1. Which of the following groups gradually gained power and became rulers in the early medieval period?
   A) Traders and merchants
   B) Samantas and military leaders
   C) Farmers and artisans
   D) Priests and temple workers
   
2. The Rashtrakuta dynasty was initially subordinate to which ruling dynasty?
   A) Cholas
   B) Chalukyas
   C) Palas
   D) Pratiharas
   
3. Which of the following was a major strategy used by new rulers to gain legitimacy?
   A) Declaring themselves as gods
   B) Performing rituals like hiranya-garbha
   C) Converting to Buddhism
   D) Destroying temples and religious places
   
4. Which of the following ruling dynasties was established by Brahmanas who took up arms?
   A) Gurjara-Pratiharas
   B) Cholas
   C) Rajputs
   D) Gahadavalas
   
5. What does the term maha-samanta refer to?
   A) A title given to merchants
   B) A highly respected Brahmana
   C) A powerful subordinate ruler who later declared independence
   D) A peasant leader
   
6. What was the role of land grants in the rise of new dynasties?
   A) They were given to temples and Brahmanas to gain religious support
   B) They were only used for military purposes
   C) They were given only to traders
   D) They were used to build large universities
   
7. Which of the following dynasties was NOT one of the ruling families that emerged during this period?
   A) Cholas
   B) Rashtrakutas
   C) Mughals
   D) Palas
   
8. Which region was ruled by the Chola dynasty?
   A) Bengal
   B) Tamil Nadu and parts of South India
   C) Rajasthan
   D) Punjab
   
9. What was a common way for new dynasties to demonstrate their power?
   A) Issuing coins in their name
   B) Constructing temples and palaces
   C) Building forts and maintaining armies
   D) All of the above
   
10. How did new rulers maintain administration in their kingdoms?
    A) By sharing power with local elites, samantas, and Brahmanas
    B) By removing all local rulers and imposing strict military rule
    C) By allowing only religious leaders to govern
    D) By avoiding taxation and focusing only on warfare
    

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Answers and Explanations

1. B) Samantas and military leaders
   Many new rulers were originally samantas or military chiefs who became independent and established their own dynasties.
   
2. B) Chalukyas
   The Rashtrakutas were initially subordinates to the Chalukyas before they established their own rule.
   
3. B) Performing rituals like hiranya-garbha
   The hiranya-garbha ritual was believed to grant Kshatriya status to rulers who were not born into the warrior caste.
   
4. A) Gurjara-Pratiharas
   Some dynasties, like the Gurjara-Pratiharas, were founded by Brahmanas who took up arms and became rulers.
   
5. C) A powerful subordinate ruler who later declared independence
   Samantas were initially subordinates to kings but later declared their independence as maha-samantas and established their own rule.
   
6. A) They were given to temples and Brahmanas to gain religious support
   Rulers often gave land grants to religious institutions and Brahmanas to gain legitimacy and local support.
   
7. C) Mughals
   The Mughals came much later in Indian history, while the other dynasties emerged during the early medieval period.
   
8. B) Tamil Nadu and parts of South India
   The Cholas ruled over Tamil Nadu and extended their empire across South India and even into Southeast Asia.
   
9. D) All of the above
   New rulers used multiple ways to show their power, including issuing coins, constructing temples, and building forts.
   

A) By sharing power with local elites, samantas, and Brahmanas
New rulers often shared power with influential families, local elites, and religious leaders to maintain stability in their kingdoms.