ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper 4 with Answers

Part -I
(Attempt all questions from this Part)

Question 1.
(a) What is the ‘Mirror of the Nation’?
(b) Who was elected as the first permanent President of the Constituent Assembly ?
(c) In which Constitution Amendment Act of 1976, some minor changes were made to the Preamble ?
(d) Which Article of the Indian Constitution of the explains the ‘Protection of Life and Personal Liberty’ ?
(e) What does the Latin term ‘Mandamus’ mean ?
(f) Who is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India ?
(g) Who is a ‘Sarpanch’ ?
(h) Which were the first urban areas of the Municipal Corporation ?
(i) Who launched the scheme ‘Nehru Rozgar Yojana’ ?
(j) Name the programme that has been started to improve the condition of women and children in the rural society.
Answer:
(a) The Constituent Assembly is the ‘Mirror of the Nation’.
(b) Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as the first Permanent President of the Constituent Assembly.
(c) In the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act of 1976, some minor changes were made in the Preamble, such as the addition of the words Secular, Socialist, Integrity and Unity.
(d) The Article 21 guarantees the ‘Protection of Life and Personal Liberty’.
(e) The Latin term ‘Mandamus’ means ‘We Command’.
(f) Om Prakash Rawat (incumbent) is the present Chief Election Commissioner of India.
(g) ‘Sarpanch’ is the head of the Gram Panchayat.
(h) The Presidency towns of Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai were incorporated as the first urban areas of the Municipal Corporation.
(i) Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched the ‘Nehru Rozgar Yojana’.
(j) The programme ‘Anganwadi’ was launched in the rural society to improve the condition of women and children.

Question 2.
(a) In which area of the Indus Valley Civilization a large granary has been unearthed ?
(b) Which Council of High Dignitaries and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire ordered the writings of Martin Luther to be burned ?
(c) Who created the colony named ‘Virgin Queen’ ?
(d) Name the Jesuit Mission who accompanied Akbar to Fatehpur Sikri.
(e) Which Sikh Guru sheltered the rebel prince Khusrao ?
(f) Which Mughal Emperor became the patron of eminent scholars such as Shams-i-Siraj and Zia-ud-din Barani ?
(g) Which Chola King sent out a naval expedition to Sumatra and Java ?
(h) Which image has been recognised as the ‘Cultural Epitome’ of the Chola Empire ?
(i) Who wrote Brahmasphuta Siddhanta during the Gupta period ?
(j) Who was the first to discover the number zero ?
Answer:
(a) A large granary measuring 45.71 meter length and 15.23 meter breadth has been unearthed at Mohenjo-Daro during the Indus Valley Civilization.
(b) Diet Worm, which was the Council of High Dignitaries and Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, ordered the writings of Martin Luther to be burned.
(c) Walter Raleigh created the colony named Virgin Queen.
(d) Portuguese Fathers, Fr. Rudolf Acquaviva, Antoine de Monserrate and Francis Henriques accompanied Akbar to Fatehpur Sikri.
(e) Arjun Dev, the 5th Sikh Guru sheltered the rebel prince Khusrao.
(f) Firoz Shah Tughlaq, the Mughal Emperor became the patron of eminent scholars such as Shams-i-Siraj Afif and Zia-ud-din Barani.
(g) King Rajendra Chola I sent out an expedition to Java and Sumatra.
(h) The Bronze image of ‘Nataraja’ has been recognised as the ‘Cultural Epitome’ of the Chola Empire.
(i) Brahmagupta wrote Brahmasphuta siddhanta during the Gupta period.
(j) Aryabhatta was the first to discover the number ‘zero’ during the Gupta period.

Part -II
Section -A
(Attempt any two questions from this Part)

Question 3.
With reference to the Elections of India, explain the following questions :
(a) State the types of the Elections held in India.
(b) Explain the concept of ‘By-Elections’ in your own words.
(c) State two differences between Direct and Indirect Elections.
Answer:
(a) The three types of the Elections held in India are General Election, By-Election and Mid-Term Election.

(b) By-Elections, also known as Bypolls in India. In case of death or sudden resignation of any member of the Central Legislative Assembly or the State Legislative Assembly before the expiry of the full term, a By-Election is held to fill up the vacant position. The newly elected member holds office only till the term of the existing government is not complete. By-Elections may also be conducted to fill up the vacant seat of a candidate who has been disqualified under Parliamentary law for some reason or the other.

(c)

	Direct Election	Indirect Election
	Representatives are directly chosen by the people through voting.	Representatives are indirectly elected by the people through an intermediary group who further elect the representatives.
	In this process, qualified members of the Lok Sabha, Vidhan Sabha or Legislative Assemblies, local bodies like Municipal Corporation, Municipalities and Gram Panchayat are directly elected.	In this process, the members of Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Parishad, Zila Parishad, President and Vice President are indirectly elected.

Question 4.
With reference to Indian Constitution, explain the following questions :
(a) State the ideals of the Indian Constitution.
(b) What does the word ‘Republic’ mean ?
(c) State the significance of the Preamble in the written constitution.
Answer:
(a) The ideals of the Indian Constitution are as follow :
(i) To secure all its citizens, social, economic and political justice; liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; equality of status and opportunity.
(ii) To promote the idea of fraternity so as to secure the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.

(b) The word Republic refers to a state in which the power is held by the people through their elected representatives. No individual in a Republican Government has a hereditary right to the office of power. The people in India exercise their power by electing their representatives. A Republic makes no distinction between indirectly and directly elected head of the State.

(c) (i) The Preamble declares that the source of the constitution is the People of India.
(ii) It indicates the secular, socialist and democratic basis of the Constitution.
(iii) The Preamble states the basic objectives or ideals of the Indian Republic.
The Preamble is the keynote which sets out the main theme of the Constitution. The Preamble is like the mini-Constitution. It reminds people the noble and grand visions of our Constitution makers.
Constitution is registered by the fact that a distinguished English author Sir Barker included the Indian Preamble as the introduction of his best seller.

Question 5.
With reference to the local self-government (rural), explain the following :
(a) What is the name of ‘Panchayat Samiti’ in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh ?
(b) State any two functions of the Gram Panchayat.
(c) Discuss any three functions of Zila Parishad.
Answer:
(a) The name of ‘Panchayat Samiti’ in Madhya Pradesh is ‘Janapada Panchayat’ while in Uttar Pradesh it is known as ‘Kshetra Samiti’.

(b) The functions of the Gram Panchayat are as follows :
(i) Developmental Functions:
1. The Gram Panchayat undertakes preparing and executing various agricultural plans. . 2. Gram Panchayat provides provisions for primary and secondary education.

(ii) Regulatory and Administrative Functions:
1. Gram Panchayat looks after the maintenance of the village’s public property.
2. Gram Panchayat implements the official programme given by the authorities.

(c) The three functions of Zila Parishad are as follows :
(i) Civic activities : Construction and maintenance of public roads, bridges, culverts, parks and water supply system come under the civic activities of Zila Parishad.
(ii) Welfare functions : Establishment of markets, running of public libraries, dispensaries, public health and family planning centers, providing relief in times of calamities are some of its civil welfare activities.
(iii) Coordination : The Zila Parishad supervises the activities of the Gram Panchayats and the Panchayat Samiti at the block level. It is through the blocks that the districts prosper. Therefore, the Zila Parishad coordinates and consolidates the developmental projects at the block levels.

Section – B
(Attempt any three questions from this section)

Question 6.
With reference to the Vedic Civilization in India, explain the following questions :
(a) Explain the political organizations of Later Vedic India.
(b) Elucidate the Four-Fold Varna System that is prevalent in India.
(c) What was ‘Soma’? When and by whom was it consumed ?
Answer:
(a) In later Vedic times, popular assemblies lost importance and royal power increased at their cost. The Vidatha completely disappeared. The Sabha and Samiti continued to hold the ground, but their character changed. They came to be dominated by chiefs and rich nobles allowed. The Sabha was gradually converted into the King’s court, becoming an even more exclusive body than earlier.

