NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Questions and Answers Timeline and Sources of History

Chapter-wise Exploring Society India and Beyond Class 6 Solutions and Class 6 Social Science SST Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History Question Answer NCERT Solutions are useful for focused study.

Timeline and Sources of History NCERT Class 6th SST Chapter 4 Question Answer

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Questions and Answers

The Big Questions (Page 59)

Question 1.
How do we measure historical time?
Answer:
To measure historical time, we use several tools and methods thát help us understand and organize events from the past. Some of them are as follows:

1. Gregorian calendar being the most commonly used today. It counts years starting from the birth of Jesus Christ, now labelled as CE (Common Era), and years before his birth as BCE (Before Common Era).
2. Other cultures have their own calendars, like the Islamic and Chinese calendars.
3. We also use timelines, which visually arrange events in the order they happened, helping us see the sequence and relationship between events.
4. Historical time can be divided into decades ( 10 years), centuries (100 years), and millennia (1000 years).
5. We often refer to BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) to label different periods.
6. Additionally, artefacts and fossils are dated using scientific methods like carbon dating, while written records, oral traditions, and archaeological discoveries provide valuable information about the past.

Question 2.
How can various sources help us understand history?
Answer:
Various sources play a crucial role in helping us understand history by providing diverse perspectives, detailed evidence, and contextual insights. Here’s how different types of sources contribute to our understanding of history:

• Primary Sources: Original documents or physical objects created during the time under study. For example-inscriptions, ancient literature, letters, diaries, official documents, photographs, artifacts, and newspapers.
• Secondary Sources: Works that interpret, analyze, or summarise primary sources. For example: Books, articles, documentaries, and reviews.
• Oral Histories: Recorded interviews and spoken accounts from individuals who experienced or witnessed historical events. For example: Interviews,
  recordings, and transcriptions.

Question 3.
How did early humans live?
Answer:
Early humans live by:

1. Hunting and Gathering: Early humans hunted animals and gathered fruits, nuts, and plants for food.
2. Nomadic Lifestyle: They moved from place to place in search of food and water, not staying in one place for long.
3. Simple Tools: Early humans used simple tools made from stone, bone, and wood to hunt and gather food.
4. Shelters: They lived in natural shelters like caves and made temporary huts from branches and leaves.
5. Fire: Early humans discovered how to make fire, which they used for cooking food, warmth, and protection from wild animals.
6. Clothing: They made clothing from animal skins to protect themselves from the weather.
7. Communication: Early humans developed simple forms of communication using sounds, gestures, and later, drawings on cave walls.
8. Social Groups: They lived in small groups or tribes, working together to hunt, gather food, and protect each other.
9. Art and Culture: Early humans created cave paintings and carvings, showing the beginnings of art and cultural expression.

Let’s Explore

Question 1.
In the picture, (NCERT P-70) look at some actimties of early humans in a rock shelter. Which ones can you recognise? Give a brief description for each. (Page 70)

Answer:
Here are some activities of early humans in a rock shelter with brief descriptions for each:

1. Hunting and Gathering: Early humans in rock shelters engaged in hunting animals and gathering wild plants for food. Evidence of this activity includes remains of animal bones, tools made from stone and bone, and plant remnants.

2. Tool Making: Stone tools, such as hand axes, scrapers, and arrowheads, were crafted by early humans in rock shelters. These tools were essential for hunting, processing food, and other daily tasks. The presence of flakes and cores indicates the tool-making process.

3. Fire Making and Usage: Fire played a crucial role in the lives of early humAnswer:It was used for cooking food, providing warmth, and protecting against predators. Charcoal deposits, ash layers, and hearths found in rock shelters are evidence of fire usage.

4. Art and Symbolism: Rock shelters often feature prehistoric art, including paintings and carvings on the walls. These artworks depict animals, human figures, and abstract symbols, reflecting early human culture, beliefs, and communication methods.

5. Shelter and Living Spaces: Rock shelters served as living spaces, providing protection from harsh weather and predators. Evidence of structured living areas, such as sleeping spots, storage areas, and communal spaces, indicates how early humans organized their living quarters.

6. Social and Ritual Activities: Evidence suggests that rock shelters were also used for social and ritual activities. This includes the presence of burial sites, ritualistic objects, and communal spaces where groups of early humans might have gathered for ceremonies or social interactions.

7. Food Preparation: Early humans prepared food in rock shelters, as indicated by grinding stones, hearths, and remains of processed plant and animal materials. These activities included cooking, butchering animals, and processing plants for consumption.

Question 2.
Observe the following scene. It depicts an agricultural community from a few millenniums ago. List the main activities you can identify.

