5

Question 1

How were rulers or rajas chosen around 3000 years ago?

a) Through democratic voting.
b) By inheritance alone.
c) By performing elaborate sacrifices like the ashvamedha.
d) Through a council of elders.

Answer 1

c) By performing elaborate sacrifices like the ashvamedha.

Question 2

What was the ashvamedha ritual?

Answer 2

A horse sacrifice ritual symbolizing the raja’s power.

Question 3

What role did the raja’s charioteer play during the rituals?

a) He guarded the sacrificial horse.
b) He performed minor rituals.
c) He chanted tales of the raja’s glory.
d) He collected gifts from visitors.

Answer 3

c) He chanted tales of the raja’s glory.

Question 4

What symbolized the raja’s special status during the rituals?

a) A tiger skin or throne.
b) A crown made of gold.
c) The sacred horse.
d) His victories in battle.

Answer 4

What symbolized the raja’s special status during the rituals?
a) A tiger skin or throne.
b) A crown made of gold.
c) The sacred horse.
d) His victories in battle.

Question 5

What does the term janapada mean?

Answer 5

The land where the jana settled down.

Question 6

Which of the following sites are associated with settlements in janapadas?

Answer 6

a) Purana Qila, Hastinapura, and Atranjikhera.

Question 7

Which of the following crops were grown by people in janapadas?
a) Cotton, rice, wheat, and pulses.
b) Rice, wheat, barley, pulses, sesame, sugarcane, and mustard.
c) Maize, barley, sugarcane, and rice.
d) Millet, sorghum, pulses, and cotton.

Answer 7

b) Rice, wheat, barley, pulses, sesame, sugarcane, and mustard.

Question 8

What is Painted Grey Ware?
a) A type of fabric used by the rajas of janapadas.
b) Special pottery made of grey clay with designs painted on it.
c) A weapon used in janapadas warfare.
d) A decorative art form created on walls of huts.

Answer 8

b) Special pottery made of grey clay with designs painted on it.

Question 9

What types of vessels were commonly made from Painted Grey Ware?
a) Jars and pitchers for storing water.
b) Plates and bowls, likely used for special occasions.
c) Large pots for grain storage.
d) Cooking vessels made for everyday use.

Answer 9

b) Plates and bowls, likely used for special occasions.

Question 10

With reference to the mahajanapadas of ancient India, consider the following statements:

All mahajanapadas were fortified to protect against external invasions.
The construction of fortifications involved extensive labor and resources.
Fortifications also served to demonstrate the power and wealth of the rulers.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 10

2 and 3 only
(Not all mahajanapadas were fortified, but fortifications did involve significant labor and were a symbol of power.)

Question 11

Why were soldiers in the mahajanapadas different from earlier times?
a) They were conscripted and not salaried.
b) They were maintained throughout the year and paid regular salaries.
c) They only served during times of war and returned to agricultural activities afterward.
d) They were primarily mercenaries hired for specific campaigns.

Answer 11

Answer: b) They were maintained throughout the year and paid regular salaries.
(This marks a shift to a standing army, reflecting administrative and economic advancement.)

Question 12

Consider the following pairs of mahajanapadas and their capital cities:

Magadha — Rajagriha
Kosala — Sravasti
Vatsa — Kaushambi
Avanti — Mathura
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
a) 1, 2, and 3 only
b) 1 and 4 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, 3, and 4

Answer 12

Answer: a) 1, 2, and 3 only
(Avanti’s capital was Ujjain, not Mathura.)

Question 13

With reference to the economic changes during the mahajanapada period, consider the following statements:

Punch-marked coins indicate the beginning of a monetary economy.
The introduction of fortified cities helped in the collection of taxes and tributes.
Trade within and between mahajanapadas declined due to political rivalries.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 13

Answer: b) 1 and 2 only
(Trade flourished during this period despite political rivalries.)

Question 13

Which of the following features distinguished mahajanapadas from earlier janapadas?

Maintenance of standing armies.
Introduction of a centralized tax collection system.
Use of inscriptions to declare royal decrees.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 13

Answer: a) 1 and 2 only
(Royal inscriptions became more prominent later during the Mauryan period.)

Question 14

Which of the following correctly identifies a mahajanapada located near modern-day Allahabad?
a) Magadha
b) Vatsa
c) Avanti
d) Gandhara

Question 15

Punch-marked coins, found in many mahajanapadas, signify which of the following developments?

