6th History NCERT 2

Chapter: 6 Kingdoms, Kings and an early republic
3000yrs ago some men became rajas by performing very big sacrifices like Ashvamedha or horse sacrifice.
Period after Rigveda = Later vedic
samveda, yajurveda and atharvaveda are all later vedic texts
-Varna system - priests divided people into 4 groups
 -Brahmins - priests
 -Kshatriyas- rulers
 -vaishyas - farmers, herders, traders
 -Shudras - had to serve other groups; couldn’t perform rituals
-Women and shudras cudnt study vedas
-Varna decided by birth
Janapadas: The land where jana sets its foot and settled down.
Rajas who performed these big sacrifices were now known as rajas of janapadas rather than janas(vish).
-rajas of janapadas were given gifts by the jana
Some janapadas became more important and were now called as Mahajanapadas
-They had a capital city, many were fortified.
Rajas now began to maintain armies; soldiers paid regular salaries; some payments were thru punch marked coins
-Taxes were imposed now to maintain armies and to raise resources to build forts
 -Bhaga or a share: tax on crops =1/6th of what was produced;
 -Tax on craft persons in form of labour like work for a day
 -Herders: animals or animal produce
 -Hunters n Gatherers: forest produce
2 major Changes in Agriculture:
1).Growing use of Iron ploughshares which meant more grain as iron plough could turn the soil over better then wooden ones
2).Transplantation of paddy began: Instead of scattering seeds, saplings were grown n then planted on fields. It lead to an increased production as many more plants survived
 -dasas or agricultural labourers (Kammakaras) did this work.
Magadha:
• -Became important Mahajanapada in 200yrs
• -Ganga n son flowed thru it
• tranport
• water supply
• made land fertile
-iron ore mines
-Bimbisara n Ajatsattu were 2 very powerful rulers of Magadha
 -used all means to conquer other Janapadas
-Mahapadma Nanda:
 -Extended his control to North West part of subcontinent
-Rajgriha(present day rajgir ) was capital of Magadha for many years. Later it was shifted to pataliputra(patna)
Vajji:
Capital: Vaishali (Bihar)
Government type: Gana or sangha
Gana or sangha :
• -Not one but many rulers' each one  individually called as raja
• -performed rituals together
• -met in assemblies to decide what to do n how
 -women, dasas, kammakaras cud not participate in such discussions.
-Buddha n mahavira belonged to ganas

Chapter: 7 New Questions and Ideas
Buddha:
-Siddhartha aka Gautama founder of Buddhism was born around 2500yrs ago
-Belonged to a small Gana: Sakya Gana
-was a Kshatriya
-left his home in search of true knowledge
-attained enlightenment under a peepal tree at Bodh gaya in Bihar; now he was known as Buddha or the Wise One
-Went to sarnath near Varanasi nd taught there for the first time
-passed away at Kusinara
Teachings of Buddha:
1).Life is full of suffering and unhappiness due to cravings n desires;
2).Tanha or thirst -we always want more n are never satisfied. It can be removed by following moderation in everything
3).taught people to be kind
-to respect lives of others incl animals
4).Karma ie the result of our actions affects us in this life n the next
-He taught in Prakrit
5).Encouraged people to think for themselves rather than accepting what he tells them.

Upanishad:
-means approaching and sitting near
-Later Vedic text
-Contains conversations between teachers n students
-ideas presented thru simple dialogues
-Upanishadic thinkers were rajas and brahmins mostly
-Gargi: famous women thinker and took part in debates held in royal courts
-Though poor ppl seldom took part 'Satyakama Jabala' was an exception
Panini prepared a grammar for Sanskrit
Jainism:
TImeline: 2500yrs ago around same time as buddha
-Kshatriya prince pf Lichchhavis, a group that was part of Vajji sangha
-At 30 he left his home and after 12yrs he attained enlightenment
Teachings of Mahavira:
1).Men n women who wish to know the truth must leave their homes
2).Must follow Ahimsa very strictly
3).Taught in Prakrit
4).Followers of Mahavira known as Jainas(comes from word jina meaning the conqueror) had to lead simplelives, begging for food.
-had to be absolutely honest, never to steal
-Observe celibacy
-Men had to give up everything including their clothes
Jainism was mainly supported by traders as farmers had to kill insects to save their crops
-Jainism spread to parts of North India, Gujarat, TN, Karnataka

The sangha:
-Mahavira n Buddha arranged for the ppl who left their homes to stay together in form of an association ie sangha
-Vinaya Pitaka: Book containing rules made for Buddhist sangha
 -all men cud join
 -women needs permission of husband
 -debitors of creditors
 -children of parents
 - men n women who joined sanghas were known as Bhikkhus(prakrit for beggar)n Bhikkhunis.
 -Varna system was not followed inside sanghas
Monastries were built as the need for a permanent shelter was felt by nuns and monks .They were known as Viharas
-They were made of wood earlier n then later on of wood
-Some were in caves in western india
Brahmins developed system of ashramas .It was done at the same time when buddhism n jainism were becoming famous.
1).Bramhcharya -Brahmin , Kshatriya n Vaishya men lead simple lives , studied vedas during early years of life
2).Grihastha-marry n live as householders
3).vanaprastha- live in forest and meditate
4).Samnyasa-give up everything and become samnyasins
Women had to follow the ashrama chosen by their husbands
Chapter: 8 Ashoka, the emperor who gave up war
Mauryan Empire -
-Important cities
• :Pataliputra
• -Taxila
• -Ujain
Area around Pataliputra was under direct control of the emperor.
-officials appointed to collect taxes from farmers, herders etc
-officials punished those who disobeyed ruler's orders
-Messengers were used
-Spies kept watch on officials
-Other areas or provinces were ruled from a provincial capital such as taxila or ujjain.
-Rulers tried to control roads, rivers and tried to collect resources as tax n tribute
Megasthenes was sent to the court of Chandragupta Maurya by Greek Ruler Seleucus Nicator
Ashoka:The most famous Mauryan ruler
-First ruler who tried to take his message to the people through inscriptions written in Brahmi script n were in Prakrit.
-Horrified at the bloodshed in the war for Kalinga(orissa) that he gave up the conquest after winning the war.
-He decided to spread his message of Dhamma (Prakrit word for the sanskrit term 'Dharma') .
Ashoka's Dhamma:
• -didnt involve worship of a god or any sacrifice
• -Inspired by teachings of Buddha
• -Appointed officials as Dhamma Mahamatta who went from place to place teaching people about dhamma.
-inscribed his message on rocks and pillars
-sent messengers to other lands such as Egypt, Syria, Greece and Srilanka