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CBSE Class 7 Social Science History Notes Chapter 4 The Mughal Empire
Mughals
The Mughals were a prominent dynasty that ruled over the Indian subcontinent from
the 16th to the 19th century. They were descendants of two distinguished lineages
of rulers: Genghis Khan, the famed Mongol ruler who governed parts of China and
Central Asia, from their maternal side, and Timur, the powerful ruler of Iran,
Iraq, and modern-day Turkey, from their paternal side.
While the Mughals were technically of Mongol descent, they preferred not to be
associated with the term “Mughal” or “Mongol” due to the negative connotations
associated with Genghis Khan’s memory. Genghis Khan’s legacy was linked to mass
massacres, and the term “Mughal” was also connected with the Uzbegs, their Mongol
rivals.
Instead, the Mughals took pride in their Timurid ancestry. Timur, also known as
Tamerlane, was a renowned conqueror who had captured Delhi in 1398. The Mughals
regarded him as their great ancestor and celebrated his achievements. Therefore,
while they acknowledged their Mongol heritage, they primarily identified themselves
with the Timurid lineage, which played a significant role in shaping their identity
and self-perception as rulers of the Indian subcontinent.
Mughal Military Campaigns
The Mughal Empire’s military campaigns were important in shaping its expansion and
dominance over the Indian subcontinent. Led by skilled rulers and commanders, the
Mughal army conducted numerous campaigns that significantly impacted the region’s
political landscape.
Babur’s Conquests: Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, initiated the empire’s
military expansion with his conquests in the early 16th century. After establishing
his rule in Central Asia, Babur set his sights on India. In 1526, he achieved a
decisive victory over Ibrahim Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi, at the Battle of Panipat.
This victory marked the beginning of Mughal rule in India, with Babur capturing
Delhi and Agra.
Humayun’s Campaigns: Babur’s son, Humayun, faced numerous challenges during his
reign, including internal rebellions and external threats. Despite initial
setbacks, Humayun managed to reclaim the throne after being ousted by Sher Shah
Suri. He conducted military campaigns to regain lost territories and consolidate
Mughal power in northern India.
Akbar’s Expansion: Akbar, one of the greatest Mughal rulers, expanded the empire’s
boundaries through a series of military conquests. He employed innovative
strategies such as alliances with Rajput rulers and administrative reforms to
strengthen Mughal authority. Akbar’s campaigns resulted in the annexation of
territories in Gujarat, Bengal, and the Deccan, significantly enlarging the Mughal
Empire.
Jahangir and Shah Jahan’s Rule: Jahangir and Shah Jahan, successors of Akbar,
continued the tradition of military expansion. Jahangir’s reign saw campaigns to
suppress rebellions and maintain control over the empire’s vast territories. Shah
Jahan, known for his architectural achievements, also engaged in military campaigns
to assert Mughal dominance and quell revolts in various regions.
Aurangzeb’s Conquests: Aurangzeb, the last great Mughal emperor, conducted
extensive military campaigns to expand the empire to its greatest territorial
extent. He annexed territories in the Deccan and the south, although his aggressive
policies led to prolonged conflicts and strained resources. Aurangzeb’s reign
marked the peak of Mughal military expansion but also contributed to the empire’s
eventual decline.




Mughal Traditions of Succession

The Mughals followed a unique tradition of succession that differed from the rule
of primogeniture, where the eldest son inherits his father’s estate. Instead, they
adhered to the Mughal and Timurid custom of coparcenary inheritance, which involved
the division of inheritance among all the sons.
Under this tradition, upon the death of a Mughal emperor, his empire and wealth
were divided among his sons. Each son would receive a portion of the inheritance,
and the empire would be fragmented into separate territories ruled by different
princes. This practice aimed to prevent disputes and conflicts over succession by
ensuring that each son received a share of the inheritance.
While coparcenary inheritance provided a mechanism for the peaceful transfer of
power within the Mughal dynasty, it also led to the fragmentation of the empire and
sometimes resulted in power struggles among rival princes vying for control over
different regions. Despite these challenges, the Mughals upheld this tradition
throughout their rule, shaping the dynamics of succession within the empire.
Mughal Relations with Other Rulers
The Mughal rulers maintained complex relationships with other rulers across the
Indian subcontinent. Initially, they engaged in constant military campaigns against
those who refused to acknowledge Mughal authority. However, as the Mughals grew in
power, many rulers, such as the Rajputs, willingly aligned themselves with the
Mughal Empire.
The Rajputs, in particular, formed significant alliances with the Mughals. Many
Rajput princes forged matrimonial ties by marrying their daughters into Mughal
families. In return, they received prestigious positions within the Mughal court.
However, not all Rajput rulers accepted Mughal authority. For instance, the
Sisodiya Rajputs of Mewar staunchly resisted Mughal dominance.
Despite these resistances, the Mughals pursued a strategy of balance, aiming to
defeat their opponents while avoiding humiliation. When the Sisodiya Rajputs were
defeated, they were treated honorably by the Mughals, who restored their lands and
granted them assignments known as watan jagirs. This approach enabled the Mughals
to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains without causing widespread
resentment.
Maintaining this delicate balance, however, proved challenging for the Mughals.
Despite their efforts, conflicts and tensions occasionally arose, testing the
stability of their relationships with other rulers. Nonetheless, by carefully
navigating these dynamics, the Mughals were able to expand their influence and
consolidate their power over vast territories across the subcontinent.

Mansabdars and Jagirdars

As the Mughal Empire expanded, it welcomed people from various backgrounds into its
service, including Turkish nobles, Iranians, Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, and
Marathas. Some of these individuals served as mansabdars, holding positions or
ranks within the empire. The term “mansabdar” refers to an individual who holds a
“mansab,” indicating their rank, salary, and military responsibilities.
The Mughals employed a grading system to determine the rank and salary of a
mansabdar. This system assigned a numerical value, known as “zat,” to each
mansabdar, with higher zat indicating a more prestigious position and larger
salary. Mansabdars were also responsible for maintaining a specific number of
cavalrymen, known as “sawar.”
Mansabdars received their salary in the form of revenue assignments called jagirs.
These jagirs were similar to iqtas but differed in that most mansabdars did not
directly administer their jagirs. Instead, they delegated the collection of revenue
to their servants while serving elsewhere in the country.
During Akbar’s reign, jagirs were assessed to ensure that the revenues matched the
salary of the mansabdars. However, under Aurangzeb’s rule, the actual revenue
collected often fell short of the granted sum. This, combined with an increase in
the number of mansabdars, led to a shortage of jagirs and prolonged waits for
allocation. As a result, jagirdars sought to maximize revenue during their tenure,
sometimes at the expense of the peasantry, leading to discontent among the
population.
Zabt and Zamindars
The Mughal rulers derived their main source of income from taxes imposed on the
peasantry. These taxes were often collected through intermediaries known as
zamindars, who acted as rural elites or local chieftains.
Todar Mal, Akbar’s revenue minister, conducted a comprehensive survey of crop
yields, prices, and cultivated areas over a ten-year period. Based on this data,
taxes were fixed for each crop in cash. Each province was divided into revenue
circles, each with its own schedule of revenue rates for different crops. This
revenue system, known as zabt, was prevalent in areas where Mughal administrators
could conduct land surveys and maintain meticulous records.
However, in regions like Gujarat and Bengal, where such surveys were impractical,
zamindars wielded more power. Exploitative practices by Mughal administrators
sometimes led to rebellion among the zamindars. Occasionally, zamindars and
peasants of the same caste joined forces in rebellion against Mughal authority.
Peasant revolts, which emerged towards the end of the 17th century, posed a
significant challenge to the stability of the Mughal Empire. These revolts
underscored the tensions and discontent simmering within the empire’s agrarian
society.
A Closer Look: Akbar’s Policies
Akbar’s administration, as detailed in Abul Fazl’s Akbar Nama and Ain-i Akbari, was
marked by several significant reforms. The empire was divided into provinces known
as subas, each governed by a subadar responsible for political, judicial, and
military matters. Financial affairs were overseen by a diwan, while military
management fell under the purview of the Bakshi. Additionally, there were ministers
in charge of religious and charitable patronage (sadr), military commanders
(faujdars), and town police commanders (kotwals) to maintain order.
Akbar’s nobles, entrusted with large armies and substantial revenue, played a
crucial role in the efficient functioning of the empire. However, by the late 17th
century, many nobles had developed independent networks, weakening their loyalty to
the empire. Akbar’s engagement with religious scholars from various faiths at
Fatehpur Sikri in the 1570s led him to advocate for the idea of sulh-i kul, or
“universal peace.” This concept promoted tolerance and emphasized universal ethical
principles of honesty, justice, and peace, regardless of religious affiliation.
Abul Fazl played a key role in shaping Akbar’s governance around this principle.
The Mughal Empire in the 17th Century and After
The Mughal Empire experienced great economic and commercial prosperity due to its
administrative and military efficiency. However, this prosperity coexisted with
widespread poverty and glaring inequalities. Documents from Shah Jahan’s reign
reveal that a small number of highest-ranking mansabdars received a
disproportionate share of the empire’s revenue. While this expenditure benefited
artisans and the peasantry, the primary producers, such as peasants and artisans,
struggled to improve their standard of living.
The enormous wealth amassed by the Mughal elite bolstered their power, even as the
authority of the Mughal Emperor declined. Mughal servants emerged as powerful
regional centers of authority, forming new dynasties and controlling provinces like
Hyderabad and Awadh.
Despite this, these regional powers continued to recognize the Mughal Emperor in
Delhi as their sovereign. By the 18th century, the provinces of the empire had
solidified their independent political identities, marking a significant shift in
the Mughal political landscape.

1: Guerilla warfare was started by the Marathas in the deccan during the reign of
____________.
Answer: Aurangzeb
2: Prince Akbar rebelled against whom?
Answer: Aurangzeb
3: Name the Mughal ruler who followed the coparcenary inheritance.
Answer: Humayun
4: Mughals permanently lost Qandhar during the reign of ___________.
Answer: Shah Jahan
5: In which year the battle of Chanderi was fought?
Answer: 1528
6: Chittor was the capital of __________.
Answer: Sisodiya Rajputs
7: When was the First Battle of Panipat fought?
Answer: 1526
8: Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari?
Answer: Abul Fazl
9: The real name of Nur Jahan, the queen of Jahangir was Mehrunnisa. True/False
Answer: True
10: Who constructed Fatehpur-Sikri?
Answer: Akbar
11: What is the name of the policy of peaceful co-existence adopted by Akbar?
Answer: Sulh-i-kul
12: The dynasty, which reigned India for maximum number of years was Mughal.
True/False
Answer: True
13: Name the Rajput clan that refused to accept the suzerainty of Mughals for a
long time.
Answer: Sisodiya
14: The immediate threat in the year 1500 to the Mughal authority was the
_________.
Answer: Afghans
15: Red Fort in Delhi was constructed by__________.
Answer: Shah Jahan
16: Who was Bairam Khan?
Answer: guardian of Akbar
17: What was the real name of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan?
Answer: Khurram
18: Afghan noble Khan Jahan Lodi was defeated by Akbar?
Answer: False
19: Name the Mughal emperor who seized power from the hands of his regent Bairam
Khan.
Answer: Akbar
20: Who was the first Mughal emperor?
Answer: Babar
21: Akbar became emperor at the age of ______ years.
Answer: 13 years
22: What do you understand by Zabt?
Answer: revenue system
23: Qandhar was the bone of contention between Mughals and ________.
Answer: Safavids
24: Jahangir struck silver coins bearing the name of his queen Nurjahan. True/False
Answer: True
25: The Sisodiya Rajputs were ruling over Ajmer. True/False
Answer: False
26: Who was Genghis Khan?
Answer: The founder of the Mongol Empire.
27: When did the great Timurid Sultan, Timur Lane died?
Answer: 1403
28: When did Timur Lane invaded India?
Answer: 1398
29: Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi at__________.
Answer: Panipat
30: Name the Mansabdars who were allotted jagirs in their own region.
Answer: Rajputs
31: Name the autonomous state founded by Saadat Khan.
Answer: Awadh
32: During the reign of Babur and Humayun, majority of the nobles were of
___________ origin.
Answer: Turkish
33: Who founded the kingdom of Hyderabad?
Answer: Nizam – ul- Mulk
34: Where the religious discussions conducted by Akbar were held?
Answer: Ibadat Khana
35: Name the Mughal ruler who has followed the coparcenary inheritance.
Answer: Humayun
36: Mansab stands for ____________.
Answer: one rank
37: What determined the position of a Mansabdars?
Answer: zat rank
38: Higher, the zat rank, higher was the position of the mansabdars in the court.
True/False
Answer: True
39: The system in which elder son succeeds father after death was _____________.
Answer: primogeniture inheritance
40: Coparcenary inheritance means division of the empire among brothers. True/False
Answer: True
41: Name The Maratha Chieftain who escaped from Agra and declared himself as an
independent king.
Answer: Shivaji
42: In what form does the Mansabdars received salaries?
Answer: Jagirs
43: Akbar Nama was written by___________.
Answer: Abu’l-Fazl ibn Mubarak
44: Between whom the battle of Khanua was faught?
Answer: Ranthambor
45: Name the place captured by Akbar after the capture of the Sisodiya capital
Chittor.
Answer: Qandahar

1. When did Humayun recapture Delhi?

Answer: He recaptured Delhi in 1555.
2. Who was the first Mughal emperor of India?
Answer: Babur was the first Mughal emperor (1526- 1530).
3. Who started guerrilla warfare in the Deccan?
Answer: Marathas started guerrilla warfare.
4. Who was Jahangir?
Answer: Jahangir was the great Mughal Emperor, and he was the son of Akbar.
5. Who gave shelter to Humayun when he fled to Iran?

Answer: In Iran Humayun received help from the Safavid Shah.

6. Who was the author of Akbar Nama and Ain-Akbari?
Answer: Abul Fazl was the author of Akbar Nama and Ain-i-Akbari.
7. How did Humayun die?
Answer: Humayun died as a result of an accidental fall in his building.
8. At what age did Akbar became the emperor of the Mughal Empire?
Answer: At the age of 13, Akbar became the emperor of the Mughal Empire.
9. Who was the regent of Akbar?
Answer: Bairam Khan was the regent of Akbar.
10. Who defeated the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi and where?
Answer: Babur defeated and killed Ibrahim Lodi in the Battle of Panipat in 1526.

