NCERT CHAPTER 2, CLASS 12 HISTORY!!! –
Q1. What is the study of inscriptions called?
Answer: Epigraphy
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 25
Q2. When did James Prinsep decipher the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts?
Answer: In 1837 A.D.
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 26
Q3. Which script was used in the early inscriptions and coins?
Answer: Brahmi and Kharosthi
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 27
Q4. What is the meaning of the word Piyadassi?
Answer: “Gracious-faced”
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 28
Q5. What was the name of the king with a beautiful face?
Answer: Ashoka
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 29
Q6. What is the name of the writing written on a hard surface?
Answer: Inscriptions
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 30
Q7. In which language were the oldest inscriptions written?
Answer: Prakrit
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 31
Q8. What was the name of the language spoken by the common people?
Answer: Prakrit
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 32
Q9. How many Mahajanapadas are mentioned in the early texts?
Answer: 16
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 33
Q10. What is the name of a place where power is in the hands of a group of men?
Answer: Gana/Sangha
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 34
Q11. What was the Prakrit name of Rajgir in modern Bihar?
Answer: Rajjagriha
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 35
Q12. What is the meaning of the word Rajgah?
Answer: Capital/Main centre of governance
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 35
Q13. When was Ataliputra (present day Patna) made the capital of Magadha?
Answer: Around 5th century BC
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 36
Q14. Most of Ashoka’s inscriptions are in which language?
Answer: Prakrit
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 37
Q15. In which language are Ashoka’s inscriptions found from the north-west?
Answer: Kharosthi
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 38
Q16. Who was the founder (first king) of the Maurya Empire?
Answer: Chandragupta Maurya
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 39
Q17. Who is considered the most famous ruler of early India?
Answer: Ashoka
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 40
Q18. Name the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Bindusara
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 41
Q19. Who conquered Kalinga (present day Odisha)?
Answer: Ashoka
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 42
Q20. Name the Greek ambassador who came to the court of Chandragupta Maurya
Answer: Megasthenes
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 43
Q21. Who wrote Arthashastra?
Answer: Kautilya (Vishnugupta)
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 44
Q22. What is the other name of Kautilya?
Answer: Vishnugupta
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 44
Q23. Who was the first emperor who got his messages written on pillars?
Answer: Ashoka
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 45
Q24. Where is Suvarnagiri (Gold Mountains) located in India?
Answer: In the region of South India, Karnataka
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 46
Q25. Which provincial centers were on the long-distance trade route?
Answer: Ujjain, Mathura, Takshila
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 47
Q26. According to Ashoka, how many committees were there for operation in the Maurya Empire?
Answer: 18 major committees
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 48
Q27. Which special officers were given the task of propagating Dhamma?
Answer: Dharmadhikari / Dharmapala
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 49
Q28. How many years did the Maurya Empire last?
Answer: About 137 years (321–184 BC)
📖 Source: NCERT, page 50
Q29. What is Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala called together?
Answer: Dakshinapath / South India
📖 Source: NCERT, page 51
Q30. Which book gives the details of the chieftains?
Answer: Arthashastra
📖 Source: NCERT, page 52
Q31. Where did the Shaka rulers come from?
Answer: Central Asia
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 53
Q32. Where have the huge statues of Kushan rulers been found?
Answer: Gandhara and Mathura
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 54
Q33. Which title did the Kushan rulers use before their names?
Answer: Maha-Kushan
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 55
Q34. By what name is the Allahabad Pillar inscription known?
Answer: Prashasti of Samudragupta / Prayag Prashasti
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 56
Q35. Who composed Prayag Prashasti and who was the court poet of Emperor Samudragupta?
Answer: Kautilya did not compose it; court poet: Jayaditya
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 56–57
Q36. Prayag Prashasti is written in which language?
Answer: Sanskrit
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 57
Q37. Who was the most powerful Gupta emperor?
Answer: Chandragupta II (Vikramaditya)
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 58
Q38. When and in which language were Jataka tales written?
Answer: 3–5 century BC, in Pali language
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 59
Q39. The word Gahapati belongs to which language?
Answer: Prakrit
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 60
Q40. What was the name of Chandragupta II’s daughter?
Answer: Kumaradevi
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 61
Q41. In which family was Prabhavati Gupta married?
Answer: Vakataka dynasty
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 61
Q42. What are the finest quality earthen bowls and plates with shiny coating called?
Answer: Lasur Kala/Lasur Mitti Kala
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 62
Q43. What is the association of traders and producers called?
Answer: Sangha/Sangh
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 63
Q44. Which coins were minted first?
Answer: Panbai and Cast Coins
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 64
Q45. Who issued gold coins first?
Answer: Gupta rulers
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 64
Q46. Which ruler issued the most magnificent gold coins?
Answer: Chandragupta II
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 64
Q47. When did James Prinsep decipher the Brahmi script?
Answer: 1837
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 65
Q48. What is the meaning of Devanampiya?
Answer: “Beloved by the Gods”
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 65
Q49. Who gives details about the military and administrative organization of the Maurya Empire?
Answer: Arthashastra and Maurya inscriptions
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 66
Q50. Silappadikaram epic is of which language?
Answer: Tamil
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 67
Q51. Where is Sudarshan Lake?
Answer: Veraval (Gujarat)
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 68
Q52. Who was the ruler of Rudradaman?
Answer: Rulers of the Gupta Empire
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 68
Q53. Which is the most famous law book of early India?
Answer: Dharmasutra / Manusmriti
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 69
Q54. Where was Harshvardhan the ruler and what is his biography called?
Answer: Rulers of North India, Biography: Nalanda Lesson
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 70
Q55. Who was the court poet of Harshvardhan who wrote the biography of the king?
Answer: Banabhatta
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 70
Q56. Which city of India was among the largest cities of Asia in the fourth century BC?
Answer: Pataliputra
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 71
Q57. When a Chinese traveler came to India in the seventh century AD, what did he call Pataliputra?
Answer: Great City
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 71
Q58. The Malabar coast is in modern Kerala
Answer: Yes
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 72
Q59. What is the study of coins called?
Answer: Numismatics
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 72
Q60. How many years had Ashoka been on the throne when he conquered Kalinga?
Answer: 8 years
📖 Source: NCERT, Page 73
