Grade 6 Answer Key

Lesson 1:
Fill in the blanks:
1. 1707
2. Timur and Chingez
3. Samarkand, Kabul
4. canons
5. Delhi, Agra
6.Khanua, Gogra
7. 1530
8. 23
Choose the correct answer:
1. A
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. B
Correct the false statement:
1. Weakest -> strongest
2. Punjab -> Sindh
3. Well ogranised -> far from secure / unogranised
4. Bengal -> Gujrat, Gujrat->Benagl
5. Babur -> Humayun
Match the following:
1. 12,000
2. Lodhi
3. Sindh
4. Suri
 5. Hamida Bano
One word or phrase answer:
1. Mughal
2. Babur
3. Rana Sangha
4. Governor of Lahore
5. Humayun

Map Skills:
City 1:Kabul
City 2: Peshawar
City 3: Lahore
City 4: Delhi
City 5: Agra
Location A: Panipat
Location B: Khanua
Location C: Gogra
Short Answers:
1. Strengths:
a. They were excellent administrators and established organiasational
structures still in use today, 300 years later.
b. They excelled at art, architecture, music and literature.
2. Weaknesses:
a. They tended to neglected science and techbology.
b. They had no clear law of succession and this often led to wars
between the immediate male heirs for the struggle for the throne.
3. Akbar was born in 1542 in Sindh.
Definitions:
Dynasty: A line of hereditry rulers.
Exile: the state of being barred from one's native country, typically for political or
punitive reasons.
Detailed answers:
1. The Mughal dynasty was founded by Babur. Babur was a prince of the small
states of Central Asia and spent the earlier part of his life trying to
recapture his ancestral capital of Samarkand. When he could not do so he
captured Kabur. Daulat Khan Lodhi, governor of Lahore, invited Babur to
help him overthrow Sultan Ibrahim Lodhi. In 1525 Babur advanced into
Punjab with 12,000 men and at Panipat (1526) faced Ibrahim Lodhi’s army
of 100,000 troops and many elephants. Babur’s clever planning and his use
of canon’s for the first time in India destroyed the enemy army in the First
Battle of Panipat. Ibrahim Lodhi was killed and Babur marched to Delhi and
Agra as king.
2. Sher Shah Suri’s reforms:
a. Suri was a brilliatn soldier and admintrator, in his short reign over
Babur’s emepire he began many of the changes that Akbar was later
to make.
b. Suri believed that it was his duty to unite the Hindus and Muslims.
c. He set up courts all over the Kingdom. Although his laws were strict,
particularly where corrupt officials were concerned, they were on the
whole fair.
d. He build a road from Peshawar to Bengal that still exists today, the
grand Trunk Road. Rest houses, separate ones for Hindus and
Muslims, with water, beds, and grain for animals were built every 10
kilometers along it. Trees were planted by the wayside to provide
travellors with shady placs to rest.
e. He calculated how much money the government needed each year
and tried to establish fair means of obtainining.
3. Babur’s will:
a. The king must be above the nobles, and they must obey him.
 b. The empire should be united by understanding and tolernce, not by
force: no killing of cows, no temple-smashing and no Shia-Sunni
quarrels.
c. Different peoples should be judged according to their own
community’s laws.
Activity: See schematic daigram on book page 78.

Lesson 2: Akbar – The Great

Objective Portion

Fill in the blanks using the correct choices from the word bank:

Timur - Agra 1605 - finance - 1556 - poisoning - army - Jats - government -

religion - 13

1. Akbar came to the throne at the age of____13________ in the year

_____1556________.
2. A Mughal miniature painting shows the Mughal ancestor _____ Timur ____
with four of his descendants in the imperial dynasty of India.
3. From 1562 onwards, Akbar began to introduce reforms in the ___ army _,
__ finance _ departments, _ government _ and the practice of _religion _.
4. Akbar’s new capital Fatehpur Sikri was close to __ Agra ____.
5. Akbar died in the year __1605____ because of suspected __ poisoning __
by the _ Jats ___.

