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Mahajanapadas in Bihar | Ancient History of Bihar

Mahajanapadas Period in Bihar

Ancient History of Bihar Chapter - 2 : Mahajanapadas in Bihar

Mahajanapadas in Bihar notes/study material for preparation of BPSC Prelims and Mains and other Bihar state examinations

Table of Contents

Arrival of Aryans to India: :

  • Aryans arrived in the north-western parts of India in around 1500 B.C.
  • Their initial settlements were in the valleys of the north-west and the Punjab plains. However during the later Vedic period (1000-600 BCE), Aryan started moving towards Eastern India and Indo-Gangetic plains. 
  • Satapatha Brahmana mentions their arrival and spread in Bihar. 
  • Gaya, Punpun, Rajgir have been referred to as auspicious places.
  • In later Vedic texts, ‘Kikat’ has been referred to as an inauspicious place. Kikatas were said to be ‘Anarya’ or non-vedic people who didn’t practice vedic rituals and were Nastikas. The leader of Kikatas has been called ‘Pramaganda’.  It is unclear whether Kikatas were already present in Bihar during the Rigvedic period or they migrated there later.

You can read more about the Aryans and their arrival in India here : Aryans in India

Mahajanapadas in Bihar :

In the beginning of the 6th century B.C., Northern India consisted of a large number of independent kingdoms. Some of them had monarchical forms of government, while others were republics. 

Buddhist and Jaina literatures mention about the 16 Mahajanapadas as mentioned below : 

  1. Assaka
  2. Avanti
  3. Kasi
  4. Kosala
  5. Anga 
  6. Magadha
  7. Vajii
  8. Malla 
  9. Chedi
  10. Vatsa
  11. Kuru
  12. Panchala
  13. Matsya
  14. Surasena
  15. Gandhara, 
  16. Kamboja

They stretched across the Indo-Gangetic plains from modern-day Afghanistan to Bengal and in central India till Maharashtra.

Out of 16 Mahajanapadas, three namely Magadha, Anga and Vajji were in Bihar. Let us study in more detail about these Mahajanapadas : 

Vajji Mahajanapada : 

  • The Vajji Mahajanapada was a group of eight clans. 
  • This kingdom was an important center of cultural and political activities. 
  • Capital of Vajji was Vaishali.
  • Vajji mahajanapada was spread over present day Champaran, Saran, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi and Darbhanga districts of Bihar.
  • Out of eight clans, the Licchhavis, the Videhas, the Jnatrikas and the Vajjis were the most important. Let us study in more details about them : 

The Licchavis : 

  • Licchhavi was the most important and powerful clan of the Vaiji confederacy. 
  • It was situated on the Northern banks of the Ganga, spread over present day Bihar and some regions of Nepal.
  • Its capital was at Vaishali. 
  • Vaishali was an important center of Buddhism and the headquarters of the Vaji republic.
  • Vaishali is considered to be the world’s first republic and had an elected assembly of representatives. 
  • Lichchavis and their capital Vaishali are associated with the following important historical events of Ancient History : 
    • Lord Mahavira was born at Kundagram in Vaishali. 
    • Kautilya in his Arthashastra has mentioned about the tribal confederation of licchavis.
    • Mother of Lord Mahavira, Trishala was sister of King Chetaka of licchavi. 
    • The Gupta emperor Chandragupta I married a licchavi princess Kumaradevi which is depicted in Kumaradevi coins of Gupta period. 
    • Amrapali was a famous dancer and royal courtesan of Vaishali.
  • The Licchhavis remained influential in Northern India and Nepal till the 4th century BCE. 
  • Later, the kingdom of Licchhavis was conquered by the Haryanka dynasty ruler and King of Magadha ‘Ajatashatru’.

The Videhas : 

  • Videha is mentioned in both Ramayana and Mahabharata as comprising parts of Bihar and extending till the southern parts of Nepal. 
  • It finds mention for the first time in Yajurveda. 
  • This kingdom was started by Ikshvaku’s son Nimi Videh. 
  • All the kings of this kingdom were called Janak. 
  • Hindu Goddess Sita was the princess of Videha and daughter of Raja Janak. 
  • The capital of Videha kingdom was Janakpuris which is now part of Nepal.

The Jnatrikas

  • Mahavir Jain belonged to the Jnatrika clan. His father was the head of Jnatrika clan and his mother was a Licchhavi princess.

Anga Mahajanapada

  • Anga was mentioned for the first time in Atharvaveda.
  • It was situated in the North-east of Magadha and comprised Khagaria, Bhagalpur and Munger of present time. 
  • Champa was the capital of Anga Mahajanapada which corresponds to Bhagalpur in present day Bihar. Earlier name of Champa was Malini. 
  • According to Buddhist scripture Digha Nikaya, this kingdom was designed by famous architect, Maha Govind.
  • Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang referred to Anga Mahajanapada as Chenanpo.
  • The first king of Anga was Titikshu.
  • Bimbisara killed Brahmadatta, the last king of Anga Kingdom and merged Anga into Magadha.

