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Topic: Tracing Changes through a Thousand YearsSubject: HistoryClass: VII

Chapter-1: Tracing Changes through a Thousand Years(Notes)

Glossary

Medieval Period: The age from second half of the 8th century up to first half of the 18th century is known as the medieval period of the Indian history.

Medieval India: It is divided into two major phases—Early medieval and later medieval periods. During first phase—Cholas, Rajputs and Turks controlled the reins of government, while during the second phase along with Rajputs, Mughals, Marathas and Sikhs controlled the reins of government.

History: The period for which we have written record is called history.Cartographer: A person who makes maps is called cartographer.

Foreigner: One who belongs to another country is termed as foreigner.Historians: The persons who study the past in chronological order are said to be

historians.Dynasty: Clan, the family.

Pardesi or Ajnabi means foreigner or the person who does not belong to the people of the locality or neighbourhood.

Inscriptions: Messages carved on the stone slabs or wooden slabs are known as inscriptions.

Architecture: Art of building structures or the science of building houses etc. is termed as architecture.

Textual Records: Written records.Archive: Archive is a place where documents and manuscripts are stored.

Scribe: Scribe is the writer or a copier of a manuscript.Manuscript: Hand written document is termed as manuscript.

Nastaliq: Clear handwriting.Shikaste: Illegible handwriting or the handwriting which is difficult to be read

and understood.Habitat: Habitat refers to the environment of a region, the social and

economic lifestyle of the residents.Patron: Patron is an influential wealthy individual who supports another

persons, who are an artiste, craftsmen, learned persons or a noble.Jatis: Groups of people ranked on the basis of the backgrounds and

occupations are called jatis.Jati Panchayat: Regulations enforced by an assembly of elders in a village are called

jati panchayat.Periodization: Dividing of a period of thousand years into several sub-periods is

termed as periodization.Region: In the early times, vast area, governed and ruled by a ruler or a king

was called, the region. In modern times, areas which possess distinct geographical dimensions, their own language and cultural characteristics are termed as regions.

Autobiography: Account of a person’s life written by himself (or herself) is called autobiography

Periodic: Occurring or appearing at intervals.Chronicles: Keeping record of historical events as they have taken place or

happened during the ages.Khalifas: (Or Caliphs) Legitimate leaders of Muslim community (after Prophet


Muhammad) were called Khalifas (or Caliphs).Chieftain: Head or chief who governs a village (or many villages).

Rajaputra: Son of a ruler is called Rajaputra. This word was (or is) used for a caste or jati also.

Cartography: Science of making map is called cartography.Travelogue: Any traveller’s account written by her or him while visiting any

country or region, is called travelogue.Archaeology: The study of historical or other remains of the past, is called

archaeology.Saptsindhu: The land (or region) covered with seven rivers is called Saptsindhu

Monuments: Buildings belonging to past either dug out of the earth or found still standing are called monuments.

Biography: Written account of a person’s life by another author.

Key Points1. This chapter covers some of those major historical changes which took place in India

from second half of the 8th century up to first half of the 18th century or we can say that changes which took place during the medieval period of the Indian history.

2. Historians have used different sources to learn about this age. During this age, there were no printing presses. People used to make copies from original copies by writing with their hands. They had to consult different manuscripts of the same text and that’s why biases came in the writings of historians.

3. A number of political, economical, social and cultural changes came during this period. For example, this period saw many vast empires as that of Cholas, Khaljis, Tughluqs, Mughals etc.

4. Hundreds of small states were there in India which possessed distinct geographical dimensions, own cultural characteristics, language and art also.

5. A number of social and economic changes came during this age. For example, new variety of foods, new changes in the field of agricultural technology like use of Persian wheel and gradual clearing of new areas of forests and extension of agriculture.

6. Many European traders and travellers came to India during this period. India’s trade relations with European countries had far-reaching effects on India’s different aspects of life. Writings of European travellers provide an important source material for historians.

7. Caste system was a unique and powerful feature of the Indian society during this age. This period saw many new religions also along with some ancient religions and faiths. Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism were already existing in India. But Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity and Sikhism, came to existence in India. Thus new religious movements—Sufism and Bhakti—were very popular in India during this period.


1. Tracing ChangesCartography is a study of maps. The oldest map of Indian sub-continent that we have is from 1154, by an Arab geographer Al-Idrisi. Another one from a French cartographer in the year 1720, help us get an idea of how the geographical boundaries of the Indian Sub-continent evolved. However, since there is a gap of 200 odd years between the two cartographers, the terminologies also differ.

2. Terminologies: Old and NewThe records of history are written in several languages. It implies that languages and meanings changed over time. For instance, the Persian storyteller Minhaj-i-Siraj is credited with coining the term Hindustan to refer to the areas of Haryana, Punjab and the land between Ganga and Yamuna. Whereas “Baur” used the word Hindustan to describe the entire Indian-subcontinent. Babur also used the term Hindustan to explain the geographies and cultures of the subcontinent in the early 16th century, and that was similar to the way Amir Khusrau (a famous poet) did it in the 14th century. The famous poet Amir Khusrao addressed it as Hind.

