HISTORY

CLASS XI-XII (2019-20)

(Code No. 027)

Rationale

Through a focus on a series of critical historical issues and debates (class XI) or on a
range of important historical sources (class XII), the students would be introduced to a set
of important historical events and processes. A discussion of these themes, it is hoped,
would allow students not only to know about these events and processes, but also to
discover the excitement of reading history.

Objectives:

• Effort in these senior secondary classes would be to emphasize to students that

history is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past,
rather than just a collection of facts. The syllabus would help them to understand the
process through which historians write history, by choosing and assembling different
types of evidence, and by reading their sources critically. They will appreciate how
historians follow the trails that lead to the past, and how historical knowledge
develops.
• The syllabus would also enable students store/relate/compare developments in
different situations, analyze connections between similar processes located in
different time periods, and discover the relationship between different methods of
enquiry within history and the allied disciplines.
• The syllabus in class XI is organized around some major themes in the world history.
The themes have been selected so as to (i) focus on some important developments
in different spheres-political, social, cultural and economic, (ii) study not only the
grand narratives of development-urbanization, industrialization and modernization-but
also to know about the processes of displacements and marginalization. Through the
study of these themes students will acquire a sense of the wider historical processes
as well as an idea of the specific debates around them.
• The treatment of each theme in class XI would include
o an overview of the theme under discussion
o a more detailed focus ononeregionofstudy
o an introduction to a critical debate associated with the issue.
• In class XII the focus will shift to a detailed study of some themes in ancient, medieval
and modern Indian history although the attempt is to soften the distinction between
what is conventionally termed as ancient, medieval and modern. The object would be
to study a set of these themes in some detail and depth rather than survey the entire
chronological span of Indian history. In this sense the course will be built on the
 knowledge that the students have acquired in the earlier classes.
• Each theme in class XII will also introduce the students to one type of source for the
study of history. Through such a study, students would begin to see what different
types of sources can reveal and what they cannot tell. They would come to know how
historians analyze these sources, the problems and difficulties of interpreting each
type of source, and the way a larger picture of an event, a historical process, or a
historical figure, is built by looking at different types of sources.
• Each theme for class XII will be organized around four sub heads:
o a detailed overview of the events, issues and processes under discussion
o a summary of the present state of research on the theme
o an account of how knowledge about the theme has been acquired
o an excerpt from a primary source related to the theme, explaining how it has
been used by historians.
• While the themes in both these classes (XI and XII) are arranged in a broad
chronological sequence, there are overlaps between them. This is intended to convey
a sense that chronological divides and periodization do not always operate in a neat
fashion.
• In the text books each theme would be located in a specific time and place. But these
discussions would be situated within a wider context by
• plotting the specific event within time-lines
• Discussing the particular event or process in relation to developments in other places
and other times.

COURSE STRUCTURE
CLASS XI (2019-20)
One Theory Paper 70 Marks
3 Hours

Part Units No. of Marks

Periods
1. Introduction to World History 8
Section A: Early Societies 40 19
2. Introduction 7
3. From the beginning of time 18
4. Early cities 15
Section B: Empires 50 19
5. Introduction 7
6. An empire across three continents 15
7. Central Islamic lands 15
8. Nomadic Empires 13
Section C: Changing Traditions 50 19
9. Introduction 7
10. Three orders 14
11. Changing cultural traditions 15
12. Confrontation of cultures 14
Section D: Paths to Modernization 52 19
13. Introduction 7
14. The Industrial Revolution 15
15. Displacing indigenous People 15
16. Paths to modernization 15
Map work (units 1-11 ) 10 4
Project Work 10 20
Total 220 Periods 100 marks

