NCERT Solutions For Class 6 History Social Science Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire

NCERT Question And Answers:

Question 1. The places where inscriptions of Ashoka have been found are marked with red dots. These were included within the empire. Name the countries where Ashokan inscriptions have been found. Which Indian states were outside the empire?

Answer:

Countries where Ashokan inscriptions have been found are India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nepal. Indian states that were outside the Mauryan Empire are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Question 2. Why do you think the king (Chandragupta) had special servants to taste the food he ate?

Answer:

The king was afraid that someone might try to kill him by poisoning the food, so he had special servants to taste the food before he ate.

Question 3. In what ways was Pataliputra different from Mohenjodaro?

Answer:

Differences between Pataliputra and Mohenjodaro were as follows

Question 4. How did the Kalinga War bring about a change in Ashoka’s attitude towards war?

Answer:

The Kalinga War had a great impact on Ashoka’s attitude towards war. In the course of the war, many people were killed.

He realized that war only caused pain and suffering, so he decided to follow the path of peace. He spread the message of dhamma, which means morality. He encouraged people to be kind to each other, to treat all living beings with respect, and to follow the law.

Question 5. Identify the parts of Ashoka’s message that you think are relevant today.

Answer:

The following parts of Ashoka’s message are still relevant today

Being gentle with slaves and servants.
Respecting one’s elders.
Treating all creatures with compassion.
Giving gifts to Brahmins and monks.
One should respect the other’s religion.

Question 6. You live in Kalinga, and your parents have suffered in the war. Messengers from Ashoka have just arrived with new ideas about dhamma. Describe the dialogue between them and your parents.

Answer:

The dialogue between Messengers from Ashoka and my parents could be

Messengers We have come from Emperor Ashoka with a new idea.
Parents, We don’t want any new ideas. We are tired of war and violence. Can you bring us peace?
Messengers Emperor Ashoka agrees with you and has learned that war only brings pain and suffering. He now follows Dhamma, which means kindness and respect for all living things.
Father, How can we be kind when we have lost so much?
Messengers Dhamma teaches us to let go of anger and hard feelings. It encourages us to forgive others and treat them with kindness.
Mother Perhaps dhamma can help us heal and rebuild our lives.
Messengers Yes, dhamma can guide us toward a peaceful and harmonious future.
Parents, We are ready to learn dhamma and bring peace to our land.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Exercises

Question 1. Make a list of the occupations of the people who lived within the Mauryan empire.

Answer:

The following were the occupations of those people who lived within the Mauryan empire

Farming
Handicrafts
Trading
Herding
Hunting and gathering
Some people were government officials
Many people were employed in the Royal army
Stone cutting and craftmanship.

Question 2. Complete the following sentences:

1. Officials collected …….. from the area under the direct control of the ruler.

Answer: taxes

2. Royal princes often went to the provinces as ………

Answer: rivers, roads

3. The Mauryan rulers tried to control ……… and ……. which were important for transport.

Answer: Rivers, Roads

4. People in forested regions provided the Mauryan officials with

Answer: honey, timber, wax, etc.

Question 3. State whether true or false.

1. Ujjain was the gateway to the North-West.

Answer: False

2. Chandragupta’s ideas were written down in the Arthashastra.

Answer: False

3. Kalinga was the ancient name of Bengal.

Answer: False

4. Most Ashokan inscriptions are in the Brahmi script.

Answer: True

Question 4. What were the problems that Ashoka wanted to solve by introducing Dhamma?

Answer:

Ashoka wanted to solve the following problems by introducing dhamma

Different religions followed by people in the empire were a source of conflict. He wanted to promote tolerance and understanding between different religious groups.
He was against animal sacrifice and wanted to end this practice within the empire. He believed that all living beings should be treated with respect.
The slaves and servants were ill-treated. He wanted to improve the lives of slaves and servants by providing them with better working conditions.
He wanted to create a more harmonious society by promoting peace and non-violence.

Question 5. What were the means adopted by Ashoka to spread the message of Dhamma?

