CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Paper 4

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 4.

CBSE Sample Papers for Class 12 History Paper 4

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 4 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.
(i) 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:
Which war is said to have changed Asoka and why?

Question 2:
Name the book written by Bernier. What did he write about Sati system?

Question 3:
What do you mean by the sunset law?

PART-B
Section-I

Answer any Five of the Following Questions:

Question 4:
Mention the features of Harappan writing.

Question 5:
The kings of Vijayanagara Empire were in constant competition with their contemporaries?

Question 6:
Who were the Shakas? Explain.

Question 7:
Explain the characteristics of accounts left by travellers.

Question 8:
Discuss the August Offer of 1940.

Question 9:
Explain the provincial election of 1937 with special reference to the performance of the Muslim League.

Section II

Value Based Question

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

“Every one should speak in a language that common people could easily understand. Hindustani a blend of Hindi and Urdu was a popular language of a large section of the people of India, and it was a composite, language enriched by the interaction of diverse culture over the years it had incorporated words and terms from very many different sources and was therefore understood by people from various regions.
Language is much more than a means of communication. It develop values to strengthen the nation. Mention them.

PART-C

Answer All the Questions Given Below:

Question 11:
Explain the teachings of Jainism and Tirathankars.
OR
Describe the teachings of the Buddha.

Question 12:
Traditions of the titles, gifts and peskash were the part of Mughal court. Justify the statement with examples.
OR
What was the religions policy of Akbar?

Question 13:
‘The most remarkable features of the Uprising of 1857 was the solidarity among rebels evident during the course of the suppression of the revolt. Justify.
OR
The annexation of Awadh by Lord Dalhousie was on the pretext of misgovemment. Explain its impact on the people of the Awadh.

PART-D

Source Based Questions

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

How artifacts are identified

Processing of food required grinding equipment as well as vessels for mixing, blending and cooking. These were made of stone, metal and terracotta. This is an excerpt from one of the earliest reports on excavations at Mohenjodaro, the best-known Harappan site: Saddle querns … are found in considerable numbers … and they seem to have been the only means in use for grinding cereals. As a rule, they were roughly made of hard, gritty, igneous rock or sandstone and mostly show signs of hard usage. As their bases are usually convex, they must have been . set in the earth or in mud to prevent their rocking. Two main types have been found: those on which another smaller stone was pushed or rolled to and fro, and others with which a second stone was used as a pounder, eventually making a large cavity in the nether stone. Querns of the former type were probably used solely for grain; the second type possibly only for pounding herbs and spices for making curries. In fact, stones of this latter type are dubbed “cuny stones” by our workmen and our cook asked for the loan of one from the museum for use in the kitchen.

1. What are the two types of querns?
2. What materials were used in the making of these querns?
3. Why are they described as ‘curry stones’?

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

Peasants on the move

This was a feature of agrarian society which struck a keen observer like Babur, the first Mughal emperor, forcefully enough for him to write about it in the Babur Nama, his memoirs: In Hindustan hamlets and villages, towns indeed, are depopulated and set up in a moment! If the people of a large town, one inhabited for years even, fk e from it, they do it in such a way that not a sign or trace of them remains in a day and a half. On the other hand, if they fix their eyes on a place to settle, they need not dig water courses because their crops are all rain-grown, and as the population of Hindustan is unlimited it swarms in. They make a tank or a well;
they need not build houses or set up walls … khas-grass abounds, wood is unlimited, huts are made, and straight away there is a village or a town!

1. What formed the backbone of Indian agriculture? List some of the frequently cultivated crops as well as commercial crops.
2. Why could state not indulge in excessive exploitation of the peasants?
3. What were the different categories of peasant?

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

Escaping to the countryside

This is how the famous poet Mirza Ghalib described what the people of Delhi did when the British forces occupied the city in 1857: Smiting the enemy and driving him before them, the victors (i.e., the British) overran the city in all directions. All whom they found in the street they cut down … For two to three days every road in the city, from the Kashmiri Gate to Chandni Chowk, was a battlefield. Three gates – the Ajmeri, the Turcoman and the Delhi – were still held by the rebels … At the naked spectacle of this vengeful wrath and malevolent hatred the colour fled from men’s faces, and a vast concourse of men and women … took to precipitate flight through these three gates. Seeking the little villages and shrines outside the city, they drew breath to wait until such time as might favour their return.

1. Mention the names of the gates which formed an integral part of city of Delhi
2. Separation between towns and country was fluid. Write two reasons.
3. Explain the features that distinguished the towns from the rural areas in pre British period.

