Maharashtra Board Class 11 History Chapter 5 Janapadas and Republics Solution

Maharashtra Board Class 11 History Solution Chapter 5 – Janapadas and Republics

Balbharati Maharashtra Board Class 11 History Solution Chapter 5: Janapadas and Republics. Marathi or English Medium Students of Class 11 get here Janapadas and Republics full Exercise Solution.

Std

Maharashtra Class 11
Subject

History

Chapter

11
Chapter Name

Janapadas and Republics

Q.1 (A) Choose the correct alternative and write the complete sentences.

(1) ‘A region occupied by the ‘janas’ was called as .

(a) Ganarajya                                                (b) Ganasangha

(c) Janapada                                                 (d) Gotra

Answer – ‘A region occupied by the ‘janas’ was called as (c) Janapada

(2) The principal functionary of a ganasangha was known as …..

(a) Senapati                                                  (b) Bhandagarika

(c) Raja                                                          (d) Uparaja

Answer  – The principal functionary of a ganasangha was known as (c) Raja

(3) The author of the ‘Ashtadhyayi’, which mentions ‘janapadin’, was……..

(a) Kautilya                                                    (b) Panini

(c) Chanakya                                                (d) Vyas

Answer – The author of the ‘Ashtadhyayi’, which mentions ‘janapadin’, was. (b) Panini

(4) The sense of territoriality and the ensuing awareness ……………………were the main factors responsible for the formation of ancient janapadas in India.

(a) of unity                                                     (b) of authority

(c) of autonomy                                            (d) of public authority

Answer – The sense of territoriality and the ensuing awareness ..(c) of autonomy. were the main factors responsible for the formation of ancient janapadas in India.

(B) Find the incorrect pair from set B and write the correct ones.

Set ‘A’                                                            Set ‘B’

(1) Praachya                                                 of the east

(2) Praatichya                                               of the west

(3) Udichya                                                   of the north

(4) Aparanta                                                  the region to the north of Vindhya ranges

Answer – The incorrect pair is

(4) Aparanta                                                  the region to the north of Vindhya ranges

The correct pair is

Aparanta                    –                                   the coastal region of Konkan

Q.2 Choose the correct reason and complete the sentence.

The ganasangha of the Youdhey, Malav, Kshudraka were mentioned as Ayudhajivi.

Because –

(a) it was in the northeast region of the Indian subcontinent.

(b) these people were skilled warriors and warfare was the means of their livelihood.

(c) they were skilled in trade and commerce.

(d) these were the ganasanghas dependent on agriculture and animal husbandry.

Answer –

The ganasangha of the Youdhey, Malav, Kshudraka were mentioned as Ayudhajivi.

Because –

(b) these people were skilled warriors and warfare was the means of their livelihood.

Choose the correct reason and complete the sentence from maharashtra board class 11 history Janapadas and Republics

Q.4 Explain the concept with examples.

(1) Ganarajya and Sangharajya

Answer –Ganarajya means Federation of states. The Later Vedic literature, Jaina and Buddhist literature indicate that most of the janapadas were monarchic states. However, some of the janapadas were of oligarchic type. The ancient literature mentions different types of states.

Terms like Rajya, Svaarajya, Bhaujya, Vairajya, Maharajya, Saamrajya and Parmeshthya occur in this context. However, nothing more can be said about the nature of these states. We get to know that Uttar Kuru and Uttar Madra were of ‘Vairajya’ type. It means that the state was not ruled by a monarch but the members of the janapada run the state collectively. The ancient literature mention such type of states as ‘ganasangha or sangharajya’ (oligarchy/ republic).

‘Gana’ means the ruling class comprising members of equal social status.

Similarly sangha means a state formed by many kulas or janapadas by coming together. By 6th century B.C.E. many sangharajyas had come into existence. There were three main types of the ancient federation of states in India.

(1) Ganarajya of the members of the same kula. eg, Malava and Shibi.

(2) Ganarajya created by more than one kulas coming together. eg, Vajji Ganasangha. It included eight kulas. Vajji, Lichchhavi, Dnyatruk and Videha were the important ganas among them. Lichchhavi was most influential gana of them.

(3) More than one ganrajyas coming together to create a sangharajya. For example

Yaudheya-Kshudrak Sangh.

(2) Vartashastropajivi ganasangh

Answer – Ancient Indian literature mentions two more types of ganasanghas.  Ayudhjivi’ sangh and ‘Varta-Shastropajivi’ sangh.

They existed in the northwest regions of the Indian subcontinent. The ganasangha of the Trigartas was mentioned as Ayudhajivi. These people were skilled warriors and warfare was the means of  their livelihood. Eg. Yaudheya, Malava and Kshudraka.

‘Varta’ means trade and commerce. The people in the Varta- Shastropajivi ganasanghas lived by trade and commerce, agriculture and animal husbandry, as well as their skills in warfare. People in the Kamboj and Surashtra ganasanghas earned their livelihood by these means.

(3) ‘Jana’ and ‘Janapada’

Answer – Vedic people used the term Jana to designate a group of people, united under a common bond of singular kinship structure. Their settlement was known as ‘Grama’. A cluster of gramas consisting of the same jana was known by the name of that particular jana. In the beginning, however, the concept of jana included only an extended family (kul), its settlement (grama) and the cattlepen (goshtha-gotra-gaulwada). The concept of jana was not yet inclusive of the concept of territoriality. Hence, the geographic boundaries of a jana were not defined. Vedic janas gradually began to settle in the new region. The concept of jana increasingly acquired the sense of territoriality which in turn instilled the sense of geographic boundaries among the janas. This resulted into the emergence of informal local administrative structures among the janas.

Thus, independent Janapada came into existence. A region occupied by a janas was called as Janapada. Gradually the Janapadas had more formal administrative structures transforming them into independent states. These were the first well-established states of ancient India.

Q.5 Answer the following question in detail.

Describe the democratic and oligarchic states in ancient India.

Answer –

Democratic States – Some of the ganasanghas were divided into regional zones called Khanda’. They functioned through a group of elected individuals, who were found capable. Each of the elected members represented his respective khanda. These elected members were installed with collective authority for the smooth running of the ganasangha. This was a democratic system. Ganasanghas which functioned in this democratic way existed in Punjab and Sindh at the time of Alexander’s invasion.

Each elective representative of respective regional zone was designated as ‘Ganamukhya’. Every ganamukhya was the member of the assembly known as ‘ganaparishada’. Ganaparishada was the highest decision-making authority  concerning all the administrative matters of the ganasangha. The decisions made by the ganaparishada, were implemented by designated functionaries of various cadre.

The ganapramukha was the principal functionary presiding over the administrative system. He was known as the ‘Adhyaksha’ or ‘Raja’. The rest of the main designated functionaries included, Uparaja (Upadhyaksha), Senapati and Bhandagarika (Koshadhyaksha)

Oligarchic States : In this type the elite class in the society held all the powers of decision-making and administration. Panini and Kautilya mention them as ‘Rajshabdopajivi’ sangh. Panini includes Vajji, Andhaka, Vrishni, Yaudheya in the

Rajashabdopjivi type. Kautilya includes the Vrijji or Vajji, Madrak, Kuru, Panchala, etc. in this type. This type of ganasanghas were more prevalent in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

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Updated: September 8, 2022 — 12:22 am

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