III. Answer the following questions:
1. Briefly explain the four varnas.
2. Name the two important capitals of the Magadha kingdom.
3. Describe the two changes that happened in agriculture.
4. Why did the rajas of Mahajanapadas built forts?
Answers
1. These and other Hindu texts classified the society in principle into four varnas: Brahmins: priests, scholars and teachers. Kshatriyas: rulers, warriors and administrators. Vaishyas: agriculturalists and merchants. Shudras: laborers and service providers.
2. Rajagriha (Girivraj) Later, Pataliputra (modern-day Patna) are two important capital of Magadha Kingdom.
3. (i) The use of advanced technology in agriculture implying use of High Yield Variety (HYV) seeds, chemical fertilisers and pesticides and a well developed system of irrigation led to a substantial increase in the production of food grains, mainly wheat and rice.
(ii) It resulted in higher income growth. Even poor farmers who practised modern farming with advanced technology started becoming rich.
(iii) It led to commercialisation of agriculture as farmers started cultivating flowers, cotton, tobacco etc.
4. The rajas of mahajanapadas built forts to protect their capital city.
This means that huge walls of wood, brick or stone were built around them. Forts were probably built because people were afraid of attacks from other kings and needed protection.
It is also likely that some rulers wanted to show how rich and powerful they were by building really large, tall and impressive walls around their cities. Also in this way, the land and the people living inside the fortified areas could be controlled more easily by the king.
Answer:
1.
i) Brahmins
ii) Kshatriyas
iii) Vaishyas
iv) Shudras
2. Rajagriha (Girivraj) and Pataliputra (Patna)
3. There were two major changes in agriculture. one was the growing use of iron plough shares. this meant thet heavy clayey soil could be turned over better than with a wooden plough shares, so more grain could be produced. and the second one is that people began transplanting paddy.
4. the rajas of mahajanapadas built fort to protect their capital city