Class 6 History – Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic: Important Questions and Answers

🏛️ Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic – Class 6 History (Q&A)

Below are comprehensive Questions and Answers for the NCERT chapter “Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic”. This page focuses only on exam-focused Q&A—ranging from very short to long answers—covering key terms, differences, sources, chronology, and higher-order thinking questions. Use them for revision, class tests, and exam preparation.

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🧩 Very Short Answer Questions (One-liners)

Q1. What is a janapada?

Ans. A janapada was a territory or realm where a tribe or community settled and lived under their leader; it is among the earliest political units in ancient India.

Q2. What are mahajanapadas?

Ans. Mahajanapadas were sixteen powerful states that emerged around 2500 years ago in northern India, larger and stronger than earlier janapadas.

Q3. Name any two mahajanapadas.

Ans. Magadha and Vajji (also called Vajjis or Vrijjis).

Q4. What is the literal meaning of raja?

Ans. Raja means king or ruler.

Q5. What does ashvamedha refer to?

Ans. The ashvamedha (horse sacrifice) was a ritual used by kings to assert supremacy; a horse was set free to wander and territories it crossed were claimed by the king.

Q6. What are punch-marked coins?

Ans. Early metal coins bearing symbols punched on them, used for trade during the time of mahajanapadas.

Q7. Name the capital of Magadha before Pataliputra rose to importance.

Ans. Rajagriha (Rajgir).

Q8. What is a gana or sangha?

Ans. A political system where rule was shared by an assembly of many rulers or chiefs, instead of a single monarch.

Q9. What is bhaga?

Ans. Bhaga was a share of the agricultural produce (tax), commonly around one-sixth of the harvest, collected by the state.

Q10. Who were grihapatis or gahapatis?

Ans. They were heads of households/landowners responsible for production and paying taxes.

Q11. Name one important gana-sangha.

Ans. Vajji (with its capital at Vaishali).

Q12. What was the main reason for fortifications around cities?

Ans. Defence from invasions and control of trade and taxation.

📝 Short Answer Questions (2–3 lines)

Q13. Why did janapadas evolve into mahajanapadas?

Ans. With growth in agriculture, trade, and iron technology, certain janapadas gained resources and military power, expanding their territories and becoming mahajanapadas.

Q14. How did iron technology help these states?

Ans. Iron tools improved agriculture (clearing forests, better ploughs) and warfare (stronger weapons), boosting surplus and state power.

Q15. What role did rivers play in the rise of Magadha?

Ans. Rivers like the Ganga and Son provided water, fertile alluvium, easy transport, and trade routes, aiding agriculture and military movement.

Q16. Why were taxes introduced?

Ans. Kings needed revenue to maintain armies, build forts, support officials, and manage administration; thus systematic taxation like bhaga was imposed.

Q17. Mention two types of professionals in early states and their dues.

Ans. Artisans (like blacksmiths, potters) paid taxes in cash or kind; herders/fishers often paid in animals, dairy, or fish catch.

Q18. What is the significance of punch-marked coins for historians?

Ans. They indicate monetized trade, economic growth, and state control; their symbols help identify regions and rulers.

Q19. How were gana-sanghas different in military decisions?

Ans. Decisions were collective—assemblies debated war/peace; this could be slower but represented shared power.

Q20. Why did kings perform sacrifices like ashvamedha?

Ans. To legitimize rule, display wealth, and claim supremacy; it also strengthened alliances and extracted tribute.

📚 Source-based Questions

Q21. How do we know about mahajanapadas and their systems?

Ans. Through literary sources (Buddhist texts like the Tripitaka, Jain texts), inscriptions, archaeology (fort walls, pottery), and coins.

Q22. What do Buddhist texts reveal about the Vajji confederacy?

Ans. They describe Vajjis as a republican confederacy with frequent assemblies, shared rule, and rules of conduct, highlighting a non-monarchical system.

Q23. What does the discovery of large fortification walls suggest?

Ans. Strong centralized authority capable of organizing labour and resources; concern for defence and control over trade routes.

🔍 Define/Explain the Terms

Q24. Define republic (in the early Indian context).

Ans. A state where power was not vested in a single monarch but shared among a group of rulers or an assembly (gana/sangha).

