📘 Class
8 Social Science – Chapter 3
⚔️ The Rise of the
Marathas | Amresh Academy
📍 Page
61
1. Who were the Marathas? How did they manage to
become the largest pan-Indian power before the British took over?
👉 Answer:
🟠 The
Marathas were people from the Deccan region (present-day Maharashtra) who spoke
Marathi.
👉 They
became powerful because:
- 👑
Strong leadership of Shivaji
- ⚔️ Use of guerrilla
warfare (quick surprise attacks)
- 🏰
Control of forts
- 🚢
Strong navy
👉 After
Shivaji:
- 🧑💼
Peshwas expanded the empire
- 🌍
Marathas controlled large parts of India
👉 ✔️ Thus, they became the
strongest Indian power before the British
2. What were some features of their governance?
👉 Answer:
👉 Main
features:
- 🏛️
Centralised administration
- 👥
Council of ministers (Ashtapradhan)
- 💰
Officials were paid (no hereditary system)
- ⚖️ Justice through
village panchayats
👉 Other
features:
- 🛣️
Roads and trade development
- ⚔️ Strong army and
navy
- 💰
Taxes: Chauth and Sardeshmukhi
👉 ✔️ Government was efficient and
well organised
3. What impact did the Maratha Empire leave in
Indian history?
👉 Answer:
👉
Impact:
- ⚔️ Challenged Mughal
power
- 🇮🇳
Established Indian rule (self-rule idea)
- 🎨
Promoted culture and traditions
- 🏰
Built strong administration
👉 ✔️ Inspired future freedom
movements
📍 Page
65
1. If you could time-travel and meet Shivaji,
what three questions would you ask him and why?
👉 Answer:
👉 I
would ask:
1.
🏃 How
did you escape from Agra?
2.
🌍 What
inspired your idea of Swarajya?
3.
🤝 How
did you unite people?
👉 ✔️ These questions help
understand his leadership and bravery
📍 Page
80
1. Have you heard of the dance form
Bharatnatyam’? Did you know that this dance form has a deep connection with the
Marathas? Can you find out what this connection was?
👉 Answer:
💃
Bharatanatyam is a classical dance of Tamil Nadu
👉
Connection with Marathas:
- 👑
Maratha rulers of Thanjavur supported arts
- 🎶
They promoted music and dance
- 🎭
Helped develop modern Bharatanatyam
👉 ✔️ Their support helped preserve
Indian culture
📍 Page
82 – Questions and Activities
1. Analyse how geography (particularly mountains
and coastlines) guided Maratha military strategy and state formation.
👉 Answer:
👉
Geography helped Marathas:
- ⛰️ Mountains (Western
Ghats) gave natural protection
- 🏰
Hill forts were strong defence points
- 🌊
Coastline helped build navy
👉 ✔️ This helped them fight
stronger enemies
2. Imagine you are creating a short biography of
a Maratha leader for younger students. Choose one personality (Kanhoji Angre,
Bajirao I, Mahadji Shinde, Ahilyabai Holkar or Tarabai) and write 3-4
paragraphs highlighting what makes them inspirational. Include at least one
challenge they overcame.
👉 Answer
(Ahilyabai Holkar):
👑
Ahilyabai Holkar was a brave and wise queen of the Maratha Empire. She became
ruler after the death of her husband and son, showing great courage.
👉 She
improved people’s lives by building roads, wells and temples.
👉 One
major challenge was rebuilding the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which she completed
successfully.
👉 ✔️ She is remembered as a kind
and strong ruler
3. If you could visit one Maratha fort today
(such as Raigad, Sindhudurg, Gingee, or Pratapgad), which would you choose and
why? Research its history, architecture and strategic importance. Present your
findings as a digital presentation or a poster in class.
👉 Answer:
🏰 I
would visit Raigad Fort
👉
Importance:
- 👑
Capital of Shivaji
- 🎉
Place of coronation
👉
Features:
- ⛰️ Built on a high
hill
- 🏛️
Strong and secure
👉 ✔️ It shows Maratha strength
4. The chapter states, “The British took India
from the Marathas more than from the Mughals or any other power.” What do you
think this means? What evidence from the chapter supports this idea?