Choose the best answers

1. After which famous battle did Akbar formally come into power?
a. 1st Battle of Panipat b. Battle of Khanua
 c. Battle of Gogra d. 2nd Battle of Panipat

2. Who was Adham Khan?

a. Akbar’s general c. Akbar’s foster brother
b. Akbar’s real brother d. None of the above

3. How was Bairam killed?

a. Akbar had him killed c. Adham Khan had him
b. He was murdered by an killed
enemy d. None of the above

4. How did Akbar deal with the frequent rebellions after 1580?
a. He accepted their c. All of the above
demands d. None of the above
b. He executed one of his
important officials
5. Why was Fatehpur Sikri abandoned as a capital?
a. Because of a shortage of
food
b. Because of a shortage of
water
c. Because of being
attacked by enemies
d. None of the above
Correct the false statements
1. Akbar loved his mother and foster mother’s strict discipline.
hated
2. Akbar was very intelligent and he learned to read and write.

but he did not

3. Akbar dismissed Bairam and told him to go to Persia.

pilgrimage to Makkah

4. Adham Khan had Babur thrown down the stairs to his death.

Akbar had Adham Khan

Match the following

Column A Column B Column C
1602 1. Akbar’s main general 2
Bairam 2. Jehangir rebels against Akbar 1
Hemu 3. Akbar’s foster brother 4
Adham Khan 4. Akbar’s opponent in 2nd Battle of Panipat 3
Fatehpur Sikri 5. Akbar’s new capital 5

Give one word answer

1. Who replaced Bairam as Akbar’s chief noble in his empire?

Bairam’s son

2. Who killed the new prime minister appointed by Akbar?

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Adham Khan

3. Where did Akbar send Bairam after dismissing him?

On a pilgrimage to Makkah

Subjective Portion

Short Answers
1. Who raised Akbar and why did Akbar dislike them?

Akbar was raised by his mother, foster-mother and Bairam and he disliked their
strict discipline and control over his life.

Glossary
1. Timur

Also known as Tamerlane or Timur Leng, he was a Turco-Mongol conqueror

who formed a large empire in Persia and Central Asia in the late 13th and early
14th century.
2. Rajputs

Rajputs are a clan or tribe found in parts of India and some parts of Pakistan
who claim to be descendants of ruling Hindu warrior classes of North India.

Long Questions
1. How did Akbar come into power?

Although Akbar came to the throne when his father Humayun died in 1556.
However because he was just 13 years old at the time a nobleman named Hemu
rebelled and declared himself ruler in Delhi. His forces were defeated by Bairam,
Akbar’s general at the 2nd Battle of Panipat and Hemu already dying from an
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arrow wound was brought to Akbar. The 14-year-old was made to kill him with
his sword to show that he had legally won the crown.

2. How did Akbar deal with Adham Khan?

Adham Khan was arrogant and when Akbar chose a new prime minister Adham
Khan murdered him in the royal palace. He then tried to kill Akbar him self but
the emperor was stronger and threw Adham to the ground. Akbar ordered
Adham Khan to be thrown down the stairs to his death. Now Akbar was really
free to do as he liked.

Lesson 3: Akabr’s reforms

Objective potion

Fill in the blanks with the correct choices from the word bank:
Cows – majority – copper – Persian – communion – Afghan – Hindu –Mongol –
4 – paradise – jagir –– parade – mansabdari – governor –bartering – gold –
silver – middle – nationalist

1. Akbar tried to establish a real Indian culture, rather than imposing an alien
culture on the local inhabitants as the earlier _Mongol__, __ Persian __and
__ Afghan __invaders had done in the past.
2. There were ______4_____ main aspects of Akbar’s reform programme.
3. Akbar abolished the ___ jagir _____system of the army and instead
introduced the _ mansabdari _system of the ranking of nobles.
4. Akbar’s army had to ___ parade ____before him to show that they were
ready for battle.

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5. Tax officials were responsible directly to emperor and not the _ governor _.
6. As money gradually began to replace __ bartering ___, Akbar had mints
built to make coins made out of ___ gold __, __ silver ___and__ copper __.
7. Banks and moneylenders were largely run by ___ Hindu ___merchants and
allowed for a strong Hindu ___ middle __ class to evolve.
8. To make the Hindus happy Akbar forbade the killing of ___cows____.
9. Akbar felt that all religions were trying to achieve the same end for their
followers, to reach __ paradise __and bring about __ communion ___with
God.
10.Akbar’s reforms encouraged __ nationalist ___ feelings in the Hindus as
they began to believe that their __ majority ___ status entitled them to
rule the country.

Choose the best answer:

1. Which sentence best describes Akbar’s model of tax revenue generation?
a. Increased taxes on crops along with officials to help people grow
more crops
b. Increased taxes on trade
c. Reintroduction of Jizya tax
d. None of the above
2. Which one of these options was one of Akbar’s religious reforms?
a. Akbar encouraged Muslims to marry only Muslims
b. Akbar encouraged Muslims to marry Hindu women
c. Akbar re-imposed Islamic jizya tax
d. All of the above
3. Which one of these is NOT one of the consequences of Akbar’s reforms

