Chapter 3 Kinship Caste and Class Question Answer
It is very important for the candidates who are studying in class 12 to have knowledge about History subject. We have given solutions of all the chapters of 12th class History subject on our website. Here we have given the solution of NCERT Class 12 History Chapter 3 (Kinship, Caste and Class).
Chapter 3 Kinship Caste and Class Question Answer
With the help of this NCERT Solutions For Class 12th History Chapter 3 Kinship, Caste and Class, the student can prepare for his exam and get good marks in the exam. Therefore, read the question answers of Ch.3 Kinship, Caste and Class carefully, it will be beneficial for you. Therefore, below you have been given NCERT Solutions Class 12 History Chapter 3 Kinship, Caste and Class .
Question 1. What is the Bhagavad Gita?
Answer- Bhagavad Gita is the most important didactic part of Mahabharata. It is the sermon given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
Question 2. What is the original story of Mahabharata related to?
Answer–The original story of Mahabharata is related to the war between two families. These families were Kauravas and Pandavas who were cousins. Some parts of Mahabharata set the norms of conduct for different social communities. The main characters of this text are seen following these norms.
Question 3. Between whom did the Mahabharata war take place and why? What was its outcome?
Answer–The Mahabharata war was fought between two groups of brothers- the Kauravas and the Pandavas over land and power. Both these groups belonged to the Kuru dynasty who ruled the Kuru district. The Pandavas were victorious in this war.
Question 4. What is the difference between ‘Kul’ and ‘Jaati’? What is a lineage?
Answer: In Sanskrit texts, the word ‘Kul’ is used for family and ‘Jaati’ is used for a large group of relatives. The ancestors of a clan living together for generations are collectively considered to be of the same lineage.
Question 5. According to the scriptures, mention two ideal livelihoods of Brahmins.
Answer- (1) The work of Brahmins was to read and recite Vedas, perform and get yajnas performed and take and give donations.
(2) The work of Kshatriyas was to fight wars, protect people, dispense justice, read Vedas, perform yajnas and give donations.
Question 6. Give an example of how family relations are defined in different ways.
Answer–Family relations are generally considered to be natural and blood based. However, they are defined differently in different societies. For example, in some societies, cousins are considered to be related by blood, but some societies do not believe so.
Question 7. Who was Indra?
Answer- Indra was the main god of bravery, war and rain. People used to pray to him to get a noble son.
Question 8. Explain the difference between endogamy and exogamy.
Answer- In endogamy, marital relations take place within the group. This group can be of one clan, one tribe, one caste or people living in one place.
Exogamy means establishing marital relations outside the clan.
Question 9. Explain the difference between polygamy and polyandry.
Answer- In polygamy, a man has more than one wife. Usually kings used to do this type of marriage. On the other hand, in polyandry, a woman has many husbands. For example, Draupadi (character of Mahabharata) had five husbands.
Question 10. What were Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras?
Answer–Brahmins had prepared detailed codes of conduct for the society. These were to be followed especially by Brahmins. The rest of the society was also bound by these rules. These norms (rules) were compiled in Sanskrit texts around 500 BC. These texts are called Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras.
Question 11. What was Manusmriti? When was it compiled?
Answer- Manusmriti was the largest book among the religious scriptures and Dharmasutras. It was compiled between 200 BC and 200 AD.
Question 12. How did gotras come into existence?
Answer: Around 1000 BC, Brahmins classified people into gotras. Each gotra was named after a Vedic sage. Members of that gotra were considered to be descendants of that sage.
Question 13. What were the two important rules for dividing people into gotras?
Answer–(i) After marriage, a woman was considered to belong to her husband’s gotra instead of her father’s.
(ii) Members of the same gotra could not have marital relations with each other.
Question 14. Who were Gautama and Vasishtha? Gotras of which early rulers were taken from their names? Give examples.
Answer-Gautama and Vasishtha were Vedic sages. Gotras of Satavahana rulers were taken from their names; e.g.
(1) King Gautami-putra Siri-satkani.
(2) King Vasishtha-putra (Sami) Siti-pulumayi.
Question 15. Who was Gandhari? What advice did she give to Duryodhana? What effect did it have on Duryodhana?
Answer–Gandhari was the mother of the Kauravas. She advised her eldest son Duryodhana not to fight with the Pandavas but it had no effect on Duryodhana. He fought and was defeated.
Question 16. Where was the system of endogamy prevalent in India between 600 BC and 600 AD? What was its importance?
Answer: Endogamy was prevalent in many communities of South India between 600 BC and 600 AD, which is still prevalent today. Organized communities emerged from this type of marriage relations.
Question 17. What do the names of the Satavahana rulers indicate about the status of mothers in society? Did this also apply to the succession to the throne?
Answer–Satavahana kings were marked by their mother’s name. This indicates that the status of mothers in society was very important. This did not apply to the succession to the throne, because the succession to the throne of the Satavahana kings was patrilineal.
Question 18. What policies did the Brahmins adopt to get the rules of the Varna Vyavastha followed?
Answer: The Brahmins adopted the following policies to get the rules of the Varna Vyavastha followed. A
photo of
the Satvahan king and his wife
(1) They told the people that the Varna Vyavastha is a divine system.
(2) They advised the rulers to get these rules followed in their kingdom.
(3) An attempt was made to make the people believe that their prestige is based on birth.
Question 19. According to the ‘Purushasukta’ of the Rigveda, how did the four Varnas of the Varna system emerge?
Answer– According to the ‘Purushasukta’, the four Varnas of the Varna system emerged from the sacrifice of the first human ‘Purusha’. His mouth became a Brahmin and his arms became Kshatriyas. Vaishyas were his thighs and Shudras originated from his feet.
Question 20. What message was being given to the Nishads through the story of Eklavya? What message would the Kshatriyas have got from this?
Answer–The message being given to the Nishads through the story of Eklavya was that no matter how proficient they become in archery, they cannot replace the Kshatriyas. On the other hand, the Kshatriyas would have got the message that only they have the right to learn archery.
Question 21. (7) Where has the inscription related to silk weavers been found? (ii) Where did these weavers live?
Answer-(i) This inscription has been found in Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh).
(ii) These weavers were originally residents of Lat (Gujarat) state, from there they moved to Mandsaur which was then called Dashpur.
Question 22. Whom did the Brahmins call Chandals? What was their position in society?
Answer–The Brahmins considered the acts like cremating dead bodies and touching dead animals as impure. They called the people doing such acts as Chandals. They were placed at the most despised position in the society with the caste system.
Question 23. What were the duties of Chandals in a society with caste system?
Answer-The list of duties of Chandals is found in Manusmriti. According to this
(i) They had to live outside the village.
(ii) They used discarded utensils, wore clothes of dead people and iron ornaments.
(iii) They could not move around in villages and cities at night.
(ii) They had to perform the last rites of those dead who had no relatives. They also had to work as executioners.
Question 24. According to Manusmriti, how was the property to be divided after the death of parents?
Answer: According to Manusmriti, after the death of parents, the ancestral property should be divided equally among all the sons, but the eldest son was entitled to a special share. Women could not ask for a share in this property.
Question 25. According to Manusmriti, how could men earn wealth?
Answer- According to Manusmriti, men could earn wealth in these seven ways-
(1) by inheritance
(2) by discovery
(3) by purchase
(4) by conquest
(5) by investment
(6) by work
(7) by accepting gifts given by gentlemen.
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