CBSE Class 12 History Solved Question Paper 2016

Barbosa has described that the houses of ordinary people are thatched:

i. Houses are well built and strong

ii. Houses were arranged according to occupations in long streets with many open places

iii. Entire area had many shrines and small temples which indicates the prevalence of variety of cults

iv. Rainwater tanks and temple tanks served as sources of water for the people.

The reasons: 

i. Emergence of various thinkers like Socrates, Buddha etc in different parts of the world

ii. Development of kingdoms and cities

iii. Changes in social and economic life

iv. Emergence of Upanishads in India and compilation of Rig Veda.

John Marshall was an archaeologist

He announced the discovery of a new civilization i.e. Indus Valley Civilization/ Harappa culture

Lord Dalhousie’s policy of annexation:

i. Imposition of Subsidiary Alliance reduced the powers of the Nawab. Soon after the Nawab was dethroned by the British and exiled on the basis of misgovernment. Many people followed the Nawab when he left Lucknow

ii. Dissolution of the court and its culture led many people to lost their livelihood. There was widespread sense of grief and loss

iii. The sepoys of the British army who came from Awadh carried over their grievances to the sepoy lines

iv. The new land revenue system introduced by the British imposed high taxes and was unpopular. The dissatisfaction resulted in a popular revolt. 

i. Abolishing social dogmas

ii. Respecting rights of the minority community.

iii. Granting them privileges, Equality, Social justice.

iv. Integration into mainstream and creating opportunities for them.

Similarity between lingayats and Nayanars –

i. Both opposed the caste system

ii. Both worshipped lord Shiva

Dissimilarity –

i. Nayanars were not confined to any particular region while the lingayats were popular in Karnataka

ii. Nayanars worshipped Shiva in both an idol and linga form whereas Lingayats worshipped only the linga form

Changes observed after 1900 BCE in Harappan Civilization:

i. There is a decline in the material culture and disappearance of distinctive artefacts.

ii. Long distance trade disappeared along with craft specialisation.

Reasons for changes:

i. Climatic change and deforestation.

ii. Excessive floods and overuse of the landscape.

i. Europeans recreated settlements reminiscent of their homes.

ii. Churches and educational institutions were set up by the British.

Problems faced by Al-Biruni in understanding India:

i. He could not understand Sanskrit language and found it difficult to translate Sanskrit into Arabic and Persian.

ii. Could not understand the difference in religious beliefs and practices and self-absorption of Brahmanas local population

He depended on Brahmanical works like

i. Vedas and Puranas

ii. Bhagavadgita and Manusmriti/Dharmasastras

The battle between the hoe and the plough was a long one:

i. The British wanted to bring more land under cultivation for increasing agricultural produce and revenue.They failed to convince the Paharias to practice settled
agriculture.

ii. Hill folk in the Rajmahal hills were known as Paharias. They depended on forest produce and shifting cultivation or their living and grew a variety of pulses and millets for consumption.

iii. The British gave land to Santhals (Damin-i-koh) to settle in cultivate. The Santhals cleared land and converted it into cultivable land.

iv. Santhals displaced the Paharias. They practiced plough agriculture and ploughed land to grow rice and cotton.