Category: Class 7 Social

NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 4 The Mughal Empire

1. Match the following:
mansab                         –  Marwar
Mongol                         –  governor
Sisodiya Rajput         –  Uzbeg
Rathor Rajput           –  Mewar
Nur Jahan                   –  rank
subadar                       –  Jahangir
Answer: 
mansab                              –       rank
Mongol                              –     Uzbeg
Sisodiya Rajput               –     Mewar
Rathor Rajput                  –     Marwar
Nur Jahan                        –     Jahangir
subadar                             –     governor

2. Fill in the blanks:

1. The capital of Mirza Hakim, Akbar’s half-bro: her, was …………………
2. The five Deccan Sultanate were Berar, Khandesh, Ahmadnagar,
3. If zat determined a mansabdar’s rank and salary, sewer indicated his………………………
4. Abul Faze, Akbar’s friend and counsellor, helped him frame the idea of …………. so that he could govern a society composed of many religions, cultures, and castes.

Answer:

1. Kabul
2. Bijapur, Golconda
3. number of horses maintained
4. administration

3. What were the central provinces under the control of the Mughals?
Answer: Panipat, Lahore, Delhi, Agra, Mathura, Amber, Ajmer, Fatehpur Sikri, Chittor, Ranthambhore and Allahabad.

4. What were the relationships between the mansabdar and the jagir?
Answer:
Relationship between the mansabdar and the jagir:

1. Mansabdars were those who joined Mughal service.
2. Jagirs were the salaries of the mansabdars in the form of revenue assignments.
3. It means mansabdars received jagirs as their salaries. Hence, mansabdars depended upon jagirs for their livelihood.

5. What was the role of the zamindar in Mughal administration?
Answer:  Zamtndars were powerful local chieftains appointed by the Mughal rulers. They exercised great influence and power. They collected taxes from the peasants and gave them to the Mughal emperor. Thus, they played the role of intermediaries. In some areas the zamindars became more powerful. The exploitation by Mughal administrators made them to rebellion. They got support from the peasants in rebelling against the Mughal authority.

6. How were the debates with religious scholars important in the formation of Akbar’s ideas on governance?
Answer:
In the 1570’s at Fatehpur Sikri Akbar started discussions on religion with people of different faiths. There were ulemas, Brahmanas, Jesuit Catholic priests and Zoroastrians.

1. These discussions took place in Ibadat Khana. These were about social and religious customs.
2. These interactions made him realise that religious scholars are bigots. They emphasize rituals and dogma.
3. Their teachings create divisions in society. This led to the idea of Sulh-i-Kul or ‘Universal peace’.

7. Why did the Mughals emphasise their Timurid and not their Mongol descent?
Answer:  The Mughals were descendants of two great lineages of rulers. From their mother’s side they were descendants of Genghis Khan, ruler of the Mongol tribes. From their father’s side they were the successors of Timur, the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey. However, the Mughals did not like to be called Mongol because Mongol’s especially Genghis Khan’s, memory was associated with the massacre of innumerable people. It was also linked with the Uzbegs, their Mongol competitors. On the other hand, the Mughals were proud of their Timurid ancestry, because it achieved good name in the history.

8. How important was the income from land revenue to the stability of the Mughal Empire?
Answer:
The income from land revenue is very important to the stability of the Mughal Empire as:

1. It was used for extension of empire, wars, etc.
2. Income is used to pay salaries/wages to army, bureaucrats, artisans and workers.
3. The administrative expenditure is dealt by this income.

9. Why was it important for the Mughals to recruit mansabdars from diverse backgrounds and not just Turanis and Iranis?
Answer:  The Mughal Empire expanded to different regions. Hence, it was important for the Mughals to recruit diverse bodies of people in order to make people comfortable with them. Apart from Turanis and Iranis, now there were mansabdars from Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, Marathas and other groups.

10. Like the Mughal Empire, India today is also made up of many social and cultural units. Does this pose a challenge to national integration?
Answer:
No, this does not pose a challenge to national integration because:

1. We have a unified system of government that has the same rules and regulations for all the citizens irrespective of religion, region, etc.
2. We have a constitution guarding the rights of all and specifying their duties.
3. Now we are unified as a nation, not as distinct states or regions of different rulers.

11. Peasants were vital for the economy of the Mughal Empire. Do you think that they are as important today? Has the gap in the income between the rich and the poor in India changed a great deal from the period of the Mughals?
Answer:  Peasants are as important today as they were during the Mughal Empire. They cultivate land and grow crops without which we cannot survive. They pay land revenue to the government which is used in various development work. We cannot think of a sound economy without them. They are the backbone of the country.

12. The Mughal Empire left its impact on the different regions of the subcontinent in a variety of ways. Find out if it had any impact in the city, village or region in which you live.
Answer:

• Yes.
• We have great architectural remains of this period which gives lots of information about construction, material styles, etc.
• Islam as a religion gave a distinct cultural flavour to the city.
• Urdu has enriched our literature, music, and art of writing.
• Mughal remains are great tourist attractions.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Why was it a difficult task for rulers of the Middle Ages to rule the Indian subcontinent? 
Answer:  It was because people of diverse backgrounds and cultures lived here.

2. Who was Genghis Khan?
Answer: He was the ruler of the Mongol tribes, China and Central Asia.

3. Who was Babur?
Answer: He was the first Mughal emperor and reigned from 1526 to 1530

4. Name the battlefield where Ibrahim Lodi was defeated by Babur?
Answer:  Panipat.

5. To whom did Babur defeat at Chanderi?[V- Imp.]
Answer:  Babur defeated the Rajputs at Chanderi

6. What forced Hwnayun to flee to Iran?
Answer: After being defeated by Sher Khan at Chausa in 1539 and Kanauj in 1540 Humayun fled to Iran.

7.  At what age did Akbar become the emperor of the Mughal Empire?
Answer: Akbar became the emperor of the Mughal Empire at the age of 13.

8. Who was the regent of Akbar?
Answer:  Bairam Khan.

9. How is Prince Khurram better known as in Indian History?
Answer: Price Khurram is better known as Emperor Shah Jahan in Indian History.

1o. Who was victorious in the conflict over succession amongst Shah Jahan’s sons?
Answer: Aurangzeb was victorious.

11. Who fought guerrilla warfare?
Answer:  The Marathas fought guerrilla warfare.

12. What do you mean by the rule of primogeniture?           [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Under the rule of primogeniture the eldest son inherited his father’s estate.

13. What was the Timurid custom of coparcenary inheritance?      [Imp.]
Answer: It was a division of the inheritance amongst all the sons.

