CBSE Class 8 Social Science Chapter 02 Reshaping Indias Political Map MCQs Set 01

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) for Class 8 Social Science: Chapter 02 Reshaping Indias Political Map

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Practice Chapter 02 Reshaping Indias Political Map MCQs for Class 8 Social Science

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Question: During the Delhi Sultanate period, why was the average reign of a sultan notably short, lasting only about nine years?
A. Sultans typically retired voluntarily after nine years of service
B. Successions were often violent, with nearly two out of three sultans seizing power by eliminating their predecessors
C. Foreign invasions frequently forced sultans to abandon their thrones
D. The administrative system required sultans to step down after a fixed tenure
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Successions were often violent, with nearly two out of three sultans seizing power by eliminating their predecessors

Explanation:
The chapter explicitly states that almost two sultans out of three seized power by eliminating their predecessor, resulting in a sultan's average reign being hardly more than nine years.

Question: What was the primary motivation behind Muhammad bin Tughlaq's decision to relocate the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad?
A. The city of Delhi had been completely destroyed by invaders
B. He believed Daulatabad's more central location would offer better control of the empire
C. Daulatabad had superior defensive fortifications against Mongol attacks
D. The population of Delhi refused to acknowledge his authority as sultan
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) He believed Daulatabad's more central location would offer better control of the empire

Explanation:
The text states he thought its more central location would offer better control of the empire, though the plan ultimately misfired and he shifted the capital back to Delhi.

Question: How did the token currency introduced by Muhammad bin Tughlaq differ from traditional currency systems?
A. It was made from gold instead of copper
B. Cheap copper coins were declared to have the value of silver or gold coins
C. It could only be used for religious transactions in temples
D. It was the first currency system to use written denominations
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Cheap copper coins were declared to have the value of silver or gold coins

Explanation:
Token currency meant cheap copper coins were declared to be tokens with the value of silver or gold coins—a progressive idea that created confusion and encouraged counterfeiting, causing economic decline.

Question: What strategic advantage did Maharana Pratap gain from the Bhil warriors during his conflict with the Mughals?
A. They provided him with superior metalworking technology for weapons
B. They supplied him with horses and elephants for his cavalry
C. They served as skilled archers and contributed their knowledge of the terrain for guerrilla warfare
D. They offered him financial support from their trading networks
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) They served as skilled archers and contributed their knowledge of the terrain for guerrilla warfare

Explanation:
The Bhils joined Maharana Pratap's troops as archers and contributed their knowledge of the terrain, which enabled him to conduct guerrilla warfare from the Aravalli hills despite Mughal military superiority.

Question: How did the jizya tax function in the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire?
A. It was a tax that all citizens paid equally regardless of religion
B. It exempted Muslims from military service but required non-Muslims to pay for protection and be exempt from military duty
C. It was levied only on wealthy merchants and traders
D. It funded the construction of temples and religious buildings
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It exempted Muslims from military service but required non-Muslims to pay for protection and be exempt from military duty

Explanation:
The jizya was a tax on non-Muslim subjects to grant them protection and exemption from military service, though in practice it was discriminatory, burdensome, and served as an incentive for conversion to Islam.

Question: Which factor most directly contributed to the rapid decline of Mughal power after Aurangzeb's death in 1707?
A. The invasion of India by Portuguese forces from the west
B. The constant maintenance of large armies in the Deccan during the final 25 years, which depleted the treasury and strained the administration
C. The immediate collapse of the central government's authority
D. The establishment of the Sikh Empire in the north
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) The constant maintenance of large armies in the Deccan during the final 25 years, which depleted the treasury and strained the administration

Explanation:
The chapter identifies that Aurangzeb spent the last 25 years fighting wars in the Deccan; maintaining these large armies depleted the treasury and put great strain on administration, which is often considered a key factor in the empire's rapid decline.

Question: How did Akbar's approach to administration differ significantly from that of earlier Delhi sultans?
A. He eliminated all ministers and ruled alone
B. He reorganised the administrative machinery with specialised departments, the mansabdari system, and implemented checks and balances between officials, while also promoting tolerance of different faiths
C. He decentralised all power to regional governors without oversight
D. He returned to purely military rule without civilian administrators
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) He reorganised the administrative machinery with specialised departments, the mansabdari system, and implemented checks and balances between officials, while also promoting tolerance of different faiths

Explanation:
Akbar introduced the Diwan (finances), Mir Bakhshi (military), Khan-i-Saman (public works), and Sadr (justice) with effective checks and balances; he also promoted sulh-i-kul (tolerance of all faiths), contrasting with the more centralised, religiously rigid approach of earlier sultans.