(b) In the early Four Fold Varna system the birth determines the caste of a person and it was difficult to change one’s caste. The society was divided into different classes based on the profession (Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras). The Brahmins were those people who perform the religious ceremonies while Kshatriyas belongs to the ruling class. They fought war to defend their country. The vaishyas are the common people engaged in trade agriculture and industry. Shudras are the people who work as labourers and servants. Brahmin and Kshatriya emerged as the most important classes. They enjoyed privileges that were denied to vaisyas and Shudras. Shudras were considered untouchables and lowest among the four castes. Inter caste marriages were also not prevelant during the Later Vedic period.

(c) Soma was an intoxicating drink that was consumed by the Vedic people during religious festivals or ceremonies.

Question 7.
With reference to the Emergence of Composite Culture, explain the following questions :
(a) Explain the Jesuit Mission of St. Francis Xavier to India.
(b) What do you mean by the term ‘Firangi’?
(c) Elucidate the influence of Christianity on the Emperors of the Mughal Empire.
Answer:
(a) St. Francis Xavier disembarked in Goa, the centre of Portuguese activity in the East, on May 6, 1542; his companion had remained behind to work in Lisbon. Much of the next three years, he spent on the south-eastern coast of India among the Paravars, Katesar Kadaiyar Pattamkattiyars (head of fishery coast) and Mukkuvars.

(i) He took the help of Goan scholars and translated the creed, the lords prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Ave Maria. He build 40 churches along the coast and established St. Stephen’s Church at Kombuthurai dated A.D. 1544.

(ii) Francis travelled tirelessly from village to village instructing and confirming them in their faith to spread the message of Jesus Christ. His evident goodness and the force of his conviction overcame difficulties of verbal communication.

(b) The term ‘Firangi’ means foreigner or someone coming from another nation. In this context, it is an Islamised term which was conceptualized during the Mughal period, denoting the Europeans who came to explore the empire.

(c) The Mughal Empire was heavily influenced by Christianity as is manifest in the rule of Mughal Emperors like Akbar and Jahangir. Mughal Emperor Akbar sent out a request to Jesuit priests stationed at the Portuguese enclave of Goa to teach him about Christianity. He conceptualized ‘Din-i-Illahi’ or an eclectic mix of religions and ethnicities. He facilitated religious synthesis and formed a liasion with the Jesuit heads. This culminates in a collection of glorious artistic pieces, consisting of a combination of Persian and European motifs.

The very first paintings to reach the Mughal court were large oil paintings of Mother Mary, a religious figure known to the Muslim world by her presence in the Quran. The Jesuits then presented the Royal Polyglot Bible to Akbar, with Biblical illustrations done by a Flemish painter.

The 17th century painting which Jahangir presented Prince Khurram with turban ornament is a perfect example of art showcasing Mughal rule with imagery borrowed from Christianity. While Christianity had been received and adopted in several other countries before it came to India, the religion’s reception here was unique in the sense that it was accommodated in a manner serving the interests of the Mughal rulers.

Question 8.
With reference to the Delhi Sultanate, study the picture and answer the following questions :
(a) Identify this Delhi ruler? Whom did she succeed to the throne and when ?
(b) Why is her rule a ‘Romantic Interlude’ of the Delhi Sultanate ?
(c) How did her rule finally come to an end ?

Answer:
(a) The picture shows the first and the last woman muslim ruler Raziya Sultana who ruled Delhi Sultanate. She succeeded her father Shams-ud-din Iltutmish to the throne in AD 1236.

(b) The Delhi Sultanate witnessed some legendary rulers, one of whom was Raziya al-Din, or Raziya Sultana. The only woman to be ever crowned the ‘Sultan’ of Delhi, Raziya was truly an exception. After the death of Raziya’s father, Iltutmish, Rukn ud-din Firoz, Raziya’s brother, was crowned the Sultan. However, he was killed less than seven months into the power. This brought Raziya to the throne.

This move did not go well with the powerful Muslim nobles who were not ready to accept a female ruler. Though her rule lasted less than 4 years, she had set aside the customary veil and asked everyone to address her as ‘Sultan’ and not ‘Sultana’, since Sultana meant the wife of the Sultan. She adopted masculine costumes and led the army from the front. Though comparatively short, her rule was marked by upright law and order. She even managed to manipulate the strong nobles to oppose each other and not her. However, she could not become a successful Sultan of the Delhi Sultanate and a clique of orthodox Ulema led to the debacle of her regime.

The legacy of Raziya is the precedent of her love story and her administrative skills. It was probably due to her courage to stand against the mighty nobles and her love for Delhi that she has been given such a special place in India’s history despite her short reign. As a result, her regime is known as the ‘Romantic Interlude’ of the Delhi Sultanate.

(c) Raziya Sultan was dethroned when she lost to her brother who had rebelled against her. She later married Altuniya and tried to recover Delhi but was unsuccessful. She finally became a victim of a conspiracy and was assassinated near Kaithal (Haryana) in AD 1240.

Question 9.
With reference to Renaissance, answer the following questions :
(a) Who was the inspiration behind the term ‘Renaissance Man’ ?
(b) Explain any two causes for the rise of Renaissance in Europe.
(c) Explain the influence of Renaissance on art and architecture.
Answer:
(a) Leonardo-da-Vinci was the inspiration behind the term Renaissance Man’.

(b) Two causes for the rise of Renaissance in Europe are as follows :
(i) Decline of Feudalism : The feudal system declined in the 13th and 14th centuries mainly due to the revival of long distance trade. The growth of trade and markets stimulated the demand for the luxury goods. In order to procure them, the lords increased their exploitation of serfs (slaves). The slaves deserted cultivation and flocked to the newly developing town. This resulted in the decline of the feudal structure.

(ii) Invention of the Printing Press : The invention of the Printing Press in the middle of the 15th century in Europe made it possible to produce books in large numbers. Holy Bible and many other religious and classical books were printed and made available all over Europe. Printing and distribution of these books greatly influenced people’s attitude towards the life and brought about a new awakening in Europe.

(c) The greatest impact of Renaissance was art and its various forms such as painting, architecture and sculptures. The architects during Renaissance were inspired by the building plan of the Roman Churches. The floor was adorned with arches, decorative columns and dome. The architectural works of Renaissance highlighted harmony, proportion and balance in the buildings. The most popular architecture of this period is St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.

Question 10.
With reference to the Industrial Revolution, explain the following questions :
(a) Define Industrial Revolution.
(b) Who wrote the book ‘Das Kapital’? Which fields was he famous in ?
(c) How did Industrial Revolution lead to the development of Socialism ?
Answer:
(a) The Industrial Revolution took place from 18^th to 19^th The Industrial Revolution began in Great Britain and spread throughout the world. It signifies a series of revolutionary changes that took place in the fields of industry and production. Industrial Revolution marked a shift to large scale production of goods by using machinery and new technology. It has brought social and economic changes which transformed agricultural society into modem industrial society.

(b) Karl Marx was an eminent Sociologist, economist and political thinker who wrote the book ‘Das KapitaT.

(c) The Industrial Revolution polarized the society into two main groups into working class and capitalists. Capitalists were the owners of the means of production. They had power, wealth and prestige. The other class of the people created by revolution was the class of poor workers or proletariat. This class included those people who migrated to the cities in search of employment and lived in human conditions. The gap between employee and employer became very wide and remain unbridged. The Industrial Revolution gave rise to many doctrines including Marxism. The Socialists wanted to set up such society that would be free from class division and exploitation. These are the factors that led to the development of Socialism.

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper 3 with Answers

Part-I
(Attempt all questions from this part)

Question 1.
(a) When did the Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee? Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee ?
(b) When did India celebrate the Republic Day’s Golden Jubilee ?
(c) What does the Preamble of India describe ?
(d) Which Article of the Indian Constitution prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14 years ?
(e) Which Article of the Indian Constitution abolishes all titles like Rai Sahib and Maharaja ?
(f) Which Indian state has the highest number of constituencies ?
(g) Who was the first Election Commissioner of India ?
(h) What does Local Self-Government mean ?
(i) Who elects the President, Senior Vice-President and a Junior Vice-President from amongst themselves in the Municipal Corporation ?
(j) Who is the ‘First Citizen’ of the town or city ?
Answer:
(a) On 29th August, 1947, the Constituent Assembly set up a Drafting Committee to prepare the draft Constitution of India. Dr. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.
(b) On 26th January, 2000, India celebrated the Republic Day’s Golden Jubilee.
(c) The Preamble of India describes the ‘soul and spirit’ of the Constitution of India.
(d) Article 24 of the Indian Constitution prohibits the employment of children under 14 years of age in any factory or mine.
(e) Article 18 of the Indian Constitution abolishes all extravagant titles, such as ‘Rai Sahib’ or ‘Maharaja’.
(f) Uttar Pradesh in India has the highest number of constituencies i.e., 80.
(g) Sukumar Sen was the first Election Commissioner of the Independent Republic of India.
(h) Local Self-Government is an elected body that experiences a certain degree of autonomy and serves as a government unit for local affairs.
(i) The Councillor elects the President, Junior Vice-President and Senior Vice-President of the Municipal Corporation.
(j) The Mayor is the ‘First Citizen’ of the town or city.

