exam cram t2 Flashcards
List the two sources on the age of the guptas
Accounts of Fa-hien, Allahabad Pillar inscriptions
during whose reign did fa-hien visit india
chandragupta II
list 4 places fa-hien visited while on pilgrimage
mathura, kanauj, pataliputra, kashi
list 4 observations made by fa-hien
- Magadha was a prosperous country with large towns who had wealthy populations
- Pataliputra was a flourishing city with charitable institutions and a hospital endowed by citizens
- The penal code was not strict and offences were only punished with fines
- Hindu gods and goddesses were depicted on coins, sculptures and paintings
name the 4 main religions in the gupta age according to fa hien
shaivism, buddhism, jainism, vaishnavism.
what can we infer from fa hiens accounts
we can infer that the gupta empire was prosperous and governed on enlightened principle
what is the allahabad pillar also called
prayaga prashasti
who wrote the allahabad pillar inscriptions
harisena
list 4 points on the allahabad pillar
- it is written in praise of samudragupta
- it describes gupta reign in india.
- it provides a list of kings and tribal republics conquered by samudragupta
- it indicates the geopolitics of india by highlighting prominent figures in india during the 4th century AD
how did the gupta era originate
-it originated with the reign of chandragupta I
what was chandragupta I title, what does it mean?
maharajadhiraja, ‘the king of kings”
how did chandragupta I gain his title
he gained it after declaring his independence in magadha
how did chandragupta-I extend his empire
he did it through a matrimonial alliance by marrying a lichchhavi princess, kumaradevi
who was the son of chandragupta I
samudragupta
list 3 qualities of samudragupta as a ruler
- great conqueror
- able statesman
- patron of the arts
what was the extent of samudraguptas empire
from brahmaputra in the east to rivers yamuna and chambal in the west
- from himalayas in the north to narmada in the south
what is samudragupta called and why
- He is called the napoleon of india
- this is because of his bravery and generalship
how did samudragupta extend his empire
he extended it upto the chambal river by defeating the naga kings of
- mathura
- gwalior
- ahichhatra
Explain samudraguptas deccan campaign in three points
- He covered more than 3000 miles through dense forests.
- He defeated many rulers but did not annex their territories.
- He made the southern kings accept his authority and allowed them to rule
list the four different kinds of rulers and samudraguptas policies towards them
- The nine rulers of aryavarta were made a part of samudraguptas empire
- The twelve rulers of dakshinpatha who surrendered were liberated and allowed to rule again
- the inner circle of neighboring states including assam, coastal bengal, nepal and a number of gana sanghas in the north-west paid tribute, followed his orders and attended his court
- The rulers of outlying areas submitted to him and offered their daughters in marriage
what do the following terms mean
- dakshinpatha
- gana sanghas
- South India
2. organisation of many kings
name the horse sacrifice performed by samudragupta
ashvamedha yajna
explain in 2 points why samudragupta was a musician and a poet
- in one of his coins, he is shown playing the veena
- his court was full of great scholars and literary persons.
list 2 points on samudraguptas coins
- he issued eight types of coins
- the coins were made of gold
list 3 points on samudraguptas religious beliefs
- he was a follower of brahmanism and worshipped lord vishnu
- he also had faith in vedic sacrifices
- he was tolerant towards other religions
what was Chandragupta II other names
Vikramaditya, Sakari
How did Chandragupta II extend his empire
he extended it by annexing the Saka territories of Malwa, Gujarat and Saurashtra.
What does Sakari mean
conquerer of sakas
List 2 benefits of chandragupta II saka annexations
- The provinces conquered were wealthy and fertile.
- He gained access to ports on the western coast which put him in touch with the seaborne commerce of egypt and europe.
list a difference and a similarity between samudragupta and vikramadityas coins
- on some coins chandragupta II was decpicted to be slaying a lion with the legend simha-vikrama
- whereas samudragupta is shown slaying a tiger
- both were made of gold
list a special characteristic of vikramadityas court
- His court was adorned by ‘nine gems’ including Kalidasa
during which gupta rulers rule did the huns attack for the first time
kumaragupta
which gupta ruler defeated the huns
skandagupta
the gupta period saw the gradual disappearance of which type of government
republican form of government
List 2 points on Divinity of Kings during the gupta period
- The theory of divinity of kings became popular during the gupta age
- The gupta kings were compared to different gods
List 4 gods, the gupta kings were compared to
yama, varuna, indra, kubera
why were the gupta kings compared to vishnu
They were compared as regards their function of protecting and preserving their people.
which god appeared on multiple gupta coins
Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity
List 4 powers possessed by the gupta kings
- they were the commanders-in-chief of the army
- the kings appointed all governers. military and civil officers,
- The governors and their officers and the central secretariat had to work under the guidance of the king.
- The King was the source of all honours and titles
list three of the kings pompous titles, what do they indicate
- parameshvara
- maharajadhiraja
- parambhattaraka
It indicates the presence of lesser princes and chiefs who helped with management
what kept a check on royal power in the gupta age
the brahmans as the chief custodians and interpreters of law
what was the gupta council of ministers called
Mantri-Parishad
explain the members of the mantri parishad
it consisted of
- the prince
- the feudatories
- the high officials including
. Kumaramatya
. sandhivigrahika
. other civil officials such as amatyas and kumaramatyas
. shaulkika
. officers connected with land transaction
. around a dozen other officers engaged in managing military, fiscal and rural matters
`list 2 points on functions of the kumaramatyas
- kumaramatyas formed the chief cadre for recruiting high functionaries
- some of them functioned in their own right and maintained their regular office.
where did the office of sandhivigrahika first appear and who occupied it
- under the rule of samudragupta.
