DAV Class 6 SST Chapter 12 Question Answer – Janapadas and the Mahajanapadas (600-100 BCE)

These DAV Class 6 Social Science Book Solutions and DAV Class 6 SST Chapter 12 Question Answer – Janapadas and the Mahajanapadas (600-100 BCE) are thoughtfully prepared by experienced teachers.

DAV Class 6 SST Ch 12 Question Answer – Janapadas and the Mahajanapadas (600-100 BCE)

DAV Public School Class 6 SST Chapter 12 Question Answer – Janapadas and the Mahajanapadas (600-100 BCE)

Something To Know

A. Tick (✓) the correct option.

Question 1.
What does the word Janapada literally mean?
(a) the king
(b) the group
(c) the land
(d) the law
Answer:
(c) the land

Question 2.
In which category the Sakyas of Kapilvastu can be placed ?
(a) Guns any tias
(b) Janapadas
(c) Mahajanapadas
(d) Sabhas
Answer:
(a) Guns any tias

Question 3.
Ajatshatru shifted his capital from Kajgriha to
(a) Vaishali
(b) Kausarnbi
(c) Champa
(d) Pal chip utra
Answer:
(d) Pal chip utra

Question 4.
The supreme head of the slate chosen by the people was
(a) Ruja
(b) Mahamatras
(c) Ayuktas
(d) Gnurard
Answer:
(a) Ruja

Question 5.
Which one of the following emerged as the most powerful Mahuianapuda?
(a) Anga
(b) Vaisa
(c) Avanti
(d) Magadha
Answer:
(d) Magadha

B. Fill in the blanks.

1. were the kingdoms where the kings wer e not hereduaiy.
2. King never tolerated any inefficient optimal.
3. The capital of the riakyas was
4. The people of Magadha raised crops in a year
5. The head of the artisans’ association was known as .
Answer:
1. Ganasanghas
2. Bimbisara
3. Kapilvastu
4. three
5. shrenee

C. Write True or False for the following statements.

1. The Varna system was based on birth.
2. Vaishyas were called Sangrahitris.
3. Gramini helped the king in his central administration.
4. Magadha had a flourishing long distance trade.
5. There was no assembly in the Republics.
Answer:
1. True
2. False
3. False
4. True
5. True.

D. Answer the following questions in brief.

Question 1.
What were Mahajanapadas? Name any four of them.
Answer:
In the beginning, people belonging to same tribe inhabited a Janapada, but with the expansion of their territories through conquests, they came to be known as Mahajanpadas. Magadha, Vatsa, Avanti and Kosala were some of the important and strong Mahajanpadas.

Question 2.
What was the status of Magadha under the Nandas?
Answer:
An important dynasty to rule Magadha was the Nanda dynasty established by Mahapadma Nanda. Magadha attained a very prestigious position under the Nandas. They extended the territories of Magadha further. The last King of Nanda dynasty was Ghanananda. He ruled from 345 BCE to 322 BCE.

Question 3.
What made the people drift away from Brahamanism?
Answer:
The rigidity of Varna System and the strict rituals made the people drift away from Brahamanism and Hinduism.

Question 4.
Mention any two achievements of Ajatshatru.
Answer:
Ajatshatru annexed Kosala, Kashi, and Vaishali and extended his empire. He built a fortress to keep a watch over Lichachhavi’s ruler to the north of River Ganga.

Question 5.
What was a guild? What was its main purpose?
Answer:
People of different vocations had their own organisations which were called as guilds. Each guild had its own head known as shrine. The traders had to pay taxes to the King.

E. Answer the following questions.

Question 1.
How did Magadha emerge as the most powerful Mahajanapada? Explain.
Answer:
Magadha emerged as the most powerful Mahajanapada as it conquered the territories of other Mahajanapadas. Matrimonial alliances with daughters of other rulers was also a step towards expanding power. All the important Mahajanapadas like Vatsa, Kosala, Avanti, Matsya, Anga and Kashi later became parts of Magadha empire.

Also an advantageous geographical position as Ganga and its tributaries helped in improving transport, water supply and fertility of land. Agriculture was wide spread and productive. Magadha had a large army equipped with effective weapons of iron.

It was the first state to have a powerful elephant army in its unit. An efficient military and civil administration, efficient money system, harmonious social structure and well-constructed bridges and roads made Magadha first amongst the sixteen Mahajanapadas of that period.

