APSC Mains – History Paper 1 & 2 Syllabus, Book Lists & Study Materials

APSC Mains Exam – History Paper Syllabus & Book Lists, Test Series, Study Materials


Full Syllabus & Reference Books

HISTORY PAPER – I
Unit I : Indian History :

  • (i) Indus Valley Civilisation — relation with Rigvedic and West Asian civilisations.
  • (ii) Polical and Social changes of trhe Rigvedic Aryans in the later vedic period, vedic culture.
  • (iii) Effects of Alexanders invastion of India.
  • (iv) Ashoka as a ruler and missionary his place in history.
  • (v) Decline of the Mauryas and Ashokas responsibility for it. Administrative system of the Mauryas.
  • (vi) Sungas, Kanvs, Pallavas and Satavahans
  • (vii) Greatness of the Gupta— Guptas Golden Age, India Cultural contact with south­east Asia and neighbouring countries.
  • (viii)Harshavardhanahis relation with King Bhaskarvarman of Kamrupa and Sasanka of Gauda ­Huentsang.
  • (ix) Origin of the Rajput – their different dynasties such as pratiharas, paramaras, chouhans etc.
  • (x) The Chalukyas and the Rastrakutas of the Deccan.
  • (xi) The Arab invasion of Sind.
  • (xii) The foundation of Muslim rule in India.
  • (xiii) The Khiliji imperilism under Alauddin.
  • (xiv) The Tughluqs and disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate.
  • (xv) The influence of Islam on India’s culture, the Bhakti movement Ramananda, Kabir, Chaitanya, Sankardav and Nanak.
  • (xvi) Mughal Afghan contest (1526­1556) Shershah.
  • (xvii) Akbar as a national monarch– religious policy, civil and military administration.
  • (xviii) Aurangajeb­ character and policy, his responsibility for the downfall of the Mughal Empire.
  • (xix) Sivaji — character and achievements.
  • (xx) Mughal administration­ central and provincial state of art, architecture and literature in Mughal India Decline of the Mughal Empire.
  • (xxi) Effect of the Battle of Palassey— the advent of the British Clive in Bengal.
  • (xxii) Warren Hastings — the real founder of the British Empire in India ­ achievements ­impeachment.
  • (xxiii) Lord Cornwallis Permanent settlement.
  • (xxiv) Wellesley to Lord Hastings Anglo­Mysore, Anglo­Maratha and Anglo­Gurkha conflict.
  • (xxv) Rise and fall of the Sikhs.
  • (xxvi)Bentinck to Dalhosie expansion and consolidation of Comapny’s rule in India.
  • (xxvii) Revolt of 1857 ­ character and consequences.
  • (xxviii) India under the British Crown ­ Canning to Mountbatten.
  • (xxix) British relation with the North­-East and North­-West Frontier.
  • (xxx) Impact of Western Education and Ideas — new awakening.
  • (xxxi) Birth of Indian National Congress – Indian National Struggle for self­-government, partition of Bengal—Swadeshi movement.
  • (xxxii) Non­-Cooperation Movement.
  • (xxxiii) Constitutional Movements from 1909 to ­1935.
  • (xxxiv) India and World War II.
  • (xxxv) Last phase of India’s freedom movement (1937­1947), Quit India Movement, I.N.A., Cabinet Mission, Mountbatten plan leading to transfer of power.

PAPER – II
Unit II : History of Great Britain 1485-1945 :

