Class 7 Social Science Chapter 5 NCERT Book - The Rise of Empires

 Page 1


83
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
The Rise of Empires
There cannot be a country without people and there is 
no kingdom without a country.
	 	 	 	 Kaut?ilya 	 in 	 Arthashastra
1. What is an empire?
2. How did empires rise and shape 
Indian civilisation? 
3. What factors facilitated the 
transition from kingdoms to 
empires?
4. What was life like from the 6th 
to the 2nd century BCE? 
The Big 
Questions
CHAPTER
5
Fig. 5.1. Rock-cut cave in Barabar Hills, Bihar
Chapter 5.indd   83 Chapter 5.indd   83 08-04-2025   12:48:21 08-04-2025   12:48:21
Page 2


83
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
The Rise of Empires
There cannot be a country without people and there is 
no kingdom without a country.
	 	 	 	 Kaut?ilya 	 in 	 Arthashastra
1. What is an empire?
2. How did empires rise and shape 
Indian civilisation? 
3. What factors facilitated the 
transition from kingdoms to 
empires?
4. What was life like from the 6th 
to the 2nd century BCE? 
The Big 
Questions
CHAPTER
5
Fig. 5.1. Rock-cut cave in Barabar Hills, Bihar
Chapter 5.indd   83 Chapter 5.indd   83 08-04-2025   12:48:21 08-04-2025   12:48:21
84
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Fig. 5.2. An artistic representation of Pa?aliputra, 
located around modern-day Patna 
Chapter 5.indd   84 Chapter 5.indd   84 08-04-2025   12:48:23 08-04-2025   12:48:23
Page 3


83
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
The Rise of Empires
There cannot be a country without people and there is 
no kingdom without a country.
	 	 	 	 Kaut?ilya 	 in 	 Arthashastra
1. What is an empire?
2. How did empires rise and shape 
Indian civilisation? 
3. What factors facilitated the 
transition from kingdoms to 
empires?
4. What was life like from the 6th 
to the 2nd century BCE? 
The Big 
Questions
CHAPTER
5
Fig. 5.1. Rock-cut cave in Barabar Hills, Bihar
Chapter 5.indd   83 Chapter 5.indd   83 08-04-2025   12:48:21 08-04-2025   12:48:21
84
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Fig. 5.2. An artistic representation of Pa?aliputra, 
located around modern-day Patna 
Chapter 5.indd   84 Chapter 5.indd   84 08-04-2025   12:48:23 08-04-2025   12:48:23
85
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
Bhavisha and Dhruv were thrilled; 
they had  just activated their new 
device, ‘Itihasa’, a time machine 
to travel to the past! Taking a clue 
from their history lesson, they 
decided to visit Pat?aliputra for 
their first journey?—?they knew it 
was about the same location as 
modern-day Patna. 
Chapter 5.indd   85 Chapter 5.indd   85 08-04-2025   12:48:25 08-04-2025   12:48:25
Page 4