Magadha Mahajanapada : 

  • It was first mentioned in Atharvaveda. 
  • It was a strong kingdom which extended from Ganga in the North to Vindhayas in the South and Champa in the East to river Sone in the West. 
  • Initial capital of Magadha was Girivraja or Rajgir, which was surrounded from all sides by five hills. Later, the capital shifted to Patliputra by the Haryanka dynasty ruler Udayin.

In course of time, the small and weak kingdoms either submitted to the stronger rulers or gradually got eliminated. By the mid of 6th century B.C. Only four kingdoms namely Vatsa, Avanti, Kosala and Magadha survived.

Of all the above kingdoms, Magadha emerged powerful and prosperous. It became the nerve center of political activity in north India and Its history became the history of India.

Great empires like the Mauryan empire and Gupta empire, emerged and ruled in Magadha. 

We will read about the rise of Magadh and the different dynasties( and important rulers ) in the next chapter.

Bihar Ancient History MCQs

multiple choice questions with answer and explanation.

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Pre History of Bihar | Ancient History of Bihar

Nalanda

Ancient History of Bihar Chapter - 1 : Pre History of Bihar

Pre History of Bihar notes/study material for preparation of BPSC Prelims and Mains and other Bihar state examinations.

Table of Contents

Introduction :

History of human evolution is divided into two parts :

  • Time period before humans learnt the skill of writing . This period is called Pre-historic period.
  1. Time period after the humans learnt the skill of writing. This period is called the Historic period.

So,  the history of the human past before the emergence of writing is called the prehistoric period. 

As there are no written records available for this period, Our study of this period is mainly based on the archaeological remains ( Ex.- Stone tools, Pottery, Artifacts)  that have been excavated by the archaeologist. 

Such archaeological remains are found in different parts of India including Bihar which help us in reconstructing the history of that time.

Classification of Prehistoric period

Prehistoric period has been divided into various stages/ages on the basis of nature and types of stone implements used by the primitive men.

In India, the prehistoric period/Stone Age is divided into :

  1. Paleolithic (Old Stone Age) – Timeline – 30,00,000 BC to 1,00,000 BC
  2. Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) – Timeline – 1,00,000 BC to 40000 BC
  3. Neolithic (New Stone Age) – Timeline – 40,000 BC to 12,000 BC

You can read more about the Prehistoric period in India here : Prehistoric period in India

Let us continue with the study of the prehistoric period in Bihar.

Prehistoric archaeological remains have been unearthed from various sites in Bihar. Some of the worth noting points are mentioned below:

  • Paleolithic age ( Old stone age ) evidence has been discovered from Munger and Nalanda.
  • Mesolithic age ( Middle stone age ) evidence has been discovered from Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Singhbhum and Santhal Pargana (However all of these places are now in Jharkhand, hence out of scope for now). 
  • Neolithic ( New stone age ) evidence has been discovered from Chirand (Saran district) and Chechar (Vaishali). 

The Neolithic period was followed by the Chalcolithic/Metal age.  It was the time when humans began using metals along with stones. 

First metal used by humans was Copper. Hence this age was also called the ‘Copper-Stone’ age. 

A number of Chalcolithic sites have been discovered in various parts of the country including Ganga plains of Bihar. Important Chalcolithic sites in Bihar include:

  • Chirand (Saran)
  • Muner (Patna), 
  • Champa (Bhagalpur), 
  • Chechar-Kutubpur (Vaishali), 
  • Taradih (Gaya)

Prehistoric rock paintings have been discovered from the Kaimur, Nawada and Jamui region of Bihar. These paintings depict the lifestyle of people during that time. The pictures depict human activities like dancing, hunting, walking etc. 

Out of all the prehistoric sites, Chrirand is the most important site that has evidence of unbroken historical and cultural sequences down to the present day.

Most Important Prehistoric site of Bihar - Chirand :

Chirand is an archaeological site in the Saran district of Bihar and situated on the northern bank of the Ganga River. 

The excavations in Chirand have revealed stratified Neolithic, Chalcolithic, and Iron Age settlement and provide the details about the transitions in human habitation patterns from around 2500 BC to 30 AD.

Major findings in Chirand:

  •  A large prehistoric mound which is known for its continuous archaeological record from the Neolithic age (about 2500–1345 BC) till the period of Pal dynasty. 
  • Axes made of quartzite, basalt and granite
  • Paddy husk impressions
  • Evidence of use of  Copper and iron
  • Cache of 88 Kushan period coins
  • Handmade pottery
  • Hearths and oblong shaped ovens
  • Pendants, ear-rings, bangles, discs and combs
  • Terracotta figurines such as humped bulls, birds, snakes, and human female figurines. 
  • Ornaments made from tortoise and ivory

This completes our study of Pre historic period in Bihar. As there is not much evidence of Indus valley Civilization in Bihar, In the next chapter, We will study about the Arrival of Aryans and Mahajanapadas period in Bihar. 

Bihar Ancient History MCQs

multiple choice questions with answer and explanation.