PART-E

Map Questions

Question 17:
17.1. On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate * symbols.
(a) Dacca- city under British control 1857
(b) Jabalpur- A centre of the revolt.

17.2. On the same outline map of India three places related to the Territories under Mughals have been marked as A, B and ‘C\ Identify them and write their names correcuy on the lines drawn near them.

Answers

Answer 1:
(i) Kalinga war in 261 BC.
(ii) Due to the tremendous loss of human life, suffering consequent to the Kalinga war. He adopted the policy of Dhamma-Vijaya and gave up the ‘digvijaya’ policy.

Answer 2:
(i) Bernier wrote the book ‘Travels in the Mughal Empire’.
(ii) According to him while some womens seemed to accept their fate cheerfully, others were forced to commit Sati, became angered by burning of a 12 year old widow forcefully.

Answer 3:
(i) The sunset law was associated with the land revenue.
(ii) If the payment did not come in by sunset of a particular the zamindari was known as jotedars.

Answer 4:
(i) The Indus script to date remains undeciphered. It consists of a large number of signs and
symbols. According to some historians the script was pictographic.
(ii) Other historians believed that its script is phonetic. It is not alphabetical as it has too many signs between 375-400.
(iii) There are no positive results to match any two symbols. By the computer analysis the direction of writing has been revealed as going from right to left.
(iv) The Indus script has not been related to any other historical context as the case with Sumer and Egyptian script.

Answer 5:
(i) The kings of Vijayanagara were in constant competition with contemporary rulers. The
conflict arising over the possession of the wealth and resources of the Raichur Doab, a fertile area between the river krishna and its tributary, the Tungabhadra.
(ii) The struggle for the capturing of the Krishna Godavari basin which was very fertile and its many parts controlled the foreign trade of the region.
(iii) In the Maratha territory, the main cause was for control of the Konkan and the area which gave access to it. Konkan was very narrow part of land between Western Ghats and the sea.
(iv) It was extremely fertile, and included within it the port of Goa which was an important outlet for the products of the region as well as for the import of horses from Iran and Iraq. Good quality horses were not bred in India. The import of horses was thus of great importance to the southern states.

Answer 6:
(i) The Shakas were the Central Asian people who had migrated and settled in north-western parts of the sub-continent.
(ii) They were regarded as ‘Mlechchas’ barbarians or outside by the Brahmanas.
(iii) One of the earliest inscriptions, in Sanskrit describes Rudradaman as the best known Shaka ruler (2nd century CE).
(iv) He is known to have rebuilt the Sudarshan Lake, described that strong Mlechchas were familiar with Sanskrit traditions.

Answer 7:
(i) Accounts that survive of travellers are different in terms of their subject matter and
strategies. Many deal with the matters of the court whereas some focused on the religious issues.
(ii) Abdul Razzaq Samargandi, a diplomat has left the vivid description of the city of Vijaynagar in 15th century.
(iii) Travellers who travelled within the sub continent as administrators have left interesting accounts of popular customers, the folklore and traditions.
(iv) Whether some travellers altered to the differences others exceptional note what they find unusual. Their accounts help in reconstruction and enriching our knowledge of the past.

Answer 8:
(i) Lord Linlithgow made a declaration on 8th august, 1940. It was known as the August Offer.
(ii) The declaration stated that after the war, a Constituent Assembly would be convened to frame the Indian constitution.
(iii) It was promised to safeguard the interest of minorities in the new constitution.
(iv) During the war, he declared that some Indians to his executive and war council would be nominated. It was as interim measure.

Answer 9:
(i) In 1937, under the Act of 1935 elections to the provincial legislatures were held first time.
The congress did well winning an absolute majority in five out of 11 provinces.
(ii) The Congress formed government in seven out of eleven provinces. The Congress and Muslim League performed badly in constituencies reserved for the Muslims.
(iii) In NWFP, Bengal, Punjab, and Sind the Muslim league fared poorly. Only 4.4% of the total muslim vote cast in this election. Its social support was weak.
(iv) The league failed to win a single seat in NWFP. It captured only two out of 84 reserved constituencies in Punjab and three out of thirty three in Sind.

