Comprehensive Synopsis of Indian History Flashcards

A comprehensive set of practice questions and answers covering Indian history from the pre-historical periods through the Indus Valley Civilization, Vedic Age, major dynasties, the colonial era, and the independence movement as detailed in the lecture notes.

What is the timeline of the Paleolithic Age (Old Stone Age) in India?

$$500,000-8000 BC$$

Which race are the Paleolithic men in India believed to have belonged to?

The Negrito Race

What name was given to Paleolithic men in India because their tools were made of quartzite?

Quartzite Men

Where have the earliest evidences of animal domestication been found in the Mesolithic Age?

Adamgarh in M.P. and Bagor in Rajasthan

Who discovered the first microliths in 1867 from the Vindhyan rock shelters?

Carlyle

Which Neolithic site is known as the oldest, dating back to 7000 BC?

Mehrgarh

At which Neolithic site in Jammu & Kashmir were domestic dogs buried with their masters?

Burzahom

What was the standard ratio for burnt bricks used in the Indus Valley Civilization?

$$1:2:4$$

Who first discovered Harappa in 1921 in Western Punjab?

Dayaram Sahni

What does the name 'Mohenjodaro' mean in Sindhi?

Mound of the dead

Which Indus city is the only one without a citadel?

Chanhudaro

Where was the only Indus site with an artificial brick dockyard located?

Lothal

Which Indus city has evidence of a 'middle town' and a very large reservoir for water?

Dholavira

What is the Harappan script's writing style, characterized by writing right to left then left to right?

Boustrophedon

According to the Rig Veda, what was the chief god Indra's title, meaning 'Destroyer of Forts'?

Purandara

What were the three social groups in Rig Vedic society?

Warriors, priests, and people

Which Upanishad contains the famous phrase 'Satyamev Jayate'?

Mundaka Upanishad

Who were the primary male deities of the Later Vedic Period?

Prajapati (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Rudra (destroyer)

At which location did Mahavira attain Enlightenment on the bank of the river Rijupalika?

Jrimbhikgrama

What are the 'Triratnas' or Three Jewels of Buddhism?

Buddha (enlightened), Dhamma (doctrine), and Sangha (order)

Which Buddhist council resulted in the final split into Hinayana and Mahayana sects?

The Fourth Council (during the reign of Kaniska)

Who was the first emperor of the Haryanka dynasty of Magadh and a contemporary of Buddha?

Bimbisara

In which battle in 326 BC did Alexander the Great fight Porus in the Punjab?

The Battle of Hydaspes (Jhelum)

According to Kautilya, what were Mauryan kings referred to as?

Dharmapravartakas

Which Mauryan rock edict describes the conquest of Kalinga?

Edict XIII (13)

Who founded the Gupta Era in 319/320 AD and took the title 'Maharajadhiraja'?

Chandragupta I

Which Gupta ruler was referred to as the 'Napolean of India'?

Samudragupta

What is the specialized subject of the Susruta Samhita compiled in Varanasi?

Surgery

Which Chalukyan king defeated Harsha on the Narmada River?

Pulakeshin II

Who established the Slave Dynasty in 1206 AD after the death of Muhammad Ghori?

Qutubuddin Aibak

Which Sultan of Delhi introduced the Dagh and Chehra systems in the military?

Alauddin Khilji

Who founded the Mughal Empire after winning the 1st Battle of Panipat in 1526?

Babur

Which Mughal Emperor abolished the Jaziya tax in 1564 and established the Ibadat Khana in 1575?

Akbar

What were the 'Ashtapradhan' in Shivaji’s Maratha administration?

A council of 8 ministers

Who founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 and campaigned against the practice of Sati?

Raja Rammohan Roy

When did the Indian Rebellion of 1857 begin in Meerut?

10th May 1857

Who founded the Indian National Congress in 1885?

A.O. Hume

What was the date of the partition of Bengal as ordered by Lord Curzon?

October 16, 1905

In which city did Mahatma Gandhi begin his Dandi March to break the salt law in 1930?

Ahmedabad (from Sabarmati Ashram)

When did India become a Republic?

26 January 1950