11. Who were defeated in the battle of Chanderi by Babur?

Answer: Rajputs was defeated in the battle of Chanderi by Babur.
12. What was jagir?
Answer: Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs.
13. What forced Humayun to flee to Iran?
Answer: Sher Khan defeated Humayun at Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), forcing him
to flee to Iran.
14. Who was Genghis Khan?
Answer: Genghis Khan was the ruler of the Mongol tribes, China and Central Asia. He
died in 1227.
15. Who was Jahangir’s mother?
Answer: The mother of Jahangir was a Kachhwaha princess, daughter of the Rajput
ruler of Amber (modernday Jaipur).
16. Who was Shah Jahan’s mother?
Answer: The mother of Shah Jahan was a Rathor princess, daughter of the Rajput
ruler of Marwar (Jodhpur).
17. What is the rule of primogeniture?
Answer: In law, primogeniture is the rule of inheritance whereby father’s estate
descends to the eldest son.
18. When did Mehrunnisa receive the title Nur Jahan?

Answer: Mehrunnisa married the Emperor Jahangir in 1611 and received the title Nur
Jahan.
19. What was the Mughal tradition of succession?
Answer: They followed the Mughal and Timurid custom of coparcenary inheritance, or
a division of the inheritance amongst all the sons.
20. Who was Babur?
Answer: Babur, the first Mughal emperor (1526- 1530), succeeded to the throne of
Ferghana in 1494 when he was only 12 years old.
21. What was known as zabt?
Answer: Each province was divided into revenue circles with its own schedule of
revenue rates for individual crops. This revenue system was known as zabt.
22. What was the name that Prince Khurram assumed after he ascended the throne?
Answer: After the death of Jahangir, Prince Khurram ascended to the throne in 1627
and was named Shah Jahan.
23. Who was victorious in the conflict over succession amongst the Shah Jahan’s
sons?
Answer: Aurangzeb was victorious and his three brothers, including Dara Shukoh,
were killed.
24. What were the central provinces under the control of the Mughals?
Answer: The central provinces under the control of the Mughals were-Lahore,
Panipat, Delhi, Mathura, Agra, Amber, Ajmer, Fatehpur Sikri, Chittor, Ranthambhor
and Allahabad.
25. What was zat?
Answer: Rank and salary were determined by a numerical value called zat. The higher
the zat, the more prestigious was the noble’s position in court and the larger his
salary.
26. What was the role of the zamindar in Mughal administration?

Answer: Zamindar in Mughal administration collected tax from peasants. They acted
as intermediaries between peasants and the ruler. In some areas the zamindars
exercised a great deal of power.
27. Explain the term Dogma and Bigot.
Answer: Dogma – A statement or an interpretation declared as authoritative with the
expectation that it would be followed without question.
Bigot – An individual who is intolerant of another person’s religious beliefs or
culture.
28. Aurangzeb insulted Shivaji when he came to accept Mughal authority. What was
the consequence of this insult?
Answer: As a result of this, Shivaji escaped from Agra, declared himself an
independent king and resumed his campaigns against the Mughals.
29. Why was it a difficult task for rulers of Middle Ages to rule the Indian
subcontinent?
Answer: Ruling as large a territory as the Indian subcontinent with such a
diversity of people and cultures was an extremely difficult task for any ruler to
accomplish in the Middle Ages.
30. What helped the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and
chieftains?
Answer: The careful balance between defeating but not humiliating their opponents
enabled the Mughals to extend their influence over many kings and chieftains.
31. What do you mean by the term mansabdar?OrWhat do you know about Mansabdari
System?

Answer: The term mansabdar refers to an individual who holds a mansab, meaning a
position or rank. It was a grading system used by the Mughals to fix (1) rank, (2)
salary and (3) military responsibilities.
32. What were the military responsibilities of mansabdars?
Answer: The mansabdar’s military responsibilities required him to maintain a
specified number of sawar or cavalrymen. The mansabdar brought his cavalrymen for
review, got them registered, their horses branded and then received money to pay
them as salary.
33. What power did the nobles exercise during Akbar reign?
Answer: Akbar’s nobles commanded large armies and had access to large amounts of
revenue. While they were loyal the empire functioned efficiently but by the end of
the seventeenth century many nobles had built independent networks of their own.
Their loyalties to the empire were weakened by their own self-interest.
34. What was the relationship between the mansabdar and the jagir?
Answer: Mansabdars received their salaries as revenue assignments called jagirs.
Most mansabdars did not actually reside in or administer their jagirs. They only
had rights to the revenue of their assignments which was collected for them by
their servants while the mansabdars themselves served in some other part of the
country.
35. Write about the major campaigns and events of Shah Jahan reign.
Answer: Mughal campaigns continued in the Deccan under Shah Jahan. The Afghan noble
Khan Jahan Lodi rebelled and was defeated. Campaigns were launched against
Ahmadnagar; the Bundelas were defeated and Orchha seized. In the north-west, the
campaign to seize Balkh from the Uzbegs was unsuccessful and Qandahar was lost to
the Safavids. In 1632 Ahmadnagar was finally annexed and the Bijapur forces sued
for peace.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. What were the main features of sulh-i kul?OrWrite short notes on Akbar’s
religious policy.
Answer: Akbar introduced the idea of sulh-i kul or “universal peace”. Its main
features were:
• This idea of tolerance did not discriminate between people of different
religions in his realm.
• Instead it focused on a system of ethics – honesty, justice and peace –
that was universally applicable.
2. Why was it important for the Mughals to recruit mansabdars from diverse
backgrounds and not just Turanis and Iranis?
Answer: As the empire expanded to encompass different regions the Mughals recruited
diverse bodies of people. From a small nucleus of Turkish nobles (Turanis) they
expanded to include Iranians, Indian Muslims, Afghans, Rajputs, Marathas and other
groups. Those who joined Mughal service were enrolled as mansabdars.
3. Write a short note on ‘Babur’?
Answer: (i) Babur, the first Mughal emperor (1526-1530), succeeded to the throne of
Ferghana in 1494 when he was only 12 years old.
(ii) He was forced to leave his ancestral throne due to the invasion of another
Mongol group, the Uzbegs.

(iii) After years of wandering he seized Kabul in 1504. In 1526 he defeated the
Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, at Panipat and captured Delhi and Agra.
4. Write short note on Humayun.
Answer: (i) Humayun divided his inheritance according to the will of his father.
His brothers were each given a province. The ambitions of his brother Mirza Kamran
weakened Humayun’s cause against Afghan competitors. Sher Khan defeated Humayun at
Chausa (1539) and Kanauj (1540), forcing him to flee to Iran.
(ii) In Iran Humayun received help from the Safavid Shah. He recaptured Delhi in
1555 but died the next year after an accident in this building.
5. How were the debates with religious scholars important in the formation of
Akbar’s ideas on governance?
Answer: Akbar’s interaction with people of different faiths made him realise that
religious scholars who emphasised ritual and dogma were often bigots. Their
teachings created divisions and disharmony amongst his subjects. This eventually
led Akbar to the idea of sulh-i kul or “universal peace”. This idea of tolerance
did not discriminate between people of different religions in his realm. Instead it
focused on a system of ethics – honesty, justice and peace – that was universally
applicable.
6. Why did the Mughals emphasise their Timurid and not their Mongol descent?
Answer: The Mughals were descendants of two great lineages of rulers. From their
mother’s side they were descendants of Genghis Khan (died 1227), ruler of the
Mongol tribes, China and Central Asia. From their father’s side they were the
successors of Timur (died 1404), the ruler of Iran, Iraq and modern-day Turkey.
However, the Mughals did not like to be called Mughal or Mongol. This was because
Genghis Khan’s memory was associated with the massacre of innumerable people. It
was also linked with the Uzbegs, their Mongol competitors. On the other hand, the
Mughals were proud of their Timurid ancestry, not least of all because their great
ancestor had captured Delhi in 1398.
7. How important was the income from land revenue to the stability of the Mughal
Empire?
Answer: The main source of income available to Mughal rulers was from land revenue.
The Mughal Empire was very large and therefore for administration and maintaining
law and order, a huge amount of revenue was needed which comes from the land
revenue. The land revenue was also needed for salaries of the soldiers and
officials and welfare works for the common people. The enormous wealth and
resources commanded by the Mughal elite made them an extremely powerful group of
people in the late seventeenth century. Thus, we can say that land revenue played a
crucial role in the stability of the Mughal Empire.

8. How were the Mughal different from their predecessors?

Answer: In contrast to their predecessors, the Mughals created an empire and
accomplished what had hitherto seemed possible for only short periods of time. From
the latter half of the sixteenth century they expanded their kingdom from Agra and
Delhi, until in the seventeenth century they controlled nearly all of the
subcontinent. They imposed structures of administration and ideas of governance
that outlasted their rule, leaving a political legacy that succeeding rulers of the
subcontinent could not ignore.
9. How did Babur become the ruler of Delhi?
Answer: Babur, the first Mughal emperor (1526-1530), succeeded to the throne of
Ferghana in 1494 when he was only 12 years old. He was forced to leave his
ancestral throne due to the invasion of another Mongol group, the Uzbegs. After
years of wandering he seized Kabul in 1504. In 1526 he defeated the Sultan of
Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, at Panipat and captured Delhi and Agra. He captured Delhi and
led the foundation of Mughal Empire.
10. Write a brief note on the Land Revenue System of Akbar.
Answer: Akbar’s revenue minister, Todar Mal, carried out a careful survey of crop
yields, prices and areas cultivated for a 10-year period, 1570- 1580. On the basis
of this data, tax was fixed on each crop in cash. Each province was divided into
revenue circles with its own schedule of revenue rates for individual crops. This
revenue system was known as zabt. It was prevalent in those areas where Mughal
administrators could survey the land and keep very careful accounts.
11. Give a brief account of Akbar Nama and Ain-i Akbari.
Answer: Abul Fazl wrote a three-volume history of Akbar’s reign, titled Akbar Nama.
The first volume dealt with Akbar’s ancestors and the second volume recorded the
events of Akbar’s reign. The third volume is the Ain-I Akbari. It deals with
Akbar’s administration, household, army, the revenues and the geography of his
empire. It also provides rich details about the traditions and culture of the
people living in India. The most interesting aspect about the Ain-i Akbari is its
rich statistical details about things as diverse as crops, yields, prices, wages
and revenues.
12. Write about the Mughal relations with other rulers.
Answer: Mughal rulers campaigned constantly against rulers who refused to accept
their authority. But as the Mughals became powerful many other rulers also joined
them voluntarily. The Rajputs are a good example of this. Many of them married
their daughters into Mughal families and received high positions. But many resisted
as well. The Sisodiya Rajputs refused to accept Mughal authority for a long time.
Once defeated, however, they were honourably treated by the Mughals, given their
lands (watan) back as assignments (watan jagir). The careful balance between
defeating but not humiliating their opponents enabled the Mughals to extend their
influence over many kings and chieftains.
13. Why did the peasantry suffer tremendously in the last years of Aurangzeb’s
reign?
Answer: In Akbar’s reign these jagirs were carefully assessed so that their
revenues were roughly equal to the salary of the mansabdar. By Aurangzeb’s reign
this was no longer the case and the actual revenue collected was often less than
the granted sum. There was also a huge increase in the number of mansabdars, which
meant a long wait before they received a jagir. These and other factors created a
shortage in the number of jagirs. As a result, many jagirdars tried to extract as
much revenue as possible while they had a jagir. Aurangzeb was unable to control
these developments in the last years of his reign and the peasantry therefore
suffered tremendously.
14. What were the major campaigns and events of Akbar reign?
Answer: Akbar was 13 years old when he became emperor. His reign can be divided
into three periods.
(i) 1556-1570 – Akbar became independent of the regent Bairam Khan and other
members of his domestic staff. Military campaigns were launched against the Suris
and other Afghans, against the neighbouring kingdoms of Malwa and Gondwana, and to
suppress the revolt of his half-brother Mirza Hakim and the Uzbegs. In 1568 the
Sisodiya capital of Chittor was seized and in 1569 Ranthambhor.
(ii) 1570-1585 – military campaigns in Gujarat were followed by campaigns in the
east in Bihar, Bengal and Orissa. These campaigns were complicated by the 1579-1580
revolt in support of Mirza Hakim.
(iii) 1585-1605 – expansion of Akbar’s empire. Campaigns were launched in the
north-west. Qandahar was seized from the Safavids, Kashmir was annexed, as also
Kabul, after the death of Mirza Hakim. Campaigns in the Deccan started and Berar,
Khandesh and parts of Ahmadnagar were annexed.
15. Write a short note on Akbar’s administrative policies?
Answer: The broad features of administration were laid down by Akbar and were
elaborately discussed by Abul Fazl in his book, the Akbar Nama, in particular in
its last volume, the Ain-i Akbari. Abul Fazl explained that the empire was divided
into provinces called subas, governed by a subadar who carried out both political
and military functions. Each province also had a financial officer or diwan. For
the maintenance of peace and order in his province, the subadar was supported by
other officers such as the military paymaster (bakhshi), the minister in charge of
religious and charitable patronage (sadr), military commanders (faujdars) and the
town police commander (kotwal). He was interested in the religion and social
customs of different people. So, he followed the principle of governance called
sulh-i kul or “universal peace”. This idea of tolerance did not discriminate
between people of different religions in his realm. Instead it focused on a system
of ethics – honesty, justice and peace – that was universally applicable.
16. Write a note on the Mughal Empire in the seventeenth century and after?
Answer: (i) The administrative and military efficiency of the Mughal Empire led to
great economic and commercial prosperity. International travellers described it as
the fabled land of wealth. But these same visitors were also appalled at the state
of poverty that existed side by side with the greatest opulence.
(ii) The Mughal emperors and their mansabdars spent a great deal of their income on
salaries and goods. This expenditure benefited the artisans and peasantry who
supplied them with goods and produce. But the scale of revenue collection left very
little for investment in the hands of the primary producers – the peasant and the
artisan.
(iii) The enormous wealth and resources commanded by the Mughal elite made them an
extremely powerful group of people in the late seventeenth century. As the
authority of the Mughal emperor slowly declined, his servants emerged as powerful
centres of power in the regions. They constituted new dynasties and held command of
provinces like Hyderabad and Awadh. Although they continued to recognise the Mughal
emperor in Delhi as their master, by the eighteenth century the provinces of the
empire had consolidated their independent political identities.

