VI CLASS(IAS) - HISTORY

CLASS : VI Sub : HISTORY(IAS)

UNIT – I – STUDY OF PAST

1. History of India : Periodisation and Sources

1. What is History?
A. History is defined as the record of achievements in civilization and culture attained by the people or nation in the onward march of time.

2. Into how many periods is Indian History divided? Name them.
A. Indian History is divided into three periods. They are: 1. Ancient
period 2. Medieval period and 3. Modern period.

3. What are the sources of Indian History?
A. The main sources of Indian History are – Archaeological sources and Literary sources.

4. What are the different archaeological sources?
A. The different archaeological sources are : 1. Material sources , 2. Inscriptions and 3. Coins.

5. To which ruler do the earlier stone inscriptions, now available
belong?
A. The earlier inscriptions that are available in India belongs to the period of Emperor Ashoka.

6. How do coins help us to reconstruct our history?
A. In Kushan and Gupta period, figures of the rulers were inscribed on the coins. These figures help us to know about the physical features and personality of the rulers. Moreover the coins help us to know about the economic conditions and the extent of prosperity which prevailed during that time.

7. What are literary sources? Give few examples.
A. Written records or books are called literary sources. Works such as Vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata, the Tripitakas , works written by foreign ambassadors such as Megasthenese and foreign travellers like Fa-hein and Huein Tsang and books written by Bana- Harshacharitha , Kalhana- Rajatarangini are few examples of literary sources.


Fill in the blanks:
1. Amaravati is in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
2. The earliest stone inscriptions belong to Ashoka.
3. The rulers who issued gold coins were Kushans and Guptas.
4. Sources in the form of written records or books are called Literary sources.


2. India : Its Geographical Features – Unity in Diversity

1. Why is India called a sub-continent?
A. India is called a sub-continent because:
1. It is a part of large continent and shows lot of diversity.
2. It has huge land mass.
3. It has huge population.
4. It has different seasons.
5. People belong to different regions and speak different languages.
6. Earlier there were three countries in this sub continent-India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

2. State the borders of India.
A. The borders of India are:
(i) The Himalayan Mountain ranges in the North,
(ii) The Indian Ocean in the South,
(iii) The Bay of Bengal in the East and
(iv) The Arabian Sea in the West.

3. What is Deccan plateau?
A. The plateau that lies between the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats is called the Deccan plateau.

4. Name the tributaries of the river Sindhu.
A. The tributaries of the river Sindhu are: 1. Sutlej 2. Jhelum 3.Chenab 4. Ravi and 5. Beas.

5. What is Ganga Yamuna do-ab?
A. The fertile valley formed by the rivers Ganga and Yamuna to the
east of Punjab is called Ganga Yamuna do-ab. In Hindi ‘do’ means two and ‘ab’ means river. So the Gnaga Yamuna valley is called Ganga Yamuna do-ab.

6. Where do the rivers Ganga and Yamuna join?
A. The rivers Ganga and Yamuna join at Prayaga or Allahabad and
finally flow into the Bay of Bengal.

7. Which rivers in South-India flow in westward direction?
A. In Peninsular-India the rivers Narmada and Tapati flow in the westward direction and finally join the Arabian Sea.

8. Why do rivers Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri flow from west to
east?
A. The rivers Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri flow from west to east because the Deccan plateau slopes towards the east.

9. Name the passes which enabled the foreign invaders to reach
India.
A. The Khybar and the Bolan passes enabled the foreign invaders to reach India.

10. What do you understand by ‘Unity in Diversity’?
A. ‘Unity in Diversity’ is the special feature of Indian civilization. The spirit of unity among the people of different races and religions and speaking different languages is called ‘Unity in Diversity’.

11. What is the number of languages recognized by the Indian
constitution?
A. Indian constitution recognized twenty-two languages as statutary languages.

12. What do we learn from the study of Indian History?
A. The study of Indian History tells us that the time when we lacked unity, our country suffered in its development and when we were united, our country had progressed and developed.

Fill in the blanks:
1. A land mass with the sea on three sides is called a peninsula.
2. The other name for the Western Ghats is the Sahyadris.
3. The rivers Ganga and Yamuna join at Prayaga.
4. The two rivers that flow westwards and join the Arabian Sea are
Narmada and Tapati.
5. In the Asian Continent, India is a very large country
6. The Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats meet at Nilgiris.
7. India is a peninsula.
8.India lies in the southern side of the Asian continent.


3. The Pre-Historic Age

1. What is pre-historic age?
A. The period of man’s activities on the earth before the time he invented and used script to record his activities is called pre-historic age.

2. Why is the stone age called so?
A. In the stone age man made his implements or tools out of stone. So it is called as the stone age.

3. How did the man live during the old stone age?
A. 1. During the old stone age man lived like a beast.
2. He knew only to gather food.
3. He hunted animals for their meat.
4. He lived in caves.
5. He used crude implements made of flint stones.