In the next Chapter, we will study about the Arrival of Aryans and Mahajanapadas period in Bihar.

You can study complete ancient history of Bihar in a chapterwise format here : Ancient History of Bihar Chapter-wise notes

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Also Read in Ancient History of Bihar:

Jainism in India

Jainism in India
Jainism in India

Jainism in India

Jainism in India notes/study material for preparation of UPSC, BPSC, UPPSC and other State PSC Examinations.

Table of Contents

Introduction :

The word ‘Jain’ is derived from ‘Jina’ or ‘Jaina’ which means the ‘Conqueror’.

Rise of Jainism in India as a heterodox sect was in response to the existing orthodox and ritualistic nature of religion dominated by rites and rituals. Jainism became a prominent religion in India during the 6th century BC.

You can read more about the causes for the rise of Jainism and Buddhism here : Read Now

Tirthankaras in Jainism

  • There were 24 teachers called Tirthankaras, who worked towards spreading the message of jainism to the common populace. Every Tirthankara is associated with a symbol.
  • The 1st Tirthankara was Rishabnatha. His symbol was Bull.
  • The 23rd Tirthankara was Parshvanatha. His symbol was Snake. He attained Kaivalya on Mount Sammeta (Parasnath) located in Jharkhand.
  • The 24th and last Tirthankara was Vardhaman Mahavira. His symbol was Lion. He was born at Kundagrama near Vaishali. 
  • In the 13th year of his penance, Vardhamana  attained the highest spiritual knowledge also called as ‘Kevala Jnana’ meaning supreme wisdom. Thereafter, he was called Mahavira and Jina. 
  • He preached his doctrines for 30 years and died at the age of 72 at Pavapuri near Rajagriha.

You can read more details about the Tirthankaras of Jainism here : Read Now

Teachings of Mahavira

To attain salvation, Mahavira propounded three principles of Jainism, also known as Triratnas (three gems) which are:

  • Right faith – Belief in the teachings and wisdom of Mahavira
  • Right knowledge – Acceptance of the theory that there is no God and that the world has been existing without a creator and that all objects possess a soul.
  • Right conduct – It refers to the observance of the five great vows : 
    • Satya – Not to lie
    • Ahimsa – Not to injure life
    • Asteya – Not to steal
    • Aparigraha – Not to acquire property
    • Brahmacharya – Not to lead an immoral life

As per Mahavira’s teachings, all objects have souls and various degrees of consciousness.

They possess life and feel pain when they are injured. Even the practice of agriculture was considered sinful as it causes injury to the earth, worms and animals. 

Mahavira rejected the authority of the Vedas and propounded that  the universe and all its substances or entities are eternal. It has no beginning or end with respect to time.

Spread of Jainism

  • Mahavira organized the Sangha to spread his teachings. 
  • He admitted both men and women in the Sangha, which consisted of both monks and lay followers. 
  • The rapid spread of Jainism was due to the dedicated work of the members of the Sangha. It spread rapidly in Western India and Karnataka. 
  • Great kings like Chandragupta Maurya, Kharavela of Kalinga and the royal dynasties of south India such as the Gangas, the Kadambas, the Chalukyas and the Rashtrakutas adopted and promoted Jainism. They built various monuments for Jains.

Sects of Jainism

By the end of the fourth century B.C., there was a serious famine in the Ganges valley. Many Jain monks led by Bhadrabagu and Chandragupta Maurya came to Shravanabelagola in Karnataka. Those who stayed back in north India were led by a monk named Sthulabahu who changed the code of conduct for the monks. 

This led to the division of Jainism into two sects Svetambaras (white clad) and Digambaras (Sky-clad or Naked).

  • Digambara Jains – Followers of this sect believed in complete nudity. Male monks did not wear clothes while female monks wear unstitched plain white sarees. They followed all five vows (Satya, Ahimsa, Asteya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya) propounded by Mahavira.
  • Svetambara Jains – Followers of this sect would wear white clothes. They followed only 4 vows (except brahmacharya).

Jain Councils:

  • The first Jain Council was convened at Pataliputra by Sthulabahu, the leader of the Digambaras, in the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. 
  • The second Jain Council was held at Valabhi in the 5th century A.D. The final compilation of Jain literature called Twelve Angas was completed in this council. 

Jain Literature

  • Lord Mahavir’s teachings were compiled by his followers into many texts collectively known as ‘Agams’ which are considered as the sacred books of the Jain religion.

Jain Architecture:

Jain Architecture includes various caves, Sculptures and temples. Some of the worth mentioning examples of Jain architectures are : 

Caves:

  • Ellora Caves (Cave No. 30-35) – Aurangabad, Maharashtra
  • Udayagiri-Khandagiri Caves –  Bhubaneswar, Odisha
  • Hathi-gumpha Cave – Bhubaneswar, Odisha
  • Sittanavasal Cave – Tamil Nadu

Temples: 

  • Dilwara Temple- Mount Abu, Rajasthan
  • Girnar and Palitana Temple –  Bhavnagar district, Gujarat

Gommateshwara statue – It is a 57-foot (17 m) high monolithic statue in the town of Shravanabelagola in Karnataka. Carved of a single block of granite, it is one of the tallest monolithic statues in the world.

