Introduction To History

HIS 101: BANGLADESH CULTURE AND HERITAGE

Asif Basar (MAB2)

Department of History and Philosophy
North South University.
WHAT IS HISTORY?
The word History comes from Greek  word Historia,
which means "inquiry, Past knowledge acquired by
investigation’’.

Academically, it can be said that History is the

branch of knowledge that records and analyses
past events.

Herodotus, a Greek historian born in 5th century

BCE is considered to be the "Father of History”.

His contemporary Thucydides, laid the foundations

for the scientific study of human history.
H
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WHY SHOULD WE STUDY HISTORY?

History helps us to understand people and societies,

politics, culture and heritage.
History offers a storehouse of information about how
people and societies behave.
History offers the only extensive evidential base for the
contemplation and analysis of how societies function.
History helps us to understand change and how the society
we live in came to be.
Only through studying history we can grasp how things
change; only through history we begin to comprehend the
factors that cause change; and only through history we can
understand what elements of an institution or a society
persist despite change.
History also provides a terrain for moral contemplation.
Studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past
allows a student of history to test his or her own moral sense.
History also provides identity, and this is unquestionably one of
the reasons all modern nations encourage its teaching in some
form. Historical data include evidence about how families,
groups, institutions and whole countries were formed and
about how they have evolved while retaining cohesion.
A study of history is essential for good citizenship. It offers
evidence also about how nations have interacted with other
societies, providing international and comparative perspectives
essential for responsible citizenship. Further, studying history
helps us understand how recent, current, and prospective
changes that affect the lives of citizens are emerging or may
emerge and what causes are involved. 
 WHAT SKILLS DOES STUDY OF HISTORY DEVELOP

 The Ability to Assess Evidence.

 The Ability to Assess Conflicting Interpretations.
 Experience in Assessing Past Examples of Change.

 Historical study, in short, is crucial to the promotion of that

elusive creature, the well-informed citizen. It provides basic
factual information about the background of our political
institutions and about the values and problems that affect
our social well-being. It also contributes to our capacity to
use evidence, assess interpretations, and analyze change
and continuities.
What Does History Teach?

 Factors of Change
 Consequences of Changes
 Evaluate the role of Leader/Society/Nation
Conventionally, history is divided chronologically
into : ancient, medieval and modern periods.
Prehistoric Periodisation:

The periodization of human Prehistory and History is

divided into three consecutive time periods based on
their respective tool-making technologies:

The Stone Age:

a. Palaeolithic
b. Neolithic

The Bronze Age

The Iron Age

Stone tools Iron tools
Bronze tools
 Connotations in History
Prehistory and History: Prehistory deals with mankind before
written records, and is part of Archaeology, whereas, History
constructed on written records.
BC and AD: BC means before Christ whereas AD means Anno
Domini,” which is a Latin phrase meaning “in the year of our Lord,”
referring to the year of Christ’s birth.

Cultural Heritage: Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical

artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are
inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and
bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Cultural heritage
includes tangible culture, intangible culture, and natural heritage.

Civilisation: Civilisation is a specific type of human community:

large, complex societies based on domestication of plants, animals,
and people, plus other typical characteristics.
The most influential theorist of civilisation, Professor
Gordon Childe has underlined several characteristics that
a civilisation must has:
• Large urban centers
• Full-time specialist occupations
• Primary producers of food paying surpluses to deity or ruler
• Monumental architecture and art
• Ruling class exempt from manual labor
• System for recording information
• Development of exact, practical sciences
• Regular importation of raw materials
• Interdependence of classes (peasants, craftspeople, rulers)
• State religion/ideology
• Persistent state structures
 SOURCES OF HISTORY WRITING

