The Rise of Empires — Mastery

Q1. The FIRST listed feature of an empire is maintaining an army. Which set of functions does the chapter assign to this army?

• A. Keeping tributary states under control, expanding the empire and protecting it from outside aggression.
• B. Performing daily religious rituals at the emperor's palace and guarding temple wealth.
• C. Collecting taxes from villages and enforcing currency laws in distant towns.
• D. Building stupas, viharas and rest houses across the empire.

Q2. A Class 7 teacher asks: 'Why did Mauryan emperors keep tight control over mines, forests and agricultural produce?' Which answer BEST matches the empire-feature?

• A. To stop villagers from using these resources for daily life.
• B. Because mines were used only to print currency for tributary kings.
• C. Because forests were sacred and only the emperor could enter them.
• D. Because controlling and regulating access to resources — mines, forests, agricultural produce and manpower — gave the empire its economic base.

Q3. On the chapter states that the emperor ruled the whole territory from a capital. Which phrase BEST describes what such a capital was?

• A. A small border outpost manned by satraps
• B. A purely religious site reserved for monks and pilgrims
• C. A wandering camp that moved with the army each year
• D. Usually a major centre of economic and administrative power

Q4. Figure 5.4.2 shows fortified settlements being built at strategic places. What does the chapter give as the MAIN reason for this?

• A. To create marketplaces for guilds and traders
• B. To house all the tributary kings of the empire together
• C. To act as defensive strongpoints in strategic places such as the empire's borders
• D. To store sacred relics of the Buddha

Q5. Items traded along ancient Indian routes, supported by literature and excavations. Which of these groups BEST matches the chapter's list?

• A. Coal, petroleum and steel rails
• B. Printed books, paper currency and gunpowder
• C. Tea, coffee and tobacco
• D. Textiles, spices, agricultural produce, gems, handicrafts and various animals

Q6. Places Magadha's rise in the context of which earlier political formation?

• A. The sixteen mahajanapadas — large kingdoms of north and central India with their assembly system
• B. The Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta
• C. The provinces of the Persian Empire under Cyrus
• D. The four southern kingdoms of Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas and Pallavas

Q7. The 'Don't Miss Out' box mentions two famed religious figures who lived in the time of King Ajatashatru of Magadha. They were

• A. Adi Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya
• B. Guru Nanak and Kabir
• C. Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) and Vardhamana (Mahavira)
• D. Patanjali and Panini

Q8. The chapter's timelinesays that between 334 and 331 BCE Alexander campaigned against the Persian Empire. What reason does the chapter give for this campaign?

• A. To avenge earlier Persian invasions of Greece
• B. To spread the teachings of the Buddha to Persia
• C. To break a trade agreement signed at Pataliputra
• D. To set up the Gymnosophist school of philosophy

Q9. On the chapter introduces Porus. According to Greek accounts cited there, Porus was

• A. The last Nanda king of Magadha
• B. A satrap appointed by Chandragupta Maurya
• C. The king of the Pauravas, ruling smaller kingdoms in the northwestern region of India
• D. A Greek general left behind by Alexander to rule Punjab

Q10. Records that Kautilya — also called Chanakya or Vishnugupta — was, according to Buddhist texts

• A. A merchant in the city of Kashi who funded the Maurya army
• B. A Buddhist monk who travelled to Sri Lanka with Ashoka's emissaries
• C. A Greek philosopher invited to the court of Chandragupta
• D. A teacher at the world-renowned Takshashila (modern-day Taxila) university

Q11. A teacher draws Kautilya's saptanga on the board and labels one limb 'councillors, ministers and other high officials of the king'. Which limb has she labelled?

• A. amatya
• B. swami
• C. danda
• D. mitra

Q12. Bhavisha and Dhruv visit ancient Pataliputra using their time machine 'Itihasa'. The chapter tells us this city was located

• A. Around modern-day Patna in Bihar
• B. Around modern-day Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh
• C. Around modern-day Bhubaneswar in Odisha
• D. Around modern-day Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh

Q13. Assertion (A): Ashoka waged a ferocious war on Kalinga, which lay in modern-day Odisha. Reason (R): Seeing the death and destruction on the Kalinga battlefield, Ashoka chose to give up violence and, to the greatest extent possible, adopt the path of peace and non-violence taught by the Buddha. Choose the correct option

• A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
• B. A is true, R is false.
• C. Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A.
• D. A is false, R is true.