14. What qualities of the Mughals enabled them to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The careful balance between defeating but not humiliating their opponents enabled the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains. is.

15 What does the term mansabdar refer to?
Answer: The term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab, te. a position or rank.

16. What was zat?
Answer:  Mansabdar’s rank and salary were determined by a numerical value called zat The higher the zat, the more prestigious was the noble’s position in the court.

17. What was jagir?
Answer:  Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments known as jagirs.

18. What was zabt?
Ans. It was the revenue collected on the basis of the schedule of revenue rates for individuals crops.

19. With whom did Akbar hold a discussion on religion?
Answer:  Akbar held discussions on religion with the Ulama, Brahmanas, Jesuit priests who were Roman Catholics, and Zoroastrians.

20. When did Mehrunnisa receive the title of Nur Jahan?
Answer:  After Mehrunnisa got married to Emperor Jahangir, in 1611 she received the title of Nur Jahan.

21. What power did the nobles exercise during Akbar’s reign?
Answer:  During Akbar’s reign the nobles commanded large armies and had access to large amounts of revenue.

 Short Answer Type Questions

1. Contrast the Mughals to their predecessors. [V. Imp.]
Or
How were the Mughals greater than their predecessors?
Answer:  Unlike their predecessors, the Mughals created a huge empire and accomplished what had hitherto seemed possible for only short periods of time. From the latter half of the 16th century, they expanded their kingdom from Agra and Delhi until in the 17th century they controlled nearly all the subcontinent. They imposed structures of administrations and ideas of governance that outlasted their rule, leaving a political legacy that succeeding rulers of the subcontinent could not overlook.

2. How did Babur become the ruler of Delhi?
Answer:  Babur succeeded to the throne of Ferghana in 1494 when he was only 12 years old. However, he had to leave his ancestral throne due to the invasion of the Uzbeks, a Mongol group. Babur wandered for several years. Then in the year 1504, he seized Kabul. In 1526 he defeated the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, at the battle of Panipat. Thus, he captured Delhi where he laid the foundation of the Mughal Empire. He became the first Mughal emperor and ruled from 1526 to 1530.

3. What do you know about the Mughal relations with other rulers especially the Rajputs? [Imp.]
Answer: It was the policy of the Mughal rulers to campaign constantly against rulers who were not ready to accept their authority. However, when the Mughal became powerful, many other rulers joined them willingly. There were several Rajputs who married their daughters into Mughal families in order to gain a high position. But at the same time, many resisted the Mughals. The Sisodiya Rajputs refused to accept Mughal authority for a long time. However, when they got defeat, the Mughals did not treat them badly. They honoured them by giving them their lands Le. watan back as assignments, Le. watan jagir. Thus the Mughals never humiliated their opponents even though they defeated them. This unique quality of theirs enabled them to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains.

4. Awangzeb, did not follow the Mughals’ policy and insulted Shivaji when he came to accept Mughal authority. What was the consequence of this insult? [Imp.]
Answer:  After being insulted by Aurangzeb Shivaji escaped from Agra and declared himself an independent king. Then, he resumed his campaigns against the Mughals. Prince Akbar rebelled against Aurangzeb and received support from the Marathas and the Deccan Sultanate. He finally fled to Safavid Iran. Aurangzeb could not remain silent. He personally managed campaigns in the Deccan against the Marathas who started guerrilla warfare, which was difficult to suppress.

5. Give an account of Todar Mai’s revenue system?
Answer:  Todar Mai was Akbar’s revenue minister. He carried out a careful survey of crop yields, prices, and areas cultivated for a 10-year period, 1570-1580. On the basis of this data, the tax was fixed on each crop in cash.
Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. This revenue system came to be known as zabt. This system was prevalent in those areas where Mughal administrators could survey the land and keep careful accounts

7. Give an account of Akbar Nama and Ain-i Akbari.
Answer:  Abul Fazl, one of Akbar’s close friends and courtiers, wrote a three-volume history of the reign of Akbar. It was titled as Akbar Nama. The first volume dealt with Akbar’s ancestors and the second volume recorded the events of Akbar’s reign. Ain-i Akbari is the third volume. It deals with Akbar’s administration, household, army, the revenues, and the geography of his empire. The book also provides details about the traditions and cultures of the people living in India. The most interesting aspect of Ain-i Akbari is its rich statistical details about things as diverse as crops, yields, prices, wages, and revenues.

8. What were the main features of Sulh-i Kul?   [Imp.] 
Answer: The idea of Sulh-i Kul was introduced by Akbar, the Great. Sulh-i Kul meant universal peace. Its main features are given below :

• The idea of Sul-i Kul was based on the idea of tolerance which did not discriminate between the people of different religions in Akbar’s realm.
• It focused on a system of ethics—honesty, justice, peace. These values were universally applicable.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Divide Akbar’s reign into three periods and give details about them.
Or
Mention the major campaigns and events of Akbar’s reign.
Answer:  Akbar’s reign can be divided into the following three periods.

• 1556-1570. Akbar became independent of the regent Bairam Khan and other members of his domestic staff. He launched military campaigns against the Suris and other Afghans, against the neighbouring kingdoms of Malwa and Gondwana to suppress the revolt of his half brother Mirza Hakim and the Uzbeks. In the year 1568, he seized the Sisodiya Capital of Chittor and in 1569 Ranthambhor.
• 1570-1585. Military campaigns in Gujarat were followed by campaigns in the east in Bihar, Bengal, and Orissa. These campaigns were complicated by the 1579-1580 revolt in support of Mirza Hakim.
• 1585-1605. During this period Akbar expanded his empire. He launched campaigns in the north-west. Qandahar was seized from the Safavids and Kashmir was annexed. Kabul was seized after the death of Mirza Hakim. Afterward, Akbar started his campaigns in the Deccan and soon he annexed Berar, Khandesh, and parts of Ahmadnagar.

2. Write a short note on Akbar’s administrative policies.         [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Akbar’s administrative policies were mentioned in Abul Fazl’s book the Akbar Nama, particularly in its third and last volume, the Ain-i Akbari In the book Abul Fazl explained that the empire was divided into provinces known as Subas, governed by a Subadar. The Subadar carried out both political and military functions. Each province also had a financial officer or Diwan. For the maintenance of peace and order in his province, the Subadar was supported by several officers, for example

• The military paymaster also is known as Bakhshi.
• The minister in charge of religious and charitable patronage or
• Military commanders called Faigdars, and
• The town police commander called Akbar’s nobles commanded huge armies and had access to large amounts of revenue.