4. Why is the new stone age an important epoch in the history of mankind?
A. (i) During the new stone age, man discovered fire and its use.
(ii) He domesticated animals.
(iii) He learnt to till the land, raise crops and cook his food.
(iv) He also learnt to build shelter to protect himself from rain or
sun.
(v) He made sharp stone implements.
(vi) He painted and made figures or pottery.
(vii) He worshipped his ancestors and animals.
Hence new stone age is an important epoch in the history of
mankind.

5. When did the Metal Age begin? Who were its founders?
A. The Metal Age began in 5000 B.C. The founders of it in India were Dravidians.

6. How did man live during the Metal Age?
A. (i) In the Metal Age man used copper and bronze to make his implements.
(ii) He cultivated land to raise crops.
(iii) He learnt to use bow and arrow, swords and lances.
(iv) He travelled on water by using small boats.
(v) He traded with distant countries like Babylonia, Egypt and Greece in corn, pepper and spices.

7. Name the languages that originated from the Dravidian language.
A. The languages that originated from the Dravidian language are Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malyalam.

8. What is the earliest civilization in India that belonged to the Metal Age?
A. The earliest civilization in India which belonged to the Metal Age
was the Indus Valley Civilization.

Fill in the blanks:
1. Man discovered fire in the New Stone Age .
2. The founders of Metal Age in India were Dravidians.
3. Telugu originated from the Dravidian language.
4. The earliest civilization in India which belonged to the Metal Age was the Indus Valley Civilization.
5. In the opinion of many historians, the founders of the Indus Valley Civilization were Dravidians.

UNIT – II
HARAPPA CULTURE OR THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

1. Where and when was the Indus valley civilization discovered?
A. The Indus valley civilization was discovered at two places namely Harrapa and Mohenjadaro in 1922.

2. Why was the Indus Valley Civilization also called as Indus Valley Civilization , Harappa Culture and Copper –Stone Civilization?
A. The Indus Valley Civilization was also called as Indus Valley
Civilization , Harappa Culture and Copper –Stone Civilization because:
(i) It flourished in the river valley of Indus .
(ii) It was first discovered in the city of Harappa.
(iii) In that age people made their implements with copper and
also stone.

3. Mention the sites where the Indus Valley Civilization has been discovered.
A. The Indus Valley Civilization has been discovered at Harappa , Mohenjadaro both in the present Pakisthan Ropar in Punjab, Banvali in Haryana, Kalibangan in Rajasthan, Alamgipur in Uttar Pradesh and Lothal , Rangapur and Dholvira in Gujarat.

4. Describe the skill of the Indus people in town planning.
A. The Indus people were experts in town planning.
(i) In Mohenjadaro and Harappa the roads were long and wide.
(ii) The roads and lanes cut each other at right angles, with
rectangular blocks of houses in the interspace.
(iii) The houses of the rich were of one or two storeys and that of
poor were of one or two rooms.
(iv) Generally every house had a well.
(v) Sewage water was sent out by drain pipes.
(vi) All the drain pipes opened into a Central drainage canal
which ran underground in the middle of each street.
(vii) Houses and drainage canals were built of well –burnt
bricks.
(viii) This underground drainage system points to the great skill
of the Indus people in town planning.

5. Describe the Great Bath.
A. (i) A swimming pool at Mohenjadaro is called The Great Bath which was built with great skill.
(ii) This was a brick construction.
(iii) It had rows of steps on its north and south and a sluice in
one corner to let out the water.
(iv) All around the pool there was a corridor with rooms behind
it in two storeys.
(v) In one of the rooms there was a well and stairs to reach the
upper storey.
(vi) Water was sent into the pool from this well.
(vii) There was also an arrangement to send hot water into the
pool.

6. Write about the religious beliefs of the Indus people.
A. The Indus people were mainly worshippers of the Mother Goddess.
(ii) They also worshipped Siva as Pasupathi.
(iii) The practice of worshipping the.
(iv) Many idols of the Mother goddess were found in the Indus cities.
(v) A seal with a figure of Siva as Pasupathi was found.
(vi) Around the figure of Siva , the figures of a deer, and
elephant, a rhinoceros and a buffalo were also found.
(vii) The Indus people worshipped snakes and water too.
(viii) There were animal sacrifices. They also built fire-cult.

7. Describe the dress and ornaments of the Indus people.
A. 1. The Indus people wore cloths woven of wool and cotton.
2. Both men and women adorned themselves with ornaments made of gold, silver, copper, bronze, precious stone and shell.

8. What are the pastimes of the Indus people?
A. The pastimes of the Indus people were music, dance and playing
chess.

9. What do you know about the Indus script?
A. 1. The Indus people wrote in a pictographic script.
2. This script was written from left to right, and from right to left.
3. This kind of writing is called ‘Boustrophedan (as the ox tills).
4. Till now no body is able to read this script.
5. According to some scholars, this script represent Tamil or Dravidian, according to others, it represents Sanskrit language.

10. When did Indus valley civilization flourish? What were the
causes for the destruction of the Indus civilization ?
A. 1. Indus Valley civilization flourished in BC 2300 to 1750.
2. It was destroyed because of Indus floods and Aryan invasions after BC 1800.