Question: What outcome did the Battle of Talikota in 1565 have on the Vijayanagara Empire?
A. The empire expanded its territory into the Deccan Sultanates
B. The Deccan Sultanates formed a coalition that defeated Vijayanagara forces, leading to the sacking of the city and its eventual fragmentation into smaller regions ruled by Nayakas
C. The empire successfully defended its capital and emerged stronger
D. The battle resulted in a peace treaty that guaranteed Vijayanagara's independence
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) The Deccan Sultanates formed a coalition that defeated Vijayanagara forces, leading to the sacking of the city and its eventual fragmentation into smaller regions ruled by Nayakas

Explanation:
The Deccan Sultanates defeated Vijayanagara at the Battle of Talikota; the city was sacked over several months with massive destruction and civilian casualties, after which the empire fragmented into smaller regions ruled by Nayakas and eventually ended in the mid-17th century.

Question: According to the Guru Granth Sahib, what core principle underlies Sikh teachings about God?
A. There are multiple gods for different communities
B. There is one God for all who has established the earth as a home for Dharma
C. God is only accessible through rituals and temples
D. Different religions have different gods who are equally powerful
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) There is one God for all who has established the earth as a home for Dharma

Explanation:
The Guru Granth Sahib stresses that there is one God for all who "established the earth as a home for Dharma," emphasising monotheism and universal spiritual equality central to Sikh faith.

Question: What is the relationship between the hundi system and medieval Indian trade?
A. It was a type of tariff imposed on imported goods
B. It was a written instruction enabling merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without physically transporting currency, functioning as a precursor to modern banking
C. It was a religious tax collected at trading ports
D. It required all merchants to register with the sultan before conducting business
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It was a written instruction enabling merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without physically transporting currency, functioning as a precursor to modern banking

Explanation:
The hundi system allowed merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without physically carrying currency, making them less vulnerable to plunder; it functioned independently of official structures and was a precursor to modern banking systems.

Question: What does the designation of rulers by titles like 'Narapati,' 'Ashwapati,' and 'Chhatrapati' suggest about medieval Indian kingship?
A. These titles were randomly assigned by foreign invaders
B. The titles reflected different aspects of kingship and power; 'pati' means lord or master and was commonly used to signify authority and stature
C. These titles indicated the ruler's caste and family lineage
D. The titles were purely ceremonial with no actual connection to a ruler's authority
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) The titles reflected different aspects of kingship and power; 'pati' means lord or master and was commonly used to signify authority and stature

Explanation:
The chapter notes that 'pati' means 'lord' or 'master' and these titles—used by various dynasties—reflected different aspects of kingship and power, with each term conveying specific dimensions of a ruler's authority and status.

Question: How did Babur's contradictory impressions of India influence his decision to establish the Mughal Empire there?
A. He disliked India but was forced to stay by his generals
B. Although he found India a 'country of few charms' and was nostalgic for Central Asia, he acknowledged India's vast wealth, healthy climate, abundant artisans, and resources, which ultimately motivated him to build his empire there
C. He deliberately planned to conquer India from the beginning
D. He intended to stay only temporarily but changed his mind
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Although he found India a 'country of few charms' and was nostalgic for Central Asia, he acknowledged India's vast wealth, healthy climate, abundant artisans, and resources, which ultimately motivated him to build his empire there

Explanation:
Babur was nostalgic about Central Asia and initially found India lacking charm, yet he recognised India's wealth, the quality of the rainy season's air, and the countless artisans; these economic and practical reasons, especially India's wealth, led him to decide to establish his empire in India rather than return.

Question: What does the practice of jauhar reveal about the values and constraints faced by Rajput women during military defeats?
A. It shows that women had significant political power in Rajput kingdoms
B. It reveals that Rajput women chose to end their own lives rather than face capture and enslavement, viewing it as a heroic act of final resistance and a means of preserving honour in a context where invaders often enslaved or abused captured women
C. It indicates that women were expected to flee and abandon their families
D. It demonstrates that Rajput kingdoms allowed women to surrender peacefully
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It reveals that Rajput women chose to end their own lives rather than face capture and enslavement, viewing it as a heroic act of final resistance and a means of preserving honour in a context where invaders often enslaved or abused captured women

Explanation:
Jauhar represented Rajput women jumping into mass fires to avoid capture and enslavement by invading armies; it was considered a heroic act of final resistance and a means of preserving honour when military defeat was inevitable, as exemplified when hundreds of women at Chittorgarh Fort committed jauhar under Akbar's siege.