- occupied by harisena
List two points on sandhivigrahikas functions
- they were the minister of peace and war
- their main duty was to deal with the feudatories
how do we know cavalry was becoming more important in the gupta age
- it was supported by seals and inscriptions
what was the function of civil officials, 1 point
- they performed military functions or were promoted to the rank of high military officers
list one points on functions of officers connected with land transactions
- some mantained records of land, sales and other records connected with land
list two points on revenue collection in the gupta age
- it was mostly collected in kind
- rich peasants probably paid in cash
what was the function of the shaulkika
they were connected with the collection of tolls on commodities
list 3 points on how directly governed territory was divided during the gupta age
- the empire was divided into bhuktis
- the bhuktis were divided into vishayas
- the vishayas were divided into smaller units
name the governor of bhuktis
uparika
name who was in charge of vishayas
vishayapati
how was territory divided outside direct governance
outside, there existed different fiscal and administrative units such as desa, mandala, bhoga especially in central and west india
list 3 points on gupta village administration
- administration was managed by the village headman
- there was participation of leading local elements in their administration
- no land transactions could be effected without their consent
what were villages and small towns called in the gupta age
vithis
state 1 difference between gupta and maurya village administration
mauryan times- villages were managed from above
gupta times- managed from grassroot level
what is the golden age of indian culture
the gupta period
why is the gupta period known was the golden age of indian culture, list 3 points
- Because of the high level of civilization and culture of this period
- Hinduism was revived.
- creative fields such as education, literature, arts, architecture, science thrived
how do we know that during the gupta age, education was given the utmost importance
we can infer this from that the intellectual output in various fields like maths, science etc.
list 3 cities which were a center of learning in the gupta age
ayodhya, pataliputra, nasik
who were teachers and list 3 titles they possessed
- they were learned brahmanas
- acharyas, upadhyaya, bhattas
how were teachers supported
-they were given grants called the agraharas given by gupta rulers and charities by the public
what were disciples called in the gupta age
shishyas
what did disciples learn gupta
- fourteen sections of science (chaturdasavidya)
- 4 vedas, six vedangas, the puranas, mimansa, nyaya, dharma besides vyakarana and the satasahashri-samhita
what was the vyakarana also called
ashtadhyayi of panini
what was the satasahashru-samhita
the mahabharata
how long were students admitted in buddhist monasteries
10 years
how did learning evolve in monasteries
it started off as the oral method and shifted to the reading of literary texts
how were monasteries maintained
by grants from kings and the rich mercantile class
what special structure did the monastery have and what was its purpose
they had libraries where important manusripts were copied and stored
from which foreign places did monasteries receive students from
other countries like china and south east asia
did gupta monasteries attract scholars? if so give an example, where he studied and what he did
yes
fa hien studied buddhist religious books at the monastery in pataliputra
how do we know that higher education was given equal importance in the gupta period
we know this from the fact that a number of univesities existed during that time
list 2 universities which existed during gupta period
nalanda and takshila university
who is our source of the nalanda university and during which kings reign did he visit
hieuen tsang, harshavardhana
where is nalanda university located
nalanda in rajagriha in bihar
List 4 points on the nalanda university
- there were atleast eight colleges built,
- There more than 10,000 students and teachers,
- the subjects were the 4 vedas, logic, grammar, medicine, sankya, yoga, nyaya and buddhist works of different schools
- it was a post graduate institution where admission was hard, only 20% passed the entrace examination
how many total libraries were there in the nalanda university, name them
3, ratnasagar, ratnodadhi, ratnaranjak
which 7 countries were nalanda students from
korea, mongolia, japan, china, tibet, ceylon and many parts of india
when was the nalanda university destroyed (century), who destroyed it and who was he working for
it was destroyed in the 12th century ad
it was destroyed by mohammed-bin bhaktiyar khilji who was a general of mohammad ghori
list 2 great astronomers in the gupta age other than aryabhatta
varahmihira
brahmagupta
list 2 points on varahmihiras scientific aptitude
- he proved that the moon rotates around the earth and the earth rotates around the sun
- the brihat samhita of varahmihira deals with astronomy, botany, natural history and physical geography
what were aryabhattas contributons in the field of science
- he said the earth moves around the sun centuries before the europeans
- he discovered the rule for finding the area of a triangle
- he calculated the exact value of pi, the credit for trigo should go to him
- he was acquainted with the decimal system and use of zero
what did surya siddhanta talk about
he explained the exact causes of solar and lunar eclipses
why did indian culture flourish in the gupta empire 2 points
- the gupta empire had a succession of good rulers.
- the good leadership lead to political stability so trade and commerce flourished which allowed people to pursue the arts and literature.
list a difference between gupta temples and previous indian temples
previously they were built with perishable materials like wood, in the gupta period they used solid materials like bricks and stone.
what is the gupta vishnu temples other name
dakshavatara temple
where is the gupta vishnu temple located
125km from jhansi in uttar pradesh
explain the state of metallurgy during the gupta period with one example
metallurgy had reached an advanced period
- iron pillar in mehrauli near qutub minar
list 4 architectural features of the vishnu temple at deogarh
- first north indian temple with a shikhara
- it was completely made of stone and bricks
- four stairways outside the platform provide access to the temple
- the entrance and pillars were adorned with paintings and carvings
how is vishnu depicted at the vishnu temple
he is shown asleep on the coil of the giant serpent called sheshnaga
list 3 points on the evolution of sanskrit during the gupta age
- it replaced prakrit in inscriptions, religious and philosophical literature.
- Sanskrit was made the official language for administrative purposes and used in official documents and inscriptions,
- Sanskrit literature produced during the gupta age consisted of epics, poetry, drama, lyrics and prose
list three prominent gupta writers
kalidasa, harisena, bhasa
list two of kalidasas poetic works
megadhuta, raghuvamsa
list 2 of kalidasas dramatic works
malavikagnimitram, abhijnanashakuntalam
list 2 points on kalidasas works as a source
- they provide reliable information about the government, society and religion of the gupta period
- they contain traces of political history
which people inhabited the southern part of the indian peninsula south of the krishna river
the dravidians
name the three south indian kingdoms. which was most powerful
cheras, cholas, pandyas. the cholas were most powerful
how did the cholas conquer a large part of the peninsula, 2 points
- they had a powerful navy which enabled sea trade in the Indian Ocean and allowed them to conquer sri lanka and the maldive islands.
