CBSE Class 7 Social Science Chapter 04 New Beginnings Cities And States MCQs Set 02

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Question: Rajagriha, whose ruins appear in the opening image of the chapter, served as the capital of which mahajanapada?
A. Magadha
B. Kosala
C. Vatsa
D. Avanti
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Magadha

Explanation:
Rajagriha, known today as Rajgir in Bihar, was the seat of power for Magadha, one of the strongest of the sixteen mahajanapadas.

Question: Why were the gateways through a mahajanapada capital's rampart walls often built deliberately narrow?
A. So guards could control the movement of people and goods entering or leaving
B. So the moat outside could be filled with water more easily
C. So chariots would be forced to remain outside the city
D. So temples could be constructed right against the walls
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) So guards could control the movement of people and goods entering or leaving

Explanation:
Narrow gateways allowed guards stationed there to check and regulate who or what passed through, adding another layer of security beyond the fortifications and moat.

Question: Even though a raja in a monarchical mahajanapada held ultimate authority, why was he still expected to consult the sabha or samiti?
A. Because sound governance meant ruling with the advice of ministers and assemblies rather than acting alone
B. Because the assembly alone was responsible for collecting all taxes
C. Because his position depended on annual approval from neighbouring kingdoms
D. Because the mahajanapadas were technically governed by outsiders
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Because sound governance meant ruling with the advice of ministers and assemblies rather than acting alone

Explanation:
A capable ruler was expected to seek guidance from his assembly of elders and ministers; some texts even suggest an incompetent raja could be removed, showing the assembly's role went beyond mere formality.

Question: How did a raja typically come to power in a monarchy like Kosala or Magadha?
A. He inherited the throne, usually as son of the previous ruler
B. He was chosen by a vote in the sabha
C. He was appointed by a neighbouring mahajanapada
D. He was selected from among the city's traders
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) He inherited the throne, usually as son of the previous ruler

Explanation:
Kingship in these monarchies was hereditary, passing typically from father to son, unlike the gana-sangha states where the assembly itself picked the ruler.

Question: The mahajanapada of Kosala, with its capital at Shravasti, roughly corresponded to which region of present-day India?
A. Part of Uttar Pradesh
B. Part of Bihar
C. Part of Madhya Pradesh
D. Part of Punjab
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Part of Uttar Pradesh

Explanation:
The chapter locates Kosala in part of today's Uttar Pradesh, distinguishing it from Magadha in Bihar and Avanti in Madhya Pradesh.

Question: What term did the chapter use for mahajanapadas such as Vajji and Malla, where the assembly rather than a hereditary king held real power?
A. Gana or sangha
B. Sabha or samiti
C. Janapada
D. Varna
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Gana or sangha

Explanation:
Sabha and samiti simply mean assembly and were present even in monarchies; it was the label gana or sangha that marked out states like Vajji and Malla as functioning more like early republics.

Question: What evidence does the chapter give to show that occupations under the varna-jati system were not always fixed in the early period?
A. Records of farmers migrating during droughts and some Brahmins turning to trade or military roles
B. Proof that every varna received identical pay for their work
C. Accounts of kings abolishing the entire jati system
D. Evidence that jati names changed every generation automatically
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Records of farmers migrating during droughts and some Brahmins turning to trade or military roles

Explanation:
• Texts and inscriptions show people changing occupations under pressure.
• A long drought could push farming communities into cities to find new livelihoods.
• Some Brahmins are recorded shifting into trade or even warfare.
• This flexibility stands in contrast to the rigidity the system acquired much later.

Question: According to the chapter, what kinds of practices might a sub-jati develop that set it apart from the larger jati it belonged to?
A. Customs around marriage, rituals and food habits
B. A completely separate writing script
C. An independent currency system
D. Its own standing army
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Customs around marriage, rituals and food habits

Explanation:
Sub-jatis were said to evolve their own traditions in areas like marriage, ritual practice and diet, even while sharing the broader occupational identity of the parent jati.