Q25. Explain tribute and tax.

Ans. Tribute is a one-time offering or regular gift paid by weaker rulers/tribes to a stronger power; tax is a systematic, state-imposed, regular payment (in cash/kind) from producers and traders.

Q26. What was the role of the purohita and senani?

Ans. The purohita (priest) performed rituals legitimizing the king’s rule; the senani was the military commander leading the army.

Q27. What do we mean by administration in mahajanapadas?

Ans. The system of officials, laws, revenue collection, justice, and military organization through which rulers governed territory and people.

🧠 Reasoning (HOTS) Questions

Q28. Why did Magadha emerge as the most powerful mahajanapada?

Ans. Strategic location near rivers and iron-rich regions, strong rulers (e.g., Bimbisara, Ajatashatru), disciplined armies with elephants, fortifications at Rajagriha and later Pataliputra, and efficient taxation made Magadha dominant.

Q29. Could the gana-sangha system compete with monarchies? Discuss briefly.

Ans. Gana-sanghas had participatory governance and resilience through shared power, but slow decision-making and internal rivalries sometimes weakened them against centralized monarchies with faster command structures.

Q30. How might the use of elephants change warfare outcomes?

Ans. Elephants provided psychological advantage, broke enemy lines, and carried heavy loads; however, they required resources and skilled handlers.

Q31. Why were roads and market towns crucial for states?

Ans. They enabled trade, tax collection, troop movement, spread of ideas, and integration of distant regions, strengthening the economy and control.

🆚 Differences (Compare & Contrast)

Q32. Distinguish between janapada and mahajanapada.

Ans. A janapada was an early settlement territory; a mahajanapada was a larger, more powerful state with organized administration, taxation, fortifications, and armies.

Q33. Distinguish between monarchy and gana-sangha.

Ans. Monarchy has a single ruler; gana-sangha shares power among many. Monarchies could act swiftly; gana-sanghas relied on assemblies and debate.

Q34. Physical fort vs. administrative network—what’s more crucial?

Ans. Forts protect and symbolize power; administration sustains power via revenue, justice, and order. Both are vital, but administration ensures long-term stability.

🌾 Economy & Taxes

Q35. Who paid taxes and in what form?

Ans. Farmers paid a share of produce (bhaga), herders paid in animals/dairy, artisans in goods or labour, and traders paid customs or tolls.

Q36. How did taxes change society?

Ans. Regular taxation created state revenue for armies and public works but also increased stratification, as landholders and merchants gained influence while peasants bore production pressures.

Q37. Why were storehouses and granaries important?

Ans. To stabilize food supply, pay soldiers/officials, manage droughts, and maintain price control—directly supporting state power.

⚔️ Army, Fortifications & Governance

Q38. What manpower did states rely on?

Ans. Professional soldiers, elephant corps, charioteers, infantry, officials for revenue and law; labourers for fort construction and maintenance.

Q39. What do moats and ramparts suggest?

Ans. Advanced defensive planning, awareness of siege warfare, and substantial resource mobilization by the state.

Q40. How did capitals function in administration?

Ans. Capitals housed rulers, treasuries, archives, religious and market centers, acting as hubs of decision-making and revenue collection.

🗓️ Chronology & Personalities

Q41. Arrange in the likely sequence: janapadas, mahajanapadas, Magadha’s expansion.

Ans. Janapadas → Mahajanapadas → Magadha’s expansion as a dominant mahajanapada.

Q42. Name two early Magadhan rulers linked with expansion.

Ans. Bimbisara and Ajatashatru are frequently associated with early consolidation and expansion of Magadha.

Q43. Which capital rose after Rajagriha?

Ans. Pataliputra eventually rose as a major capital.

🧪 Application & Case-based Questions

Q44. A trader enters a fortified town. What taxes or checks might he face?

Ans. He might pay entry tolls, market taxes, and possibly submit goods for inspection or pay customs at gates controlled by officials.

Q45. A farmer’s harvest failed due to floods. How could the state respond?

Ans. Ideally through remissions, grain from granaries, or public works employment, though historical responses varied by ruler and resources.

Q46. A gana-sangha debates war. What are the pros and cons of their system here?