- by the end of the 9th century, they defeated the pallavas of kanchi and weakened the Pandyans bringing the tamil country under their control
what was tamil country called in tamil
tondamandala
tell the main source of the cholas
large number of inscription from that period
which chola king conceived the idea of using inscriptions
Rajaraja I
give 2 points on the chola inscriptions structure
- the inscriptions are in the form of copper-plate grants, stone inscriptions and inscriptions made on the walls and pillars of temples.
- The copper plate grants known was Anbil and Karandi as well as the KanyaKumari stone inscriptions give a long list of rulers indicating the dynastys origin.
List 4 points on the information provided by chola inscriptions
- they tell us about the chola administration, for example the uttaramerur inscriptions gives information on the village administration, taxation and land revenue.
- they record gifts and endowments to temples and brahmanas. Copper plate inscriptions are the records of grants of villages, plots of land or other priviliges to individuals or institutions. Eg- Leyden grant of parantaka chola
- they inform us about the construction of a temple or the setting up of a new image of the diety
- some inscriptions have royal orders on taxation, land revenue, resolutions of village assemblies, judgements delivered against persons guilty of crimes
which ruler established chola ruler, what was his capital and which century was it
Vijayalaya. thanjavur, 9th century AD
list 3 of parantaka Is military conquests
he conquered madurai, defeated the pandyas and rulers of lanka
which century did chola power reach the height of its glory
11th century AD
who were the 2 most prominent chola rulers
Rajara I, Rajendra Chola
List 3 points on the military conquests of Rajaraja I
- He attacked the pandyas and chera as well as parts of mysore and took travancore and coorg from their territory,
- He also annexed parts of deccan and overran vengi to prove the cholas strength.
- He showed his naval strength along the coasts of south india so he attacked sri lanka and the maldive islands, he conquered the northern half of sri lanka.
Why did Rajaraja war against sri lanka and the maldives
- Their costs had become rich through the overseas trade which was active there, india sent textiles, spices and precious stones to the arab merchants who came from west asian countries, they exchanged money for goods and brought wealth to india through their trade.
which temple did Rajaraja build, list one architectural feature of it
he built the rajareshwara temple of lord shiva at thanjavur, Rajaraja I works are inscribed on its walls.
List three points on Rajendra Cholas military conquests
- He continued his fathers policy and annexed the entirety of sri lanka who werent free for another 50 years.
- He marched to the east coast of India through odisha to the ganga river. He himself lead the army till godavari from where his generals took over. The army defeated Mahipala, the king of bengal
- His most daring campaign was in south-east asia, for centuries indian merchants had been trading with parts of south east asia and china through the strait of malacca occupied by the kingdom of shrivijaya (indonesia), the shrivijayan merchants created problems for the indian merchants who appealed to rajendra chola for help, he then sent a huge navy to defeat the shrivijay king and thus trade continued.
How did rajendra chola commemerate his victory in bengal
he adopted the title gangaikonda and built a new capital called gangaikonda-cholapuram
list rajendra cholas one architectural project
he built magnificent palaces and beautiful temples in his new capital, gangaikonda-cholapuram
List 4 points on function of chola central government
- All authority was vested in the king who was assisted by his council of ministers
- The king went on tours to keep a check on the administration.
- the officers were paid by giving them assignments in revenue bearing lands.
- The princes were associated with the ruling sovereigns and actively employed in peace and war.
what did the chola central government look after
external defence, internal peace and order, promotion of general prosperity and cultural progress of the empire.
list 3 points on chola provincial government
- the empire was divided into mandalams or provinces
- mandalams were divided into valanadus or nadus
- princes of the royal family were appointed as governors.
who carried out administration in chola villages
the villagers
name the three types of village assemblies
the ur, sabha, nagaram
what is our main source of information about the ur and sabha
walls of some village temples
explain the organisation of the three chola village assemblies as well as 2 points on their activities and importance
Ur- The common type of village assemblies where land was held by all classes of people who were members of the local assembly
Sabha - an exclusively brahmin assembly of the villages where all land belonged to brahmins
Nagaram- assembly of merchants and belonged to localities where traders and merchants were in a dominant position.
The life and the work of the villages were discussed in these councils.
This was a source of unity for the people, all affairs concerning the village such as collection of taxes, settlement of disputes and allocation of water were looked after by the committee.
List 4 points on temples in the chola kingdom not including education
- Temples in the chola kingdom were not only a place of worship but a centre of social activity too.
- Some temples owned huge lands and participate in inland as well as oversea trade.
- Temples received lands as donations known as devadaya or devadana, in some cases land revenue of some villages was assigned instead of lands and the concerned villagers were instructed to pay land-revenue in produce and gold.
- The temples were also the second biggest employer, they took care of the workers welfare by providing work, food, clothing, housing, education and healthcare in the form of hospitals.
List 3 points on temple education in the chola kingdom
- the temple was also a centre for education where the schools were housed in the temple courtyard.
- The priests were the local teachers as there were no separate schools.
- The students learnt their lessons in sanskrit and tamil, religious texts like the vedas were in sanskrit and had to be studied. The students learnt tamil as it was widely spoken in the kingdom and influenced sanskrit.
List the three sources of chola revenue
taxes on land
taxes on produce of land
tax on trade
who collected taxes on land chola
officials from village councils
how was revenue spent in the chola kingdom, 4 points
- Part of the revenue was kept for the king
- public works such as building of roads and tanks
- on salaries of officials
- on upkeep of the army.
give an example of chola images of gods and describe it
Nataraja- The bronze image of lord shiva as the lord of dance
what is the cultural epitome of the chola period
nataraja
why were the turks able to achieve quick victories in north india
- multiple small kingdoms had emerged and led to the absence of a powerful central government, these kingdoms were constantly at conflict with each other and this led to the lack of political unity making it easy for the turks.
