ICSE Class 6 Answered

Every janapada was composed of many villages and a small number of towns and cities. The loyalties of the people shifted from their janas or tribes to their janapadas, i.e. the territories to which they belonged. Some of these janapadas and mahajanapadas were democratic republics ruled by elected representatives of the people. Important examples of this are the Shakyas and the Lichchavis. On the other hand, other states were ruled by hereditary rulers.