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Chapter – 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Social Science includes all the questions provided in NCERT Class 7 Social Science Text Book of Geography The Earth: Our Habitat, History Our Pasts, Civics Social and Political Life. Here CBSE Class 7 SST all questions are solved with the detailed explanation to score good marks in the exams. you can check Extra Questions for Class 7 Social Science

Chapter - 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

1. Answer the following questions briefly.

Which are the two factors on which the growth of vegetation mostly depends?
Which are the three broad categories of natural vegetation?
Name the two hardwood trees commonly found in tropical evergreen forest
In which part of the world is tropical deciduous forests found?
In which climatic conditions are citrus fruits cultivated?
Mention the uses of coniferous forest.
In which part of the world is seasonal grassland found?

Answer:

Two factors on which growth of vegetation mostly depends:
- Climate (Temperature and Moisture).
- Height
- Slope
- The thickness of the soil.
  (Any two factors)
Three broad categories of natural vegetation:
- Forests: Grow in regions of high temperature and rain.
- Grasslands: Grow in regions of moderate rainfall.
- Thorny shrubs and scrubs: Grow in dry regions.
Two Hardwood Trees:
- Rosewood
- Ebony
- Mahogany (Any Two)
Tropical deciduous forest is found in the following parts of the world:
- Large parts of India.
- Northern Australia
- Central America
Citrus fruits are cultivated in the Mediterranean climatic conditions.
Four uses of coniferous forests:
- Coniferous forests provide softwood.
- It is used in making pulp. The pulp is used in making paper and newsprint.
- The matchmaking industry gets softwood from coniferous forests.
- Softwood is also used in making package boxes.
Seasonal grassland is found in the Savannah region of Africa. It gets dried up in the dry season.

2. Tick the correct answer.
(a) Mosses and Lichens are found in
(i) Desertic vegetation
(ii) Tropical vegetation (iii) Tundra vegetation.
(b) Thorny bushes are found in
(i) Hot and humid tropical climate
(ii) Hot and dry desertic climate
(iii) Cold polar climate.
(c) In tropical evergreen forest, one of the common animals is
(i) Monkey                         (ii)    Giraffe
(iii) Camel.
(d) One important variety of coniferous forest is
(i) Rosewood                       (ii)    Pine
(iii) Teak.
(e) Steppe grassland is found in
(i) S. Africa                        (ii)    Australia
(iii) Central Asia.
Answer: (a)—(iii), (b)—(ii), (c)—(i), (d)—(ii), (e)—(iii).

Question 3.
Match the following.
(i) Walrus (a) Softwood tree
(ii) Cedar (b) An animal of tropical deciduous forest
(iii) Olives    (c) A polar animal
(iv) Elephants    (d) Temperate grassland in Australia
(v) Campos    (e) Thorny shrubs
(vi) Downs   (f) A citrus fruit
   (g) Tropical grassland of Brazil
Answer.
(i) Walrus   (c) A polar animal
(ii) Cedar   (a) Softwood tree
(iii) Olives    (f) A citrus fruit
(iv) Elephants    (b) An animal of tropical deciduous forest
(v) Campos    (g) Tropical grassland of Brazil
(vi) Downs   (d) Temperate grassland in Australia

4. Give reasons:

The animals in the polar region have thick fur and thick skin.
Tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season.
The type and thickness of vegetation changes from place to place.

Answer:

The animals in the polar region have thick fur and thick skin because of the following reasons:
- Polar regions are very cold. .
- Animals that do not have thick fur and thick skin cannot survive in these harsh and cold climates.;
- They have to protect themselves from cold by thick fur and thick skin.
Tropical deciduous trees shed their leaves in the dry season because of the following reasons:
- During the dry season, rainfall is scarce and water supply to plants and trees through their roots is reduced.
- Transpiration occurs through leaves.
- To reduce transpiration in dry season, trees shed their leaves.
- The short supply of moisture through their roots keeps them alive during the dry season.
The type and thickness of vegetation changes from place to place because of the following reasons:
- Climate (temperature and moisture)
- Height from mean sea level – Slope
- The thickness of the soil.
- As these conditions vary from place to place, natural vegetation (types and thickness) also varies from place to place.

5. Activity:
(a) Collect pictures and photographs of forests and grasslands of different parts of the world. Write one sentence below each picture.
(b) Make a collage of rainforest, grassland, and coniferous forests.

Answer:
(a) Pictures and photographs of forests and grasslands of different parts of the world.

These forests are found in the regions near the equator and close to the tropics. These regions are hot and receive heavy rainfall throughout the year. These trees do not shed their leaves altogether.

These forests are the monsoon forests found in the large part of India, northern Australia and in central America. Trees shed their leaves in dry season.

These forests are commonly found along the eastern margin of the continents and comprise both hard and softwood trees like oak, pine etc.

The grass can grow veiy tall, about 3 to 4 metres in height. Savannah grasslands of Africa are of this type.
(b) Students are suggested to do this activity themselves

6. For Fun:
In the crossword table given below, some words are hidden. They are all about vegetation and wildlife and are to be found horizontally and vertically. Two have been worked out for you. Work in pairs with a friend

Answer:

Class 7 Geography Chapter 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Intext Questions

Question 1.
Now can you tell why Salima saw changes in the natural vegetation as she climbed higher and higher? What type of vegetation did she see in the Himalayas starting with the foothills and going to the higher altitudes? (NCERT Page 39)
Answer.
Salima saw changes in the natural vegetation as she climbed higher and higher because of the following reasons:

Change in a climate with an increase in height.
Slope
The thickness of the soil.

Types of vegetation she saw

Sal and teak forests
Coniferous forests
Rhodo-dendrous
Short grass

Question 2.
Like Salima, when you go to visit any new place, notice the type of natural vegetation occurring there and try to think of factors responsible for the growth of such vegetation in that habitat.
Note down if any human interference has taken place in that area in terms of deforestation, grazing, cultivation of cash crops, constructional activities, etc. (NCERT Page 39)
Answer.
In October to Nainital.

Alpine and Montane vegetation.

Factors:

Cold climate.
Heavy rainfall.
Mountainous soil.

Yes, for habitation and commercial activities.

Question 3.
Where in India do tropical evergreen and tropical deciduous forests occur? Name the states. (NCERT Page 41)
Which type of forest dominates most parts of India?
Answer.

Western slopes of western ghats, N.E. India—Tropical evergreen (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Goa, and N.E. states)
Central India—Deciduous (M.P., Chhattisgarh), Jharkhand etc.
Tropical Deciduous.

Question 4.
Look around in your surroundings and find out the articles made of hardwood and softwood.
Find out and learn the names of few trees of your locality. (NCERT Page 43)
Answer.
Hardwood: Steppers, bridges, furniture, doors, windows.
Softwood: Matches, packing material, false ceiling, boats etc.
Mango, neem, jamun, shisham, kikar, peepal, sal.

Question 5.
Can you name the great desert of India? Name some of the common animals of the desert. (NCERT page 44)
Answer.
Thar is the great Indian desert.
Camel, Snakes, lizards and many insects are found here.

Class 7 Geography Chapter 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife VSAQ

1. How is height of land and the character of vegetation related with each other? [V. Imp.]
Answer: With the change in height the climate changes and that changes natural vegetation.

2. Where are shrubs found?
Answer: Shrubs are found in the dry regions.

3. Why do trees of tropical evergreen forests not shed their leaves altogether?
Answer: It is because there is no particular dry season.

4. What is the special feature of tropical evergreen forests? [V. imp.]
Ans. Thick canopies of the closely spaced trees are found here. As a result sunlight do not reach inside the forest.

5. Name the trees found in the tropical deciduous forests.
Ans. Sal, teak, neem and shisham.

6. Where are temperate evergreen forests located?
Answer: These forests are located in the mid-latitudinal coastal region.

7. Why are only citrus fruits cultivated in Mediterranean regions? [V. Imp.]
Answer: It is because people have removed the natural vegetation in order to cultivate citrus fruits.

8. Mention one special feature of coniferous forests.
Answer: These forests have tall and softwood evergreen trees.

9. Name the animals found, in the coniferous forests.
Answer: Silver fox, mink, and polar bear.

10. Name the animals found in tropical grasslands. ,
Answer: Elephants, zebras, giraffes, dear and leopards.

11. Where are Savannah grasslands found?
Answer: They are found in East Africa.

12. Where are Llanos grasslands found?
Answer: They are found in Venezuela.

13. Which type of grassland Prairie is?
Answer: Prairie is temperate grassland.

14. Where are tropical deserts located?
Answer: They are located on the western margins of the continents.

15. Name some animals found in polar regions.
Answer: Seal, walruses, musk-oxen, Arctic owl, polar bear, and snow foxes.

Class 7 Geography Chapter 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife SAQ

1. Mention the major features of tropical evergreen forests. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Major features of tropical evergreen forests are:

These forests are so dense that thick canopies are developed which do not allow the sunlight to penetrate inside the forest.
As there is no particular dry season, the trees do not shed their leaves altogether. This keeps the forest evergreen.
Hardwood trees such as rosewood, ebony and mahogany are found here.

2. Mention the features of Mediterranean trees.
Answer: These trees adapt themselves to dry summers with the help of their thick barks and wax-coated leaves which help them reduce transportation.

3. Write a short note tropical grasslands. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Tropical grasslands occur on either side of the equator and extend till the tropics. This vegetation grows in the areas of moderate to low amount of rainfall. The grass can grow very tall, about 3 to 4 metres in height. Savannah grasslands of Africa are of this type. Common animals found here are elephants, zebras, giraffes, deer and leopards.

4. Give cm account of the natural vegetation and wildlife found in the polar regions.
Answer: Polar regions are extremely cold. Therefore the growth of natural vegetation is very limited here. Only mosses, lichens and veiy small shrubs are found here. They grow during the very short summer. This is called Tundra type of vegetation. This vegetation is found in the polar areas of Europe, Asia and North America. The animals found here have thick fur and thick skin which protect them from the cold climatic conditions. Seal, walruses, musk-oxen, Arctic owl, Polar bear and snow foxes are some of the animals found in these regions.

Class 7 Geography Chapter 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Long Answer Questions

1. Discuss various types of forests. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Types of forests: ,

Tropical evergreen forests
Tropical deciduous forests
Temperate evergreen forests
Temperate deciduous forests
Mediterranean vegetation
Coniferous forests

1. Tropical evergreen forests. These forest are very dense and found in the regions near the equator and close to the tropics. These regions receive heavy rain throughout the year. The trees of these forests do not shed their leaves altogether and therefore they remain green all the time. Hardwood trees like rosewood, ebony and mahogany are found here.

2. Tropical deciduous forests. These forest are found in the regions which experience seasonal changes. Trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water. The hardwood trees like sal, teak, neem and shisham are found here. Animals like tigers, lions, elephants, langoors and monkeys are common in these forests.

3. Temperate evergreen forests. These forests are commonly found along the eastern margin of the continents. They comprise both hard and softwood trees. For example, oak, pine, eucalyptus etc.

4. Temperate deciduous forests. Trees of these forests shed their leaves in dry ‘season’. Oak, ash, beech, etc. are common trees here. Deer, foxes, wolves, etc. are common animals in these forests.

5. Mediterranean vegetation. It is mostly found in the areas around the Mediterranean sea in Europe, Africa and Asia. Citrus fruits like oranges, figs, olives and grapes are commonly cultivated in the Mediterranean regions.

6. Coniferous forests. They are also called Taiga. They are tall, softwood evergreen trees. Chir, pine, cedar is an important variety of trees in these forests. Silver, fox, mink, polar bear are the common animals found here.

2. Describe different types of grasslands. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Different types of grasslands are:

Tropical grasslands
Temperate grasslands
Thorny bushes
Tropical grasslands. This type of vegetation grows in the areas of moderate to low amounts of rainfall. The grass here can grow very tall, about 3 to 4 metres in height. Savannah grasslands of Africa are of this type. Common animals found here are elephants, zebras, giraffes, deer, leopards etc.
Temperate grasslands. This type of vegetation is found in the mid-latitudinal zones and in the interior part of the continents. Grass here is usually short and nutritious. Common animals found in this region are wild buffaloes, bison, antelopes etc.
Thorny bushes. These are found in the dry desert-like regions. Tropical deserts are located on the western margins of the continents, which are characterised by scarce vegetation.

