Tracing Changes Through a Thousand Years – Summary
Class 7 Social Science History Chapter 1
This chapter explains how India changed over a thousand years (from 700 to 1750 CE). It talks about the ways historians study the past using maps, old books, coins, and inscriptions. It also describes how words, society, and rulers changed over time.
Maps and Historical Sources
Historians use maps to understand the past. Two maps of India—one made by Al-Idrisi in 1154 CE and another by a French cartographer in the 1720s—look very different. This is because people’s knowledge of India improved over time. Historians also use old writings, coins, and buildings to study history. In the past, people wrote by hand because there were no printing presses. Over time, mistakes crept into copies of old books. This makes it hard for historians to know exactly what was written in the past.
Changing Words and Meanings
Words change over time. For example, the word “Hindustan” meant different things in different centuries. In the 13th century, it referred to parts of North India. By the 16th century, Babur used it for the whole subcontinent. But it did not mean "India" as we understand today. Similarly, the word “foreigner” in the past did not mean someone from another country. It could mean anyone who was from a different village or region.
New Rulers and Social Changes
Many changes happened in India during these thousand years. New rulers and groups, like the Rajputs, became powerful. The Rajputs were warriors who served different kings. Other groups, like the Marathas and Kayasthas (scribes), also gained importance. Forests were cleared, and agriculture spread, forcing some forest-dwellers to settle as farmers. Villages were organized into “jatis” (sub-castes), which had their own rules and panchayats (councils).
Empires and Regions
India had many small and large kingdoms. Some rulers, like the Delhi Sultans and Mughals, controlled large areas. They called their rule an “empire” even if they did not fully control all regions. After the Mughal Empire weakened in the 18th century, many small regional kingdoms emerged.
Religious Changes
During this period, Hinduism changed. People started worshipping new gods and building more temples. The bhakti movement became popular, where people believed they could connect with God directly, without priests. Islam also spread in India, brought by traders and rulers. Muslims followed the Quran and believed in one God, Allah. Different groups of Muslims, like Shias and Sunnis, had different beliefs.
Dividing History into Periods
British historians divided Indian history into Hindu, Muslim, and British periods, based on the religion of rulers. But this is not correct, because religion was not the only important thing in history. Today, historians divide history based on social, economic, and political changes.
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