Why is the sixth century BCE regarded as a turning point in early Indian history? Identify the correct statements from the following:
(A) It was the era associated with early states.
(B) The growing use of iron.
(C) Growth of Buddhism and Jainism.
(D) Growth of single system of thought.
(E) The development of coinage.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B), (C), (E) Only
(A) It was the era associated with early states. Correct. The sixth century BCE is an era associated with early states and cities; early Buddhist and Jaina texts mention sixteen states known as mahajanapadas.
(B) The growing use of iron. Correct. The era is also marked by the growing use of iron.
(C) Growth of Buddhism and Jainism. Correct. It witnessed the growth of diverse systems of thought, including Buddhism and Jainism.
(D) Growth of single system of thought. Incorrect. The period saw the growth of diverse systems of thought, not of a single one.
(E) The development of coinage. Correct. The development of coinage is another feature of this turning point.
NCERT (2026-27): “2.1 The sixteen mahajanapadas … The sixth century BCE is often regarded as a major turning point in early Indian history. It is an era associated with early states, cities, the growing use of iron, the development of coinage, etc. It also witnessed the growth of diverse systems of thought, including Buddhism and Jainism. Early Buddhist and Jaina texts (see also Chapter 4) mention, amongst other things, sixteen states known as mahajanapadas. Although the lists vary, some names such as Vajji, Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara and Avanti occur frequently.…” |