CBSE Class 12 History HOTs Kings Farmers And Towns

Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies

Question. Who deciphered Brahmi and Kharoshtl scripts?
(a) James Princep
(b) Cunningham
(c) Wheelar
(d) John Marshall

Answer : D

Question. Fill in the blanks
The Prakrit name of Rajagaha is present day _______ in Bihar.
(a) Rajgir
(b) Patna
(c) Orissa
(d) Rajasthan

Answer : A

Question. One of the political center mentioned is Asokan inscriptions Suvarnagiri is also known as
(a) the golden mountain
(b) gold
(c) golden home
(d) golden dome

Answer : A

Question. Fill in the blanksThe
Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya is ______________.
(a) Megasthenes
(b) Kautilya or Chanakya
(c) Chandragupta Maurya 
(d) None of the above

Answer : A

Question. Fill in the blanks
Harishena was a court poet of………………………..
(a) Chandragupta Maurya
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Asoka
(d) Chandragupta II

Answer : B

Question. Consider the following statements about the Mauryan Empire :
1. There were 5 major political centres in the Empire.
2. Megasthenese wrote about the Mauryan Empire in his book Indica.
3. Asoka founded the Mauryan Empire in 321 B.c.
4. Asoka used his sources to propogate Buddhism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct ?
(a) 1,2 &3
(b) 1,2 &4
(c) 2,3 & 4
(d)1,3 & 4

Answer : B

Question. Which was the first capital of Magadha?
(a) Pataliputra
(b) Kalinga
(c) Rajagaha
(d) None of the above

Answer : C

Question. Which of these was the most powerful Mahajanapada from 6th to 4th century BCE ?
(a) Kuru
(b) Magadha
(c) Panehala
(d) Ciandhra

Answer : B

Question. Who appointed Dhamma Mahamatas ?
(a) Bimbisar
(b) Samudragupta
(c) Asoka
(d) Pandava

Answer : C

Question. Fill in the blanks
The earliest capital of Magadha was Rajagaha which means ________.
(a) house of the king
(b) house of the people
(c) house of the animals
(d) None of the above

Answer : A

Question. Fill in the blanksThe Arthashastra was composed by ______________.
(a) Megasthenes
(b) Kautilya or Chanakya
(c) Chandragupta Maurya
(d) None of the above

Answer : B

Question. How many Mahajanapadas were there?
(a) 17
(b) 14
(c) 18
(d) 16

Answer : D

Question. Who founded the Mauryan Empire ?
(a) Chandragupta maurya
(b) Bindusar
(c) Asoka
(d) Ajatashatu

Answer : A

Question. Fill in the blanks
Sangam is a literature of ………………………language.
(a) Tamil
(b) malayalam
(c) Sanskrit
(d) Marathi

Answer : A

Question. _________________ was the court poet of Samudragupta, arguably the most powerful of the Gupta rulers.
(a) Harishena
(b) Kautilya or Chanakya
(c) Megasthenes
(d) None of the above

Answer : A

Question. Fill in the blanks
Pataliputra is present day ___________ state.
(a) Karanataka
(b) Patna
(c) Orissa
(d) Bihar

Answer : B

Question. What were the guilds of the merchants and craftsmen called?
(a) Shrenis
(b) Ur
(c) Adimai
(d) Uzhavar

Answer : A

Question. What is James prinsep’s contribution in the development of the Indian epigraphy ?
(a) He deciphered the Brahmi script used in most of the Asokan inscriptions.
(b) He deciphered the Kharoshti script used in most of the Asokan inscriptions.
(c) Both ‘a’ &’b’
(d) None of these

Answer : C

Question. Which of the following is not one of the main features of Asoka’s dhamma?
(a) Respect the elders and be generous to the Brahmins.
(b) Consider your religion superior to the other religions.
(c) Gahapati should respect members of the family,relatives,servants, the poor and the slaves.
(d) Follow non violence

Answer : B

Question. Fill in the blanks
Magadha is present day ___________ state.
(a) Karanataka
(b) Patna
(c) Orissa
(d) Bihar

