Class 7 Social Science — Chapter 4: Cities and States

What you'll learn

• ▸The Second Urbanisation
• ▸Formation of Janapadas and Mahajanapadas
• ▸Features of Mahajanapada Cities
• ▸Monarchical Mahajanapadas
• ▸Gaṇas and Sanghas (Early Republics)
• ▸The Role of Iron Technology
• ▸Introduction of Coinage
• ▸Social Organization and the Varna System

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- New Beginnings: Cities and States CHAPTER 4 The kingdom shall be protected by fortifying the capital and the towns at the frontiers. The land should not only be capable of sustaining the population but also outsiders in times of calamities. ... It should be beautiful, being endowed with cultivable land, mines, timber forests, elephant forests, and good pastures rich in cattle. It should not depend [only on] rain for water. It should have good roads and waterways. It should have a productive economy, with a wide variety of commodities .... – Kauṭilya, Arthaśāstra Fig. 4.1. Ruins of a major structure at Rājagṛiha (modern-day Rajgir in Bihar), when it was the capital of the Magadha mahājanapada. The Big Questions 1. What is meant by 'Second Urbanisation of India'…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

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1. Explain ancient city defenses. Get Solution →
2. Compare old and new cities. Get Solution →
3. Describe early forms of democracy. Get Solution →
4. According to the text, what is the meaning of the Sanskrit word 'janapada'? Get Solution →
5. What major technological shift, involving a new metal, characterized India's Second Urbanisation? Get Solution →
6. What were the first coins used in India during this period called? Get Solution →
7. According to the more frequent list mentioned in the texts, how many mahājanapadas were there? Get Solution →
8. Which civilization is referred to as India's 'First Urbanisation'? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 The world's oldest city, Jericho, has been continuously inhabited for over 10,000 years.
• 💡 Ancient Rome had huge apartment buildings up to ten stories high for its city dwellers.
• 💡 Some ancient Indian states used trained elephants as powerful tanks in their armies.
• 💡 The first written laws were created in ancient Mesopotamia over 4,000 years ago.
• 💡 Many ancient cities had complex underground water systems to supply their citizens.

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