1. Who was the founder of the Gupta Empire?
a) Chandragupta Maurya
b) Samudragupta
c) Chandragupta I
d) Skandagupta
Answer: c) Chandragupta I
Explanation: Chandragupta I (r. 319–335 CE) is credited as the founder of the Gupta Empire. He established the dynasty’s prominence through conquests and alliances.
2. Which Gupta ruler is known as the “Napoleon of India”?
a) Chandragupta I
b) Samudragupta
c) Chandragupta II
d) Kumaragupta I
Answer: b) Samudragupta
Explanation: Samudragupta (r. 335–375 CE) earned this title due to his extensive military campaigns and conquests across India, as recorded in the Allahabad Pillar inscription.
3. What was the primary source of income for the Gupta Empire?
a) Land revenue
b) Trade tariffs
c) Mining operations
d) Tribute from neighboring kingdoms
Answer: a) Land revenue
Explanation: Agriculture was the economic backbone of the Gupta Empire, with land revenue being the primary source of income.
4. Which Gupta ruler adopted the title Vikramaditya?
a) Chandragupta I
b) Samudragupta
c) Chandragupta II
d) Skandagupta
Answer: c) Chandragupta II
Explanation: Chandragupta II (r. 380–415 CE), also known as Vikramaditya, was celebrated for his military conquests and cultural patronage.
5. What is the historical significance of Kalidasa during the Gupta period?
a) Architect
b) Astronomer
c) Poet and playwright
d) Warrior
Answer: c) Poet and playwright
Explanation: Kalidasa was one of the greatest Sanskrit poets and dramatists. His works like Shakuntala and Meghaduta flourished under Gupta patronage.
6. Which metal coins were most common during the Gupta Empire?
a) Copper
b) Silver
c) Gold
d) Bronze
Answer: c) Gold
Explanation: The Gupta Empire issued a large number of gold coins, reflecting its economic prosperity and artistic excellence.
7. The Gupta Age is referred to as the “Golden Age” primarily because of its:
a) Political expansion
b) Cultural and scientific achievements
c) Military conquests
d) Economic prosperity
Answer: b) Cultural and scientific achievements
Explanation: The Gupta Age saw remarkable progress in literature, science, art, and architecture, earning it the title of the Golden Age.
8. Which famous astronomer and mathematician lived during the Gupta period?
a) Aryabhata
b) Varahamihira
c) Brahmagupta
d) Bhaskaracharya
Answer: a) Aryabhata
Explanation: Aryabhata, author of Aryabhatiya, made significant contributions to mathematics and astronomy during this period.
9. Which art style flourished during the Gupta Age?
a) Gandhara
b) Dravidian
c) Nagara
d) Indo-Islamic
Answer: c) Nagara
Explanation: The Nagara style of temple architecture developed during the Gupta Age, characterized by its simple and elegant design.
10. Which religion saw major patronage during the Gupta period?
a) Buddhism
b) Jainism
c) Hinduism
d) Zoroastrianism
Answer: c) Hinduism
Explanation: The Gupta rulers were primarily patrons of Hinduism, though they supported other religions as well, promoting cultural synthesis.
11. The Allahabad Pillar Inscription was written by:
a) Kalidasa
b) Harisena
c) Aryabhata
d) Fa-Hien
Answer: b) Harisena
Explanation: The Allahabad Pillar Inscription was composed by Harisena, detailing Samudragupta’s achievements.
12. Who was the Chinese traveler that visited India during the Gupta Age?
a) Xuanzang
b) Fa-Hien
c) Marco Polo
d) Ibn Battuta
Answer: b) Fa-Hien
Explanation: Fa-Hien visited India during Chandragupta II’s reign, documenting Indian society, governance, and Buddhism.
13. What was the famous iron pillar of the Gupta period known for?
a) Artistic carvings
b) Religious inscriptions
c) Resistance to rust
d) Military achievements
Answer: c) Resistance to rust
Explanation: The iron pillar at Mehrauli, Delhi, is celebrated for its advanced metallurgy and resistance to corrosion.
14. Which Gupta ruler faced invasions by the Huns?
a) Chandragupta I
b) Samudragupta
c) Kumaragupta I
d) Skandagupta
Answer: d) Skandagupta
Explanation: Skandagupta successfully repelled the Hun invasions, preserving the empire’s stability.
15. The Guptas were known for their contribution to:
a) Maritime trade
b) Western expansion
c) Sanskrit literature
d) Coin minting only
Answer: c) Sanskrit literature
Explanation: The Gupta period saw a renaissance in Sanskrit literature, with works by Kalidasa, Sudraka, and others.
16. The University of Nalanda was established during the Gupta Empire in which state?
a) Uttar Pradesh
b) Bihar
c) Maharashtra
d) Rajasthan
Answer: b) Bihar
Explanation: Nalanda University, in modern-day Bihar, was a premier center of learning during the Gupta period.
17. The Panchatantra was composed during which era?
a) Maurya
b) Gupta
c) Mughal
d) Chola
Answer: b) Gupta
Explanation: The Panchatantra, attributed to Vishnu Sharma, was compiled during the Gupta period and remains a classic in Indian literature.
18. Which Gupta king assumed the title of Paramabhattaraka Maharajadhiraja?
a) Chandragupta I
b) Chandragupta II
c) Kumaragupta I
d) Samudragupta
Answer: a) Chandragupta I
Explanation: Chandragupta I assumed this title, symbolizing his supreme authority as emperor.
19. What was the Gupta Empire’s contribution to science?
a) Decimal system
b) Ayurveda
c) Astronomy
d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above
Explanation: The Gupta period contributed significantly to mathematics (decimal system), medicine (Ayurveda), and astronomy (Aryabhata’s discoveries).
20. What led to the decline of the Gupta Empire?
a) Overexpansion
b) Hun invasions
c) Economic collapse
d) Lack of military innovation
Answer: b) Hun invasions
Explanation: Repeated invasions by the Huns weakened the Gupta Empire, leading to its eventual decline.
