ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper 2 with Answers
Part-I
(Attempt all questions from this part)
Question 1.
(a) When was the Draft Constitution published ?
(b) Who was the first President of the independent Indian Union ?
(c) Who said that the Constitution lays down the pattern of our political society ?
(d) Which Article abolished the practice of untouchability in any form ?
(e) Which Article prohibits traffic in human beings and other forms of forced labour ?
(f) What does Election mean ?
(g) What does Constituency mean ?
(h) Which Indian state was the first to implement the Panchayati Raj system on October 2nd 1959 at the village Nagav ?
(i) Who is the head of the Gram Panchayat ?
(j) Which scheme encourages self-employment to small artisans ?
Answer:
(a) The Draft Constitution was published on 26th February, 1948.
(b) Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of the Independent Indian Union.
(c) Chief Justice Mohammad Hidayatullah said that the Constitution lays down the pattern of our political society.
(d) Article 17 abolished the practice of untouchability in any form.
(e) Article 23 prohibits trafficking in human beings and other forms of forced labour.
(f) Election means choosing or selecting representatives to form a government.
(g) During the time of elections, a State or the entire country is divided into smaller geographical units, called constituency.
(h) Rajasthan was the first state to implement Panchayati Raj system on October 2nd, 1959 at the village Nagav.
(i) Sarpanch is the head of the Gram Panchayat.
(j) Nehru Rozgar Yojna scheme encouraged self-employment opportunities for small artisans and educated unemployed in rural areas.
Question 2.
(a) Where were the copper or bronze models of carts with seated drivers excavated?
(b) Name the staple food of the Harappan people.
(c) What was the old name of River Chenab ?
(d) What does Ashokan Rock Edict III signify ?
(e) Which Sangam text reflects on the Chera Dynasty and helps in fixing the chronological position of the kings ?
(f) Name the General of Muhammad Ghori who ravaged the Nalanda University.
(g) Which Delhi sultan died of a sudden fall from the horse while playing Chaugan or polo ?
(h) Who invented the Spinning Jenny in 1765 ?
(i) Name the reformer who declared that the Pope was not the Christ’s representative on earth, but an anti-Christ.
(j) Name the author of the epic poem ‘Divine Comedy’.
Answer:
(a) The copper or bronze models of carts with seated drivers were excavated at Harappa and Chanhu-Daro.
(b) Wheat and Barley formed the staple diet of the Harappan people.
(c) The old name of River Chenab was Asikni.
(d) The Ashokan Rock Edict HI propagated the concept of Dhammavijay.
(e) Pathitripathu is the Sangam text that reflects on the Chera Dynasty and helps in fixing die chronological position of the kings.
(f) Muhammad-bin-Bakhtiyar Khalji was the General of Muhammad Ghori who ravaged the Nalanda University.
(g) Qutub ud-din Aibak, the first sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, died of a sudden fall from the horse while playing Chaugan or polo.
(h) James Hargreaves invented the Spinning Jenny in AD 1764.
(i) John Wycliffe was an influential reformer who declared that the Pope was not the Christ’s representative on earth, but an anti-Christ.
(j) Dante Alighieri wrote the epic poem ‘Divine Comedy’.
Part -II
Section – A
(Attempt any two questions from this part)
Question 3.
With reference to the local self-government (rural), answer the following questions :
(a) Describe the eligibility criteria to become a member of the Gram Panchayat.
(b) Who recommended the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj and when ?
(c) State three main functions of the Gram Sabha.
Answer:
(a) A person must fulfill the following criteria to become a member of the Gram Panchayat :
- His name should appear in the electoral roll of any constituency in the Panchayat;
- He has completed his 21 years of age (on the date of filing of nomination);
- In the case of a seat reserved for women, such person is a woman;
- He should be mentally sound and has not been disqualified under any other provisions of this Act.
(b) In 1956, under the directions of the National Development Council, a committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Balwant Rai Mehta. He recommended the development of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system.
(c) Three main functions of the Gram Sabha are as follows :
- It keeps an eye on the working of Gram Panchayat, which is the administrative body of the Gram Sabha.
- It elects Gram Pradhan (Sarpanch) and other members of the Gram Panchayat.
- It prevents the Gram Panchayat from wrong doing and can seek clarifications from the Sarpanch and Panches regarding any particular decision, implementation of scheme, income, expenditure etc.
Question 4.
With reference to the Elections in India, answer the following questions :
(a) Name the first and the present Election Commissioner of India.