Answer : B

Question. Who were a clan of nomadic people living in China ?
(a ) Greeks
(b) Kushanas
(c) Aztecs
(d) Maya

Answer : B

Question. Who composed ‘The Harshcharitra ‘ ,a biography of Harshavardhana ?
(a) Banabhatta
(b) Harishena
(c) Vidhyasagar
(d) Kushanas 

Answer : A

Question. Ventures of which of the following traders were risky but highly profitable ?
(a) Peddlers
(b) Seafarers 
(c) Merchants with caravans of bullock carts and pack-animals
(d) All of the above

Answer : B

Question. Who issued the first coins bearing the names of rulers ?
(a) Mauryas
(b) Guptas
(c) Indo- Greeks
(d) Satavahanas

Answer : C

Question. Who was Dhamma Mahamatta ?
(a) Special revenue officers appointed by Asoka for tax collection.
(b) Special officers appointed by Asoka for maintaining law and order.
(c) Special officers appointed by Asoka to spread the message of Dhamma.
(d) Special officers appointed by Asoka to stop the message of Dhamma.

Answer : C

Question. Directions – There are two statements one labelled as Assertion (A) & the other labelled as Reason (R) .Each question has 4 option A,B,C,D select the one correct Answer :
Assertion (A) : Patanjali attests that during the Mauryan times ,new cults and superstitions were introduced for the sake of money.
Reason (R) : The treasury needed to be adequately filled to meet any unforeseen economic crisis in the kingdom.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) A and R are true but R is not correct explanation of A
(C) A is true but R is false
(D) A is false but R is true

Answer : C

Question. What are big rocks kept on the burial in the central and south India called ?
(a) Northern Black Polished Ware
(b) Pillars
(c) Boulders
(d) Megaliths

Answer : D

Question. What is known as study of coins ?
(a) Yaudheyadas
(b) Cicsoinismatics
(c) Numismatics
(d) Periplus

Answer : C

Question. An……………………………….was land granted to a brahamana,who was usually exempted from paying land revenue.
(a) Agahara
(b) Janapada
(c) Panhara
(d) Jageer

Answer : A

Question. Who composed the Prayag Prashasti in praise of Samudragupta?
(a) Prabhavati Gupta
(b) Harisena
(c) Kautilya
(d) Banabhatta

Answer : B

Question. The early Tamil Sangam literature mentions slaves known as
(a) adimai
(b) pannai
(c) vellalar
(d) uzhavar

Answer : A

Question. According to a rock inscription in Sanskrit , composed around second century CE the Sudarshana lake was repaired by a king of the
(a) Indo-Greeks
(b) Kushanas
(c) Satavahanas
(d) rudradaman I

Answer : D

Question. Asoka is mentioned by which titles in his inscriptions ?
(a) Asoka , Piyadassi
(b) Masattuvan ,Asoka
(c) Devanampiya, Piyadassi
(d) Devaputra , Piyadassi

Answer : C

Question. Name the languages in which the Asokan inscriptions were written.
(a) Pali, Prakrit & Greek
(b) Pali ,Sanskrit & Aramaic
(c) Prakrit ,Aramaic & Greek
(d) Pali ,Sanskrit & Greek

Answer : C

Question. Consider the following statements regarding Magadha.
(i) Magadha was the most powerful mahajanapada .
(ii) Initally Pataliputra was the capital of Magadha and later it was shifted to Rajagriha.
(iii) Elephants were found in abundance in the forests of Magadha.
Which of the above statement (s) is /are correct ?
(a) I and II
(b) II and III
(c) I and III
(d) II only

Answer : C

Question. Alexander Cunningham published asset of Asokan inscription in
(a) 1874
(b) 1875
(c) 1876
(d) 1877

Answer : D

Question. Who was Prabhavati Gupta ?
(a) Daughter of Chandragupta II
(b) Daughter of Chandragupta Murya
(c) Daughter of Vakatakas
(d) none

