Q. The history of Punjab and Haryana in first century AD has been reconstructed on the basis of study of several thousand copper coins issued by?
(1) Tribal republics of Kanva
(2) Tribal republics of Yaudheya
(3) Tribal republics of Gandhara
(4) Karkota dynasty of Kashmir
Answer: 2
Q. Which among the following statements do not entails that the Harappan culture was a civilisation?
(1) People were living a more advanced life than those of the previous primitive ages.
(2) The cities were well planned and great care was taken to look after them properly.
(3) The Harappan people knew how to write and their language was written in picture like signs called ‘pictographs’.
(4) The Harappan culture was spread over Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab, Haryana, and Western Uttar Pradesh, Jammu, Northern Rajasthan, Gujarat and Northern Maharashtra.
Ans. (4)
Exp. Statement (4) – do not entails that the Harappan culture was a civilisation. It only tells about the geographical extent of this cultivation that the Harappan culture was spread over the whole of Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab, Northern Rajasthan, Kathiawar, and Gujarat but not in Northern Maharashtra. The presence of advanced life-style planned urbanisation and prevalent of writing is some of the features that show that Harappan culture was a civilisation.
Q. The rulers of which dynasty were first to make land grants to Brahmanas?
[1] Maurya
[2] Sunga
[3] Satvahana
[4] Kanvas
Answer: 3 [Satvahana ]
Notes:
The rulers of Satvahanas dynasty were the first to make land grant to Brahamanas.
Q. With reference to the Pre-Harappan culture, which of the following statement(s) is/are correct?
a. The central zone of Pre-Harappan culture was located in Sindh.
b. It is older yet more developed than Chalcolithic culture.
Codes:
(1) Only a
(2) Only b
(3) Both ‘a’ and ‘b’
(4) Neither ‘a’ nor ‘b’
Ans. (3)
Q. Who were the first rulers in India to issue gold coins attributed to the Kings?
[1] Sungas
[2] Kanvas
[3] Indo Greeks
[4] Sakas
Answer: 3 [ Indo Greeks ]
Notes:
The Indo-Greeks were the first rulers in India to issue coins which can definitely be attributed to the kings. They were the first to issue gold coins in India.
Q. Which among the following Buddhist scripture deals in the teachings of Buddhism?
[1] Abhidhamma Pitaka
[2] Vinay Pitaka
[3] Sutta Pitaka
[4] Both b & c
Answer: 3
Notes:
The Sutta-pitaka (or basket of suttas) contains the essence of the Gautma Buddha’s teaching regarding the Dhamma. It contains more than 10,000 suttas (or teachings) attributed to the Buddha or his close disciples. It is the second of three sections of the Tripitaka, the earliest Buddhist scripture. The Sutta Pitaka is made of five nikayas ( or collections) of suttas viz. Digha Nikaya, Majjhima Nikaya, Samyutta Nikaya, Anguttara Nikaya, Khuddaka Nikaya.
Q. In which year, Alexander invaded India?
[1] 326 BC
[2] 316 BC
[3] 346 BC
[4] 256 BC
Answer: 1
Notes:
Alexander invaded India in 326 BC. In 326 BC, the Battle of Hydaspes was fought between Alexender the great and Porus along the banks of Haydaspes river( Jhelum river) in Punjab. Porus, the King of Paurava, ruled the area between the rivers Hydaspes (modern Jhelum) and Acesines (Chenab). Though, Porus was defeated, Alexendar was impressed by Porus’s might so asked Porus to rule his dynasty under his name.
Q. Vidhushaka, a common character in Sanskrit drama is ___?
[1] Brahmana
[2] Kshatriya
[3] Vaishya
[4] Shudra
Answer: A
Notes:
In classical Sanskrit drama, Vidushaka (Bufoon) is essentially a Brahmin and is a confident / attendent of the Hero. Despite being educated in Sanskrit, he speaks in Prakrit, the vernacular language of the time. Bharata mentions him along with the principal characters in his Natyasastra.
Q. Which of the following was capital of Guptas?
[1] Taxila
[2] Pataliputra
[3] Ujjain
[4] Mathura
Answer: 2
Notes:
Patliputra was the capital city of Gupta dynasty.
Q. On which of the following systems of Hindu Philosophy, Shankaracharya wrote commentary in 9th century AD?
[1] Sankhya
[2] Vaisheshika
[3] Yoga
[4] Uttarmimansa
Answer: 4
Notes:
Uttar Mimamsa is the Vedanta, one of the most significant of all Indian philosophies. As compared to other systems, its advent and growth is recent. Still it is the most influential orthodox philosophical systems of India.
Q. In which of the following places earliest evidence of man in India is found?
[1] Siwalik Hills
[2] Nilgiris
[3] Narmada Valley
[4] Siwalik Hills
Answer: 3
Notes:
The earliest evidence of existence of human in India had been found the banks of the Narmada at Madhya Pradesh’s Hathnora village.
Q. Which of the following means the ‘limbs of the Vedas’?
[1] Upanishads
[2] Vedanta
[3] Vedanga
[4] Puranas
Answer: 3
Notes:
The word ‘Vedanga’ means the ‘limbs of the Vedas’. They are a form of supplementary texts that aid in the proper recitation and understanding of the Vedas. They are considered to be of human origin.
Q. Which of the following is the term used for the head of the household who owned the land during the Later Vedic period?
[1] Grahpati
[2] Godhuma
[3] Shresthins
[4] None of the above
Answer: 1
Notes:
During the Later Vedic period the land was still communally owned but now it was recognised as property. The head of the household who owned the land was termed as ‘Grahpati’.
Read more: Indian History NCERT Notes Class 6-12 (Old+New)
Q. What was the other name of dasas during the Rig Vedic period?
[1] A-vrata
[2] Yadu
[3] Turvasha
[4] Druhyu
Answer: 1
Notes:
The indigenous inhabitants were called “dasyus” or “ dasas”. They were also referred as a-vrata which means those who do not obey the ordinances of the gods and akratu which means those who do not perform sacrifices.
Q. The Rig Veda consists of how many hymns?
[1] 1000
[2] 1024
[3] 1028
[4] 1030
Answer: 3
Notes:
The Rig Veda is a consists of 1,028 hymns which are divided into 10 Mandals. They are the earliest compositions which depict the life of the Early Vedic people residing in India.
Q. The standing statue of Gautam Buddha was built in which period?
[1] Kushana period
[2] Gupta period
[3] Mauryan period
[4] Mughal period
Answer: 1
Notes:
The Gandhara art flourished in India during the Kushana period. Particularly Kanishka, who was a great ruler of the Kushana period, was a great patron of art and architecture and it was during his reign Gandhara School of art flourished.
Q. Varanasi was the capital of which of the following mahajanapada?
[1] Mallas
[2] Vajji
[3] Kosala
[4] Kashi
Answer: 4
Notes:
Kashi was the capital of one of the sixteen mahajanapada called Varanasi (Modern Benaras). However Kashi was eventually captured by Kosala. The city of Kashi got its name from rivers Varuna and Asi as cited in the Matsya Purana.
Q. Who was Seleucus Nicator?
[1] Prime minister of Chandragupta Maurya
[2] Greek Scholar
[3] General of Alexander
[4] Mathematician
Answer: 3
Notes:
Seleucus Nicator was one of the generals of Alexander. He served as an infantry general and after the death of Alexander, had succeeded in gaining control over most of the eastern Asiatic provinces. Chandragupta defeated him around 301 BCE.