Read statements A, B and C and select correct answer. Why Magadha became the most important Mahajanpada in about two hundred years? A. Many rivers such as Ganga and Son flowed through Magadha. B. Parts of Magadha were forested. C. There were iron ore mines in the region.
- A.A and B
- B.B and C
- C.C and A
- D.A, B and C
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, A, B and C. All three reasons together made Magadha the strongest mahajanapada in about two hundred years. Rivers such as the Ganga and the Son gave water for the fields, made the plain fertile and served as cheap routes for moving men and goods. The forests in parts of Magadha supplied timber for houses and carts and, more important, elephants that were caught and trained for the army. And the iron ore mines of the region gave the metal for strong tools that cleared land and for weapons that no rival could match. Two ambitious rulers, Bimbisara and Ajatasattu, used these gifts well, and the capital was shifted from Rajagriha to Pataliputra, standing on the bank of the Ganga. A, B and C are wrong because each of them leaves out one of the three reasons named in NCERT's chapter on kingdoms and republics. Exam tip: Magadha's strength came from rivers, forests with elephants and iron ore; capital Rajagriha, later Pataliputra.
Practice Questions
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