Page 99

Question 1.
Can you think of how and why these reached Inc-a?
Answer:
India had a brisk trade with the Roman Empire. The traders took spices, precious stones and carried them in ships across the sea and but by land, in caravans.

Page 100

Question 1.
Make a list of all the things that are mentioned in the poem. What would they be used for?
Answer:
Black pepper gems and gold, sandalwood, pearls and corals, crops food stiffs. Since they were brought to Puhar, an important port on the east coast, they were meant to be exported

Page 101

Question 1.
Why do you think he wanted to control the coasts?
Answer:
Gaulamiputra Satkami wanted to control the coasts because India has a brisk trade with foreign countries.-Chiefs & kings who controlled the river valleys and the coasts became rich and powerful. He sent his army to the eastern. Western and southern coasts.

Page 103

Question 1.
Why do you think it would have been difficult to use carts along the silk route?
Answer:
It would have been difficult to use carts along the silk route it, lay long dangerous route, through roads, mountains and deserts. People living along the route often demanded payments for allowing traders to pass through. The traders could be attacked robbers.

Question 2.
What do you think would have been the advantages and problems in transporting silk by sea?
Answer:
The silk route extended from Central Asia down to the seaports at the mouth of the river Indus, from where silk was shipped westwards to the Roman empire. This route was a shorter route and the rulers could not demand taxes. It was the only advantage. The disadvantages were the ships could be attacked by pirates and the rough weather at sea.

Page 105

Question 1.
Can you think of how Buddhism spread to these lands in South-East Asia?
Answer:
Buddhism spread south-eastwards to Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Thailand other parts of South-East Asia including Indonesia because Buddhist monks travelled to these parts, with traders and merchants.

Page 106

Question 1.
Trace the route Fa Xian took.
Answer:
On the basis of Map 6 (Page 85) of the textbook, the route, that Fa Xian took to his homeland is as under:
Bengal → Masulipatarn → Poduca  → Takkola → Oc eo

Question 2.
Why do you think Fa Xian did not want to throw away his books and statues.
Answer:
Fa-Xian did not want to throw die books and statues of Buddha because he wanted to take them China. He wanted to translate the books so that others could also read them. Statues would let the people imagine how Buddha looked and they were very valuable for him.

Question 3.
List the reasons why Xuan Zang wanted to study in Nalanda.
Answer:
Xuan Zang had studied at Nalanda. This is how he describes it:

1. The teachers were highly talented,
2. Rules of the monastery were strict and everyone had to follow them,
3. Discussions were held throughout the day and doubts were settled,
4. The gatekeeper asked difficult questions from the new entrants. They were allowed to enter only after they have been able to answer them. Seven or eight out of every ten were not able to answer. Xuan Zang wanted to study at Nalanda because of its high standards.

Page 108

Question 1.
In the poem ‘A poem by a Bhakta’ What does the poet regard as more valuable, social status or devotion?
Answer:
This is a poem composed by Appar in Tamil, who was a devotee of Shiva. He was a Vellalar (a large landowner). He considers devotion to god more important than social status.

Page 109

Question 1.
Trace out the route that the Christain preachers may have used.
Answer:
The Christian preachers came to West Asia to the west coast of the Sub-continent, partly travelling through land and partly by sea. They landed near Kerala because Syrian Christians are amongst the oldest Christians communities in the world.

Question 2.
Imagine you have a manuscript which a Chinese pilgrim would like to carry back with him. Describe your conversation.
Answer:
Pilgrim: Sir, I would like to take the manuscript with me, which is in your possession.
I: It is a rare manuscript and I cannot give it.
Pilgrim: The manuscript contains the life history of Buddha and his teachings. Since I am a follower of Buddha, it will be more useful for me.
I: I can understand your logic I will not send you back as a disappointed man. If you give me a months time, I will hire scribes who will make one more copy of the manuscript and I will give it to you.

Class 6 History Chapter 10 Traders, Kings and Pilgrims Exercise Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
Match the following :
Answer:

Question 2.
Why did the kings want to control the silk route?
Answer:
Kings wanted to control the Silk Route because they could benefit from taxes, tributes, and gifts that were brought by traders and the people along the route.