Answer:
The following activities can be observed from the given image

• Harvesting The people are working in fields for harvesting the crops.
• Sheep Rearing The people used to domesticate the sheeps and goats for wool and meat.
• Gathering People used to gather fruits and vegetables for food.
• Small Settlement Early humans used to live in small groups. Initially they started to live in small settlements.

Questions, Activities and Projects (Page 74)

Question 1.
As a project, write the history of your family (or milage if you live in one), using sources of history at your disposal. Ask your teacher to guide you.
Answer:
These questions need to be attempted by the students themselves. Here we have provided a sample answer:
We live in a small village called Roshanpur in U.P. Through the Gram Panchayat we came to know various historical facts about the village. The village ancestors first moved in around 1500 years back, i.e., around 500 A.D.

My Paternal Great-Grandfather was Amar Singh, farmer, born in 1910 in this village. I got this informationifrom family stories and an old photograph.

Question 2.
Can we compare historians to detectives? Give reasons for your answers.
Answer:
Yes, we can compare historians to detectives. Just like detectives, historians also look for clues to solve mysteries. Detectives use evidence to figure out what happened in a crime, whereas historians use sources like old books, artefacts, and inscriptions to understand what happened in the past. Both detectives and historians ask questions, investigate, and piece together information to find the truth and the hidden truth.

Question 3.
A few Exercises with dates:
(a) Place these dates chronologically on the timeline: 323 CE, 323 BCE, 100 CE, 100 BCE, 1900 BCE, 1090 CE, 2024 CE.
(b) If King Chandragupta was born in 320 CE, which century did he belong to? And how many years was that after the Buddha’s birth?
Answer:

(b) If King Chandragupta was born in 320 CE, which century did he belong to? And how many years was that after the Buddha’s birth?
Answer:
King Chandragupta was bom in the 4th century CE.
Given King Chandragupta was bom in 320 CE. BuddhaJ was bom in 560 BCE.
Hence 560 + 320 – 1 = 880 – 1 = 879 years
That means King Chandragupta was born 879 years after the Buddha’s birth.

(c) Rani of Jhansi was born in 1828. Which century did she belong to? How many years was that before India’s Independence?
Answer:
Rani of Jhansi was born in the 19th century CE. India gained independence in 1947.
Hence:
1947- 1828 = 119 years
That means Rani of Jhansi was born 119 years before the India’s independence.

(d) Turn ‘12,000 years ago’ into a date.
Answer:
Assuming the current year is 2024 CE, 12,000 years ago would be 12,000 – 2024 + 1= 9977 BCE.

Question 4.
Plan a visit to a nearby museum: the visit should be prepared with some prior research on the kind of exhibits the museum holds. Keep notes during the visit. Write a brief report afterwards, highlighting what was unexpected/interesting/fun about the wsit and the exhibits.
Answer:
These questions need to be attempted by the students themselves. Here we-have provided some sample answers.

Museum Visit Report

• Preparation: Before visiting the National Museum, I got in touch with them through their online website and found that it houses artifacts from ancient India. The exhibit featured artifacts such as terracotta figurines, pottery, seals, and jewellery from the various eras of Indian history.
• During the Visit: I was keeping and maintaining the notes on the different sections, specifically focusing on the Harappan Gallery, the Mauryan and Gupta Era artifacts, the art section related to Buddhist era, Medieval Indian Art and Sculpture and Textiles and Decorative Arts.
• Report: The visit to the National Museum was very enriching. The most interesting was the Harappan pottery, which displayed commendable craftsmanship. The exhibit featured artifacts such as terracotta, pottery, seals, and jewellery from the Harappan civilisation.
  Contemporary Art was another attraction and it housed modern and contemporary artworks by prominent Indian artists which provided a contrast to the historical collections. These works highlighted the dynamic and evolving nature of Indian art in the contemporary era.

Question 5.
Invite to your school an archaeologist or a historian and ask them to speak on the history of your region and why it’s important to know it.
Answer:
Classroom Activity.

Class 6 Social Science Question Answer

• Chapter 1 Locating Places on the Earth
• Chapter 2 Oceans and Continents
• Chapter 3 Landforms and Life
• Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History
• Chapter 5 India, That is Bharat
• Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation
• Chapter 7 India’s Cultural Roots
• Chapter 8 Unity in Diversity, or ‘Many in the One’
• Chapter 9 Family and Community
• Chapter 10 Grassroots Democracy Part 1 Governance
• Chapter 11 Grassroots Democracy Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas
• Chapter 12 Grassroots Democracy Part 3 Local Government in Urban Areas
• Chapter 13 The Value of Work
• Chapter 14 Economic Activities Around Us