Vegetation in the polar regions is also limited. Only mosses, lichens, and very small shrubs are found here. It grows during the very short summer. This is called Tundra type of vegetation. Polar animals have thick fur and thick skin which protect them from the cold climate conditions, for example, seal, walruses, musk-oxen, Arctic owl, etc

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Chapter – 5 Water | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 5 Water

Q. 1. Answer the following questions briefly.
(a) What is precipitation?
(b) What is the water cycle?
(c) What are the factors affecting the height of the waves?
(d) Which factors affect the movement of ocean water?
(e) What are tides and how are they caused?
(f) What are ocean currents?
Ans.
(a) Falling of moisture in the form of rainfall, snow, fog, sleet, and hailstone is termed as precipitation.
(b) The water cycle is the process by which water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans, atmosphere, and land.
(c) Winds, earthquakes, volcanic eruption, or underwater landslides are the factors affecting the height of the waves. The stronger the wind blows, the bigger the wave becomes.
(d) Temperature, winds, the gravitational pull of the sun, the earth, and the moon; warm and cold currents are the factors that affect the movement of ocean water.
(e) Tides are the rhythmic rise and fall of ocean water that occurs twice in a day. The strong gravitational pull exerted by the sun and the moon on the earth’s surface cause the tides.
(f) Ocean currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in definite directions.

Q. 2. Give reasons:
(a) Ocean water is salty.
(b) The quality of water is deteriorating.
Ans.
(a) The water of the oceans is salty as it contains a large amount of dissolved salts.
(b) Water is being used injudiciously. Whatever potable water is available, its quality is not good. It is because industrial effluents and untreated water of industries get mixed into streams and rivers. Sewerage water also gets mixed into these water bodies. As a result, the quality of water is deteriorating day by day.

Q. 3. Tick the correct answer.
(a) The process by which water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans, atmosphere and land
(i) Water cycle
(ii) Tides
(iii) Ocean currents.

(b) Generally the warm ocean currents originate near
(i) Poles
(ii) the Equator
(iii) None of these.

(c) The rhythmic rise and fall of ocean water twice in a day is called
(i) Tide
(ii) Ocean current
(iii) Wave
Ans.
(a)—(i), (b)—(ii), (c)—(i)

Q. 5. For Fun
Be a Detective
1. The name of one river is hidden in each of the sentences below. Spot it. Example: Mandira, Vijayalakshmi and Surinder are my best friends
Ans. Ravi
(a) The snake charmer’s bustee, stables where horses are housed, and the piles of wood, all caught fire accidentally. (Hint: Another name for River Brahmputra)
(b) The conference manager put pad, material for reading and a pencil for each participant. (Hint: A distributary on the Ganga-Brahmputra delta)

(d) Bhavani germinated the seeds in a pot (Hint: Look for her in West Africa)
(e) “I am a zonal champion now” declared the excited athlete. (Hint: The river that has the biggest basin in the world)
(f) The tiffin box rolled down and all the food fell in dusty potholes. (Hint: Rises in India and journeys through Pakistan)
(g) Malini leaned against the pole when she felt that she was going to faint. (Hint: Her delta in Egypt is famous)
(h) Samantha mesmerised everybody with her magic tricks. (Hint: London is situated on her estuary)

(i) “In this neighbourhood, please don’t yell! Owners of these houses like to have peace. Warned my father when we moved into our new flat”. (Hint: colour!)
(j) ‘Write the following words’, Marc! “On”, “go”, “in”……….. said the teacher to the
little boy in KG Class. (Hint: Rhymes with ‘bongo’)
Now make some more on your own and ask your classmates to spot the hidden name. You can do this with any name: that of a lake, mountains, trees, fruits, school items, etc.
TAns. eesta, (b) Padma, (c) Orange, (d) Niger, (e) Amazon, (f) Indus, (g) Nile,
(h) Thames, (i) yellow,(j) Conga.

Carry on Detective

2. With the help of an atlas, draw each river which you discovered in For fun (0, on
an outline map of the world.
Ans. Do yourself.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What is a terrarium?
Ans. It is an artificial enclosure for keeping small house plants. .

Q.2. Which type of water do the ocean bodies and the seas contain?
Ans. They contain salty water.

Q.3. What do you mean by salinity? [V. Imp.]
Ans. Salinity is the amount of salt in grams present in 1000 grams of water.

Q.4. What is the average salinity of the oceans?
Ans. The average salinity of the oceans is 35 parts per thousand.

Q.5. What is the salinity of the Dead sea?
Ans. The salinity of the Dead sea is 45 parts per thousand.

Q.6. Why do swimmers float in the Dead Sea?
Ans. Swimmers float in the Dead sea because the increased salt content makes it dense.

Q.7. What is the significance of World Water Day?
Ans. On the occasion of World Water Day (22nd March) the need to conserve water is reinforced in different ways.

Q. 8. What is a Tsunami? [V. Imp.]
Ans. Tsunami is a Japanese word that means ‘Harbour Waves’ as the harbors get destroyed whenever there is a Tsunami.

Q.9- What happens during high Ode? [Imp.]
Ans. During high tide, waves rise high and water covers much of the shore.

Q. 10. What happens during low tide?
Ans. During low tide waterfalls to its lowest level and recedes from the shore.

Q. 11. How are tides caused?
Ans. The strong gravitational pull exerted by the sun and the moon on the earth’s surface cause tides.

Q.12. Name one warm current and one cold current.
Ans. Warm current — The Gulf Stream
Cold current — The Labrador Ocean current.

Q. 13. What happened to the Indira point during the tsunami of 2004?
Ans. It got submerged.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. How are spring and neap tides formed? [V. Imp.]
Ans. During the full moon and new moon days, the sun, the moon, and the earth are in the same line and the tides are highest. These tides are called spring tides. But when the moon is in its first and last quarter, the ocean waters get drawn in diagonally opposite directions by the gravitational pull of the sun and earth resulting in low tides. These tides are called neap tides.

Q.2. How are high tides important?[V. Imp.]
Ans. High tides are important for various reasons:

They help in navigation
They raise the water level close to the shores. This helps the ships to arrive at the harbour more easily.
The high tides also help in fishing. Much more fish come closer to the shore during the high. This enables the fisherman to get a plentiful catch.
The rise and fall of water due to tides is being used to generate electricity in some places.

Q.3. What are the waves? Write a short note on it
Ans. Waves are the rise and fall of the water on the surface of the ocean. Waves are formed when winds scrape across the ocean surface. The stronger the wind blows, the bigger the wave becomes. During the storm, the winds blow at very high speed and therefore huge waves are formed. These waves are very strong, hence very destruction. They may cause huge devastation.

Q.4. Write a brief note on Tsunami. [Imp.]
Ans. Tsunami is a Japanese word that means ‘harbour waves’ as the harbours get destroyed whenever there is a tsunami. An earthquake, a volcanic eruption or underwater landslides can shift large amounts of ocean water. As a result tsunami occurs which may be as high as 15 m. The tsunami of 2004 is still in our minds. It caused huge death and destruction in the coastal areas of India. The Indira Point in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands got submerged after the tsunami.

Q.5. Write a note on the importance of water. [V. Imp.]
Ans. Water is life. Without water, we can not think of life. Its scarcity may create numerous problems but its absence would definitely lead to the non-existence of all the living beings on the earth. It is a precious resource of nature. We drink water whenever we feel thirsty. We use water in numerous activities such as washing clothes, cleaning house floors, watering the garden, etc. Industries also need water for their functioning. Thus, water is very essential and therefore we must conserve it. Our careless use of water has created several problems. Whatever water is there, it is not of good quality. We should think about the ways of its conservation for our own sake.

Q.6. Explain the water cycle with a neat and labelled diagram. [V. Imp.]
Ans. The sun’s heat causes evaporation of water, flowing down to stream or drains into water vapour. When the water vapour cools down, it condenses and forms clouds. These clouds, when become too heavy to float, start falling on the land or sea in the form of rain, snow, or sleet. Thus, the process by which water continually changes its form and circulates between oceans, atmosphere, and land is known as the water cycle.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. Give an account of ocean currents. [Imp.]

Ans. Ocean currents are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in definite directions. The ocean currents may be warm or cold. The warm ocean currents originate near the equator and move towards the poles. The cold current carries water from polar or higher latitudes to tropical or lower latitudes. For example, the Labrador Ocean current is a cold current while the Gulf Stream is a warm current.

The ocean current influences the temperature conditions of the area. Warm currents bring about warm temperatures over the land surface. The areas where the warm and cold currents meet provide the best fishing grounds of the world. For example seas around Japan and the eastern coast of North America. The areas where a warm and cold current meet also experience foggy weather and therefore navigation becomes difficult.

Q.2. How do we classify ocean movements? Explain. [V. Imp.]
Ans. Ocean movements can be classified into waves, tides, and currents.

When the water on the surface of the ocean rises and falls alternately, they are called waves. Waves are formed when winds scrape across the ocean surface. The stronger the wind blows, the bigger the wave becomes.

The rhythmic rise and fall of ocean water twice in a day is known as a tide. Tides may be high or low. It is high tide when water covers much of the shore by rising to its highest level. It is low tide when waterfalls to its lowest level and recedes from the shore. Tides are caused due to the strong gravitational pull exerted by the sun and moon on the earth’s surface. High tides help in navigation and fishing. The rise and fall of water due to tides is being used to generate electricity in some places.

Ocean currents. These are streams of water flowing constantly on the ocean surface in definite directions. The ocean currents may be warm such as the Gulf Stream and cold such as the Labrador Ocean current. The areas where the warm and cold currents meet provide the best fishing ground of the world. For example, seas around Japan and the Eastern Coast of North America.

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Chapter – 4 Air | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 4 Air

Question 1.
Answer the following questions briefly.
(i) What is atmosphere?
(ii) Which two gases make the bulk of the atmosphere?
(iii) Which gas creates greenhouse effect in the atmosphere?
(iv) What is weather?
(v) Name three types of rainfall
(vi) What is air pressure?
Answer:
(i) Atmosphere is a thin blanket of air that surrounds the earth. It protects us from the harmful rays of the sun. It consists of several gases in which nitrogen and oxygen occupy the major portion.
(ii) Nirtrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) make the bulk of the atmosphere.
(iii) Carbon dioxide creates a greenhouse effect in the atmosphere.
(iv) Weather is the hour-to-hour, day-to-day condition of the atmosphere.
(v)

Convectional rainfall
Orographic rainfall
Cyclonic rainfall.

(vi) The pressure exerted by the weight of air on the earth’s surface is known as air pressure.

Question 2. Tick the correct answer:
(i) Which of the following gases protects us from harmful sun rays?
(a) Carbon dioxide                            (b) Nitrogen
(c) Ozone.
(ii) The most important layer of the atmosphere is
(a) Troposphere       (b)        Thermosphere
(c) Mesosphere.
(iii) Which of the following layers of the atmosphere is free from clouds?
(a) Trosphere                                      (b) Stratosphere
(c) Mesosphere.
(iv) As we go up the layers of the atmosphere, the pressure
(a) Increases         (b) Decreases
(c) Ramains the same.
(v) When precipitation comes down to the earth in the liquid form, it is called
(a) Cloud           (b) Rain
(c) Snow.
Answer:  (i)—(c), (ii)—(a), (iii)—(b), (iv)—(b), (v)—(b).

Question 4.
Give reasons:

Wet clothes take longer time to dry on a humid day.
Amount of insolation decreases from equator torwards poles?

Answer:

As the air gets warmer its capacity to hold moisture, increases. Therefore it becomes more and more humid. On such days water from clothes or sweat from our body does not evaporate easily. Thus wet clothes take a longer time to dry.
- On the equator, insolation comes through vertical rays.
- It covers up less space. Hence heat is felt more.
From the equator, it goes on coming through slanting rays. Slanting rays come on the earth passing longer distances through the atmosphere. They heat up more space. Hence there is less heat on a point of space.

(ii) Make a weather calender for one week. Use pictures on symbols to show different types of weather. You can use more than one symbol in a day, if the weather changes. For example the sun comes out when .rain stops. An exmaple is given below:

Very Short Type Questions

Question 1. How does carbon dioxide create green house effect? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Crbon dioxide creates greenhouse effect by trappeing the heat radiated from the earth.

Question 2. What is the significance of greenhouse gas?
Answer: Without the greenhouse gas the earth would have been too cold to line in.

Question 3. What happens when air is heated?
Answer: When air is heated, it expands, becomes lighter and goes up.

Question 4. What is the nature of cold air?
Ans. It has tendency to go down.

Question 5. Why do green plants use carbon dioxide? [Imp.]
Answer: Green plants use carbon dioxide to make their food and release oxygen.

Question 6. What is an important feature of Stratosphere?
Answer: Stratosphere contains a layer of ozone gas.

Question 7. How is ozone important for us? [Imp.]
Answer: It protects us from the harmful effect of the sunrays.

Question 8. What is temperature?
Answer: The degree of hotness and coldness of the air is known as temperature.

Question 9. What is insolation?
Answer: Insolation is the incoming solar energy intercepted by the earth.

