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.

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?

Why do you think ordinary people were attracted to Bhakti?

Do you think it would have been easy for slaves to join the sangha? Give reasons for your answer.

How do archaeologists know that cloth was used in the Harappan civilisation?

What were the main teachings of the Mahavira?

Fill in the blanks:
(a) ———————— was a great astronomer.
(b) Stories about gods and goddesses are found in the ————————
(c) ———————— is recognised as the author of the Sanskrit Ramayana.
(d) ———————— and ———————— are two Tamil epics.

Match the following:
Muvendar                                          Mahayana Buddhism
Lords of the dakshinapatha               Buddhacharita
Ashvaghosha                                    Satavahana rulers
Bodhisattvas                                     Chinese pilgrim
Xuan Zang                                        Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas

List the crafts persons who would have been present in both villages and cities.

Why do you think Anagha’s mother wanted her to know the story of the Buddha?

Why did kings want to control the Silk Route?

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