Class 7 · History and Civics · 19 Aug 2026
Max marks: 40Grade Class 7 · History and Civics · 18 questions
Name
Class
Date
Q.1 MCQ
[4 marks]
(a)
Which title was commonly held by hereditary revenue officers who managed village administration and land records in Maharashtra before the times of Shivaji Maharaj?
[1 mark]
(b)
Before the rise of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the region of Maharashtra was largely under the control of which two major Sultanates?
[1 mark]
(c)
What was the primary function of a 'Watan' in the administrative system of medieval Maharashtra?
[2 marks]
Q.2 Match the Pairs
[8 marks]
(a)
Match the following local administrative roles and divisions of medieval Maharashtra with their correct duties or descriptions.
[2 marks]
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Patil | a. Village Chief responsible for law and order |
| 2. Kulkarni | b. Village clerk who kept records of revenue |
| 3. Deshmukh | c. District-level head of all Patils in a Pargana |
| 4. Deshpande | d. District-level head of all Kulkarnis in a Pargana |
Answer
(b)
Match the administrative officers of medieval Maharashtra with their correct descriptions or roles.
[2 marks]
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Patil | a. The chief of the village who tried to settle disputes |
| 2. Kulkarni | b. The officer who kept record of the village revenue |
| 3. Shete | c. The officer responsible for setting up a market (peth) in a Kasba |
| 4. Deshmukh | d. The head of all the Patils in a Pargana |
Answer
(c)
Match the following historical groups or regions in medieval Maharashtra with their key features:
[4 marks]
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Shilaharas | a. Rulers of coastal Konkan |
| 2. Devagiri | b. Capital of the Yadavas |
| 3. Hemadpanthi | c. Style of temple architecture |
| 4. Warkari | d. Devotional movement |
Answer
Q.3 Fill in the Blanks
[4 marks]
(a)
The famous fort of Daulatabad, earlier known as _____, was the capital of the Yadava kingdom.
[1 mark]
(b)
In the administrative system of medieval Maharashtra, the head of the Kulkarnis at the Pargana level was the _____.
[1 mark]
(c)
In medieval Maharashtra, the administrative officer responsible for keeping the village revenue records was the _____, while the village chief who maintained law and order was called the _____.
[2 marks]
Q.4 One Sentence
[3 marks]
(a)
Name the two major powers that constantly competed for control over the Deccan region during the early medieval period.
[1 mark]
(b)
Define the term 'Balutedars' as used in the village system of medieval Maharashtra.
[1 mark]
(c)
What was the primary administrative duty of a Patil (village headman) in the medieval villages of Maharashtra?
[1 mark]
5.
Imagine you are studying a map of 17th-century Maharashtra. Explain how the 'Watandari' system, where local hereditary officers managed land and tax collection, affected the loyalty of the local people towards the ruling Sultans.
[3 marks]
Q.6 Long Answer
[8 marks]
(a)
Compare the social life of a farmer (Rayat) living in a village in Maharashtra during the Yadava period with that of a city dweller near the capital Devagiri. Use at least two points of comparison.
[4 marks]
(b)
Analyze how the severe famine of 1630 CE in Maharashtra devastated the social and economic lives of the people. Provide four distinct points explaining its impact on agriculture, family life, cattle, and trade.
[4 marks]
7.
Imagine you are an advisor to a medieval king in Maharashtra. You have a total budget of 500 gold coins. A temple builder proposes two projects: A: A standard temple in the plains, and B: A Hemadpanthi-style temple in a rugged hill pass. The Hemadpanthi temple is more expensive because of stone masonry (300 coins), while the plains temple costs 150 coins. If the king wants to strengthen the mountain pass against northern invaders while also building for the people, justify which project contributes more to the defense strategy and why.
[4 marks]
Q.8 Diagram Labeling
[6 marks]
(a)
Reference — Diagram: Social and Political Conditions — Diagram Labeling
Look at this simple three-tier pyramid representing the local administrative divisions in Maharashtra before Shivaji Maharaj's time.
Part A (at the bottom) represents the basic village unit.
Part B (in the middle) represents the larger market town or administrative headquarters.
Part C (at the top) represents the regional group of villages.
Identify the names of these administrative divisions represented by A, B, and C.
[3 marks]
Label the following:
1
2
3
(b)
Reference — Diagram: Regional History — Diagram Labeling
Observe the description of a hierarchical chart representing the administrative structure of medieval Maharashtra. At the base is Part A, which represents the smallest unit of administration (a single village). Above it is Part B, which is a larger market town or administrative center. At the top of this regional pyramid is Part C, which consists of a group of several villages. Label Parts A, B, and C with their correct historical administrative terms.
[3 marks]
Label the following:
1
2
3