Question 3.
What kind of evidence do historians use to find out about trade and trade routes?
Answer:
The remains of the merchandise like pottery, especially bowls and plates have been found at various places. They were taken by the traders. South India was famous for gold, spices and precious stones. Traders carried these goods to Rome in ships across the sea and by land in caravans. Gold coins have been found at the trading posts.

Question 4.
What are the main features of Bhakti?
Answer:

1. Bhakti is generally understood as a person’s devotion to his or her chosen deity.
2. The idea of Bhakti is present in the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred book of the Hindus.
3. In the Bhagavad Gita (which is included in the Mahabharata), Krishna the God, asks Arjuna, his devotee, and friend, to abandon all dharmas and take refuge in him, as only he can set Arjuna free from every evil.
4. Those who followed the system of Bhakti emphasized devotion and individual worship of a single god or goddess, rather than the performance of elaborate sacrifices.
5. Deities who were worshipped through Bhakti included Shiva, Vishnu, and goddesses such as Durga. This form of worship became an important feature of Hinduism.

Let’s Discuss

Question 5.
Discuss the reasons why the Chinese pilgrims came to India.
Answer:
Pilgrims are men and women who undertake journeys to holy places in order to offer worship. The Chinese pilgrims like Xuan-Zang came to visit places associated with the life of Buddha as well as the famous monasteries. They also spent time studying in the monasteries. Xuan-Zang and other pilgrims spent time studying in Nalanda (Bihar).

Question 6.
Why do you think ordinary people were attracted to Bhakti?
Answer:

1. I think that ordinary people were attracted to Bhakti because Bhakt-saint used the language of people, which they could understand easily.
2. The saints emphasized the worship of certain deities, which became a central feature of later Hinduism, gained in importance.
3. These deities included Shiva, Vishnu, and goddesses such as Durga. Bhakti is generally understood as a person’s devotion to his or her chosen deity.
4. Anybody, whether rich or poor, belonging to the so-called ‘high’ or ‘low’ castes, man or woman, could follow the path of Bhakti.
5. They stressed simple ways for Moksha or salvation, the last aim of life.

Let’s Do

Question 7.
List five things that you buy from the market. Which of these are made in the city/village in which you live, and which are brought by traders from other areas.
Answer:
I buy the following things from the market.

• Foodgrains – grown in the villages
• Vegetable – in the nearby areas and also from villages
• Readymade garments – made in the cities
• Exercise notebooks and stationery goods – made in the cities
• Electronic toys and mobile phones – made in the city

Question 8.
There are several major pilgrimages performed by people in India today. Find out about any one of them, and write a short description. (Hint: Who can go on the pilgrimage men, women or children? How long does it take? How do people travel? What do they take with them? What do they do when they reach the holy place? Do they bring anything back with them?
Answer:
Self Study or Self Exercise.
However some useful hints for students’ help are given below:,
India is a secular country. We find here the followers of almost all major religions of the world including Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, Parsi etc.
Major Pilgrims performed by the people in India are:

1. Visit shrine or Temple or Dargah on foot or by bus, or by train or by aeroplane and even using ponies or horses or walking on foot, for example, visit to Kailash Mansarover, to Shiv Ling ahead from Pahalgaon (J.K.), to Vaishnodevi shrine, to Ajmer-Pushkar or Dargah of Chisti, etc.
2. To participate in Rathyatra (Puri in Orissa).
3. Visit Tirupati or Minakshi temple or Char Dham.
4. Hajj (performed by Muslims only).
5. Visit Golden Temple, Hazur Sahib, or other historical Gurudawara Sahibs by Sikhs, Hindus and others.

Page 88

Question 1.
If you look at the chart, you will find that some of the stages in the construction of irrigation works are mentioned.
Fill in the rest by using the following phrases :
• Labour is provided by the people.
• Farmers also benefit because crop production is more certain.
• Farmers have to increase production to pay taxes.
• Kings provide money and plan irrigation works.
Answer:

1. Kings need money for armies, palaces, forts.
2. They demand taxes from farmers.
3. Farmers have to increase production to pay taxes.
4. This is possible with irrigation.
5. Kings provide money and plan irrigation works.
6. Labour is provided by the people.
7. Production increases.
8. So does revenue.
9. Farmers who benefit because crop production is more certain.

