Welcome to the first chapter of the NCERT History book where we are going to study about the chapter 1 i.e. Introduction: How, When and Where. Hope you have gone through the chapter well. Now we are going to solve multiple-choice questions (MCQs) here. There are 20 MCQ questions followed by fil-in-the-blanks type of questions and then you have 10 true and false questions. You can copy these questions for taking printout, download it in the form of PDF, or just try solving it here. Do take a look at our other MCQ questions for Class 8 History.
Below are some of the key points from the chapter which includes historical events, figures, practices, and concepts related to the British period in India. These notes will help the students in exam preparation.
- 1773: Warren Hastings became the first Governor-General
- 1782: James Rennell’s map of Hindustan
- 1817: James Mill published “A History of British India”
- 1857: Rebellion illustrated in British narratives
- 1946: Royal Indian Navy mutiny reported
- Surveys: Essential for British administration
- Archives: Preservation of historical documents
- Colonial periodization: Critiqued by modern historians
- Botanical surveys: For flora documentation
- Mapping operations: Demonstrated in 1832 by James Prinsep
- Revenue surveys: Detailed local assessments
- Census operations: Every ten years
- Official records: Reflect British viewpoints
- Non-official sources: Include diaries, newspapers
- 1946 Police strike: Reported by Hindustan Times
MCQ Questions for Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where with Answers
Presenting 20 multiple-choice questions(MCQ) for Chapter 1, “Introduction: How, When and Where” of the NCERT History book for class 8:
1. Who divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim, and British?
a) Warren Hastings
b) James Mill
c) Lord Dalhousie
d) Robert Clive
Answer:
b) James Mill
2. What was the primary focus of the histories written by British historians in India?
a) Life of Governor-Generals
b) Ancient Indian civilization
c) Revolutions in India
d) Independence movements
Answer:
a) Life of Governor-Generals
3. What did British officials believe was essential for effective administration in India?
a) Religious reforms
b) Writing and preserving official records
c) Introducing European education
d) Changing Indian agriculture
Answer:
b) Writing and preserving official records
4. Which year marked the beginning of James Mill’s periodization of Indian history?
a) 1757
b) 1817
c) 1857
d) 1947
Answer:
b) 1817
5. What was the main aim of surveys conducted by the British in India?
a) To understand Indian cultures
b) To promote trade with India
c) To map the country for administrative purposes
d) To collect taxes more effectively
Answer:
c) To map the country for administrative purposes
6. What was a major criticism of James Mill’s periodization of Indian history?
a) It focused too much on economics
b) It was biased towards British rule
c) It ignored important Indian rulers
d) It overemphasized religious aspects
Answer:
b) It was biased towards British rule
7. Why did the British feel the need to preserve official documents and letters?
a) To maintain cultural records
b) For future administrative reference
c) To showcase their rule in India
d) As proof of their development efforts
Answer:
b) For future administrative reference
8. What was one of the primary reasons behind conducting detailed surveys in Indian villages?
a) To understand local customs
b) To facilitate better governance
c) To convert people to Christianity
d) To study Indian languages
Answer:
b) To facilitate better governance
9. Which of the following was not a focus of the surveys conducted by the British?
a) Botanical information
b) Cultural practices
c) Economic data
d) Topographical details
Answer:
b) Cultural practices
10. How did British historians typically view the period before British rule in India?
a) As a time of great scientific advancement
b) As a period of economic prosperity
c) As an era of darkness
d) As a culturally vibrant period
Answer:
c) As an era of darkness
11. What significant change did British historians bring to Indian history writing?
a) Focus on spiritual leaders
b) Emphasis on ancient texts
c) Highlighting the achievements of Indian rulers
d) Documentation of administrative details
Answer:
d) Documentation of administrative details
12. Which tool was extensively used by the British to control and administer India effectively?
a) Telegraph
b) Railways
c) Detailed surveys
d) Postal system
Answer:
c) Detailed surveys
13. What was the main purpose of ‘official records’ kept by the British?
a) To record cultural practices
b) To aid in archaeological studies
c) For administrative purposes
d) For historical research
Answer:
c) For administrative purposes
14. What kind of information was generally not focused on in the surveys conducted by the British?
a) Economic conditions
b) Geographical features
c) Local customs and rituals
d) Demographic data
Answer:
c) Local customs and rituals
15. What is the main criticism of James Mill’s classification of Indian history?
a) It ignored the cultural diversity of India
b) It was too focused on British achievements
c) It overlooked the role of technology
d) It was biased and unidimensional
Answer:
d) It was biased and unidimensional
16. Why did the British emphasize the importance of writing and preserving official records?
a) To promote literacy in India
b) For future reference and administration
c) To document British superiority
d) For linguistic studies
Answer:
b) For future reference and administration
17. What was a key feature of the histories written during the British period?
a) They focused on Indian independence movements
b) Emphasis on the lives of Governor-Generals
c) Detailed accounts of ancient Indian history
d) Exploration of Indian scientific achievements
Answer:
b) Emphasis on the lives of Governor-Generals
18. What was the British perspective on the period before their rule in India?
a) A period of great scientific advancement
b) An era of economic prosperity
c) Seen as an era of darkness
d) A culturally vibrant period
Answer:
c) Seen as an era of darkness
19. What aspect of Indian history was largely ignored by James Mill?
a) The British influence on India
b) The diversity of the Indian population
c) The technological advancements in India
d) The economic conditions under different rulers
Answer:
b) The diversity of the Indian population
20. What was the primary aim of the British in conducting surveys in India?
a) To study Indian culture
b) To gather botanical information
c) To map the country for administrative purposes
d) To explore potential areas for trade
Answer:
c) To map the country for administrative purposes
Hope you were able to solve all the MCQ questions. These questions were designed to test the understanding of Chapter 1 of the NCERT History book for class 8.
