GettingAhead

in Social Science
#NEP#NCF

HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, SOCIAL AND POLITICAL

LIFE

Teachers’ Resource Manual 6

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 GettingAhead in Social Science
Known for its focus on building concepts and providing accurate, empathetic
and inclusive content, GettingAhead in Social Science one of the most respected and popular series of
social studies and social science textbooks in the country.
This revised edition of the series carries on this proud legacy of over 15 years,
and raises the bar still higher with content that is guided by the NEP and the NCF in their vision for
education in India that is Bharat.

About This Course #NEP #NCF

✽ Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary knowledge and
thinking – clear progression from perceptive and
practical concepts to theoretical and abstract concepts
✽ Competencies for each stage and Learning
Outcomes for each grade – courseware designed
specifically to fulfil all curricular goals
✽ Holistic and Experiential Learning – judicious
balance of direct instruction and opportunities for
exploration and inquiry through an activity-based and
discovery- based approach
✽ Values and Dispositions – focus on social and
emotional learning (SEL); inclusion and diversity;
ethical and constitutional values; cultural values and
aesthetic sensibilities; scientific temper and reasoning;
health and wellness and awareness of world issues.
✽ India Knowledge Systems – engagement with local
contexts and traditions to instil a deep sense of pride
and build effective democratic participation
✽ Assessments For, As and Of Learning – powered
by Learning Outcomes and moving away from rote
learning to critical thinking and Higher Order
Capacities
✽ Digital Literacy – seamless extension of the
teaching-learning environment through a
wealth of digital resources.

Digital Resources
Students’ Smart App  Audio support
✽ AR assets  Animations
✽ QR-linked resources  Presentations
 Interactive tasks  Picture galleries
The Package
For the student
✽ Students’ textbooks 1-8
Orient Blackswan Teachers’ Portal with Smart Books
✽ Students’ Smart App 1-8
✽ Animations ✽ Presentations
✽ Interactive tasks ✽ Audio Support
For the teacher
✽ Picture galleries ✽ Lesson modules
✽ Teachers’ Resource Manuals 1 to 8
✽ Worksheets with answer key
✽ Orient BlackSwan Teachers’ Portal with
✽ Sample question papers with answer key Smart Books
✽ Question-paper generator
Highlights of the Series FOCUS ON ASSESSMENT
✽ Content matched to clearly stated Learning Outcomes ✽ Includes a wide variety of activities and
exercises for formative assessment that
✽ Content clearly tagged to reflect compliance with the cover:
requirements of the NEP and NCF
 Assessment For Learning
✽ Ample opportunities to explore local and regional aspects of the
topics under study, as per the requirements of the NCF  Assessment As Learning
✽ Integrated interdisciplinary approach  Assessment Of Learning
✽ Hands-on, experiential and discovery-based learning ✽ Includes questions that follow the current
through activities, projects and field visits pattern of CBSE question papers, such as
Picture-based, Case-based and Map-
✽ Activities that focus on developing 21st Century Skills, SEL, based questions
Values and dispositions
✽ Includes Sample question papers that
✽ Project-based Learning activities that encourage learning through follow the current exam pattern
real-world, curriculum-related questions or challenges
✽ Includes several higher order thinking
✽ Activities that recognise and address multiple intelligences in questions in the exercises for each chapter
classrooms
✽ Rich digital resources easily accessed through QR codes

Key Features

Warm-up activities in a variety of Teachers’ Resource

formats that assess previous Questions for formative Manuals
understanding, or provide real life
connect assessment in a wide variety ✽ Lesson plans
of formats, many of which ✽ Question bank with answers
are higher order thinking
questions ✽ Worksheets with answer key
Goals clearly matched to curriculum and
Bloom’s taxonomy ✽ Sample question papers with answer
key
Cross-curricular, integrated
enrichment activities that help ✽ Answer key for coursebook
develop 21st century skills, and
Activities that encourage experiential address multiple intelligences
learning, real-world application of in classrooms
knowledge, and provide local and regional
connect
Situations and stories that instil ethical
and moral, democratic, and epistemic
Case study Thinking questions or situations values
that help develop social and
In depth study of topics prescribed by the emotional learning (SEL)
curriculum KNOW YOUR BHARAT
Facts that inspire rootedness and
pride in India’s rich past, culture
A useful tool for self-assessment and and traditions
revision
 A digital hub of learning for teachers
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• Self-assessments
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 THE NCF IN THE CLASSROOM

Effective Pedagogy for Achieving Aims of School Education

Knowledge (knowing – concepts, theories,
principles)
The Indian emphasis on Smriti (memory) plays
a big role in cognition and comprehension.
Using memory for learning in the classroom
encompasses a variety of activities -
deliberate and regular practice, deep
processing, generating cues, making
connections, and forming associations.
Knowledge also includes interdisciplinary
knowledge, an integration of curricular
subjects, technology, art, wellness, STEM, and
many other cognitive areas. Foremost among
these is India Knowledge.
Capacities (knowing how - abilities and skills)
Abilities and skills are learnt best by doing
and they improve with repeated exposure and
practice. Good practice involves meaningful
variety, is done in appropriate quantity and
supplemented with continuous discussions and
timely, constructive feedback.
Values and Dispositions (practising values)
Development of values and dispositions
happens primarily through a school and
classroom culture of respect and tolerance,
learning school subjects, and learning to win
and lose with grace in sports and games.
Development of democratic values (e.g.,
pluralism, equality, justice, fraternity) takes
place through dialogue and discussion. Marking
important days through community service
helps build cultural values while regular
practices at the school assembly help promote
pride in India’s heritage and cultural diversity.

Key Elements that Enable Effective Pedagogy in the Classroom

• Ensuring respect and care by offering students equal access and opportunity
• Building positive teacher-student relationships
• Providing scaffolding: Gradual Release of Responsibility (GRR)— from guided support to independent practice
• Differentiated instruction: tailoring the teaching process according to individual needs
• Opportunities for independent and collaborative work: providing opportunities to work individually and together
• Using varied resources: Going beyond the textbooks by using additional resources, including digital resources
• Helping students develop appropriate work habits and responsibility
• Giving prompt and meaningful feedback
 Planning for Teaching

The major components of a teaching plan are:

• Competencies, Learning Outcomes and intended Lesson Objectives
• Teacher-directed, Teacher-guided and/or Student-led activities to achieve the objectives.
• Choice of pedagogy based on tapping prior understanding of the student
• Content and material to be used
• Duration and sequence of activities
• Classroom arrangements e.g., seating, displays, arrangement of material
• Specific strategies for students who need extra help
• Methods of assessment

APPROACH TO LEARNING

Approach
Aims of School Education: to Learning
Aims are Standards
educational vision statements that give broad direction to all deliberate efforts of edu
curriculum development, institutional arrangements and so on. Aims of School Education are usually directed by educat

Curricular Goals: Curricular Goals are statements that give directions to curriculum development and implementation. They are derived from
Aims and are specific to a stage in education.

Competencies: Competencies are learning achievements that are observable and can be assessed systematically. These Competencies are derived
from the Curricular Goals and are expected to be attained by the end of a Stage.
Learning Outcomes: Competencies are attained over a period of time. Therefore, interim markers of learning achievements are needed so that teachers can observe a
 Panchaadi – Five-Step Learning Process or lesson structure

Aditi (Introduction): As a first step, the teacher introduces a new concept/topic by establishing a connection with the child’s prior knowledge.
Children gather relevant information regarding the new topic with the help of the teacher by asking questions, exploring, and experimenting with
ideas and material.
Bodh (Conceptual Understanding): Children try to understand core concepts through play, enquiry, experiments, discussion, or reading in the
second step. The teacher observes the process and guides the children. The teaching plan has the list of concepts to be learnt by the children.
Abhyas (Practice): The third step is about practice to strengthen understanding and skills through a range of interesting activities. Teachers can
organize group work or small projects to reinforce conceptual understanding and attainment of competencies.
Prayog (Application): The fourth step is about applying the acquired understanding in the child’s everyday life. This can be accomplished through
various activities and small projects.
Prasar (Expansion): The fifth step is about spreading the acquired understanding through conversations with friends, telling each other new
stories, singing new songs, reading new books together and playing new games with each other. For each and every new topic learnt, a neural
pathway is created in our brain. Sharing knowledge strengthens our learning. A neural pathway is incomplete if we don’t teach what we have
learnt. Teaching makes learning clear and long-lasting.