Question 1.Why was it extremely difficult to rule over the Indian subcontinent?
Answer:To rule over the vast territories of the Indian subcontinent was extremely
difficult because of the diversity of people and cultures in the middle ages.
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Question 2.How did the Mughals succeed in ruling the subcontinent?Answer:

• Quite in contrast to their predecessors, the Mughals created an empire
and ruled over it for a long period of time.
• From the later half of the sixteenth century they expanded their
kingdom fromAgra and Delhi up to the seventeenth century.
• They controlled nearly all of the subcontinent.
• They imposed structures of administration and ideas of governance.
• They outlasted their rule, leaving a political legacy that succeeding
rulers of t^e subcontinent could not ignore.
Question 3.What is the importance of Red Fort in modern context?Answer:Prime
Minister of India addresses the nation on Independence Day from the ramparts of the
Red Fort, the residence of Mughal Rulers.
Who were the Mughals?
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1. What were the Mughals proud of?

Answer

The Mughals were proud of their Timurid ancestry.

2. Name the Mughal ruler who followed the coparcenary inheritance.

Answer

Humayun.

3. Who wrote Ain-i-Akbari?

Answer

Abul Fazl.

4. Mughals permanently lost Qandhar during the reign of _______.

Answer
Shah Jahan.

5. Chittor was the capital of __________.

Answer

Sisodiya Rajputs.

6. What is the name of the policy of peaceful co-existence adopted by Akbar?

Answer

Sulh-i-kul.

7. The immediate threat in the year 1500 to the Mughal authority was the _________.

Answer

Afghans.

8. Who constructed Fatehpur-Sikri?

Answer

Akbar.

9. Akbar became emperor at the age of ______ years.

Answer

13 years.

10. Who was Genghis Khan?

Answer

The founder of the Mongol Empire.

11. What do you understand by Zabt?

Answer

A revenue system.

12. What was the real name of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan?

Answer

Khurram.

13. Name the autonomous state founded by Saadat Khan.

Answer

Awadh.

14. The system in which elder son succeeds father after death was ________.

Answer
Primogeniture inheritance.

15. Between whom the battle of Khanua was faught?

Answer

Ranthambor.

16. Who was Mughal’s Mongol competitor?

Answer

Uzbeks.

17. In what form does the Mansabdars received salaries?

Answer

Jagirs.

18. In 1527, Akbar defeated which ruler at Kahuna?

Answer

Rana Sanga.

19. In Iran, he received help from whom?

Answer

Safavid Khan.

20. What was the previous name of Jahangir?

Answer

Salim.

21. In which year did Aurangzeb defeat the atoms?

Answer

1663.

22. Empire was divided into province called______.

Answer

Subas.

23. Name the place captured by Akbar after the capture of the Sisodiya capital
Chittor.

Answer

Qandahar.

24. What is a dogma?

Answer

A dogma is a statement or an interpretation declared as authoritative with the

expectation that it would be followed without question.
Ch 9 devotional paths to devine

1: By the word “MAYA” shankara meant________________.

Answer: Illusion
2: State the language employed by Surdas for his devotional songs.
Answer: Hindi (Avadhi)
3: Who were the Pulaiyar and the Panars?
Answer: Untouchables
4: What was the greatest social impact of the Bhakti Movement on medieval Hindu
society?
Answer: equality between high and low castes
5: Name the Bhakti saint who was a great satirist and ridiculed all the
institutions of his time.
Answer: Kabir
6: The Sangam literature was compiled in the three assemblies held in __________
under the Pandya rulers.
Answer: Madurai
7: Name the regional language popularised by the Bhakti leader Shankradeva.
Answer: Assamese
8: Sufis were_________.
Answer: Muslim mystics
9: What was the name of holy law developed by Muslim Scholar?
Answer: Shariat
10: Alvars were the worshippers of lord________.
Answer: Vishnu
11: Tevaram was a____________.
Answer: Compilation of songs.
12: Khwaja Muinuddin Chisti belongs to_________.
Answer: Chisti Silsila
13: The idea of Bhakti was first discussed in_____________.
Answer: Bhagvad Gita
14: The practice that was borrowed by the Sufis from Hinduism was practice of a
number of yogic exercises as a means of contemplation. True/ False
Answer: True
15: The doctrine of vishishtadvaita was propounded by sankracharya. True/ False
Answer: False
16: Give an example showing that Mirabai rejected the rigidity of caste system.
Answer: Mirabai was a disciple of Ravidas. Ravidas belonged to the society of
‘untouchables’. It shows that Mirabai rejected the rigidity of caste system.

17: Lehna, the successor of Guru Nanak was also called_____.

Answer: Guru Angad
18: What was the language used by Jalaluddin Rumi?
Answer: Persian
19: The earliest form of Tamil literature is known as__________.
Answer: Sangam literature
20: Who finally authenticated Guru Granth Sahib?
Answer: Guru Gobind Singh
21: Bible was translated into German by________.
Answer: Martin Luther
22: Bhakti and Sufi movements came into existence in the_________ century.
Answer: Eighth century
23: Where the temple of lord vitthala is located?
Answer: Pandharpur
24: The method of singing adopted by Sufi saint is known as SAME. True/ False.
Answer: True
25: Guru Arjun was assassinated during the reign of_______.
Answer: Jahangir
26: Name a Sikh community.
Answer: Khalsa community.
27: Kabir’s teachings comprised of small poems which were collected in a small book
known as_____________.
Answer: Bijak
28: What is the new name of dharmsala?
Answer: Gurdwara
29: The Sufi Khanqahs had its visitors from royalty, nobility and __________.
Answer: Ordinary people.
30. Who translated the bible into german language?
Answer: Martin Luther
31. What is the new name of dharmsal?
Answer: Gurdwara
32. How many Alvars were there?
Answer: There were 12 Alvars.
33. How many Nayanars were there?
Answer: There were 63 Nayanars.
34. What is Abhang?
Answer: Abhang is a Marathi devotional hymn.
35. What is Langar?
Answer: Langar means common kitchen.
36. Where is the Vitthala temple located?
Answer: Vitthala is a form of Vishnu temple located in Pandharpur.
37. What is Guru Granth Sahib?
Answer: Guru Granth Sahib is the holy scripture of the Sikhs.
38. Who were Sufis?
Answer: Sufis were Muslim mystics.
39. Name any two great Sufis of Central Asia.
Answer: Ghazzali and Rumi
40. What was known as dharmsal?
Answer: The sacred space created by Guru Nanak was known as dharmsal.
41. Who composed Ramcharitmanas?
Answer: Tulsidas composed the Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi.
42. Name the holy law developed by Muslim scholars.

Answer: Muslim scholars developed a holy law called Shariat.

43. What is Hagiographies?
Answer: Hagiographies are religious biographies of the Alvars and Nayanars.
44. What are namghars?
Answer: Namghars are houses of recitation and prayer, a practice that continues to
date.
45. Which is the earliest example of Tamil literature, composed during the early
centuries of the Common Era?
Answer: Sangam literature
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. Name the two sets of compilations of Nayanar’s songs.
Answer: There are two sets of compilations of their songs – Tevaram and
Tiruvacakam.
2. What does khanqah or hospice mean?
Answer: Khanqah or hospice means house of rest for travellers, especially one kept
by a religious order.
3. Who were the followers of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer: His followers belonged to a number of castes but traders, agriculturists,
artisans and craftsmen predominated.
4. Who was Jalaluddin Rumi?
Answer: Jalaluddin Rumi was a great thirteenth-century Sufi poet from Iran who
wrote in Persian.
5. Who initiated Virashaiva movement?
Answer: Virashaiva movement was initiated by Basavanna and his companions like
Allama Prabhu and Akkamahadevi.
6. Name the compositions of Surdas which express his devotion?

Answer: Surdas was an ardent devotee of Krishna. His compositions, compiled in the
Sursagara, Surasaravali and Sahitya Lahari, express his devotion.
7. Why did the Mughal emperor Jahangir order the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606?
Answer: The Mughal emperor Jahangir looked upon them as a potential threat and he
ordered the execution of Guru Arjan in 1606.
8. What did the terms ‘nam’, ‘dan’ and ‘isnan’ mean?
Answer: Guru Nanak used the terms nam, dan and isnan for the essence of his
teaching, which actually meant right worship, welfare of others and purity of
conduct.
9. Who was Ramanuja?
Answer: Ramanuja, born in Tamil Nadu in the eleventh century, was deeply influenced
by the Alvars. According to him the best means of attaining salvation was through
intense devotion to Vishnu.
10. To whom did Baba Guru Nanak appoint as his successor?
Answer: Before his death in 1539, Guru Nanak appointed one of his followers as his
successor. His name was Lehna but he came to be known as Guru Angad, signifying
that he was a part of Guru Nanak himself.
11. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and
practices?
Answer: Many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices because
such beliefs advocated ritualism, outward display of piety and social differences
based on birth.
12. What do you know about Shankaradeva?
Answer: Shankaradeva of Assam (late fifteenth century) emphasised devotion to
Vishnu, and composed poems and plays in Assamese. He began the practice of setting
up namghars or houses of recitation and prayer, a practice that continues to date.
13. How did Khalsa Panth emerge?
Answer: The Sikh movement began to get politicized in the seventeenth century, a
development which culminated in the institution of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh
in 1699. The community of the Sikhs, called the Khalsa Panth, became a political
entity.
14. Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai?

Answer: Mirabai was devoted to Krishna and composed innumerable bhajans expressing
her intense devotion. Her songs also openly challenged the norms of the “upper”
castes and became popular with the masses and were handed down orally from
generation to generation.
15. How Chola and Pandya kings contributed for the growth of the Bhakti movement?
Answer: Between the tenth and twelfth centuries the Chola and Pandya kings built
elaborate temples around many of the shrines visited by the saint-poets,
strengthening the links between the bhakti tradition and temple worship.
16. What were the teachings of the saints of Maharashtra?
Answer: These saints rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and
social differences based on birth. In fact they even rejected the idea of
renunciation and preferred to live with their families, earning their livelihood
like any other person, while humbly serving fellow human beings in need.
17. For either the Virashaivas or the saints of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude
towards caste.
Answer: The Virashaivas argued strongly for the equality of all human beings and
against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. Saint of
Maharashtra rejected all forms of ritualism, outward display of piety and social
differences based on birth.
18. What did Ramanuja propound?
Answer: According to him the best means of attaining salvation was through intense
devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of
union with Him. He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness
in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.
19. Who was Kabir? How do we know about him?
Answer: He was one of the most influential saints. He was brought up in a family of
Muslim julahas or weavers settled in or near the city of Benares (Varanasi). We
have little reliable information about his life. We get to know of his ideas from a
vast collection of verses called sakhis and pads said to have been composed by him
and sung by wandering bhajan singers.
20. What purpose did khanqahs serve?
Answer: The Sufi masters held their assemblies in their khanqahs or hospices.
Devotees of all descriptions including members of the royalty and nobility, and
ordinary people flocked to these khanqahs. They discussed spiritual matters, sought
the blessings of the saints in solving their worldly problems, or simply attended
the music and dance sessions.
21. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis.

Answer: They advocated renunciation of the world. To them the path to salvation lay
in meditation on the formless Ultimate Reality and the realisation of oneness with
it. To achieve this they advocated intense training of the mind and body through
practices like yogasanas, breathing exercises and meditation.
22. Why did people turn to the teachings of the Buddha or the Jainas during the
medieval period?
Answer: The belief that social privileges came from birth in a “noble” family or a
“high” caste was the subject of many learned texts. Many people were uneasy with
such ideas and turned to the teachings of the Buddha or the Jainas according to
which it was possible to overcome social differences and break the cycle of rebirth
through personal effort.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. “Mirabai rejected the rigidity of caste system.” Discuss
Answer: Mirabai was a Rajput princess married into the royal family of Mewar in the
sixteenth century. Mirabai became a disciple of Ravidas, a saint from a caste
considered “untouchable”. She was devoted to Krishna and composed innumerable
bhajans expressing her intense devotion. Her songs also openly challenged the norms
of the “upper” castes and became popular with the masses in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
2. Why Mughal emperor Jahangir looked upon Sikh community as a potential threat?
Answer: By the beginning of the seventeenth century the town of Ramdaspur
(Amritsar) had developed around the central Gurdwara called Harmandar Sahib (Golden
Temple). It was virtually self-governing and modern historians refer to the early
seventeenth century Sikh community as ‘a state within the state’. The Mughal
emperor Jahangir looked upon them as a potential threat.
3. What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express these?
Answer: Kabir’s teachings were based on a complete, indeed vehement, rejection of
the major religious traditions. His teachings openly ridiculed all forms of
external worship of both Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam, the pre-eminence of the
priestly classes and the caste system. Kabir believed in a formless Supreme God and
preached that the only path to salvation was through bhakti or devotion. He
expressed these in verses called sakhis and pads.
4. Who were the Nayanars and Alvars?
Answer: There were 63 Nayanars, who belonged to different caste backgrounds such as
potters, “untouchable” workers, peasants, hunters, soldiers, Brahmanas and chiefs.
The best known among them were Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manikkavasagar. There
are two sets of compilations of their songs – Tevaram and Tiruvacakam.
There were 12 Alvars, who came from equally divergent backgrounds, the best known
being Periyalvar, his daughter Andal, Tondaradippodi Alvar and Nammalvar. Their
songs were compiled in the Divya Prabandham.
5. Write a short note on Shankara.
Answer: Shankara, one of the most influential philosophers of India, was born in
Kerala in the eighth century. He was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of the
oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God which is the Ultimate Reality.
He taught that Brahman, the only or Ultimate Reality, was formless and without any
attributes. He considered the world around us to be an illusion or maya, and
preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge to
understand the true nature of Brahman and attain salvation.
6. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?

Answer: (i) He emphasized the importance of the worship of one God.

(ii) He insisted that caste, creed or gender was irrelevant for attaining
liberation. His idea of liberation was not that of a state of inert bliss but
rather the pursuit of active life with a strong sense of social commitment.
(iii) He himself used the terms nam, dan and isnan for the essence of his teaching,
which actually meant right worship, welfare of others and purity of conduct.
(iv) His teachings underline the importance of right belief and worship, honest
living, and helping others.
7. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?
Answer: Major beliefs and practices of the Sufis are:
(i) Sufis were Muslim mystics. They rejected outward religiosity and emphasised
love and devotion to God and compassion towards all fellow human beings.
(ii) The Sufis often rejected the elaborate rituals and codes of behavior demanded
by Muslim religious scholars.
(iii) They sought union with God much as a lover seeks his beloved with a disregard
for the world. Sufis too believed that the heart can be trained to look at the
world in a different way.
(iv) They developed elaborate methods of training using zikr (chanting of a name or
sacred formula), contemplation, sama (singing), raqs (dancing), discussion of
parables, breath control, etc. under the guidance of a master or pir.
Ch 8 eighteenth century political formation

1: Who imposed Chauth?

