The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Extra Questions and Answers SST Chapter 7

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The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Extra Question Answer

The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Important Questions

The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Very Short Question Answer

Question 1.
Through what did the Gupta rulers expand and consolidate their vast empire?
Answer:
Military conquests, diplomacy, and alliances.

Question 2.
Ayurveda emphasises a connection between which three aspects?
Answer:
Mind, body, and nature.

Question 3.
Who founded the Gupta Empire?
Answer:
Chandragupta I.

Question 4.
What was the name of Chandragupta’s wife?
Answer:
Kumaradevi.

Question 5.
What do you mean by term ‘codified’?
Answer:
‘Codified’ mean arranged or written in an organised and systematic way.

Question 6.
Who wrote ‘ prayaga prashasti’?
Answer:
Court poet Harisena.

Question 7.
Which Purana mentions the major regions of the Gupta Empire?
Answer:
The Vishnu Purana.

Question 8.
What titles of the Gupta rulers are known from inscriptions and coins?
Answer:
‘Maharajadhiraja’, “Samrat’ Chakravartin’.

Question 9.
With which kingdom’s prince was Chandragupta II’s daughter, Prabhavati Gupta, married?
Answer:
With the prince of the Vakataka kingdom.

Question 10.
By whom was the Kevala Narasimha temple dedicated to Narasimha, one of the avatars of Vishnu, built?
Answer:
This temple was built by Prabhavati Gupta’s daughter in her memory.

Question 11.
What was the length of a year according to Aryabhata?
Answer:
The length of a year as per Aryabhata was 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds.

Question 12.
What was the length of a year according to Aryabhata?
Answer:
The length of a year as per Aryabhata was 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds.

Question 13.
Which island was an important stop along the trade routes of the Mediterranean markets?
Answer:
Socotra Island.

Question 14.
Which period of ancient Indian history have historians called India’s ‘classical age’?
Answer:
Gupta period.

Question 15.
Who were ‘Chandalas’ in ancient India?
Answer:
Chandalas were regarded as outcastes and lived outside the city limits.

The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Short Question Answer

Question 1.
What explanation have scientists given for the fact that the iron pillar in Mehrauli does not rust?
Answer:
Scientists believe that there is a unique chemical thin layer on top of the pillar, formed by the reaction of a specific type of iron with oxygen present in the atmosphere. This layer protects the iron from rusting.

Question 2.
For what purposes did the Gupta rulers use the revenue they collected?
Answer:
The Gupta rulers used to collect revenue through various means, and this collected revenue was used for administration, maintaining the army, building temples and infrastructure, and encouraging scholars and artists.

Question 3.
What were the major achievements of Chandragupta 1?
Answer:
Chandragupta – I played an important role in the initial expansion of Gupta Empire. He played a crucial role in the early expansion of the Gupta Empire. He is known for his coins and strategic alliances, through which he consolidated his power and laid the foundation for a strong empire.

Question 4.
Write any two reasons for the decline of the Gupta Empire.
Answer:

1. The fierce Huna tribe from central Asia repeatedly attacked the empire, that weakened the control of the Gupta kings over North India.
2. At the same time, the rise of powerful regional rulers led to internal conflicts.

Question 5.
Mention the major achievements of the Pallavas in South India.
Answer:
The Pallavas were great patrons of art and architecture. Most of them were devotees of Shiva. They are credited with the construction of magnificent temples and rock-cut caves. Kanchipuram, the capital of the Pallavas, developed into a major centre of learning in the south.

Question 6.
Write a note on the Kamarupa Kingdom.
Answer:
The Kamarupa Kingdom, ruled by the Varman dynasty in the northeastern region, extended across the Brahmaputra Valley (present- day Assam, West Bengal, and the northern part of Bangladesh). This kingdom was a prominent cultural and political centre. Temples and monasteries developed here as centres of learning.

Question 7.
Who was called a regent ruler? Explain with examples.
Answer:
A regent is a person who temporarily governs the kingdom on behalf of a minor king until the king is old enough to rule himself. For example, after the death of the ruler of the Vakataka kingdom, Prabhavati Gupta took over the rule until her sons became adults and were old enough to govern.

The Gupta Era An Age of Tireless Creativity Class 7 Long Question Answer

Question 1.
Explain the territorial expansion of the Gupta Empire.
Answer:
The Vishnu Purana specifies the key regions of the empire. According to it, the Gupta dynasty ruled over the Anuganga (the middle- Gangetic basin), Prayaga (present-day Prayagraj), Saketa (Ayodhya), and Magadha (Bihar) and all the surrounding regions. However, at its peak, the Gupta Empire ruled over present-day North and West India, as well as parts of Central and Eastern India.

Question 2.
Faxian’s travelogue is valuable source of information for learning about the Gupta period. Explain.
Answer:
Faxian was a Chinese traveller visited India in the early 5th century CE. He visited Buddhist sites and collected manuscripts of Buddhist texts. Faxian travelled extensively across India and observed its culture, governance, and society and recorded his experiences and observations of Indian society. Thus, his travelogue is a valuable source of information of Gupta period.

