Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Past 2 Chapter 7
Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7
Historians dedicate themselves to throwing light on unrealised worlds and possible alternative futures in the same way we could go to the past to understand better the numerous, complex processes in which our current world came to exist. The seventh chapter of Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 is Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities. The social norms and ceremonies established by the Brahmanas were not adhered to by many communities, including the tribes of the Indian subcontinent. They were not separated into multiple inferior classes either. They occasionally ran into conflict with the more dominant caste-based society. Chapter 7 Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Important Questions provides further information about tribes, nomads, and settled communities for students to study. Students can easily access all this and more on the Extramarks website.
Some students find history a complex subject to retain, especially during exams. We at Extramarks understand the importance of solving the important questions for each chapter. The NCERT textbook, other reference books, past exam papers, and other sources have all been used by Extramarks professionals to compile Social Science Our Pasts 2 Class 7 Chapter 7 Important Questions. To help students understand each chapter, our history experts have compiled a list of step-by-step solutions. Students can register with Extramarks and access Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7 Important Questions.
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Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7- with Solutions
History experts at Extramarks have produced an entire list of Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7 with the help of various sources. Many societies, especially the tribes of the Indian subcontinent, did not follow the social rules and traditions set by the Brahmanas. They weren’t divided up into multiple lower classes either. Sometimes they clashed with the more powerful caste-based society. These questions and solutions help students better comprehend Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities.
Mentioned below are a few Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7 and their solutions:
Question 1. In what way was the history of the Gonds different from that of Ahoms? Were there any similarities?
Answer 1. In the history of both the tribal groups – Gonds and Ahoms – we find that the administration was centralised for both of them. They were split up into jatis, or clans. However, there were several differences between the two groups. The Gonds engaged in shifting agriculture and occupied a huge wooded area known as Gondwana, or “land inhabited by Gonds.” When the Ahom people arrived in the Brahmaputra valley in the thirteenth century from modern-day Myanmar, they suppressed the bhuiyan political order to establish a new kingdom (landlords). They ruled over several other tribes and annexed the kingdoms of the Chhutiyas (1523) and Koch-Hajo (1581) throughout the sixteenth century. During the Delhi Sultans’ decline, a few sizable Gond kingdoms started to rule the lesser Gond chiefs. A historical account of Akbar’s reign called the Akbar Nama refers to the 70,000-village Gond kingdom of Garha Katanga.
Question 2. Write a short note about Rani Durgavati.
Answer 2. Dalpat, a son of Gond Raja Aman Das and a daughter of Salbahan, was married to Durgawati. Dalpat’s early death forced her to handle the administration on behalf of his five-year-old son. She accelerated the growth of her realm. She withstood the Mughals’ onslaught on the Garha Katanga heroically, and instead of giving up, she decided to commit herself. Durgawati exhibited great bravery.
Question 3. What kinds of exchanges took place between nomadic pastoralists and settled agriculturalists?
Answer 3. Nomad pastoralists travelled for long distances with their livestock while surviving on milk and other pastoral goods. They bartered grain, textiles, utensils, and other goods for wool, ghee, and other goods with established farmers.
Question 4. Show the Gonds in more detail.
Answer 4. The Gonds were inhabitants of the Gondwana Forest. They were further separated into many clans and engaged in shifting farming. These clans each had a “rai,” the clan’s ruler. As the Delhi Sultanate began to fall, Gonds had the opportunity to expand their kingdoms. The Akbar Nama also refers to the Gond Kingdom, Garha Katanga. There were over 70,000 settlements in the Garha Katanga.
Question 5. Were the Banjaras important for the economy?
Answer 5. The most significant group of commercial nomads were the Banjaras. The banjaras’ caravan was known as the tanda. Sultan Alauddin Khalji utilised the Banjaras to convey grain to the marketplace in the cities. They transported grain from various locations on their bullocks and sold it in towns. During military operations, they delivered food and grain to the Mughal army. They purchased grain in cheaply accessible locations, transported it to more expensive locations, and afterwards loaded their oxen once more with whatever might be sold successfully in other locations.