Question 10. Why is there no air pressure on the moon?
Answer: There is no air on the moon and therefore no air pressure.

Question 11. Where is air pressure highest?
Answer: Air pressure is highest at the sea level.

Question 12. How does air move?
Answer: Air moves from high pressure areas to low pressure areas.

Question 13. Name three types of winds.
Answer:

Permanent winds
Seasonal winds
Local winds.

Question 14. What is the hot and dry wind of northern planes of India called?
Ans. It is called loo.

Q.15 What is called humidity? [V. Imp.]
Ans. Moisture in the air at any time is called humidity.

Q 16 Why do we feel uncomfortable on a humid day?
Ans. It is because sweat from our body does not evaporate easily.

Q.17 How is the flooding of low lying areas caused? [V. Imp.]
Ans. When trees on hill sides are cut, rainwater flows down the bare mountains. This causes flooding of low lying areas.

Q.18 Name various forms of precipitation.
Ans.

Rain
Snow
Sleet
Hail

Q.19 How is a wind named?
Ans. A wind is named after the direction from which it blows. ‘

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1 Give an account of the composition of the atmosphere. [V. Imp.]
Ans. Our atmosphere is composed of mainly two gases—nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). Other gases like carbon dioxide, helium, ozone, orgon and hydrogen are found in lesser quantities. Apart from these gases, tiny dust particles are also present in the air.

Q.2 How do Bacteria help plants use nitrogen? [V. Imp.]
Ans. Nitrogen is essential for the survival of the plant. But plants cannot take nitrogen directly from the air. Bacteria, that live in the soil and roots of some plants, take nitrogen from the air and change its form so that plants can use it.

Q.3 How does nature balance our life? What is the result if this balance is disturbed?[V. Imp.]
Ans. Green plants use carbon dioxide to make their food and release oxygen. Humans or animals release carbon dioxide. The amount of carbon dioxide released by humans or animals seems to be equal to the amount used by the plants which make a perfect balance. But this balance is disturbed by the burning of fuels, which add billions of tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As a result, the increased volume of carbon dioxide is affecting the earth’s weather and climate.

Q.4 Why is temperature in cities much higher than that of villages ?
Ans. In cities, we find high rise buildings. The concrete and metals in these buildings and the asaphalt of roads get heated up during the day. This heat is released during the night.
Another reason is that the crowded high rise buildings of the cities trap the warm air and thus raise the temperature of the cities.

Q.5 Write a short note on the distribution of air pressure in the atmosphere. [Imp.]
Ans. Air pressure is the pressure exerted by the weight of air on the earth’s surface. As we go up the layers of the atmosphere, the pressure falls rapidly. The air pressure is highest at the sea level and decreases with height. Horizonally the distribution of air pressure is influenced by the temperature of the air at a given place. In areas where the temperature is high the air gets heated and rises. This creates a low-pressure area. In areas having lower temperature, the air is cold, hence, it is heavy. Heavy air sinks and creates a high-pressure area.

Q.6 Why do astronauts wear special protective suits when they go to the moon?
Ans. Astronauts wear special protective space suits filled with air when they go to the moon. If they did not wear these space suits, the counter pressure exerted by the body of the astronauts would make the blood vessels burst. The astronauts would bleed.

Q.7 How is rainfall important for us? What happens when there is excess rain? [V. Imp.]
Ans. Rainfall is very important for the survival of plants and animals. It brings fresh water to the earth’s surface. If rainfall is less, there is water scarcity which sometimes causes drought like situation. If there is excess rain, floods take place which makes the life of the affected people miserable.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1 Give an account of the different layers of the atmosphere. [V. Imp.]
Ans. Our atmosphere has five different layers. They are:

Troposphere: This is the most important layer of the atmosphere with an average height of 13 km from the earth. It is in this layer that we find the air that we breathe. Almost all the weather phenomena such as rainfall, fog, and hailstorm occur here.
Stratosphere: This layer extends up to a height of 50 km. It presents the most ideal conditions for flying aeroplanes. It contains a layer of ozone gas which protects us from the harmful effect of the sunrays.
Mesosphere: This layer extends up to a height of 80 km. Meteorites bum up in this layer on entering from the space.
Thermosphere: In this layer, the temperature rises very rapidly with increasing height. The ionosphere is a part of this layer. It extends between 80—400 km. This layer helps in radio transmission. Radio waves transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth by this layer.
Exosphere: It is the uppermost layer where there is very thin air. Light gases such as helium and hydrogen float into space from here.

Q.2 What is wind? Mention its different types.
Ans. The wind is the movement of air from the high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas. It is divided into three types:

Permanent winds
Seasonal winds
Local winds

1. Permanent winds. The trade winds, westerlies, and easterlies are the permanent winds. These blow constantly throughout the year in a particular direction.
2. Seasonal winds. These winds change their direction in different seasons. For example monsons in India.
3. Local winds. These winds blow only during a particular period of the day or year in a small area. For example land and sea breeze. Loo is a local wind which hot and dry and blows in the northern plains of India during summers.

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Chapter – 3 Our Changing Earth | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 3 Our Changing Earth

Question 1.
Answer the following questions briefly:

Why do the plated move?
What are exogenic and endogenic forces?
What is erosion?
How are flood plains formed?
What are sand dunes?
How are the beaches formed?
What are the ox-bow lakes?

Answer:

Plates move due to the movement in the molten magma found in the interior of the earth.
- Exogenic Forces
  - Exogenic forces are those forces which act on the surface of the earth and cause
    changes on the surface of the earth.
    Examples: Weathering, gradation, erosion, deposition.
- Endogenic Forces
  - Endogenic forces are those forces which originate in the interior of the earth and
    cause changes on the surface of the earth.
    Examples: Volcanoes and Earthquakes.
Erosion
Erosion is the wearing away of the landscape by different agents like running water, glacier, wind, ground water and sea waves.
Flood plains are formed in the following manners:
- During rains rivers overflow their banks.
- This leads to the flooding of the nearby areas.
- After the flood has receded, a layer of fine material and other material is deposited over the plain in the form of sediments.
- This leads to the formation of the flood plain.
Sand Dunes
Sand dunes are heaps of sand deposited at a place by the wind’s action in the
desert areas.
Formation of Beaches
- Sea waves strike the coasts.
- They erode the coasts and carry the eroded material in the form of silt and other material.
- When they withdraw they deposit the silt and other material (sediments) along the shore, forming wide beaches.
Ox-Bow Lakes
- When the meander loop is cut-off from the main river, it forms a cut-off lake.
- Its shape is like an ox-bow.
- Hence, the cut-off lake is called ox-bow lake.

Question 2. Tick the correct answer:
(i) Which is not an erosional feature of sea waves?
(a) Cliff
(b) Beach
(c) Sea cave.
(ii) The depositional feature of a glacier is
(a) Flood plain
(b) Beach
(c) Moraine.
(iii) Which is caused by the sudden movements of the Earth ?
(a) Volcano
(b) Folding
(c) Flood plain.
(iv) Mushroom rocks are found In
(a) Deserts
(b) River valleys
(c) Glaciers.
(v) Ox bow lakes are found In
(a) Glaciers
(b) River valleys
(c) Deserts.
Answer: (i) – (a), (ii) – (c), (iii)-(a) , (iv) -(a), (v)-(b)

Question 4.
Give reasons:

Some rocks have the shape of a mushroom.
Flood plains are very fertile.
Sea caves are turned into stacks.
Buddings collapse due to earthquakes.

Answer:

Some rocks have the shape of a mushroom, because of the following reasons:
- When’ rocks fall in the course of running dust-storms, the suspended particles of sand strike the lower portion of the rocks and erode them.
- The upper portions of the rocks remain unaffected/uneroded.
- In course of time the rocks take up the shape of a mushroom.
Flood plains are very fertile because of the following reasons:
- They are made of the silt and other material brought by floods.
- Due to spread of the new silt, the flood plains are fertile areas.
Sea caves are turned into stacks because of the following reasons:
- The sea waves strike the coasts and erode the soft rocks. Hard rocks remain uneroded. This action results in the formation of sea caves.
- In course of time the roofs of the caves also come down due to erosion and the arms/walls of the caves remain standing like pillars. • These pillars-like formations are termed as stacks.
Buildings collapse due to earthquakes because of the following reasons:
- Most buildings are not built/made earthquake-proof.
- When the earthquakes strike, the buildings are not capable of resisting the
  vibrations of the earthquakes.
- They tear apart due to shallow foundation, sub-standard interior material, and lack of adequate steel.
- They collapse and fall down like a pack of papers/cards.

Question 5.
Activity
Observe the photographs given below. These are various features made by a river. Identify them and also tell whether they are erosional or depositional or landforms formed by both.

Question 6.
For fun.
Solve the crossword puzzle with the help of given clues.
Across
2. Loop like the bend of a river.
4. Solid form of water.
7. Moving mass of ice.
9. Sudden descent of water in the bed of a river.
11. Natural cavity on weak rocks formed by action of waves.

12. Embankment on a river that keeps it in its channel.
13. Large body of seawater.
14. Dry area where sand dunes are found.
15. Small hill of sand caused by the action of the wind.
16. Flat plain formed by river deposits during the time of the flood.
Down
1. Rise and fall of water caused by friction of the wind on the water surface.
3. Flow of water in a channel.
5. Steep perpendicular face of rock along a sea coast.
6. Debris of boulder and coarse material carried by a glacier.

8. Crescent-shaped lake formed by a meandering river.
10. Fine sand deposited by the action of the wind.
13. Isolated mass of rising steep rock near a coastline.
14. Alluvial tracts of land formed by the river deposits at the mouth of a river.
Answer.

ACTIVITY

Earthquake-A case study

Activity

1. Read the ‘Earthquake – A case study’ given in the form of headlines that appeared in the newspapers after the quake. Arrange the events in the right sequence of their happening.
2. Imagine if a quake suddenly shook in the middle of the school day, where do you go for safety?
Answer.

1. Sequence

2. We would go for safety

in the open
under the gates
would keep pillow or cushion on our heads.

INTEXT QUESTIONS WITH THEIR ANSWERS

Question 1.
Find out the names of a few rivers of the world that form a delta?
Answer.
Name of some rivers (See the Map):

Mississippi—Missouri.
Amazon.
Parana—Paraguay.
The Nile.
Zaire.
Tigris—Euphrates.
Ganga—Brahmaputra.
Indus.
Hwang Ho.
The Yangtze.
Irrawaddy.
Salwin.
Murray—Darling.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What do you know about the lithospheric plates?
Answer: The earth’s crust consists of several large and some small, rigid, irregularly— shaped plates, Le., slabs which cany continents and the ocean floor.

Question 2. How do the lithospheric plates move?
Answer: They move around very slowly, just a few millimeters each year.

Question 3. What is a volcano?
Answer: A volcano is a vent or opening in the earth’s crust through which molten material erupts suddenly.

Question 4. Define focus’ and ‘epicentre’. [Imp.]
Answer: The place in the crust where the movement starts is called the ‘focus’. The place on the surface above the focus is called the ‘epicentre’.

Question 5. Name the three types of earthquake waves.
Answer:

P waves or longitudinal waves
S waves or transverse waves
L wave or surface waves.

Question 6. What is a seismograph? [V. Imp.]
Answer: A seismograph is a machine which measures an earthquake.

Question 7. Name the scale on which the magnitude of the earthquake is measured.
Answer: Richter scale.

Question 8. Which earthquake is classified as a major earthquake?
Answer: An earthquake of 7.0 magnitude is classified as a major earthquake.

Question 9. Where is Victoria Falls located? [Imp.]
Answer: Victoria Falls is located on the borders of Zambia and Zimbabwe in Africa.

Question 10. What is delta?
Answer: The collection of sediments from all the mouths forms a delta. It is a triangular-shaped landmass.

Question 11. Name some coastal landforms.
Answer: Sea caves, sea arches, stacks, and sea cliffs.

Question 12. How are glacial moraines formed? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The material carried by the glacier such as rocks big and small, sand and silt gets deposited. These deposits form glacial moraines.

Question 13. Name the two processes which wear away the landscape.
Answer: Weathering and erosion.

Question 14. What does the process of erosion and deposition create?
Answer: The process of erosion and deposition create different landforms on the surface of the earth.

Question 15. Name a few rivers of the world that form a delta?
Answer: Nile, Zaire, Ganga-Brahmaputra, Hwangotto, Murray-Darling, Amazon, etc.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Mention the work of ice.
Answer: Glaciers are rivers of ice that erode the landscape by destroying soil and stones to expose the solid rock below. Glaciers carve out deep hollows. As the ice melts they get filled up with water and become beautiful lakes in the mountains. The material carried by the glacier such as rocks big and small, sand and silt gets deposited. These deposits form glacial moraines.