ASSESSMENTS

Key Principles of Good Assessment

• Assessments should measure achievement of Competencies and Learning Outcomes leading to attainment of Curricular Goals.
• Assessments should be constructive, developmental, and learning focused.
• Assessments should be Stage-appropriate.
• Assessments should accommodate student diversity.
• Assessments should be supported by timely, credible, and constructive feedback to students.
• Assessments should support in meaningful aggregation/summation of student learning.

Types of Assessment

Formative assessments are used to track student-learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by both teachers to improve their
teaching and students to improve their learning. They are continuous and ongoing.
Summative assessments are used to evaluate student-learning at the end of a lesson or a logical period of teaching.
 Assessment for Learning; Assessment as Learning; Assessment of Learning

Assessment for Learning (AFL): It is the evidence of student-learning that gives the teacher inputs to guide the teaching-learning process. The
formative assessment, when designed meaningfully, can be used as a powerful tool that contributes to and supports better learning and teaching
practices.
Assessment as Learning (AAL): Students play an active role in taking charge of their own learning. When such formative assessments are
introduced as non-threatening tools for self-reflection and introspection, they become developmental and constructive in nature.
Assessment of Learning (AOL): It is the summative assessment or evaluation that takes place after the learning has been completed and is the
measurement of achievement of student-learning.

SOCIAL SCIENCE EDUCATION

Social Science plays an important role in developing in an individual student a comprehensive sense of the human world and its functioning. In an
increasingly globalizing and interdependent world, this understanding is critical to help students see how things around them are changing, what the
causes of these changes are, and how the change impacts human societies. It also helps them realize the need for interdependence, collaboration,
and an appreciation for the diversity of human culture and societies. The subject also teaches students the method of observing and interpreting the
world wearing the hat of a social scientist.
Develop the disciplinary knowledge and Develop an understanding and appreciation
understanding of how society functions for the methods of enquiry relevant to Social
through an interplay of historical, Aims of Social Science Education Science and deepen students’ skills to engage
geographical, social, economic, and political with the key questions and issues confronting
factors. the society.

Foster ethical, human, and Constitutional values.

 STRATEGIES FOR THE MIDDLE STAGE
a. Inquiry: Inquiry-based methods help students understand how social scientists generate knowledge.
b. Issues-based learning: Issues-based learning can be a conducive tool for acquainting students with various aspects of social realities, integrating
perspectives from different disciplines in investigating the causes of problems, and in thinking about relevant social action.
As a subject addressing normative concerns, it is also vital that students learn Social Science content by engaging with real issues in their
immediate/distant context.
c. Conversations, discussions, and debates: Conversations are extremely vital in a Social Science classroom. These conversations should lead to
focused discussions on concepts, ideas, belief systems, and value claims. Sometimes these discussions may convert into debates in the
classroom. It is important to encourage such debates as it provides students with the opportunity to put forth their perspectives, resolve
conflicts, iron out contradictory ideas, and learn from each other. However, care must be taken that such discussions and debates do not hurt
the sentiments of any caste, class, gender or other social groups.
d. Role plays and simulations: Role play and simulations may help students explore decision-making processes and finding means of conflict resolution.
e. Community service and field excursions: Community service is yet another upcoming strategy in a Social Science classroom. It not only involves
concrete experiences for learning concepts of the curriculum, but also enables students develop the desired values and sensitivity towards
normative concerns. Similarly, field excursions are meaningful ways of engaging with the content.
f. Reflective essays: Students can write reflective essays on various topics related to the curriculum. These essays can also be used by teachers to
assess the extent to which students have learnt the desired concepts and skills.
g. Project work: Effective Social Science teaching happens when students collaborate around a project or a specific task. Such projects should be
collaboratively designed along with students with sufficient time given to collect data, analyze it and present it in the classrooms.
h. Some specific opportunities for projects to create models and artefacts: The students should be given opportunities where they can apply their
knowledge in creating models and artefacts.

TEACHERS’ PORTAL WITH ONLINE SMART BOOKS

UNIT-BASED LESSON MODULES
Lesson Plans
Question Bank with Answer Key
Students’ Book Answer Key
WORKSHEETS WITH ANSWER KEY
SAMPLE QUESTION PAPERS WITH ANSWER
KEY
ANIMATIONS
AUDIO TRACKS
PRESENTATIONS
PICTURE GALLERIES
INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES
QUESTION-PAPER GENERATOR
- -- -
Some examples of Foldables

I
Two-tab foldables

- -
Three-tab foldable
J

Four-tab foldables
 Contents

PART I: HISTORY
1. When, Where and How 1
2. Early Humans—Hunters and Gatherers 8
3. Farmers and Herders 15
4. The First Cities 22
5. Different Ways of Life: The Vedic Period and Chalcolithic Settlements 30
6. The Early States—Janapadas and Mahajanapadas 38
7. Great Thinkers and New Beliefs 45
8. The First Empire and an Inspiring Emperor 52
9. Life in Villages, Towns and the Kingdoms of South and Central India 60
10. Contact with Distant Lands 66
11. India between the 4th and 7th Centuries 71
12. The Legacy of Ancient India 81
● Worksheets 90
● Answer key to the worksheets 102
PART II: GEOGRAPHY
1. The Earth in the Solar System 108
2. Latitude and Longitude—Locating Places on the Globe 115
3. Motions of the Earth 122
4. Maps 129
5. The Four Realms of the Earth 136
6. Major Landforms of the Earth 145
7. Our Country—India 153
8. The Physical Divisions of India 156
9. India—Climate 165
10. India: Natural Vegetation and Wildlife 171
● Worksheets 178
● Answer key to the worksheets 188
PART III: SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE
1. Human Diversity 193
2. Diversity, Prejudice and Discrimination 198
3. Understanding Government 204
4. Elements of a Democracy 210
5. Panchayati Raj—Local Government of Rural Areas 216
6. Local Government of Urban Areas 223
7. District Administration 229
8. Making a Living 233
● Worksheets 241
● Answer key to the worksheets 249
Sample Question Papers with Answer Key
Semester 1 Sample Question Paper 254
Semester 2 Sample Question Paper 259
Answer Key to Semester 1 Sample Question Paper 264
Answer Key to Semester 2 Sample Question Paper 267
 WHEN, WHERE AND HOW

● What is history?
Suggested number of sessions: 8
● Why do we study history?
● History and prehistory Session 1: Lead-in, What is history? Why do we study history?,
(Timelines) History and prehistory, Timelines
● Times and dates in history Session 2: Time and dates in history, Naming centuries, Sources for
● Naming centuries the study of history, Periods of Indian history, Archaeological
● Sources for the study of sources, Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history
history (Periods of Indian
Session 3: Coins and seals, Do and learn: Designing a coin
history)
● Archaeological sources Session 4: Literary sources, Religious literature, Secular literature
● Coins and seals Session 5: The geographical framework of history, Demonstration of
● Literary sources how to make the Foldable specified in the I now know section
● Religious literature (Students can make the foldable by themselves, at home.) Exercises
● Secular literature Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question
● The geographical
framework of history Session 7: Enrichment activities: Instructions for Make a model,
Diary entry, which can be given as home assignments, Life skills
Session 8: Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Explain what history is and evaluate the need to study it
● Distinguish between history and prehistory
● Explain how events are dated in history and centuries named, and illustrate this with the help of
examples
● Describe the different sources for the study of history
● Analyse the role played by geography in history, with special reference to India
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead-in: Encourage students to complete the activity given at the beginning of the chapter. The purpose
of the activity is to introduce the term ‘history’.
NEP parameters covered: Communication; Experiential learning, Discovery-based learning;
Observation skills; Real-life connect (Students compare their toys with the ones in the pictures using
their observation skills and discuss the similarities with each other. The activity facilitates self-learning
and learning from experience.)
Teaching the lesson
WHAT IS HISTORY?
Focus area: The meaning of history; what history helps us know
WHY DO WE STUDY HISTORY?
Focus area: The reasons why we study history