Question: In the early 11th century, what drove invasions from beyond the Hindu Kush mountains into India, beyond territorial ambitions?
A. A desire to establish permanent settlements in the Indian subcontinent
B. An intention to spread particular versions of religion through force if necessary
C. An effort to establish trade networks with Indian kingdoms
D. A plan to unify all of Central Asia under a single ruler
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) An intention to spread particular versions of religion through force if necessary

Explanation:
The chapter explicitly states that invaders were "drawn to India not only for her reputed riches and for territorial ambitions, but also often to spread, by force of violence if necessary, their own versions of their religion."

Question: Which neighboring kingdom successfully resisted the territorial expansion of the Delhi Sultanate and remained independent, particularly in the southern regions?
A. The Bahmani Sultanate
B. The Hoysala kingdom
C. The Gajapati Kingdom
D. The Ahom kingdom
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) The Hoysala kingdom

Explanation:
The text explains that while many kingdoms fell under Delhi's control, "neighbouring kingdoms, such as the Eastern Gangas in the east and the Hoysalas in the south resisted its advance" and "emerged as thriving centres of art, culture, and administration."

Question: What was the primary purpose of the iqta system used by the Delhi Sultanate to administer its territories?
A. To redistribute wealth equally among all nobles
B. To assign territories to nobles who would collect taxes, with the remainder going to the Sultan's treasury
C. To establish permanent hereditary positions for military commanders
D. To allow peasants direct control over local taxation
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) To assign territories to nobles who would collect taxes, with the remainder going to the Sultan's treasury

Explanation:
The chapter states that under the iqta system, "territories were assigned to nobles (iqtadars) to collect taxes which, minus expenses, were supposed to go to the Sultan's treasury; they were needed, in particular, to maintain the army."

Question: How did Krishnadevaraya's patronage of learning and literature differ from military strategies of earlier rulers in the region?
A. He focused entirely on religious matters rather than statecraft
B. He invested in translating texts and supporting scholars in multiple languages, promoting cultural renaissance alongside military power
C. He refused all military campaigns to prioritize economic development
D. He banned all foreign languages and promoted only local Kannada works
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) He invested in translating texts and supporting scholars in multiple languages, promoting cultural renaissance alongside military power

Explanation:
• He patronised poets and scholars in Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada
• He himself composed an epic poem in Telugu
• He provided grants to temples and invested in cultural monuments
• This cultural renaissance occurred simultaneously with his military expansion, making his reign distinct for combining both aspects.

Question: When Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya tax and pilgrimage tax after Akbar had abolished them, what did this suggest about his approach to governance?
A. He aimed to increase revenues without any religious motivation
B. His religious beliefs and political strategy aligned in reversing policies of religious tolerance
C. He wanted to encourage conversion while maintaining economic stability
D. He sought to punish only foreign merchants and wealthy traders
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) His religious beliefs and political strategy aligned in reversing policies of religious tolerance

Explanation:
Aurangzeb's own farmans make clear his personal religious conviction—in 1669 he ordered the demolition of temples and suppression of teachings. While some scholars argue politics played a role, the text shows his religious devotion was genuine, leading him to reinstate discriminatory taxes his predecessor had abolished.

Question: What made the Ahom kingdom's victory at the Battle of Saraighat in 1671 remarkable, given the disparity in forces?
A. They possessed superior gunpowder technology imported from Europe
B. They effectively used terrain knowledge, including dense forests, hills and rivers, with guerrilla tactics to defeat a numerically larger force
C. They formed a secret alliance with the Mughal general Ram Singh
D. They built a naval fleet larger than the Mughal river boats
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) They effectively used terrain knowledge, including dense forests, hills and rivers, with guerrilla tactics to defeat a numerically larger force

Explanation:
Despite Aurangzeb's forces having "more men and a larger fleet of river boats," the Ahom commander Lachit Borphukan and his 10,000 men defeated the much larger Mughal force of 30,000 soldiers by leveraging their knowledge of local geography and employing persistent guerrilla tactics.

