https://youtu.be/X6ACmLCAF8g

Do watch this book review. It's a cut section of a longer documentary. In just about 20 mins, it is a very good summary of the 4 books by Eric Hobsbawm. It will enrich your answers and approach towards World History.

I thank Siddhi for suggesting this documentary.

Here is the heat map. Prepared by Vishal sir.

These are the questions to be discussed during the coming Sunday. The PDF is also uploaded on the student portal.

A new book is released. It's about the century of history of Awadh from after Buxar to it's dissolution in 1856.

I have a couple of books of Ira Mukhoty already. They are quite refreshing. One on women on History, another one on Akbar etc.

This time, she is writing a History of how in 18th century, some foreigners from Persia entered India and created a state in UP which witnessed Shia cultural renaissance. And all these in the background of collapse of Mughals, expansion of Marathas and global conflict of British and French.

She shows Shia culture, which was eventually finished, was more refined while Europeans, who claimed to be morally superior, were actually brutal savages.

In all this, how has she painted the Marathas? Marxist historians have always painted them as looter and plunderers. How about her? To find out, read the book.

#bookreview

This is the season of Main Examination. Less than one month to go and I am preparing model answers for the History Optional Test Series.

These are some of the most enjoyable moments when after a lot of efforts and referring to many books, a good answer is produced. It is both craft as well as art.

Here is one answer that I just finished for a question asked in Test 5. In most books, you will not find a good answer on this topic. Most teachers don't cover this topic well in the class. However, this is actually a PYQ from 2006 and a very standard question from world history.

When the writing gets over, it gives certain kind of satisfaction, for which no expression will do justice. Just trying to share the happiness of the moment.

I liked this question specifically because it offered a good scope of bringing in cultural references. Where else could you legitimately bring Charlie Chaplin, Hemingway and Sigmund Freud, in our syllabus and make it more lively?

In our History optional syllabus, there are about 10% questions/themes where you get a chance to bring in cultural and literary references. While most other topics are standard, it is rare topics like this one which offer unique opportunity to shine by showing some wider awareness of things.

Some of you may have noticed in our classes on YT too, whenever there is an opportunity to bring in literature, music, movie and suchlike, it becomes a happy moment for me...:)

This book is the recent addition to the collection. The author was an IAS officer of 1959 batch. What a refreshing view he has taken:

The book argues that Nehru and Patel must have been aware of the seriousness of Jinnah's illness and still pressed for Partition. India, which is better off with Partition, should be eternally indebted to them for their farsightedness, political courage and statesmanship.

#bookreview

There is a possibility that Telegram might be banned by the government. So, we have created an official WhatsApp channel just in case it happens.

You are all requested to join WhatsApp channel.

All the future content will be shared in both Telegram and WhatsApp.

Apart from encryption, WhatsApp channels have added privacy features. Unlike in Telegram, even the admins cannot know the members there, if they already dont have the phone number saved. So, you are not required to worry about privacy or safety.

So, follow the History Optional (LevelUp IAS) channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VahsPBQHFxP7vxUfsZ1f

There is some news about government considering action against telegram. It may all be just speculation. But to be on safer side and to ensure that you keep getting regular updates please follow the following channels:

Whatsapp LevelUp IAS History Optional Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VahsPBQHFxP7vxUfsZ1f

Whatsapp LevelUp IAS Official Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va9hcyh7IUYWPIp2JO0l
Whatsapp Current Affairs Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VamFgit6BIEl1sXP753B
Whatsapp LevelUp IAS Sociology Optional Channel:  https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VamxiYIElagyIBOgs93z
Whatsapp LevelUp IAS Anthro Optional Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vai5ZfABadmQremclj0K
Whatsapp LevelUp IAS Philosophy Optional Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VamJP7MJP21B9GrRaD3g
Whatsapp LevelUp IAS PSIR Optional Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vai1WBIKgsNxDWirJg2u
Whatsapp History and Culture Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VahCVaIB4hdU6bU5iA45

Youtube LevelUp IAS Official Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LevelUpIAS
Youtube LevelUp IAS History Optional Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC

About Privacy of Whatsapp: Apart from encryption, WhatsApp channels have added privacy features. Unlike in Telegram, even the admins cannot know the members there, if they already dont have the phone number saved. So, you are not required to worry about privacy issue there.


Regards,
Team LevelUp IAS

Hello all,
Since these are last 3 weeks before Mains, I might be less available online. We have many of our students writing Mains and need help at this stage. So, please pardon me. I will keep responding as and when possible to other messages, but the priority for next 3 weeks is our students writing Mains.

Sunday Live Weekly Discussion Agenda. There will be 5 Questions this time. All are PYQs but they cover some conceptual and important themes and aspects we need to cover.

This will be Week 5. We will try to cover World History themes by Week 8/9 and then move to Ancient India.

Students, this is the schedule for Week 10 of History Optional Foundation 2025 Lectures.

All the lectures are free on youtube.

Here is the channel -
https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC?sub_confirmation=1

This is our channel. @nikhilhistoryoptional History Optional (UPSC). Here, there is one-side broadcast of everything.

Also, to this channel, a group is connected. This group is @nikhilhistorydiscussion. In the group, people can engage in conversations.

It seems that many students in the channel are unaware of the group. If you don't want to get involved in discussions, then please stay only in the group. You will not miss any post from our side. However, if you want to discuss, ask questions to each other, you may join the associated group as well.

Today, I was reading a recently published book by Ruchir Sharma. There were many interesting things which I found really facinsting. But from our exam point of view, two things were directly related. One was about the American Civil War and another was about the Great Depression.

About American Civil war's contribution, he says, 'The origins of the modern U.S. financial system date to the Civil War. Lincoln needed funds to support the vast Northern armies and delegated the task to SP Chase. He greatly expanded the government’s authority to levy business taxes and tariffs and introduced its authority to sell Treasury bonds. The public debt tripled on his watch, and the government began investing heavily in munitions plants, bakeries, and other enterprises. He created a network of national banks that were required to hold reserves in the largest bank. He also consolidated the swarm of state and local currencies into two, which were further consolidated after the Civil War into the new dollar, backed by gold.'

Remember there was a recent UPSC PYQ on American Civil War

"In the American civil war, the victory of the North had many consequences. Some of them were direct and obvious. However, its indirect effects on American development were perhaps even more important." Comment. [2021, 20 Marks]