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 a. Rise of Hindu nationalism
b. Muslims desire to have a more traditional Islamic ruler
c. Increased conversions from Hinduism to Islam
d. All of the above
4. Which one of these is one of the things Akbar did to please the Muslims:
a. Abolished jizya
b. Abolished Hindu pilgrim tax
c. Forbade killing of cows
d. Abolished compulsory suttee
5. Which one of these is not one of the features of Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi?
a. People have to bow down before Allah and Akbar
b. Akbar’s statements about religion always right if supported by Quran
c. Akbar was Allah’s representative on Earth
d. People should only bow down to Allah

Correct the false statement:

1. Akbar never had an efficient, well-trained army ready to go to war at a
moment’s notice.

always

2. Each of Akbar’s provinces was under a jagirdar.

governor

3. The jagir system ensured a well-trained army.

mansabdari

4. The taxes under Akbar were based largely on trade goods and gold.
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land and crops

5. The people were taxed one half of the value of the crops by Akbar.

one-third

Match the following:

Column A Column B Column C
Akbar’s new religion 1. Abolishing jizya tax 4
Mansabdari 2. Akbar had coins made here 3
Mints 3. Akbar’s administrative ranking 2
system
Hall of Worship 4. Din-i-Ilahi 5
Appeasment of 5. Fatehpur Sikri 1
Hindus

Give one word or one phrase answers:

1. What do you call the system where senior army official are paid by land
grants? Jagirdari system
2. How many provinces did Akbar divide his empire into? 15
3. What do you call the place where all the money belonging to a country or
empire is kept? Treasury
4. What do you call the place where money is printed or coins are made?Mint
5. Which special tax meant for non-Muslims was abolished by Akbar? Jizya

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 Subjective portion

Give short answers:

1. Describe the justice system introduced by Akbar.

Akbar appointed judges who dealt with criminal cases. For civil cases, Muslims
were tried by Shariah Law and Hindus by juries of their own caste.

2. What did Akbar do to prevent rebellions?

Tax officials responded directly to the emperor and not to the governor. This
meant that the governors did not have the money and the tax officials did not
have the soldiers to start a rebellion. Officials were also transferred from time
to time to prevent them from establishing a power base in any one region.

2. What did Akbar do to increase tax revenues? List any 2 things.

Any 2:
1. Fields were re-measured and the crops of each area were recorded by name.
2. Tax officials acted as advisors to farmer and encouraged them to grow high
value crops like sugar, cotton, maize and indigo because increased profits
meant more taxes for the government.
3. What did Akbar do to increase trade? List any 2 things.
1. He built new roads with trees, rest houses and wells.
2. He built new mints to make gold, silver and copper coins as money begun
replacing bartering.

Glossary

1. Corruption

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 The unfair or dishonest use of public resources or money, usually by
government officials, for personal benefit.

2. Hall of Worship

A place in Akbar’s new capital Fatehpur Sikri where Akbar met scholars Muslim
scholars to discuss the Quran and the Islamic faith. Later he would meet scholars
and religious leaders of Hinduism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism and Judaism.

Detailed Questions:
1. Compare and contrast the policies Akbar introduced to appease the Hindus
and Muslims.

Policies to appease Hindus:

1. Made Hindu nobles, generals and officials in his empire.

2. Abolished Hindu pilgrimage tax.
3. Abolished jizya tax.
4. Made the destruction of Hindu temples illegal.
5. Banned the killing of cows.
6. Encouraged Muslim men to marry Hindu women.
7. Discouraged the use of Arabic.

Policies made to appease Muslims:

1. Lowered land taxes

2. Stopped child marriages
3. Discouraged animal sacrifices
4. Stopped the killing of baby girls
5. Abolished compulsory suttee

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 2. What was Din-i-Ilahi and what was the reaction of the people towards it?

In 1582 Akbar begun a new religion called Din-i-Ilahi which he said contained the
best teachings of all other religions. Allah, the Prophet and the Quran were still
foundations of the new faith but the Akbar said he was Allah’s representative on
Earth. As Allah’s representative the people of all ranks had to bow down on the
ground before him. Naturally, all of this made the Muslims very angry because
according to Islam people should only bow down before Allah. Only a few
courtiers joined Akbar’s new religion and Akbar himself returned to Islam 10
years later.

3. Describe the mansabdari system.

Under the mansabdari system the nobles were given ranks. They were all paid
to recruit, equip, train and command a certain number of soldiers. The lowest
noble had to keep a force of ten trained men; chiefs and important nobles
maintained up to 5000 soldiers, while royal princes maintained up to 10,000
soldiers. Every year they had to parade before the emperor to show that they
were ready for battle. By this means, Akbar always had a well-trained army
ready to go war at a moment’s notice.