Question 2.
Highlight any four features of the Ganasanghas or Republics that existed in 600-100 BCE.
Answer:

• The Ganasanghas or Republics were administered by the rulers elected by the people of the kingdoms.
• The office of the ruler was not hereditary.
• In a Republic, each ruler was free to maintain his own army under his senapati.
• There was an assembly in each Republic which made laws.

Question 3.
Explain the administrative system of Magadha rulers.
Answer:
The important features of the adminis-trative system –

• The king was the supreme head of the state. He was the head of the army and led the wars.
• He was regarded as god among his people.
• There were many officials to assist him in discharging his duties. These officials performed the functions of the ministers. The ministers played important role in the administration.
• The king had a powerful and disciplined army which was comprised of infantry, cavalary, war elephants and chariots.

Question 4.
What was the socio-economic condition of the people under the Magadha rulers?
Answer:
The social life of the people of Magadha was based on vama system. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra were the four castes in the society. The Kshatriyas were considered better than the Brahmins. Vaishyas, known as Grihapatis, were engaged in agriculture, cattle-rearing and trade.

Shudras were assigned to serve the other three classes of the people. The family was the basic unit of the society. Women held a prestigious place in the society. They studied vedas and their education was given importance. There were some tribes living in the society. They were considered untouchables.

The economic life of the people in Magadha was sound. The main occupation of the people were cattle-rearing and agriculture. The tiller was considered to be the owner of the land that he cultivated. The land revenue was charged from ]/12th to >/6th of the total produce of the year. They usually produced three crops in a year.

The other occupations in which people of Magadha were involved included jewellery making, weaving, carpentiy, pottery-making, etc. The trade and crafts were also well-developed. The traders had to pay taxes to the king. There was a well-regulated money system. With the introduction of coins trade grew to a great extent. There was a well-developed external and internal trade.

Question 5.
Describe the Vama system. How did it start? What is its present position in India today?
Answer:
The society was divided into four vamas namely, Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras. Brahmins looked after religious matters and Kshatriyas protected the people from internal and external harm. The Vaishyas were cultivators and craftsmen. The Shudras were the labourers who served the above three classes. The vama system was started in vedic period.

The people of different vamas had the freedom to intermingle, marry or change their occupations. But, in the later vedic period, the vama system became hereditary and vexy rigid. No one was allowed to change the occupation or the vama. Later some of the new thinkers such as Gautam Buddha and Mahavira strongly opposed the hereditary domination of the Brahmins and importance attached to birth in the vama system.

The caste system gained a wrong connotation and led to discrimination. Today our Constitution guarantees right to freedom to all its citizens. There is no place for inequality and discrimination. No one can be discriminated on the basis of race, religion, caste, sex or birth.

Value-Based Question

The Magadha emerged as the most powerful Mahajanapada as it conquered the territories of other Mahajanapadas. Matrimonial alliances with daughters of other rulers was also a step towards expanding power. All these Mahajanapadas later became parts of Magadha empire.

Question 1.
How far do you agree that winning wars strengthens a nation and helps towards development? Explain.
Answer:
Do yourself.

Map Skill

On the outline map of India, locate the following Mahajanpadas and name them,
(a) Magadha
(b) Vatsa
(c) Anga
(d) Kuru
(e) Panchala
Answer:

Something To Do

Question 1.
Make a list of crafts which were in practice during the period of the Magadhan rulers and are still being practised in India.
Answer:
Do yourself.

Question 2.
Collect some pictures showing the crafts of the Magadha period.
Answer:
Do yourself.

Question 3.
In what ways are the present-day coins better than the old ones?
Answer:
Do yourself.

Question 4.
Browse through the internet and study the different coins. You can visit the National Museum in New Delhi to have a look at some very old coins.
Answer:
Do yourself.

DAV Class 6 Social Science Chapter 12 Question Answer – The Iron Age Civilisation

A. Tick (✓) the correct option.

Question 1.
Which of the following was not a Mahajanapada?
(a) Panchala
(b) Magadha
(c) Kosala
(d) Vatsa
Answer:
(a) Panchala

Question 2.
Gandhara was a
(a) Gansangha
(b) Janapada
(c) Mahajanapada
(d) none of these
Answer:
(b) Janapada

Question 3.
Which of the following was not a Gansangha?
(a) Kapilvastu
(b) Mithila
(c) Avanti
(d) Vaishali
Answer:
(c) Avanti

Question 4.
Which of the following sentences is not correct about Ajatshatru?
(a) He was the first ruler of Magadha.
(b) He was influenced by Buddhism and Jainisim.
(c) He shifted his capital to Pataliputra.
(d) He extended his empire by annex-ing Kosala, Kashi and Vaishali.
Answer:
(a) He was the first ruler of Magadha.