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Suggested questions to aid comprehension:
1. How does learning from the mistakes of others help us? (We are careful not repeat those mistakes.
This helps us make the right decisions for our present and future.)
2. Why is our identity important? (It tells us who we are and where we have come from.)
3. How is the past tied to the present? (We experience the consequences of past actions in the present.
We value what we have in the present better when we are aware of the struggles and sacrifices of the
past.
4. How does the study of history make us more tolerant of other cultures? (We learn about the cultural
exchanges between different groups that have happened throughout history. We become open- minded
and more accepting of other cultures.)
HISTORY AND PREHISTORY
Focus areas: The two main parts into which the study of the past is divided; the difference between
prehistory and history; what a timeline is and what its purpose is
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to read the timeline to know when some major events in the history
of humans occurred.
TIME AND DATES IN HISTORY
Focus areas: The terms ‘BCE’, ‘CE’, ‘circa’, ‘BP’; the difference in the way the dates before and after
the birth of Christ are counted; what the terms ‘decade’, ‘century’ and ‘millennium’ mean
Suggested questions: (Integrated learning: Subject integration (Mathematics)
1. How many decades in a century? (10)
2. How many centuries in a millennium? (10)

Do and learn
Answers: The calendar used in school: Solar calendar, unequal number of days in each month;
Traditional Indian calendar: Lunar calendar, equal number of days in each month; The traditional
Indian calendar gives the date and time for celebrating traditional new year’s day and different
festivals. The calendar used in school may contain information about holidays declared in a year for
celebrating festivals. (Note: Accept other correct details about the two calendars.)
NEP parameters covered: Experiential learning and Discovery-based learning (Students acquire
knowledge through research and inquiry and learn through experience.); Indian knowledge systems,
Pride and rootedness in India. (Students learn about traditional Indian calendars. The activity aims at
inculcating pride about India knowledge systems in the minds of students.)
Criteria for assessment: Interprets/Analyses information and answers the question correctly

3. How many decades in a millennium? (100)

Naming centuries

Do and learn
Answers: 1446 CE: 15th century CE; 361 BCE: 4th century BCE; 1098 CE; 11th century CE; 1300
BCE: 13th century BCE
Focus area: How centuries are identified by the years and vice versa

SOURCES FOR THE STUDY OF HISTORY

Focus areas: The two main types into which the sources of history are divided
Ancient (Classical), Medieval and Modern periods of Indian history: The broad divisions of Indian history;
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the extent of the ancient period in India

3
 Archaeological sources
Focus areas: What ‘archaeology’ means, work done by archaeologists, how artefacts help in

Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history

Answers (suggested) for the first question: Used for storage purposes, like storing grains, storing water
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students analyse the information provided to arrive at
the answers.), Communication (Students answer the questions orally.); Establishing a local and
regional connect (Questions related to the usage of large clay pots at home and in the places that
students may know about in their locality; Information on mannu chattis / kalams of Kerala).
Criteria for assessment: Coherence, Accuracy (Attention to detail), Clarity

reconstructing life in the past

Coins and seals

Focus areas: Information contained in coins and seals that are useful for reconstructing history, meaning

Do and learn: Designing a coin

NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and creativity (Students think carefully about what they
want their coin to tell about themselves. They also decide the material for the coin; they use their
imagination to design the coin.); Communication (Students explain their design to the class);
Experiential learning (Students learn through their own experience how coins can be used to convey
information); Discovery-based learning (Students gain knowledge through self-learning.)
Criteria for assessment: Contextual relevance, Creativity, Effective use of available space, Attention to
detail

of the terms, engravings, inscriptions numismatics

Literary sources
Focus areas: Meaning of literary sources, manuscripts, inscriptions; classification of literary sources
Religious literature
Focus areas: Features and examples of religious literature
Secular literature
Focus areas: Features and examples of secular literature
THE GEOGRAPHICAL FRAMEWORK OF HISTORY
Focus areas: The influence of different physical features on the history of India
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to identify the places on the map as you explain the influence of
geography on history.

I NOW KNOW: Guide students in making the Foldable. The task helps them revise the main topics
covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTIONS
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students apply their map-reading skills; they analyse the
information in the map); Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students trace along the route taken by Faxian,
on the map and synthesise it with the information about passes in the Himalayas given in the chapter to
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arrive at the answer.)

5
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Make a model
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students apply their understanding of the location of the
physical features and create the model); Communication (Students use the model to explain how the
geographical framework of India influenced its history); Art integration (Students use their artistic skills
to create the model.)
Criteria for assessment: Artwork (Model-making): Contextual relevance, Accuracy, Functionality, Visual
appeal; Communication: Content, Organisation of Ideas, Clarity and coherence, Fluency
Diary entry
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students imagine the scenario based on the given premises
in order to compose the diary entry.); Communication, Language integration (Students write the diary
entry in their own words using appropriate vocabulary.)
Criteria for assessment: Originality, Contextual relevance, Organisation of Ideas, Clarity in presenting
the ideas
LIFE SKILLS
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students evaluate the options to arrive at the answers.);
Communication (They explain why they chose a particular option.); Decision-making (Students decide
upon their option based on their ethical and moral value systems)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

WHEN, WHERE AND HOW

EXERCISES
I. 1. prehistory 2. backward, forward correct explanation of A. 3. c. Artefacts
3. archaeology 4. Harshacharita include human and animal bones and the remains
5. Harsha, 7th of plants. 4. c. Options ii and iii, because
II. 1. b. comes after the year 110 BCE they are hand-written 5. d. the fertile nature
of the land encouraged economic prosperity
2. b. Both A and R are true, but R is not the

III. 1. Prehistory History

It is the study of events that happened before It is the study of events for which there are
humans learnt to write. written records.

2. Decade Century
It is a period of ten years. It is a period of 100 years.

3. Inscriptions
They are words written or engraved on hard
surfaces, such as rocks, pillars and on the
walls of temples and palaces.
Manuscripts
They are documents that have been written
by hand. In India, early manuscripts were
mostly written on dried palm leaves, the
dried bark of trees and thinly beaten copper
plates.

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 4. Coins Seals
Coins were issued by rulers to enable people Seals, like those found at sites of the Indus
to buy goods and services. Valley civilisation, were mainly used by
traders to stamp their goods.
Coins often contain important information, such The engravings on the seals can tell us about
as the name of the ruler who issued the coin, the life in a region during a particular period of
period during which they ruled, and the time.
economic condition of the kingdom at that time.

Historians often use the information found on Seals may contain inscriptions from which
coins to cross-check facts derived from other archaeologists can get information about the
sources. past.

5. Religious sources of history Secular sources of history

Literary works that deal with religion or have Secular literature refers to writings on
a religious theme are classified as religious subjects other than religion, like politics,
literature. grammar, medicine and law.

IV. 1. No. I do not agree with Aman. It is while the period after the birth of Christ is
important to learn history for the following
reasons:
● History teaches us to carefully examine
and question facts before accepting
them as the truth.
● History educates us. We can learn from
mistakes made in the past. It thus helps
us make better decisions in the present
and for the future.
● A study of the past can give us a sense of
identity—it teaches us who we are and
who our ancestors were.
● We need to know our past to be able to
understand our present. Thousands of
people fought and gave up their lives to
make India independent. We will value
the freedom we now enjoy better when
we know the cost at which we obtained
it. For that, we need to study the past.
● A study of history is meant to make
us more tolerant and open-minded
about other people and their cultures.
2. A commonly accepted way of telling the
dates of significant events in history is to
count the years forward or backwards from
the year in which Jesus Christ is believed to
have been born. The period before the birth
of Christ is denoted by the letters BCE,
which stand for ‘Before Common Era’,

7
 denoted by the letters CE, which stand for
‘Common Era’. The term ‘circa’ (or ca in
short) is used when the year of an event is
not known for sure.

