HISTORY(VI)-LESSON-5 KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC (LESSON NOTES)

 

HISTORY(VI)-LESSON-5

KINGDOMS, KINGS AND AN EARLY REPUBLIC

(LESSON NOTES)

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v INTRODUCTION

Ø As you know that election or voting are common to choose our leader or rulers now a days. But do you know that how the rulers are elected in ancient time. In this lesson we will try to know about early kingdoms and the society.

v EARLY SOCIETY

Ø After Rigveda many others books were written by priest which were known as later Vedic. These books described how rituals were to be

performed. They also contained rules about society.

Ø There were many different groups in society as priests, warriors, farmers, herders, traders, crafts persons, labourers, fishing, folk, and forest people etc.

Ø The priests divided these people into four groups which is called as varnas. Each varna had a different set of functions. They also told that these groups were decided on the basis of birth:-

§  Brahmins -They were expected to study and teach the Vedas, perform sacrifices and receive gifts.

§  Kshatriyas-Rulers were included in second Varna.They were expected to fight battles and protect people.

§  Vish or the Vaishyas- They were expected to be farmers, herders, and traders. Both the kshatriyas and the vaishyas could perform sacrifices.

§  Shudras- They were at the bottom. They had to serve the other three groups and could not perform any rituals. Often, women were also grouped with the shudras. Both women and shudras were not allowed to study the Vedas.

v SELECTION OF THE RULERS: 

Ø In ancient India, some of the rajas were probably chosen by the Jana, the
people.

Ø Some changes regarding the election of the Raja took place around 3,000 years ago. Some men performed Ashvamedha sacrifice (Horse Sacrifice) and came to be recognised as rajas.

 

Ø These sacrifices were performed by Brahmins.

v JANAPADAS: 

Ø Early Kingdoms were called the ‘Janapadas’ in the ancient time which were ruled by the rajas who performed the sacrifices. They were the Monarchy or Gana.

Ø Numbers of settlement executed by archaeologists as Purana Qila in Delhi, Hastinapura near Meerut, and Atranjikhera, near Etah (UP).

Ø In Janapadas people lived in huts and kept animals. They grew a variety of crops as rice, wheat, barley, pulses, sugarcane, sesame and mustard.

Ø They also made the pots. The pottery found from many sites is known as Painted Grey Ware. (PGW). These grey pots had painted designs, usually simple lines and geometric patterns.

 

v MAHAJANAPADAS: 

Ø Around 2500 years ago when some Janpadas become powerful and have large territory that were known as Mahajanapada.

Ø FEATURES OF MAHAJANAPADAS-

§  These were usually ruled from its capital city.

§  There was intense rivalry among the Mahajanapadas, resulting in frequent wars.

 

§  These capital cities were fortified by a huge wall made of mud, stone, wood or bricks for protection.

§  They also started to maintain the army.

§   For building forts and army’s money was required. So, they started to collected regular taxes from the people. Taxes were in the form of crops, labour, animals and their produce, etc. Taxes on crops was called as Bhaga or share (1/6 part of production)

v CHANGES IN AGRICULTURE

Ø Agriculture prospered in most of the Mahajanapadas as they were located in fertile areas.

Ø Two major changes came in agriculture.

§  One was the increasing use of the iron plough.

§  Secondly, people began transplanting paddy which led to increased production.

v CLOSER LOOK – MAGADH (MAHAJANPADA)

Ø Magadha became the most important ‘mahajanapada’ in about 200 years because of its geographical location as

§  Many rivers such the Ganga and Son flowed through Magadha which make the land fertile and also provide water and transport facilities.

§  The forested area of Magadha provides the horses for the wars and woods for building houses.

§  There were also iron ore mines which used to make strong tools and weapons.

Ø RULERS OF MAGADHA

§  The two powerful rulers of Magadha were Bimbisara , Ajatasattu  and Mahapadamnand.

§  They used all possible means to conquer other ‘janapadas’.

§  Rajagriha was the capital of Magadha. Later it was shifted to  Pataliputra (now Patna).

v ALEXANDER-THE GREAT

Ø Nearly 2300 years ago (325 BC) Macedonia (Europe) ruler named Alexander wanted to become a world conqueror.

 

Ø He conquer the large parts of Egypt and West Asia, and came to the Indian subcontinent, reaching up to the banks of the Beas.

Ø He wanted to march further eastwards but his soldiers refused. They were scared, as they had heard that the rulers of India (Ghananad) had vast armies of foot soldiers, chariots and elephants.

v GANA

§  The method of rule in early centuries where members of society met in assemblies and decided about administration through discussions and debates was known as Gana or Sangha.

§  However, women, dasas and kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies.

§  Gautama Buddha and Mahavira belongs to Gana.

§  Most powerful Gana was Vajji. Its capital was Vaishali (Bihar)

§  Rajas of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer the ‘sanghas’.