Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2

History can be seen as a vast story with memorable characters and inspiring tales of adversity and triumph. Every generation adds its chapters to history while simultaneously revising and learning new things from previously written ones. New Kings and Kingdoms is the second chapter of Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2. In the current day, it’s possible that students have not witnessed any true kings or kingdoms. However, these Kings and Kingdoms glorify the past. It was in between the 7th and the 12th centuries, a great number of new dynasties appeared in various regions of the subcontinent. A Kingdom is a region of territory that a King or a Queen governs. The New Kings and Kingdoms is a chapter covered in greater detail in Chapter 2 Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Important Questions. Students can easily access all this and more on the Extramarks’ website.

Students need to constantly put attention on lengthy subjects such as History and do constant revisions. Extramarks’ professionals have developed Social Science Our Pasts 2 Class 7 Chapter 2 Important Questions using NCERT Textbook, NCERT Exemplar, other reference books, past years’ exam papers, and other sources. History experts have compiled a list of step-by-step solutions to assist students in understanding each chapter. Students can register today with Extramarks and access Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2 Important Questions.

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Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2- with Solutions

History experts of Extramarks have developed an entire list of Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2 from various sources. These questions and solutions help students better comprehend New Kings and Kingdoms.

Mentioned below are a few Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2 and their solutions:

Question 1. What were the activities associated with Chola temples?

Answer 1. Chola temples served as hubs for creating crafts and frequently served as the centre of communities that sprung up all around them. The Chola temples served as centres of economic, social, and cultural activity in addition to being places of worship. The monarchs and other people also gave them land. The output of this property was used to support every specialist employed by the temple. Making bronze pictures became the most recognisable of the crafts connected to temples, and these bronze figures are still regarded as the best in the world. Most of these bronze sculptures represented deities. However, some also showed followers.

Question 2. How did new kings come to power?

Answer 2. Every dynasty in power had its headquarters in a particular area.

  • They attempted to take control of other places concurrently.
  • In the Ganga valley, the city of Kanauj was one of the most valued locations.
  • Kanauj was a source of conflict between the Rashtrakuta, Pala, and Guijara-Pratihara kingdoms for decades.
  • History writers frequently refer to this protracted fight as the “tripartite struggle” since it involved three “parties.”
  • Building massive temples was another way rulers attempted to show off their wealth and authority.
  • When they invaded one another’s kingdoms, they frequently decided to go against temples since they were occasionally quite wealthy.

Question 3. Who were the parties involved in the ‘tripartite struggle’?

Answer 3. The “tripartite struggle” included three groups competing for control of Kannauj. The Gurjara-Pratihara, Rashtrakuta, and Pala dynasties were these three groups.

Question 4. Mahmud Ghazni- Who was he? How did he expand his kingdom?

Answer 4. The following points states details about Mahmud Ghazni:

  • The most well-known of these kings is Sultan Mahmud of Afghanistan’s Ghazni.
  • From 997 until 1030 AD, he was in power.
  • He expanded his dominion over portions of Iran, Central Asia, and the northwestern region of the subcontinent.
  • He raids across the subcontinent nearly every year, mostly on affluent temples like Somnath in Gujarat.
  • Most of the money was used to build Ghazni’s magnificent capital city.
  • He was curious to learn more about the individuals he had subdued.
  • He gave the task of penning an account of the subcontinent to a scholar named al-Biruni.
  • The Kitab al-Hind, an Arabic text, is still a valuable resource for historians.
  • To write this narrative, he sought advice from experts in Sanskrit.

Question 5. What kind of irrigation works were developed in the Tamil region?

Answer 5. In Tamil Nadu, large-scale agriculture began in the fifth or sixth centuries in the districts close to the Kaveri River. Because of the irrigation projects carried out in the Tamil area, agricultural water canals, wells, and tanks, as well as embankments to avoid flooding, were created.

Question 6. Why did the Cholas become powerful?

Answer 6. The following points state how the Cholas came to power:

  • In the Kaveri delta, the Muttaraiyar, a small main family, held sway.
  • The Kanchipuram Pallava monarchs held the family in subservience.
  • The old Chola family from Uraiyur was Vijayalaya’s lineage.
  • In the middle of the ninth century, he conquered the Muttaraiyar and took control of the Kaveri delta.
  • He created the town of Thanjavur and a shrine dedicated to Nishumbhasudini.
  • Vijayalaya’s descendants seized control of surrounding territories.
  • The kingdom expanded in size and strength as a result.
  • They conquered the Pallava and Pandyan lands to the south and north, incorporating them into their realm.
  • Rajaraja I was regarded as the strongest Chola emperor.
  • He increased power over most of these territories after becoming king in 985 A.D.
  • He also changed the way the empire was run.

Question 7. What were the qualifications necessary to become a member of a committee of the sabha in the Chola empire?

