Introduction to History and Social Sciences10x10learning.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Class... · Warped Past, Present and Future in Political Life • Political example : Democracy

Introduction to History

and Social

Sciences

Class 7 and above

1©10x10learning.com

History = ‘His + story’ / Itihaas = ‘It happened

like this /thus’

• History narrates the Past of a country, society, tribe, people, political structures, economic activities and other factors studies in Social Sciences.

• Knowing the past helps in knowing the present, so that ‘we do not need to reinvent the wheel’. It also helps in making ‘reason based estimates’ about the trends towards unknown future.

• Historical Developments are studied in units of 100 years. The centuries are then grouped as millennium to get the Big Picture of historical development and change.

Archaeological site of Nalanda UniversityNear Patna, in Bihar

In Class 7th we study the millennium From 700 AD to 1750 AD


Warped history

• As Time and Space are ‘warped’ , and the past, presentand future, tend to co-exist in every society.

• The co-existence of past, present, and future is visible inthe various social, political, and economic practices.

• In socio-economic area, cotton Saree and Dhoti kurtahave continued in India since ancient times, as theseare more comfortable for climatic conditions. Structureof the village and house layout, and modes of livelihoodhave continued with very little change.

Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur, Chola Empire


Warped history• In rural areas, the traditional socio-

economic order continues longer than incities, as everyone knows each other frombirth to death, and as the moderntechnology /facilities reach there at aslower pace.

• This is evident in no electrification or roadconnectivity of several lakh of villages,even in 2015.

• Vegetarian food is more popular in Indiadue to historical influence of Jainism,Buddhism, and Vaishanav cult, and theoverall view of respecting all life forms inNature. India is called a “Living Civilization”because its Past has continued till today.

• Future trends are seen in dresses ofFashion designer and in films. Films oftendepict the technology of the future, apartfrom showing the socio- economicsituation of the present times.


Warped history• Images of HampiTemples (Vijayanagar14th to 16th century)and Lotus Temple Delhiin 1980s.

• Musical instrumentunique to India


History lives in Architecture• Sanchi Stupa 3rd

century BC ( re-discovered in 1818)

• Hawa Mahal Jaipur, (1799) has 953 carved windows, and the temple within it is still in use.

• India has the largest heritage of unique historical monuments, and the largest number of World Heritage Sites.

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Continuity of Ancient History in Modern Political Thought

• The National Emblem of the Republic of India adopted on 26th January, 1950 , has been taken from Sarnath sculpture of 3rd Century B. C.

• Its four lions face the four directions, and Dharma Chakra on a bell shaped lotus, between images of a bull, a horse, an elephant, and a lion. It symbolizes the Eternal Wheel of law.

• Below it is the inscription of ‘Satyamev Jayate’ (Truth alone triumphs) in Devanagiri script.


The inscription in India’s national emblem, ‘ Satyamev Jayate’ has been taken From MundakaUpanishad.

Warped Past, Present and Future in Political Life

• Political example : Democracy , as the future form of

government was established in France after the French

Revolution from 1789 to 1799, and in the United States of

America, after American War of Independence from 1775 to

1783. Yet, in other countries democracy was adopted only after

1950s.

• - Even in a democratic USA, the Past practice of Slavery

continued to exist, till the 13th Amendment to the Constitution

abolished it on 31st January 1865. Women in USA got their right

to vote only on 20th August, 1920.

• As in 2015, democratic form has been adopted by 122 countries.

monarchies and 27 countries. As such even when a future trend is

available as a better alternatives , some countries may continue

to live in the Past. Either those is power do not wish to give it up

or society as a whole is not ready to accept a better alternative. 8©10x10learning.com

Parliament of IndiaParliamentary Democracy

with full adult franchise, was adopted by India, through its written Constitution that

came into effect from

26th January, 1950. Parliament comprises of the President of India, Rajya Sabha, and Lok Sabha.


History- Ancient, Medieval Modern • Political History – records are available

easily as most rulers employed scribes to write their story.

• Social History – records in literature, folk tales and folk songs, arts and crafts, clothing styles, the oral tradition of bards.

• Economic History – about the wealth , trade and means of livelihood. Records are in architecture , coins, seals, and written records

• History of language, script, art and architecture, music and dance

• Archaeology studies ancient history through what ever evidence is available as buried in lost habitation sites that had got buried in the sands of time. Most ancient sites are in this category.

• There is a History of every human activity today.


Uncertainty in the study of Social Sciences• Uncertainty lies at the core of all human efforts

to progress, to understand the unknown in ‘Life’.

• Philosophy, Religious thought, and scientificResearch, attempt to reduce the uncertaintiesof Life.

