CBSE Class 11 History Syllabus 2020-21

HISTORY
CLASS XI-XII (2020-21)
(Code No. 027)
Rationale

Through a focus on a series of critical historical issues and debates (class XI) or on a range
of important historical sources (class XII), the students would be introduced to a set of
important historical events and processes. A discussion of these themes, it is hoped, would
allow students not only to know about these events and processes, but also to discover the
excitement of reading history.

However, practical way of assessing whether the learning objectives have been actualized
or not, can be ensured by the way of having stated outcomes. These outcomes have been
enumerated against the learning objectives so that the concerned teachers and their
students can adopt different kinds of constructive strategies and competency-based
assessment techniques. It is also to be understood that the learning objectives and their
outcomes are organically linked and complementary to each other.

Objectives:

• Effort in these senior secondary classes would be to emphasize to students that history
is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past, rather
than just a collection of facts. The syllabus would help them to understand the process
through which historians write history, by choosing and assembling different types of
evidence, and by reading their sources critically. They will appreciate how historians
follow the trails that lead to the past, and how historical knowledge develops.
• The syllabus would also enable students store/relate/compare developments in
different situations, analyze connections between similar processes located in different
time periods, and discover the relationship between different methods of enquiry within
history and the allied disciplines.
• The syllabus in class XI is organized around some major themes in the world history.
The themes have been selected so as to (i) focus on some important developments in
different spheres-political, social, cultural and economic, (ii) study not only the grand
narratives of development-urbanization, industrialization and modernization-but also to
know about the processes of displacements and marginalization. Through the study of
these themes’ students will acquire a sense of the wider historical processes as well
as an idea of the specific debates around them.
• The treatment of each theme in class XI would include
o an overview of the theme under discussion
o a more detailed focus on one region of study
o an introduction to a critical debate associated with the issue.

• In class XII the focus will shift to a detailed study of some themes in ancient, medieval
and modern Indian history although the attempt is to soften the distinction between
what is conventionally termed as ancient, medieval and modern. The object would be
to study a set of these themes in some detail and depth rather than survey the entire
chronological span of Indian history. In this sense the course will be built on the
knowledge that the students have acquired in the earlier classes.
• Each theme in class XII will also introduce the students to one type of source for the
study of history. Through such a study, students would begin to see what different types
of sources can reveal and what they cannot tell. They would come to know how
historians analyze these sources, the problems and difficulties of interpreting each type
of source, and the way a larger picture of an event, a historical process, or a historical
figure, is built by looking at different types of sources.
• Each theme for class XII will be organized around four sub heads:
o a detailed overview of the events, issues and processes under discussion
o a summary of the present state of research on the theme
o an account of how knowledge about the theme has been acquired
o an excerpt from a primary source related to the theme, explaining how it has
been used by historians.
• While the themes in both these classes (XI and XII) are arranged in a broad
chronological sequence, there are overlaps between them. This is intended to convey
a sense that chronological divides and periodization do not always operate in a neat
fashion.
• In the text books each theme would be located in a specific time and place. But these
discussions would be situated within a wider context by
• plotting the specific event within time-lines
• discussing the particular event or process in relation to developments in other places
and other times.

COURSE STRUCTURE
CLASS XI (2020-21)
One -Theory Paper 80 Marks
3 Hours

Units No. of Marks
Theme Periods

Introduction to World History 3
Section A: Early Societies 17 8
Introduction 2
1 -Deleted for the session-2020-2021
2. Writing and City Life 15

Section B: Empires 37 20
. Introduction 7
3. An empire across three continents 15
4. Central Islamic lands 15
5 --Deleted for the session-2020-2021
Section C: Changing Traditions 36 20
Introduction 7
6 Three orders 14
7 Changing cultural traditions 15
8 --Deleted for the session-2020-2021
Section D: Paths to Modernization 52 28
Introduction 7
9 The Industrial Revolution 15
10 Displacing indigenous People 15
11 Paths to modernization 15
Map work (units 1-11 ) 10 4
Project Work 10 20
Total 165 Periods 100 marks

CLASS-XI: THEMES IN WORLD HISTORY

THEMES NOTE- This is not an exhaustive list. For reflective teaching-
learning process, explicit Learning Objectives and Outcomes can
be added by teachers during the course-delivery for student’s
real learning.
LEARNING LEARNING OUTCOMES
OBJECTIVES

