NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science - Kings and Kingdoms

Let's Recall 

Q1. Match the following:

Ans:

Q2. Who were the parties involved in the “tripartite struggle”?
Ans: The parties involved in the “tripartite struggle” were the rulers belonging to the Gurjara - Pratihara, Rastrakuta and Pala dynasties who fought for the control over Kannauj. Because there were three parties in this long-drawn conflict, historians often describe it as the “tripartite struggle”.

Tripartite Struggle

Q3. What were the qualifications necessary to become a member of a committee of the sabha in the Chola empire?
Ans: The following qualifications were necessary for becoming a member of the sabha in the Chola empire:

Sabha in Chola Empire

• To become member of the sabha, one should be the owner of the land from which land revenue is collected and should have their own home.
• One should be aged between 35 years and 70 years of age and should have knowledge of the Vedas.
• One should be honest and well-versed in administrative matters.
• If anyone has been a committee member in the last three years, he cannot become a member of another committee.
• Anyone who has not submitted his accounts or of his relatives, cannot contest the elections.

Q4. What were the two major cities under the control of the Chahamanas?
Ans: The two major cities under the control of the Chahamanas were - Indraprastha and Kanauj. 

Let's Understand 

Q5. How did the Rashtrakutas become powerful?
Ans: In the mid-eighth century, Dantidurga, a Rastrakuta chief, overthrew his Chalukya overlord and performed a ritual called Hiranya garbha. When this ritual was performed with the help of Brahmans, it was thought to lead to the rebirth of the sacrifice as Kshatriya even if he was not a Kshatriya by birth. In this way the Rastrakutas become powerful. 

'Hiranya-Garbha' literally means 'golden womb'Under the leadership of Dantidurga, they expanded their territories and defeated many rulers, including the Pratiharas and the Palas. They had an efficient military organization and a well-functioning administrative system, which included land grants to officers and religious institutions. 

Q6. What did the new dynasties do to gain acceptance?
Ans: By the seventh century, there were big landlords or warrior chiefs in different regions of the subcontinent. Existing kings often acknowledged them as their subordinates or samantas. They were expected to bring gifts for their kings or overloads, be present at their courts and provide them with military support. As Samantha's gained power and wealth, they declared themselves to be maha-Samanta, maha-mandaleshvara (the great lord of a region) and so on. Sometimes, they asserted their independence from their overloads.

Q7. What kind of irrigation works were developed in the Tamil region?
Ans: Kind of irrigation works developed in the Tamil region:
(i) Water from the channels of river Kaveri provided the necessary moisture for agriculture.
(ii) Some areas wells were dug and in some places, huge tanks were constructed to collect rainwater.
(iii) Embankments were built to prevent flooding.
(iv) Canals were constructed to carry water to the fields.
(v) Sluice-gate was built to regulate the outflow of water from a tank into the channels that irrigated the fields.

Q8. What were the activities associated with Chola temples?
Ans:  Chola temples were centres of craft production and often became the nuclei of settlements, which grew around them. The Chola temples were not only places of worship but also the hub of economic, social and cultural life. They were also endowed with land by rulers, as well as by others. The produce of this land went into maintaining all the specialists who worked at the temple. Among the crafts associated with temples, the making of bronze images became the most distinctive and these bronze images are still considered the finest in the world. Most of these bronze images were of deities, while some of these images depicted devotees as well.

Chola Temple

Let's Discuss

Q9. Look at Map 1 once more and find out whether there were any kingdoms in the state in which you live.

Map 1Ans: The answer may vary as per the students' state where they live. So the students should answer this question on the basis of their individual study of the Map.

Q10. Contrast the “elections” in Uttaramerur with presentday panchayat elections.
Ans: The system of election in Uttaramerur was quite different from that of the present day panchayat elections.

• In Uttaramerur election the names of the persons eligible to be members of the committees were written on small tickets of palm leaves. The tickets were put into an earthenware pot. Thereafter a young boy was asked to take out the tickets, one by one for each committee. 
• But the present day panchayat members are elected through a general election. The names of the total members are printed with a symbol allotted to them on a paper called ballot paper. The voter put a stamp over their choice and drops it in a ballot box. Votes are counted and the winners' name is declared by the Returning Officer. Every procedure is organized by a statutory body.

Let's Do

Q12. Find out more about taxes that are collected at present. Are these in cash, kind, or labour services?
Ans: Today we pay a number of taxes like property tax, road tax, service tax, entertainment tax, water tax, etc. These taxes are in cash not in kind, nor in labour services.