Question 2.
(a) What are the most important sites of the Harappan Civilization that are situated in Gujarat ?
(b) Name the two divisions of the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
(c) What does the Sanskrit word ‘Arya’ mean ?
(d) Who were staunchly against the practices of Yajnas or expensive rituals in the 6th century B.C. ?
(e) Where is the Ashokan Pillar situated in India ?
(f) What does the term ‘Sangam’ denote ?
(g) Name the church in the Fort Kochi that signifies the prevalence of composite culture.
(h) What does the term ‘Renaissance’ mean ?
(i) Who painted the portrait of Sistine Madonna during the high noon of Italian Renaissance?
(j) Who is regarded as the ‘Morning star of Reformation’ ?
Answer:
The most important sites of the Harappan Civilization that are situated in Gujarat are
(a) Lothal, Dholavira, Rangpur, Gola, Rojdi and Dhoro.
(b) The two divisions of the cities of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are the raised area called as ‘citadel’ and the ‘lower town’.
(c) The Sanskrit term ‘Arya’ means civilized or noble.
(d) The Kshatriya rulers and Vaishya businessmen vehemently protested against the practices of Yajnas or expensive rituals in the 6th century B.C.
(e) The Ashokan Pillar is situated in Vaishali, Bihar.
(f) The term ‘Sangam’ means ‘assembly’ or ‘association’.
(g) St. Francis of Assisi is situated in the Fort Kochi that signifies the presence of composite culture.
(h) The term ‘Renaissance’ means ‘re-birth’ or reconstruction.
(i) Rafael painted Sistine Madonna during the high noon of Italian Renaissance.
(j) John Wycliffe is regarded as the ‘Morning Star of Reformation’.

Part – II
Section – A
(Attempt any two questions from this Section)

Question 3.
With reference to the salient features of the Indian Constitution, answer the following questions:
(a) What is Habeas Corpus? What is Mandamus?
(b) In which part of the article of the Indian Constitution, the Fundamental Duties were inserted ?
(c) Explain the Fundamental Duties as per Article 51 A of the 86th Amendment Act of 2002.
Answer:
(a) Habeas corpus literally means “You may have the body”. It is recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, to bring the prisoner to court and to determine whether the detention is lawful or not. Mandamus is a latin word which means ‘we command’. The writ is issued when a petition is filed against any public official or unit who is not performing his or her duty.

(b) The Fundamental Duties were inserted in Article 51A of Part IV of the Constitution, and they were published by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.

(c) As per Article 51A of the 86th Amendment Act, 2002 of the Indian Constitution, the Fundamental Duties of every Indian Citizen are as follows :
(i) To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
(ii) To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
(iii) To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.
(iv) To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India, transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
(v) To protect and improve the natural environment,’ including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.
(vi) To provide opportunities for education to his child or as the case may be, ward between the ages of 6 and 14 years.

Question 4.
With reference to the Elections of India, answer the following questions:
(a) What do you mean by ‘Mid-Term Election’?
(b) State the advantages and disadvantages of Direct and Indirect Elections.
(c) Explain any three functions of the Election Commission.
Answer:
(a) Mid-term Election is a type of election that occurs when the full term of five years of State Assemblies or Lok Sabha has not been completed and the house has to be dissolved. This type of election is held to bring a new house in power.

(b) (i) Advantages of Direct Elections :
1. As the voters elect their representatives directly, direct elections are considered to be a more democratic method of election.
2. It educates people regarding the government activities and helps in choosing appropriate candidates. It also encourages people to play an active role in politics.
3. It empowers people and make the elected representatives accountable for their actions.

(ii) Disadvantages of Direct Elections
1. Direct elections are very expensive. It incurs huge expenditure on the public exchequer. For example in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, a whopping sum of Rs. 30,000 crore was spent by the government, political parties and candidates. Out of this, the Election Commission alone spent Rs. 3,426 crores.

2. Illiterate voters sometimes gets misguided by false propaganda and sometimes cast their vote taking into consideration factors like caste, religion etc. This may result in the election of undeserving candidates. There are also instances of Cash for vote.

3. Since conducting direct elections are a massive exercise, ensuring free and fair elections at all the polling booths may not be possible. There are some instances of booth capturing, violence, intimidation of election officials etc., which undermines the credentials of the election process.

(iii) Advantages of Indirect elections
1. Indirect elections are less expensive.
2. It is more suited for elections in large countries.

(iv) Disadvantages of Indirect elections
1. Since tire number of voters are very small, there exists a possibility of corruption, bribery, horse trading etc.
2. It is less democratic because people do not have direct opportunity to elect; they instead do it through their representatives. So, this may not reflect the true will of the people.

(c) The three functions of the Election Commission are as follows :
(i) Electoral Rolls : Election commission prepares electoral rolls and gets them revised
before every election so as to add the names of those who have turned 18 years and to remove the names of those who have moved out of a constituency.

(ii) Scrutiny of Nomination Papers: The Election Commission examines the nomination papers 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.

(iii) Recognition to Political Parties: Election Commision give 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 elections.

(iv) Supervision : It supervises the election machinery throughout the country to ensure ” that elections are held in a free and fair manner.

Question 5.
With reference to the Local Self-Government (Rural), explain the following questions:
(a) Explain any two functions of Panchayat Samiti.
(b) State the composition of Gram Panchayat.
(c) What do you mean by ‘Gram Sabha’?
Answer:
(a) The Panchayat Samiti meets at regular intervals to take stock of the activities and discuss developmental matters of local interest. The two functions of the Panchayat Samiti are as follows :

(i) Delegated functions : The delegated functions include implementation and coordination of policies of development as determined by the state government. It is through the samitis that the state government implements the developmental projects at the grass-root level and associates the people with such activities through schemes like Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana, Indira Awas Yojana, Integrated Rural  Development Programme (IRDP)

(ii) Community development function : The function of community development includes the planning and implementation of social welfare programmes especially in the fields of agriculture, irrigation, education, etc. Through this programme, the Samiti gets a chance to tackle the peculiar problems of the area and provides an opportunity to implement the developmental projects for the area.

(iii) Supervision function : The duty of coordinating and supervising the work of Gram Panchayat rests with the Panchayat Samiti. It also scrutinizes the budget of the Panchayats and proposes necessary changes in it.

(b) The members of Gram Panchayat are elected by the Gram Sabha. The Pradhan (President) and the Vice – President of the Gram Sabha are the ex-officio members of the Gram Panchayat. Only those persons can become members of the Panchayat:

• Who attain an age prescribed.
• Who are registered voters in the panchayat area.
• Mentally sound people.
• Who are not disqualified under any law.

Panchayat does not means that it will have only five members. The number of members varies from state to state. The state government determines the number of Panch according to proportion of the village.

(c) Gram Sabha is a grass-root organization, comprising of all the adult population of the village. In other words, it is the general body consisting of all the voters, residing in the jurisdiction of a Gram Panchayat, which extends over one village or a group of villages. The Gram Sabha elects the ‘Gram Pradhan’ for the tenure of 5 years.

Section – B
(Attempt any three questions from this section)

Question 6.
With reference to the Gupta Period in the 4th – 5th centuries A.D, explain the following questions:
(a) Explain the contributions of the writers and poets during the Gupta Period.
(b) Who was the founder of the Nalanda university? Where was it located in India? When was it established ?
(c) What do you know about the Nalanda university?
Answer:
(a) The contributions of the writers and poets during the Gupta Period were as follows:

(i) India witnessed a great advancement in the field of literature under the Gupta monarchs.

(ii) The Guptas made Sanskrit as their court language and wrote all their documents and inscriptions in the same language.