Answer : A

Question.  ………………..was the owner , master of a household
(a) Kalhana
(b) Kalidasa
(c) Kautilya
(d) Gahapati

Answer : D

Question. Megasthenes mentions a committee with six subcommittees of military of which the fifth looked after
(a) chariots
(b) foot soldiers
(c) transport
(d) horses

Answer : A

Question. The term ‘Sovanika’ was used in ancient india as reference to
(a) carpenter
(b) goldsmith
(c) potter
(d) sculptor

Answer : B

Question. The Prayaga Prashasti was composed in
(a) Sanskrit
(b) Pali
(c) Prakrit
(d) Brahmi

Answer : A

Question. The first issue of Epigraphia Indica was published in
(a) 1885
(b)1886
(c) 1887
(d) 1888

Answer : D

Question. Why is the 6th century BCE often considered a major turning point in Indian history ?
(a) Emergence of States, cities and towns ; use of iron
(b) Emergence of States, cities and towns ;Dominance of Hinduism
(c) Dominance of Hinduism ; use of iron
(d) Emergence of Buddhism and Jainism ,Extensive use of Copper

Answer : A

Question. Consider the following statements about the Mauryan Empire:
1. There were 5 major political centres in the Empire.
2. Megasthenes wrote about the Mauryan Empire in his book Indica.
3. Ashoka founded the Mauryan Empire in 321 B.C.
4. Ashoka used his resources to propagate Buddhism.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 1, 2 and 4
(e) 2, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 3 and 4

Answer : B

CASE-BASED MCQs

Observe the picture and answer the following questions by choosing the correct option. 

Question. What is the name of the sculptor?
(A) The lion, the bull and the horse
(B) The lion capital
(C) The Asoka chakra
(D) The das capital
Answer : B

Question. How many lions are there on this sculptor?
(A) 3
(B) 4
(C) 5
(D) 6
Answer : B

Question. (B) Where was it found?
(A) Asokan pillar
(B) Sanchi Stupa
(C) Shravasti temple
(D) Bodhgaya
Answer : A

Question. Why is this relevant now?
(A) It has been adopted as the National Emblem.
(B) It has been taken away by British from India.
Answer : A

Source based questions: -

Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:

What the king’s officials did?
Here is an excerpt from the account of Megasthenes:
Of the great officers 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 canals into their branches, so that everyone may have an equal supply of it. The same persons have charge also of the huntsmen, and are 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.

Question. Explain the duties of the officers of state.
Answer : 1. Some superintended the rivers, measured lands and inspected the sluices by which water was let out from the main canals into their branches, so that everyone would have an equal supply of it.
2. They had also charge of huntsmen, entrusted with the power of rewarding or punishing them according to their deserts.
3. They collected the taxes, and superintended the occupations connected with land; as those of the woodcutters, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the miners.

Question. What did Ashoka do to hold his empire together?
Answer : 1. Ashoka tried to hold his empire together by propagating dhamma.
2. Special officers called dhamma mahamattas were appointed to spread the message of dhamma.

Question. Explain the role of the sub-committees for coordinating military activities.
Answer : 1. Megasthenes mentioned a the committee with six subcommittees for coordinating military activity.
2. They looked after navy, transport and provisions, foot soldiers, horses, chariots and elephants.
3. The second committee had to arrange bullock carts to carry equipment procure food for soldiers and fodder for animals and recruit servants and artisans to look after the soldiers.

Short and long answers

Question. How do inscription help in reconstruction of history?
Answer : • Knowledge about the rulers and their achievements.
• Scripts and language of that time.
• Land grant and economic condition
• Extent of the empire.
• Social and religious condition of kingdom

Question. Why six century BCE often considered as a major turning point in Indian history?
Answer : a - It is an era associated with early states and cities, growing use of iron, the development of coin.
b - It also witnessed the growth of diverse system of thoughts including Buddhism and Jainism.