(b) Differentiate between General and By-elections in India.
(c) State three functions of Election Commission in India.
Answer:
(a) Sukumar Sen (1950-53) was the first Chief Election Commissioner and Om Prakash Rawat (January, 2018-present) is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India.
(b)
| General Election | By-Election |
| General elections are the elections which are commonly organized in all or most of the constituencies at the same time in the country or state. | By-election refers to the election held in one constituency for the seat falling vacant owing to the death or resignation of the member. |
| It aims to choose the government. | It aims to fill the vacant seat. |
| Election of the representative is for a fixed term. | Election of the representative is for the remaining term. |
(c) The functions of Election Commission in India are as follows :
(i) Electoral Rolls : Election commission prepares electoral rolls and get them revised before every election so as to add the name of those who have turned 18 years and to remove the name of those who have moved out of a contituency.
(ii) Recognition to Political Parties: Election commission gives recognition to the political parties as all India Parties or Regional Parties on the basis of the votes received by them in the last general election.
(iii) Supervision : It supervise the election machinery throughout the country to ensure that the elections are held in a free and fair manner.
(iv) Scrutiny of Nomination Papers : The Election commission examines the nomination paper of the candidates. These papers are accepted if found in order, but rejected otherwise. This duty is performed by the Returning Officer who notifies to all the contesting candidates, the date, time and place for the formal scrutiny of nomination papers.
Question 5.
With reference to the Local Self-Government (urban), answer the following questions :
(a) Explain the composition of Municipal Corporation.
(b) Elucidate three important functions of Mayor of the Municipal Corporation.
(c) State the eligibility criteria for contesting Municipal Corporation Elections.
Answer:
(a) Composition of the Municipal Corporation is generally vested in the hands of a council and the corporation is known to exercise its powers through a proper structure which includes :
(i) General Council
(ii) The Standing Committee
(iii) The Mayor
(iv) Municipal Commissioner
(i) General Council: The General council is composed of members known as municipal councillors. Depending on the population of the city, the State Government determines the number of seats in the General council and thus, the size of this council can vary from one place to another. With respect to the population, a proportion of the seats are also reserved for the SC’s and ST’s and one third of the total number of seats are reserved for women.
(ii) The Standing Committee : A standing committee is a committee consisting of Members of Parliament. Each standing committee handles a specific area viz, Finance, Taxation and Budget, Transport, Engineering, Water supply, Health Education services, Plan for Economic Development etc., for the well being of the weaker sections.
(iii) The Mayor : The Mayor is the head of the municipal corporation. The mayor is usually elected for a term of one year and can also be re-elected yearly for the five year tenure of the corporation. Mayor performs various function such as, maintaining discipline and decorum in the meetings, fixing the agenda of discussion for the meetings, acting as a link between Corporation and Union or the State Government.
(iv) Municipal Commissioner : The State Government appoints the Municipal Commissioner, who is the Chief Executive officer of the Corporation. The tenure of Municipal Commissioner is for five years but can be dismissed by the Government prior to the scheduled time. He performs various functions such as, controlling and administering the corporation, implementing the rules, policies and decisions of the Corporation, preparing budgets and making estimations that are to be presented before General Council.
(b) Three important functions of the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation are as follow :
(i) Presiding over the Corporation’s meeting and regulating the conduct of business.
(ii) Securing reports of the different programmes and projects from the Municipal Commissioner which is undertaken by the Corporation.
(iii) Acting as a link between, the Corporation and the Union or the State Government.
(c) The eligibility criteria for contesting the Municipal Corporation Elections are as follows :
(i) He/she should be a registered voter in the area of the Municipal Corporation.
(ii) He/she must have attained the age of 21 years.
(iii) He/she should not hold any office of profit under State Government or any of the local bodies of the State Government.
(iv) Prior to the filing of his nomination papers, he/she is expected to resign from his/her current post.
Section – B
(Attempt any three questions from this section)
Question 6.
With reference to the Harappan Civilization, answer the following questions :
(a) State the significance of the Harappan seals.
(b) Explain three reasons behind the decline of the Harappan Civilization.
(c) Write a note on the drainage system of the Harappan Civilization.
Answer:
The significance of the Harappan seals can be enumerated as follows :
(i) The seals of the Indus Valley Civilization are the authentic sources of information about the culture of the Harrappan people. Some seals have human or- animal figures on them. Most of the seals have the figures of real animals, whilst a few seals have borne the figures of mythical animals. The seals are rectangular, circular or even cylindrical in shape.