  • (i) Importance of the Tudor periods, Henry VII’s regin a period of remedy and seed time Henry VIII – character and religious policy reformation of the English church. Elizabeth – Character, Home and foreign policy, glories of the reign of Elizabeth, Elizabeth and the church settlement, Tudor despotism relations of the Tudor monarchs with parliament achievement of the Tudor’s in different fields.
  • (ii) The Stuart, Divine Right theory of kingship Character of James I, his struggle with parliament. Charles I – Character, Religious and foreign policy, Relations with parliament, arbitrary rule, Long parliament, Execution.
  • (iii) The Common Wealth and the protectorate, Oliver Cromwell, character, Home and foreign policy, Estimate.
  • (iv) The restoration under Charles III.
  • (v) James II – Character and policy, Glorious Revolution, Causes and consequences.
  • (vi) Willium III and Mary, Growth of Cabinet System Foreign policy of Willium III.
  • (vii) Queen Anne, War of the Spanish succession.
  • (viii) George I and II, Importance of their succession War of Austrian Succession, Seven Years War.
  • (ix) Walpole and Pitt the Elder.
  • (x) George III Character and personal rule Wars of American independence, Effects.
  • (xi) Pitt the younger – his home and foreign policy, England in the struggle against Napoleon.
  • (xii) Industrial Revolution in England.
  • (xiii) Parliamentary Reforms and Working Class Movement.
  • (xiv) Queen Victoria’s reigin, the Charist Movement, eminent Prime Ministers of Victoria, Robert ped, Palmerstone, Gladstone and Disraeli.
  • (xv) England and Ireland.
  • (xvi) Edward VII to George VI, Anglo-German rivalry, World War I and England, World War II and England Participation, Winston Charchill – coming of the Labour Party to power 1945.

Unit III : Modern Europe (1789-1945) :

  • (i) France on the eve of the Revolution of 1789, Causes of the revolution.
  • (ii) Characters of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
  • (iii) The summoning of the States General.
  • (iv) The constituent Assembly and its works.
  • (v) The Revolution at war with Europe, Fall of monarchy.
  • (vi) The Reign of Terror.
  • (vii) The rise of Nepoleon, Nepoleon as conqueror and ruler, manifold reforms – Nepoleons downfall.
  • (viii) Vienna Settlement (1815) – the concert of Europe and Congressional system of Government.
  • (ix) Metternich and Austria after 1815.
  • (x) The Revolutions of 1830 and 1848 – their effect on France and Europe.
  • (xi) The Second French Empire under Nepoleon III, Fall of the Empire and the third Republic.
  • (xii) Russia under Alexendar I and Alexendar II, the Czar liberator, Emancipation of the serfs.
  • (xiii) Czar Nicholas, eastern question and the Crimean war.
  • (xiv) The Story of the Unification of Italy and Germany.
  • (xv) Bismarck – home and foreign policy after 1871.
  • (xvi) Kaiser William II – well politic and ambitious foreign policy.
  • (xvii)Age of Armed Peace, Two rival systems of Alliances.
  • (xviii) World War I – causes and character of the war participation of U.S.A. in the war.

Unit – IV : World History 1914-1945 :

  • (i) Results of World War I, Fourteen points of Wilson peace settlement of Paris, Treaty of Versailles its loopholes.
  • (ii) The League of Nations – its success and failure.
  • (iii) Russia at the close of World War I, Bolshevik Revilution – effect of the revolution – Russia and World War II.
  • (iv) Rise of General Franco in Spain – Spain and World War I. Republic established in Spain, Civil War – Rise of General Franco in Spain.
  • (v) Rise of Fascism in Italy under Mussolini – his home and foreign policy, Italy joins Germany in World War II.
  • (vi) Rise of Nazism in Germany, Hitler – his home and foreign policy, Germany and World War II.
  • (vii) Middle East – Treaty of Lausonne with Turkey, Mustapha Kamal and modernisation of Turkey.
  • (viii) China – Sun Yet Sen and Chines Revolution. Rise of National Government in China, Chiang Kaisheck and the Communists, Sino Japaneses conflict, Communist success in China, Japan. Japan after World War-I – Relations with China, Sino Japanese conflict on the eve of World War-II, Japan joined the side of Germany and Italy, Attack on Pearl Harbour, war with USA, Defeat of Japan in the World War-II.
  • (ix) USA, USA in peace – making after World War-I, USA and the League of Nations, USA and the reparation, USA and World War-II.
  • (x) The UNO – its formation – principles and aims – different organists working.
RECOMMENDED BOOKS
  1. India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma
  2. Ancient India by R.C Majumdar
  3. A History of Medieval India by Chandra Satish
  4. India’s Struggle for Independence: 1857-1947 by Bipan Chandra
  5. India After Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha
  6. History of the World by Arjun Dev
  7. Wikipedia.org ( for Concept Clearance )
  8. IGNOU/NIOS PDF Books

History APSC Notes & Study Materials Online

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