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In NCERT Class 7 History Chapter 1 “Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years”, we learn about the Chola empire and the Delhi Sultanate. To help you understand the lesson, we have provided a summary of the chapter in the blog. In addition, the blog includes important definitions in this NCERT chapter. Also, we have provided solutions to questions in the Exercise in the lesson. Keep reading for more!!
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Table of Contents
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Summary: NCERT Class 7 History Chapter 1
In NCERT Class 7 History Chapter 1, “Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years,” we explore a journey through history to understand how our society has transformed over a thousand years. We learn about important events, rulers, and cultures that shaped India’s rich heritage. We learn the stories of medieval times, including the Cholas and the powerful Delhi Sultanate. We also study about the intriguing life of Al Biruni, a brilliant scholar who visited India. The chapter emphasizes how trade and commerce flourished, leading to cultural exchanges with other lands. We get insights into diverse elements like architecture, literature, and languages that evolved during this period.
Check out Ashoka: The Great Ruler of the Mauryan Empire
Important Definitions Class 7 History Chapter 1
- Cartographer: A person who makes maps.
- Archive: A place where documents and manuscripts are stored. Today all national and state governments have archives where they keep all their old official records and transactions.
- Habitat: Habitat refers to the environment of a region and the social and economic lifestyle of its residents.
- Patron: An influential, wealthy individual who supports another person – an artiste, a craftsperson, a learned man, or a noble.
Download Social Science Class 7 History Chapter 1 Important Questions and Answers PDF
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Important Questions and Answers in NCERT Class 7 History Chapter 1
1. Who was considered a “foreigner” in the past?
Ans. In the medieval period, a “foreigner” was any stranger who appeared say in a given village, someone who was not a part of that society or culture. (In Hindi the term pardesi might be used to describe such a person and in Persian, ajnabi.) A city-dweller, therefore, might have regarded a forest-dweller as a “foreigner”, but two peasants living in the same village were not foreigners to each other, even though they may have had different religious or caste backgrounds.
2. State whether true or false:
(a) We do not find inscriptions for the period after 700.
(b) The Marathas asserted their political importance during this period.
(c) Forest dwellers were sometimes pushed out of their lands with the spread of agricultural settlements.
(d) Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban controlled Assam, Manipur and Kashmir.
Ans. (a) False
(b) True
(c) True
(d) False
3. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Archives are places where manuscripts are kept.
(b) Ziyauddin Barani was a fourteenth-century chronicler.
(c) Potatoes, corn, chillies, tea and coffee were some of the new crops introduced into the subcontinent during this period.
4. List some of the technological changes associated with this period.
Ans. The following are some of the technological changes that were associated with this period:
- Persian Wheel in irrigation
- Spinning Wheel in weaving
- Firearms in combat
5. What were some of the major religious developments during this period?
Ans. The major religious developments during this period were as mentioned below:
- People started worshipping new deities.
- The royalty constructed huge temples for people to worship.
- Brahmans started becoming priests and were considered the dominating group in society.
- The spread of Islam, with the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire in the Indian subcontinent.
6. In what ways has the meaning of the term “Hindustan” changed over the centuries?
Ans. Today we understand it as “India”, the modern nation-state. When the term was used in the thirteenth century by Minhaj-i-Siraj, a chronicler who wrote in Persian, he meant the areas of Punjab, Haryana and the lands between the Ganga and Yamuna. He used the term in a political sense for lands that were a part of the dominions of the Delhi Sultan. The areas included in this term shifted with the extent of the Sultanate but the term never included south India. By contrast, in the early sixteenth century, Babur used Hindustan to describe the geography, the fauna and the culture of the inhabitants of the subcontinent.
7. How were the affairs of Jatis regulated?
Ans. Jatis, or social groups, had their own regulations. Local councils and leaders oversaw these. They decided on matters like marriages, disputes, and rituals within their communities.
8. What does the term pan-regional empire mean?
Ans. A pan-regional empire is a large empire that spans across different regions or territories. In the context of India, it refers to empires like the Maurya and Gupta Empires that ruled over a vast area covering various parts of the Indian subcontinent.
9. What are the difficulties historians face in using manuscripts?
Ans. Historians sometimes face difficulties when using manuscripts because:
- Manuscripts can be very old and delicate. They need special care to avoid damage.
- Old handwriting styles can be tricky to read. Sometimes, the writing is in a language that is not widely used anymore.
- Some manuscript parts might be missing or damaged over time, making it harder to understand the complete story.
- Languages and writing styles have changed over the centuries. Historians need to be skilled in different scripts and languages to interpret ancient manuscripts.
10. How do historians divide the past into periods? Do they face any problems in doing so?
Ans. In the middle of the nineteenth century, British historians divided Indian history into three distinct periods: “British,” “Muslim,” and “Hindu.” According to their perspective, they believed that aside from a change in rulers’ religion, there were no significant developments in terms of culture, society, and economy.
However, this division imposed by British historians presents several problems. It overlooks the rich diversity present within the Indian subcontinent. The eleventh and eighth centuries, for instance, differed greatly from the sixteenth or eighteenth centuries.
Historians view time as something other than a calendar or clock measuring years, days, or hours. Instead, they find it helpful to segment history into different periods, each with similar characteristics. This approach allows them to discern similarities and changes in economic organization, social dynamics, beliefs, and ideas.
Historical records are documented in various languages, which evolve considerably over time. For instance, modern Persian differs significantly from Medieval Persian, encompassing not only shifts in vocabulary and grammar but also in the nuanced meanings of words.
When historians examine texts, maps, and documents from the past, they must be attentive to the contexts and distinctive historical backgrounds in which these materials were created, considering that cartography, for example, varied between different time periods..
11. Compare either Map 1 or Map 2 with the present-day map of the subcontinent, listing as many similarities and differences as you can find.
Ans. In Map 1, places are marked in Arabic, whereas in present-day maps, the places in the subcontinent are marked in English. In Map 1, South India is located where North India is located on the present-day map.
Check out Class 6 History Notes:
FAQs
Ans: History Class 7 Chapter 1 tells about various dynasties, like the Cholas, the Pallavas, and the Chalukyas, and how they influenced India’s cultural and political landscape.
Ans: In the medieval period, a “foreigner” was any stranger who appeared say in a given village, someone who was not a part of that society or culture. (In Hindi the term pardesi might be used to describe such a person and in Persian, ajnabi.) A city-dweller, therefore, might have regarded a forest-dweller as a “foreigner”, but two peasants living in the same village were not foreigners to each other, even though they may have had different religious or caste backgrounds.
Ans: Jatis, or social groups, had their own regulations. Local councils and leaders oversaw these. They decided on matters like marriages, disputes, and rituals within their communities.
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