which period is called the delhi sultanate
the period between 1206 and 1526 when 5 dynasties ruled from delhi succesfully, it was called a sultanate because the rulers of this dynasties were called sultans
name the 2 most important sources of information about the delhi sultanate
inscriptions
monuments: qutub minar
list 2 features of delhi sultanate inscriptions
- The inscriptions are found on coins, monuments, milestones and tombstones
- Some of the inscriptions are in sanskrit, some in arabic, some in both
who issued the first delhi sultanate coin and what languages were the inscriptions on it
muhammad bhaktiyar khilji, arabic and sanskrit
where did ibn batuta find a commemorative inscription
jama masjid in delhi
what do monuments in the delhi sultanate reflect
they reveal the cultural trends, living conditions, faths and beliefs as well as the rulers socio-cultural outlook
what is the most significant delhi sultanate monument
the qutub minar
who started the construction of the qutub minar and who was it dedicated to
it was started by qutub-ud-din aibak and dedicated to the sufi saint, qutb-ud-din bakhtiyar kaki
who completed the qutub minar
iltutmish
list 4 features of the qutub minars architecture
- it has five storeys tapering as they ascend, each story is separated from the other by projecting balconies
- the entrance is through the doorway on the northern side
- red sandstone, marble and grey quartzite were used to construct the tower
- verses from the holy quran and some intricate carvings with floral motifs are inscribed on this tower
which delhi sultan repaired and renovated the qutub minar
feroz shah tughlaq
how was the qutub minar lasted so long
this is because it has projecting balconies which are supported in a way that the whole structure takes the load of weight
which were the 5 successive ruling delhi dynasties
slave, khilji, tughlaq, sayyid, lodhi
recite the events which lead to the appointment of Qutbudin Aibak as viceroy of conquered lands in india, 3 points
Muhammad Ghori defeated prithviraj chauhan at the second battle of tarain in 1192
From Delhi, the turkish rule was extended into the gangetic plains, bihar and bengal.
Before leaving for afghanistan, qutubuddin aibak was left as the viceroy of the conquered lands.
who founded the slave dynasty
qutubuddin aibak
why were early rulers of the slave dynasty called mamluk sultans
this is because the word mamluk means owned in arabic and these sultans were either the slaves of the turks or the sons of slaves.
how did qutubuddin aibak complete his masters work, 1 point
he embarked on a series of conquests and captured the fort of kalinjar in bundelkhand and anhilwara (capital of solankis) in gujarat.
list 2 qualities of qutubuddin aibak
- a brave and capable military general
- a man of letters, scholars like hasan nizami and fakhre mudir adorned his court.
what was qutubuddin aibaks title and why was he called that
he was called lakhbaksh because of his liberal distribution of money,
how did qutubuddin aibak die
he died while playing chaugan or polo
describe how iltutmish succeeded qutubuddin
qutubuddin was succeeded by aram shah but he was incompetent and thus was overthrown by Iltutmish, the slave and son in law of aibak.
who was the first woman sultan of delhi and how did she attain the position, 3 points
iltutmish did not consider his sons capable of being a sultan so he nominated his daughter.
many turkish nobles were against this decision as they believed it was below their tradition to be ruled by a woman so they crowned iltutmishs son ruknuddin as the sultan instead,
within 7 months ruknuddin was removed from the throne so razia sultan took the throne
how did the khiljis come to power
the last ruler of the slave dynasty, kaikubad was murdered by Jalaluddin khilji who was the founder of the khilji dynasty.
how did alauddin khilji come to power
he was the nephew of jalaluddhin khilji and murdered him before proclaiming himself as sultan.
list the two military steps alauddin took when he came to the throne
- he faced a rebellion of mongols near delhi and got many of them massacred.
- after the rebellion, he conquered all the territories of malwa including ujjain, dhar, chanderi and mandu. By 1305 he conquered most of north india
list 3 points on alauddins market regulations
- he fixed the cost of all commodities such as foodgrains, sugar and cooking oil
- he set up three markets in delhi, one for food grains, second for costly cloth, third for horses, slaves and cattle
- each market was put under the charge of a controller of market called shahna and very strict punishments were prescribed for cheating and underweighing goods
who led alauddins deccan expedition and who did he conquer
Malik Kafur lead the expedition, they conquered the kingdoms of devagiri, warangal, dwarasamudra and Madurai/
Why did alauddin not annex the deccan kingdoms, give 2 reasons and what was their outcome in the end
- it would be practically difficult to control these distant lands from delhi.
- he was more interested in acquiring their wealth to maintain his army
- in the end they had to accept alauddins overlordship and pay annual tribute to him
why did alauddin take measures against the nobles
its because when he came to power, he faced a series of rebellions from them
list 4 measures he took against the nobility
- they were not allowed to hold parties or festivites or to form marriage alliances without the sultans permission
- the use of wine and intoxicants was banned
- gambling was forbidden and gamblers were heavily punished
- he had an efficient spy system to keep a check on activities of the nobility
list 3 points on alauddins military reforms
- he imported quality horses and started brandng them (dagh) so that they could not be replaced with horses of lesser quality
- he introduced the system of chehra, giving a kind of identity card to each soldier
- he himself approved all military recruitments and paid cash salaries to soldiers
what type of army did alauddin have
a standing army
list 3 points on alauddin khiljis revenue reforms
- he brought all the land of the empire under his direct control
- he introduced the practice of measuring the land and fixing the state share accordingly, he increased the land revenue from one-third to one-half and demanded it to be paid in cash,
- he appointed special officers to collect land revenue,
how did the khilji dynasty come to an end, 2 points
- towards the end of his life, alauddin was dominated by his commander, malik kafur
- after many intrigues, the khilji dynasty fell when ghazi malik, the governor of dipalpur ascended the throne
who founded the tughlaq dynasty and what title did he take
- ghazi malik took the throne and took the title of ghiyasuddin tughlaq shah
describe ghiyasuddins rule in one sentence and how he died
his rule has its ups and downs
he died during the collapse of a pavilion built in his honour.
who ascended ghiyasuddin and what title did he take
jauna khan who took the title, Muhammad bin Tughlaq
list qualities which made muhammad bin tughlaq one of the remarkable rulers of his age, 3 points
- he was a great scholar and had interest in religion and philosophy.
- he also mastered maths, astronomy, logic and physical sciences.