(iii) Kalidasa was the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist that India had ever produced. The four major poetic work of Kalidasa are Raghuvamsha, Ritusamhara, Kumara- sambhava. and Meghaduta. The three popular dramas of kalidasa are Vikramorvasiyam, Malavikagnimitram. and Abhijhanasakuntalam.

(iv) Visakhadatta, the renowned author of Mudrarakshasa, was another great poet and dramatist of the Gupta period.

(v) Harisena, the renowned author of the famous poem ‘Prashasti’ inscribed on the Allahabad Pillar was another great poet of that period, who flourished during the reign of Samudragupta.

(vi) Amarasimha, the author of the famous ‘Amarkosa’ also belonged to the Gupta period.

(vii) Bharavi, the author of ‘Kiratarjuniya’ is also flourished during the Gupta period.

(viii)Sudraka was another great author of the Gupta period. He was the author of ‘Mrcchakatika’.
(ix) It was during the Gupta period that the great Tanchtantra’ a storehouse of wonderful stories was written.

(b) The Nalanda University was founded by the Gupta ruler, Kumaragupta I, son of Chandragupta-EL It is situated at Rajgir in Bihar. The Nalanda University was established in the 5th century A.D.

(c) The salient features of Nalanda University are as follows :

• The university had 10 temples, many classrooms, meditation centers and a big library.
• Initially it was a Buddhist monastery but later became a university.
• Subjects like Hinduism, logic, astronomy, grammar were taught at Nalanda University and it attracted students from all over India and neighbouring countries.
• It flourished under the rule of the Guptas and was later patronized by Harshavardhan.
• It acted as a guiding light to people up to the 12th century A.D.

Question 7.
With reference to emergence of composite culture, explain the following questions :
(a) Explain the impact of Sufism in your own words.
(b) Explain the meaning of the Bhakti Movement.
(c) Enumerate the similarities between Bhakti and Sufi saints.
Answer:
(a) The impact of Sufism can be understood in the following manner :
(i) It propagated the spirit of universal brotherhood among Hindus and Muslims.
(ii) It played a significant role in propagating feelings of tolerance among the Muslim rulers.
(iii) It spawned the feelings of religious syncretism among its disciples.
(iv) A number of Sufi principles had similarity with those of the Bhakti cult. Hence, it led to the popularity of the Bhakti Movement.

(b) The meaning of the word ‘Bhakti’ is ‘Devotion to God.’ The movement originated as a reaction against ritualism and caste division in India. The Bhakti movement was started by the Saivite and Vaishnava saints of South India in the 8th century and became very popular in the 11th and 12th centuries. They were known as Nayanars and Alvars respectively and they preached ‘personal devotion to God as a means to reach God.’

(c) The similarities between Bhakti and Sufi Saints are :
(i) Emphasized on salvation through love and devotion to the supreme God
(ii) Condemned rituals and idol worship
(iii) Composed devotional songs in local languages that were understood by people
(iv) Criticized social barriers of caste, class, religion and challenged orthodoxy

Question 8.
With reference to the Industrial Revolution, study^ the picture and answer the following questions :

(a) Identify the instrument in the above picture.
(b) Who was the founder of the instrument? When was it founded?
(c) State the importance of the instrument in reference to the Industrial Revolution.
Answer:
(a) The name of the instrument given in the above picture is Steam Engine.
(b) James Watt invented the Steam Engine in 1775.
(c) It is noted that water and wind were earlier used for running machines, neither of them was a dependable source of energy. Besides, these sources of energy could not be used for running large factories. The use of these energy sources to run big factories became possible with the invention of the Steam engine by James Watt in 1775. This discovery of steam as a power source spurred the growth of the Industrial Revolution. While steam to run locomotives was introduced in A.D. 1813, railway trains started running with help of steam in A.D. 1830, leading to the initiation of the Industrial Revolution.

Question 9.
With reference to the Chola Dynasty, explain the following questions:
(a) Explain in your words about the provincial Government of the Chola Dynasty.
(b) Who granted a village at Nagapattinam in the Malay Peninsula to a Buddhist vihara? What was the name of the vihara?
(c) Explain the contribution of Rajendra Chola in reference to conquest and consolidation of territories.
Answer:
(a) The Ghola kingdom was divided into several provinces known as Mandalams. Each province was placed under the charge of a Viceroy. The provinces were further sub divided into kottams. Each kottam was sub divided into a number of districts or nadus. All these territorial divisions had their respective assemblies comprising of notable persons. The assembly of Mandalam was consulted before taking any decision such as exemption of land revenue because of severe drought in the province.

(b) Rajaraja-I granted a village to a Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam in the Malay Peninsula. The name of the vihara is ‘Chudamani Vihara’.

(c) Rajendra Chola I, the son of Rajaraja Chola I, the great Chola king of South India, succeeded his father in 1014 C.E. as the Chola emperor. During his reign, he extended the influences of the vast Chola Empire to the banks of the river Ganga in the north and across the ocean. Rajendra’s territories extended to coastal Burma, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Maldives, conquering the kings of Srivijaya (Sumatra, Java, and Malaya in South-East Asia) and the Pegu islands with his fleet of ships. He defeated Mahipala, the Pala king of Bengal and Bihar.

To commemorate his victory, he built a new capital called Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Rajendra stood as the first Indian king to take his armies overseas. He also built a temple for Shiva at Gangaikonda Cholapuram, similar in design to the Thanjavur Brihadisvara temple built by Rajaraja Chola. He assumed the titles Parakesari and Yuddhamalla.

Question 10.
With reference to the Delhi Sultanate, explain the following questions:
(a) Explain any two projects undertaken by Muhammad Bin Tughlaq during his regime.
(b) Explain the revenue reforms of Ala-ud-din Khilji.
(c) What do you understand by the terms ‘Sijda’ and ‘Paibos’?
Answer:
(a) In this segment, ‘Transfer of Capital’ and ‘Token Currency’ projects will be discussed in detail.
(i) Transfer of Capital: In A.D. 1327, Tughlaq passed an order to shift the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad (in present-day Maharashtra) in the Deccan region of south India to establish control over the fertile land of the Deccan plateau and to create a more accessible capital since his empire had grown more in the south. He also felt that it would make him safe from the Mongol invasions, which were mainly aimed at Delhi and regions in north India. Delhi was in the grip of severe famine during that period. All facilities were provided for those who were required to migrate to Daulatabad. The general public of Delhi was not in favour of shifting the base to Daulatabad. After couple of years, he decided to abandon Daulatabad as he could not control north India from Delhi.

(ii) In AD 1329 Muhammad-bin Tughlaq had introduced bronze tanka instead of Silver tankas due to shortage of silver. This experiment failed owing to the circulation of fake or forged coins an a large scale that caused chaos in commerce and trade. The currency became devalued and later it was withdrawn from the market.

(b) Ala-ud-din Khilji implemented a number of revenue and taxation measures which aimed at establishing an authoritative and despotic state. Some of the measures are as under—
(i) He brought all the land of his kingdom under his direct control and introduced the practice of measuring the land and fixing the state share accordingly.
(ii) He revoked all land grants made as gifts to muslim clerics or muslim landlords.
(iii) He increased the land revenue from one third to one half to be paid in cash.

(c) The customs of Sijda and Paibos were introduced by Balban, the most powerful ruler of the slave dynasty. Sijda means bending in front of the king and worshipping him while Paibos means kissing the feet of the king.

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Papers with Answers

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.

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper 1 with Answers

(M.M : 80)
(2 Hours )

Genaral Instruction

• Answers to this Paper must be written on the paper provided separately.
• You will not be allowed to write during the first 15 minutes.
• This time is to be spent in reading the question paper.
• The time given at the head of this Paper is the time allowed for writing the answers.
• Attempt all questions from Part I (Compulsory). A total of five questions are to be
  attempted from Part II, two out of three questions from section A and three out of five questions from Section B.
• The intended marks for questions or parts of questions are given in brackets [ ].