Answer 10:
Expected values

1.  Unity in Diversity
2. Mutual cooperation.
3. To develop the feelings of nationalism,
4. Fraternity
5. Communal Harmony (Any four)

Answer 11:

1. The Tirthankars preached about a new religion which came to be known as Jainism.
   According to them the last aim of life is the attainment of Nirvana. Pure knowledge, pure character and pure philosophy are three means to attain Nirvana. They are known as Triratna.
2. The followers of this religion believed in asceticism and penance. They believed that salvation could be achieved by giving more and more pain to the body so they gave lot of pain to their bodies.
3. Jainism is the great patron of Ahimsa in life. The followers believe that every things of the world are animate. According to them it is a sin to be a reason and injury to human beings, animal, plant or sect.
4. The followers of this religion accept the existence of God but they do not believe in God. They worship their Tirthankars.
5. The disciples neither consider the Vedas as having divine knowledge nor the means of salvation mentioned in the Vedas. According to them, soul will be free from the bond of karma. As the cycle of karma ends the individual attains salvation.
6. They accept the existence of soul. They believe that soul is immortal while it is in the body it is distinct and different from the body.
7. According to its philosophy, all the people are equal No one to be high or low on the basis of caste. So, they do not believe in casteism. The cycle of birth and re-birth will be shaped by the Karmas. It emphasizes to perform good deeds for next birth.
8. Tirthankar Mahavir inspired and taught to his followers to lead a high world life. He beawared them from anger, greed, jealously, theft, censure and unethical deeds.

OR

1. Mahatma Buddha preached very simple teachings and followers adopted them very easily.
   He streesed on four noble truths
   (i) The world is full of sorrows
   (ii) The cause of sorrow is desire
   (iii) Conquer sorrow by conquering desire
   (iv) Desire can be conquered by eight fold path.
2. The eight fold path:
   (i) Right Belief
   (ii) Right thought,
   (iii) Right speech,
   (iv) Right Action,
   (v) Right means of livelihood,
   (vi) Right effort,
   (vii) Right Recollection,
   (viii) Right Meditation.
3. One should not hurt living beings with action, speech or heart. Killing animals and animals sacrifice is a sin. To show love and sympathy with others and follow the non-violence.
4. It accepts the karma theory, one gets result of his present actions in the next birth. Do good get good results and do bad to get bad results. To have better future one has to do good deeds.
5. The main aim of an individual is to attain nibbana. He would not want to indugle himself in the quarrel of heaven or hell. One who attains Nibbana gets away from the cycle of birth and death.
6. He did not believe in worship of God, and Goddess. He remained mum in the regard of authority of God. According to him, an authority exists which runs the universe, it is Dharma instead of God. The sacrifice of animals is a useless rituals and customs. He discarded the theory of Hinduism that Moksha can be attained by it. The chanting of mantras was considered useless.
7. According to his views about vedas and Sanskrit, were very much different from the Hinduism. True knowledge might be given in any language. He rejected to accept Sanskrit as more sacred than other languages. No more importance was given to vedas.
8. He did not believe in discrimination on the caste system. All human beings are equal and no one to be considered superior or inferior on caste basis. He did not favour of stricts meditation. Nothing could be attained by not eating or drinking anything. Staying in the family life one could attain nibbana.

Answer 12:

1. Mughal rulers used to adopt big titles at the time of coronation or after a victory over any
   enemy. These titles were announced by naqib. An atmosphere of awe was created in the evidence. Such title of the reigning ruler with royal protocol were on the Mughal coins.
2. The important aspect of Mughal polity was to give the titles to able persons. The promotion of any courtier or others in court hierarchy was known by the titles which he held.
3. Aurangzeb gave title of Mirza Raja to his top most nobles Jai singh and Jaswant Singh. These titles could either be earned or paid. Mirkhan gave ? one lakh to Aurangeb for the letter Alif means A, to be added to make a change it to Amir Khan.
4. The robe of honour-khilat was included with rewards, that was a garment once worn by the Emperor. Sarapa was another gift. It had three parts-a tunic, a turban and a sash. Rulers used to gift jewelled ornaments.
5. In very rare circumstances, emperor used to give the lotus blosom set with jewels.
6. Courtiers df the Mughal courts never approached the emperor empty handed. They offered either small amount of money as nazr or a large amount as peshkash.
7. Gifts were considered as the symbols of respect and honour in diplomatic relations. The Diplomats used to do an important work to negotiate treaties between competing political powers.
8. Thomas Roy was very much disappointed whenever he got back the ring which he gifted to Asaf Khan. Which was not costly.

