RBSE VU History flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Harappan mature phase

The urban phase of the Indus Valley Civilization, roughly 2600 to 1900 BCE, marked by planned cities, standardised bricks, drainage systems, and long-distance trade with Mesopotamia.

Dasarajna hymn

Rigveda VII.18, a hymn describing the battle of ten kings against King Sudas of the Bharata tribe on the Parushni river, with Vishvamitra as priest.

Four Noble Truths

Buddhist core doctrine: suffering exists, it has a cause in craving, it can cease, and the Eightfold Path leads to that cessation. Set out in the Dhammachakkapavattana Sutta.

Pratityasamutpada

The Buddhist doctrine of dependent origination, holding that all phenomena arise in dependence on causes and conditions and have no independent existence.

Allahabad pillar inscription

A Gupta-era eulogy composed by the poet Harishena, praising Samudragupta's conquests and listing the territories and rulers he defeated or received tribute from.

Arthashastra

A Sanskrit treatise on statecraft, economy, and military policy attributed to Kautilya, describing taxation, espionage, administrative officers, and royal duties in the Mauryan context.

Rupiya coin

A silver coin issued by Sher Shah Suri in the 16th century, weighing about 178 grains, which became the basis of the later Mughal and colonial rupee systems.

Dagh and huliya

Alauddin Khalji's army reforms: dagh was branding horses to prevent substitution, and huliya was a descriptive roll recording each soldier's features for inspection.

Mansabdari system

Akbar's administrative ranking of officers by zat (personal rank) and sawar (cavalry obligation), determining pay, military duty, and position in court hierarchy.

Talikota battle

The 1565 battle in which a coalition of Deccan sultanates defeated Vijayanagara, leading to the empire's decline and the abandonment of its capital.

Amuktamalyada

A Telugu poem composed by Vijayanagara ruler Krishnadevaraya, narrating the story of Andal and expressing Vaishnava devotion along with political counsel.

Chishti silsila

A Sufi order established in India with Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer, emphasising devotion, poverty, and tolerance, and influential in the Delhi Sultanate court.

Permanent Settlement

The 1793 Bengal land-revenue system introduced by Cornwallis, fixing revenue in perpetuity with zamindars recognised as proprietors responsible for collection.

Regulating Act 1773

British legislation that placed the East India Company under parliamentary oversight, created the post of Governor-General of Bengal, and established the Supreme Court at Calcutta.

Swadeshi movement

A campaign triggered by the 1905 partition of Bengal, urging boycott of British goods and promotion of indigenous industry, education, and arbitration courts.

Dandi march

Gandhi's 1930 march from Sabarmati to Dandi to make salt in defiance of the salt law, launching the Civil Disobedience Movement across India.

Lucknow Pact 1916

An agreement between the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League on constitutional reforms, including separate electorates for Muslims and joint demands for self-government.

Dyarchy

A system under the Government of India Act 1919 dividing provincial subjects into transferred ones administered by Indian ministers and reserved ones kept by the governor.

Sharda Act 1929

A law fixing the minimum age of marriage at fourteen for girls and eighteen for boys, enacted after sustained campaigning by social reformers and women's organisations.

Ninety-Five Theses

Martin Luther's 1517 list of objections to indulgences, which spread rapidly through printing and became the catalyst for the Protestant Reformation in Europe.

Treaty of Versailles

The 1919 settlement ending World War I with Germany, imposing territorial losses, disarmament, and reparations, and creating the League of Nations and ILO.

Operation Barbarossa

Nazi Germany's 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union, which opened the Eastern Front, broke the non-aggression pact, and ultimately turned the war's course.

Cuban Missile Crisis

The 1962 confrontation over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, resolved by a US naval quarantine and secret withdrawal agreements, leading to a hotline and test-ban efforts.

Marshall Plan

A US programme from 1948 providing economic aid to rebuild Western Europe, aimed at preventing communist influence and stabilising postwar markets.

Glorious Revolution

The 1688 overthrow of James II in England, replacing him with William and Mary and establishing parliamentary supremacy through the Bill of Rights.

Haldighati battle

The 1576 engagement in the Aravalli passes between Maharana Pratap's forces and Akbar's army led by Man Singh, after which Pratap continued guerrilla resistance.

Kumbhalgarh fort

A Mewar hill fort built under Rana Kumbha in the 15th century, known for its long perimeter wall, and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Khanwa battle

The 1527 battle in which Babur defeated Rana Sanga of Mewar, using artillery and tactics that strengthened Mughal control over northern India.

Kalbelia dance

A Rajasthan folk dance of the Kalbelia snake-charmer community, featuring swirling black skirts and improvised songs, recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Tejaji of Kharnal

A Rajasthan folk hero venerated as a protector of cattle and a deity of snakebite cure, associated with Kharnal in Nagaur and the Tejaji fair.

Thewa art

A Rajasthan craft from Pratapgarh in which gold sheet is fused onto coloured glass to create jewellery and decorative panels with intricate figural designs.

Pushkar fair

An annual cattle and cultural fair held at Pushkar in Kartik month, featuring livestock trading, holy bathing in the lake, and Rajasthani folk performances.