Question: What structural purpose did the mansabdari system serve in Akbar's administration?
A. It eliminated the need for any permanent army by relying solely on peasant militias
B. It allowed officers to maintain precise numbers of troops and animals based on rank, enabling rapid army assembly without a permanent centralised military
C. It transferred all military authority to regional governors independent of central control
D. It replaced the previous tax collection system entirely with voluntary payments
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It allowed officers to maintain precise numbers of troops and animals based on rank, enabling rapid army assembly without a permanent centralised military

Explanation:
According to the Ain-i-Akbari, mansabdars "according to their mansab (rank) were expected to maintain a precise number of elephants, horses, camels as well as troops for the state. This made it possible to assemble an army at a short notice without having to maintain a permanent centralised army."

Question: What does the destruction of 27 Hindu and Jain temples during the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi reveal about the period?
A. It shows that invaders had no knowledge of local architectural styles
B. It demonstrates how religious conquest involved both physical displacement and the appropriation or destruction of sacred structures
C. It proves that all religious communities were treated equally during construction projects
D. It indicates that local materials were in short supply for building
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It demonstrates how religious conquest involved both physical displacement and the appropriation or destruction of sacred structures

Explanation:
The inscription noting the use of materials from 27 destroyed temples illustrates how religious authority was asserted through physical acts—demolishing the sacred spaces of earlier communities and incorporating their remains into new structures, symbolising conquest at a cultural and spiritual level.

Question: How did the economic model of the Vijayanagara Empire incorporate merchant interests in a way that contributed to its prosperity?
A. It completely banned all foreign traders from the empire
B. Portuguese travellers were well-treated because they supplied horses, which the king wanted to keep from rival kingdoms, and the capital flourished as a major trading centre
C. It imposed such heavy tariffs that only local merchants could afford to trade
D. It relied solely on agricultural production without any commercial networks
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Portuguese travellers were well-treated because they supplied horses, which the king wanted to keep from rival kingdoms, and the capital flourished as a major trading centre

Explanation:
The chapter notes that "Portuguese travellers, in particular, were very well treated, as they came to sell horses and the king did not want them to go and sell those precious horses to enemy kingdoms!" Foreign traveller Domingo Paes described the city as extremely well-provisioned with markets full of goods, indicating prosperity through trade.

Question: What made Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom in 1675 a turning point for the Sikh community's military orientation?
A. It demonstrated that spiritual resistance alone could defeat Mughal forces
B. His death under persecution prompted his son Guru Gobind Singh to establish the Khalsa, transforming the faith from purely spiritual to militantly defensive
C. It proved that Sikhs should abandon Punjab and migrate to safer regions
D. It resulted in Aurangzeb granting Sikhs special privileges and exemptions
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) His death under persecution prompted his son Guru Gobind Singh to establish the Khalsa, transforming the faith from purely spiritual to militantly defensive

Explanation:
Despite torture and witnessing disciples killed, the Guru refused conversion and was executed. In response, his son "established the Khalsa — a martial brotherhood committed to justice, equality and defence of the faith, which frequently clashed with the Mughal forces," showing how persecution catalysed militarisation of Sikhism.

Question: How did the hundi system demonstrate the sophistication of medieval Indian merchant networks independent of state control?
A. It required government approval for every transaction conducted
B. It was a written instruction allowing merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without carrying currency, enabling independent financial systems parallel to official structures
C. It was only used by the richest merchants and unavailable to common traders
D. It proved that no trade could occur between different sultanates
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) It was a written instruction allowing merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without carrying currency, enabling independent financial systems parallel to official structures

Explanation:
The chapter explains that the hundi "enabled merchants to transfer funds across political boundaries without physically transporting currency, making them less vulnerable to plunder" and notes that "trader communities, such as the Marwaris, became adept at operating across different political regimes, developing parallel systems of credit and trust that functioned independently of official structures."

Question: Why did temples function as significant economic institutions rather than merely spiritual centres during this period?
A. They were required by law to loan money to all citizens without interest
B. They created market ecosystems, held donated lands in trust, developed infrastructure like irrigation systems, and provided merchants with credit and trade funding
C. They existed only to collect taxes on behalf of the sultan
D. They prevented all forms of commerce and trade within their boundaries
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) They created market ecosystems, held donated lands in trust, developed infrastructure like irrigation systems, and provided merchants with credit and trade funding

Explanation:
• Many temples created ecosystems with bustling markets
• Ruling classes donated land and wealth to temples, held in trust by managers
• Temple managers developed community infrastructure including irrigation systems
• Temples provided merchants with credit and funded both internal and maritime trade
• This economic function was integral to their social role and made them centres of activity beyond worship.

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Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) for Class 8 Social Science Chapter 02 Reshaping Indias Political Map

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