83
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
The Rise of Empires
There cannot be a country without people and there is 
no kingdom without a country.
	 	 	 	 Kaut?ilya 	 in 	 Arthashastra
1. What is an empire?
2. How did empires rise and shape 
Indian civilisation? 
3. What factors facilitated the 
transition from kingdoms to 
empires?
4. What was life like from the 6th 
to the 2nd century BCE? 
The Big 
Questions
CHAPTER
5
Fig. 5.1. Rock-cut cave in Barabar Hills, Bihar
Chapter 5.indd   83 Chapter 5.indd   83 08-04-2025   12:48:21 08-04-2025   12:48:21
84
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Fig. 5.2. An artistic representation of Pa?aliputra, 
located around modern-day Patna 
Chapter 5.indd   84 Chapter 5.indd   84 08-04-2025   12:48:23 08-04-2025   12:48:23
85
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
Bhavisha and Dhruv were thrilled; 
they had  just activated their new 
device, ‘Itihasa’, a time machine 
to travel to the past! Taking a clue 
from their history lesson, they 
decided to visit Pat?aliputra for 
their first journey?—?they knew it 
was about the same location as 
modern-day Patna. 
Chapter 5.indd   85 Chapter 5.indd   85 08-04-2025   12:48:25 08-04-2025   12:48:25
86
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Landing on the outskirts of the great city, a little dizzy, they saw a 
girl talking to a person on horseback dressed in strange clothes. 
As he left, she turned to them, and they asked her for her name.     
“My name is Ira, daughter of Kanhadas, the ironsmith. Welcome 
to 	 Pa t? aliputr a!”
“Glad 	 to 	 meet 	 you, 	 Ir a. 	 Our 	 names 	 ar e 	 Bhavisha 	 and 	 Dhruv .”
“Sshh! 	 K eep 	 your 	 voices 	 down! 	 Do 	 you 	 see 	 those 	 soldiers 	 mar ching	
past? They’re heading to battle against a neighbouring kingdom 
that has been troubling us. Our king avoids war when he can, but 
he also protects his people when needed. My father helped forge 
many of the swords they carry, and my uncle is one of the soldiers 
in 	 the 	 gr oup. 	 I 	 just 	 came 	 to 	 see 	 him 	 off… 	 I 	 don’t 	 know 	 when 	 he’ll	
r eturn.”
(The group watches as an 
impressive procession of soldiers 
crosses a sturdy drawbridge 
leading out of the city, some on 
horseback and the army chiefs 
on elephant back. Then, the 
three children cross the same 
drawbridge to enter the city.)
“What 	 kind 	 of 	 bridge 	 is 	 this?”	
ask ed 	 Bhavisha. 	 “ And 	 is 	 it 	 a	
river 	 below?”
“This 	 bridge 	 k eeps 	 us 	 safe,”	
explained Ira. “It’s lifted 
whenever 	 ther e 	 is 	 a 	 danger 	 of 	 attack 	 on 	 the 	 city . 	 And 	 no, 	 it’ s 	 not	
a river , it’s a moat; once the drawbridge is lifted, it makes it more 
difficult 	 to 	 appr oach 	 the 	 fortifications. 	 Can 	 you 	 see 	 those 	 hills 	 and	
forests in the distance? They provide us with timber, herbs, and 
many other valuable resources. Elephants for the army are also 
captur ed 	 fr om 	 the 	 for est 	 and 	 tr ained 	 for 	 the 	 arm y .”
“What 	 is 	 the 	 opening 	 in 	 that 	 hill?” 	 ask ed 	 Dhruv .
“It’s a cave. Our king is getting it carved out for a community of 
monks. 	 I 	 hope 	 we 	 can 	 visit 	 it 	 when 	 it’ s 	 finished!”
Fig. 5.3
Chapter 5.indd   86 Chapter 5.indd   86 08-04-2025   12:48:25 08-04-2025   12:48:25
Page 5