Answer: Marathas
2: Who founded Awadh?
Answer: Sa’adat Khan
3: The two noble groups to which the later Mughal emperors were puppets were Iranis
and Turanis. True/ False
Answer: True
4: Sikhs organized themselves into a number of bands called_______.
Answer: Jathas
5: The independent state of Jats was established by______.
Answer: Churaman
6: Name the group that was considered as the back bone of Maratha army.
Answer: Kunbis
7: After 1708 A.D. the Sikh revolt was led by______.
Answer: Banda Bahadur
8: When did Marathas successfully raided Delhi?
Answer: 1737 AD
9: When the Third battle of Panipat did took place?
Answer: 1761
10: What was the position of Jagat Seth during the rule of Alivardi Khan?
Answer: Banker
11: The system of rakhi was introduced in Bihar. True/ False
Answer: False
12: What was the purpose of introducing system of rakhi?
Answer: By introducing the system of rakhi, the Sikhs collected 20% of the produce
from the peasant as tax, on the promise of providing protection to them.
13: Kunbis were ____________
Answer: Maratha’s peasant warriors.
14: Why does the entire body of Sikhs used to meet in Amritsar at the time of
Baisakhi and Diwali?
Answer: To take collective decisions known as “Resolutions of the Guru” or
gurumatas.

15: Name two important trading center in the area dominating by Jats.
Answer: Panipat and Ballabharh.
16: Who was a Naib?
Answer: Deputy to the governor of the province.
17: Name a Naib of the Bengal province.
Answer: Murshid Quli Khan
18: How Saadat khan did reduced Mughal control over his state?
Answer: By reducing the number of Mughal jagirdars in Awadh
19: Where is Bharatpur fort situated?
Answer: Dig
20: Khalsa was established in__________ AD
Answer: 1699 AD
21: Why were ijaradars appointed by Nawab in Awadh?
Answer: Ijaradars to minimize the influence of Mughal jagirdars. These ijaradars
had the responsibility to collect revenue from the peasants and paid a fixed amount
to the state.

22: Burhan ul Mulk Sa’adat Khan founded the state of_________.

Answer: Awadh
23: Nadir Shah was a ruler of ___________.
Answer: Iran
24: Who established the independent Sikh state of Punjab?
Answer: Maharaja Ranjit Singh
25: Who seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the
Mughals in mid of the 17th century?
Answer: Ahmed Shah Abdali
26: Where was the capital of Maratha kingdom under the rule of Peshwa?
Answer: Poona
27: Churaman was a Maratha leader. True/ False.
Answer: False
28: Who built new forts at Deeg?
Answer: Suraj Mal
29: Name the son of Nadir Shah
Answer: Jawahir Shah
30: Name The Persian ruler, who raided India for the first time.
Answer: Nadir Shah
31: State the collective name given to the whole army of the “misls”.
Answer: dal Khalsa
32: The Capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was located at _________.
Answer: Lahore
33: Name the Maratha chiefs who made Baroda their seat of power.
Answer: Gaekwad
34: The capital of Sawai Raja Jai Singh was_________.
Answer: Amber
35: Name the governor of Malwa who founded his new capital at Jaipur.
Answer: Sawai Raja Jai Singh.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. Where was Bharatpur fort built?
Answer: Bharatpur fort was built at Dig.
2. Who was Jawahir Shah?
Answer: Jawahir Shah was son of Nadir Shah.
3. When was khalsa established?
Answer: The Khalsa tradition was initiated in 1699.
4. When was Banda Bahadur captured and executed?
Answer: Banda Bahadur was captured in 1715 and executed in 1716.
5. When was the third battle of Panipat fought?
Answer: The third battle of Panipat took place in 1761.
6. Where did Sawai Raja Jai Singh found his new capital?

Answer: Sawai Raja Jai Singh founded his new capital at Jaipur.
7. Name two important trading centres in the areas dominated by Jats.
Answer: Panipat and Ballabhgarh became important trading centres in the areas
dominated by Jats.
8. What was the result of Aurangzeb’s long war in the Deccan?
Answer: Emperor Aurangzeb had depleted the military and financial resources of his
empire by fighting a long war in the Deccan.
9. Why was system called rakhi introduced?
Answer: A system called rakhi was introduced, offering protection to cultivators on
the payment of a tax of 20 per cent of the produce.
10. What was chauth?
Answer: 25 per cent of the land revenue claimed by zamindars was called chauth. In
the Deccan this was collected by the Marathas.
11. What was Sardeshmukhi?
Answer: 9-10 per cent of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the
Deccan was called Sardeshmukhi.
12. What was the geographical and economic importance of Awadh?
Answer: Awadh was a prosperous region, controlling the rich alluvial Ganga plain
and the main trade route between north India and Bengal.
13. Why did the Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari
system?

Answer: The Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system in
order to decrease Mughal influence in the Awadh region.
14. Who seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the
Mughals in mid of the 17th century?
Answer: Ahmad Shah Abdali had seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar
of Sirhind from the Mughals.
15. Name the new social groups that developed in Awadh to influence the management
of the state’s revenue system.
Answer: New social groups, like moneylenders and bankers were developed to
influence the management of the state’s revenue system.
16. How were peasant-pastoralists important for Shivaji?
Answer: Groups of highly mobile, peasantpastoralists (kunbis) provided the backbone
of the Maratha army. Shivaji used these forces to challenge the Mughals in the
peninsula.
17: Who were the “Subedars”?
Answer: The “subedars” were basically the mansabdars, who enjoyed great power in
their respective provinces and performed both the civil and the military duties.
They were directly appointed by the emperors.
18. What were the policies adopted by Asaf Jah to strengthen his position?
Answer: Asaf Jah brought skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India
who welcomed the new opportunities in the south. He appointed mansabdars and
granted jagirs.
19. What were the offices held by Sa‘adat Khan?
Answer: Sa‘adat Khan held the combined offices of subadari, diwani and faujdari. In
other words, he was responsible for managing the political, financial and military
affairs of the province of Awadh.
20. Who ruled the Maratha kingdom after the death of Shivaji?

Answer: After Shivaji’s death, effective power in the Maratha state was wielded by
a family of Chitpavan Brahmanas who served Shivaji’s successors as Peshwa (or
principal minister). Poona became the capital of the Maratha kingdom.
21. Why zamindars of Bengal had to borrow money from bankers and moneylenders?
Answer: Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars. As
a result, many zamindars had to borrow money from bankers and moneylenders.
22. Name the three states that were carved out of the old Mughal provinces in the
18th century and stand out very prominently.
Answer: Amongst the states that were carved out of the old Mughal provinces in the
eighteenth century, three stand out very prominently. These were Awadh, Bengal and
Hyderabad.
23. What was the ambition of the Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah? Why was his ambition not
fulfilled?
Answer: The ambitions of the Nizam to control the rich textile-producing areas of
the Coromandel coast in the east were checked by the British who were becoming
increasingly powerful in that region.
24. Write a short note on administration of Marathas.
Answer: The Marathas developed an effective administrative system as well. They
introduced revenue demands gradually taking local conditions into account.
Agriculture was encouraged and trade revived. This allowed Maratha chiefs (sardars)
to raise powerful armies.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?
Answer: Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan for power and authority. It
gradually chipped away at the authority of the Mughal Empire. By the 1720s, they
seized Malwa and Gujarat from the Mughals and by the 1730s, the Maratha king was
recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula. He possessed the right
to levy chauth and sardeshmukhi in the entire region.
2. What was the impact of Nadir Shah’s invasion upon Delhi?OrWhich foreign invaders
arrived in the middle of the economic and political crisis in 1739?
Answer: In the midst of this economic and political crisis, the ruler of Iran,
Nadir Shah, sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense
amounts of wealth. This invasion was followed by a series of plundering raids by
the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali, who invaded north India five times between 1748
and 1761.

3. Who established a stable Maratha kingdom and how?

Answer: The Maratha kingdom was another powerful regional kingdom to arise out of a
sustained opposition to Mughal rule. Shivaji (1627-1680) carved out a stable
kingdom with the support of powerful warrior families (deshmukhs). Groups of highly
mobile, peasantpastoralists (kunbis) provided the backbone of the Maratha army.
Shivaji used these forces to challenge the Mughals in the peninsula.
4. Highlight the steps taken by Murshid Quli Khan to decrease Mughal influence in
Bengal.OrHow did Murshid Quli Khan decrease the Mughal influence in Bengal?
Answer: In an effort to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal
jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major reassessment of the revenues of Bengal.
Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars. As a
result, many zamindars had to borrow money from bankers and moneylenders. Those
unable to pay were forced to sell their lands to larger zamindars.
5. How did Burhan-ul-Mulk reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region?OrEnumerate
the steps taken by Saadat Khan to reduce Mughal influence in Awadh.OrHow did Saadat
Khan try to decrease the Mughal influence in the Awadh region?
Answer: Burhan-ul-Mulk tried to decrease Mughal influence in the Awadh region by
reducing the number of office holders (jagirdars) appointed by the Mughals. He also
reduced the size of jagirs, and appointed his own loyal servants to vacant
positions. The accounts of jagirdars were checked to prevent cheating and the
revenues of all districts were reassessed by officials appointed by the Nawab’s
court.
6. Who were the very powerful governors of Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad among the
early and later Mughal rulers?
Answer: All three states were founded by members of the high Mughal nobility who
had been governors of large provinces – Sa‘adat Khan (Awadh), Murshid Quli Khan
(Bengal) and Asaf Jah (Hyderabad). All three had occupied high mansabdari positions
and enjoyed the trust and confidence of the emperors. Both Asaf Jah and Murshid
Quli Khan held a zat rank of 7,000 each, while Sa’adat Khan’s zat was 6,000.
7. How did Murshid Quli Khan become powerful in Bengal?
Answer: Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control under Murshid Quli Khan who
was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province. Although never a
formal subadar, Murshid Quli Khan very quickly seized all the power that went with
that office. In an effort to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all
Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major reassessment of the revenues of
Bengal. Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars.

8. Who were the Jats? How did they consolidate their power during the late 17th and
18th centuries?
Answer: The Jats were prosperous agriculturists. They consolidated their power
during the late seventeenth and eighteenth-centuries. Under their leader, Churaman,
they acquired control over territories situated to the west of the city of Delhi,
and by the 1680s they had begun dominating the region between the two imperial
cities of Delhi and Agra. Towns like Panipat and Ballabhgarh became important
trading centres in the areas dominated by them. Under Suraj Mal the kingdom of
Bharatpur emerged as a strong state.
9. How were the Sikhs organised in the eighteenth century?
Answer: Under a number of able leaders in the eighteenth century, the Sikhs
organized themselves into a number of bands called jathas, and later on misls.
Their combined forces were known as the grand army (dal khalsa). The entire body
used to meet at Amritsar at the time of Baisakhi and Diwali to take collective
decisions known as “resolutions of the Guru (gurmatas)”. A system called rakhi was
introduced, offering protection to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20 per
cent of the produce.
10. Why did the Mughals lose their power by the eighteenth century?OrHow did the
later Mughal emperors lose their control over their nobles?
Answer: Under later Mughal emperors, the efficiency of the imperial administration
broke down. It became increasingly difficult for the later Mughal emperors to keep
a check on their powerful mansabdars. Nobles appointed as governors (subadars)
often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration (diwani and
faujdari) as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military
powers over vast regions of the Mughal Empire. As the governors consolidated their
control over the provinces, the periodic remission of revenue to the capital
declined.
11. How did moneylenders and bankers achieve influential position in the state of
Awadh?
Answer: The state depended on local bankers and mahajans for loans. It sold the
right to collect tax to the highest bidders. These “revenue farmers” (ijaradars)
agreed to pay the state a fixed sum of money. Local bankers guaranteed the payment
of this contracted amount to the state. In turn, the revenue-farmers were given
considerable freedom in the assessment and collection of taxes. These developments
allowed new social groups, like moneylenders and bankers, to influence the
management of the state’s revenue system, something which had not occurred in the
past.
12. What were the different overlapping group of states that emerged in the 18th
Century after the decline of the Mughal Empire?OrDivide the states of the
eighteenth century into three overlapping groups.
Answer: Broadly speaking the states of the eighteenth century can be divided into
three overlapping groups:
(i) States that were old Mughal provinces like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.
Although extremely powerful and quite independent, the rulers of these states did
not break their formalties with the Mughal emperor.
(ii) States that had enjoyed considerable independence under the Mughals as watan
jagirs. These included several Rajput principalities.
(iii) The last group included states under the control of Marathas, Sikhs and
others like the Jats. These were of differing sizes and had seized their
independence from the Mughals after a long-drawn armed struggle.
13. Write a short note on expansion of Maratha Empire between 1720 and 1761.OrGive
an account of the Maratha expansion occurred between 1720 and 1761.
Answer: Between 1720 and 1761, the Maratha empire expanded. It gradually chipped
away at the authority of the Mughal Empire. Malwa and Gujarat were seized from the
Mughals by the 1720s. By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord
of the entire Deccan peninsula. After raiding Delhi in 1737 the frontiers of
Maratha domination expanded rapidly: into Rajasthan and the Punjab in the north;
into Bengal and Orissa in the east; and into Karnataka and the Tamil and Telugu
countries in the south. These were not formally included in the Maratha empire, but
were made to pay tribute as a way of accepting Maratha sovereignty.
14. Discuss the factors that led to the decline of Mughal Empire.OrThe Mughal
Empire had to face a variety of crises towards the closing years of the 17th
century. What were the causes behind it?
Answer: Mughal Empire faced crisis caused by a number of factors towards the end of
the seventeenth century.
• Aurangzeb depleted military and financial resources of his empire by
fighting a long war in the Deccan.
• It became increasingly difficult for later Mughal Emperors to keep a
check on powerful mansabdars.
• The Governors established independent kingdoms in different areas.
• Mounting taxes led to Peasants and zamindari rebellions.
• Nadir Shah sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away
immense amounts of wealth.
• This invasion was followed by series of plundering raids by the Afghan
ruler, Ahmad Shah Abdali, who invaded north India five times between 1748 and
1761.The empire was further weakened by the competition amongst different groups of
nobles.
15. Describe the three common features of the states like Awadh, Bengal and
Hyderabad.OrState the three common features between the states Awadh, Bengal and
Hyderabad.OrWhat are the common features of the three regional states of Bengal,
Awadh and Hyderabad?
Answer: Three common features amongst these states were:
(i) Though many of the larger states were established by erstwhile Mughal nobles
they were highly suspicious of some of the administrative systems that they had
inherited, in particular the jagirdari system.
(ii) Their method of tax collection differed. Rather than relying upon the officers
of the state, all three regimes contracted with revenue-farmers for the collection
of revenue. The practice of ijaradari, thoroughly disapproved of by the Mughals,
spread all over India in the eighteenth century. Their impact on the countryside
differed considerably.
(iii) The third common feature in all these regional states was their emerging
relationship with rich bankers and merchants. These people lent money to revenue
farmers, received land as security and collected taxes from these lands through
their own agents. Throughout India the richest merchants and bankers were gaining a
stake in the new political order.

