Test: Kings, Farmers And Town- 3 - Humanities/Arts MCQ

Statement i is correct; the Harappan Civilization ended around 1500 BCE.
Statement ii is correct; the Rigveda was composed after the Harappan period.
Statement iii is correct; the end of the Harappan Civilization led to the rise of new urban centers and the Mahajanapadas.
Statement iv is incorrect; many Indus Valley sites were abandoned after the Harappan Civilization ended.

Statement i is correct; the Gupta Empire is known for its cultural achievements.
Statement ii is incorrect; the Gupta rulers issued gold coins, not silver.
Statement iii is correct; the Gupta Empire lasted from the 4th to the 6th century CE.
Statement iv is correct; the Prayaga Prashasti was composed during the Gupta period.

Statement i is correct; Buddhism spread rapidly during Ashoka’s reign.
Statement ii is correct; Ashoka sent missionaries to Sri Lanka.
Statement iii is correct; the Kalinga war was a turning point in Ashoka’s life.
Statement iv is incorrect; Buddhism spread beyond India much earlier than the 7th century CE.

• Statement i is correct; the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas were indeed prominent in Tamilakam.
• Statement ii is correct; the Satavahanas derived revenues from long-distance trade.
• Statement iii is correct; the Sangam texts describe rituals and resource distribution.
• Statement iv is incorrect; the Kushanas ruled over the northwest and Central Asia, not South India.

• Statement i is correct; the Kushanas issued the first gold coins in India.
• Statement ii is incorrect; Roman coins were found in South India, not just the north.
• Statement iii is correct; Gupta coins were known for their purity.
• Statement iv is incorrect; the prosperity was also due to trade, not just agriculture.

Statement i is correct; the Sangam period was known for its Tamil literature.
Statement ii is incorrect; the Sangam texts were written in Tamil, not Sanskrit.
Statement iii is correct; the Sangam period was marked by extensive trade.
Statement iv is incorrect; the Sangam period was centered in southern India.

• Statement i is correct; the Bhakti movement did emerge as a response to Brahmanical dominance.
• Statement ii is correct; the Alvars and Nayanars were crucial in spreading Bhakti ideas in South India.
• Statement iii is incorrect; Shankaracharya’s Advaita philosophy emphasizes the non-duality (not duality) of the soul and Brahman.
• Statement iv is correct; temple-based worship became prominent, particularly in the Tamil region during this period.

Statement i is correct; the deciphering of Kharosthi script was aided by coins of Indo-Greek kings.
Statement ii is incorrect; Kharosthi inscriptions were primarily in Prakrit.
Statement iii is incorrect; James Prinsep deciphered the Brahmi script, not Kharosthi.
Statement iv is correct; Kharosthi script was used in the north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent.

• Statement i is correct; the Rigvedic society was pastoral and centered around cattle.
• Statement ii is correct; the concept of Varna did emerge during the Later Vedic period.
• Statement iii is correct; the Vedic texts are indeed divided into these four phases.
• Statement iv is correct; the Later Vedic period saw the emergence of large kingdoms and urban centers.

• Statement i is correct; Ashoka’s Dhamma advocated non-violence and compassion.
• Statement ii is incorrect; Ashoka did not completely ban the slaughter of animals but restricted it in certain places and times.
• Statement iii is correct; the Rock Edicts were written in the Brahmi script.
• Statement iv is correct; Ashoka’s Dhamma was indeed influenced by Buddhism.