COURSE CONTENT

Themes in World History

Themes Objectives
Introduction to World History
SECTION I : EARLY SOCIETIES
Introduction
1. From the Beginning of Time • Familiarize the learner with ways of
Focus: Africa, Europe till 15000 BCE reconstructing human evolution.
Discuss whether the experience of
a. Views on the origin of human beings
present-dayhunting-gathering people
b. Early societies can be used to understand early
c. Historians’ views on present-day societies.
gathering- hunting societies
2. Writing and City Life
Focus: Iraq, 3rdmillennium BCE • Familiarize the learner with the
a. Growth of towns nature of early urban Centre’s.
b. Nature of early urban societies • Discuss whether writing is significant
as a marker of civilization.
c. Historians’ Debate on uses of writing
SECTION II : EMPIRES
Introduction
3. An Empire across Three Continents
 Focus: Roman Empire, 27 BCE to 600 CE.
a. Political evolution
• Familiarize the learner with the
b. Economic expansion history of a major world empire.
c. Religion-culture foundation • Discuss whether slavery was a
d. Late Antiquity significant element in the economy.
e. Historians’ views on the institution of
Slavery
4. Central Islamic Lands
Focus: 7thto 12thcenturies • Familiarize the learner with the rise of
a. Polity Islamic empires in the Afro-Asian
territories and its implications for
b. Economy
economy and society.
c. Culture
• Understand what the crusades meant
d. Historians’ viewpoints on the nature of in these regions and how they were
the crusades. experienced.

5. Nomadic Empires
Focus: the Mongol, 13thto 14thcentury
a. The nature of nomadism • Familiarize the learner with the
b. Formation of empires varieties of nomadic society and their
institutions.
c. Conquests and relations with other
states • Discuss whether state formation is
possible in nomadic societies
d. Historians’ views on nomadic societies
and state formation
SECTION-III: CHANGINGTRADITIONS
Introduction
6. Three Orders • Familiarize the learner with the
nature of the economy and society of
Focus: Western Europe, 13th-16thcentury
this period and the changes within
a. Feudal society and economy them.
b. Formation of states • Show how the debate on the decline
c. Church and Society of feudalism helps in understanding
processes of transition.
d. Historians’ views on decline of feudalism.
7. Changing Cultural Traditions
• Explore the intellectual trends in the
Focus on Europe, 14thto 17thcentury period.
a. New ideas and new trends in literature
• Familiarize students with the
andarts paintings and buildings of the period.
 b. Relationship with earlier ideas
• Introduce the debate around the idea
c. The contribution of West Asia of ‘Renaissance’.
d. Historians’ viewpoints on the validity of
the notion ‘European Renaissance’
8. Confrontation of Cultures
• Discuss changes in the European
Focus on America, 15thto 18thcentury economy that led to the voyages.
a. European voyages of exploration • Discuss the implications of the
b. Search for gold; enslavement, raids, conquests for the indigenous people.
extermination. • Explore the debate on the nature of
c. Indigenous people and cultures – the the slave trade and see what this
Arawaks, the Aztecs, the Incas debate tells us about the meaning of
these “discoveries”.
d. The history of displacements
e. Historians’ viewpoints on the slave trade

SECTION-IV:TOWARDS MODERNISATION
Introduction
9. The Industrial Revolution
• Understand the nature of growth in
th th
Focus on England, 18 and 19 century the period and its limits.
a. Innovations and technological change • Initiate students to the debate on the
b. Patterns of growth idea of industrial revolution.
c. Emergence of a working class
d. Historians’ viewpoints, Debate on ‘Was
there an Industrial Revolution?
’
10. Displacing Indigenous People
Focus on North America and Australia, 18th -
20thcentury.
• Sensitize students to the processes
a. European colonists in North America and of displacements that accompanied
Australia the development of America and
b. Formation of white settler societies Australia.
c. Displacement and repression of local • Understand the implications of such
people processes for the displaced
populations.
d. Historians’ viewpoints on the impact of
European settlement on indigenous
population.
11. Paths to Modernization*
Focus on East Asia, late 19th and 20th
• Make students aware that
century
transformation in the modern world
a. Militarization and economic growth in takes many different forms.
Japan.
b. China and the Communist alternative. • Show how notions like
c. Historians’ Debate on the meaning of ‘modernization’ need to be critically
assessed.
modernization
(NOTE*: Keeping in view the importance of
both the themes i.e. Japan and China, it is
advised that both must be taught in the
schools.)

