CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Early States and Mahajanapadas -

🚀

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Early States and Mahajanapadas

⏱️ 30 Minutes

❓ 20 Questions

📌 Answers are locked once submitted — results and explanations appear at the end.

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Early States and Mahajanapadas

1 / 20

QUESTION 1 OF 20

Match the following terms and events from the 6th Century BCE:

List I	List II
1. Epigraphy	a. An officer who deciphered ancient scripts
2. Sixth century BCE	b. One of the earliest scripts deciphered in 1838
3. James Prinsep	c. The study of inscriptions
4. Brahmi	d. Era marking the emergence of early states

Answer Review

1 Match the following terms and events from the 6th Century BCE:

List I	List II
1. Epigraphy	a. An officer who deciphered ancient scripts
2. Sixth century BCE	b. One of the earliest scripts deciphered in 1838
3. James Prinsep	c. The study of inscriptions
4. Brahmi	d. Era marking the emergence of early states

A 1-d, 2-c, 3-b, 4-a

B 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d

C 1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b

D 1-b, 2-a, 3-d, 4-c

💡 Short Explanation

Epigraphy means study of inscriptions. James Prinsep deciphered Brahmi. Sixth century BCE marks emergence of states.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Epigraphy refers to the study of inscriptions (1-c). The sixth century BCE is associated with the emergence of early states (2-d). James Prinsep was the scholar who deciphered Brahmi (3-a). Brahmi was one of the earliest scripts deciphered in 1838 (4-b). Hence Option C correctly matches all pairs.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Incorrectly matches epigraphy and sixth century BCE.
�� Option B → James Prinsep was not an era and Brahmi was not a person.
�� Option D → Reverses the meanings of epigraphy, James Prinsep and Brahmi.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Option Grouping

Application:

Match each term with its standard NCERT definition before checking the complete option.

Final Logic:

All four pairs align correctly only in Option C.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Epigraphy–Inscriptions, Prinsep–Brahmi."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Epigraphy and Brahmi Decipherment

2 Assertion (A): Historians use a range of sources like inscriptions, texts, and coins to understand early political processes.
Reason (R): These sources alone provide a completely clear and uninterrupted narrative of the era.

A A is true but R is false

B Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

C Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

D A is false but R is true

💡 Short Explanation

Historians use multiple sources. Evidence is often incomplete. Sources require interpretation and comparison.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Assertion is correct because historians reconstruct the past using inscriptions, texts, coins, and archaeological evidence. The Reason is incorrect because these sources do not provide a complete or uninterrupted narrative. Many records are lost, damaged, biased, or undeciphered. Therefore Assertion is true while Reason is false, making Option A correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Reason is false, so it cannot explain Assertion.
�� Option C → Both statements are not true.
�� Option D → Assertion is factually correct according to NCERT.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Evaluate Assertion and Reason separately before checking their relationship.

Final Logic:

Assertion is true; Reason is clearly false.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Many Sources, Not Full Story."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Historical Sources and Their Limitations

3 Consider the following statements about Mahajanapadas:
I. The sixth century BCE is associated with the growing use of iron and development of coinage.
II. Buddhist and Jaina texts provide identical lists of the sixteen mahajanapadas.

A Only II

B Both I and II

C Neither I nor II

D Only I

💡 Short Explanation

Iron use expanded in sixth century BCE. Coinage also developed. Mahajanapada lists varied across texts.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Statement I is correct because the sixth century BCE witnessed the growing use of iron and development of coinage. Statement II is incorrect because Buddhist and Jaina texts provide varying lists of mahajanapadas, although several names appear frequently. Hence only Statement I is correct and Option D is the right answer.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Statement II is incorrect.
�� Option B → Both statements are not correct.
�� Option C → Statement I is clearly correct according to NCERT.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Verify each statement independently using NCERT facts.

Final Logic:

Only Statement I survives scrutiny.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Iron + Coins = Sixth Century BCE."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Mahajanapadas

4 Though lists of Mahajanapadas vary, names like Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, and _________ appear frequently, marking them as exceptionally significant.