Q14. A Class 7 teacher must introduce 'The Rise of Empires' to students who are new to ancient history. Which is the BEST first classroom activity to build understanding?

• A. Ask students to memorise all six features of an empire from word-for-word before discussion.
• B. Begin with a 30-minute lecture on Greek city-states before introducing Magadha.
• C. Dictate the dates 321 BCE, 268 BCE, 232 BCE and 185 BCE for students to write in their notebooks.
• D. Show the trade-route map (Fig. 5.5) and the Maurya empire map (Fig. 5.13), and ask students to compare their own state's location on the two maps.

Q15. Embracing Buddhist teachings, Ashoka sent emissaries to spread the message of the Buddha far and wide. According to, his emissaries reached

• A. Sri Lanka, Thailand, Central Asia and beyond
• B. Only the southern tip of India
• C. Only the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta
• D. Only Persia and Babylon, following Alexander's old route

Q16. Why, according to feature 05 of an empire did emperors encourage art, literature, religions and centres of learning?

• A. To replace local languages of tributary kingdoms with Sanskrit alone.
• B. To force traders to pay double tax on books and statues.
• C. To enrich cultural life and bind the diverse subjects of the empire through shared learning.
• D. To stop merchants from joining guilds of craftsmen.

Q17. Factors that turned a kingdom into an empire. If a Class 7 student must arrange the EARLIEST step in this process, which of the following fits best?

• A. Issuing standard punch-marked coins across the empire.
• B. Waging war against neighbouring kingdoms to bring them under control as tributaries.
• C. Sending Buddhist emissaries to Sri Lanka and Thailand.
• D. Erecting polished stone pillars at Sarnath and Lumbini.

Q18. Read the cause-effect chain a teacher writes on the board: 'Control of trade routes → tax revenue from goods moving across them → funds for army and administration → stronger central rule.' Which page of the chapter supports this chain MOST directly?

• A. Chart on six features of an empire alone, without trade routes.
• B. (Fig. 5.4.4 caption), which says rulers controlled rivers and trade networks for resources AND tax revenue from trade.
• C. Account of Ashoka adopting non-violence.
• D. On punch-marked coins of Ashoka.

Q19. A shreni (guild) was generally led by

• A. A satrap appointed by a Greek overlord.
• B. An elected head and a small group of executive officers chosen from within the guild.
• C. The emperor's chief priest, sent from the capital.
• D. Members of the king's army, posted to the marketplace.

Q20. Which BEST describes Ajatashatru's role in the rise of Magadha, according to?

• A. He was the first Maurya emperor who defeated the Greek satraps.
• B. He was an early Magadha king who established Magadha as a dominant centre of power among the mahajanapadas.
• C. He was a Buddhist monk sent by Ashoka to Sri Lanka.
• D. He was a Greek ambassador hosted at Chandragupta's court.

Q21. Aarti's notebook says 'Iron weapons were lighter and sharper than the older bronze ones.' How does the chapter use this fact to explain Magadha's military advantage?

• A. Iron weapons were heavier and slowed down Magadha's army.
• B. Iron weapons were lighter, sharper and easier to use — giving Magadha's soldiers a clear edge in battle.
• C. Iron weapons were melted down to make ploughs only, not used in battle.
• D. Iron weapons were given freely to neighbouring kingdoms as gifts of friendship.

Q22. Statement A: Greek accounts mention that the Nandas had built a very large army, equipped with elephants and chariots. Statement B: This evidence is used in the chapter to argue that the Nandas had real economic and military power, not just legend. Choose the correct option

• A. Only A is correct.
• B. Only B is correct.
• C. Both A and B are correct.
• D. Neither is correct.

Q23. According to the chapter's timeline, Alexander died at Babylon at the age of

• A. 22
• B. 32
• C. 42
• D. 52

Q24. Why is the chapter's account of Alexander meeting the Gymnosophists important for the broader story of empires?

