CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Paper 2

These Sample papers are part of CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Here we have given CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Paper 2.

CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Paper 2

Students who are going to appear for CBSE Class 12 Examinations are advised to practice the CBSE sample papers given here which is designed as per the latest Syllabus and marking scheme as prescribed by the CBSE is given here. Paper 2 of Solved CBSE Sample Paper for Class 12 History is given below with free PDF download solutions.

Time: 3 Hours
Maximum Marks: 80

General Instructions

(i) Answer all the questions. Some questions have internal choice. Marks are indicated against each question.
(ii) Answer to question nos 1 to 3 carrying 2 marks should not exceed 30 words each.
(iii) Answer to question nos. 4 to 9 carrying 4 marks should not exceed 100 words. Students should attempt only 5 questions in this section.
(iv) Question 10 (for 4 marks) is a value based question and compulsory question.
(v) Answer to question nos 11 to 13 carrying 8 marks should not exceed 350 words.
(vi) Questions 14 – 16 are source based questions and have no internal choice.
(vii) Question 17 is a map question includes ‘identification’and significant’test items.

PART-A

Answer all the questions given below:

Question 1:
Write any two importance of Manusmriti.

Question 2:
What do you understand by the term Chacharand Bamjar?

Question 3:
What were the recommendations given by the Constituent Assembly to resolve the problems of untouchables?

PART-B
Section-I

Answer any Five of the Following Questions:

Question 4:
Which crops were known and produced by the Harappan people?

Question 5:
Discuss the place of Asoka in History.

Question 6:
Explain the development of the term Hindu.

Question 7:
Write a brief note on Shankaradeva.

Question 8:
What were the characteristics of the auction in Burdwan.

Question 9:
Discuss the popular nature of the revolt.

Section II

Value Based Question 

Question 10:
Read the following passage and answer the question that follow.

There were an increasing demands for clerks, teachers, lawyers, doctors, engineers and accountants. As a result the middle classes increased. They had access to new educational institutions such as schools, colleges and libraries. As educated people, they could put forward their opinions on society and government in newspapers, journals and public meetings.
How could the people flourish the values in new perspective with the help of education?

PART-C

Answer all the questions given below:

Question 11:
What problems do archaeologists face while reconstructing past?
OR
What were seals? What were they used for?

Question 12:
Describe the ways of teachings of Guru Nanak in which they have been transmitted.

Question 13:
Why was the Lottery committee constituted? What role it played in the development of Calcutta?
OR
Why were the towns built by Mughal during 16th and 17th centuries famous for?

PART-D

Source Based Questions

Question 14:
Reading the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow

Why were stupas built

This is an excerpt from the Mahaparinibbana Sutta, part of the Sutta Pitaka: As the Buddha lay dying, Ananda asked him: “What are we to do Lord, with the remains of the Tathagata (another name for the Buddha)?” The Buddha replied: “Hinder not yourselves Ananda by honouring the remains of the Tathagata. Be zealous, be intent on your own good.” But when pressed further, the Buddha said: “At the four crossroads they should erect a thupa (Pali for stupa) to the Tathagata. And whosoever shall there place garlands or perfume … or make a salutation there, or become in its presence calm of heart, that shall long be to them for a profit and joy.”

1. What are the stupas?
2.  Name any three places where stupas were built
3. How did the Begums of Bhopals play a significant role in preserving the Sanchi Stupa?

Question 15:
Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follow.

The System of Varnas

This is Al-Birani’s account of the system of varnas: The highest castes are the Brahmana, of whom the books of the Hindus tell us that they were created from the head of Brahma. And as the Brahman is only another name for the force called nature, and the head is the highest part of the … body, the Brahmana are the choice part of the whole genus. Therefore the Hindus consider them as the very best of mankind. The next caste are the Kshatriya, who were created, as they say, from the shoulders and hands of Brahman. Their degree is not much below that of the Brahmana. After them follow the Vaishya, who were created from the thigh of Brahman. The Shudra, who were created from his feet… Between the latter two classes there is no very great distance. Much, however, as these classes differ from each other, they live together in the same towns and villages, mixed together in the same houses and lodgings.

1. Al-Biruni accounts suffer from some limitations. Explain.
2. How was the system not quite rigid in real life?
3. Explain Al-Biruni’s account of the system of vamas.

Question 16:
Read the following excerpt carefully and answer the questions that follows.

Ordinary life in extraordinary times

What happened in the cities during the months of the revolt? How did people live through those months of tumult? How was normal life affected? Reports from different cities tell us about the breakdown in routine activities. Read these reports from the Delhi Urdu Akhbar, 14 June 1857: The same thing is true for vegetables and saag (spinach). People have been found to complain that even kaddu (pumpkin) and baingan (brinjal) cannot be found in the bazaars. Potatoes and arvi (yam) when available are of stale and rotten variety, stored from before by farsighted kunjras (vegetable growers). From the gardens inside the city some produce does reach a few places but the poor and the middle class can only lick their lips and watch them (as they are earmarked for the select). There is something else that needs attention which is causing a lot of damage to the people which is that the water-carriers have stopped filling water. Poor Shurfas (gentility) are seen carrying water in pails on their shoulders and only then the necessary household tasks such as cooking, etc. can take place. The halalkhors (righteous) have become haramkhors (corrupt), many mohallas have not been able to earn for several days and if this situation continues then decay, death and disease will combine together to spoil the city’s air and an epidemic will spread all over the city and even to areas adjacent and around.