Akbar wanted to govern his empire peacefully. Hence he gave utmost importance to the idea of tolerance because it did not discriminate between people of different religions in his realm. He held religious discussions with the Ulama, Brahmanas, Jesuit priests who were Roman Catholics and Zoroastrians and came to the conclusion that the idea of sulh-i kul or ‘universal peace’ would work effectively. This idea focused on a system of ethics, honesty, justice and peace. These values were universally accepted.
Thus, Akbar’s administrative policies were based on considerate ideas,

3. Who were mansabdars? What were their responsibilities?
Answer:  The Mughals recruited diverse bodies of people in order to run the empire smoothly. Those who joined Mughal service were enrolled as mansabdars.

The term mansabdar referred to an individual holding a mansab, meaning a position or rank. It was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix rank, salary and military responsibilities.

The mansabdars were assigned to military responsibilities. For this they maintained a specified number of sowar or cavalrymen. The mansabdar brought his cavalrymen for review, got them registered, their horses branded and then received money to pay them as salary.

4. Why did the peasantry suffer a lot during the last years of Aurangzeb’s reign? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Mansabdars, recruited by the Mughals to discharge Mughal services, received their salaries as revenue assignments known as jagirs. But most mansabdars did pot actually reside in or administer their jagirs. They only had rights to the revenue of their assignments which was collected for them by their servants while they served in some other part of the country.

Akbar managed to carefully assess these jagirs so that their revenues were roughly equal to the salary of the mansabdar. But Aurangzeb failed to do this. During his reign the actual revenue collected was often less than the granted sum. There was also a huge increase in the number of mansabdars, which meant a long wait before they received a jagir. These created a shortage in the number of jagirs.

As a result, many jagirdars tried to extract as much revenue as possible while they had a jagir. As Aurangzeb could not control these developments, the peasantry suffered a lot. They had to give the revenue under all circumstances which made their life miserable.

5. Write in brief about the Mughal Empire in the 17th century and afterward.[Imp.]
Answer:
(a) The influence and power of the Mughals were at the height during the 17th century. The sheen of their administrative and military efficiency brought great economic and commercial prosperity to the Empire. They had a huge treasure of wealth. They led a highly luxurious life. But the common mass had to face the curse of poverty.

( b) The Mughal emperors and their mansabdars spend a great deal of their income on salaries and goods. This expenditure benefited the artisans and peasantry who supported them with goods and produce. But the scale of revenue collection left very little for investment in the hands of the peasants and artisans. The poorest among them led a very miserable life. It was not possible for them to invest in additional resources like tools and supplies in order to increase productivity. However, the wealthier peasantry and artisanal groups, the merchants, and bankers profited in this economic world.

(c) The Mughal elites exercised a great deal of power in the late 17th century. With the decline of Mughal power and influence, many nobles became independent. They constituted new dynasties and held command of provinces, such as Hyderabad and Awadh.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 3 The Delhi Sultans

1. Which ruler first established his or her capital at Delhi?
Answer: The Tomara Rajputs were the first rulers who established their capital at Delhi.

2. What was the language of administration under the Delhi Sultans?
Answer:  It was Persian.

3. In whose reign did the Sultanate reach its farthest extent?
Answer: The Sultanate reached its farthest extent during the reign of Muhammad Tughluq.

4. From which country did Ibn Battuta travel to India?
Answer:  Ibn Battuta belonged to Morocco, Africa and travelled to India.

5. According to the ‘circle of justice’ why was it important for military commanders to keep the interests of the peasantry in mind?
Answer:
According to the ‘circle of justice’ it was important for military commanders to keep the interest of peasantry in mind. As is clear from the following:

1. A king survived on soldiers.
2. Soldiers worked for salaries.
3. Salaries came from revenue collected from peasants.
4. Peasant would pay revenue when they are prosperous and happy. This in turn will happen when there is justice and honest governance.

6. What is meant by the ‘internal’ and ‘external’ frontiers of the Sultanate?
Answer:  The ‘internal’ frontier means the hinterland of the garrison town.
The ‘external’ frontier means the areas beyond the hinterland of the garrison towns.

7.  What were the steps taken to ensure that muqtis performed their duties? Why do you think they may have wanted to defy the orders of the Sultans?
Answer:
Steps taken to ensure that the muqtis performed their duties well:

1. Appointment of accountants to check the amount collected by the muqtis.
2. Collection of revenues only which were prescribed by the state, not more than that in any circumstances.
3. Fixation of limit to keep the required number of soldiers.
4. They might be shifted to another area.
5. The muqtis may have wanted to defy the orders of the Sultans because restrictions imposed on them were very rigorous.
6. Their appointment was temporary.

8. What was the impact of the Mongol invasions on the Delhi Sultanate?Ans. The Delhi Sultanate mobilised a large standing army in Delhi. It posed a big administrative challenge.
Answer:

• Alauddin Khalji constructed a new garrison town at Siri for his soldiers. He imposed taxes on land to feed the army at the rate of 50 percent of peasant’s yield. He began to pay the soldiers in cash.
• Muhammad Tughluq shifted people of Delhi to Daulatabad in south and thus converted Delhi into a garrison town. He also disbanded the army. He also paid the soldiers in cash.

9. Do you think the authors of tawarikh would provide information about the lives of ordinary men and women?
Answer:  I don’t think like that. It is because the authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly Delhi. They were not in touch of village people. They often wrote their histories for Sultans in the hope of rich rewards. They had nothing to do with common mass. Hence, it was obvious that the information provided by them would lack ordinary men and women.

10.  Raziyya Sultan was unique in the history of the Delhi Sultanate. Do you think women leaders are accepted more readily today?
Answer:
We think that even today women leaders are not accepted more readily. We can see this in respect of 33% reservation of women in parliament.

11. Why were the Delhi Sultans interested in cutting down forests? Does deforestation occur for the same reasons today?
Answer:
The Delhi Sultans were interested in cutting down forests to expand their kingdom which was till then restricted to the Delhi Sultanate.

No, deforestation does not occur for the same reasons today. Today it occurs for additional land for habitation, road expansion, road construction, industries, and urbanization.

12. Find out whether there are many buildings built by the Delhi Sultans in your area. Are there any other buildings in your area that were built between the twelfth and fifteenth centuries? Describe some of these buildings, and draw sketches of them.
Answer:
Yes, there are several. Some of them are Buildings built between 12th and 15th century

• Jamali-Kamali Mosque.
• Sirifort.
• Begumpuri Mosque.
• Moth Ki Masjid.
• Raziyya’s Tomb.
• Qutb Minar.
• Tugalakabad Fort
• Firuz Shah Kotla
• Purana Quila .