Question 6. What was the primary cause of Ahom’s decline?
Answer 6. The Paiks were a major source of support for the Ahom dynasty. The forced labourers compelled to work for the state were known as paiks. The Census method dictated that labourers be selected from various communities. As a result of the Paiks’ movement from densely inhabited to sparsely populated areas, Ahom’s clan numbers decreased. The Ahoms were in a vulnerable position, which allowed the Mughals to assault them.
Question 7. How was the administration of the Ahom state organised?
Answer 7. Despite the valiant defence of Ahoms, the Ahom kingdom was assaulted by the Mughals led by Mir Jumla in 1662. The Ahom state relied on forced labour, and individuals made to work for the government were referred to as “Paiks.” The Ahom clan was divided when each village was required to submit a certain number of paiks on a rotating basis, and residents of densely inhabited regions were relocated to less densely populated areas. The government grew fairly centralised throughout the first part of the seventeenth century, and practically all adult males served in the military during times of conflict. In addition to introducing innovative techniques for rice farming, they were involved in the construction of dams, irrigation systems, and other public works. The Ahom people were organised into khels or clans. Usually, a khel was in charge of numerous villages. The village community gave the peasant land, and even the king could not take it away without the community’s permission.
Question 8. How did the Khiljis and Mughals trade using the Banjaras?
Answer 8. The Banjaras were well renowned for moving grains from one location to another. Banjaras transported grains on bullock carts during the Mughal era to sell them in other areas. Also, during military wars, they moved supplies for the troops.
Question 9. How did tribal societies change after being organised into a state?
Answer 9. The Rajput clans’ rise to power had established a precedent for the indigenous people to follow. Many tribes joined the caste system thanks to the backing of the Brahmanas. However, admission to the governing elite was restricted to the most prominent tribal families. The vast majority joined the lower caste jatis. Some tribes, like the Ahoms, used to worship their tribal deities. But the influence of Brahmanas grew in the first part of the seventeenth century. Even though the Ahom rulers adopted Hinduism during the reign of Sib Singh (1714–1744), they did not renounce their native beliefs. Tribal people and the community established in Varna interacted often. Both types of cultures had to adapt to and evolve due to this interaction, and several tribes adopted a variety of livelihoods. Many of them eventually assimilated into a caste-based society throughout time. Some people disapproved of both the caste system and traditional Hinduism. Some tribes developed large states with efficient administrative structures and rose to political power. This led to them clashing with bigger and more advanced kingdoms and empires.
Question 10. What unique qualities did tribal societies have?
Answer 10. Tribal societies had the following unique attributes:
- Tribes were not segregated by class.
- They refused to abide by the Brahmins’ regulations.
- Family ties brought them together.
- Tribal societies were admired for their culture and gods.
Question 11. What changes took place in varna-based society?
Answer 11. During this time, the varna-based society underwent significant changes. Tribal people and the community established in the varna-system interacted often. Both types of cultures had to adapt to and evolve due to this interaction, and several tribes adopted a variety of livelihoods. Many of them eventually assimilated into caste-based society throughout time. Some people disapproved of both the caste system and traditional Hinduism. Some tribes developed large states with efficient administrative structures and rose to political power. This led to them clashing with bigger and more advanced kingdoms and empires.
Question 12. Briefly describe the various tribes and the areas in which they reside.
Answer 12. The Khokhar tribe significantly impacted Punjab throughout the 13th and 14th centuries. Numerous areas in Multan and Sind were ruled by the Langahs and Arghuns tribes. Another substantial and powerful tribe in the northwest was the Balochis. They were split up into several smaller clans led by various leaders. The Gaddis shepherd tribe resided in the western Himalayas.
The Nagas, Ahoms, and many other tribes controlled the subcontinent’s north-eastern region. Chero chiefdoms had developed in numerous regions of the modern states of Bihar and Jharkhand by the 12th century.
