Practice

The Rise of Empires — Practice

15 questions 15 min Recall + understand

Q1. According to the chapter 'The Rise of Empires', an empire is best described as
- A. A single village ruled by one chief.
- B. A collection of smaller kingdoms or territories over which a powerful ruler exerts power from a capital.
- C. A trading guild of merchants and craftsmen.
- D. A group of farmers paying tax to a king.
Q2. The English word 'empire' comes from which Latin word, meaning 'supreme power'?
- A. imperium
- B. rajya
- C. samraj
- D. satrap
Q3. In ancient Sanskrit texts, which word for 'emperor' means 'the lord of all' or 'supreme ruler'?
- A. amatya
- B. samraj
- C. janapada
- D. mitra
Q4. In the chapter, a 'tributary' is a ruler who
- A. Rules the empire from its capital city.
- B. Has submitted to an emperor and pays tribute as a sign of submission and loyalty.
- C. Has rebelled against the emperor and refuses to pay any tax.
- D. Is a Greek governor left behind by Alexander.
Q5. Which of the following is NOT one of the six features of an empire?
- A. Maintains an army to keep tributary states under control.
- B. Makes laws, issues currencies, weights and measures.
- C. Holds free and fair elections every five years.
- D. Encourages art, literature, religions and centres of learning.
Q6. The major ancient trade route running across northern India was known as
- A. Dakshinapatha
- B. Uttarapatha
- C. Silk Road of Kashi
- D. Rajapatha
Q7. In ancient India, powerful associations of traders, craftsmen, moneylenders or agriculturists were called
- A. shrenis (guilds)
- B. satraps
- C. edicts
- D. sutras
Q8. The ancient kingdom of Magadha, which rose to become India's first empire, was located in
- A. Modern-day Tamil Nadu
- B. Modern-day south Bihar and some adjoining areas
- C. Modern-day Gujarat coast
- D. Modern-day Punjab
Q9. Who, around the 5th century BCE, founded the Nanda dynasty in Magadha?
- A. Ajatashatru
- B. Mahapadma Nanda
- C. Chandragupta Maurya
- D. Dhana Nanda
Q10. Alexander, who campaigned against the Persian Empire and later invaded northwest India, was a Greek king from
- A. Athens
- B. Sparta
- C. Macedonia
- D. Persia
Q11. In Persian and Greek empires, a 'satrap' was
- A. An emperor's chief priest in charge of religious rituals.
- B. A governor of a province left behind by the overlord to manage far-off territories.
- C. A merchant guild head elected by traders.
- D. A wandering sage who guided philosophers.
Q12. Kautilya's famous work that listed directives on defence, administration, justice and people's welfare was called
- A. Indika
- B. Arthashastra
- C. Ashtadhyayi
- D. Mundaka Upanishad
Q13. In Kautilya's saptanga (seven limbs of a kingdom), 'kosha' stands for
- A. The king
- B. The fortified towns and cities
- C. The treasury or the wealth of the kingdom
- D. The allies
Q14. Ashoka, the Maurya emperor known for his edicts and the path of dhamma, ruled approximately during
- A. 568–532 BCE
- B. 327–321 BCE
- C. 268–232 BCE
- D. 185–149 BCE
Q15. India's national motto 'satyameva jayate' (truth alone triumphs), added to the Sarnath lion capital national emblem, comes from which ancient text?
- A. Arthashastra
- B. Ashtadhyayi
- C. Mundaka Upanishad
- D. Indika

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