A Shurasena

B Avanti

C Matsya

D Vatsa

💡 Short Explanation

Avanti was a major Mahajanapada. Frequently mentioned in texts. Included among prominent states.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that although the lists vary, names such as Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara and Avanti occur repeatedly. This suggests their importance in early political history. Therefore Option B is correct, while the other states do not appear in the commonly cited list.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Shurasena was a Mahajanapada but not part of the frequently cited list.
�� Option C → Matsya is not included in the NCERT example.
�� Option D → Vatsa was important but not mentioned in this specific list.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the exact NCERT list of frequently mentioned Mahajanapadas.

Final Logic:

Avanti is the missing state in the sequence.

🧠 Memory Trick

"VKKPGA = Vajji, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Sixteen Mahajanapadas

5 According to the Dharmasutras, what was the ideal social category expected to rule the monarchies?

A Brahmanas

B Shudras

C Vaishyas

D Kshatriyas

💡 Short Explanation

Dharmasutras prescribed social duties. Kingship ideally belonged to Kshatriyas. Political authority linked to warrior class.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Dharmasutras laid down norms for rulers and society. According to these texts, kings were ideally expected to belong to the Kshatriya varna. Kshatriyas were associated with governance, warfare, and protection of society. Therefore Option D is correct. Other varnas had different prescribed functions.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Brahmanas were associated primarily with learning and rituals.
�� Option B → Shudras were not prescribed rulers in Dharmasutra ideals.
�� Option C → Vaishyas were linked with trade and agriculture.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect varna duties with political authority.

Final Logic:

Dharmasutras identify Kshatriyas as ideal rulers.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Kshatriya = King."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Dharmasutras and Kingship

6 Which of the following statements about 'ganas' and 'sanghas' is incorrect?

A Power was shared collectively by a group of men.

B They were strictly ruled by a single divine king with absolute authority.

C Both Mahavira and the Buddha belonged to such oligarchies.

D Some of these states lasted for nearly a thousand years.

💡 Short Explanation

Ganas and sanghas were oligarchies. Power was collectively exercised. Not ruled by absolute monarchs.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Ganas and sanghas were oligarchic political systems where authority was shared among a group of men often called rajas. Both Mahavira and the Buddha belonged to such political traditions. Some survived for centuries. Therefore Option B is incorrect because these states were not ruled by a single absolute king.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Correctly describes collective rule.
�� Option C → Historically accurate according to NCERT.
�� Option D → Some oligarchies survived for a very long period.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Odd One Out

Application:

Identify the option that contradicts the basic nature of oligarchies.

Final Logic:

Absolute monarchy is incompatible with gana-sangha governance.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Gana = Group Rule."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Ganas and Sanghas

7 Arrange the following developments regarding early cities in correct chronological order:
1. Pataliputra becomes the capital of the Mauryan Empire.
2. Magadhan rulers decide to shift their capital from Rajagaha to Pataligrama.
3. Chinese pilgrim Xuan Zang finds Pataliputra in ruins.

A 1, 2, 3

B 3, 2, 1

C 2, 1, 3

D 2, 3, 1

💡 Short Explanation

Capital first shifted to Pataligrama. Mauryas later ruled from Pataliputra. Xuan Zang visited centuries later.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The sequence begins with the Magadhan shift from Rajagaha to Pataligrama. Later, Pataliputra became the Mauryan capital under Chandragupta Maurya and his successors. Much later, in the seventh century CE, Xuan Zang found the city in ruins. Thus the correct order is 2 → 1 → 3, making Option C correct.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Places Mauryan capital before the capital shift.
�� Option B → Starts with the latest event.
�� Option D → Incorrectly places Xuan Zang before Mauryan rule.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Substitution

Application:

Place each event in its known historical century.

Final Logic:

Shift → Mauryan Capital → Xuan Zang.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Village → Capital → Ruins."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Rajagaha and Pataliputra

8 Maintaining fortified cities and incipient bureaucracies required vast resources. How did rulers justify acquiring wealth from neighbouring states?