Map Work on Units 1-11

PROJECT WORK
CLASS XI (2019-20)

INTRODUCTION
History is one of the most important disciplines in school education. It is the study of the
past, which helps us to understand our present and shape our future. It promotes the
acquisition and understanding of historical knowledge in breath and in depth across
cultures.
The course of history in senior secondary classes is to enable students to know that history
is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past rather than just
a collection of facts. The syllabus helps them to understand the process, through which a
historian collects, chooses, scrutinizes and assembles different types of evidences to write
history.
The syllabus in class-XI is organized around some major themes in world history. In class
XII the focus shifts to a detailed study of some themes in ancient, medieval and modern
Indian history.
CBSE has decided to introduce project work in history for classes XI and XII in 2013-14 as
a part of regular studies in classroom, as project work gives students an opportunity to
develop higher cognitive skills. It takes students to a life beyond text books and provides
them a platform to refer materials, gather information, analyze it further to obtain relevant
information and decide what matter to keep and hence understand how history is
constructed.
OBJECTIVES
Project work will help students:
• To develop skill to gather data from a variety of sources, investigate diverse
viewpoints and arrive at logical deductions.
• To develop skill to comprehend, analyze, interpret, evaluate historical evidence and
understand the limitation of historical evidence.
• To develop 21st century managerial skills of co-ordination, self-direction and time
management.
• To learn to work on diverse cultures, races, religions and lifestyles.
• To learn through constructivism-a theory based on observation and scientific study.
• To inculcate a spirit of inquiry and research.
• To communicate data in the most appropriate form using a variety of techniques.
• To provide greater opportunity for interaction and exploration.
• To understand contemporary issues in context to our past.
• To develop a global perspective and an international outlook.
• To grow into caring, sensitive individuals capable of making informed, intelligent and
independent choices.
• To develop lasting interest in history discipline.
GUIDELINES TO TEACHERS
This section provides some basic guidelines for the teachers to take up projects in History.
It is very necessary to interact, support, guide, facilitate and encourage students while
assigning projects to them.
• The teachers must ensure that the project work assigned to the students individually/
In-groups and discussed at different stages right from assigning topic, draft review to
finalization.
• Students should be facilitated in terms of providing relevant materials, suggesting
websites, obtaining of required permission for archives, historical sites, etc.
• The 20 periods assigned to the Project Work should be suitably spaced from April to
September in classes XI and XII so that students can prepare for theory part in term -
II.
• One Project should be given to the students in the month of April/May before the
 summer vacation and assessment of the project to be completed by September.
• The teachers must ensure that the students submit original work.
• Project report should be hand written only.
• Eco-friendly materials can be used by students
The following steps are suggested:
1. Teacher should design and prepare a list of 15-20 projects and should give an option
to a student to choose a project as per his/her interest.
2. The project must be done individually / In-groups.
3. The topic should be assigned after discussion with the students in the class to avoid
repetition and should then be discussed at every stage of submission of the
draft/final project work.
4. The teacher should play the role of a facilitator and should closely supervise the
process of project completion, and should guide the children by providing necessary
inputs, resources etc. so as to enrich the subject content.
5. The project work(one per year) can culminate in the form of Power Point
Presentation/Exhibition/Skit/albums/files/song and dance or culture show /story
telling/debate/panel discussion,paper presentation and so on. Any of these activities
which are suitable to visually impaired candidates can be performed as per the
choice of the student.
6. Students can use primary sources available in city archives, Primary sources can
also include newspaper cuttings, photographs, film footage and recorded
written/speeches. Secondary sources may also be used after proper authentication.
7. Evaluation will be done by external examiner appointed by the Board in class XII and
internal in class XI.
ASSESSMENT
Allocation of Marks (20)
The marks will be allocated under the following heads:
1 Project Synopsis 2 Marks
2 Timeline/explanation and interpretation 5Marks
/Map work
3 Visual/overall presentation 4 Marks
4 Analysis/ Data/Statistical analysis 4 Marks
5 Bibliography 1 Mark
6 Viva 4 Marks
Total 20 Marks
Note: The project reports are to be preserved by the school till the final results are
declared, for scrutiny by CBSE.