Part -1 [30 Marks]
(Attempt all questions from this Part)

Question 1.
(a) Name the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution. [1]
(b) When did the Constitution of India come into effect ? [1]
(c) Name the Fundamental Right that prohibits ‘Forced Labour’. [1]
(d) What is meant by the term ‘Single Citizenship’ ? [11
(e) State the meaning of the term ‘Directive Principles of State Policy’. [1]
(f) Mention any one point of difference between ‘Direct’ and ‘Indirect’ Elections. [1]
(g) What is the term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner ? [1]
(h) Mention any one Fundamental Duty as given in the Indian Constitution. [1]
(i) Mention any one function of the Zila Parishad. [1]
(j) Name the elected head of Municipal Corporation. [1]
Answer:
(a) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.

(b) The Constitution of India came into effect on 26th January, 1950.

(c) Prohibition of Human Trafficking and Forced Labour (Article 23) is the Fundamental Right that prohibits ‘forced labour’ or beggar. Forced labour or beggar means making a person work against his will and not paying him his wages.

(d) In India, the concept of ‘single citizenship’ prevails, which means that an Indian citizen cannot be a citizen of another country. Citizens of other countries cannot take Indian citizenship. The citizens in India owe allegiance only to the union and there is no other state citizenship.

(e) The Directive Principles of the State Policy are the instructions or guidelines to the Central and State governments of India to be kept in mind while framing laws and policies. These provisions are contained in part IV (Article 36 to 51) of the Constitution of India. Indian Directive Principles have been inspired by the Directive Principles stated in the constitution of Ireland. It also follow the principles of Gandhism.

(f)

Direct Election	Indirect Election
The Constitution provides for the system of direct election of the members of the Lok Sabha and legislative assembly of every state by the eligible voters.	In India, the President is indirectly elected by an Electoral College which consists of the elected members of the two houses of the Parliament as well as of the State Legislative Assemblies.

(g) The term of office of Chief Election Commissioner is 6 years or up to 65 years of age, which ever is earlier.

(h) An important fundamental duty that is inscribed in the Constitution of India, is to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers, and wild-life and to have compassion for living creatures.

(i) Zila Parishad is responsible for undertaking many developmental functions like poverty eradication programme, irrigation schemes, rural electrification, and managing Public Distribution System (PDS).

(j) The Mayor is the elected head of the Municipal Corporation.

Question 2.
(a) State any two ways in which the script of the Indus Valley Civilization provides us with valuable historical information. [2]
(b) Name the Epics written during the Later Vedic period. [2]
(c) Who were the founders of Jainism and Buddhism ? [2]
(d) List any two sources of information about the Mauryan Empire. [2]
(e) What are Megaliths ? [2]
(f) Mention any two works of Kalidasa. [2]
(g) State any two architectural features of Qutab Minar. [2]
(h) Mention any two reasons to state that the decline of Feudalism led to the rise of the Renaissance. [2]
(i) What was known as the Letter of Indulgence ? [2]
(j) Define the term Industrial Revolution. [2]
Answer:
(a) The two ways in which the script of the Indus Valley Civilization provides us with valuable historical information are as follow :

• The Indus script gives us an idea that Harappan people had a language of their own.
• The Indus script also reflects on the commercial activities of the people.

(b) Ramayana and Mahabharata are the epics written during the later vedic period.

(c) Vardhamana Mahavira was the founder of Jainism and Gautama Buddha was the founder of Buddhism.

(d) Two important sources of information about the Maurya Empire are ‘Indika’ written by Megasthenes and ‘Arthshastra’ written by Kautilya.

(e) A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a grave or monument, either alone or together with other stones. The construction of these structures took place mainly in the Neolithic Age and continued into the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age.

(f) Two phenomenal works of Kalidasa are Abhijnanashakuntalam and Kumarasambhava.

(g) Two architectural features of Qutab Minar are as follows :

• It is a circular tower which has the height of 72.5 metres.
• It has five storeys tapering as they ascend and separated from each other by projecting balconies.
• Red sandstone, marble and grey quartizite were used to construct the tower. It is the highest stone tower in India.

(h) Two reasons that describe the decline of Feudalism led to the rise of the Renaissance are as follows :(i) The one major factor which played a dominant role in the decline of feudalism and the rise of Renaissance was with the increase in trade the demand for luxury products increase which results in the exploitation of the serfs (slaves).
(ii) The slaves deserted cultivation and flocked to the newly developed town which resulted in the collapse of the feudal structure.

(i) The issue of letters of indulgence was a very common practice in the Catholic Church just before the reformation. After confessing or doing other godly work, the faithful received a decree exempting them from punishment for their sins. Letters of indulgence were bought en masse on certain occasions.

(j) Industrial Revolution took place during 18th and 19th centuries. It signifies a series of revolutionary changes that took place in the field of industry and production. Manual production was replaced by mechanised production.

Part -II
Section- A
(Attempt any two questions from this Section)

Question 3.
With reference to the salient features of the Indian Constitution, answer the following
(a) Define the term ‘Constitution’. State any two reasons for its significance. [3]
(b) State any three freedoms given under the ‘Right to Freedom’. [3]
(c) Mention any two differences between the Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy. [3]
Answer:
(a) A Constitution is a comprehensive documents comprising of laws and rules, according to which a state is governed. It is also known as fundamental law of land.

Four reasons of the significance of the Constitution are as follows :
(i) The primary function of a Constitution is to lay out the basic structure of the government according to which the people are to be governed. The constitution of a country, establishes the three main organs of the government, namely, the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.

(ii) The Constitution of a country not only defines the powers allotted to each of the three main organs, but it also significantly makes a clear demarcation of the responsibilities assigned to each of them. It effectively regulates the relationship between these organs and collective interests.

Fundamental Rights	Directive Principles of State Policies
Fundamental Rights are the essential rights of all the citizens of the country.	Directive Principles are the guidelines which are referred while formulating policies and laws of the country.
It is defined in Part III (Article 12 to 35) of the Constitution.	It is defined in Part IV (Article 36-51) of the Constitution
They are automatically imposed and no legislation is required for their implementation.	They need legislation and policy intervention for the their proper implementation.

Question 4.
Elections play a very significant role in our Indian Democracy.
(a) State the composition of the Election Commission. [3]
(b) Under what circumstances can a ‘By-election’ be held ? [3]
(c) Explain the terms ‘General Election’ and ‘Mid-term Election’. [4]
Answer:
(a) The Election Commission of India was established under Article 324 of the Constitution. on 25th January 1950. This Article says that the Election Commission in India shall consist of:
(j) A Chief Election Commissioner,
(ii) Other two additional Commissioners, as the President may fix from time to time.
Earlier the Election commission had only one Chief Election Commissioner. The concept of the multi-member Election Commission has been in operation since 1993. The President of India appoints the Chief Election Commissioner and the two additional Election Commissioners.

(b) The By-election is held in case of the death or sudden resignation of any member of the Central Legislative Assembly or the State Legislative Assembly before the expiry of the full term. A By-election is. held to fill up the vacant position thus created. The newly elected member holds the office till the term of the existing government.

(c) General Elections : The general elections are the regular elections conducted after the completion of a period of five years of Lok Sabha and State Assemblies.

Mid-term Elections : Mid-term Election is a type of election that occurs when the full term of five years of State Assemblies or Lok Sabha has not been completed and the house has to be dissolved, this type of election is held to bring a new house in power. But this term holds no major legal significance as the Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections are referred to as General Elections, regardless of whether the 5 year term has been completed or not.

Question 5.
(a) State the three-tier system of the Panchayati Raj system. [3]
(b) Give only three functions of a Municipal Committee. [3]
(c) State any two functions of the following : [4]
(i) Gram Panchayat.
(ii) Panchayat Samiti.
Answer:
(a) As per the 73rd Amendment Act of the Indian Constitution, the Panchayati Raj has a three-tier structure :
(i) Gram Panchayat, Gram Sabha and Nyaya Panchayat at the village level.
(ii) Panchayat Samiti at the block level.
(iii) Zila Parishad at the district level.

(b) Three functions of a Municipal Committee are as following :
(i) Provision of Electricity and Safe Drinking Water : One of the most important functions of Municipal Committee is to provide electricity and safe drinking water for use in domestic as well as commercial circles.
(ii) Provision of Education and Sports Facilities: Setting up primary and secondary schools is another responsibility of the Municipalities. In order to cultivate the aptitude of young boys and girls for sports, this Committee also provides facilities related to games and sports.
(iii) Public Works : This largely includes building of roads, community halls and shopping centers.