4 BCE 3 BCE 2 BCE 1 BCE 1 CE 2 CE 3 CE 4 CE

From the timeline given, we can see that the
years in the period before the birth of Jesus
Christ are counted backwards. So, 2 BCE
comes after 4 BCE. On the other hand, the
years in the period after the birth of Jesus
Christ are counted forward. So, 2 CE comes
before 4 CE.
It is also an accepted norm to name the
century in which an event occurred without
giving the actual date when it occurred. For
example, we can say an event occurred in the
12th century CE. Similarly, we say India
became independent in the 20th century,
though the exact year was 1947. This is so
because the 20th century CE is the hundred-
year period from 1901 CE to 2000 CE.
3. Archaeology is a study of the remains of
human life in the past. Archaeologists
excavate places where ancient people lived.
They collect and examine human-made
objects like pottery, tools, ornaments,
weapons, toys, coins and seals, which are

8
 known as artefacts. They also study human
and animal bones and the seeds and
remains of plants. These artefacts and
remains provide vital clues to how people
lived in the past. By studying them,
archaeologists can tell us what the people
ate, what occupations they followed, with
whom they traded, what gods they
worshipped, how they dressed and how
they treated their dead.
4. The scientists trying to put together the
history of a tribe that lived in central India
5. Religious sources of history
Religious sources of history available
for students of ancient Indian history
would mainly include religious
literature. Literary works that deal
with religion or have a religious theme
are classified as religious literature.
Religious works like the Vedas, the
Ramayana and the Tripitaka provide a
wealth of knowledge about the nature
of society, religion and politics during
the ancient period of India’s past.
Before the invention of writing, epics,
poems, stories, songs and music were
composed and transmitted orally from
one generation to the next.
● Many of our religious texts, such
as the Vedas, the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata, were transmitted
orally for thousands of years
before they were finally written
down.
● Many tribal communities also have
rich and ancient oral traditions,
which are important sources of
information.
6. The high mountain ranges of the Himalayas
have acted as a barrier against many
invading forces from the north and offered
protection to the kingdoms in north India.
However, for thousands of years, groups of
people have travelled in and out of India
through passes (low-lying points) in the
Himalayas. These groups included traders,
travellers and invaders. The passes provided
more than 5000 years ago are not likely to
find written records of this period. This is
because it is believed that humans learnt to
write only around 5000 years before the
present. The scientists have to rely on the
artefacts and remains excavated from the
place where the tribe is believed to have
lived. The sources would include pottery,
tools, weapons, toys and ornaments made by
the people of the ancient tribe, human and
animal bones and the seeds and remains of
plants recovered from that place.
Secular sources of history
Secular sources of history would include coins, seals
and inscriptions of a non-religious nature and
literature in subjects other than religion, like politics,
grammar medicine and law.
Valuable information about the economic conditions of
different kingdoms, the name of their rulers and the
period of rule can be obtained from seals and coins.
Secular literature can be in the form of biographies,
treatises on different subjects and accounts of
travelers.
● Harshacharita by Banabhatta gives us an insight into
the social, economic and political conditions
during the reign of Harsha, one of the famous
kings of ancient India.
● Kautilya’s Arthashastra is a treatise (or manual) on
government, economic policy and military
strategy.
● The account left behind by Xuanzang, who
visited India during the rule of Harsha, is an
important source of information about India
during that time.
● Megasthenes, a Greek ambassador to the court of
the Mauryan king Chandragupta, wrote a detailed
description of Mauryan rule in his book Indica.
a link to India and made it possible for new
ideas to emerge and cultural exchanges to
happen.
The fertile nature of the Northern Plains
encouraged the growth of agriculture. This,
in turn, led to the establishment of many
powerful pan-Indian kingdoms and
empires here, like those of the Mauryas and
the Guptas.
9
 River valleys with fertile soil were suited
for agriculture. Rivers provided waterways
for trade and transport.
The Deccan Plateau is separated from
northern India by the Satpura and Vindhya
mountain ranges. This isolation enabled the
growth of several regional kingdoms here,
like those of the Cholas, the Chalukyas and
the Rashtrakutas.
Seas and oceans surrounding India on three
sides protected peninsular India from
attacks of enemy powers. The long
coastline with its natural ports and
harbours has also encouraged trade and
commerce, for thousands of years, with
distant lands like Rome, Mesopotamia
(present-day Iraq), Egypt and South-East
Asia. The kingdoms of South India
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
WHEN, WHERE AND HOW
I. Match.
1. BCE a. the study of coins
2. Archaeologists b. the period before
Common Era
3. Ancient period c. the study of
of Indian history inscriptions
4. Epigraphy d. from around 3000
BCE to 647 CE
5. Numismatics e. people who study
the remains of
human life in the
past
Ans: 1. BCE—b. the period before Common
Era 2. Archaeologists—e. people who
study the remains of human life in the
past 3. Ancient period of Indian
history—d. from around 3000 BCE to
647 CE 4. Epigraphy—c. the study of
nscriptions 5. Numismatics—a. the
study of coins
10
were able to develop strong navies
and establish overseas colonies in
South-East Asia.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTIONS
1. Faxian is most likely to have entered India
through a pass in the mighty Himalayas.
2. Faxian would have crossed mountains,
valleys and plains in his journey through
India. He would have crossed the Himalayan
rivers like the Ganga and the Yamuna.
3. Faxian would have walked or travelled on
horseback or in boats while in India. He would
have travelled by ship on his way back to
China.
LIFE SKILLS
Answers vary. Free response
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. A period of 1000 years is called a .
2. The two groups of sources to study the past
are sources and sources.
3. Indian history is divided into the ,
the and the periods.
4. Most sources of ancient India are
in the form of manuscripts and inscriptions.
Ans: 1. millennium 2. archaeological,
literary 3. ancient, medieval, modern
4. literary
III. Answer in brief.
1. What kind of information do we get from
history?
Ans: By studying history we come to know
what people did and how they lived in
the past. We learn about their
economy, occupations and food
habits. We get information about
rulers and the battles they fought. We
also understand events of the past by
studying their causes and effects and
 how our present is influenced by
events from the past.
2. Why is it difficult to give an exact date for
the end of prehistory and the beginning of
history? When is history said to have
generally begun?
Ans: As humans learnt to write at different
times in different parts of the world, it
is difficult to give an exact date for the
beginning of history and the end of
prehistory. But in general we can say
that history began around 5,000 years
before the present.
3. What is a timeline?
Ans: A timeline is a visual representation
of important events that took place
within a specific time period, arranged
in the order in which they happened.
4. Why is there a difference in the way
prehistory and history are studied?
Ans: There is a difference in the way
prehistory and history are studied
because of the difference in the
sources available to study them.
5. How are centuries named?
Ans: Years that form a century are taken
together for the purpose of naming
that century. For example, the hundred
years from 1 CE to 100 CE are
together called the 1st century CE, the
years from 101 CE to 200 CE are
called the 2nd century CE and so on.
Similarly the years from 100 BCE to
1BCE are called the 1st century BCE
and the years from 200 BCE to 101
BCE are called the 2nd century BCE
and so on.

