CBSE Class 12 History — Real Previous-Year Papers

Identify the following structure from the options given below : [A photograph of a hemispherical stone monument with a gateway and staircase is printed with this question.] Options : (A) Amravati Stupa (B) Sanchi Stupa (C) Barhut Stupa (D) Sarnath Stupa [Visually Impaired alternative in lieu of Q.7: In which of the following modern states of India is Sanchi Stupa located ? (A) Maharashtra (B) Madhya Pradesh (C) Tamil Nadu (D) Uttar Pradesh]

Which of the following chronicles was authored by Abul-Fazl ? (A) Babur-Nama (B) Humayun-Nama (C) Akbar-Nama (D) Padshah-Nama

The battle at Talikota (Rakshasi Tangri) was fought between which two of the following groups ? (A) Between Krishnadeva Raya and rulers of Madurai, Ikkeri and Mysore (B) Between Rama Raya and rulers of Bijapur, Gingee and Bidar (C) Between Krishnadeva Raya and rulers of Golconda, Kolar, and Chandragiri (D) Between Ram Raya and rulers of Bijapur, Golconda and Ahmednagar

Which of the following temples at Vijayanagara was meant to be used only by the king and his family ? (A) Vitthala temple (B) Chidambaram temple (C) Hazara Ram temple (D) Virupaksha temple

Identify the foreign traveller with the help of the following information : - He was Moroccan traveller of the 14th century. - He had the expertise of Islamic religion law. - He was appointed Qazi of Delhi by Muhammad bin Tughlaq Options : (A) Al-Biruni (B) Seydi Ali Reis (C) Ibn Batuta (D) Mahmud Ali Balkhi

Who among the following is the author of the book of travels called 'Travels in the Mughal Empire' ? (A) Francois Bernier (B) Roberto Nobile (C) Duarte Barbosa (D) Marco Polo

Find the odd one out from the following : (Sufi Teachers) - (Location of Dargah) (A) Shaikh Muinuddin Chishti - Ajmer (B) Khwaja Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki - Delhi (C) Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya - Agra (D) Shaikh Fariduddin Ganj-i-Shakar - Ajodhan

Two statements as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below. Read them carefully and choose the correct option : Assertion (A) : Baba Guru Nanak Devji advocated Nirguna Bhakti. Reason (R) : For Baba Guru Nanak, the absolute or 'rab' had no gender or form. Options : (A) Assertion (A) is correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A). (B) Assertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A). (C) Assertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect. (D) Assertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.

Which of the following statements accurately describe the conditions of Bombay-Deccan from 1840 to 1850 ? I. There was significant agrarian expansion during this period. II. Prices of the agricultural products were rising steadily. III. There were frequent peasant uprisings due to economic distress. IV. The agrarian landscape largely remained progressive. Options : (A) Only I and III are correct. (B) Only II and IV are correct. (C) Only I and II are correct. (D) Only III and IV are correct.

Identify the major long-term consequence of the permanent settlement for the Indian peasantry from the following : (A) Increased ownership of land among farmers. (B) Investment in agricultural technology. (C) Increased exploitation and indebtness. (D) Abolition of all kinds of landlordism.

Who amongst the following American Presidents played a decisive role in the American War of Independence ? (A) Abraham Lincoln (B) Thomas Jefferson (C) John F. Kennedy (D) George Washington

Why was the Revolt of 1857 viewed as a serious threat by the British ? Choose the most appropriate option : (A) It has hurt their global trade. (B) It shook the entire colonial system of the world. (C) It united all the sections of Indian Society. (D) It led to their defeat in South India.

Choose the correct pair regarding the local leaders during the Revolt of 1857. List - I (Local Leader) - List - II (Region) (A) Gonoa - Chotanagpur (B) Shahmal - Hyderabad (C) Kunwar Singh - Kanpur (D) Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah - Arrah

Identify the Indian Political Leader with the help of the following information : I. He moved the 'Objectives resolution' in the Constituent Assembly. II. He moved the resolution proposing that the National flag be a horizontal tricolor of saffron, white and dark green in equal proportions with a wheel of navy blue colour in the centre. Options : (A) Sardar Patel (B) Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru (C) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (D) Dr. Radhakrishnan

Match Column I with Column II and choose the correct option : List of Women members in the Constituent Assembly Column - I (Women member) I. Sarojini Naidu II. Hansa Mehta III. Vijayalakshmi Pandit IV. Rajkumari Amrit Kaur Column - II (Constituency) a. Central Province b. Uttar Pradesh c. Bihar d. Bombay Options : (A) I-a, II-c, III-b, IV-d (B) I-c, II-d, III-b, IV-a (C) I-b, II-a, III-c, IV-d (D) I-d, II-b, III-a, IV-c

Examine the major contribution of John Marshall as Director General of Archaeological Survey of India.

(a) Explain the causes of the ruin of Stupa at Amravati. OR (b) Explain the significance of Pauranic Hinduism of the ancient India.