Question. Describe the life of the Urban populations
Answer : • 1. The ruling elites lived in fortified cities.
• 2. It is difficult to conduct extensive excavations at most sites because people live in these areas even today a wide range of artefacts have been recovered from them.
• 3. These include fine pottery bowls and dishes, with a glossy finish, known as Northern Black Polished Ware, probably used by rich people, and ornaments, tools, weapons, vessels, figurines, made of a wide range of materials – gold, silver, copper, bronze, ivory, glass, shell and terracotta.
• 4. We find inscriptions in a number of cities. These mention the name of the donor, her occupation as well.
• 5. They tell us about people who lived in towns: washing folk, weavers, scribes, carpenters, potters, goldsmiths, and blacksmiths.

Question. Illustrate some historical evidence from inscriptions
Answer : • 1.To find out how epigraphists and historians work, we look at two Asokan inscriptions more closely.
• 2.The name of the ruler, Asoka, is not mentioned in the inscription What is used instead are titles adopted by the ruler – devanampiya, often translated as “beloved of the gods” and piyadassi, or “pleasant tobehold
• 3.Historians have to constantly assess statements made in inscriptions to judge whether they are true, exaggerations.
• 4. Asokan inscription which has often been interpreted as reflecting the anguish of the ruler, as well as marking a change in his attitude towards warfare.
• Q. How numismatics or studies of coins help historians to reconstruct the past?[4]
Evidence show that the punch marked coins in copper and silver were issued during 6th C BCE. These have been discovered from various sites. Attempts were made to identify the symbols on punch marked coins with specific ruling dynasties like Mauryas. The first coins bearing the names of the kings were issued by the Indo-Greeks. The first gold coin was introduced by Kushanas. They are virtually identical with the coins of Roman and Iranians. These were mainly used for a commercial network. Coins were also used by Tribal republic like Yaudeyas of Punjab and Haryana

Question. Write any two sources of Mauryan history?
Answer : a- Arthashastra of Kautilya.
b- Ashoka’s inscriptions.

Question. Explain main features of Ashoka’s Dhamma?
Answer : • Respect to elders, love for young and kindness to servants.
• Religious tolerance to other religions.
• Liberal policies towards Brahmanas, Shramanas.
• Appointment of Dhamma Mahamattas.

Question. Who was a Gahapati?
Answer : 1. Gahapati was the owner, master or head of a household.
2. He was the owner of the resources- land, animals and other things that belonged to the household.

Question. Important changes in agriculture during the period between 600 BCE to 600 CE .
Answer : • For increase of agricultural production use of plough with iron tipped ploughshare.
• Introduction of transplantation of crop (paddy).
• Irrigation by wells, ponds and canals.
• Hoe agriculture in semi-arid parts of Punjab, Rajasthan and hilly tracks in North-Eastern and Central Parts.
• Land lords and heads of village were more powerful and had control over farmers.
• Land grants by kings to extend agriculture to new areas.

Question. Discuss factors responsible for the rise of Magadha –
Answer : • Powerful rulers- Bimbisara and Ajatasattu
• Availability of iron.
• Fertile soil
• Availability of elephants in forest.
• Strong capital - Rajgir and Pataliputra

Question. Discuss the status of Divine Kings
Answer : • 1.One means of claiming high status was to identify with a variety of deities.
• 2. The notions of kingship they wished to project are perhaps best evidenced in their coins and sculpture.
• 3.The statues of Kushana rulers have been found installed in a shrine at Mat near Mathura
• 4.Similar statues have been found in a shrine in Afghanistan as well. Some historians feel this indicates that the Kushanas considered themselves godlike.
• 5.Rulers adopted the title devaputra, or “son of god”, possibly
• inspired by Chinese rulers who called themselves sons of heaven.
• 6.Many states were depended on samantas, men who maintained themselves through local resources including control over land.
• 7.They offered homage and provided military support to rulers. Powerful samantas could become kings: conversely, weak rulers might find themselves being reduced to positions of subordination

Question. Describe five features of Mahajanapadas?
Answer : • Maximum Mahajanapadas ruled by kings but some ruled by Ganas or Sanghas.
• Each had its own capital often fortified.
• Permanent army recruited from the peasantry regular bureaucracies.
• Dharmasutras laid down norms for kings and other people. Function of king to collect taxes and tributes from people.