II. Fill in the blanks :-
1. The Indus Valley civilization was discovered in the year 1922.
2. The Indus Valley civilization flourished during the period 2300 – 1750 BC.
3. The port – town of the Indus civilization was Lothal port.
4. The Goddess worshipped by the Indus people was Mother Goddess.
5. The God worshipped by the Indus people was Pasupati.
6. The script of the Indus people is called Boustrophedon, pictographic script.

UNIT – III
1. ARYANS.
(a) EARLY VEDIC OR RIG VEDIC CIVILIZATION

1. What do you know of the original home of the Aryans?
A. 1. Many historians are of the opinion that the Aryans, were not
the original inhabitants of India and that they came here from
countries outside India.
2. The original home of the Aryans has been differently mentioned as the Arctic region, Southern Russia, Hungary and Germany.

2. In which region of India did Aryans originally settle?
A. 1. The Aryans first settled in the Sindh and the Punjab regions.
2. By BC 1000 they moved east and reached the Ganga Yamuna
do - ab and settled there.

3. By what name did the Aryans refer to the people of the Indus civilization ?
A. Aryans referred to the people of the Indus civilization as ‘Dasyus’.

4. By destroying whose cities did Aryans settle in the Sindh and Punjab regions ?
A. By destroying the cities of Indus people the Aryans settled in the Sindh and Punjab regions.

5. What are the Vedas? Name them.
A. 1. Vedas are the sacred books of the Aryans.
2. They are four in number.
3. They are :- a) Rig Veda
b) Sama Veda
c) Yajur Veda
d) Atharvana Veda

6. In which language were the Vedas composed.
A. Vedas were composed in Sanskrit language.

7. What are Aryan languages?
A. 1. The language of the Aryans was Sanskrit.
2. Many of the present day languages in North India, such as Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali etc. originated from Sanskrit.
3. That is why these languages are called Aryan languages.

8. What is the famous battle fought among the Aryan clans?
A. The famous battle fought among Aryan clans was ‘Dasarajana’ or battle of “Ten Kings”.

9. How did India come to be called as Bharatadesa?
A. After the name of the Aryan clan Bharata, our country came to be called as Bharatadesa.
10.How were the Aryans and the Dasyus distinguished?
A. 1. The Aryans and the Dasyus were distinguished by their colour.
2. Aryans were bright in complexion and the Dasyus were of dark complexion.

11. Who was ‘Rajan’ ?
A. The leader of the Aryan clan, who led the armies in battle was
called Rajan or King.

12. Name the officials who helped ‘Rajan’ in his administration ?
A. The officials who helped ‘Rajan’ in his administration were the Senani (the commander) and the Purohit (priest).

13. What was the village official called during Rig Vedic times ?
A. The village official during the Rig Vedic times was called ‘Gramani’.

14. What were the main occupations of the Rig Vedic Aryans ?
A. 1. The main occupations of the Aryans were cattle – rearing and agriculture.
2. The other professionals were the potter, the carpenter, the weaver, the leather worker and the chariot – maker.

15. What is a patriarchal family ?
A. In the Aryan society father was the head of the family and had all the power over the members of the family. Such a family is called patriarchal family.

16. Name the intoxicant drinks of the Rig Vedic Aryans ?
A. The intoxicant drinks of the Rig Vedic Aryans were Soma and
Sura.

17. Which gods did the Aryans worship ? Give the names of these
gods?
A. 1. The Aryans worshiped nature Gods.
2. Some of their important Gods were Indra, Agni (fire), Varuna, Vayu (wind), Akasa (ether), Bhumi (earth), Ushas (dawn) and Aswin.

18. How did the caste system evolve?
A. 1. Caste system was evolved by the Aryans.
2. The Aryan society was divided into three classes – the Brahmins (priests), the Kshatriyas (the military leaders) and the common people, called the Vaishyas.
3. In course of time, they also took into their fold the Dasyus, as the fourth and the lowest class and called them as Sudras.
4. These classes were called as varnas (castes).
5. Thus came into existence the four – fold (Varna Dharma] caste system in India.

(b) LATER VEDIC CIVILIZATION

1. In which regions did the Aryans settle during the Later Vedic Age ?
A. By the Later Vedic Age, the Aryan clans settled in the fertile regions of the Ganga – Yamuna do-ab.

2. To which Aryan clan did Kauravas and Pandavas belong ? Which epic tells us of the war between them?
A. The Kauravas and Pandavas belonged to the Kuru clan. The epic Mahabharatha tells us of the war between them.

3. Which is the earliest epic ? Who is its author ?
A. The earliest epic was ‘Ramayana’ and its author was Valmiki.

4. How many kingdoms did the Aryans establish by the end of the Later Vedic Age ? What is the name given to them ?
A. The Aryans established 16 kingdoms by the end of the Later Vedic Age. They named them as ‘Shodasa Mahajanapadas’ .

5. Describe the social and religious conditions of the Later Vedic Age ?
A. 1. By the Later Vedic times, the caste system gained its strength.
2. The Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas were considered as upper castes.
3. The Sudras had no facilities, powers or respect in the society.
4. Yagnas and Yagas gained more importance.
5. Yajurveda and the texts called the Brahmanas explain how these sacrificial rituals were to be performed.
6. During, this time, common dining among the different castes and inter-caste marriages were prohibited.
7. Women lost some of their freedom and respect in the society.