- he was a lover of persian literature, music, fine arts and calligraphy
list 3 major steps taken by muhammad bin tughlaq
transfer of capital
token currency
taxation in the doab
where did muhammad bin tughlaq shift his capital and what did he call it
devagiri, near modern aurangabad. he called it daulatabad
why did muhammad bin tughlaq shift capitals, 3 reasons
- daulatabad was centrally located from where he could control deccan territories
- delhi was in the grip of severe famine
- delhi was constantly threatened by mongol invasions
what was the result of muhammads shifting of capitals
he ordered the entire population of delhi to shift with him, once he realised the threat from north-west he decided to shift the capital back causing a lot of hardship among his people.
why did muhammad bin tughlaq introduce token currency and what was it exactly. 2 points
- He introduced bronze tanka in place of silver tankas
- this was done because of the silver shortage
what was the result of muhammad bin tughlaqs token currency, 2 points
- it failed due to the circulation of counterfeit coins on a large scale affecting commerce and trade.
- consequently, he withdrew the token currency.
explain the reason behind muhammads taxation of the doab,
Muhammad had plans for conquest in both india and central asia, for this he required a large army which requires lots of resources so he increased the land tax in the fertile region of the ganga-yamuna doab
what was the result of muhammads taxation in the doab,
- At the same time, a severe famine broke out in the area and the people refused to pay the extra taxes and rose in rebellion but the tax collectors showed no mercy and took stern measures to collect taxes leading to some peasants abandoning their lands and fleeing to jungles.
what did muhammad do to try and fight the famine, 3 points
- he ordered free distribution of grains
- advanced loans to peasants
- improved irrigation facilities etc.
but it was too late and a no. of people were starved to death as agriculture suffered a heavy setback in the doab area
list 3 points on muhammads plan of conquesr
- he dreamt of conquering the world so he organized a huge army and paid one years salary in advance to his army.
- he then decided to conquer khurasa, persia and Iraq.
- but after a year and following the failure of the token currency, he abandoned the project and disbanded the army
what was the power of sultans in the delhi sultanate and who was he assisted by, 3 points
- he was the supreme executive, legislative, judicial and military authority
- he kept an eye on revenue and expenditure and took all final decisions
- he was assisted by a number of ministers.
name 4 important officials in the delhi sultanate central government
wazir
ariz-i-mumalik
chief sadar
qazi
what was the role of the wazir in sultanate
he acted as the prime minister and supervised the work of other officials
what was the role of the ariz-i-mumalik in sultanate
the minister in the charge of the army, his departments responsibility was to recruit, equip and pay the army
what was the chief sadars role in sultanate
he presided over the diwan-i-risalat and was a leading qazi
what was the qazis role in sultanate
head of the department of justice and advised the sultan on civil and religious matters.
name 2 important departments in the delhi sultanate and their roles
the diwan-i-risalat dealt with religious matters
the diwan-i-insha dealt with state correspondence
list how the delhi sultanate was divided provincially
- the empire was divided into provinces called iqtas
- iqtas were divided into shiqs or parganas or districts
- the village was the lowest administrative unit
who led the iqtas
muqtis
list the 3 individuals and the one unit working in village government, delhi sultanate. describe their role too
- muqaddam (the village headmen)
- patwari (record keeper)
- mushrif (village accountant)
- panchayat settled local disputes
what was the situation in india before the mughals took over, 2 points
india was ruled by breakaway kingdoms of the delhi sultanate, lacking a powerful central authority.
Bengal. Jaunpur, Gujarat, Malwa and Mewar had all become independent and were always fighting against one another. tension reigned supreme across the country
what are the 4 main sources of the mughal empire
Ain-i-Akbari
The Taj Mahal
Jama Masjid
Red Fort
who is the writer of Ain-I-Akbari and of which special group is he a part of
Abu Fazl, a minister in the 9 jewels of akbars court
how did the ain-i-akbari originate
it was commissioned by akbar as a part of a large history writing project.
What do all 5 books of the ain-i-akbari say
1st book- deals with the imperial household
2nd book- deals with the servants of the emperor, the military and civil services
3rd book- deals with the imperial administration and consists of regulations for the judicial and executive departments and the divisions of the empire.
4th book - contains information about hindu philosophy, science, social customs and literature
5th book- contains the wise sayings of akbar. Also contains an account of the ancestry and biography of abu fazl
who build the taj mahal and why, what is its purpose.
- Shah Jahan built it in the memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal
- It is the mausoleum of both of them
where was the taj mahal built
in agra, on the banks of the river yamuna
who designed the taj mahal and what material is it made of
It was designed by Ustad Isha Khan and is made of pure white marble
what is the method of decoration used in the taj mahal called and what does it mean
Floral designs made of semi-precious stones is called pietra dura
list 4 architectural features of the taj mahal
- the main structure is constructed on a high platform.
- on each of the four corners there is a minaret.
- the interior has an octagonal chamber
- the marble dome in the centre looks like an inverted lotus.
who built the jama masjid
shah jahan
whats the biggest mosque in india
jama masjid
how many people can the jama masjids courtyard accomodate`
thousands
list 3 architectural features of the jama masjid
- it built on a lofty basement with flights of steps leading to the gateways on three sides of the courtyard
- it has three gateways, four towers and two high minarets.
- The face of its spacious prayer-hall consists of 11 arches of which the central arch rises far above the roof level
who built the red fort and when
shah jahan when he shifted his capital to delhi
where is the red fort located
on the banks of the yamuna
what is the western gateway of the red fort called and what is its purpose
the lahori gate, it was used for the emperors ceremonial purposes.
what materials are the red fort made of
red sandstone and marble
name the two impressive buildings in the red fort
diwan-i-aam, diwan-i-khas
what was the function of the diwan-i-khas
it was used by the emperor to give audiences to important dignitaries.
describe the diwan-i-khas structure in one sentence, name an important object placed there.
lavishly ornamented hall where the peacock throne was placed.
who built the moti masjid and what is is made of
aurangzeb, white marble
what is the red fort used for now
every year, the prime minister unfurls the nation flag from its ramparts on independence day.
what is baburs full name
zahir-ud-din Muhammad Babur
who was babur a descendant of
timur
recite the events which lead to babur establishing the mughal empire. 3 points
- Daulat Khan Lodi invited Babur to oust Ibrahim Lodhi from the throne, babur defeated him in the first battle of panipat and occupied delhi and agra.