Question 2. What is an earthquake? What are some common earthquake prediction methods?[V. Imp.]
Answer: When the lithospheric plates move, the surface of the earth vibrates. The vibrations can travel all around the earth. These vibrations are called earthquakes. Some common earthquake prediction methods include studying animal behaviour, fish in the ponds get agitated, snakes come to the surface.

Question 3. Give an account of earthquake preparedness. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Earthquake is a natural calamity which we cannot stop. But we can minimise its impact if we are prepared before-hand.
During an earthquake, we should shift to some safe spot. We should hide under a kitchen counter, table, or desk against an inside comer or wall. We should stay away from fireplaces, areas around chimneys, windows that shelter including mirrors and picture frames. Moreover, we should spread awareness amongst our friends and family members.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Explain the work of a river. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The running water in the river erodes the landscape. When the river tumbles at a steep angle over very hard rocks or down a deep valley side it forms a waterfall. While entering the plain the river twists and turns and forms large bends which are known as meanders. Due to continuous erosion and deposition along the sides of the meander, the ends of the meander loop come closer and closer.

In due course of time the meander loop cuts off from the river and forms a cut-off lake, which is also called an ox-bow lake. Sometimes, the river overflows its banks causing flood in the neighboring areas. As it floods, it deposits layers of fine soil and other material called sediments along its banks. As a result—a fertile floodplain is formed. The raised banks are called levees.

As the river approaches the sea, the speed of the flowing water decreases, and the river begins to break up into several streams known as distributaries. Then a time comes when the river becomes very slow and it begins to deposit its load. Each distributary forms its own mouth. The collection of sediments from all the mouths forms a delta, which is a triangular landmass.

Question 2. Give an account of the work of wind. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Wind is an active agent of erosion and deposition in the deserts. In deserts, we often notice rocks in the shape of a mushroom, known as mushroom rocks. Winds erode the lower section of the rock more than the upper part. Therefore, such rocks have a narrower base and a wider top. When the wind blows, it lifts and transports sand from one place to another.

When the wind stops blowing the sand falls and gets deposited in low hill-like structures. These are called sand dunes. When the grains are very fine and light, the wind can carry it over long distances. When such sand is deposited in a large area, it is called loess.

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Chapter – 2 Inside Our Earth | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 2 Inside Our Earth

Question 1.
Answer the following questions briefly.

What are the three layers of the earth?
What is a rock?
Name three types of rocks.
How are extrusive and intrusive rocks formed?
What do you mean by a rock cycle?
What are the uses of rocks?
What are metamorphic rocks?

Answer:

Three Layers of the Earth
- Crust
- Mantle
- Core.
Rock
- A mass of mineral matter that makes up the crust of the earth is called rock.
  Or
- Aggregates of minerals are termed as rocks. Examples: See part
Three Types of Rocks
- Igneous Rocks
- Sedimentary Rocks
- Metamorphic Rocks.
Formation of Extrusive and Intrusive Rocks
- Due to extreme heat in the interior of the earth, rocks are found in the form of molten material called magma.
- When magma comes out on the surface of the earth, it cools down and turns into solid rocks. Such rocks are termed as extrusive rocks.
  Examples:
  ★ Basalt.
  ★ Deccan Trap is built of basalt.
- When the molten magma cools down within the interior of the earth, it becomes solid to form intrusive rocks.
  Examples:
  ★ Granite.
  ★ Gabro.
Rock Cycle
Igneous rocks change into sedimentary rocks, igneous and sedimentary rocks under heat and pressure change into metamorphic rocks, metamorphic rocks into igneous rocks or sedimentary rocks due to melting or wearing down. This process is called the rock cycle.
Uses of Rocks
- Hard rocks are used in making buildings and barrages.
- Houses and buildings are built of rocks (stones, slates, granite, marble).
- Stones are used in numerous games:
- Seven stones (phitthoo).
- Hopscotch (stapu, kit).
- Five stones (gitti).
- Rocks (stones and slates) are used in building bridges, embankments.
Metamorphic Rocks
- When under heat and pressure igneous rocks and sedimentary rocks change their form and more precious rocks are formed to be known as metamorphic rocks.
  Examples:
  ★ Granite into granite gneiss.
  ★ Coal into slate.
  ★ Slate into schist.
  ★ Limestone into marble.

Question 2.
Tick the correct answer.
(i) The rock which is made up of molten magma is
(a) Igneous
(b) Sedimentary
(c) Metamorphic.

(ii) The innermost layer of the earth is
(a) Crust
(b) Core
(c) Mantle.

(iii) Gold, petroleum and coal are example of
(a) Rocks
(b) Minerals
(c) Fossils.

(iv) Rocks which contain fossils are
(a) Sedimentary rocks
(b) Metamorphic rocks
(c) Igneons rocks.

(v) The thinnest layer of the earth is
(a) Crust
(b) Mantle
(c) Core.
Answer:
(i)—(a), (ii)—(b), (iii)—(b), (iv)—(a), (v)—(a).

Question 4.
Give reasons:

We cannot go to the centre of the earth.
Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments.
Limestone is changed into marble.

Answer:

We cannot go to the centre of the earth because of the following reasons:
- The thickness (from crust to the core) is 6371 km. (Radius of the earth).
- Temperature increases with depth @ 1°C per 32 metre.
- There is extreme heat and pressure of overlying rocks, everything is in a molten state.
- There is no oxygen to survive.
Sedimentary rocks are formed from sediments because of the following reasons:
- Igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks, decompose, disintegrate and wear down due to weathering.
- This material is carried away by running water (rivers), wind, glacier.
- The material is then deposited in low lying areas and is called sediments.
- When sediments are solidified into layers due to pressure from overlying sediments they are called sedimentary rocks.
Limestone is changed into marble due to the following reasons:
- The overlying layers of rocks put pressure on the underlying rocks.
- From the surface to the interior of the earth, temperature and heat go on increasing.
- Due to pressure and heat, the original limestone changes into marble.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is called the uppermost layer of the earth? [Imp.]
Answer:
It is called the crust.

Question 2.
What is the special feature of this layer? {Imp.]
Answer.
It is the thinnest of all the layers

Question 3.
Name the main mineral constituent of the continental mass.
Answer:
Silica and alumina

Question 4.
Name the constituents of the oceanic crust. [V. Imp.]
Answer:
Silica and magnesium.

Question 5.
What is the radius of the core?
Answer:
The radius of the core is about 3500 km.

Question 6.
What are the main constituents of the core?
Answer:
The main constituents of the core are nickel and iron. It is usually known as nife.

Question 7.
What is the earth’s crust made of? [V.Imp.]
Answer:
It is made up of different types of rocks.

Question 8.
What are called igneous rocks?
Answer:
When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid. Rocks formed in this way are called igneous rocks.

Question 9.
What are fossils?
Answer:
The remains of the dead plant and animals trapped in the layers of rocks are called fossils.

Question 10.
What happens when igneous and sedimentary rocks go under great heat and pressure?
Answer:
They change into metamorphic rocks.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What are minerals? How are they useful for mankind? [V. Imp.]
Answer:
Minerals are naturally occurring substances which have certain physical properties and definite chemical composition.
Minerals are very useful for mankind. Some minerals like coal, natural gas and petroleum are used as fuels. They are also used in industries. Iron, aluminium, gold, uranium etc. are used in medicine, in Fertilizers, etc.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Mention various types of rocks IV. [Imp.]
Answer:
Rocks are of the three types:

Igneous rocks
- Sedimentary rocks
- Metamorphic rocks
- Igneous rocks. When the molten magma cools, it becomes solid. Rocks formed in this way are called igneous rocks.
- They are also called primary rocks. They are of two types—intrusive rocks and extrusive rocks.
Extrusive rocks.When molten lava comes on the earth’s surface, it rapidly cools down and becomes solid. Rocks formed in this way on the crust Eire called extrusive igneous rocks. For example, basalt.
Intrusive rocks. Sometimes the molten magma cools down deep inside the earth’s crust. Solid rocks so formed are called intrusive igneous rocks. Since they cool down slowly they form large grains. For example, granite.
Sedimentary rocks. Small fragments of rocks are called sediments. These sediments are transported and deposited by wind, water, etc.These loose sediments are compressed and hardened to form sedimentary rocks. For example, sandstone is made from grains of sand.
Metamorphic rocks. When igneous and sedimentary rocks Eire subjected to great heat and pressure they chsmge into metamorphic rocks. For example, clay changes into slate and limestone into marble.

Question 2.
What do you know about the interior of the earth? [V. Imp.]
Answer:
Our earth is made up of several concentric layers with one inside another. These layers are three in number—crust, mantle smd core.

Crust. It is the uppermost layer over the earth’s surface. It is the thinnest of all the layers. It is about 35 km on the continential masses and only 5 km on the ocean floors.

The continental masses are made up of silica and alumina. It is thus called sial (si-silica and al-alumina). The oceanic crust mainly consists of silica and magnesium. It is thus called sima (si-silica and ma-magnesium).

Mantle:It is just beneath the crust. It extends up to a depth of 2900 km below the crust

Core: It is the innermost layer. Its radius is about 3500 km. It is mainly made up of nickel and iron and is known as nife (ni-nickel and fe-ferrous, Le., iron). The central core has a very high temperature and pressure.

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Chapter – 1 Environment | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 1 Environment

Question 1.
Answer the following questions briefly.

What is an ecosystem?
What do you mean by the natural environment?
Which are the major components of the environment?
Give four examples of a human-made environment.
What is the lithosphere?
Which are the two major components of the biotic environment?
What is the biosphere?

Answer:

All plants, animals and human beings depend on their immediate surroundings. They are also interdependent on each other. This relation between the living organisms as well as the relation between the organism and their surroundings form an ecosystem.
The natural environment consists of land, water, air, plants and animals. Thus, the natural environment refers to both biotic (plants and animals) and abiotic (land) conditions that exist on the earth.
The major components of the environment are—natural (land, air, water, living things), human-made (buildings, parks, bridges, roads, industries, monuments, etc.), and humans (individual, family, community, religion, educational, economic, etc).
Four examples of human-made environments—buildings, parks, bridges, and roads.
The lithosphere is the solid crust or the hard top layer of the earth. It is made up of rocks and minerals and covered by a thin layer of soil. It is an irregular surface with various landforms such as mountains, plateaus, plains, valleys, etc.
Plants and animals are the two major components of a biotic environment,
The biosphere is a narrow zone of the earth where land, water, and air interact with each other to support life. Thus, plant and animal kingdom together make biosphere, ie., the living world.

Question 2.
Tick the correct answer.

Which is not a natural ecosystem?
(a) Desert
(b) Aquarium
(c) Forest.
Which is not a component of the human environment?
(a) Land
(b) Religion
(c) Community.
Which is a human-made environment?
(a) Mountain
(b) Sea
(c) Road.
Which is a threat to the environment?
(a) Growing plant (b) Growing population
(c) Growing crops.

Answer:
(i)—(b), (ii)—(a), (iii)—(c), (iv)—(b).

Question 3. Match the following:

Biosphere (a) blanket of air which surrounds the earth
Atmosphere (b) domain of water
Hydrosphere (c) gravitational force of the earth
Environment (d) our surroundings
(e) the narrow zone where land, water, and air interact

Answer:

—(e)
—(a)
—(b)
—(d)

Question 4.
Give reasons:

Man modifies his environment
Plants and animals depend on each other.

Answer:

Man modifies his environment in the following ways:
- He cuts forests and clears land for agriculture, industries, and habitation.
- He tills land for agriculture.
- He uses the land to build buildings, roads, and railways.
- He uses water.
- He uses air for his survival.
- He sets up industries, factories, etc.
- He does numerous other activities for his life, making it comfortable.
Plants and animals depend on each other in the following ways:
- Plants provide food to animals.
- They, in the form of forests, provide shelter to wildlife.
- Wildlife adds beauty to the forests.
- Animals provide manure to plants for growth.
- Animals also provide beauty to forests.
- Dead animals also provide humus content.

Question 5. Activity
Imagine an ideal environment where you would love to live. Draw the picture of your ideal environment.
Answer: Students are expected to do this activity themselves. However, a sample is given below:

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
What is the environment? [Imp.]
Answer:
Everything that we see in our surroundings forms environment. It is our basic life support system. It provides us air, water, food, and land—the basic needs of our life.

Question 2.
Why is our environment changing?[V. Imp.]
Answer:
Our environment is changing because our needs are increasing day by day. To fulfill these needs we often don’t think about the environment and start modifying it.

Question 3.
What are the basic components of the natural environment?
Answer:
The basic components of the natural environment are—land, water, air, plants and animals.

