NCERT Solutions For Class 6 Social Science Chapter 19 Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War

(i) The slaves and servants were ill-treated because they were mostly prisoners of wars. They were used as labouring tools by their owners and masters.

(ii) Yes, I think the orders of the emperor would have improved their condition as he was the head of the state, with power to prevent the ill-treatment to them.

Ashoka wanted to solve the following problems by introducing dhamma:

       •   People in the empire followed different religions, and this sometimes led to conflicts among various beliefs.

       •   Animals were sacrificed.

        •  Slaves and servants were ill treated, and there were quarrels in families and amongst neighbours.

The following were the occupations of the people who lived within the Mauryan Empire:

• Farming

• Herding

• Working as officials

• Handicrafts

• Trading

• Hunting-gathering

(i) Ashoka appointed officials, known as the dhamma mahamatta. These officials went from place to place teaching people about dhamma.

(ii) Besides, he got his dhamma messages inscribed on rocks and pillars and instructed his officials to read the message to those who could not read.

(iii) He also sent messengers to spread ideas about dhamma to other lands, such as Syria, Egypt, Greece and Sri Lanka.

(iv) He built roads, dug wells, and built rest houses and he arranged for medical treatment for both human beings and animals.

(a) False
(b) False
(c) False
(d) True

(a) Officials collected taxes from the area under the direct control of the ruler.
(b) Royal princes often went to the provinces as governors.
(c) The Mauryan rulers tried to control roads and rivers which were important for transport.
(d) People in forested regions provided the Mauryan officials with elephants, timber, honey and wax.