Written sources
Old letters, diaries or newspaper clippings at home tell us what happened in those days. In the same way written papers help when the history of a country is written.
Printed or handwritten papers used to understand history are written sources. For the period 1961 to 2000, newspapers are the biggest written source.
Key idea 1 : Newspapers and periodicals — Newspapers give information on politics, art, sports, literature and social life in the country and abroad. Weeklies of parties, bulletins of movements and magazines are also important. Special issues at the end of the year review that year.
Key idea 2 : News agencies and government publications — The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency supplies news, photographs and articles to newspapers. In the 1990s it began using satellites instead of teleprinters. Annual reference books of the Publications Division such as ‘India 2000’ give reliable information.
Key idea 3 : Archives and other papers — A place where old papers are kept safely is called an archive. The National Archives of India is in New Delhi and is the largest in Asia. Government gazettes, correspondence, encyclopedias and reference books are also written sources.
- Easy : What does PTI do? — It supplies news, photographs and articles to newspapers.
- Medium : Where is the National Archives? — New Delhi.
- Exam-type : What kind of source is ‘India 2000’? — A government annual reference book (written source).
In the figure: Main types of written sources.
As per the textbook, after 1953 the Press Trust of India became an important source of first-hand details of events. (check with the book)
Written = paper: newspaper, PTI, archives.
Written sources are not only books; newspapers, letters and gazettes are included too.
Memory clue: Written = written or printed papers. Memory clue: “letter, magazine, paper”.
Spot the difference
| Source | What it gives | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Newspaper | Daily events | Main news |
| News agency | Supply of news | PTI |
| Archive | Old papers | National Archives |
Practice questions
- 1What are written sources?
- 2What is an archive?
- 3Give the full name of PTI.
- 4Name two subjects on which newspapers give information.
- 5Why are newspapers important for the history of 1961 to 2000?
- 6How is a special annual issue useful in writing history?
- 7Why is the book ‘India 2000’ considered reliable?
- 8To write your school’s history, which two written sources would you use?
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Printed or handwritten papers used for history.
- 2A place where old papers are preserved.
- 3Press Trust of India.
- 4Politics and sports (or art, literature).
- 5Because they record daily events of that time and are easily available.
- 6It gives a review of the whole year’s events in one place.
- 7Because it is prepared by the government’s Publications Division.
- 8The old register and an old circular of the school.
Material sources
If grandmother’s old box has old coins, stamps and ornaments, they give an idea of her times. Such objects are material sources.
Touchable objects that tell history are material sources, for example coins, postage stamps, clothes, ornaments, buildings and museum objects.
Key idea 1 : Postage stamps — A stamp does not speak on its own; a historian makes it speak. Its picture, colour and size show which persons, events and ideas were important then. Stamps are issued on leaders, flowers, birds, jubilees and centenaries.
Key idea 2 : Coins and notes — The metals, shapes and messages on coins after independence show the issues of the time. Coins were issued with messages on population control and the importance of farmers. Notes are printed by the Reserve Bank of India, headquartered in Mumbai.
Key idea 3 : Museums — Every state has museums that show its cultural heritage. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj museum in Mumbai is an example. Some people also keep private museums on subjects like coins, notes or cricket items.
- Easy : What kind of source is a coin? — Material source.
- Medium : Who prints notes? — Reserve Bank of India.
- Exam-type : What do stamps tell? — Important persons, events and ideas of that time.
In the figure: Types of touchable objects.
As per the textbook, in 1977 the Government of India issued a stamp on Jal Cooper, a world-famous stamp expert. He edited ‘India’s Stamp Journal’. (check with the book)
Material = can be held: coin, stamp, building.
A stamp or coin does not tell history by itself; it has to be interpreted.
Memory clue: Material = things you can examine by hand. Memory clue: “coin, stamp, building”.
Spot the difference
| Source | Issued by | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp | Postal Department | Persons, events |
| Note | Reserve Bank | Economic change, symbols |
| Museum | Government or private collectors | Cultural heritage |
Practice questions
- 1What are material sources?
- 2Give three examples of material sources.
- 3Who prints notes in India?
- 4Which subjects appear on stamps? Name two.
- 5Who was Jal Cooper and why was a stamp issued on him?
- 6What does a historian learn from the messages on coins?
- 7What is a private museum? Give an example.
- 8Explain the sentence “stamps make history speak”.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Touchable objects that tell history.
- 2Coins, stamps, buildings.
- 3Reserve Bank of India.
- 4Leaders and birds (or flowers, jubilees).
- 5He was a world-famous stamp expert; a stamp was issued in 1977 to honour his work.