(c) (i) The two functions of Gram Panchayat are :
1. Maintenance and construction of roads, drainage, street lights, culverts, foot path, bridges and health care facilities.
2. Registering marriages, birth and death doucuments.

(ii) The two functions of Panchayat Samiti are :
1. It is responsible for providing drinking water in the rural areas, construct and develop rural roads and regulate markets.
2. The Samiti scrutinizes the budget of the Panchayats and proposes necessary changes in it.

Section – B
(Attempt any three questions from this section)

Question 6.
With reference to the Bhakti Movement, Sufism and Christianity, answer the following questions:
(a) Mention the teachings of Kabir as mentioned in the Bijak. [3]
(b) State the significance of Sufism on Indian Society. [3]
(c) State any two contributions of St. Francis Xavier in the advancement of Christianity in India. [4]
Answer:
(a) The teachings of Kabir was recorded in the book called as Bijak. His main teachings are as follows :
(i) He condemned caste distinction. He emphasised on the equality of religion by describing Hindu and Muslims “as pots made out of same clay”. To him Rama and Allah, temples and mosques are same.
(ii) Devotion to god was regarded as an effective means of salvation.
(iii) One must have pure heart free from dishonesty, insincerity and hypocrisy to reach god.

(b) The importance of Sufism in the Indian society is colossal and cannot be overlooked. The impact of Sufism was that the common people got enchanted by the simple ascetic life style of the saints. The significance of Sufism on the Indian society is as under :
(i) It neutralized the Hindu-Muslim tension in society by promoting the feeling of brother hood.
(ii) The Sufi saints actually Indianized Islam as they lived and preached in India. Moreover, Sufi khankas were centers of moral life.
(iii) Devotional songs were composed there in Urdu and Hindi. Sufi music and dance were considered as manifestation of complete submission to Allah.
(iv) A number of sufi principles had similarity with those of Bhakti cult. It leads to the popularity of the Bhakti movement.

(c) Three significant contributions of St. Francis Xavier in the advancement of Christianity in India are as follows :
(i) His main contribution was that he devoted his life to the task of proselytizing the peoples of Southern India and Ceylon and baptizing them.
(ii) He built nearly 40 churches along the coast, including St. Stephen’s Church, Kombuthurai, mentioned in his letters dated 1544.
(iii) He could not master the local language so he translated the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments and the Ave Maria with the help of the Goan scholars. He requested people to attend his meetings and listen to his sermons.

Question 7.
(a) State any three social changes that came about in the Later Vedic Period in relation to the Position of Women. [3]
(b) State any three occupations that existed during the Vedic Age. [3]
(c) Mention any two similarities in the teachings of Jainism and Buddhism. [4]
Answer:
(a) Three social changes that came about in the Later Vedic Period in relation to the plight of women are as follows :
(i) In the later Vedic period, women lost their political rights of attending assemblies.
(ii) During this time, the status of women suffered significant decline and women lost the right to property and freedom to choose their husbands.
(iii) Women also lost the right of performing yajnas and other rituals that had hitherto been performed by them during any religious ceremony.

(b) Three occupations that prevailed during the Vedic age are manifold and layered. During the Early Vedic Age, pastoralism and agriculture were the most important occupations. People were also engaged in other economic activities like carpentry, pottery and weaving. During the Later Vedic Age, agriculture has gained importance with the development of iron tools. The trade started to emerge which led to the development of market to enable exchange of goods.

(c) The four similarities of the teachings of Buddhism and Jainism are as follow :
(i) Both denied the authority of the Vedas and the necessity of performing sacrifices and rituals.
(ii) Both Buddhism and Jainism put stress on right conduct and right knowledge and not on religious ceremonial and ritual practices as the way to obtain salvation.
(iii) Both Buddhism and Jainism denied the existence of God.
(iv) Both accepts the disciples from all castes and genders.

Question 8.
Study the picture given below and answer the following questions:
(a) Identify the structure given in the picture. Name the place and the state where it is located. [3]
(b) Name the dynasty and the king who built it. In which century was it built ? [3]
(c) Mention any two architectural features of this structure. [4]

Answer:
(a) In the picture, the structure shown is known as Sanchi Stupa. This monument is located in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

(b) Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire had built the Stupa in the 3rd Century B.C.

(c) Two architectural features of the structure are as follows :
(i) This monument is a Stupa and it is a huge hemispherical dome with a height of 12.2816.46 m (54.0 ft), comprising a central chamber where the relics of Lord Buddha are placed.
(ii) Four ornamental gateways facing four directions and a balustrade surrounding the Stupa were later added in the first century BC.
(iii) The stupa has a central pillar that supports the three circular umbrella-like discs.
(iv) A circular wall at the circumference of the inner portion of the the Stupa, raises the whole semi-circular structure off the ground.

Question 9.
With reference to the Modem Age in Europe, answer the following questions :
(a) How did the invention of the Printing Press lead to the rise of the Renaissance in Europe ? [3]
(b) State any three contributions of Martin Luther in reforming the Church in Europe. [3]
(c) Mention any two differences between ‘Capitalism’ and ‘Socialism’. [4]
Answer:
(a) The invention of the printing press act as the most significant factor for the rise of Renaissance. In the middle ages the books and the manuscripts has to be copied manually, so the cost of the books were very high. With the invention of the printing press, books are made available on various topics in large numbers, at a very low price. With the spread of knowledge people developed self-confidence which brings new awakening in Europe.

(b) Three contributions of Martin Luther in reforming the Church in Europe are as follows :
(i) Martin Luther protested against the rigidities or absurdities of the Catholic Church, such as the Letters of Indulgence.
(ii) He wrote down his reformative ideas in a book, entitled ‘Ninety-Five Theses’ as a protest against the Catholic Church.
(iii) Martin Luther attempted to translate the Bible from Latin and Hebrew into German so that everybody could read and understand the bible.

Capitalism	Socialism
1. Capitalism refers to the economic system prevalent in the country, where there is private or corporate ownership on the trade and industry. 2. It is based on the Principle of Individual Rights. 3. Prices are determined by the market forces.	1. The economic structure in which the government has ownership and control over the economic activities of the country is refered to as Socialism. 2. It is based on the Principle of Equal Rights. 3. Prices are determined by the government.

Question 10.
With reference to the impact of the Renaissance in the field of Literature, Art and Science, state the contributions of :
(a) Leonardo da Vinci in the field of Art. [3]
(b) William Shakespeare in the field of Literature. [3]
(c) Copernicus in the field of Astronomy.
Answer:
(a) In the field of Art, Leonardo Da Vinci was a polymath and a versatile genius. He was a brilliant painter, sculptor and artist of high stature. As far as his painting skills are concerned, the Mona Lisa was the most famous and most parodied portrait and The Last Supper the most reproduced religious painting of all time. Leonardo’s drawing of the Vitruvian Man is also regarded as a cultural icon. Leonardo-is admired, for his technological ingenuity. He conceptualised flying machines, a type of armoured fighting vehicle, concentrated solar power, an adding machine and -the double hull.

(b) In the field of Literature, the name of William Shakespeare will be inscribed in golden letters on the pages of the history of World Literature. He was the greatest playwright, poet and writer. Out of his classical works, the most notable are Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar. Apart from them, The Taming of the Shrewd, As you like it, Comedy of Errors, Merchant of Venice and King Lean.

(c) In the field of Astronomy, Copernicus played a crucial role in transforming the knowledge of superstition-ridden medieval society. He questioned the theories of Aristotle and Ptolemy. He suggested that it was the Sim which was the centre of universe and the earth and other planets revolves around the sun. This is called as helio centric idea of universe. The publication of Copernicus’ model in his book De revolution bus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), just before his death in 1543, was a major event in the history of science.

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper 5 with Answers

Part-I
(Attempt all questions from this part)

Question 1.
(a) Who framed the Constitution of India ?
(b) Define the term Preamble ?
(c) Mention any two Fundamental Duties of the citizens as mentioned in the Constitution of India.
(d) What is the purpose of Directive Principles of State policy ?
(e) Who acts as the Chairman of the Election Commission ?
(f) Mention the term of office of the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Corn- missioners.
(g) What is the role of Nyaya Panchayat ?
(h) Give the sources of income of Panchayat Samiti.
(i) Who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Corporation ?
(j) Mention any two functions of the Mayor of the Municipal Corporation.
Answer:
(a) The Constituent Assembly framed the Constitution of India.