Answer 7. In the Chola kingdom, one needed to meet the following requirements to join the sabha:

  • One must own the property from which land income is received and possess their residence to join the sabha.
  • One must be between the ages of 35 and 70 and possess knowledge of the Vedas.
  • One should be trustworthy and knowledgeable about administrative issues.
  • Anyone who has served on a committee in the last three years is ineligible to serve on another committee.
  • No one who has not filed their accounts or those of their families could run the office.

Question 8. Describe the magnificent temples and bronze sculptures created by the Cholas.

Answer 8. Cholas’ magnificent temples and bronze sculptures:

  • Large temples were constructed in Thanjavur and Gangaikondacholapuram by Rajaraja and Rajendra.
  • They are works of art both in architecture and sculpture.
  • Chola temples frequently became the focal point of communities built around them.
  • These were hubs for the manufacture of crafts.
  • The land was also given to temples by both kings and other people.
  • The harvest from this farm was used to support all the experts who worked at the temple and frequently resided nearby.
  • Priests, garland makers, chefs, sweepers, musicians, dancers, etc., were among them.
  • In other words, temples were the centre of social, cultural, and economic life in addition to being places of worship.
  • Making bronze statues was the most significant of the crafts connected with temples.
  • The best bronze sculptures ever created are from the Chola region.
  • While representations of devotees were occasionally created, most depictions were of gods.

Question 9. What did the new dynasties do to gain acceptance?

Answer 9. The new dynasties took on new titles and undertook religious procedures that gave them Kshatriya rank to gain acceptance. Their bosses saw them as subordinates or Samanthas, but after acquiring riches and power, they proclaimed themselves Maha-Samanthas. The new dynasties also used warfare to establish their dominance and seize control of certain countries.

Question 10. Give a description of Chola agriculture.

Answer 10. New advancements in agriculture allowed the Cholas to accomplish many of their goals. Before entering the Bay of Bengal, the Kaveri River splits into several little canals.

  • These channels regularly overflow.
  • On their banks, they left fertile soil behind.
  • The channels’ water supply provides the required moisture for farming, especially for rice production.

Although agriculture had been developed earlier in other regions of Tamil Nadu, this land wasn’t made available for extensive farming until the fifth or sixth century.

  • In certain areas, forests had to be removed.
  • In the other regions, the land had been levelled.
  • Embankments were constructed in the Kaveri delta region to stop floods.
  • To get water to the farms, canals were built.

Two crops were typically cultivated in a year in many places.

Question 11. How did the Rashtrakutas become powerful?

Answer 11. The Rashtrakutas ruled the Chalukyas of Karnataka in the Deccan. Dantidurga, a Rashtrakuta ruler, deposed his Chalukya master in the middle of the eighth century by performing a rite known as “Hiranya-garbha” with the aid of Brahmanas. During this time, it was believed that the sacrifice, even if he were not a Kshatriya by birth, would reincarnate as one. They also engaged in battle with the Gurjara Pratihara and Pala empires. Therefore, effectively founded kingdoms in Rajasthan and Karnataka, respectively.

Question 12. Describe the common people’s lives during the Chola kingdom.

Answer 12. Periyapuranam, a Tamil text from the 12th century on the Chola dynasty, provides the following information about the lifestyles of ordinary men and women:

  • There was a little hamlet called Pulaiyas, the name of a social class Brahmanas and Vellalas regarded as “outcastes,” on the outskirts of Adanur.
  • Small cottages with outdated thatches were scattered across the hamlet, populated by agricultural labourers working menial jobs.
  • Little hens “went about in groups, dark children wearing bracelets made of black iron were dancing around holding puppies, and the doorways of the homes were covered with strips of leather.” There were mango trees with drums hanging from their branches, marudu (Arjuna) trees where a female labourer nursed her infant, and coconut “palms where tiny-headed bitches slept after giving birth in little hollows on the ground. Early in the morning, the red-crested cocks called the strong Pulaiyar (plural) to their labour, and later that day, under the shade of the Kanji tree, the voice of the wavy-haired Pulaiya ladies singing as they husked paddy could be heard.

Question 13. What were the two major cities under the control of the Chahmanas?

Answer 13. Delhi and Ajmer were the two important cities under the Chahamanas’ rule.

In the above section of Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2, all the essential topics of the chapter are covered.

Benefits of Solving Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2

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Mentioning below are some benefits of solving Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2:

  • Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2 covers all the chapter end questions along with their comprehensive answers inclusive of the crucial concepts of New Kings and Kingdoms.
  • These important questions are prepared by following the exam writing pattern. Going through these will help students prepare for exams too.
  • Students can entirely rely upon these crucial questions as these are made following all the guidelines laid by CBSE.
  • ·Through regular practice, students will be able to increase their understanding of the chapter and build a strong foundation on the concepts. 