- 6The issues and policies of the time, like population control or importance of farming.
- 7A museum run by a collector, not the government; e.g. of coins or cricket items.
- 8By interpreting the picture and colour on a stamp the historian gets information about that time.
Oral and audio-visual sources
Stories of grandparents, wedding songs and old videos bring earlier days alive. In the same way folk songs and films tell history.
Things told or sung by mouth are oral sources. Media that can be seen and heard are audio-visual sources, such as television, films and the internet.
Key idea 1 : Oral sources — Folktales, folk songs, proverbs, powadas and owis are oral sources. In the Samyukta Maharashtra movement the powadas of Lokshahir Anna Bhau Sathe and Shahir Amar Sheikh inspired the workers.
Key idea 2 : Literature and poetry — Literature shows how a poet experienced an event. For example, Kusumagraj wrote the poem ‘Aavahan’ against the background of the war with China.
Key idea 3 : Audio-visual media — Television, films, documentaries and the internet are audio-visual sources. In 1960 the government started the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) at Pune. ‘Indian News Review’ made newsreels on political, sports and cultural events.
- Easy : What kind of source is a powada? — Oral source.
- Medium : Where is FTII? — Pune.
- Exam-type : What kind of source is television? — Audio-visual.
In the figure: Journey of audio-visual sources.
As per the textbook, FTII was founded at Pune in 1960. (check with the book)
Oral = by mouth (powada); audio-visual = see + hear (film).
Powadas are not only entertainment; they were also a source of inspiration in the movement.
Memory clue: Mouth = oral; eyes + ears = audio-visual. Memory clue: “drik = seen, shravya = heard”.
Spot the difference
| Type | Example | How we know |
|---|---|---|
| Oral | Powada, owi, proverb | By hearing and singing |
| Literature | Poem, play | By reading |
| Audio-visual | Film, documentary | By seeing and hearing |
Practice questions
- 1What are oral sources?
- 2Give two examples of audio-visual sources.
- 3Where and when was FTII started?
- 4Which bards played a role in the Samyukta Maharashtra movement?
- 5Who wrote the poem ‘Aavahan’ and against what background?
- 6How are powadas a source of history?
- 7State the use of newsreels and documentaries in studying history.
- 8Write a one-sentence review of a patriotic film you have seen.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Things told or sung by mouth.
- 2Television and films.
- 3At Pune, in 1960.
- 4Anna Bhau Sathe and Amar Sheikh.
- 5Kusumagraj; against the background of the war with China.
- 6They show the public feelings and movements of that time.
- 7Events can be seen and heard in them, so they give evidence.
- 8The student should write in own words.
Checking and preserving sources
Not every message that comes on a messaging app is true, so we check it elsewhere. The same must be done for sources of history.
Checking whether a source is true and reliable before using it is verification. Keeping it safe so that it is not lost is preservation.
Key idea 1 : Information on the internet — The internet has huge information, but it must be checked for truth. It is good to compare it with more than one reliable source.
Key idea 2 : New sources — As times change quickly, new sources arise. The pager was once a device to contact people but it faded quickly. Its importance reduced after mobile phones came.
Key idea 3 : Duty of preservation — Contemporary sources are easy to get, but they may be lost if not kept. So the government, institutions and all of us should preserve old letters, photographs and objects.
- Easy : How to check internet information? — Compare with other reliable sources.
- Medium : Why did the pager lose importance? — Because mobile phones came.
- Exam-type : How to preserve your family history? — By keeping letters, photographs and objects.
In the figure: Actions after getting a source.
First check, then use, finally preserve.
Something is not true just because it is on the internet.
Memory clue: Check – compare – preserve. Memory clue: “check, compare, keep”.
Spot the difference
| Action | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verification | Checking whether true | Comparing two sources |
| Preservation | Keeping safe | Archive |
Practice questions
- 1What is verification?
- 2What is preservation?
- 3What is the work of an archive?
- 4What care will you take while using internet information?
- 5What does the pager example show?
- 6Why is it necessary to preserve contemporary sources?
- 7Which sources will you use to write your village’s history? Name four.
- 8State in one sentence the difference between written, material, oral and audio-visual sources.
Show answers (try them yourself first)
- 1Checking whether a source is true and reliable.
- 2Keeping a source safe so it is not lost.
- 3To preserve old papers.
- 4I will compare it with other sources to see if it is true.
- 5New sources arise and some old ones end soon.
- 6Because if lost, writing history in the future will be hard.
- 7Newspapers, old coins, temples or buildings, village folk songs and interviews of elders.
- 8Written = paper; material = objects; oral = spoken; audio-visual = see and hear.