Historians have to check the meanings of the terms and words they use, as they change from time to time. For example, today we use the term 'foreigner' to mean someone who is not an Indian, but in the medieval period, it meant any stranger who was not a part of a society or culture.

3. Sources of History(i) There are primarily two sources from which we derive historical accounts. First is

Archaeology and second is Literature. The remains of ancient monuments, weapons, utensils, currencies and other such artifacts together with any written records of the period either in papers, scriptures or simply by way of symbols and signs made on the walls, helped historians in tracing changes over a period of several years.

(ii) Chronicles from travellers and pilgrims also helped a great deal in understanding the lifestyle and other details of the period. In the medieval period, gradually, paper


became widely available and cheaper. People started using it to write holy texts, chronicles of rulers, letters and teachings of saints, petitions and judicial records, and for registers of accounts and taxes.

(iii) Most of these manuscripts were in Arabic or Persian as these were among some of the earliest foreign travellers to visit and then, later on, settle in the Indian-subcontinent. Manuscripts provide a lot of information to historians; however, they are difficult to use as they manuscripts were handwritten. To know what the author had actually written, historians have to read different manuscript versions of the same text.

4. The Rise of Social and Political GroupsThe period between 700 to 1750, is a challenge for historians to put together. This was mostly due to the fact that a series of developments and changes occurred during the span of these thousand years. There was extensive movement during this period. Many political groups came into being. Many 'Rajputs' became famous in India before the rise of the Mughal empire; initially the term only included sons of rulers, but later it also included soldiers and commanders. Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, Ahoms, and Kayasthas also become important in the Indian subcontinent in that period. People who travelled in search of opportunities not only brought new ideas but also new foods and beverages with them.

Agricultural practice increased leading to a reduction in forest land. As a result of this movement, the forest dwellers had to mover further inside or relocate to some other place altogether. Peasants became an important part of the society, and started receiving help from the rulers if they paid taxes. There were many developments in technologies. For example, the Persian wheel for irrigation, the spinning wheel for weaving, and powerful firearms for big fights were invented in that period.


With many groups/ jatis came up, society became increasingly fragmented and people started getting divided into castes and sub-castes. These distinctions were done based on the occupation of the peop le and rules and regulations made by the Jati panchayat were enforced by an assembly of elder people. At the time, these ranks were not permanent and were subject to changes depending on which caste controlled the resources and influence.

5. Geographical Regions and Kingdoms(i) The Cholas and the Mughals controlled many parts of India, from Bengal to

Afghanistan, and historians are still trying to find the reason why rulers kept claiming to have control over other regions.

(ii) The Chola, Khilji, Tughluqs, and Mughal dynasties built big empires, known as pan-regions; however, all those empires were not equally stable, and often fought with each other.

(iii) Mughal empire declined and the British Raj became more powerful in India in the 18th century. It also led to the creation of regional provinces ruled by Peshwas.


(iv) With the decline of the Mughal empire, many small rulers and kingdoms came up across India. But almost all of them continued to be influenced and affected by the major changes happening across the Indian sub-continent.

6. Evolution of ReligionReligion and society went hand in hand. The economic and social institutions of the communities hugely influenced the religion of the period. Initially, religion was a matter of nature worship. But gradually, during this period the temples and shrines started coming up.

Statues of deities were sanctioned by the rulers. This was done on the advice of the Brahamans. They were given the task of maintaining the religious places. Brahmans mastered mathematics and Sanskrit, and the knowledge of astronomy and weather patterns won them the support of farmers and royal families alike, and helped them gaining higher positions and respect in the society. The idea of an individual's bhakti (direct worship of a personal deity), without the need for priests, also became popular. As a result, Hinduism became stronger in India; many deities came to be worshiped, and royal families built huge temples.

New religions like Islam entered the Indian subcontinent through foreign merchants and migrants; many powerful rulers such as Akbar and Aurangzeb were great followers of Islam. Quran is the holy book of Islam, and it asks all Muslims to believe in one God - Allah; there are two main faiths in Islam: the Shia and the Sunni. Islam was not completely accepted by the rulers in India.

7. Division of the Historical PeriodsHistorians from Britain have segregated Indian History into three periods: Hindu, Mughals and British. The difference in these three periods is studied by historians on the premise of economic and social factors. The period of early men, those who survived on hunting and gathering were categorized as early societies.


The period between 700 and 1750 is called the 'medieval' period, meaning it was the time between the 'old' and the 'modern' periods. The period that witnessed imperialism and empirical growth such as Hindu rulers, Mughals, and the British colonization are collectively studied under medieval period. During the medieval period, India became very rich and powerful, and attracted even more merchants and governments from around the world, especially Europe.

The final phase which includes the painful end of the British Empire in India and the India that evolved from there on is called as the modern period.

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