• Familiarize the At the completion of this unit
2.WRITING AND CITY learner with the students will be able to:
LIFE nature of early
Focus: Iraq, 3rd millennium urban Centre’s.
• Compare and analyze
BCE • Discuss whether the transformation from
a) Growth of towns writing is Neolithic to Bronze Age
b) Nature of early significant as a Civilization in order to
urban societies marker of understand the myriad
c) Historians’ Debate civilization. spheres of human
on uses of writing
development.
• Elucidate the interwoven
social and cultural
aspects of civilization in
order to understand the
connection between city
life and culture of
contemporary
civilizations.
• Analyze the outcomes of
a sustained tradition of
writing.

3.AN EMPIRE ACROSS • Familiarize the At the completion of this unit
THREE CONTINENTS learner with the students will be able to:
Focus: Roman Empire, 27 history of a major • Explain and relate the
BCE to 600 CE world empire dynamics of the Roman
a) Political evolution • Discuss whether Empire in order to
b) Economic slavery was a understand their polity,
Expansion significant economy, society and
c) Religion-culture element in the culture.
foundation economy. • Analyze the implications
d) Late Antiquity of Roman’s contacts
e) Historians’ view on with the subcontinent
the Institution of Empires
Slavery • Examine the domains
of cultural
transformation in that

period

4.CENTRAL ISLAMIC • Familiarize the At the completion of this unit
LANDS learner with the students will be able to:
Focus: 7th to 12th centuries rise of Islamic • Explain the relationship
a) Polity empires in the between livelihood
b) Economy Afro-Asian patterns and the
c) Culture territories and its geographical condition
d) Historians’ implications for of the area inhabited by
viewpoints on the economy and the tribes and the
nature of the society. nomadic pastoralists
crusades • Understand what • Describe the arenas of
the crusades Islam in reference to its
meant in these emergence, rise of
regions and how Caliphate and Empire
they were building.
experienced. • Analyze the causes,
events and effects of
Crusades.
• Examine their economic
life in order to
understand their
connectivity with various
continents.
• Comprehend their
learning and cultural
developments in varied
fields like astronomy,
medicine, architecture,
sufism, etc.

• Familiarize the
6.THE THREE ORDERS. learner with the At the completion of this unit
FOCUS: Western Europe nature of the students will be able to:
13th-16th century economy and
a) Feudal society and society of this • Explain the myriad
economy period and the aspects of feudalism with
b) Formation of state changes within special reference to first,
c) Church and society them. second, third and fourth
d) Historians’ views on • Show how the order of the society.
decline of feudalism debate on the • Relate ancient slavery
decline of with serfdom
feudalism helps in • Assess the 14th century
understanding crisis and rise of the
processes of nation states.
transition.

7.CHANGING At the completion of this unit
CULTURAL • Explore the students will be able to
TRADITIONS intellectual trends • Analyze the causes,
Focus: Europe 14th-17th in the period. events, and effects of the
century • Familiarize Renaissance, Reformation,
a) New ideas and new students with the Scientific Revolution, and
trends in literature paintings and Age of Exploration.
and arts buildings of the • Relate the different
b) Relationship with period. facets of Italian cities to
earlier ideas • Introduce the understand the
c) The contribution of debate around the characteristics of
West Asia idea of Renaissance
d) Historians’ ‘Renaissance’. Humanism and
viewpoint on the Realism.
validity of the notion • Compare and contrast
‘European the condition of women
Renaissance in the Renaissance
period.
• Recognize major
influences on the
architectural, artistic,
and literary
developments in order
to understand the
facades of
Renaissance.
• Analysis on the
approach of Martin
Luther and Erasmus
towards the Roman
Catholic Church and its
impact on later reforms.
• Evaluate the Catholic
Church’s response to
the Protestant
Reformation in the form
of the Counter
Reformations

9.THE INDUSTRIAL
REVOLUTION
Focus: England 18th to 19th At the completion of this unit
century • Understand the students will be able to
a) Innovations and nature of growth • Comprehend the
technological in the period and arenas of the Industrial
change its limits. Revolution in Great
b) Patterns of growth • Initiate students to Britain and other
c) Emergence of a the debate on the countries

working class idea of industrial • Elucidate the
d) Historians’ revolution. technological
viewpoint, Debate innovations that spurred
on ‘Was there an industrialization in
Industrial Britain.
Revolution?’ • Analyze the social,
economic, and
environmental impact of
the Industrial
Revolution in order to
understand the
revolutionary and
ideological
transformation.
• Compare and contrast
the positive and
negative aspects of
Industrial Revolution.
• Empathize for the
suffering of the workers
during the Industrial
Revolution.