A By recognizing raids on neighbouring states as a legitimate means

B By claiming religious exemptions for plundering

C By exchanging territories with oligarchies

D By trading agricultural lands for gold

💡 Short Explanation

States needed resources. Raids brought wealth and tribute. Considered legitimate in early politics.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Early rulers required large resources to maintain armies, fortifications, and bureaucracies. Contemporary political thinking often viewed raids on neighbouring territories as a legitimate means of acquiring wealth and tribute. Therefore Option A is correct. The remaining options are not mentioned as accepted political strategies.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Religious exemptions were not the basis of such raids.
�� Option C → Territorial exchanges were not the primary mechanism.
�� Option D → Trading land for gold is not described in NCERT.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the resource-acquisition methods discussed for early states.

Final Logic:

Raids were considered legitimate means of obtaining wealth.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Army Needs Wealth → Raids."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Resource Mobilisation

9 Rulers were advised by the Dharmasutras to collect taxes from cultivators, traders, and _________.

A artisans

B foreign diplomats

C religious monks

D mercenaries

💡 Short Explanation

Taxes funded state activities. Cultivators, traders, and artisans paid taxes. Mentioned in Dharmasutras.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The Dharmasutras advised rulers to collect taxes and tribute from cultivators, traders, and artisans. These productive groups formed the economic base of early states. Therefore Option A is correct. Foreign diplomats, monks, and mercenaries were not identified as the principal taxable groups.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Diplomats were not a regular source of taxation.
�� Option C → Monks were not listed among major taxable producers.
�� Option D → Mercenaries were military personnel rather than taxpayers.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the specific economic groups named in NCERT.

Final Logic:

Artisans completed the standard trio of taxpayers.

🧠 Memory Trick

"CTA = Cultivators, Traders, Artisans."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Taxation in Early States

10 While taxes were collected from settled communities, the texts leave it ambiguous whether resources and tribute were also strictly procured from:

A Landless agricultural labourers and serfs

B Wealthy merchants and guild leaders

C Pastoralists and forest peoples

D Artisans and craftsmen

💡 Short Explanation

Taxation of settled communities is clear. Pastoral and forest groups remain uncertain. NCERT highlights this ambiguity.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The texts clearly discuss taxes from settled agricultural and urban groups. However, historians remain uncertain about how consistently tribute and resources were extracted from pastoralists and forest peoples. Therefore Option C is correct. The other groups were more directly linked to settled economic systems.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → The ambiguity discussed is not specifically about labourers.
�� Option B → Merchants were established taxpayers.
�� Option D → Artisans were explicitly mentioned among taxable groups.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Remove groups clearly identified in taxation records.

Final Logic:

Pastoralists and forest peoples remain the uncertain category.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Settled Taxed, Forest Uncertain."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Tribute and Resource Collection

📄 Passage

"Gradually, some states acquired standing armies and maintained regular bureaucracies. Others continued to depend on militia, recruited, more often than not, from the peasantry. The Dharmasutras laid down norms for rulers, ideally expected to be Kshatriyas, advising them to manage resources efficiently to fund these military systems."

The transition towards standing armies indicates what about the early states?

A Complete abandonment of agriculture

B Centralization of military power and resource management

C Reliance entirely on foreign mercenaries

D A shift towards pacifism

💡 Short Explanation

Standing armies required regular funding. Bureaucracies managed resources systematically. Indicates stronger state organization.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The emergence of standing armies required continuous taxation, administration, and resource mobilization. This reflects increasing centralization of political authority and military power. Option B is therefore correct. Agriculture remained important, foreign mercenaries were not the basis of the system, and stronger armies certainly did not indicate pacifism.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Agriculture remained the foundation of state revenue.
�� Option C → NCERT mentions militia from peasantry, not dependence on foreign mercenaries.
�� Option D → Standing armies signify military strengthening, not pacifism.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Connect standing armies with administrative and fiscal requirements.

Final Logic:

Permanent armies require centralized resource management.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Standing Army = Strong State."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Standing Armies and Bureaucracies

📄 Passage

When a state could not support a standing army, from which section of society was the militia primarily recruited?

A Brahmanas

B Traders

C Artisans

D Peasantry

💡 Short Explanation

Militias supplemented standing armies. Recruits usually came from cultivators. NCERT specifically mentions peasantry.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

According to NCERT, states that lacked standing armies depended on militia forces recruited mainly from the peasantry. Cultivators could be mobilized when required for military service. Therefore Option D is correct. Brahmanas, traders, and artisans were not identified as the principal recruitment base.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Brahmanas were associated with learning and rituals.
�� Option B → Traders were economic contributors, not primary militia recruits.
�� Option C → Artisans were not the major source of militia recruitment.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Use the exact wording of the passage.