6. Which books are called Vedantas ? What do they tell us ?
A. 1. The Upanishads which are the last portion of Vedas are called Vedantas.
2. They tell us that God’s realisation or Moksha can be got only through right knowledge or Jnana.

Fill in the blanks :-
1.The book which tells of the early Vedic civilization is Rig Veda.
2.The Vedas are in the Sanskrit language.
3.The Aryans destroyed the cities of the Dravidians and settled in the
Sindh and the Punjab.
4.The famous battle fought among the Aryan clans was Dasarajna.
5.Our county was called Bharatadesa, after the name of the Aryan
clan called Bharat.
6.The author of the Mahabharata was Vyasa.
7.The author of the Ramayana was Valmiki.
8. Ramayana is also called the Adikavya.
9.Upaishads are called the Vedanta.

JAINISM AND BUDDHISM – VARTHAMANA MAHAVIRA
AND GAUTAMA BUDDHA

1. Why was the caste system resented ?
A. 1. By the sixth century BC caste system gained in strength and created hatred and ill – feeling among the different castes.
2. The Brahmins began to look down as their inferiors not only the Vaishyas and the Sudras, but also the Kshatriyas who wielded political power.
3. So, the other caste people resented the caste system.

2. Why were the Yagnas and Yagas condemned ?
A. 1.Brahmins alone had the authority to conduct Yagnas and yagas.
2. In these Yagnas and yagas a large number of cattle were
sacrificed. Such killing of cattle resulted in a loss of agriculture.
Therefore many people resented the performance of yagnas and
yagas and more particularly the killing of animals.

3. What were the reasons for the founding of the Jainism and Buddhism.
A. Denying the superiority of the Brahmins in society and condemming the killing of animals in sacrifice, Vardhamana Mahavira and Siddhartha Gautama, both of whom were Kshatriyas founded new religions. Vardhamana Mahavira founded Jainism and Buddhism was founded by Gauthama.

4. Who is the 24th Trithankara ? What are his main teachings ?
A. 1. The 24th Trithankara was Vardhamana Mahavira.
2. Mahavira taught five principles.
3. These are called the panchavratas or the five vows
They are :- 1. Satya or speaking truth.
2. Ahimsa or non- violence.
3. Asteya or not desiring the other people’s
property.
4. Aparigraha or not possessing property or anything
more than one needs.
5. Brahmacharya or not having a married life.

5. Mention the main teachings of Gautama Buddha ?
A. The teachings of the Buddha are called Arya Satyas or noble
truths. In these, he preached that desires are the cause of sorrow and hence, man should lessen his desires. He suggested a way or path by following which one can lessen one’s desires. This is known as ‘Ashtangamarga’ or the eight fold path. It consists of eight principles of conduct like truth, non-violence, etc.

6. Who were the kings who patronised Buddhism ? In which
countries did it spread ?
A. 1. Great kings and emperors like Ajatasatru, Asoka, Kanishka
and Harsha patronised Buddhism. Under their patronage, Buddhism spread to foreign countries like Sri Lanka, Burma, Tibet, china and Japan.It became a world religion.

7. Why did Buddhism attract the people?
A. Buddhism attracted the people because :-
1. It denied the authority of Vedas.
2. It taught social equality.
3. It condemned the killing of animas in Yagnas.
4. It did not accept the superiority of Brahmins in society.
5. The principles were easy to follow.

8. How did Jainism and Buddhism enrich Indian culture ?
A. Both Jainism and Buddhism enriched the Indian culture in several ways.Jainism and Buddhism did great service to art. The kings who patronised them, built several ‘Bhikshugrihas’, ‘Stupas’, ‘Viharas’ and temples. Sculpture and painting developed in them. The Amaravathi stupa, the Sanchi stupa, the sculpture of Buddha at Sarnath, the Ajanta paintings, etc., are some of the great contributions of Buddhism to Indian culture. Buddhists founded Universities like the Nalanda University and promoted education and scientific knowledge. Jains also constructed some famous buildings. Some of their famous buildings are at the places like Udayagiri(Oriss), Ellora (Maharastra), Srawana Belagola (Karnataka), etc.

Fill in the blanks :-
1. Upanishads taught that salvation can be got by right knowledge.
2. The founder of Jainism was Vardhamana Mahavira.
3. The 24th Trithankara was Vardhamana Mahavira.
4. The titles of Vardhamana are Jina and Mahavir
5. The main teachings of Vardhamana Mahavira are called Pancha Vratas
6. The main teachings of Gautama Buddha are called Arya Satyas or Noble Truths.
7. The king of Magadha who became a disciple of Buddha was Ajatasatru.
8. The first sermon of Buddha made at Sarnath is called Starting of the wheel of law.

