Class 6 NCERT Solutions History Chapter 7 - From a Kingdom to an Empire
From a Kingdom to an Empire Exercise 68
Solution 1
The list of occupations followed by the people living in the Mauryan empire:
- Handicrafts
- Trade or Commerce
- Farming/Agriculture
- Herding
- Carpentry
- Hunting animals
- Masonry
- Jobs with the Emperor
- Government jobs
Solution 2
(a) Officials collected taxes from the area under the direct control of the ruler.
(b) Royal princes often went to the provinces as governors.
(c) The Mauryan rulers tried to control roads and rivers which were important for transport.
(d) People in forested regions provided the Mauryan officials with forest produce (honey/wax/timber) and elephants.
From a Kingdom to an Empire Exercise 69
Solution 3
(a) False.
(b) False.
(c) False.
(d) True.
Solution 4
Ashoka faced number of problems. Therefore, he tried to get rid of the following problems through dhamma:
- No religious conflicts but communal harmony within the state.
- No violence or killing of animals.
- No ill-treatment of slaves or servants. In fact he believed in kindness towards them.
- No quarrels among the family members or with neighbours. However, he believed in taking initiatives to maintain peace among each other.
Solution 5
Ashoka used various means to spread the messages of Dhamma. These were:
- He himself strictly followed Ahimsa, setting an example for others.
- He appointed some officials known as the dhamma mahamatta who roamed from place to place to teach people about dhamma.
- He engraved his messages and principles on rocks and pillars in different parts of his empire. He also instructed his officials to read it to those who could not read.
- He sent various messengers to spread his ideas of dhamma to other lands like Syria, Egypt, Greece and Sri Lanka.
Solution 6
Yes, the slaves and servants were ill-treated as they were mostly considered as prisoners and were assigned menial jobs. Also they were given no political rights neither were they allowed to participate in any kind of rituals or get education.
Yes, there is a possibility that the orders of emperor could have improved their condition in the given manner:
- They could have been freed from their slavery.
- They could have been treated in a better manner.
- They could get proper wages for their work.
- The people mistreating the slaves or servants could be punished by the emperor.