Along with Orissa and Bengal, this area was home to the Mundas and Santal tribes. Kolis, Beads, and other people were from Karnataka and the highlands of Maharashtra. Kolis also resided in a variety of Gujarati locales. There were sizable tribal communities of Koragas, Vetars, Maravars, and other peoples in the south.
The numerous Bhil tribes were dispersed over central and western India. Many had established themselves as farmers, and some had even become zamindars. The modern states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh were home to large populations of the Gonds.
In the section given above of Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7, all the important topics of the chapter are covered.
Benefits of solving Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7
As mentioned earlier, history is a subject which is highly important. Students are encouraged to go through Extramarks Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7. This list of important questions can make this subject easy to understand for the students. Students gather confidence by answering the important questions and going over their solutions.
Mentioning below are some benefits of solving Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7:
- Students can entirely rely upon these important questions as they are made following all the guidelines laid by CBSE.
- History comprises vast chapters—all the intricacies of the chapters in these important questions by Extramarks.
- Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7 covers the concepts of the entire chapter- Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities.
Extramarks provides comprehensive learning solutions for students from Class 1 to Class 12. Our website has abundant resources, along with important questions and solutions. Students can click on the links given below to access some of these resources:
Q.1 What was the religion of the Ahom state?
Ans
Originally, the Ahoms worshipped their own tribal gods. But gradually, they adopted the Vaishnava faith then prevailing in the Brahmaputra valley. The kings granted land to the temples and Brahmanas. In the reign of Sib Singh (1714-1744), Hinduism became the predominant religion. But the Ahom kings did not completely give up their traditional beliefs after adopting Hinduism and kept a harmonious balance by also preserving their ancestral religion.
Q.2 Read the following passage and answer the questions given below:
“The best-known pastoral and hunter-gatherer tribe in history were the Mongols. They inhabited the grasslands (steppes) of Central Asia and the forest areas further north. By 1206, Genghis Khan had united the Mongol and Turkish tribes into a powerful military force. At the time of his death (1227), he was the ruler of extensive territories. His successors created a vast empire. At different points of time, it included parts of Russia, Eastern Europe and also China and much of West Asia. The Mongols had well-organised military and administrative systems. These were based on the support of different ethnic and religious groups.”
1. Who were Mongols?
2. Which areas were inhabited by the Mongols?
3. Who united the Mongol and Turkish tribes into a powerful military force?
4. What was the basis of military and administrative systems of Mongols?
Ans
1. Mongols were the best-known pastoral and hunter-gatherer tribe in history.
2. The Mongols inhabited the grasslands (steppes) of Central Asia and the forested areas of north.
3. By 1206, Genghis Khan had united the Mongol and Turkish tribes into a powerful military force.
4. The basis of military and administrative systems of Mongols was the support of different ethnic and religious groups.
Q.3 Which Gakkhar chief was made a noble by Emperor Akbar?
Ans
Kamal Khan Gakkhar was made a noble by Emperor Akbar. The Akbarnama records the growing popularity of Kamal Khan in the Imperial Court.
Q.4 Which two tribes dominated the Multan and Sindh region?
Ans
The Langahs and Arghuns dominated the Multan and Sindh regions before they were subdued by the Mughals.
Q.5 What was the occupation of the Ahoms?
Ans
The early Ahom state had a simple economy. The primary occupation of the Ahoms was agriculture. They introduced new methods of wet rice cultivation. During wars almost most men served in the army. In normal situations, they had to indulge themselves in the construction of embankments, irrigation systems and other public works.
Q.6 What are the main characteristics of tribal societies?
Ans
The main characteristics of tribal societies are as follows:
1. Tribal societies are united by kinship bonds.
2. There is no hierarchy among men and groups in tribal societies.
3. Strong, complex, formal organisation are absent in tribal societies.
4. Tribal societies have communitarian basis of land holding.
Q.7 What is a clan?
Ans
A clan is a group of families or households claiming descent from a common ancestor. Tribal organisation is often based on kinship or clan loyalties.
Q.8 What is a ‘tanda’?