1. Describe the position of vegetable supply in the cities.
2. How was the normal life affected?
3. Which incidence depicts that the city life was broken down?

PART-E

Question 17:
Map Questions

17.1. On the given outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate symbols,
(a) Lothal
(b) Agra

17.2. On the same out line map of India three centres related to Mahajanapadas have been marked as A, B and C. Identify them and write than convet names on the lines drawn near them.

Answers

Answer 1:
(i) It provides valuable information about the social practises.
(ii) It influences the Hindu way of living even today.

Answer 2:
Chachar: It was a type of land which has been uncultivated for three to four years.
Banjar: The land which was left uncultivated for five years or more.

Answer 3:
(i) Untouchability should be abolished in any form.
(ii) The Hindu temples should be opened for all without any restrictions.

Answer 4:
(i) The people of Harappan civilisation produced wheat, barley, lentil, and chickpeas. They produced two types of barley and wheat.
(ii) A good quantity of barley has been discovered at Banawali, from circular brick floors probably used for threshing in Harappa.
(iii) They produced sesame and mustard. Finds of rice are relatively rare. The Harappans at Lothal used rice. The remains of rice have been found dating as early as 1800 BC.
(iv) These people were the earliest people to produce cotton because cotton was first produced in this area, the Greeks called it sindon, derived from sind.

Answer 5:
(i) Asoka followed the service of mankind after the Kalinga war. It was one the main principles of his life. He spread the religious and ethical gospel of Buddha.
(ii) No other, great ruler of the world did such a great deed for the common people. He considered his subjects as his children. He did lot for the widows and the orphans.
(iii) Asoka spread Buddhism across the world. He took up Buddhism and turned it into as global religion. The world came to know about the Buddhism because of the inscriptions and others.
(iv) Asoka was a tolerant mler. He respected all the religions. He was the first who opened hospitals for the animals. He was known as the great Ashoka.

Answer 6:
(i) The term Hindu which today indicates religious identity of the people developed these connotations much later and has along history of its own.
(ii) The term is mentioned to be derived from an old Persian word used in the 6^th and 5^th centuries BCE to refer to the region east of the river Sindhu.
(iii) The Arabs continued the Persian usage and called this region Al Hind and its people Hindi.
(iv) The Turks referred to the people east of the Indus as Hindu, their land as Hindustan and their language Hindavi.

Answer 7:
(i) Shankaradeva was leading proponent of Vaishnavism in Assam in the late 15th century.
His teachings were based on the Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavata purana and referred to as Bhagavati dharma.
(ii) He focused on absolute surrender to Vishnu, the supreme diety. He emphasised the need for nam kirtan is Satsanga.
(iii) Shankaradeva encouraged the establishment of ‘satva’ or monastries for the transmission of spritual knowledge and ‘naamghar’ or prayer halls.
(iv) Many of these institutions and practices continue to flourish in the region. His major compositions include the kirtana ghosha.

Answer 8:
(i) The auction in Burdwan was a big public event. A number of mahals (estates) held by the Raja of Burdwan were being sold.
(ii) Numerous purchasers came to the auction and the estates were sold to the highest bidder.
(iii) Many of the purchasers turned out to be servants and agents of the raja. Over 95% of sale at the auction was fictitious.
(iv) The Raja’s estates had been publicly sold out but he remained in control of his zamindari.

Answer 9:
(i) In central and northern India, the meeting of the sepoys triggered popular revolts of the common people. The common people rose up in arms fighting with weapons they possessed, be it sickles, axes.
(ii) In various places people revolted before the sepoys did or where no sepoy regiments were present. The peasants, zamindars, artisans, shopkeepers, gave it a unique character in U.P. and Bihar.
(iii) In many places, people did not rise up in revolt but they showed strong sympathy for the rebels. They showed hostility to the British by refusing to divulge information and misled them.
(iv) The popular character of the revolt was evident when the British tried to crush it. They had to wage a ruthless war not only against the rebellious sepoys but also against the people in many areas burning entire villages and massacring its inhabitants.

Answer 10:
Expected values:

1. Adjustment
2. Liberty
3. Equality
4. Extensive thoughts etc.
5. Devotion etc.

Answer 11:

1. There are certain problems in archaeological interpretation. Possibly most problems come in the reconstruction of religious practices. Early archaeologists feel that few unusual objects were probably of religious importance.
2. It includes terracotta figurine of women who were heavily jewelled and some with elaborate hair dresses.
3. They were named as mother goddesses. Raw stone statues of men with an almost standardized posture seated with one hand on the knee also included in this.
4. Statue of priest king is also a statue of this type. In other instances structures have been assigned ritual importance.
5. They include the great Bath and fire alters found at Lothal and Kalibangan. Some seals depict ritual scenes. Efforts have been made to reconstruct religious beliefs and practices by examining seals.
6. Some other seals depicting the picture of plants, indicate towards worship of nature. But some animals made on seals-like animal with horns, seems imaginary and composite creatures.
7. Some other seals, a figure shown seated cross-legged in a yogic posture, sometimes surrounded by animals.
8. It has been regarded as depiction of Proto-Shiva, who is one of the major deities of Hinduism. Except this conical stone objects have been classified as lingas.