Answer:

Ashoka adopted the following measures to spread the message of his dhamma
He appointed officials known as dhamma mahamatta to spread and explain the message of dhamma.
He engraved the principles of dhamma on rocks and pillars.
He sent messengers to spread ideas about dhamma to other lands, such as Egypt, Syria Greece, and Sri Lanka.
He sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghmitra to Sri Lanka to spread the idea of dhamma.

Question 6. Why do you think slaves and servants were ill-treated? Do you think the orders of the emperor would have improved their condition? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer:

Servants and slaves were considered inferior by the people. Hence, servants and slaves were ill-treated. They did not have any political rights. Ashoka’s orders may have had some effect because he was a powerful king.
Also, his messages must have helped in improving people’s awareness about that issue and have helped in improving the situation.

Question 7. Write a short paragraph explaining to Roshan why the lions are shown on our currency notes. List at least one other object on which you see them.

Answer:

The lions are shown on our currency notes because they are part of the Lion Capital of Ashoka, which is a national emblem of India.
The Lion Capital of Ashoka is a sculpture of four lions standing back-to-back, mounted on an abacus. The lions are symbols of strength, courage, and leadership.
The Lion Capital of Ashoka was placed atop a pillar at Sarnath, which was a major Buddhist pilgrimage site. The pillar was erected to commemorate Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism and his propagation of the dhamma, which is a philosophy of righteousness, peace, and non-violence.
The Lion Capital of Ashoka can also be seen on other objects in India, such as the President’s seal, the State Emblem of India, and the Indian passports.

Question 8. Suppose you had the power to inscribe your orders, what four commands would you like to issue?

Answer:

If I had the power to inscribe my order, I would like to issue the following four commands

Respect teachers, parents, and elders.
Obey the orders of elders and love all young ones.
All children, whether boys or girls, should be sent to school.
There should be no difference on the basis of caste and gender.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Multiple Choice Question And Answers (MCQs)

Question 1. Who was the son of Chandragupta Maurya?

Bindusara
Ashoka
Bimbisara
Samudragupta

Answer: 1. Bindusara

Question 2. Who was the son of Bindusara?

Chandragupta
Ashoka
Balwan
Samudragupta

Answer: 2. Ashoka

Question 3. Where did Ashoka get his messages inscribed?

Rocks and pillars
Paper
Walls
None of these

Answer: 1. Rocks and pillars

Question 4. Maurayan emperors needed more resources

for better administration of their empires.
to maintain bigger armies to protect the empires.
to pay to the officials who would collect taxes.
All of the above

Answer: 4. All of the above

Question 5. Mauryans tried to control roads and rivers to Diksha

control transport
collect taxes
administer in a better way
All of these

Answer: 4. All of these

Question 6. Ashoka gave up war after winning over which of the following regions?

Taxila
Pataliputra
Ujjain
Kalinga

Answer: 4. Kalinga

Question 7. Ashoka was inspired by the teachings of

Bindusara
Bimbisara
Buddha
Chandragupta

Answer: 3. Buddha

Question 8. At present, where the Rampurwa bull is placed?

Bihar Bhavan
Rashtrapati Bhavan
Parliament
India Gate

Answer: 2. Rashtrapati Bhavan

Question 9. Read the following statements and select the correct option.

Ashoka’s inscriptions were inscribed on pillars only.
The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta.
Kautilya wrote the book ‘The Arthashastra’.

Codes

Only 1
Both 1 and 2
Both 2 and 3
1, 2 and 3

Answer: 3. Both 2 and 3

Question 10. Read the following statements and select the correct option.

Three important rulers of the Mauryan empire were Chandragupta, Bindusara, and Ashoka.
Ujjain was the gateway from the North to the South during the Mauryan period.
People in different parts of the Mauryan Empire spoke the same language.

Codes

Only 1
Both 1 and 2
Both 2 and 4
1, 2 and 3

Answer: 1.

Question 11. Arrange the following in chronological order and choose the correct code from the options given below.

