MAH

M.A History
First Year Courses

Assignments
For July 2021 and January 2022
Sessions

MHI-01 : Ancient and Medieval Societies

MHI-02 : Modern World
MHI-04 : Political Structures in India
MHI-05 : History of Indian Economy

FACULTY OF HISTORY
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
INDIRA GANDHI NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY
MAIDAN GARHI, NEW DELHI – 110 068
 M.A. History – 1st Year Assignments
July 2021 and January 2022 Sessions

Dear Student,

As explained in the Programme Guide for M.A. in History you will have to do one assignment in
each course. The assignments are compulsory. Each assignment covers the whole course.

It is important that you write the answers to all the assignment questions in your own words. Your
answers should be within the approximate range of the word-limit set for a particular question.

The assignment should be submitted to the Coordinator of your Study Centre. You must obtain a
receipt from the Study Centre for the assignments submitted and retain it. If possible, keep a
photocopy of the submitted assignments with you.

The Study Centre will have to return the assignments to you after they are evaluated. Please insist
on this. The Study Centre in turn will send the marks to the Student Evaluation Division at
IGNOU, New Delhi. These will be entered in your grade card.

Submission of Assignments

You should note that the submission of assignments is compulsory before taking up Term-end
Examination. It is therefore suggested that you do them within time. In M.A. first year you will
have to do a total of 4 assignments. We have given you a lot of time to do the assignments but we
advise you to do them one by one along with your study of the particular course and submit them so
that you may get back the marks and comments of the Counsellor with evaluated assignment. With
a proper planning you will be able to do them within the stipulated period. Please do not wait for
the last date to submit all the assignments because it would be difficult to do all of them in one go.
Specific dates for the submission are given below.

Last Date of Submission of Assignment

July 2021 Session Students 31st March 2022

January 2022 Session Students 30th September 2022

Where to submit the assignments: The Coordinator of your Study Centre

Before attempting the assignments please read the detailed instructions provided in the Programme
Guide sent to you separately.

Now read the guidelines carefully before answering the questions:

GUIDELINES FOR ASSIGNMENTS

The assignments have two types of questions:

1) Essay Type Questions which you have to answer in about 500 words each and they carry 20
marks each.

2) Short notes to be answered in about 250 words each and they carry 10 marks each.

You will find it useful to keep the following points in mind:

a) Planning: Read the assignments carefully. Go through the units on which they are based. Make some
points regarding each question and then re-arrange these in a logical order.

b) Organisation: Be a little more selective and analytical before drawing up a rough outline of
your answer. In an essay-type question, give adequate attention to your introduction and
conclusion. The introduction must offer your brief interpretation of the question and how you
propose to develop it. The conclusion must summarise your response to the question.

Make sure that your answer:

o is logical and coherent;

o has clear connections between sentences and paragraphs;
o is written correctly giving adequate consideration to your expression, style and
presentation;
o does not exceed the number of words indicated in your question.

a) Presentation: Once you are satisfied with your answers, you can write down the final version for
submission, writing each answer neatly and underlining the points you wish to emphasis.

b) Interpretation: Interpretation is a constant process in history writing. It is already reflected in your

planning and selection. Explanatory comments with phrases like may be, because, could be, etc.,
immediately introduce an element of interpretation in writing itself. Here you have to be careful that
these comments can be supported by the material you have in the answer.
 MHI-01: ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL SOCITIES

Course Code: MHI-01

Assignment Code: MHI-01/AST/TMA/2021-22
Total Marks: 100

Note: Attempt any five questions. The assignment is divided into two Sections 'A' and
'B'. You have to attempt at least two questions from each section in about 500 words
each. All questions carry equal marks.

Section – A

1. Write a note on consequences of agriculture and invention of tools and discovery of fire in the
development of human society. 20

2. Give a detailed account of the process of urbanization in the Bronze Age civilizations. 20

3. Analyse the transition to democracy in ancient Greek civilization. 20

4. Give a brief account of the economy and organization of government in the region of South
Africa. 20

5. Write short notes on any two of the following in 250 words each: 10+10
i) Arts and communication in hunting-gathering societies
ii) Maya Civilization
iii) The Roman Assembly
iv) Egyptian religion.