Sketches: Do this yourself.
Other Buildings
• Lai Quila, Jama Masjid.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who defeated the Tomara Rajputs and when?
Answer:  The Chauhans of Ajmer defeated the Tomara Rajputs in the middle of the 12th century.

2. When did the Delhi Sultanate lag its foundation?
Answer: The Delhi Sultanate laid its foundation in the beginning of the thirteenth century.

3. Name the five dynasties that together made the Delhi Sultanate.
Answer:

• Early Turkish rulers (1206—1290)
• Khalji dynasty (1290—1320)
• Tughluq dynasty (1320—1414)
• Sayyid dynasty (1414—1451)
• Lodi dynasty (1451—1526).

4. Mention the sources that provide a lot of information about the Delhi Sultans.[V. Imp.]
Answer:  Inscriptions, coins, architecture and history written in Persian by learned authors are some of the most important sources that provide a lot of information about the Delhi Sultans.

5. Why did the authors of tawarikh write their histories for Sultans?
Answer: They did so in the hope of rich rewards.

6. Why was Raziyya removed from the throne? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Being a woman ruler she was not favoured by anyone. She ruled just for four years and was finally dethroned in 1240.

7. What is a mosque called in Arabic?
Answer:  It is called a masjid.

8. What is the literal meaning of mosque?
Answer:  It refers to a place where a Muslim prostrates in reverence to Allah.

9. What is called the qibla?
Answer:  The direction towards which Muslims turn while offering prayer or namaz.

10. Why did the early Delhi Sultans favour their slaves?
Answer:  The slaves were totally dependent on their master. Therefore the Sultan could trust and rely upon them.

11. What was the duty of the muqtis?
Answer:  The duly of the muqtis was to lead military campaigns and maintain law and order in their iqtas.

12. Why were accountants appointed by the state?
Answer: They were appointed to check the amount of revenue collected by the muqtis.

13. Why did the authors of Persian tawarikh criticise the Delhi Sultans? [Imp.]
Answer: They did not like the Sultanate’s policy of appointing the ‘low and base-born’ to high offices.

14. Name the three types of taxes collected during the Sultanate period.
Answer:

1. 1. Tax on cultivation called Kharcy and amounting to about 50% of the peasant’s yield.
2. Tax on cattle
3. Tax on houses.

15. For how many years the Suri dynasty rule?
Answer:  The Suri dynasty ruled for only 15 years.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who were the authors of tawarikh? Write in brief about them.          [Imp.]
Answer:  The authors of tawarikh were learned men. They were secretaries, administrators, poets and courtiers who recounted events as well as advised rulers on governance, emphasising the importance of just rule. The authors of tawarikh lived in cities mainly in Delhi and therefore they were cut off from the village. They used to write histories in praise of the Sultans and in return got rich rewards. These authors advised rulers that they should follow an ideal social order based on birthright and gender distinctions. Common mass had nothing to do with their ideas.

2. Who was Raziyya? Why was she not accepted as a Sultan inspite of being talented? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Raziyya was Sultan Iltutmish’s daughter. She became Sultan in 1236. She was very talented. According to the chronicler of the age, Minhaj-i-Siraj, she was more able and qualified than all her brothers. But she was not accepted when she became a ruler. Those were the days when women were not allowed to enjoy independent identity. They were supposed to be subordinate to men. This led to her removal from the throne in 1240.

3. What were the four stages in the making of a manuscript?
Answer:
The four stages in the making of a manuscript are:

• Preparing the paper
• Writing the text
• Melting gold to highlight important words and passages
• Preparing the binding.

4. How did the Khaljis and Tughluqs help the people of humble birth? How did it lead to political instability?
Answer:  The Khaljis and Tughluqs raised people of humble birth who were often their clients, to high political positions. They were appointed as generals and governors. However, this also introduced an element of political instability. Slaves and clients, the people of humble birth, were loyal to their masters and patrons but not to their heirs. Now Sultans had their own servants. As a result the accession of a new monarch often saw conflict between the old and the new nobility.

5. Why did large parts of the subcontinent remain outside the control of the Delhi Sultans? What were the repurcussions? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Large parts of the subcontinent remained outside the control of the Delhi Sultans because they were very far from Delhi. For example, it was difficult to control Bengal from Delhi. This helplessness of the Delhi Sultans paved the way for distant provinces to get independence. Even in the Gangetic plain there were forested areas that Sultanate forces could not penetrate. It was a golden opportunity for the local chieftains to establish their rule in these regions.

6. How did the chieftains arrange for their defence?
Answer:  The chieftains fortified themselves in mountains, in rocky, uneven and rugged places as well as in bamboo groves. The bamboo had unique features. It was strong and even fire could not affect it because its several party were intertwined making them very strong. The chieftains lived in these forests which served them as rampart. They had everything necessary for life such as cattle, crops, water, etc. inside the forests. Thus, they were safe. Only powerful armies could subdue them.

7. Why did Alauddin control the prices of goods in Delhi? What did he do for this?
Answer:  Alauddin gave great importance to his soldiers because it was they who could defend the Sultanate from outsiders. He decided to pay their salaries in cash rather than iqtas. The soldiers would buy their supplies from merchants in Delhi and it was thus feared that merchants would raise their prices. To stop this, Alauddin controlled the prices of goods in Delhi. For this Alauddin instructed officers to carefully survey prices. The merchants who did not sell their goods at the prescribed rates were punished.

8. Describe in brief Tughluq’s policy of ‘token’ currency.
Answer:  Tughluq did not control prices of the goods. Instead, he used a token currency, made out of cheap metals, and not of gold and silver. People in the 14th century did not believe in these coins. They saved their gold and silver coins and paid all their taxes to the state with this token currency. This cheap currency could be counterfeited easily.

9 Who was Sher Shah Sur? What do you know about his administration?[V. Imp.]
Answer:  Sher Shah Sur (1540—1545) established a powerful state. He started his career as the manager of a small territory for his uncle in Bihar and eventually challenged and defeated the Mughal Emperor Humayun. Sher Shah captured Delhi and established his own dynasty known as the Suri dynasty. Although the Suri dynasty ruled for only a short period i.e. 15 years, it introduced an administration that borrowed elements from Alauddin khalji and made them more efficient. The great emperor Akbar followed the techniques of Sher Shah’s administration while consolidating the Mughal Empire.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Give an account of Alauddin’s administrative measures.              [V. Imp.]
Answer:  During the reign of Alauddin Khalji Mongol attacks increased. It was a huge administrative challenge for the Sultan. He introduced several administrative measures:

1. Alauddin Khalji raised a large standing army as a defensive measure.
2. He constructed a new garrison town known as Siri for his soldiers.
3. The soldiers had to be fed. This was done through the produce collected as tax from lands between the Ganga and Yamuna. Tax was fixed at 50% of the pleasant’s produce.
4. He paid his soldiers cash salaries rather than iqta. This was done in order to make soldiers able to buy their supplies from merchants in Delhi. It was feared that merchants would raise their prices. In order to stop this Alauddin controlled the prices of goods in Delhi. Prices were carefully surveyed by officers and merchants who did not sell at the prescribed rates were punished.