Kalinga war
Beginning of the Mauryan Empire
Ashoka’s policy of Dhamma

Codes

1, 2, 3
2, 3, 2,
2, 1, 3
3, 2, 1

Answer: 3. 2, 1, 3

Question 12. Arrange the following cities in East to West direction chronological order and choose the correct code from the options given below.

Ujjain
Pataliputra
Taxila
Meerut

Codes

1, 2, 3, 4
2, 4, 1, 3
3, 4, 1, 2
4, 2, 1, 3

Answer: 2.

Question 13. Identify the person from the statements given below.

He was an ambassador of a Greek ruler.
He came to the court of Chandragupta and wrote an account about the Mauryan empire.
He wrote about Pataliputra, “This is a large and beautiful city.”

Codes

Ashoka
Chanakya
Megasthenes
Bindusara

Answer: 3. Megasthenes

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Match The Following

Question 1.

Codes:

A B C D E

5 4 1 2 3
4 1 2 3 5
2 3 1 4 5
3 4 5 1 2

Answer: 1. 5 4 1 2 3

Question 2.

Codes

A B C D

1 4 2 3
2 4 1 3
2 3 1 4
3 1 2 4

Answer: 3. 2 3 1 4

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Assertion Reason

Question 1. Assertion (A) Ashoka fought a war to conquer Kalinga

Reason (R) Chandragupta was the only king in the history of the world who gave up conquest after winning a war.

Codes

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
A is true, but R is false
A is false, but R is true

Answer: 3. A is true, but R is false

Question 2. Assertion (A) Ashoka appointed dhamma mahamattas.

Reason (R) Ashoka also got his message inscribed on rocks and pillars.

Codes

Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
A is true, but R is false
A is false, but R is true

Answer: 2. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Fill in the Blanks

Question 1. Most modern Indian scripts have developed from the …….. script over hundreds of years.

Answer: Brahmi

Question 2. The area around …….. was under the direct control of the emperor.

Answer: Pataliputra

Question 3. When members of the same family become rulers one after another, the family is often called a ………

Answer: dynasty

Question 4. Chandragupta was supported by a wise man named …….

Answer: Chanakya or Kautilya

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire True or False

Question 1. Many of Chanakya’s ideas were written down in a book called the Dharmashastra.

Answer: False

Question 2. Officials also punished those who disobeyed the ruler s orders.

Answer: True

Question 3. Spies kept a watch on the emperor.

Answer: False

Question 4. Megasthenes was an ambassador of Chandragupta.

Answer: False

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Picture Based Question And Answers

In which of the following places, is the Lion capital shown in the image located?

Sarnath
Taxila
Pataliputra
Ujjain

Answer: 1. Sarnath

Question 2. Answer the questions based on the picture given below.

(1) Which sculpture is shown in the picture?

Answer: Rampurwa bull is shown in the picture.

(2) The above sculpture belongs to which dynasty?

Answer: The sculpture belongs to the Mauryan dynasty.

(3) Where was It found?

Answer: It was local at Kampurwa, Bihar.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Case-Based Question And Answers

Question 1. Read the passage given below and answer the following questions.

“The empire that Ashoka ruled was founded by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya, more than 2300 years ago. Chandragupta was supported by a wise man named Chanakya or Kautilya.
Many of Chanakya’s ideas were written down in a book called the Arthashastra. There were several cities in the empire. These included the capital of Pataliputra, Taxila, and Ujjain.
Taxila was a gateway to the North-West, including Central Asia, while Ujjain lay on the route from North to South India. Merchants, officials, and craftspersons probably lived in these cities.”

1. What is the modern name of Pataliputra?

Gaya
Ujjain
Patna
Kalinga

Answer: 3. Patna

2. Choose the correct sequence of Mauryan rulers.

Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Bindusara
Bindusara, Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya
Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, Ashoka
Ashoka, Chandragupta Maurya

Answer: 3. Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, Ashoka

3. According to the Arthashastra, which region was known for its gold and precious stones?

North-India
South-India
North-West India
South-East India

Answer: 2. South-India

4. Why was Taxila called the gateway?

Because it was the largest gold market
Because it connected Ujjain and Pataliputra
Because it connected West Asia to the Indian subcontinent
Because it connected South Asia to Europe

Answer: 3. Because it connected West Asia to the Indian

Question 2. Read the passage given below and answer the following questions.

