KINGS FARMERS and TOWNS CHAPTER-2
KINGS FARMERS and TOWNS
CLASS-12 HISTORY Book1 Mcq (king Asoka)
KINGS FARMERS and TOWNS KINGS FARMERS and
1. Disposal of the dead by making elaborate stone structure, known as:
A. Burials
B. Stalagmite
C. Megalithic
D. Stalactite
Ans: C
2. Who deciphered the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts?
A. Colin Mackenzie
B. James Prinsep
C. D.C Sircar
D. A. Cunningham
Ans: B
3. Who is referred to as Piyadassi in inscriptions?
A. Samudragupta
B. Ashoka
C. Chandragupta Maurya
D. Bindusara
Ans: B
*Meaning- pleasant to behold
4. Match the following
| COLUMN-1 | COLUMN-2 |
| 1. Numismatics | a. Inscriptions |
| 2. Epigraphy | b. Red Sea |
| 3. Erythraean | c. Coins |
| 4. Kodumanal | d. Reporter |
| 5. Pativedaka | e. Bead making industry |
Ans: 1-c, 2-a, 3-b, 4-e, 5-d
*Kodumanal is in Tamil Nadu
5. Consider the following statements-
I. Third century BCE is regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history
II. The Third century is an era associated with early states, the development of coinage & use of iron
III. Janapada means the land where people settles
Which of these statements are correct?
A. Only III
B. I &II
C. I,II,III
D. II & III
Ans: A
6. Consider the following statements
I. The earliest Inscriptions were in Prakrit
II. Oligarchy is a form of government where power is exercised by a single man
Which of these statements is/are correct?
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I & II
D. None
Ans: A
*Oligarchy- form of govt. where power is exercised by a group of men
7. In which of the following Mahajanpada rajas controlled the resources collectively?
A. Magadha
B. Kosala
C. Vajji
D. Kuru
Ans: C
8. Fill in the blank
______ laid down norms for rulers & for social categories
Ans: Dharmasutras
9. Consider the following statement
I. Rajagaha was capital of Magadha
II. In the fourth century BCE the capital of Magadha was shifted to Pataliputra
III. Ashokan inscriptions in northwest were written in Kharoshti, Aramaic and Greek scripts were used for inscriptions in Afghanistan
Which of these statements are correct?
A. Only I
B. I &II
C. I,II,III
D. II & III
Ans: C
10. Kautilya’s Arthashastra is a book on-
A. Economic relations
B. Principal and practices of statecraft
C. foreign policy
D. duties of king
Ans: B
*Lays down minute details of administrative & military organisation
11. He was the first ruler to inscribe his message to his subjects & officials on stone surfaces, appointed special officers dhamma mahamatta. Who was he?
Ans: Ashoka, from Mauryan Dynasty
*Preached Dhamma
12. Megasthenes, the composer of Indica was-
A. Greek Ambassador
B. Chinese pilgrim
C. Egyptian traveler
D. Iranian Scholar
Ans: A
Megasthenes was an ambassador of Greek king Seleucus I Nicator, to the court of Chandragupta Maurya
*Mentions a committee with six subcommittees for coordinating military activity in Mauryan Empire
13. _______ literally means the golden mountain
Ans: Suvarnagiri
14. Which of the following is not one of the major political centres of Mauryan Empire?
A. Taxila
B. Tosali
C. Suvarnagiri
D. Kandahar
Ans: D
15. All of the following statements regarding inscriptions are correct except ─
A. Inscriptions are writings engraved on hard surfaces such as stone, metal or pottery.
B. They usually record the achievements, activities or ideas of those who commissioned them.
C. Inscriptions are virtually permanent records, some of which carry dates
D. The earliest inscriptions were written in Sanskrit.
Ans: D
Earliest Inscriptions were written in Prakrit
16. Consider the following statements:
I. A chief is a powerful man who derives support from his kinfolk ,receives gift from his subordinates
II. In a chiefdom there are no regular armies & officials
Which of these statements is/are incorrect?
A. II only
B. I only
C. Neither I nor II
D. I & II only
Ans: C
17. All of the following statements regarding Magadha are correct except ─
A. Magadha was a region where agriculture was especially productive
B. Gold mines were accessible and provided resources for kingdom.
C. In the fourth century BCE, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra
D. The Ganga and its tributaries provided a means of cheap and convenient communication
Ans: B
*Iron mines were accessible & provided resources for kingdom
18. Consider the following statements:
I. Many Mauryan rulers adopted the title devaputra, or “son of god”
II. Kushanas ruled over a vast kingdom extending from Central to South India.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct ?
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: D
Kushanas ruled over a vast kingdom extending from Central Asia to northwest India. Many Kushana rulers adopted the title devaputra, or “son of god”
19. Consider the following statements:
I. Samantas maintained themselves through local resources including control over land
II. They offered homage and provided military support to rulers.
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about Samantas?
