How, When, and Where Class 8 MCQ with Answers (History Chapter 1)

Here are important multiple-choice questions from the How, When, and Where Class 8 chapter to help you revise the chapter easily. The article includes important questions from Class 8 History Chapter 1. Here are 35 important MCQs from How, When, and Where Class 8 with answers:

How, When, and Where Class 8 MCQ: Part 1

1. What is history mainly about?

(a) Study of the future

(b) Study of the present

(c) Study of the past

(d) Study of space

Answer: (c) Study of the past

2. Who wrote the book “A History of British India”?

(a) James Mill

(b) Mahatma Gandhi

(c) Jawaharlal Nehru

(d) Subhash Chandra Bose

Answer: (a) James Mill

3. Into how many periods did James Mill divide Indian history?

(a) Two

(b) Three

(c) Four

(d) Five

Answer: (b) Three

4. What were the three periods classified by James Mill?

(a) Ancient, Medieval, Modern

(b) Hindu, Muslim, British

(c) Past, Present, Future

(d) East, West, North

Answer: (b) Hindu, Muslim, British

5. Why is James Mill’s classification considered problematic?

(a) It is too simple

(b) It ignores economic changes

(c) It is biased and divides people based on religion

(d) It is too long

Answer: (c) It is biased and divides people based on religion

6. What does the term “colonial” refer to?

(a) Independent country

(b) Rule by another country

(c) Local government

(d) Democratic system

Answer: (b) Rule by another country

7. Which of the following indicates official records?

(a) Folk songs

(b) Diaries

(c) Government documents

(d) Stories

Answer: (c) Government documents

8. What are “archives”?

(a) Old buildings

(b) Places where historical records are kept

(c) Museums

(d) Libraries only for books

Answer: (b) Places where historical records are kept

9. What are “surveys” used for?

(a) Entertainment

(b) Collecting data about people and land

(c) Writing stories

(d) Teaching students

Answer: (b) Collecting data about people and land

10. Why do historians divide history into periods?

(a) To confuse students

(b) To make the study easier and to understand the changes

(c) To avoid studying

(d) To reduce the syllabus

Answer: (b) To make the study easier and to understand the changes

How, When, and Where Class 8 MCQ: Part 2

11. Which language did James Mill write his book in?

(a) Hindi

(b) English

(c) Urdu

(d) French

Answer: (b) English

12. What kind of records did the British preserve?

(a) Only personal letters

(b) Only stories

(c) Official documents and reports

(d) Only newspapers

Answer: (c) Official documents and reports

13. Which period is called the colonial period in India?

(a) Ancient period

(b) Medieval period

(c) British rule period

(d) Mughal period

Answer: (c) British rule period

14. What do historians study to understand the past?

(a) Only books

(b) Only stories

(c) Various sources like records, letters, and surveys

(d) Only movies

Answer: (c) Various sources like records, letters, and surveys

15. What is the main drawback of official records?

(a) They are too short

(b) They may reflect only the government’s view

(c) They are difficult to read

(d) They are always wrong

Answer: (b) They may reflect only the government’s view

16. What does the term “modern period” generally refer to in Indian history?

(a) Before 1000 AD

(b) After 1750

(c) Before 500 AD

(d) After 2000

Answer: (b) After 1750

17. Why did the British preserve official documents carefully?

(a) For decoration

(b) To show power and maintain control

(c) For entertainment

(d) To reduce workload

Answer: (b) To show power and maintain control

18. Which of the following is NOT a source of history?

(a) Diaries

(b) Official records

(c) Stories and newspapers

(d) Future predictions

Answer: (d) Future predictions

19. What is the meaning of “periodisation”?

(a) Writing stories

(b) Dividing history into periods

(c) Learning dates

(d) Ignoring history

Answer: (b) Dividing history into periods

20. Which period did the British consider as “civilised”?

(a) Hindu period

(b) Muslim period

(c) British period

(d) Ancient period

Answer: (c) British period

How, When, and Where Class 8 MCQ: Part 3

21. What kind of surveys did the British conduct?

(a) Only population surveys

(b) Only land surveys

(c) Botanical, zoological, and revenue surveys

(d) Only school surveys

Answer: (c) Botanical, zoological, and revenue surveys

22. What is a census?

(a) A type of story

(b) Counting of population

(c) A historical book

(d) A government law

Answer: (b) Counting of population

23. Why are old newspapers important for historians?

(a) They are colourful

(b) They provide information about past events

(c) They are easy to read

(d) They are cheap

Answer: (b) They provide information about past events

24. What is the limitation of dividing history into religious periods?

(a) It is easy

(b) It ignores other important developments

(c) It is accurate

(d) It is modern

Answer: (b) It ignores other important developments

25. Which of the following reflects people’s lives better?

(a) Only official records

(b) Personal diaries and accounts

(c) Only government files

(d) Only surveys

Answer: (b) Personal diaries and accounts

26. What was the main aim of British surveys in India?

(a) Entertainment

(b) Administration and control

(c) Education

(d) Trade only

Answer: (b) Administration and control

27. Which type of history focuses on people’s daily lives?

(a) Political history

(b) Social history

(c) Economic history

(d) Ancient history

Answer: (b) Social history

28. Why do historians need multiple sources?

(a) To confuse readers

(b) To get a complete and accurate picture

(c) To increase work

(d) To reduce time

Answer: (b) To get a complete and accurate picture

29. What is one problem with official British records?

(a) They are too colourful

(b) They are always incomplete

(c) They show only the British point of view

(d) They are not written

Answer: (c) They show only the British point of view

30. Which of the following is a primary source?

(a) Textbook

(b) Storybook

(c) Government record

(d) Guidebook

Answer: (c) Government record

31. What does “colonisation” mean?

(a) Freedom movement

(b) Settlement and rule over other lands

(c) Education system

(d) Industrial growth

Answer: (b) Settlement and rule over other lands

32. Which of the following is NOT an official record?

(a) Government reports

(b) Letters written by officials

(c) Personal stories

(d) Administrative documents

Answer: (c) Personal stories

33. Why is it difficult to write history?

(a) Lack of interest

(b) Lack of sources

(c) Different interpretations of sources

(d) Too many books

Answer: (c) Different interpretations of sources

34. Which survey studied plants and animals?

(a) Census survey

(b) Botanical survey

(c) Revenue survey

(d) Educational survey

Answer: (b) Botanical survey

35. What do historians try to understand from the past?

(a) Only kings and wars

(b) Only rulers

(c) Changes in society, economy, and culture

(d) Only dates

Answer: (c) Changes in society, economy, and culture

Conclusion

Practising these How, When, and Where Class 8 MCQs will strengthen your concepts quickly. These MCQs will help you revise the chapter quickly. Join the SkillSnap Learning platform, offering online courses for Classes 6 to 10, designed to make studying simple, interactive, and effective. Start your learning journey today and turn every chapter into your strength. Enrol now and learn smarter, not harder.