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Class 6 History Chapter 5 Notes - Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic

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Janapadas: The powerful kings who performed big sacrifices and later ruled larger territories termed as Janapadas. The term “Janapada” literally means ‘foothold of a tribe’. A Janapada could be a republic like Vajji or a monarchy like Magadha.
Vamas: Later, Vedic texts like Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda mentioned certain rules about the society. There were different groups in the society such as priests and warriors, farmers, herders, traders, craftspersons and labourers.
Varna Hierarchy: The priests divided people into four groups called vamas. Each varna had different sets of functions.
Selection of the Rulers: In ancient India, some of the rajas were probably chosen by the Jana, the people. Some changes regarding the election of the Raja took place around 3,000 years ago. Some men performed Ashvamedha sacrifice and came to be recognised as rajas.
Gana: This was the method of rule in early centuries where members of society met in assemblies and decided about administration through discussions and debates.
Mahajanapadas: A Mahajanapada was usually ruled from its capital city. There was intense rivalry among the Mahajanapadas, resulting in frequent wars. Huge walls made of mud, stone, wood or bricks were used to fortify these capital cities.
Taxes: Money was required by new rajas for building forts and armies. They started collecting regular taxes from the people. The tax could be paid either in cash or in kind.
Changes in Agriculture: Agriculture prospered in most of the Mahajanapadas as they were located in fertile areas. Two major changes came in agriculture. One was the increasing use of the iron plough. Secondly, people began transplanting paddy which led to increased production.

Around 3000 years ago, there were some new ways of choosing ‘rajas’. Some men became ‘rajas’ by performing big sacrifices. One of such rituals was ‘ASHVAMEDHA’ (horse sacrifice). The ‘raja’ was an important figure. Kingdoms were usually called the ‘Janapadas’, which were ruled by the ‘rajas’. People lived in huts and kept animals. They grew a variety of crops. Some ‘janapadas’ later became more important than others, and they were called ‘Mahajanapadas’. The capital cities were fortified.

The new ‘rajas’ began maintaining armies. Payments were made using punchmarked coins.
Class 6 History Chapter 5 Notes - Kingdoms, Kings and an Early RepublicCoins
  • The ‘rajas’ needed resources to build forts and to maintain armies. Officials were supposed to collect taxes from people. Taxes were in the form of crops, labour, animals and their produce, etc.
  • There were changes in agriculture too. The use of Iron Ploughshares increased, thus enhancing grain production. People started transplanting paddy. This also increased production.
  • Magadha became the most important ‘mahajanapada’ in about 200 years. Transport, water supplies, fertility, forests, elephants, mines, etc. made Magadha important.
  • Vajji was another kingdom with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar). It had a different form of government called ‘gana’/‘sangha’, which had not one, but many rulers. These rulers performed rituals together and met in assemblies. Buddhist books depict life in the ‘sanghas’.
  • ‘Rajas’ of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer the ‘sanghas’.

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What were the different groups in ancient Indian society called?
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‘Ashvamedha’: (horse sacrifice) This was ritual in which a horse was let loose to wander freely and it was guarded by the ‘rajas’ men. If the horse entered other kingdoms, there would be a duel between the two kings.
‘Bhaga’: Taxes on crops (1/6 of the produce) was called ‘bhaga’.
‘Gana’/‘Sangha’: A form of government followed in the kingdom of Vajji.
‘Janapadas’: Kingdoms were referred to as ‘janapadas’. (‘jana’ – land, ‘pada’ – foot).
‘Mahajanapada’: The most important of the ‘janapadas’.
‘Varnas’: Each of the four categories of society, based on occupation and decided by birth, was referred to as ‘Varnas’.
About 3000 years ago (around 1000 B.C.): new kinds of ‘rajas’.
About 2500 years ago (around 500 B.C.):  formation of ‘mahaj’anapadas’.
About 2300 years ago (around 300 B.C.): the invasion of Alexander the Great.

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FAQs on Class 6 History Chapter 5 Notes - Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic

1. What were the main characteristics of kingdoms during ancient times?
Ans. The main characteristics of kingdoms during ancient times were the presence of a king or queen who held absolute power, a hierarchical social structure with the king at the top, the use of a centralized administration to govern the kingdom, and the collection of taxes from subjects to maintain the kingdom.
2. How were kings chosen in ancient kingdoms?
Ans. In ancient kingdoms, kings were often chosen through hereditary succession, meaning that the throne would pass from the current king or queen to their children or other close relatives. Sometimes, kings were also chosen through election or through military conquest.
3. What led to the transition from kingdoms to an early republic?
Ans. The transition from kingdoms to an early republic was often driven by the desire for more democratic governance and a system where power was distributed among multiple individuals rather than being concentrated in the hands of a single ruler. This transition was often facilitated by the rise of influential merchant classes and the spread of ideas about individual rights and freedoms.
4. How did the early republic differ from kingdoms in terms of governance?
Ans. The early republic differed from kingdoms in terms of governance in that power was shared among multiple individuals rather than being held by a single king or queen. The early republic often had a system of elected representatives who made decisions on behalf of the people, and laws were often created through a democratic process.
5. What were some of the challenges faced by the early republic?
Ans. Some of the challenges faced by the early republic included maintaining stability and preventing power struggles among the ruling class, ensuring equal representation and participation of all citizens, and addressing the needs and concerns of diverse groups within the society. Additionally, the early republic also had to defend itself against external threats and maintain law and order within its boundaries.
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