FEW SUGGESTIVE TOPICS FOR PROJECTS

1. Anthropological Research based on Darwin’s Theory
2. Critique of the industrialization in Britain
3. Relations and impacts of past crusades
4. Making and unmaking of Mesopotamia
5. Paradigms of Greeco-Roman civilization
6. Aspirations of women in Renaissance period
7. Paths to Modernization of Japan /China
8. An Exploratory study into Humanism
9. Piecing together the past of Genghis Khan
10. An in depth study into “now and then” paradigm of Christianity
11. An exploratory study into the realism and the transmission of Humanistic ideas
12. Scientific Revolution and the origins of modern science
13. An exploratory study into the making of America
14. Myriad Realms of Slavery in ancient, medieval and modern world
15. Learning about global Sufism
16. History of aborigines – America /Australia

Note: Please refer Circular No. Acad.16/2013 dated 17.04.2013 for complete
guidelines.
 HISTORY (CODE No. 027)
QUESTION PAPER DESIGN
CLASS XI (2019-20)

Time: 3 Hours Max. Marks: 80

S. Typology of Questions Objective Short Source Long Map Marks %
No. questions Answer Weightage
type (1 (SA) (3 Based Answer Work
Marks) Marks) (5 Marks) (LA)- (6Marks)
(8 Marks)
1 Remembering- (Knowledge
based simple recall questions,
to know specific facts, terms,
concepts, principles, or -
theories; Identify, define, or list/ 9 1 1 20 25%
state the information)

2 Understanding-
(Comprehension –to be
familiar with meaning and to
understand conceptually,
interpret, compare, discuss, 4 1 1 1 - 20 25%
contrast, explain, clarify,
paraphrase information)

3 Application- (Use abstract

information in concrete
situation, to apply knowledge
to new situations; Use given 3 1 1 1 - 19 23%
content to interpret a situation,
provide an example, or solve a
problem)
4 High Order Thinking Skills-
(Analysis & Synthesis-
Classify, Apply, solve,
compare, contrast, or
differentiate between different
pieces of information; 2 1 - 7 9%
Organize and/or integrate
unique pieces of information
from a variety of sources)

5 Evaluation- (Appraise,
Argue, judge, support,
critique, and/or justify the
value or worth of a decision 2 - 1 - 10 13%
or outcome, or to predict
outcomes)

6. Map skill based question-

Identification, location, 1*x2=2
significance.
Identifica
tion 4 5%
1x2=2
locating

Total 1x20=20 3x3=9 5x3= 15 8x4=32 1x4=4 80 100%

Note: *1 Map question of 4 marks having 4 items carrying 1 mark each.

QUESTION WISE BREAK UP
Type of Question Marks per Total No. of Total Marks
question Questions
Objective Type 1 20 20
Questions
Short Answer 3 3 9
Source Based 5 3 15
Long Answer 8 4 32
Map Skills based 1 4(Items) 4
Total 80
Weightage to Content
Section A: Early Societies 19Marks
Section B : Empires 19 Marks
Section C: Changing Traditions 19 Marks
Section D: Paths to Modernization 19 Marks
Map Work Unit 1- 11 4 Marks
Project Work 20 marks
Accordingly teacher can reduce weightage of the corresponding
sections
Total 100 Marks

Weightage to DifficultyLevel
Estimated Difficulty Level Percentage
(i) Easy (E) 30%
(ii) Average (AV) 50%
(iii) Difficult (D) 20%

Weightage of Marks section-wise

OTQ SA Source Long Map Total
1 Marks 3 Marks Based Answer Questions
5Marks 8Marks
Section A: Early 8(1) 3(1) 8(1) 19Marks
Societies
Section B: Empires 3(1) 3(1) 5(1) 8(1) 19 Marks
Section C: 3(1) 3(1) 5(1) 8(1) 19 Marks
Changing
Traditions
Section D: Paths to 6(1) 5(1) 8(1) 19Marks
Modernization
Map Work Unit 1- 11 4(1) 4 Marks
Project Work - 20 marks
1x20=20 3x3=9 5x3=15 8x4=32 4x1=4 (80+20=100)