ANSWER KEY LESSON 4 -7

Lesson 4: Jehangir and Shah Jehan

Fill in the blanks using the correct choices from the word bank:
Custody – precious stones – Akbar – 7 – dead – Persia – change – 10 million –
blinded – Deccan – sound
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 1. Jehangir succeeded his father ___ Akbar ______without a struggle because
both of his brothers were already _____ dead__________.
2. Jehangir was a _____ sound________ ruler for much of his reign.
3. Jehangir did not try to _____ change _____too many of his father’s idea on
government.
4. Khusrau became partially ___blinded___after the rebellion against Jehangir
and died in the _____custody________of his brother.
5. Jehangir lost Kandahar to the king of ____Persia______ and fought a long
inconclusive battle in the __Deccan_______.
6. The Peacock Throne was studded with ___precious stones__, and took
_____7______years to complete and cost ____10 million_____ rupees.

Choose the best answer:

1. Which one of these events of Jehangir’s reign happened in 1611:
a. Marriage to Nur Jehan
b. Rebellion by his son Khusrau
c. Loss to the King of Persia
d. None of the above
2. Whom did Nur Jehan help appoint in her husband’s court?
a. Her son from a previous marriage
b. Her father and her brother
c. All of the above
d. None of the above
3. Which one of these statements best describes Nur Jehan?
a. She was not very ambitious.
b. She devoted all her money to charity.

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 c. She did great charitable work but was also extravagant at court.
d. None of the above
4. What was one of the consequences of Jehangir and Nur Jehan’s
extravagance?
a. The treasury flooded with revenues
b. Their fame encouraged the Portuguese and English to try to gain
influence in India
c. They were attacked by the neighbouring Mongolian empire
d. None of the above
5. Which one of these art forms was Jehangir an expert in:
a. Music
b. Dancing
c. Painting
d. None of the above

Correct the false statements:

1. Jehangir was just as controversial as his father, and his kingdom was
unsettled and declining.

Jehangir was not as controversial as his father and his kingdom was settled and
prosperous.

2. Khusrau’s followers who had helped him in his unsuccessful rebellion were
rewarded by Jehangir.

Khusrau’s followers who had helped him in his unsuccessful rebellion were
severely punished.

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 3. Shah Jehan developed trade and industry, especially art and literature
which were became very popular in the South.

Shah Jehan developed trade and industry, especially textile and metalworks
which were became very popular in the West.

4. The Mughal court in the time of Shah Jehan was the simplest in the world.

The Mughal court in the time of Shah Jehan was the the most
extravagant/magnificent in the world.

5. Shah Jehan tried to recapture Samarkand but was driven back by the
Persians.

Shah Jehan tried to recapture Samarkand but was driven back by the Uzbecks.

6. Mumtaz Mahal died because of poisoning.

Mumtaz Mahal died because of childbirth.

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Match the following
Column A Column B Column C
Province where Shah Jehan was fighting when 1. Kandahar 5
Jehangir deid
Peacock Throne 2. Shah 4
Jehan’s wife
Captured from Persians by Shah Jehan 3. Imprisioned 1
Shah Jehan
at Agra
Mumtaz Mahal 4. Nadir Shah 2
Aurangzeb 5. Deccan 3

Give one word answers:

1. Which of Jehangir’s popular sons led an unsuccessful rebellion against him?
Khusrao
2. Who was Khusrao’s main accomplice? Arjun Singh
3. Who was the most famous and influential of Jehangir’s wives? Nur Jehan
4. Who was Jehangir’s elder son? Shah Jehan
5. Whom did Shah Jehan make the governor of Deccan? Aurangzeb
6. What did Shah Jehan build in the memory of Mumtaz Mahal? Taj Mahal
7. The Marathas were skilled in which type of warfare? Guerilla warfare

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 Subjective Portion
Give short answers:
1. What did Jehangir do to appease the Muslims? 1) He banned the sale of
alcohol 2) He reduced some taxes.
2. Why were the Hindus pleased with Jehangir too? 7 of Jehangir’s 18 wives
were Hindu so he managed to please the Hindus.
3. Why did the Sikhs turn into a warrior nation? The Sikhs turned into a
warrior nation because after Khusrao’s unsuccessful rebellion Jehnagir
captured and murdered his main accomplice, the Sikh guru, Arjun Singh.
This act angered the Sikhs and they became determined to take revenge
on the Muslims for centuries.
4. What proves that Noor Jehan was the empress of India? Her name
appeared on the coins and she signed the laws.
5. Why did Shah Jehan order all his male relatives to be killed? Shah Jehan had
all his male relatives killed so that he could put down all rebellions and take his
place at the throne.
Detailed Questions
1. Discuss the military conquests of Shah Jehan.
In 1632 there was a war in the Deccan. Shah Jehan was quite successful and
made his son, Aurangzeb, the governor there, establishing temporary peace and
order in an area which to give trouble later. Shah Jehan dreamed of recapturing
the Mughal homeland in Central Asia. He seized Kandahar from the Persians in
1638 but lost it again in 1649. He tried to recapture Samarkand but was
defeated and driven back by the Uzbecks.
2. What attempts did Jehnagir make to expand the Mughal Empire?
Jehnagir defeated a serious rebellion by the Afghan nobles of Bengal but by giving
many of their leaders high offices in his empire he kept them loyal for many years.
He lost Kandahar (Afghanistan) to the king of Persia and fought a long,
inconclusive battle in the Deccan. The Muslims won all the pitches battles during
the day but lost their gains in the guerilla wars in the night, in which their
enemies, the Marathas, were highly skilled.