Jain Philosophy

Anekantavada – As per Anekantavada philosophy, reality can be examined from many standpoints. The same thing can be described from several standpoints and all can be equally true. This particular school promotes tolerance of contrary opinions.

Decline of Jainism:

There were several causes for the decline of Jainism in India.

Severity in the code of conduct of Jainism, decline in royal patronage, incomprehensible philosophy for common people, division into sects, rise and spread of Buddhism, bhakti movement and the rise in popularity of Vaishnavism and Shaivism were the primary causes for the decline of Jainism.

You can read about the Decline of Jainism in more details here : Read Now

In the next Chapter, we will study about the Buddhism.

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Arrival of Europeans

Screenshot 2023-02-19 at 6.05.49 PM

Arrival of Europeans

Arrival of Europeans notes/study material for preparation of UPSC, BPSC, UPPSC and other State PSC Examinations.

Table of Contents

Introduction :

From 7th century onwards, India’s merchandise trade with European countries was dominated by Arabs who did not allow any other to encroach these routes. Due to the highly profitable nature of trade and huge demand of Indian spices and merchandise in Europe, European countries envied Arabs and wanted to find an alternative direct route to India. To find the alternative route, European sailors started taking long voyages

Arrival of Portuguese :

It was the Portuguese who succeeded and  discovered alternative sea routes to India. Portuguese traveler Vasco da Gama discovered an alternate route from Portugal to India via Cape of Good Hope. He first reached India in May 1498 in Calicut. He was received by Zamorin who was the ruler of Kozhikode.

Portuguese were also the first Europeans to settle and colonize India. They came to India mainly to trade in spices but gradually made their colonies here.In 1503, Francisco de Almeida was sent as Governor and Viceroy of ‘Estado da India’( Name the Portuguese gave to that part of their empire in India).

In 1510, He was replaced by Alfonso de Albuquerque. Below are the worth noting points about Albuquerque:

  • Albuquerque invaded Goa in 1510 and fought the Battle of Goa (1510) with the forces of Sultan of Bijapur Adil Shah and established a Portuguese colony in Goa.
  • He started the first Portuguese mint and issued coins in Gold, Silver and Bronze.
  • He encouraged Portuguese to have marriage alliances with Indian women. 
  • He was first to abolish the practice of Sati, which was in vogue in that time, in the Portuguese colonies in Goa.
  • He maintained friendly relations with the rulers of Vijayanagar Empire.

Due to the above reasons, Albuquerque is known as the real founder of the Portuguese colonial empire in India

Decline of Portuguese empire in India:

The Portuguese empire in India could not last long and soon the Portuguese had abandoned India in favor of the other European powers. Following are the worth noting points about the decline of Portuguese empire in India : 

  • After Albuquerque, there came no Portuguese governor with strong will and ambition to expand the Portuguese empire.
  • In 1612, the Portuguese lost Surat to the British.
  • In 1631, Mughals recaptured Hugli from them.
  • Because of the strategic location of Bombay as a port, all European powers wanted to establish their hegemony on it. However, In 1661, the Portuguese gave Bombay in dowry to Prince Charles-II of England.
  • Their spirit of converting all their subjects to Christianity, even forcefully, was not liked by local masses and rulers. 

Due to the above reasons, By the 19th century, Portuguese became confined to only Goa, Daman and Diu.

Arrival of French :

Among the major European powers, The French East India Company was the last to be formed.  Following are the worth noting points about the French East India Company.

  • It was founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1664.
  • The French established their first factory at Surat in 1668, and in 1669, they built another factory at Masulipatam.
  • They also established a factory at Chandranagar in Bengal.
  • In 1701, Pondicherry was made the capital of the French settlements in India.
  • Joseph Marquis Dupleix was the most ambitious Governor-General of the French East India Company.
  • He was made the Governor General of all French territories in India in 1742.
  • He made alliances with many local rulers and also interfered in their succession disputes. 
  • Dupleix’s plans for territorial expansion became a reason for conflict between French and British which led to the Carnatic wars.

Arrival of British :

The English East India Company was established on 31 December 1600 as per the Royal Charter issued by the Queen of England, Elizabeth I.

The English East India Company had sent Captain Hawkins to the court of the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir in 1608 to secure permission to establish a factory at Surat. 

Initially their request was turned down by Jahangir However, in 1613, Jahangir agreed and issued a firman permitting the East India Company to establish its first factory at Surat.

English established their second factory at Masulipatnam in 1616.

In 1639, the British purchased the land in Madrasapattinam from Raja of Chandragiri and established Fort Saint George there which later became the part of Madras Presidency.

In May 1661, as per the marriage alliance between Charles II of England and Catharine of Braganza, the Portuguese king’s daughter, Bombay was given to Charles II as dowry.

