St. Joseph Chaminade Academy
(ICSE Affiliated)
Class VI • HISTORY & CIVICS
Summative Assessment – 2 (SA-2) • 2025-26
Total Marks: 60 | Time: 2 Hours
Date: _______________ Roll No: _______________ Maximum Time: 2 Hours
PART – I (20 Marks)

Attempt all questions from this Part.

Question 1 (10 Marks)

I. Multiple Choice Questions (Choose the correct option)

  1. There were 16 ________ in the 6th century BCE.
    (a) janapadas
    (b) mahajanapadas
    (c) gramas
    (d) vishayas
  2. The mahajanapada that rose to become the most powerful was
    (a) Kosala
    (b) Magadha
    (c) Avanti
    (d) Vatsa
  3. The main factor for growth of larger settlements in Later Vedic Age was
    (a) use of iron
    (b) foreign invasions
    (c) advanced bronze tools
    (d) horse chariots
  4. Provinces in the Gupta administration were known as
    (a) bhuktis
    (b) vishayas
    (c) gramas
    (d) mandalas
  5. Chandragupta II was popularly known as
    (a) Vikramaditya
    (b) Maharajadhiraja
    (c) Devaputra
    (d) Sakari
  6. A district during Mauryan period was administered by
    (a) rajjuka
    (b) yukta
    (c) pradeshika
    (d) kumara
  7. Harshavardhana shifted his capital to
    (a) Thanesar
    (b) Kannauj
    (c) Pataliputra
    (d) Ujjain
  8. The Chinese pilgrim who visited India during Chandragupta II’s reign was
    (a) Fa-Hien
    (b) Xuanzang
    (c) I-Tsing
    (d) Marco Polo
  9. Republican mahajanapadas were characterised by
    (a) rule by elected councils
    (b) hereditary monarchy
    (c) single powerful king
    (d) foreign governors
  10. Pataligram, which grew into Pataliputra, was situated near the river
    (a) Ganga
    (b) Yamuna
    (c) Son
    (d) Brahmaputra

Question 2 (10 Marks)

II. Answer the following questions briefly

  1. Describe the territorial extent of Ashoka’s empire at its peak.
  2. State any two important achievements of Samudragupta as a conqueror and patron of arts.
  3. What are “wards” in the context of a Nagar Panchayat?
  4. Mention any two major contributions of Aryabhata in the field of astronomy and mathematics.
  5. Explain the term “metropolitan area” as defined in the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.
PART – II (40 Marks)

SECTION – A (20 Marks)

Attempt any TWO questions from this Section.

Question 3 (10 Marks)

Explain the following terms (any ten – 1 mark each)

  1. Janapada
  2. Dhamma
  3. Monarchy
  4. Hellenistic
  5. Octroi
  6. Gandhara School of Art
  7. Municipal Corporation
  8. Mahamatras
  9. Republic
  10. Brahmi Script

Question 4 (10 Marks)

Match the following

Set ASet B
1. Dharamashalas—(a) Religious duty / law
2. Dhamma—(b) Rest houses for travellers
3. Senapati—(c) Head of the army
4. Viharas—(d) Buddhist monasteries
5. Chakra—(e) Wheel (in Ashoka’s emblem)
Set BSet B
1. Mayor—(a) Chief Executive Officer
2. Aldermen—(b) Nominated / appointed members
3. Commissioner—(c) Elected head of corporation
4. MLAs / MPs—(d) Ex-officio members in some cases
5. Prashasti—(e) Eulogy / inscription of praise

Question 5 (5 + 5 = 10 Marks)

A. Picture Study (5 Marks)
(Study the picture of ancient university ruins provided)

  1. Identify the university shown in the picture.
  2. Who was mainly responsible for its establishment / patronage?
  3. Name the famous Chinese traveller who studied here for many years.
  4. Mention one unique feature of this university.
  5. In which historical period did this university flourish most?

B. Mandatory vs Voluntary Functions (5 Marks)
Write [M] for Mandatory and [V] for Voluntary functions of Urban Local Bodies:

  1. Supply of clean drinking water
  2. Plantation of trees on roadsides
  3. Development of public parks and gardens
  4. Providing public transport facilities
  5. Appointment of doctors in municipal hospitals

SECTION – B (20 Marks)

Attempt any TWO questions from this Section.

Question 6 (10 Marks)

A. Give one word / name for the following (5 × 1 = 5)

  1. The Greek general defeated by Chandragupta Maurya near the Indus.
  2. The last ruler of the Nanda dynasty overthrown by Chandragupta.
  3. The head of a Municipal Corporation – chief citizen of the city.
  4. The tax levied on goods entering city limits (octroi alternative name).
  5. The early capital of Magadha before it was shifted to Pataliputra.

B. True or False (5 × 1 = 5)

1. Nagar Palika is another name for Municipal Council. [ ]
2. The term of Nagar Panchayat is five years. [ ]
3. Chandragupta Maurya was about 25 years old when he met Chanakya. [ ]
4. Dhamma is a Prakrit word meaning righteous conduct. [ ]
5. Ashoka respected all religions even after embracing Buddhism. [ ]

Question 7 (10 Marks)

A. Name the following (5 × 1 = 5)

  1. The founder of the Mauryan Empire.
  2. The Chinese pilgrim who visited India in Harsha’s time and wrote Si-Yu-Ki.
  3. The court poet who composed the Allahabad Pillar Prashasti.
  4. The Lichchhavi princess who married Chandragupta I of Gupta dynasty.
  5. The title meaning ‘Sun of Valour’ given to Chandragupta II.

B. Fill in the blanks (5 × 1 = 5)

  1. Chandragupta I married ___________devi, a princess of the Lichchhavi clan.
  2. The golden age of ancient India is associated with the rule of ___________.
  3. Samudragupta earned the title ___________ of India due to his conquests and love for ___________.
  4. The Allahabad Pillar inscription (Prayag Prashasti) was composed by ___________.

Question 8 (10 Marks)

Give reasons for the following (5 × 2 = 10)

  1. Why is the Iron Pillar at Mehrauli (Delhi) regarded as a metallurgical marvel even today?
  2. Mention two major causes for the decline of the Gupta Empire after the reign of Skandagupta.
  3. Why did the capital cities of most mahajanapadas need strong fortifications?
  4. Explain why Chandragupta II was called ‘Sakari’.
  5. Why do municipal bodies need to collect various taxes from citizens?