CAMBRIDGE CONNECTION

HISTORY AND CIVICS

Teacher’s Book
Second Edition

6
Dr. M. P. Rozario
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 Preface
Cambridge Connection: History and Civics, Second Edition, is a series of textbooks for Classes 6–8,
designed as per the curriculum prescribed by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations
(CISCE). This three-level series not only prepares the students for the more detailed study of History
and Civics in high school but also motivates them to do so with enjoyment, interest and curiosity.
Cambridge Connection: History and Civics, Second Edition, Teacher’s Book aims to assist the teachers
in making classroom teaching come alive through numerous ideas and suggestions on effective
instruction. It includes teaching ideas and lesson plans for each chapter to aid the teachers in
teaching the content in an effective and engaging manner.
The Teacher’s Book is organised into the following sections.
Introduction
Each chapter begins with an overview of the content coverage and includes:
• Lesson Overview: A quick glimpse of the key topics that will be covered in the chapter
• Warm Up: Thought-provoking questions/activities that would help the teacher lead into the
chapter
Lesson Plan
Each chapter of the series has well thought-out and carefully prepared lesson plans to help the
teacher understand the best practices in classroom teaching. They provide tips and strategies for
using the textbook optimally to bring about the best possible results.
The lesson plans also include activity suggestions and solutions for the in-text activities of each chapter.
Answer Key
The answer key to the Exercise section provides answers to all the questions in the textbook. It
includes solutions to chapter-end exercises as well as suggestions and possible answers to open-ended
questions and activities of ‘Life Skills’, ‘Integration’ and ‘Project’.
Extended Learning
There are additional activities/questions at the end of each chapter. The activities encourage
students to not just reiterate the concepts learnt but also apply their understanding of the concepts
by answering some real-life questions, and thinking how they might behave in various situations.
Additional Enrichment Worksheets and Additional Sample Test Papers
The Teacher’s Book is supplemented with additional worksheets and additional sample test papers
to help teachers save preparatory time in framing test papers. Enrichment Worksheets allow the
students to apply their understanding of the chapters, and Sample Test Papers enforce conceptual
learning, and both serve as tools of continuous evaluation.
The teachers will find the book to be a useful companion as they take the learners through the
various realms of our society and world.
 Contents
HISTORY
Theme 1: The River Valley Civilisations 2
Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation  2
Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation  12
Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation  21
Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation  30
Additional Enrichment Worksheet 1 38
Answers to Additional Enrichment Worksheet 1 38
Theme 2: The Vedic Civilisation 40
Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta  40
Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta  49
Theme 3: Mahavira & Buddha—Great Preachers 57
Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism  57
Additional Enrichment Worksheet 2 64
Answers to Additional Enrichment Worksheet 2 64
Theme 4: Rise of Kingdoms and Republics 65
Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha  65
Theme 5: The Mauryan Empire 72
Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire  72
Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration 79
Theme 6: The Golden Age—Gupta Empire 86
Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire  86
Additional Enrichment Worksheet 3 94
Answers to Additional Enrichment Worksheet 3 94

CIVICS
Theme 1: Rural Local Self-Government 96
Chapter 12: Rural Local Self-Government96
Theme 2: Urban Local Self-Government 103
Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government103
Additional Enrichment Worksheet 4 110
Answers to Additional Enrichment Worksheet 4 110
Answers to Enrichment Worksheets of Student’s Book 111
Answers to Sample Test Paper 1 of Student’s Book 113
Answers to Sample Test Paper 2 of Student’s Book 117
Additional Sample Test Paper 1 121
Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 1 124
Additional Sample Test Paper 2 127
Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2 130
Quiz Time!138
Answers to Quiz Time! 140
HISTORY
Theme 1: The River Valley Civilisations

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Meaning of civilisation
• Reasons for the development of river valley civilisations
• Discovery and location of the Mesopotamian civilisation
• Main features of the Mesopotamian civilisation
• Contributions of the Mesopotamian civilisation to the modern world
• Decline of the Mesopotamian civilisation

Warm Up

You must have heard that some people maintain diaries for recording what happened that
day. Why do you think they do this? Discuss.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think about the possible reasons for
doing this.
Is it useful when they have to recall any past event?
Encourage them to maintain a diary entry to record what they do
each day. After some time, this diary will be the literary work of their
history, when excavated by some of their future generations.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Civilisation • Before starting with the chapter, you may • Textbook
• Bronze-age have a discussion with the students about the pages 1–2
civilisations: nomadic system of life led by early human
River beings.
Settlements • Introduce the students to the concept of
civilisation as a complex system of social
advancement, characterised by organised
life, a system of law and governance and
progress in science and arts.

2
 Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• You can trace the origin of the term
‘civilisation’ from the Latin word civis,
meaning ‘citizen’ or ‘dweller of a city’.
• Ask the students where they have heard about
the word ‘bronze’—sure enough, they must
have heard about bronze medals awarded in
competitions.
• Make them aware of bronze as a mixture of
some materials, so that it has a combination
of properties of its various constituents.
• Inform them that the early human being
had invented bronze and had started
making use of it in making tools and so the
period is called Bronze Age.
• Make them learn names of the important
civilisations of this age—Mesopotamian,
Indus Valley, Chinese and Egyptian.
• Encourage the students to think of the basic
reasons for which early human beings might
be looking forward to leading a settled life.
• Explain the role of water in the life of early
human beings – drinking, agriculture, source
of food (like fish), means of transportation, etc.
• Relate this to explain why all of the Bronze-
Age civilisations developed in river valleys.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage students to express their views about the role played by
metals in the development of cities. You may explain some common
uses of metals by early human beings, like making tools, utensils,
agricultural equipment, statues, ornaments, etc. You can then ask
them to analyse whether these things played role in shifting from a
nomadic way of life to the development of cities and civilisations.
Solution Surely, the discovery and use of metals played a vital role in the
development of cities. It brought together people to start agriculture,
exchange services, have common gods worshipped at temples,
provided a sense of mutual security, etc.

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation 3

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Location of • Use a world map and show the region of • Textbook
Mesopo- the Mesopotamian Civilisation in West Asia pages 2–6
tamian to the students. • World Map
Civilisation • You can trace the origin of the term • Picture charts
• Main ‘Mesopotamia’ from the Greek language,
meaning ‘the land between two rivers’. • Clay models of
Features of
• Relate to the previous class about how early artefacts
Mesopo-
tamian civilisations developed near rivers.
Civilisation – • Inform that the Mesopotamian Civilisation
Town developed between the Rivers Tigris and
Planning, Euphrates.
Architecture, • State the order of development of tribal
Social settlements in the region starting with
Structure, the Sumerians, followed by Babylonians,
Family Life, Assyrians—all these tribes having their own
Occupation, characteristic features which are reflected in
Trade and various phases of the civilisation.
Commerce, • Trace the discovery of the Sumerian city, Ur by
Religion and Sir Leonard Woolley in 1922 and role played
Culture by it in understanding the life at that time.
• Explain the town planning of the city of
Ur with Ziggurat as the chief temple of the
principal god.
• Inform the students about the achievements
in architecture at that time, that they were
able to construct roofs and domes using the
very limited resources available at that time.
• Discuss the division of society into upper,
middle and lower class.
• Ask the students whether our present day social
structure still represents the earliest social structure
of human settlements or has it changed.
• Explain the meaning of patriarchal society
as one controlled by males. Explain that
despite this, in the society the interests of
females were also taken care of.

4 Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation

 Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Encourage the students to compare it with
our present family life with a father being the
head of the family.
• Discuss with the students whether there is a
gender bias still present in our families, where
boys are given preference over girls.
• Sensitise the students about the evils of such
a system.
• Give an overview of the various occupational
activities of the civilisation, as agriculture
(they are considered as the first cultivators of
wheat), domestication of animals, weaving,
pottery (again they being thought as the first
to use the potter’s wheel) and metallurgy
(using metals to make various objects).
• Explain the beginning of trade through the
selling of surplus produce and then moving
on to the sale of other goods also.
• Inform the students about the religious and
cultural practices of the civilisation with
king as the chief-priest of the city.
• In the class, organise a role-play based on the
Ancient Mesopotamian Civilisation.
• Ask them to think and act as people belonging to
the Mesopotamian society and culture, and how
they would behave in a particular situation.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think and share their ideas on the matter.
Solution Some possible reasons for the classification can be:
• Closeness to the settlements (domestic animals are more likely
to be in settlements).
• Size of the remains (large animals are more likely to be wild).
• Their depiction and description in the written artefacts of the
period, etc.

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation 5

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: art integration

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore on the Internet about the various
objects belonging to the civilisation and the places where these objects
have been found.
Solution Some important artefacts of the period are:
• Cylinder seal with serpopards, Uruk
• Ram in a Thicket, Ur
• The Burney Relief, Ishtar (Old Babylonian)
• Assyrian relief, Nimrud
• Old Babylonian cylinder seal

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Contribu- • You may start the section by expressing how • Textbook
tions to the some things and activities have their roots in pages 6–8
Modern the Mesopotamian civilisation. Some such • Picture charts
World – things are written communication, literature,
• Slide
Writing and number system, measurement of time and
presentations
Literature, wheel.
Science and • Explain the style of writing—cuneiform—a
Mathematics, pictorial style of writing as developed in the
Technology civilisation.
(Invention of • Give a brief about ‘The Epic of Gilgamesh’
Wheel), Law a poem written in the script.
• Decline • Ask the students how they would keep a track
of the of things if there would have been no number
Civilisation system.
• Inform the students about the contribution
of the Mesopotamian Civilisation to
Mathematics, through the introdution of
the number system of sexagesimal.
• Explain how based on this system they
calculated time of 60 seconds, 60 minutes, etc.
• State their contribution to science and
laying of foundation for astronomy.
• Explain about one of the greatest inventions
of human beings—the wheel—and how it
was initially used as Potter’s Wheel only.

6 Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation

 Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Ask the students what would happen if there
were no police.
• Inform them about King Hammurabi of
Babylon, who came up with the first code
of law.
• Encourage the students to think and talk
about what happens when there is continuous
war between two countries.
• Ask them to think of the consequences of the
Russo-Ukrainian War.
• Explain to them that wars resulted in the
decline and end of the Mesopotamian
Civilisation.

In-text Activity 4 Skills Applied: critical thinking problem solving

Teaching Notes Brief the students about one of the important provisions of
Hammurabi’s Code of Law as ‘an eye for an eye’ which means that
whatever harm one has done to another, the same harm must be
awarded to the person as punishment.
Solution Hammurabi’s Code of Law was practical at the time it was introduced,
as it was just the beginning of civilisation and the human beings were
used to living in the wild before that. However, in the present-day world,
this is not very practical as human beings have become more civilised.
Encourage the students to devise a code of law for the class, covering
duties and responsibilities of children in the presence as well as in the
absence of a teacher, towards the teacher, towards the school, towards
classmates, etc.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Civis 2. Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians 3. Cuneiform
4. Dykes 5. Chief-priests
B. Match the following.
1. c 2. d 3. a 4. b

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation 7

C. Choose the correct answer.
1. c 2. b 3. a 4. d 5. c

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. It is a Greek word meaning ‘the land between two rivers’.
2. The society was classified into upper class—comprising nobility, middle class—
comprising the citizens and lower class—comprising the slaves.
3. The surplus agricultural produce led to the rise in trade and commerce between
the cities in Mesopotamia.
4. King Hammurabi of Babylon developed the world’s first code of law.
5. The main cause attributed to the decline of Mesopotamian Civilisation is the wars
between the cities.
6. Since the Mesopotamian region saw the rise of numerous civilisations, it is widely
referred to as the ‘cradle of civilisations’

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. All the civilisations developed in river valleys for many reasons.
a. Abundant Water: Rivers ensured abundant water supply, which could be easily
used by the entire settlement.
b. Fertile Land: The river banks had fertile soil, which facilitated the growth of
crops. Hunting was no longer essential. This gave people a lot of free time to
explore other occupations and innovations.
c. Means of Transport: As humans began inventing, barter and trade started
increasing. This led to an increase in travel and rivers allowed people to cover
long distances quickly.
2. The city of Ur was divided into three main areas: the sacred area, the walled city
and the outer town. The sacred area consisted of a massive step-pyramid structure
called Ziggurat. Ziggurat was the chief temple of the principal god of the city.
There were other smaller temples for other gods, scattered around the city. The
sacred area also had the city’s storehouse and offices. The walled city and the outer
town were the main residential areas. The narrow streets of the city were lined
with houses. However, each house would face away from the street. Each house
also had a central courtyard with rooms surrounding it.
3. Each city in Mesopotamia had a patron god. The temple of the patron god was
the largest and located at the centre of the city, while there were smaller temples

8 Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation

 of other gods throughout the city. The forces of nature, such as the sun, rain, the
moon and stars, were also worshipped. The gods were kept happy through various
rituals and practices, which were conducted by the priests. This gave rise to the
priestly class. Kings were considered the chief-priests of the city. The people of
Mesopotamia believed in life after death.
4. The most significant contribution of the Mesopotamians to the modern world
was the creation of a system of writing. By about 3200 bce, they invented and
developed a script called ‘cuneiform’. The Mesopotamians wrote on wet clay
tablets, using a stylus in the left to right direction. The clay tablet was then baked
in fire to harden it.
5. The Mesopotamians invented the number system called ‘sexagesimal’, which
regards the number 60 as supreme. This is why the division of time was based on
the unit of 60. The Mesopotamian calendar comprised 12 months of a year and
seven days of a week. They were also proficient at astronomy and could correctly
predict the eclipses. Mesopotamian astronomy laid the foundation for much of
the world astronomy.
6. Rivers played a crucial role in the development of the earliest civilisations for the
following reasons:
Water Source: Rivers provided a steady supply of water for drinking, bathing, and
cooking.
Fertile Soil: The soil near rivers is often very fertile because when rivers flood,
they deposit nutrient-rich sediment. This made it perfect for growing crops that
people needed for food.
Farming: Early people learned to build farms along the riverbanks. They could
plant their crops and easily water them using water from the river. This made it
much easier to grow lots of food to feed their communities.
Transportation: Rivers were like natural highways. People could use boats to
travel from one place to another, making trade and communication much easier.
Animals: Rivers attracted animals, providing a source of food for early humans.
They could catch fish in the rivers and hunt animals that came to drink water.
Trade: Because rivers were like natural roads, people could trade goods more
easily.
Protection: Living near rivers made it easier for early civilisations to defend
themselves. The water acted as a natural barrier, making it harder for enemies
to attack.

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation 9

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. The script is cuneiform. It is a pictorial script.

2. The Mesopotamians wrote in the left to right direction.
3. The Mesopotamians wrote on wet clay tablets, using a stylus in the left to right
direction. The clay tablet was then baked in fire to harden it. Each individual tablet
was considered a page of the book, and several tablets together formed a book.

G. Map Work.
Ask the students to get an outline map of the world and highlight the area of the
Mesopotamian civilisation after studying the maps on pages 2 and 3 of the textbook.

Life Skills Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore the Internet and prepare synopsis
of the poem.
Solution The ‘Epic of Gilgamesh’ has several lessons, but the main lesson is
that love is a motivating force. It is important to love and be loved.
Other lessons learnt from the epic are the inevitability of death and
the danger of dealing with the gods.

Integration Skills Applied: information literacy critical thinking geography

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to research about the cities that have
flourished by the side of rivers and the role of rivers in their
development till date.
• Ask the students to prepare a presentation on such cities.
Solution You may cite names of some cities that the students can work upon,
such as Kolkata, Haridwar, Guwahati, etc., in India.
Some international cities can be Berlin (Germany), Cairo (Egypt),
Dublin (Ireland), Kiev (Ukraine), London (England), Madrid
(Spain), Rome (Italy), Tokyo (Japan), Zurich (Switzerland), etc.

10 Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation

Project Skills Applied: information literacy technology literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information and make a

presentation to the class on the working of the potter’s wheel.
Solution Answers may vary.

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Define pictorial code for some alphabets. Write some words in
pictorial code and encourage the students to decode the words.
This will help the students understand how historians decode the
early age literature.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Develop your own pictorial language, where each alphabet stands for a unique image
and show in class.
2. If your locality was a civilistaion, what kind of code of conduct would you develop
for it?
3. What could cause the development of our civilisation? Compare with the points that
led to the decline of earlier civilsations.
4. Make a tablet on wet clay like the Mesopotamians did, inscribing a message to your
future generations.

Answers:
1. Answers will vary. Students will develop the language over a few weeks.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary. Some points could be: Pollution, Change in climatic conditions
4. Students will do this on their own.

Chapter 1: The Mesopotamian Civilisation 11

Theme 1: The River Valley Civilisations

Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Discovery and location of Egyptian civilisation

• Features of the Egyptian civilisation
• Contribution of the Egyptian civilisation to the modern world
• Decline of the Egyptian civilisation

Warm Up

You must have heard about pyramids. What were they used for? Why were the pyramids
treated as one of the wonders of the ancient world?
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think about the objects which were put in
the pyramids.
Explain how the dead bodies were embalmed and preserved.
Make them understand how much advancements have been made by
our ancestors in the field of medicine.
Encourage the students to make dough models of pyramids.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Location • Before starting with the chapter, you may • Textbook
and Origins have a discussion on the most important pages 12–13
feature which helped in the flourishing of the • World Map
Mesopotamian Civilisation—the closeness
to river(s).
• Introduce the students to the Egyptian
civilisation by explaining how it flourished
along the banks of River Nile.

12
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Use a world map and show the region of
the Mesopotamian Civilisation in West Asia
to the students.
• Explain why historians call Egypt the
‘The Gift of Nile’.
• Inform the students about the division
of Ancient Egypt into Kemet (the black
land or the fertile land around the river)
and Deshret (the red land or the land
surrounded by desert).
• Explain to the students how the history
of Egypt from 3000 bce to 1000 bce is
divided into the Old Kingdom, Middle
Kingdom and New Kingdom.
• Discuss the existence of Egyptian
settlements as Upper Egypt and Lower
Egypt, and how King Narmer unified the
two lands in 3100 bce.
• The last pharaoh or ‘God on Earth’ was
Cleopatra.
• Inform the students that surprisingly the
Egyptians themselves did not call their kings
‘pharaohs’. It was the Greeks and the Hebrews
who referred to them as ‘pharaohs’, which
then renamed attached to their names.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: creativity & innovation communication

Teaching Notes Inform the students about the places today where the Egyptian
Civilisation had once flourished.
Encourage the students to select a location they would like to explore
and excavate and share with the class about what they expect to find
at the place of their choice.
Solution Answers may vary.

Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation 13

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Main • Inform the students that a lot of information is • Textbook
features of not available about the civilisation. pages 13–18
the Egyptian • Discuss that the civilisation had many • Picture charts
Civilisation planned cities as well as natural or • Clay models of
covering unplanned cities (Memphis and Thebes). artefacts
town • Explain about the parallel road structure
planning, • Slide
and sun-baked brick houses and roofs.
architecture, presentations
• Explain about the architecture style of the
social civilisation which consisted of temples,
structure, pyramids made with bricks, limestone and
family life, granite.
occupation, • Inform the students that they started using
trade and dams, canals, dykes, etc., to control and
commerce, store water.
religion and • Show an image of the Sphinx, a creature with the
culture head of a human and the body of a lion, which
• Contribu- is displayed on various artefacts of the civilisation.
tions to the • Inform the students that the later Egyptian kings
modern stopped the culture of the pyramids and were buried
world – in a common ground called the Valley of the Kings.
writing, • Explain the division of society into upper
science and class, middle class and lower class which
astronomy, is more or less similar to that of the
medicine, Mesopotamian Civilisation.
mathematics • Tell the students that just like the
and paper Mesopotamians, the Egyptians too had a
patriarchal family system, meaning that the
father was the head of the family. Though
women were treated with respect, they were
expected to obey their fathers and husbands.
Girls were denied education.
• Discuss that due to being close to the river,
the main occupation of this civilisation
was agriculture, although animals were also
domesticated.
• Explain that art and craft flourished in the
form of carvings, paintings, sculptures, etc.

14 Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Inform the students that ‘relief ’, meaning
‘raised’, the style of sculpting that gives a
3-D effect to the sculptures was introduced
by the Egyptians.
• Explain about the development of trade and
commerce not only with cities but also with
other countries, the important features of
the trade being the use of animals to carry
goods and the barter system.
• Tell the students about the religious beliefs
of the civilisation, such as the worshipping
of natural forces of sun or Ra, creator or
Amun and god of dead or Osiris.
• Ask the students what they know about
mummies—the dead bodies and the process of
mummification for preserving the dead bodies
for life after death.
• Inform the students that the mummies were
preserved in pyramids along with other
things and the Great Pyramid of Giza is one
of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
• Explain the contributions of the Egyptians
in the field of writing such as the
development of the hieroglyphic or sacred
writing which was pictorial in nature.
• Inform the students about the adoption
of the solar calendar by the Egyptians,
and the division of the year into 360 days,
12 months of 30 days each.
• Explain how the process of mummification
showed the path of medicine to the world.
• Tell the students about the Egyptians’
knowledge of disease and their cure, with
priests acting as doctors too.
• Explain how they used symbols to denote
the number system with base 10.
• Inform the students that paper and ink
were invented by the Egyptians.
• Ask the students to debate whether the
Mesopotamian Civilisation was more advanced
than the Egyptian Civilisation, and why..

Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation 15

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: mathematics

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore the use of symbols in place
of numbers.
Solution
Value 1 10 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1ormillion,
many

Hieroglyph or

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Decline of • You may start the section by asking the • Textbook
the Egyptian students about the reasons for the decline page 18
Civilisation of the Mesopotamian Civilisation—the
continuous wars.
• Inform the students that with the fall
of the pharaohs, Egypt was invaded
by their contemporary dynasties in
the Mesopotamian civilisation—the
Babylonians, the Assyrians and the Persians.
• With the final conquest by Alexander the
Great, the Egyptian civilisation ended.
• Ask the students to debate whether wars are
a necessary evil or not.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Hieroglyph 2. Narmer 3. Deshret
4. Middle 5. Khufu

B. Name the following.

1. Nile 2. Memphis, Thebes 3. Ptolemy
4. Cleopatra 5. Mummification

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. a 2. c 3. c 4. b 5. d

16 Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation

D. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. The three phases of ancient Egypt are Old Kingdom (3000–2200 bce), Middle
Kingdom (2100–1800 bce) and New Kingdom (1500–1000 bce).
2. The status of the pharaoh in ancient Egypt was that of ‘God on Earth’.
3. Anubis was the god of mummification, having a human body and the head of a
jackal. He prepared the bodies of the dead received by Osiris.
4. The ancient Egyptian society was divided into Upper Class (Royal family, priests,
government officials, etc.), Middle Class (Merchants, manufacturers, craftsmen, etc.)
and Lower Class (Farmers, slaves, peasants, etc.).
5. Their chief crops were wheat, millet, barley, dates, figs and melons. They also grew
flax, which was converted into linen.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Every year the Nile would flood its banks and deposit fertile black soil. The
resulting fertile land was used for agriculture. As the river water got replenished by
rains every year, the Egyptians had constant access to fresh water for drinking and
irrigation. The river was also used for transport and navigation. This enabled the
Egyptians to interact with the Mediterranean lands and establish trade relations
with them. The water was full of fish and papyrus weed that provided food and
helped in paper-making, respectively. The harvest was bountiful, supported by
dense forests and cattle-rearing.
2. The people of Egypt strongly believed in life after death. So, they started
the practice of preserving the body of the dead through a process called
mummification. The dead bodies were embalmed using spices and natural oils
and wrapped in animal skins. Such dead bodies are known as ‘mummies’.
3. Following are the notes on ‘Trade and Commerce’ and ‘Art and Craft’ of the
Egyptian Civilisation:
a. Trade and Commerce: During pharaonic times, the Egyptians traded goods
with different cities, towns and even neighbouring countries. Goods were
transported through boats along the Nile. The construction of bridges over
the river eased the transportation of goods. Camels, mules and donkeys were
also used to transport goods by roads. Barter system was used for trade. They
traded gold, papyrus, linen, grain and artefacts in return for cedar wood,
ivory, copper, gold, iron and lapis lazuli.
b. Art and Craft: Egyptian art and craft showed carvings of human beings,
animals and nature in paintings and sculptures made of wood, stone and
ceramics. The paintings were done on the stone surfaces of tombs, temples
and palaces. The sculptors carved the statues of pharaohs using the stones and
wood. The paintings had natural colours depicting distinctive features of the

Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation 17

 figures going through their daily activities. There were skilled craftsmen, such
as painters, sculptors, carpenters, goldsmiths and potters, who toiled to meet
demands of the upper-class families.
4. The Egyptians worshipped different gods and goddesses who were believed to
control the forces of nature. Some important gods and goddesses were the sun god
Ra, the creator god, Amun, and Osiris, the god of the dead. The pharaohs were also
worshipped as gods. Each god was assigned a temple and many temples had more
than one deity. Many Egyptian gods had human bodies with animal heads. The
people of Egypt strongly believed in life after death. So, they started the practice of
preserving the body of the dead through a process called mummification.
5. The glory of the Egyptian civilisation began to decline by around 1100 bce. With the
fall of the pharaohs, the Egyptian state faced repeated invasions from the Babylonians,
Assyrians and Persians. In 332 bce, Alexander the Great, the king of Macedon,
conquered Egypt. Ptolemy, a general of Alexander, declared himself as the pharaoh of
Egypt. In 30 bce, the Roman Empire invaded Egypt and made it a Roman province.
6. This pyramid was built for a pharaoh, Khufu.

F. Snap Shot!

Skills Applied: media literacy

1. The process of preserving the dead bodies is called mummification.

2. The dead bodies were embalmed using spices and natural oils and wrapped in
animal skins.
3. The Egyptians strongly believed in life after death, and hence preserved the
bodies.

G. Map Work.
 sk the students to highlight the area where the Egyptian civilisation developed on an
A
outline map of world, by referring to pages 2 and 13 of the textbook.

Life Skills Skills Applied: art integration

Teaching Notes Inform the students about the pyramids, their grandeur and
significance in the history of Egypt. Encourage them to collect
more information about the pyramids. You can introduce them to
the term Egyptology.

18 Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation

Solution Egyptology is the study of Egyptian history (the language, religion,
art, literature and architecture) up until about 400 ce, which marked
the end of hieroglyphic writing. In Europe, Egyptology is primarily
regarded as being a philological discipline, while in North America it
is often regarded as a branch of archaeology.
When it comes to archaeology in general, a lot of digging is
involved in trying to understand the lives and times of the people
who came before us. In the case of Egyptology, the work is lessened
as many of its monuments and buildings are still very much intact.
With pyramids and temples everywhere, as well as the Valley of
the Kings, there are plenty of places to find history. You may ask
the students to research more on famous Egyptologists and their
achievements.

Integration Skills Applied: geography critical thinking environmental literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore and collect information about
the factors that played an important role in shaping the history of the
early Egyptians.
Solution • Closeness to the Nile
• Connectivity to Asia through sea, etc.
• Dry climate
• Limited rainfall
• Fertile soil, etc.

Project Skills Applied: information literacy technology literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information and make a presentation
to the class about some of the Egyptian gods.
Solution The students may be directed to the Egyptian gods like Amon-Re,
Bastet, Anubis, Osiris, etc., and myths like Isis & Osiris, the Story of
Re, the Great Queen Hatshepsut, etc.

Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation 19

Additional Skills Applied: research
Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage critical thinking on the part of the students about the
qualities of early human beings made them survive against all odds and
which were later handed down to us.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Imagine that you are Cleopatra, who has just been crowned the pharaoh of Egypt.
What would you do to empower the women of your kingdom?
2. Suppose you were to travel back to the Egyptian civilisation with some modern tools.
Which tools would you introduce to them and why?
3. If you were a citizen of ancient Egypt, which aspect of that civilisation would you like
to preserve?
4. Represent a day in your life by pictographic depiction. Draw things that would be a
great source of information for the future.
5. Which practices of the Egyptian civilisation could we adopt in the present-day? Why?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.

20 Chapter 2: The Egyptian Civilisation

Theme 1: The River Valley Civilisations

Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation

Lesson Overview  Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Discovery and location of the Indus Valley Civilisation

• Features of the Indus Valley Civilisation
• Decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation

Warm Up

You must have heard that most of our Indian languages originated from Sanskrit. The
script of Sanskrit language is Devanagari. Encourage the students to think why the use of
Sanskrit has faded over time.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of the possible reasons for this decline.
Encourage them to share their views on why one should learn new
languages but must not forget the importance of their mother
tongue. Make them understand that many Indian literary works
done in Sanskrit cannot be understood by the present generation.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Discovery • Before starting with the chapter, you may have a • Textbook
and Location discussion on the common feature which helped pages 22–23
in the flourishing of the Mesopotamian and the • World Map
Egyptian civilisations—the closeness to river(s).
• Introduce the students to Indus Valley
Civilisation by explaining how it flourished
along the banks of river Indus and its
tributaries.
• Use a world map and show the region of
the Indus Valley Civilisation in the Indian
subcontinent to the students.

21
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Ask the students to identify the areas of the
Mesopotamian and Egyptian Civilisations
on the map and judge how close/far away the
civilisations flourished.
• Tell the students about how the sites
of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were
discovered and excavated by Daya Ram
Sahni and Rakhal Das Banerji, respectively.
• Inform the students that surprisingly the
first artefacts of the civilisation were found
by a British explorer, Charles Masson, but
he failed to establish their importance and
the sites were discovered nearly 100 years
after this event.
• Explain to the students that the Indus Valley
Civilisation is also called the Harappan
civilisation after the name of Harappa, the
first excavated site of the civilisation.
• Encourage the students to learn the
important sites of the civilisation—Harappa,
Mohenjo-daro, Lothal, Dholavira, Ropar,
Kalibangan, etc.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: information literacy language and communication

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to research on the Internet the name of the
site as well as its characteristic features.
• Ask the students to prepare a comparative table on whether the
characteristic features of this site are similar to those found at earlier
cites of the Indus Valley Civilisation or are they different.
Solution The site is Rakhigarhi, Hisar, Haryana.
The students need to be advised that though the excavation details were
published in 2015, the excavation of the site was completed in 2014.
The artefacts found in the excavation have the same characteristic
features as those found at other sites of the civilisation. The expected
area of the new site is 350 hectares whereas the largest site previous
known was Mohenjo-daro (250 hectares).

22 Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Main • Inform the students that large-scale • Textbook
features of excavations of the civilisation are still being pages 23–25
the Indus conducted and the civilisation might have a • Picture charts
Valley much larger extent than what is known today.
• Slide
Civilisation • Inform them that the research of the
presentations
covering Pakistan National Fund, equivalent to
town the Archaeological Survey of India, has
planning and discovered that even Mohenjo-daro has not
architecture been fully excavated and much of the area is
still unearthed.
• Explain the town planning of the
civilisation—division of the town into the
citadel (occupied by ruling class) and the
lower town (occupied by normal people).
• Discuss the architecture style of the
civilisation—perpendicular roads made of
brick, houses with a courtyard at the centre,
in some cases their own private wells, etc.
• Tell the students about public structures
like granaries (for the storage of surplus
food grains), the Great Bath (pool used
at the time of rituals) and Assembly Hall
(used for collective prayers).
• Ask the students whether these public structures
existed in the Egyptian or Mesopotamian
civilisation under different names, or are
unique to the Indus Valley Civilisation alone.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: respect for diversity and the local context

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to compare the architecture of the

Harappan civilisation with that of the modern era.
• Ask them to identify the areas of
� Similarities � Differences � Which of the two is better?
Solution Answers may vary, although the Harappan architecture was much
better than today as due to population pressure, various unplanned
short-lived architectural setups and towns have come up.

Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation 23

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Main • Make the students aware of the political • Textbook
features of system with priest-king at the centre. pages 25–28.
the Indus • Inform the students about their staple food • Clay models
Valley (wheat and barley), clothing (dhotis and of artefacts
Civilisation skirts) and sources of entertainment (indoors • Picture charts
covering like playing chess, dancing, singing, movable
Political toy making, etc.). • Slide
and Social presentation
• Explain that the main occupation of
Structure, the people was agriculture, along with
Occupation, domestication of animals, pottery, sculpting
Trade and and metallurgy.
Commerce, • Tell the students that there is evidence
Religion and of long distance trade between the Indus
Culture Valley Civilisation and the Mesopotamian
• Decline of Civilisation—Indus valley seals were
the Indus excavated in Mesopotamia.
Valley • Encourage the students to share their ideas
Civilisation on how such long journeys might have been
conducted, the dangers involved, the time
needed and the limited means of transport.
• Engage the students in a role-play activity,
where they would act like the people living in
the Indus Valley civilisation. They should act
and talk in a period-appropriate manner.
• Inform the students that the Indus Valley
people also had a pictographic script
written with a pointed stick on clay but the
script has yet not been deciphered.
• Encourage the students to discuss how more
knowledge can be gained about the civilisation
if the script of the period could be deciphered.
• Ask the students to devise a pictographic script
for themselves and exchange some notes with
each other coded in that script.
• Explain the religious beliefs of the people,
covering the worship of female figurines
and male deities.

24 Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Inform them about the belief in life after
death and how the dead were buried with
articles of daily use and in some cases
cremated with the ash stored in urns.
• You may review the decline of the Mesopotamian
and Egyptian Civilisations—the continuous wars.
• Tell the students that accurate reasons for
the decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation
are not known but are attributed to a change
in course of River Indus, which caused large-
scale floods and large-scale deforestation,
and the invasions by the Aryans.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Harappan Civilisation 2. Ravi 3. Harappa, Mohenjo-daro
4. Terracotta 5. Shiva

B. Name the following.

1. Assembly hall 2. Granary 3. Great Bath
4. Lothal 5. Shortughai

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. c 2. d 3. c 4. b 5. a

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Mohenjo-daro is located in Pakistan on the banks of river Indus.
2. The granaries were used to store surplus food grains.
3. The Bearded Man is believed to be the priest-king of the city.
4. The Indus Valley Civilisation is also known as the Harappan Civilisation
as Harappa was the first excavated site of the civilisation.
5. The port-city of Lothal is located at Gujarat.

Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation 25

E. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. a. T
 he houses of the Indus Valley, built in the lower town, were mostly one or
two storey structures. Each house had a courtyard at the centre surrounded by
rooms. They were mostly built with sun-dried bricks or unbaked bricks and
stones. Some houses even had their own wells. Each house had small drains to
let out the used water from the house and joined a network of bigger, covered
drains that ran along the house walls. The bigger drains had points from
where they could be cleared.
b. T
 he Indus Valley people designed an intensive and detail-oriented drainage
system. This system was given a priority before the construction of houses.
Each house had drains connected to a series of drains running along the main
streets. They were covered. They had a slight slant so that water could easily
flow through them. The drains on the streets had manholes, which were
inspected and cleaned at regular intervals.
c. T
 he Great Bath of Mohenjo-daro is a unique structure of the Indus Valley
civilisation. It was a rectangular structure with six different entrances, leading
to the central bathing pool. Flights of stairs on either end of the Great Bath
led down to the bottom of the pool. It used to be filled with water on special
occasions when important people of the city came to take a dip. The Great
Bath was probably used for religious rituals and ceremonies.
2. a. T
 he staple food of the Indus Valley people was wheat and barley. Their diet
also included mustard, milk, meat, fish, eggs and various types of fruits and
vegetables.
b. T
 he people of the Indus Valley wore cotton and wool dresses. The males
wore a cloth around the lower body, like dhotis, and the females wore skirts.
Shawls covered their upper bodies. Ornaments, such as necklaces, amulets and
finger rings, were worn by both men and women. Ornaments were made of
gold, silver and ivory for the rich; the poor wore ornaments of shell, bones and
copper.
c. V
 arious artefacts of chess pieces and other board games suggest the Indus
Valley Civilisation’s liking for indoor games. Remains of various statues in
different postures indicate that they spent their free time dancing and singing.
Toys were made of terracotta or baked clay.
3. The Indus Valley people were highly industrious in nature. They were skilful
in various occupations, including hunting, fishing, spinning, weaving, masonry
and carpentry. Agriculture was the primary occupation. They grew a variety of

26 Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation

 crops like wheat, barley, peas, sesame, lentils and various fruits and vegetables.
The Indus Valley people were among the first people to cultivate cotton. They
also domesticated many animals. The Indus Valley people were excellent in
pottery and sculpting. The Harappans were highly skilled in crafting metal with
a variety of techniques. Gold and silver jewellery was made by goldsmiths, while
coppersmiths created utensils for daily use. Bronzesmiths created weaponry,
various handy tools and artistic sculptures. They were widely known for their
boat-making and brick-laying skills.
4. The people of the Indus Valley Civilisation traded within the civilisation and
with other civilisations. Indus Valley seals found in Mesopotamian excavations
indicate the possibility of long-distance trade between both the civilisations.
Mesopotamian seals were also discovered in Harappa. Among items of exchange
were silver, copper, lapis-lazuli and turquoise. Items such as timber, cotton
and spices were traded with countries across the Persian Gulf. Copper was
obtained from the mines of the present-day Rajasthan. Tin was procured from
Afghanistan. The trade was done through land, as well as sea routes. A typical seal
was a flat rectangle or square tablet probably used by traders and merchants for
stamping goods.
5. Some scholars believe that the River Indus suddenly changed its course, causing
floods in some areas, and droughts in others. There are others who believe that
deforestation was the main cause of the decline. There are some other scholars
who believe that the invasion of foreign tribes like the Aryans might have also
played a role.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. A Harappan seal.
2. It was probably used by traders and merchants to stamp goods.
3. It is made of steatite and faience.

G. Map Work.
On an outline map of the Asia mark the river Indus and then shade the extent of the
Indus Valley Civilisation. After having done this mark two Indus Valley sites in India
and two in Pakistan. Refer to the map in page 23 of the textbook for help.

Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation 27

Life Skills Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore, read and understand the details
of the architecture and town planning of the civilisation.
Ask them to identify the reason(s) which led to their success in
achieving a high level of culture.
Solution Discipline is important in every walk of life. It is the key to success
at all levels—individual, family, state, nation and civilisation. The
disciplined lifestyle of the Indus Valley Civilisation, no doubt, helped
the people in that era to leave a strong culture legacy for generations
to follow.

Integration Skills Applied: environmental literacy geography

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to understand the ill-effects of deforestation

and change in environmental conditions.
Ask the students to prepare a report on their findings and analysis
in the light of Global Warming and Greenhouse effect.
Solution Answers may vary.

Project Skills Applied: creativity & innovation art integration

Teaching Notes Ask the students to collect more information about the lifestyle
of people of the Indus Valley Civilisation and prepare a role play on
a character of their choice.
Solution NA

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to view the Bollywood movie Mohenjo-daro.
Encourage them to prepare a comparative report of what they have
learnt about the civilisation in the book and how it has been pictured
in the movie.
Solution Answers may vary.

28 Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. If you were an administrator during the Indus Valley Civilisation, what other
important site would you like to be built? Why?
2. The drainage system in some cities of India is still poor. How can we learn from the
drainage system of the Indus Valley Civilsation to make ours better?
3. Which occupation would you choose during the Indus Valley Civilisation? Why?
4. Do a role-paly in your class where you dress like the Indus Valley Civilisation people.
5. Which modern tools would you introduce in the Indus Valley Civilistaion and why?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. The drains had a slight slant so that water could easily flow through them. Stone slabs
or bricks covered these drains. The drains on the streets had manholes, which were
inspected and cleaned at regular intervals. All these points could be incorporated in
the present drainage system.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Students will do the role-play.
5. Answers will vary.

Chapter 3: The Indus Valley Civilisation 29

Theme 1: The River Valley Civilisations

Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation

Lesson Overview  Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Origin and location of the Chinese Civilisation

• Features of the Chinese Civilisation
• Contribution of the Chinese Civilisation to the modern world
• Decline of the Chinese Civilisation

Warm Up

You must have heard about various Chinese products in the market. List some
China-made products that you use in your daily life. Why are Chinese products
so popular?
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think about various Chinese products and
their performance.
Make them aware that the ancient Chinese were the inventors of
silk, umbrellas, magnetic compass and gun powder.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Discovery • Before starting with the chapter, you may • Textbook
and location have a discussion on the popularity of China pages 32–34
• Main and Chinese products in the world markets, • World Map
features of especially in India. • Pictures
the Chinese • Introduce the students to the Chinese • Slide
civilisation Civilisation by explaining how it presentation
covering flourished along the banks of River Huang
town He/Yellow River.
planning • Explain why this river is also called the
‘Sorrow of China’ due to its frequent
flooding and the changing of its course.

30
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Use a world map and show the region of
the Chinese Civilisation in the eastern
regions of present-day China.
• Ask the students to identify the areas of the Indus
Valley Civilisation on the map of Asia and discuss
how the two civilisations might have influenced
each other owing to the closeness between them.
• Inform the students about the various
dynasties that ruled Ancient China: Xia
(2000–1600 bce), Shang (1600–1046 bce),
Zhou (1046–256 bce), Qin (221–206 bce)
and Han (206 bce–220 ce) with brief features
of each.
• Ask the students what they know about
Feng Shui (the art of maintaining harmony
through various practices).
• Explain to the students about the
advancement in religious and astrological
practices of the ancient Chinese, like Feng
Shui, Ying guo and Feng li.
• Tell the students about the evidence of these
practices in town planning and architecture.
• Show the Holy Field Symbol and explain
what the numbers on it meant and how they
were used in town planning.
• Demonstrate with the help of pictures and/
or models about the curved roofs used
in Chinese buildings, and how they were
different from other civilisations of that
period.
• Ask the students about their knowledge
of the Great Wall of China.

Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation 31

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Tell them the history of the construction
of this wall as done by different rulers as
protection to their individual cities from
Mongols and finally unified by Qin Shi
Huang (Qin dynasty) as one great wall.
• Show some pictures of Chinese pagodas and
how they are evidence of the brilliance of
Chinese architecture of that time.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: communication

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to research about the reign of Qin Shi Huang.
• Ask the students to share their views on the reasons for the
development of roads during his tenure.
Solution Building of roads naturally helps to move from one place to another
and in the easy supervision of various regions of the kingdom either
by the king or his officials. Better roads would also help in the
movement of army to the border and other important areas for a
better defence from foreign invasions.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Main • You may start the section by revising how • Textbook
features of the Chinese architecture had some features pages 35–37
the Chinese unique to its own and how ancient Chinese • Picture charts
Civilisation: beliefs like Feng Shui have survived over the • Slide
social generations which is not seen in the beliefs of presentations
structure, other civilisations of the same era.
family life, • Explain the social structure of ancient
occupation, China with the king at the top followed
trade and by scholars, traders, artisans. The farmers
commerce, and slaves formed the bottom level of the
religion and structure.
culture.

32 Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Contribu- • Tell the students that the ancient Chinese
tion to the family structure was also patriarchal, that is,
modern the oldest male member was treated as the
world with head of the family.
reference to • Discuss with the students that the
literature, present-day concept of ancestor-worship
science and was followed in China at the time too.
mathematics, • Explain to the students that the main
technology occupations of the Chinese were
and other agriculture, domestication of animals,
inventions. pottery, woodwork, etc.
• Decline of • Encourage the students to share their
the Chinese knowledge about silk.
civilisation. • Inform them that the Chinese had
started using silk as a commercial activity
through sericulture (the practice of rearing
silkworms to produce silk).
• Ask the students if they have heard about the
famous Silk Route.
• Explain to the students that Silk Route is
the longest trade route of ancient times and
it got its name due to the transportation
of silk from China to various civilisations
through that route.
• Tell the students about the Chinese
religious beliefs of ancestor-worship and
the development and spread of religions
and religious movements like Taoism and
Confucianism.
• Discuss the contributions of philosophers
and scholars of the era, like Confucius,
Mencius and Lao Tzu.
• Explain the contribution of civilisation to the
modern world covering Chinese script,
Chinese calendar (of 365 days and 12 months),

Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation 33

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
seismograph (to record earthquakes), wood
and block printing, magnetic compass,
kites (for signalling army), gunpowder, fire
crackers, paper and umbrellas.
• Briefly explain that the Chinese Civilisation
did not fade like other contemporary
civilisations and turned into a republic
in 1911 ce.
• Ask the students to think about and share
their views on the strong points of the
civilisation which prevented it from fading
away, unlike other ancient civilisations.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Holy Field 2. Qin Shi Huang 3. Zhou
4. Silk spinning 5. Hsia (Xia)

B. Choose the correct answer.

1. c 2. b 3. c 4. b 5. c

C. State whether true or false.

1. False 2. True 3. False 4. False 5. True

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. The river is called the ‘Sorrow of China’ because it changed its course after the
floods causing damage to crops and settlements in the river valley.
2. Houses in ancient China had central courtyards and curved roofs built to look like
bird wings. Pagodas are also an example of their architectural brilliance. They are
the religious buildings mainly constructed using wood. The main features of
pagodas are paintings and carvings on the interiors.
3. Three important inventions are seismograph, paper and magnetic compass.
4. The Chinese developed techniques to grow rice, barley, wheat, soybean, green
onions, ginger, grapes, Chinese cabbage and Japanese plums in the farms.

34 Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation

 5. The designing of the cities was based on religious and astrological beliefs, such as
Feng Shui (maintain harmony), Ying guo (system of urban design and management)
and Feng li (neighbourhood design).

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Mongolian invasions from the north were a constant problem in China. To check
this threat, many rulers built strong and independent walls along their northern
boundaries. Qin Shi Huang, the king of the Qin dynasty, joined all the fragments
of walls into one long wall—the Great Wall of China.
2. The social structure of the Chinese Civilisation was similar to other civilisations of
that period. The emperor was at the top of the social ladder, while the farmers and
slaves were at the bottom.

