To what extent were agricultural practices transformed in the period under consideration?
The demand for taxes increased in the post 600 BC. In order to meet the demand of excessive taxes, without taking lesser produce, forced the farmers to increase productivity. This resulted in the use of new tools and practices of agriculture. The important ones are as follows:
1.Use of plough: Ploughs became commonplace. They were hardly heard of in the past. The use of ploughs began in the Ganga and Cauvery basins. In places where rain was abundant, the plough was used with iron tip. This increased the paddy production manifold.
2. Use of spade: Another tool that changed the system of agriculture is spade. Those farmers who lived in the areas of harsh land used spade.
3. Artificial Irrigation: Apart from rainfall, the farmers now began to look at artificial forms of irrigation. This prompted farmers to build wells, ponds, and – canals often collectively. This increased agricultural production. The production increased due to new technology and tools. This created a new strata in the society. In the Buddhist literature, there is a description of small and big farmers. They were called Grihpatis. Similar description is given in the Tamil literature too. The position of village head was often hereditary. In such a situation the ownership of land became very important.
Discuss whether the Mahabharata could have been the work of a single author.
How do historians reconstruct the lives of ordinary people?
Discuss whether kings in early states were invariably Kshatriyas.
How important were gender differences in early societies? Give reasons for your answer.
On Map 1, use a pencil to circle sites where evidence of agriculture has been recovered. Mark an X against sites where there is evidence of craft production and R against sites where raw materials were found.
Look at Fig. 1.30 and describe what you see. How is the body placed? What are the objects placed near it? Are there any artefacts on the body? Do these indicate the sex of the skeleton?
Discuss the evidence that suggests that Brahmanical prescriptions about kinship and marriage were not universally followed.
Describe some of the distinctive features of Mohenjodaro.
Describe the salient features of mahajanapadas.
Were the ideas of the Upanishadic thinkers different from those of the fatalists and materialists? Give reasons for your answer.
List the raw materials required for craft production in the Harappan civilisation and discuss how these might have been obtained.
Discuss the evidence of craft production in Early Historic cities. In what ways is this different from the evidence from Harappan cities?
Would you agree that the drainage system in Harappan cities indicates town planning? Give reasons for your answer.
Describe some of the distinctive features of Mohenjodaro.
Discuss the development in sculpture and architecture associated with the rise of Vaishnavism and Shaivism.
Describe the salient features of mahajanapadas.
List the materials used to make beads in the Harappan civilisation. Describe the process by which any one kind of bead was made.
List the items of food available to people in Harappan cities. Identify the groups who would have provided these.
Discuss the role of the begums of Bhopal in preserving the stupa at Sanchi.
Discuss how and why stupas were built.