Chapter 5 ” Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic” takes the students into a world of kings and helps them understand how some men became rulers. The chapter also provides an in depth description of janapadas, mahajanapadas, taxes, changes in agriculture around mahajanapadas time, how Magadha became the most important mahajanapada and a gives a brief of the Vajji. CBSE Notes Class 6 History Chapter 5 Kingdoms Kings and then Early Republic
CBSE Notes Class 6 History Chapter 5 – Kingdoms, Kings and an Early Republic
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- Janapadas:
The powerful kings who performed big sacrifices and later ruled larger territories were termed Janapadas. The term “Janapada” literally means ‘foothold of a tribe’. A Janapada could be a republic like Vajji or a monarchy like Magadha.
- Vamas:
Later, Vedic texts like Samaveda, Yajur Veda and Atharvaveda mentioned certain rules about the society. There were different groups in the society such as priests and warriors, farmers, herders, traders, craftspersons and labourers.
- Varna Hierarchy:
The priests divided people into four groups called varnas. Each varna had different sets of functions.
- Selection of the Rulers:
In ancient India, some of the rajas were chosen by the people, the Jana. Some significant changes regarding the election of the Raja emerged around 3,000 years ago. Some men performed the Ashvamedha sacrifice and came to be recognised as rajas.
- Gana:
This was the method of rule in the early centuries where members of society gathered in assemblies and decided about administration through discussions and debates.
- Mahajanapadas:
A Mahajanapada was usually ruled from its capital city. There was intense rivalry among the Mahajanapadas, resulting in frequent wars. Huge walls made of mud, stone, wood or bricks were used to fortify these capital cities.
- Taxes:
New rajas demanded money from the people to build forts and to strengthen the armies. This money was collected through regular taxes which could be paid either in cash or in kind.
- Changes in Agriculture:
Agriculture prospered in most of the Mahajanapadas as they were located in fertile areas. Two major changes came in agriculture. One was the increasing use of the iron plough. Secondly, people began transplanting paddy which led to increased production.
Around 3000 years ago, there were some new ways of choosing ‘rajas’. Some men became ‘rajas’ by performing big sacrifices. One of such rituals was ‘ASHVAMEDHA’ (horse sacrifice). The ‘raja’ was an important figure.
Kingdoms were usually called the ‘Janapadas’, which were ruled by the ‘rajas’. People lived in huts and kept animals. They grew a variety of crops.
Some ‘janapadas’ later became more important than others, and they were called ‘Mahajanapadas’. The capital cities were fortified.
The new ‘rajas’ began maintaining armies. Payments were made using punch marked coins.
The ‘rajas’ needed resources to build forts and to maintain armies. Officials were supposed to collect taxes from people. Taxes were in the form of crops, labour, animals and their produce, etc.
There were changes in agriculture too. The use of Iron Ploughshares increased, thus enhancing grain production. People started transplanting paddy. This also increased production.
Magadha became the most important ‘mahajanapada’ in about 200 years. Transport, water supplies, fertility, forests, elephants, mines, etc. made Magadha important.
The two powerful rulers of Magadha, Bimbisara and Ajatasattu used all possible means to conquer other ‘janapadas’. Rajagriha was the capital of Magadha. Later it was Pataliputra (now Patna).
Vajji was another kingdom with its capital at Vaishali (Bihar). It had a different form of government called ‘gana’/‘sangha’, which had not one, but many rulers. These rulers performed rituals together and met in assemblies. Buddhist books depict life in the ‘sanghas’.
‘Rajas’ of powerful kingdoms tried to conquer the ‘sanghas’.
- ‘Ashvamedha’: (horse sacrifice) This was a ritual in which a horse was let loose to wander freely and it was guarded by the ‘rajas’ men. If the horse entered other kingdoms, there would be a duel between the two kings.
- ‘Bhaga’: Taxes on crops (1/6 of the produce) was called ‘bhaga’.
- ‘Gana’/‘Sangha’: A form of government followed in the kingdom of Vajji.