“Eight years after became king I conquered Kalinga. About one lakh and a half people were captured and more than a lakh people were killed. This filled me with sorrow. Why? Whenever an independent land is conquered, lakhs of people die, and many are taken prisoner. Brahmins and monks also die.
People who are kind to their relatives and friends, to their slaves and servants die or lose their loved ones. That is why l am sad and have decided to observe Dhamma and teach others about it as well. I believe that winning people over through dhamma is much better than conquering them through force.
I am inscribing this message for the future so that my son and grandson after me should not think about war. instead, they should try to think about how to spread dhamma.”

1. Which event led Ashoka to adopt Dhamma?
Answer:

The conquest of Kalinga, which resulted in immense loss of life led Ashoka to adopt dhamma.

2. What Is the difference between conquering through dhamma and conquering through force?
Answer:

Conquering through dhamma involves winning over people through persuasion and understanding while conquering through force involves violence.

3. Why does Ashoka believe that spreading dhamma Is better than conquering through force?
Answer:

Ashoka believes that spreading dhamma is better as it leads to lasting peace while conquering through force only brings destruction and suffering,

4. What message does Ashoka want to convey to his future generations?
Answer:

Ashoka urges his son and grandson to abandon the path of war and instead focus on promoting Dhamma and spreading peace.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Very Short Answer Type Question And Answers

Question 1. Which city of the Mauryan empire was the gateway to the North-West?
Answer:

Taxila was the gateway to the North-West, including Central Asia.

Question 2. Name some of the important cities of the Mauryan empire.
Answer:

Important cities of the Mauryan empire were the capital cities Pataliputra, Taxila, and Ujjain.

Question 3. Name the important rulers of the Mauryan dynasty.
Answer:

Chandragupta Maurya, Bindusara, and Ashoka are the important rulers of the Mauryan dynasty.

Question 4. List the things which the people of the forested region were expected to provide to the kings.
Answer:

The people of the forested region were expected to provide several things like elephants, timber, honey, and wax to the Mauryan kings.

Question 5. Who was Megasthenes ?
Answer:

Megasthenes was an ambassador who was sent to the court of Chandragupta by the Greek ruler of West Asia named Seleucus Nicator.

Question 6. Who is the only king in history to give up conquest after winning a war?
Answer:

Ashoka is the only king in history to give up conquest after winning a war.

Question 7. Mention any one welfare policy of Ashoka for his subjects.
Answer:

The welfare policy of Ashoka for his subjects was to arrange the medical treatment of human beings and animals.

Question 8. What was the function of dhamma mahamattas?
Answer:

Ashoka appointed dhamma mahamatta to teach people about dhamma.

Question 9. Name the countries where Ashoka sent his officials to spread dhamma.
Answer:

Ashoka sent his officials to spread dhamma to Syria, Egypt, Greece, and Sri Lanka.

Question 10. Name the Greek ambassador who was sent to the court of Chandragupta.
Answer:

Megasthenes was the Greek ambassador who was sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.

Question 11. What do you mean by dynasty? Give example.
Answer:

Members of the same family become rulers one after another, the family is often called a dynasty.

For example, the Mauryas were a dynasty with three important rulers—Chandragupta, his son Bindusara, and Bindusara’s son, Ashoka.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Short Answer Type Question And Answers

Question 1. Discuss about the cities and other areas in the Mauryan Empire.
Answer:

There were several cities in the Mauryan empire including the capital Pataliputra, Taxila, and Ujjain. Taxila was a gateway to the North-West, including Central Asia, while Ujjain lay on the route from North to South India. Merchants, officials, and craftspersons probably lived in these cities.
In other areas, there were villages of farmers and herders. In some areas such as Central India, there were forests where people gathered forest produce and hunted animals for food.

