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Relevant Titles
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Economy and Trade under Vijayanagara — MCQs for CBSE Class 12 (NCERT-aligned)
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60-Question Practice: Vijayanagara Economy & Trade — CBSE Class 12 History
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Vijayanagara Trade, Markets & Temple Economy: Important MCQs for Boards
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CBSE Class 12: Economy of Vijayanagara — Ports, Guilds and Revenue MCQs
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NCERT-Based MCQs — Vijayanagara’s Economy, Trade Routes and Merchant Guilds
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Introduction
The Economy and Trade under the Vijayanagara Empire MCQs practice set is designed for CBSE Class 12 students to revise the fiscal foundations, commercial networks and market institutions of one of South India’s most powerful medieval states. Aligned strictly with NCERT themes and language, this 60-question, 60-minute-style test covers land revenue systems, temple economies and land grants, irrigation and agrarian production, urban bazaars and craft guilds, inland caravan routes and coastal entrepôts, coinage, and early European contacts that reshaped Indian Ocean trade. Each MCQ mirrors CBSE cognitive levels with four clear options and concise explanations that reference primary evidence — inscriptions, travellers’ narratives and archaeological finds. The timed format trains exam pacing while per-question feedback helps students convert errors into focused study tasks. Ideal for last-mile revision before boards, this set reinforces key terms (brahmadeya, nayankara, customs/tolls, Ainurruvar), links economic structures to political and military demands, and highlights how trade underpinned Vijayanagara’s prosperity. Use it to identify weak topics, practice source-based reasoning, and build confidence for the CBSE board exam.
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Sample MCQs with short explanations
Q1
Which was the principal source of revenue for the Vijayanagara state?
A. Land revenue
B. Corporate income tax
C. Income from foreign loans
D. Industrial tariffs
Correct: A — Land revenue
Explanation: Land revenue formed the backbone of pre-modern state finance; Vijayanagara collected tax from agrarian surplus to support administration and the military.
Q2
Which institutions commonly received land grants that influenced the local economy?
A. Temples and mathas (monastic institutions)
B. Foreign trading companies
C. Modern banks
D. Merchant ships
Correct: A — Temples and mathas
Explanation: Temple and monastic land grants (devadana, brahmadeya) channeled income to religious institutions, funded rituals and sustained artisans and temple-linked economies.
Q3
Which merchant guild is known to have organised long-distance trade in South India during Vijayanagara times?
A. Ainurruvar (the ‘Five Hundred’)
B. Hanseatic League
C. East India Company (16th c. only later)
D. Guild of Florence
Correct: A — Ainurruvar
Explanation: Regional merchant guilds like the Ainurruvar coordinated trade, credit and dispute settlement across peninsular routes, facilitating inland–maritime exchange.
Q4
Why were coastal ports (Coromandel and Malabar) important for Vijayanagara elites?
A. They connected inland production to Indian Ocean trade and supplied luxury imports (e.g., horses, spices).
B. They were used solely for local fishing.
C. They served only as pilgrimage docks with no trade.
D. They functioned as agricultural fields.
Correct: A — Connected inland production to Indian Ocean trade
Explanation: Ports allowed export of textiles, gems and spices and import of horses and luxury goods; customs duties at ports were also important fiscal resources.
Q5
Which of the following best describes the economic role of bazaars in Vijayanagara towns?
A. Organized retail and craft centres that linked artisans, merchants and consumers
B. Military training grounds only
C. Religious spaces with no economic activity
D. Temporary camps with no fixed structures
Correct: A — Organized retail and craft centres
Explanation: Bazaar streets near temples and royal centres hosted specialized craft workshops, trade in goods, and were activated by festivals and pilgrimage traffic.