Daily Quiz #7 UPSC Prelims Marathon – July 8, 2019

Explanation: In 1497, under the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494), the rulers of Portugal and Spain divided the non-Christian world between them by an imaginary line in the Atlantic, some 1300 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands. Under the treaty, Portugal could claim and occupy everything to the east of the line while Spain could claim everything to the west.

Explanation: Trade and Industry: On account of being self-sufficient in handicrafts and
Agricultural products, India did not import foreign goods on a large scale. On the other hand, its industrial and agricultural products were in good demand in foreign markets. Hence its
Exports were more than its imports; trade was balanced by import of silver and gold. India was known as a sink of precious metals.
Important Centres of Textile Industry: Dacca,Murshidabad, Patna, Surat, Ahmedabad, Broach, Chanderi, Burhanpur, Jaunpur, Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra, Multan, Lahore, Masulipatnam, Aurangabad, Chicacole, Vishakhapatnam, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Madurai, etc.; Kashmir was a centre of woollen manufactures.
Ship-building Industry Maharashtra, the Andhra region and Bengal were the leaders in ship-building. Indian shipping also flourished on the Kerala coast at Calicut and Quilon. The Zamorin of Calicut used the Muslim Kunjali Maraikkars (who were well known for their seafaring ability) for his navy. Shivaji Bhonsle’s navy put up a good defence on the west coast against the Portuguese. According to Bipan Chandra, the European companies bought many Indian-made ships for their use.

Explanation: The overall layout of the IndusSaraswati cities is distinguished by the orientation of streets and buildings, according to the cardinal directions – east-west, and north-south. The idea of settlement planning did not appear suddenly with the first large cities but was already well established in earlier period as has been revealed from the excavations at Kot Diji, Kalibangan, Harappa, Rahman Dheri, Nausharo etc. The basic layout at all these settlements was established along a grid that was defined by large streets running north-south and east-west and fortification all around.

Explanation: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seek to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
Following are the UNESCO’s cultural sites in India:
•Agra Fort
•Ajanta Caves
•Ellora Caves
•Taj Mahal
•Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram
•Sun Temple, Konrak
•Churches and Convents of Goa
•Fatehpur Sikri
•Group of Monuments at Hampi
•Khajuraho Group of Monuments
•Elephanta Caves
•Great Living Chola Temples 13
•Group of Monuments at Pattadakal
•Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
•Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
•Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
•Mountain Railways of India
•Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya
•Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka
•Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park
•Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus)
•Red Fort Complex
•The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur
•Hill Forts of Rajasthan
•Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat
•Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar
•The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement
•Historic City of Ahmadabad (2017)
•Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
•Jaipur City, Rajasthan (2019)

Explanation: Maratha Empire ruled Indian sub-continent in 18th century. The empire formally existed from 1674 with the coronation of Chhatrapati Shivaji and ended in 1818 with the defeat of Peshwa Bajirao II. There were following division in Maratha Empire:
•Gaekwad at Baroda
•Bhonsle at Nagpur
•Holkars at Indore
•Scindias at Gwalior
•Peshwas at Poona