3. THE PERSIAN AND THE GREEK INVASIONS.

1. Name the persian emperor who invaded India in BC 516 ?
A. The Persian emperor who invaded India in BC 516 was Darius.

2. Mention the name of the kingdom of Alexander ?
A. The name of the kingdom of Alexander was Macedonia.

3. Which Indian king surrendered to Alexander ?
A. The Indian king who surrendered to Alexander was Ambi – the ruler of Takshasila.

4. Name the Indian king who fought with Alexander ? Why did Alexander admire him ?
A. 1. The Indian king who fought with Alexander was Porus (Purushotham) – the ruler of Punjab region.
2. Alexander admired Porus for his courage and conduct.

5. Why did not Alexander cross Beas and invade North India ?
A. Alexander did not cross Beas and invade North India due to the following reasons :-
1. By that time it was already eleven years since the Greek soldiers had been engaged in battles. So, they were against fighting any more battles and refused to cross the Beas.
2. Moreover, they heard of the mighty military strength of the Nandas and feared to fight with them

6. Who liberated the places occupied by Alexander in India ?
A. Chandra Gupta Maurya the ruler of Magadha kingdom liberated the places occupied by Alexander in India.

7. What were the results of Alexander’s invasion of India ?
A. The results of Alexander’s invasions of India were :-
1. For the first time trade relations were established between India and the Greek kingdoms of Central Asia.
2. The Greeks came to learn many things about Indians, particularly about the Indian religions.

Fill in the blanks :-
1. The year in which Alexander invaded India was Bc – 327.
2. The Indian king who fought with Alexander was Porus.
3. The king of Taxila was Ambi
4. The year in which Alexander died was BC 324.


UNIT – IV
THE RISE OF MAGADHA TO POWER
1. BIMBISARA AJATASATRU AND THE NANDAS

1. Name the kingdom ruled by Bimbisara and Ajatasatru ? What was their capital ?
A. The kingdom ruled by Bimbisara and Ajatasatru was Magadha. Their capital was Rajagriha.

2. Who founded Pataliputra?
A. Pataliputra was founded by Ajatasatru.

3. Whose disciple was Ajatasatru ?
A. Ajatasatru was the disciple of Gautama Buddha.


2. MAURYAN EMPIRE
1. Whom did chandragupta Maurya defeat before occupying Magadha ?
A. Chandragupta Maurya defeated Nanda kings before occupying Magadha.

2. Name the king of Syria who invaded India ? What was the result of his invasion ?
A. The king of Syria who invaded India was Selucus Nikator. The results of his invasion were.
1. Selucus Nikator made friendly treaty with Chandragupta and ceded to him Afganisthan and Baluchisthan (now in Pakisthan), they therefore became parts of Chandragupta’s empire.
2. Nikator also gave his daughter in marriage to Chandragupta.
3. In return Chandragupta gave 500 elephants to Selucus Nikator.
4. Selucus Nikator sent Megasthenes as his ambassador to the court of Chandragupta at Pataliputra.
5. Megasthenes wrote a book called “Indika” in Greek language.

3. What was the extent of Chandragupta’s kingdom ?
A. Chandragupta’s empire extended from Persia in the west to Bangladesh in the east, and to Terunelveli and Karnataka in South.

4. Who was the prime minister of Chandragupta ? Name the book written by him ?
A. Chandragupta Maurya’s prime minister was Chanakya, also called Kautilya. Kautilya wrote a book on public administration and polity. The name of the book was “Arthasastra”.

5. Whom did Selucus Nikator send as has ambassador to Chandragupta at Pataliputra ? Name the book written by this ambassador ?
A. Selucus Nikator sent Megasthenes as his ambassador to Pataliputra. The book written by him is “Indika”.

6. Give the extent of Asoka’s empire ?
A. 1. Among the kings and the emperors who ruled different countries of the world, Asoka was the greatest.
2. Asoka inherited a vast empire which extended upto Mysore in the South and from Baluchisthan in the west to Bangladesh in the east. He added Kalinga to this.

7. How did the Kalinga war influence emperor Asoka ?
A. Asoka waged a war against Kalinga. In that war nearly 1 lakh people were killed. Seeing this blood shed Asoka felt very sad. Immediately, he took a vow never to wage a war again and to rule the empire by following a policy of Dharma.

8. How did Megasthenes describe the Pataliputra ?
A. Megasthenes described about Pataliputra in his book “Indika”
1. Its length was nearly 15 km and width 2.5 km.
2. It had a wooden wall round it, with 64 gates and 570 towers.
3. Adjoining the wall, there was a moat, 600 ft. wide and 45 ft. deep.
4. Megasthenes also tells us that the city was administered by a committee of 30 members.

9. Mention the places where the stupas built by Asoka exist.
A. Among the stupas built by Asoka, the stupas at Barhut and Sanchi are famous. Some scholars say that even the stupa at Amaravathi was also built by Asoka.

10. Describe the efforts of Asoka for the spread of Buddhism ?
A. 1. Asoka took many steps for the spread of Buddhism.
2. He convened a Buddhist council or meeting in Pataliputra.
3. The council sent Buddhist missionaries to different parts of
India.
4. Asoka sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra as
Buddhist missionaries to Ceylon.
5. He dug caves for the Ajivaka monks to live in.
6. As a result of Asoka’s efforts, Buddhism became a world religion.