Question 2. Explain Ashoka and his inscriptions.
Answer:

Ashoka was the most famous Mauryan ruler and was the first ruler who tried to spread his message to the people through inscriptions.
Most of Ashoka’s inscriptions were in Prakrit and were written in the Brahmi script. His inscriptions were inscribed on pillars, as well as on rock surfaces. Ashoka got his messages inscribed on rocks and pillars and instructed his officials to read his message to those who could not read it themselves.

Question 3. How did Ashoka ensure that his message of dhamma lasts for generations?
Answer:

Ashoka ensured that his message of dhamma lasted for generations by inscribing his message on stone and iron pillars. He did not use paper because it decays with time. He chose hard surfaces so that these inscriptions could remind his son and grandsons to not think about war. Instead, they should try to think about how to spread dhamma.

Question 4. Why did Ashoka want to spread Dhamma?
Answer:

Ashoka wanted to spread dhamma because he felt that he had a duty to instruct his subjects and he was also inspired by the teachings of the Buddha.
A number of problems such as the people in the empire followed different religions and this sometimes led to conflict that troubled him a lot. Slaves and servants were ill-treated besides; there were fights in families and amongst neighbors.
Ashoka felt it was his duty to solve these problems. So, he appointed officials, known as the dhamma mahamattas who went from place to place teaching people about dhamma.

Question 5. What are the differences between an empire and a kingdom?
Answer:

The differences between empire and kingdom are as follows

Emperors need more resources than kings because empires are larger than kingdoms, and need to be protected by big armies.
Emperors also needed a larger number of officials than kings who collected taxes, and the ruling pattern was also different in empires due to their larger size.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Long Answer Types Question And Answers

Question 1. The empire was a vast territory. How did the emperors run the Mauryan empire?

Answer:

The Mauryan emperors run the empire in the following ways

The area around Pataliputra was under the direct control of the emperor which meant that officials were appointed to collect taxes from farmers, herders, craftspersons, and traders, who lived in villages and towns in the area.
Many of these officials were given salaries and these officials punished those who disobeyed the ruler’s orders.
Messengers went from place to place to give the messages and spies kept a watch on the officials. The emperor supervised them all, with the help of members of the royal family and senior ministers.
The other areas or provinces were ruled by a provincial capital such as Taxila or Ujjain. These provinces were controlled by Pataliputra to some extent, and mostly the royal princes were sent to these provinces as Governors. However, local customs and rules were probably followed in these provinces.
Apart from the provinces, there were vast areas between the provincial centers. The Maury as tried to control roads and rivers in these centers which were important for transport, and to collect resources as tax and tribute.

Question 2. How has megasthenes described the emperor Chandragupta Maurya’s luxurious life?

Answer:

Megasthenes described the luxurious life of Chandragupta Maurya in the following ways

The occasions on which the emperor appeared in public were celebrated with grand royal processions.
He was carried in a golden wagon (potable chair). His guards rode elephants decorated with gold and silver.
Some of the guards carried trees on which live birds, including a flock of trained parrots, circle about the head of the emperor. The king was normally surrounded by armed women.
He was afraid that someone might try to kill him. So, he had special servants to taste the food before he ate. This was done to ensure the safety of the emperor.
He never slept in the same bedroom for two nights.

Question 3. Briefly discuss the messages of Ashoka given to his people.

Answer:

The messages of Ashoka given to his people were as follows

Rituals performed during various life events like childbirth or marriage are not useful. People should give up on such rituals.
People should focus on practicing kindness, respecting elders, and showing compassion to all beings. One should be gentle with slaves and servants.
One should give gifts to Brahmins and monks and support them
One should avoid praising one’s own religion while criticizing others. By doing this one harms his own religion. Instead, people should try to understand the main ideas of other religions and respect other religions.

History Chapter 7 From A Kingdom To An Empire Map Based Question

Question 1. Mark the following places on the outline map of India.

Pataliputra
Ujjain
Rampurwa
Kaushambi
Topra
Sarnath
Sanchi

Answer: