WBBSE Solutions For Class 6 History Chapter 9 India And The Contemporary World Topic A Medium Of The Political Contact

WBBSE Solutions For Class 6 History Chapter 9 Topic A Medium Of The Political Contact Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Give an account of the ancient Chinese civilisation.
Answer:

The ancient Chinese civilisation:

The ancient Chinese civilisation of East Asia flourished on the banks of river Hwang-Ho and river Yang-Si-Kiang.

Features:

1. The paper was first produced in China.
2. For the first time, it was in China that the process of making wooden blocks for printing began.
3. The rulers of China constructed huge walls around the Chinese empire to protect it from foreign invasions. These huge walls together constitute what is
4. known as the Great Wall of China.
5. In China, gun powder was used.

Question 2. Give an account of ancient Greek civilization.
Answer:

Ancient Greek civilization:

Ancient Greece was a civilization that dominated much of the Mediterranean sea.

Features:

1. In Greece, a number of small states known as city-states emerged. These city-states were known as Poleis.
2. Two famous poleis were Athens and Sparta. They had engaged in a war with the Persian empire.
3. In ancient Greek civilisation there was the cultivation of science, mathematics, history, and other forms of knowledge.
4. The Greeks were influenced by Persian and other civilisations.

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Question 3. What is the importance of mountain passes as a means of communication between India and the outside world?
Answer:

The importance of mountain passes as a means of communication between India and the outside world:

Mountain passes served as a means of communication between India and the outside world.

1. Communication took place between the Indian subcontinent and West and Central Asia through the mountain passes.
2. The mountain passes of the Himalayan range help to communicate with China and Tibet.
3. The foreigners entered the Indian subcontinent through the mountain passes of the northwest and established their control over the Indian subcontinent.
4. Through these routes, trade and commerce flourished.
5. Through these mountain passes cultural contact was established.

Question 4. Discuss about the links between the Indian subcontinent and Persia.
Answer:

The links between the Indian subcontinent and Persia:

A link was established between the Indians. subcontinent and Persia through Gandhara which was located to the northwest of India.

1. In the second half of the 6th century BC Darius I, the ruler of Persia’s Achaemenid dynasty attacked Gandhara. Gandhara and many other places of the Indian subcontinent came under his control. Most probably the lower Indus region was under his control

From the writings of Herodotus, we come to know that India was a province of the Persian empire. North-west India and the north-western part of the subcontinent had links with the Persian empire.

2. During the reign of Darius III (336-330 BC) Persia lost control over Gandhara and the lower Indus region. As a result Persian rule remain confined to a very small part of the subcontinent.

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Short Questions on Political Contact Mediums

Question 5. Give an account of the contact between the Indian Subcontinent and Greece.
Answer:

The contact between the Indian Subcontinent and Greece:

The Indian subcontinent and Greece had developed a very close contact in the ancient period.

1. Alexander’s invasion of India:

Close contact developed between the Indian subcontinent and Greece as a result of the invasion by Alexander, the ruler of Greece in the subcontinent.

2. Termination of the Persian rule:

As a result of Alexander’s invasion of the subcontinent, the Persian rule over the region came to an end.

3. Development of Gandhara art:

During this period, the Gandhara style of art developed as a combination of Greek and Persian elements and styles.

4. Establishment of Greek colonies:

While leaving India, Alexander established some small Greek colonies in the northwestern part of the subcontinent. These colonies existed till the time of Ashoka.

Question 6. How was contact established between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia?
Answer:

Contact established between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia:

India established close contact with Central Asia in the ancient period.

1. Bactria:

The Greeks ruled over the northwest frontier of India from Taxila of Gandhara to Bactria.

2. Sakas:

The Scythians or the Sakas, a nomadic tribe of Central Asia, put an end to the Greek rule in Bactria. They occupied Kashmir, Sind, the western coastal regions, and Taxila.

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3. Kushanas:

The Kushanas came from the central Asian grassland and reached Bactria in the west.

4. Pahlavas:

The Parthians or the Pahlavas captured the areas from the north-western region to parts of Punjab and the entire Indus valley.

5. Spread of Christianity:

During the reign of the Pahlava ruler Gondophernes, St. Thomas visited the Indian subcontinent to bespread Christianity.

6 Exchange of envoys:

Megasthenes and Diamachus, the ambassadors of Seleucus, came to the court of Chandragupta Maurya. Dionysius, the ambassador of the Egyptian king Ptolemy came to the Mauryan court.

There was communication between the Mauryan king Bindusara and the Syrian king Antiochus I.

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Question 7. Name three civilisations of the ancient world and name the rivers on whose banks these civilisations flourished.
Answer:

Three civilisations of the ancient world and name the rivers on whose banks these civilisations flourished:

Three civilisations of the ancient world are the Mesopotamian civilisation, Egyptian civilisation, and the Chinese civilisation. The Mesopotamian civilisation flourished along the river Tigris and the river Euphrates.

The Egyptian civilisation flourished along the banks of the river Nile. The Chinese civilisation flourished on the bank of river Hwang-Ho and river Yang-Si- Kiang.

Question 8. Where did the Sumerian civilisation flourish? What are the main characteristics of Sumerian civilisation?
Answer:

Sumerian civilisation flourish:

The Sumerian civilisation flourished in one part of Mesopotamia, the region between the river Tigris and the river Euphrates.

The main characteristics of Sumerian civilisation were

1. The people of Sumer used to practice different kinds of sciences, mathematics and astronomy.
2. The script of Sumer is known as Cuneiform.
3. Wooden tools were first used by the people of Sumer.

Question 9. Mention two important features of the Egyptian civilisation.
Answer:

Two important features of the Egyptian civilisation:

Two important features of the Egyptian civilisation were the pyramids and the beginning of writing on papyrus reeds. The pyramids were huge tombs to preserve the mummies of the kings.

The Egyptians wrote on the bark of papyrus using Hieroglyphic script. The word ‘paper’ comes from the word papyrus.

 

Question 10. Give an account of the Roman civilisation.
Answer:

Roman civilisation:

The Roman civilisation developed on the Italian coast of the Mediterranean sea.

1. The Roman empire gradually developed into a huge empire.
2. In Rome politics, art and culture developed remarkably.
3. Greek and other civilisations influenced Rome.

Question 11. How did the Persians influence India?
Answer:

The Persians influence India:

According to the Greek historian the Persian empire under the Achaemenid Herodotus, India was a ‘satrapi’ or province of the dynasty. The influence of the Persians could be felt in the Indian culture and politics for a long time.

The Shakas and Kushanas also appointed satraps or provincial rulers like the Achaemenids. The Persian rulers conveyed their orders and instructions through edicts and this system was followed by Ashoka.

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Question 12. How was communication established between the Indian subcontinent and the foreign powers? How was the relationship established between the Indian subcontinent and Greece?
Answer:

Communication was established between the Indian subcontinent and the foreign powers through mountain passes and sea routes.

Alexander defeated the Persians and reached the Indian subcontinent. Many rulers of the Indian subcontinent had provided assistance to the Greek army. It may be mentioned that Ambhi, the king of Taxila, had provided assistance to Alexander.

Besides this, in the Kushana period, Gandhara art flourished which was a combination of Greek and Roman art.

Question 13. What do you know about Bactria?
Answer:

Bactria:

Bactria was located in the northwest frontier of the Indian subcontinent and to the northwest of the Hindukush mountain or it may be said that it was located in the northeast of modern Afghanistan.

Many Greek kings were residents of Bactria. The Bactrian king have been called as Yavanas in the Puranas. The Bactrian kings dominated over the north-western frontier region and Taxila of Gandhara region.

Towards the end of the 4th century BC, the Greek ruler Seleucus dominated Bactria.

Question 14. Who was Menander?
Answer:

Menander:

Menander was the most famous of the Indo-Greek kings of 4th century BC. He is known as Milinda in Buddhist literature.

1. Areas under rule:

Ancient Gandhara and Kandahar regions were under his control. Some parts of Bactria and the north-western frontier region were also ruled by him.

2. Adoption of Buddhism:

Menander adopted Buddhism under the influence of Nagasena, the Buddhist monk.

3. Capital:

The capital of Menandar was Sakal (Sialkot in modern-day Pakistan).

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Question 15. Who was Gondophernes?
Answer:

Gondophernes:

Gondophernes was a Pahlava or Parthian ruler who had captured a part of ancient Gandhara by defeating the Sakas. He also ruled over some parts of Punjab as well as the entire Indus valley.

He took the title of Rajatiraj and this was engraved on his coins. St. Thomas visited the subcontinent to spread Christianity during Gondophernes’ reign.

 

Question 16. What do you know about the exchange of envoys of the Indian subcontinent with the outside world during the Mauryan period?
Answer:

It was from the time of the Mauryan period that the exchange of envoys started between the Indian subcontinent and the outside world.

1. Megasthenes, the envoy of the Greek ruler Seleucus, came to the court of Chandragupta Maurya.
2. Damascus, the envoy of Seleucus, visited the Mauryan court at the same time.
3. Dionysius, the ambassador of the Egyptian king Ptolemy also visited the Mauryan court.

Question 17. Who were the Hunas? What was the impact of their invasion of India?
Answer:

Hunas:

The Hunas were a barbaric race who came from Central Asia and attacked India in 458 AD. They were successfully thwarted by the Gupta ruler Skandagupta.

They reappeared at the end of the 5th century and the beginning of the 6th century under the leadership of Tormana and Mihirkula. As a result of the Huna invasion the overland trade between north-western India and Central Asia suffered a setback.

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Question 18. In what ways contact was established between the Indian subcontinent and other countries?
Answer:

The ways in which contact was established between the Indian subcontinent and other countries were as follows:

1. The advent of foreigners.
2. Conquest of kingdoms and exchange of ambassadors, trade and commerce, cultural contact, spread of religion and pilgrimage and education.

WBBSE Chapter 9 Topic A Medium Of Political Contact Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Name two civilisations of the ancient world.
Answer:

Two civilisations of the ancient world were

1. Roman civilisation and
2. Sumerian civilisation.

The Roman civilisation developed on the Italian coast of the Mediterranean sea.

The Sumerian civilisation flourished in one part of Mesopotamia, the region between the river Tigris and river Euphrates.

Question 2. What were the two civilisations which flourished in Mesopotamia?
Answer:

The two civilisations which flourished in Mesopotamia were Sumerian civilisation and Babylonian civilisation.

Question 3. Who was Hamurabi? Why is he famous?
Answer:

Hammurabi was the king of Babylon. He was famous because he was the first one to introduce written laws.

Question 4 What is Hieroglyphic script?
Answer:

Hieroglyphic script:

The Egyptians used the Hieroglyphic script. It consisted of both images and alphabet.

Question 5 What is the Great Wall of China?
Answer:

Great Wall of China:

The rulers of China constructed huge walls around the Chinese empire to protect their empire from foreign invasions. These huge frontiers together constitute what is known as the Great Wall of China.

Question 6. What do you mean by Polis? Name two famous Poleis.
Answer:

Polis:

In Greece, a number of small states had These were known as Cities, States or Polis. Two famous Poleis were Athens and Sparta.

Question 7. Who were Herodotus and Thucydides?
Answer:

1. Herodotus was a Greek historian who wrote about the war of Athens and Sparta with the Persian empire.
2. Thucydides was also a Greek historian who wrte about the war between Athens and Sparta.

Question 8. Who was Darius I?
Answer:

Darius I:

Darius I was the ruler of Persia. He belonged to the Achaemenid dynasty. Gandhara and many other places of the Indian subcontinent came under his control.

Question 9. What is ‘Hindush’?
Answer:

Hindush:

The term ‘Hindush’ is mentioned in one of the writings of the great Persian emperor Darius I. The term was derived from the river Indus.

Question 10. Who were called the ‘Kshatrapas’?
Answer:

Kshatrapas:

The satraps were appointed as provincial rulers by the rulers of the Achaemenid dynasty. Later on, the satrap system was continued by the Shaka and Kushana rulers. During their times the Satraps came to be known as Kshatrapas.

Question 11. During whose reign Alexander invaded Persia? What was the result?
Answer:

Alexander invaded Persia during the reign of Darius III (336-330 BC).

Alexander defeated the Persians. The defeat of the Persians led to the fall of the Achaemenid dynasty. Persia lost control over Gandhara and also over the lower Indus region.

Question 12. Towards the end of 4th century, BC Bactria was under which Greek ruler? How Bactrian kings have been referred to in the Puranas?
Answer:

Towards the end of the 4th century BC Bactria was under the Greek ruler Seleucus. The Bactrian kings have been referred to as Yavanas in the Puranas.

Question 13. Who were the Bactrian-Greeks or Indo- Greeks?
Answer:

The Greeks of the Bacteria dominated over the north-western frontier region and the Taxila of Gandhara. The Greek rulers who dominated over these regions were known as Bactrian- Greeks or Indo-Greeks.

Question 14. What is Milindapanha?
Answer:

Milindapanha:

Menander, the Indo-Greek king, adopted Buddhism under the influence of the Buddhist monk Nagasena. Menander asked Nagasena many questions and their dialogues have been recorded in a book Milindapanha or Milindaprashna.

Question 15. Who were the Pahlavas?
Answer:

Towards the beginning of the 1st century BC the Parthians who came from Iran to the Indian subcontinent took control of the Kabul region. These Parthians were known as the Pahlavas in the subcontinent.

WBBSE Chapter 9 Topic A Medium Of Political Contact Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What is the meaning of the word ‘Mesopotamia’?
Answer: The meaning of the word ‘Mesopotamia’ is the land between the two rivers.

Question 2. What are the names of the two main rivers of Mesopotamia?
Answer: The names of the two main rivers of Mesopotamia are Tigris and Euphrates.

Question 3. What is the script of Sumer known as?
Answer: The script of Sumer is known as Cuneiform.

Question 4. Where did the ancient Egyptian civilisation flourish?
Answer: The ancient Egyptian civilisation flourished on the bank of the river Nile in northeast Africa.

Question 5. Who was Herodotus?
Answer: Herodotus was a Greek historian.

Question 6. Which country is called the ‘Gift of the Nile’?
Answer: Egypt is called the ‘Gift of the Nile’.

Question 7. What were the rulers of Egypt known as?
Answer: The rulers of Egypt were known as Pharaoh.

Question 8. Why were pyramids built?
Answer: The pyramids were built to keep the dead bodies of the rulers of Egypt safe forever.

Question 9. On what did the Egyptians write?
Answer: The Egyptians used to write on the barks of the Papyrus reed.

Question 10. From which word did the English word ‘Paper’ originate?
Answer: The English word ‘Paper’ originated from the word Papyrus.

Question 11. What was imported from Egypt to India?
Answer: Lapis Lazuli, a kind of precious stone, was imported from Egypt to India.

Question 12. Where did the ancient Chinese civilisations develop?
Answer: The ancient Chinese civilisations developed on the banks of river Hwang-Ho and river Yang-Si-Kiang, in East Asia.

Question 13. In which country gunpowder was used?
Answer: Gunpowder was used in China.

Question 14. Name two Persian emperors.
Answer: Two Persian emperors were Cyrus and Darius I.

Question 15. On whose directives Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem?
Answer: Jesus Christ was crucified in Jerusalem on the directives of the royal officers of Rome.

Question 16. Where was Gandhara located?
Answer: Gandhara was located to the north- west of the Indian subcontinent.

Question 17. Who were the Satraps?
Answer: Satraps were provincial rulers appointed by the Achaemenids.

Question 18. Who was Alexander?
Answer: Alexander was the ruler of Macedon who invaded India.

Question 19. Name the king of India who cooperated with Alexander.
Answer: Ambhi, the king of Taxila, cooperated with Alexander.

Question 20. Who was Seleucus?
Answer: Seleucus was the Greek ruler of Bactria.

Question 21. Who is known as Milinda in Buddhist literature?
Answer: Menander, the Indo-Greek King, was known as Milinda in Buddhist literature.

Question 22. Where was the capital of Menander?
Answer: The capital of Menander was Sakal (Sialkot in modern-day Pakistan)

Question 23. Name the Indo-Greek king who took initiative to spread Buddhism.
Answer: Menander was the Indo-Greek king who took initiative to spread Buddhism.

Question 24. What was the title engraved on the coins of Gondophernes?
Answer: ‘Rajatiraj’ was the title engraved on the coins of Gondophernes.

Question 25. Who was Antiochus I?
Answer: Antiochus I was the king of Syria.

Question 26. Name the Mauryan emperor who spread Buddhism.
Answer: The Mauryan emperor Ashoka spread Buddhism.