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Lesson 5: Aurangzeb’s career

Objective portion

Fill in the blanks

Aurangzeb – Assamese – Dara Shikoh – Deccan – Succession – Shuja – imprisoned
– Murad Baksh – brothers’

1. Shah Jehan’s four sons were _ Dara Shikoh _, ____ Shuja____, ___ Murad
Baksh __and __ Aurangzeb __.
2. Aurangzeb waited in ___ Deccan ___ where he was governor and then
marched north to defeat what was left of his ___ brothers’____ armies
after they had fought amongst themselves.
3. The wars of ___ succession __ continued until 1660 when his brothers were
hunted down and killed.
4. Shah Jehan remained ___ imprisoned __at a fort in Agra while his sons
fought.
5. Aurangzeb first drove out the ___ Assamese __ who had invaded Bengal.

Choose the best answers:

1. Which one of these groups brought about the MOST serious uprisings
against Aurangzeb?
a. Assamese c. Afghans and Sikhs
b. Bengalis d. Rajputs
2. Who established a Sikh Kingdom in Punjab during Aurangzeb’s reign?
a. Arjun Singh c. Navjor Singh
b. Guru Govind Singh d. None of the above

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 3. Which two Muslim states did Aurangzeb capture in the South?
a. Deccan and Bihar c. Bajipur and Golconda
b. Mewar and Marwar d. None of the above
4. The Marathas occupied the ___ Ghats_____and were fierce fighters.
a. Forts c. Plains
b. Valley d. Ghats
5. Aurangzeb’s frequent wars with ___ Marathas__ were very expensive in
terms of men and money.
a. Marathas c. Sikhs
b. Afghans d. Bengalis

Correct the false statements:

1. The Assamese king had to treat Aurangzeb like a friend.
The Assamese king had to treat Aurangzeb like an overlord.
2. The Persian raided the east of Indus before they were driven back by
Aurangzeb.
The Afghans raided the east of Indus before they were driven back by Aurangzeb.
3. Aurangzeb attacked and seized the Rajput territory of Marwar in 1681, but
Mewar was not captured until 1709.
Aurangzeb attacked and seized the Rajput territory of Mewar in 1681, but
Marwar was not captured until 1709.
4. Shivaji angered Aurangzeb by twice raiding and destroying the Muslim port
of Chittagong.
Shivaji angered Aurangzeb by twice raiding and destroying the Muslim port of
Surat.
5. Muslim armies won guerilla wars at night but lost the pitched battles.
Muslim armies won lost the pitched battles but guerilla wars at night.

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Match the following:
Column A Column B Column C
1658-1660 1. Aurangzeb dies at Ahmednagar 5
Assam and Bengal 2. Guerilla warfare 4
Sikhs and Afghans 3. North-Western Rebellions 3
Marathas 4. Eastern Rebellions 2
1707 5. Wars of Succession 1

Give one word answers

1. For how many years was Shah Jehan captive at the fort in Agra? 6
2. Who funded the pirates at Chittagong? Portuguese
3. Who was the general and king of the Marathas? Shivaji
4. In whose time did the Mughal Empire reach its peak conquering almost the
whole of southern India? Aurangzeb
5. Where did Aurangzeb die? Ahmednagar
Map Skills:
1. The map below shows the locations of some of the main rebellions faced by
Aurangzeb in the eastern part of his empire between 1664 and 1668.
Answer the relevant questions that follow:

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 a. Which province shown in the map above did Aurangzeb’s army drive
out the Assamese from? Bengal
b. List down 2 things that the King of Assam have to do after Aurangzeb
defeated the Bengali rebellion?
1) Accept Aurangzeb as his overlord
2) Give him a large amount of treasure
c. Why did trade become dangerous in the ports of Chittagong?

The Portuguese were funding local pirates and they had made trade very
dangerous.