Question 5.
The treasurer in the Magadha empire was called
(a) priest
(b) Gramin
(c) Mantri
(d) sangrahitri
Answer:
(d) sangrahitri

Question 6.
The coins used in the Magadha empire were made of
(a) copper
(b) Silver
(c) both (a) and (b)
(d) neither (a) nor (b)
Answer:
(c) both (a) and (b)

Question 7.
Ujjayani is in
(a) Uttar Pradesh
(b) Bihar
(c) Madhya Pradesh
(d) West Bengal
Answer:
(c) Madhya Pradesh

B. Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What are the sources of information about India that existed about 600 BCE?
Answer:
The scriptures of Buddhism, Jainism and the traditional literature or Puranas are the sources of information about India that existed during 600 BCE

Question 2.
What do you mean by sangha?
Answer:
Sangha means an organisation or association.

Question 3.
What is meant by Janapada?
Answer:
Janapada was a region inhabited by a tribe or Jana.

Question 4.
Which was the most powerful Mahajanapada? Why?
Answer:
The Magadha was the most powerful Mahajanapada because it conquered the territories of other Mahajanapadas.

Question 5.
Name two Mahajanapadas which were annexed by Ajatshatru.
Answer:
Kosala and Vaishali.

Question 6.
Who became the king of Magadha after the death of Ajatshatru?
Answer:
Darshak became the king of Magadha atfter the death of Ajatshatru.

Question 7.
Name two important dynasties that ruled the Magadha after Darshak.
Answer:
Name of the two important dynasties-Shishunagas and Nandas.

Question 8.
Who was the last king of Nanda dynasty?
Answer:
The last king of Nanda dynasty was Ghanananda.

Question 9.
What were the officials assisting the king known as?
Answer:
They were known as Mahamatyas.

Question 10.
Who performed administrative functions at the state level?
Answer:
Ayukta performed administrative functions at the state level.

Question 11.
Who were considered untouchables in the Magadhan society?
Answer:
Some tribes living in the Magadhan society were considered untouchables.

Question 12.
What were the main occupations of the people of the Magadha empire?
Answer:
Their main occupations were cattle-rearing and agriculture.

C. Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Write in brief about Gansanghas or Republics. Name some of the important Gansanghas.
Answer:
Gansanghas or Republics were the kingdoms where the rulers were chosen by the people of the kingdom. The office of the ruler was not hereditary. There was an assembly in each Republic which made laws. The Raja or King was its head. Some of the important Gansanghas were Lichchavis of Vaishali, Sakyas of Kapilvastu, Vrijis of Mithila and Mallas of Pava.

Question 2.
Who was Bimbisara? Write in brief about his administration.
Answer:
Bimbisara was a very powerful ruler of the Magadha empire. He was intelligent and far-sighted. He extended his empire by conquering several Mahajanapadas. He had an efficient administration. He did not like inefficient officials. He consulted the village headman called Gramini for administering the villages.

Question 3.
Give a brief description of the important large towns and famous parts that existed in 600-100 BCE.
Answer:
Important Large Towns. Champa and Vaishali Rajgriha in Bihar, Shravasti, Kausambi, Varanasi and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Mithila at Bihar-Nepal border and Ujjayani in Madhya Pradesh.
Famous Parts. Tamraparvu in Sri Lanka, Shuprik in Sopara, Bhrigu Kaccha in Broach and Pattal.

D. Long Answer Type Question

Question 1.
Give an account of the important rulers of the Magadha empire.
Answer:
The important rulers of the Magadha empire were Bimbisara, Ajatshatru and Darshak. Bimbisara was an intelligent and far-sighted ruler who extended his empire very efficiently. His capital was at Rajgriha near Patna in Bihar. He ruled from 542 BCE to 492 BCE. Ajatshatru ruled Magadha from 492 BCE to 460 BCE after the death of Bimbisara. Like Bimbisara he was also a powerful Magadha king. He established his capital Pataliputra in the village of Patali on the bank of the river Ganga.

He extended his empire by annexing Kosala, Kashi and Vaishali. He built a fortress to keep a watch over Lichachhavi. Darshak ruled Magadha from 460 BCE to 444 BCE According to Puranas, he became king after the death of Ajatshatru. Two important dynasties-Shishunagas and Nandas ruled Magadha afterwards. Magadha attained a very prestigious position under the Nandas. They extended the territories of Magadha further.