83
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
The Rise of Empires
There cannot be a country without people and there is 
no kingdom without a country.
	 	 	 	 Kaut?ilya 	 in 	 Arthashastra
1. What is an empire?
2. How did empires rise and shape 
Indian civilisation? 
3. What factors facilitated the 
transition from kingdoms to 
empires?
4. What was life like from the 6th 
to the 2nd century BCE? 
The Big 
Questions
CHAPTER
5
Fig. 5.1. Rock-cut cave in Barabar Hills, Bihar
Chapter 5.indd   83 Chapter 5.indd   83 08-04-2025   12:48:21 08-04-2025   12:48:21
84
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Fig. 5.2. An artistic representation of Pa?aliputra, 
located around modern-day Patna 
Chapter 5.indd   84 Chapter 5.indd   84 08-04-2025   12:48:23 08-04-2025   12:48:23
85
Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
Bhavisha and Dhruv were thrilled; 
they had  just activated their new 
device, ‘Itihasa’, a time machine 
to travel to the past! Taking a clue 
from their history lesson, they 
decided to visit Pat?aliputra for 
their first journey?—?they knew it 
was about the same location as 
modern-day Patna. 
Chapter 5.indd   85 Chapter 5.indd   85 08-04-2025   12:48:25 08-04-2025   12:48:25
86
Exploring Society: India and Beyond | Grade 7 Part 1
Landing on the outskirts of the great city, a little dizzy, they saw a 
girl talking to a person on horseback dressed in strange clothes. 
As he left, she turned to them, and they asked her for her name.     
“My name is Ira, daughter of Kanhadas, the ironsmith. Welcome 
to 	 Pa t? aliputr a!”
“Glad 	 to 	 meet 	 you, 	 Ir a. 	 Our 	 names 	 ar e 	 Bhavisha 	 and 	 Dhruv .”
“Sshh! 	 K eep 	 your 	 voices 	 down! 	 Do 	 you 	 see 	 those 	 soldiers 	 mar ching	
past? They’re heading to battle against a neighbouring kingdom 
that has been troubling us. Our king avoids war when he can, but 
he also protects his people when needed. My father helped forge 
many of the swords they carry, and my uncle is one of the soldiers 
in 	 the 	 gr oup. 	 I 	 just 	 came 	 to 	 see 	 him 	 off… 	 I 	 don’t 	 know 	 when 	 he’ll	
r eturn.”
(The group watches as an 
impressive procession of soldiers 
crosses a sturdy drawbridge 
leading out of the city, some on 
horseback and the army chiefs 
on elephant back. Then, the 
three children cross the same 
drawbridge to enter the city.)
“What 	 kind 	 of 	 bridge 	 is 	 this?”	
ask ed 	 Bhavisha. 	 “ And 	 is 	 it 	 a	
river 	 below?”
“This 	 bridge 	 k eeps 	 us 	 safe,”	
explained Ira. “It’s lifted 
whenever 	 ther e 	 is 	 a 	 danger 	 of 	 attack 	 on 	 the 	 city . 	 And 	 no, 	 it’ s 	 not	
a river , it’s a moat; once the drawbridge is lifted, it makes it more 
difficult 	 to 	 appr oach 	 the 	 fortifications. 	 Can 	 you 	 see 	 those 	 hills 	 and	
forests in the distance? They provide us with timber, herbs, and 
many other valuable resources. Elephants for the army are also 
captur ed 	 fr om 	 the 	 for est 	 and 	 tr ained 	 for 	 the 	 arm y .”
“What 	 is 	 the 	 opening 	 in 	 that 	 hill?” 	 ask ed 	 Dhruv .
“It’s a cave. Our king is getting it carved out for a community of 
monks. 	 I 	 hope 	 we 	 can 	 visit 	 it 	 when 	 it’ s 	 finished!”
Fig. 5.3
Chapter 5.indd   86 Chapter 5.indd   86 08-04-2025   12:48:25 08-04-2025   12:48:25
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Tapestry of the Past  
5 – The Rise of Empires
(As 	 they 	 move 	 thr ough 	 Pa t? aliputr a, 	 they 	 tak e 	 in 	 its	
splendour?—?towering 	 wooden 	 r amparts 	 with 	 watch 	 towers,	
majestic palaces and buildings, lively streets. Ira gestures towards 
a 	 bustling 	 mark et 	 filled 	 with 	 tr aders 	 fr om 	 distant 	 lands.)
“Y ou 	 must 	 visit 	 our 	 main 	 mark et 	 befor e 	 you 	 leave! 	 Our 	 king	
welcomes travellers from all over, so you’ll get silk from China, 
spices 	 and 	 gems 	 fr om 	 the 	 south, 	 fine 	 clothes 	 fr om 	 differ ent 	
r egions—ther e’ s 	 nothing 	 you 	 won’t 	 find 	 in 	 Pa t? aliputr a!”
“What 	 ar e 	 those 	 people 	 over 	 ther e 	 doing?” 	 ask ed 	 Dhruv .
“Oh, these are street acrobats; they build human pyramids, sing 
and dance, or act in short plays to entertain people. Sometimes, 
they 	 perform 	 in 	 fr ont 	 of 	 the 	 king!”
“Y our 	 king 	 sounds 	 very 	 powerful,” 	 r emark ed 	 Bhavisha. 	 “Does 	 he	
rule 	 the 	 r egion 	 ar ound 	 Pa t? aliputr a?”
“Much 	 mor e 	 than 	 that!” 	 answer ed 	 Ir a. 	 “He 	 rules 	 over 	 a 	 vast 	 land, 	
far , far beyond this city. His authority extends over many villages, 
towns and kingdoms. My uncle told me that it takes close to two 
months 	 on 	 horseback 	 to 	 r each 	 the 	 bor ders 	 of 	 the 	 territory!”
“That 	 sounds 	 bigger 	 than 	 just 	 a 	 kingdom… 	 What 	 do 	 you 	 call 	 it?”
“It 	 is 	 called 	 an 	 Empir e,” 	 Ir a 	 stated 	 with 	 evident 	 pride.
What is an Empire?
The word ‘empire’ comes from the Latin ‘imperium’, which 
means ‘supreme power’. Simply put, an empire is a collection 
of smaller kingdoms or territories over which a powerful ruler 
or group of rulers exert power, often after waging war against 
the smaller kingdoms. The smaller territories still had their own 
rulers, but they were all tributaries to the emperor, who ruled 
the whole territory from a capital, usually a major centre of 
economic and administrative power. 
In ancient Sanskrit texts, words commonly used for ‘emperor’ 
made this clear; they included samr aj, meaning ‘the lord of all’ 
or ‘supreme ruler’; adhir aja or ‘overlord’; and r ajadhir aja or 
‘king of kings’.
Tributary:
A tributary, 
in our case, 
is a ruler 
or a state 
that has 
submitted to 
an emperor 
and pays 
tribute—
that is, 
money, gold 
(or other 
precious 
metals), 
grain, 
livestock, 
elephants 
or other 
valuable 
goods 
produced 
in their 
kingdom and 
is given to 
the emperor 
as a sign of 
submission, 
loyalty or 
respect. A 
synonym for 
‘tributary’ is 
‘vassal’, and 
another way 
to express 
this is to 
say that the 
tributary 
or vassal 
kingdoms 
accepted the 
emperor’s 
overlordship.
Chapter 5.indd   87 Chapter 5.indd   87 08-04-2025   12:48:26 08-04-2025   12:48:26