Page 90

Question 1.
List the occupations of the persons mentioned in the story. For each one, try and decide whether they would have lived
(a) only in villages
(b) only in cities
(c) in both cities and villages
Answer:
The occupations mentioned in die story are

• Hotel owner – lived in the city
• Gardener – both in the villages and city
• Potter – lived in the villages
• Grasscutter – villages
• Horse merchant (trader) – both in the villages and city
• Trader – city

Question 2.
Why do you think the horse dealer was coming to the city?
Answer:
The horse dealer was coming to the city to sell his horses because he had 500 horses and wanted to sell them to make a profit.

Question 3.
Do you think women could have taken up the occupation mentioned in the story? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Women could have taken up some occupations :

• Hotel owner – It is time-consuming, needing a long horse of work. It cannot be taken up by women.
• Gardener – the women can take up the job, as it is not a laborious job.
• Potter – making pottery is also an easy job, needing more skill, to make different shapes and design.
• Grasscutter – cutting grass is time-consuming but easy to work.
• Traders – usually they work in the cities or go from one city to another. Many times the traders have to stay overnight or for many days. Hence cannot be taken up by women.

Page 92

Question 1.
Make a list of all the things imported and exported from Barygaza. Underline at least two things that were not in use during Harappan times. Why do you think merchants brought gifts for the king?
Answer:
Goods exported and imported from Bharuch (Barygaza) are
Exports :
(a) Plants form the Himalayas
(b) ivory
(c) agate
(d) camelina
(e) cotton
(f) silk
(g) perfumes

Imports :
(a) wine
(b) copper
(c) tin
(d) lead
(e) coral
(f) topaz
(g) cloth
(h) gold and silver coins.
The two things that were not in use during Harappan times are :
(a) gold and silver coins
(b) plants from the Himalayas
The merchants brought gifts for the king to please him, and the king could give them favors.

Page 93

Question 1.
Salt was produced plentifully from the sea coast. What are the merchants planning to exchange it with? How are they traveling?
Answer:
The merchants wanted to exchange paddy for salt. They are traveling in carts, with their families.

Page 94

Question 1.
Make a list of the occupations of the people who lived in Mathura. List one occupation that was not practiced in Harappan cities.
Answer:
The main occupations of the people were

1. Goldsmiths
2. Blacksmiths
3. Weavers
4. Basket-makers
5. Garland-makers
6. Perfumers

The occupation not followed by the people of Indus Valley was garland making.

Page 95

Question 1.
Make a list of all the women who could be employed by the superintendent. Do you think women would have faced any problems while working?
Answer:
Arthashastra mentions the rules for spinning land weaving. It describes how this process can be carried out under the supervision of the special official. The rules were:

1. All the people like young women, nuns, mothers, retired women servants of the king, women who have retired from service in temples, may be used for processing wool, bark, cotton, hemp, and flax.
2. They should be paid according to the quality and quantity of the work done.
3. Women who were not permitted to leave their homes could take the services of the maidservant.
4. Women had to give their work in the morning and get wages. If a woman did not complete her work, she was severely punished. She had to pay a fine, sometimes her thumbs were cut off.
5. Superintendent had to be discreet while talking to the women, otherwise, he was punished.

Page 96

Question 1.
Why do you think the amphitheaters and aqueducts have survived.
Answer:
The amphitheaters and aqueducts were made of bricks and cement mortar. Romans were the first to find cement.

Class 6 History Chapter 9 Vital Villages, Thriving Towns Exercise Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
Fill in the blanks :

1. ……….. was a word used for large landowners in Tamil.
2. The grama bhojaka often got his land cultivated by the …………..
3. Ploughmen were known as ………… in Tamil.
4. Most grihapatis were ……….. landowners

Answer:

1. Vellalar was a word used for large landowners in Tamil
2. The Grama bhojaka often got his land cultivated by the slaves and hired workers.
3. Ploughmen were known as Ezhava it Tamil.
4. Most Grihapatis were smaller landowners.

Question 2.
Describe the functions of the Gramabhojaka. Why do you think he was powerful?
Answer:
The ‘gramabhojaka’ was the largest landowner. He had slaves and he hired workers to cultivate the land. He was powerful since the king entrusted him with the important job of collecting taxes from the villagers. His other functions were those of a policeman and judge.

