RBSE Class 12 History Notes Chapter 1 The Glorious Past of India

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Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 12 History Notes Chapter 1 The Glorious Past of India

Sources of the Knowledge of Indian History:

  • History includes the complete past of human beings. All the activities done in the field of science, economics, society, politics, religion and philosophy come under history.
  • All the human activities of the past which we can certify on the basis of facts may be treated as a study material of history.
  • The ways and means which the historians use to know about the past human activities, are called sources, evidences and proofs.
  • Only such incidents of history are acceptable as facts that have the evidence and certification. The basic mantra of history is nothing should be written without basic facts.
  • The sources of knowing Indian history can be divided into two parts :
    • Literary sources : These sources include religious literature, literature besides religion and dynasties, narratives.
    • The archaeological source : This is the most certain and dependable source to know about ancient India. Archaeology means the study of the remains excavated from a place and to find out the activities performed by human beings in that period.
  • Coins, currency and stamps are very important to tell us about the ancient history of India.

Achievements of Glorious India:

  • In ancient times, the Indian culture had a global propagation. Even the western historians and scientists have expressed their feelings about the superiority of Indian culture and history.
  • Sir Walter Raleigh has written, “The first man on the earth was bom on Indian soil.”
  • Colonel Ulkott Opines that, “India is the spring source of human culture.”
  • The Indian colonies across the sea were called Deepantar. They consisted of nine islands.
  • The naval power in ancient India was superb. One thousand years before the birth of Columbus, the ship made in India were so strong that one thousand passengers on board, could successfully sail to far off cities facing the most violent storms in the open Indian ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

The Pre-historic stone-culture in India:

  • It can be divided into two parts :
    • Since man learned reading and writing up to the modem age, all human activities are included in history, and
    • the activities done by man before this period are included in pre-history.
  • The stone age can be divided into three parts on the basis of excavated stone tools:
    • Paleolithic Age,
    • Mesolithic Age,
    • Neolithic Age.
  • During the pre-historic age, man lived in the dens naturally built in the valleys of the rivers and caves of the mountains. These were called rock-dwellings.

Achievements of Sindhu Saraswati Civilization:

  • In 1921, Dayaram Sahni conducted the excavation of the Harappa valley. In 1922, Rakhaldas Banerjee found Mohenjodaro. Harappa was discovered first of all, so it is called Harappan civilization.
  • The original cities of this civilization were in the whereabouts of the Indus river soin the beginning it was called the Indus Valley civilization. But according to the latest findings, this civilization belongs to the vanished river Saraswati in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat, so it was preferred to call this civilization as the Sindhu Saraswati civilization. .

Achievements from Vedic period to Mahajanpad Period:

  • The Vedas are regarded among the best scriptures of the world. These are the founding pillars of the Vedic civilization. The Aryans were the builders of this civilization.
  • From the literary point of view, India was very rich in literature. The Vedas are accepted as probably the most ancient literature.
  • In the beginning the Vedas were not written in a script but were handed over from generation to generation by word of mouth. So the Vedas have name got as ‘Shruti’ also.
  • The writer of the Puranas was rishi Lomharsh and his son Ugrasshrava. The main Puranas are : Matsya, Vayu, Vishnu, Brahm, Bhagwat, Agni and Markanday Puran.
  • The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are the two great epics of India which reflect the history and culture of India.
  • 2500 years ago, we got evidences of democratic system of administration and constitu tional set-up in ancient India.
  • Sabha or Sanstha was the supreme Council of all the heads of Democratic states.
  • The ashram system is supposed to have begun in the post-vedic age. According to the Smriti literature, there were four ashrams
    • Brahmcharya,
    • Grihastha
    • Vanprastha,
  • From the social point of view, Indian society has been a leader of the world. According to Indian sages and saints “Janmana jayate shudra sanskarate duvij uchayate.” It means a human being is a shudra by birth, but through sanskars, he gets second (true) birth i.e. scholarship (learning + knowledge).
  • India was regarded as Vishwaguru (teacher of the world) due to its cultural qualities and prosperity.
  • The economic prosperity of India indicates its glorious past. It was called ‘a golden bird’ in the past.
  • Trade was highly developed during that time.
    • Achievements in the field of Art: The Buddha idol at Samath, is climax of the Indian idol making art. The fresco painting of Ajanta caves claims an international fame.
    • Achievements in the field of Science: There are vivid descriptions of science in the Vedas. The Sanskrit books containing treatment of subjects like science, mathematics, astrology, and chemistry were translated in Arabian, Latin and English languages. Ayurvedic system of treatment is very ancient in India.
  • Decimal, fraction and zero were discovered in India.

Important Dates and Concerned Events Mentioned in the Chapter:

Year/Period — Event/Delaits

399-414 —  The reign of Chandragupta II.

629-644 — Reign of Harshvardhana.

672-688 — ITsing travelled India.

1150 — Kalhan’s ‘Rajatarangini’ was written.

1872 — The Indian Evidence Act came into being.

1856 — Railway track from Lahore to Karachi was in progress.
1861 — Indian Archaeological survey (ASI) was established under the direction of Cunningham.

1904 — Mr John Marshal was appointed director of ASI.

1921 — Dayaram Sahni conducted the excavation of the Harappa valley.

1922 — Rakhaldas Banerjee found Mohenjodaro.

Important Vocabulary:

  • Tripitakas — Three pitakas — Sutt pitak, Vinay pitak and Abhidhamm pitak are called tripitakas.
  • Non-religious literature — Literature written on subjects other than the religion.
  • Shell Ashrays — Dwelling places of pre-historic human beings.
  • Shail Chitrakala — Handy geometrical drawings used by human beings to decorate their dwellings.
  • Stone age — The time when stone tools and instruments were used.
  • Rock-dwellings — The dens naturally built in the valleys of the river and caves in the mountains.
  • Kulup — The head of the kul (family).
  • Gop — The head of Jan.
  • Baliharat — Taxes.
  • Ganpurti (Qorum) — Minimum number of members of a council.
  • Rishikasan — The female saints of the Rigveda.
  • Vayan — Weaver.
  • Vayun — Woven cloth.
  • Panchang — Indian calender.

RBSE Class 12 History Notes