In 1668, a royal charter was issued which gave Bombay to the East India Company for the rent of 10 pounds per year.

By the year 1690, the East India Company purchased three villages namely, Sutanuti, Govindpur and Kalikatta, which later grew into the city of Calcutta. The British built another fort here and named it Fort William after the English King William III. 

All the factories and trading centers which the English established along the coast of India were placed under either Bombay, Madras or Calcutta Presidency.

Anglo-French rivalry and the Carnatic Wars :

Though the British and the French came to India for trading, they slowly became involved in the politics of India. During that time, the entire south India was divided into minor Rajas, Nawabs

and chieftains who fought with one another to maintain their supremacy. 

Both English and French wanted to exploit this situation and wanted to establish their hegemony. This led to Anglo-French rivalry in India.

Due to this rivalry, three Carnatic wars occurred between the English and French and finally the British emerged victorious and established their hegemony in India.

Following are the worth noting points about the three carnatic wars:

First Carnatic War (1744-48) : 

  • Carnatic was the name given by the Europeans to the Coromandel coast and its hinterland. Both British and French East India Companies had their important bases in south India, at Madras and Pondicherry. These bases were in the territory ruled by Anwar-ur-Din, the Nawab of the Carnatic, the Mughal governor in the area. 
  • The First Carnatic War started as an extension of the ‘Anglo-French War’ fought in Europe which was caused by the ‘Austrian War of Succession’. When fighting broke out between the British and the French, the Nawab declared his territory to be neutral and forbade the French and British from attacking each other. 
  • However, defying this truce, the French seized Madras in 1746. French forces also defeated the forces of Anwar-ud-din, the Nawab of Carnatic, to whom the English appealed for help.
  • This war concluded in 1748 with the treaty of ‘Aix-la-Chapelle’.
  • Under the terms of this treaty, Madras was given back to the British, and the French, in turn, got their territories in North America back.

Second Carnatic War (1749-54) :

  • Even after the First Carnatic War ended, a proxy war between the British and French continued in India.
  • A victory over the Indian Nawab in the first Carnatic war boosted the confidence of the French represented by Dupleix. As the succession dispute in Hyderabad and Arcot broke out, Both French and British got involved in that to maintain their influence in the region.
  • The French initially succeeded however it was the heroic Siege of Arcot  in 1751 by Robert Clive which proved to be the turning point of the war. After this, Dupleix was recalled to France and was replaced by Godehu.
  • Godehu signed a ‘Treaty of Pondicherry’ in 1755. As per the treaty, both countries agreed to not to interfere in the disputes of Indian princes. However, this treaty gave the British a strong position in Carnatic.

Third Carnatic War (1757-63) : 

  • The conflict between France and England reemerged 1756 in Europe and with this started the Seven Years War in Europe. As a result, the British and French started fighting in India also which culminated into the Third Carnatic War. 
  • The British Forces were able to capture the French Settlements at Chandranagar in 1757. The British forces under Sir Eyre Coote, defeated the French army under Count de Lally in the ‘Battle of Wandiwash’ in 1760 and besieged Pondicherry.
  • When the Seven Years war ended, it concluded the third carnatic war also with the signing of Treaty of Paris in 1763.
  • As per the treaty, the Chandranagar and Pondicherry were returned to France however they could only do trading activities in them.

Reasons for Failure of France and Success of British in Carnatic Wars :

The Third Carnatic War was a decisive war as it ended the French ambitions to create a colonial empire in India and the British became the supreme European power in India. Following were the main reasons for the failure of the French and Success of British in Carnatic wars : 

  • Private Nature of the English EIC – The British Company was a private enterprise and was less dependent and influenced by the British Government. However, the French EIC was completely dependent on the Government and needed French governments approvals for any major decisions. Also, Some directors of the East India Company were Members of Parliament who could exercise influence in Government and could swiftly get the favorable decisions for the company. 
  • Better Commercial and Financial Position of the British – The trade carried out by the British EIC(East India Company) was far greater than the French EIC due to which the British EIC was in a much better financial position. They could bear the cost of war however the same could not be done by the French EIC.
  • Naval Supremacy of the British East India Company – The British had naval supremacy and due to that they were able to send troops whenever required quickly.
  • Widespread Settlements of British – The British had their settlements in Calcutta, Bombay and Madras However only major French settlement was in Pondicherry. Thus, the British were in an advantageous position as they had more widespread presence and could arrange help and supplies quickly.
  • Recall of Dupleix – Recall of Dupleix by the French Government was a big mistake as . The vacuum created after his departure could not be filled by the persons who succeeded him.
  • Better leadership of the British – The British EIC was headed by Clive who was a great soldier as well as a statesman. Leadership of the French EIC was not as efficient and swift. After the recall of Dupleix, Count de Lally replaced him who lacked the foresight and statesmanship of Dupleix. 
  • Better cooperation and coordination in the British EIC – French lacked this

In the next Chapter, we will study about the Bengal and the Battle of Plassey and Buxar.