Question 4.
What does the lithosphere provide us? [Imp.]
Answer:
Lithosphere provides us forests, grasslands for grazing land for agriculture and human settlements. It is a rich source of minerals.

Question 5.
Name different types of water bodies.
Answer:
Rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, etc.

Question 6.
How is the atmosphere important for us? [Imp.]
Answer:
The atmosphere protects us from the harmful rays and scorching heat of the sun.

Question 7.
What do you see in the deserts? Name some animals.
Answer:
We see camels, snakes, lizards, and insects.

Question 8.
What is the barter system?
Answer:
The barter system is a method of trade in which goods are exchanged without the use of money.

Question 9.
Distinguish between the biotic and abiotic environments with examples.
Answer:
The world of living organisms is known as a biotic environment. Example: plants and animals.
The world of the non-living element is known as the abiotic environment. Example: land

Question 10.
How is the environment important for us?
Answer:
It is important for us because it is the provider of air, water, food, and land— the basic necessities of life.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Write a note on the lithosphere. [Imp.]
Answer:
The lithosphere is the solid crust or the hard top layer of the earth. It is made up of rocks and minerals. It is covered by a thin layer of soil. It is an irregular surface with various landforms such as mountains, plateaus, deserts, plains, valleys, etc. The lithosphere plays an important role in our life. It provides us forests, grassland for grazing, land for agriculture, and human settlements. It is also a treasure of various minerals.

Question 2.
Give an account of the atmosphere.
Answer:
Atmosphere is the thin layer of air that surrounds the earth. It is made up of various gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, dust particles and water vapor. The gravitational force of the earth holds the atmosphere around it. It protects us from harmful rays and scorching heat of the sun. The changes in the atmosphere produce changes in the weather and climate.

Question 3.
How do human beings modify the natural environment? [V. Imp.].
Answer:
The needs of human beings are increasing day and day. Hence, they modify the natural environment to fulfill these needs. Sometimes they even destroy their environment Human beings have made cars for their convenience. These cars release fumes which pollute the air. They have established factories on land. These factories manufacture various items such as containers. This is how they modify natural environment.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
Give an account of various domains of the environment.
Answer:
Various domains of the environment are:

Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
It is the solid crust or the hard top layer of the earth. It is made up of rocks and minerals and covered by a thin layer of soil. It provides us forests, grasslands, and land. It is a source of mineral wealth.
It is the thin layer of air that surrounds the earth. The gravitational force of the earth holds the atmosphere around it. It protects us from harmful rays and scorching heat of the sun. It consists of various gases, dust, and water vapour.
It refers to various water bodies such as rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, etc. that exist on the earth.
The biosphere or the living world is comprised of plant and animal kingdom. It is a narrow zone of the earth where land, water, and air interact with each other to support life.

Question 2.
How have human beings adapted to the environment to fulfill their needs?
Answer:
Human beings from the early times have been interacting with the environment and modifying it according to their needs. Early humans adapted themselves to their natural surroundings. They led a simple life and fulfilled their requirements from the nature around them. But their needs kept on increasing. They became varied also. To fulfill these varied needs, humans learned to grow crops, tamed animals, and began a settled life.

The wheel was invented, surplus food was produced, the barter system emerged, trade started and commerce developed. The industrial revolution made possible large scale production. By and by transportation became faster. The information revolution made communication easier and speedy across the world. In this way, human beings adapted to the environment in order to fulfill their needs.

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Chapter – 10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter -10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

1. Match the following
subadar – a revenue farmer
faujdar   – a high noble
ijaradar – provincial governor
misl       – Maratha peasant warriors
chauth     – a Mughal military commander
kunbis – A band of Sikh warriors
umara – tax levied by the Marathas
Answer:  subadar – provincial governor
faujdar   – a Mughal military commander
ijaradar – a revenue farmer
misl – A band of Sikh warriors
chauth   – tax levied by the Marathas
kunbis – Maratha peasant warriors
umara – a high noble

2. Fill in the blanks:

Aurangzeb fought a protracted war in the …………………
Umaraand jagirdars constituted powerful sections of the Mughal
Asaf Jah founded the Hyderabad state in ………………….
The founder of the Awadh state was ………………..

Answer:

Deccan
administration
1724
Burhan-ul-Mulk Sa’adat Khan

3. State whether true or false:
(a) Nadir Shah invaded Bengal.
(b) Sawai Raja Jai Singh was the ruler of Indore.
(c) Guru Gobind Singh was the tenth Guru of the Sikhs.
(d) Poona became the capital of the Marathas in the eighteenth century.
Answer: (a)—False, (b)—False, (c)—True, (d)—True

4. What were the offices held by Sa’adat Khan?
Answer:
Offices held by Sa’adat Khan.

Subadari
Faujdari
Diwani

He was responsible for managing political, military and financial affairs.

5. Why did the Nawab of Awadh and Bengal try to do away with the jagirdari system?
Answer:
Nawabs of Awadh and Bengal tried to do away with the jagirdari system because:

They were suspicious of this system that they inherited.
Their methods of tax collection were different, they hired “revenue farmers to collect the taxes”.
They used practice of Ijaradari rather than jagirdari.
They wanted to expand and receive land as security against loans.
They knew the loopholes of the system and that how jagirdars become powerful if not checked in time.

6. How were the Sikhs organised in the eighteenth century?
Answer: During the 17th century the Sikhs got organised into a political community. This led to the regional state-building in Punjab. Guru Gobind Singh fought many battles against the Rajputs as well as Mughal rulers, both before and after the institution of the Khalsa in 1699. After the death of Guru Gobind Singh in 1708, the Khalsa revolted against the Mughal authority under the leadership of Banda Bahadur and declared their sovereign rule.

Banda Bahadur was captured in 1715 and executed in 1716. In the 18th century, the Sikhs organised themselves into a number of bands called jathas and later on rrdsls. Their well-knit organisation enabled them to put up successful resistance to the Mughal governors first and then to Ahamd Shah Abdali. Who had seized the rich province of the Punjab and the Sarkar of Sirhind from the Mughals.

7. Why did the Marathas want to expand beyond the Deccan?
Answer:
Marathas wanted to expand beyond the Deccan because of the following reasons:

They wanted to clip away the authority of the Mughal Empire.
Maratha king to be recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.
To possess the right to collect Chauth and sardeshmukhi in the entire region.

8. What were the policies adopted by Asaf Jah to Strengthen his position?
Answer:
After being the actual ruler of the Deccan, Asaf Jah began to adopt some policies in order to strengthen his position :

He brought skilled soldiers and administrators from northern India who welcomed the new opportunities in the south.
He appointed mansabdars and granted jagirs.
He ruled independently without Mughal interference. The Mughal emperor merely confirmed the decisions already taken by Asaf Jah.

9. Do you think merchants and bankers today have the kind of influence they had in the eighteenth century?
Answer: During the 18th-century merchants were more influential than the bankers. They used to provide more loan opportunities at higher interest rates. But now, with the spread of education people prefer banks which provide loans and other financial assistance at cheaper rates. Bankers also provide subsidy on the interest rate. They have different scopes of loans for different purposes. So they are more influential today than the merchants.

10. Did any of the Kingdoms mentioned in this chapter develop in your state? If so, in what ways do you think life in the state would have been different in the eighteenth century from what, it is in the twenty-first century?
Answer: I live in Delhi. None of the Kingdoms mentioned in the chapter developed in this region.
If any of the students live in any of the regions where the kingdoms mentioned in the chapter developed they should consult their history teacher and prepare their answer.

11. Find out more about the architecture and culture associated with the new courts of any of the following Awadh, Bengal, or Hyderabad.
Answer: For self-attempt.

12. Collect popular tales about—rulers from any one of the following groups of people: the Rajputs, Jots, Sikhs, or Marathas.
Answer: For self-attempt.

Very Short Type Questions

1. What was the effect of Aurangzeb’s long war in the Deccan? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The military and financial resources of his empire got depleted,

2. Which parts of India were associated with peasant and zamindari rebellions?
Answer: Northern and western parts of India.

3. Name the three states that were carved out of the old Mughal provinces in the 18th century. [Imp.]
Answer: Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.

4. What was the ambition of the Nizam-ul-Mulk Asaf Jah?
Answer: He wished to control the rich textile producing areas of the Coromandal coast in the east.

5. Why was his ambition not fulfilled?
Answer: Because the British began to gain power in his region.

6. What was the geographical and economic importance of Awadh? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Awadh was a prosperous region, controlling the rich alluvial Ganga plain and the main trade route between north India and Bengal.

7. Name the new social groups that developed in Awadh to influence the management of the state’s revenue system ?
Answer: Moneylenders and bankers.

8. Why did zamindars of Bengal borrow money from bankers and moneylenders?
Answer: They borrowed money to pay the revenue in cash.

9. Where did Sawai Raja Jai Singh found his new capital?
Answer: He founded his new capital at Jaipur

10. Why was a system called rakhi introduced?
Answer: This system was introduced to give protection to cultivators on the payment of a tax of 20% of the produce.

11. Who was Shivaji?
Answer: Shivaji was the founder of the Maratha Kingdom

12. How were peasant-pastoralists important for Shivaji? [V- Imp.]
Answer: Peasant-pastoralists provided the backbone of the Maratha army. Shivaji used these forces to challenge the Mughals in the peninsula.

13. What was Chauth? [V. Imp.]
Answer: 25% of the land revenue claimed by zamindars was known as Chauth.

14. What was sardeshmukhi? [V. Imp.]
Answer: 9-10% of the land revenue paid to the head revenue collector in the Deccan was known as sardeshmukhi.

15. Under whose leadership the Jats became powerful?
Answer: The Jats became powerful under the leadership of churaman.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. How did the later Mughal emperors lose their control over their nobles? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The efficiency of the imperial administration broke down under the later Mughal emperors. It became increasingly difficult for them to keep a check on their powerful Nobles appointed as governors often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal empire. As the governors consolidated their control over the provinces, the periodic remission of revenue to the capital declined.

2. Describe the impact of Nadir Shah’s invasion upon Delhi. [V. Imp.]
Answer: Nadir Shah, the ruler of Iran, sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense amounts of wealth. As a result, the Mughal treasury became vacant. Delhi turned into a deserted place. The wealthy now became beggars. There spread chaos everywhere. Those who once set the style in clothes now went naked and those owned property were now homeless. The New City, Le. Shahjahanabad turned into rubble. Delhi, once so rich, became poor after Nadir Shah looted it.

3. Divide the states of the eighteenth century into three overlapping groups.
Answer: (a) States that were old Mughal provinces like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.

States that had enjoyed considerable independence under the Mughals as watan jagirs.These included several Rajput principalities.
The group included states under the control of Marathas, Sikhs and others like the Jats.

4. How did Burhan-ul-Mulk reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Burhan-ul-Mulk tried to reduce Mughal influence in the Awadh region by taking following steps:

He first of all reduced the number of office holders [jagirdars) appointed by the Mughals.
He also reduced the size of jagirs, and appointed his own loyal servants to vacant positions.
The accounts of jagirdarswere checked to prevent cheating and the revenues of all districts were re-assessed by officials appointed by the Nawab’s court.

5. How did moneylenders and bakers achieve influential position in the state of Awadh? [V. Imp.]
Or
Describe the close connection between the state of Awadh and bankers.
Answer: The state of Awadh depended on local bankers and mahcyans for loans. It sold the right to collect tax to the highest bidders. These revenue farmers known as jaradars agreed to pay the state a fixed sum of money. Local bankers guaranteed the payment of this contracted amount to the state. In turn the revenue farmers were given considerable freedom in the assessment and collection of taxes. These developments made the positions of moneylenders and bankers influential. They began to influence the management of the state’s revenue system.

6. How did Murshid Quli Khan become powerful in Bengal?
Answer: Under Murshid Quli Khan, Bengal gradually broke away from Mughal control. He was appointed as the naib, deputy to the governor of the province. Although never a formal subadar, Murshid Quli Khan very quickly seized all the power that went with that office. Soon, he began to command the revenue administration of the state. In order to reduce Mughal influence in Bengal he transferred all Mughal jagirdars to Orissa and ordered a major re-assessment of the revenues of Bengal. Revenue was collected in cash with great strictness from all zamindars.
Q. 7. Who were the Jats? How did they consolidate their power during the late 17th and 18th centuries?
Ans. The Jats were prosperous agriculturists. Like other states they also consolidated their power during the late 17th and 18th centuries. Under the leadership of Churaman they acquired control over territories situated to the west of the city of Delhi. By the 1680s they had begun dominating the region between the two imperial cities of Delhi and Agra. Towns like Panipat and Ballabhgarh became major trading centres in the areas dominated by them. Under Suraj Mai the kingdom of Bharatpur emerged as a strong state.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. The Mughal Empire had to face a variety of crises towards the closing years of the 17th century. What were the causes behind it?
Or
What were the causes of the fad of the Mughal Empire? [V. Imp.]
Answer: There were a number of factors that led to the decline of the Mughal Empire.