Ans
The caravan of banjaras was called tanda.
Q.9 Who were ‘paiks’?
Ans
Labourers which were forced to work for the state were called ‘paiks’.
Q.10 What is ‘shifting agriculture’?
Ans
Trees and bushes in a forest area are first cut and burnt. The crop is sown in the ashes. When this land loses its fertility, another plot of land is cleared and planted in the same way. This is called shifting agriculture.
Q.11 Who are nomadic pastoralists?
Ans
Nomadic pastoralists are the people who travel long distances with their animals in search of fodder. They live on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchange wool, ghee etc. with settled communities for grain, cloth, utensils and other products.
Q.12 What are tribal societies?
Ans
Many societies in the subcontinent did not follow social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas. Nor were they divided into numerous unequal classes. Such societies are often called tribal societies.
Q.13 Who were ‘Ahoms’?
Ans
In the thirteenth century, the Ahoms migrated to the Brahmaputra valley from present-day Myanmar. T
he Ahom kingdom consolidated its power for the next 300 years. During the sixteenth century, the kingdoms of the Chhutiyas (1523) and Koch-Hajo (1581) were annexed by the Ahoms. They subdued the neighboring hill tribes. They knew about firearms as early as the 1530s. During the latter part of the sixteenth century, the Ahoms faced a succession of Mughal invasions. Despite their courageous defense, the Ahoms were defeated. But the Mughals could not have direct control over the region for a long time.
Q.14 Mark the following names on the given map.
(i) Ahoms
(ii) Bhils
(iii) Gonds
(iv) Kolis
(v) Mundas
Ans
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Q.15 This is a picture of a Gond women. Answer the following questions related to the picture:
1. Where did the Gond tribe live?
2. Which Gond kingdom is mentioned in Akbar Nama?
3. Which Gond king assumed the title of ‘Sangram Shah’?
4. Why was Garha Katanga a rich state?
Ans
1. The Gonds lived in a vast forested region called Gondwana – or “country inhabited by Gonds”
2. The Gond kingdom of Garha Katanga is mentioned in Akbar Nama.
3. Aman Das, the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, assumed the title of Sangram Shah.
4. Garha Katanga was a rich state. It earned much wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms.
Q.16 What does ‘Nomad” mean?
Ans
Nomad means a wandering group of people who live by hunting, herding and gathering. These groups move from one place to another and are efficient horse riders.
Q.17 Write a short note on the administrative system of the Gond kingdom.
Ans
The Gonds comprise the largest tribal group in India. The large Gond kingdom was divided into garhs. A particular Gond clan controlled each garh. Each garh was further divided into units of 84 villages called chaurasi. The chaurasi was subdivided into barhots which were made up of 12 villages each.
Q.18 Which countries were inhabited by Ahoms in the beginning?
Ans
Ahoms lived in Myanmar prior to their migration into Brahmaputra valley.
Q.19 Who is considered as one of the builders of the Ahom states and how?
Ans
Suhungmung is considered as one of the real builders of the Ahom state. He undertook the first population census of his kingdom and brought different classes of craftsmen from outside his state and established them in his kingdom.
Q.20 Who were ‘Gonds’?
Ans
The Gonds refer to the tribal people who lived in the vast forests of Gondwana. They were found in large numbers across the present-day states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
In the fourteenth century, Gonds were the ruling class in many parts of central India. During this time several small Gond kingdoms were consolidated by Gond kings to form a Gond dynasty. The Gond kingdom of Garha Katanga that had 70,000 villages is mentioned in Akbar Nama.
Q.21 Why did the Ahom clans break up?
Ans
The Ahom kingdom of medieval Assam was based on a type of forced labour system known as the Paik system. The paiks rendered direct service to the king. The paik rendering service was rotated. Each village had to send a number of paiks by rotation. People from heavily populated areas were shifted to less populated places, which led to the break up of the Ahom clans.
Q.22 How did the emergence of large states change the nature of Gond society?
Ans
The nature of the Gond society changed with the emergence of large states.