Emperor

Scholars

Merchants and
Traders

Artisans and Craftsmen

Farmers and Slaves

Social Structure of Ancient China

3. Urbanisation in ancient China started in the Huang He valley in the later
Neolithic Age. The designing of the cities was based on religious and astrological
beliefs, such as Feng Shui (maintain harmony), Ying guo (system of urban design
and management) and Feng li (neighbourhood design). During the Zhou dynasty,
the Chengzhou city was developed on the basis of the Holy Field symbol. The
roads ran parallel from north to south only to be cut off by roads that ran from east
to west. Houses were made from bamboo, sun-dried bricks and woods. The homes
of the rich were designed beautifully, while the homes of poor were simple. The
doors of the house were always south-facing.
4. The Chinese believed in the worship of ancestors and elements of nature. Oracles
were used to consult gods to make important decisions. During the later Zhou
period, great philosophers such as Confucius, Mencius and Lao Tzu preached their
word. The followers of Confucius and Mencius led to the religious movement
of Confucianism. The teachings of Lao Tzu came to form the basis of Taoism.
Buddhism came to China through the Silk Road from India.

Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation 35

 5. The Zhous were great builders. They built roads and canals across the kingdom
for easy travel of goods and people. Many cities came up during this period.
Zhou China was dotted with walled cities outside whose boundaries lived the
merchants, craftsmen and peasants. There was also development of literature
and astronomy. This showed that these were times of relative peace and stability.
Thus, people could concentrate on these areas instead of on defence and military
services. The Zhous remained in power for over 700 years.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. The Great Wall of China.

2. The individual fragments prevented the cities of Chinese civilisation from
invasions of Mongols. This wall is, to some extent, the reason why the Chinese
civilisation did not fade away.

G. Map Work.
On an outline map of the world mark the extent of the Chinese Civilisation. Highlight
the main river (Huang He) around which the civilisation developed. Refer to the map on
page 32 of the textbook for help.

Life Skills Skills Applied: information literacy respect for diversity and the local context

Teaching Notes • Explain the Tai Chi form of martial art to the students.
• Encourage the students to collect more information about this
form of martial art.
Solution NA

Integration Skills Applied: critical thinking geography

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information about the geographical
features of China and share their views about which of these feature(s)
helped in the flourishing of the Chinese Civilisation.
Solution Answers may vary.
Some important points may be:
• Nearness to river • Nearness to sea
• Mountain range on one side • Fertile soil

36 Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation

Project Skills Applied: information literacy communication

Teaching Notes Ask the students to collect more information about the Silk Route
and give a presentation in the class.
Solution • Northern route • Southern route
• South-western route • Maritime route

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to study about the various points advocated
under Feng Shui for peace, harmony and prosperity, such as the
Laughing Buddha. Make a pictorial scrap book on the various other
objects advocated under Feng Shui.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Which aspect of the Chinese civilisation would you like to adapt in the present day?
Why?
2. The Chinese used kites to warn about enemies. Think of innovative ways in which
you can alert your neighbourhood in times of a natural calamity.
3. Imagine you are a trader travelling through the Silk Route. Make a diary entry on
what all you can see/notice.
4. Imagine you are a citizen in the Chinese civilisation and you domesticated a horse.
Describe to your friend in a letter about how you take care of your horse.
5. The Chinese Civilistaion introduced tea to the ancient world. Find out what modern
China has contributed to the world in present times?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Research-based answer. Answers will vary.

Chapter 4: The Chinese Civilisation 37

 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 1
problem solving critical thinking creativity & innovation

language and communication equality

Answer the following questions.

1. If you were a trader navigating the rivers of Mesopotamia, describe a day in your life.
Discuss your journey, interactions with fellow traders and the significance of river-based
trade in connecting Mesopotamian cities.
2. Analyse the ways in which ancient Egypt’s religious beliefs shaped its societal structure
and cultural practises. Discuss the significance of the afterlife in the Egyptian religion
and how it affects architectural design, artistic representations and funerary customs.
3. As a farmer living in the Indus Valley civilisation, write a diary entry detailing your
daily routine. Describe the crops you cultivate, the irrigation methods you use, and the
significance of agriculture in sustaining your community.
4. Suppose you were assigned to compare China’s social hierarchies from the Tang
to the Han dynasties. In light of elements like gender roles, class distinctions and
Confucianism’s impact on societal structure, how would you list the main parallels and
divergences in the social structure?

Answers to Additional Enrichment

Worksheet 1
1 As a river trader from Mesopotamia, I get up early to get my boat ready for the day’s
journey down the Euphrates or Tigris. I load up on goods like grain, cloth or pottery
and head out, swerving to avoid danger and navigating the currents of the river.
I meet other traders along the route, and we trade goods and stories. We build
relationships that are essential to our river-based trade network by exchanging
information.
I visit busy ports at every stop, trading my goods for things from faraway lands. This
exchange of goods helps both the economy and our culture grow because items from
different places come together.
The river is not just a path for us; it’s like our life support. It keeps our cities going,
helps our crops grow with water, and makes it easier to travel. The river is like the

38 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 1

 backbone of the Mesopotamian civilisation—it helps with the economy and keeps
people connected. (Answer may vary.)
2. The religious beliefs of ancient Egypt were significant because they shaped the
behaviour and the structure of society. Their gods were more than just objects of
worship; they were involved in all aspects of life, including the construction of cities
and the creation of artefacts.
One of their main concerns was life after death. They thought there was an afterlife—a
place you went to after you died. This belief greatly influenced the construction of
structures such as the pyramids and tombs for notable individuals. These magnificent
structures resembled homes for the afterlife, brimming with valuables and necessities
for the journey ahead.
Their beliefs about gods and life after death were frequently depicted in their paintings,
sculptures, and drawings. They paid homage to their gods and told tales using these
works of art. They even made the preparations for life after death a major part of their
ceremonies and rituals.
So, their religion wasn’t just about praying—it was woven into everything, from how
they built things to how they honoured their gods and prepared for what came after life
on Earth.
3. Today was another busy day in the Indus Valley! I woke up early and started working
on the farm with the sunrise. First, I checked our wheat and barley crops—they’re
growing really well because of our hard work.
Then, I went to take care of the cotton plants, which we need to make clothes. I used
our smart irrigation system to water them. The canals we built help us give water to
each plant just right.
In the hot part of the day, I took a break in the shade and had some flatbread with
lentils. It’s a simple but tasty meal that gives me energy.
Later, I joined the community to help with a big job—keeping our irrigation system
in good shape. We all worked together to make sure water goes smoothly to our fields.
Teamwork is super important for us to grow lots of crops.
Agriculture is like the heart of our community. The crops we grow give us food and
materials for clothes. We even have extra to trade with other communities. I feel
thankful for our good land and the support of our community.
4. Students will write the answer on their own.

Answers to Additional Enrichment Worksheet 1 39

Theme 2: The Vedic Civilisation

Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—

Brahmavarta

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Advent of the Aryans in the Sapta Sindhu and Gangetic valley

• Components of Vedic literature
• Early Vedic Period—political, social and economic life

Warm Up

You must have heard about sacred books of various religions. Encourage the students
to think about and discuss the role played by sacred books in the life of the common people.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of the role of sacred books in life.
Keeping in mind the social setting of the time these were written,
how strictly can these be implemented in the daily lifestyle.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Advent of • Before starting the chapter, you may discuss with • Textbook
the Aryans the students as to what they think happened pages 43–44
• Vedic after the decline of Indus Valley Civilisation and • Pictures
Literature how we reached where we are today. • Slide
• Four Vedas • Introduce them to the term ‘Aryans’ presentation
(derived from Sanskrit word ‘Arya’
meaning noble and not ordinary).
• Explain how invasions by the Aryans were
one of the causes of the decline of Indus
Valley Civilisation.
• Inform them that earlier the Aryans settled
in Sapta Sindhu (the land of seven rivers)

40
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
and named it Brahamvarta (the abode of
Gods) during the Early Vedic Period.
• Explain the migration of the Aryans to
the plains and valleys of River Ganga and
naming of the region as Aryavarta (the abode
of Aryans) during the Later Vedic Period.
• Ask the students how many of them are aware
of the word ‘Veda’ and what it means.
• Tell the students that the Four Vedas are
believed to have been developed during
this era and it is therefore called the
Vedic Period.
• Inform the students about Vedic Literature
comprising the Four Vedas, the Brahmanas,
the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Ramayana
and the Mahabharata.
• Tell the students that the word Veda is derived
from Sanskrit word ‘vid’ meaning knowledge.
• Briefly introduce the students to the
contents of all four vedas—Rig Veda,
Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.
• Explain the concept of Brahmanas
(expounding prose texts attached to Vedas),
Aranyakas (concluding portion of Brahmanas),
Upanishads (commentaries attached to
Aranyakas), Puranas (encyclopaedic literature),
Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta 41

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Brahmavarta • You may start the section by revising the • Textbook
—the Early political life under the Indus Valley Civilisation. page 45
Vedic Period • Explain the political life during the Early
• Political Vedic Period with reference to the concepts
Life during of kula (family), kulapa (head of family),
Brahmavarta vis (clan), vishpati (head of clan), grama
(village), gramini (head of village), rajya/
jana (group of gramas), rajan (king of rajya).
• Tell the students about the political structure
under a rajan who was assisted by officials
like a purohit (responsible for religious
duties) and senani (responsible for military).

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied:

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to research the political setup during the
Early Vedic Period.
• Ask the students to prepare and present the role play.
Solution Answers may vary.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Social Life • Ask the students what they remember about • Textbook
during the family structure of ancient civilisations— pages 45–47
Brahmavarta patriarchal in nature. • Picture charts
• Tell the students that the system continued • Slide
under the Early Vedic Period also. presentations
• Explain the importance of a respectable
status for women in the society as was
practised during the Early Vedic Period
which was enriched by female scholars like
Gargi, Lopamudra, Ghosha and Maitreyi.
• Explain how the society was divided into
four varnas or classes—with the Brahmanas
at the top followed by Kshatriyas and
Vaishyas with Shudras forming the base of
the social setting.

42 Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Encourage the students to discuss whether the
division of society on the basis of occupation-
based varnas is good for the society or bad.
Sensitise them to recognise that prioritising
societal benefit should not come at the expense
of human dignity.
• Tell the students about the housing
structures (bamboo huts), food habits,
drinks (Somras and Surah), dress (dhotis
and saris) and sources of entertainment
(dancing, drama, hunting, chariot racing,
gambling, music, etc.).
• Show digital images of musical instruments
which were used in the Early Vedic Age—
veena, shat-tantu, damru, mridang, cymbals,
conches, etc.
• Give a brief about the religious beliefs of the
period covering worship of natural forces
(with gods like Indra, Agni, Surya, Prithvi,
Vayu, etc.) and yajnas (religious offerings).

In-text Activity 2
Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to prepare a comparative chart in their
notebooks about the social structure under various civilisations.
Solution • Mesopotamian: Upper Class, Middle Class, Lower Class
• Egyptian: Upper Class, Middle Class, Lower Class
• Indus Valley: Social groups
• Chinese: Emperor, Scholars, Merchants, Artisans, Farmers
and Slaves

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: information literacy art integration

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information about music and
musical instruments used and developed during the Early Vedic
Period and prepare a decorated scrap book.

Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta 43

Solution • Musical instruments used were of percussion, string and wind.
• The instruments were named veena, shat tantu, damru, mridang,
cymbals and conches.
• The instruments were made of wood with strings tied to them or a
passage for passing of air or covered with membrane.
• Yes, many of them are still a part of world of Indian classical music.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Economic • You may start the section by revising the • Textbook
life during primary occupation as agriculture in all pages 47–48
Brahmavarta. ancient civilisations—the reason being • Picture charts
closeness to water resources, source of food and • Slide
fibre, surplus available for trade, etc. presentations
• Explain the primary occupation as agriculture
supported by domestication of animals,
metallurgy, pottery, carpeting, weaving, etc.
• Conduct a discussion with the class about how
the Early Vedic Age was advanced as compared to
that of Indus Valley Civilisation.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. 1500 bce, 1000 bce 2. Sanskrit 3. Cattle
4. Shudras 5. Somras, Surah

B. Match the columns.

1. d    2. a   3. e   4. c   5. b

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. b   2. a   3. d   4. b   5. c

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. They migrated to the Indian subcontinent looking for pastures.
2. The four Vedas were developed by the Aryans about their culture and lifestyle.
Hence, this period is known as the Vedic period.

44 Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta

 3. Vedic literature includes the four Vedas, the Brahmanas, the Upanishads, the
Puranas and the two great epics—Ramayana and Mahabharata.
4. Some prominent women scholars of the Early Vedic Period are Gargi, Lopamudra,
Maitreyi and Ghosha.
5. The king did not have absolute power. He was controlled by several tribal
assemblies like sabha, samiti, etc. The sabha was a small assembly of a few
important members, while the samiti was a big assembly where the entire tribe
could give their opinions on the matters of state.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. The four Vedas are:
a. Rig Veda: The Rig Veda is the oldest of the four Vedas. It was composed in
the Early Vedic Period. The Rig Veda consists of hymns, called the suktas,
meaning ‘well-said’. Most of these hymns are prayers offered to Agni, the god
of fire; Indra, the warrior god and Soma, a plant from which a special drink
was prepared.
b. Sama Veda: The Sama Veda is a collection of verses from the Rig Veda for
liturgical purposes.
c. Yajur Veda: Yajur Veda consists of sacrificial formulae in prose and verse.
d. Atharva Veda: Atharva Veda mainly contains magical charms and invocations.
2. The Political Structure: The lowest unit of society in the Early Vedic period was
the family or the kula headed by a kulapa. Several families together formed a vis or
clan under a vishpati. Next was a grama or a village headed by a gramini or village
headman. Many gramas together formed a rajya or jana ruled by the king or rajan.
The most capable person of the tribe became the rajan. In the Early Vedic Age, the
king ruled over a tribe rather than a territory. Wars were fought between tribes,
not for territory but for the cattle which was the real wealth of the time.
Administration: The rajan was chosen by the people based on his strength.
He ruled over a tribe, rather than a territory. He was the protector of his tribe and
was treated as a spiritual being. He was assisted by various officials, including the
purohit and the senani. The purohit was responsible for all religious duties and
ceremonies, while the senani was the military commander-in-chief.
The king did not have absolute power. He was controlled by several tribal or kin-
based assemblies like sabha, samiti and vidatha. The sabha was a small assembly
of a few important members, while the samiti was a big assembly where the entire
tribe could give their opinions on the matters of state. Women also participated in
these assemblies.

Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta 45

 3. The society in the Early Vedic Period was divided into four varnas or classes, based
on the occupation of the people. The four main varnas were:
i. The Brahmanas were the educated priests who performed all religious rituals
and rites. They were also teachers and educators.
ii. Kshatriyas were warriors of the tribe, who were in service to the rajan and
protected the tribe.
iii. Vaishyas were the traders, farmers and artisans engaged in trade, agriculture
and craftwork.
iv. The Shudras were the daily labourers who formed the servant class and
performed menial tasks.
In the Early Vedic Age, the occupation-based division of society was not rigid.
4. a. The Aryans believed in a balanced diet for a healthy life. They ate simple
nutritious food. Most of the food was cultivated by them. Wheat, barley
and rice along with pulses like masoor (lentils), arhar (red grams), peas and
kulattha (horse grams) along with masa (maize) formed a major part of food
in Vedic society. They also consumed milk products, spices, a variety of fruits
and vegetables. Somras and Surah were the popular drinks of the Early Vedic
civilisation.
b. The dressing of the Aryans was simple. Sari for females and dhotis for
males was the common attire. A light shawl covered the upper body.
The commoners wore plain cotton garbs, while the rich wore beautifully
embroidered garments. Gold, silver and precious stones were used to make
jewellery.
c. The Early Vedic Aryans did not live in brick houses. They used timber,
bamboo and thatches to build circular or rectangular huts. The main reason
for this was that timber and bamboo shoots were easily available from nearby
forests. Also, they were easier to rebuild, in case of floods or rains.
5. The people in the Early Vedic Age were primarily pastoralists and agriculturists.
But they were also engaged in other occupations. Agriculture was an important
occupation for the Early Vedic Aryans. The plough is mentioned in the earliest part
of the Rig Veda. The Aryans were acquainted with sowing, harvesting and threshing.
The main crops cultivated were barley, wheat, cotton, pulses and oil seeds. Rice
cultivation was rare. Villages were self-sufficient. Early Indo-Aryans also practiced
domestication of animals. Cows were referred to as ‘sacred mother’ in the Rig Veda.
The cattle was the symbol of wealth and prosperity of a family. It was also a medium
of exchange at times. Apart from cows, they also domesticated horses, oxen, dogs,

46 Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta

 goats, sheep, buffalo and donkeys. The Early Indo-Aryans were skilled in metal work
and pottery. The Rig Veda mentions artisans such as the carpenters, chariot-makers,
weavers, leather workers and potters. Traders traded with distant lands. Barter system
was the principal means of exchange in this period.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Brahamana
2. The rituals were performed to appease gods and goddesses.
3. The important deities were Indra, Agni, Surya, Prithvi, Vayu, Aditi, Usha
and Yama.
4. The gods and goddesses were invoked by performing yajnas.

G. Map Work.
On an outline map of India, shade the area where the Aryans settled in the
Early Vedic Period. Refer to the map on page 43 if needed.

Life Skills Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes • Encourage the students to compare and contrast the social and
religious structure in the Early Vedic Period and contemporary society.
• Ask the students to present the table of similarities between the
two eras
Solution Some points of relevance can be:
• Division of society on the basis of varnas
• Superiority of Brahmanas
• Patriarchal family system
• Performance of yajnas to invoke gods and goddesses

Integration Skills Applied: art integration

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to read the story of Ramayana and prepare
a skit on any incident described in the book.
Solution The students will enact the scene.

Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta 47

Project Skills Applied:
Teaching Notes Ask the students to collect information about the great female
scholars of the Vedic Age and give a presentation to the class on their
achievements and contributions.
Solution • Gargi
• Ghosha
• Lopamudra
• Maitreyi

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to make a list of sacred books followed in
different parts of the world and research the estimated time of their
being written and some of the important teachings of the books and the
role played by these books in the life of common people of the region.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Through a role-paly, depict the life of a Vedic society.
2. You are a trader who trades in pottery with a distant land. With which kingdom
would you like to trade and why?
3. Describe how you would imagine a day in the court of a rajan would look like.
4. What aspects of the modern day India would you like to incorporate in the Vedic society?

Answers:
1. Students will do the role-play.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

48 Chapter 5: The Early Vedic Period—Brahmavarta

Theme 2: The Vedic Civilisation

Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—

Aryavarta

Lesson Overview  Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Political organisation of the Later Vedic period

• Social and economic life of the Aryans in the Later Vedic period
• Religion of the Later Vedic period
• Gurukul system of education
• The four ashramas

Warm Up

You must have heard about Gurukuls. In ancient times, the students were sent to Gurukuls
away from their homes where knowledge about different aspects of life was imparted to
them without distraction of worldly affairs. Encourage the students to share their ideas on
whether the present system of education is better than the traditional Gurukul system or
not. Discuss.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to share their ideas on the matter.
Is it good to study away from distractions of the world or is it more
realistic to study world affairs in connection with the world?
Make them understand that every phase of civilisation has its own
way of imparting education to the next generation. Though the
gurukul system had its own advantages, it also had some disadvantages
like same teachings being given to each student irrespective of age
difference and mental ability, a single teacher who may or may not be
an expert in all fields, etc.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Aryavarta— • You may start the lesson with a brief recap • Textbook
Later Vedic from the previous chapter—the Early Vedic pages 52–54
Period period and the Vedas.

49
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Political • Explain the advent of the Aryans to the • Pictures
Structure plains and valleys of River Ganga and the • Slide
• Social Life naming of the region as Aryavarta (the abode presentation
of Aryans) during the Later Vedic Period.
• Inform the students that the Later Vedic Age is
characterised by large-scale agriculture and use
of iron tools in agriculture.
• Tell the students that during this period,
the tribes were unified to form large
kingdoms like Kuru, Kosala, Panchala,
Magadha, etc.
• Explain to the students that democratic
institutions like the sabha and samiti
vanished and the king became a monarch
(hereditary ruler) instead of elected head.
• Ask the students if they have heard about rajasuya
and ashvamedha yajnas performed by kings and
tell them that these emerged during this age.
• Tell the students that occupation-based
division of society into Brahmanas,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras became
rigid and hereditary during this period.
• Encourage the students to discuss whether
this hereditary division of society without any
respect to individual skills is justified or not.
• Explain the concept of the four ashramas—
Brahmacharya (student life), Grihastha
(household life), Vanaprastha (hermit life)
and Sanayas (sadhu life) into which the life
of an individual had been divided.
• Explain the gurukul system of education—
the concepts of shishya and guru dakshina.
• Encourage the students to express their views
on whether the gurukul system of education
was better or not as compared to the modern
system of education.

50 Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: equality

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to understand the evils of the caste system.
Solution Answers may vary. The caste system perpetuates discrimination,
inequality and social injustice. It denies equal opportunities, restricts
social mobility and undermines human dignity. Overcoming its evils
is crucial for fostering a just society.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to prepare a comparative table for the gurukul
system and modern system of education.
Solution Some points about the gurukul system that can be covered are:
• Equality between shishyas • Only for boys
• Away from home • Single teacher/guru
• Home science • Payment of dakshina or fees after
completion of education

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Let the students think and make a comparative analysis based on their
lives, and what life in a gurukul was like. Let them think about how
different everything was back then, and how a day in their lives would
go in a gurukul.
Solution Students will write the diary entry based on their imagination.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Religion • You may start the section by revising the • Textbook
• Economic religious beliefs and the deities worshipped pages 54–55
Life during the Early Vedic Age. • Slide show
• Explain to the students that the religious
beliefs changed and the worship of Tridev— • Pictures
Brahma (as creator), Vishnu (as preserver)
and Shiva (as destroyer) gained importance
over others.

Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta 51

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Encourage the students to share their opinion
on the impact of this shift from worship of
natural forces to the worship of Tridev on
religious ideas.
• Explain how the use of iron improved
agriculture during this period.
• Tell the students about the introduction of
currency and the use of krishnala, Nishka
and satamanas in exchange for goods.
• Explain about the advancement of pottery
during the age.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. 1000 bce, 600 bce 2. four 3. Gurukul
4. father 5. Brahmanas

B. Name the following.

1. Shudras 2. Ashvamedha 3. Red-ware
4. Kashi 5. Sanyasa Ashrama

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. c 2. c 3. a 4. b 5. b

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Rajsuya and Ashvamedha
2. The four main varnas were:
• Brahmanas or the priestly class • Kshatriyas or the warrior class
• Vaishyas or the traders • Shudras or the lowest class engaged in
menial work
3. Kuru, Panchala, Kosala, Magadha and Kashi
4. People were engaged in agriculture, spinning, weaving, carpentry, hunting,
metal work and pottery.
5. Sama Veda, Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda.