Alauddin’s administrative measures were successful because he efficiently withstood the threat of Mongol attacks.

2. Give an account of Muhammad Tughluq’s administration.
Answer:  The early years of Muhammad Tughluq’s reign faced Mongol attacks, which were curbed by Tughluq’s sincere efforts.

1. He took several administrative measures like Alauddin Khalji he also raised a huge standing army in Delhi.

2. He got emptied the oldest of the four cities of Delhi (Delhi-i Kunba) in order to garrison his soldiers there. The  residents of the old city were sent to the new capital of Daulatabad in the south.

3. He made arrangements for the collection of produce as tax to feed the soldiers. As it was very difficult to  maintain a large number of soldiers the Sultan levied additional taxes which coincided with famine in the area.

4. Muhammad Tughluq paid soldiers cash salaries. For this he introduced ‘token’ currency made of cheap metals. People in the 14th century did not trust these coins. They saved their gold and silver coins and paid  all their taxes to the state with this token currency.

3. ‘Muhammad Tughluq’s administrative measures were a failure’. Explain withexamples.
Answer:
Muhammad Tughluq’s administrative measures were a failure, we can prove this statement with following points:

1. He campaigned into Kashmir which was finally a disaster. He then gave up his plans to invade Transoxiana and disbanded his large army.
2. His administrative measures created problems. He shifted the residents of the old city to the new capital of Daulatabad in the south. People did not like this step taken by Muhammad Tughluq. They resented collectively.
3. Tughluq, in order to meet the expense of maintaining a large number of soldiers, levied additional taxes which increased the burden of common people.
4. The famine in the Ganga-Yamuna belt led to widespread rebellion.
5. Muhammad Tughluq’s policy of ‘token’ currency also proved a failure. People of the 14th century did not trust this currency. They were very smart. They saved their gold and silver coins and paid all their taxes to the state with the token currency. This cheap currency could also be counterfeited easily.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 2 New Kings And Kingdoms

1. Match the following:
Gwjara-Pratiharas    –      Western Deccan
Rashtrakutas             –       Bengal
Palos                           –     Gujarat and Rajasthan
Cholas                         –        Tamil Nadu
Answer: 
Gurj ara-Pratiharas        –   Gujarat and Rajasthan
Rashtrakutas                   –   Western Deccan
Palas                                 –    Bengal
Cholas                               –   Tamil Nadu

2. Who were the parties involved in the ‘tripartite struggle’?
Answer: The parties involved in the tripartite struggle were Gurjar-Pratihara, Rashtrakuta, and Pala dynasties.

3. What were the qualifications necessary to become a member of a committee of the sabha in the Chola Empire?
Answer:
The working of a sabha according to the Uttaramerur inscription is given below:

1.  All those who wish to become members of the sabha should be owners of the land from which land, revenue is collected.
2. They should have their own homes.
3. They should be between 35 and 70 years of age.
4. They should have knowledge of the Vedas.
5. They should be well-versed in administrative matters and honest in all dealings.
6. If anyone has been a member of any committee in the last three years, he cannot become a member of another committee.
7. Anyone who has not submitted his accounts, as well as those of his relatives, cannot contest the elections.

4. What were the two major cities under the control of the Chahamanas?
Answer:  Delhi and Ajmer were the two cities under control of the Chahamanas.

5. How did the Rashtrakutas become powerful?
Answer:
Rashtrakutas became powerful in the following manner:

1. Rashtrakutas were subordinates to the Chalukyas of Karnataka.
2. In the mid-eighth century Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukyan overlord.
3. He performed a ritual called Hiranya-garbha with the help of Brahmanas.
4. This ritual was, then, considered to lead the rebirth of the sacrificer as Kshatriya, even if he was not Kshatriya by birth.

6. What did the new dynasties do to gain acceptance?
Answer:  The new dynasties gained power and wealth. Thereafter they declared themselves to be maha-samantas or mahamandaleshwara. Many of such kings adopted high sounding titles like maharaja-adhiraja or tribhuvana-chakravartin. They also deputed learned brahmanas to depict them as valiant, victorious warriors. Their activities were recorded in Prashastis. They tried to demonstrate their power and resources by building large temples.

7. What kind of irrigation works were developed in the Tamil Nadu?
Answer:
Large scale cultivation was developed in Tamil Nadu and in many cases artificial irrigation became necessary. A variety of methods were used:

• Wells were dug
• Huge tanks were constructed to collect rainwater
• Canals were constructed

All this work required planning, organizing labour and resources. Decisions were taken collectively on the usage of water. New rulers and people took an active interest in these activities.

8. What were the activities associated with Chola temples?
Answer:
Splendid temples and bronze sculptures of the Cholas:

1. Rajaraja and Rajendra built big temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram.
2. They are architectural and sculptural marvels.
3. Chola temples often became the centre of settlements around them.
4. These were centres of craft production.
5. Temples were also endowed with land by both rulers and others.
6. The produce of this land went to maintain all the specialists who worked at the temple and very often lived near it.
7. They included priests, garland makers, cooks, sweepers, musicians, dancers, etc.
8. In other words, temples were not only places of worship; but also the hub of economic, social and cultural life.
9. Amongst the crafts associated with temples, the making of bronze images was the most important.
10. Chola bronze images are amongst the finest in the world.
11. Most images were of deities, sometimes images were made of devotees also.

9. Look at Map 1 once more and find out whether there were any kingdoms in the state in which you live.
Answer:  The answer may vary as per the students’ state where they live. So the students should answer this question on the basis of their individual study of the Map.

10. Contrast the ‘elections’ in Uttaramerur with present day panchayat election?
Answer:  The system of election in Uttaramerur was quite different from that of the present day panchayat elections. In the Uttaramerur election, the names of the persons eligible to be members of the committees were written on small tickets of palm leaves. The tickets were put into an earthenware pot. Thereafter a young boy was asked to take out the tickets, one by one for each committee. But the present day panchayat members are elected through a general election.