Question 3.
List the crafts persons who would have been present in both villages and cities.
Answer:
Craftsperson who would have been present in both villages and cities were :

1. Blacksmiths
2. Carpenters
3. Weavers

Question 4.
Choose the correct answer :
(a) Ring wells were used for:
(1) bathing
(2) washing clothes
(3) irrigation
(4) drainage
Answer:
(4) drainage

(b) Punch marked coins were made of:
(1) silver
(2) gold
(3) tin
(4) ivory
Answer:
(1) silver

(c) Mathura was important:
(1) village
(2) port
(3) religious center
(4) forested area
Answer:
(3) religious center

(d) Shrines were associations of:
(1) rulers
(2) craftspersons
(3) farmers
(4) herders
Answer:
(2) craftspersons

Let’s Discuss

Question 5.
Which of the iron tools shown on page 87 would have been important for agriculture? What would the other tools have been used for?
Answer:
Ploughshares would have been important for agriculture. The other tools used were sickles and axes. The other tools like tongs, nails, and hammers were used for carpentry and also by ironsmiths.

Question 6.
Compare the drainage system in your locality with that of the cities mentioned in the lesson. What similarities and differences do you notice?
Answer:
The drainage system in the cities in the present times is highly developed. There is an underground drainage system with covered drains. The bathrooms, toilets, and kitchens have an underground system and are connected to the main drains outside. The ancient cities had a ring well system. It is a row of pots or cera^jj. rings arranged one on top of others. They have been used as toilets in some cases and as drains and garbage dumps. These ring wells have been found in individual houses.

Let’s Do

Question 7.
If you have seen craftspersons at work, describe in a short paragraph what they do (Hint: how do these get the raw materials, what kind of equipment do they use, how do they work, what happens to the finished product).
Answer:
I have seen crafts persons like weavers, blacksmiths, goldsmiths in villages and cities. Weavers are mostly seen in villages. I saw them running their spinning wheel or handmill. First, they collect the cotton balls, they weave thread and then they weave clothes. After that, they sell it in the market.

Question 8.
List the functions performed by men and women who live in your city or village. la what ways are these similar to those performed by people who lived in Mathura? In what ways are these different?
Answer:
In the city I live in, I see men and women working to feed their families. Most men work in offices and other establishments. Women also work in offices these days. In a city like Mathura, people worked to provide food items to the city- folks because it was located at the intersection of two major trade and travel routes. The life of people of our cities and that in Mathura was in no way much different.

Page 66

Question 1.
What was the language used to compose the Vedas?
Answer:
The “Vedic Sanskrit” was the language used to compose the Vedas.

Page 67

Question 1.
What was Budha trying to teach the sorrowing mother?
Answer:
Buddha was trying to tell the sorrowing mother that death will come to all. No one can escape death. All households have faced the deaths in their families.

Page 68

Question 1.
How did the beggar convince the sages to share their food with him?
Answer:
The beggar convinced the sages that all people are part of the universe would i.e. god and he is also a part of the universal soul. If the sages refused food to the beggar, they are refusing it to the god. So the sages shared their food with him.

Page 71

Question 1.
List any two ways in which the sangha described in this chapter was different from the Sangha in chapter 6. were there any similarities.
Answer:

Similarities: In the Sungha in chapter 1, children, slaves, and women had to take the permission of their parents, master, and husbands respectively, if they wanted to join the sangha. In the sangha in chapter 6, women, slaves and Kammakaras could not participate in these assemblies.

Page 72

Question 1.
In what ways was the system of ashrams different from life in the sangha. What are the varnas mentioned here? Were all four veritas allowed to participates in the system of ashrams?
Answer:

The four varnas are the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and Vaishyas The fourth were the Shudras. Only Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Vais’nya men were expected to follow the ashramas.

Page 73

Question 1.
Imagine you want to go to listen to one of the preachers who lived about 2500 years. Describe your conversation with your parents as you try to persuade them to let you go.
Answer:
I: Father, I wish to listen to the sermons which will be delivered by Lord Mahavira.
Father: You are too young to hear religious discourses.
I: But father he does not give religious sermons. He mainly tells about the way of life.
Father: If you are so keen to hear him, tell me one thing about him.
I: I know that he tells about ahimsa or non-injury. We should kill any animal for food. I want to know more about him. Father, have you not heard the pitiful cries of the animals when they are killed.
Father: If my child you are so keen to go then we will go with you.