11. What do you know of the greatness of Asoka ?
A. 1. Among the Kings and the emperors who ruled different countries of the world, Asoka was the greatest.
2. Though Asoka had the ability and the military strength to make wars, he appears to be the only ruler who did not engage himself in wars and ruled his empire efficiently, with peace and non-violence.
3. Asoka inherited a vast empire which extended upto Mysore in the South and from Baluchistan in the west to Bangladesh in the east.
4. He followed a policy of Dharma.
5. Asoka strove for the welfare of his people, just as he would strive for the welfare of his own children.
6. He dug irrigational canals form a lake called “Sudarsana”. constructed by his grandfather Chandragupta Maurya.
7. For the comfort of travellers, he got trees planted along high roads and dug wells.
8. He founded hospitals not only for the treatment of men, but also for animals.
9. To set an example to his subjects in the observance of Ahimsa or non-injury to beings, he gave up meat-eating.
10. He was a great builder.
11. He built the city of Srinagar in Kashmir.
12. He took many steps for the spread of Buddhism.
13. He occupies a honoured place not only in the history of India, but also in the history of the world.

12. Give the reasons for the end of Mauryan empire after Asoka.
A. Within a short time after Asoka, Mauryan empire came to an end. The reasons for that were :-
1. There was an internal fight for the throne among Mauryan princess.
2. As the power at the centre declined, feudal tribes like the Andhras and the Governors of provinces became independent.
3. At the same time, from the north-west foreigners like Greeks invaded the Magadhan empire.

I. Fill in the blanks.

1. Among the kings who ruled Magadha after Ajatasatru, the kings of the Nanda dynasty were important.
2. The author of the Arthasastra was Kautilya.
3. The name of the lake dug by Chandragupta Maurya in Gujarat was Sudharsana.
4. The author of the Indika was Megasthenes
5. The place where Chandragupta Maurya died was Sravana Belagola.
6. Ashoka waged a war against the kingdom of Kalinga.


UNIT V INDIA (B.C. 200-A.D. 300)
ANDHRA SATHAVAHANAS

1. Who were the kings that ruled over Magadha after the Mauryas?
Ans. After the Mauryas, Magadha kingdom was ruled by Sunga dynasty, after the kings of Sunga dynasty, the Kanva dynasty ruled Magadha.

2. What did Megasthenes write about the Andhras?
Ans. Megasthenes wrote about the Andhras in his book ‘Indika’, that the Andhras had thirty forts and mighty army.

3. What were the capitals of Satavahanas?
Ans. The capitals of Satavahanas were Pratishthana in Maharashtra and Dhanya Kataka in Andhra Pradesh.

4. Mention the great rulers of Satavahana dynasty. What do you know of them?
Ans. Satakarni, Pulumavi, Hala, Gautamiputra Satakarni, and Yagnasri Satakarni were the great Satavahana rulers.
1. Satakarni: He conquered the entire Deccan and extended the Satavahana kingdom.
2. Pulumavi: He invaded North India and captured Pataliputra.
3. Hala: He compiled a book called Gathasaptasati. From these poems we learn about the social conditions of those times.
4. Gautamiputra Satakarni: He conquered Sakas, Pahlavas and Yavanas, who occupied Maharashtra and Gujarat and ruled over the entire Deccan
5. Yagnasri Satakarni: He developed Foreign Trade.

5. What were the countries or regions conquered by Gautamiputra Satakarni?
Ans. Gautamiputra satakarni conquered Gujarat and Maharashtra which were occupied by Yavanas, Sakas and Pahlavas.

6. Describe the social conditions during Satavahanas time?
Ans. 1. Satavahanas promoted education, literature and arts.
2. Many famous books were written in Prakrit and Sanskrit languages.
3. Their kingdom was like a bridge between the North Indian and South Indian Cultures.
4. They encouraged handicrafts and industrial manufactures.

7. Where do you find the Buddhist viharas and cave temples of the Satavahana times?
Ans. We find the Buddhist Viharas and cave temples of the Satavahana times at Nasik, Karle, Kanheri, Bhaja etc; in Maharashtra.

8. Mention the famous books of the Satavahana times.
Ans. The famous books of the Satavahana times were
1. Brihat Katha by Gunadhya.
2. Gathasaptasati by Hala.
3. A Sanskrit grammar book called “Katantra” by Sarva Varma.
4. A number of Sanskrit books by Nagarjuna, the great Buddhist philosopher.

9. What is the most famous stupa of satavahana times in Andhradesa?
Ans. The most famous stupa of satavahana times in Andhradesa was “Amaravati stupa”.

THE SANGAM AGE

1. What are Dravidian languages?
Ans. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are Dravidian languages.

2. What are the Tamil kingdoms mentioned in the Asokan inscriptions?
Ans. The Tamil kingdoms mentioned in the Asokan inscriptions were- Chola, Chera and Pandya kingdoms.