Question: What was distinctive about the layout of Shishupalgarh, the ancient capital of the Kalinga region?
A. It followed a strict square ground plan with strong fortifications and broad streets
B. It had no fortifications and relied only on natural hills for defence
C. It was built underground to avoid detection
D. It had no gateways and was sealed off from all trade
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) It followed a strict square ground plan with strong fortifications and broad streets

Explanation:
Excavations at Shishupalgarh, near modern Bhubaneswar, reveal a deliberately square-shaped city plan with imposing walls and wide roads, marking it as an important eastern urban centre.

Question: The archaeological site of Kodumanal near Erode, Tamil Nadu, mainly provides evidence of what kind of ancient activity?
A. Shell and gemstone crafting industries
B. Large-scale weapon manufacturing for northern armies
C. An assembly hall where rajas were formally elected
D. The very first mint for punch-marked coins
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Shell and gemstone crafting industries

Explanation:
Findings at Kodumanal point to workshops processing shells and gemstones, reflecting the craft and trade activity of the southern kingdoms.

Question: Why were the southern kingdoms of the Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas able to build profitable trade links even with kingdoms overseas?
A. Their regions were rich in precious stones, gold and spices that were valued elsewhere
B. They alone controlled the route linking the Ganga plains to the northwest
C. They had exclusive access to iron ore used for weapons
D. They were the only region minting punch-marked silver coins
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Their regions were rich in precious stones, gold and spices that were valued elsewhere

Explanation:
Abundant natural resources such as gemstones, gold and spices gave the southern kingdoms goods that were in high demand, both within India and across the seas.

Question: By around 300 or 200 BCE, how far had India's networks of exchange extended, as described in the chapter?
A. Goods and culture moved across the whole subcontinent and reached parts of Central and Southeast Asia
B. Exchange remained confined strictly to the Ganga plains
C. Contact was limited only to the sixteen mahajanapadas
D. Trade never crossed the Vindhya Range at all
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Goods and culture moved across the whole subcontinent and reached parts of Central and Southeast Asia

Explanation:
This period saw the subcontinent become a single interconnected zone, with roads and trade carrying goods and ideas well beyond India's borders into Central and Southeast Asia.

Question: How did the new schools of thought that arose in the age of the janapadas manage to spread their teachings across the Subcontinent?
A. Through scholars, monks and nuns who travelled or went on pilgrimages
B. Through royal decrees issued by all sixteen rajas jointly
C. Through symbols inscribed on punch-marked coins
D. Only through word of mouth within a single mahajanapada
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Through scholars, monks and nuns who travelled or went on pilgrimages

Explanation:
Late Vedic, Buddhist and Jain teachings reached distant regions largely because their followers moved from place to place, whether as wandering monks, nuns or pilgrims.

Question: What advantage did iron weapons give over the bronze ones used earlier in the mahajanapada period?
A. They were lighter and sharper, making them more effective in combat
B. They were heavier, which made them harder to lose in battle
C. They could not be reshaped once cast
D. They were used only for ceremonial purposes, not real fighting
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) They were lighter and sharper, making them more effective in combat

Explanation:
Iron produced swords, spears, arrows and shields that were both lighter and sharper than their bronze counterparts, giving armies a real edge as warfare between mahajanapadas grew more common.

Question: Besides the earliest silver punch-marked coins, which other metals does the chapter mention being used for coinage over time?
A. Copper, gold and other metals
B. Only bronze
C. Only iron
D. Tin and lead exclusively
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Copper, gold and other metals

Explanation:
Silver punch-marked coins came first, since the soft metal was easy to stamp with symbols, but copper and gold coins followed as trade expanded further.

Question: In the four-fold varna system described in the chapter, what task was primarily assigned to Brahmins?
A. Preserving and spreading knowledge, and performing rituals
B. Defending the community and fighting wars when needed
C. Growing the community's wealth through trade and farming
D. Producing crafts and providing labour and services
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Preserving and spreading knowledge, and performing rituals

Explanation:
Brahmins were tasked with knowledge and ritual work, while Kshatriyas handled defence, Vaishyas handled trade and wealth-creation, and Shudras worked as artisans and labourers.

Question: The chapter places the mahajanapada of Magadha, whose capital was Rajagriha, within which present-day Indian state?
A. Bihar
B. Uttar Pradesh
C. Madhya Pradesh
D. Odisha
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Bihar

Explanation:
Magadha corresponds to part of today's Bihar, just as Kosala maps onto Uttar Pradesh and Avanti onto Madhya Pradesh in the chapter's descriptions.

