Tracing Changes through A thousand Years

Q18.How are travelogues an important literary source?

Ans. Many foreign travellers visited India during the medieval period. Their writing or travelogues gives lot of information about the places they visit and the people they met. They give a detailed account about political trade, events and commerce of that place.

Q19. Define the following terms.
Numismatics, Epigraphy, Manuscript and Medieval Period

Ans. Numismatics – The study of coins is called Numismatics.

Epigraphy – Study of inscription is called epigraphy.

Manuscript – The original script written by the author in his/her own handwriting.

Medieval Period – A period of Indian History from 700AD to 1750AD.

Q20. How have historians divided the history during the middle of the 19th century?

Ans. In the middle of the nineteenth century British historians divided the history of India into three periods: “Hindu”, “Muslim” and “British”. This division was based on the idea that the religion of rulers was the only important historical change, and that there were no other significant developments – in the economy, society or culture.

Q21. Mention the manner in which history was divided by historians during the middle of the 19^th century.

Ans. In the middle of the nineteenth century British historians divided the history of India into three periods: “Hindu”, “Muslim” and “British”. This division was based on the idea that the religion of rulers was the only important historical change, and that there were no other significant developments – in the economy, society or culture.

Q22. 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. 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.

Q23. Compare the value of paper in the thirteenth and fourteenth century?

Ans. Value of paper in the thirteenth and fourteenth century

                       i.        In the middle of the thirteenth century a scholar wanted to copy a book. But he did not have enough paper. So he washed the writing off a manuscript he did not want, dried the paper and used it.

                      ii.        A century later, if you bought some food in the market you could be lucky and have the shopkeeper wrap it for you in some paper.

Q24. Why was there a dramatic increase in the variety of textual records between 700 to 1750 CE?

Ans. During this period, paper became cheaper and widely available. This resulted in a dramatic increase in the variety of textual records between 700 to 1750 CE. People started using paper to write holy texts, chronicles of rulers, letters and teachings of saints, petitions and judicial records and for registers of accounts and taxes.

Q25. Which group became important during medieval period? Enumerate various changes which this group has undergone.

Ans. One group of people who became important in this period were the

Rajputs, a name derived from “Rajaputra”, the son of a ruler. Between the eighth and fourteenth centuries the term was applied more generally to a group of warriors who claimed Kshatriya caste status. The term included not just rulers and chieftains but also soldiers and commanders who served in the armies of different monarchs all over the subcontinent.

Q26. Why do you think that there were many literary sources of medieval period?

Ans. The number and variety of textual records increased dramatically during this period. They slowly displaced other types of available information. Through this period paper gradually became cheaper and more widely available. People used it to write holy texts, chronicles of rulers, letters and teachings of saints, petitions and judicial records, and for registers of accounts and taxes. Manuscripts were collected by wealthy people, rulers, monasteries and temples. They were placed in libraries and archives.