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New Beginnings: Cities and States – Class 7 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 7 Social Science, chapter 4. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Around the 6th century BCE, a second phase of city-building began in the Ganga plains. Janapadas grew into sixteen large states called mahajanapadas. Some were ruled by kings, while others, called ganas or sanghas, were governed by assemblies. Iron tools, farming surplus, trade and coins helped cities grow.

Janapadas and mahajanapadas

Janapada means the land where a people (jana) settled; larger and stronger ones were called mahajanapadas.
Sixteen mahajanapadas are listed in Buddhist and Jain texts, including Magadha, Kosala, Vatsa, Avanti, Kashi, Anga and Vajji.
Many mahajanapadas built fortified capital cities with walls and moats.

Kingdoms and republics

In monarchies, kings collected taxes, kept armies and ruled with the help of ministers.
In ganas or sanghas, such as the Vajji confederacy with its capital at Vaishali, decisions were taken by assemblies of many leaders.
The Buddha and Mahavira both came from gana–sangha backgrounds.

Economy and urban life

Iron tools helped clear forests and plough more land, producing a surplus of food.
Trade grew along rivers and roads; punch-marked coins of silver and copper came into use.
Cities had craftspeople, traders, officials and markets.

Key terms

Janapada: the land where a jana (people or tribe) settled
Mahajanapada: a large and powerful state in ancient India around the 6th century BCE
Gana–sangha: a state governed by an assembly of many people rather than a single king
Punch-marked coin: an early coin made by punching symbols on a piece of metal

Important questions with answers

What was a mahajanapada?2 marks

A mahajanapada was a large and powerful state that grew out of a janapada around the 6th century BCE. Ancient texts list sixteen of them, such as Magadha, Kosala, Avanti and Vajji, and many had fortified capital cities.

How was a gana–sangha different from a kingdom?3 marks

In a kingdom, power was in the hands of a king who ruled with ministers and passed power to his son. In a gana–sangha, many leaders met in an assembly, discussed matters and took decisions together, as in the Vajji confederacy with its capital at Vaishali.

Explain the factors that led to the growth of cities and states around the 6th century BCE.5 marks

The use of iron tools such as axes and ploughshares helped people clear forests and cultivate more land in the fertile Ganga plains, which produced a surplus of food. This surplus could feed people who did not farm, such as craftspeople, traders, soldiers and officials, so towns grew. Rulers collected taxes from farmers, traders and artisans to maintain armies and build fortified cities. Trade expanded along rivers and roads, and punch-marked coins made exchange easier. Janapadas competed with one another and the strong ones became mahajanapadas, some ruled by kings and others by assemblies. Together these changes created a new urban society.

Quick revision

6th century BCE: second urbanisation in the Ganga plains.
16 mahajanapadas; Magadha strongest.
Vajji with Vaishali: a gana–sangha.
Punch-marked coins and iron tools.

Exam tips

Remember 16 mahajanapadas, with Magadha as the most powerful and Vajji as the best-known republic.
Link cause and effect: iron tools → more land → surplus → cities and trade.

Practice MCQs

How many mahajanapadas are listed in ancient texts
1. 6
2. 10
3. 16
4. 32
Show answer
Answer: (c) 16. Sixteen large states are named.
The capital of the Vajji confederacy was
1. Vaishali
2. Pataliputra
3. Ujjain
4. Taxila
Show answer
Answer: (a) Vaishali. It was ruled by an assembly.
Early coins with symbols stamped on metal are called
1. punch-marked coins
2. gold dinars
3. paper notes
4. seals
Show answer
Answer: (a) punch-marked coins. They were made of silver and copper.
A state ruled by an assembly of many leaders was called a
1. monarchy
2. empire
3. gana–sangha
4. dynasty
Show answer
Answer: (c) gana–sangha. Decisions were taken together.
Iron tools helped people mainly to
1. clear forests and cultivate more land
2. make jewellery
3. build ships only
4. write books
Show answer
Answer: (a) clear forests and cultivate more land. More farmland produced a food surplus.
Which mahajanapada became the most powerful
1. Kosala
2. Vatsa
3. Avanti
4. Magadha
Show answer
Answer: (d) Magadha. It later built a large empire.
Which statement about the 6th century BCE is correct
1. there were no cities
2. coins had not been invented
3. all states were republics
4. a second phase of urbanisation began in the Ganga plains
Show answer
Answer: (d) a second phase of urbanisation began in the Ganga plains. Many new cities grew.
The Buddha and Mahavira came from
1. Mauryan royal families
2. gana–sangha backgrounds
3. Roman families
4. farming villages of the south only
Show answer
Answer: (b) gana–sangha backgrounds. Both were from republican clans.

All chapters of Class 7 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.