👉 Answer:
👉
Meaning:
- Marathas
were the strongest power in India
- British
defeated them to gain control
👉
Evidence:
- ⚔️ Anglo-Maratha Wars
- 🏛️
Marathas controlled Delhi
👉 ✔️ British replaced Marathas as
rulers
5. Compare how Shivaji and later Marathas
treated religious places and people of different faiths. What evidence from the
chapter shows their approach to religious diversity?
👉 Answer:
👉
Shivaji:
- 🛕
Protected temples
- 🤝
Respected all religions
👉 Later
Marathas:
- 🏗️
Rebuilt temples
- ⚠️ Some harsh actions
in later period
👉 ✔️ Overall they were tolerant
6. The chapter describes how forts were ‘the
core of the state’ for Marathas. Why were they so important? How did they help
the Marathas survive against larger enemies?
👉 Answer:
👉
Importance of forts:
- 🏰
Strong defence
- 📦
Stored food and weapons
- ⚔️ Military base
👉 Help:
- 🐯
Guerrilla attacks
- 🔄
Safe place during wars
👉 ✔️ Helped defeat bigger armies
7. You have been appointed as the chief designer
for Maratha coins. Design a coin that represents Maratha achievements and
values. Explain the symbols you chose.
👉 Answer:
👉 Coin
design:
- 🪙
Shivaji’s seal → power
- 🏰
Fort → strength
- 🚩
Flag → bravery
- 🐯
Wagh nakh → strategy
- 🚢
Ship → navy
👉 ✔️ Shows Maratha greatness
8. After this introduction to the Maratha
period, what do you think was their most important contribution to Indian
history? Write a paragraph supporting your opinion with examples from the
chapter. Then share and discuss your ideas with classmates.
👉 Answer:
👉 Most
important contribution:
- ⚔️ Challenging Mughal
rule
- 🇮🇳
Promoting self-rule
👉
Examples:
- Shivaji’s
Swarajya
- Strong
forts and army
👉 ✔️ Inspired Indian independence
⚡ Very
Short Answer Questions
✏️ Short
Answer Questions
(All SAME — simplified)
1. Who were the Marathas and how did they rise
to power?
👉
Marathas were people of Maharashtra. Under Shivaji, they united and formed
Swarajya.
2. Describe Shivaji’s early military campaigns
and his vision of Swarajya.
👉 He
captured forts and aimed for independent rule.
3. What was the significance of Shivaji’s
establishment of a navy?
👉 It
protected coastal areas and trade.
4. How did Shivaji use guerrilla warfare to his
advantage?
👉
Surprise attacks using terrain knowledge.
5. Explain Shivaji’s daring escape from Agra.
👉
Escaped hidden in baskets.
6. What was the role of the Peshwas in the
Maratha Empire after Shivaji?
👉 They
expanded the empire.
7. How did the British eventually gain control
over India from the Marathas?
👉
Through Anglo-Maratha wars.
8. Describe the key features of Shivaji’s
civilian administration.
👉
Centralised system with paid officials.
9. What were ‘chauth’ and ‘sardeshmukhi’ and
their purpose?
👉 Taxes
for protection.
10. Highlight the cultural contributions of the
Marathas.
👉
Promoted language, temples and culture.
📝 Long
Answer Questions
1. Discuss Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s vision
for his kingdom how his military strategies helped achieve it.
👉
Swarajya + forts + navy + guerrilla warfare
2. Describe the contributions of prominent
Maratha women to the empire’s expansion cultural revival.
👉
Tarabai (expansion), Ahilyabai (development)
3. Detail the key administrative principles
implemented by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his kingdom.
👉
Centralised system + ministers + salaries
4. Outline the revenue collection methods the
military administration of the Maratha Empire.
👉 Chauth
+ Sardeshmukhi + army + navy
5. Summarize the overall impact legacy of the
Maratha Empire on Indian history.
👉
Challenged Mughals + inspired independence
0 Comments