Section – B

6. Write a brief note on the rise of Islam in Arabia in 7th century. 20

7. Discuss the religious tradition in pre-modern China. 20

8. Give a brief account of textile production and glass making in the medieval period. 20

9. Explain various factors leading to changes in demography in Europe in the medieval period. 20

10. Write short notes on any two of the following in 250 words each: 10+10
i) Major scientific advances in medieval Europe
ii) Anabaptists
iii) Banjaras and their trading activities
iv) Decline of feudalism.
 MHI-02: MODERN WORLD

Course Code: MHI-02

Assignment Code: MHI-02/AST/TMA/2021-2022
Total Marks: 100

Note: Attempt any five questions. The assignment is divided into two Sections 'A' and
'B'. You have to attempt at least two questions from each section in about 500 words
each. All questions carry equal marks.

Section – A

1. How did the Renaissance and the Enlightenment contribute to the making of modern
world? 20

2. Analyze the major views criticizing capitalism. 20

3. What do you understand by bureaucratization? Analyze the process of bureaucratization

in trade unions. 20

4. What is de-colonization? Explain the various approaches towards de-colonization. 20

5. Write short notes on any two of the following in about 250 words each. 10+10
i) Science versus religion
ii) Marxian perspective on state
iii) Typologies of nationalism explained by Gellner
iv) Humanism.

Section – B

6. Discuss the nature of international rivalries in the 20th century. 20

7. What is colonialism? Discuss the different stages of colonialism. 20

8. Write a note on the consumerist movement as it developed in Europe. 20

9. Explain some major technological innovations made in the 20th century. 20

10. Write short notes on any two of the following in about 250 words each. 10+10
i) Economic theories explaining imperialism
ii) The Decembrist Uprising
iii) Limitations of modern warfare
iv) Ecological Awareness.
 MHI-04: POLITICAL STRUCTURES IN INDIA

Course Code: MHI-04

Assignment Code: MHI-04/AST/TMA/2021-2022
Total Marks: 100

NOTE: Attempt any five questions. The assignment is divided into two Sections ‘A’ and ‘B’.
You have to attempt at least two questions from each section in about 500 words each. All
questions carry equal marks.
Section-A

1. Discuss the nature of chiefdoms which evolved in Tamilakam in the early 20

historic period.

2. What were the main characteristics of early medieval polities in peninsular India 20
between 8th-12th centuries A.D.?

3. Critically examine the nature of state under the Delhi Sultanate. 20

4. Analyse the nature of British colonial state. 20

5. Analyse the debate among scholars for understanding the nature of 18th century polity.
20
Section-B

6. Discuss the working of the mansab and the jagir systems under the Mughals. 20

7. Critically analyse the administrative system in the post-Mauryan period. 20

8. Write an essay on the orientalist and evangelical perceptions of the Indian 20

socio-political system.

9. Explain how did the colonial and nationalist legacy shape the nature of 20
post-colonial Indian state.

10. Write short notes on the following in 250 words each. 10+10
i) State formation under the Rajputs
ii) Brahmadeya and Nagaram.
 MHI-05: HISTORY OF INDIAN ECONOMY
Course Code: MHI-05
Assignment Code: MHI-05/AST/ TMA/2021-22
Total Marks: 100

Note: Attempt any five questions. The assignment is divided into two Sections 'A' and 'B'. You
have to attempt at least two questions from each section in about 500 words each. All
questions carry equal marks.
SECTION A

1 Give a critical account of the major trends in colonial historiog raphy? 20

2. Critically examine the chief characteristics of the Harappan civilization. 20

3. Enumerate the features of the economy of the Kushanas. 20

4. Discuss the debates among the historians over the issue of urban decay during the
seventh to twelfth centuries. 20

5. Write short notes on any two of the following. Answer in about 250 words each.
10+10
i) Fluvial routes of the subcontinent
ii) Social hierarchy and chiefdoms in the Neolithic-Chalcolithic cultural traditions
iii) Land rights in the Tamil region during the 6-10th century AD
iv) The trading organisations of South India

SECTION B

6. Write a note on the rights and functions of the Mughal zamindars. 20

7. Examine the development of agricultural technology during the medieval period. 20

8. Analyse the impact of colonial interventions on tribal economy . 20

9. Give a brief account of Daniel Thorner’s critique of the Nationalist thesis on de-industrialization. 20

10. Write short notes on any two of the following. Answer in about 250 words each.
10+10
i) Famines during the medieval period
ii) Building construction activity during the medieval period
iii) Question of population growth during the colonial period
iv) Globalization