CBSE Class 12 History Kings Farmers And Towns Early States And Economies Assignment Set 02

Very Short Answer Questions :

Question. which dynasty issued first Gold coins?
Answer: Kushanas

Question. In the Mauryan inscriptions Piyadassi word is used for Which king?
Answer: Ashoka

Question. What is Megalith?
Answer: Megalith was elaborate stone structure in central and south India in first Millennium B.C These were kept on burials.

Question. What is Manusmriti? What advice has been given to the king through it?
Answer: Legal book, written in Sanskrit, complied between 200 B.C to 200 A.D.
– Advice to king – Border security.

Question. Name the two sacrifices / performed by kings during the Vedic times?
Answer: (a) Rajasuya Yagyna
(b) Ashvamedha Yagnya

Question. Who were Kushanas?
Answer: Important dynasty of ancient India.
– First to issue gold coins in India.

Question. What were Mahajanpadas? Name a few important Mahajanpadas?
Answer: (i) Big states in 600 B.C in Northern India
(ii) Important Mahajanpada – (a) Magadh (b) Koshala (c) Avanti (d) Panchal (e) Vajji (f) Gandhar

Short Answer Questions :

Question. List some of the problems faced by epigraphists?
Answer: Epigraphists – persons who study inscription
– Sometimes the words are engraved very lightly, so it is very hard to describe them.
– The inscriptions reflect the views of those who write them. So it may be biased

Question. What method did the Kushanas adopt to attain upper social status?
Answer: They represented themselves as a divine figure (Explanation).
– They prefixed the title Devaputra before their name which means the son of God.
– They show themselves as Divine Kings.
– They constructed their vast statues.

Question. Describe any five features of Mahajanpada?
Answer: Ruled by Kings, some were ruled by Ganas or Sanghas.
– Fortified Capital
– Permanent Army
– Functions of King to collect taxes and Tributes from people – Dharmasutras laid down norms for Kings and other People.

Long Answer Questions :

Question. What were the main features of Mauryan Administration?
Answer: Central administration -King had Control over legislative, executive and Judiciary. Actually he was the most powerful person in empire.
– Providence Administration – the Empire was divided into many provinces governed by governor.
– Local Government – There was a committee of 3 members to maintain rules and regulations in Patliputra.
– Existence of cabinet to give advice and to help for running of Administration
– Five major political centers in empire
– Organized Army -a Committee with six subcommittees for coordinating military activity.
– To spread Dhamma Mahamattra.
– Officers for the land revenue, irrigation and road.
– Strict Law and Order system was set up.
– Institution of spies was very strong and working effectively.

SOURCE BASED QUESTIONS :

What the king’s officials did?
Here is an excerpt from the account of Megasthenses:
Of the great officer of state, some … superintend the rivers, measure the land, as is done in Egypt, and inspect the sluices by which water is let out from the main canal into their branches, so that everyone may have an equal supply of it. The same person has charge also of the huntsmen, and is entrusted with the power of rewarding or punishing them according to their deserts. They collect the taxes, and superintend the occupations connected with land; as those of the woodcutters, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the miners.

Questions:
– Explain the duties of the great officers of the state.
– Explain the role of sub-committees for coordinating military activities.
– What did Ashoka do to hold his empire together?
Answer: The great officers of the state under the Mauryas did a lot of duties. Some superintend the rivers, measure the land, and inspect the sluices by which water was let out from the main canals into their branches. All officers collected the taxes, and superintend the occupation concerned with land, as those of the woodcutters, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the miners. 
– According to Megasthenes, they were about six sub-committees for coordinating military activities, one looked after the navy, the second managed transport and provisions, and the third was responsible for foot – soldiers, the fourth for horses, the fifth for chariots and the sixth for elephants.
– Besides laying the foundation of a strong administrative system, which he inherited from his grandfather Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka tried to hold his empire together by propagating dhamma and ensuring the well-being of his subjects in this world and the next.