52 Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta

E. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. While in the Early Vedic period, kings ruled over small tribes or clans. In the
Later Vedic Period, these tribes expanded to form large kingdoms. The formation
of larger kingdoms increased the power of the chief or king. Kingship became
hereditary. Tribal assemblies like the sabha and samiti lost their importance.
The king’s influence was strengthened by rituals.
2. The life of an individual was divided into four stages or ashramas. Each stage
indicated the journey of man according to Vedic tradition.
• Brahmacharya Ashrama or a student life was the first stage of a man’s life.
In this stage, he receives education from his guru or teacher in a gurukul.
• Grihastha Ashrama or life as a householder is the stage where the man gets
married and performs his duties as a son, husband and father. During this stage,
he works to earn a living for his family using the skills he learnt in gurukul.
• Vanaprastha Ashrama or the life as a hermit is the stage where the man, after
completing his worldly duties, hands the household responsibilities to his
successor and leaves the worldly life. He goes to the forest and leads a life of
meditation and solitude.
• Sanayas Ashrama or a life as a sadhu is the last stage, where the man renounces
all comforts of life, becomes spiritual and leads the life of an ascetic, focusing
on moksha.
3. The Aryans in the Later Vedic Age had made great economic progress. Agriculture
became the primary occupation of the people. The Aryans used iron to improve
agricultural techniques. Apart from agriculture, people were also engaged in
spinning, weaving, carpentry, hunting, metal work and pottery. Both internal
and foreign trade progressed. Currency started being used. Cities like Hastinapur,
Kashi and Videha emerged as trade centres. The later Vedic people were
acquainted with four types of pottery—Black-and-Red Ware, Black-Slipped Ware,
Painted Grey Ware and Red-Ware.
4. The occupational division of society of the Early Vedic period became more rigid
and hereditary in the Later Vedic period. Social classes, known as caste or varna,
were decided by birth and not by occupation. The four main varnas were the
Brahmanas or the priestly class, the Kshatriyas or the warrior class, Vaishyas or
the traders, and the Shudras or the lowest class engaged in menial work. The caste
system became so rigid that people were not allowed to change their caste or
occupation. Brahmanas and Kshatriyas enjoyed privileges denied to Vaishyas and
Shudras. Inter-caste marriages were strictly prohibited as the high caste people
looked down upon the low caste people.

Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta 53

 5. In the later Vedic period, Brahma, the creator, Vishnu, the preserver and the
Shiva, the destroyer gained prominence over early Vedic deities such as Varun,
Indra and Agni. Worship included elaborate rituals and sacrifices, performed only
by the Brahmanas. This led to a rise in the social status of the brahmanas. Towards
the end of the Vedic period, the Upanishads were compiled.
F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy
1. A Guru teaching shishyas in a gurukul. 2. Brahmacharya ashrama.
3. Gurukul system of education. 4. Paid dakshina or fees to guru.
G. Map Work.
On an outline map of India, shade the area where the Aryans settled in the Later Vedic
period. Take help of the Internet if needed.

Life Skills Skills Applied: equality problem solving

Teaching Notes • Make the students aware of the evils of caste system and its ill effects.
• Encourage the students to share their ideas of how a feeling of
equality can be imbibed amongst all.
• Ask the students the role they can play in developing this sense of
equality.
Solution Some points of relevance can be:
• Not maltreating the lower classes.
• Giving equal opportunity to all.
• Creating awareness of abolition of reservation system as it
discourages self-development.

Integration Skills Applied: mathematics

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect more information on Vedic

Mathematics and the ancient system of calculation.
Solution NA

54 Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta

Project Skills Applied: information literacy

Teaching Notes Ask the students to collect more information about the four ashramas
and answer the questions.
Solution • The ashramas were advisory and recommendatory in nature and
were not rigid.
• Yes, Brahmacharya was further sub-divided into Saisva, Balya,
Kaishora and Tarunya. Grihastha was divided into Tarunayauvana
and Praudhayauvana. Vanaprastha was also known and Vardhakya-I
and Sanyasa was also known as Vardhakya-II.
• Answers may vary. Encourage the students to share their views
on the matter.

Project Skills Applied: art integration

Teaching Notes Ask the students to research thoroughly on the various castes, and the
roles played by them. Let them each pick a role, and think about how
a person of that caste would behave and interact with the people from
the other castes. Then let them act out the scenario.
Solution Students will enact the answer.

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Of the four ashramas that were advocated in the Later Vedic Age,
which ashram is the most important phase of life and why?
Prepare a summary of points in favour of the ashrama of your choice
and give a presentation to the class.
Solution Answers may vary.

Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta 55

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Write a diary entry on a day in the Brahmacharya Ashrama.
2. Which aspect of the Later Vedic Period do you think is still relevant in modern India?
Why?
3. Imagine you practice agriculture in the Later Vedic Period, and you have started using
iron tools. Write below how this tool has changed your practice.
4. Imagine you have transformed from a nomadic to a settled life. Describe the changes
that you would experience.
5. How could a constitution help democratise the Later Vedic Period?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. There would be a set of rules to follow, and the Constitution would also uphold the
voice of the poeple.

56 Chapter 6: The Later Vedic Period—Aryavarta

 Theme 3: Mahavira & Buddha—Great Preachers

Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Reasons for the rise of Jainism and Buddhism

• Life of Vardhamana Mahavira
• Teachings and spread of Jainism
• Life and teachings of Gautama Buddha
• Spread and decline of Jainism and Buddhism
• Comparison between Jainism and Buddhism

Warm Up

You must have visited religious places. Some of the prominent places are inhabited by
various types of people who have given up all worldly affairs and are involved in religious
duties and satisfying the basic minimum needs for survival. Which ashrama advocated
under the Vedic Age characterises this way of survival?
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to recapitulate the ashramas of the Vedic
Age. Ask them to understand if there is a similarity between the two
scenes. Make them understand the difference that today worldly
affairs can be given up at any age, but the Vedic Age advocated this
lifestyle only after the ages of 60–65 years.
Sensitise the students to appreciate people who have given up worldly
benefits to lead a life of an ascetic.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Reasons for • You may begin the lesson with a brief • Textbook
the rise of recapitulation of the varna system prevailing pages 60–62
Jainism and in the Vedic society and how the farmers and • Pictures
Buddhism Shudras were unhappy with other classes. • Slide
• Jainism presentation

57
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Life of • Explain how this unhappiness and
Vardhamana dissatisfaction gave rise to the development
Mahavira of new ideas, teachers, philosophers and
• Search for religions.
Truth • Introduce Jainism as one of the oldest
• Teachings of religions in the world.
Mahavira • Explain the concept of tirthankara or the
• Sub-sections great teacher in Jainism—Rishabhadeva
of Jainism being the first one and Mahavira being
the 24th and the last.
• Jain
• Introduce Vardhamana Mahavira as a
literature
prince and his transition to an ascetic (one
• Spread of who keeps away from normal pleasures of
Jainism life and leads a life of self-discipline).
• Explain the derivation of the word Jain
from jina meaning conqueror of one’s self.
• Give a brief account of the teachings of
Mahavira and his views on ahimsa and the
caste system.
• Introduce the concepts of karma—the cycle
of birth and rebirth, moksha—the freedom
of soul, Pancha Mahavratas or the Five Great
Vows and Tri-ratna or the Three Jewels.
• Encourage the students to share their opinion
as to how Mahavira’s teachings were different
from Vedic teachings.
• Explain how the Jains split into Digambaras
and Svetambras after the death of Mahavira.
• Give information about Jain literature.
• Give information about the spread of
Jainism in India and Nepal.

In-text Activity 1
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information on the names and
teachings of the 24 tirthankaras of Jainism.

58 Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism

Solution The 24 tirthankaras are:
1. Rishabhanatha (Adinatha) 2. Ajitanatha
3. Sambhavanatha 4. Abhinandananatha
5. Sumatinatha 6. Padmaprabha
7. Suparshvanatha 8. Chandraprabha
9. Pushpadanta 10. Shitalanatha
11. Shreyanasanatha 12. Vasupujya
13. Vimalanatha 14. Anantanatha
15. Dharmanatha 16. Shantinatha
17. Kunthunatha 18. Aranatha
19. Māllīnātha 20. Munisuvrata
21. Naminatha 22. Neminatha
23. Parshvanatha 24. Mahavira

In-text Activity 2
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to give their opinion/reason for this. Also,
encourage the students to research the actual reason.
Solution Masks are worn to prevent microscopic organisms from entering our
body and getting killed by our body’s defence mechanism. It is ahimsa
or non-violence towards microscopic organisms.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Buddhism • You may start the lesson by recapitulating how • Textbook
• Life of the teachings of Jainism were different from pages 62–65
Gautama those of the Vedic Age. • Slide show
Buddha • Introduce Gautama Buddha as a prince • Pictures
• Search for (Prince Siddhartha) and his transition to a
Truth monk (Gautama Buddha).
• Teachings of • Tell the students about the Four Great sights
Buddha which changed the life of Prince Siddhartha.

Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism 59

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Buddhist • Explain the teachings of Buddhism and the
Order concepts of Four Noble Truths, Eight-Fold
• Sub-sections Path and Nirvana.
of Buddhism • Encourage the students to share their opinion
• Spread of on how Buddha’s teachings were different from
Buddhism Vedic teachings.
• Decline of • Give information about the Buddhist Order
Buddhism (Sangha) and Buddhist literature (Tripitakas).
• Comparative • Give information about the spread of
study of Buddhism beyond India to the other
Jainism and countries and becoming fourth largest
Buddhism religion of the world.
• Explain the reasons for the decline of
Buddhism in India.
• Encourage the students to prepare a comparative
chart on the teachings of Jainism and Buddhism
on the basis of their study of the chapter.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Tirthankaras 2. Jina
3. Lumbini 4. Turning of the Wheel of Law Dhammachakra Pravartan.
5. Mahayana
B. Name the following.
1. Pancha Mahavratas 2. Pavapuri 3. Digambaras
4. Tripitakas 5. Sangha
C. Choose the correct answer.
1. d     2. a     3. b     4. c     5. a
D. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. Nirvana can be attained by following the Eight-Fold Path.
2. Vardhaman Mahavira was born in 599 bce in Kundagram, near Vaishali.

60 Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism

 3. The Five Great Vows are Ahimsa (Non-violence), Satya (Truth), Asteya
(Non-stealing), Aparigraha (Non-attachment) and Brahmacharya (Chastity).
4. The two main sects of Buddhism are Hinayana and Mahayana.
5. The Eight-Fold Path is a set of principles to help a person lead a virtuous life.
These principles are:
a. Right Understanding b. Right Thought c. Right Concentration
d. Right Observation e. Right Speech f. Right Livelihood
g. Right Effort g. Right Mindfulness

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. The varna system in the Vedic Age was rigid, hereditary and oppressive. Each
varna was assigned well-defined functions. The two higher varnas enjoyed power,
prestige and privileges. The vaishyas were the principal taxpayers. The shudras
served the three higher varnas and were the most exploited. This varna-divided
society generated social tensions. Kshatriyas resented the domination of the
brahmanas. Religion also became complex, and involved costly rituals, sacrifices
and superstitions. Common people could not understand Vedic texts written in
Sanskrit. The brahmanas interpreted the Vedas to suit their status and power.
Thus, in the sixth century bce, there emerged many teachers and philosophers who
preached doctrines of a practical nature. This gave rise to Jainism and Buddhism
in India.
2. The basic principles of Jainism are:
• Samyak Darshan (Right Faith) meaning one must understand and have faith
on the teachings of Tirthankara.
• Samyak Jnan (Right Knowledge) meaning one must learn and understand
the correct meaning of the teachings of Tirthankara.
• Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct) meaning one must strictly obey and practise
the Five Great Vows.
3. When he was 29 years old, Siddhartha went on a chariot ride through the city.
During his journey, he saw an old man, a sick person and finally a dead body
being carried to the cremation ground. These three sights saddened and disturbed
him deeply. However, after a while, he saw an ascetic seated in meditation
beneath a tree. The ascetic seemed unaffected by the unhappy sights around him.
He looked peaceful and satisfied. These four encounters, known as the Four Great
Sights, left a lasting effect on his mind. He renounced his royal life and became an
ascetic. He became a monk in search of truth and knowledge.

Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism 61

 4. The main reasons for the decline of Buddhism are:
• Social reforms and reformation within Hinduism
• Patronage given to Hinduism over Buddhism by Gupta kings and the later rulers
• Destruction of several Buddhist monasteries during the Huna invasions
5. Like Mahavira, Gautama Buddha also rejected idol worship and the exhaustive
rituals of the Vedic religion. Buddha’s philosophy is a middle path between the
extreme ritualism of Hinduism and the extreme austerity of Jainism.
The Buddha addressed the people in the common tongue of Pali.
The Buddha condemned the caste system of the Vedic society. He believed in the
equality of all people.
F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Bodh Gaya
2. At Sarnath. The sermon is called Turning of the Wheel of Law or Dhammachakra
Pravartan.
3. The principles are:
a. Right Understanding b. Right Thought c. Right Concentration
d. Right Observation e. Right Speech f. Right Livelihood
g. Right Effort h. Right Mindfulness
4. He addressed the people in the common language, Pali.

Life Skills Skills Applied: critical thinking respect for others

Teaching Notes • Sensitise the students about the teachings of Buddhism and Jainism.
• Inculcate an appreciation for Buddhist monks and Jain monks
who have renounced normal pleasures of life.
Solution Principles of a good life never become irrelevant. However, we see
very few people strictly following these principles.
Answers may vary.

Integration Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to read the Jataka Tales and narrate the
summary and teachings of any one of those stories.
Solution Answers may vary.

62 Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism

Project Skills Applied:
Teaching Notes Encourage research and exploratory skills of the students. Also, ask them
to make a fact file of their project.
Solution Some countries to which Buddhism spread after the death of Buddha are:
• Cambodia • Bhutan • China • Thailand
• Burma (Myanmar) • Japan • Sri Lanka • Singapore

Additional Skills Applied: role play

Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to prepare skits on various teachings of
Buddhism and Jainism in small groups.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Imagine that you have visited a sermon delivered by Buddha. Write a letter to your
friend about your learnings from the Buddha.
2. If you were to create a religion inspired from Buddhism and Jainism, which aspects
would you pick from both and why?
3. Imagine you are a disciple of Buddha, write how a day in your life would look like.
4. How would you prevent the decline of Buddhism?
5. Note down some of the features of Jainism that are still instilled in Indian culture.

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.

Chapter 7: Jainism and Buddhism 63

 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 2
1. Imagine you are a priest living during the Early Vedic Age in ancient India. Write
a diary entry about your daily life and experiences within the early Vedic society.
Describe the rituals, religious practices, social structure and your role within
this society.
2. How did the caste system originate? How does it hamper the development of
society and what steps can be taken to eliminate it?
3. Why do you think Buddhism spread quickly to the rest of the world, and became
a popular region?
4. Imagine you are a historian living during the period of the rise of Buddhism and
Jainism in ancient India. Write a diary entry chronicling the changes you observe
in the society around you. Discuss why you think these changes are taking place.

Answers to Additional Enrichment

Worksheet 2
1. Students will write the answer on their own.
2. The caste system was initially designed to divide society into occupational groups.
However, it eventually became a strict hierarchy that linked a person’s social
standing to their place of birth. It causes discrimination, restricts opportunities,
and splits communities, all of which are detrimental to society. Enforcing anti-
discrimination laws, encouraging social reforms, empowering marginalised groups
economically, fostering education to combat prejudices, and guaranteeing fair
representation through affirmative action are some of the steps being taken to
eradicate it.
3. Students will give their own reasons.
Some points can be:
• Due to Ashoka’s efforts
• Due to its appeal to following a noble path to overcome sufferings
• Due to its appeal to all the common people
• Due to its appeal to reason
• Because it received a lot of political patronage from various rulers
• Due to its appeal to ethical conduct, compassion, and mindfulness
4. Students will use their creativity to complete the diary entry.

64 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 2

Theme 4: Rise of Kingdoms and Republics

Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha

Lesson Overview  Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Rise of janapadas and mahajanapadas

• The rise of Magadha
• Alexander’s invasion into India

Warm Up

You must have heard that the first nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in Japan
during World War II. Though it led to the end of the world war, was it the right way
to end a war? Moreover, is winning a war so important that it justifies the massive
destruction of life and property?
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think and discuss the impact of wars.
Make them compare the world with the classroom. Is it easier to
survive in a class where there are groups of students always quarrelling
with each other or one in which there is mutual understanding?
Teach them that mutual peace and co-operation is the only way to
live happily in the world.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Rise of • You may start the lesson by asking what is the • Textbook
Janapadas and meaning of a city and a metropolitan city. pages 70–71
Mahajanapadas • Explain about the rise of janapadas and • Map of India
mahajanapadas on a similar basis. • Pictures
• Explain how ancient Buddhist and
Jain texts refer to the existence of
16 mahajanapadas in 6th century bce.
• Present a map of India that shows the
location of the 16 mahajanapadas.

65
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Important • Give brief information about some
mahajanapadas important mahajanapadas, like Vatsa,
covering Vatsa, Avanti and Kosala.
Avanti, Kosala • Explain how and why Magadha emerged
and Magadha as the most powerful kingdom out of the
16 mahajanapadas.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to understand the concept, advantages and
disadvantages of monarchy and republic.
Solution It is not about which system is inherently better, but rather which is
implemented best.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think about whether natural factors of a
place are more important for its growth than the leadership of the place.
Solution Though natural factors play an important role, it is the leadership
and the people that make the place grow. We have examples of
countries like Iraq, rich in natural wealth but devastated due to
incompetent leadership. On the other hand, we have the example
of Japan, the only country to experience a nuclear attack, devastated
by it and yet among the leading economies of the modern world.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• The rise of • You may start the lesson by recapitulating • Textbook
Magadha how Magadha rose as the most powerful pages 71–74
under mahajanapada or kingdom. • Slide show
Bimbisara and • Explain the flourishing of Magadha • Pictures
Ajatashatru Empire under Bimbisara and later under
• Rule of Nandas his son Ajatashatru.
• Tell that the successors of Ajatashatru
were weak and were overthrown by the
Shishunagas.

66 Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Invasion of • Inform the students that the Shishunagas
Alexander and the ruled for 68 years, but their kings
its effects were not prominent and were overthrown
by the Nandas.
• Give a brief introduction about
Mahapadma Nanda, the founder of the
Nanda dynasty and Dhana Nanda, the
last ruler of the Nanda dynasty.
• Tell them about the beginning of the
Maurya dynasty, when Dhana Nanda was
overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya.
• Give a brief introduction of Alexander
and his invasion in India in 326 bce.
• Tell the students about the good and bad
effects of Alexander’s invasion on the
Indian subcontinent.
• Encourage the students to share their
opinion on whether it is correct to call
Alexander as ‘Alexander the Great’ as he is
called in many other countries.

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: information literacy communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to explore the reasons behind Alexander’s
invasion to India.
Solution The possible causes of the invasion of India by Alexander may be:
• The easy conquest of Persia and the plunder of Persian wealth and
treasures increased the desire of Alexander to invade India.
• Alexander was attracted by the wealth and prosperity of India.
• The Indian soldiers who fought under Xerxes in Greece had
awakened great interest among the Greeks about India.
• An embassy from an Indian king had sought Alexander’s help
against the neighbouring king Porus. Alexander became aware
of internal rivalry among the Indian rulers.
• Alexander wanted to exceed the heroism shown by mythical
heroes like Heracles.

Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha 67

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Rajagriha 2. Bimbisara 3. Monarchies, Republics
4. Gandhara School of Art 5. Porus

B. Name the following.

1. Sravasti 2. Patali Gram 3. Dhana Nanda
4. Bimbisara 5. Monarchy

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. b    2. a    3. c    4. b    5. b

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. There were 16 mahajanapadas. Some important of these were Vatsa, Avanti,
Kosala, Magadha and Kashi.
2. The Magadha kingdom had certain geographic and strategic advantages. It was
situated between the upper and lower parts of the Gangetic valley. The area also
had fertile soil, and copper and iron deposits. Proximity to the Ganges river made
it conducive to conduct trade. All these factors contributed to the development
of a strong economy of Magadha.
3. Janapada means the place where the jana or people set its pada or foot.
4. Mahapadma Nanda was the first Nanda ruler and Dhana Nanda was the last
Nanda ruler.
5. Alexander’s army retreated from India because they were wary of the Great
Magadhan Army.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. The janapadas were the earliest kingdoms. The term ‘janapada’ means ‘the place
where the jana or people set its pada or foot’. Surplus agricultural production and
economic prosperity led to a settled life. As land became important, each clan
claimed a particular territory to be its own, and started naming the area after the
ruling clan. Some janapadas became more powerful than the others and were called
mahajanapadas. Some mahajanapadas were formed after invasion of small janapadas.
2. Bimbisara built the capital city of Magadha, Rajagriha. He used matrimonial
alliances and conquests to expand his kingdom. Bimbisara conquered the Anga

68 Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha

 kingdom by defeating its King Brahamadatta. With this, he gained control over
the river port of Champa. This boosted Magadha’s maritime trade relations
with other regions. Flourishing trade, surplus agricultural produce and rich iron
deposits of the region resulted in a prosperous kingdom.
3. The Nandas were regarded as empire-builders. They were very wealthy and had
an elaborate tax collection system. The Nandas built a vast and powerful army
to protect the empire against foreign invasions. Even the mighty Alexander the
Great, who invaded India during the reign of Dhana Nanda, was wary of the
Magadha army. The unpopular Nanda dynasty was overthrown by Chandragupta
Maurya, who ousted Dhana Nanda and conquered Magadha.
4. Alexander, the ruler of Macedonia, was a powerful and ambitious man. He strived
to conquer the whole world and launched a series of military campaigns. He
seized various empires like Asia Minor, Egypt, Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia, and
created one of the largest empires of the ancient world. After capturing the Persian
Empire, Alexander invaded north-western India in 326 bce. Many kingdoms
surrendered without a fight. Those which resisted were brutally massacred.
Alexander faced first stiff resistance from Porus, who ruled the areas between rivers
Jhelum and Chenab. Impressed by the fearlessness of Porus, Alexander set Porus
free and returned all his territories. The ambitious Alexander wanted to proceed
deeper into India and his army crossed the five rivers of the Punjab. At this point,
his soldiers, war-weary and homesick, refused to go any further. It is believed that
the enormous strength of the Nanda army of Magadha made the Macedonians
apprehensive and prompted their retreat. Alexander appointed several governors to
look after the conquered territories in India.
5. Alexander’s invasion had far-reaching impact on the Indian subcontinent.
a. Alexander’s invasion opened the trade routes between the West and the Indian
subcontinent. It facilitated economic and cultural exchange between the two
regions.
b. Contact with the Greeks led to the development of the Indo-Greek school of
art, called Gandhara School of Art.
c. Alexander destroyed the power of many small states in north-west India. This
made it easier for Chandragupta Maurya to conquer the region and establish
the political unification of India for the first time under the Mauryan Empire.
By invading small kingdoms, Alexander wiped out the system of autonomy.
This helped Chandragupta Maurya build a large empire by combining the
conquered kingdoms of the north-west.

Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha 69

F. Snap Shot!

Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Alexander invaded India to expand his empire. He wanted to conquer

the whole world.
2. When Porus was brought before Alexander, he asked him how he would want to
be treated. To this, Porus replied, ‘As a king would treat another’. Impressed by
this reply, Alexander set Porus free and returned all his territories.
3. It is believed that the enormous strength of the Nanda army of Magadha made the
Macedonians apprehensive and prompted their retreat.