- Babur fought rana sangas forces at the battle of khanwa, rana sanga was defeated. This battle secured his position in the delhi-agra region
- Babur met the combined forces of the afghans and nusrat shah of bengal at the battle of ghagra near the junction of ghagra river with the ganges. The bengal and afghan forces retreated after babur left but he could not achieve a decisive victory and died before he could stabilise the empire.
how old was akbar when he ascended the throne
13
who was akbars tutor
bairam khan
recite the military conquests of akbar
- In the second battle of panipat, bairam khan defeated the afghan forces led by hemu, the wazir of adil shah.
- after establishing himself in delhi and agra, he captured malwa, gondwana, bengal, gujarat, kashmir and kabul.
- he went beyond the vindhyas in deccan and after stiff resistance, annexed ahmadnagar, berar and khandesh
- he also subdued the rajuput princes except mewar, as a result the famous battle of hadlighati was fought between maharana pratap and raja man singh. maharana pratap lost and had to escape the battlefield.
explain the extent of akbars empire
- his authority extended from assam in the east to kabul and kandahar in the west. In the deccan, his dominions included ahmadnagar, khandesh and berar. The kingdoms of Multan, Sindh, Gujarat, Kashmir and bengal ceased to exist.
explain 4 points on akbars rajput policy
- Akbar entered into marriage alliances with the Rajputs. Bhara Mal, the ruler of Amber married his younger daughter, Harkha Bai to Akbar.
- Akbar gave his wives complete religious freedom as well as their parents and relations in nobility a honored place.
- This policy ended years of animosity between rajputs and muslim rulers.
- Since rajputs were in the government, it affected mughal public policies and helped in the growth of a composite culture.
List and explain 4 of akbars steps towards integration
- Akbar abolished the jizyah which non-muslims had to pay, he also abolished the pilgrim tax on bathing at holy places such as prayag and benaras. He also abolished the practice of forcibly converting prisoners of war to islam
- He enrolled a number a no. of hindus into the nobility. most of these were rajput rajas who he had alliances with, mansabs were also given to others on the basis of merit
- Akbar built a hall called Ibadat Khana or the Hall of prayer at fatehpur Sikri. At this hall, he used to call selected theologians of all religions, mystics and intellectuals to have discussions,
- He issued a mahzar which made Akbar the supreme or final arbiter in religious matters and replaced the powers of the ulema with the power of the emperor.
What was akbars faith called, explain it in two points
Din-i-Illahi
- It was based on the principle of oneness of god, the new religion stressed on virtues like courage, loyalty and justice
- It also demanded loyalty to the emperor, the basic purpose of forming it as sulh-kul or universal harmony which governed all of akbars public policies.
Explain akbars translation departmend in two points
- he translated works in sanskrit, arabic and greek into persian,
- he translated the Singhasan, Battisi, Atharva Veda, Bible. Quran, Mahabharata, Gita, Ramayana
list and explain 4 of akbars social reforms
- He issued orders to check on the forcible practice of sati however the women were allowed to do it of their own free will
- He legalised widow remarriage
- he was against anyone having more than one wife unless the first wife could not bear children
- Akbar raised the age of marriage to 14 for girls and 16 to boys
explain akbars education reform
- he revised the syllabus to lay more emphasis on moral education and maths and on secular subjects such as agriculture, geometry, logic, astronomy, history
what was the name of the mughal public works department
shuhra-i-am
what reform did jahangir take to prove he was a patron of education
he passed a law whereby if a rich man was to die without an heir his assets would be used by the state to help in the development and maintenance of educational institutes
what reform did shahjahan make for education
he provided scholarships to assist students
list 4 points on aurangzebs reign
- he reversed akbars policy of religious tolerance
- he spent his last days suppressing rebellions
- under him, the mughal empire reached its largest extent but also experienced many political disturbances.
- he left behind an empire on the verge of collapse.
give 4 points on monarchs in the mughal empire
- the mughals held the belief that the power of mughal kings came directly from god
- the emperor was the head of the executive, legislature, judiciary and the army.
- He was the supreme commander and all other commanders were appointed and removed by him.
- He made laws and issued administrative ordinances.
name the small signet ring which was affixed to farmans granting appointments, titles etc.
uzuk
name the 3 mughal ministers positions
vakil wazir, mir bakshi
what was the function of the vakil
- During the time of early mughal emperors, the vakil held many civil and military powers however after bairam khan, akbar stripped the vakil position of any power it had and it became honorary,
what was the function of the mughal wazir
the head of the revenue department
what was the function of the mir bakshi
they were the head of the military department, intelligence and information agencies of the empire
what was the mughal revenue department called
diwan or diwan-i-ala
who headed the mughal judicial department
qazi
what are the ministers in the mughal judiciary
qazi and chief sadar
what was the function of chief sadar mughal
responsible for all charitable and religious matters
in 3 points describe the provincial division of the mughals
- the empire was divided into 12 subahs
- the subahs were divided into sarkars
- the sarkars were divided into parganas or mahals
what was the governor of a subah called
subahdar or sipah salar or nazim
what were the officials in the provincial government
- subehdar
- provincial diwan
- faujdar
- kotwal
- bakhshi
- sadr qazi
- muhtasib
what was the function of the nazim, 4 points
- maintenance of law and order
- enforcement of imperial decrees
- administration of criminal justice
- smooth collection of revenue
who appointed the officials of the provincial government
the centre
explain the mansabdari system, 3 points
- every officer held a mansab so the term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab meaning a rank.
- the mansabdars formed the ruling group in the mughal empire, almost the whole nobility, bureaucracy, military hierarchy had mansabs.
- The lowest rank was 10 and highest was 5000 for nobles. It was a grading system used to fix rank, salary and military responsiblities.