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Q.1 Sultan Mahmud entrusted a scholar to write about the subcontinent.
I) What was the name of the scholar (1)
II) What was the name of the account that he wrote (1)
III)Why did Mahmud want this account to be written (3)

Marks:5

Ans

I) Mahmud entrusted a scholar named Al beruni to write about the subcontinent.
II) The Arabic work which Al beruni prepared about the subcontinent was named as Kitab ul Hind.
III) Mahmud raided the subcontinent almost every year and also expanded his territory over the north-western parts of the subcontinent. Mahmud wanted to know more about the people he had conquered. This curiosity in him to know about the people of the subcontinent made him entrust a scholar named Al-Beruni with writing a detailed account of the subcontinent. This Arabic work of Al beruni is called the ‘Kitab ul Hind.’

Q.2 Chahamanas, later known as Chauhans, ruled over the regions around Delhi and Ajmer.
I) Comment on the expansion of Chauhans. (3)
II) Who was Prithviraja III (2)

Marks:5

Ans
I) Chauhan rulers often indulged in warfare to expand their territory. The Chauhan rulers ruled mostly around the area of Delhi and Ajmer. They attempted to expand their control towards the west as well as the east using military tactics and warfare. But it was not so easy as here they were opposed by the Chalukyas of Gujarat in the west and the Gahadvalas of western Uttar Pradesh in the east.

II) Prithviraja III famously known as Prithviraja Chauhan was a Chahamana/ Chauhan ruler. He is considered as the best-known Chahamana ruler. He defeated an Afghan ruler, Sultan Muhammad Ghori in 1191 in first battle of Panipat but got defeated by him in 1192 in the second battle of Panipat.

Q.3 Who were the Muttaraiyar What led to the decline of Muttaraiyars

Marks:3

Ans

The Muttaraiyar were a minor chiefly family who were subordinate to the Pallava kings of Kanchipuram. They held power in the Kaveri delta until the Chola ruler of Uraiyur, Vijayalaya captured the Kaveri delta in the middle of the ninth century and overthrew them. This event ended the power of the Muttaraiyars in the region.

Q.4 How can we trace the relation between the Chola kings and the rich landowners of the kingdom

Marks:3

Ans
The relation between Chola kings and the rich landowners of the kingdom can be traced through the following benefits that were given to the landowners:
1) The Chola kings often gave titles to some rich landowners so as to mark respect. Some of these titles were muvendavelan (a velan or peasant serving three kings), araiyar (chief), and so on.
2) The Chola kings also entrusted upon them some important offices of the state and the centre.

Q.5 Many rulers described their achievements in prashastis. One prashasti was written in Sanskrit and found in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh which describes the achievement of Nagabhata, a Pratihara king.
Q1: Describe the achievement of Nagabhata. 3 Marks
Q2: He won a victory over which all Kingdoms 2 Marks

Marks:5

Ans

  1. Even as a prince, he defeated the kings of Andhra Pradesh, Vidarbha (part of Maharashtra), and Kalinga (part of Orissa). He triumphed over Chakrayudha (the ruler of Kanauj). He conquered the kings of Vanga (in Bengal), Anarta (in Gujarat), Malava (in Madhya Pradesh), Kirata (in the forest), Turushka (in the Turks), Vatsa, and Matsya (both kingdoms in north India).
  2. He won victories over Kalinga, Vanga, Anarta, Malava, Kirata, Turushka, Vatsa, Matsya.

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FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. What Was the Primary Cause of Rashtrakutas' Rise to Power as per chapter 2 of Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2?

One of the mightiest empires of the time, the Rashtrakuta Empire spanned a sizable portion of the Indian subcontinent. A 7th-century copper plate with a precise map of the Rashtrakuta dynasty’s authority from Manapura, which is in Central or West Asia, has the Rashtrakuta dynasty’s most ancient inscription. The Rashtrakutas were the Chalukyas’ subordinates. It was in the middle of the 18th century, a Rashtrakuta leader named Dantidurga defeated the Chalukya king and performed the hrinaya-garbha ceremony with the help of Brahmanas. The Rsthrakutas engaged in conflict with the Palas and Gujura Prathiharas and triumphed in building an empire that included Rajasthan and Karnataka. To gather more detailed information, students can refer to Extramarks Important Questions Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2 Chapter 2.

2. List the Activities That the Temples in the Chola Kingdom Were Associated With as given in chapter 2 of Class 7 Social Science Our Pasts 2?

One of the longest-reigning empires in recorded history was the Chola dynasty, a Tamil state in the nation’s southern region. The Cholas were centred around the Kaveri River and its lush land, but they controlled a far broader territory at the height of their dominance. The temples played a crucial role in the empire, serving as both the hubs of craft and the centres around which the villages grew. The temples were important to the kingdom’s cultural, social, and economic life, in addition to serving as places of prayer. These temples are known for producing some of the best bronze sculptures in the whole world.