Question. What are megaliths?
Answer : a- Megaliths were elaborate stone structures in central and south India in first millennium BCE.
b- These were kept on the burials. Dead were buried with a wide range of iron tools and weapons.

Question. In which languages and script, Ashokan script were written?
Answer : a- Language- Prakrit, Aramaic and Greek.
b- Script- Prakrit in Brahmi, Greek , Aramaic and Kharosthi.

Question. Mention the important features of Magadha Empire.
Answer : • 1. Magadha (in present-day Bihar) became the most powerful mahajanapada.
• 2. Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially productive.
• 3. Iron mines were accessible and provided resources for tools and weapons.
• 4. Elephants, an important component of the army, were found in forests in the region.
• 5. The Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient communication.

Question. What are the sources to know out about the Mauryas ?
Answer : Historians have used a variety of sources to reconstruct the history of the Mauryan Empire.
1. Literaray Sources:-10 Kautilya’s Arthasastra,Megasthnes’ Indica,Buddhist,Jaina Puranic literature and Sanskrit literary works.
2. Archaeological finds:- Inscriptions of Ashoka on rocks and pillars.

Question. Who were Kushanas?
Answer : a- Kushanas were a clan of nomadic people living in China.
b- Kushanas ruled over a vast kingdom extending from Central Asia to North-West India.
c- First to issue gold coins in India.

Question. How are Inscriptions Deciphered?
Answer : • Deciphering Brahmi
• 1. Most scripts used to write modern Indian languages are derived from Brahmi, the script used in most Asokan inscriptions.
• 2. Scholars who studied early inscriptions sometimes assumed these were in Sanskrit, although the earliest inscriptions were, in fact, in Prakrit.
• 3. It was only after decades of painstaking investigations by several epigraphists that James Princip was able to decipher Asokan Brahmi in 1838.

Question. Why is the sixth century BCE regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history?
Answer : It is an era associated with early states, cities, the growing use of iron, the development of coinage, etc.
It also witnessed the growth of diverse systems of thought, including Buddhism and Jainism.
Early Buddhist and Jaina texts (see also Chapter 4) mention sixteen states known as Mahajan padas. Some names of states such as Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara and Avanti occur frequently.
Clearly, these were the most important Mahajan padas.
While most mahajanapadas were ruled by kings, some, known as ganas or sanghas, were oligarchies (p. 30), where power was shared by a number of men, often collectively called rajas. Both Mahavira and the Buddha (Chapter 4) belonged to such
Groups.In some instances, as in the case of the Vajji sangha, the rajas probably controlled resources such as land collectively. Each mahajanapada had a capital city, which was often fortified.
Maintaining these fortified cities as well as providing fort, armies and bureaucracies required resources.
From sixth century BCE onwards, Brahmanas began composing the Dharmasutras.
These laid down norms for rulers (as well as for other social categories), who were ideally expected to be Kshatriyas (see also Chapter 3).
Some states acquired standing armies and maintained regular bureaucracies. Others continued to depend on militia.

Question. Define Dhamma Mahamatta?
Answer : a- Special officers appointed by Ashoka.
b- Appointed to spread the message of Dhamma.

Question. Main features of Mauryan administration?
Answer : • Central administration- King had control over legislative, executive, judiciary, army and finance.
• Provincial administration- The Empire was divided in to many provinces.
• Local Government- There was a committee of 30 members to maintain rules and regulations in Pataliputra.
• King used to run the administration with the help of high officials. Five major political centres in the empire .
• Law and order system setup.
• Organised army- a committee with six subcommittee for coordinating military activity.
• To spread Dhamma , appointment of Dhamma Mahamattra.
• Officers were oppointed to manage the land revenue, irrigation and roads
• Institution of spies was very strong and working effectively.