History Class 12 CBSE (Commerce) CBSE Topics and Syllabus

• Broad Overview : Political and Economic History from the Mauryan to the Gupta Period 
• Inscriptions and the Decipherment of the Script 
• Asokan Inscription and Gupta Period Land Grant 
• Interpretation of Inscriptions by Historians - Mauryan to the Gupta Period 

Broad overview: Poilitical and economic history from the Mauryan to the Gupta period.

Story of discovery: Inscriptions and the decipherment of the script. Shifts in the understanding of political and economic history.

Excerpt: Asokan inscription and Gupta period land grant.

Discussion: Interpretation of inscriptions by historians.

Objectives-

• Familiarize thelearner with major trends in the political and economic history of the subcontinent.
• Introduce inscriptional analysis and the ways in which these have shaped the understanding of political and economic processes.

• Brief Review of Religious Histories of Vedic, Religion, Jainism, Vaisnavism, Saivism and Buddhism 
• Story of Discovery: Sanchi Stupa 
• Reproduction of Sculptures from Sanchi 
• Ways in Which Sculpture Has Been,Interpreted by Historians 

Broad overview:

1. A brief review of religious histories of Vedic religion, Jainism, Vaisnavism, Saivism.
2. Focus on Buddhism.

Story of discovery: Sanchistupa
Excerpt: Reproduct on of sculptures from Sanchi.
Discussion: Waysin which sculpture has been interpreted by historians, other sources for reconstructing the history of Buddhism.

Objectives- 

• Discuss the major religious developments in early India.
• Introduce strategies of visual analysis and their usein reconstructing histories of religion.

• Broad Overview: Early Urban Centres 
• Story of Discovery: Harappan Civilization 
• Archaeological Report on a Major Site (Harappan civilization) 
• Utilized by Archaeologists/Historians 

Broad overview: Early urban centres. Story of discovery: Harappan civilization
Excerpt: Archaeological report on a major site.
Discussion: How it has been utilized by archaeologists/historians.

Objectives-

• Familiarize thelearner with early urban centres as economic and social institutions.
• Introduce the ways in which new data canlead to a revision of existing notions of history.
• Illustrate how archaeological reports

• Issues in Social History, Including Caste, Class, Kinship and Gender 
• Transmission and Publications of the Mahabharata 
• From the Mahabharata, Illustrating How It Has Been Used by Historians 

Broad overview: Issues in social history,including caste, class, kinship and gender.

Story of d scovery: Transmission and publications of the Mahabharata.

Excerpt: from the Mahabharata, illustrating howit has been used by historians.

Discussion: Other sources for reconstruct ng social history.

Objectives- 

• Familiarize the learner with issues in social history.
• Introduce strategies of textual analysis and their use in reconstructing social history

• Social and Cultural Life as They Appear in Travelers Accounts 
• Discussion of Where They Travelled, Why They Travelled, What They Wrote, and for Whom They Wrote 
• Alberuni, Ibn Batuta, Bernier -what These Travel Accounts Can Tell Us and Interpreted by Historians 

Broad overview:
Outline of social and cultural life as they appearin travelers' accounts.
Story of thef r wrftfngs: A discussion of where they travelled, why they travelled, what they wrote, and for whom they wrote.
Excerpts: from Alberuni, lbn Batuta, Bernier.
Discussion: What these travel accounts can tell us and how they have beeninterpreted by historians.

Objectives-

• Familiarize the learner with the salient features of social histories described by the travelers.
• Discuss how travelers' accounts can be used as sources of social history.

• Outline of New Buildings During Vijayanagar Period 
  • temples
  • forts
  • irrigation facilities
• Relationship Between Architecture and the Political System 
• Account of How Hampi Was Found 
• Hampi - Ways in Which Historians Have Analyzed and Interpreted 

Broad overview:

1. Outline of new buildings during Vijayanagar period-temples, forts, irrigation facilities.
2. Relationship between architecture and the political system.

Story of Discovery: Account of how Hampi was found.

Excerpt: Visuals of buildings at Hampi

Discussion: Ways in which historians have analyzed and interpreted these structures.

Objectives-

• Familiarize thelearner with the new buildings that were built during the time.
• Discuss the ways in which architecture can be analyzed to reconstruct history.

• Outline of Political History 15th-17th Centuries 
• Mughal Court and Politics 
• Account of the Production of Mughal Court Chronicles 
• Account of Subsequent Translation and Transmission 
• Ways in Which Historians Have Used the Texts to Reconstruct Political Histories 

Broad overview:

1. Outline of political history 15th-17th centuries.
2. Discussion of the Mughal court and politics.

Story of Discovery: Account of the production of court chronicles, and their subsequent translation and transmission.

Excerpts: from the Akbarnama and Padshahnama.

Discussion: Waysin which historians have used the texts to reconstruct political histories.

Objectives-

• Familiarize the learner with the major landmarks in political history.
• Show how chronicles and other sources are used to reconstruct the histories of political institutions. 