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
20. The first to issue gold coins were─
A. Kushanas
B. Satavahanas
C. Pandyas
D. Cholas
Ans: A
The first gold coins were issued c. first century CE by the Kushanas
21. The Prayaga Prashasti (Allahabad inscription) was composed by-
A. Vishakhdatta
B. Kautilya
C. Harishena
D. Ashvaghosha
Ans: C
* He was the court poet of Samudragupta
22. Which of the following is an epic written in Tamil?
A. Aitareya Brahmana
B. Silappadikaram
C. Kavirajamarga
D. Kavitrayam
Ans: B
*Written by Ilango Adigal
23. The famous Sudarshana lake is located in which state?
A. Gujarat
B. Maharashtra
C. Bihar
D. Andhra Pradesh
Ans: A
Shaka ruler Rudradaman repaired this lake
24. In _______ seeds are first broadcast when saplings have grown they are transplanted in waterlogged fields
Ans: Transplantation
25. The Jatakas were written in─
A. Prakrit
B. Pali
C. Sanskrit
D. Tamil
Ans: B
Gandatindu is one example of Jatakas
26. All of the following statements regarding increasing agricultural production in 6th century BCE are correct except-
A. Parts of Punjab and Rajasthan adopted iron ploughshare
B. Irrigation was adopted to increase agricultural production
C. Production of paddy was dramatically increased by the introduction of transplantation
D. The iron-tipped ploughshare was used to turn the alluvial soil in areas which had high rainfall
E. North Eastern & central parts of subcontinent practiced hoe agriculture
Ans: A
Parts of Punjab and Rajasthan did not adopt it till the twentieth century
27. Consider the following statements:
I. The term Gahapati was often used to designate village headmen as well as large landlords.
II. Sangam texts also mention different categories of people-like vellalar, uzhavar and adimai
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct about rural societies in Mahajanapada period?
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: C
- Vellalar- landowners
- Uzhavar- ploughmen
- Adimai- slaves
28. Consider the following statements:
I. The Manusmrti is one of the best-known philosophical texts of early India
II. It was written in Sanskrit and compiled between c. 2nd century BCE and c. 2nd century CE
Which of the above statement (s) is/are correct about Manusmriti?
A. Only I
B. Only II
C. Both I and II
D. Neither I nor II
Ans: B
*It is a legal text
29. Which of the following statements about Mahajanpadas are correct?
I. Mahajanapadas were Magadha, Koshala, Gandhara and Avanti only
II. Most Mahajanpadas were ruled by kings.
III. Some, known as ganas or sanghas, were oligarchies ruled under rajas.
IV. Each Mahajanpada had a capital city, which was often fortified.
A. I,II &III
B. II,III,IV
C. I,III,&IV
D. I,II &IV
Ans: B
There were 16 Mahajanpadas
30. The Harshacharita is a biography of Harshavardhana, the ruler of Kanauj, composed by his court poet─
A. Banabhatta
B. Harishena
C. Ashvaghosh
D. Jaidev
Ans: A
31. The Vakataka Queen who had independent access to land, against the provisions of Sanskrit legal texts
A. Salavati
B. Vijaya Satakani
C. Prabhavati Gupta
D. Yana Sakasena
Ans: C
*Daughter of Chandragupta II
32. Inscriptions that record gifts made to religious institutions are known as─
A. Elogium inscriptions
B. Votive inscriptions
C. Honorific inscriptions
D. Dedicatory inscriptions
Ans: B
33. Consider these statements and identify the incorrect statement.
I. The first coins to bear the names and images of rulers were issued by Indo-Greeks
II. Asiatic Society of Bengal was founded in the year 1784 by Cornwallis
III. Successful merchants were designated as masattuvan in Tamil & setthis , satthavahas in Prakrit
A. I&III
B. II only
C. I,II & III
D. III only
Ans: B
Asiatic Society of Bengal was founded by William Jones
34. Consider the statements regarding coins
I. Punch-marked coins were made of silver & copper were the earliest to be minted & used
II. Coins were also issued by tribal republics like Yaudheyas
III. From sixth century CE onwards finds of gold coins are less
Which of these statement is/are true?
A. I only
B. II & III
C. III only
D. I,II,III
Ans: D
35. Consider the statements
I. Most scripts used to write modern Indian languages are derived from Brahmi script
II. James Prinsep deciphered Ashokan Brahmi in 1838
III. Decipherment of Kharoshti was helped by coins of Indo –Greek Kings
IV. Ashoka used titles like Devanampiya & piyadassi
Which of the statement is/are correct?
A. I only
B. II & IV
C. III & II
D. I,II,III,IV
Ans: D
36. Which of the following statement(s) is not true about limitations of inscriptional evidence
A. Faintly engraved letters, reconstructions are uncertain
B. Damaged/missing inscriptions
C. Not all inscriptions have been deciphered
D. Inscriptions recorded routine agricultural practices & joys, sorrows of daily life
Ans: D
Inscriptions focus more on grand & unique events
37. Observe the given picture & answer the following:
Who installed this image in a shrine?
Ans: Nagapiya
*The Gift of an Image from Mathura
38. Fill in the blank
____ was land granted to a Brahmana who was exempted from paying land revenue & other dues to the king and had the right to collect revenue from local people.
Ans: Agrahara
39. Consider these statements about impact of land grants
I. Land grants were part of strategy to extend agriculture to new areas
II. Land grants were indicative of weakening political power
III. Kings tried to project themselves as supermen
IV. Kings were losing control so wanted to present at least a façade of power
Which of these statement is/are correct?
A. I ,III & IV
B. II only
C. I,II,III,IV
D. II & III only
Ans: C
40. Consider these pairs:
I. Pataligrama- Rajagaha
II. Northern Black polished ware -fine pottery bowls & dishes
III. Guilds- organization of village heads
Which of these pairs is/are correct?
A. I & II only
B. II & III only
C. II only
D. III only
Ans: C
Pataligrama- Pataliputra
Guilds- organization of craft producers & merchants ,also called shrenis
41. Identify the given image
Ans: Sandstone sculpture of Kanishka
TOWNS
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