The names of the total members are printed with a symbol allotted to them on a paper called ballot paper. The voter put a stamp over their choice and drops it in a ballot box. Votes are counted and the winners’ name is declared by the Returning Officer. Every procedure is organized by a statutory body.

11. Compare the temple shown in this chapter with any present-day temple in your neighbourhood, highlighting any similarities and differences that you notice.
Answer:  Attempt yourself.

12. Find out more about taxes that are collected at present. Are these in cash, kind, or labour services?
Answer:
Taxes collected at present.

• Land tax
• Income tax
• Wealth tax
• Sale tax
• Property tax
• Excise tax
• VAT (value-added tax)
• Service tax
• Education cess {tax)
• Tax on electricity
• Water tax

These taxes are generally in cash

 Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who was Dantidurga?
Answer: Dantidurga was a Rashtrakuta chief who turned out to be a kshatriya after performing a ritual known as hiranya-garbha.

2. What was called ‘rent’?
Answer:  Resources obtained from the producers were called ‘rent’.

3. Who paid revenue?
Answer:  The traders paid revenue

4. What were ‘prashastis’?
Answer:  Prashastis were the details depicting the rule and personality of the rulers

5. Who were the writers of Prashastis?
Answer:  The learned brahmanas were the writers of the Prashastis.

6. Who was Kalhana?
Answer: Kalhana was a great Sanskrit poet from Kashmir.

7. What was ‘tripartite struggle’?             [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The tripartite sruggle was a long drawn conflict among the rulers of Gurjara- Pratihara, Rashtrakuta and Pala dynasties for control over Kanauj.

8. Who wrote Kitab al-Hind?
Answer:  A great Arab poet al-Baruni wrote Kitab al-Hind

9. Who was Prithviraja in ?
Answer: Prithviraja III was afamous Chauhan ruler of Delhi and surrounding regions during 1168-1192.

10. Who destroyed the temple of Somnath?
Answer: Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, a ruler of Afghanistan, destroyed the temple of Somnath.

11 Why are the temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda-cholapuram famous for?[V. Imp.]
Answer:  These temples are famous for their architectural and sculptural marvels.

12. What was called as ‘ur’?
Answer:  The settlements of peaseants were called as ‘ur’.

13. What were called ‘nadu’?
Answer: The larger units of the groups of ‘ur’ were called ‘nadu’.

14. What was known as ‘brahmadeya’?
Answer: The land gifted to Brahmanas was called as ‘brahmadeya’.

15. Define ‘nagarams’.
Answer:  ‘Nagarams’ were the associationa of traders

16. What was ‘sabha’?
Answer:  An assembly of prominent Brahmanas that looked after brahmadeya was called ‘sabha’.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Trace out the emergence of the new class of rulers.  [V. Imp.]
Answer: During the seventh century a new class of rulers emerged. They were the subordinates or samantas under the influence of big landlords or warriors. Later they themselves gained power and wealth and declared themselves to be maha- samantas, maha-mandaleshvara (the great lord of a circle or region)

2. Who was Dantidurga? How did he became a kshatriya?
Answer: Dantidurga was a Rashtrakuta chief in Deccan. Initially, Rashtrakutas were subordinate to the Chalukyas of Karnataka. Dantidurga, in the mid-eighth century, overthrew his Chalukya overlord and performed a ritual known as ‘hiranya-garbha’. It was thought to lead to the rebirth of the sacrificer as a kshatriya, even if he was not one by birth.

3. How was the financial position controlled in these states?    [V. Imp.]
Answer:  These states were closely associated with peasants, traders, and Brahmanas. The resources were obtained from peasants, cattle-keepers, and artisans who were the producers. They were compelled to surrender part of what they produced. The traders had to pay revenue. The functionaries for collecting revenue were generally from influential families or from the close relatives of the kings.

4. Write a note on ‘Prashastis’.
Answer:  Prashastis, often written by learned Brahmanas, were details of the functioning of a king. They may not be literally true. They tell us how rulers wanted to depict themselves—as valiant, victorious warriors etc. Brahmanas were rewarded by grants of land which were recorded on copper plates.

5. Who was Kalhana? Why was he famous for?
Answer:  Kalhana was a great Sanskrit poet who wrote a long Sanskrit poem depicting the ruler of Kashmir. He used a variety of sources, including inscriptions, documents, eyewitness accounts. He was different from the writers of Prashastis for he was often critical about rulers and their policies.

6. Why were the temples first targets of the conquerors?      [V. Imp.]
Answer:  It was the trend to demonstrate power and resources by building large temples. The rulers often invested a lot in the decoration and maintenance of the temples. So the foreign conquerors made them target first. The most prominent example of it was the temple 6f Somnath in Gujarat looted several times by Sultan Mahmud of Ghazani who came from Afghanistan. Much of the wealth he carried away was used to create a splendid capital city at Ghazani.

7. Who was Prithvirqja III? Who defeated him?
Answer:  Prithviraja III (1168-1192) was a Chahamanas, later known as Chauhan ruler. He ruled over the regions around Delhi and Ajmer. He defeated Sultan Muhammad Ghori, an Afghan conqueror in 1191. But only one year after it in 1192 he was defeated by Ghori. It was the end of his rule and life both.

8. What was the role of temples during Chola kingdom? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  The Chola rulers like Rajaraja and Rajendra built two great temples of Thanjavur and Ganaikonda-cholapuram respectively. Temples were the nuclei of settlements during this period. They were the centres of craft production and also controlled the financial aspects related to them. Hence they were not only the religious centres but also the hub of economic, social, and cultural life as well.

9 Describe the irrigation system of the Chola kingdom.    [Imp.]
Answer: The irrigation system during the Chola ruler was much improved. A variety of methods were applied to it. Many wells were dug; huge tanks were also constructed to collect water. The kings themselves took interest in organizing labour and resources and extensive planning.

10. What was the system of election of committee members for Sabha?
Answer:  The Sabha had separate committees to manage the works of irrigation and other works of gardens, temples, etc. The members of each committee were elected through a strict process. Names of eligible candidates were written on small tickets of palm leaf. The tickets were put into an earthenware pot. A young boy was asked to take out the tickets one by one for each committee.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Write a note on Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni  [Imp.]
Answer:  Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni was a ruler of Afghanistan from 997 to 1030. He was an ambitious king and so made all efforts to extend his control over far off regions. He extended his control over parts of Central Asia, Iran, and the north­western part of the subcontinent. Almost every year he raided the subcontinent targeting wealthy temples. The temple of Somnath in Gujarat was the worst victim of his raids. Much of the wealth he carried away was used to create a splendid capital city at Ghazni. Ghazni was fond of knowing more about the people he conquered. He entrusted a scholar named al-Biruni to write an account of the subcontinent. The al- Biruni’s account, an Arabic work titled as Kitab al-Hind, is still an important source for historians.