Explain zat and sawar and jagir
zat: Zat fixed the personal status of a person and the salary due to him. The higher the zat the more prestigious a nobles position was and the larger his salary.
sawar: it indicated the number of cavalrymen as mansabdar was required to maintain, for every ten cavalrymen, he had to maintain 20 horses.
jagir: mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs but most mansabdars didnt reside in their jagir, they only had rights to the revenues collected from them by their servants while they served in some other part.
what changes did jahangir make to the mansabdari system
- he reduced the average rate of zat salary from rs.240 to rs.200
what changes did shah jahan make to the mansabdari system
- he reduced the number of sawars a noble was required to maintain thus a noble was only required to maintain a quota of only one third of his sawar rank.
what changes did aurangzeb make to the mansabdari system
- during his reign there was a huge increase in the number of mansabdaris, these and other factors created a shortage in the number of jagirs.
give 3 points on the mughal land revenue system
- a uniform system of measurement was established for calculating the land tax
- todar mals tax collection system enriched the state treasury.
- the state gave loans to poor farmers.
what does single citizenship mean
- a person is a citizen of india irrespective of the state the person was born in or now lives
what is the reason behind single citizenship
the reason behind it is to ward off separatist tendencies and promote fraternity and unity
who is allowed dual citizenship
all persons of indian original born after jan 26th 1950
what priviliges do dual citizenship holders not possess
the right of voting
what is universal adult franchise
All people above 18 years of age have the right to vote irrespective of their caste, colour, religion etc.
what is the reason behind uaf
this system is aimed at curbing communal politics and fostering communal harmony
how has the constitution ensured universal adult franchise
- by introducing joint electorate
give 2 points on joint electorate
- its when resident voters of a constituency have to vote for the same candidate irrespective of his caste or religion,
- all people from such constituencies have to vote for candidates standing for election from that constituency
how does uaf deal with scheduled tribes and scheduled castes
- some seats are reserved for candidates from them
what does fundamental rights mean
- these are the basic rights which are necessary for the all round development of the individual.
list the 7 fundamental rights
- right to equality
- right to freedom
- right against exploitation
- right to freedom of religion
- cultural and educational rights
- right to constitutional remedies
- right to education
list and explain 3 points on right to equality
- equality before law and protection by the law, no discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, caste, race, place of birth or sex
- equality of opportunity: in matters of employment, untouchability is punishable, law ensured the reservation of posts for scheduled caste and scheduled tribes
- abolition titles: for social equality, titles such as Rai Bahadur, Maharaja and Nawab were abolished, only military and academic titles allowed.
explain abolition of untouchability
- preventing someone from entering public spaces such as wells, places of worship etc. is punishable
list any 4 freedoms
- freedom of speech and expression
- freedom of assembly
- freedom to form assocations or unions
- freedom of movement
- freedom of residence and settlement
- freedom of profession, occupation, trade and business
list and explain any three freedoms
Freedom of movement- it gives you the freedom to move freely throughout the territory of india
Freedom of residence and settlemet- it allows people to reside and settle anywhere in india, there are exceptions where greater national interests. Eg- you cant displace a tribe from its tribal area
Freedom of Speech and Expression - enables an individual to participate in public activities
list the three limitations to right of freedom
- rights can be suspended when an emergency is declared.
- they are not absolute meaning security and national interest takes precendence over rights.
- some laws like ESMA and Preventive Detention can impede the right to freedom.
list 3 points on protection in respect of conviction for offences
- no greater penalty than what is prescribed by the law
- no prosecution for the same offence twice
- cannot be compelled to be a witness in a case where he himself is accused
when can protection of life and personal liberty be deprived
- when it is in accordance with the law eg- imprisonment
list the two circumstances of arrest
- arrest under ordinary circumstances
- preventive detention
list three rights of someone arrested under ordinary circumstanced
- must be informed of their offence
- presented before a magistrate within 24 hours of arrest or must have permission if being kept for more than 24 hours
- has the right to consult a lawyer and prepare a defence
how long can someone be kept in preventive detention custody without trial
3 months
list three rights of those in preventive detention
- It is only a precautionary measure
- detention beyond three months can only be extended by an advisory board.
- grounds for detention much be specified and the detainee must be informed of these, he has the right to make representation
list 2 limitations of preventive detention rights
- sometimes grounds of detention will not be disclosed due to public interest
- maximum period for detention can be specified by legislature or parliament
list the 4 grounds for preventive detention
- security of state
- maintenance of public order
- maintenance of supplies and essential services and defence.
- foreign affairs or security of india.
which is the implied fundamental right
right to information
give 2 points on right against exploitation
- abolition of human trafficking and forced labour.
- abolition of employment of children below the age of 14 years in dangerous working environments such as factories and mines
list 3 points on the right to freedom of religion
- The state will give no religion preference over the other.
- citizens are free to preach, practice and propagate religion of their choice
- the objective of this is to sustain secularism in India.
list 3 points about the cultural and educational rights
- any community with a language of script of its own has the right to conserve and develop it.
- no citizen can be discriminated against for admission in state or state aided institutes.
- minorities have the right to establish educational institutions.
what does remedies mean
to correct
list 2 reasons why constitutional remedies are there
- it empowers the citizens to move a court of law in case of any denial of fundamental rights
- our fundamental rights are meaningless unless the court prevents the violation of these rights by states, groups or individuals
list 2 reasons why constitutional remedies are the heart and soul of the constitution
- it is the most important element of the constitution
- it is the core of the constitution
who described right to constitutional remedies as the heart and soul of the constitution
Dr. Ambedkar
list the 5 writs which the supreme court of india can issue
- habeas corpus, mandamus, writ of prohibition, writ of certiorari, quo-warranto
what is the meaning of habeas corpus
“you have the body”
what does habeas corpus do
- by issuing such a writ, the high court or the supreme court can get the body of any person released if it has been unlawfully detained by any person, group or the state. It safeguards the personal freedom of an individual
what does mandamus means
‘command’
what does mandamus do
- it is a command or an order from a superior court to a lower or administrative authority to perform a certain duty.
what does the writ of prohibition do
it is an order issued by a superior court to a lower court to stop proceedings in a case which might exceed its jurisdiction
what does writ of certiorari mean
“to be informed of what is going on”
what does writ of certiorari do
- it is issued by a superior court to a judicial authority desiring to be informed of what is going on
what is the difference between prohibition and certiorari
- certiorari is issued after the order has already been passed by the lower court
which courts can issue writs
high court and supreme courts
define a writ
a formal written order issued by the supreme court and the high courts to provide legal remedies to individuals who do not obtain adequate protection under ordinary laws
what does the arbitrary actions of the state article provide for
- it provides for judicial review of all legislations in India
on what grounds can the state restrict or suspend fundamental rights
- when it concerns the security of india, public order, public morality.
list 3 points on when the fundamental rights can be restricted
- When a state of emergency is declared in case of war, external aggression or armed rebellion. Such a suspension is temporary,
- For the security of the state, parliament has the power to modify the application of fundamental rights to police, army personnel etc.