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Modern History MCQs Chapter -1 : Arrival of Europeans in India

Modern History MCQs Chapter -1 : Arrival of Europeans in India

Arrival of Europeans MCQs with answers and explanations for preparation of UPSC, BPSC, UPPSC and other State PSC Examinations

Q 1. The first European to arrive in India using the sea route was ?

A. Vasco da Gama

B. Selukas Niketar

C. Columbus

D. Zamorin

Correct Answer: [A] Vasco da Gama

From 7th century onwards, India’s merchandise trade with European countries was dominated by Arabs who did not allow any other to encroach these routes.

However, it was the Portuguese who discovered alternative sea routes to India. Portuguese traveler Vasco da Gama discovered an alternate route from Portugal to India via Cape of Good Hope. He first reached India in May 1498 in Calicut.

Portuguese were also the first Europeans to settle and colonise India. They came to India mainly to trade in spices but gradually made their colonies here.

Q 2. The English East India Company was established in the year ?
A. 1600
B. 1608
C. 1613
D. 1664

Correct Answer: [A] 1600

The English East India Company was established on 31 December 1600 as per the Royal Charter issued by the Queen of England, Elizabeth I.

It was the first among various East India Companies formed by different European countries. The list of other East India Companies are as follows:

  • British East India Company, founded in 1600
  • Dutch East India Company, founded in 1602
  • Portuguese East India Company, founded in 1628
  • French East India Company, founded in 1664

Q 3. Who among the following is regarded as the real founder of the Portuguese colonial empire in India ?

A. Vasco da Gama

B. Francisco de Almeida

C. Columbus

D. Afonso de Albuquerque

Correct Answer: [D] Afonso de Albuquerque

  • Albuquerque is known as the real founder of the Portuguese colonial empire in India.
  • Afonso de Albuquerque invaded Goa in 1510 and fought the Battle of Goa (1510) with the forces of Sultan of Bijapur Adil Shah and established a Portuguese colony in Goa.
  • He started the first Portuguese mint and issued coins in Gold, Silver and Bronze.
  • He encouraged Portuguese to have marriage alliances with Indian women. 
  • He was first to abolish the practice of Sati, which was in vogue in that time, in the Portuguese colonies in Goa.
  • He maintained friendly relations with the rulers of Vijayanagar Empire.

Q 4. Who among the following was the last East India company to be formed ?

A. British East India Company
B. Dutch East India Company
C. Portuguese East India Company
D. French East India Company

Correct Answer: [D] French East India Company

  • The French East India Company was the last to be formed. It was founded by Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1664.
  • They established their first factory at Surat in 1668, and in 1669, they built another factory at Masulipatam.
  • They also established a factory at Chandranagar in Bengal.
  • In 1701, Pondicherry was made the capital of the French settlements in India.

Q 5. Joseph Francois Dupleix belonged to ?
A. British East India Company
B. Dutch East India Company
C. Portuguese East India Company
D. French East India Company

Correct Answer: [D] French East India Company 

 

  • Joseph Marquis Dupleix was Governor-General of French establishments in India and a rival of British general Robert Clive. 
  • He was made the Governor General of all French territories in India in 1742.
  • He was very ambitious and dreamt of establishing a French colonial empire in India. 
  • He made alliances with many local rulers and also interfered in their succession disputes. 
  • Dupleix’s plans for territorial expansion became a reason for conflict between French and British which led to the Carnatic wars.

Q 6. English East India Company established their first factory in ?

A. Goa

B. Surat

C. Bombay

D. Masulipatnam

 

Correct Answer: [B] Surat

  • The English East India Company had sent Captain Hawkins to the court of the Mughal Emperor, Jahangir in 1608 to secure permission to establish a factory at Surat.
  • Initially their request was turned down by Jahangir However, in 1613, Jahangir agreed and issued a firman permitting the East India Company to establish its first factory at Surat.
  • English established their second factory at Masulipatnam in 1616.

Q 7. Fort Saint George, the first fort built by the British in India was located at ?
A. Goa
B. Kolkata
C. Bombay
D. Madras

Correct Answer: [D] Madras

  • In 1639, the British purchased the land in Madrasapattinam from Raja of Chandragiri and established Fort Saint George there.
  • The fort was completed on 23 April 1644 coinciding with St George’s Day, celebrated in honor of the patron saint of England.
  • Soon, It became the hub of merchant activity and gave birth to a new settlement area surrounding it called George Town.

Q 8. The privileges of free trade rights were granted to the English East India Company in 1717 by the Mughal Emperor ?
A. Bahadur Shah
B. Shahjahan
C. Jahangir
D. Farrukh-Siyar

Correct Answer: [D] Farrukh-Siyar

  • Farrukh-Siyar became the Mughal Emperor in 1713.
  • During his reign, in 1717, he issued a Farman which gave the British East India company the right to trade freely except for an annual payment of 3000 rupees.
  • They were also given the right to issue a ‘Dastak’ or trade permits for the transportation of goods.
  • The farman also allowed the British East India Company to mint their own coins.
  • This was a great diplomatic achievement for the company as it allowed the British to expand their trade and granted undue advantages to the English over other traders.