Question: What striking continuity does the chapter point out about the capital cities marked on the mahajanapadas' map?
A. Many of them are still inhabited cities today, roughly 2,500 years on
B. All of them were completely abandoned once empires emerged
C. Their original names have all vanished from use
D. None of their fortifications have ever been discovered
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Many of them are still inhabited cities today, roughly 2,500 years on

Explanation:
It's noted as a fascinating fact that most of these ancient capitals continue as living, functioning cities even in the present day.

Question: According to the chapter, what process eventually contributed to the rise of larger kingdoms and empires out of the mahajanapadas?
A. Military campaigns and, at times, alliances between neighbouring states
B. The complete abandonment of iron weapons across the region
C. The disappearance of all trade routes connecting regions
D. A single decision made by the assembly of Vajji
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Military campaigns and, at times, alliances between neighbouring states

Explanation:
Warfare between rival mahajanapadas, along with occasional alliances, is described as the mechanism that gave rise to bigger political units, setting the stage for later empires.

Question: Which of these was among the features of Harappan city life that the chapter says vanished for centuries after the civilisation broke down?
A. A functioning writing system
B. The use of punch-marked silver coins
C. Assemblies called sabha and samiti
D. Iron tools used for farming
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) A functioning writing system

Explanation:
Writing, along with elaborate structures, sanitation and administration, is listed as one of the Harappan-era features that disappeared for about a thousand years.
• Coins, assemblies and iron farming tools all belong to the later Second Urbanisation, not the Harappan period.
• So option (a) is the only one that fits the described loss.

Question: Besides taking advice from the sabha or samiti, who else typically supported a raja in governing a mahajanapada?
A. Ministers and administrators
B. Village headmen elected by farmers
C. Representatives chosen from each jati
D. Envoys sent by rival kingdoms
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Ministers and administrators

Explanation:
The chapter mentions that a good ruler consulted not just the assembly but also ministers and administrators in running the state.

Question: Which combination of duties does the chapter assign to a raja ruling over a monarchical mahajanapada like Kosala or Avanti?
A. Collecting revenue, maintaining law and order, building fortifications, and keeping an army
B. Composing religious texts and training monks as his only tasks
C. Choosing his successor solely through an annual public vote
D. Managing trade routes while having no responsibility for defence
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Collecting revenue, maintaining law and order, building fortifications, and keeping an army

Explanation:
A monarch's job description in the chapter is fairly broad:
• Collecting taxes or revenue
• Maintaining law and order
• Getting strong fortifications built around the capital
• Keeping an army for defence or war
Together these duties defined kingship in states such as Magadha, Kosala and Avanti.

Question: How did the use of coinage generally work across the different mahajanapadas, based on the chapter's description?
A. Each state usually issued its own coins, though coins from neighbouring regions also circulated through trade
B. Only Magadha was allowed to mint coins for the entire region
C. Coins were used exclusively for temple donations, never in trade
D. All the mahajanapadas shared one single common currency
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Each state usually issued its own coins, though coins from neighbouring regions also circulated through trade

Explanation:
Coinage was not centralised; a mahajanapada would typically strike its own punch-marked coins, but coins minted elsewhere also moved around as trade connected different regions.

Question: What does the chapter say happened to Indian art during the era of the janapadas and mahajanapadas?
A. It went through a renewal that would fully flourish later in the age of empires
B. It disappeared completely until much later centuries
C. It stayed exactly as it had been in Harappan times
D. It was outlawed within the gana and sangha states
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) It went through a renewal that would fully flourish later in the age of empires

Explanation:
The text notes that art experienced a renewal during this period, describing it as a precursor to the fuller artistic blossoming that would come with the later age of empires.

Question: The Dakshinapatha trade route is described as beginning at Kaushambi, which served as the capital of which mahajanapada?
A. Vatsa
B. Avanti
C. Kosala
D. Magadha
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Vatsa

Explanation:
Kaushambi, near present-day Prayagraj, was the capital of Vatsa, and it was from there that the Dakshinapatha route crossed the Vindhya Range towards the south.

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