Challenge Prelims V1.0 – Day 27 – GS Paper (Ancient History)

1. How many of the following Mahajanpads followed the ‘Republican’ model of polity in the era of Mahajanpads (c. 600 BCE):

1. Mallas
2. Vajjis
3. Vatsa

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

2. Consider the following statements:

1. During the Mahajanpad period, Magadha’s capital Rajgir was called ‘Girivraja’.
2. During the Mahajanpad period, Kosala’s capital Ayodhya was called ‘Jaladurga’.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

3. In the context of Mahajanapadas of ancient India, which of the following factors were mainly responsible for the rise of Magadha empire?

1. Availability of iron mines
2. Use of elephants in military
3. Orthodox character of Magadhan society

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

4. The Harappan civilization period is called the age of the first urbanization in India. Which of the following is called the period of ‘second urbanization’?

5. Arrange the following Mahajanapadas from east to west:

1. Mastya
2. Vatsa
3. Anga
4. Magadh

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

6. Consider the following pairs:

Mahajanpada: Capital

1. Vatsa: Kausambhi
2. Shurasena: Mathura
3. Asmaka: Shravasti
4. Malla: Kusinara

How many pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

7. Which of the following Mahajanpadas during the age of Buddha, were ruled by republican clan Oligarchies?

1. Mallas
2. Avanti
3. Magadha
4. Vajji

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

8. Which of the following were the features of the sixteen mahajanpadas?

1. Each Mahajanpada had a capital city.
2. All the mahajanapadas were monarchies and ruled by kings.
3. Some Mahajanpadas acquired standing armies and maintained regular bureaucracies.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

9. The Mahajanpad embraced the area occupied by eastern Uttar Pradesh and had its capital at Shravasti, it contained an important city called Ayodhya, which is associated with the story of Ramayana. It extended across both banks of the Sarayu (modern Ghaghara) River and north into what is now Nepal.

Identify the Mahajanpad from the passage given above.

10. Consider the following statements in the context of the taxation system in Mahajanapada period:

1. The payment was made only in kind as the period did not witness full use of coins.
2. Artisans and traders were exempted from paying taxes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

11. With reference to Mahajanapadas and sanghas, consider the following statements:

1. While most mahajanapadas were monarchies ruled by one king, the sanghas were oligarchies rule collectively by kings.
2. While Mahavira belonged to a Mahajanpada, Buddha was from sangha.

Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?

12. The Rajas of the Mahajanapadas were different from those mentioned in the Rigveda as the Rajas of the Mahajanapadas had:

1. Fortified capital cities
2. Maintained big armies
3. Collected regular taxes

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

13. Magadha became the most important mahajanapada because:

14. Changes were seen in agricultural pattern during Mahajanapada period. Consider the following statements:

1. Wooden ploughshares were replaced by iron ploughshares.
2. People began transplanting paddy.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

15. Consider the following statements regarding tax collection during Mahajanapada period:

1. Taxes on crops was fixed to 1/6th of what was produced.
2. Taxes collected on crops was known as Biswa.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?