Worksheet Solutions: New Empires and Kingdoms - Class 6 PDF Download

Q1: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs).

(ii) Who was the composer of Prayag Prashasti?
(a) Kalidasa
(b) Harisena
(c) Ravikirti
(d) None of the above
Ans: (b)
Harisena was the composer of Prayag Prashasti.

Q2: Answer the following Questions.

(ii) Mention three authors who wrote about Harshavardhana.
Ans: Banabhatta, Xuanzang, and Harshacharita were three authors who wrote about Harshavardhana.

(iii) What changes do you find in the army at this time?
Ans: During this period, the army became more organized with infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots. Soldiers started receiving regular salaries instead of land grants.

(iv) What were the new administrative arrangements during this period?
Ans: New administrative arrangements included division of empire into provinces, districts, and villages, with officials appointed for administration, revenue collection, and maintaining law and order.

(v) Do you think ordinary people would have read and understood the prashastis? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: No, ordinary people would not have read and understood the prashastis because they were written in Sanskrit, a language only understood by the elite.

(vi) What is Prashasti?
Ans: Prashasti is a Sanskrit word which means "in praise of". It is a literary genre used to glorify kings and their achievements.

(vii) Who is Samudragupta?
Ans: Samudragupta was a powerful Gupta emperor known for his military conquests and patronage of art and literature.

(viii) Whose body was most charming, being covered with the plenteous beauty of the marks of hundreds of scars caused by battle-axes, arrows, spikes, spears, barbed darts, swords, iron clubs, javelins, barbed arrows, long arrows and many other weapons. Who is this description about? What does this description tell you about the king? And also about how kings fought wars?
Ans: This description is about King Harshavardhana. It suggests that he was a brave and heroic warrior. It also shows that kings personally took part in battles.

(ix) What was the difference between the way in which Samudragupta treated the rulers of Aryavarta and Dakshinapatha? Can you suggest any reasons for this difference?
Ans: Samudragupta defeated and annexed the kingdoms of Aryavarta while he adopted a policy of diplomatic alliance with the rulers of Dakshinapatha. This could be due to strategic or political reasons.

(x) Arrange these titles in order of importance: raja, maharaj-adhiraja, maha-raja.
Ans: In order of importance, the titles would be arranged as raja, maha-raja, maharaj-adhiraja.

(xi) Who is Harshavardhana? What is Harshacharita?
Ans: Harshavardhana was an Indian emperor who ruled northern India. Harshacharita is a biography of Harshavardhana written by Banabhatta.

(xii) Write a short note about the Pallavas and Chalukyas?
Ans: The Pallavas and Chalukyas were two major dynasties in South India. They were known for their contributions to art, architecture, and literature.

(xiii) What do you know about Aihole?
Ans: Aihole is a historic site in Karnataka, known for its rock-cut and structural temples built by the Chalukyas in the 6th to 8th century.

(xiv) Who was Pulakeshin II?
Ans: Pulakeshin II was a powerful Chalukya king known for his successful resistance against the northward expansion of the Pallava dynasty.

(xv) Who were the other rulers who tried to control the coasts and why?
Ans: The Pallavas, Chalukyas, and Rashtrakutas tried to control the coasts for trade and strategic military advantages.

(xvi) How were these kingdoms administered?
Ans: These kingdoms were administered through a hierarchical system of officials responsible for tax collection, law and order, and local governance.

(xvii) What do you think may have been the advantages and disadvantages of having hereditary officers?
Ans: Hereditary officers ensured continuity and stability but could lead to inefficiency and corruption.

(xviii) What do genealogies mean?
Ans: Genealogies are records or accounts of the ancestry and descent of a person, family, or group.

(xix) Write a brief note about the assemblies in the Southern Kingdoms.
Ans: Assemblies in the Southern Kingdoms were democratic institutions consisting of learned Brahmins. They were responsible for administrative decisions and governance.

(xx) Mention the changes in the army after the Gupta period.
Ans: After the Gupta period, the army became more decentralized with local chieftains providing troops to the king.