Geography annual examination chapters extra questions

Very Short Extra Questions and Answers
1: Our earth constantly undergoing changes inside and outside. ( T/F)
Answer: True
2: The upper most layer of the earth surface is called the __________
Answer: Crust
3: The oceanic crust mainly consist of __________ and __________
Answer: Silica and Magnesium
4: Any natural mass of mineral matter that makes up the earth’s crust is called
__________
Answer: Rock
5: Grinding stones used to prepare paste/powder of spices and grains are made of
sedimentary. (T/F)
Answer: False
6: The radius of the earth is __________ km.
Answer: 6371
7: The deepest mine of the world is in which country.
Answer: South Africa
8: The upper crust is made up of minerals like silicon and aluminium while lower
constitutes silicon and magnesium. (T/F)
Answer: True
9: Deccan plateau is made up of …………………rocks.
Answer: Basalt
10: Is the earth is a dynamic planet?
Answer: Yes
11: What temperature found at the core?
Answer: 5000 degree
12: The three layer of earth mantle is the thinnest among them.(T/F)
Answer: False
17: The inner most layer is the core with a radius of about __________ km.
Answer: 3500 km
18. Give an example of extrusive igneous rocks.
Answer: Basalt
Short Extra Questions and Answers

1. What is the radius of earth?

Answer: The radius of the earth is 6371 km.
2. What is the core of the earth made up of?
Answer: It is mainly made up of nickel and iron.
3. What is the innermost layer of the earth?
Answer: The innermost layer of the earth is the core.
4. Name the monument which is made of red sandstone?
Answer: The Red Fort is made of red sandstone.
5. What are the three layers of the earth?
Answer: The three layers of the earth are crust, mantle and core.
6. What is crust?
Answer: The uppermost layer over the earth’s surface is called the crust.
7. What is the uppermost layer of the Earth called?

Answer: The uppermost layer of the Earth is called crust.

8. What is the Latin word for igneous?
Answer: Latin word for igneous is Ignis meaning fire.
9. What is the Latin word for sedimentary?
Answer: Latin word for sedimentary is sedimentum which means settle down.
10. What is the Greek word for metamorphic?
Answer: Greek word for metamorphic is metamorphose meaning change of form.
11. What are the main mineral constituents of the continental mass?
Answer: The main mineral constituents of the continental mass are silica and
alumina.
12. What is a rock?
Answer: Any natural mass of mineral matter that makes up the earth’s crust is
called a rock.
13. Name three types of rocks.
Answer: There are three major types of rocks: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and
metamorphic rocks.
14. How much of the earth is crust, mantle and core?

Answer: The crust forms only 1 per cent of the volume of the earth, 84 per cent
consists of the mantle and 15 per cent makes the core.
15. What makes up the crust of the earth?
Answer: The earth’s crust is made up of various types of rocks such as igneous,
metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks.
16. What are fossils?
Answer: The remains of the dead plants and animals trapped in the layers of rocks
are called fossils.
17. What are metamorphic rocks?
Answer: When the igneous and sedimentary rocks are subjected to heat and pressure
they change into metamorphic rocks.
18. What are igneous rocks?
Answer: When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid. Rocks thus formed are called
igneous rocks.

19. What are minerals?

Answer: Minerals are naturally occurring substances which have certain physical
properties and definite chemical composition.
20. Limestone is changed into marble. Give reason?
Answer: Marble is a metamorphic rock that forms when limestone is subjected to
great heat and pressure.
21. Write about the deepest mine in the world.
Answer: The deepest mine in the world, is in South Africa. It is about 4 km. deep.
In search for oil engineers have dug a hole about 6 km. deep.
22. Why we cannot go to the centre of the earth?
Answer: To reach to the centre of the earth we will have to dig a hole 6000 km.
deep on the ocean floor. This is not possible, so we cannot go to the centre of the
earth.
23. What do you mean by a rock cycle?
Answer: One type of rock changes to another type under certain conditions in a
cyclic manner. This process of transformation of the rock from one to another is
known as the rock cycle.
24. What happens to igneous and sedimentary rocks when they are subjected to great
heat and pressure?

Answer: Igneous and sedimentary rocks change into metamorphic rocks under great
heat and pressure.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. How are minerals useful to mankind?
Answer: Minerals are useful to humankind in the following ways:
• Some are used as fuels. For example, coal, natural gas and petroleum.
• They are also used in industries – iron, aluminium, gold, uranium, etc,
in medicine, in fertilisers, etc.
2. What are the uses of rocks?
Answer: Uses of rocks
• The hard rocks are used for making roads, houses and buildings.
• Stones are used in many games. For example, seven stones (pitthoo),
hopscotch (stapu/kit kit), five stones (gitti).
3. How are extrusive and intrusive rocks formed?
Answer: Extrusive rock- When molten lava comes on the earth’s surface, it rapidly
cools down and becomes solid. Rocks formed in such a way on the crust are called
extrusive igneous rocks. They have a very fine grained structure.
Intrusive rocks – Sometimes the molten magma cools down deep inside the earth’s
crust. Solid rocks so formed are called intrusive igneous.
4. Differentiate between sial and sima.
Answer:
Sial Sima
The main mineral constituents of the continental mass are silica and alumina. It is
thus called sial (si-silica and al-alumina). The oceanic crust mainly consists
of silica and magnesium; it is therefore called sima (si-silica and ma-magnesium)
5. Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments. Give reason.
Answer: Rocks roll down, crack, and hit each other and are broken down into small
fragments. These smaller particles are called sediments. These sediments are
transported and deposited by wind, water, etc. These loose sediments are compressed
and hardened to form layers of rocks. These types of rocks are called sedimentary
rocks.
6. What do you know about earth’s interior?
Answer: The earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside another.
Crust – The uppermost layer over the earth’s surface is called the crust. It is the
thinnest of all the layers. It is about 35 km. on the continental masses and only 5
km. on the ocean floors.

Mantle – Just beneath the crust is the mantle which extends up to a depth of 2900
km. below the crust.
Core – The innermost layer is the core with a radius of about 3500 km. It is mainly
made up of nickel and iron and is called nife. The central core has very high
temperature and pressure.

7. Write a note on various types of rocks?

Answer: There are three major types of rocks: igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks and
metamorphic rocks.
Igneous rocks: When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid. Rocks thus formed are
called igneous rocks. They are also called primary rocks. There are two types of
igneous rocks: intrusive rocks and extrusive rocks.
• Extrusive igneous rocks – When molten lava comes on the earth’s
surface, it rapidly cools down and becomes solid. Rocks formed in such a way on the
crust are called extrusive igneous rocks. For example, basalt.
• Intrusive igneous rocks – Sometimes the molten magma cools down deep
inside the earth’s crust. Solid rocks so formed are called intrusive igneous
rocks. Granite is an example of such a rock.
Sedimentary rocks: Rocks roll down, crack, and hit each other and are broken down
into small fragments. These smaller particles are called sediments. These sediments
are transported and deposited by wind, water, etc. These loose sediments are
compressed and hardened to form layers of rocks. These types of rocks are called
sedimentary rocks. For example, sandstone is made from grains of sand.
Metamorphic rocks: Igneous and sedimentary rocks can change into metamorphic rocks
under great heat and pressure. For example, clay changes into slate and limestone
into marble.
Ch human environment interactions the tropical and subtropical regions
Very Short Extra Questions and Answers
1: Name the countries of Amazon basin through which equator pass?
Answer: Equador, Columbia and Brazil
2: Where is one –horned rhinoceros found?
Answer: In Brahmaputra plain.
3: Name the region in which the river Amazon flows through?
Answer: Equatorial
4: Name the tributaries of river Ganga?
Answer: The Ghagra the Son, the Chambal, the Gandak the Kosi
5. Name the continent in which the Amazon Basin is located.
Answer: The Amazon Basin is in South America.
6. Name the river on which Taj Mahal is located?
Answer: It is located on the banks of the River Yamuna.
7. Where is the one-horned rhinoceros found?
Answer: The one-horned rhinoceros is found in the Brahmaputra plain.
8. What does population density mean?
Answer: It means the number of persons that live in one sq. km. of area.
9. Where are Kaziranga and Manas wild life sanctuaries situated?
Answer: Kaziranga and Manas wild life sanctuaries are situated in Assam.
10. Which is the largest river basin in the world?
Answer: The Amazon basin is the largest river basin in the world.
11. What do the people of Amazon rainforest grow?
Answer: They mainly grow tapioca, pineapple and sweet potato.
12. What are the cash crops grown by people of Amazon Basin?
Answer: The cash crops grown by people of Amazon Basin are coffee, maize and cocoa.
13. What is called “Maloca”?
Answer: Large apartment-like houses called “Maloca” with a steeply slanting roof.
14. What is called the river’s mouth?
Answer: The place where a river flows into another body of water is called the
river’s mouth.
15. Who was the first person to discover the Amazon River?
Answer: Francisco de Orellana was a Spanish explorer who discovered the Amazon
River.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. Name the countries of the basin through which the equator passes.
Answer: The countries of the basin through which the equator passes are Brazil,
Ecuador and Columbia.
2. Where Ganga and Brahmaputra basin lies?
Answer: The basin lies in the sub-tropical region that is situated between 10°N to
30°N latitudes.
3. What is the Ganga Brahmaputra basin?
Answer: The tributaries of rivers Ganga and Brahmaputra together form the Ganga-
Brahmaputra basin in the Indian subcontinent.
4. Why and how terraces are built?
Answer: Terraces are built on steep slopes to create flat surfaces on which crops
are grown. The slope is removed so that water does not run off rapidly.
5. What are the other names of Brahmaputra?
Answer: Tibet – Yarlung Tsangpo, Arunachal Pradesh – Dihang, Assam – Brahmaputra,
Bangladesh – Jamuna.
6. What is the population density of Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Bihar?
Answer: The population density of Uttarakhand is 189 while the density of West
Bengal is 1029 and that of Bihar is 1102.
7. Name the tributaries of river Ganga.
Answer: The tributaries of the River Ganga are the Ghaghra, the Son, the Chambal,
the Gandak, the Kosi.
8. What are bromeliads?
Answer: Bromeliads are special plants that store water in their leaves. Animals
like frogs use these pockets of water for laying their eggs.
9. Why sunlight does not reach the ground in rainforest?
Answer: The forests are so thick that the dense “roof” created by leaves and
branches does not allow the sunlight to reach the ground.
10. What are the crops grown by the people of the Amazon Basin?
Answer: They mainly grow tapioca, pineapple and sweet potato. Cash crops like
coffee, maize and cocoa are also grown.
11. Name the birds that you are likely to find in the rainforests of the Amazon.
Answer: In the rainforests of the Amazon we are likely to find birds such as
toucans, humming birds and bird of paradise.
12. What are the major cities located on the River Ganga?
Answer: The cities of Allahabad, Kanpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Patna and Kolkata are
located along the River Ganga.
13. What animals can be found in the Amazon rainforest?
Answer: Animals like monkeys, sloth, ant-eating tapirs, crocodiles, snakes,
pythons, anaconda, boa and flesh eating piranha fish are found here.
14. What are the main features of Ganga Brahmaputra basin?
Answer: The plains of the Ganga and the Brahmaputra, the mountains and the
foothills of the Himalayas and the Sundarbans delta are the main features of this
basin.
15. What are the crops grown in Ganga Brahmaputra basin?
Answer: The main crop is paddy. Wheat, maize, sorghum, gram and millets are the
other crops that are grown. Cash crops like sugarcane and jute are also grown.
16. Why paddy is grown in the Ganga-Brahmaputra plains?
Answer: Since cultivation of paddy requires sufficient water, it is grown in the
areas where the amount of rainfall is high. Ganga-Brahmaputra basin is good for
cultivation of paddy as it receives good amount of rainfall.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. What is Susu? What does its presence indicate?
Answer: In the fresh waters of River Ganga and River Brahmaputra, a variety of
dolphin locally called Susu (also called blind dolphin) is found. The presence of
Susu is an indication of the health of the river. The untreated industrial and
urban wastes with high amount of chemicals are killing this species.
2. Why rainforests are depleting?
Answer: The developmental activities are leading to the gradual destruction of the
biologically diverse rainforests. It is estimated that a large area of the
rainforest has been disappearing annually in the Amazon basin. As a result of this
destruction, the topsoil is washed away as the rains fall and the lush forest turns
into a barren landscape.
3. What kind of natural vegetation is found in the Amazon basin?
Answer: As it rains heavily in this region, thick forests grow. The forests are in
fact so thick that the dense “roof” created by leaves and branches does not allow
the sunlight to reach the ground. The ground remains dark and damp. Only shade
tolerant vegetation may grow here. Orchids, bromeliads grow as plant parasites.
4. What do people of the Amazon rainforest do?
Answer: People grow most of their food in small areas after clearing some trees in
the forest. While men hunt and fish along the rivers, women take care of the crops.
They mainly grow tapioca, pineapple and sweet potato. As hunting and fishing are
uncertain it is the women who keep their families alive by feeding them the
vegetables they grow. They practice “slash and burn agriculture”.
5. What is the type of climate of the Amazon basin?
Answer: The Amazon Basin stretches directly on the equator and is characterized by
hot and wet climate throughout the year. Both day and nights are almost equally hot
and humid. The skin feels sticky. It rains almost every day, that too without much
warning. The day temperatures are high with very high humidity. At night the
temperature goes down but the humidity remains high.
6. How does varied topography of Ganga Brahmaputra basin affect the distribution of
population there?

