State and Society (upto 1000 CE) — Class 9 MCQs with Answers
Class 9 CBSE Social Science · Chapter 5
75 practice questions · 24 Easy · 26 Medium · 25 Hard · Updated
Practise the most important Class 9 CBSE Social Science questions from Chapter 5, "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)". You get 9 timed quizzes made from 75 NCERT-based MCQs, with answers and explanations. The questions are split into 24 Easy, 26 Medium and 25 Hard. Warm up on the basics, then move on to the exam-level questions that set top scorers in CBSE Board exams apart.
To score well in "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)", focus on dates, cause and effect, and reading maps and sources. Each MCQ here is timed and uses exam-style marking (+4 correct, −1 wrong, 0 skipped). This trains you to stay accurate under time pressure, as real papers need. Every question has a short explanation, so a wrong answer becomes a quick lesson. It is the fastest way to fix gaps before a test.
Use this chapter for focused revision. Start with the Easy set to check your basics on State and Society (upto 1000 CE), then move to Medium and Hard to practise applying them. Your accuracy, streaks and XP save automatically. This chapter also adds to your overall Class 9 Social Science mastery score. 14 sample questions are solved in full below, with the answer and a worked explanation. Sign in free to start practising.
Key concepts: State and Society (upto 1000 CE) (Class 9 Social Science)
Between the Vedic age and 1000 CE India moved from tribal societies to janapadas, then to large empires under the Mauryas and Guptas. This chapter follows that political development alongside the social, religious and cultural changes that accompanied it.
- Vedic age
- The period following the Harappan decline, known from the Vedas, in which pastoral and later agricultural communities settled the Ganga plains.
- Vedic society and varna
- Society came to be described in four varnas — Brahmana, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra — a division that hardened over time into birth-based hierarchy.
- Janapadas and mahajanapadas
- Early territorial states formed as tribes settled; sixteen larger mahajanapadas emerged, of which Magadha grew strongest.
- Rise of Magadha
- Magadha's fertile land, iron ore, elephants and control of river routes let it absorb its rivals and become the base of empire.
State and Society (upto 1000 CE) — important questions & MCQs with answers (Class 9 Social Science)
14 solved questions from this chapter's difficulty levels, each with its answer and explanation. The other 61 are timed and scored when you sign in.
- Q1Easy
Which of the four Vedas is the oldest and the most important?
A.SamavedaB.Rigveda✓ CorrectC.YajurvedaD.AtharvavedaAnswer: B. Rigveda
Explanation: The Rigveda is the oldest of the four Vedas and is a collection of hymns chiefly dedicated to gods such as Indra and Agni.
- Q2Easy
The word 'janapada' literally means the land where a 'jana' did what?
A.Crossed a riverB.Set its foot or settled✓ CorrectC.Built a templeD.Fought a warAnswer: B. Set its foot or settled
Explanation: Janapada means the land where a jana (people or tribe) set its foot and settled down.
- Q3Easy
Who founded the Mauryan Empire?
A.AshokaB.BindusaraC.Chandragupta Maurya✓ CorrectD.SamudraguptaAnswer: C. Chandragupta Maurya
Explanation: Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan Empire around 321 BCE.
- Q4Easy
Which famous gold-issuing ruling family from Central Asia ruled north-western India after the Mauryas?
A.The CholasB.The SatavahanasC.The Kushanas✓ CorrectD.The PallavasAnswer: C. The Kushanas
Explanation: The Kushanas ruled the north-west and are famous for their gold coins; Kanishka was their best-known king.
- Q5Easy
In which language were the Vedas composed?
A.Sanskrit✓ CorrectB.PrakritC.PaliD.TamilAnswer: A. Sanskrit
Explanation: The Vedas were composed in an early form of Sanskrit, often called Vedic Sanskrit.
- Q6Easy
According to ancient texts, how many mahajanapadas existed in northern India around the 6th century BCE?
A.TwentyB.TwelveC.EightD.Sixteen✓ CorrectAnswer: D. Sixteen
Explanation: Ancient Buddhist and other texts mention sixteen mahajanapadas, or 'great' janapadas.
- Q7Medium
Why do historians say that society in the EARLY Vedic period was less rigidly divided than in the LATER Vedic period?
A.There were no priests at all in the early periodB.Occupations were less fixed and social distinctions were more flexible early on✓ CorrectC.Everyone in the early period was a kingD.The early Vedic people did not have any societyAnswer: B. Occupations were less fixed and social distinctions were more flexible early on
Explanation: In the early Vedic age occupations were not strictly hereditary; the varna divisions hardened and became more rigid in the later Vedic period.
- Q8Medium
A key feature that distinguished a mahajanapada from an earlier janapada was that the mahajanapada usually had
A.a fortified capital city, an army and regular taxes✓ CorrectB.rule by foreign emperors onlyC.only nomadic herders and no farmingD.no people living in itAnswer: A. a fortified capital city, an army and regular taxes
Explanation: Mahajanapadas had fortified capitals, standing armies maintained through regular taxes, and a more organised administration than simple janapadas.
- Q9Medium
The Mauryan empire was so large that it was divided into provinces, each looked after by a governor, often a royal prince. This tells us that the Mauryas
A.had no central control at allB.ruled only a single small townC.allowed foreign kings to govern every regionD.needed a layered administration to rule a vast territory✓ CorrectAnswer: D. needed a layered administration to rule a vast territory
Explanation: Because the empire was huge, the Mauryas set up provinces under governors so that distant regions could be controlled from the centre at Pataliputra.
- Q10Medium
The Kushana kings issued many gold coins. What does this mainly suggest about their period?
A.Trade and commerce were flourishing✓ CorrectB.Farming had completely stoppedC.There were no towns at allD.Writing was unknownAnswer: A. Trade and commerce were flourishing
Explanation: Plentiful gold coins indicate prosperous trade and a strong economy, as coins were used in long-distance commerce.
- Q11Medium
Assertion (A): Early Vedic texts show that a person's occupation was fixed strictly by birth. Reason (R): A Rigveda verse speaks of a family in which the speaker is a poet, the father a physician and the mother a grinder of corn.
A.Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of AB.Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of AC.A is true but R is falseD.A is false but R is true✓ CorrectAnswer: D. A is false but R is true
Explanation: Early Vedic texts do not show social status fixed strictly by birth; occupations were still flexible, and the chapter cites this very verse (a poet, a physician and a grinder of corn in one family) as evidence of that flexibility. So the reason is true but the assertion is false.
- Q12Hard
A later Vedic hymn describes the four varnas as arising from different parts of a cosmic being (the Purusha). Historians read such a passage chiefly as evidence that
A.the four varnas were equal in every respectB.the varna order was being given religious sanction to make it seem natural and unchangeable✓ CorrectC.there were no social divisions at all in Vedic societyD.the hymn was written in the Gupta ageAnswer: B. the varna order was being given religious sanction to make it seem natural and unchangeable
Explanation: By linking each varna to a part of the cosmic being, the hymn gives the social hierarchy a divine origin, presenting an existing order as natural and permanent.
- Q13Hard
Magadha defeated several rival mahajanapadas and absorbed them. Which combination of factors BEST explains its success?
A.Isolation, lack of resources and weak rulersB.Refusal to use coins or tradeC.Fertile land, iron ore, forest elephants, river routes and ambitious rulers✓ CorrectD.Absence of any army or taxationAnswer: C. Fertile land, iron ore, forest elephants, river routes and ambitious rulers
Explanation: Magadha combined natural advantages (fertile soil, iron, elephants, rivers) with strong, ambitious rulers and a well-organised army funded by taxes, enabling expansion.
- Q14Hard
Read the source: 'An inscription of Rudradaman I at Junagadh records that Pushyagupta, a governor appointed by Chandragupta Maurya, built a dam on the Sudarshana Lake near Girnar.' What does this record mainly tell historians about the Mauryan state?
A.It left irrigation entirely to village assemblies and their tank committeesB.It governed Saurashtra through Western Satrap rulers such as Rudradaman IC.It took an active role in building irrigation works, since agriculture was a major source of its revenue✓ CorrectD.It collected no tax on land and relied only on trade for revenueAnswer: C. It took an active role in building irrigation works, since agriculture was a major source of its revenue
Explanation: The chapter uses this record of a Mauryan governor building a dam as evidence of the Mauryan state's active role in developing irrigation, because agriculture was one of its major sources of revenue. Rudradaman I was a later Western Satrap ruler, not a Mauryan official, and the Mauryas did tax land, generally at one-sixth of the produce.
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Start this chapter free →State and Society (upto 1000 CE) — FAQs
What are the key concepts in Class 9 Social Science State and Society (upto 1000 CE)?+
Between the Vedic age and 1000 CE India moved from tribal societies to janapadas, then to large empires under the Mauryas and Guptas. This chapter follows that political development alongside the social, religious and cultural changes that accompanied it. Key ideas include Vedic age, Vedic society and varna, Janapadas and mahajanapadas, Rise of Magadha.
What does Class 9 Social Science Chapter 5 (State and Society (upto 1000 CE)) cover on XamBaaz?+
It has 75 NCERT-based MCQs on "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)": 24 Easy, 26 Medium and 25 Hard. Together they make 9 timed quizzes, and you never get the same set twice. Every question has an instant explanation. They help you prepare for CBSE Board exams.
Are these "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)" questions free to practise?+
Yes. Sign in with Google to practise "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)" free. Full unlimited access is ₹999/year on a launch offer until 1 December 2026. No chapter is charged separately.
How should I revise "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)" for the exam?+
Start with the Easy quiz to check your basics, then try Medium and Hard to practise applying them. There are 9 timed quizzes on this chapter, so you can come back for a fresh set instead of one you have seen. Read each explanation, retry the questions you miss, and track your accuracy until it stays high.
Are these "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)" MCQs available with answers?+
Yes. 14 sample questions are shown here in full, each with the correct option and a step-by-step "Why" explanation. Sign in free with Google to start practising, with instant scoring.
Is there negative marking in the "State and Society (upto 1000 CE)" quizzes?+
Yes. The timed quizzes use exam-style marking: +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one and 0 for a skip. MHT-CET and CBSE board papers have no negative marking. Our mocks for those are scored their way.
What are the important questions from State and Society (upto 1000 CE) (Class 9 Social Science)?+
The questions that matter most test Vedic age, Vedic society and varna, Janapadas and mahajanapadas, Rise of Magadha. This page shows 14 solved important MCQs with answers and explanations; all 75 questions on the chapter are available as timed quizzes once you sign in.
Is there an online quiz for State and Society (upto 1000 CE)?+
Yes — Class 9 Social Science State and Society (upto 1000 CE) has timed online quizzes at Easy, Medium and Hard levels, with instant scoring and a worked explanation on every question. The first quiz on the chapter is free.