(b) The Preamble is an introductory statement stating the aims and the objectives of the Constitution. It describes soul and spirit of the Constitution of India.

(c) Out of ten Fundamental Duties of citizens, two are :
(i) To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.
(ii) To safeguard public property and to abjure violence.

(d) Part IV (Article 36 to 51) of the Indian Constitution lays down the Directive Principles of State Policy. These principles give direction to the State or the governments to make policies and programmes for social, economic and legal justice of the Indians.

(e) The Chief Election Commissioner acts as the Chairman of the Election Commission.

(f) The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners stay in the office for six years or until they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is ealier.

(g) The Nyaya Panchayat is formed for three to four villages or even full block of villages to provide speedy and inexpensive justice to the villagers.

(h) The sources of income of Panchayat Samiti are :
(i) Grant given by the State government.
(ii) Income from taxes levied by the Panchayat Samiti.
(iii) A fixed percentage of land revenue.
(iv) Sale and rent of property under the charge of Block Samiti.
(v) Voluntary contributions.
(i) The Municipal Commissioner is the Chief Executive Officer of the Municipal Corpora¬tion.
(j) The Mayor of the Municipal Corporation has many functions, out of which two are :
(i) To regulate, conduct and preside over the meetings of the Corporation.
(ii) To receive the foreign and other dignitaries visiting the city.

Question 2.
(a) Give the extent of Harappan Civilisation.
(b) Explain the differences between the sabha and the samiti of the Early Vedic Age.
(c) Discuss the welfare measures taken by Ashoka under Mauryan Empire.
(d) Write a short note on the literature Tirukkural.
(e) Describe the contribution of Aryabhata in the field of science during the Gupta period.
(f) Where was Nalanda University located ? List the subjects that were taught in Nalanda University and the medium of instruction.
(g) The Cholas were great patrons of art and architecture. Justify with an example.
(h) Give any two teachings of Kabir. Where are his teachings recorded ?
(i) What is the meaning of Renaissance ? Where did Renaissance begin ?
(j) Why did Industrial Revolution first occur in England ?
Answer:
(a) The Harappan Civilisation extends from the borders of Baluchistan in the west to Uttar Pradesh in the east, north-eastern Afghanistan in the north to Maharashtra in the south. The cities like Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kot Diji and Chanhudaro are located in Pakistan, while cities like Lothal, Kalibangan, Ropar, Alamgirpur and Banawali are located in India.

(b) Sabha and Samiti are two assemblies. Sabha was a small group of elected members. It consist of distinguished people, who were in direct contact with the king and advised him. The Samiti represented the entire tribe, to whom the people could go to and give them their suggestions.

(c) Ashoka was concerned about his people and took several welfare measures for the comfort of his society. The State built good roads and planted trees along the roads to pro¬vide shade to the travellers. Fruit bearing trees were planted to provide food for the travellers. The rest houses were constructed for travellers to rest. Wells were dug at regu¬lar intervals to provide water for the travellers.

(d) Thirokkurai is a classic Tamil text written by Thiruvalluvar. It consists of 1,330 couplets and emphasise on the values and ethics that people across all societies can follow.

(e) Aryabhata was a great astronomer and a mathematician. It is believed that he found the exact value of n (pi) and the formula to calculate the area of a triangle. He proved that the Earth revolves around the Sim and the Earth rotates on its axis. He also explained the causes of solar and lunar eclipses.

(f) Nalanda University was situated near Rajgriha (Patna) in Bihar. Subjects such as logic, grammar, medicine, astronomy, philosophy, tantra and art were taught. Sanskrit was the medium of instruction.

(g) The Brihadisvara Temple located at Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu is one of the finest examples of Chola art and architecture. Built by Raja Raja Chola I, it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The main gopuram or the gateway is 30 m high. The temple complex is rectangular, which is divided into five sections and are interconnected. Built out of granite, the vimana tower above the sanctum and is one of the tallest in South India. The temple has a huge structure of nandi (sacred bull) at the entrance. The interior walls of the temple have extensive paintings and magnificent sculptures. The walls of the temple have frescos showing Lord Shiva in different poses. It is declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

(h) Two teachings of Kabir are :

• He condemned the caste system.
• He denounced idol worship, meaningless rituals and pilgrimages.

Kabir’s teachings are recorded in the book known as Bijak.
(i) Renaissance means rebirth or revival of free thinking and learning. Renaissance took place in Florence, Italy in Europe. It brought massive changes in Europe and marked the beginning of modem era.
(j) Industrial Revolution first took place in England because of the following reasons :
(i) It was a vast colonial power which had ready market for finished goods and supplier of raw materials.
(ii) It had excellent transport and communication system.
(iii) It had rich reserves of natural resources, like coal, iron and hydro-electric power.
(iv) It had abundant supply of cheap labour and immigration of technically skilled people.
(v) It had political stability.

Part -II
Section – A
(Attempt any two questions from this part)

Question 3.
With reference to making of the Indian Constitution, answer the following questions :
(a) How did the Constituent Assembly represent members from all sections of the society ?
(b) Describe the Drafting Committee.
(c) Which day was chosen as the day of enforcement of the Indian Constitution and why ?
Answer:
(a) The Constituent Assembly represented people from all sections and strata of the Indian society. It was known as ‘Mirror of the Nation’. The members of the Constituent Assembly includes Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims, Anglo-Indians, Christians and Parsis. The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes were adequately represented in the Constituent Assembly. Women were represented by Mrs. Vijaylakshmi Pandit, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu, Mrs. G. Durgabai and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. The first sitting of the Constitutent Assembly was held on 9 December, 1946 at the Central Hall of the Parliament.

(b) The Drafting Committee was appointed on August 29,1947 with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as the Chairman. There were six other members. The first Draft of the Indian Constitution was presented to the Constitutent Assembly on February 21, 1948. It took the Constituent Assembly 2 years, 11 months and 17 days to frame the Constitution.

(c) The Constitution was enforced on January 26, 1950 because it was on this date in 1930 the Indian National Congress made the resolution for Purna Swaraj at Lahore session.

Question 4.
With reference to Election, answer the following questions :
(a) Give the differences between Direct and Indirect Election.
(b) Explain General Election, By-election and Mid-term Election.
(c) Define the term ‘constituency’.
Answer:
Indirect Election
(a) Voter choose their representatives Voters do not choose their representatives by voting directly directly.
There are usually a large number There are small body of voters which is called of voters called as electorate. as electoral college.

Members of the Lok Sabha, State President, Vice-President, Members of the Legislative Assemblies and local Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils bodies are elected by this system. are elected by this system.

(b) General Election : A general election is an election when all the eligible citizens of the country vote for choosing their representatives for the Lok Sabha or State Assemblies from the constituencies all over the country.

By-election : When a representative from a constituency dies while in office or when a seat falls vacant because of reasons like resignation, fresh election is held in that particular constituency. Such an election is known as By-election.

Mid-term Election : When the Lok Sabha or any State Assembly is dissolved before the expiry of its term, a fresh election is held to form a new House. This is known as midterm election.

(c) For the ease of election, the entire country is divided into fixed electoral units with a list of registered voters. These areas are called constituencies. There are candidates repre¬senting the constituency for their political parties who are then voted to the Parliament or the State Legislative Assembly by the voters of the constituency.

Question 5.
With reference to the Local Self Government, answer the following questions :
(a) State any two supervisory functions of the Panchayat Samiti.
(b) What is the composition of Zila Parishad ?
(c) What is the qualification required to become a member of Gram Panchayat ?
Answer:
(a) Two supervisory functions of the Panchayat Samiti are :
(i) To manage and guide the work of the Gram Panchayats.
(ii) To analyse and review the budget of the Panchayats.

(b) A Zila Parishad consist of 40-60 members comprising of following :
(i) Pradhans of all the Panchayat Samitis in the district.
(ii) Member of Parliament and members of State Assemblies within the area of Jurisdiction.
(iii) One person to represent each of the cooperative societies in that district.
(iv) Representatives of women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
(v) Deputy Commissioner of the district.
(vi) Supervisor of all the Government departments in the district.