2. Give an appropriate title to the map below.

The Mughal Empire at its peak in 1691 OR the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb

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 3. The map above shows the main empires in India in 1772. Answer the
questions that follow regarding it:
a. Name the territory labelled A: Rajputs
b. How had the relations been between Territory A and previous
Mughal emperors before Aurangzeb?

The Rajputs had been reasonably friendly with earlier Mughal rulers, supplying
excellent troops and officers for the Muslim armies.

c. Why did Aurangzeb attack them between 1680 and 1682?

He wanted to capture Mewar and Marwar.

d. Why were Aurangzeb’s wars with Territory A considered a mistake by

historians?

The quarrel with the Rajputs was major mistake on the part of Aurangzeb
because he no longer had the supply of troops he needed for the long-drawn-
out wars in the Deccan.

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Subjective Portion:

Give short answers:

1. How did Aurangzeb achieve a lasting peace with the Afghans?

By defeating the enemy at battles and through the use of clever diplomacy,
Aurangzeb achieved a lasting peace with the Afghans.

2. What is the distinctive appearance of the Sikhs?

The distinctive appearance of the Sikhs includes: uncut hair, the steel bangle
and the sword.

Glossary:
1) Ghats : Ghats are two mountain ranges forming the eastern and western
edges, respectively, of the Deccan plateau of peninsular India.
2) Guerilla warfare: Guerilla warfare is a nontraditional type of warfare
fought by irregulars in fast-moving, small-scale actions against orthodox
military.
3) Pitched battles: A pitched battle is an intense, violent fight in which both
sides choose the fighting location and time and are locked in combat.

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 Lesson 6: Aurangzeb’s achievements:

Objective Portion

Fill in the blanks with the correct choices from the word bank:
Land tax – Royal band – alcohol – wealth – custom – luxury – gambling – jizya –
re-imposed – cannabis

1. Aurangzeb inherited a court which had been the centre of __ wealth __and
__ luxury __.
2. _Custom_duties which were 10 percent of the value of the goods and tax
on the goods brought into cities for sale were _ re-imposed_ by Aurangzeb.
3. Hindus who had already paid __land__ tax or who were officers or soldiers
were exempt from paying the ____jizya___ tax for non-Muslims.
4. Aurangzeb reinstated Islamic laws against ___alcoho__ and _gambling_
and forbade the planting of _cannabis_ (a type of drug).
5. Except for the _royal band_ all forms of music were banned at the courts
by Aurangzeb.

Choose the best answer:

1. Aurangzeb also banned the traditional __appearance_ of the emperor to
the public.
a) Parade
b) Ceremony
c) Appearance
d) None of the above

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2. Although Aurangzeb tried his best to preserve it, the Mughal Empire had
already reached its _decline_.
1. Peak
2. Decline
3. All of the above
4. None of the above

3. Which one of these statements is not true with respect to Aurangzeb:

1. He tried to restore vigor to the Islamic faith
2. His empire stretched over almost the whole of the subcontinent
3. He fought some ill-conceived wars that put a strain on the treasury
4. He tried to appease the Hindus
4. Choose the taxes which was re-introduced by Aurangzeb:
1. Jizya tax
2. Transport tax
3. Custom duty until 1665
4. Land tax
5. Which one of these best describes historian’s view of Aurangzeb’s legacy:
1. All historians say his policies undermined his empire
2. All historians say he successfully managed to keep together a
declining empire for more than half a century
3. Historians dispute how much Aurangzeb’s policies contributed to
the collapse of the empire and how much was due to events
beyond his control
4. None of the above

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Correct the false statements:
1. Aurangzeb was not very religious, and lived an extravagant life, like his
most of nobles.

Aurangzeb was very religious, and lived a simple life, unlike his most of nobles.

2. Nobles remembered Islamic values in their search for pleasure and wished
to participate in harsh military campaigns.

Nobles had forgotten Islamic values in their search for pleasure and did not wish
to participate in harsh military campaigns.

3. Even though the actual sum of the jizya was large, the Hindus were happy
at having to pay it.

Even though the actual sum of the jizya was small, the Hindus were not
happy/angry at having to pay it.

4. Aurangzeb decided that his empire should be run according to secular

values.

Aurangzeb decided that his empire should be run according to Islamic/religious

values.

5. Aurangzeb slept 7 hours at night.

Aurangzeb slept only 3 to 4 hours at night.

6. Aurangzeb had many loyal and able men whom he could trust.

Aurangzeb did not have many / was desperately short of loyal and able men
whom he could trust.

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 7. Aurangzeb did not employ more Hindus in government service than ever
before.

Aurangzeb employed more Hindus in government service than ever before.