- There are some laws which restrict the use of these rights in public interests
eg-
PDA, ESMA, NSA
list 4 points point on the suspension of fundamental rights during an emergency
- the fundamental rights remain suspended while a proclamation of emergency is made by the president,
- as soon as the proclamation is made, the legislature is free to make any law and the executive has the liberty to take any action.
- The president may by order declare that the right to move a court for the enforcement of the fundamental rights shall be suspended
- The supreme and high courts shall be powerless to issue the writs or to make any other order for the enforcement of any fundamental right.
list 4 importances of the fundamental duties
- to make the citizens aware of their social and economic obligations
- to protect and awaken the people to their cultural heritage
- to tame the unruly elements in society
- to strengthen national harmony as they stir up patrioitism.
define fundamental duties
the moral obligations of all citizens to help promote a spirit of patriotism and to uphold the unity of india.
list 5 fundamental duties
- to abide by the constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the national flag and the national anthem
- to cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom
- to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India
- to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so
- to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture
state three characteristic features of fundamental rights
- they protect people against unjust discrimination among members of the community
- they dont make distinction between human beings based on race, color, religion etc.
- they give recognition to dignity and equality of all human beings
are fundamental rights justiciable
yes
define the directive principles
they are the guidelines to be followed by the government in governance of the country
are directive principles enforceable
no
list 4 differences between the directive principles and the fundamental rights
- directive principles - not justiciable or enforceable
fundamental rights- these are justiciable - directive principles- these are mere directions to the state to attain certain set goals
fundamental rights- they are a kind of restriction on the state - directive principles- these aim to establish a welfare state
fundamental rights- these aim to establish political democracy - directive principles- they are meant for the government to create privileges for citizens
fundamental rights- these are pre-existing privileges for the citizens
what is a welfare state, what do the directive principles emphasize
a state which seeks to ensure the maximum happiness of maximum number of people living within its territory.
They emphasise that the goal of the indian polity is a welfare state, where the state has a positive duty to ensure its citizens social and economic justice and dignity to the individual.
what is a democracy
a form of government in which the people have a say in who should hold power and how the power should be used
what is an election
a procedure whereby persons are chosen, by voting to represent the voters for running the government
what is a political party
a political party is a group of people holding similar views or beliefs.
what are the two types of elections
direct election, indirect elections
list 4 points on direct elections
- people of india directly elect their representatives to the lok sabha and the state legislative assemblies.
- the members of the state legislative assembly, known as MLAs are directly elected by the people of the state,
- Under the existing political system, elections are held on party lines.
- The party or a combination of parties having the largest number of legislators elect their leader from amongst themselves who is made the chief minister or prime minister.
what are the two types of legislatures
union level and state level
what is the second house at state level called
vidhan parishad
what is upper house at union level called
rajya sabha
explain the type of elections used in the upper houses
indirect elections, ie the elected representatives of the people elect the members of the upper house
describe the legislative council elections
- members of the legislative assembly vote from amongst persons who are not members of the legislative assembly
how many members are in the rajya sabha
250
describe the rajya sabha elections
238 members are elected by the members of each states legislative assembly. 12 members are nominated by the president from among persons having special knowledge or practical experience in matter such as literature, science, art, social service.
list 2 points on the election of the president of india
- they are elected indirectly by the members of an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both houses of parliament and the elected members of legislative assemblies including National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Pondicherry.
- The election takes place by means of a single transferable vote.
how is the vice president of india elected
indirectly by the members of both houses of parliament.
what are the general elections
- the elections held to elect the members of the lok sabha after expiry of the normal term of 5 years.
what is a mid-term election
the type of elections held when a state legislative assembly or the lok sabha is dissolved before the completion of its full term.
what are by-elections
an election conducted to fill up particular vacant seats due to reasons such as resignation or death.
state 4 differenced between direct and indirect elections
- direct: people vote directly for their representatives.
indirect: people elect their representatives indirectly through their elected representatives - direct: every adult person holds the right to vote
indirect: every elected representative holds the right to vote - direct: theres a large body of voters called electorate
indirect: there is a small body of voters - direct: members of legislative assemblies and members of lok sabhas are elected directly
indirect: members of state legislative councils, members of rajya sabha, president of india and vice president of india are elected indirectly
list 3 points on the election commission
- india being a federal country, makes provisions for holding elections for both central and state legislatures
- hence elections need to be free and fair with wide participation.
- keeping in view with the great impact and significance of elections, the constitution has made detailed provisions for the free and fair conduct of elections.
who make up the election commission
two commissioners and one chief commissioner
who appoints the election commissioners
the president of india
List 3 points on terms of office as conditions of service
- They are appointed for a term of 6 years, during this tenure if they attain the age of 65 years, they shall vacate the office
- The salary of the election commissioners shall be equal to the salary of a supreme court judge. They are also entitled to pension
- Any difference of opinion between the chief election commissioner and the other commissioners shall be decided in favor of the majority opinion
What were large towns during the gupta age called
Janapadas
List 3 points on gupta town administration
- they were administered by a committee of 5, some towns were administered by parishads
- towns were placed under an officer called purapal
- in some towns there were guilds of artisans (kulika) and merchants (shreshti) who were associated with administration
