Class 8 · History and Civics · 10 Aug 2026

Max marks: 40
Grade Class 8 · History and Civics · 17 questions
Name Class Date

Q.1 MCQ [3 marks]
(a)
Which of these is an example of an 'official record' kept by the British administration in India?
[1 mark]
(a)  Old folk songs
(b)  Archives
(c)  Personal diaries of common traders
(d)  Oral history interviews
(b)
Which of the following is an example of a 'written source' used to study modern Indian history?
[1 mark]
(a)  Stone inscriptions
(b)  Personal diaries of freedom fighters
(c)  Ancient cave paintings
(d)  Physical ruins of a fort
(c)
Which of the following is considered a primary 'Visual Source' used by historians to study the architectural style of colonial-era buildings in Mumbai?
[1 mark]
(a)  A collection of old photographs
(b)  A modern school textbook
(c)  A poem about the freedom struggle
(d)  A fictional story about a merchant
Q.2 Match the Pairs [6 marks]
(a)
Match the source type with its characteristic.
[2 marks]
Column AColumn B
1. Survey a. Mapping land and resources
2. Newspaper b. Daily public opinion
3. Biography c. Life story of a person
4. Painting d. Visual record of events
Answer
(b)
Match the source type with its specific example:
[2 marks]
Column AColumn B
1. Written Source a. Newspaper report of Independence Day
2. Visual Source b. Statue of a national leader
3. Written Source c. Personal diary of a soldier
4. Visual Source d. Documentary film clips
Answer
(c)
Match the source type with its specific example.
[2 marks]
Column AColumn B
1. Newspaper a. Written Source
2. Documentary Film b. Visual Source
3. Autobiography c. Written Source
4. Sketch/Painting d. Visual Source
Answer
Q.3 Fill in the Blanks [4 marks]
(a)
The National Archives of India is located in the city of _____, while the first British printing press was set up by the _____
[2 marks]
(b)
Surveys became common under colonial rule because the British believed that a country had to be _____ before it could be effectively _____.
[2 marks]
Q.4 One Sentence [3 marks]
(a)
Define what an 'administrative source' refers to in the context of colonial history.
[1 mark]
(b)
Define what is meant by 'Written Sources' in the context of studying history.
[2 marks]
Q.5 Short Answer [9 marks]
(a)
Describe the value of 'Oral History' in documenting the experiences of the common people during the Independence struggle.
[3 marks]
(b)
Describe how the invention of the camera changed the way we document history compared to only using written records.
[3 marks]
(c)
Compare how 'Survey Reports' and 'Biographies' help a historian understand colonial India.
[3 marks]
6.
Contrast the value of official government reports with that of autobiographies and letters when writing a history of the Indian freedom struggle.
[5 marks]
Q.7 Word Problem [7 marks]
(a)
You are researching the 1942 Quit India Movement. You find a personal diary from a college student in Mumbai and a government police report from the same week. Compare how these two sources might differ in their description of the same protest.
[4 marks]
(b)
Rohan finds two letters about his grandfather's village history. Letter A is from a local government official in 1950. Letter B is a newspaper article from 2020 summarizing those events. Which letter should Rohan use if he wants to know exactly what the official thought about the land reforms in 1950? Explain your choice.
[3 marks]
8.
Label the types of evidence presented in the 'History Lab' display: [A] = A diary, [B] = An old coin, [C] = A printed government law. (Reference: A=Autobiographical, B=Archaeological, C=Administrative).
[3 marks]
Label the following: 1 2 3