Final Logic:

The passage explicitly identifies the peasantry.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Militia = Peasant Soldiers."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Militia and Peasantry

13 How did the shift to plough agriculture impact resource generation in fertile river valleys?

A It decreased the tax base for the kings.

B It increased agricultural productivity to meet growing demands for taxes.

C It completely replaced pastoralism across the subcontinent.

D It led to the abandonment of fortified cities.

💡 Short Explanation

Iron ploughshares improved cultivation. Agricultural output increased. States gained larger taxable surpluses.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The spread of plough agriculture, especially in fertile alluvial river valleys, increased agricultural productivity. Higher production generated greater surpluses that could support taxation and state expansion. Hence Option B is correct. It neither eliminated pastoralism nor caused the abandonment of cities and actually strengthened state resources.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Productivity increased rather than reduced the tax base.
�� Option C → Pastoralism continued in many regions.
�� Option D → Greater production supported rather than weakened urban centres.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Reject options contradicting the economic consequences of agricultural growth.

Final Logic:

Higher productivity meant more resources and taxes.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Plough → Surplus → Tax."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Agricultural Expansion

14 Rulers attempted to control trade routes, both land and riverine, primarily to:

A Isolate their kingdoms from foreign influence

B Encourage villagers to migrate to forests

C Ensure that merchants did not become richer than kings

D Augment state resources, possibly by offering protection for a price

💡 Short Explanation

Trade routes generated revenue. Protection encouraged commerce. States benefited from taxation and tribute.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Control over trade routes enabled rulers to collect revenue and strengthen their resource base. Protection offered to merchants may have justified taxes and levies. Therefore Option D is correct. The objective was economic gain rather than isolation, migration policies, or preventing merchant prosperity.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Trade routes were controlled to benefit from commerce, not avoid it.
�� Option C → Economic regulation was not the principal objective described.
�� Option D → Correct.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Relate trade-route control to state resource generation.

Final Logic:

Revenue and protection explain state interest in routes.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Trade Route = Tax Route."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Trade Routes and State Revenue

15 Assertion (A): Magadha became the most powerful mahajanapada between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.
Reason (R): It had highly productive agriculture, accessible iron mines, and convenient riverine communication.

A A is true but R is false

B A is false but R is true

C Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

D Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A

💡 Short Explanation

Magadha emerged as the strongest state. Geography and resources aided growth. Reason directly explains assertion.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Magadha became the most powerful mahajanapada between the sixth and fourth centuries BCE. Historians attribute this rise to fertile agriculture, access to iron mines in present-day Jharkhand, elephants from forests, and riverine communication through the Ganga system. Therefore both statements are true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Reason is historically correct.
�� Option B → Assertion is also correct.
�� Option D → The Reason directly explains Magadha's rise.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Check whether the stated factors explain Magadha's growth.

Final Logic:

Resources and geography account for Magadha's power.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Magadha = Farms + Iron + Ganga."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Rise of Magadha

16 What role did the iron mines in present-day Jharkhand play in the rise of Magadha?

A They provided crucial resources for manufacturing tools and weapons.

B They were primarily used to build monumental temples.

C They were used to mint the first gold coins.

D They served as a medium of exchange.

💡 Short Explanation

Iron strengthened agriculture and warfare. Tools improved productivity. Weapons improved military power.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Accessible iron deposits supplied raw material for making agricultural tools and military weapons. This strengthened both production and defense, contributing significantly to Magadha's rise. Hence Option A is correct. Iron was not mainly used for temple construction, gold coinage, or as a direct medium of exchange.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Iron mines were valued mainly for tools and weapons.
�� Option C → Gold coins require gold, not iron.
�� Option D → Iron itself was not a standard currency.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Elimination

Application:

Identify the most practical historical use of iron.

Final Logic:

Iron strengthened agriculture and military capability.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Jharkhand Iron = Tools + Weapons."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Resources of Magadha

17 Which of the following is an incorrect statement regarding the rise of Magadha?

A It had accessible iron mines and fertile agricultural land.