10. DISPLACING • Sensitize students At the completion of this unit
INDIGENOUS to the processes students will be able to
PEOPLE of displacements
Focus: North America and that accompanied • Recount some aspects
Australia, 18th to 20th the development of the history of the
century of America and native people of America
a) European colonists Australia. to understand their
in North America • Understand the condition.
and Australia implications of • To analyze the realms
b) Formation of White such processes of settlement of
Settler societies for the displaced Europeans in Australia
c) Displacement and populations. and America.
repression of local • Compare and contrast
people the lives and roles of
d) Historians’ indigenous people in
viewpoint on the these continents
impact of European
settlement on
indigenous
population

11. PATHS TO • Make students At the completion of this unit
MODERNIZATION aware that students will be able to
Focus: East Asia, late 19th transformation in • Deduce the histories of
to 20th century the modern world China and Japan from

a) Militarization and takes many the phase of imperialism
economic growth in different forms. to modernization
Japan • Explore the Japanese
b) China and the • Show how notions political, cultural and
communist like ‘modernization’ economic system prior
alternative need to be to and after the Meiji
c) Historians’ Debate critically assessed. Restoration.
on the meaning of • Analyze the domains of
modernization Japanese nationalism
prior and after the
Second World War.
• Comprehend the history
of China from
colonization to era of
(NOTE- Keeping in view socialism.
the importance of the • Summarize the
themes i.e. Japan and nationalist upsurge in
China, it is advised that China from Dr Sun Yet
both must be taught in Sen to Mao Ze Dong to
the schools) understand the era of
communism.
• To analyze the Chinese
path to modernization
under Deng Xio Ping
and Zhou en Lai in order
to understand the
transformation from rigid
communism to liberal
socialism.
MAP WORK ON UNITS 1-11

PROJECT WORK
CLASS XI (2020-21)

INTRODUCTION
History is one of the most important disciplines in school education. It is the study of the past,
which helps us to understand our present and shape our future. It promotes the acquisition
and understanding of historical knowledge in breath and in depth across cultures.
The course of history in senior secondary classes is to enable students to know that history
is a critical discipline, a process of enquiry, a way of knowing about the past rather than just
a collection of facts. The syllabus helps them to understand the process, through which a
historian collects, chooses, scrutinizes and assembles different types of evidences to write
history.
The syllabus in class-XI is organized around some major themes in world history. In class XII
the focus shifts to a detailed study of some themes in ancient, medieval and modern Indian
history.
CBSE has decided to introduce project work in history for classes XI and XII in 2013-14 as a
part of regular studies in classroom, as project work gives students an opportunity to develop
higher cognitive skills. It takes students to a life beyond text books and provides them a
platform to refer materials, gather information, analyze it further to obtain relevant information
and decide what matter to keep and hence understand how history is constructed.
OBJECTIVES
Project work will help students:
• To develop skill to gather data from a variety of sources, investigate diverse viewpoints
and arrive at logical deductions.
• To develop skill to comprehend, analyze, interpret, evaluate historical evidence and
understand the limitation of historical evidence.
• To develop 21st century managerial skills of co-ordination, self-direction and time
management.
• To learn to work on diverse cultures, races, religions and lifestyles.
• To learn through constructivism-a theory based on observation and scientific study.
• To inculcate a spirit of inquiry and research.
• To communicate data in the most appropriate form using a variety of techniques.
• To provide greater opportunity for interaction and exploration.
• To understand contemporary issues in context to our past.
• To develop a global perspective and an international outlook.

