You are in Set 1
This set contains 50 carefully curated MCQs to test your knowledge on a variety of topics. Click on a set below to navigate.
1. What is the primary source of ancient Indian history?
Answer: b) Coins and inscriptions
Explanation: Coins and inscriptions are physical remnants from ancient times, offering valuable insights into rulers, economies, and cultural practices.
2. Which among the following is considered a literary source of history?
Answer: b) Manuscripts
Explanation: Manuscripts are written records from the past, including ancient texts, religious scriptures, and historical accounts.
3. The Puranas are a significant source for which type of history?
Answer: b) Mythological and cultural history
Explanation: The Puranas contain stories, traditions, and genealogies of ancient dynasties, helping us understand India's cultural past.
4. Archaeological evidence is most commonly used to study which historical period?
Answer: a) Ancient
Explanation: Ancient history is primarily studied through excavations, artifacts, and ruins uncovered by archaeologists.
5. Which historian is famously associated with the translation of the Arthashastra?
Answer: d) R. Shamasastry
Explanation: R. Shamasastry translated Kautilya's Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft, making it accessible to modern scholars.
6. What is an inscription?
Answer: b) Texts engraved on hard surfaces like stones or metals
Explanation: Inscriptions provide direct evidence of historical events, often documenting decrees, victories, and important events.
7. The Edicts of Ashoka are inscribed on which material?
Answer: c) Rock and pillar
Explanation: Ashoka’s edicts were engraved on rock surfaces and stone pillars, disseminating his policies and moral teachings.
8. Which type of source includes coins and pottery?
Answer: c) Archaeological sources
Explanation: Coins, pottery, and tools are examples of archaeological sources, providing material evidence of past societies.
9. Which of the following texts is a Buddhist literary source?
Answer: c) Tripitaka
Explanation: The Tripitaka, also known as the Three Baskets, is a comprehensive collection of Buddhist teachings.
10. The Rigveda is an important source for which period of Indian history?
Answer: b) Vedic Period
Explanation: The Rigveda provides a detailed account of early Vedic society, including its religious practices and social structure.
11. Which ancient Indian text is considered a key source for understanding Hindu philosophy and rituals?
Answer: b) Brahmanas
Explanation: The Brahmanas are ancient Indian texts that provide insight into Hindu philosophy, rituals, and practices.
12. Who is the author of the ancient Indian medical text, the Charaka Samhita?
Answer: a) Charaka
Explanation: Charaka is the author of the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Indian medical text that provides insight into Ayurvedic practices.
13. Which of the following ancient Indian empires was known for its extensive trade networks?
Answer: b) Gupta Empire
Explanation: The Gupta Empire was known for its extensive trade networks, which facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures.
14. Which ancient Indian text is considered a key source for understanding Indian philosophy and spirituality?
Answer: c) Upanishads
Explanation: The Upanishads are ancient Indian texts that provide insight into Indian philosophy and spirituality, exploring concepts such as the nature of reality and the self.
15. Which of the following ancient Indian rulers is known for his military conquests and empire-building?
Answer: b) Samudragupta
Explanation: Samudragupta, also known as the "Indian Napoleon", was a powerful Gupta emperor who expanded his empire through military conquests.
16. Which ancient Indian text is considered a key source for understanding Hindu law and social norms?
Answer: c) Manusmriti
Explanation: The Manusmriti, also known as the Laws of Manu, is an ancient Indian text that provides insight into Hindu law, social norms, and customs.
17. Which of the following ancient Indian empires was known for its extensive trade networks with Southeast Asia?
Answer: c) Pallava Empire
Explanation: The Pallava Empire, which ruled southern India from the 3rd to the 9th centuries CE, had extensive trade networks with Southeast Asia.
18. The Indus Valley Civilization is known for its:
Answer: c) Complex urban planning
Explanation: The Indus Valley Civilization is renowned for its advanced urban planning, including grid-like street layouts, standardized brick sizes, and sophisticated drainage systems.
19. Which of the following ancient Indian texts is a collection of stories and teachings attributed to the Buddha?
Answer: c) Jataka Tales
Explanation: The Jataka Tales are a collection of stories and teachings attributed to the Buddha, which provide insight into Buddhist philosophy and ethics.
20. Which ancient Indian emperor is credited with the construction of the Sanchi Stupa?
Answer: d) Pushyamitra Sunga
Explanation: The Sanchi Stupa was constructed during the reign of Emperor Pushyamitra Sunga, who ruled India from 185 to 149 BCE.
21. Which of the following is a characteristic feature of Ashokan edicts?
Answer: b) Religious sermons and ethical instructions
Explanation: Ashokan edicts primarily contain messages about Dharma (moral law), non-violence, and religious tolerance.
22. The term ‘Itihasa’ in ancient Indian literature refers to which of the following?
Answer: b) Epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana
Explanation: ‘Itihasa’ means "thus it happened" and refers to historical epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana.
23. What role did the Chinese traveler Fa-Hien play in reconstructing Indian history?
Answer: b) Provided an account of social and religious conditions during the Gupta period
Explanation: Fa-Hien visited India during the Gupta era and recorded valuable observations on the social and religious life of the time.
24. Which ancient text provides a detailed account of Mauryan administration?
Answer: b) Arthashastra
Explanation: Kautilya’s Arthashastra offers comprehensive insights into the Mauryan administrative system.
25. What was the significance of the Junagadh inscription?
Answer: b) It describes the achievements of Rudradaman I.
Explanation: The Junagadh inscription is famous for being the first known inscription in Sanskrit and records the deeds of Rudradaman I.
