Find out more and tell a story from one of the epics.

Why do you think ordinary men and women did not generally keep records of what they did?

Read the story on page 122. In what ways is the monkey king similar to or different from the kings you read about in Chapters 5 and 10?

What kind of evidence from burials do archaeologists use to find out whether there were social differences amongst those who were buried?

What were the new administrative arrangements during this period?

Match the following:

Narmada Valley                       The first big kingdom
Magadha                                 Hunting and gathering
Garo                                        hills Cities about 2500 years ago
Indus and its tributaries           Early agriculture
Ganga Valley                          The first cities

What changes do you find in the army at this time?

What were the means adopted by Ashoka to spread the message of dhamma?

What were the problems that Ashoka wanted to solve by introducing dhamma?

Describe the functions of the gramabhojaka. Why do you think he was powerful?

Why did kings want to control the Silk Route?

Discuss the reasons why the Chinese pilgrims came to India.

Mention three authors who wrote about Harshavardhana.

What kind of evidence from burials do archaeologists use to find out whether there were social differences amongst those who were buried?

Fill in the chart given below with the terms: hunter- gatherers, farmers, traders, crafts persons, herders.

Read the story on page 122. In what ways is the monkey king similar to or different from the kings you read about in Chapters 5 and 10?

Do you think ordinary people would have read and understood the prashastis? Give reasons for your answer.

What were the main features of Bhakti?

Do you think that the life of farmers and herders who supplied food to the Harappan cities was different from that of the farmers and herders you read about in Chapter 2? Give reasons for your answer.

Make a list of what the Harappans ate, and put a tick mark against the things you eat today.

Describe the functions of the gramabhojaka. Why do you think he was powerful?