Page 1 - Lesson Notes-Std-8-History-Chap-1-How Do We Know

SAI International School
Class- VIII
Subject- History
Chapter-1 How, When and Where
Notes
Sub Topic : How do We Know ?

Administration 1. One important source is the official records of the British
produces administration.
records 2. The British felt all important documents and letters needed to be
preserved. Record rooms were maintained within the office of
tahsildars, commissioner’s office and law courts. Specialized
institutions like archives and museums were made in order to
preserve important records.
3. Calligraphists the one who writes beautifully were also appointed in
order to copy the important documents.
4. Administrative source only represents half of the picture as they all
were written and maintained by British officials.
5. Surveys become important the practice of survey became very
important during the time of Britishers. They wanted to know India in
order to administer it properly. So, they conducted detailed survey
for following reasons:

 To map out India
 To know the soil quality to check the suitability for different crops
 To know the flora and fauna
 To know the local histories

Sources of 1. Official records, letters, memos, surveys, newspapers, magazines,
Information: autobiographies, reports, experiences of travelers, novels and
poems are some important sources of information of British rule and
atrocities.
2. The practice of surveying became common under colonial
administration.’Some of the surveys conducted were as follows:

 Botanical Survey
 Archaeological Survey
 Forest Survey
 Zoological Survey

3. Sources kept and written by both Indians and British studied
together represents several aspects of British rule and their efforts
to modernise or subjugate Indian population.