Match the following:

Column A Column B Column C
Taxation policy 1. Jizya 5
Calligraphy 2. 5% for Hindus, 2.5% for Muslims 4
Religious tax re-imposed 3. Aurangzeb wrote a copy in his 1
by Aurangzeb own writing
Custom duties 4. Only art form encouraged by 2
Aurangzeb
Quran 5. Lenient 3
Give one word or one phrase answer:
1. Who decided that the Mughal state should return to more traditional,
religious way of life? Aurangzeb
2. What term is used to describe the condition where a person or state does
not have any money? Bankrupt
Subjective Portion:

Give short answers:

1. Why did Aurangzeb reimpose jizya?
Aurangzeb reimposed the jizya primarily because the disloyal Hindus Rajputs
and Marathas had rebelled against him.
2. Why did many Hindus convert to Islamic after 1665 in Aurangzeb’s rule?
After 1665 many Hindus converted to Islam because Aurangzeb had doubled the
custom duties for Hindus. They were 5% for Hindus but 2.5% for Muslims.
Glossary:
1. Custom Duty: A tax imposed or levied on the import and export of
goods into a country.
2. Jizya: In an Islamic state jizya is the name of the tax collected only from
non-Muslims in order to exempt them from taking part in compulsory
military service and in exchange guarantees the protection of their life.

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 Detailed Questions:
1. List down some of the key religious reforms of Aurangzeb.
i. He reinforced Islamic laws against gambling, alchohol and forbade the
planting of cannabis (a type of drug).
ii. He appointed officials in all major cities that were responsible for overseeing
the implementation of his laws and the behavior of the people.
iii. He banned all music at the court, except for the royal band.
iv. He discouraged poetry, festivals and paintings, unless it was Arabic
calligraphy.
v. He encouraged Islamic scholars and build many schools and colleges.
vi. He banned the traditional appearance of the emperor to the public.
vii. He destroyed a few Hindu temples, particularly those which were connected
with some unpleasant incident, like the one which was built by a Hindu who
had murdered a prominent Muslim.
viii. Some Hindus schools were closed down because Muslim children were being
taught things which went against Islamic beliefs.
2. List down some of the ways in which Aurangzeb’s policies
undermined the Mughal Empire.
i. Aurangzeb pushed himself very hard and tried to do more than was humanly
possible under the circumstances.
ii. He found it difficult to entrust important matters to his officials.
iii. Although he was a brilliant general, he sometimes made mistakes. By
attacking the Rajputs, for example, he lost their support along with many
able Rajput generals and officials.
iv. The long war with the Marathas should perhaps have been abandoned
where it was obvious that neither side could win. A lot of men were lost
during the war and the funds were considerably reduced.
v. His lenient taxation policy meant that there was not enough money in the
treasury to fund the lengthy and expensive military campaigns.
vi. His general policy towards the Hindus as a whole led to rebellion and Hindu
demands for independence.

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 Lesson 7: The End of the Mughal Empire

Objective Portion

Fill in the blanks

External – Lahore – desire – Nizam-ul-Mulk – energy – 1707 – Brave –
competent – internal – Peshawar

1. After ____1707___Aurangzeb’s empire had very little real power and after
1772 none at all.
2. Bahadur Shah Zafar was a __ competent __ and ___brave__ ruler but after
a long life he did not have the __energy_ or _desire_ to struggle like his
father.
3. Some reasons for the decline of the Mughal Empire were _internal_and
others were __external__.
4. __Nizam-ul-Mulk__ left Delhi to govern Deccan and declared
independence.
5. Nadir Shah captured _Lahore_ and _Peshawar_ before sacking Delhi.

Choose the best answer:

6. Whom did the Mughals ask for help to fight against the Afghans?
a. Rajputs
b. Bengalis
c. Marathas
d. Uzbeks

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7. Which one of these statements proves that the Mughal Empire after 1712
was weak at the centre and begun to break up:
a. The treasury was empty
b. The army was weak
c. After 1712 there were 8 emperors, 3 were murdered and 1 deposed
d. None of the above
8. Although the Mughal period saw much warfare, which areas did India reach
its peak in during this time?
a. Science, technology and learning
b. Culture and arts of all kinds
c. Both of the above
d. None of the above
9. New canals and roads built during the reigns of Mughals emperors helped
encouraged trade.
a. Palaces and gardens
b. Forts and tombs
c. Roads and canals
d. None of the above
10. Which one of these is NOT one of the industries that saw growth during
the Mughal period:
a. Small-scale metal works
b. Textiles
c. Shipbuilding
d. Scientific tools

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Match the following:
Column A Column B Column C
Political vacuum 1. Last Mughal emperor 5
France and England 2. Aurangzeb’s oldest son 4
Bahadur Shah II 3. One effect of Aurangzeb’s policies 1
Bahadur Shah I 4. European nations that struggled 2
to control subcontinent after
Mughals
Rise of Hindu 5. Created because of collapse of 3
nationalism Mughal Empire