• Religious Developments During this Period (Bhakti-sufi Tradition) 
• Ideas and Practices of the Bhakti-sufi Saints 
• Bhakti-sufi Compositions Preserved 
• Bhakti-sufi - Ways in Which These Have Been Interpreted by Historians 

Broad overview:

1. Outline of religious developments during this period.
2. Ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints.

Story of Transmission: How Bhakti-Sufi compositions have been preserved.
Excerpt: Extracts from selected Bhakti-Sufi works.
Discussion: Ways in which these have been interpreted by historians.

Objectives-

• Familiarize the learner with religious developments.
• Discuss ways of analyzing devotional literature as sources of history.

• Structure of Agrarian Relations in the 16th and 17th Centuries 
• Patterns of Change Over the Period (Ain-i- Akbari) 
• Account of the Compilation and Translation of Ain-i-akbari 
• Ways in which historians have used the text to reconstruct history (Ain-i-Akbari) 

Broad overview:

1. Structure of agrarian relationsin the 16th and 17th centuries.
2. Patterns of change over the period.

Story of Discovery: Account of the compilation and translation of Ain-i Akbari.
Excerpt: from the Ain-i Akbari
Discussion: Waysin which historians have used the text to reconstruct history.

Objectives-

• Discuss developments in agrarian relations.
• Discuss how to supplement official documents with other sources.

• Life of Zamindars, Peasants and Artisans in the Late 18th Century 
• East India Company, Revenue Settlements and Surveys 
• Colonialism and Rural Society - Changes Over the Nineteenth Century 
• Story of Official Records 
  • An account of why official investigations into rural societies were undertaken
  •  types of records and reports produced
• Official Records Used by Historians 

Broad overview:

1. Life of zamindars, peasants and artisans in the late 18th century
2. East India Company, revenue settlements and surveys.
3. Changes over the nineteenth century.

Story of official records: An account of why official investigat ons into rural societies were undertaken and the types of records and reports produced.
Excerpts: From Firminger's Fifth Report, Accounts of Frances Buchanan-Hamilton, and Deccan Riots Report.
Discussion: What the official records tell and do not tell, and how they have been used by historians.

Objectives-

• Discuss how the events of 1857 are being reinterpreted.
• Discuss how visual material can be used by historians.

• The Nationalist Movement 1918 - 48 
• The Nature of Gandhian Politics and Leadership 

Broad overview: 

1. The Nationalist Movement 1918 ·48.
2. The nature of Gandhian politics and leadership.

Focus: Mahatma Gandhiin 1931.
Excerpts: Reports from English and Indian language newspapers and other contemporary writings.
Discussion: How newspapers can be a source of history.

Objectives-

• Discuss the last decade of the national movement, the growth of communalism and the story of part tion.
• Understand the events through the experience of those who lived through these years of communal violence.
• Show the possibilit es and limits of oral sources.

• Growth of Mumbai, Chennai, Hill Stations and Cantonments in the 18th and 19th Centuries 
• Photographs and Paintings 
• Plans of Cities 
• Extract from Town Plan Reports 
• Focus on Kolkata Town Planning 

Broad overview: The growth of Mumbai, Chennai, hill stations and cantonments in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Excerpts: Photographs and paintings. Plans of cities. Extract from town plan reports.

Focus on Kolkata town planning.

Discussion: How the above sources can be used to reconstruct the history of towns. What these sources do not reveal.

Objectives-

• Familiarize the learner with significant elements of the National st Movement and the nature of Gandhianleadership.
• Discuss how Gandhi was perceived by different groups.
• Discuss how historians need to read and interpret newspapers, diaries and letters as historical source.

• The History of the 1940s 
• Nationalism, Communalism and Partition 
  • Focus: Punjab and Bengal
• Oral Testimonies of Those Who Experienced Partition 

Broad overview:

1. The history of the 1940s.
2. Nationalism, Communalism and Partition. Focus: Punjab and Bengal.

Excerpts: Oral test monies of those who experienced parttion.
Discussion: Ways in which these have been analyzed to reconstruct the history of the event.

Objectives-

• Familiarize students with the history of the early years after independence.
• Discuss how the founding ideals of the new nation state were debated and formulated.                                
• Understand how such debates and discussions can be read by historians.

• The Events of 1857-58 
• How These Events Were Recorded and Narrated 
• Pictures of 1857 Shaped British Opinion 

Broad overview:

1. The events of 1857-58.
2. How these events were recorded and narrated.

Focus: lucknow.

Excerpts: Pictures of 1857. Extracts from contemporary accounts.

Discussion: How the pictures of 1857 shaped British opinion of what had happened.

Objectives-

• Famil arize the Learner with the history of modern urban centres. Discuss how urban histories can be written by drawing on different types of sources.

• Map Work 

• Independence and the New Nation State 
• The Making of the Constitution 

Broad overview:

1. Independence and the new nation state.
2. The making of the Constitution.
   Focus: The Constitutional Assembly debates.

Excerpts: from the debates.

Discussion: What such debates reveal and how they can be analyzed.