OR

1. Akbar’s religious policy was based on the concepts of liberalness and tolerance. His mother Hamidabano Begum was Shia. He was influenced by her liberal and tolerable nature.
2. Akbar remained under the protection of Bairam Khan. A direct impact of liberal ideas of Bairam khan and his teacher Abdul Latiff was observed. He established marital relations with Rajputs. Hindu Queen played an influencive role in changing his religious ideas.
3. The liberal religious ideas were propagated by the Sufi saints. It also helped in changing Akbar’s religious ideas.
4. It was a demand of that time because Akbar was willing to extend the boundary of his .. empire and give a strong regime so he wanted to have cooperation of both Hindus and
   Muslims.
5. At Fatehpur Sikri he set Ibadatkhana. Various religious leaders used to express their ideas. Akbar used to find the truth from all religions not from a particular religion.
6. Akbar founded a new religion Din-i-Ilahi in 1582. In this religion, he included all the basic concepts and elements of all the religions and sects.
7. God, Goddeses, Pir etc had no place in it. It mentioned that God is one and Akbar in his top most devotee. Followers of this religion were not allowed to be non-vegetarian.
8. Followers of this religions used to greet each other as they used to say Allah-hu-Akbar. they were always ready to sacrifice every thing for the emperor. It could not became a popular religion because Akbar hardly propagated it among the masses.

Answer 13:

1. The very first thing was that mutineer reached Delhi and they appealed to Bahadur Shah to
   lead them and proclaimed him Shah-en-Shah Hindustan. The others were Kanpur, Jhansi etc.
2. The rebels sought leadership of erst while rulers. It helped to ensure legitimacy and unity among the rebels.
3. The rebels proclamations of 1857 repeatedly appealed to all sections of Indian population irrespective of their caste and creed.
4. It was made in Hindi, Urdu and Persian, called upon Hindus and Muslims, to unite and rise.
5. The proclamations were issued by muslim princes or in their names took care to address the sentiments of Hindus.
6. The defence of religion and the fight against the British were seen as closely linked to each other in which both Hindus and Muslims had equal stake.
7. The Ishtahars played important role to hold back to the pre-British Hindu-Muslim past and glorified the co-existance of different communities under the Mughal regime.
8.  The standard of Mohammad and Mahavir were emphasised by the nation of Bahadur Shah.

OR

1. There was wide spread sense of grief. An observer explained “The life was gone out of the body….” The annexation displaced not only the Nawab but affected all levels-taluqdar, peasant, sepoy created an atmosphere of rebellion in Awadh.
2. It disengaged the taluqdars of land and power as taluqdars of southern Awadh lost more than 1/2 of the villages which they had previously held. They were disarmed and their forts destroyed.
3. The ties of loyalty and patronage that bound the taluqdar and peasant were disrupted, leading to breakdown of social order.
4. Farmers were the subject to greater oppression and exploitation higher land revenue and inflexible methods of collections. That had no guarantee that state would be considerate in times of crop failure or their other social needs.
5. Grievances of the farmers were carried to the sepoy lines. One-third of the Britsh army consisted of sepoys from Awadh. Common man had to pay higher land revenue an additional taxes on articles as food, houses and justice etc.
6. Removal of the Nawab adversely affected the livelihood of many musicians, dancers, poets and administrative officials. Nobles, gentlemen and officials together with their retainers were thrown out of employment.
7. Artisans merchants etc who catered to the needs of the Awadh Court were adversely affected.
8. People came to recognise British raj with the end of all that they valued, respected and held dear.

Answer 14:
(i) (a) The first type of quems were probably used for grain as smaller stone was pushed or rolled to and pro over the base stone which were usually converse.
(b) The second type of quern was a pounder lastly making a large cavity in the nether stone.
(c) It was possibly used for providing herbs, and spices for making curries.

(ii) The quems were as a rale made of hard; gritty igneous rock or sand stone.

(iii) (a) The second type of quems are described as ‘curry stones’ as they were probably used to pound herbs and spices.
(b) They were used for making currier. So they were called as curry stones.

Answer 15:
(i) (a) The monsoons formed the backbone of Indian agriculture.
(ii) Rice, wheat or millets were the crops cultivated frequently.
(c) Sugarcane and cotton were the commercial crops.

(ii) (a) At that time, the state was aware not to indulge in excessive exploitation of the peasants as in case of excessive stress peasants took recourse to more drastic.
(b) Easy availability of uncultivated land and competition over labour resources.

(iii) (a) Khud-khasta
(b) Pahi-khasta

Answer 16:
(i) (a) Kashmere Gate, Amjeri Gate
(b) Turkman Gate

(ii) (a) People sought shelter in the countryside whenever towns were attacked at the time of the revolt of 1857.
(b) Peasants travelled long distances on pilgrimages passing through towns. They flocked to towns during times of famine; seeking alternate mode of employment.

(iii) (a) The towns in contrast to rural areas represented specific towns of economic activities and cultures.
(b) Towns dominated over the rural population thriving on surplus and taxes derived from agriculture.
(c) Towns and cities were often fortified by walls which symbolised their seperation from the countryside.

Answer 17:

(2)  (A)Panipat (B) Amber (C) Goa

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