• The ‘known’ is the bright side of knowledge.Philosophical and Scientific thoughts, codifyand record the known aspects of knowledge.

• We tend to fear, what we do not know. The‘unknown’ and the ‘uncertain’, are two sides ofthe same coin of ‘unknown side ’ of Life.


‘Organic / Biotic’ Matter 1. Life is uncertain because Organic Matter is born, it grows, and it dies or comes to an end in its physical form.

2. All forms of life – plant, animal, birds, insects, humans – are ‘Living or Organic’ matter.

3. It also has movement or locomotion, and the ability to re-create its own kind. Animals and human bring up their young ones.

4. When a form of life will end or how it will react in various situations is not certain. Therefore, uncertainty is a basic feature of life.


Reducing Uncertainty through General Principles

Social Sciences study Life or reactions of organic matter .

Life forms have emotions, intelligence and an ability to adapt different situations.

Therefore, they react differently in the same situation.

This makes predicting their reactions more difficult and uncertain.

Only General Principles of reactions of life forms can be formulated , forstudy of life and society.

1. Emotions are a major characteristic

of humans and other life forms. Emotions

are changeable and differ from person to

person , even within the same group or

family. Humans are most unpredictable in

their reactions.

2. In Social Sciences , only General

Principles are formulated on basis of

Emotions + Reason

3. This factor makes General Principles of

group behaviour less ‘Certain’ than

Scientific Principles .

4. Socio- economic History and culture are

a key factor in study of society.

But as peoples differ in thought, cultural

practices and historical heritage, their

society has different structures, reactions,

and behaviour norms.


Example of General Principles from Sociology

• The basic principles of Sociology:

1. People behave differently in groups than they do as individuals.

2. People obey rules that are socially constructed.

3. People socially construct the rules.

4. Some people have more say than others in making the rules.

5. There are rewards for following the rules and penalties for breaking the rules.

6. The rules of society can be studied scientifically.14©10x10learning.com

Layers of History

• Just as silt brought down by a river getsdeposited, layer upon layer along the riverbank, History continues as several layers ofpolitical structures and economic practices.

• In India, the same sites have continued as towns and cities since 5th century B. C.

Examples : Indraprastha as Delhi, Kashi as Varanasi, Prayag as Allahabad, Mathura, Madurai, Kanchi, Tanjore, Hampi, Surat.

The old town and the new city co-exit in all these cities. Many are now to become Smart Cities.


POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS 650 to 1200 AD

• From 7th century AD, the focal point of political and cultural activities shifted from the northern plains of India to the Deccan peninsula. The vast plateau with major river valleys made the regions very fertile and prosperous.

• The Chalukyas, the Pallava, the Satavahan ( in Deccan) the Vakatas, the Rashtrakutas, the Pallas ( Bihar and Bengal) , and the Pratihars, (from Gurjars of Rajasthan).

• Kashmir, Nepal, Kamrupa (Assam), Utkalakingdoms ( in 8th century AD)


Provincial kingdoms

In Provinces, Regional languages continued.

• The Sultans and other kings had to adopt the regional language in administration because literate people for their court service, knew only their regional language.

• In Medieval times, all administrative records in the province were in the major local language of the area under the control of each Sultan.

1. Sultanate of Delhi – adopted Persian and Hindavi first used by Amir Khusro and Sufi saints. 2. Kingdom of Gujarat , under Ahmed

Shah, built his new capital at Ahmedabad after Revolting against Delhi to establish his new identity.

3. The Rajput kingdoms of Mewar, Marwar, Chittor, Jodhpur, were led by Mewar , that was most prosperous.

4. Kingdoms of the Jats, Awadh, and Jaunpur , in the mid- Gangetic Plains.

5. Kingdom of Bengal flourished due to its distance from Delhi and fertile soil.

6. Bahamani kingdom with Daulatabad as its capital.

7 . Vijaynagar Empire covered the Deccan peninsular from coast to coast.


Continuity of History through regional languages

• Even under the British from 18th century A.D., local languages could not be replaced with English.

• They have continued to be the basis of ‘linguistic states’ and after Independence in 1947, the States were re-organized on basis of language. Later, Gujarat was culled out of Maharashtra and Haryana out of Punjab. The 29th State to be created is Telangana, in 2014, culled out of Andhra Pradesh.

• Regional languages - Tamil, Telegu, Oriya, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Assamese that evolved from Prakrit and Sanskrit during the Ancient Historical period, continued their influence on shaping medieval kingdoms, and have created linguistic states in modern India.


THANK YOU


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Introduction to History and Social Sciences10x10learning.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Class... · Warped Past, Present and Future in Political Life • Political example : Democracy