Question 3.
What information is available about the titles of the Gupta rulers?
Answer:
Inscriptions and coins provide valuable information about the titles adopted by Gupta rulers, such as ‘maharajadhiraja’, ‘samrat’, and ‘chakravartin’ etc.

• These titles reflected their claim to supreme authority.
• These titles emphasised their superiority over earlier rulers who used simpler titles such as rajan’ and ‘maharaja’.

Question 4.
Who was Prabhavati Gupta? Mention the major works undertaken during her reign.
Answer:
Prabhavati Gupta was daughter of Chandragupta II. She was married to a prince of the Vakataka kingdom. Unfortunately, the Vakataka prince died early. As a result, Prabhavati Gupta became the regent of that kingdom.

• During her reign, Prabhavati Gupta made every possible effort to ensure that the relations between the Guptas and the Vakatakas remained strong.
• Being a devotee of Vishnu, like her father, she built seven temples dedicated to the avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Question 5.
Write a comment on India’s foreign trade during the Gupta period.
Answer:
In the Gupta era, India traded with the Mediterranean world, Southeast Asia and China, exporting textiles, spices, ivory and gemstones. The Indian Ocean trade network connected Indian ports to distant markets. One significant stop on the way to the Mediterranean markets was Socotra Island. This small island carries evidence of the rich cultural exchanges that trade promoted in the Indian Ocean.

Question 6.
Ayurveda was codified during the Gupta period. Explain this statement.
Answer:
Ayurveda was codified during the Gupta period. Texts like the Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita were compiled and completed during the Gupta period. These texts provide information on topics and classification of diseases such as, the cataloguing and diagnosing of diseases, their treatments, the importance of diet in maintaining good health, the preparation of medicines, and surgical techniques advanced for their time.

Question 7.
Gupta period art set high standards of aesthetics and beauty. Explain this statement.
Answer:
During the Gupta period, creativity and craftsmanship thrived, such as-

• Some of the iconic works of history were produced during this time.
• Many key centres of art emerged, including Sarnath, known for its exquisite sculptures of the Buddha, and the awe-inspiring Ajanta caves.
• The rock-cut caves and detailed carvings of deities at Udavagiri of Madhya Pradesh are another example of this abundant artistic production.

Question 8.
Write a brief note on the Iron Pillar located in Mehrauli (Delhi).
Answer:
The 6-tonne pillar was erected during the reign of Chandragupta II, a ruler of the Gupta dynasty. It was dedicated to Vishnu, and its inscriptions celebrate the king’s achievements. Even today, this pillar stands without rusting. It is a testament to the advanced metallurgy of ancient India.

Question 9.
Samudragupta was a warrior king. Explain the statement.
Or
How did Samudragupta expand his empire?
Answer:
According to the Prayaga Prashasti inscription the Samudragupta’s ambition was to be ‘dharani-bandha’ or to ‘unify the Earth’. To achieve his ambition, he fought many wars.

As-

• Samudragupta defeated many kings and took over their kingdoms.
• He reinstated some of the defeated kings to their thrones after they accepted the emperor’s authority and offered tribute.
• Many other kings, fearing his might, surrendered without a protest.
• He allowed the Pallavas, Kamarupa, and other local rulers to remain on their thrones as long as they accepted his rule and paid tribute.

Question 10.
Why is the Gupta period considered the classical age of India?
Answer:
The Gupta period considered the classical age of India because-

• In this period, there were significant developments in the field of art, architecture, literature and science. This led to the cultural and intellectual growth of Indian civilization reaching its peak.
• It was the time when knowledge from previous eras was consolidated and compiled into numerous texts.
• Sanskrit literature flourished, with Kalidasa’s works and many major Puranas.
• Aryabhata and Varahamihira recorded major advancements in mathematics and astronomy.
• Medical texts compiled and refined medical theories and practices. The Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita, that laid the foundation for Ayurvedic practices, were compiled and given their final shape during the Gupta period.
• Metallurgy also progressed.

Question 11.
Write an article on Aryabhata.
Answer:
Aryabhata- Aryabhata lived in Kusumapura(near present-day Patna), a renowned educational centre at the time, around 500 CE. He authored a short treatise of mathematics and astronomy called Aryabhatiya. He gave formulas to calculate the motions of the Sun, the Moon and the planets, and proposed that the Earth spins on its axis, which causes day and night. He gave the length of a year as 365 days, 6 hours, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds, just a few minutes off from the modem value (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 45 seconds).

Aryabhata provided a fair estimate of the size of the Earth and a correct explanation for solar and lunar eclipses. Thus, his work became the foundation for further scientific advances in India and beyond.

Question 12.
Write an article on Varahamihira.
Answer:
Varahamihira- Varahamihira was a mathematician, astronomer and astrologer of Gupta period. He lived in Ujjayini. a city famous for its tradition of learning and scholarship. He composed a text called Brihat Samhita. This text covered a wide range of subjects from astronomy and astrology to weather forecasting, architecture, town planning and even farming. His ability to view the world from a rational perspective and connect it with traditional knowledge to present new theories made them a pioneer in the field of science.