Emperor Aurangzeb fought a long war in the Deccan. As a result, the military and financial resources of his empire got depleted.
The successors of Aurangzeb were not at all efficient. The efficiency of the imperial administration broke down. It became increasingly difficult for later Mughal emperors to keep a check on their powerful Nobles appointed as governors often controlled the offices of revenue and military administration as well. This gave them extraordinary political, economic and military powers over vast regions of the Mughal Empire.
Under the later Mughals, peasant and zamindar rebellions increased in many parts of northern and western India. These revolts were sometimes caused by the pressures of mounting taxes. The local chieftains were also becoming powerful by seizing the economic resources of the region.
In the midst of economic and political crisis, the ruler of Iran, Nadir Shah, sacked and plundered the city of Delhi in 1739 and took away immense amounts of wealth. Again, Ahmad Shah Abdali invaded north India five times between 1748 and 1761. These invasions further weakened the Mughal Empire.
The competitions amongst different groups of nobles also proved unfortunate for the Mughal Empire. The later Mughals were puppets in the hands of either Iranis or Turanis, the two major groups of nobles.

2. Describe the three common features of the states like Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad.
Or
What common features were shared by these three states—Awadh, Bengal and Hyderabad? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The common features shared by these states were:

Though many of the larger states were established by erestwhile Mughal nobles they were highly suspicious of some of the administrative systems that they had inherited, in particular, the jagirdari system.
Rather than relying upon the officers of the state, all the three regimes contracted with revenue-farmers for the collection of revenue.
The third common feature in these three states was their emerging relationship with rich bankers and merchants. These people lent money to revenue farmers, received land as security and collected taxes from these lands through their own agents.

3. Give an account of the Maratha expansion occurred between 1720 and 1761.
Answer: The Maratha empire expanded between 1720 and 1761. It gradually chipped away at the authority of the Mughal Empire. Malwa and Gujarat were seized from the Mughals by the 1720s. By the 1730s, the Maratha king was recognised as the overlord of the entire Deccan peninsula.

After raiding Delhi in 1737 the frontiers of Maratha domination expanded rapidly — into Rajasthan and the Punjab in the north, into Bengal and Orissa in the east, and into Karnataka and the Tamil and Telugu countries in the south. These were not formally included in the Maratha empire, but were made to pay tribute as a way of accepting Maratha sovereignty.

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Chapter – 9 The Making Of Regional Cultures | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter -9 The Making Of Regional Cultures

1. Match the following :
Anantavarnam – Kerala
Jagannatha – Bengal
Mahodayapurma – Orissa
Lilatilakam – Kangra
Mangalakavya – Puri
Miniature – Kerala
Answer:
Anantavarnam – Orissa
Jagannatha – Kangra
Mahodayapurma – Kerala
Lilatilakam – Kerala
Mangalakavya – Bengal
Miniature – Kangra

2. What is Manipravalam? Name abook written in that language.
Answer: Manipravalam is a language. The book written in that language is Lilatilakam.

3. Who were the major patrons of Kathak?
Answer: The Mughals were the major patrons of Kathak.

4. What are the Important architectural features of the temples of Bengal?
Answer:
Architectural features of the temples of Bengal:

Double roofed or dochala, four roofed (chauchala).
Comparative more complex-four roofed structures-four triangular roofs placed on four walls moved up to coverage on curved line or a point.
Built on a square platform.
Interior plain.
Outer walls decorated with paintings, ornamental tiles or terracotta tablets.

5. Why did minstrels proclaim the achievements of heroes?
Answer: Minstrels used to recite poems and songs which depicted the stories of the ” Rajputs’ heroic deeds. By reciting such poems and songs these minstrels inspired others to follow the examples of Rajputs. Ordinary people were also attracted by these stories.

6. Why do we know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of ordinary people?
Answer: We know much more about the cultural practices of rulers than about those of ordinary people because the ordinary people followed the cultural practices adopted by their kings/emperors. Moreover people had faith in their rulers. They could not adopt other cultural practices which their rulers did not practise.

7. Why did conquerors try to control the temple of Jagannatha at Puri?
Answer: The temple of Jagannatha at Puri gained importance as a centre of pilgrimage. Its authority in social and political matters also increased. Hence, conquerors tried to establish control over the temple. They felt that this would make their rule acceptable to the local people.

8. Why were temples built in Bengal?
Answer:
Temples were built in Bengal because of the following reasons:

Increase in religious faith.
Mosques had already been built.
Powerful people wanted to demonstrate their power and proclaim their piety.
‘Low’ people also participated in the temple building.
New economic opportunities to people also helped in temple setting up.
Support of Brahmanas to get idols placed in temples from huts.

9. Describe the most important features of the culture of your region, focussing on buildings, performing arts, and painting.
Answer: I live in Delhi. Right from the beginning, it has been a land of mixed cultures. In old days, it was invaded by a number of foreign rulers. Some of them stayed here for some time and some settle down permanently. They all affected its culture, language, religion, society, architecture, art and painting. Still we have buildings and monuments built by Mughal emperors, slave emperors, Rajput rulers and many more. We have temples, mosques and many other such places constructed by different rulers. Differences of cultures can still be seen in the areas of old Delhi and new Delhi.

10. Do you use different languages for (a) speaking, (b) reading, (c) writing? Find out about one major composition in language that you use and discuss why you find it interesting.
Answer:
(a) For speaking I use Hindi and Punjabi.
(b) For reading I use Hindi and English.
(c) For writing I use Hindi and English.
Thus, I use different languages for speaking, reading and writing.

11. Choose one state each from north, west, south, east and central India. For each of these, prepare a list of foods that are commonly consumed, highlighting any differences and similarities that you notice.

12. Choose another set of five states from each these regions and prepare a list of clothes that are generally worn by women and men in each. Discuss your findings.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who was Anantavarman?
Answer: Anantavarman was one of the most important rulers of the Ganga dynasty in the 12th century.

2. Who did King Anangabhima III dedicate his kingdom to? What did he proclaim himself?
Answer: King Anangabhima III dedicated his kingdom to Purushottama Jagannath and proclaimed himself as the deputy of the god.

3. What was called Rajputana by the British? [V. Imp.]
Answer: In the 19th century, the region that constitutes most of the present-day Rajasthan was called Rajputana by the British.

4. How were the Rajput rulers most distinctive?
Ans. The Rajput rulers were the apostles of bravery. They fought valiantly and often chose death on the battlefield rather than face defeat.

5. Define the term Kathak.
Answer: The term Kathak is derived from Katha, a word used in Sanskrit and other languages for the story.

6. Who were the Kathaks?
Answer: The kathaks were originally a caste of storytellers in temples of north India who beautified their performances with gestures and songs.

7. Where did Kathak develop?
Answer: Kathak developed in the courts of Rajasthan (Jaipur) and Lucknow.

8. Under whose patronage did kathak grow into a major art form?
Answer: Kathak grew into a major art form under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh.

9. What are miniatures? [Imp.]
Answer: Miniatures are small-sized paintings, generally done in water colour on cloth or paper.

10. What distinguished Kangra painting from the paintings?
Answer: Soft colours including cool blues and greens, and lyrical treatment of themes distinguished Kangra painting from other paintings.

11. On what objects do we fiend paintings of ordinary people?
Answer: We find paintings of ordinary people on pots, walls, floors, and cloth.

12. Who were the Naths?
Answer: The Naths were the ascetics who engaged in a variety of yogic practices.

13. Why was the second category of the early Bengali literature not written down?
Answer: The second category of the early Bengali literature was circulated orally and therefore it was not written down.

14. What are the chief food items of the Bengalis?
Answer: Rice and fish are the chief food items of the Bengalis.

15. What do terracotta plaques on the walls of temples and viharas depict?[V. Imp.]
Answer: They depict scenes of fish being dressed and taken to the market in baskets.

16. Why was the Bengal Brahmanas allowed to eat fish?
Answer: The Bengal Brahmanas were allowed to eat fish because fish was the main item in the local diet.

17. What is the Brihaddharma Parana?
Answer: It is a thirteenth-century Sanskrit text from Bengal.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Mention the role of the Chercis in the development of Malayalam. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Chera kingdom of Mahodayapuram was established in the ninth century in the south-western part of the peninsula, part of present-day Kerala. It is likely that Malayalam was spoken in this area. The rulers introduced the Malayalam language and script in their inscriptions.

2. How did the Cheras draw upon Sanskritic traditions?
Answer: The temple theatre of Kerala borrowed stories from the Sanskrit epics. The first literary works in Malayalam, dated to about the 12t.h century, are directly indebted to Sanskrit. The Lilatilakam, a fourteenth-century text, dealt with grammar and poetics and was composed in Manipravalam – literally, ‘diamonds and corals’ referring to the two languages namely Sanskrit and the regional language.

3. How did regional cultures evolve? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Regional cultures today are often the product of complex processes of intermixing of local traditions with ideas from other parts of the sub-continent. Some traditions appear specific to some regions, others seem to be similar across regions and yet others derive from older practices in a particular area, but take a new form in other regions.

4. How are women depicted in the stories about Rajput heroes?
Answer: Sometimes these stories depict women as the cause for conflict, as men fought with one another to either win or protect them (women). Women are also depicted as following their heroic husbands in both life and death. We are familiar with the stories about the practice of sati or the immolation of widows on the funeral pyre of their husbands. So. those who followed the heroic ideal often had to pay for it with their lives.

5. Mention all the six dance forms that are recognised as classical.
Answer: Six classical dances are :

Kathak (North India)
Bharatnatyam (Tamil Nadu)
Kathakali (Kerala)
Odissi (Orissa)
Kuchipudi (Andhra Pradesh)
Manipuri (Manipur).

6. How did miniature painting develop under the Mughal patronage? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Miniatures are small-sized paintings, generally done in water colour on cloth or paper. The earliest miniatures were on palm leaves or wood. The Mughal emperors especially Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan patronised highly skilled painters. These painters primarily illustrated manuscripts containing historical accounts and poetry. These were generally painted in brilliant colours and portrayed court scenes, scenes of battle or hunting and other aspects of social life. They were often exchanged as gifts and were viewed only by the emperor and his close associates.

7. Write a brief note on early Bengali literature.
Answer: There are two categories of early Bengali literature:

The first includes translations of the Sanskrit epics, the Mangalakavyas, auspicious poems, dealing with local deities, and Bhakti literature such as the biographies of Chaitanyadeva, the leader of the Vaishnava Bhakti movement.
The second includes Nath literature such as the songs of Maynamati and Gopichandra, stories concerning the worship of Dharma Thakur, and fairy tales, Folk tales and ballads. The texts belonging to the first category are written while those belonging to the second category circulated orally.

8. Who were the pirs? What was their position in society? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Pirs were spiritual leaders having supernatural powers. They also functioned as teachers and adjudicators. When early settlers in Bengal sought some order and assurance in the unstable conditions of the new settlements pirs favoured them and gave them full moral support. People viewed them as respectful figures. The cult of pirs became very popular and their shrines can be found everywhere in Bengal.

9. What is the significance of fish in Bengal? [Imp.]
Answer: Bengal is a riverine plain which produces abundant rice and fish. These two items are important foods of the Bengalis. Fishing has always been an important occupation and Bengali literature contains several references to fish. What is more, terracotta plaques on the walls of temples and viharas depict scenes of fish being dressed and taken to the market in baskets?

Due to the popularity of fish in the local diet, the Bengal Brahmanas also started eating fish. The Brihaddharma Purana, a thirteenth-century Sanskrit text from Bengal, permitted them to eat certain varieties of fish.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. What do you know about the Rajput tradition of heroism? Write in brief [V. Imp.]
Answer: Rajputs are closely associated with the culture of Rajasthan. It is they who made this culture distinctive. The cultural traditions of Rajasthan were linked with the ideals and aspirations of rulers. From about the eighth century, most of the present-day Rajasthan was ruled by various Rajput families. The name of Prithviraj is worth mentioning because he was one of the ablest Rajput rulers. These Rajput rulers ares known for their bravery and sense of sacrifice. They cherished the ideal of the hero who fought valiantly, often choosing death on the battlefield rather than face defeat.

Stories about Rajput heroes were recorded in poems and songs, which were recited by specially trained minstrels. These preserved the memories of heroes and were expected to inspire others to follow their examples. Ordinary people also liked these stories which often depicted dramatic situations and a range of strong emotions in the forms of loyalty, friendship, love, valour, anger etc.