EARLY HUMANS—HUNTERS AND GATHERERS

● Introduction: A brief
description of the evolution
of humans on Earth; an
overview of how early
humans lived
● The Old Stone Age, or the
Palaeolithic Age
● Tools and weapons
● Shelter and clothing
● Art
● Discovery of fire
● Palaeolithic sites in India
● The Middle Stone Age
or the Mesolithic Age
● Changing lifestyles
● Tools and implements
● The New Stone Age, or the
Neolithic Age
● Chalcolithic Age
● Stone Age settlements in
the Deccan—A case study
of Hunasagi
Suggested number of sessions: 7
Session 1: Lead-in, Introduction to the lesson, The Old Stone Age or
the Palaeolithic Age, Tools and weapons
Session 2: Shelter and clothing, Art, Do and learn: Let’s
communicate through pictures (The last part can be given as a
home assignment. Students can collect pictures for their story and
share it with the class in the last session.) Discovery of fire,
Palaeolithic sites in India, The Middle Stone Age or the Mesolithic
Age
Session 3: Changing lifestyles, Tools and implements, Do and learn:
Interpreting archaeological evidence, The New Stone Age or the
Neolithic Age, Discover more, Chalcolithic Age
Session 4: Stone Age settlements in the Deccan—A case study of
Hunasagi, Instructions for I now know, which is to be given as a
home assignment, Exercises
Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question, Enrichment
activities: Instructions for Project work and Write a story, which the
students can be allowed to complete and submit over sessions 6 and 7,
Life skills, Values
Session 6: Enrichment activities: Speak out
Session 7: Worksheet

11
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Describe how early humans lived
● Examine and interpret archaeological evidence to make deductions from them
● Assess the impact of new discoveries and inventions, like fire and the wheel, on the lives of early humans
● Outline the main features of the Stone Age settlement at Hunasagi Valley
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead-in: Encourage students to complete the activity given at the beginning of the chapter.
Answers: ● The Earth was formed around 4.5 billion years ago. ● Humans started evolving 6
million years ago. ● Humans began to practise
agriculture around 10,000 BCE.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students analyse the information given in the timeline to
answer the questions.), Visual-Spatial intelligence, Observation skills (Students apply their visual-spatial
skills and observation skills to read and interpret the timeline.)
Note: Help students appreciate the fact that humans have made a lot of progress in a span of time that is
extremely short compared to the time that the Earth has been in existence and also to the time that
humans have lived on Earth.
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Time taken for humans to evolve on Earth; where the process of evolution began; the
migration of humans from Africa and the time by which they populated different parts of the world; an
overview of their lives—what they ate, where they lived, what they wore and what kind of tools they
used; the period in human history known as the Stone Age; how it gets its name; the main divisions of
the Stone Age; how we get information about this period
THE OLD STONE AGE OR THE PALAEOLITHIC AGE
(AROUND 2.5 MILLION YEARS AGO–10,000 BCE)
Focus areas: The duration of this period; how the period gets its name; the life of human beings during
this period—why they led a nomadic existence; the changes that happened in human behaviour around
40,000 to 35, 000 BCE
Suggested questions to check comprehension:
1. Why did humans have to move over great distances during the Old Stone Age? (Hunting could not
support a growing population in one place.)
2. What kind of changes came about in human behaviour around 40,000 to 35,000 BCE? (Humans
started showing many habits of modern humans—new and better types of stone tools began to be
made, cave paintings began to be created, humans started burying their dead in elaborate ways.)
Tools and weapons
Focus areas: The purpose for which stone tools were made during the Old Stone Age; the features and
names of some of the tools; types of weapons and complex tools
Shelter and clothing
Focus area: Where Palaeolithic humans lived and what they wore
Art
Focus area: Subjects / Themes of cave paintings that were created during the Old Stone Age; places
where cave paintings have been discovered

12
Do and learn: Let’s communicate through pictures
Answers: ● The picture is showing a hunting Discovery
/ war scene.of fire
● Horses, birds
NEP parameters
Focus areas: Thecovered:
differentCritical
reasonsthinking
why the(Students
discoveryinterpret the figures
of fire was in the
one of the painting
most and discoveries
important also
visualise how they will narrate an incident from their life using
Palaeolithic sites in India just pictures.), Communication (They
answer the questions and also use pictures to narrate an incident from their life.), Creativity and Art
Focus areas:
integration Important
(They Palaeolithic
use their sitesdraw
creativity and in India
pictures for narrating an incident.); Visual literacy (They
Teaching
use guideline:
their visual skills Instruct students
to interpret to read and
the painting the map Palaeolithic
also to sites in India / Bharat
draw pictures.)Observation skills(Early Stone
(Students
Age)togiven
need in the
observe thetextbook
painting and locatetoAttirampakkam,
carefully Hunasagi, learning,
interpret it.) Experiential Bhimbetka and Adamgarh.learning
Discovery-based After this,
they can also
(Students learnmemorise
to source the
andnames andinformation
interpret location of on
other Palaeolithic
their own.) sites in India.
THE MIDDLE
Criteria for assessment: STONE AGE and
Clarity,creativity OR coherence
THE MESOLITHIC AGE
in drawing (10,000–8,000
/ arranging BCE)
the pictures.
Focus areas: The duration of this period; the location of this period on the timeline of Stone Ages; the
life of human beings during this period; important Mesolithic sites in India; how we come to know about
this period
Changing lifestyles
Focus areas: How the climate changes made it easier for humans to hunt and gather food in the
Mesolithic Period; the important development of learning to grow crops; the progress made in building
shelters
Tools and implements
Focus areas: Meaning and description of microliths; what microliths were used as and how they
improved hunting and fishing
Teaching guideline: Help students compare the tools and weapons of the Old Stone Age with those of the

Do and learn: Interpreting archaeological evidence

Answers: A spheroid (round in shape; used for bringing down animals from a distance, during hunting),
a hand-axe (used for cutting / chopping), a spearhead(used for hunting)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning (Students determine the use of the tools
by observing their shape.); Visual-Spatial intelligence, Observation skills (Students apply their visual
and observation skills to arrive at the answers.)
Criteria for assessment: Interprets and analyses pictures correctly; applies logical reasoning to identify
the uses of stone tools given

Middle Stone Age.

THE NEW STONE AGE OR THE NEOLITHIC AGE (8,000–4, 000 BCE)
Focus areas: The duration of this period; why this period was extremely important in human evolution
Instruct students to read up the information in the Discover more box about how archaeologists
determine the purpose of tools.

13
 CHALCOLITHIC AGE (4,000–2,000 BCE)
Focus areas: The duration of this period; how it gets its name; the special feature of the tools made
during this period
STONE AGE SETTLEMENTS IN THE DECCAN—A CASE STUDY OF HUNASAGI
Focus areas: The antiquity of the Stone Age sites in India; why the early hunter-gatherers preferred the
semi-humid regions of the Deccan; what other factors determined their choice of places to live; the
antiquity of the Hunasagi and Baichbal Valley sites; the factors that ensured human occupation in these
places from very early times; the types of tools found here, the types of stones used to make them and
the different purposes for which the tools were used

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the question.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and logical reasoning (Students analyse the picture to answer
the questions. They apply their reasoning skills to describe the picture.); Observation skills (Students use
their skills of observation to read and interpret the picture.)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Project work
NEP parameters covered: Communication (Students present their findings in the form of a chart or
booklet); Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the project.); Curiosity and wonder (The
activity aims to inculcate these dispositions in students.); Scientific temper (The activity aims to develop
in students the attitude of questioning and reasoning in order to gain knowledge.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy (of information collected); clarity (In presenting information),
organisation of information in a chart or booklet;aesthetics/ neatness in presentation
Write a story
NEP parameters covered: Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, Language integration
(Students write a graphic story in English using appropriate vocabulary.); Creativity (Students create the
story based on their imagination.); Technology literacy (They may use ideas from the Internet to create the
graphic story.) Criteria for assessment: Creativity, clarity, coherence
Speak out
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence(Students
think of how necessities could have led to inventions. They explain their ideas in their words.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, clarity, coherence
LIFE SKILLS
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Problem solving (Students analyse the important changes
that need to be made to the world and come up with their solutions for bringing about those changes.
They use their analytical skills for this) Creativity, Being innovative, Scientific temper. They need to be
creative and innovative to think of what the world would need in future. They need to have a scientific
temper for coming up with practical solutions.)
VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Empathy, civic values, social responsibility, seva, humaneness and fraternal
spirit, the spirit of service (Students learn all these values from Lin’s behaviour.)

