Introduction: How, When, and Where – Very Short Answer Type Questions
CBSE Class 8 • Social Science
Ideal for CBSE revision
Very short answers
Topic-wise
CBSE Assessment Guidance
Use these questions for quick recall tests, formative assessments, and board-style practice focusing on concepts, sources and chronology.
Content Bank: Revision Notes, Key Terms, Timelines, Source Examples, Map Skills, Practice Questions.
Topic A: Basic Concepts (What is History?)
Q1. What is history?
History is the study of the past based on evidence about people and events.
Q2. How is history different from a story or legend?
History relies on evidence and sources, while stories or legends may be based on imagination.
Q3. Why should we study history?
To understand how societies change over time and learn from past events and ideas.
Q4. What does a historian do?
A historian collects, analyses, and interprets evidence to write about the past.
Q5. Give one example of historical evidence.
An inscription found on a temple wall is an example of historical evidence.
Q6. What is meant by ‘evidence’ in history?
Evidence includes any material or written source that helps explain past events.
Topic B: Dates and Chronology
Q7. Why are dates important in history?
Dates help place events in order and show cause-and-effect relationships.
Q8. What is chronology?
Chronology is the arrangement of events in the order they happened.
Q9. What is a timeline?
A timeline is a visual representation of events placed along a line in chronological order.
Q10. How does chronology help historians?
It helps historians compare events and understand sequences and long-term changes.
Q11. Give one use of a timeline in revision.
Timelines help students quickly recall the sequence of important events for exams.
Q12. Can different regions have different chronological frameworks?
Yes, period names and timelines may differ across regions and cultures.
Topic C: Sources of History
Q13. What are primary sources?
Primary sources are direct evidence from the past, like coins, inscriptions, and letters.
Q14. What are secondary sources?
Secondary sources are works written after the event, such as textbooks and articles.
Q15. Give an example of an oral source.
A community elder’s spoken account of past events is an oral source.
Q16. Why are archaeological finds important?
They provide physical evidence about the lives and technologies of past people.
Q17. What is an inscription?
An inscription is text carved on stone, metal, or other durable materials from the past.
Q18. Why must historians check multiple sources?
Multiple sources help corroborate facts and reduce mistakes or bias.
Topic D: Primary vs Secondary Sources
Q19. Is a photograph a primary or secondary source?
A photograph is a primary source because it is a direct record of an event.
Q20. Are biographies primary or secondary sources?
Biographies are usually secondary sources since they interpret a person’s life after the fact.
Q21. Can a secondary source include errors?
Yes, secondary sources can contain interpretation errors or bias and must be checked.
Q22. Name a written primary source.
A letter written during an event is a written primary source.
Q23. What role do secondary sources play?
They help explain and interpret primary evidence for readers and students.
Q24. Can an object be a historical source?
Yes, objects like pottery or tools are important historical sources.
Topic E: Periodisation
Q25. What is periodisation?
Periodisation is dividing history into periods to study long spans more easily.
Q26. Name three common period labels.
Ancient, medieval, and modern are three common period labels.
Q27. Why might period names differ across places?
Different regions experienced changes at different times, so period names and dates vary.
Q28. Give one advantage of periodisation.
It helps compare developments and organize study into clear sections.
Q29. Can periodisation be based on culture?
Yes, periods can be defined by cultural, political, or economic features.
Q30. Does periodisation change over time?
Yes, historians may revise period divisions as new evidence or perspectives emerge.
Topic F: Method of Historians
Q31. What is the first step a historian takes?
The first step is to ask clear questions about what they want to investigate.
Q32. What does ‘collecting evidence’ involve?
It involves finding relevant primary and secondary sources for the question.
Q33. What is source criticism?
Source criticism is checking a source’s reliability, origin, and possible bias.
Q34. Why do historians corroborate sources?
To confirm facts and reduce the risk of mistakes from a single source.
Q35. What does constructing a narrative mean?
It means writing a coherent account that connects evidence to explain events.
Q36. Why might historical interpretations change?
New evidence or new viewpoints can change how historians interpret the past.
Topic G: Tools for Studying History
Q37. How do maps assist historical study?
Maps show where events happened and how places relate geographically.
Q38. How are timelines used?
Timelines visualise the sequence and overlap of events for quick revision.
Q39. What is archaeology?
Archaeology is the study of past human life through material remains.
Q40. Why make charts and tables?
They summarise data like population or trade for easy comparison.
Q41. What is a chronology chart?
A chronology chart organises events with dates and short notes for reference.
Q42. How can drawing help revision?
Drawing timelines or maps helps memorise sequences and locations actively.
Topic H: Reading Sources & Bias
Q43. What should you ask about a source?
Ask who made it, when, why, and what information it gives or omits.
Q44. What is bias in a source?
Bias is a one-sided viewpoint that may affect how events are presented.
Q45. How do you identify bias?
Look for words or omissions that favour one side or ignore other perspectives.
Q46. What is corroboration?
Corroboration is confirming information by comparing multiple independent sources.
Q47. Give one tip for analysing a written extract.
Note the author, date, purpose, main points, and possible limitations quickly.
Q48. Why avoid relying on one source?
One source may be incomplete or biased; multiple sources give a fuller view.
Topic I: Revision & Exam Tips
Q49. How to make a quick revision note for this chapter?
Make a one-page timeline and a source table listing what each source tells you.
Q50. One final exam tip for this chapter?
Practice short answers and source-analysis questions; focus on clear definitions and examples.