Jatakas. Artefacts Artefacts including human-made objects such as seals, toys, tools and implements, ‘ornaments and pottery have been found at various archaeological sites. They tell us about the kind of life people lived and their occupation. The artefacts also help us understand the social set up of that time. Inscriptions Inscriptions are the written records engraved ‘onstones, pillars, clay or copper tablets, caves and walls of the temples and monuments. They are reliable sources of information about the history of any period. They provide us names of the kings and their administration. For example, the Ashokan inscriptions and the Allahabad Pillar inscription, also known as Prayaga Prashasti, gives us an insight on the reign of Ashoka and Samudragupta. or The inscriptions of the s Mauryan King Ashoka are 3 the earliest inscriptions in India Coins ‘The study of coins is known as numismatics. Since they were made of metals they survived for many years. They were issued by kings and merchants. Most coins are stamped with dates and images therefore they also provide valuable personal information about the rulers and the people who issued them. For example, Samudragupta’s coins tell us that he was a good veena player. Literary Sources ‘The written records of history are known as literary sources. These records were written ‘on animal skin, clay tablets, rocks, pillars, walls and wood before the invention of paper. ¥ ‘The science of exploring and excavating old remains is called archaeology. Manuscripts The early literary records were handwritten. They are called manuscripts. Manuscripts were written on palm leaves, the bark of birch trees, and later on paper. Over the years, many of these manuscripts got destroyed. Some of them are still preserved in temples, monasteries and archives. They throw light on the social and economic life, religious beliefs, practices and cultures of a particular period. Scripts and languages Many ancient societies developed their scripts. They gradually took the form of language. The language of ancient Indian literature depended upon the region where it was written. Some of the languages included Prakrit, Pali, Sanskrit or Tamil. For example, the Mahabharat and the Ramayan were written in Sanskrit because they were authored in the northern part of India where Sanskrit was the main language. On the other hand, Silappadikaram and Manimekalai were written in Tamil speaking areas of south India A. An example of a manuscript Ancient literature Most ancient literatures were memorised. They were passed on from one generation to the next orally. Later, these were written. S archives : a place where collection of historical documents, records and ‘manuscripts are storeddown on palm leaves, bark of the birch tree or animal skin. For example, the Vedas and the Puranas contain details of rituals, prayers and religious practices of the ancient past. They are classified as sacred or religious literary sources. Many historical accounts and biographies were written by poets and foreign travellers classified as “non-religious or secular literature. They were written to record events, laws and administrative regulations of the contemporary society. For example, Kautilya’s Arthashastra, Indica written by the Greek ambassador Megasthenes in the court of Chandragupta Maurya, and the writings of Chinese travellers Fa-Hien and Hiuen- Tsang. They describe the political, social and economic life of a certain period. Time Frame in History BCE and CE Historical events are classified according to time in the form of BCE and CE. The abbreviation BCE stands for Before Common Era. Itrefers to the period in history before the birth of Jesus Christ. It was earlier known as BC or Before Christ. CE stands for Common Era. It refers to the period in history after the birth of Jesus Christ, earlier known as AD or Anno Domini. Historians arrange the events of history in a sequence according to the time when they took place. This is called chronology. These historical events are graphically represented ina timeline. Geographical framework The history of India has been greatly influenced by its geographical or physical features. The study of history is closely related with the study of geographical features Soil type, rainfall, climate, vegetation and environment greatly influence the evolution f human culture and their way of life. The ‘Himalayas in the north protected the country from invaders while the long coastline of the peninsular India facilitated foreign trade. The fertile plains helped many kingdoms to flourish in the northern and eastern parts of India. Most ancient towns also flourished on the banks of rivers. For example, Pataliputra on the banks of Ganga and Son rivers. Cai ve Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions. One fine moming in 1908 a cowboy named George Mcjunkin saw some sun-bleached bones. He pried the pieces of bones out with his knife. He took the finds back to his house, where they lay around for seventeen years. In 1925, someone sent the bones to Figgins, the director of the Colorado Museum of Natural History. The following year, Figgins dug the same area and found more bones and stone tools, It was then realised that it was a proof of human existence at the same time when long-extinct animals inhabited that area. i) The excavated items fall under which historical sources? evolution gradual progress of somethingExerci A. Choose the correct answer and fill in the blanks. 1. Historians divide the past into periods. a) two b) three ©) four 4) five 2. Prehistory refers to —__. a) the period after the invention of writing b) the period of digging into the earth ©) the period before the invention of printing 4) the period before the invention of writing 3. ——______ is an archaeological source. a) Inscription ©) Book 4. Manuscripts are —____. 1) handwritten records of the past b) oral records of the past 1b) Notebook d) Puzzle ©) printed reconds of the past 4) musical records of the past ‘The southern gate of Sanchi Stupa was added by a) Ashoka b) Chandragupta Maurya ©) Satkarni @) Samudragupta B. State whether true or false. If false, correct the statement. 1 Re The inscriptions of the Mauryan King Ashoka, are the earliest inscriptions in India. Literary sources. are of types—religious and secular. BCE stands for Before Christian Era. Arthashastra was written by Kautilya The Vedas and the Puranas are classified as sacred or religious literary sources. twoC. Answer the following questions in 10-20 words. 1. What is history? Define archaeology. What is a manuscript? What are fossils? What are artefacts? D. Answer the following questions in 50-70 words. 1. Why do weneed to study history? How docoins help usto understand history? What do inscriptions tell usabout history? ‘What are religious literary sources? How has India’s geography helped in shaping its history? E, Answer the following questions in 80-100 words. 1. What are the sources of history? How do they help in reconstructing the past? 2. What is the importance of geographical features of India in shaping its history? F. Think and answer. 1. Why are literary sources important in reconstructing the past? 2. What is the difference between a manuscript and an inscription? Thave become aware that sources are divided into two categories— the archaeological and literary sources. Thave understood the concept of Common Bra (CE) and Before ‘Common Bra (BCE). Group Activity Divide the class into two groups. One group will collect information on archaeological sources while the other would research on literary sources. Both the groups would make a presentation in the class, | monuments. Write a paragraph on the harm | done to the monument by doing such an act. 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