Class 6 History Chapter 7 New Questions and Ideas Exercise Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
Describe the ways in which the Buddha tried to spread his message to the people.
Answer:
The Buddha preached about life being full of suffering and unhappiness. He spoke of ‘tanha’ the desire to have more. He taught about ‘Karma’our actions which affect us in the current life and also in the later lives. He taught people to be kind and to respect the lives of others. He used the language of the ordinary people, Prakrit, to talk to them.

Question 2.
Write whether true or false.

(a) The Buddha encouraged animal sacrifices.
Answer:
False

(b) Samath is important because it was the place where Buddha taught for the first time.
Answer:
True

(c) The Buddha taught that karma has no effect on our lives.
Answer:
False

(d) The Buddha attained enlightenment at Bodh Gaya.
Answer:
True

(e) Upanishadic thinkers believed that atman and brahman were ultimately ones.
Answer:
True

Question 3.
What were the questions that Upanishadic thinkers wanted to answer ?.
Answer:

1. Some of them wanted to know about life after death, others wanted to know why sacrifices should be performed.
2. Many Upanishadic thinkers felt that there was something permanent in the world, something that would last even after death. They described this as the atman or the individual soul and the brahman or the universal soul. They believed that ultimately, both the atman and the brahman were one.

Question 4.
What were the main teachings of Mahavira?
Answer:
The main teachings of Mahavira are :

1. He taught a simple derive: men and women who wished to know the truth must leave their homes.
2. They must strictly follow the rules of arhinia, which means not, hurting, or killing living beings.
3. To all things life is dear.

Let’s Discuss

Question 5.
Why do you think Anagha’s mother wanted her to know 4he story of Buddha?
Answer:
We think that Anagha’s mother wanted her to know the story of the Buddha because the story of the Buddha would tell her about Buddha’s life as well as about his teachings and ideas.

Question 6.
Do you think it would have been easy for slaves to join the sangha? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Those who wanted to join the sangha had to take permission from their parents or their masters. If the slave wanted to join the sangha, they had to take the permission of their masters. The masters would not give permission easily, because the slaves worked very hard and did not get any wages. So it was difficult for the islands to join the sangha.

Let’s Do

Question 7.
Make a list of at least five ideas and questions mentioned in this lesson. Choose three from the list and discuss why you think that they are important even today.
Answer:
A list of five ideas and questions mentioned in the lesson:

1. What is the true meaning of life?
2. Why life is full of suffering and unhappiness?
3. What is Ahimsa or Non-violence? Why is it important even today?
4. What is the relation between atman and brahman?
5. Why should we lead a simple life and why should we be honest in our life?

Selection and discussion of three ideas and questions mentioned in the above list:
1. What is the true meaning of life?
Answer:
It is very important even today to know the true meaning of life. Because this idea will make us truthful. We will lead a simple life. A simple way of life takes us towards honesty and makes us peaceful. This way of life also takes us nearer to God or Brahma.

2. Why life is full of suffering and unhappiness?
Answer:
Gautam, the Buddha taught us that worldly life is full of suffering and unhappiness. This is caused because we have cravings and desires (which generally cannot be fulfilled). Sometimes, even if we get what we desire, we are not satisfied and want even more (or other things). This is tanha or Trishna or thirst. This craving could be removed by the following moderation in everything.

3. What is Ahimsa or Non-violence? Why is it important even today?
Answer:
Ahimsa or Non-violence’s word meaning is not killing any other living person, creature, cattle, or insect. Ahimsa is useful even today. It makes us kind and teaches us to respect the fives of others, including animals.

Question 8.
Find out more about men and women .who renounce the world today. Where do they live, what kinds of clothes do they wear, what do they eat? Why do they renounce the world?
Answer:
Religious saints, monks, nuns, philosophers, jainmunnies (rien as well as women), men and women who have joined the Buddha- Sangha renounce the world even today.

They live in ashrams, vihars, sanghas, dargah as or lonely places of meditation or worship. Some of them even live in remote forests or near some permanent rivers or on the peak of mountains. They meditate most of the time.
They wear very simple clothes or clothes of particular colour and design.

Generally, they eat vegetarian food, simple rice or chapatis along with milk, fruit, vegetables, and pulses.
They renounce the world because they feel that only those who leave their homes can gain true knowledge.