Question 27. Name two Huna rulers.
Answer: Two Huna rulers were Tormana and his son Mihirkula.

Question 28. During whose reign there was an exchange of envoys with China?
Answer: During the reign of emperor Harshavardhana there was an exchange of envoys with China.

Question 29. Name the Mauryan emperor who took step to spread Buddhism. Where did he send his envoys?
Answer:

The Mauryan emperor Ashoka took steps to spread Buddhism. He sent his ambassador to Syria, Srilanka, Egypt, Macedonia, etc.

Question 30. What do we come to know from an inscription in Rajagriha?
Answer:

From an inscription in Rajagriha we come to know that during the time of Harshavardhana, there was an exchange of envoys with China.

Question 31. Who was the Huna leader towards the end of the 5th century and the beginning of the 6th century AD? Who was his son?
Answer:

Tormana was the Huna leader towards the end of the 5th century and the beginning of the 6th century AD.

WBBSe Chapter 9 Topic A Medium Of Political Contact Fill In The Blanks

Question 1. The Greek historian __________ (Herodotus/ Thucydides/Sophocles) has called Egypt ‘the Gift of the Nile’.
Answer: Herodotus

Question 2. Ambhi, the king of __________ (Pataliputra/ Vaishali/Taxila) helped Alexander to invade India.
Answer: Taxila

Question 3. The Indo-Greek king Minander is known as Milind in the __________ (Jain/Buddhist/Tamil) literature.
Answer: Buddhist

Question 4. The Parthians came to India from __________ (Iraq/China/Iran).
Answer: Iran

Question 5. Megasthenes was the ambassador of the __________ (Egyptian/Roman/Greek) ruler Seleucus.
Answer: Greek

Question 6. The __________ (Saka-Kushanas/Saka-Pahlavas/ Maurya-Kushanas) started the use of bridles and saddles on horses.
Answer: Saka-Pahlavas

Question 7. Gondophernes had the title __________ (Rajadhiraja/Rajatiraj/Chakravartin).
Answer: Rajatiraj

Question 8. Nagasena was a __________ monk (Hindu/Jain/ Buddhist).
Answer: Buddhist

Question 9. The dialogue between Menander and Nagasena has been recorded in __________ (Si-Yu-Ki/ Milindapanha/Krishiparashara).
Answer: Milindapanha

Question 10. There was an exchange of envoys between India and China during the reign of __________ (Ashoka/Harshavardhana/Skandagupta).
Answer: Harshavardhana

Question 11. Mihirkula was a __________ leader (Huna/ Saka/Pahlava).
Answer: Huna

Question 12. A powerful leader of the Hunas was __________ (Tormana/Darius I/Milinda).
Answer: Tormana

Question 13. Ptolemy was the king of __________ (Egypt/Macedonia/Sri Lanka).
Answer: Egypt

Question 14. Antiochus I was the king of __________ (Egypt/Syria/Persia).
Answer: Syria

Question 15. With the aim of propagating Buddhism Ashoka sent his envoys to __________ (Gandhara/Bactria/Sri Lanka).
Answer: Sri Lanka

WBBSE Chapter 9 Topic A Medium Of Political Contact True Or False

Question 1. The use of wooden wheels was first started by the people of Sumer.
Answer: True

Question 2. The script of Egypt is known as Cuneiform.
Answer: False

Question 3. For the first time, China began the process of making wooden blocks for printing.
Answer: True

Question 4. Thucydides wrote about the war between Athens and the Persian empire.
Answer: False

Question 5. Darius, I was a Roman emperor.
Answer: False

Question 6. Greek civilization was influenced by Persian and other civilisations.
Answer: True

Question 7. During the Saka and Kushana rule the Persian satraps came to be known as Kshatrapas.
Answer: True

Question 8. In Rome, there was a remarkable advancement in politics, art, and sculpture.
Answer: True

Question 9. It was on the directives of the royal officers of Athens that Jesus Christ was crucified.
Answer: False

Question 10. Most of the foreign races entered the Indian subcontinent through the sea routes of the northwestern region.
Answer: False

Question 11. In the second half of the 6th century BC, the rulers of Persia belonging to the Achaemenid dynasty attacked Gandhara.
Answer: True

Question 12. Alexander invaded Persia during the reign of King Darius III.
Answer: True