Answer: The basin area has varied topography. The environment plays a dominant role
in the distribution of the population. The mountain areas with steep slopes have
inhospitable terrain. Therefore less number of people live in the mountain area of
the Ganga- Brahmaputra basin. The plain area provides the most suitable land for
human habitation. Therefore, the density of population of the plains is very high.
7. Describe the wildlife found in the Ganga Brahmaputra Basin.
Answer: There is a variety of wildlife in the basin. Elephants, tigers, deer and
monkeys are common. The one-horned rhinoceros is found in the Brahmaputra plain. In
the delta area, Bengal tiger, crocodiles and alligator are found. Aquatic life
abounds in the fresh river waters, the lakes and the Bay of Bengal Sea. The most
popular varieties of the fish are the rohu, catla and hilsa.
8. Describe the vegetation found in the Ganga Brahmaputra Basin.
Answer: The vegetation cover of the area varies according to the type of landforms.
In the Ganga and Brahmaputra plain tropical deciduous trees grow, along with teak,
sal and peepal. Thick bamboo groves are common in the Brahmaputra plain. The delta
area is covered with the mangrove forests. In parts of Uttarakhand, Sikkim and
Arunachal Pradesh, coniferous trees like pine, deodar and fir can be seen because
the climate is cool and the slopes are steep.
9. Write a short note on the agricultural activities of the people in the Ganga
Brahmaputra Basin?
Answer: Agriculture is the main occupation of the people. The main crop cultivated
is paddy. Wheat, maize, sorghum, gram and millets are the other crops that are
grown. Cash crops like sugarcane and jute are also grown. Banana plantations are
seen in some areas of the plain. In West Bengal and Assam tea is grown in
plantations. Silk is produced through the cultivation of silk worms in parts of
Bihar and Assam. In the mountains and hills, where the slopes are gentle, crops are
grown on terraces.
10. How is tourism an important activity in the Ganga-Brahmaputra basin?
Answer: Tourism is another important activity of the basin. Taj Mahal on the banks
of River Yamuna in Agra, Allahabad on the confluence of the Rivers Ganga and
Yamuna, Buddhists stupas in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Lucknow with its Imambara,
Assam with Kaziranga and Manas with wild life sanctuaries and Arunachal Pradesh
with a distinct tribal culture are some of the places worth a visit.
11. What is slash and burn practice?
Answer: Slash and Burn is a way of cultivating land where farmers clear a piece of
land by slashing or cutting down trees and bushes. These are then burnt, which
releases the nutrients into the soil. Now crops are grown in this cleared field for
a few years. After repeatedly using the patch of land, the soil looses its
nutrients. So it is abandoned. Then they clear another plot of land to plant. In
the meantime young trees grow in the old field. In this way soil fertility is
restored. People can then return to it and start cultivating it again.
12. Amazon Basin is extraordinarily rich in the variety of life found
here. Discuss.
Answer: The rainforest is rich in fauna. Birds such as toucans, humming birds, bird
of paradise with their brilliantly coloured plumage, oversized bills for eating
make them different from birds we commonly see in India. These birds also make loud
sounds in the forests. Animals like monkeys, sloth and ant-eating tapirs are found
here. Various species of reptiles and snakes also thrive in these jungles.
Crocodiles, snakes, pythons abound. Anaconda and boa constrictor are some of the
species. Besides, the basin is home to thousands of species of insects. Several
species of fishes including the flesh eating Piranha fish is also found in the
river. This basin is thus extraordinarily rich in the variety of life found there.
Life in deserts
Very Short Extra Questions and Answers
1: Name the world’s largest desert.
Answer: Sahara
2: Name the capital of Laddakh.
Answer: Leh
3. Sahara is what type of desert?
Answer: Sahara is a hot desert.
4. Ladakh is what type of desert?
Answer: Ladakh is a cold desert.
5. In which continent is the Sahara desert located?
Answer: Sahara desert located is located in Africa.
6. Which is the capital of Ladakh?
Answer: Leh is the capital of Ladakh.
7. When depressions are formed?
Answer: Depressions are formed when the wind blows away the sands.
8. Which is the world’s largest desert?
Answer: Sahara desert is the world’s largest desert.
9. What is the other name of Ladakh? What is its meaning?
Answer: Ladakh is also known as Khapa-chan which means snow land.
10. Name the two nomadic tribes living in the Sahara desert?
Answer: Bedouins and Tuaregs are the two tribes that live in Sahara desert.
11. Name the most important river that flow through Ladakh.
Answer: Indus is the most important river that flow through Ladakh.
12. What type of clothes the people of the Sahara desert wear?
Answer: They wear heavy robes as protection against dust storms and hot winds.
13. Why people of the Sahara desert wear heavy robes?
Answer: They wear heavy robes as protection against dust storms and hot winds.
14. What are the two types of deserts found in the world?
Answer: The two types of deserts found in the world are hot deserts and cold
deserts.
15. Write the names of some famous monasteries of Ladakh.
Answer: Some famous monasteries of Ladakh are Hemis, Thiksey, Shey and Lamayuru.
16. How is Leh connected to Kashmir?
Answer: The National Highway 1A connects Leh to Kashmir Valley through the Zoji la
Pass.
17. What is Tafilalet?
Answer: Tafilalet is a large Oasis in Morocco with an area of about 13,000 sq.km.
18. What type of place is Drass?
Answer: Drass is one of the coldest inhabited places on earth and is located in
Ladakh.
19. Where an oasis is formed?
Answer: In the depressions where underground water reaches the surface, an oasis is
formed.
20. Name the animals reared by nomadic tribes of Sahara desert?

Answer: Animals reared by nomadic tribes of Sahara desert are goats, sheep, camels
and horses.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. What is a Desert?
Answer: It is an arid region characterised by extremely high or low temperatures
and has scarce vegetation.
2. What are the four passes that Manali – Leh highway crosses?
Answer: Manali – Leh highway crosses four passes, Rohtang la, Baralacha la
Lungalacha la and Tanglang la.
3. What are the main characteristics of the desert areas?
Answer: These areas are characterised by low rainfall, scanty vegetation and
extreme temperatures.
4. Which are the two words that make the word Ladakh?
Answer: Ladakh is made up of two words – “La” meaning ‘mountain pass’ and “Dak”
meaning ‘country’.
5. Which place recorded the highest temperature of 57.7°C in 1922?
Answer: Al Azizia in the Sahara desert, south of Tripoli, Libya recorded the
highest temperature of 57.7°C in 1922.
6. Why does Ladakh desert get very little rainfall?
Answer: As the Ladakh desert lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, there is
little rainfall, as low as 10 cm every year.
7. Name the trees that grow in Ladakh.
Answer: There are scanty patches of grasses and shrubs, groves of willows and fruit
trees such as apples, apricots and walnuts grow in Ladakh.
8. Name the countries that touch the Sahara desert.
Answer: The Sahara desert touches eleven countries. These are Algeria, Chad, Egypt,
Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia and Western Sahara.
9. Why oasis in the Sahara has settled population?
Answer: Oasis in the Sahara has settled population because these areas are fertile
and people may settle around these water bodies and grow date palms and other
crops.
10. Name some common birds of Ladakh.
Answer: Several species of birds are sighted in Ladakh. Robins, redstarts, Tibetan
snowcock, raven and hoopoe are common. Some of these are migratory birds.
11. Why do people hunt Chiru or the Tibetan antelope?
Answer: The Chiru or the Tibetan antelope is an endangered species. It is hunted
for its wool known as shahtoosh, which is light in weight and extremely warm.
12. Where is Ladakh desert located?
Answer: Ladakh is a cold desert lying in the Great Himalayas, on the eastern side
of Jammu and Kashmir. The Karakoram Range in the north and the Zanskar mountains in
the south enclose it.
13. Why there is scanty vegetation in the deserts?
Answer: There is scanty vegetation in the deserts because
• Climate of deserts is extremely hot and dry or cold and dry.
• There is short rainy season or little rainfall, as low as 10 cm every
year.

Long Extra Questions and Answers

1. Why do nomadic tribes of Sahara desert rear livestock?
Answer: Nomadic tribes of Sahara desert rear livestock because these animals
provide them with milk, hides from which they make leather for belts, slippers,
water bottles; hair is used for mats, carpets, clothes and blankets.
2. What are the climatic conditions of the Sahara desert?
Answer: The climate of the Sahara desert is scorching hot and parch dry. It has a
short rainy season. The temperatures during the day may soar as high as 50°C and
the nights may be freezing cold with temperatures nearing zero degrees.
3. How did the Sahara become a desert?
Answer: Sahara once used to be a lush green plain. Cave paintings in Sahara desert
show that there used to be rivers with crocodiles. Elephants, lions, giraffes,
ostriches, sheep, cattle and goats were common animals. But the change in climate
has changed it to a very hot and dry region.
4. Write a short note on flora and fauna of Sahara desert.
Answer: Vegetation in the Sahara desert includes cactus, date palms and acacia. In
some places there are oasis – green islands with date palms surrounding them.
Camels, hyenas, jackals, foxes, scorpions, many varieties of snakes and lizards are
the prominent animal species living there.
5. What mainly attracts tourists to Ladakh?
Answer: Tourism is a major activity with several tourists streaming in from within
India and abroad. Visits to the gompas, treks to see the meadows and glaciers,
witnessing ceremonies and festivities are important activities. Some famous
monasteries such as Hemis, Thiksey, Shey and Lamayuru also attract the tourists.
6. What are the summer and winter activities of the people of Ladakh?
Answer: In the summer season the people are busy cultivating barley, potatoes,
peas, beans and turnip. The climate in winter months is so harsh that people keep
themselves engaged in festivities and ceremonies. The women are very hard working.
They work not only in the house and fields, but also manage small business and
shops.
7. Write a short note on flora and fauna of Ladakh desert.
Answer: (i) Due to high aridity, the vegetation is sparse. There are scanty patches
of grasses and shrubs for animals to graze. Groves of willows and poplars are seen
in the valleys.
(ii) During the summers, fruit trees such as apples, apricots and walnuts bloom.
Several species of birds are sighted in Ladakh. Robins, redstarts, Tibetan
snowcock, raven and hoopoe are common.
(iii) The animals of Ladakh are wild goats, wild sheep, yak and special kinds of
dogs.

8. What are the climatic conditions of the Ladakh desert?

Answer: (i) The altitude in Ladakh varies from about 3000m in Kargil to more than
8,000m in the Karakoram. Due to its high altitude, the climate is extremely cold
and dry. The air at this altitude is so thin that the heat of the sun can be felt
intensely.
(ii) The day temperatures in summer are just above zero degree and the night
temperatures well below –30°C. It is freezing cold in the winters when the
temperatures may remain below –40°C for most of the time.
(iii) As it lies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, there is little rainfall, as
low as 10 cm every year. The area experiences freezing winds and burning hot
sunlight.
9. Write about the people of Sahara desert?
Answer: (i) The Sahara desert despite its harsh climate has been inhabited by
various groups of people, who pursue different activities.
(ii) Among them are the Bedouins and Tuaregs. These groups are nomadic tribes
rearing livestock such as goats, sheep, camels and horses. They wear heavy robes as
protection against dust storms and hot winds.
(iii) The oasis in the Sahara and the Nile Valley in Egypt supports settled
population. Since water is available, the people grow date palms. Crops such as
rice, wheat, barley and beans are also grown. Egyptian cotton, famous worldwide is
grown in Egypt.
(iv) The cultural landscape of the Sahara is undergoing change. Tuaregs are seen
acting as guides to foreign tourists. More and more nomadic herdsmen are taking to
city life finding jobs in oil and gas operations.
Civics annual all chapters
Ch 2 Role of government in health

Very Short Extra Questions and Answers

1: Define health.
Answer: Health means ability of a person or animal to remain free of illness and
any kind of injuries.
2: Name some factors that affect our health.
Answer: Diseases, polluted water and atmosphere.
3: People do not get adequate food or have to live in cramped conditions, will be
prone to illness. True/false.
Answer: True
4: Private services like healthcare are funded by the tax money. True/false
Answer: False
5: To avail private healthcare services patients have to pay a lot of money.
True/False.
Answer: True
6: Adequate healthcare available to all in India. True/False.
Answer: False
7: To be healthy, it is not necessary to live without mental strain. True/ False.
Answer: False
8: India has the largest number of medical colleges in the world and is among
largest producer of _____________________.
Answer: Doctors
9: India gets large number of medical___________________ from many countries.
Answer: Tourist
10: Who runs public health care system?
Answer: Government
11: Suppose you see long queues, outside a hospital OPD counter. What kind of
hospital is that?
Answer: Public hospital
12: Which of the two is expensive a private hospital or public hospital?
Answer: Private hospital
13: State the function of village health workers.
Answer: They deals with common illness and works under the supervision of Doctors
at primary Health Centre.
14: From where does government gets funds to invest on various health care plans
and schemes?
Answer: By the tax paid by people
15. Give some water borne diseases.
Answer: Example – diarrhoea, worms, hepatitis, etc.
16. What do you mean by public health?
Answer: It refers to the health of general public.
17. Who runs public health care system?
Answer: Government runs public health care system.
18. In what kind of hospital patients see long queues?
Answer: Patients usually have to see long queues in public hospitals.
19. What does RMPs stand for?
Answer: Registered Medical Practitioners (RMPs).
20. What do people in democratic country expect from the government?
Answer: In a democracy people expect the government to work for their welfare.
21. What do you mean by living standard?
Answer: Living standard refers to the quality of housing, material comfort, and
wealth experienced by an individual or group.
22. What are communicable diseases?
Answer: These are diseases that are spread from one person to another in many ways
such as through water, food, air, etc.
23. What are the factors that affect our health?
Answer: Diseases, drinking water, adequate food, sanitation, environment and mental
health are the factors that affect our health.
24. Why did Hakim Sheikh and PBKMS file a case in the court?
Answer: Hakim Sheikh and PBKMS filed a case in the court because the indifferent
attitude of all the hospitals that refused to admit him.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. What is OPD?
Answer: This is the short form for ‘Out Patient Department’. This is where people
are first brought in and treated in a hospital without being admitted to any
special ward.
2. Why are women not taken to a doctor in a prompt manner?
Answer: Women are not taken to a doctor in a prompt manner because women’s health
concerns are considered to be less important than the health of men in the family.
3. What do you understand by public healthcare system?
Answer: This is a system of hospitals and health centres run by the government. It
has the ability to look after the health of a large section of its population
scattered over hundreds of thousands of villages.
4. What do you mean by medical tourists?
Answer: This refers to foreigners who come to this country specifically for medical
treatment at hospitals that offer world–class facilities at a lower cost than what
they would have to pay in their own countries.
5. What did the court ask the state government in Hakim Sheik case and why?
Answer: Hakim Sheik was denied treatment at various government hospitals.
Therefore, the Court asked the State Government to give him the money that he had
spent on his treatment.
6. How can we prevent and treat illnesses?
Answer: In order to prevent and treat illnesses we need appropriate healthcare
facilities such as health centres, hospitals, laboratories for testing, ambulance
services, blood banks, etc., that can provide the required care and services that
patients need.
7. What do village health workers do?
Answer: At the village level there are health centres where there is usually a
nurse and a village health worker. They are trained in dealing with common
illnesses and work under the supervision of doctors at the Primary Health Centre
(PHC).
8. Why government hospitals are less expensive as compared to private hospitals?