2. How did the Cholas rise to power? Trace out the role of Rajaraja I in this rise.[V. Imp.]
Answer:  Cholas belonged to a minor chiefly family known as Muttaraiyar that held power in the Kaveri delta. They worked as subordinate to the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. Vijayalaya, a member of the ancient chiefly family of the Cholas from Uraiyur, captured the delta from the Muttaraiyar in the middle of the ninth century. ‘Hie town of Thanjavur and the temple for goddess Nishmbhasudini are some of his great creations. Vijayalaya’s successors conquered neighboring regions and the kingdom grew in size and power.

The Pandyan and the Pallava territories to the south and north were made part of this kingdom.Rajaraja I was the most powerful Chola ruler. He became king in 985 and expanded control over most of these areas. He was well known for the reorganization of the administration of his empire. His son Rajendra I continued his policies an even raided the Ganga valley, Sri Lanka and contries of Southeast Asia, developing a navy for these expeditions. The big temples of Thanjavur and Gangaikonda-cholapuram built by them are architectural marvels.

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NCERT Solutions For Class 7 History Social Science Chapter 1 Tracing Changes Through A Thousand Years

Question 1. Who was considered a ‘foreigner’ in the past?
Answer:  The term ‘foreigner’ is used in the sense of a person who is not an Indian. In the medieval period it was applied to any stranger who appeared, say in a given village, someone who was not a part of that society or culture. In this sense a forest-dweller was a foreigner for a city-dweller. But two peasants living in the same village were not foreigners to each other, even though they may have had different religious or caste backgrounds.

Question  2. State whether true or false:

• We do not find inscriptions for the period after 700.
• The Maraihas asserted their political importance during this period.
• Forest-dwellers were sometimes pushed out of their lands with the spread of agricultural settlements.
• Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban controlled Assam, Manipur and Kashmir.

Answer:  (a) False; (b) False; (c) True; (d) False

Question 3. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Archives are places where………….. are kept.
(b) …………….was a fourteenth-century chronicler.
(c) ……., ……., ………, ……… and ………… were some of the crops introduced into the subcontinent during this period.
Answer:  (a) Manuscripts
(b) Ziyauddin Barani
(c) Potatoes, com, chillies, tea, coffee.

Question 4. List some of the technological changes associated with this period.
Answer:
Some of the technological changes associated with this period are:

1. Persian wheel in irrigation.
2. Spinning wheel.
3. Fire-arms in combat.

Question 5. What were some of the major religious developments during this period?
Answer:  Some of the major significant religious developments occurred in Hinduism. The worship of new deities, the construction of temples by royalty and growing importance of Brahmanas, the priests, as dominant groups in society were the new changes. Brahmanas’ importance grew due to their knowledge of Sanskrit language. They were patronized by the Emperors. The idea of bhakti emerged among people. The merchants and migrants brought with them the teachings of Quran, the holy book of Muslims.

Question 6. In what ways has the meaning of the term ‘Hindustan’ charged over the centuries?
Answer:
The meaning of the term ‘Hindustan’ has changed over the centuries in the following manner:

1. In the thirteenth century Minhaj-i-Siraj used the term ‘Hindustan’. He meant areas of Punjab, Haryana and the lands between Ganga and Yamuna. He used this term in a political sense that were a part of the dominions of the Delhi Sultanate. The term never included South India.
2. In the sixteenth century poet Babur used the term ‘Hindustan’ to describe the geography, the fauna and the culture of the inhabitants of the subcontinent.
3. In fourteenth-century poet Amir Khusrau used the term ‘Hind’ in the same sense as Babur did in the sixteenth century.
4. ‘Hindustan’ did not carry the political and national meanings as the term ‘India’ does today.

Question  7. How were the affairs of jatis regulated?
Answer:
The affairs of jatis were regulated in the following way:

1. Jatis formed their own rules and regulations.
2. There was an assembly of elders called jati panchayat.
3. It enforced the rules and regulations.
4. Jatis were also directed to follow the rules of the village.
5. Several villages were governed by a chieftain.

Question 8. What does the term pan-regional empire mean?
Answer:  The term ‘pan-regional’ was used in the sense of the areas of empires spanning diverge regions. The dynasties like Cholas, Khaljis, Tughluqs, and Mughals extended their empires pan-regional. Though, not all these empires were equally stable or successful. But pan-regional rule altered the character of the regions. Most of the regions across the subcontinent were left with the legacies of the big and small states that had ruled over them. The emergence of many distinct and shared traditions in governance the economy elite cultures and languages were some of the prominent factors that took place as a result of pan-regional rules.

Question 9. What are the difficulties historians face in using manuscripts?
Answer:
Historians faced a lot of difficulties while using manuscripts because:

1. There was no printing press in the 13th and 14th centuries. Scribes in those days made manuscripts by hand.
2. To copy was not an easy exercise. Scribes could not read the handwriting of the other writers.
3. They were forced to guess. So there were small but significant differences in the copy of the scribed.
4. These small words or sentences here and there grew over centuries of copying.
5. The manuscripts of the same text became a great extent different from the original.

Question 10. How do historians divide the past into periods? Do they face any problems in doing so?
Answer:
Historians divide the past into periods on the basis of continuity. This continuity is further based on:

1. Coins
2. Inscriptions
3. Architecture
4. Textual records

But they face difficulties in doing so as discontinuity exists.

1. Textual records increased tremendously.
2. They gradually displaced other types of available information.

Thousand years of human history (or of any country or region) witnessed a number of changes. After all, the ancient history of India is different from that of the other two periods i.e., the medieval period and modem period. Therefore describing the entire period as one historical unit is not an easy task.

Question 11. Compare either Map 1 or Map 2 with the present-day map of the subcontinent listing as many similarities and differences as you can find.
Answer:  Map 1 and Map 2 given in the NCERT Textbook represent two different times. Map 1 was made in 1154 CE by al-Idrisi, an Arab geographer. This section is a detail of the Indian subcontinent from his larger map of the world. Map 2 was made by a French cartographer in 1720. Both maps are quite different from each other, even though they represent the same area. In Map 1 we find south India at the place where we would expect to find north India and Sri Lanka is the island at the top. The place names are in Arabic. Some familiar places like Kanauj in Uttar Pradesh have been spelt as Qanauj. In comparison to this Map 2 was made nearly 600 later after Map 1. By that time information about the subcontinent had changed a lot. This map appears to be more familiar to us. The coastal areas, particularly, are more detailed.