- ‘Janapadas’: Kingdoms were referred to as ‘janapadas’. (‘jana’ – land, ‘pada’ – foot).
- ‘Mahajanapada’: The most important of the ‘janapadas’.
- ‘Varnas’: Each of the four categories of society, based on occupation and decided by birth, was referred to as ‘Varnas’.
- About 3000 years ago (around 1000 B.C.) – new kinds of ‘rajas’.
- About 2500 years ago (around 500 B.C.) – formation of ‘mahajanapadas’.
- About 2300 years ago (around 300 B.C.) – the invasion of Alexander the Great.
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CBSE Notes for Class 6 Geography Free Download for All Chapters
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CBSE Notes for Class 6 History Free Download for All Chapters
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| Chapter Name | CBSE Class 6 History Study Notes | NCERT Solutions Download Class 6 |
| What, Where, How And When? | What, Where, How And When? Class 6 Notes History Chapter 1 | NCERT Solutions What, Where, How And When? Chapter 1 |
| From Gathering To Growing Food | From Gathering To Growing Food Class 6 Notes History Chapter 2 | NCERT Solutions From Gathering To Growing Food Chapter 2 |
| In The Earliest Cities | In The Earliest Cities Class 6 Notes History Chapter 3 | NCERT Solutions In The Earliest Cities Chapter 3 |
| What Books And Burials Tell Us | What Books And Burials Tell Us Class 6 Notes History Chapter 4 | NCERT Solutions What Books And Burials Tell Us Chapter 4 |
| Kingdoms, Kings And An Early Republic | Kingdoms, Kings And An Early Republic Class 6 Notes History Chapter 5 | NCERT Solutions Kingdoms, Kings And An Early Republic Chapter 5 |
| New Questions And Ideas | New Questions And Ideas Class 6 Notes History Chapter 6 | NCERT Solutions New Questions And Ideas Chapter 6 |
| Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War | Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War Class 6 Notes History Chapter 7 | NCERT Solutions Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War Chapter 7 |
| Vital Villages, Thriving Towns | Vital Villages, Thriving Towns Class 6 Notes History Chapter 8 | NCERT Solutions Vital Villages, Thriving Towns Chapter 8 |
| Traders, Kings And Pilgrims | Traders, Kings And Pilgrims Class 6 Notes History Chapter 9 | NCERT Solutions Traders, Kings And Pilgrims Chapter 9 |
| New Empires And Kingdoms | New Empires And Kingdoms Class 6 Notes History Chapter 10 | NCERT Solutions New Empires And Kingdoms Chapter 10 |
| Buildings, Paintings And Books | Buildings, Paintings And Books Class 6 Notes History Chapter 11 | NCERT Solutions Buildings, Paintings And Books Chapter 11 |
CBSE Notes for Class 6 Civics Free Download for All Chapters
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| Chapter Name | CBSE Class 6 Civics Study Notes | NCERT Solutions Download Class 6 |
| Understanding Diversity | Understanding Diversity Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 1 | NCERT Solutions Understanding Diversity Chapter 1 |
| Diversity and Discrimination | Diversity and Discrimination Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 2 | NCERT Solutions Diversity and Discrimination Chapter 2 |
| What is Government? | What is Government? Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 3 | NCERT Solutions What is Government? Chapter 3 |
| Key Elements of a Democratic Government | Key Elements of a Democratic Government Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 4 | NCERT Solutions Key Elements of a Democratic Government Chapter 4 |
| Panchayati Raj | Panchayati Raj Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 5 | NCERT Solutions Panchayati Raj Chapter 5 |
| Rural Administration | Rural Administration Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 6 | NCERT Solutions Rural Administration Chapter 6 |
| Urban Administration | Urban Administration Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 7 | NCERT Solutions Urban Administration Chapter 7 |
| Rural Livelihoods | Rural Livelihoods Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 8 | NCERT Solutions Rural Livelihoods Chapter 8 |
| Urban Livelihoods | Urban Livelihoods Class 6 Notes Civics Chapter 9 | NCERT Solutions Urban Livelihoods Chapter 9 |
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