India From the Vedas to the Gupta · seed 1 · A4, ink-friendly. The answer key prints on its own page for grown-ups.

Ashoka and the gifts of ancient India

History · World History · ages 11-13
Name ______________________   Date ____________

  1. Which everyday tool was worked out in India?

    • Gunpowder
    • The decimal numerals with zero
    • The compass

  2. What changed in Ashoka after the Kalinga war?

    • He gave up killing and ruled with kindness
    • He built a bigger army for revenge
    • He sailed away to Rome

  3. Buddhism spread outward from India across Asia.

    Circle one:   True   False

  4. A pupil writes 507 and says the 0 holds the tens place. Which Indian gift is she using?

    • The rock edict
    • The camel caravan
    • Zero as a number in place value

  5. A stone slab in a market square lists the king's rules of kindness. Whose order is it most likely?

    • A Roman trader's
    • Ashoka's
    • A Gupta poet's

  6. Which pair shows India linked outward?

    • Closed borders and no ships
    • One king and one city
    • Sea trade abroad and monks spreading Buddhism

  7. Why did India need a number for nothing?

    • To carve longer laws on pillars
    • Place value only works if an empty column holds its spot
    • To count camels faster

  8. An essay says the Guptas built tax rule first, then the Mauryas brought poetry. What is wrong?

    • Nothing, the order is right
    • It swaps them: Mauryas built tax rule first, Guptas ran the later court age
    • Both empires ruled Rome
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Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Ashoka and the gifts of ancient India W1-mt_WylqxfbwwJ-s1

  1. The decimal numerals with zero · India gave the world its digits, including zero as a number.
  2. He gave up killing and ruled with kindness · The bloody war turned him toward Buddhism and gentle rule.
  3. True · Travelling monks carried it to China, Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.
  4. Zero as a number in place value · Zero holds empty columns so each digit keeps its worth.
  5. Ashoka's · Ashoka cut his laws on rocks and pillars in public places.
  6. Sea trade abroad and monks spreading Buddhism · Goods sailed out while faith walked out along the same lanes.
  7. Place value only works if an empty column holds its spot · Zero keeps each digit in its true place, so sums stay right.
  8. It swaps them: Mauryas built tax rule first, Guptas ran the later court age · First the Maurya rule book, centuries later the Gupta golden court.
Worksheet · LightMySky