Life Skills Skills Applied: leadership and responsibility

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research more on the life of Alexander and
identify the qualities that made him an excellent leader.
Solution Answers may vary. Some of the qualities of a good leader are ambitious,
connecting with the team, recognition of efforts, skilled, etc.

Integration Skills Applied: information literacy civics

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information about the

mahajanapadas and prepare a digital presentation on them.
Solution The 16 mahajanapadas are Anga, Asmaka, Avanti, Chedi, Gandhara,
Kashi, Kamboja, Kosala, Kuru, Magadha, Malla, Matsya, Panchala,
Surasena, Vriji and Vamsa.

Project Skills Applied:

Teaching Notes Encourage research and exploratory skills of the students. Also, ask
them to present the information on a chart paper.
Solution Answers may vary.

70 Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha

Additional Skills Applied: research
Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research and prepare a summarised report
on the various battles fought and won by Alexander along with a list
of the rulers defeated by him.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Imagine you are a foreign tourist visiting Rajagriha. Write a short essay on what you
would find in the capital city.
2. Alexander had to retreat his army, because his officers could not cope with the Indian
climate. What preparations would you have made if you were in that army while
coming to India?
3. If you were a ruler of Magadha who wanted to expand his empire, what peaceful ways
would you adapt to achieve the same?
4. How would a day in the meeting of a gana look like?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

Chapter 8: The Rise of Magadha 71

Theme 5: The Mauryan Empire

Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Rise of the Mauryan Empire

• Sources of information on Mauryan rule
• Important Mauryan rulers
• Ashoka and his Dhamma

Warm Up

You must have heard that the circle with spokes at the centre of our National Flag is
called the Ashoka Chakra.
Have you ever wondered why it is called so? Discuss.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of the possible reasons for calling it
as the Ashoka Chakra.
Share with them that the great Indian king Ashoka had built many
pillars on which various pictures were engraved. One such pillar has
been found at Sarnath from where our State Emblem has been taken.
The bottom panel of our State Emblem has a wheel with 24 spokes
in the centre. This is what has been depicted on our national flag.
As these pillars are called the Ashoka pillars by some historians, the
wheel is also called the Ashoka Chakra.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• The • You may recapitulate from the previous • Textbook
Mauryan chapter how the Nanda dynasty was pages 78–79
Empire— overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya. • Map of India
Sources of • Inform the students about the literary
• Pictures
information works of the period consisting of Indika (by
Megasthenes), Arthashastra (by Chanakya)
and the Edicts of Ashoka which tell us
about the Mauryan Empire.

72
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• The • Give information about Chanakya or Kautilya
Mauryan and his role in the establishment of the first
Dynasty indigenous empire of India—Magadha.
under • Explain about Chandragupta Maurya and the
Chandragupta expansion of Mauryan empire under his rule.
Maurya and • Give brief information about the expansion
Bindusara of empire under Bindusara.
• Use maps to show the extent of Mauryan
dynasty under major rulers.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• The • You may start the section by recapitulating how • Textbook
Mauryan Magadha became the largest empire of India pages 79–81
Dynasty under the first two rulers of the Mauryan dynasty. • Slide show
under • Explain about King Ashoka and his • Pictures
Ashoka transition from a warrior king to a peace-
covering • Map of India
loving king.
Kalinga war, • Introduce the concept and principles of
his Dhamma Dhamma (derived from the Sanskrit word
and his ‘Dharma’).
Edicts
• Highlight how Ashoka was inspired by
• End of Buddhism and his adoption of Dhamma.
Mauryan
Empire • Explain the concept of edicts (order
issued by authoritative person) and their
inscriptions all over Ashoka’s kingdom.
• Discuss with the students what role was played
by Ashoka’s Edicts in our understanding of the
setup of that time.
• Use maps to show the extent of the Mauryan
dynasty under major rulers.
• Explain how the Mauryan Empire weakened
under the weak successors of Ashoka and was
finally taken over by the Shunga Dynasty.

Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire 73

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: communication

Teaching Notes • Sensitise the students about the meaning of the word Ashoka as a
one without sorrow.
• Encourage the students to think about whether there had been
any incident in Ashoka’s life for which he felt sorrow or not.
Solution King Ashoka was remorseful after he saw the outcome of the Kalinga
war in which thousands of men, women and children were killed.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Sensitise the students about the importance of, and the role played by
edicts in the administration of the kingdom.
Solution Answers may vary.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Chanakya/Kautilya 2. 321 bce 3. Kalinga
4. 298 bce 5. Kalinga war

B. Name the following.

1. Chandragupta Maurya 2. Ashoka 3. Arthashastra
4. Dhammamahamatras 5. Brihadratha

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. b 2. c 3. c 4. c 5. a

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Chanakya was a Brahmin scholar and the chief political advisor of
Chandragupta Maurya.
2. Seleucus signed a treaty, under which he had to cede eastern Afghanistan,
Balochistan and areas west of river Indus to Chandragupta. Seleucus also
got one of his daughters married to Chandragupta. He sent Megasthenes
as a Greek ambassador to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. In exchange,
Seleucus got 500 war elephants.

74 Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire

 3. Kalinga was significant for the Mauryas for many reasons. Control over the
sea-ports of Kalinga would mean increased trade and economic growth.
Kalinga also had a formidable and intimidating military force, which also
included large war elephants.
4. The word Dhamma has been derived from Sanskrit word ‘Dharma’ meaning
‘the right way or the way to truth’.
5. The main principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma were:
• Peaceful and harmonious coexistence
• Ahimsa, or abstinence from killing and injuring of all living beings
• Obedience and respect of elders and right treatment of poor and dependents
• Emphasis on truth, morality and spirituality

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. We get information on the Mauryan rulers from various literary and
archaeological sources:
Indika: Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador to the court of
• 
Chadragupta Maurya, wrote the Indika. The book gives extensive
details about the Mauryan administration, society and economy.
• Arthashastra: Chanakya, Chandragupta Maurya’s political advisor, authored
Arthashastra. The book is a political treatise containing philosophy and
principles of administration.
• Edicts of Ashoka: Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya, set up
many rock and pillar edicts to communicate with his subjects. These edicts
give valuable information on the Mauryan Empire.
2. It is believed that Chandragupta Maurya was born in Patna around 340 bce.
Chandragupta was brave and charismatic from an early age. He was noticed by a
Brahmin scholar, Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta), who bore a grudge against
the Nanda ruler. Chanakya trained Chandragupta in the art of warfare and
administration. He wanted him to oust the cruel Nanda ruler and take over the
kingdom. Chanakya helped Chandragupta organise an army. In 321 bce, after
a series of battles, Chandragupta overthrew Dhana Nanda, seized the throne of
Magadha, and started the Mauryan dynasty.
3. Ashoka propagated Dhamma through various ways:
• To put ahimsa into practice, Ashoka banned hunting and other violent sports
in his kingdom. He also freed many people forced into servitude.

Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire 75

 • Ashoka appointed special officers called Dhammamahamatras to propagate
Dhamma among the people.
• He also sent Buddhist scholars to distant lands to propagate Buddhist
philosophy. He even sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to
Sri Lanka to spread the message of Buddhism.
• He built several Buddhist monasteries.
• He also organised the Third Buddhist Council at Pataliputra in 250 bce.
• He took steps for the welfare of people and animals.
• He undertook massive public works across the empire.
• He built good roads that connected different places.
• He also built numerous rest houses for travellers.
• Health facilities were built for people and animals.
4. The Kalinga war caused far more casualties than any war before it. Thousands of
men, women and children were killed in the war. The extent of brutality and violence
greatly disturbed Ashoka and made him remorseful. The Kalinga war was the turning
point in Ashoka’s life. After the war, Ashoka converted to Buddhism. Thereafter, he
abandoned the policy of physical subjugation in favour of cultural conquest.
5. An edict is an order issued by a person in authority. The edicts of Ashoka were
inscribed on rocks, stone pillars and caves. These edicts were mainly concerned
with the reforms that he established to create a just society.
6. Having a Greek ambassador in the court of an Indian king had several advantages:
• The Greek ambassador could share stories, ideas, and customs from Greece
with the Indian king and vice versa. This helped people from both places learn
about each other’s way of life.
• The ambassador could discuss trade and business between Greece and India.
This could lead to the exchange of goods, making both regions better off
economically.
• Having an ambassador promoted friendship between Greece and India. It
allowed them to solve problems peacefully through talking and understanding,
instead of fighting.
• The Greek ambassador could learn about the rich history, science, and
philosophy of India, and share Greek knowledge in return. This exchange of
ideas could benefit both cultures.

76 Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire

 • The ambassador could help build alliances and cooperation between Greece
and India. This meant that if one country needed help, the other might come
to their aid as friends.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. King Ashoka
2. The inscriptions are mainly written in Prakrit language in Brahmi script and
Greek, Karoshti as well as Aramaic scripts.
3. The ruler conveyed reforms to create a just society through these inscriptions.
4. These inscriptions were carved on rocks, stones, pillars and caves.

G. Map Work.
On a blank map of India mark the extent of Ashoka’s empire. Refer to the map on
page 78 of the textbook. Also mark four places where Ashoka’s edicts are found.

Life Skills Skills Applied: civics

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information on various public works
undertaken by the Government of India as well as the respective state/
union territory governments for the welfare of the people.
Inculcate a sense of appreciation in the students for recognising
the efforts being done by the government at various levels for
public welfare.
Solution Some important public works are roads, water supply, rest houses,
night shelters, public amenities, parks, hospitals, schools, etc.

Integration Skills Applied: language and communication critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the achievements of both

Chandragupta and Ashoka.
Solution Answers may vary. Both have achieved greatness with their efforts.
Often the two kings are compared for their power, courage, strength
and determination. While, one is the founder of the Mauryan
Empire, the other played a key role in its expansion.

Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire 77

Project Skills Applied: empathy equality respect for others

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to study the concept of Dhamma in detail
and prepare the newsletter.
Solution Answers may vary on the basis of the main principle of Dhamma
highlighted in the newsletter.

Additional Skills Applied: research

Activity
Teaching Notes Both Chandragupta and Ashoka turned to spirituality in their reigns.
Encourage the students to research on the path/paths adopted by both.
Solution Chandragupta had adopted Jainism whereas Ashoka had become
a follower of Buddhism.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Imagine you are one of Ashoka’s Dhammamahamatras. How would you spread
Ashoka’s message?
2. Ashoka was greatly influenced by the Buddhist philosophy of Dhamma. What
features of the Dhamma would you adopt in your life?
3. If you were to erect an edict what message would you give to the future generations?
Why?
4. How do you think our country would look like if the Mauryan empire still existed?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

78 Chapter 9: The Mauryan Empire

Theme 5: The Mauryan Empire

Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Administration of the Mauryan Empire

• Mauryan art
• Mauryan economy

Warm Up

You must have heard that we have a democratic government where the Prime Minister is
the head of the government, and is assisted and advised by his Cabinet of Ministers. Discuss
how the Cabinet helps and assists the Prime Minister in the administration of the country.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of the possible ways in which the
Prime Minister is assisted by his Cabinet of Ministers.
Are the ministers always given their area of expertise to administer?
Sensitise the students to have an appreciation for the leaders who are
putting their best efforts to lead the country.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Mauryan • You may recapitulate from the previous • Textbook
adminis­ chapter how the Mauryan Empire emerged pages 85–86
tration as the first indigenous empire of India. • Pictures
• Pataliputra • Explain about the Mauryan administration • Slide
as mentioned in Arthashastra (by Kautilya/ presentations
Chanakya) and Indika (by Megasthenes).
• Inform that the king was the central
authority advised by a council of ministers
called mantriparishad.
• Explain the administrative setup in
Pataliputra, the capital city of the
Mauryan Empire.

79
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Encourage the students to collect more
information about Pataliputra, the capital
of the Mauryan Dynasty.
• Ask the students to share their views on
how the setup of Pataliputra is similar to or
different from present day national capitals
of the countries.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to analyse the reason why the Mauryans
maintained a huge army.
Solution Sensitise the students that it is wrong to think that the Kalinga war
caused Ashoka to give up any form of warfare or consolidation of the
empire. He never disbanded his army. He only adopted the policy of
peace in order to administer his vast empire.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Mauryan • You may start the section by asking the • Textbook
art and students about the State Emblem of India, the pages 86–87
archi­tecture Lion Capital. • Slide show
• Inform the students that the same has been • Pictures
adopted from the Lion Capital of Sarnath.
• Explain how much art and architecture
developed during the Mauryan dynasty.
• Explain the construction of viharas, stupas,
pillars, etc.
• Show the students some pictures of famous
stupas, caves, pillars, etc., constructed during
this period.

80 Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration

In-text Activity 2
Teaching Notes • Sensitise the students about the structure of the Lion Capital.
• Encourage the students to think where this symbol is commonly seen.
Solution The State Emblem can be seen on:
• Coins
• Currency notes
• Stamp papers
• Government letters
• Emblems of national bodies like the Supreme Court, CBI, RAW,
etc.
• National Flag (as Ashok Chakra)

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Mauryan • You may start the section by asking why • Textbook
economy agriculture has been an important occupation page 87
covering in all early civilisations and kingdoms. • Slide show
agriculture, • Give information about the base of the • Pictures
taxation, Mauryan economy focusing on agriculture
coinage, and tax system.
trade and • Explain the role of trade and industry in the
industry flourishing of the Mauryan economy.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. King 2. Buddhist 3. Six
4. Edicts 5. Karshapana

B. Name the following.

1. Barabar Caves/Nagarjuni Hill Caves/Sudama Caves
2. Mantriparishad 3. Lion Capital of Sarnath
4. Chandragupta Maurya 5. Mahamatras and Rajukas

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. c 2. a 3. b 4. b 5. c

Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration 81

D. Answer the following questions briefly.
1. The main council consisted of the Mantri (chief minister), Purohit (high priest),
Yuvraja (heir-apparent) and Senapati (commander-in-chief ).
2. Kumara or the royal prince headed the provincial administration.
3. The system of espionage was developed to keep the king informed of the
happenings within and outside the kingdom.
4. The Buddhist influence is evident from the fact that Ashoka built many
Buddhist viharas or monasteries.
5. Some important trade centres are Taxila, Ujjain, Pataliputra and Kaushambi.
6. Prakrit was an ancient Indian language that evolved from Sanskrit. It was spoken
by the common people in different regions of ancient India and was used in
everyday communication.
King Ashoka chose to write his edicts in Prakrit to make his messages more
accessible and relevant to the common people throughout his vast empire,
reflecting his commitment to widespread communication of ethical and moral
principles. Using Prakrit allowed Ashoka’s messages to be easily understood by a
diverse population.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. The king was the central authority in the administration of the Mauryan State.
The king ruled with the help of a council of ministers called the Mantriparishad.
The main council consisted of the Mantri (chief minister), Purohit (high priest),
Yuvraja (heir-apparent) and Senapati (commander-in-chief ). There were special
justice tribunals headed by Mahamatras and Rajukas. The government was
divided into different departments, such as accounts, treasury, forests, revenue
and taxes, for smooth functioning of the state. Each department was led by
an official or adhyaksha appointed by the king. The Mauryan Empire was
divided into several provinces. Each province was under a Kumara or royal
prince. The provinces were divided into nagaras (towns) and gramas (villages).
The head of the city was Nagarika or the city superintendent. His chief
duty was maintenance of law and order.
2. According to Megasthenes, Pataliputra was administered by six committees, with
five members in each. Each committee took care of specific departments like
sanitation, welfare of foreigners, industries and registration of births and deaths.
The state controlled all the economic activities.

82 Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration

 3. The economy of the Mauryan Empire was predominantly agrarian. The farmers
grew crops twice a year. Various crops such as rice, millet, pulses, wheat and
sugarcane were cultivated. An elaborate tax system was prevalent as the taxes
helped the government pay salaries and provide public amenities. Land revenue
was also one of the main sources of income for the government. There were two
types of taxes—tax on cultivated land and the other on the assessment produce.
High taxes were paid by the farmers in the high fertile region, while the farmers
from the low fertile region paid lower taxes. Chandragupta Maurya established
a common coinage system throughout the kingdom. The silver karshapana or
copper punch-marked coins were discovered in Magadha. The trade activities
were carried through land and sea routes. Industrial growth was at its peak during
the Mauryan rule. Some artisans and craftsmen worked individually, while
some worked as a part of associations. Such craft associations in the later period
developed into trader’s guilds.
4. The Mauryan period saw brilliant achievement in art and architecture, visible in
the numerous stupas, viharas, pillars and sculptures. Pataliputra was surrounded
by high walls made of wood with holes in it to pass the arrows. The royal assembly
building was also made up of wood with 84 pillars. Mauryan art reflected a strong
Buddhist influence. Ashoka built numerous Buddhist viharas or monasteries.
Monolithic pillars of Ashoka are remarkable examples of the skill of Mauryan
artists. The most notable feature of these pillars are their intricately carved capitals,
or the uppermost part of pillar. The Lion Capital of Sarnath was adopted as the
State Emblem of India. Another artistic achievement of the Mauryan period
are the stupas built during the Ashokan reign. The Great Stupa at Sanchi is a
remarkable stupa built during the Mauryan reign. The rock-cut architecture of
caves exhibits the remarkable architecture of the Mauryan period.
5. The Sarnath capital has four lions sitting back to back on a circular base facing
the four cardinal directions. The circular base has sculptures of four animals,
separated by four wheels or chakras. The Lion Capital of Sarnath was adopted as
the State Emblem of India in 1950. The wheel or chakra of the capital is also seen
in the Indian national flag.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Lion Capital of Sarnath.

2. To inscribe edicts for people.

Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration 83

 3. The Lion Capital of Sarnath was adopted as the State Emblem of India in 1950.
This is used on all government communication, departments and many national
institutions.

Life Skills Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the structure and functioning
of the Mauryan administration.
Solution • The administrative setup was divided into each official taking
care of a special department in a region. This was based on the
present-day concept of division of labour which is successful
in administrative areas.
• The current government system of India is by and large similar to
the Mauryan administrative setup. The suprintendents for law and
order, separation of executive departments and judiciary, regions
being headed by kumaras (present day state government), etc., are
some of the examples.

Integration Skills Applied: civics

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the structure and functioning of
the Mauryan administration and compare it with the present-day Indian
administrative structure and prepare a comparative chart on the findings.
Solution The suprintendents for law and order, separation of executive
departments and judiciary, regions being headed by kumaras
(present-day state government), etc., are some of the examples.

Project Skills Applied: technology literacy information literacy art integration

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to study in detail the development of art and
architecture during the Mauryan Age and make a presentation to the class.
Solution Answers may vary.

84 Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration

Additional Skills Applied: explore
Activity
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to prepare a pictorial report on at least five
places of importance which have helped us in understanding the art
and architecture under the Mauryan Empire.
Solution Answers may vary.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Write about a day in your life as an architect in the Mauryan Empire.
2. What kind of craft would you be involved in during the Mauryan period?
3. Imagine you were the member of the sanitation committee in Pataliputra. What rules
would you make as a member?
4. If you were the treasurer of the Mauryan Empire, how would you plan on developing
the infrastructure of the kingdom?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

Chapter 10: The Mauryan Administration 85

Theme 6: The Golden Age—Gupta Empire

Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Sources of information on the Gupta Empire

• Important rulers of the Gupta Empire
• Administration, society and economy in the Gupta Empire
• Scientific and cultural developments

Warm Up

You must have heard that the kings had some reputed persons in their courts, who were a
source of knowledge or entertainment for the king. Some named them Navratanas (Nine
Gems), Maharatans (Great Gems), Mahamanas (Great People), etc.
Ask the students if they need to be identified as such, then ask each one to prepare a list of the
Navratnas and the basis on which such students have been classified as navratanas.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of the possible ways of grouping.
Share with them that the Navratanas did not belong to the same field.
They were masters in their own fields.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• The Gupta • You may recapitulate how India was unified • Textbook
Empire – under the Mauryan Empire. pages 91–92
Sources of • Inform the students about the decline of the • Pictures
Information Mauryas, the rise and decline of the Kushanas • Slide
• Chandragupta and some centuries later the rise of Guptas. presentations
I • Tell the students that the age of the Guptas is
• Samudragupta called the Golden Age of Indian history as it
saw achievements in all facets of life.
• Recapitulate with the students the various
sources from which we get information about
the Gupta Age.

86
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Explain to the students that the information
about Guptas is derived from Prayag Prahasti,
paintings, coins and literary works of
Kalidasa and Fa-Hein.
• Inform about the rise of the Gupta Empire
founded by Srigupta.
• Explain the growth of the Guptas under
Chandragupta I.
• Explain the expansion of the Gupta Empire
by military conquests under Samudragupta.
• Ask the students to share their views on how right
the expansion of empires by waging wars is.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to understand the purpose of issuing prashastis
and their relevance in the lives of the common people.
Solution The prashastis issued by the subordinates of the ruler praising the
ruler often recognised the rulers as the descendant of a deity, and
bestowed titles and honours upon them. However, common people
had no relevance of it in their daily life.

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Chandragupta • You may start the section by recapitulating • Textbook
II the achievements of Chandragupta I and pages 93–97
• Later Guptas Samudragupta. • Slide show
• Explain the advent of Guptas under • Pictures
Chandragupta II.
• Inform about the Navratnas or Nine Jewels
in his court.
• Tell them about the decline of the Gupta
Empire under the later Guptas.

Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire 87

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Gupta Period – • Explain why the Gupta period is called the
The Golden Golden Age of Indian history.
Age covering • Describe in detail the administrative setup
administra- of the kingdom with reference to the
tion, economy, amatyas or the council of ministers.
religious life, • Explain how the economy flourished
education, through agriculture, trade and commerce.
scientific • Give an account of the religious beliefs of
progress, the age—the revival of Hinduism and the
art and Vedas as well as the rise of Bhakti cult.
architecture,
• Inform about the importance of education
literature
during the Gupta period with Sanskrit as
an important language.
• Talk about the contributions to science by
Aryabhatta (the concept of day and night
due to the rotation of the Earth, causes of
eclipses, position of celestial bodies, etc.),
Varahamira (Five Theories in Astronomy)
and Vagabhatta (works on ayurvedic
medicine system), etc.
• Tell about the development of art, architecture
and literature during the period.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: language and communication

Teaching Notes Sensitise the students about the importance of archaeological findings
and the responsibility of citizens to submit the same to the government.
Solution Various coins were found by the villagers. When ASI confirmed that
the coins actually belong to the Gupta period, strict measures were
taken by the government and the local police to prevent further
digging and excavation by the villagers and taking away the coins and
other artefacts of historical importance.

88 Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Sensitise the students about the importance of appreciating one’s own
cultural heritage.
Solution The British made their cultural heritage important during the colonial
rule and that is still imbibed in us. When Kalidasa and Samudragupta
were born before Napolean and Shakespeare, the comparison of the
former in terms of the latter seems unreasonable. Though we gained
political and economic freedom from the British in 1947, we need to
ensure that we are culturally free from the European influence as well.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Srigupta 2. Samudragupta 3. Kalidasa
4. Kumaramatyas 5. Agriculture

B. Match the following.

1. c 2. a 3. e 4. d 5. b

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. c 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. d

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. The Guptas are thought to be feudatories of the Kushanas in UP.
2. These are Pannchasidhantika by Varahamira, Aryabhatiyam by Aryabhatta and
Panchtantra by Vishnu Sharma.
3. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, priceless gemstones, ivory, pearl, precious metal,
perfumes and steel were some of the items exported.
4. The southern territories of India.
5. This period saw economic prosperity and glorious achievements in science,
technology, art and architecture, literature, mathematics, religion and
philosophy. Hence, the Gupta period is also referred to as the Golden Age
in Indian history.

Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire 89

E. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. Samudragupta expanded the Gupta Empire further. He overran the whole of India
with his army. During his reign, the Gupta Empire extended from Allahabad (now
Prayagraj) to the borders of Bengal. Samudragupta defeated the nine rulers of
Aryavarta in the north and annexed their kingdoms. Next, he defeated the twelve
rulers of the Dakshinapatha in the south. They surrendered to Samudragupta after
being defeated.
2. The Gupta Empire had a hierarchical system of administration. The Gupta
kings took up elaborate titles such as parameshvara, maharajadhiraja and
prambhattaraka. They were the central figures of the administration. They were
assisted by a council of ministers, known as the amatyas. The empire comprised
several provinces, districts and villages. Groups of villages formed a district, while
groups of districts formed a province. Provinces were generally governed by
princes, who were assisted by a group of advisors known as the kumaramatyas.
Each district was governed by a Vishyapati, with the help of the Adhikarana
(council of representatives). The villages were headed by the village chiefs.
The administrators were given free rein in their individual territories, thereby
decentralising the power of the empire. Criminal law was relaxed and capital
punishment or judicial torture were not practiced.
3. Economy: During the reign of the Guptas, people lived a simple and sustainable
life. Agriculture was the main occupation of the people. The Guptas had a
prosperous economy. Small-scale industries emerged. Internal as well as external
trade and commerce flourished in the empire. They used both land as well as water
ways for transport of goods. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, priceless gemstones,
ivory, pearl, precious metal, perfumes and steel were some of the items exported.
Religious Life: The Gupta dynasty was marked by the revival of a transformed
Hinduism and Vedic rituals. The Guptas were devout Vaishnavas, or followers
of Lord Vishnu. Several temples were built and idol-worship gained significance.
The Gupta period also saw a rise of the Bhakti cult, which followed the principles
of non-violence and selfless devotion to god. Though the Guptas were staunch
Hindus, they were tolerant of other prevailing religions as well. Several Jain
establishments came up in the empire and Jain councils were a regular occurrence.
Large-scale land grants were made to the brahmanas.
4. Indian art and architecture was at its zenith during the Gupta period. The fresco
paintings of the Gupta artists still retain the lustre and freshness in their colours.
Many religious sculptures have been discovered from this period. They are a
mix of Hindu, Buddhist and Jain deities. The statues are uniquely beautiful and

90 Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire

 life-like. The sleeping statue of Buddha is the most remarkable sculpture of the
period. The temples were built using stone bricks, whereas the Buddhist chaityas
were rock-cut. The Dashavarta temple at Deogarh, one of the earliest surviving
temples, is an abode of many important Gupta period sculptures.
5. The Gupta period was marked by radical advancements in the fields of science,
mathematics, astronomy and medicine. Aryabhata, a well-renowned mathematician,
wrote the book Aryabhatiyam, in which he suggested that the day and night
phenomenon occurs due to the rotation of the Earth. He explained the planetary
movements, causes of eclipses and the positions of other celestial bodies like the sun
and the moon. Another notable mathematician and astronomer was Varahamira,
author of Pannchasidhantika, which means the Five Theories in Astronomy.
Vagabhatta, a noted medical practitioner, wrote a book on the ayurvedic medicine
system. In mathematics, Indians in the Gupta period first used the system of
numerals. The concept of zero and the decimal system were also developed by Indians.
Samudragupta ruled the Gupta Empire from 335–380 ce. He is one of the greatest
conquerors in Indian history. He was dubbed as the Indian Napoleon because of his
monumental achievements and remarkable military prowess.
The Allahabad pillar inscription, composed by his court poet Harisena, gives detailed
information of his achievements. Samudragupta expanded the Gupta Empire further.
He overran the entirety of India with his army. During his reign, the Gupta Empire
extended from Allahabad (now Prayagraj) to the borders of Bengal.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Aryabhatta
2. Aryabhattiyam
3. He suggested that the day and night phenomenon occurs due to the rotation
of the Earth. He explained the planetary movements, causes of eclipses and the
positions of other celestial bodies like the sun and the moon.
4. Another notable mathematician and astronomer was Varahamihira, author of
Pannchasidhantika, which means the Five Theories in Astronomy. Vagabhatta,
a noted medical practitioner, wrote a book on the ayurvedic medicine system.

G. Map Work.
On an outline map of India, trace the outline of the greatest extent of the Gupta Empire.
Refer to the map on page 91 of the textbook.

Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire 91

Life Skills Skills Applied: leadership and responsibility art integration

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to bring out common qualities shown by all
the successful and prominent kings.
Solution Having strong armies with no concern for the people or appreciation
for art and learning does not make a king successful. The Nandas
had a strong army yet they are not remembered due to their lack of
interest in art and learning. A great king is one who appreciates all
the facets of humanity equally.

Integration Skills Applied: technology literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research the Gupta kings and present a
digital presentation to the class
Solution Answers may vary.

Project Skills Applied: information literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the Navratnas and their fields
of expertise
Solution 1. Amarsimha – Poet 2. Dhanvantri – Physician
3. Harisena – Poet 4. Kalidasa – Poet
5. Kahapanaka – Astrologer 6. Sanku – Architect
7. Varahamira – Astronomer 8. Vararuchi – Scholar
9. Vetalbhatta – Magician

Additional Skills Applied: explore

Activity
Teaching Notes The Gupta period is called the Golden Age in Indian history.
There had been numerous contributions to the fields of science,
astronomy, literature, art and architecture during this age.
Encourage the students to explore and prepare a lineage of the
Gupta kings in chronological order.

92 Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire

Solution Answers may vary.
The Gupta lineage is:
1. Srigupta 2. Ghatotkacha
3. Chandragupta I 4. Samudragupta
5. Ramagupta 6. Chandragupta II
7. Kumaragupta I 8. Skandagupta
9. Purugupta 10. Kumaragupta II
11. Budhagupta 12. Narsimhagupta
13. Kumaragupta III 14. Vishnugupta
15. Vainyagupta 16. Bhanugupta

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. If you were living in the same period and had to describe the Gupta Empire as an
outsider, how would you describe it?
2. Imagine you were a citizen of the Dakshinapatha when it was conquered by
Samudragupta. Write briefly about the changes you would notice.
3. Rulers used to take hefty titles to declare to the world. What title would you adopt if
you were a ruler in that period? Why?
4. Would you choose to be a farmer or a trader during the Gupta period? Why?
5. Could gold coins be used as a monetary exchange in the present century? Why?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.
Using gold coins instead of regular money would be tricky today. Gold is heavy
and not easy to carry around, so it wouldn’t be practical for buying things like toys
or snacks. Also, gold is worth a lot of money, so it will not be easy to make small
amounts for everyday stuff. We use paper money and coins that are lighter and easier
to use. Gold is still important, but more for keeping our money safe or investing, not
for buying our everyday things.

Chapter 11: The Gupta Empire 93

 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 3
problem solving critical thinking creativity & innovation

language and communication respect for others equality

Answer the following questions.

1. Imagine that you are the ruler of a mahajanapada during the reign of Bimbisara. You
notice how powerful Magadha has become. Think of some steps that you would take to
make your kingdom as powerful as Magadha.
2. Very little is known about the early life of Chandragupta Maurya. Create a storyline
about his early life. Think of who he may have been, and the things he might have
done, until he got noticed by Chanakya.
3. Find out more about Chanakya’s Arthashastra, and Machiavelli’s The Prince. Prepare a
report on each book. Give details of what each author talks about. Which book do you
prefer? Give your reasons.
4. Imagine that you are one of the rulers of the Gupta Empire. Think of ways in which
you could have stopped the decline of the empire. What do you think would happen if
the Gupta Empire did not decline when it did?
5. The Gupta rulers were tolerant and generous. How can we incorporate these principles
in our daily lives? Think and write.

Answers to Additional Enrichment

Worksheet 3
1. Students will come up with the steps on their own. Some ideas are making the
army stronger, taking over nearby kingdoms for trade and getting a port, figuring
out ways to make farming better, and becoming friends with nearby kingdoms.
2. Students will answer the question based on their creativity.
3. Answers will vary. Students will prepare the reports, and state reasons for their
preference.
4. Answers will vary.
5. Answers will vary.

94 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 3

CIVICS
Theme 1: Rural Local Self-Government

Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• Levels of government
• Meaning of local self-government
• Origin of the Panchayati Raj system
• Rural local self-governing bodies under the Panchayati Raj system

Warm Up

Tell the students that in villages the people do not have walled boundaries over their
farms. Encourage them to think and discuss how any issues related to land are solved by
them.
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to think of possible ways of resolving the
dispute.
Share with them that there is an elected group of elderly called the
Panchs who are referred to for resolving disputes after giving a chance
to both parties to say their piece.
Sensitise the students to appreciate the trust shown by villagers in the
local administration for solutions to their land ownership issues and
inculcate in them a sense of truth so as to end the conflicts.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Government • You may start the chapter by encouraging • Textbook
• Central the students to discuss what they think the pages 102–103
government government does. • Pictures
• State • Inform the students about the need and • Slide
government functions of the government. presentations
• Explain the three level structure of the Indian
• Local self-
government—the centre, state and local.
government

96
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Explain the role of central government.
• Explain the role of state government
• Explain the role of local self-government
and its categorisation into urban and rural
local self-government.
• Ask the students to discuss with their parents
and gather information on how successful the
government at the centre, government in the
state and local government of the region have
been.

In-text Activity 1 Skills Applied:

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to understand the difference in the roles of
the three levels of government.
Encourage them to draw the hierarchy chart of the school
administration.
Solution One possible hierarchy set up from the view point of students can be:
• Principal at the Central Level
• Class Teacher at the State Level
• Subject Teachers at the Local Self-government Level

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Panchayati • You may start the section by recapitulating the • Textbook
Raj System role of local self-government. pages 103–107
and its origin • Introduce the students to the concept of the • Slide show
• Gram Sabha Panchayati Raj System. • Pictures
• Gram • Explain the three-tier structure of Panchayati
Panchayat Raj—Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti/
Janpad Panchayat/Block Samiti, District
• Nyaya
Panchayat/Zila Parishad.
Panchayat
• Inform the students about the origin of the
• Block Samiti Panchayati Raj System from Vedic times to
• Zila Parishad the present day.

Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government 97

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Explain the composition and role of
Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat and Nyaya
Panchayat at village level.
• Discuss the composition, functions and
sources of income of the Block Samiti.
• Discuss the composition, functions and
sources of income of the Zila Parishad.
• Sensitise the students about the importance of
local self-government and how a good citizen
can help in smooth running of the government.

In-text Activity 2 Skills Applied: critical thinking

Teaching Notes Make the students understand the roles of Gram Panchayat,
Block Samiti and Zila Parishad.
Encourage the students to develop a three-tier family structure on
the basis of these three authorities.
Solution Answers may vary.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. State Government 2. 73rd Amendment Act 3. Gram Sabha
4. Sarpanch 5. Compulsory, Optional

B. Name the following.

1. Central Government 2. Gram Panchayat 3. Secretary
4. District Panchayat 5. Nyaya Panchayat

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. a 2. c 3. b 4. c 5. b

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. Panchayati Raj system is the local self-government structure that caters to the
needs and requirements of the people at the village level.

98 Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government

 2. The basic purpose of the Gram Sabha is to ensure participation of the villagers in
the development of their villages.
3. Two optional functions of Gram Panchayat are:
• Provide entertainment facilities, such as televisions, radios and theatres
• Construction of gardens, playgrounds and libraries
4. The head of Zila Parishad is Chairman/District Collector/Magistrate. The head of
Block Samiti is the Chairman.
5. Two sources of income for the Gram Panchayat are:
• Tolls and taxes levied on houses, shops and use of public places for
personal reasons
• Grants from central and state governments.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. The panchayat system dates back to the Rig Vedic period, when panchayats solved
the local problems and disputes of villagers. During the British rule, the panchayats
were not very effective as the British officials looked after local problems. After 1947,
when India gained independence, the government realised the need to involve local
people in administrative processes. Therefore, the panchayat system was revived.
2. The Compulsory Functions of Gram Panchayat are:
• Maintain and repair roads, streets, wells, tanks and drainage systems
• Provide public amenities, such as sanitation, markets and electricity to the villagers
• Provide healthcare services by setting up dispensaries, hospitals and regular
health check-up camps
• Provide primary education facilities by setting up schools in villages
• Provide clean water for drinking and other domestic uses
• Maintain harmony and peace among villagers by solving their disputes and conflicts
• Maintain record of deaths and births
• Levy and collect tolls and taxes from the villagers
• Implement various policies and schemes announced by the government
The Optional Functions of Gram Panchayat are:
• Provide entertainment facilities, such as televisions, radios and theatres
• Construction of gardens, playgrounds and libraries
• Organise cultural programmes, such as fairs and pilgrimages

Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government 99

 3. The Block Samitis are formed for a period of five years. The different members of
the Block Samitis are:
The chairman and vice-chairman of the Block Samiti, elected by the members
• 
of Block Samiti
• Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Members of Parliament
(MPs) residing in the block
• Sarpanches of all the Gram Panchayats of the block
• Chairperson of the Town Area Committee, if any
• Members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
• Some seats are reserved for women
• A Block Development Officer, appointed by the government, to implement
the plans of the Block Samiti
4. The functions of the Zila Parishads are:
• Monitor the functioning of Block Samitis and panchayats
• Implement development schemes in the district
• Promote healthcare facilities
• Promote primary and higher education
• Supervise welfare programmes planned and implemented by the Block Samitis
• Provide assistance to farmers to improve agricultural production
• Advise state government on working of the panchayati raj system
5. The Central Government is also known as the Union Government or the
Government of India. It is based in New Delhi, the capital of India. It takes
care of matters of national importance, like defence, currency, national security,
railways and foreign relations. The President of India is the Head of State, while
the Prime Minister of India is the Head of Government.
The State Government operates at the state level. India is divided into 28 states
and each state has a separate government of its own. The state government is
based in the capital of the state, and the Chief Minister is the head of the state
government. The state government looks after state-specific issues like law and
order, education, health services and trade.
Local self-government works at the grass-root level and is closer to the people of the
country. The local self-government bodies are elected by the people of the locality.
It looks after the local needs and issues of the people. There are two types of local
self-governments—urban local self-government and rural local self-government.

100 Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government

 6. Democracy is a better system of rule than monarchy because of the
following reasons:
• In a democracy, everyone, no matter how big or small, gets to share their
ideas and vote for what they think is best. Everyone’s views are taken into
consideration in this form of governance.
• People have different ideas, and in a democracy, people can talk about their
ideas, and challenge the ideas they do not like.
• If someone wants to change something, they can talk about it, vote, and make
it happen in a democracy.
• In a democracy, there are no kings or queens who rule over everyone. Instead,
everyone works together to make decisions.
• In a democracy, the government is elected by the people, and therefore, is
accountable and answerable to them. This means that they cannot do whatever
they wish to.
• People in a democracy have the freedom to do many things. This is not true
in a monarchy, as the people are expected to follow the dictates of the ruler/
monarch.
• In a democracy, people can get justice for any crime/injustice that they have
faced. They can go to courts, and ask for justice.

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. Gram Sabha meeting

2. Members of the Gram Sabha
3. It is conducted to solve and settle disputes and conflicts among villagers
4. Sarpanch

Life Skills Skills Applied: problem solving

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to role-play as a panchayat and bring out the
problems being faced by them.
Solution The students will enact the answer.

Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government 101

Integration Skills Applied: technology literacy language and communication

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the Panchayat or village

administration since its origin.
Solution The history of village administration needs to pay special attention to
the following:
• Sabha and Samiti in Vedic times • Mauryas
• Guptas • Ganas
• Pallava • Chola
• Vijayanagaram • Pandya
• Post-independence India • British India

Project Skills Applied:

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to visit a nearby village and understand the
functioning of the rural local self-government.
Solution Discovery based answer.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Which issues from your locality would you address in the local self-government?
2. Write a diary entry on a meeting in a Panchayat, as the Sarpanch.
3. Conduct a role play where the class would be the panchayat and you raise issues
about your locality and try to reach a solution.
4. Think of two features that you would like to add to the system of Panchayati Raj. How
would these features help?

Answers:
1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary. Answers will depend on the student’s understanding and creativity.
3. Students will do the role-play.
4. Answers will vary.

102 Chapter 12: Rural Local Self–Government

Theme 2: Urban Local Self-Government

Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government

Lesson Overview Suggested Duration: 80 minutes (2 periods)

• ‘Metropolitan’ cities
• Different urban local self-government bodies
• Composition and functions of Municipal Corporation and Municipalities
• Sources of income of Municipal Corporations and Municipalities

Warm Up

You must have heard that there are various elections held in our country, the important
ones being those of the central government, state government and municipal
corporations/councils. Encourage the students to share their ideas on why so many levels
of government are needed? Discuss.
Teaching Notes Sensitise the students about the roles of various levels of government.
Make them understand the difference between topics of national
interest, state interest and regional interest. One cannot approach the
prime minister or minister of roads or minister of electricity to solve
the problem of street lighting in the locality. For this, we need local
self-government.

Lesson Plan

Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources

• Metropolitan • You may start the chapter by encouraging • Textbook
City the students to discuss the effectiveness of local pages 111–114
• Urban self-governments at the village level. • Pictures
Local Self- • Introduce the students to the concept of • Slide
government metropolitan city as an area consisting of presentations
• Municipal densely populated urban regions along with
Corporations— the surrounding less populated territories.
Composition, • Explain the concept of urban local
Functions self-government.

103
Key Concepts Suggested Transactional Process Learning Resources
• Municipal • Inform the students about the
Council composition and functioning of Municipal
• Nagar Corporations.
Panchayat • Describe the functioning of a Municipal
Council.
• Encourage the students to identify the
differences between Municipal Corporations
and Municipal Councils.
• Elucidate the concept of Nagar Panchayat
and its functioning.
• Ask the students to share the similarities
and differences between rural local
self-governments and urban local
self-governments.

In-text Activity 1
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on the important metropolitan cities
of India.
Encourage them to draw the hierarchy chart of the school administration.
Solution Some of the metropolitan cities of India are Delhi, Chennai,
Bengaluru, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kanpur, Vishakhapatnam,
Surat, Pune.

In-text Activity 2
Teaching Notes Encourage the students to research on top five metropolitan cities of the
world.
Encourage them to draw differences between any of these with any
metropolitan city of India.
Solution The top five metropolitan cities of the world are Tokyo, Shanghai, Jakarta,
Seoul and São Paulo.
Answers may vary as to comparative analysis.

104 Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government

In-text Activity 3 Skills Applied: communication

Teaching Notes Sensitise the students to understand the importance of vaccination.

Make the students appreciate the efforts of the government to run
free vaccination centres for the health of children.
Encourage them to create awareness in their locality about the importance
of vaccination and getting the children vaccinated in the camps organised
by the government.
Solution Vaccination camps enable the economically weaker sections of the society
to get proper health benefits for their children. In case such camps are
not organised, the future of the country—children—will not be strong
enough to efficiently run the country.

Exercise

A. Fill in the blanks.

1. Cities and towns 2. Metropolitan 3. Wards
4. Municipal Commissioner 5. Mayor

B. Match the following.

1. c    2. d    3. a    4. e    5. b

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. b    2. c    3. a    4. a    5. d

D. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. The term ‘Metropolitan’ refers to an area consisting of densely populated urban
regions along with the surrounding less-populated territories. For example,
New Delhi, Mumbai, etc.
2. Since urban areas have a huge population, their needs and problems are far more
complex than that of rural areas. These cities require well-built infrastructure,
appropriate transport and communication facilities and other amenities.
3. The municipal corporations include some respected citizens of the city who are
nominated to the corporation. They are known as aldermen.
4. A Municipal Council, also known as the Nagar Palika or Municipality, is the
self-governing body for any town or city which has a population ranging from
20,000 to 1,00,000, but less than 10,00,000.

Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government 105

 5. Four taxes levied on the citizens of a city are:
• Property taxes levied on the land and houses of the residents
• Water taxes levied on the water supplied by the corporation
• Octroi duty levied on any good brought into the city
• Entertainment taxes collected from cinema halls, theatres, circuses, etc.

E. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. By the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992, the Government of India set up
three kinds of urban local governing bodies to look after the needs and requirements
of cities and towns.

Municipal Municipal Nagar

Corporation Council Panchayat

Known as
Known as Known as City
Municipality or
Mahanagarapalika Council
Nagar Palika

Self-governing bodies Self-governing bodies Self-governing bodies

for large cities for smaller cities for transitional areas

2. The Municipal Corporation is a self-governing body for large cities with a population
of over 10,00,000 people.
The composition of the Municipal Corporation is as under:
• Each city is divided into wards. The number of wards in a municipal area is
determined by the population of the city. Adult citizens of each ward elect
representatives, called Ward Councillors, from their wards.
•  The elected councillors elect from among themselves a Mayor and a Deputy
Mayor. The Mayor is the head of the Municipal Corporation and presides
over its meetings.
• The Municipal Corporation comprises several committees for the day-to-day
administration of the city.
• The Municipal Corporation also has a Chief Executive Officer or Municipal
Commissioner, appointed by the state government. He/she supervises the
functioning of the corporation.
• The corporations also include some respected citizens of the city who are
nominated to the corporation. They are known as aldermen.
• Some seats are also reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women
in the corporation.

106 Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government

3. The mandatory functions of Municipal Corporation include:
• Ensuring supply of sufficient, safe and clean drinking water
• Constructing and maintaining the water supply infrastructure for domestic,
industrial and commercial purposes
• Establishing and maintaining public hospitals and dispensaries
• Controlling the spread of diseases and organising vaccination programmes
• Establishing and maintaining public toilets
• Providing proper drainage facilities
• Cleaning the roads, drains, public toilets and disposing of waste
• Establishing and maintaining public schools and adult education centres
• Providing basic civic amenities in the schools and other educational institutions
• Providing sufficient electricity
• Ensuring proper law and order
• Maintaining the emergency services
• Establishing and maintaining special hospitals for the maternity and child
welfare purposes
• Constructing and maintaining the infrastructure of the city, such as the roads,
bridges, public buildings and markets
• Providing and maintaining sufficient street light in the city
4. A Municipal Council, also known as the Nagar Palika or Municipality, is the
self-governing body for any town or city which has a population ranging from
20,000 to 1,00,000, but less than 10,00,000.
A Nagar Panchayat, also known as City Council, is the self-governing body for
any town or city with a population of more than 5,000 but less than 20,000. It is
mainly set up in areas that are in transition from a rural nature to an urban nature.
5. The main sources of income for the local self-governing bodies in urban areas are:
• Property taxes levied on the land and houses of the residents
• Water taxes levied on the water supplied by the corporation
• Professional and business taxes levied on any professional services rendered
or businesses carried out in the city
• Octroi duty levied on any goods brought into the city
• Entertainment taxes collected from cinema halls, theatres, circuses, etc.
• Education taxes levied on educational activities
• Toll taxes levied on the usage of roads and bridges
• Vehicle taxes levied on all types of vehicles
• Grants from state government
6. Answers will vary.

Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government 107

F. Snap Shot!
Skills Applied: media literacy

1. To prevent people from directly immersing idols in the lakes around the cities
2. Ganesh Visarjan celebrated on Ganesh Chaturthi
3. Some non-mandatory functions of Municipal Corporations are:
• Ensuring supply of cooking gas and ration
• Constructing and maintaining shelter homes, orphanages, old-age homes and
rest houses
• Establishing and maintaining public recreational facilities, such as parks, gardens,
zoos, theatres, resorts, libraries, museums and other tourist attractions
• Organising various cultural and sports events and activities
• Organising health check-up camps for the poor and the elderly

Life Skills Skills Applied: problem solving

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to identify the problems being faced by their
locality and support in providing any assistance that is asked from
the students.
Sensitise the students about the contribution of citizens in building of
the nation.
Solution Answers may vary.

Integration Skills Applied: collaboration history

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to do more research on the city administration
of Pataliputra.
Ask them to compare the setup with the Municipal Corporations and
highlight the differences between the two.
Solution Answers may vary.

Project Skills Applied: information literacy

Teaching Notes Encourage the students to collect information and prepare a comparative
pictorial chart about the municipal corporations of five major metros
of India.

108 Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government

Solution The five major metropolitans of India are Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata,
Mumbai and Bengaluru.

Extended Learning

Answer the following:

1. Write a letter to the Municipality regarding the drainage system in your
neighbourhood.
2. Visit a municipality and note down the day-to-day activities in the office. Share you
findings with the class.
3. How can you help the municipal workers in doing their job?
4. How can you involve your neighbourhood to help the municipal workers in
maintaining your locality?

Answers:
1. Students will write the letter.
2. Research-based answer.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

Chapter 13: Urban Local Self-Government 109

 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 4
problem solving communication empathy

critical thinking creativity & innovation

Answer the following questions.

1. You and your team members are part of a Nyaya Panchayat. A case has been
brought to you, which involves dispute over property between two farmers. Think
and say what steps you will follow to ensure justice is ensured to the farmers. If
one farmer is in the wrong, how will you admonish them? Write an account.
2. Organise a debate in the classroom on the topic ‘If the sources of income of the
Gram Panchayat is enough for it to perform its functions’. Divide yourselves into
two groups, one saying yes, and the other, no. Write down the arguments that
seem the most logical to you during the debate.
3. Put yourself in the shoes of a resident in a developing town in India. The town
grapples with issues like waste management, traffic congestion, and a demand for
improved public facilities. Explore the roles the Municipality can play in solving these
challenges. Outline their specific responsibilities and suggest ways in which citizens can
actively engage in contributing to the enhancement of their town’s living conditions.
4. Initiate a project aimed at improving the environmental sustainability of your
locality. Partner with a nearby environmental organisation and conduct surveys
to identify crucial areas for improvement. After identifying three primary
environmental challenges, detail the steps you would take to tackle them. List
the people or groups in your neighbourhood you want to involve, and propose
simple solutions to make your area more eco-friendly. Write a letter to the local
environmental agency, explaining your worries, and giving clear ideas on how to
create a greener and more sustainable community.

Answers to Additional Enrichment

Worksheet 4
problem solving communication empathy

critical thinking creativity & innovation

1. Students will create the situation, and answer the question based on that.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Research and solution-based answer. Answers will vary.

110 Additional Enrichment Worksheet 4

 Answers to Enrichment Worksheets of
Student’s Book
Answers to Enrichment Worksheet 1
1. The production of surplus food grains created the conditions for early societies
to shift their focus from basic survival to more complex and innovative pursuits.
It led to food stability and security, thus allowing some people to engage in
other pursuits, such as trade and commerce, innovations and discoveries, and a
variety of cultural pursuits. This shift laid the groundwork for the development
of civilisations, trade networks, and advancements in technology, culture, and
intellectual pursuits.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary.
4. Agriculture still plays a big role in our societies. This is because it helps in food
production, and provides food security to the people of a country. It leads to
economic stability, and provides rural livelihoods. It also provides raw materials for
a variety of economic activities. Agriculture plays a central role in shaping the way
we live and interact with our environment.

Answers to Enrichment Worksheet 2

1. Students will write the answers based on their own imagination.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Answers will vary. Values such as ahimsa, respect for all life forms, karma,
simplicity and humility, tolerance and acceptance were some of the features of
these two religions that positively influenced our Indian values.
4. Answers will vary. Students will base the answers on their understanding of the
Later Vedic society and social norms.

Answers to Enrichment Worksheet 3

1. Students will give their reasons. Factors such as geographical location, military
power, trade and commerce, presence of intellectual and religious centres, and
cultural and artistic developments contributed to make Magadha an important
mahajanapada.
2. Answers will vary.

Answers to Enrichment Worksheets of Student’s Book 111

 3. Students will give their reasons.
4. Answers will vary. Samudragupta’s military acumen, diplomatic strategies,
patronage of the arts and culture, religious tolerance, economic prosperity,
administrative abilities, and successful succession planning make him stand out as
a ruler who contributed significantly to the growth and prosperity of the Gupta
Empire.

Answers to Enrichment Worksheet 4

1. Answers will vary.
2. Answers will vary.
3. Solution-based answer to be thought of by students. Answers will vary.
4. Answers will vary.

112 Answers to Enrichment Worksheets of Student’s Book

 Answers to Sample Test Paper 1
of Student’s Book
Time Duration: 2 hours Maximum Marks: 80

Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. Euphrates, Tigris 2. Narmer 3. Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro
4. Xia 5. Cattle

B. Name the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Sir Leonard Woolley 2. Ptolemy 3. Lothal
4. Red ware 5. Brahmavarta

C. Choose the correct answer. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. c    2. d    3. c    4. d    5. a

D. Answer the following questions in brief. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. Old Kingdom (3000–2200 bce), Middle Kingdom (2100–1800 bce) and
New Kingdom (1500–1000 bce).
2. It is so called because Harappa was the first site of the civilisation to be discovered.
3. The river is called the ‘Sorrow of China’ because it changed its course after the
floods causing damage to crops and settlements in the river valley.
4. They migrated to India looking for pastures.
5. The Ashwamedha yajna was performed to establish the king’s undisputed
authority over the areas the horse moved unchallenged.

E. Answer the following questions in detail. 5 × 5 = 25 marks

1. The Egyptians worshipped different gods and goddesses who were believed to
control the forces of nature. Some important gods and goddesses were the Sun
god Ra, the Creator god, Amun and Osiris, the god of the Dead. The pharaohs
were also worshipped as gods. Each god was assigned a temple and many
temples had more than one deity. Many Egyptian gods had human bodies with

Answers to Sample Test Paper 1 of Student’s Book 113

 animal heads. The people of Egypt strongly believed in life after death. So, they
started the practice of preserving the body of the dead through a process called
mummification.
2. The Chinese civilisation has made substantial contributions to the world in the
fields of:
a. S cript/literature – The Chinese developed the Chinese script using only
pictures. They wrote on silk or bamboo slips using fine brush. Today, the
Chinese script is still followed in China, but in a simplified form.
b. S cience and mathematics – The Chinese invented a calendar consisting of
365 days and 12 months. They also correctly calculated eclipses. They also
invented abacus, a counting device to learn maths.
c. T
 echnology – The earliest known seismograph to record earthquakes was
invented by Zhang Heng in 132 ce during the Han dynasty. The Chinese
invented the art of block printing using wood block. The wood blocks were
carved, inked and pressed on the surface of the cloth or paper. The magnetic
compass was invented during the Han dynasty. Earlier it was used as a
divination device, but later it was used for navigation.
d. O
 ther inventions – The Chinese were known for a number of inventions.
They made kites to signal the army about danger. Gunpowder and firecrackers
were invented to be used in warfare. They made paper from barks of old trees.
The Chinese were the first to use umbrellas to protect themselves from the
rain and sun.
3. Some scholars believe that the River Indus suddenly changed its course, causing
floods in some areas, and droughts in other places. There are others who believe
that deforestation was the main cause of the decline. There are some other scholars
who believe that the invasion of foreign tribes like the Aryans might have also
played a role.
4. Political Structure – The lowest unit of society in the Early Vedic period was the
family or the kula headed by a kulapa. Several families together formed a vis or
clan under a vishpati. Next was a grama or a village headed by a gramini or
village headman. Many gramas together formed a rajya or jana ruled by the king
or rajan. The most capable person of the tribe became the rajan. In the Early
Vedic age, the king ruled over a tribe rather than a territory. Wars were fought
between tribes, not for territory but for cattle, which was the real wealth of
the time.

114 Answers to Sample Test Paper 1 of Student’s Book

 Administration – The rajan was chosen by the people based on his strength. He ruled
over a tribe, rather than a territory. He was the protector of his tribe and was treated
as a spiritual being. He was assisted by various officials, including the purohit and the
senani. The purohit was responsible for all the religious duties and ceremonies, while
the senani was the military commander-in-chief. The king did not have absolute
power. He was controlled by several tribal or kin-based assemblies like the sabha,
samiti and vidatha. The sabha was a small assembly of a few important members,
while the samiti was a big assembly where the entire tribe could give their opinions on
the matters of the state. Women also participated in these assemblies.
5. The life of an individual was divided into four stages or ashramas. Each stage
indicated the journey of man according to Vedic tradition.
a. Brahmacharya Ashrama or a student life was the first stage of man’s life.
In this stage, he receives education from his guru or teacher in a gurukul.
b. Grihastha Ashrama or life as a householder is the stage where the man gets
married and performs his duties as a son, husband and father. During this stage,
he works to earn a living for his family using the skills he learnt in gurukul.
c. Vanaprastha Ashrama or the life as a hermit is the stage where the man, after
completing his worldly duties, hands the household responsibilities to his
successor and leaves the worldly life. He goes to the forest and leads a life of
meditation and solitude.
d. Sanayas Ashrama or a life as a sadhu is the last stage, where the man renounces
all comforts of life, becomes spiritual and leads the life of an ascetic, focusing
on moksha.

F. Passage-based questions. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. The Caste System
2. The system was not rigid. The caste was not decided by parentage but by
occupation. People could change occupation and varna.
3. The four groups are Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras.
4. The Brahmanas were the educated priests who performed all religious rituals and
rites. They were also teachers and educators. The Kshatriyas were warriors of the
tribe, who were in service to the rajan and protected the tribe. The Vaishyas were the
traders, farmers and artisans engaged in trade, agriculture and craftwork. The Shudras
were the daily labourers who formed the servant class and performed menial tasks.
5. The system became severely rigid and hereditary.

G. Map work. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

To be done by students on an outline map of India

Answers to Sample Test Paper 1 of Student’s Book 115

 Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. state government 2. the 73rd Amendment Act 3. Sarpanch
4. Nagar Panchayat 5. wards

B. Match the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. e 2. d 3. b 4. c 5. a

C. Answer the following questions in a few words. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. The rural self-governing body was formed through the 73rd Constitutional
Amendment Act, 1992. The urban self-governing body was formed through
the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992.
2. The Panchayati Raj system is the local self–government structure that caters to the
needs and requirements of the people at the village level.
3. The two optional functions of the Municipal Corporation are:
a. To ensure supply of cooking gas and ration.
b. To organise various cultural and sports events and activities.
4. A metropolitan is a city that has a population of more than one million.
For example, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bengaluru.
5. The main sources of income for the local self-governing bodies in urban areas are:
a. Property taxes levied on the land and houses of the residents.
b. Water taxes levied on the water supplied by the corporation.
c. Professional and business taxes levied on any professional services rendered or
businesses carried out in the city.
d. Octroi duty levied on any goods brought into the city.
e. Entertainment taxes collected from cinema halls, theatres, circuses, etc.
f. Education taxes levied on educational activities.
g. Toll taxes levied on the usage of roads and bridges.

116 Answers to Sample Test Paper 1 of Student’s Book

 Answers to Sample Test Paper 2
of Student’s Book
Time Duration: 2 hours Maximum Marks: 80

Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. last tirthankara 2. Magadha 3. Kalinga war
4. Karshapana 5. Samudragupta

B. Name the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Turning of the Wheel of Law or Dhammachakra pravartan 2. Srigupta
3. Megasthenes 4. Monarchy 5. Dhammamahamatras

C. Choose the correct answer. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. a 2. a 3. a 4. c 5. b

D. Answer the following questions in brief. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. The Eight-fold path is a set of principles preached by Gautam Buddha to help a
person lead a virtuous life.
2. The enormous strength of the Nanda army of Magadha made him apprehensive
and his soldiers were war-weary and homesick.
3. The main principles of Ashoka’s Dhamma were:
a. Peaceful and harmonious coexistence
b. Ahimsa, or abstinence from killing and injuring of all living beings
c. Obedience and respect of elders and right treatment of poor and dependents
d. Emphasis on truth, morality and spirituality
4. The main council consisted of the Mantri (chief minister), Purohit (high priest),
Yuvraja (heir-apparent) and Senapati (commander-in-chief ).
5. This period saw economic prosperity and glorious achievements in science,
technology, art and architecture, literature, mathematics, religion and philosophy.
Hence, the Gupta period is also referred to as the Golden Age in Indian history.

Answers to Sample Test Paper 2 of Student’s Book 117

E. Answer the following questions in detail. 5 × 5 = 25 marks
1. The basic principles of Jainism are:
a. Samyak Darshan (Right Faith) meaning one must understand and have faith
in the teachings of Tirthankara.
b. Samyak Jnan (Right Knowledge) meaning one must learn and understand the
correct meaning of the teachings of Tirthankara.
c. Samyak Charitra (Right Conduct) meaning one must strictly obey and
practise the Five Great Vows.
2. Bimbisara was the first important ruler of Magadha. He belonged to the Haryanka
dynasty. He ruled Magadha for 52 years. He used matrimonial alliances and
conquests to expand his kingdom. Bimbisara conquered the Anga kingdom by
defeating its King Brahamadatta. With this, he gained control over the river port
of Champa. This boosted Magadha’s maritime trade relations with other regions.
Flourishing trade, surplus agricultural produce and rich iron deposits of the region
resulted in a prosperous kingdom.
Ajatashatru, the son of Bimbisara, succeeded him and ruled for 32 years. He was
well-known for his military conquests. He conquered several kingdoms, including
Vaishali, Kasi and Kosala. Ajatashatru built a fort in the village of Patali Gram
near the banks of river Ganga to protect his kingdom. Under Ajatashatru,
Magadha became the most powerful kingdom in North India.
The Nandas were regarded as empire-builders. They were very wealthy and had
an elaborate tax collection system. The Nandas built a vast and powerful army
to protect the empire against foreign invasions. Even the mighty Alexander the
Great, who invaded India during the reign of Dhana Nanda, was wary of the
Magadha army.
3. It is believed that Chandragupta Maurya was born in Patna around 340 bce.
Chandragupta was brave and charismatic from an early age. He was noticed by
a Brahmin scholar, Chanakya (Kautilya/Vishnugupta), who bore a grudge against
the Nanda ruler. Chanakya trained Chandragupta in the art of warfare and
administration. He wanted him to oust the cruel Nanda ruler and take over the
kingdom. Chanakya helped Chandragupta organise an army. In 321 bce, after
a series of battles, Chandragupta overthrew Dhana Nanda, seized the throne of
Magadha, and started the Mauryan dynasty.

118 Answers to Sample Test Paper 2 of Student’s Book

 4. The king was the central authority in the administration of the Mauryan State.
The king ruled with the help of a council of ministers called the Mantriparishad.
The main council consisted of the Mantri (chief minister), Purohit (high priest),
Yuvraja (heir-apparent) and Senapati (commander-in-chief ). There were special
justice tribunals headed by Mahamatras and Rajukas. The government was
divided into different departments, such as accounts, treasury, forests, revenue
and taxes, for smooth functioning of the state. Each department was led by an
official or adhyaksha appointed by the king. The Mauryan Empire was divided
into several provinces. Each province was under a Kumara or royal prince. The
provinces were divided into nagaras (towns) and gramas (villages). The head of the
city was Nagarika or the city superintendent. His chief duty was maintenance of
law and order.
5. Samudragupta expanded the Gupta Empire further. He overran the whole of India
with his army. During his reign, the Gupta Empire extended from Prayagraj to
the borders of Bengal. Samudragupta defeated the nine rulers of the Aryavarta in
the north and annexed their kingdoms. Next, he defeated the twelve rulers of the
Dakshinapatha in the south. They surrendered to Samudragupta after being defeated.
F. Passage-based questions. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. Samudragupta
2. The Gupta Dynasty
3. He was named as Indian Napoleon because of his monumental achievements and
military prowess.
4. He conquered the 9 rulers of Aryavarta, 12 rulers of Dakshinpatha, Assam Coastal
Bengal and Nepal.
5. Veena
G. Map work. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
To be done by students on an outline map of India

Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. Gram Sabha 2. compulsory, optional 3. Municipal Commissioner
4. metropolitan 5. wards

B. Match the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. e 2. b 3. d 4. c 5. a

Answers to Sample Test Paper 2 of Student’s Book 119

C. Answer the following questions in a few words. 2 × 5 = 10 marks
1. Since urban areas have a huge population, their needs and problems are far more
complex than that of rural areas. These cities require well-built infrastructure,
appropriate transport and communication facilities and other amenities.
2. The basic purpose of the Gram Sabha is to ensure the participation of the villagers
in the development of their villages.
3. The Compulsory Functions of Gram Panchayat are:
a. Maintain and repair roads, streets, wells, tanks and drainage systems.
b. Provide public amenities, such as sanitation, markets and electricity to the
villagers.
The Optional Functions of Gram Panchayat are:
a. Provide entertainment facilities, such as televisions, radios and theatres.
b. Construction of gardens, playgrounds and libraries.
4. The Municipal Corporation is a self-governing body for large cities having a
population of over 10, 00,000 people.
A Municipal Council, also known as the Nagar Palika or Municipality, is the
self-governing body for any town or city which has a population ranging from
20,000 to 1,00,000, but less than 10,00,000.
A Nagar Panchayat, also known as City Council, is the self-governing body for
any town or city with a population of more than 5,000 but less than 20,000.
5. Each city is divided into wards. The number of wards in a municipal area is
determined by the population of the city. Adult citizens of each ward elect
representatives, called Ward Councillors, from their wards. The elected councillors
elect from among themselves a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor. The Mayor is the
head of the Municipal Corporation and presides over its meetings. The Municipal
Corporation also has a Chief Executive Officer or Municipal Commissioner,
appointed by the state government. He/she supervises the functioning of the
corporation. The corporations also include some respected citizens of the city
who are nominated to the corporation. They are known as aldermen. Some
seats are also reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women in
the corporation.

120 Answers to Sample Test Paper 2 of Student’s Book

 Additional Sample Test Paper 1
Time Duration: 2 hours Maximum Marks: 80

Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. The Mesopotamian Civilisation developed in the ___________ Age.
2. The Chinese used __________ for making pottery.
3. The Upanishads are also referred to as ___________ meaning ‘end of Vedas’.
4. _____________ are the three books which contain the teachings of Buddha.
5. Each department of the Mauryan administration was headed by a _________.

B. Name the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Pyramid built for Pharaoh Khufu
_____________
2. Silver coins with a punch mark
_____________
3. Hemispherical dome-shaped structures containing relics of Buddha
_____________
4. The head of each province under the Mauryan Empire
_____________
5. The earliest book to mention Magadha
_____________

C. Choose the correct answer. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. The Chinese Civilisation developed on the banks of which river?
a. Yangste b. Huang He c. Mekong d. Irrawaddy
2. Which of these was NOT an occupation of the Indus Valley people?
a. Spinning b. Shearing c. Carpentry d. Weaving
3. What was the principal means of exchange in the Early Vedic period?
a. Gold coins b. Barter system c. Seals d. Silver stamps

Additional Sample Test Paper 1 121

 4. What are the three basic principles of Jainism are known as?
a. Tri-jugi b. Tri-phala c. Tri-netra d. Tri-ratna
5. Whom did Alexander appoint to look after his conquered territories in India?
a. Megasthenese b. Seleucus Nicator c. Mahendra d. Porus

D. State true or false. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. The social structure of the Indus Valley was divided into Rulers and Slaves.
2. The Egyptians invented the abacus.
3. Indra was the god of sky and wind.
4. The Gupta kings were in a way responsible for the decline of Buddhism in India.
5. Chandragupta became a follower of Jainism in his later years.

E. Answer the following questions in brief. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. What is a clay tablet? How was it used?
2. Describe the houses and royal homes of the ancient Egyptians.
3. What was the Gurukul system of education?
4. Name and give the basic difference of the two Jain sects.
5. What is an edict? Describe the edicts put up by Ashoka.

F. Answer the following questions in detail. 5 × 5 = 25 marks

1. What is regarded as the ‘start of urbanisation’? What lead up to it?
2. What do you understand by ‘varna’? Define them.
3. Trace the transformation of Prince Vardhamana to Mahavira.
4. Elaborate on the tax system prevalent in the Mauryan Empire.
5. What can you say about the society during the Gupta Era?

G. Map work 1 × 5 = 5 marks

On an outline map of India, highlight the greatest extent of the Mauryan Empire.
Also mark any four important sites of the empire.

122 Additional Sample Test Paper 1

 Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. The basic purpose of the Gram Sabha is ___________ of the villagers.
2. A Block Samiti has many ___________ under its supervision.
3. A town or city with a population between 5000 and 20000 has a ___________.
4. Urban local self-government bodies are given ___________ by the state
government.
5. ___________ taxes are levied on the use of roads and bridges.

B. Match the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Apex of the Panchayati Raj system a. Block Samiti
2. Link between the Gram Panchayat b. District Councils
and Zila Parishad
3. Main source of income for the c. Maintaining and repairing of roads
Gram Panchayat
4. Another name for Zila Panchayats d. Zila Panchayat
5. Basic function of the Gram e. Grants from central and state
Panchayat governments

C. Answer the following questions in a few words. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. What are the three levels of government in India? Write a sentence on each type.
2. What are the two types of local self-governments? Name the bodies they
encompass.
3. What is the function of the secretary of the Gram Panchayat?
4. List the seven mandatory functions of the Municipal Corporation.
5. What are the features that make Mumbai a metropolitan city?