Answer: Government uses tax money for providing many public health services for the
benefit of all citizens. Therefore, government hospitals are less expensive. As
private health services are run for profit, the cost of these services is rather
high.
9. In order to earn more money, these private services encourage practices that are
incorrect. Comment
Answer: In order to earn more money, these private services encourage practices
that are incorrect. At times cheaper methods, though available, are not used. For
example, it is common to find doctors prescribing unnecessary medicines, injections
or saline bottles when tablets or simple medicines can suffice.
10. Why are poor people more likely to fall ill?
Answer: Those who are poor are in the first place undernourished. These families
are not eating as much as they should. They are not provided basic necessities like
drinking water, adequate housing, clean surroundings, etc., and therefore, are more
likely to fall ill. The expenses on illness make their situation even worse.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. What are the functions of public health system?
Answer: Functions of public health system are:
• To provide quality health care services either free or at a low cost,
so that even the poor can seek treatment.
• To take action to prevent the spread of diseases such as TB, malaria,
jaundice, cholera, diarrhoea, chikungunya, etc.
2. What are the important aspects of public health system?
Answer: One of the most important aspects of the public health system is that it is
meant to provide quality health care services either free or at a low cost, so that
even the poor can seek treatment. Another important function of public health is to
take action to prevent the spread of diseases such as TB, malaria, jaundice,
cholera, diarrhoea, chikungunya, etc.

3. What are the different ways through which the government can take steps to
provide healthcare for all? Discuss.
Answer: Government can take following steps to provide healthcare for all.
• By increasing healthcare facilities such as hospitals, ambulance
service, etc.
• By organizing free health checkup camp especially in rural and backward
areas.
• By spreading health related awareness among the people.
4. ‘Improvement in water and sanitation can control many diseases.’ Explain with
the help of examples.
Answer: Water and sanitation are the basic necessities for the maintenance proper
health. Use of contaminated water can cause disease such as cholera, skin diseases
and can also cause cancer, reproductive problems, typhoid and stomach ailments.
Sanitation is important for all, helping to maintain health and increase life-
spans. Poor sanitation causes infectious diseases including cholera, typhoid,
infectious hepatitis, polio, cryptosporidiosis, and ascariasis. Thus, improvement
in water and sanitation can control many diseases.
5. What the court said in Hakim Sheik’s case?
Answer: The Court said that the difficulty that Hakim Sheik had to face could have
cost him his life. If a hospital cannot provide timely medical treatment to a
person, it means that this protection of life is not being given. The Court also
said that it was the duty of the government to provide the necessary health
services, including treatment in emergency situations. Hospitals and medical staff
must fulfil their duty of providing the necessary treatment. Hakim Sheik was denied
treatment at various government hospitals. Therefore, the Court asked the State
Government to give him the money that he had spent on his treatment.
6. What were the major changes made by Kerala government in 1996?

Answer: Major changes made by Kerala government in 1996 were:

• Forty per cent of the entire state budget was given to panchayats. They
could plan and provide for their requirements.
• This made it possible for a village to make sure that proper planning
was done for water, food, women’s development and education.
• This meant that water supply schemes were checked, the working of
schools and anganwadis was ensured and specific problems of the village were taken
up.
• Health centres were also improved.
7. Is adequate healthcare available to all?
Answer: No, adequate healthcare is not available to all. In India, we face a
situation where private services are increasing but public services are not. So,
mainly private services are available and that too are concentrated in urban areas.
As these services are expensive, many people cannot afford them or have to borrow
money when there is an illness in the family. Women are not taken to a doctor in a
prompt manner as women’s health concerns are considered to be less important than
the health of men in the family. Many tribal areas have few health centres and they
do not run properly. Even private health services are not available.
8. What is health?
Answer: We can think of health in many ways. Health means our ability to remain
free of illness and injuries. But health isn’t only about disease. Apart from
disease, we need to think of other factors that affect our health. For example, if
people get clean drinking water or a pollution free environment they are likely to
be healthy. On the other hand, if people do not get adequate food to eat or have to
live in cramped conditions, they will be prone to illness. All of us would like to
be active and in good spirits in whatever we may be doing. It isn’t healthy to be
dull, inactive, anxious or scared for long stretches of time. We all need to be
without mental strain. All of these various aspects of our lives are a part of
health.
9. What are the positive aspects of healthcare in India?
Answer: Positive aspects of healthcare in India are:
• India has the largest number of medical colleges in the world and is
among the largest producers of doctors.
• Healthcare facilities have grown substantially over the years. In 1991,
there were 11,174 hospitals. In 2000, the number grew to 18,218.
• India gets a large number of medical tourists from many countries. They
come for treatment in some of the hospitals in India that compare with the best in
the world.
• India is the fourth largest producer of medicines in the world and is
also a large exporter of medicines.
10. What are the negative aspects of healthcare in India?
Answer: Negative aspects of healthcare in India are:
• Most doctors settle in urban areas. People in rural areas have to
travel long distances to reach a doctor. The number of doctors with respect to the
population is much less in rural areas.
• About five lakh people die from tuberculosis every year. This number is
almost unchanged since Independence!
• Almost two million cases of malaria are reported every year and this
number isn’t decreasing.
• Clean drinking water is not available to all.
• Half of all children in India do not get adequate food to eat and
are undernourished.
11. Write a note on the Costa Rican approach.
Answer:
• Costa Rica is considered to be one of the healthiest countries in South
America. The main reason for this can be found in the Costa Rican Constitution.
• Several years ago, Costa Rica took a very important decision and
decided not to have an army. This helped the Costa Rican government to spend the
money that the army would have used, on health, education and other basic needs of
the people.
• The Costa Rican government believes that a country has to be healthy
for its development and pays a lot of attention to the health of its people.
• The Costa Rican government provides basic services and amenities to all
Costa Ricans. Health education is also considered very important and knowledge
about health is an essential part of education at all levels.
12. Differentiate between public health services and private health services.
Answer: Difference between public health services and private health services
Public health services Private health services
The public health service is a chain of health centres and hospitals run by the
government. Private health facilities are not owned or controlled by the
government.
It is meant to provide quality health care services either free or at a low cost,
so that even the poor can seek treatment. These services are run for profit; the
cost of these services is rather high.
Public health services in rural as well as in urban areas. Private health services
are concentrated mainly in urban areas.
Patients usually have to wait in long queues in public hospitals. People do
not face such problem in private hospitals.
13. Why pay taxes to the government?
Answer: We should pay taxes to the government because
• Government uses tax money for providing many public services such as
such as defence, police, judicial system, highways etc. for the benefit of all
citizens.
• Taxes fund developmental programmes and services such as education,
health care, employment, social welfare, vocational training etc. required for
needy citizens.
• Tax money is utilised for relief and rehabilitation in case of natural
disasters.
• Space, nuclear, and missile programmes are also funded from the
revenues collected as taxes.
• Government provides some services especially for the poor who cannot
afford to purchase them from the market.
Ch 6 understanding media

Very Short Extra Questions and Answers

1: Define media.
Answer: All forms of communication like radio, television, newspaper, and internet
are referred as media.
2: Give examples of print media.
Answer: Newspapers and magazines
3: Give examples of mass media.
Answer: TV, radio, newspaper
4: Give examples of electronic media.
Answer: TV, radio, world wide web( internet).
5: How modernisation of media serves useful for us?
Answer: It helps media to reach more and more people
6: Why advertisements are keep on repeating in cricket matches flashing on
television?
Answer: In the hope that we will purchase what is advertised
7: How people opposes against government action or plan?
Answer: By organizing a public protest, starting a signature campaign, asking the
government to rethink its program etc.
8: How the cost of advertising on a news channel is decided?
Answer: It varies from Rs 500 to 8000 per 10 seconds depending on the popularity of
channel.
9: An independent media means government should control and influence its coverage
of news. True / False
Answer: False
10: What do you mean by term independent media?
Answer: It means no one should tell media what should be included and what should
not be included in their news story.
11: On television only those programmes are flashed that can attract lot of
viewers. True / False
Answer: True
12: What media is non- independent?
Answer: because of government control, their financial need
13: Which news will media flash :
Annual day celebration in a school or annual day celebration in a school where
chief guest is a famous politician
Answer: annual day celebration in a school where chief guest is a famous politician
14: Name the state where khabar lahriya newspaper is running?
Answer: Uttar Pradesh
15: The media decides what to focus on and in this way they sets agenda. True/False
Answer: True
16. How do you think television influences us?
Answer: It shapes our views of the world, our beliefs, attitudes and values.
17. Why do you think newspapers are called print media?
Answer: Newspapers are called print media because they are in printed form.
18. Give examples of local media.
Answer: Community Radio, Documentary Films, Local newspaper like ‘Khabar Lahriya’
19. What is broadcast?
Answer: Broadcast is used to refer to a TV or radio programme that is widely
transmitted.
20. What is censorship?
Answer: This refers to the powers that government has to disallow media from
publishing or showing certain stories.
21. Why we need to analyse the news?
Answer: The ‘factual information’ that a news report provides is often not complete
and can be one-sided. We, therefore, need to analyse the news.
22. Mention one way in which mass media earns money.
Answer: One way in which the mass media earns money is by advertising different
things like cars, chocolates, clothes, mobile phones, etc.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. Why are some advertisements shown repeatedly on the television screen?
Answer: Advertisements are repeated in the hope that people will go out and buy
what is advertised.
2. What is a balanced report?
Answer: A balanced report is one that discusses all points of view of a particular
story and then leaves it to the readers to make up their minds.
3. What does media’s close relationship with business often mean?
Answer: Nowadays, media’s close relationship with business often means that a
balanced report is difficult to come by.
4. How much does it cost to advertise on a news channel?
Answer: The cost to advertise on a news channel varies from Rs 500 to Rs 8,000 per
10 seconds depending on the popularity of the channel.
5. Why it is important to know both sides of the story?
Answer: It is important to know both sides of the story because it is on the basis
of the information that the media provides that we take action as citizens.
6. How television is like a ‘window on the world’?
Answer: Television is like a ‘window on the world’ because a lot of our impressions
about the world around us are formed by what we see on TV.
7. What do you found most useful about internet?
Answer: We always get the latest information on internet as we can read latest news
and gain knowledge about the latest products within minutes of their release.
8. What do you mean by ‘public protest’?
Answer: When a large number of people come together and openly state their
opposition to some issue is termed as public protest. Organising a rally, starting
a signature campaign, blocking roads etc. are some of the ways in which this is
done.
9. What is an independent media?
Answer: An independent media means that no one should control and influence its
coverage of news. No one should tell the media what can be included and what should
not be included in a news story.
10. What is mass media?
Answer: TV, radio and newspapers are a form of media that reaches millions of
people, or the masses, across the country and the world and, thus, they are called
mass media.
11. Why media is not interested in covering small issues that involve ordinary
people and their daily lives?

Answer: Media is not interested in covering small issues that involve ordinary
people and their daily lives because these issues cannot attract lot of reader or
viewer and hence may affect their business.
12. How people express their dissatisfaction to any of the government’s action or
plan?
Answer: Some of the ways in which they can do this is by writing letters to the
concerned minister, organising a public protest, starting a signature campaign,
asking the government to rethink its programme, etc.
13. “Television gives us a partial view of the world”. Comment
Answer: We need to realise that television gives us a partial view of the world.
While we enjoy our favourite programmes, we should always be aware of the large
exciting world beyond our TV screens. There is so much happening out there that TV
ignores.
14. Why is it important to have independent media?
Answer: In order to write balanced reports, media need to be independent. Moreover,
it is on the basis of the information that the media provides that we take action
as citizens, so it is important that this information is reliable and not biased.
15. Why media is no longer considered independent?
Answer: Media continual need for money and its links to advertising means that it
becomes difficult for media to be reporting against people who give them
advertisements. Media is, thus, no longer considered independent because of its
close links to business.
16. What do the word media mean?
Answer: Media is the plural form of the word ‘medium’ and it describes the various
ways through which we communicate in society. Because media refers to all means of
communication, everything ranging from a phone call to the evening news on TV can
be called media.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. Why do media sometimes focus on only one side of the story?
Answer: Media sometimes focus on only one side of the story because:
• Media’s continual need for money and its links to advertising means
that it becomes difficult for media to be reporting against people who give them
advertisements.
• They believe this makes the story interesting.
• They often do this to increase public support for an issue.
2. How has television brought the world closer to us?
Answer: Television has enabled us to think of ourselves as members of a larger
global world. Television images travel huge distances through satellites and
cables. This allows us to view news and entertainment channels from other parts of
the world. Most of the cartoons that we see on television are mostly from Japan or
the United States. We can now be sitting in Chennai or Jammu and can see images of
a storm that has hit the coast of Florida in the United States. Television has
brought the world closer to us.
3. How media and money are interrelated?
Answer: The different technologies that mass media use are expensive. In a news
studio, it is not only the newsreader who needs to be paid but also a number of
other people who help put the broadcast together. The technologies that mass media
use keep changing and so a lot of money is spent on getting the latest technology.
Due to these costs, the mass media needs a great deal of money to do its
work. Thus, mass media is constantly thinking of ways to make money.
4. “Most television channels and newspapers are part of big business houses”.
Explain why?
Answer: In a news studio, it is not only the newsreader who needs to be paid but
also a number of other people who help put the broadcast together. This includes
those who look after the cameras and lights. Also, as you read earlier the
technologies that mass media use keep changing and so a lot of money is spent on
getting the latest technology. Due to these costs, the mass media needs a great
deal of money to do its work. As a result, most television channels and newspapers
are part of big business houses.
5. In what ways does the media play an important role in a democracy?
Answer: Role of media in a democracy are:
• In a democracy, the media plays a very important role in providing news
and discussing events taking place in the country and the world. It is on the basis
of this information that citizens can, for example, learn how government works.
 • It also criticizes the unpopular policies and programme of the
government.
• It forms the public opinion.
• It raises issues and problem related to common people.
• It also acts as reminder for the government about their promises.
6. How does technology affect the media industry?
Answer: Changing technology, or machines, and making technology more modern, help
media to reach more people. It also improves the quality of sound and the images
that we see. But technology does more than this. It also changes the ways in which
we think about our lives. For example, today it is quite difficult for us to think
of our lives without television. Television has enabled us to think of ourselves as
members of a larger global world. Television images travel huge distances through
satellites and cables. This allows us to view news and entertainment channels from
other parts of the world.
7. You have read about the ways in which the media ‘sets the agenda’. What kind of
effect does this have in a democracy? Provide two examples to support your point of
view.
Answer: The media also plays an important role in deciding what stories to focus
on, and therefore, decides on what is newsworthy. By focusing on particular issues,
the media influences our thoughts, feelings and actions, and brings those issues to
our attention.
Example:
(i) The media drew our attention to alarming levels of pesticides in cola drinks.
They published reports that indicated the high level of pesticides and, thus, made
us aware of the need to regularly monitor these colas according to international
quality and safety standards.
(ii) The media drew our attention to suicide committed by farmers which leads to
large scale movement and forced the government to look further on this issue.
8. How can we say that media is far from freedom?
Answer: However, the reality is that media is far from independent. This is mainly
because of two reasons.
(i) The first is the control that the government has on the media. When the
government prevents either a news item, or scenes from a movie, or the lyrics of a
song from being shared with the larger public, this is referred to as censorship.
There have been periods in Indian history when the government censored the media.

