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Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) — Syllabus

Madhya Pradesh Board · Class 12 · History

What Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) covers in Madhya Pradesh Board Class 12 History: 4 topics, for the 2026-27 session.

32 questions100 flashcards5 concepts

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A flowchart illustrating the key steps involved in creating the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata, from collecting manuscripts to publishing the final volumes with variations.
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4 Topics · Madhya Pradesh Board Class 12 History · 2026-27

Topics in Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE)

1

1. The Mahabharata as a historical source

  • The Mahabharata is a colossal Sanskrit epic with over 100,000 verses.
  • It was composed over about 1,000 years from c.500 BCE onwards.
  • Its story centres on a feud over land and power between the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
2

2. Kinship, patriliny, and marriage

  • The Mahabharata is also a story about kinship conflict within the Kuru family.
  • The Kauravas were sons of Dhritarashtra and the Pandavas were sons of Pandu.
  • Since Dhritarashtra was blind, his younger brother Pandu ascended the throne of Hastinapura.
3

3. Gotra, Satavahanas, and kinship rules

  • Gotra classification is evident from c.1000 BCE onwards.
  • Each gotra was named after a Vedic seer.
  • Women were expected to give up the father’s gotra and adopt the husband’s gotra on marriage.
4

4. Varna, jati, and social hierarchy

  • Caste refers to a set of hierarchically ordered social categories.
  • Brahmanical texts placed Brahmanas first and Shudras and untouchables at the bottom.
  • Positions in the ideal order were supposedly determined by birth.

Key Concepts

Central concept: Social organisation in early India through kinship, marriage, caste, class, property, and textual traditions

MahabharataCritical Edition of the MahabharataKinship termsPatriliny and successionMarriage rulesDraupadi and polyandryGotraSatavahanas

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the important topics in Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) for Madhya Pradesh Board Class 12 History?
Key topics in Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) include The Mahabharata as a historical source, Kinship, patriliny, and marriage, Gotra, Satavahanas, and kinship rules, Varna, jati, and social hierarchy. Study these first, then practise questions on each for the Madhya Pradesh Board Class 12 board exam.
How should I revise Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE) for the Madhya Pradesh Board Class 12 board exam?
Learn the core ideas first, then work through the 32 practice questions on Kinship, Caste and Class (Early Societies) (c. 600 BCE-600 CE). Revise definitions regularly and use flashcards for quick recall before the exam.

Sources & Official References

Content is aligned to the official syllabus. Refer to the board website for the latest curriculum.

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