14
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
EARLY HUMANS—HUNTERS AND GATHERERS
EXERCISES
I. 1. Mesolithic Age / Middle Stone Age
2. Attirampakkam, Bhimbetka 3. Altamira
4. Artefacts like tools, weapons, cave paintings
and pottery 5. Spheroid or bola
II. 1. b. Around 3.5 billion years ago 2. d. ii,
iv, iii, i 3. a. 2 million BCE to 1 million
BCE
4. a. Using spheroids to hunt 5. d. Microlith
6. b. Both A and R are true but R is only a
partial explanation of A.
III. 1. The period of human history from around
2.5 million years ago to 4,000 BCE is
known as the Stone Age because humans
mainly used tools made of stone during this
period.
2. Early humans frequently moved over great
distances because hunting could not
support a growing population in one place.
3. A greater variety of plants and animals
became available in the Mesolithic Age
because the climate became warmer and
drier and such climatic changes brought
about changes in (fauna) animal life and
(flora) plant life.
4. Tools were also made of bones, wood, or
the tusks and horns of animals, apart from
stone, during the Mesolithic Age. Such
lighter tools helped quicker movements and
made hunting easier. The use of bow and
arrow in this period also made it easy to
hunt animals that moved fast.
5. Hunasagi and Baichbal Valleys were
marked by human occupation from the
earliest times due to the following reasons:
● availability of perennial water sources in
the form of springs ● availability of raw
materials such as limestone for making
tools ● the protected nature of the valley
● availability of a wide variety of plant
and animal foods.
IV. 1. The Palaeolithic humans used simple and
crude stone tools and weapons to protect
themselves and to make their lives easier.
15
● They made simple, crude stone tools and
weapons like axe-heads, hammers and
choppers. ● Initially, their tools were
mainly stone flakes struck off from bigger
stones. ● Another type of weapon used
at this time was the bola or spheroid (a
stone ball) that may have been used for
hunting down animals from a distance.
● In the course of time, they made more
complex tools like hand axes and large
flakes for cutting animals or scraping their
skins.
2. Several changes happened to the way
humans lived, during the Mesolithic Age.
● Around 9,000 BCE, the climate became
warmer and drier. Climatic changes brought
about changes in fauna (animal life) and
flora (plant life). A greater variety of plants
and animals became available, making both
hunting and gathering easier. The people
continued to hunt, fish and gather food.
However, they also learnt to grow crops
during this period. ● Though many
humans continued to live in rock shelters,
some built their own houses out of sticks,
twigs and mud during this period.
● People continued to make rock paintings
during this period. ● They also continued
the practice of burying the dead people.
● Microliths or very small tools with sharp
edges began to be made during this period.
They were probably used as barbs of arrows
and spears. Tools made of lighter materials
such as bones, wood, tusks and horns
helped quicker movements. The use of
bows and arrows made it easy to hunt
animals that moved fast. Fishing improved
with the use of hooks and baits.
3. Cave paintings are vivid and beautiful
paintings made on rocks or walls of caves
by early humans. The earliest cave paintings
were created towards the end of the Old
 Stone Age and continued to be made in the
other Stone Age periods too. They have
been found in various sites around the
world, like Altamira in Spain and Lascaux
in France. Most of the cave paintings, which
are about 20,000 years old, focus on
animals that people hunted. In India, more
than 450 painted rock shelters have been
found at Bhimbetka near Bhopal. The
paintings help us know about different
aspects of the life of theStone Age people—
the animals they hunted, how they hunted
those animals, their lifestyle and so on.
4. The conditions favourable for human
settlement in a place include the following:
● Favourable climatic conditions—
moderate climate suitable for living and for
growing crops and rearing animals
● Availability of perennial source of water
—for drinking and other needs and for
growing crops ● Safe places—which
offer protection from wild animals to a
considerable extent and which are relatively
unaffected by floods, cyclones and so
on ● Fertile soil and flat terrain—that are
ideal for growing crops and herding
animals ● Availability of materials—
for meeting the basic needs of food,
clothing
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
EARLY HUMANS—HUNTERS AND GATHERERS
I. Match the following.
Column A Column B
a. Palaeolithic Age 1. 10,000–8,000 BCE
b. Chalcolithic Age 2. 8,000–4,000 BCE
c. Mesolithic Age 3. 2.5 million years
ago–10,000 BCE
d. Neolithic Age 4. 4,000–2,000 BCE
Ans: a. Palaeolithic Age—(3) 2.5 million
years ago–10,000 BCE; b.
Chalcolithic Age—
(4) 4,000–2,000 BCE; c. Mesolithic
Age—(1)10,000–8,000 BCE;
d. Neolithic Age—(2) 8,000–4,000 BCE
16
and shelter (Note: Please accept other
correct answers.)
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION
The picture shows a settlement of similar
dwellings by the bank of a river. The dwellings
have been built with pieces of wood, twigs and
thatch. Men and women are seen engaged in
different types of work. People are seen making
tools, bringing back the kill from hunting,
preparing to cut and skin an animal that has been
hunted, fishing, building a shelter, making
arrangements to prepare food and so on. A person
is seen communicating with another person dressed
in what appear to be priestly robes, indicating that
religion had some kind of role in the lives of the
people. There is a dog amidst the people, showing
that it has been domesticated.
The presence of a hearth (fireplace) in one of the
houses proves that they knew how to use fire.
LIFE SKILLS
Answers vary. Free response
VALUES
The values we can learn from Lin’s behaviour:
Social responsibility, the values of sharing,
empathy, humaneness, fraternal spirit,
helpfulness, the spirit of Seva and so on.
(Note: Please accept other correct responses.)
II. Name the following.
1. Another name for the Old Stone Age
2. Things that Palaeolithic humans used for
making their clothing
3. Three sources from which we get
information about the Mesolithic people.
4. The period in which humans evolved from
being hunters and gatherers to farmers and
herders
Ans: 1. Palaeolithic Age 2. Animal
skins, bark of trees and leaves 3.
Tools, cave and rock paintings, burial
sites
4. New Stone Age or Neolithic Age
III. Answer the following questions. raw. Cooking also killed the germs
1. Which period of human history is known in the raw meat, made the food
as the Stone Age? What are its main softer and easier to eat, and also
divisions? tastier.
Ans: The period of human history from 5. Name some places where Mesolithic sites
around 2.5 million years ago to 4,000 have been found in India.
BCE, during which they used mainly Ans: Mesolithic sites in India are located
stone tools, is known as the Stone in Rajasthan, southern Uttar
Age. The Stone Age is further divided Pradesh, north-eastern India, Andhra
into the Old Stone Age or the Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and
Palaeolithic Age, the Middle Stone Karnataka.
Age or the Mesolithic Age and the 6. Why is the Neolithic Age considered to be
New Stone Age or the Neolithic Age. an extremely important period in the
The period of transition, or change, history of humans?
from the use of stone to the use of
Ans: During the Neolithic Age, several
metals is known as the Copper–Stone
vital discoveries and inventions
Age or the Chalcolithic Age. Humans
were made, which brought about
used both stone and metal during the
great changes in the lives of human
Chalcolithic Age.
beings.
2. What were some habits of modern humans
that early humans displayed around 40,000 IV. Complete this table.
to 35,000 BCE? Stone Age tools found in Hunasagi
Ans: Around 40,000 to 35,000 BCE, early Their age
humans created new kinds of stone Types of tools
and bone tools and expressive cave
Stones used to make them
paintings. They started burying their
dead in elaborate ways. They showed Purposes for which they were used
signs of creativity that we relate to Ans:
modern humans.
3. Which other works of art, besides cave
paintings, have been found in the
Palaeolithic sites around the world?
Ans: Besides cave paintings, life-like
sculptures of animals and figures of
mother goddesses have also been
found in the Palaeolithic sites.
4. In what ways did the discovery of fire help
the early humans?
Ans: Fire protected early humans from wild
animals. They could cook the meat of
hunted animals instead of eating it
Stone Age tools found in Hunasagi
Their age Around 1 million years
Types of Chopping tools, spheroids,
tools hand axes, cleavers, scrapers,
blades, flakes, end scraper
Stones used Limestone and granite
to make them

17
Purposes for Hunting, skinning animals,
which they scraping hides, digging roots
were used and tubers, processing plant
food, making tools and
weapons