Page 44

Question 1.
Do you notice any similarities between Intro-European languages?
Answer:
Indo-European language has a group of languages. Soi de Indian languages are Assamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri. Many European languages such as English, German, French, Spanish, etc. belong to this family. They have similar words Mata (Sanskrit) me. (Hindi mother (English)

Question 2.
List the languages you have heard about and try’ and identify the families to which they belong.
Answer:
The languages used in the sub-continent are :

1. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam belong to the Dravidian family.
2. Assamese, Manipuri belong to the Tibeto Butman family.
3. Marathi, Oriya Santhali Austro – Asiatic family

Question 3.
Name the two rivers that were worshipped as goddesses and find them on the map.
Answer:
The two rivers worshipped as goddesses are Beas and Sutlej.

Page 45

Question 1.
Do you think chariots were also important? Give reasons for your answer. Read the verses and find out what are the modes? transport that is mentioned.
Answer:
Chariots were important because they were the main means of transport. The other means of transport were carts.

Question 2.
Look at Map 1 (Page 2 of the textbook) and list 5 rivers not mentioned in the Rigveda.
Answer:
The rivers which were no mentions in the Rigveda are :

1. Ganga
2. The Yamuna
3. Narmada
4. Tapi
5. Mahanadi

Page 47

Question 1.
Read the previous section in the textbook and see whether you can find out what the rajas did
Answer:
The rajas did not have capital cities, palaces, or armies, nor did they collect taxes. Generally, the sons did not automatically succeed fathers as rajas. The assemblies chose leaders who were often brave and skillful warriors.

Question 2.
Do any of the names like ‘Jana’ and ‘Vish’ sound familiar.
Answer:
The word ‘Jana’ is familiar, which was used to describe people or the community as a whole. It is still used in Hindi and other languages.

Page 48

Question 1.
There are several things that people did to make megaliths. The list is given in the textbook on page 48. Try and arrange them in the correct order.
Answer:

1. Digging pits in the earth.
2. Find suitable stones
3. Breaking boulders
4. Shaping stones
5. Burying the dead
6. Placing stones in position

Question 2.
Was iron used in the Harappan cities?
Answer:
The archaeologist has not found any evidence which can show that the lion was used in the Harappan cities.

Page 50

Question 1.
Do you think this was the body of a chief? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
Most probably this was the body of a chief because he had a different type of burial from file rest of the people. He was found buried in a large, four-legged clay jar in the courtyard of a five-roomed house (one of the largest houses at the site) in the center of the settlement.

This house also had a granary. The body had a cross-legged position. The other was buried in the ground, laid out straight, with file head towards the north.

Question 2.
How do you think Charak found out about the human body in such great detail.
Answer:
Charak mentions in his book Charak Samhita that the human body has 360 bones. Charak arrived at this figure by counting the teeth, joints, and cartilage. He may have made a detailed study of the skeletal remains of the human body. He may have taken bony structure from the burial places (maybe of the poor people).

Page 51

Question 1.
Use this evidence to list the possible occupations of the people at Inamgaon.
Answer:
Archaeologists have found seeds of wheat, barley, rice, pulses, millets, peas, and sesame. Bones of a number of animals, many bearing cut marks that show that they have been used as food have also been found. They include cattle, buffalo, goat, sheep, dog, horse; ass, pig, sambhar, Antelope hare, and mongoose, besides birds, crocodiles, turtles, crab, and fish.

There is evidence that fruits such as ber, amla, Jamun dates, and varieties of berries were collected. From this, we can conclude that the main occupation of the people.

1. Farming
2. Hunters
3. Collection of fruits and berries

Question 2.
List one difference between the raja of the Rigveda and these kings.
Answer:
The “Raja” of the Rigveda did not live in palaces. They did not have capital, cities, and armies, as the Chinese kings of the same time.

Question 3.
Imagine you live in Inamgaon 3000 years ago and the chief has died last night. Today your parents are preparing for the burial. Describe the scene, including how food is being prepared for the funeral. What do you think would be offered?
Answer:
The chief had died last night. The whole community had gathered near Iris’s house to pay their last homage. Maybe they are wearing white-colored clothes. In the fields outside people had collected things needed for the burial. The fire is lighted and some people are cooking food.