Q 9. Bombay was handed over to East India Company by ?
A. Portuguese
B. Charles II
C. Jahangir
D. French

Correct Answer:

[B] Charles II

  • Bombay was acquired by the Portuguese from the Sultan of Gujarat Bahadur Shah by the Treaty of Bassein in 1534.
  • Because of the strategic location of Bombay as a port, all European powers wanted to establish their hegemony on it.
  • In May 1661, as per the marriage alliance between Charles II of England and Catharine of Braganza, the Portuguese king’s daughter, Bombay was given to Charles II as dowry.
  • In 1668, a royal charter was issued which gave Bombay to the East India Company for the rent of 10 pounds per year.

Q 10. Peace treaty of ‘Aix-la-Chapelle’ was signed between the British and ?
A. Portuguese
B. Mughals
C. Dutches
D. French

Correct Answer: [D] French

  • Though the British and the French came to India for trading, they slowly became involved in the politics of India as both wanted to maintain their hegemony in India.
  • This led to Anglo-French rivalry in India.
  • Three Carnatic wars that occurred between the English and French finally established British hegemony in India.
  • Carnatic was the name given by the Europeans to the Coromandel coast and its hinterland.
  • The First Carnatic War was an extension of the ‘Anglo-French War’ in Europe which was caused by the ‘Austrian War of Succession’.
  • This war was concluded with the Peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.

Decline of Jainism

Jainism in India

Decline of Jainism

Table of Contents

Jainism became a prominent religion in India during the 6th century BC because of the effort of Vardhaman Mahavira. However, after the death of Mahavira, the popularity of Jainism declined gradually.

There were several reasons for the decline of Jainism in India as mentioned below : 

Severity of Jainism:

A severe code of conduct for life was difficult for the common people to follow. Jainism provided a path of extreme penance and fasting to attain salvation which could not be followed by common people. 

Decline in royal patronage:

Spread of Jainism due to the support of earlier kings like Bimbisara, Ajatasatru, Udayin could not continue later. Great kings like Asoka, Kanishka, and Harsha adopted and propagated Buddhism which decreased the popularity of Jainism.

Incomprehensible Philosophy:

General public could not understand the majority of Jaina philosophy like Jeeva, Ajeeva, Syadvada, Anekantwada etc. It was difficult for the people to believe that stone, water, tree, or earth possessed souls of their own.

Division into sects:

After Mahavira’s death, followers of jainism got separated into two sects:  ‘Digamvara’ and ‘Svetambara’. Code of conduct and beliefs were different for both sects in multiple aspects.

The two sects agreed on the basics of Jainism, but disagreed on:

  • Details of the life of Mahavira
  • The spiritual status of women
  • Whether monks should wear clothes
  • Rituals to be followed
  • Which texts should be accepted as scripture

Digamvara monks believed in complete nudity whereas Svetamvara monks could wear white clothes. Digamvaras followed all five vows (Satya, Ahimsa, Asteya, Aparigraha and Brahmacharya) whereas Svetamvaras only followed four vows(They didn’t follow Brahmacharya).  

As per Digambara Philosophy, women could not achieve salvation without first being reborn as a man because women could not live a truly ascetic life as they had to possess clothes. Svetamvara believed that women could achieve salvation.

These differences created confusion among the masses and this worked as a deterrent in the spread of Jainism.

Rise and spread of Buddhism:

The emergence of Buddhism played a significant role in the decline of Jainism. 

Buddha’s teachings were quite simple to understand and easy to follow. Buddha rejected the path of extreme penance and hardship and advocated the ‘Middle Path which became more popular among the masses. 

Bhakti movement and the role of Hindu Saints:

The rise in popularity of Vaishnavism and Shaivism played a significant role in the decline of Jainism. Hindu saints like Nimbarka, Ramanuja, Sankaracharya strengthened the position of Hinduism which became detrimental for Jainism.

With this, we conclude our study of  reasons for decline of Jainism.

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Tirthankaras in Jainism

Jainism in India

Tirthankaras in Jainism

Table of Contents

Tirthankara Meaning : 

  • The word ‘Jain’ is derived from ‘Jina’ or ‘Jaina’ which means the ‘Conqueror’.
  • According to Jain religious literature, a Tirthankara is an individual who has conquered the samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth, on their own, and has made a path for others to follow to achieve salvation.
  • They are also called Arihantas, Jinas, Kevalins as they understood the true nature of the self and attained Kevala Jnana.

According to Jain scriptures, there were 24 tirthankaras. Kalpasutra is a religious scripture of Jains which mentions the life histories of 24 Tirthankaras. Every Tirthankara  is associated with a symbol.