Ans. Pros: collective wisdom, legitimacy. Cons: slow decisions, risk of factionalism—potential military disadvantage against swift monarchies.

🧾 Assertion-Reason / Concept Checks

Q47. Assertion (A): Fortifications show advanced administration. Reason (R): They require planning, labour, and sustained revenue. Are A and R true? Does R explain A?

Ans. Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

Q48. Assertion (A): Iron tools had little impact on state power. Reason (R): Agriculture and warfare didn’t change much. Choose the correct option.

Ans. A is false; R is false. Iron tools greatly improved agriculture and warfare, strengthening states.

🧠 Long Answer Questions (Explain in 5–8 points)

Q49. Explain the key features of mahajanapadas.

Ans. (i) Larger territories than janapadas. (ii) Fortified capitals for defence and control. (iii) Standing armies, often with elephants. (iv) Systematic taxation like bhaga. (v) Use of punch-marked coins indicating trade and monetization. (vi) Administrative officials for revenue and law. (vii) Strategic use of rivers and roads for trade and troop movement. (viii) Rituals and patronage to legitimize power.

Q50. Discuss the rise of Magadha as a dominant power.

Ans. Magadha’s rise was due to fertile river valleys (Ganga, Son), proximity to iron ore, able rulers (Bimbisara, Ajatashatru), strong armies with elephants, fortifications at Rajagriha and later Pataliputra, active trade routes, and efficient taxation/administration. These combined to outmatch rivals and absorb territories.

Q51. Describe the gana-sangha system and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.

Ans. Gana-sanghas had shared rule by assemblies of chiefs or clans, with debates and collective decisions. Strengths: representation, checks on absolute power, resilience through shared leadership. Weaknesses: slower decisions, potential internal conflict, and challenges in rapid warfare mobilization compared to monarchies.

Q52. How did taxation support early states, and what were its social impacts?

Ans. Taxes funded armies, forts, officials, and public works. They stabilized governance but also created obligations for producers, shaping class relations: landholders, traders, and officials gained influence, while peasants carried much of the productive burden.

🧭 Practice-Based (Exam Style) Q&A

Q53. Explain the ashvamedha ritual as a political tool.

Ans. By sending a horse to roam, a king challenged neighbouring rulers: allowing the horse meant acknowledging his supremacy; stopping it meant war. The final sacrifice, with priests and allies, showcased wealth and authority.

Q54. What evidence shows monetization of the economy?

Ans. Punch-marked coins, standardized weights, market towns, and references to merchants in texts suggest increasingly monetized trade during mahajanapada times.

Q55. Why were some capitals shifted or rebuilt?

Ans. Strategic reasons (defence, river control), trade access, or administrative efficiency; for example, moving from Rajagriha’s hilly terrain to Pataliputra’s riverine advantages.

Q56. How did agriculture underpin state formation?

Ans. Surplus grain supported population growth, urbanization, and standing armies; reliable harvests allowed taxation, storage, and funded statecraft and warfare.

🎯 Quick Revise: 10 Rapid Q&A

Q57. Name the league that included Vaishali.

Ans. The Vajji confederacy (a gana-sangha).

Q58. One non-monarchical political unit of this era?

Ans. Gana or sangha.

Q59. One reason for building large forts?

Ans. Defence and control of entry/exit for taxation.

Q60. Key revenue: one-sixth share of produce is called?

Ans. Bhaga.

Q61. Early coins with symbols?

Ans. Punch-marked coins.

Q62. Two advantages of riverine capitals?

Ans. Fertile land and easy transport/trade.

Q63. A renowned early Magadhan king?

Ans. Bimbisara (also Ajatashatru).

Q64. What helped expand agriculture?

Ans. Iron tools and cleared forests.

Q65. Why keep granaries?

Ans. To handle scarcity, pay armies/officials.

Q66. What is a capital city’s role?

Ans. Political, economic, administrative center of a state.

💡 Exam Tip (Read & Apply)

In short answers, use the chapter’s vocabulary—words like mahajanapada, gana-sangha, bhaga, fortifications, punch-marked coins. In long answers, structure points: geography → economy → army → administration → conclusion. This mirrors how examiners check conceptual coverage and earns higher marks.

Practice daily: 5 one-liners + 3 shorts + 1 long. Consistency wins exams.