(c) To become a member of Gram Panchayat, following criteria have to be fulfilled :
(i) As per the act, a candidate has to attain the prescribed age.
(ii) The name of the candidate must be registered as a voter in the particular Panchayat area.
(iii) The candidate must be mentally sound.

Section – B
(Attempt any three questions from this section)

Question 6.
With reference to Harappan Civilization, answer the following questions :
(a) Describe the town planning of Harappa.
(b) Give evidences to show that Harappa had trade relations with other countries.
(c) How did Harappan Civilization come to an end ?
Answer:
(a) The people of Indus Valley were skilled town planners. The city was divided into two main sections : the ‘Citadel’ which was built on a raised platform and had all the official buildings and the ‘Lower Town’, which had the residences. The city had a grid system layout with elaborate drainage system. The streets were straight and cut each other at right angles dividing the entire city into square or rectangular blocks. The comers of the streets were rounded to ease the movement of carts. Fire-burnt bricks were used for paving the streets.

(b) There are evidences to show that Indus Valley Civilisation had trade relations both within the country and outside. It had trade relations with Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), Afghanistan and Baluchistan. Indus Valley seals have been found in these places. They imported precious stones, different metals and other articles from different parts of India, Central Asia and western countries.

(c) It is not certain as to how the Harappan Civilization suddenly came to an end. There are various theories regarding it. The civilization might have met with some natural disasters like earthquakes or floods, or may be river Indus changed its course or direction. Change in climate could have been another reason for its decline. Overgrazing of grass¬lands and the destruction of forests may have degraded the quality of soil and cause ecological imbalance. Some people believe that the invasion by Aryans brought an end to Harappan civilisation.

Question 7.
With reference to Buddhism, answer the following questions :
(a) Give the Eight-fold path of Buddha.
(b) Describe the terms Chaitya and Vihara.
(c) Discuss the role of Ashoka in spreading Buddhism.
Answer:
(a) The Eight-fold path, also known as the middle path (Ashtangika Marga) of Gautam Buddha, consists of eight principles telling us about striking a balance in life. These are :
(i) Right to faith or belief, that is to give up all the desires in daily life.
(ii) Right aspiration to stay away from earthly evils and meaningless rituals.
(iii) Right speech, that is to speak the truth and not to think bad of others.
(iv) Right action, that is to stay away from theft, violence and luxuries.
(v) Right living, not to deal dishonestly with people.
(vi) Right effort, that is to work towards liberating oneself from sin and for the welfare of others.
(vii) Right meditation, that is to focus on only that which is right.
(viii) Right recollection, that is to think any of sacred things.

(b) Chaityas and Viharas were built from rock-cut caves for Buddhist and Jain monks.
Chaitya : Chaitya was a rectangular hall of worship, with a beautiful inner walls and a semi-circular roof. The hall had long rows of pillars with a stupa at the far end of the chaitya. Meetings were also held in chaityas.
Vihara : Vihara or the monastery was a place of residence for the monks and nuns. It had a central hall and surrounding it has numerous cells, which served as residences. The columns in the viharas were beautifully sculptured, had art work and magnificent paintings.

(c) After the war of Kalinga, Ashoka turned to Buddhism and took steps in spread of Buddhism far and wide.
(i) He visited many places where Buddhism was followed and gave liberal grants.
(ii) He sent missionaries to foreign lands like Sri Lanka, Nepal, Tibet, China and Japan to spread Buddhism.
(iii) He sent his daughter, Sanghamitra and his son, Mahendra to Sri Lanka to spread Buddhism.
(iv) He constructed many Buddhist stupas and Viharas for monks and nuns.
(v) He Placed edicts at many places sharing his valuable information and thoughts on Buddhism.
(vi) He discouraged hunting and started following the policy of non-violence and protecting wildlife.

Question 8.
Study the picture given below and answer the following questions :

(a) Identify the personality shown above. What was his contribution ?
(b) Describe the contribution of Galileo.
(c) Impact of Renaissance on medical science.
Answer:
(a) This is an image of Sir Isaac Newton. He was an English Mathematician, Astronomer, Theologian, Physicist and an Author. He laid the foundation for modem physical optics and discovered the law of universal gravitation and three laws of motion. He also made significant contribution in the field of mathematics.

(b) Galileo was an Italian Astronomer, Mathematician and’ a Natural Philosopher. Galileo discovered the telescope, thermometer and hydrostatic balance. He proved the heliocentric effect (Sun is at the centre and all other planets revolve around it) as had been explained by Copernicus.

(c) Great advancement was made in the field of medical science during Renaissance. Andreas
Vesalius (1514-1564) is often considered as the founder of modem human anatomy. He wrote the book, De humani corporis fabrica (On the fabric of human body), which was innovative work on human anatomy. He was the first person to explain mechanical ventilation.

William Harvey (1578-1657) described in detail the systematic circulation of blood to the brain and body by the heart. Leonardo da Vinci researched on how human brain processes visual and sensory information and how it connects to the soul. Ambroise Pare (1510-1590), a French surgeon, anatomist and an inventor of surgical instruments experimented to find out how turpentine, egg yolk and oil of roses could be applied to wounds to relieve pain and seal wounds effectively.

Question 9.
The Gupta period is known as the Golden Age of India. With reference to it, answer the following questions :
(a) Discuss the temple architecture of this period.
(b) Give examples to show that painting had reached its heights during this period.
(c) Describe the main features of Gupta sculpture.
Answer:
(a) The Guptas are said to be the first dynasty to build permanent free-standing Hindu temples and thus, began the long tradition of unique Indian temple architecture. Major change in structure was Shikara (pointed roofs) instead of flat-roofed temples. The walls and pillars were adorned with beautiful carvings and sculptures showing various deities from Hindu mythology. Most temples were square in shape with a courtyard and a square sanctum with a small garbhagriha in the centre.

(b) The art of painting reached its pinnacle during the Gupta period. The rock-cut sculp¬tures at Ajanta caves are one of the finest examples of ancient Indian art. Good quality water colour was used. Wall paintings and frescoes portray life of Buddha and scenes from Jataka stories. It has beautiful designs of flowers, trees, animals, mythological char¬acters, kings, royal ladies, courtiers, peasants and beggars. The paintings carry secular messages and give a perspective of life in ancient India. Ajanta caves are part of UNESCO World Heritage Site. The paintings of Bagh Caves of Madhya Pradesh are also fine ex¬amples of art during Gupta period.

(c) The main features of Gupta sculpture are as follows :
(i) Foreign influence which was seen in Mathura and Gandhara Schools of Art was ceased out as the Gupta rulers brought out a totally new identity in sculpture making which was characteristically Indian.

(ii) Buddha, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva were depicted in various poses. One of the outstanding examples is the sculpture of standing Buddha in Sarnath. Another example is a gracefully reclining sculpture of Lord Vishnu found in Vishnu Temple, Deogarh, in Uttar Pradesh.

(iii) The sculptures exuded understanding of human body by showing graceful poses and calmness in facial expressions.

Question 10.
With reference to Industrial Revolution, answer the following questions :
(a) Explain the meaning of Socialism.
(b) Capitalism gave rise to Socialism. Justify.
(c) Who was Karl Marx ? What was his main ideology ?
Answer:
(a) Socialism is a social and economic system that propagates public rather than private ownership or control of property and natural resources.

(b) Socialism was an outcome of capitalism, which arose due tcf Industrial Revolution. Capi-talism led to unequal distribution of income and wealth, exploitation of workers and poverty. As power and wealth were concentrated in the hands of a few, the condition of mass were miserable and they were forced to live in pathetic condition. While the capitalist class earned huge profits, the working class made meagre earnings. Even women and children had to work for as long as fifteen hours in unhealthy environment. With the onset of Industrial Revolution, the cottage industry was destroyed. It could not with stand the competition from machine-made goods. Many people lost their means of livelihood. To a certain extent even the government became a tool in the hands of the capitalists. All these causes led to the birth of Socialism.

(c) Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a German economist, political theorist, historian, journalist and a revolutionary socialist. He was one of the most important personalities in socialist movement. He wanted to end the capitalist system and bring about a classless and stateless society.

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Papers with Answers

ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Sample Question Paper with Answers 2021-2022

• ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Paper 1 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Paper 2 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Paper 3 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Paper 4 with Answers
• ICSE Class 9 History and Civics Question Paper 5 with Answers

ICSE Sample Papers for Class 9 with Answers