2. Give a detailed description of kathak, a popular classical dance form of north India. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The term Kathak is derived from Katha, a word used in Sanskrit and other languages for the story. The Kathaks was originally a caste of storytellers in temples of north India, who beautified their performances with gestures and songs. Kathak began evolving into a distinct mode of dance in the 15th and 16th centuries with the spread of the Bhakti movement.

The legends of Radha-Krishna were enacted in folk plays known as rasa Lila, which combined folk dance with the basic gestures of the Kathak story-tellers. Kathak was performed in the Mughal court. Here, it acquired its present features and developed into a form of dance with a distinctive style. Afterward, it developed in two traditions known as gharanas—one in the courts of Rajasthan, Jaipur, and the other in Lucknow. Kathak grew into a major art form only under the patronage of Wajid Ali Shah, the last Nawab of Awadh.

By the third quarter of the 19th century, it was firmly established as a dance form not only in these two regions but also in the adjoining areas of present-day Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh. Emphasis was laid on intricate and rapid footwork, elaborate costumes as well as on the enactment of stories. Although most British administrators never favoured Kathak, it survived and continued to be performed by courtesans. It was recognised as a classical dance form after the country got independence.

3. How did Bengali develop as a regional language? [Imp.]
Ans: Bengali is said to have been derived from Sanskrit but early Sanskrit texts derived it. Now the question arises how did this language develop. From the fourth-third centuries BCE, commercial ties developed between Bengal and Magadha which may have led to the growing influence of Sanskrit. During the fourth century, the Gupta rulers established political control over north Bengal and began to settle Brahmanas in this area. Thus, the linguistic and cultural influence from the mid-Ganga valley became stronger.

In the seventh century, the Chinese traveller Xuan Zang observed that languages related to Sanskrit were in use all over Bengal. From the eighth century, Bengal became the centre of a regional kingdom under the Palas. Between the 14th and 15th centuries, Bengal was ruled by Sultans. In 1586, when Akbar conquered Bengal, it formed the nucleus of the Bengal Suba, While Persian was the language of administration, Bengali developed as a regional language.

By the 15th century, the Bengali group of dialects came to be united by a common literary language based on the spoken language of the western part of the region, now known as West Bengal. Thus, although Bengali is derived from Sanskrit, it passed through several stages of evolution. A wide range of non-Sanskrit words, derived from tribal languages, Persian and European language, have become part of modem Bengali.

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Chapter – 8 Devotional Paths To The Divine | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter -8 Devotional Paths To The Divine

1. Match the following:
The Buddha –   namghar
Shankaradeva –   worship of Vishnu
Nizamuddin Auliya – questioned social differences
Nayanars – Sufi saint
Alvars – worship of Shiva
Answer:  The Buddha – questioned social differences
Shankaradeva – namghar
Nizamuddin Auliya – Sufi saint
Nayanars – worship of Shiva
Alvars – worship of Vishnu

2. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Shankara was an advocate of…………..
(b) Ramanuja was influenced by the ………….
(c) ……………., ……….. and ………. were advocates of Virashaivism.
(d) ….. was an important centre of the Bhakti tradition in Maharashtra.
Answer:
(a) Advaita
(b) Alvars
(c) Basavanna, Allama Prabhu, Akkamahadevi
(d) Pandharpur

3. Describe the beliefs and practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis.
Answer:
Beliefs and Practices of the Nathpanthis, Siddhas, and Yogis

Criticism of ritual and other aspects of conventional religion.
Renunciation of the world.
Path of salvation in meditation on the formless.
Ultimate reality and realisation of oneness.
Intense training of mind and body through practices like yogasanas, breathing exercises, and meditation.

4. What were the major ideas expressed by Kabir? How did he express these?
Answer:
Major ideas expressed by Kabir and his way of expressing them:

Rejection of orthodox religion and religious traditions.
Religion was is accessible to all.
Criticism of all external worship of Brahmanical Hinduism and Islam
No caste system.
Belief in formless God.
Bhakti and devotion is the only path of salvation.
He expressed his ideas through couplets.

5. What were the major beliefs and practices of the Sufis?
Answer:

Sufis were Muslim mystics. They rejected outward religiosity and gave emphasis on love and devotion to God. They inspired people to be compassionate towards all fellow human beings.
They rejected idol worship and considerably simplified rituals of worship into collective prayers.
They believed that the heart can be trained to look at the world in a different way.
They developed elaborate methods of training using zikr, meaning chanting of a name or sacred formula, contemplation, sama Le. singing, raqs, Le. dancing, discussion of parables, breath control etc. under the guidance of a master called pir.

6. Why do you think many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices?
Answer:
Yes, many teachers rejected prevalent religious beliefs and practices because they had numerous shortcomings and they promoted division in society.

7. What were the major teachings of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer:
Msyor Teachings of Baba Guru Nanak

Worship of one God.
Irrelevance of caste, creed, and gender for attaining liberation.
The pursuit of active life with a strong sense of social commitment.
Nam, the dam, is the major essence of his teachings.
Nam-japna, kirt-kama, and vand Chakhna basis of right belief, and worship, honest living and helping others.
The idea of equality.

8. For either the Virashaivas or the saints of Maharashtra, discuss their attitude towards caste.
Answer: Attitude of the Virashaivas towards caste :

They believed in the equality of all human beings. They were against Brahmanical ideas about caste and the treatment of women. They wished for a society where people of all backgrounds could live in harmony without any feelings of high and low, rich and poor.

9. Why do you think ordinary people preserved the memory of Mirabai?
Answer: Mirabai was a Rajput princess married into the royal family of Mewar. But she had no interest in the worldly affair. She was an ardent devotee of Krishna and wanted to devote her time to the worship of her lord. She had no belief in princely status and other norms of high-class society. Her devotion to her deity was supreme. Hence, she left the royal palace and began to lend. Simple life with ordinary people.

10. Find out whether in your neighbourhood there are any dargahs, gurudwaras or temples associated with saints of the Bhakti tradition in your neighbourhood. Visit any one of these and describe what you see and hear.
Answer: Students are suggested to do this exercise themselves.

11. For any of the saint-poets whose compositions have been included in this chapter, find out more about their works, noting down other poems. Find out whether these are sung, how they are sung, and what the poets wrote about
Answer: Mainly Guru Nanak. Read the chapter and write down.

12. There are severed saint-poets whose names have been mentioned but their works have not been included in the chapter. Find out more about the language in which they composed, whether their compositions were sung and what their compositions were about.
Answer: For self attempt.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. What did the Puranic stories consist of? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Puranic stories consisted of local myths and legends

2. Who were the Pulaiyar and the Panars?
Answer: They were considered untouchables

3. How many Alvars were there?
Answer: There were 12 Alvars.

4. Name the two sets of compilations of Nayanar’s songs.
Answer: Tevaram and Tiruvacakam.

5 Name the set of compilation of Alvars’ songs.
Answer: Divya Prabandham.

6. What did Ramanuja propound?
Answer: He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.

7. What is abhang?
Answer: It is a Marathi devotional hymn.

8. Name any two saints of Maharashtra.
Answer: Namdev and Tukaram

9. Who were Sufis?
Answer: Sufis were Muslim mystics.

10. Name any two great Sufis of Central Asia.
Answer: Ghazzali and Rumi.

11. What are namghars? [Imp.]
Answer: They are houses of recitation and prayer, a practice that continues even today.

12. What was known as dharmsal?
Answer: Baba Guru Nanak created a sacred place which was known as dharmsal. It is now known as Gurudwara.

13. To whom did Baba Guru Nanak appoint as his successor?
Answer: Guru Nanak appointed Guru Angad, one of his followers, as his successor.

14. What is Guru Granth Sahib?
Answer: Guru Granth Sahib is the holy scripture of the Sikhs.

15. Why did the Mughal emperor Jahangir order the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606?
Answer: The Mughal emperor Jahangir looked upon the Sikh community as a potential threat and therefore he ordered the execution of Guru Aijan.

16. What did the terms ‘nam’, ‘dan’ and ‘isnan’ mean? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The terms nam, dan and isnan meant right worship, welfare of others and purity of conduct.

17. Who compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer: Guru Angad compiled the compositions of Baba Guru Nanak.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who were the Nayanars and Alvars? Write about them in brief. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Nayanars and Alvars led religious movements in south India during the seventh to ninth centuries. The Nayanars were devotees of Shiva while the Alvars were the devotees of Vishnu. They came from all castes including those considered ‘untouchable’ like the Pulaiyar and the Panars. They preaohe^gjgdent love of Shiva or Vishnu as the path to salvation. They went from place to place composing beautiful poems in praise of the deities enshrined in the villages they visited and set them to music. There were 63 Nayanars who belonged to different caste backgrounds. There were 12 Alvars who came from equally divergent backgrounds.

2. Who was Ramanuja? What are the main points of his preachings?
Answer: Ramanuja was a Bhakti saint. He was born in Tamil Nadu in the 11th century. He was deeply influenced by the Alvars.

The main points of his preachings are :

Ramanuja taught people that the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him.
He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita or qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct.

3. What do you mean by Khanqahs? What purpose did it serve? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Khanqahs were houses of rest for travellers especially one kept by a religious order. Sufi masters usually held their assemblies here. Devotees of all descriptions including members of the royalty and nobility, and ordinary people flocked to these Khanqahs. Here, they discussed spiritual matters, sought the blessings of the saints in solving their worldly problems or simply attended the music and dance sessions.

4. “The songs are as much a creation of the saints as of generations of people who sang them.’ Explain. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The works of the saints were composed in regional languages and could be sung. They became very popular and were handed down orally from one generation to another. Usually, the most deprived communities and women transmitted these songs. They even added their own experiences to them. Thus, the songs as we have them today are as much a creation of the saints as of generations of people who sang them. They have become a part of our living culture.

5. Who was Kabir? How do we know about him?
Answer: Kabir probably lived in the fifteenth-sixteenth centuries. He was one of the most influential saints. He was brought up in a family of Muslim jalahas or weavers settled in or near the city of Benaras, now Varanasi. We have little reliable information about the life of Kabir. We come to know of his ideas from a vast collection of verses called sakhis and pads, which are said to have been composed by him and sung by wandering bhajan singers.

6 Who were the followers of Baba Guru Nanak?
Answer: Baba Guru Nanak had a large number of followers. They belonged to a number of castes but traders, agriculturists, artisans and craftsmen predominated. Thus, the followers of Guru Nanak were all householders and adopted productive and useful occupations. They were expected to contribute to the general funds of the community of followers.

7 Why was the Mughal emperor Jahangir hostile to the Sikh community? How did the Sikh movement gain momentum? [V. Imp.]
Answer: By the beginning of the 17th century the town of Ramdaspur, Amritsar had developed around the central Gurudwara known as Harmandar Sahib, the Golden Temple. It was a virtually self-governing body and the modem historians refer to the early 17th-century Sikh community as ‘a state within a state’. This made the Mughal emperor Jahangir hostile to the Sikh community. He looked upon them as a potential threat and he ordered the execution of Guru Aijan in 1606.
It is from this time the Sikh movement began to gain momentum. It was a development that culminated, in the institution of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. ’ ~

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Write in brief about the ideas of Shankara and Ramanuja.
Answer: Shankara. He was one of the most Influential philosophers of India. He was bom in Kerala in the eighth century. He was an advocate of Advaita or the doctrine of the oneness of the individual soul and the Supreme God, the Ultimate Reality. He taught that Brahman, the only or Ultimate Reality, was formless and without any attributes. He considered the world around us to be an illusion or maya, and preached renunciation of the world and adoption of the path of knowledge to understand the true nature of Brahman and attain salvation. Ramanuja.

He was bom in Tamil Nadu in the eleventh century and was deeply influenced by the Alvars. He preached that the best means of attaining salvation was through intense devotion to Vishnu. Vishnu in His grace helps the devotee to attain the bliss of union with Him. He propounded the doctrine of Vishishtadvaita of qualified oneness in that the soul even when united with the Supreme God remained distinct

2. Write a brief note on new religious developments in north India. [V. Imp.]
Answer: During the thirteenth century a new wave of the Bhakti movement began in north India. This was an age when Islam, Brahmanical Hinduism, Sufism, various strands of Bhakti, and the Nathpanths, Siddhas and Yogis influenced one another. Ordinary people such as craftspersons, peasants, traders, etc. showed their interest in listening to these new saints. Kabir and Baba Gum Nanak did not approve orthodox religious.

Tulsidas and Surdas accepted existing beliefs and practices but wanted to make these accessible to all. Tulsidas conceived of God in the form of Rama. His Ramacharitmanas is a unique creation, Surdas was an ardent devotee of Krishna. His compositions compiled in the Sursagara, Sursaravali and Sahitga Lahari, express his devotion. Shankaradeva of Assam emphasised devotion to Vishnu and composed poems and plays in Assamese. He began the practice of setting up namghars or houses of recitation and prayer. Saints like Dadu Dayal, Ravidas and Mirabai are worth-mentioning here.

