Chapter 4

What is meant by the Second Urbanisation of India?

Which of these was NOT a feature recommended by Kautilya for a fortified capital?

What does the Sanskrit term janapada literally mean?

By the 7th century BCE, some janapadas merged to form larger states called what?

Which mahājanapada was located around modern-day Rajgir in Bihar?

What was the primary role of the sabhā or samiti in a janapada?

Which two mahājanapadas had a more democratic assembly-based selection of their ruler?

What defensive feature often surrounded mahājanapada capitals?

Which metal’s widespread use marked a major technological shift during the Second Urbanisation?

Punch-marked coins in early India were made of which metal initially?

Which road connected the northwest to the eastern Ganga plains?

What were the four varṇas described in the late Vedic texts?

Which region’s ancient Tamil literature mentions the Cholas, Cheras, and Pāṇḍyas?

Why was iron preferable to bronze for weapons?

Which mahājanapada’s capital was at Vaiśhālī?

What activity would a historian use along with literature to study mahājanapadas?

Which major river plain was the heartland of Second Urbanisation?

What special design feature controlled movement at city gateways?

What does the presence of elephant forests imply about some capitals?

Which early road crossed the Vindhya Range to reach south India?

Which of these was an outcome of larger trade networks for janapadas?

Which coin metal came into use after punch-marked silver coins?

In the varṇa system, which varṇa was responsible for rituals and knowledge?

What profession was associated with the Shudras?

Which mahājanapada capital corresponds to modern-day Ujjain?

Why did some communities change their jāti in early India?

Which city was the capital of Kalinga region with a square plan?

By 300 BCE, what had happened to most mahājanapadas?

Which mahājanapada lay closest to the Godavari River?

What did the potholes and narrowing of gateways help control?

Which period does the timeline in Fig. 4.8 cover?

Which source is NOT used to study ancient urban centres?

What impact did iron tools have on agriculture?

Which activity was part of the 'Let’s Explore' exercises?

Why did the varṇa–jāti system become more rigid over time?

Which profession could Brahmins undertake according to early flexibility?

What did punch-marked symbols on coins represent?

Which southern kingdoms engaged in overseas trade?

What does a moat around a city indicate?

What was a key reason for the concentration of mahājanapadas in the Ganga plains?

Which activity required filling a table with ticks or crosses?

Which ancient literature mentions the Second Urbanisation centres?

Why did punch-marked coins enable wider trade?

Which of these regions was NOT one of the sixteen mahājanapadas?

What was the main purpose of a sabhā removing an incompetent ruler?

Which feature shows early evidence of urban planning in southern India?

Which mahājanapada extended closest to the Punjab region?

Which occupation would belong to a sub-jāti?

Which city corresponds to the mahājanapada of Vatsa?

Which innovation was NOT part of the Second Urbanisation?

What does the term mahājanapada literally mean?

Which occupation would NOT fall under a jāti?

Which feature of urban centres is identified through archaeological remains?

Which economic activity expanded due to better roads and waterways?

Which mahājanapada capital is identified with modern Mathura?

Which material evidence shows early coin use in India?