ii) Second, at times, it is in the interest of these businesses to focus on only

one side of the story. Media’s continual need for money and its links to
advertising means that it becomes difficult for media to be reporting against
people who give them advertisements.
9. Explain the meaning and importance of local media with the help of an example.
Answer: Local media covers ‘small’ issues that involve ordinary people and their
daily lives. Several local groups have come forward to start their own media.
Several people use community radio to tell farmers about the prices of different
crops and advise them on the use of seeds and fertilisers. Others make documentary
films with fairly cheap and easily available video cameras on real-life conditions
faced by different poor communities, and, at times, have even given the poor these
video cameras to make films on their own lives.
Another example is a newspaper called Khabar Lahriya which is a fortnightly that is
run by eight Dalit women in Chitrakoot district in Uttar Pradesh. Written in the
local language, Bundeli, this eight-page newspaper reports on Dalit issues and
cases of violence against women and political corruption.
Ch 7 market Around us

What are Markets?

• A market is a place purchaser and vender is associated with the deal and buy of
merchandise. It built up a connection between the maker and the buyer.
Weekly market

• A weekly market is held on a specific day of the week.

• Many things in weekly markets are available at cheaper rates because they do not
have permanent buildings, so that they do not have to pay rent, electricity bills,
fees to the government and so on additional expenses.

• Weekly markets also have a large number of shops selling the same goods which
means there is competition among them.

Shops in the Neighbourhood

• Many of these are permanent shops, while others are roadside stalls such as that
of the vegetable hawker, the fruit vendor, the mechanic, etc.

• These shops are very helpful as they are close to our home and we can go there on
anytime.

• Usually, the buyer and seller know each other and these shops also provide goods
on credit.

Shopping complexes and malls

• There are other markets in the urban area that have many shops, popularly called
shopping complexes.

• In these urban markets, you get both branded and non-branded goods.

Chain of markets

• We don’t buy directly from the factory or from the farm.

Traders

• The people in between the producer and the final consumer are the traders.

• In these markets, buying and selling takes place between traders.

• It is through these links of traders that goods reach faraway places.

• The trader who finally sells this to the consumer, is the retailer.

Markets everywhere

• All these markets are in a specific locality and work in a particular manner and
time.

• These days one can place orders for a variety of things through the phone and
these days through the Internet, and the goods are delivered at your home.

• In clinics and nursing homes, sales representatives wait for the doctors. Such
persons are also engaged in the selling of goods.

• Thus, buying and selling takes place in different ways, not necessarily through
shops in the market.
Markets and equality

• Shop owners in a weekly market and those in a shopping complex are very different
people.

• The weekly market trader earns little compared to the profit of a regular shop
owner in a shopping complex.

• In these markets, buying and selling takes place between traders.

• It is through these links of traders that goods reach faraway places.

• The trader who finally sells this to the consumer, is the retailer.

Very Short Extra Questions and Answers

1: Who is a retailer?
Answer: Traders who sell good to the consumers
2: Who is a wholesale trader?
Answer: People or traders who buy and sell thing in bulk and sold them to other
traders
3: State an advantage of weekly market.
Answer: Most of the things we need are available at one place.
4: Why branded goods are expensive as compared to non-branded goods?
Answer: Branded goods are often promoted by advertising, which costs a lot and thus
are expensive.
5: Why fewer people can afford to buy branded goods?
Answer: Because these goods are expensive
6: The people in between the producer and final consumer are __________________.
Answer: Traders
7: For buying and selling, shops are must in the market. True/ False
Answer: False
8: These days’ goods can be delivered at home through internet also. True/False
Answer: True
9: What is the importance of chain of market?
Answer: It is because of chain of market that goods produced at one place reaches
people everywhere
10: Define wholesale.
Answer: Wholesale means buying and selling of goods and products in very large
quantities.
11: What is chain of market?
Answer: A series of markets that are connected like links forms chain of market.
Products passes from one market to another.
12. Why is weekly market so called?
Answer: A weekly market is so called because it is held on a specific day of the
week.
13. Name some roadside stalls.
Answer: Some roadside stalls are vegetable hawker, the fruit vendor and the
mechanic.
14. What is wholesale market?
Answer: This is a place where goods first reach and are then supplied to other
traders.
15. How buyers are differently placed?
Answer: Buyers are differently placed. There are many who are not able to afford
the cheapest of goods while others are busy shopping in malls.
16. Why is there a competition among the shops in the weekly market?

Answer: In a weekly market there are many shops selling the same goods which
creates competition among them.
17. Why branded goods are expensive as compared to non-branded goods?
Answer: Branded goods are often promoted by advertising, which costs a lot and thus
they are expensive.
18. Why fewer people can afford to buy branded goods?
Answer: Only fewer people can afford to buy branded goods because branded goods are
expensive.
Short Extra Questions and Answers
1. Why don’t we buy directly from the factory or from the farm?
Answer: We don’t buy directly from the factory or from the farm because producers
would not be interested in selling us small quantities such as one kilo of
vegetables or one plastic mug.
2. Who is a retailer? Give some examples.
Answer: The trader, who finally sells goods to the consumer, is the retailer. This
could be a trader in a weekly market, a hawker in the neighbourhood or a shop in a
shopping complex.
3. How are shops in neighbourhood useful to us?
Answer: Shops in the neighbourhood are useful in many ways. They are near our home
and we can go there on any day of the week. Usually, the buyer and seller know each
other and these shops also provide goods on credit.
4. Why are goods sold in permanent shops costlier than those sold in the weekly
markets or by roadside hawkers?
Answer: This is because when shops are in permanent buildings, they incur a lot of
expenditure – they have to pay rent, electricity, fees to the government. They also
have to pay wages to their workers.
5. Why is a wholesale trader necessary?
Answer: The people in between the producer and the final consumer are the traders.
The wholesale trader first buys goods in large quantities. These will then be sold
to other traders. In these markets, buying and selling takes place between traders.
It is through these links of traders that goods reach faraway places.
6. Who are the sellers in a weekly market? Why don’t we find big business persons
in these markets?
Answer: Weekly markets do not have permanent shops. Traders set up shops for the
day and then close them up in the evening. Then they may set up at a different
place the next day. We don’t find big business persons in these markets because
they sell their products through shops in large urban markets, malls and, at times,
through special showrooms.
7. What are the different kinds of shops that you find in your neighbourhood? What
do you purchase from them?
Answer: Shops that sell goods and services in our neighbourhoods are departmental
stores, other shops such as stationery, eatables or medicines and roadside stalls
such as the vegetable hawker, the fruit vendor, the mechanic, etc. We buy milk from
the dairy, groceries from departmental stores, stationery, eatables or medicines
from other shops.
8. Who is Sameer in the chapter and what does he do?
Answer: Sameer is a small trader in the weekly market. He buys clothes from a large
trader in the town and sells them in six different markets in a week. He and other
cloth sellers move in groups. They hire a mini van for this. His customers are from
villages that are near the marketplace. At festival times, such as during Deepavali
or Pongal, he does good business.
9. ‘Buying and selling can take place without going to a marketplace.’ Explain this
statement with the help of examples.
Answer: We can place orders for a variety of things through the phone and these
days through the Internet, and the goods are delivered at our home. In clinics and
nursing homes, we may have noticed sales representatives waiting for doctors. Such
persons are also engaged in the selling of goods. Thus, buying and selling takes
place in different ways, not necessarily through shops in the market.
10. Why do you think the guard wanted to stop Kavita and Sujata from entering the
shop? What would you say if someone stops you from entering a shop in a market?
Answer: Malls are shops with branded products that are costly and only the rich
people can afford to buy them but the guard saw that Kavita and Sujata were not so
rich to buy the products of the shop and that’s why he wanted to stop them to enter
the shops. If some stops me entering the shop I would feel embarrassed but would
tell him that he has no right to stop me like this.
Long Extra Questions and Answers
1. Why do people not bargain in shops located in malls whereas they bargain in
weekly markets?
Answer: People do not bargain in shops located in malls whereas they bargain in
weekly markets because malls sell expensive and branded goods at the fixed price
rate. The rates of products sold in malls are generally high due to addition of
establishment cost that are added up like security charge, govt. service charges
sale taxes, rent of the shop electricity charges, wages of the hired labours etc.

2. Write a short note on shopping complexes and malls.

Answer: There are other markets in the urban area that have many shops, popularly
called shopping complexes. These days, in many urban areas, we also have large
multi-storeyed air-conditioned buildings with shops on different floors, known as
malls. In these urban markets, we get both branded and non-branded goods. Branded
goods are expensive, often promoted by advertising and claims of better quality.
The companies producing these products sell them through shops in large urban
markets and, at times, through special showrooms.
3. From where do you think shop-owners procure their goods?
Answer: Goods are produced in factories, on farms and in homes. However, we don’t
buy directly from the factory or from the farm. Nor would the producers be
interested in selling us small quantities such as one kilo of vegetables or one
plastic mug. The people in between the producer and the final consumer are the
traders. The wholesale trader first buys goods in large quantities. These will then
be sold to other traders. In these markets, buying and selling takes place between
traders. It is through these links of traders that goods reach faraway places. The
trader, who finally sells this to the consumer, is the retailer.
4. Is there equality in the market? Justify your answer with the help of suitable
example.
Answer: Shop owners in a weekly market and those in a shopping complex are very
different people. One is a small trader with little money to run the shop whereas
the other is able to spend a lot of money to set up the shop. They also earn
unequal amounts. The weekly market trader earns little compared to the profit of a
regular shop owner in a shopping complex. Similarly, buyers are differently placed.
There are many who are not able to afford the cheapest of goods while others are
busy shopping in malls. Thus, whether we can be buyers or sellers in these
different markets depends, among other things, on the money that we have.
5. Write about Aftab – The wholesaler in the city.
Answer: Aftab is one of the wholesale traders who purchases in bulk. His business
starts around 2 o’clock in the morning when vegetables reach the market. This is
the time when the vegetable market or mandi starts buzzing with activity. The
vegetables come in trucks, matadors, tractor trolleys from farms both near and far.
Soon the process of auctions begins. Aftab participates in this auction and decides
what he will buy. He has a shop in the market where he stores the vegetables that
he has bought. From here he sells to hawkers and shopkeepers who start coming to
the market around six in the morning. They have to organise their purchases so that
they can start their shop for the day around ten in the morning.
6. ‘All persons have equal rights to visit any shop in a marketplace.’ Do you think
this is true of shops with expensive products? Explain with examples.

Answer: ‘All persons have equal rights to visit any shop in a marketplace.’ Yes,
this is true of shops with expensive products. As a customer we are free to enter
any shop and explore different products even if we do not have enough money to buy
it.
We can understand this more clearly through an example.
Kavita and Sujata went to Anzal Mall. They entered a shop that was selling branded
ready-made clothes. They looked at some of the dresses and then looked at the price
tag. None of them was less than Rs. 2000, almost five times the weekly market
price. The price did not suit their pockets. Hence they went to another shop.
7. Why do people go to a weekly market? Give three reasons.
Answer: People go to a weekly market because of the following reasons:
• Many things in weekly markets are available at cheaper rates.
• Weekly markets also have a large number of shops selling the same goods
which means there is competition among them. If some trader were to charge a high
price, people would move to another shop where the same thing may be available more
cheaply or where the buyer can bargain and bring the price down.
• Most things we need are available at one place. Whether we want
vegetables, groceries or cloth items, utensils – all of them can be found here. We
do not have to go to different areas to buy different things.
8. In what ways is a hawker different from a shop owner?
Answer: A hawker provides door to door service. He sells his goods by calling out
the names of his items. He generally owns a the which we may call a movable shop
and keeps in it different items of our everyday use. He sells his goods at a
minimum profit.
A shop owner runs his shop at one fixed place. Whenever we need anything we go
there and purchase it. Here, we get things at a somewhat costlier rate.
9. Explain how a chain of markets is formed. What purpose does it serve?
Answer: Goods are produced in factories, on farms and in homes. However, we don’t
buy directly from the factory or from the farm. Nor would the producers be
interested in selling us small quantities such as one kilo of vegetables or one
plastic mug. The people in between the producer and the final consumer are the
traders. The wholesale trader first buys goods in large quantities. These will then
be sold to other traders. In these markets, buying and selling takes place between
traders. It is through these links of traders that goods reach faraway places. The
trader who finally sells this to the consumer, is the retailer. This could be a
trader in a weekly market, a hawker in the neighbourhood or a shop in a shopping
complex.

It serves a great purpose as it is through these links of traders that goods reach
faraway places. It provides employment to large number of people. Factories and
producers need not to find their customer directly. It maintains flow of money in
the society.
10. Why are things cheap in the weekly market?
Answer: Many things in weekly markets are available at cheaper rates. This is
because when shops are in permanent buildings, they incur a lot of expenditure –
they have to pay rent, electricity, fees to the government. They also have to pay
wages to their workers. In weekly markets, these shop owners store the things they
sell at home. Most of them are helped by their family members and, hence, do not
need to hire workers. Weekly markets also have a large number of shops selling the
same goods which means there is competition among them. If some trader were to
charge a high price, people would move to another shop where the same thing may be
available more cheaply or where the buyer can bargain and bring the price down.
Thank you