Archaeological Sources

A. Archaeological remains and Monuments: Ancient

ruins, remains and monuments recovered as a result of
excavation and explorations. This type of source are
subjected to scientific examinations of radio-carbon
method for the dates. Archaeological source gives us an
idea of the life of ancient civilization. The earliest
history of world is mostly known to us as a result of
archaeological sources.
C 14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic
nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. Its
presence in organic materials is the basis of the
radiocarbon dating method to date archaeological,
geological and hydrogeological samples.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS
B. Inscriptions: Inscriptions supply valuable historical
facts. Study of writings on ancient inscriptions and
records is called paleography. Inscriptions are seen on
rocks, pillars, stones, slabs, walls of ancient buildings.
These convey information about administrative,
religious, and societal information and major decisions
taken during that time. Ideas of Political, administrative
and religious matters are gathered from these sources.
INSCRIPTIONS
C. Numismatics: The study of coins is known as
Numismatics. This form another source of historical
information. Ancient coins were mostly made of gold,
silver, copper or lead. However coins excavated from
Indus, were also at times made of burnt clay. Some coins
contain religious or legendary symbols that throw light
on the culture of that time. Coins also contain figures of
Kings and Gods, and at time also of the local animals,
indicating where they originate from. Coins throw
significant light on economic life of ancient societies. It
also indicate trade and commerce and help us to
reconstruct history of that period (links to other parts of
the world).
 ANCIENT COINS FROM
GREECE, INDUS Valley AND
PERSIA
D. Paintings and Figures/Artifacts: Another form
of archaeological sources. Paintings are found in
many ancient Indian/Bengal sites. Some of the
paintings gives evidence of the existence of human
communities dating back to more than 10,000 BC
(Bhimbedka Cave paintings in Madhya Pradesh
India). These throw significant light on the social,
cultural, and economic life of the civilization. (dress,
occupation like hunting or farming, burial ritual, war
etc.) Similarly Artifacts discovered at many sites
across the world throw light on the similar aspects of
the societies (dress, ornaments, customs etc.)
ANCIENT PAINTINGS
PAINTING AT BHIMBEDKA CAVE
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PAINTINGS
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN PAINTINGS
 Literary Sources:

A. Religious Literatures: History is not just about the

records of rulers and Kings only. Many a times it is also
an account of people and their living. The mental and
social conditions of people are known from these literary
sources. Religious literatures around the world is vast. In
the ancient times, it includes Vedas, the Upanishads, and
epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata. Slightly later
the religious writings of Jains and Buddhists. These are
mines of information that throw light on religious beliefs,
social systems, people’s manner and customs, ways of
life, political institutions and conditions of culture.
B. Secular Literatures: Apart from the religious texts
and literatures, there are also many kinds of secular
literatures. The law-books of ancient India known as
Dharmasutras and Smritis belong to this group. These
contain code of duties for Kings, administrators and
people in general. They also contain rules regarding
property, and prescribe punishments for murder, theft
and other crimes. Famous secular literature that is still
considered as the foundation of modern Economics –
Kautilya’s Arthashastra. It not only speaks of the state
and polity but also of the socio-economic system.
Others like Panini wrote the grammar and also
described political events. Kalidasa and Vishakhadutta
provides us information about people and society.
 Accounts and Memoirs of Foreigners

From the ancient times onwards, foreigners visited

Indian subcontinent. Some left valuable accounts of
their travels and visits. Ancient Greek and Roman
historians also wrote about India from their knowledge
and information. These provide important information
of our civilization that relates to the social, political,
economic and culture aspects from a different
perspective. Ptolemy’s Geography and Pliny’s works
gives us information about Bengal and India’s ports
and harbours and also of the trade relations between
Bengal/India and the world.
 Sources of modern history

Government/Official Sources:
These are primary documents and official correspondences and
records that are kept and maintained by the governments of
individual countries. It contains records and information related to
society, polity and economy – including land records, demographic
information, public service works, diplomatic relations (Foreign
Affairs) military and economic issues.