3. What do you understand by the word ‘sangam’?
Ans. Sangam refers to an assembly of scholars and poets in Madurai, the capital of the Pandya kingdom.

4. What were the three kingdoms in Tamilakam or the Dravida country?
Ans Chola kingdom, Pandya Kingdom and Chera kingdom were in Tamilakam or the Dravida country.

5. Describe the greatness of Karikala Chola.
Ans. Karikala Chola was a great king among the Chola rulers.
1. He was a great conquerer.
2. He established Chola rule by conquering the Chera and Pandya rulers.
3. Karikala built dams across the river Kaveri and dug canals and improved agriculture in the Tanjavur region of the Chola kingdom
4. He cleared the forests and built new villages.
5. He encouraged industries and foreign trade. Kaveripattanam was a great center of foreign trade.
6. Karikala built many temples for Siva.
7. He patronised many poets and scholars.
As Karikala was a very great ruler many ruling dynasties in the Andhra and Tamil countries claimed their descent from Karikala.

6. Describe the conditions during the Sangam period.
Ans. During this age Tamil poets and scholars produced many great works and poetical classics. As a result of the contact of the Tamilians with the Aryan culture, many Sanskrit words entered into the Tamil Language. Aryan’s religious customs and the caste system also entered into the Tamilnadu. Jainism and Buddhism also entered into the Tamilnadu. During the sangam period, there were trade relations between Tamilakam and the Roman Empire.

7. Mention the important works in sangam literature.
Ans. The important works of sangam literature were “Silappadikaram” and “Manimekalai”.

KUSHANS AND KANISHKA

1. Give an account of Kanishka’s conquests.
Ans. 1. Kanishka ruled from A.D. 78 to 120.
2. He conquered the country up to Pataliputra and entire North India.
3. He conquered Kashmir.
4. He invaded the Chinese empire, defeated the emperor of China and
took his title “Devaputra”.

2. Describe the services of Kanishka to Buddhism. Why is Kanishka called a second Ashoka?
Ans. 1. Kanishka followed the Mahayana Buddhism.
2. Like Ashoka, Kanishka also held a huge Buddhist council, sent missionaries and spread Mahayana Buddhism up to China.
3. This council is called the fourth Buddhist council.
4. For these reasons, Kanishka is called a second Ashoka.

3. Give an account of the poets and scholars patronised by Kanishka
Ans. Kanishka patronised many poets and scholars
1. Nagarjunacharya, the court poet of Kanishka wrote many books on Buddhism.
2. Charaka the court physician of Kanishka wrote Charaka samhitha.
3. Aswaghosha, the court poet of Kanishka wrote Buddhacharita.


GUPTA EMPIRE (300 A.D. TO 800 A.D.)

1. Who was the founder of the Gupta dynasty? What do you know of him?
Ans. 1. The founder of Gupta dynasty was Chandragupta I
2. He ruled from A.D. 320 to A.D. 330.
3. In Chandragupta I kingdom places like Bihar, and the region up to
Allahabad (prayaga) in Eastern Uttar Pradesh were included.
4. Pataliputra (Patna) was the capital of the Gupta kingdom.
5. Chandragupta assumed the title Maharajadhiraja, and started the Gupta era, after the name of his dynasty.

2. Why is Samudragupta called an Indian Napoleon?
Ans. 1. Samudragupa was the son of Chandragupta I . He ruled from A.D. – 320 to 375.
2. He was an able ruler.
3. He was a great conqueror
4. By his conquests in all the direction he extended the Gupta empire.
5. Because of his victories in North India and South India, he was
called ‘Indian Napoleon’

3. What were the achievements of Chandragupta II?
Ans. Chandragupta II was the son of Samudragupta. He ruled from A.D. 375 to 415. He destroyed Sakas and assumed the titles of ‘Sakari’ and Vikaramaditya. He made Ujjain of Malawa as the Second capital. His court was adorned by nine poets known as ‘Navaratnas’. During his time trade was developed between India and Rome.

4. What did Fahien say to the Gupta Empire?
Ans. 1. During the time of Chandragupta II, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim, Fahien came on a pilgrimage to India
2. Fahien wrote that the Gupta empire was peaceful and that there were no rigorous punishments.
3. He further said that the people were peace loving and they did not consume liquor and meat.

5. Mention the works of Kalidasa.
Ans. 1. Among the poets and scholars who adorned the court of Chandragupta Vikaramaditya, Kalidasa was very famous.
2. Kalidasa wrote three great dramas in Sanskrit language.
3. These dramas are Abhijnana Sakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram and Vikramorvasiyam.
4. He also wrote three great poetical works namely Raghuvamsam. Kumarasambhavam and Meghasandesam.

6. Mention the reason for calling the Gupta age as the classical or golden age.
Ans. 1. During Gupta times, India became politically important.
2. Gupta empire flourished with prosperity and peace.
3. In literature science and arts there was great development during Gupta times.
4. Because of these reasons in Indian history, the Gupta age is called the classical Age or the Golden age.