Question 12. Find out where records are kept in your village or city. Who writes these records? Is there an archive? Who manages it? What kinds of documents are stored there? Who are the people who use it?
Answer:

1. Records are kept in our city at the archives. These records are written by the officials of the Revenue Department.
2. The in charge of the Archives/ Deputy Director of Archives manages these records.
3. Rare manuscripts, government records, and other valuable books, etc. are stored there.
4. Scholars, researchers, and government officials use them.

V. Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Who was al-Idrisi?
Answer:  al-Idrisi was an Arab cartographer.

Question 2. Who is a ‘cartographer’?
Answer:  Cartographer is one who draws a map.

Question 3. What difference do you notice in the map drawn by al-Idrisi?
Answer: In the map drawn by al-Idrisi we find a completely different view. Here south India is shown at present North India and Sri Lanka is the island at the top

Question 4. Who used the term Hindustan for the first time and when?
Answer:  Minhaj-i Siraj used the term ‘Hindustan’ for the first time in the thirteenth century.

Question 5. What sources do historians use for the study of a particular period of history?[V. Imp.]
Ans. The historians use sources like coins, inscriptions, architectures, and textual records for the study of a specific period.

Question 6. What do you mean by archives?
Answer:  Archives were the places where manuscripts were collected.

Question 7. Who were scribes?
Answer: Scribes were those professionals who used to copy down the manuscripts.

Question 8. How did the scribes copy down the manuscripts?
Answer: Scribes copied down the manuscripts by hand.

Question 9. What changes took place during 700 and 1750? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Many technologies like the Persian wheel in irrigation, the spinning wheel in weaving, and firearms in combat made their appearance. Some new foods and beverages like potatoes, corn, chilies, tea, and coffee also arrived in the subcontinent.

Question 10. What factors contributed to a variety of developments?
Answer: The new technologies and innovations came to the subcontinent with the people who came from other areas and settled here.

Question 11. What were the new groups of people to be prominent at this age? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Rajputs, Marathas, Sikhs, Jats, Ahoms, and Kayasthas were the groups which came to be prominent in this age. They availed most of the opportunities of society.

Question 12. What do you mean by Jati Panchayat?
Answer: Jati Panchayat was the assembly of elders that controlled the conduct of the members of their jati They had their own rules and regulations.

Question 13. Who was the Chief of the village?
Answer: Villages were controlled by a Chieftain. Even the smaller Jati Panchayats were bound to follow the village administration.

Question 14. What was the stretch of Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban’s Empire?
Answer: According to a Sanskrit Prashasti Delhi Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban’s empire was stretched from Bengal (Gauda) in the east to Ghazni (Gajjana) in Afghanistan in the west. It also included all of south India (Dravida)

Question 15. Why did Brahmanas dominate in society during this period? [Imp.]
Answer: Brahmanas were the only class of people who were proficient in the Sanskrit language. This was the reason that made them prominent.

Question 16. Who were the patrons?
Answer:  Patrons were a group of rulers and rich class of people who provided protection and livelihood to the Brahmanas, artists, and poets.

Question 17. What was the major development of this age?
Answer: The emergence of the idea of bhakti was the major development of this age.

Question 18. How history was divided by historians during the middle of the nineteenth century?
Answer: The British historians divided the history of India into three periods—:P

• Hindu,
• Muslim and
• British.

Question 19. What was the basis of such division?
Answer: Such division was made on the basis of the religion as the historians did not consider any aspect more prominent other than the developments in religions.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.  What difference do you trace out in the region of Hindustan of the thirteenth century and the modem India?
Answer: The term ‘Hindustan’ in the thirteenth century implied the areas of Punjab, Haryana, and the lands between the Ganga and Yamuna. Minhaj-i Siraj used the term in a political sense for lands consisting of a part of the dominions of the Delhi Sultanate. The areas included in this term shifted with the extent of the Sultanate. However, it never included south India.

Question 2. What does time mean for historians? How does it help them? [V. Imp.]
Answer:  Time, for historians, doesn’t mean just a passing of hours, days, or years. Instead, it reflects changes in social and economic organization, in the persistence and transformation of ideas and beliefs. In order to study historical developments historians divide the past into large segments. It makes the study convenient. The historians study different aspects of the specific period and then assess the comparative developments their impact on society and their contribution to the future generations.

Question 3. What do you mean by pan-regional rule? What was its impact? [V. Imp.]

Answer:  Pan-regional rule applies to the trend of extending the empire to the region beyond one’s own state. With the decline of the Mughal Empire in the eighteenth century, many regional states emerged. Consequently, a chance of sharing different traditions in the realms of governance, economy, elite cultures, and languages was brightened. People knew a lot of new things, manners, etc, without losing their own culture and identity.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What was the process of copying the manuscript? What were its drawbacks? [Imp.]
Answer: As there was no printing press during the period between 700 and 1750, Scribes used to copy down the manuscripts which were hand-written. Sometimes it was difficult to recognize the original script. So the Scribes used their own way of interpreting the facts. Consequently, there were differences were found in the copies written by different Scribes. As all the copies were handwritten, it was difficult to recognize which was the original one. It was the drawback of such copying.

Question 2. Trace out the major changes in society during 700 and 1750? What was its main reason? [V. Imp.]
Answer: A number of changes took place in society between 700 and 1750. This period traced the technological appearance of Persian wheel in irrigation, the spinning wheel in weaving and firearms in combat. Potatoes, com, chilies, tea, and coffee were some of the new foods and beverages. These developments came with the arrival of the people who migrated to this land. As a result this period saw various changes in the economic, political, social and cultural life,

Question 3. What was the change in the religion of the time? Trace out major developments? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The period between 700 and 1750 witnessed major changes in religion. It was seen prominently in Hinduism. The worship of new deities, the construction of temples by royalty, and the growing importance of Brahmanas, the priests, as dominant groups in society were some of the major developments.

The idea of bhakti emerged. Merchants and migrants brought the new teachings of the ‘Quran’, the holy book of the Muslims. A class of patrons emerged. They were the rulers who provided shelter and protection to the ulemas—the learned theologians and jurists. Muslims were divided into two groups—Shia and Sunni. Shia Muslims believed in Prophet Muhammad’s authority while the Sunnis accepted the authority of the early leaders—Khalifas.

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