Match the columns for Class 8 History Chapter 1
Question 1
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. James Rennel’s map production year | A. 1773 |
| 2. Appearance of James Mill’s “A History of British India” | B. 1817 |
| 3. First Governor-General of British India | C. 1946 |
| 4. Introduction of railway in India | D. 1782 |
| 5. Police strike reported in Hindustan Times | E. Mid-19th century |
Answer:
| Column A | Correct Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. James Rennel’s map production year | D. 1782 |
| 2. Appearance of James Mill’s “A History of British India” | B. 1817 |
| 3. First Governor-General of British India | A. 1773 |
| 4. Introduction of railway in India | E. Mid-19th century |
| 5. Police strike reported in Hindustan Times | C. 1946 |
Question 2
| Column A: Events/Concepts | Column B: Descriptions/Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Year James Mill’s “A History of British India” was published | A. First map produced by James Rennel |
| 2. Warren Hastings’ role | B. 1946 |
| 3. Year of the police strike reported in Hindustan Times | C. 1817 |
| 4. Purpose of James Rennel’s mapping | D. First Governor-General of British India |
| 5. Symbol of British power in James Rennel’s map | E. Britannia |
Answer:
| Column A: Events/Concepts | Correct Answer |
|---|---|
| 1. Year James Mill’s “A History of British India” was published | C. 1817 |
| 2. Warren Hastings’ role | D. First Governor-General of British India |
| 3. Year of the police strike reported in Hindustan Times | B. 1946 |
| 4. Purpose of James Rennel’s mapping | A. First map produced by James Rennel |
| 5. Symbol of British power in James Rennel’s map | E. Britannia |
Fill in the Blanks Questions for Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where
Now lets solve 10 fill-in-the-blank questions based on Chapter 1, “Introduction: How, When and Where” of the NCERT History book for class 8:
1. James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: ___, ___, and British.
Answer:
Hindu, Muslim
2. The British thought that surveys were important for ___.
Answer:
effective administration
3. The official records of the British administration are an important source for understanding the last ___ years of Indian history.
Answer:
250
4. The British believed that every instruction, plan, policy decision, agreement, and investigation had to be clearly ___.
Answer:
written up
5. Warren Hastings became the first ___ in 1773.
Answer:
Governor-General
6. By the early nineteenth century, detailed surveys were being carried out to map the entire ___.
Answer:
country
7. From the end of the nineteenth century, Census operations were held every ___ years.
Answer:
ten
8. Mill’s periodization of Indian history was seen as problematic because it was ___.
Answer:
biased
9. ___ surveys, ___ surveys, and ___ surveys were among the many conducted by the British in India.
Answer:
Botanical, zoological, archaeological
10. Historians have usually divided Indian history into ‘___’, ‘___’, and ‘___’.
Answer:
ancient, medieval, modern
True or False type Questions for Class 8 History Chapter 1 Introduction: How, When and Where
10 true or false questions based on Chapter 1, of the NCERT History book for class 8:
1. James Mill divided Indian history into three periods: Hindu, Muslim, and Christian.
Answer:
False
2. Official documents help us understand what the people of the country think.
Answer:
False
3. The British thought surveys were important for effective administration.
Answer:
True
4. Warren Hastings was the first Viceroy of India.
Answer:
False
5. Detailed surveys were carried out by the British to understand cultural practices in Indian villages.
Answer:
False
6. The British preserved official documents to showcase their rule in India.
Answer:
True
7. James Mill’s periodization of Indian history was widely accepted without criticism.
Answer:
False
8. Histories written by British historians in India primarily focused on the achievements of Indian rulers.
Answer:
False
9. The British established record rooms in every administrative office in India.
Answer:
True
10. James Mill’s division of Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods reflects a bias in historical perspective.
Answer:
True
Class 8 Social Science History MCQ
- MCQ on Trade to Territory for Class 8
- MCQ on Ruling the Countryside for Class 8
- MCQ on Tribals, Dikus and the Vision of a Golden Age for Class 8
- MCQ on When People Rebel, 1857 and After for Class 8
- MCQ on Civilising the “Native”, Educating the Nation for Class 8
- MCQ on Women, Caste and Reform for Class 8
- MCQ on Making of the National Movement: 1870s–1947 for Class 8
3 Comments
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Thanku! It was very helpful for me because tomorrow is my exam and keep it up
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