Maybe the rice is being cooked along with vegetables in the mud pot or they may be cooking that food which was relished by the chief. The people may be chanting the holy prayers, otherwise, there was silence all around.

Class 6 History Chapter 5 What Books and Burials Tell Us Exercise Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
Match the columns:
Answer:

Question 2.
Complete the sentences:

1. Slaves were used for ……….
2. Megaliths are found in ……….
3. Stone circles or boulders on the surface were used to ……….
4. Port-holes were used for …………
5. People at Inamgaon ate ………..

Answer:

1. Slaves were used for various kinds of work.
2. Megaliths are found in Deccan in the north, east, and Kashmir.
3. Stone circles or boulders on the surface were used to cover the burial places.
4. Port-holes were used for entering the burial places.
5. People at Inamgaon ate fruits, cereals, and meat.

Let’s Discuss

Question 3.
In what ways are the books we read today different from the Rigveda?
Answer:
The most important point of difference between the Rigveda and the modem books is that today books are written and read. The Vedas, instead, were memorized by students, and later passed on to the later generations by speaking, listening and then memorizing.

Question 4.
What kind of evidence from burials do archaeologists use to find out whether there were social differences amongst those who were buried?
Answer:
Archaeologists have found burial places that help them to reconstruct the past and tell about society. At Brahmagiri, the archaeologists have found one skeleton buried with 33 gold beads, 2 stone beads, 4 copper bangles, and one conch shell. Other skeletons have only a few pots.

These finals suggest that there was some difference in status amongst the people who were buried. Some were rich, others poor, some chiefs other followers.

Question 5.
In what ways do you think that the life of the raja was different from that of a-Dasa or Dasi?
Answer:
The life of a raja was quite different from that of a dasa/dasi:

• Raja participated in religious rites. Took part in wars, whereas dasas were not allowed to do so.
• Rajas had no palaces and collected no taxes but they were free whereas dasas were treated as the property of the owners.

Let’s Do

Question 6.
Find out whether your school library has a collection of books on religion, and list the names of five books from this collection.
Answer:
The live books on religion are

1. Gum Granth Sahib – Sikhs
2. Zoroastrianism – Zend-Ei-Avesta
3. Islam – Quran
4. Christians – Bible
5. Judaism – Old Testament

Question 7.
Write down a short poem or song that you have memorized. Did you hear or read the poem or song? How did you learn it by heart?
Answer:

We heard the poem and learned it by heart with the help of a teacher.

Question 8.
Write down a short poem or song that you have memories of. Did you hear or Racow the poem or song? How did you learn it by heart?
Answer:
In the Rig-Veda, people were described in terms of the work they did and the language they spoke. In the table below fill the names f six people you know, three men and three women. For each of them, mention the work they do and the language they speak Would you like to add anything else to the description.

Page 23

Question 1.
Can you think of any reasons why the dog was perhaps the first animal to be tamed?
Answer:
The dog is
(a) Smaller in size and could be easily kept
(b) They are gentle and man learned they are loving creatures who followed their masters.
(c) Dog is an intelligent animal when it is compared with other animals like pig, sheep, and goat.

Question 2.
Look at the two sets of teeth given in the textbook page 23. Which do you think belongs to a wild pig and which to a domesticated animal.
Answer:
Among the two sets of teeth

1. One is much smaller in size and teeth are not sharp, they have rounded edges. They belong to domesticated animals.
2. Another set of teeth are very large. It has sharp pointed teeth, may be used for tearing meat. They belong to the wild pigs.

Page 24

Question 1.
Do you think hunters-gatherers would have made and used pots? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
As grain had to be stored for both and seed, people and to think of ways of storing it. In many areas, they began making large clay pots. Hunter-gatherers went hunting animals and gather fruits and berries every day. So they did not need clay pots.

Question 2.
Apart from food, what are the other things that could have been obtained from animals? What are the animals used for today?
Answer:
Apart from food animals give

1. Skin and hide, used for making clothes.
2. The bones were used to make tools.
3. The blood was used for painting the walls of the caves.
4. The sinews have used a thread
5. The fat could be used to light the caves

Today we use animals
(a) beast of burden to cany loads
(b) for transportation, pulling the carts
(c) informing operations

Page 28 

Question 1.
Make a list of all the activities performed by men in tribal societies. What do women?
Answer:
Men in the tribal societies did the following activities e.g. hunting, gathering, farming, herding, and fishing, in search of pasture for animals. Women did most of the agricultural work, including preparing the ground, sowing seed looking after the growing plants, driving away animals and birds that may eat them, women also thresh, husk, and grind grain.