B The Ganga and its tributaries provided convenient communication.

C Elephants from nearby forests were an important part of its army.

D Modern historians solely attribute its rise to the ambitious policies of kings like Bimbisara.

💡 Short Explanation

Historians cite multiple factors. Geography and resources were crucial. Not solely dependent on rulers.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Modern historians explain Magadha's rise through several factors including productive agriculture, iron resources, elephants, and river communications. While Buddhist and Jaina writers emphasized ambitious rulers, historians do not rely exclusively on that explanation. Therefore Option D is incorrect and is the correct answer to the question.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → This is a valid explanation for Magadha's rise.
�� Option B → River transport aided communication and administration.
�� Option C → Elephants were important military assets.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Extreme Word Filter

Application:

Watch for absolute terms such as "solely."

Final Logic:

Historical explanations are multi-causal, not exclusive.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Rise of Magadha = Many Factors."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Explanations for Magadha's Rise

18 The Prakrit spelling 'Ajatasattu' corresponds to which language tradition known for recording early Indian history?

A Tamil Sangam literature

B Early Buddhist and Jaina texts

C Sanskrit Dharmasutras

D Greek diplomatic accounts

💡 Short Explanation

Prakrit forms appear in Buddhist texts. Ajatasattu is a well-known example. Reflects language of ordinary people.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

NCERT notes that names such as Ajatasattu appear in Prakrit forms in early Buddhist and Jaina traditions. These texts provide valuable information about early states and rulers. Therefore Option B is correct. The spelling is not derived from Sangam literature, Dharmasutras, or Greek records.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Sangam texts belong to a different linguistic tradition.
�� Option C → Dharmasutras were composed in Sanskrit.
�� Option D → Greek accounts used different naming conventions.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Associate Prakrit spellings with Buddhist and Jaina literature.

Final Logic:

Ajatasattu is a classic Prakrit form in these texts.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Ajatasattu = Buddhist Texts."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Prakrit Language Traditions

19 Which of the following accurately describes Rajagaha?

A It was a fortified settlement located amongst hills.

B It was situated on the coast to facilitate maritime trade.

C It was chosen for its flat, easily accessible plains.

D It was primarily an unfortified religious centre.

💡 Short Explanation

Rajagaha was Magadha's early capital. Surrounded by hills. Strong defensive position.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

Rajagaha, the early capital of Magadha, was strategically located among hills and protected by fortifications. Its geography provided natural defense advantages. Therefore Option A is correct. It was not a coastal city, plain settlement, or merely a religious centre.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option B → Rajagaha was inland, not coastal.
�� Option C → Hills, not plains, defined its location.
�� Option D → It functioned as a fortified political centre.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Contextual/Tonal Matching

Application:

Recall the geographical description given in NCERT.

Final Logic:

Rajagaha's identity is tied to hills and fortifications.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Rajagaha = Hill Fort."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Rajagaha

20 The capital of Magadha was shifted to Pataliputra to command routes of communication along the Ganga, and it began as a village known as _________.

A Tosali

B Suvarnagiri

C Pataligrama

D Taxila

💡 Short Explanation

Pataliputra developed from a village. Original name was Pataligrama. Later became an imperial capital.

✅ Correct Answer Explanation

The future city of Pataliputra originated as a village called Pataligrama. Its strategic location along the Ganga enabled control over communication and trade routes, leading to its selection as the Magadhan capital. Therefore Option C is correct. The other places were unrelated to this transition.

❓ Why Other Options Are Incorrect

�� Option A → Tosali was a different administrative centre.
�� Option B → Suvarnagiri was a Mauryan provincial centre.
�� Option D → Taxila was located in the north-west.

🎯 Strategy

Used: Substitution

Application:

Recall the earlier name of Pataliputra.

Final Logic:

Pataligrama evolved into Pataliputra.

🧠 Memory Trick

"Grama → Pura (Village to Capital)."

📚 Class XII – Themes in Indian History Part I – Chapter: Kings, Farmers and Towns – Topic: Pataligrama and Pataliputra

CUET UG History Booster Test 2 - Early States and Mahajanapadas

Test Complete!

Answer Review