Class 6 History Ch 9: New Empires & Kingdoms CBSE

Chapter Summary

Sources of Information: We learn about early cities through archaeological excavations (finding buildings, pottery, tools, ornaments) and accounts written by sailors and travellers.
Iron Tools and Agriculture: The use of iron tools became widespread around 2500 years ago. These included ploughshares (for turning soil), axes (for clearing forests), and tools for various crafts.
Importance of Irrigation: Increased agricultural production was crucial for the growth of towns and villages. Irrigation systems like canals, wells, tanks, and artificial lakes were developed to help farmers grow more crops.
Life in Villages:
- In the northern part of the subcontinent:
  - Gramabhojaka: The village headman, often the largest landowner. He collected taxes, acted as a judge, and sometimes as a policeman. He was very powerful.
  - Grihapatis: Independent small landowners.
  - Dasa Karmakara: Men and women who were landless labourers and had to work on other people's fields.
- In the southern part of the subcontinent (Tamil region):
  - Vellalar: Large landowners.
  - Uzhavar: Ordinary ploughmen.
  - Kadaisiyar and Adimai: Landless labourers and slaves.
Crafts and Craftspersons: Many crafts were practised in towns and villages.
- Archaeological evidence shows fine pottery, known as Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW), which was expensive and used by rich people.
- Crafts like cloth making, goldsmithing, blacksmithing, carpentry, and pottery were common.
- Shrenis: Associations of craftspersons and merchants. Craftspersons' shrenis provided training, procured raw materials, and distributed finished products. Merchants' shrenis organised trade. Shrenis also served as banks, accepting deposits and investing them.
Cities and Trade: Many cities developed around 2500 years ago.
- Mathura: An important city for over 2500 years.
  - It was located at the crossroads of two major trade and travel routes (from northwest to east, and from north to south).
  - It was a fortified city with many shrines, monasteries, and stupas.
  - It was an important religious centre for Buddhists, Jains, and a centre for the worship of Krishna.
  - It produced beautiful sculptures and was the second capital of the Kushanas.
- Arikamedu: A coastal settlement (port) between 2200 and 1900 years ago.
  - Here, ships unloaded goods from distant lands.
  - Evidence of Roman trade: findings of amphorae (tall double-handled jars for liquids like wine/oil), Arretine ware (stamped red-glazed pottery), and Roman lamps, glass, and gemstones.
  - A large brick structure that might have been a warehouse was found.
  - Local pottery was also made, and Roman designs were sometimes copied.
Coins:
- Punch-marked coins were the earliest coins, in use for about 500 years.
- They were generally rectangular or sometimes round pieces of metal, stamped with symbols.
- These coins helped facilitate trade and transactions.
Jataka Stories: These were stories composed by ordinary people and then written down and preserved by Buddhist monks. They give us a glimpse into the lives of people in those times.

Questions and Answers

1. Fill in the blanks:

(a) _________ was a word used for large landowners in Tamil.
(b) The _________ was the village headman in the northern part of the country.
(c) Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, weavers, and carpenters are examples of _________.
(d) The _________ was an association of craftspersons and merchants.

Answer:

(a) Vellalar was a word used for large landowners in Tamil.
(b) The gramabhojaka was the village headman in the northern part of the country.
(c) Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, weavers, and carpenters are examples of craftspersons.
(d) The shreni was an association of craftspersons and merchants.

2. Describe the functions of the gramabhojaka. Why do you think he was powerful?

Answer: The gramabhojaka was the village headman in the northern part of the subcontinent. His functions were:

He was often the largest landowner in the village.
He collected taxes from other farmers on behalf of the king.
He often functioned as a judge.
Sometimes, he also acted as a policeman.

He was powerful because he controlled a lot of land, had authority to collect taxes, and also wielded judicial and police powers, making him a central figure in the village with significant influence over the lives of others.

3. List the crafts people would have practised in the cities mentioned in the lesson.

Answer: People in the cities mentioned in the lesson (like Mathura and Arikamedu) would have practised various crafts such as:

Pottery (making fine Northern Black Polished Ware, as well as local pottery, sometimes copying Roman designs).
Textile production (weaving and spinning).
Goldsmithing (making ornaments).
Blacksmithing (making iron tools and objects).
Carpentry (making wooden objects, tools, and structures).
Sculpture making (especially in Mathura, where images of the Buddha were made).
Glass making (evidenced by finds of Roman glass).
Jewellery making (using gemstones).

4. Describe the main features of Arikamedu.

Answer: The main features of Arikamedu (a coastal settlement/port in Puducherry) between 2200 and 1900 years ago were:

It was a major port where ships from distant lands unloaded goods.
Archaeological finds indicate extensive trade with the Roman Empire, including amphorae (tall double-handled jars for wine or oil), Arretine ware (stamped red-glazed pottery), Roman lamps, glass, and gemstones.
A large brick structure, possibly a warehouse, was found on the site.
Evidence of local pottery making, where Roman designs were sometimes copied.
It was a thriving town engaged in maritime trade, connecting India with the Roman world.

5. Match the following:

Column A	Column B Options
gramabhojaka	Mathura, uzhavar, dasa karmakara, association of craftspersons, vellalar
ordinary ploughman
landless labourer
city
shrenis

Answer:

Column A	Matched Column B
gramabhojaka	vellalar
ordinary ploughman	uzhavar
landless labourer	dasa karmakara
city	Mathura
shrenis	association of craftspersons

6. You have heard about the places where the Jatakas were written down. Do you think ordinary people would have read and understood them?

Answer: The Jataka stories were initially composed and told by ordinary people, and then written down and preserved by Buddhist monks. These stories were likely narrated orally for a long time before being put into writing. While written, they were originally popular tales, so ordinary people would have certainly understood their content and moral lessons, especially when they were narrated or read out to them. However, whether every ordinary person could *read* the written versions themselves depended on their literacy skills, which were not widespread among all common people in ancient times.

7. List the reasons why Mathura was important.

Answer: Mathura was important for several reasons:

It was located at the crossroads of two major trade routes: from the northwest to the east, and from north to south. This strategic location made it a centre for trade and travel.
It was a fortified city with many shrines, monasteries, and stupas.
It became the second capital of the Kushanas, a powerful ruling dynasty, indicating its political significance.
It was an important religious centre for Buddhists, Jains, and a place where the worship of Krishna was popular.
It was a centre for producing beautiful sculptures, especially images of the Buddha.

8. You want to buy an iron tool. Where would you go in the city to buy it?

Answer: If I wanted to buy an iron tool in the city, I would go to the shop of a blacksmith. Blacksmiths were craftspersons who specialised in working with iron to make various tools, weapons, and other objects.

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