"Ibn Batuta was amazed by the efficiency of Indian postal system." Explain the statement with examples.

(a) Describe the significance of Kamalpuram tank and Hiriya Canal as sources of water for the Vijayanagara. OR (b) Describe the views of Dominingo Paes on the city of Vijaynagara.

Analyse the measures taken by the British to suppress the riots of Bombay-Deccan in 1875.

Explain the main provisions of the Government of India Act, 1935.

(a) "Although epigraphy is an important source of reconstructing history yet there are limits to what it can reveal." Justify the statement with suitable arguments. OR (b) "Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan empire and also explained the ways of their administration." Justify the statement with suitable arguments. (5 + 3 = 8)

(a) Explain the development of agriculture during Mughal period. OR (b) Explain the role of women in the Agrarian society during 16th and 17th centuries.

(a) "Non-Cooperation Movement became an epoch in the life of Mahatma Gandhi and that of India." Explain the statement of Louis Fisher with examples. OR (b) 'Gandhiji started the Salt March for various reasons and it resulted in a significant movement.' Explain the statement with examples. (4 + 4 = 8)

Read the given passage carefully and answer the questions that follow : A Mother's Advice The Mahabharata describes how, when war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas became almost inevitable, Gandhari made one last appeal to her eldest son Duryodhana. By making peace you honour your father and me, as well as your well-wishers... it is the wise man in control of his senses who guards his kingdom. Greed and anger drag a man away from his profits; by defeating these two enemies a king conquers the earth... You will happily enjoy the earth, my son, along with the wise and heroic Pandavas.... There is no good in a war, no law (dharma) and profit (artha), let alone happiness; nor is there (necessarily) victory in the end - don't set your mind on war... Duryodhana did not listen to this advice and fought and lost the war. (31.1) Explain the main cause of conflict between Kauravas and Pandavas. (1) (31.2) Why did Gandhari advice Duryodhana not to fight ? (1) (31.3) Why did Duryodhana not listen to the advice of his mother, Gandhari ? (2)

Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follows : Declining a Royal Gift This excerpt from a Sufi text describes the proceedings at Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya's hospice in 1313 : I (the author, Amir Hasan Sijzi) has the good fortune of kissing his (Shaikh Nizamuddin Auliya's) feet... At this time a local ruler had sent him the deed of ownership to two gardens and much land, along with the provisions and tools for their maintenance. The ruler had also made it clear that he was relinquishing all his rights to both the gardens and land. The master...had not accepted that gift. Instead, he had lamented : "What have I to do with gardens and fields and lands ?... None of .... our spiritual masters had engaged in such activity." Then he told an appropriate story : ".... Sultan Ghiyasuddhin, who at that time was still known as Ulugh Khan, came to visit Shaikh Fariduddin (and) offered some money and ownership deeds for four villages to the Shaikh, the money being for the benefit of the dervishes (Sufis), and the land of his use. Smiling, Shaikh al Islam (Fariduddin) said : Give me the money. I will dispense it to the dervishes. But as for those land deeds, keep them. There are many who long for them. Give them away to such persons." (32.1) Mention the offering by the local ruler to Sufi saint. (1) (32.2) What was the reaction of Sufi saint on the offerings ? (1) (32.3) Why did Sufi saint accept money ? Explain. (2)

Read the given passage carefully and answer the following questions : What taluqdars thought The attitude of the taluqdars was best expressed by Hanwant Singh, the Raja of Kalakankar, near Rae Bareli. During the mutiny, Hanwant Singh had given shelter to a British officer, and conveyed him to safety. While taking leave of the officer, Hanwant Singh told him : Sahib, your countrymen came into this country. You sent your officers round the districts to examine the titles to the estates. At one blow you took from me lands which from time immemorial had been in my family. I submitted. Suddenly misfortune fell upon you. The people of the land rose against you. You came to me whom you had despoiled. I have saved you. But now - now I march at the head of my retainers to Lucknow to try and drive you from the country. (33.1) Explain the anguish of Hanwant Singh for the British officer. (1) (33.2) How were Taluqdars facilitated by the rulers ? (1) (33.3) Explain any two causes of dissatisfaction of Taluqdars from British rule. (2)

34.1 On the given political outline map of India, locate and label the following with appropriate signs or symbols : (3 x 1 = 3) (i) Nageshwar - a mature Harappan site (ii) Kashi - early state. (iii) (a) Goa - an area under Aurangzeb OR (b) Thanjavur - a medieval town. 34.2 On the same map two places have been marked as centres of Indian national movement as A and B. Identify them and write their correct names on the lines drawn near them. (2) [Visually Impaired alternative in lieu of Q.34: 34.1 Name any two important capitals of the early states. (2) 34.2 (a) Name one area which was under the rule of Aurangzeb. (1) OR (b) Name the capital of Vijayanagara Empire. (1) 34.3 Mention any two main centres of Indian National Movement. (2)]