NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Fourth Year Syllabus

Department of History

Four-Year B.A. (Honours) Course

Effective from the Session: 2013–2014

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 Syllabus for Four Year B.A. Honours Course
Subject: History
Session: 2013-2014

Paper Code Paper Title Marks Credits

241501 History of South Asia 1857-1947 100 4
241503 History of Bengal 1905-1947 100 4
241505 Constitutional History of India under British 100 4
Colonial Rule 1773-1947
241507 West Asia in Modern Times upto 1945 100 4
241509 History of Russia and Soviet Union upto 1945 100 4
241511 History of United States 1861-1945 100 4
241513 History of Europe 1815-1939 100 4
241515 Bangladesh: National Culture and Heritage 100 4
241517 History of Resistance Movement and Subalterns 100 4
(Selected Topics)
241518 Viva-voce 100 4
Total = 1000 40

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 Detailed Syllabus
Paper Code 241501 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.
Paper Title: History of South Asia 1857-1947

Effects of the Revolt of 1857; abolition of the Company’s rule in India. Detailed Syllabus
Administrative reorganisation under the Crown
Sir Syed Ahmed Khan and the Aligarh Movement
India under Lord Lyton and Lord Ripon
The foundation of Indian National Congress
Lord Curzon: administration and reforms
Simla Deputation and the foundation of Muslim League 1906
Morely-Minto Reforms 1909
The Luknow Pact 1916
Government of India Act. 1919
Khilafat and Non-cooperation Movements
The Simon Commission, Nehru Report, Jinnah’s 14 Points, Round Table conference, Communal
Award.
The Civil Disobedience Movements (1920-32)
Government of India Act. 1935
Elections of 1937
Lahore Resolution of 1940
Cripps Mission and Quit India Movements
Cabinet Mission Plan
End of British rule, partition of India 1947

Suggested Readings:
1. Bipin Chandra : India’s Struggle for Independence 1857-1947
2. Humayan Kabir : Muslim Politics 1909-1947
3. B.B. Misra : The Administrative History of India 1934-1947
4. Sumit Sarkar : Modern India 1885-1947
5. A.B. Keith : Constitutional History of India
6. Ram Gopal : Indian Muslims : A Political History (1857-1947)
7. H. V. Hodson : The Great Divide
8. Pereival Spear : The Oxford History of Modern India, 1740-1975
9.
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Paper Code 241503 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.

Paper Title: History of Bengal 1905-1947

1. Partition of Bengal: Swadeshi Movement and the annulment of the Partition

2. Khilafat and Non-cooperation 1920-21
3. C. R. Das and Bengal Pact 1922-26

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4. Provincial elections, 1937 and the Fazlul Haque ministry
5. Nazimuddin Ministry
6. Elections of 1946
7. Suharawady Ministry
8. Greater Bengal Movements
9. Establishment of Dhaka University and the rise of Muslim Middle class
10. Hindu-Muslim relation and riots
11. Famine, 1943

Suggested Readings:
1. Ramsay Muir : The Making of British India
2. Sufia Ahmed : Muslim Community in Bengal 1884-1912
3. The Bengal Muslim a Study in Their Politicization (1912-1924)
4. Shila Sen : Muslim Politics in Bengal
5.
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7
8
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10
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Paper Code 241505 Marks: 100 Credit: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.

Paper Title Constitutional History of India under British Colonial Rule 1773 - 1947

1. Beginning of British Colonial rule – Treaty of Allahadad (1765) & the Grant of Diwany,
Anglo-Mughal Joint Administration (1765-7772)
2. Constitutional Reforms –
(a) Regulating Act (1773), & Pitt`s India Act (1784)
(b) Charter Acts - 1793, 1813, 1833, 1853
(c) Govt. of India Act- 1858
(d) Council Acts- 1861 & 1892
(e) Govt. of India Act- 1909-1919
(f) Govt. of India Act- 1935
(g) Indian Independence Act- 1947

Recommended Books :
1. A.B. Keith : Constitutional History of India

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2. A.C Banerjee : Indian Constitutional Documents
3. R.N. Aggarwala : National Movement and Constitutional Development of
India
4.

Paper Code 241507 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.