Mirabai was a Rajput princess and was married into the royal family of Mewar in the 16th century. She became a disciple of Ravidas, an untouchable saint. She devoted her life to Lord Krishna. She composed a number of bhqjans expressing her intense devotion. A unique feature of most of the saints is that their works were composed in regional languages and could be sung. Therefore, they became very popular among the common mass.

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Chapter – 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

1. Match the following:
garh –   khel
tanda – chaurasi
labourer –   caravan
clan –   Garha Katanga
Sib Singh – Ahom State
Durgawati – paik
Answer:
garh – chaurasi
tanda – caravan
labourer – paik
clan – khel
Sib Singh – Ahom state
Durgawati – Garha Katanga

2. Fill in the blanks:

The new castes emerging within vamas were called……………………
……… were historical works written by the Ahoms.
The…….. mentions that Garha Katanga had 70,000 villages.
As tribal stales became bigger and stronger they gave land grants to………….. ..

Answer:

jatis
Buraryis
Akbar Nama
temples, Brahmanas.

3. State whether true or false:
(a) Tribal societies had rich oral traditions.
(b) There were no tribal communities in the north-western part of the subcontinent.
(c) The Chaurasi in Gond states contained several cities.

(d) The Bhils lived in the north-eastern part of the sub-continent.
Answer: (a)—T, (b)—F, (c)—F, (d)—F.

4. What kinds of exchanges took place between nomadic pastoralists and settled agriculturists?
Answer:

Nomadic pastoralists gave wool, ghee etc.
Settled agriculturalists gave the nomadic pastoralists grains, cloth, utensils and other products.

5. How was the administration of the Ahom state-organized?
Answer:
Administration of Ahoms

The Ahom state depended upon forced labour.
- The forced workers were called paiks.
A census of the population was taken.
- Each village had to send a number of paiks by rotation.
- People from heavily populated areas were shifted to less populated places. — Ahom clans were thus broken up.
By the first half of the seventeenth century, the administration became quite centralised.

6. What changes took place in vama-based society?
Answer: The following changes took place in uama-based society:

Smaller castes or jatis emerged within vamas.
On the other hand, many tribes and social groups were taken into caste-based society and given the status of jatis.
Specialised artisans such as smiths, carpenters and masons were also recognised as separate jatis by the Brahmanas.
Jatis rather than vama became the basis for organising society.
Among the Kshatriyas, new Rajput clans became powerful.
Many tribes became part of the caste system. But only the leading tribal families could join the ruling class. A large majority joined the lower jatis of caste society.
Many dominant tribes of Punjab, Sind and the North-West Frontier had adopted Islam. They continued to reject the caste-system.

7. How did tribal societies change after being organised into a state?
Answer:
Changes in the Society

The emergence of large states changed the nature of tribal society.
Equal society gradually got divided into unequal social classes.
- Brahmanas received land grants from the Gond rajas.
- They became more influential.
The Gond chiefs now wished to be recognised as Rajputs.
- Aman Das, the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, assumed the title of Sangram Shah.
- His son, Dalpat, married princess Durgawati.
She was the daughter of Salbahan, the Chandel Rajput raja of Mahoba.

8. Were the Banjaras important for the economy?
Answer: The Banjaras were very important for the economy. They were trader-nomads and controlled trade and commerce. They played an important role in transporting grain to the city markets. They usually bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer. From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places.

9. In what ways was the history of the Gonds different from that of the Ahoms? Were there any similarities?
Answer:

The history of the Gonds was different from that of the Ahoms in the following ways:

Gonds lived in Gondwana while Ahoms lived in Brahmaputra valley.
Gonds practiced shifting cultivation while Ahoms did not practice shifting cultivation.
Gond kingdoms were large, Ahom kingdom was small.
Gond kingdoms were divided into garhs, Ahoms built a large state.
Gonds did not use fire-arms, Ahoms used fire-arms for the first time in the history of the subcontinent.

The similarity is that both were tribes:

The Mughals tried to control the lands of both at different point of time.
There were changes in society of both due to the diversification of occupations.

10. Plot the location of the tribes mentioned in this chapter on a map. For any two, discuss whether their mode of livelihood was suited to the geography and the environment of the area where they lived.
Answer: Several tribes live in different parts of India. See the map given below

These tribes settled temporarily at the places which suited them as per their need and livelihood. Whenever they found the environment or their mode of living unfavourable, they migrated to other suitable places.

11. Find out about present-day government policies towards tribal populations and organise a discussion about these.
Answer:
Policies about Tribal population

Overall upliftment.
Land rights.
Education.
Cultural and social upliftment.
Roads, water, industries.
Mainstreaming.
Enforcement of reservation in government jobs.

12. Find out more about present-day nomadic pastoral groups in the sub-continent.
Answer: What animals do they keep? Which are the areas frequented by these groups? Ans. Present-day nomadic pastoral groups in the sub-continent are – Gaddi shepherds living in the western Himalayas, Gujjar Bakarwals, living in Jammu & Kashmir, Banjaras living in Rajasthan. These nomadic people keep sheep, goats, and camels. They frequently visit the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Rajasthan.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. How did the castes of entertainers earn their livelihood?
Answer: They earned their livelihood by performing in different towns and villages.

2. Which tribe was very influential in Punjab during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Khokhar tribe was very influential in Punjab during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries

3. Name the tribe which was powerful in the north-west.
Answer: Balochis

4. Name any two tribes which lived in the extreme South
Answer: Vetars and Matravers

5. Who were specialised artisans?
Answer: Smiths, carpenters, and masons were specialised artisans

6. Who controlled Garh?
Answer: A Gond clan usually controlled the Garh

7. What made the Brahmanas more influential in the Gond Society? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Gond raja began to grant land to the Brahmanas. This made them influential.

8. Who was Aman Das?
Answer: He was the Gond raja of Garha Katanga.

9. Who was Durgaivaii?
Answer: She was the daughter of Salbahan, the Chandel Rajput raja of Mahoba. She got married to Dalpat, the son of the Gond raja Aman Das.

10. When did the Mughal forces attack Garha Katanga?
Answer: The Mughal forces attacked Garha Katangst in 1565.

11. What made Garha Katanga a rich state? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Garha Katanga earned huge wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms. This made it a rich state.

12. Name the items which the Mughals captured by defeating the Goods.
Answer: Precious coins and elephants.

13. Who introduced new methods of rice cultivation? ‘
Answer: The Ahoms introduced new methods of rice cultivation.

14. When did the Mughals attack the Ahom kingdom?
Answer: The Mughals attacked the Ahom kingdom in 1662.

15. What do present-day historians use to write tribal histories? [V. Imp.]
Answer: They use oral traditions and rich customs of the tribal people to write their (tribals’) histories.

Short Answer Type Questions

1. Mention some special features of tribal societies. [Imp.]
Answer: Some special features of tribal societies are :

They did not follow the social rules and rituals which the Brahmanas prescribed.
They were not divided into many unequal classes.
Members of the society were united by kinship bonds.

2. How did the tribal people earn their livelihood? [V. Imp.]
Answer: The main occupation of the tribal people was agriculture. But there were also hunter-gatherers or herders. Most often they combined these activities to make full use of the natural resources of the area in which they lived. Some tribes were nomadic moving from one place to another.
A tribal group controlled land and pastures jointly and divided these amongst household as per its own rules

3. Write a short note on Bcuyaras’.
Answer: The Banjaras were important trader nomads. They usually moved in caravan known as tanda. A tanda contained as many as 6 or 7 hundred persons. They carried their wives and children along with them. They owned their oxen. They bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer. From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places. The Banjaras did not travel more than 6 or 7 miles a day. They preferred cool weather. After unloading their oxen, they freed them to graze

4. How did Sultan Alauddin Khalji and the Mughals use the Bcuyaras?
Answer: Sultan Alauddin Khalji used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets. Under the Mughals the Banjaras carried grain on their bullocks from different areas and sold it in towns. They transported food grain for the Mughal army during military campaigns

5. Write a brief note on the administrative system of the Gond kingdom. [V. Imp.]
Answer: The Gond Kingdom was divided into garhs. Each garh was controlled by a particular Gond clan. This was further divided into units of 84 villages called chaurasi. The chaurasi was subdivided into barhots which were made up of 12 villages each.

6. Write in brief about Rani DurgawatL
Answer: Rani Durgawati was married to Dalpat, the son of the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, Aman Das. Dalpat, however, died early. After his death, Rani Durgawati, being very capable, began to rule on behalf of her five-year-old son, Bir Narain. She extended her kingdom veiy soon. In 1565, when the Mughal forces under Asaf Khan attacked Garha Katanga, she put up a strong resistance. Finally, she was defeated. But she did not surrender, Instead she preferred to die.

7. Who were the Ahoms? How did they build a large state? [Imp.]
Answer: The Ahoms were the tribal people who migrated to the Brahmputra valley from present-day Myanmar in the 13th century. They created a new state by suppressing the older political system of the bhuiyans i.e. landlords. During the 16th century, they annexed the kingdoms of the Chhutiyas in 1523 and of Koch- Hajo in 1581. They also subjugated many other tribes. In this way, the Ahoms built a large state and for this they used firearms as early as 1530s.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. Give a brief account of the tribal people found in different parts of the subcontinent [V. Imp.]
Answer: Tribal people were found in almost every region of the sub-continent. In Punjab, the Khokhar tribe was influential during the 13th and 14th centuries. Later, the Gakkhars became more important. In Multan and Sind, the Langahs and Arghuns dominated extensive regions. The Balochis were another large and powerful tribe in the north-west. In the western Himalayas, the Gaddi Shepherds lived. The Nagas, Ahoms and many others lived in the distant north-eastern part of the subcontinent. In many areas of present-day Bihar and Jharkhand, Chero Chiefdoms had emerged by the 12th century.

However, they were subdued by the Mughals. The Mundas and Santals were other important tribes that lived in these states and also in Orissa and Bengal. The Kolis, Berads and numerous others lived in the Maharashtra highlands, Karnataka and Gujarat. Further there were large tribal populations of Koragas, Vetars, Maravars and many others in South. The Bhils were spread across western and central India. By the late 16th century many of them had become settled agriculturists and some even zamindars. Many Bhil clans, nevertheless, remained hunter-gatherers. The Gonds were found in large numbers across the present-day states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.

2. What do you know about the Ahom Society? [Imp.]
Answer: Ahom society was divided into clans or Khels. There were very few castes of artisans, so artisans in the Ahom areas came from the nearby kingdoms. Kheloften controlled several villages. The peasant was given land by his village community. Even the king could not take it away without the community’s consent. The Ahoms worshipped their own tribal gods. But during the first half of the 17 century Brahmanas achieved great influence which gave rise to Hinduism.

In the reign of Sib Singh Hinduism became a predominant religion. However, the Ahom kings remained stick to their traditional beliefs to some extent even after adopting Hinduism. Ahom society was very sophisticated. Poets and scholars were given land grants. Theatre was encouraged

3. How did the nomadic pastoralists earn their living? [V. Imp.]
Answer: Nomadic pastoralists kept on moving from place to place with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchanged items like wool, ghee, etc. with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another, transporting them on their animals. The Banjaras were trader-nomads who bought grain where it was cheaply available and carried it to places where it was dearer.

From there, they again reloaded their oxen with anything that could be profitably sold in other places. Thus, they played an important role in connecting India to the outside world. Many pastoral tribes reared and sold animals, such as cattle and horses, to the wealthy people. Different castes of petty pedlars travelled from village to village. They made and sold wares like ropes, reeds, etc. Sometimes mendicants acted as wandering merchants. There were also castes of entertainers who earned their living by performing in different towns and villages.

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Chapter – 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

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Chapter – 5 Water | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 5 Water

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

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Chapter – 3 Our Changing Earth | Class 7th | NCERT Geography Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 3 Our Changing Earth

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Chapter - 2 Inside Our Earth

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Chapter – 10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter -10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

Chapter – 9 The Making Of Regional Cultures | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter -9 The Making Of Regional Cultures

Chapter – 8 Devotional Paths To The Divine | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

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Chapter – 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities | Class 7th | NCERT History Solutions | Edugrown

Chapter - 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

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Chapter - 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Class 7 Geography Chapter 6 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Intext Questions

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Chapter - 5 Water

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LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Chapter - 4 Air

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Chapter - 3 Our Changing Earth

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Chapter - 2 Inside Our Earth

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Chapter - 1 Environment

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Chapter -10 Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

Chapter -9 The Making Of Regional Cultures

Chapter -8 Devotional Paths To The Divine

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Chapter - 7 Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

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