OR

1. Seals are distinctive products of the Harappan culture. They were in square or rectangles; tablets of alloys with bass on one side and engravings on the other.
2. They testify to the artistic skill of the Indus people.
3. The seals usually have a line of writing at the top; which probably pertain to the name and title of the owner.
4. Seals are engraved with figures of animals such as unicorn, humped bull, buffalo and elephant.
5. Scholars feel these engravings were meant to convey a meaning to those who could not read.
6. Scholars have tried to reconstruct religious belief of people and practices by examining these seals.
7. Seals probably enabled long distance communication. Presence of seals in Mesopotamia suggest that they were used for trade purposes.
8. Seals were used to stamp property or goods as means of identifying their owners.

Answer 12:
(i) Guru Nanak expressed his ideas through hymns; called shabad in Punjabi, the language of the ordinary people in the region.
(ii) He would sing these compositions in various ragas with his attendant Mardana on the rabab.
(iii) Guru Nanak organised his followers into a community, set up congregational worship (sangat) involving collective worship.
(iv) He appointed one of his disciples, Angad to succeed him as precepter (guru) whereby this practice was followed for nearly 200 years.
(v) Guru Arjun, the fifth preceptor compiled Guru’s hymns along with those of his four successors and other religious poets like Baba Farid, Ravidas and Kabir in the Adi Granth Sahib. These hymns are called Gurbani.
(vi) In the late 17th century, the 10th guru Gobind Singh included the compositions of the 9th Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur, and this scripture is called Granth Sahib.
(vii) Guru Gobind Singh, also laid the foundation of Khalsa Panth, defined its five symbols.
(viii) They were uncut hair, a dagger, a pair of shorts, a comb and a single bangle. Under him
the community got consolidated as a socio-religious and military force.

Answer 13:

1. Lottery committee constituted to help the government in carrying out the work of town planning in Calcutta in 1817.
2. It was named because it raised the funds through the public lotteries.
3. The government did not provide the necessary funds for the development of town planning.
4. Its major activities included building roads in the Indian part of the city and cleaning the river bank.
5. It got a new map of Calcutta made so as to get a comprehensive picture of Calcutta.
6. It cleared huts to beautify the city.
7. It also removed all the encroachment from the banks of river Hooghly.
8. Defence and health were both the factors in projects of town clearance and town planning in Calcutta.

OR

1. There were many towns built by Mughals as the centres of their power etc.
2. Towns built by Mughals were famous due to the concentration of population for large scale building, royal grandeur and immense wealth.
3. Delhi, Agra and Lahore served as administrative towns.
4. Mansabdar and Jagirdars had their houses in these cities.
5. These centres of power symbolised the status and prestige of a noble.
6. The Mughal empire lived in a fortfied palaces and towns were enclosed by a wall with entry and exit being regulated from different gates.
7. These cities and towns provide service to many.
8. Imperial capitals such as Delhi, Agra and Lahore received special attention of the emperor and revenue flow to these cities regularly.

Answer 14:
(i) (a) Stupas are the sacred places related to Buddhism.
(b) Here, relics of Buddha such as bodily remains and daily object used by him are preserved.

(ii) (a) Bharat (b) Samath (c) Sanchi

(iii) (a) They donated money for the maintenance of the stupa.
(b) Sultan Jehan Begum contributed a lot of money for the erection of a museum and a guest house.

Answer 15:

(i) (a) Sanskrit was an unfamiliar language.
(b) Difference in religious beliefs and practices.

(ii) (a) The system was not quite rigid in real life.
(b) The Vaishyas and Shudras mixed together in the same house and lodgings, and were engaged in economic activities.

(iii) (a) Al – Biruni’s description of the caste system was influenced by his study of Sanskrit text.
(b) The highest castes were the Brahmins as they were created from the head of the Brahma.
(c) The Kshatriyas were next in hierarchy created from the shoulders and hands of Brahma. The Vaishyas and Shudras were created from the thigh and feet of the Brahma respectively.

Answer 16:
(i) (a) The supply of vegetables in the cities was disrupted. All vegetables were in short supply.
(b) There was non-availibility of pumpkin and brinjal. Potatoes and yams were available but was stale and rotten; if available were so costly.

(ii) (a) The normal life was adversely affected by the revolt of 1857.
(b) The supply of daily necessities of life got affected and routine activities were broken down.

(iii) (a) The supply of vegetables was broken down. The vegetables which were available were stale and rotten.
(b) The supply of spinach was also disrupted. Kaddu and brinjal were difficult to get.
(c) Vegetables which were available were beyond the reach of the pool. Middle class and rich only could afford to buy them.

Answer 17:

(2) (A) Delhi (B) Nagpur (C) Calcutta

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