Additional Sample Test Paper 1 123

 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 1
Time Duration: 2 hours Maximum Marks: 80

Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. Bronze; 2. ceramic; 3. Vedanta; 4. Tripitakas; 5. Adhyaksha

B. Name the following 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Great Pyramid of Giza; 2. Karshapana; 3. Stupa; 4. Kumara; 5. Atharva Veda

C. Choose the correct answer. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. b; 2. b; 3. b; 4. d; 5. b

D. State true or false. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. False; 2. False; 3. False; 4. True; 5. True

E. Answer the following questions in brief.  2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. Clay tablets were used by the Mesopotamians to write. They etched the wedge-
shaped writings on a wet clay tablet which was then baked to harden it. Each clay
tablet was considered to be a page and several such tablets made up a book.
2. Houses were constructed using sun-baked bricks and they had flat roofs. Most
housed had two or three rooms, a courtyard and a kitchen area. The royal homes
were fenced in by high walls and moats for security.
3. The Gurukul was a system of education that boys entered at the age of seven or eight.
They lived and worked under the guru till the age of 25. The shishyas led a simple
life getting educated as well as learning household chores. The guru was their spiritual
father who was paid a dakshina or fee after their education was complete.
4. The two sects of Jainism are Digambars and Svetambars. The former wear no
clothes and follow the original teachings of Mahavira. The latter wear white
clothes and do not follow any extreme austerity.
5. Edict is an order issued by a person in authority. Ashoka had edicts inscribed on
rocks, stone pillars and caves. These were about the reforms that he established
to create a just society. He put up edits across his empire that included present

124 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 1

 day Nepal, India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. They were written in Prakrit using
the Brahmi script. In the north-west they were written in Greek, Kharoshti and
Aramaic scripts.

F. Answer the following questions in detail. 5 × 5 = 25 marks

1. The beginning of towns and cities is regarded as the start of urbanisation. Once
humans learnt the techniques of farming they settled down and learnt to live in
groups. Discovery of metals lead to further progress and the exchange of goods
developed into trade. People began to live in organised groups with defined
boundaries and administrative mechanism. They shared a common culture,
language, arts and architecture. These groups settled in villages, some of which
grew into towns and cities.
2. Early Vedic society was divided into four classes called ‘varnas’. This division was
based on the occupation of the people. The Brahmans were the educated priests,
teachers and educators. The Kshatriyas were the warriors, protectors of the tribe.
The king or ruler belonged to this class. The Vaishyas were the traders, farmers
and artisans, while the Shudras were the labourers and servant class.
3. Prince Vardhamana who belonged to the Kshatriya class renounced his life of
luxury at the age of 30 and began his search for the truth. For 12 years he led the
severe life of an ascetic spending most of his time in penance and meditation.
After 12 years he attained enlightenment and became a jina of ‘conqueror of one’s
self ’. Thereafter he was known as Mahavira.
4. An elaborate system of collecting taxes held the government to pay salaries and provide
public amenities. Land revenue was the main source of income. The two types of taxes
were on cultivated land and on the assessment of the produce. Farmers in the high
fertile regions paid a higher tax while farmers in the low fertile regions paid a lower tax.
At times of emergency a 1/3rd tax of the produce was collected. Apart from
agriculture, tax was collected from manufacturing industries and other professionals
such as artisans, mason, traders and labourers.
5. The Gupta Era was also known as the Golden Age because there was great progress
in the economy, science and literature. Education was encouraged as well as the
arts of music and painting. People lived a simple and sustainable life. The rulers
were tolerant of all religions and allowed the practice of all religions. From Fa
Hien’s accounts we know that this was a period of great stability.

G. Map work 1 × 5 = 5 marks

Important cities: Taxila, Ujjain, Pataliputra, Sarnath, etc.

Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 1 125

 Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks. 1 × 5 = 5 marks
1. participation 2. gram panchayats     3. nagar panchayat
4. grants 5. Toll

B. Match the following. 1 × 5 = 5 marks

1. Zila Panchayat 2. Block Samiti
3. Grants from central and state governments 4. District Councils
5. Maintaining and repairing of roads

C. Answer the following questions in a few words. 2 × 5 = 10 marks

1. The Government of India operates at three levels—centre, state and local.
The Central government also known as the Union Government or Government
of India is based in New Delhi, the capital.
The 28 State governments are each based in the state capital with the Chief Minister
as the head.
The local self-government is elected by the people of the locality and works at the
grassroot level.
2. The two types of local self-governments are the Urban and Rural local
self-governments. The former works in towns and cities and has the municipal
corporations and municipalities. The latter works in rural areas, in the form of
Panchayats and Zila Parishads.
3. The secretary of the Gram Panchayat, who is appointed by the government, also
acts as the secretary of the Gram Sabha. The person thus appointed advises the
people on various matters and keeps a record of the day-to-day activities of the
Gram Panchayat. He also makes the annual budget for them.
4. The seven mandatory functions of the Municipal Corporation are:
• Water supply • Public health and sanitation
• Education • Electricity
• Law and order • Maternity and Child Welfare
• Public work and services
5. Mumbai is termed a metropolitan city because it is home to a large and dense
population that is more than one million. It is a region that is technologically
advanced and has a well-built infrastructure. The local self-governing body is
a Municipal Corporation.

126 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 1

 Additional Sample Test Paper 2
Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. Mesopotamians were among the earliest cultivators of ___________ .
2. The Indus Valley Civilisation is also known as the ___________ Civilisation.
3. ___________ was a powerful and prosperous kingdom on the east coast of India.
4. The ___________ began in 206 bce and lasted 400 years until 220 ce.
5. There are ___________ tirthankaras in Jainism.

B. Name the following.

1. The place where the jana or people set their foot
2. A remarkable structure built during the Mauryan reign
3. The period between 1000 bce and 600 bce
4. The educated priests who performed all religious rituals and rites
5. The first important ruler of Magadha

C. Choose the correct answer.

1. Who was the founder of the Nanda Dynasty?
a) Chandragupta Maurya b) Mahapadma Nanda
c) Ashoka the Great d) Kanishka
2. Which emperor is credited with the emergence of the Gupta Empire as a
major power?
a) Chandragupta I b) Samudragupta
c) Chandragupta II d) All of these
3. What was the layout of Mohenjo-Daro’s Great Bath?
a) Conical structure with one entrance
b) Square structure with eight different entrances
c) Triangular structure with three entrances
d) Rectangular structure with six different entrances

Additional Sample Test Paper 2 127

 4. Who is recognised as the author of the Mahabharata?
a) Valmiki b) Vyasa c) Shiva d) Tulsidas
5. What was the lowest social unit in the Early Vedic period?
a) Janapada b) Grama c) Kula d) Rajya

D. State true or false.

1. Agriculture was one of the main reasons for the rise of the Egyptian civilisation.
2. The Gupta Empire was founded as a small kingdom by Srigupta.
3. The Lion Capital at Sarnath was adopted as the State Emblem of India in 1955.
4. Ajatashatru was the son of Brahamadatta.
5. The Han Dynasty began in 206 bce and lasted 400 years until 220 ce.

E. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. What were the main divisions in the city of Ur, and how were these areas
differentiated?
2. Which coins from Chandragupta Maurya’s reign were found in Magadha,
indicating a uniform currency system?
3. Which philosophical and religious system is developed on the teachings of
Gautama Buddha?
4. What was Ashoka’s Dhamma?
5. Describe the political structure during the later Vedic age.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Discuss about the main characteristics of the Mesopotamian Civilisation?
2. What are the contributions of Chinese Civilisation to the modern world?
3. Explain the social life of the people of the early Vedic period.
4. Write in detail about the main teachings of Buddha?
5. Discuss about the works of art and buildings created during the Mauryan era.

G. Map work
On an outline map of India, mark the places associated with the lives of Mahavira and
Gautama Buddha.

128 Additional Sample Test Paper 2

 Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. The head of the Gram Panchayat is the ___________ .
2. The ___________ is a village assembly of all adult members of the village.
3. The Zila Parishads are at the apex of the ___________ system.
4. A Nagar Panchayat is also known as ___________ .
5. The ___________ is a self-governing body for large cities.

B. Match the following:

i. Nyaya Panchayat a. District Level
ii. Gram Panchayat b. Elected by Gram Panchayat
iii. Zila Parishad c. Block Level
iv. Panchayat Samiti d. Elected by Gram Sabha

C. Answer the following questions in a few words.

1. Write the main functions of a Zila Parishad?
2. What is Gram Sabha and what are its functions?
3. What are the functions of Block Samiti?
4. What is Nagar Panchayat?
5. How is a municipal corporation formed?

Additional Sample Test Paper 2 129

 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2
Part 1: HISTORY
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. wheat 2. Harappan
3. Kalinga 4. Han Dynasty
5. 24

B. Name the following.

1. Janapada 2. Great Stupa at Sanchi
3. Later Vedic period 4. Brahmanas
5. Bimbisara

C. Choose the correct answer

1. b 2. d
3. d 4. b
5. c

D. State true or false.

1. True 2. True
3. False 4. False
5. True

E. Answer the following questions in brief.

1. The city of Ur was divided into three main areas: the sacred area, the walled city and
the outer town. The sacred area consisted of a massive step-pyramid structure called
Ziggurat. Ziggurat was the chief temple of the principal god of the city. There were
other smaller temples for other gods, scattered around the city. The sacred area also
had the city’s storehouse and offices. The walled city and the outer town were the
main residential areas. The narrow streets of the city were lined with houses.
2. Silver karshapana and copper punch-marked coins were discovered in Magadha.
3. Buddhism is the religion and philosophy that developed from the teachings of
Gautama Buddha.

130 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2

 4. Ashoka was greatly inspired by the Buddhist principles of non-violence and
compassion. He advocated the Buddhist philosophy of Dhamma. The word
Dhamma is derived from the Sanskrit word Dharma, meaning ‘the right way or
the way of truth’. Ashoka’s Dhamma was inspired by the teachings of Buddhism.
Through Dhamma, Ashoka wanted to promote good moral values among the
people.
5. While in the Early Vedic period kings ruled over small tribes or clans, in the Later
Vedic period, these tribes expanded to form large kingdoms. The earliest Aryan
kingdoms were Kuru, Panchala, Kosala, Magadha and Kashi. The formation
of larger kingdoms increased the power of the chief or king. Kingship became
hereditary. Tribal assemblies like the sabha and samiti lost their importance. The
king’s influence was strengthened by rituals. He performed the Rajasuya sacrifice,
which was supposed to confer supreme power on him. The Ashvamedha yajna or
the horse sacrifice was also performed to establish the king’s undisputed authority
over the areas in which the horse moved unchallenged.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Main Features of the Mesopotamian Civilisation are:
Town Planning: The city of Ur was divided into three main areas: the sacred area,
the walled city and the outer town. The sacred area consisted of a massive step-
pyramid structure called Ziggurat. The sacred area also had the city’s storehouse
and offices. The walled city and the outer town were the main residential areas.
The narrow streets of the city were lined with houses.
Architecture: The Mesopotamians constructed one of the world’s first cities—Ur.
Due to the natural supply of muddy clay from the riverbanks and the rushes and
reeds that grew in the marshes, the Mesopotamians initially built huts of reeds
covered with a thick coating of mud. However, the houses in the city were later
constructed with sun-dried bricks, whereas the temples and other public structures
were built with baked bricks. Since the region did not have much wood and stone,
the Mesopotamians constructed the world’s first columns, arches and domes to
hold up the weight of the roofs. Thus, they contributed immensely to the field of
architecture. The Mesopotamian temples were multi-storied and embellished with
precious stones and marbles. The town people also used their temples as schools,
observatories, storerooms and trade centres.
Social Structure: The society was broadly classified into: Upper class, Middle class
and Lower class.

Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2 131

 Family Life: The Mesopotamian families followed the norms of the patriarchal
society. It was a predominantly monogamous society. The father was the head
of the family; however, the rights of women were safeguarded. Women in
Mesopotamia could go anywhere or do anything if they had their husband’s
permission. Boys were sent to school to gain education in reading, writing and
arithmetic, whereas girls were taught dance and music.
Occupation: The occupations of the Mesopotamians included agriculture,
animal husbandry and arts and crafts. However, agriculture remained the core
occupation.
Trade and Commerce: Archaeologists have discovered seals from Mesopotamia
at Indus Valley sites. Similarly, seals from the Indus Valley have been found
in Mesopotamia. This shows that there was extensive trade between people of
these two civilisations. Finished products and grains were also exported to the
Mediterranean countries and Egypt. The Mesopotamians maintained records of
their business dealings on clay tablets.
Religion and Culture: Each city in Mesopotamia had a patron god. The temple
of the patron god was located at the centre of the city. The patron god had
the largest temple in the city, while there were smaller temples of other gods
throughout the city. The forces of nature, such as the sun, rain, the moon and
stars were also worshipped.
The gods were kept happy by various rituals and practices which were conducted
by priests. This gave rise to the priestly class. Kings were considered the chief-
priests of the city. The discovery of artefacts like weapons, jewellery and vessels led
to the conclusion that the Mesopotamians believed in life after death.
2. The Chinese civilisation has made substantial contributions to the world in the
fields of literature, Science and mathematics, technology and other inventions.
Literature: The Chinese developed the Chinese script using only pictures. They
wrote on silk or bamboo slips using a fine brush. Today, the Chinese script is still
followed in China, but in a simplified form.
Science and Mathematics: The Chinese invented a calendar consisting of
12 months. They also correctly calculated eclipses.
Technology: The earliest known seismograph to record earthquakes was invented
by Zhang Heng in 132 CE during the Han Dynasty. The Chinese invented the
art of block printing using wood blocks. The wood blocks were carved, inked and
pressed on the surface of the cloth or paper. The magnetic compass was invented
during the Han Dynasty. Earlier, it was used as a divination device, but later it
began to be used for navigation.

132 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2

 Other Inventions: The Chinese were known for a number of inventions. They
made kites to signal the army about danger. Gunpowder and firecrackers were
invented to be used in warfare. They made paper from the bark of old trees. The
Chinese were the first to use umbrellas to protect themselves from rain and sun.
3. Despite a political hierarchy, social life in the Early Vedic civilisation was fairly
egalitarian.
The family or kul in the Early Vedic period was patriarchal, with the eldest
• 
living male as the head of the family. People believed in a joint family system
where the head was the authoritative figure. His decision was indisputable and
was respected by all the members of the family.
Position of Women: Women in the Early Vedic age enjoyed a respectable and
• 
prominent role in society. They could get educated. Important female scholars
of this age are Gargi, Lopamudra, Ghosha and Maitreyi. They composed
many hymns of the Rig Veda. Women could choose their husbands through a
grand ceremony called swayamvara. If the husband died or went missing, his
wife could remarry. Child marriage was not practised.
•  lass System: The society in the Early Vedic period was divided into four
C
varnas or classes, based on the occupation of the people. The four main
varnas were:
The Brahmanas were educated priests who performed all religious rituals

and rites. They were also teachers and educators.
The Kshatriyas were rulers and warriors of the tribe, who were in service to
the rajan and protected the tribe.
The Vaishyas were traders, merchants, farmers and artisans engaged in

trade, agriculture and craftwork.
The Shudras were labourers who performed menial tasks.
Houses: Unlike other ancient civilisations, the Early Vedic Aryans did not live
• 
in brick houses. They used timber, bamboo and thatches to build circular or
rectangular huts. The main reason for this was that timber and bamboo shoots
were easily available from nearby forests. Also, they were easier to rebuild, in
case of floods or rain.
4. Like Mahavira, Gautama Buddha also rejected idol worship and the exhaustive
rituals of the Vedic religion. However, he also believed that the severity and
austerity of Jainism was not the right path. Instead, Buddha’s philosophy is a
middle path between the extreme ritualism of Hinduism and the extreme austerity
of Jainism.

Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2 133

 The Buddha addressed the people in the common tongue of Pali. Central to the
Buddha’s teachings are the Four Noble Truths:
• Suffering is an integral part of our lives.
• Suffering is caused by our desires.
• Suffering ends when our desires end.
• Freedom from suffering is possible by practising the Eight-fold Path.
The Buddha preached the Eight-fold Path for a well-ordered life. It was a set of
principles to help a person lead a virtuous life. The principles are:
• Right understanding
• Right thought
• Right concentration
• Right observation
• Right speech
• Right livelihood
• Right effort
• Right mindfulness
Ahimsa: The Buddha preached non-violence or ahimsa. He strongly opposed the
sacrificial killings of animals propagated by the Vedic society.
Caste System: The Buddha condemned the caste system of the Vedic society. He
believed in equality of all people.
Karma: The Buddha believed that a person’s karma (deeds) formed the basis of his
fate. He believed that each deed had a repercussion for the individual. Bad deeds
lead to punishments while good ones are awarded.
Nirvana: The Buddha laid emphasis on the attainment of nirvana, or the
liberation of a soul from the cycle of birth and death. He preached that nirvana
can be attained by following the eight-fold path.
5. The Mauryan period saw brilliant achievements in art and architecture, visible
in the numerous stupas, viharas, pillars and sculptures. The ruins of Pataliputra,
near modern Patna, are an extremely important find of the Mauryan period.
Pataliputra was surrounded by high walls made of wood with holes in it from
which arrows could pass. The royal assembly building was also made up of wood
with 84 pillars. Mauryan art reflected a strong Buddhist influence. Ashoka built
numerous Buddhist viharas or monasteries. Monolithic pillars of Ashoka, on

134 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2

 which he inscribed his edicts to the people, are remarkable examples of the skills
of Mauryan artists. The Ashoka pillars are independent structures with highly-
polished surfaces. The most notable features of these pillars are their intricately
carved capitals, or the uppermost part of the pillar. The most famous pillar is the
one at Sarnath. The capital of this pillar has four lions sitting back-to-back on a
circular base facing the four cardinal directions. The circular base has sculptures
of four animals, separated by four wheels or chakras. The Lion Capital at Sarnath
was adopted as the State Emblem of India in 1950. The wheel or chakra of the
capital is also seen in the Indian national flag. Another artistic achievement of
the Mauryan period are the stupas built during the Ashokan reign. Stupas are
hemispherical domestructured buildings made of bricks and stones. The relics of
the Buddha and Buddhist monks were preserved in the casket inside the stupas.
The Great Stupa at Sanchi is a remarkable structure built during the Mauryan
reign. The rock-cut architecture of caves is another highlight of the Mauryan
period. The Barabar caves, Nagarjuni hill caves and Sudama caves are magnificent
examples of rock-cut caves built during the Mauryan period.

G. Map work
Students will mark the locations on map on their own.

Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2 135

 Part 2: CIVICS
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. Sarpanch 2. Gram Sabha 3. Panchayati Raj
4. City Council 5. Municipal Corporation

B. Match the following:

i. b ii. d iii. a. iv. c.
C. Answer the following questions in a few words.
1. The functions of a Zila Parishad are:
• Monitor the functioning of Block Samitis and panchayats
• Implement development schemes in the district
• Promote healthcare facilities
• Promote primary and higher education
• Supervise welfare programmes planned and implemented by the Block Samitis
• Provide assistance to farmers to improve agricultural production
2. The Gram Sabha is a village assembly of all adult members of the village. There
could be one Gram Sabha for one village or for a few villages, depending upon
their population. The basic purpose of the Gram Sabha is to ensure participation
of the villagers in the development of their villages. The Gram Sabha must meet
at least twice every year. The Gram Sabha discusses problems of the villagers
and works out remedies for the same. It also elects the members of the Gram
Panchayat and keeps a check on their work by participating in the decision-
making process.
3. The functions of a Block Samiti are:
• Monitor the functions of Gram Panchayats in that block
• Implement schemes of the state government in villages
• Plan and implement Community Development Programmes in various
fields, such as agriculture, irrigation, cottage and small-scale industries, and
education
• Provide public amenities such as hospitals, schools, sanitation and cleanliness
• Provide high quality seeds, latest agricultural equipment and financial
assistance to farmers
• Act as a link between Gram Panchayats and Zila Parishads

136 Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2

4. A Nagar Panchayat, also known as City Council, is the self-governing body for
any town or city with a population of more than 11,000 but less than 25,000.
It is mainly set up in areas that are in transition from being a rural area to an
urban area. It consists of a Chairman and the elected ward members. Like for
every other local self-governing body, elections for Nagar Panchayat are also held
every five years.
5. The members of the Municipal Corporations are directly elected by the adult
citizens of the city, for a period of five years. Each city is divided into wards. The
number of wards in a municipal area is determined by the population of the city.
Adult citizens of each ward elect representatives, called Ward Councillors, from
their wards. The elected councillors elect from among themselves a Mayor and a
Deputy Mayor. The Mayor is the head of the Municipal Corporation and presides
over its meetings. The Municipal Corporation comprises several committees for
the day-to-day administration of the city. The Municipal Corporation also has
a Chief Executive Officer or Municipal Commissioner, appointed by the state
government. He/She supervises the functioning of the corporation. The Municipal
Corporation also includes some respected citizens of the city who are nominated
to the corporation. They are known as aldermen.

Answers to Additional Sample Test Paper 2 137

 Quiz Time!
Teaching Tip: Conduct a quiz in the class. Give the students one or two days to prepare.
You can tell them what topics they should prepare on. Divide them into groups, and
prepare a table to show them the markings on the board. Some sample questions and their
answers are given here.
1. The Indus Valley Civilisation gets its name from which river?
a. Ganga b. Indus
2. Who began excavating Ur, the Sumerian city of Mesopotamia, in 1922?
a. Daya Ram Sahni b. Sir Leonard Woolley
3. During whose reign was the Buddhist Council set up?
a. Kanishka b. Ashoka
4. Who described Egypt as the Gift of Nile?
a. Herodotus b. Megasthenes
5. Contact with the Greeks led to the development of the Indo-Greek school of art
called ___________________.
a. Mandala School of Art b. Gandhara School of Art
6. Who was the last ruler of the Nanda Dynasty?
a. Mahapadma b. Dhana
7. Which one of these is a Jain text?
a. Panchatantra b. Bhagwati Sutta
8. Who was the first tirthankara?
a. Rishabhanatha b. Mahavira
9. Pataliputra was the ancient name of which city?
a. Prayagraj b. Patna
10. Who among these was a principal god of the Early Vedic period?
a. Anubis b. Indra
11. The teachings of Lao Tzu came to form the basis of which religion and philosophy?
a. Taoism b. Confucianism
12. Which of these was found in Harappa?
a. The Great Granary b. The Great Bath

138 Quiz Time!

13. How many levels of government are there in India?
a. Five b. Three
14. Who wrote Pannchasidhantika?
a. Varahamihira b. Vagabhatta
15. Who was also known as Vikramaditya?
a. Chandragupta I b. Chandragupta II
16. Who is popularly known as the Napoleon of India?
a. Chandragupta b. Samudragupta
17. Who defeated Seleucus Nicator, the Greek governor appointed by Alexander
a. Chandragupta I b. Chandragupta Maurya
18. What is the municipal governing body of the City of London?
a. The City of London Corporation
b. London City Municipal
19. Which is the highest civilian award of India?
a. Padma Shri b. Bharat Ratna
20. Who invented the number zero?
a. Aristotle b. Aryabhatta

Quiz Time! 139

 Answers to Quiz Time!
1. b. Indus
2. b. Sir Leonard Woolley
3. a. Kanishka
4. a. Herodotus
5. b. Gandhara School of Art
6. b. Dhana
7. b. Bhagwati Sutta
8. a. Rishabhanatha
9. b. Patna
10. b. Indra
11. a. Taoism
12. a. The Great Granary
13. a. Three
14. a. Varahamihira
15. b. Chandragupta II
16. b. Samudragupta
17. b. Chandragupta Maurya
18. a. The City of London Corporation
19. b. Bharat Ratna
20. b. Aryabhatta

140 Answers to Quiz Time!