Tirthankaras of Jainism list : 

The names of 24 Tirthankaras and their symbols are mentioned in the table below :

Tirthankara Name

Tirthankara Symbols

Rishabhanatha

Bull

Ajitnatha

Elephant

Shambhavanatha

Horse

Abhinandanatha

Ape

Sumatinatha

Heron

Padmaprabha

Lotus

Suparshva

Swastika

Chandraprabha

Moon

Pushpadanta

Crocodile

Shitala

Kalpavriksha

Shreyamsha

Rhinoceros

Vasupujya

Buffalo

Vimalanatha

Boar

Anantanatha

Porcupine

Dharmanatha

Thunderbolt

Shantinatha

Antelope/Deer

Kunthu

Goat

Aranatha

Nandyavarta/Fish

Mallinatha

Water Jug/Kalasha

Suvrata/Munisuvrata

Tortoise

Naminatha

Blue Lotus

Neminatha

Conch Shell / Shankh

Parshvanath

Snake

Vardhamana Mahavira

Lion

Now, let’s discuss about the some of the important Tirthankaras in detail:

Tirthankara Rishabhanatha:

  • He was the first Tirthankara. 
  • He is also known as ‘Adinatha’ which translates into ‘First Lord’, as well as ‘Adishwara’ (First Jina). His symbol was Bull.
  • Adi puraṇa, a major Jain text provides information about the life of Rishabhanatha as well as his ten previous incarnations.
  • He had many sons however, the most prominent among them is Bahubali. Gomateshwara Statue situated in Shravanabelagola in Karnataka is dedicated to Bahubali. It is the tallest statue in the world.

Tirthankara Neminatha:

  • He is the 22nd Tirthankara.
  • His symbol was Shankh.
  • As per the Jain Scriptures, He was contemporary of Lord Krishna.

Tirthankara Parsvanath:

  • Parsvanath was the 23rd Tirthankara.
  • His symbol was Snake.
  • He was born 273 years before Mahavira. He was the spiritual successor of 22nd Tirthankara Neminatha.
  • He attained Kaivalya on Mount Sammeta (Parasnath) located in Jharkhand.
  • Parsvnath founded first four restraints of Jainism:
    • Satya
    • Ahimsa
    • Asteya
    • Aparigraha 

The fifth one, ‘Brahmacharya’ was later added by Mahavira.

Tirthankara Mahavira / Vardhamana Mahavira:

  • Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of the Jain tradition.
  • His symbol was Lion. 
  • He was born at Kundagrama near Vaishali.
  • His father was Siddhartha who was a Kshatriya King from the Ikshvaku dynasty.
  • His mother was Trisala who was sister of Chetaka, the king of Vaishali.
  • He married Yasoda and gave birth to a daughter. 
  • At the age of thirty he left the materialistic life and became an ascetic and wandered for twelve years. 
  • In the 13th year of his penance, he attained the highest spiritual knowledge also called as ‘Kevala Jnana’ meaning supreme wisdom. Thereafter, he was called Mahavira and Jina. 
  • He preached his doctrines for 30 years and died at the age of 72 at Pavapuri near Rajagriha.

With this, we conclude our study of Tirthankaras in Jainism here.

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Causes for the Rise of Jainism and Buddhism

Jainism in India

Causes for the Rise of Jainism and Buddhism

Read about the different causes for the rise of Jainism and Buddhism in India.

The sixth century B.C. was a great century in history as great thinkers like Buddha, Mahavira, Zoroaster, Confucius and Lao Tse lived and spread their ideas during this century.

Following were the primary cause for the rise of Jainism and Buddhism in India :

  • Religious Unrest – The complex rituals and sacrifices advocated in the later vedic period were not acceptable to the common people. The sacrificial ceremonies suggested in vedic rituals were very expensive for the common man.
  • Prevalence of superstitions in society – The superstitious beliefs and mantras confused the people.
  • Philosophical nature of Upanishads – Upanishads, which provided an alternative to the system of sacrifices, were highly philosophical in nature and therefore not easily understood by general people.
  • Rigid caste system – Caste system prevalent in India created tensions in the society as higher classes enjoyed certain special privileges which were denied to the lower classes.
  • Dissatisfaction of Kshatriyas – The Kshatriyas resented the domination of the priestly class. Being the ruling class, they wanted a more privileged position in society.
  • Social status of Vaisyas – The growth of trade and commerce led to the improvement in the economic conditions of the Vaisyas. As a result, they wanted to enhance their social status but the orthodox and rigid nature of the Varna system did not allow this. They were positioned after Braman and Kshatriyas which they wanted to change as they became wealthy with time.
  • Language of vedic literature – Vedas were written in the Sanskrit language, which was not commonly understood by most people.

Above causes, worked as a catalyst in the rise and spread of Jainism and Buddhism in India.

Instead of the existing ritualistic and philosophical way of salvation, Jainism and Buddhism provided a simple, short and intelligible way to salvation for all people. Their religious teachings were also in the language generally spoken and understood by the common populace.

Kshatriyas and merchant class(Vaisyas) also extend support to Buddhism and Jainism.

Many kings of ancient India like Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka etc. adopted and worked towards the spread of Buddhism and Jainism.

Hence, due to these causes, Jainism and Buddhism spread widely in India.

We this, we conclude this topic here. 

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