(ii) The Indus seals have an inscription of a sort of pictorial writing. It is said that these seals were used by different associations or merchants for stamping purposes. They were also worn round the neck or the arm.
(iii) The seals reflect the culture and civilization of the Indus Valley people. In particular, they indicate :
1. Dresses, ornaments, hair-styles of people.
2. Skill of artists and sculptors.
3. Religious beliefs.
4. Script.
(b) Three reasons behind the decline of the Harappan Civilization are as follows :
(i) It is commonly believed that the Aryans were the next settlers. They were skilled fighters, so their attack might have led to the destruction of the Harappan Civilization. The human skeletons remains found during excavation of Indus valley point towards some violent cause of their deaths. ‘
(ii) Owing to this conflict, the theory of a huge climatic change or natural disaster gained credibility. It has been found out that around 2000 BC some major climatic changes started occurring in the Indus Valley. These changes had led to floods in the plains and cities. Historians have found evidence to prove this theory as well.
(iii) There was a fall in the average rainfall in the cities leading to the formation of desert-like condition. This led to the decline in agriculture on which most of the trade was dependent. As per some scholars, the reason of the decline is the change in the course of River Ghaggar-Hakkra that had led to an increase in aridity of the place.
(c) The most striking feature of the Harappan civilization is that Indus Valley people had constructed their drainage system on very scientific lines. House drains emptied themselves into the main drains which ran under the main streets and below many lanes. The Harappan people well knew that such drains were not to be left open.
The drainage system and drains were covered with bricks or stones and were provided with main holes to facilitating proper inspection and cleaning. Every care was taken that the house-wives did not throw refuse or dirt in the drains. Every house had its own soak- pit, which collected all the sediments and allowed only the water to flow into the street drain. The elaborate drainage system of the Harappan people shows that they were highly concerned about health and sanitation.
Question 7.
(a) Explain the Karma theory as espoused by Gautama Buddha.
(b) Elucidate the Eight-Fold Path of Buddhism as advocated by Gautama Buddha.
(c) State the difference between Jainism and Buddhism.
Answer:
(a) Gautama Buddha had a complete faith in the theory of Karma. The condition in which a man lives his present life and the deeds he performs, might decide the course of his life in the next birth and he has to face the consequences of his actions. Buddha believed that man is master of his own destiny and he also believed in the theory of re-birth. Since all ill deeds of man can be punished, it is better to take the middle path in life and decide upon the course of one’s birth in the next life.
(b) Buddha taught the eight-fold path in virtually all his discourses. The Noble Eight-Fold Path has been described below :
- Right understanding (Samma ditthi)
- Right thought (Samma sankappa)
- Right speech (Samma vaca)
- Right action (Samma kammanta)
- Right livelihood (Samma ajiva)
- Right effort (Samma vayama)
- Right mindfulness (Samma sati)
- Right concentration (Samma samadhi)
(c)
| Buddhism | Jainism |
| Gautama Buddha (bom as Prince Siddhartha) was the founder of Buddhism. | Vardhamana Mahavira was the founder of Jainism. |
| The Buddhist text is in Pali. | Most of the Jain text is in Sanskrit and Prakrit. |
| Reaching Enlightenment or Nirvana, following the Noble Eight-fold Path is the way to attain salvation. | Goal is to free the soul from bondages of Karma, which results in misery due to many re-births and deaths. Once the soul is free from these bondages, it achieves Nirvana and becomes perfect soul free from all attachments in an internal blissful state. |
Question 8.
With reference to the Chola Empire, answer the following questions :
(a) Identify the following temple. When and where was it built ?
(b) Which temple is it considered to be similar to ? What do the chola inscriptions in the temple shed light upon ?
(c) State the architectural features of this temple.
Answer:
(a) The temple depicted in the image is the famous Brihadishwara or Rajarajeshwara temple at Tanjore.
(b) It is considered to be similar to the temple at Thanjavur (formerly Tanjore). The Chola inscriptions inform that the temples were the centres of social activity. During the time of festivals, the wealthy showered large offerings and donations on the temples which were used for maintaining and decorating the temple.
(c) The architectural features of this temple are as follows-:
(i) The Brihadishwara temple consists of a pillared portico and an assembly hall known as Mandapas and many sub-shrines. The inner Mandapas are the most significant part of the temple. The mandapas are divided into different levels with the help of sculptures and pilasters.
(ii) Idols of “Ashta-dikpaalakas” or guardians of directions are found in the Brihadishwara temple making it one of the rarest temples in India. Six feet tall statues of Agni, Varuna, Indra, Yama, Vayu, Isana, Kubera and Nirriti have been placed in a separate temple.
(iii) The topmost structure of the temple known as “Kumbam” is also carved out of a single granite stone. There are two gateways, known as “Gopuras” on the eastern side of the temple to enter. The bronze image of Lord Shiva as ‘Nataraja’ or Lord of Dance displays grace and vigor and has been considered as the ‘cultural epitome’ of the Chola period.
Question 9.
With reference to Sufism, Bhakti Movement and Christianity, answer the following questions :
(a) Write a short note on Ajmer Sharif Dargah.
(b) State the difference between Sufism and Bhakti Movement.
(c) Who was St. Francis Xavier ?
Answer:
(a) Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Sufi shrine of the Sufi saint, Moinuddin Chisti, which is located in Ajmer, Rajasthan India. The shrine has the grave (Maqbara) of the revered saint, Moinuddin Chisti.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah is 2 kilometres-(1.2 mile) away from the main central Ajmer railway station and situated at the foot of the Taragarh hill. It consists of several white marble buildings arranged around two courtyards, including a massive gate donated by the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Akbari Mosque, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
It contains the domed tomb of the saint. Akbar and his queen used to come here from Agra every year in observance of a vow when he prayed for a son.
| Sufism | Bhakti Movement |
| Sufism was a popular mystic or esoteric movement that gained popularity in the Islamic community. | The Bhakti Movement was a popular mystic movement, which was popular among the Hindus of Bengal. |
| Sufi saints sang Qawwalis- a form of music to inspire religious devotion and instruction. | The saints of the Bhakti Movement sang bhajans to worship Gods and Goddesses. |
| With the advent of the Islam in the early 8th century, Sufi mystic traditions became more visible in the 10th and 11th centuries during Delhi Sultanate. | The development of the Bhakti cult first began in South India in the 7th-8th century in order to bridge the gulf between the Shaivas and Vaishnavas people. |
(c) St. Francis Xavier was one of the 12 apostles of Christ and had all the virtues necessary for a missionary.
In AD 1542, he came to India with the Portuguese Viceroy of Goa and immediately undertook the task of influencing the Goan people. He went from street to street to spread the message of Jesus Christ, asking people to attend his meeting and listen to his sermons. Though he did not master the local language, he took the help of Goan scholars and translated the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Ave Maria. He built nearly 40 churches along the coast.
He intensively catechized paravars, children and baptized the inhabitants of 30 villages. He then focused on converting the king of Travancore to Christianity and also visited Ceylon (present day Sri-Lanka). Against the wishes of the Portuguese Viceroy, he proceeded to China to spread Christianity. He died from fever on 2 December, A.D. 1552 in the Sancian Island, China. His relics are kept in a glass container encased in a silver casket in Basilica of bon Jesus church at Goa.
Question 10.
With reference to the Mughal Empire, answer the following questions :
(a) What is Mansabdari System ?
(b) Which Mughal Emperor established the Jama Masjid ? When and where it was established ?
(c) Name the supreme architectural monument of Shah Jahan’s reign. Explain the architectural features of Taj Mahal.
Answer:
(a) The Mansabdari system was made up of a group of Mansabdars, who were the officials of the Mughal Empire. These officers were, given specific rank or mansab either in the bureaucracy, military hierarchy or the nobility. The lowest rank was 10 while the highest was 5000 and these ranks had two divisions. First was Zat, which indicated the status of a person and how much he is to be paid, while the other, Sowar, stands for the designated amount of cavalrymen, he had to maintain. Like for every 10 cavalrymen, 20 horses were to be kept.
(b) The Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan established the Jama Masjid in Delhi during A.D. 1650-56.
(c) Taj Mahal is one of the supreme accomplishments of the Mughal Empire. Shah Jahan build this grand mausoleum in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal on the bank of river Yamuna.
The architectural features of Taj Mahal are :
(i) It is made of pure white marble.
(ii) It stands on a raised platform and is surmounted by cupolas at each comer.
(iii) The bulbous dome in the centre has the appearance of an inverted lotus. There are four smaller domes at the four comers of the building.
(iv) The four minarets at each comer of the terrace are decorated with beautiful cupolas and pinnacles.
(v) The outer wall and the interior walls of tomb are richly decorated with flawless sculptures and inlaid design of flower and calligraphy.