18
 FARMERS AND HERDERS

● An overview of the
Neolithic Age
Suggested number of sessions: 7
● Agriculture Session 1: Lead-in, Introduction (An overview of the Neolithic Age), Agriculture,
● Domestication Instructions for Do and learn, which is to be given as a home assignment
and herding of Session 2: Domestication and herding of animals, Settlements, Tools, Do and
animals learn, Pottery,Instructions for Do and learn: Creating a clay coil pot, which is
● Settlements to be given as a home assignment
● Tools
Session 3: Invention of the wheel and axle, Religion, Ornaments, Case studies:
● Pottery
Mehrgarh, Burzahom, North-east India, Map reading: Neolithic and
● Invention of Chalcolithic sites in India, Instructions for I now know, which is to be given as
the wheel and
a home assignment
axle
● Religion Session 4: Exercises, Picture-based question
● Case studies: Session 5: Life skills and values, Enrichment activities: Write right; Instructions
Mehrgarh, for making the models for Group work, which students can submit in Session 7
Burzahom,
North-east Session 6: Enrichment activities: Debate
India Session 7: Worksheet, Submission of models for Group work

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Explain how humans changed from hunters and gatherers to farmers and herders
● Identify the material culture of the Neolithic people
● Appreciate the skills of the Neolithic people
● List some important Neolithic sites in India and mark them on a map of India
● Compare and distinguish between the Neolithic Age and the Stone Ages that came before it
● Outline the main features of some Neolithic sites such as Mehrgarh, Burzahom and those of
north-east India
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead-in: Encourage students to attempt the questions given at the beginning of the chapter, using the
hints given. (Students should be able to reason that the river banks are ideal for settling down as
growing crops would be easier in the flat terrain and fertile soil found on river banks.)
Inform students that they will be learning about the stage when humans learn to grow their food.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning, Problem-solving, Visual-Spatial
intelligence (Students compare the landscape in the two pictures and reason which one will be suitable
for growing crops.) They exhibit awareness about the environment. They use their skills of observation
and base their reasoning on the evidence (pictures) available.
Teaching the lesson
Introduction (An overview of the Neolithic Age)
Main points: Climatic changes by 8,000 BCE that favoured the spread of plants and animals; the crops
that people learnt to grow; why they started taming animals; how the changing occupations necessitated

19
settling down in one place; the duration of the Neolithic period; the places in India where Neolithic
settlements have been found
Agriculture
Focus areas: The progress from food gathering to planting crops and planning harvests; how humans
learnt to select seeds; earliest crops grown; the knowledge of ploughing and how it helped early

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Real-life connect (Students learn about food preservation methods from
their family members.); Discovery-based learning (Students learn about food preservation methods
through the process of discovery.); The activity establishes local connect as information is sourced
locally; India knowledge systems (The activity helps students appreciate the knowledge systems in
food preservation that have been passed down through generations, in India.)
Criteria for assessment: Organisation of information, clarity and coherence in presenting the information

farmers; the reason why there were innovations in the storage of food

Domestication and herding of animals

Focus areas: How we know that Neolithic people domesticated animals; what kind of animals they
domesticated; the purposes for which animals were domesticated; the meaning of the term ‘herding’;
why Neolithic people became herders
Settlements
Focus areas: Why there was a growth in settlements in the Neolithic Age; the features of homes built by
Neolithic people—how they compared in strength with Mesolithic homes, the materials used to build
them; the places where the earliest Neolithic settlements have been found; the emergence of division of
labour during this period and how it led to specialisation in different occupations; the increase in
population during this period and the reason for it; Neolithic burial practices; the megaliths of the
Deccan Plateau and south India
Tools
Focus areas: The reasons why better and more effective tools were needed in the Neolithic period; the

Do and learn:
Answers: Free response; Answers vary
NEP parameters covered: General awareness, Real-life connect, Observation skills (Students answer
the questions based on the tools and implements they have seen and observed in real life.); Critical
thinking, Logical reasoning, communication (Students answer the questions by studying the purposes
for which the tools in the picture would have been used and matching them to the tools used in
modern kitchens.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation, Logical reasoning

types of tools that were developed and the purposes for which they were used

Pottery
Focus areas: The manner of making pots in the Neolithic period; the different purposes for which the
pots were used; the features of Neolithic pottery in northern India

20
Do and learn: Creating a clay coil pot
NEP parameters covered: Art (Students follow the instructions to make the pot; they use their
creativity to paint designs on the pot.); The activity facilitates experiential learning as students make
the coil pot by themselves.
Criteria for assessment: Attention to detail, Creativity

21
 Invention of the wheel and axle
Focus areas: Description of early wheels; what the axle is; the different purposes for which the wheel
was used through the Neolithic Age; place where the oldest surviving wheels have been found
Religion
Focus areas: Assumptions about religion during the Neolithic Age; Artefacts that point to goddess
worship during this period; worship of the dead people
Ornaments
Focus areas: Different materials used for making ornaments; types of ornaments found from the
Neolithic sites
CASE STUDIES: MEHRGARH, BURZAHOM, NORTH-EAST INDIA
Focus areas: Location of these sites, the period during which Mehrgarh was inhabited; the information
that shows that the people of Mehrgarh transitioned from the Neolithic Age to the Chalcolithic Age, the
kind of tools and pottery in use, how we know of improvements in agricultural techniques, the granary
at Mehrgarh; What pit dwellings are, how they were built and the purpose they served, pottery and
tools of Burzahom; Neolithic settlements in north-east India, cord-impressed pottery, the kind of tools that
were in use; the kind of farming practised and the types of crops grown; how the dead were buried/
remembered
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to locate all the Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites they have learnt
about in the chapter on the Neolithic and Chalcolithic sites of India/Bhart map given in the chapter.
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. Mehrgarh was continuously inhabited from 7, 000 to 2,500 BCE. Which two Stone Age periods does
this duration of 4,500 years span? (Neolithic and Chalcolithic)
2. Do artefacts discovered at Mehrgarh support the theory of transition to the Chalcolithic period?
(Yes. Copper articles were buried with the dead.)
3. Why do you think the people of Mehrgarh coated their woven baskets with bitumen? (To make the
baskets leak-proof)
4. How could pit dwellings offer shelter from cold? (The dwellings were dug into the ground where
temperatures would be warmer than at the surface.)
5. What was different about the way the Neolithic people of north-east India treated their dead?
(They raised stone and wooden memorials for the dead, instead of just burying them.)

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Debate
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration, Logical
reasoning(Students on both sides of the debate apply their critical thinking and logical reasoning skills
to think through the functions of the wheel and the axle and form meaningful arguments. They word
their arguments carefully to convince the moderator and the other side. They collaborate with their team
members to participate in the debate.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, clarity and coherence in presenting ideas

22
Group work
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Creativity (Students work together to research about the stages of
invention of the wheel and axle and also to make their model. They use their creativity in choosing the
materials and also to make the model.); Bodily-Kinesthetic (Students work with their hands to make the
model.) Art is integrated in this activity. Students learn by acquiring the disposition of curiosity and wonder.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, attention to detail, creativity
Write right
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and creativity (Students apply their knowledge of pit
dwellings to create an imaginative narrative of living in one such dwelling.); Verbal-linguistic
intelligence (Students use their linguistic skills to write an engaging and interesting narrative.); English
language and Art integration (Students write in English and also illustrate their writing.)
Criteria for assessment: Originality, Creativity, Coherence, Clarity
LIFE SKILLLS AND VALUES: Encourage students to answer the question given.

