Chapter- 02 Reshaping India’s Political Map
1. Compare the political
strategies of the Delhi Sultanate and the Mughals. What similarities and
differences existed between them?
Similarities:
·
Both aimed to
control a large part of India.
·
Both used strong
armies and weapons to conquer.
·
Taxes from people
and trade were their main income.
·
Built forts, palaces,
and mosques/temples.
·
Faced resistance
from local rulers.
Differences:
·
Delhi Sultans mostly
ruled through force and raids.
·
Mughal rulers,
especially Akbar, used alliances,
marriages, and tolerance.
·
Mughals built a
better administration (mansabdari system).
·
Delhi Sultans
shifted capitals and had frequent violent successions.
·
Mughals stayed in
power longer because of better planning.
2. Why did kingdoms like
the Vijayanagara Empire and the Ahom Kingdom manage to resist conquest for a
longer time compared to others? What geographical, military, and social factors
contributed to their success?
Geographical
factors:
·
Vijayanagara:
Surrounded by hills and rivers at Hampi.
·
Ahoms: Dense forests
and Brahmaputra
river for natural defence.
Military factors:
·
Strong forts and
armies.
·
Use of guerrilla
tactics (hit and run).
·
Knowledge of their
land helped them in war.
Social factors:
·
People supported their kings.
·
Local systems like
the paik system
(Ahoms) helped create an army.
·
Strong local culture
made people united.
3. Imagine you are a
scholar in the court of Akbar or Krishnadevaraya. Write a letter to a friend
describing the politics, trade, culture, and society you are witnessing.
·
The emperor welcomes
scholars and debates about different religions.
·
Trade is active;
markets are full of goods from India and other countries.
·
Art, music, and
literature are encouraged.
·
Society has people
of different religions living together.
·
Roads, forts, and
cities are grand and well-managed.
4. How come Akbar, a
ruthless conqueror in his young days, grew tolerant and benevolent after some
years? What could have led to such a change?
·
Saw much destruction
and suffering caused by wars.
·
Wanted peace to rule
such a large empire.
·
Learned from
scholars of different religions.
·
Understood that
alliances were better than only fighting.
·
His experience made
him wiser as he grew older.
5. What might have happened
if the Vijayanagara Empire had won the Battle of Talikota? Imagine and describe
how it could have changed the political and cultural history of south India.
If Vijayanagara had won
the Battle of Talikota:
Sikh value: Equality and
its relevance today:
As a trader in a port city (example: Surat)
·
Southern India would have stayed strong and united longer.
·
Hampi might have
remained a rich cultural city.
·
Deccan
Sultanates would have been weaker.
·
Trade and art in the
south would have grown even more.
·
Mughal influence in
the south might have been less.
6. Many values promoted by
early Sikhism, including equality, seva, and justice, remain relevant today.
Select one of these values and discuss how it remains relevant in contemporary
society.
·
Teaches us to treat
everyone equally, no matter their caste, religion or gender.
·
Encourages fairness
in schools and workplaces.
·
Helps reduce
discrimination in society.
·
Promotes unity in a
diverse country.
·
Inspires us to help
the poor and needy without bias.
7. Imagine you are a trader
in a port city (Surat, Calicut or Hooghly). Describe the scenes you see as
regards goods, people you trade with, movement of ships, etc.
·
Ships from Arabia, Persia, and Europe bring goods.
·
Markets are full of
spices, textiles, horses, and metals.
·
Merchants of
different countries meet and trade.
·
Crowds of workers
loading and unloading ships.
·
The city is busy and
rich because of sea trade.
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