Gujarat Board History Syllabus for Class 12

Class XII: Themes in Indian History

PART - I
1. The Story of the First Cities: Harappan Archaeology. (11)

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.

2. Political and Economic History: How Inscriptions tell a story.                 (11)

Broad overview: Political 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.

3. Social Histories: Using the Mahabharata     (12)

Broad overview: Issues in social history, including caste, class, kinship and gender.
Story of discovery: Transmission and publications of the Mahabharat.
Excerpt: from the Mahabharata, illustrating how it has been used by historians.
Discussion: Other sources for reconstructing social history.

4. A History of Buddhism: Sanchi Stupa        (11)
Broad overview:
(a) A brief review of religious histories of Vedic religion, Jainism, Vaisnavism, Saivism.
(b) Focus on Buddhism.

Story of discovery: Sanchi stupa
Excerpt: Reproduction of sculptures from Sanchi.
Discussion: Ways in which sculpture has been interpreted by historians, other sources for
reconstructing the history of Buddhism

PART-II

5. Agrarian Relations: The Ain-i- Akbari     (11)
Broad overview:
(a) Structure of agrarian relations in the 16th and 17th centuries.
(b) 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: Ways in which historians have used the text to reconstruct history.

6. The Mughal Court: Reconstructing  Histories through Chronicles           (11)
Broad Overview:
(a) Outline of political history 15th-17th centuries.
(b) 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: Ways in which historians have used the texts to reconstruct political histories.

7. New Architecture: Hampi                  (11)
Broad Overview:

(a) Outline of new buildings during Vijayanagar period-temples, forts,
irrigation facilities.

(b) 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.

8. Religious Histories: The Bhakti-Sufi tradition (11)
Broad Overview:
(a) Outline of religious developments during this period.
(b) 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.

9. Medieval Society Through Travellers' Accounts (11)

-Broad Overview: Outline of social and cultural life as they appear in travellers’ accounts.

-Story of their writings: A discussion of where they travelled, why they travelled, what they
wrote, and for whom they wrote.

-Excerpts: from Alberuni, Ibn Batuta, Bernier.

-Discussion: What these travel accounts can tell us and how they have been interpreted by
historians.

10. Colonialism and-Rural Society: Evidence from Official Reports               (11)
Broad overview :

(a). Life of zamindars, peasants and artisans in the late 18 century
(b)East India Company, revenue settlements and surveys.
(c) Changes over the nineteenth century.

-Story of official records: An account of why official investigations into rural societies were under taken 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.