1. It weakened the clan identity. There was a gradual division of Gond society into unequal social classes.
2. Brahmanas became a dominant class in the society as they received land grants from the Gond rajas.
3. The Gond rajas desired to be recognised as Rajputs. They began forming marital relation with the Rajputs.
Q.23 Explain the term ‘khel’ in reference to Ahom society.
Ans
Ahom society was divided into clans or khels. There were very few castes of artisans, so artisans in the Ahom areas came from the adjoining kingdoms. A khel often controlled several villages. The peasant was given land by his village community. Even the king could not take it away without the community’s consent.
Q.24 Where did the tribal societies usually live?
Ans
Many large tribes thrived in different parts of the subcontinent. They usually lived in forests, hills, deserts and places difficult to reach.
Q.25 How was the society divided in large parts of the subcontinent?
Ans
In large parts of the subcontinent, society was divided according to the rules of Varna.
Q.26 What were the occupations of the tribal people?
Ans
The tribal people obtained their livelihood from agriculture, hunting, gathering and herding.
Q.27 Read the following passage and answer the questions given below: Peter Mundy, an English trader who came to India during the early seventeenth century, has described the Banjaras: In the morning we met a tanda of Banjaras with 14, 000 oxen. They were all laden with grains such as wheat and rice …These Banjaras carry their household – wives, and children –along with them. One tanda consists of many families. Their way of life is similar to that of carriers who continuously travel from place to place. They own their oxen. They are sometimes hired by merchants, but most commonly they are themselves, merchants. They buy grain where it is cheaply available and carry it to places where it is dearer. From there, they again reload their oxen with anything that can be profitably sold in other places … In a tanda, there may be as many as 6 or 7 hundred persons … They do not travel more than 6 or 7 miles a day – that, too, in the cool weather. After unloading their oxen, they turn them free to graze as there is enough land here, and no one there to forbid them.
1. Who were banjaras?
2. What was their source of livelihood?
3. Why were Banjaras hired by Sultan Alauddin Khalji? [1+2+1=4]
Ans
1. The Banjaras were the most important trader nomads. Their way of life is similar to that of carriers who continuously travel from place to place.
2. The banjaras were sometimes hired by merchants, but most commonly they were themselves, merchants. They bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer.
3. Sultan Alauddin Khalji used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets.
Q.28 Who defeated the Cheros tribe in 1591?
Ans
Raja Man Singh, Akbar’s famous general, attacked and defeated the Cheros in 1591.
Q.29 What are Buranjis?
Ans
Buranjis are a class of historical chronicles written in the Ahom and Assamese languages.
Q.30 How did Garha Katanga earn much of its wealth?
Ans
The Garha Katanga earned much of its wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms.
Q.31 Mention two influential tribes of Punjab.
Ans
Two influential tribes of Punjab were:
(a) Khokhar tribe. It was an influential tribe in the 13th and 14th century.
(b) Later, the Gakkhars tribe became influential.
Q.32 How did the nomadic pastoralists make a living in Medieval India?
Ans
Nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchanged wool, ghee, etc. with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils, and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another, transporting them on their animals. Many pastoral tribes reared and sold animals such as cattle and horses, to the prosperous people. Different castes of petty peddlers also travelled from village to village. They made and sold wares such as ropes, reeds, straw matting, and coarse sacks. Sometimes mendicants acted as wandering merchants. There were castes of entertainers who performed in different towns for earning a living.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
1. What benefits come from Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7?
Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7 include the following benefits:
- Subject specialists go into great depth and use simple language to clarify all the core concepts.
- Extramarks provides clear and accurate answers to all of the exercise-based textbook problems.
- On the Extramarks website, the solutions are simply accessible.
- These solutions are the correct tool to study the chapter- Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities.
2. What main topics are covered in Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7?
The following topics are covered in Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 7:
- How did nomads and other mobile people live?
- The Gonds and Ahoms
- Tribal societies. Who were tribal people?
- New Hierarchies and Castes