EMPEROR HARSHA (A.D.-606 – 647)

1. What did Hieun – Tsang tell of Harsha?
Ans. 1. Hieun- Tsang, the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim informs us through his book called the Si – Yu- Ki that Harsha conquered the entire North India with in 6 years after coming to throne.
2. He told that Harsha was an able administrator who cared for the welfare of the people.
3. Harsha was the follower of Buddhism and once in 5 years conducted huge religious assembly in Prayaga called the Maha Moksha Parishat.
4. In this assembly he gifted all his wealth among the Buddhist monks and the poor people.
5. He also told that Harsha was a poet and a dramatist.

2. Mention the works written by Harsha and by the poets who adorned his court.
Ans. 1. The works written by Harsha are Priyadarshika, Ratnavali and
Naganandam.
2. Bana the court poet wrote ‘Kadambari’ and Harsha Charita’.

3. Describe the University of Nalanda.
Ans. 1. During Harsha’s time, the Nalanda University in Bihar became very famous.
2. It attracted students from several countries of the Asian Continent such as China, Japan and Korea.
3. In this University there were 1500 teachers and 10,000 students.

4. Given an account of the Muslim invasion over North India, after Harsha.
Ans. After Harsha, North India lost its political unity and was divided into small kingdoms.
1. In 712 A.D. the Arabs conquered Sindh region.
2. Between 1000 A.D. and 1026 Mohammed Ghazni invaded India for 17 times.
3. In A.D. 1192 Mohammed Ghori defeated and killed Prithviraj Chauhan in the battle of Tarain.
4. After the death of Mohammed Ghori in 1205, Qutubuddin Aibak became the Sultan of Delhi in 1206.

5. How could the Muslims easily conquer North India? Give reason.
Ans. The Muslims could easily conquer North India as there was no political unity among the Rajputs.

PALLAVAS

1. Describe the many sided genius qualities of Mahendravaram I
Ans. Mahendravarma I, the son of Simhavishnu, is a many – sided genius. He was a painter, musician and a dramatist. He bore the title Vichitra Chitta or the Curious Minded. He patronised Appar, one of the Nayanars. The Nayanars were great devotees of Lord Shiva. Mahendravarma was the first to built cave temples in Tamil Nadu.

2. What are the achievements of Narasimhavarma?
Ans. 1. Narasimhavarma I ruled from A.D. 630 to 675.
2. He bore the title Mahamalla and after his title, he built the port town of Mahamallapuram.
3. Narasimhavarma I built small temples or Pagodas called Pancha Pandava Rathas in Mahabalipuram.
4. Narasimhavarma I killed Pulakesin II in a battle and occupied the Chalukyan kingdom.

3. How can you say that Pallavas patronised and promoted Hinduism?
Ans. 1. The Pallava kings followed and patronised the Saiva and Vaishnava
creeds.
2. They built a beautiful temple of Shiva on the sea shore at Mahabalipuram.
3. This is known as the shore temple.
4. They also built the Kailasanatha temple and the Vaikuntha Perumal temple in Kanchi.
5. There is huge and beautiful sculpture panel called ‘Descent of the Ganges’ in Mahabalipuram.
6. In Kanchi and at other places the Pallava kings founded colleges called Ghatikasthanas to educate the people in sankrit language and Vedas.
7. During Pallava times, Hindu culture spread to Java, Sumatra and other Islands of the Indian archipelago.

CHALUKAYS

1. Describe the conquests and victories of Pulakesin – II
Ans. 1. Pulakesin II ruled from A.D- 609 to 642.
2. He defeated the Pallava king Mahendravarma – I in a battle and conquered entire coastal region in Andhra Desa.
3. On the banks of the river Narmada, he defeated emperor Harsha, who made a bid to conquer the Deccan.

2. Where do we find the temples built during chalukyan times?
Ans. We find the temples which were constructed by Chalukyas at Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal.


THE ARAB CONQUEST OF SINDH

1. What are the main characteristics of Islam?
Ans. The main characteristics of Islam are:
1. Worship of one God.
2. Not worshipping idols.
3. Worshipping God without attributes.
4. Social equality and a simple way of worship.

2. What were the aims of the Arab invasion of Sindh in A.D- 712?
Ans. Arabs invaded the Sindhu region, with a view to establish a Muslim kingdom and spread Islam.

3. What is the result of the Arab invasion of Sindh?
Ans. The results of the Arab invasion of Sindh were
1. The Arabs translated in their language many scientific books on mathematics and medicine, available in India.
2. Through the Arabs, the European countries became familiar with Indian culture.

INDIAN CULTURE ABROAD

1. To which regions, kingdoms and Islands had the Indian culture spread in the ancient period?
Ans. In the ancient period, Indian culture or Hindu culture spread to foreign regions and kingdoms such as Simhala (Ceylon), Burma, Thailand (Siam), Central Asia, China, Japan, Sumatra, and Kampuchea (Cambodia).

2. Who were the missionaries sent by Asoka for the spread of Buddhism?
Ans. Asoka sent his son Mahendra and his daughter Sanghamitra as missionaries to Simhala (Srilanka) for the spread of Buddhism, he also sent Buddhist missionaries to Burma, then known as Suvarnabhumi.

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