Correct the false statement

1. By the end of the 17th century the Mughal Empire included little more than
the region of Agra.
By the end of the 17th century the Mughal Empire included little more than the
region of Delhi.
2. Between 1737 and 1739 Delhi was sacked by the Rajputs and Afghans.
Between 1737 and 1739 Delhi was sacked by the Persians and Marathas.
3. Aurangzeb complained of the abundance of first rate officials.
Aurangzeb complained of shortage of first rate officials.
4. Minor officials, especially tax collectors, were very honest.
Minor officials, especially tax collectors, were very corrupt.
5. The African nations moved into the power and political vacuum left in India
after the collapse of the Indian empires.
The European nations moved into the power and political vacuum left in India
after the collapse of the Indian empires.

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Give one word or one phrase answer
1. Which Persian leader ran over Delhi in the 1700s and stole the Peacock
Throne? Nadir Shah
2. What happened to the Maratha Empire after their defeat to Afghans at
Panipat in 1761? It broke up.

Map Skills:

The map above shows the main territories in India in 1772. Label them correctly
using the options in the word-bank:

Rajputs – Travancore – Delhi – Carnatic – Oudh – Deccan – Bengal – Nizam –

N.Sarkars – Mysore – Marathas

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1. __Rajputs___
2. __Delhi____
3. ___Oudh_____
4. __Bengal___
5. __Marathas__
6. __Deccan__
7. __Nizam__
8. __N. Sarkars__
9. ___Mysore___
10.__Travancore__
11.__ Carnatic __

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Subjective Portion:
Give short answers:
1. Name some of the provinces that refused to accept Delhi’s authority?
Oudh, Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Sindh and Gujrat
2. Who was Ahmed Shah Abdali?
He was an Afghan leader who captured Lahore and Delhi during the late 17 th
century.
Glossary:
1. Political vacuum: The term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is
an analogy between a physical vacuum, to the political condition "when
someone has lost control of something and no one has replaced
them. The situation can occur when a government has no identifiable
central power or authority.
Detailed Questions:
1. Briefly discuss the main causes of the breakup of the Mughal Empire.
i. In 1723 Nizam ul Mulk left Delhi to govern the Deccan and soon
declared independence. His descenet ruled Hyderabad until 1948.
ii. In 1737 the Marathas invaded Delhi and overran much of Northern
India before returning to the Deccan.
iii. In 1739 Nadir Shah of Persia captured Peshawar, Lahore and Delhi,
taking the famous Peacock Throne with him.
iv. Many provinces, like Oudh, Bengal, Orissa, Assam, Sindh and Gujrat,
either broke away or refused to accept Mughal authority.
v. The Afghans, now independent of Persia, under Ahmed Shah Abdali
captured Lahore and Delhi between 1749 and 1750.
vi. Aurangzeb’s strict policy towards non-Muslims, however justified,
angered the people who formed the large majority of the population.
This encouraged Hindu nationalism and rebellions.
vii. In 1761 the Mughal emperor asked the Marathas to help fight the
Afghans in the north-west. The Marathas were defeated at Panipat
and both sides were so weakened by this constant warfare that the
Maratha empire broke up as well.

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 viii.The treasury was almost empty: earlier extravagance by the court and
continuous military campaigns had drained the treasury faster than it
could be replenished by taxes.
ix. One of Aurangzeb’s constant complains was the lack of first-rate
officials. Minor officials, especially tax collectors, were often corrupt.
2. Compare and contrast the main achievements and weaknesses of the Mughal
period.
Achievements:
i. India reached a peak of civilization, prosperity and culture as never
before seen in its history.
ii. New roads roads and canals helped to encourage trade,
iii. There was great growth in industry, especially in small-scale metalworks,
and textiles. Ship building on the west coast expanded rapidly.
iv. Mughals developed and implemented an effective administrative
scheme to govern the empire.
v. Culture of all kinds, art, poetry, literature, architecture, reached one of
the highest standards the world had ever seen.
vi. Traditional education, especially for the wealthy, reached new
standards, especially in philosophy, classics, history and medicine.
Weaknesses:
i. The wealth and extravagance of the emperors attracted the Europeans.
ii. Wealth was not always wisely used, as continual warfare and the luxury
of the court left the treasury almost empty in 1707.
iii. Unfortunately, as science was frowned upon, the area’s technological
development was much slower than that of the West.
iv. There was no clear law of succession, and whenever an emperor died
wars usually broke out between the main male descendents as a power
struggle ensued. This resulted in loss of precious lives and revenues.

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