Newspapers/Periodicals: These sources provide indication of the

nature of a society, polity and economy and on specific aspects of its
culture. It also provides a daily record of events occurring and
analyses the reasons behind such developments. It often provides an
alternative view point that might be missing out from the
Government/official sources.
A GLIMPSE OF THE GOVERNMENT RECORDS IN THE
ARCHIVES
NEWSPAPER REPORTS ON LIBERATION WAR
1971
INDEPENDENCE OF INDIA, 15 AUGUST 1947
REPORTS ON 2ND WORLD
WAR
Private Letters, Diaries and Memoirs:
These sources provide an intimate glimpse into
the effects of historical events and the lives of
individuals experiencing them as eye-witnesses.
Also, since these sources were never intended to
be read by a large audience, its contents are more
candid and revealing in nature, often speaking
about issues that the Government/official sources
deny or neglect.
Private letters of Gandhi
Private letters and diary of Anne frank
Oral Source: Interviews and/or interactions with

participants in historical events. It provides a means of

learning about the past from individual with first-hand

knowledge of historical events. It also provides important

historical evidence about people, especially minority groups,

who might have been excluded from mainstream

publications or didn’t leave behind written primary sources.

This is also means of preserving details of historical legacies

that might not have been included in written accounts.

 LIMITATIONS OF SOURCES

1. The major problem of constructing history of

ancient period is that the precise dates cannot
always be located, and can vary from a few years
to a few hundred centuries.
2. Not always the sources give us a complete
history of the period and as a result we may know
quite a lot about one aspect of the period, but not
aware of certain other aspects. Disjointed
fragmented history.
3. The authenticity of the sources can not always
be verified and as a result it leaves room for
interpretations.

4. Problem of generalization.
5. Private Letters, Diaries and Memoirs:
Such personal documents are inherently limited in
their scope in that they present only one viewpoint,
one interpretation of what happened. Inevitably
biased- molded by the opinions, prejudices, and
cultural standpoint of the author (must be read
critically). If the document is a result of recollections
many years after the period described, the details might
have become blurred with the passing of time, certain
aspects consciously or subconsciously forgotten, and
memoirs molded to conform to views evolved since
then (i.e. benefit of hindsight). Selective by nature.
6. Oral History Source:
If the person being interviewed has aged significantly in
the period of time between the actual experience and the
interview, the physical and mental deterioration of the
subjects must be taken into account- e.g. memory loss,
emotional trauma. If the story is being recounted a
significant time after the period of history under scrutiny,
details might have become confused over the passage of
time or faded entirely from memory, and traumatic
experiences might have been deliberately forgotten.
Thus, accuracy must be questioned. Experiences in the
present might influence accounts of the past, and a
person with the benefit of hindsight might be compelled to
reassess events and reconstruct their memories
accordingly. Personal opinions, cultural backgrounds,
must be taken into account in interpreting the information
conveyed, as well as his/her motives in sharing memories-
the individual might feel more compelled to justify own
actions/inactions and perspectives than to paint an entirely
balanced and accurate account of events and
circumstances.
Map of Ancient Bengal
 1600 BC
Pandu Rajar Dhibi

500 BC
Janapads

700 BC
Mahasthangarh
600 BC
Anga and Pundra Kingdoms
450 BC
Waribateshwar
300 BC
Gangaridai Empire

240 AD-540 AD
Bengal Under Gupta Empire
590 AD
Rise of Shasanka
750 AD
Rise of the Pala
1095 AD
Sen Dynasty
Time Line of Bengal History

1204
Islamic Conquest
1342
Independent Ilyas Shahi Dynasty
1608
East Bengal Under Mughal
1757
Battle of Palashi
1764
Battle of Buxar
1793
Permanent Settle ment
1857
Sepoy Mutiny
1905
Partition of Bengal
1947
Creation of Pakistan
1952
Language Movement
1966
6 Points Movement
1969
Mass Uprising of '69
1971
Liberation War

2016
Time Line of Bengal History