• A. Because it shows that Alexander conquered the whole Ganga plain after the meeting.
• B. Because it records an early encounter between Greek and Indian philosophical traditions during empire-building campaigns.
• C. Because it proves that Indian sages defeated Alexander in battle.
• D. Because it explains why Chandragupta Maurya was crowned by the Greek king.

Q25. How did Chandragupta Maurya use the political situation left behind by Alexander, according to the chapter?

• A. He invited the Greek satraps to rule alongside him in Pataliputra.
• B. He defeated the Greek satraps left behind by Alexander and made himself master of the northwest, then defeated Dhana Nanda to found the Maurya empire around 321 BCE.
• C. He surrendered to Greek satraps and accepted them as overlords.
• D. He sent emissaries to Alexander in Macedonia asking for support.

Q26. Match the remaining saptanga limbs with their meanings. (i) durga — (a) allies (ii) danda — (b) the territory of the state and its population (iii) janapada — (c) fortified towns and cities (iv) mitra — (d) the forces of defence and law and order

• A. (i)-(c), (ii)-(d), (iii)-(b), (iv)-(a)
• B. (i)-(a), (ii)-(b), (iii)-(c), (iv)-(d)
• C. (i)-(d), (ii)-(c), (iii)-(a), (iv)-(b)
• D. (i)-(b), (ii)-(a), (iii)-(d), (iv)-(c)

Q27. 'Don't Miss Out' box on the Sohagaura copper plate inscription (4th–3rd century BCE) tells us about the establishment of a granary. Which of Kautilya's saptanga limbs and which empire-feature does this evidence MOST directly illustrate?

• A. kosha (treasury) and feature 04 (control over resources, especially agricultural produce and manpower).
• B. mitra (allies) and feature 06 (communication networks).
• C. danda (defence forces) and feature 01 (army).
• D. swami (king) and feature 05 (art and learning).

Q28. Match each term from Ashoka's edicts with its meaning in the chapter. (i) dhamma — (a) the mother of all regional scripts of India (ii) Brahmi — (b) the popular language in many parts of India at the time (iii) Prakrit — (c) the Prakrit form of 'dharma' — moral law, ethical duty (iv) edict — (d) an official declaration issued by an authority such as a king

• A. (i)-(c), (ii)-(a), (iii)-(b), (iv)-(d)
• B. (i)-(a), (ii)-(b), (iii)-(c), (iv)-(d)
• C. (i)-(d), (ii)-(c), (iii)-(a), (iv)-(b)
• D. (i)-(b), (ii)-(d), (iii)-(c), (iv)-(a)

Q29. A teacher plans a four-step sequence to teach 'The Rise of Empires' to Class 7. Which sequence BEST follows NCF-2023's concrete-to-abstract principle and the chapter's own narrative arc?

• A. Step 1 list dates 321 BCE, 268 BCE, 232 BCE on board → Step 2 read aloud Kautilya quote → Step 3 show Sarnath capital photo → Step 4 ask students to memorise saptanga.
• B. Step 1 use the trade-route + Maurya maps and ask students to locate their own state → Step 2 build the six features of an empire from students' observations → Step 3 narrate Magadha → Mauryas → Ashoka as a cause-effect story → Step 4 close with Sarnath capital, satyameva jayate and a class discussion on dhamma.
• C. Step 1 dictate the chapter summary → Step 2 mark Magadha on a blank map → Step 3 give a surprise test → Step 4 ask students to draw Alexander.
• D. Step 1 show the Sanchi stupa photo first → Step 2 then explain Buddha's birth → Step 3 skip the Magadha section → Step 4 begin Ashoka before Chandragupta.

Q30. A student claims: 'Modern India chose its national emblem and motto from the Maurya period purely as a beautiful historical decoration, with no link to Ashoka's idea of dharma.' Which evaluation of this claim is BEST supported by and 112?

• A. The claim is fully correct — the Sarnath capital was chosen only for its beauty.
• B. The claim is weak — the Sarnath lion capital was chosen as the national emblem and the dharmachakra appears on the national flag, signalling continuity with Ashoka's dharma and 'truth alone triumphs' from the Mundaka Upanishad.
• C. The claim is correct because the motto satyameva jayate was invented in modern times.
• D. The claim is correct because the Maurya empire actually ended in 1857 CE.