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]

Writing this answer under 250 words, by touching all sides of the argument, is a challenge. Try it yourself.

Students, here is the schedule for Week 11 of History Optional Foundation 2025

Note: Full program is available for FREE with classes uploaded daily at 9 am.

https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC?sub_confirmation=1

UPSC PYQ: Trace the significant role played by Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam’s struggle for freedom. [2016, 10 Marks]

In this context, I found this paragraph in a biography of Ho Chi Minh. It is not directly relevant but such insightful understanding is sometimes helpful in framing good Intros/Conclusions.

#worldhistory #vietnam

Students, here is the schedule for Week 12 of History Optional Foundation 2025

Note: Full History Optional program is available for FREE with classes uploaded daily at 9 am on Youtube channel given below.

https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptionalforUPSC?sub_confirmation=1

#bookreview of The Golden Road.

🔴Just launched: HOT 500 program for UPSC History Optional.

In 3.5 months we will cover the full UPSC History Optional syllabus through 500 questions & 70 lectures.

Download PDF schedule & check details here: https://www.levelupias.com/upsc-cse-history-optional-through-500-questions/

Queries? Call at: 08045248491 / 7041021151

Attend FREE History Optional Webinar

Register here: https://bit.ly/History_LevelUp

Topic: How to cover full history optional syllabus through questions and answers?

Date: 26th Sept 2024 | Time: 6 pm | Online-Offline

We'll email and whatsapp you the link and confirmation.

Freshly baked answer, just off the oven.

However, it is crossing the permissible word limit. It is presently about 370 words. Can anyone re-write it in 220-240 words, without losing its essential arguments? It would be a fun, a challenge and some practice.

History Questions in GS1 2024 CS (Main) Exam

Q1. Underline the changes in the field of society and economy from the Rig Vedic to the later Vedic period. (Answer in 150 words) (10 marks)

Q2. Estimate the contribution of Pallavas of Kanchi for the development of art and literature of South India. (Answer in 150 words) (10 marks)

Q3. What were the events that led to the Quit India Movement? Point out its results. (Answer in 150 words) (10 marks)

Q11. "Though the great Cholas are no more yet their name is still remembered with great pride because of their highest achievements in the domain of art and architecture." Comment (Answer in 250 words) (15 marks)

Q12. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of balance of power? (Answer in 250 words) (15 marks)

Q13. How far was the Industrial Revolution in England responsible for the decline of handicrafts and cottage industries in India? (Answer in 250 words) (15 marks)

First Observations:

1. Total Six questions as usual, with 75 marks weightage (3 AMAC, 2 Modern, 1 World, 0 Post- Independence)

2. AMAC questions this year are from main topic and also very direct. Modern India Questions are also quite mainstream. Students would not struggle here in both AMAC and Modern India. Even the prelims level preparation along with some decent answer writing practice is more than enough.

3. All the six questions have been earlier asked in History Optional, including the World History question that was asked in the 2015 Paper II History Optional.

4. In AMAC even though the questions are easy, there are two unusual things. So far UPSC has stuck to the Mains syllabus of asking questions specifically from culture and religion. Now they have asked economy of Vedic era. It could be justified by saying that it is based in study of Vedic literature that is a part of Culture. But there is a scope foe disagreement whether this topic is from Culture and religion. Thankfully it is from such a mainstream prelims preparation that students won't face any problem here. Secondly, they have asked two questions from South, both Pallava and Chola in the same year. Both are pretty standard questions but it is also unusual that Both Pallava and Cholas to be asked in the same year.

5. In Modern, the question on deindustrialization is a very debatable topic among historians. And upsc has asked it for 15 marks and also of 'how far' type. Here we have a huge scope of going into the debate. But GS students are advised to keep the historians names out. Focus on arguments.

6. Balance of Power and World War 1 is a very core topic. It is also a debate among historians. There is also a huge scope becusse it is again a 15 marker with How Far type question.

7. Does it mean that UPSC now wants you to go into some more depth of analysis that reading history only factually? Both 12 and 13 questions are openly being asked as historiographical. Earlier such questions were asked in AMAC but now they are opening debated in Modern and World.

I was just preparing an answer to a question regarding Japanese ultra-nationalism in the interwar era.

While doing that, just found this tabular comparison.

Students, here is the schedule for Week 13 of History Optional Foundation 2025

We'll be starting with Early Medieval History as well in this week.

Watch lectures here - https://www.youtube.com/@HistoryOptio...

Note: Full History Optional program is available for FREE with classes uploaded daily at 9 am on Youtube channel given above.

For those writing Mains with History Optional

1. Do mapping everyday for next 6 days. At least for 1 hour.

2. Focus on last 10 years PYQs. There will be many questions repeated. Our crash course students can revise the 300 questions we covered in class and tests very quickly.

3. For 75% questions, you don't have to worry about knowing all the facts. They are more analytical in nature and you can be fact-light. So, don't worry, you have good conceptual clarity.

4. Expect 1 or 2 extremely random questions, as it happens every year in every subject. Don't let that disturb you. There will enough pre-known questions to score high.

5. Read every question two three times to decode it properly. Don't just reproduce from notes/mind directly. Modify suitably while applying your data, as per the demand.

6. Rest properly to remain fresh.


All the best.