CLASS 7 · SOCIAL STUDIES · CHAPTER 5
Student-friendly model answers for nine questions on empires, the Mauryas, Ashoka, Kautilya, Brahmi and ancient travel.
9 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
Textbook pages 119–121
Question 1
A kingdom is ruled by a monarch; an empire usually governs a larger, more diverse area made up of regions or peoples.
Compare their size, diversity and organisation.
Question 2
Mention surplus resources, armies, trade routes, administration, alliances and leadership.
Empires needed both expansion and ways to govern large territories.
Question 3
Explain the scale of his campaigns and their effect on connections between regions.
He reached parts of the north-west, not all of India.
Question 4
Mention the large empire, administrative systems and Ashoka’s inscriptions and policies.
The Mauryas shaped early political history and left important evidence.
Question 5
List administration, law, defence, diplomacy and welfare; compare these needs with modern government carefully.
Some public responsibilities remain, but the political systems differ.
Question 6
Explain the Kalinga turning point, dhamma, inscriptions and welfare; connect his symbols and ethical message to the present.
Ashoka’s post-war policies and enduring symbols make his reign especially significant.
Question 7
Use the edict’s mention of different communities as evidence of respect, while noting it describes policy.
The edict supports the view that Ashoka promoted tolerance.
Question 8
Describe Brahmi’s use in inscriptions, show a verified example and explain its later influence.
Use a map, image or drawing and list reliable sources.
Question 9
Plan a staged land route with river travel where practical; state that time depends on distance, season, transport and halts.
Give a reasoned estimate rather than a falsely exact number.