Here are important questions from Class 6 history chapter 10 Traders, Kings And Pilgrims.

1. Which part of the Indian subcontinent was famous for spices, especially pepper?

South India

2. Which spice is known as black gold?

Pepper

3. Name the three ruling families that became powerful in South India around 2300 years ago.

The Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas

4. Who are the muvendar mentioned in the Sangam poems?

Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas

5. Name the dynasties that were ruling South India around 2300 years ago.

Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas

6. Name the port of the Cholas

Kaveripattinam or Puhar

7. Which city was the capital of Pandyas?

Madurai

8. Which dynasty came to power in South India after Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas?

Satavahanas

9. Who was the most famous ruler of Satavahanas?

Gautamiputra Satakarni

10. Who were known as the lords of Dakshinapatha?

Satavahanas

11. What is Silk Route?

The Chinese started making silk around 7000 years ago. Chinese traders who went to distant lands on foot, horseback or camels often carried silk with them. The paths they followed came to be known as the Silk Route.

12. The best known of the rulers who controlled the Silk Route were ………………………………

Kushanas

13. Kushanas who controlled the Silk Route ruled over ……………………… and ……………………………

Central Asia and North-West India

14. Which two cities were the major centres of power of the Kushanas?

Peshawar and Mathura

15. Who were among the earliest rulers of the sub-continent to issue gold coins?

Kushanas

16. Who was the most famous Kushana ruler?

Kanishka

17. Name the Kushana ruler who organized a Buddhist council where scholars met and discussed important matters?

Kanishka

18. Name the poet who composed Buddhacharita, the biography of Buddha.

Ashvaghosha

19. Ashvaghosha lived in the court of ………………………….

Kanishka

20. Ashvaghosha and other Buddhist scholars of his time wrote in ……………………………

Sanskrit

21. Name the form of Buddhism developed during the reign of Kushanas.

Mahayana Buddhism

22. Name the two places famous for making statues of Buddha.

Mathura and Taxila

23. What was the main features of Mahayana Buddhism?

Before the development of Mahayana Buddhism, there was no practice of making the statues of Buddha. His attainment of enlightenment was shown in sculptors by an empty seat under a peepal tree. Mahayana Buddhism promoted the practice of making the statues of Buddha. Another change was that the worship of Bodhisattvas became popular. These were supposed to be enlightened persons who could live in complete peace and isolation. However, instead of doing that, they chose to remain in the world and help other people.

24. Which branch of Buddhism spread to Central Asia, China, Korea and Japan?

Mahayana Buddhism

25. Which form of Buddhism was more popular in South-East Asia?

Theravada Buddhism

26. Name the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India around 1600 years ago.

Fa Xian

27. ……………………….. was a Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who visited India around 1400 years ago.

Xuan Zang

28. Which was the most famous Buddhist monastery around 1400 years ago?

Nalanda

29. Nalanda is in present day ……………………….

Bihar

30. Name the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim who studied at Nalanda.

Xuan Zang

Textbook Questions

1. Match the following

Answers

Muvender – Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas

Lords of the dakshinapatha – Satavahana rulers

Ashvaghosha – Buddhacharita

Bodhisattvas – Mahayana Buddhism

Xuan Zang – Chinese pilgrim

2. Why did kings want to control the Silk Route?

Silk became quite popular among the Romans around 2000 years ago and it was very expensive because it had to be transported all the way from China along dangerous routes. Kings often tried to control the Silk Route because they could benefit from taxes, tributes and gifts brought by traders traveling along the road. In return, they protected the traders who passed through their kingdoms from attacks by robbers.

3. What kinds of evidence do historians use to find out about trade and trade routes?

Archaeologists have unearthed fine pottery, especially bowls and plates, from different parts of the country and they believe that traders may have carried them from place to place. South India is famous for its spices, especially pepper, which was highly valued in Roman Empire. Several Roman gold coins have been found in South India and this also suggests that there was a flourishing trade of spices between India and Rome. Historians also depend heavily on the accounts left by travellers and pilgrims. As traders travelled to distant lands, pilgrims often accompanied them and left elaborate accounts of their journeys. The evidence of trade is also found in Sangam literature.

4. What were the main features of Bhakti?

Bhakti meant the worship of deities such as Shiva, Vishnu, Durga etc. Anyone regardless of their age, gender or social status could follow the path of Bhakti. The Bhakti movement encourages devotees to take refuge in the deity of their choice to free themselves from evil. It emphasized worship or a god or goddess as a better means of self realization than the performance of elaborate rituals or sacrifices. Bhakti movement allowed devotees to worship the deity in the form of a human being, tree, lion or any other form. It was believed that if the devotee had a pure heart, the deity will appear in the form in which they worship him/her.

5. Discuss the reasons why the Chinese pilgrims came to India.

They came to India to visit famous monasteries and places associated with the life of Buddha.

6. Why do you think ordinary people were attracted to Bhakti?

People were attracted to Bhatki because anybody rich or poor, lower caste or higher caste, man or woman could follow it.

Also, Bhakti allowed an intimate, two-way relationship between the deity and devotee.

The deity could be worshipped in any form that appeals to the devotee.

The devotee did not require any special learning or had to perform any sacrifices. They only needed a pure heart to love their god.

For ordinary people, worshipping an idol was easier than meditating on an abstract concept like Brahman. All of these features may have attracted the devotees to Bhakti.

True or False

1. Prior to the emergence of Mahayana Buddhism, the statue of Buddha was not made – true

2. Indians invented the technique of making silk around 7000 years ago – false (The Chinese invented this.)

3. Mathura was the capital of Pandyas – false (It was Madurai.)

4. Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas ruled around 1500 years ago – false (They ruled around 2300 years ago.)

5. Muvendar used to collect regular taxes – false