Question 2.
Are there any activities that are done by both men and animals?
Answer:
The activities done both by men and women are

1. Cleaning and milking of animals.
2. Making of pots, baskets, tools, huts.
3. They also take part in singing, dancing, and decorating their huts.

Question 3.
What makes a tribe different from many other societies.
Answer:
The tribes are different from many other societies because land, forests, grasslands, and water are regarded as the wealth of the entire tribe, and everybody shares and use these together. There is no sharp difference between the rich and the poor.

Page 29

Question 1.
Look at layers 2 and 3. Which do you think is the earlier layer. Why?

Answer:
Layer 3 is the earlier layer. When the mound is dug up, what is found from the upper layers of the mound is generally forms at a later time than what is found from the lower layers of the mound, which are older.

Page 30

Question 1.
You are in charge of a small plot of land and have to decide what food crops to grow. What are the plants you would choose? Where would you get the seeds from? How would you plant them? How would you look after your plants? And when would they be ready for harvesting?
Answer:

1. I would like to plant wheat in my plot.
2. I will get the seeds of wheat from the government outlet of seeds.
3. To plant these seeds I will, first of all, prepare the land by proper plowing. Then 1 will sow the seeds and arrange for timely irrigation.
4. I will protect my crop from the birds and insects by putting statues of fake men and using insecticides.
5. The crop will be ready for harvesting around mid-April.

Class 6 History Chapter 3 From Gathering to Growing Food Exercise Questions and Answers

Let’s Recall

Question 1.
Why do people who grow crops have to stay in the same place for a long time?
Answer:
People growing crops have to stay in the same place for a long time since the crops require maintenance, like constant watering and care for proper growth.

Question 2.
Look at the tabs on page 25 of the textbook, if Neinuo wanted to eat rice, which are the places she should have visited?
Answer:
If Neinuo wanted to eat rice she should have gone to the state of West Bengal (a major rice producer area).

Question 3.
Why do archaeologists think that many people who lived in Mehrgarh were hunters to start with and that herding became more important later?
Answer:

• Archaeologists who excavated the site of Mehrgarh found evidence of many kinds of animal bones from the earliest levels.
• These included bones of wild animals such as the deer and pig.
• In later levels, they found more bones of sheep and goats.
• And in still later levels, cattle bones are most common, suggesting that these were the animals that were kept generally by the people of Mehrgarh.
• The people of Mehrgarh were hunters to start with and that herding became more important later.

Question 4.
State whether true or false.
Answer:

(a) Millets have been found at Hallur.
Answer:
True

(b) People in Burzahom lived in rectangular houses.
Answer:
False

(c) Chirand is a site in Kashmir.
Answer:
False

(d) Jadeite, found in Daojali Hading, may have been brought from China.
Answer:
True

Let’s Discuss

Question 5.
List three ways in which the lives of farmers and herders would have been different from that of hunter-gatherers?
Answer:

Question 6.
Make a list of all the animals mentioned in the table (Page 25 of the textbook). For each one, describe what they may have been used for
Answer:

1. Sheep – Meat and wool
2. Goat – milk, and meat
3. Dog – to look after the fields
4. Cattle – for dairy and milk products
5. Buffalo – milk giving the animal
6. Ox – for plowing the field and pulling the carts
7. Pig – for meat.

Let’s Do

Question 7.
List the cereals that you eat?
Answer:
List of the cereals:

1. Wheat
2. Rice
3. Barley
4. Black gram
5. White gram
6. Maize
7. Lentil
8. Peas
9. Pulses
10. Millet.

Question 8.
Do you grow the cereals you have listed in answer no 7. if yes draw a chart to show the stages in growing them. If not, draw a chart to show how these cereals reach you from the farmers who grow them.
Answer:
The farmers grow the cereals. The various steps involved are :

1. Plowing the field and putting manure.
2. Sowing the seeds.
3. Looking after the tender plants and saving them from pests.
4. Watering the fields when necessary.
5. Harvesting the crop.
6. Storing them in the sheds.

The cereals reach the people from the farmers. The chart given below show it.