• To grow into caring, sensitive individuals capable of making informed, intelligent and
independent choices.
• To develop lasting interest in history discipline.
GUIDELINES TO TEACHERS
This section provides some basic guidelines for the teachers to take up projects in History. It
is very necessary to interact, support, guide, facilitate and encourage students while
assigning projects to them.
• The teachers must ensure that the project work assigned to the students individually/
In-groups and discussed at different stages right from assigning topic, draft review to
finalization.
• Students should be facilitated in terms of providing relevant materials, suggesting
websites, obtaining of required permission for archives, historical sites, etc.
• The 20 periods assigned to the Project Work should be suitably spaced from April to
September in classes XI and XII so that students can prepare for theory part in term -
II.
• One Project should be given to the students in the month of April/May before the
summer vacation and assessment of the project to be completed by September.
• The teachers must ensure that the students submit original work.
• Project report should be hand written only.
• (Eco-friendly materials can be used by students)
The following steps are suggested:
1. Teacher should design and prepare a list of 15-20 projects and should give an option
to a student to choose a project as per his/her interest.
2. The project must be done individually / In-groups.
3. The topic should be assigned after discussion with the students in the class to avoid
repetition and should then be discussed at every stage of submission of the draft/final
project work.
4. The teacher should play the role of a facilitator and should closely supervise the
process of project completion, and should guide the children by providing necessary
inputs, resources etc. so as to enrich the subject content.
5. The project work (one per year) can culminate in the form of Power Point
Presentation/Exhibition/Skit/albums/files/song and dance or culture show /story
telling/debate/panel discussion, paper presentation and so on. Any of these activities
which are suitable to visually impaired candidates can be performed as per the choice
of the student.

6. Students can use primary sources available in city archives, Primary sources can also
include newspaper cuttings, photographs, film footage and recorded written/speeches.
Secondary sources may also be used after proper authentication.
7. Evaluation will be done by external examiner appointed by the Board in class XII and
internal in class XI.
ASSESSMENT
Allocation of Marks (20)
The marks will be allocated under the following heads:
1 Project Synopsis 2 Marks
2 Data/Statistical analysis/Map work 3 Marks
3 Visual/overall presentation 5 Marks
4 Analysis/explanation and interpretation 5 Marks
5 Bibliography 1 Mark
6 Viva 4 Marks
Total 20 Marks

Note: The project reports are to be preserved by the school till the final results are
declared, for scrutiny by CBSE.

FEW SUGGESTIVE TOPICS FOR PROJECTS
1. Anthropological Research based on Darwin’s Theory
2. Critique of the industrialization in Britain
3. Relations and impacts of past crusades
4. Making and unmaking of Mesopotamia
5. Paradigms of Greeco-Roman civilization
6. Aspirations of women in Renaissance period
7. Paths to Modernization of Japan /China
8. An Exploratory study into Humanism
9. Piecing together the past of Genghis Khan
10. An in-depth study into “now and then” paradigm of Christianity
11. An exploratory study into the realism and the transmission of Humanistic ideas
12. Scientific Revolution and the origins of modern science
13. An exploratory study into the making of America
14. Myriad Realms of Slavery in ancient, medieval and modern world
15. History of aborigines – America /Australia

Note: Please refer Circular No. Acad.16/2013 dated 17.04.2013 for complete guidelines.

HISTORY– CLASS XI
SUBJECT CODE 027 (Session 2020-21)

TIME: 3 Hours Maximum Marks: 80
Sr. Competencies Total Marks % Weightage
No.
1 Remembering: Exhibit memory of previously learned
material by recalling facts, terms, basic concepts, and
answers.

Understanding: Demonstrate understanding of facts and 24 30%
ideas by organizing, comparing, translating, interpreting,
giving descriptions and stating main ideas

2 Applying: Solve problems to new situations by applying
acquired knowledge, facts, techniques and rules in a different 23
way. 28.75%

3 High Order Thinking Skills- (Analysis & Synthesis-
Classify, Apply, solve, compare, contrast, or differentiate
between different pieces of information; Organize and/or
integrate unique pieces of information from a variety of
sources) 29 36.25%
Evaluation- (Appraise, Argue, judge, support, critique,
and/or justify the value or worth of a decision or outcome, or
to predict outcomes)

4 Map skill based question- Identification, location,
significance 4
5%

80 100%