The rise of trade and commerce.
The use of a standardized monetary system.
The decline of barter as a primary mode of transaction.
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 15

Answer: d) 1, 2, and 3

Question 16

Consider the following reasons for the emergence of fortified cities in the mahajanapada period:

Increased agricultural surplus and wealth.
Threat of external attacks from rival kingdoms.
Centralization of administrative power.
Which of the above reasons are valid?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 16

Answer: d) 1, 2, and 3

Question 17

With reference to the taxation system in the Mahajanapadas, which of the following statements is/are correct?

Taxes on crops were the most common and were fixed at one-sixth of the produce.
Herders paid taxes only in the form of animal produce.
Craftspersons provided labor or their goods as taxes.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 17

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Question 18

What was the significance of iron ploughshares in agricultural practices during the Mahajanapada period?

(a) They were used exclusively for light, sandy soils.
(b) They helped in turning over heavy, clayey soils, increasing agricultural productivity.
(c) They replaced manual labor entirely in farming.
(d) They were primarily used for transplanting paddy saplings.

Answer 18

b) They helped in turning over heavy, clayey soils, increasing agricultural productivity.

Question 19

Consider the following agricultural practices during the Mahajanapada period:

Scattering seeds on the field for natural sprouting.
Transplanting paddy saplings into prepared fields.
Which of the following is correct about these practices?

(a) Both 1 and 2 were equally efficient.
(b) Only 1 was practiced, as it required less labor.
(c) Practice 2 led to higher agricultural productivity.
(d) None of the above.

Answer 19

(c) Practice 2 led to higher agricultural productivity.

Question 20

Which of the following groups contributed forest produce as a form of tax during the Mahajanapada period?

Answer 20

(b) Hunters and gatherers

Question 21

What were the two key changes in agricultural practices during the Mahajanapada period?

Answer 21

Use of iron ploughshares and transplantation of paddy

Question 22

1. With reference to the factors contributing to Magadha’s power, consider the following statements:

The rivers Ganga and Son played a key role in transportation and making the land fertile.
The forests in Magadha provided elephants for the army and wood for construction.
Magadha was the only region with access to iron ore mines in ancient India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 22

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Question 23

2. Who among the following rulers of Magadha is credited with extending his control to the north-western parts of the subcontinent?
   (a) Bimbisara
   (b) Ajatasattu
   (c) Mahapadma Nanda
   (d) Chandragupta Maurya

Answer 23

Answer: (c) Mahapadma Nanda

Explanation: Mahapadma Nanda expanded Magadha’s territory significantly, including the north-western regions.

Question 24

Rajagriha and Pataliputra were the capitals of which Mahajanapada?
(a) Kosala
(b) Avanti
(c) Magadha
(d) Vajji

Answer 24

Answer: (c) Magadha

Explanation: Rajagriha (present-day Rajgir) was the earlier capital, later shifted to Pataliputra (present-day Patna).

Question 25

. Which of the following resources was a unique military advantage for Magadha compared to other Mahajanapadas?
(a) Vast river systems
(b) Trained elephants
(c) Fertile lands
(d) Iron ploughshares

Answer 25

Answer: (b) Trained elephants

Explanation: Elephants from Magadha’s forests were captured and trained for its army, giving it a distinctive edge.

Question 26

5. With reference to Alexander’s invasion, consider the following statements:

Alexander reached the Beas River in the Indian subcontinent.
His soldiers refused to march further east due to fear of Indian armies.
Alexander’s invasion led to the immediate decline of Magadha.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, and 3

Answer 26

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

Explanation: While Alexander’s invasion stopped at the Beas River, it did not directly lead to the decline of Magadha.

Question 27

What was the primary reason Alexander’s soldiers refused to march further east into India?
(a) Scarcity of supplies
(b) Harsh climatic conditions
(c) Fear of Indian armies with large numbers of elephants
(d) Disease outbreaks among soldiers

Answer 27

Answer: (c) Fear of Indian armies with large numbers of elephants

Explanation: The soldiers were intimidated by the reports of vast Indian armies equipped with chariots and elephants.

Question 28

Bhaga tax

Answer 28

Bhaga was primarily a tax on agricultural produce, fixed at one-sixth of the total yield.