26. What is the importance of Kalhana's ‘Rajatarangini’ in Indian historiography?
Answer: a) It is the first attempt to write a historical chronicle in India.
Explanation: Kalhana’s ‘Rajatarangini’ provides a historical narrative of Kashmir and is considered an early example of historical writing.
27. What type of evidence do copper plates provide in history writing?
Answer: b) Epigraphical evidence
Explanation: Copper plates often contain records of land grants, religious donations, and administrative orders.
28. Which of the following was not a traveler to India?
Answer: d) Homer
Explanation: Ibn Battuta, Xuanzang, and Megasthenes were travelers who documented Indian society and culture, whereas Homer was a Greek poet.
29. The earliest deciphered script of ancient India is:
Answer: a) Brahmi
Explanation: The Brahmi script was deciphered by James Prinsep in 1837 and is the earliest known script used in ancient India.
30. Which ancient site has provided evidence of the earliest written records in India?
Answer: d) Girnar
Explanation: The Girnar Rock Edicts of Ashoka are among the earliest written records, providing significant information on Mauryan administration and policies.
31. Who deciphered the Kharosthi script?
Answer: b) James Prinsep
Explanation: James Prinsep successfully deciphered the Kharosthi script in addition to the Brahmi script, contributing immensely to the understanding of ancient Indian inscriptions.
32. Which source provides the earliest references to the concept of Dharma in India?
Answer: a) Rigveda
Explanation: The Rigveda contains early references to Dharma, primarily in its cosmic and ritualistic sense, predating later interpretations in texts like the Mahabharata and Ashokan edicts.
33. The Hathigumpha inscription is associated with which ancient ruler?
Answer: c) Kharavela
Explanation: The Hathigumpha inscription at Udayagiri provides details about the achievements of Kharavela, a ruler of the Kalinga kingdom.
34. Which among the following texts is primarily a genealogical record of dynasties?
Answer: c) Puranas
Explanation: The Puranas provide extensive genealogies of dynasties, tracing their lineage and recording their significant events.
35. What was the primary material used for the earliest inscriptions in India?
Answer: c) Rock and stone
Explanation: Early inscriptions in India, like the Ashokan edicts, were carved on rocks and stone pillars to ensure their durability and widespread visibility.
36. Which epic text provides insights into the socio-political organization of the Kurus and the Pandavas?
Answer: b) Mahabharata
Explanation: The Mahabharata narrates the socio-political dynamics of the Kurus and the Pandavas, offering valuable historical and cultural insights.
37. What is the significance of the Allahabad Pillar Inscription?
Answer: b) It provides details about Samudragupta's reign.
Explanation: The Allahabad Pillar Inscription, authored by Harisena, highlights the military conquests and achievements of Samudragupta.
38. Which source is considered a critical historical text for reconstructing the history of early South India?
Answer: a) Sangam literature
Explanation: Sangam literature provides rich details about the social, political, and economic aspects of early South India.
39. The ‘Periplus of the Erythraean Sea’ is an important source for understanding which aspect of ancient India?
Answer: b) Maritime trade and commerce
Explanation: The ‘Periplus of the Erythraean Sea’ is a Greco-Roman text that gives detailed accounts of Indian ports and trade routes.
40. Which source primarily documents the socio-religious conditions of India during the Gupta Age?
Answer: a) Fa-Hien’s travelogue
Explanation: Fa-Hien’s travelogue provides a comprehensive view of the socio-religious conditions prevalent during the Gupta period.
41. The Gayatri Mantra is mentioned in which ancient text?
Answer: c) Rigveda
Explanation: The Gayatri Mantra appears in the Rigveda (Mandala 3, Hymn 62, Verse 10) and is one of the most sacred mantras in Hindu tradition.
42. Who was the author of 'Indica,' a vital source for understanding Mauryan India?
Answer: a) Megasthenes
Explanation: Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador to the Mauryan court, wrote 'Indica,' describing the Mauryan empire's governance, society, and culture.
43. Which Buddhist text records the political and social history of ancient India?
Answer: b) Mahavamsa
Explanation: The Mahavamsa is a Sri Lankan chronicle that provides valuable information about Indian kings and their interactions with Buddhism.
44. Which Ashokan edict mentions the Kalinga war and its consequences?
Answer: a) Rock Edict XIII
Explanation: Ashoka's Rock Edict XIII describes the Kalinga war and its devastating impact, leading to his embrace of Buddhism.
45. Which foreign traveler’s account is the earliest source of India’s history?
Answer: c) Herodotus
Explanation: Herodotus, a Greek historian, provided the earliest written account of India, describing its wealth and social customs in the 5th century BCE.
46. What does the term ‘Prashasti’ refer to in ancient inscriptions?
Answer: c) Eulogies of kings
Explanation: Prashastis are inscriptions that praise the deeds and achievements of rulers, often found in temples or on pillars.
47. Which ancient text outlines the duties of kings and governance principles?
Answer: b) Arthashastra
Explanation: Written by Kautilya (Chanakya), the Arthashastra is a treatise on governance, economics, and military strategies.
48. What is the primary historical value of the Puranas?
Answer: b) Dynastic chronologies
Explanation: The Puranas are significant for their records of dynasties, genealogies, and historical narratives.
49. The Nasik inscription is associated with which ruler?
Answer: a) Gautamiputra Satakarni
Explanation: The Nasik inscription records the achievements of Gautamiputra Satakarni, a prominent Satavahana ruler.
50. Which ancient text provides evidence of trade relations between India and the Roman Empire?
Answer: a) Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Explanation: The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea highlights the thriving trade network between India and the Roman Empire, detailing ports and goods exchanged.