Question Bank — Reshaping India's Political Map

NCERT Class 8 Social Science · Chapter 2 · CBSE Board Pattern

Class 8 Social Science Chapter 2 Question Bank CBSE Board Pattern

QUESTION BANK

Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map
(CBSE Class 8 – Exploring Society: India and Beyond)

Section A — MCQs (1 mark each)

  1. Which dynasty established the Delhi Sultanate after the defeat of Prithviraj Chauhan?
    a) Khilji
    b) Mamluk
    c) Tughlaq
    d) Lodi

  2. The term ‘medieval’ in this chapter refers to the period from the:
    a) 5th to 14th centuries
    b) 11th to 17th centuries
    c) 13th to 18th centuries
    d) 14th to 19th centuries

  3. Assertion (A): Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s transfer of capital from Delhi to Daulatabad proved short-lived.
    Reason (R): The plan caused great loss of life and failed to provide better control over the empire.
    a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    c) A is true but R is false.
    d) A is false but R is true.

  4. Who among the following built the Sūrya temple at Konark?
    a) Rana Kumbha
    b) Narasimhadeva I
    c) Harihara
    d) Krishnadevaraya

  5. The Battle of Talikota (1565) resulted in the:
    a) establishment of the Mughal Empire
    b) destruction of the Vijayanagara city
    c) formation of the Khalsa
    d) defeat of the Ahoms

  6. Assertion (A): Akbar abolished the jizya and promoted sulh-i-kul.
    Reason (R): He wanted to gain support of Rajput rulers and stabilise the empire through tolerance.
    a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
    b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    c) A is true but R is false.
    d) A is false but R is true.

  7. The iqta system was introduced during the period of the:
    a) Vijayanagara Empire
    b) Delhi Sultanate
    c) Ahom kingdom
    d) Sikh Empire

  8. Which ruler introduced the mansabdari system?
    a) Babur
    b) Akbar
    c) Aurangzeb
    d) Shah Jahan

  9. The Battle of Saraighat (1671) was fought between the:
    a) Mughals and Rajputs
    b) Mughals and Ahoms
    c) Delhi Sultanate and Eastern Gangas
    d) Vijayanagara and Bahmani Sultanate

  10. The hundi system helped merchants by:
    a) increasing land revenue
    b) enabling transfer of funds across political boundaries without carrying currency
    c) promoting iconoclasm
    d) imposing jizya

Section B — Very Short Answer (2 marks each)

  1. Define the term ‘Sultanate’.
  2. Who were the Musunuri Nayakas and what did they achieve around 1330–1336?
  3. State any two reasons why Timur attacked Delhi in 1398.
  4. Identify the significance of the Kumbhalgarh Fort.
  5. What was the paik system of the Ahoms?
  6. Name the five Deccan Sultanates that emerged from the Bahmani Sultanate.

Section C — Short Answer (3 marks each)

  1. Explain how Ala-ud-din Khilji expanded the Delhi Sultanate southward and the role of Malik Kafur.
  2. Compare the military strategies of the Delhi Sultanate rulers with those of Akbar. Give two points of similarity and one point of difference.
  3. Give reasons why the Vijayanagara Empire declined after the Battle of Talikota.
  4. Why did some Rajput rulers, especially Maharana Pratap, resist the Mughals while others accepted alliances?
  5. Describe the role of temples as centres of economic activity during this period.

Section D — Long Answer (5 marks each)

  1. Analyse the causes and consequences of the frequent changes in political boundaries between the 13th and 17th centuries. How did foreign invasions contribute to this reshaping?
  2. Examine the policies of religious tolerance and intolerance followed by different rulers from the Delhi Sultanate to Aurangzeb. What impact did these policies have on Indian society?
  3. Discuss the significance of regional powers such as the Vijayanagara Empire, the Ahoms and the Sikhs in resisting larger empires. How did geography and local systems help them?

Section E — Source-Based (4 marks each)

Source 1

“His two-fold objective was to wage ‘war with the infidels and to gain something by plundering the wealth of the infidels.’ Large numbers were killed or enslaved, and the city was left in ruins. Timur soon withdrew from India with huge plunder, leaving chaos behind.”

  1. Who is referred to as ‘he’ in the source?
  2. Which city was attacked and in which year?
  3. What were the two objectives mentioned in the source?
  4. How did this invasion affect the Delhi Sultanate?

Source 2

“This city … seemed to me as large as Rome, and very beautiful to the sight; there are many groves of trees within it, in the gardens of the houses, and many conduits of water which flow into the midst of it, and in places there are lakes... The people in this city are countless in number... This is the best provided city in the world...”

  1. Which city is being described in the source?
  2. Name the foreign traveller who wrote this account.
  3. What aspects of the city impressed the traveller? (Any two)
  4. During whose rule did this traveller visit the city?
▶ Answer Key Attempt all questions first,
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Section A

  1. b) Mamluk
  2. b) 11th to 17th centuries
  3. a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  4. b) Narasimhadeva I
  5. b) destruction of the Vijayanagara city
  6. a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
  7. b) Delhi Sultanate
  8. b) Akbar
  9. b) Mughals and Ahoms
  10. b) enabling transfer of funds across political boundaries without carrying currency

Section B (Any two relevant points, 1 mark each)
1. A territory ruled by a Sultan.
2. Telugu chieftains who formed a confederacy and expelled Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s army from Warangal.
3. To wage war against infidels and to plunder wealth.
4. Built by Rana Kumbha; famous for its 36 km long wall; served as a stronghold for Mewar.
5. Every able-bodied man had to provide labour or military service in exchange for land rights.
6. Bijapur, Golconda, Berar, Ahmednagar, Bidar.

Section C (Any three points, 1 mark each)
1. Conquered southern kingdoms; Malik Kafur attacked Srirangam, Madurai etc.; plundered wealth financed military.
2. Both used military campaigns; Akbar additionally used marriage alliances and sulh-i-kul.
3. Defeat at Talikota led to sacking of the city; empire fragmented into Nayaka kingdoms.
4. Mewar rulers valued independence; received support from Bhils; used guerrilla warfare.
5. Temples received land grants (dāna), provided credit, built irrigation works and dharmaśālās, supported trade.

Section D (Any five relevant points with explanation, 1 mark each)
1. Invasions by Central Asian forces, rise and fall of dynasties, resistance by regional powers constantly altered boundaries.
2. Jizya imposed by some sultans and Aurangzeb; abolished by Akbar; temples destroyed at times; some rulers promoted tolerance.
3. Vijayanagara used strong armies and trade; Ahoms used paik system and terrain; Sikhs formed Khalsa for defence.

Section E

Source 1

  1. Timur (supported by “Timur soon withdrew…”).
  2. Delhi, 1398.
  3. War with infidels and plundering wealth.
  4. City left in ruins; chaos followed; weakened the Sultanate.

Source 2

  1. Vijayanagara (Hampi).
  2. Domingo Paes.
  3. Size like Rome, groves, water conduits, lakes, large population, well-provided markets.
  4. Krishnadevaraya’s rule.
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All questions are answerable from the NCERT chapter text. Reviewed by GFIS faculty.