Paper Title: West Asia in Modern Times upto 1945

1. West Asia defined: countries included and the importance in international politics
2. Arab nationalism: meaning, contribution of Muhammad Ali and Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt, revival of
learning in Syria, learned societies, Secret Societies,
3. Development during the world war: Sherif-McMahon correspondences, Sykes-Picot Agreement,
Balfour Declaration, Paris Peace Conference, Mandates.
4. Turkey: Treaty of Sevres, the Nationalist Movement, the Treaty of Lausanne, Kamalist Reforms, Six
principles, Turkey in the world, relation with the Soviet Union.
5. Egypt: Egypt and the World War I, declaration of British Protectorate in Egypt, Nationalist Move-
ment, Sa’ ad Zaghlul Pasha and his Waffd Pary, treaty of 1936, problems of the revision of the treaty.
6. Iran: Reza Shah’s reforms and foreign Policy, Russo-Iranian Relations (1919-1939).
7. Iraq: Iraq under the British mandate, the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty of 1930; provisions and significance.
8. Syria and Lebanon: Syria and Lebanon under the French Mandate, freedom movements, Treaties
with France in 1936, British intervention in the Levant, independence of Syria and Lebanon (1941).
9. Palestine: Palestine under the British mandate, Arab-Jewish hostility, Jewish immigration, the White
Paper of 1920, 1930 and 1939 the Anglo-American Committee of Inquiry, the Partition Plans, end of
the mandate, birth of Israel (1948).
10. Saudi Arabia: foundation and consolidation of the Saudi Kingdom, Sultan Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud. c)
Modernization and Reforms.
11. The Arab League: background, organisational structure, evaluation of its works.

Suggested Readings:
1. Edward Atiyeh : The Arabs
2. George E. Kirk : A Short History of the Middle East: From Rise
of Islam to the Modern times
3. Peter Mansfield : A History of the Middle East
4. Sydney N. Fisher : The Middle East: A History.
5. George Lenczowski : The Middle East in the World Affairs.
6. Hisham B. Sharabi : Nationalism and Revolution in the Arab World.
7. Donald N. Wilber : Iran: Past and Present.
8. Donald N. Wilber : The Resurrection and Reconstruction of Iran.
9. Majid Khadduri : Independent Iraq: 1960 hrs..
10. George E. Kirk : Contemporary Arab Politics: A Concise History.
11. Albert Hourani : Syria and Lebanon.
12. Maxime Rodinson : Israel and the Arabs.
13.
14.
15.
16.

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 Paper Code 241509 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.
Paper Title: History of Russia and Soviet Union upto 1945

1. Nineteenth-century Russia: social, political and economic conditions – revolutionary movements.

2. Revolution of 1905: causes, nature and results
3. Spread of Marxism and rise of V. I. Lenin:
4. February Revolution, 1917
5. October Socialist Revolution of 1917: causes, nature and results, role of Lenin
6. Civil War: Red Army, Allied intervention, War Communism, Bolsheviks in power.
7. New Economic Policy (NEP): background, main features, success and importance, strategic retreat.
8. Death of Lenin and struggle for power: Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky, Stalin’s success.
9. Soviet Union under Stalin: industrialization, collectivization, Five Years Plan, Cultural Revolution,
constitution of 1936.
10. Foreign policy: Soviet foreign policy between the two World Wars, objectives and success
11. Non-aggression Pact with Germany
12. Great Patriotic War: Operation Barbarossa, Grand Alliance, results of the War.

Recommended Books :
1. C. Hill : Lenin and the Russian Revolution
2. D. J. Dallin : Soviet Foreign Policy after Stalin
3. Dallin and Larson : Soviet Politics since Khruschev
4. E. H. Carr : The Bolshevik Revolution (1917-1923), Vol. 1 and 2
5. E. H. Carr : The Russian Revolution from Lenin to Stalin
6. J. Toynbee (ed.) : The Impact of the Russian Revolution
7. P. Dukes : A History of Russia
8. K. Dwisha : Eastern Europe, Gorbachev and Reform
9. L. Kochan : The Making of Modern Russia
10. R. J Hill (ed.) : Gorbachev and Perestroika
11. W. Kirchncr : A History of Russia
12. W. Lenhard : The Kremlin and the West
13. A Samsonov (ed.) : A Short History of the USSR

Paper Code 241511 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.

Paper Title: History of United States 1861-1945

1. American Civil War: slavery and regionalism

2. Reconstruction after the Civil War: problems & solutions
3. Agricultural Revolution in America, rise of the Populist Party its success and failure
4. Industrial Revolution: causes, rise of Labour Organisation and their role.
5. Progressive Movements: Nature of the Movement and the role of President Theodore Roosevelt
6. Rise of the United States as a world power: Pan-Americanism, end of Isolationist Policy, Spanish-
American war (1898). World War I and the USA, Paris peace conference (1919) and the role of the
USA.
7. Isolationist policy between the two world wars.
8. Second world war and the USA: end of isolation policy, participation in the war, victory against
Japan.
9. Depression and the New Deal.
10. Impact of World War II and its impact on USA economy and society.

