CBSE NCERT CLASS-6 HISTORY CHAPTER 7 ASOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR - NOTES

CBSE CLASS-6 HISTORY

CHAPTER-7

ASOKA, THE EMPEROR WHO GAVE UP WAR

Q1. Make a list of occupations of people who lived within the Mauryan Empire.

Ans- The main occupations of people who lived within the Mauryan Empire are -

(i) Farming

(ii) Handicrafts

(iii) Trading

(iv) Herding

(v) Hunting and gathering

2. Complete the following sentences.

a) Officials collected Taxes from the area under the direct control of the ruler.

b) Royal princes often went to provinces as governors.

c) The Mauryans rulers tried to control roads and rivers which were important for transport.

d) People in forested regions provide the Mauryan officials with elephants, timber and honey.

3. State whether true or false :

a) Ujjain was the gateway to the north-west. (Flase)

b. Chandragupta’s ideas were written down in the Arthashastra. (True)

c. Kalinga was the ancient name of Bengal. (Flase)

d. Most Ashokan inscriptions are in the Brahmi script. (True)

4. What were the problems that Ashoka wanted to solve by introducing dhamma?

Ans- Emperor, Asoka wanted to solve the following problems by introducing dhamma.

(i) Inter-religions conflicts between his subjects

(ii) Animal sacrifice during religious rituals

(iii) Ill-treatment of servants and slaves

(iv) Disputes between neighbours over petty issues

Or

By introducing dhamma, Ashoka wanted to solve the problems of religious conflict, animal sacrifice, ill- treatment of slaves and servants and quarrels between his subjects.

5. What were the means adopted by Ashoka to spread the message of dhamma?

Ans- Ashoka adopted the following means to spreads his message of dhamma

(i) He appointed officials called Dhamma Mahamatta who went to different places to spread the message of dhamma.

(ii) He had his messages inscribed on pillars, so that common folk could read them.

(iii) Officials were directed to read out the messages inscribed on pillars to those who could not read.

Or

Ashoka used the means of communicating with his people to spread the message of dhamma. His messages were inscribed on stone pillars so that people could read them. Officials were instructed to spread his message and to read out inscriptions for those who could not read. Ashoka used Prakrit and local languages so that common people could understand his messages.

6. Why do you think slaves and servants were ill-treated? Do you think the orders of the emperor would have improved their condition? Give reasons for your answer.

Ans- Slaves and servants were ill-treated owing to the following reasons -

(i) Most of them were prisoners of war

(ii) Some belonged to the lowest social order, specifically shudras

(iii) The concept of human rights was virtually non-existent during that period. Their condition would have improved after the order of the Emperor because

(i) No one would dare defy the supreme order of the emperor himself

(ii) Those disobeying the emperor would be severely punished by the officials.

(iii) The Emperor was the supreme commander of the Mauryan Empire. Thus his word was law and had to be obeyed to the fullest extent.

Or

Slaves and servants were ill-treated because their masters felt superior to them. The masters treated them as animals. It was because of the old Verna system. The emperor’s order might have helped to some extent. Ashoka was a king who was loved by his subjects. Moreover, his ‘dhamma’ was a real innovation.