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Suggested Readings:
1. Hicks & Mowry
2. Morrison & Commager
3. H. B. Parkes
4. Nevins and Commager
5. Remis
6. Reard & Beard
7.
8.
9.
: A Short History of American Democracy
: The Growth of the American Republic
: The United States of America- A History
: A Short History of United States
: The Diplomatic History of the United States
: The Rise of the American Civilization, vol. I & II.

10.
11.

Paper Code 241513 Marks: 100 Credits: 4 Class Hours: 60 hrs.

Paper Title: History of Europe 1815-1939

1. Congress of Vienna: main principles, territorial clauses, evaluation

2. Prince Metternich: domestic and foreign policy
3. Concert of Europe: origin, activities, causes of failure.
4. July Revolution, 1830: causes, nature and results.
5. February Revolution 1848: causes, nature and results.
6. Ideological developments in the nineteenth century: nationalism, liberalism, socialism, (utopian &
scientific).
7. Europe between 1850 and 1914: Napoleon III, Crimean War, Tsar Alexander, unification of Italy,
unification of Germany, Treaty of Berlin 1878, Tripple Alliance and Tripple Entente
8. The First World War: causes and main events
9. Weimar Republic
10. The Treaty of Versailles:
11. France between two World Wars: quest for security; collective security measures
12. Fascism in Italy and Nazism in Germany
13 The Spanish Civil War 1936-39
14. The Policy of Appeasement: Munich Pact (1938)
15. League of Nations
16. World War II

Suggested Readings:
1. David Thomson : Europe Since Napoleon
2. E. Lipson : Europe in the 19th and 20th centuries
3. S. H. Hughes : Europe in the Twentieth century
4. E.H.Carr : International Relations Between the
Two World Wars
5. A.J.P.Taylor : Origins of the Second World War
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Paper Code : 241515 Marks : 100 Credits : 4 Class Hours : 60 hrs.

Paper Title : Bangladesh: National Culture and Heritage

1. Definition of culture and heritage

2. Religious beliefs in ancient Bengal
3. Introduction and development of Buddhist culture
4. Ancient language and literature of Bengal
5. Advance of Islam and its impact on Bengali culture
6. Social economic and religious life of the people in medieval Bengal
7. Sri Chaitanya and Bhakti movement
8. Influence of Christianity of Bengali culture
9. Development of Western education and the Bengal renaissance
10. Emergence of Hindu middle class
11. Emergence of Muslim middle class
12. Development of Political consciousness among the middle class; during the first-three
decades of the 20th century
13. Origin and development of Bengali nationalism
14. Impact of modernism on Bengali society and culture.

Books Recommended:
1. Abdul Karim : Social History of the Muslims in Bengal
2.
3.
4.

Paper Code : 241517 Marks : 100 Credits : 4 Class Hours : 60 hrs.

Paper Title: History of Resistance Movement and Subalterns (Selected Topics)

1. Definition and Characteristics of Resistance movement and subalterns

2. General Condition of the subalterns or Poor People of 18th and 19th Century.
3. Characteristics of the Peasant resistance in the 18th and 19th Century.
4. Fakir- Sannyasi rebellion (1763-1800)
5. Chakma Revolt in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (1776-87)
6. Peasant rebellion of Rangpur (1783)
7. Pagalpanthi rebellion of Mymensingh (1820-33)
8. Wahabi Movement (1831)
9. Fariazi Movement (1840)
10. Sawtal rebellion (1855-57)

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 11. Indigo rebellion (1859-60 hrs.)
12. Pabna rebellion (1872-73)
13. Tebhaga movement (1946)
14. Peasant rebellion of Nachal (1949)

1. Jamini Mohon Ghosh : Sannyasi and Fakir Raidens in Gengali, Kolkata

2. Qeyamuddin Ahmad : The wahabi movement in India. Kolkata, 1966
3. A. N. Chandra : The Sannyasi rebellion, Kolkata, 1977
4. Muinuddin Ahmad Khan : History of the Fara’idi movement, Dhaka, 1984
5. Muinuddin Ahmad Khan : Titumir and its Follwers in British Indian Re-
cords, Dhaka, 1980
6. Blians B Kling : Indigo rebellion
7. Kalyan Kumar sen Gupta : Pabna Disturbances and the politics of rent, Kol-
kata, 1974
8. Muntasir Mamun and Ma- : Meterial condition of the Subultern classes of East
hbubur Rahman(ed) Bengal, Dhaka.
9.
10.
11.

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14.
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Paper Code 241518 Marks: 100 Credits: 4

Paper Title: Viva-voce

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