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

FARMERS AND HERDERS

EXERCISES
I. 1. b. ii, iii and iv 2. a. cows, sheep, horses, true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
oxen 3. b. i, iii, ii, iv 4. b. Both A and R 5. c. Daojali Hading
are
Inventions /
II. Food Shelter Clothing Tools Occupations
Discoveries
Palaeolithic Fruits, nuts, Caves, Animal Stone and bone Hunting, The fire
Age roots, meat trees, skins, tools—axe- gathering,
natural rock bark of heads, hammers, tool-making
shelters trees, choppers
leaves
Neolithic Grains— Much larger Cotton Sickles, knives, Farming, Wheel,
Age wheat, and sturdier clothes grinding stones, herding, axle,
barley, huts; some wooden ploughs tool-making wooden
millet, huts made plough,
pulses; fruits; of split logs grinding
vegetables; or bricks stone
meat
III. 1. Burzahom in Jammu and Kashmir, Daojali improved tools developed in the Neolithic
Hading in Assam, Sarutaru in Assam, Age:
Chirand in Bihar, Kuchai in Odisha, ● Sickles and reaping knives were
Daimabad in Maharashtra, Inamgaon in developed to harvest crops. ●
Maharashtra, Brahmagiri in Karnataka, Heavy
Nagarjunakonda in Andhra Pradesh and
Paiyampalli in Tamil Nadu (any five)
2. Wheat, barley, millet and pulses
3. The following were some kinds of

23
 tools were used for digging and levelling the
land. ● Grinding stones were invented for
processing cereals and other plant food.
● Stone axes were used to cut down trees
and mattocks were used to break up the soil.
● The wooden plough was invented
during this period.
4. During the Neolithic Age, humans learnt to
make pots of clay. Early pots were made by
stacking coils or rings of clay, which were
then smoothed out and fired in a hole in the
ground. The pots were used for storing

24
 surplus grain, milk and water. They were carts and other means of transport. It
also used for cooking and eating. Neolithic revolutionised the way people travelled and
pottery in northern India was black-grey transported goods and thus quickened the
ware, with a matt (not shiny) finish. Cord pace of development. ● Possibly, the
impressed pottery was also made in some wheel and axle was used to spin cotton
places during this period. thread which could then be woven into
5. The earliest Neolithic houses at Burzahom, cloth.
Kashmir, are below ground level and are
called pit dwellings. The people dug pits
into the ground with the help of stone tools.
Then they plastered the sides of the pit with
mud. Pit dwellings provided shelter from
extreme cold, and may also have been used
to store food.
IV. 1. One change in the way humans lived—the
shift from food gathering to farming—
brought about major changes and
improvements in the way people lived.
Farming necessitated settlement and ensured
a more stable life for humans. The settled
way of life enabled newer ways of thinking
and innovations for fulfilling needs and
improving the quality of life. Humans learnt
to select the best quality seeds, plough the
land and plan harvests that gave them better
yields and surplus food. Storage techniques
were invented to preserve surplus food for
later use. Animals were domesticated for
milk and meat. Secure sources of food and
improved ways of living facilitated
inventions and created a society in which
division of labour became possible. The
invention of the wheel and the axle led to
great advancements in pottery, weaving and
most importantly in transport. The wheel and
axle was used to build carts and other means
of transport. It revolutionised the way
people travelled and transported goods and
quickened the pace of development. People
could take up creative occupations like
ornament-making with life becoming easier.
2. The wheel and axle is considered to be one
of the most important inventions ever
because it revolutionised the way humans
lived. ● One of the earliest uses of the
wheel and axle was in pottery. Potters turned
the wheel to work clay to make better pots.
● The wheel and axle was used to build

25
3. Mehrgarh ● It is a place in western
Burzahom ● Burzahom is one of the most important
Pakistan that was inhabited
forests around Burhazom providing a steady supply of water and food favoured human
from 7,000 BCE to 2,500
settlement. ● The most unusual feature of the earliest Neolithic settlements at Burzahom is
BCE;
the presence of pit dwellings, which were dwellings built under the ground. People dug pits
it was one of the earliest
into the ground with the help of stone tools and plastered the sides of the pit with mud.
human settlements in the
world. stayed
● The in main
the pit dwellings when it became extremely cold outside. The
also have
occupation changed beenfrom
used to store food.
● The earliest
hunting and gathering to Neolithic pottery of Burzahom was simple
were of different
farming of crops like barley shapes and sizes
● The
and wheat andtools were
rearing of made out of animals
animals like sheep, goatfor
fishing, needles sewing, and arrowheads, spearheads and daggers for
and
hunting.
cattle, over a period of time;
but people continued to gather
fruits and hunt animals even
during this period.
Around 4,000 BCE, a new
kind of barley was grown that
required irrigated fields. This
indicates improvements in
agricultural techniques
around that period. A large
granary for storing grains has
been discovered in
Mehrgarh. ● Tools were
made of polished stone and
bone. Numerous microliths
have been found
there. ● People used
woven baskets coated with
bitumen in the earliest stages
when they did not know to
make pots. From around
5,000 BCE, clay pots began
to be made. The pots were
simple, hand-made coarse
ware, reddish-brown in
colour with
Neolithic geometric
Important shapes
Neolithic settlements in India’s north- east include Daojali Hading and Sarutaru in
paintedAssam,
sites in on them. ● People in Meghalaya.
and Selbalgiri
north-buried their
been dead
foundalong withplaces. Several ground and polished stone axes have also been found.
at these
ornaments
east India Theand figurines
people made
of north-east
of seashells, stone and copper.
India practised shifting cultivation
vegetables, like yam and taro.
They raised stone and
wooden memorials for the
dead.
4. The Neolithic Age is important in human
history for the following reasons:
● Farming and herding replaced hunting
and food gathering to a large extent during
26
 this period. ● Humans began giving up
their nomadic lifestyle of thousands of
years, to living a more settled life.
● A settled way of life facilitated new ways
of thinking and led to new inventions and
discoveries that are relevant to this day. For
example, humans learnt to select the best
quality seeds for growing crops and to
plough the land before sowing them. They
also began to plan their harvests. ●
Different innovative methods of storing
surplus food were invented during this
period.
● Humans started domesticating animals
and using them for different purposes.
● The idea of division of labour emerged
during this period when people began to
specialise in different occupations and no
longer had to do all the work by
themselves.
● The wheel and axle, invented during this
period, revolutionised the way people lived.
This invention led to major developments in
transport, pottery and textile-making. It
paved the way for further inventions by
facilitating interaction and exchange of
ideas among people who lived far apart.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION
1. Drawing question (Students should circle the
rod that protrudes from the centre of the wheel.)
2. No. A cart with four wheels but no axle would
not have been able to move effectively. This is
because the axle turns to make the wheels go
round smoothly.
3. Wheels with air-filled tyres will give us a
more comfortable travel experience because
they move more smoothly (with less friction)
on a road than wooden wheels do.
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
● Hope ● Belief in hard work ● Resilience

27
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
FARMERS AND HERDERS
I. Name the following.
1. Places where the earliest Neolithic
settlements have been found
2. An invention that improved the use of the
wheel
3. The place where one of the oldest surviving
wheels has been found
4. Materials used for making ornaments
during the Neolithic Age
Ans: 1. The valleys of Iran and Iraq
and Israel and Palestine 2. Axle
3. Mesopotamia in Iraq 4. Conch
shells, lapis lazuli and turquoise beads
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. The huge rectangular blocks of stone that
marked burial places in the Neolithic Age
are called . animals reared. The domestication of
2. The wheel found in Mesopotamia in Iraq is
believed to be over
years old.
3. Several statues and figurines of
have been found at Neolithic sites.
Ans: 1. megaliths 2. 5,000
3. mother goddesses
III. Give reasons
1. Plants and animals spread to previously
cold regions by around 8,000 BCE.
Ans: By around 8,000 BCE, the ice which
had covered large parts of the Earth
during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic
Ages had started to melt. The warmer
climate encouraged the spread of plants
and animals to previously cold
regions.
2. Human population started increasing during
the Neolithic Age.
Ans: This happened because people now
had a secure source of food.
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. Which important stage of human
development took place in the Neolithic
Age? What was the duration of this Age?
28
Ans: The stage wherein people started
settling down in one place to practise
farming and herding, took place in the
Neolithic Age. The Age extended from
around 8,000 to 4,000 BCE.
2. How do we know about the kind of animals
that were domesticated during the
Neolithic period?
Ans: Remains of animal bones and shelters
found at Neolithic sites tell us what
kinds of animals were domesticated
during the Neolithic period.
3. Which animals were reared by the Neolithic
people? How were the animals useful to
them?
Ans: Sheep, goats and cattle were the main
these animals ensured a regular
supply of meat and milk. Animals like
horses, oxen and bulls were also
reared and used to plough the land.
4. How did the Neolithic people become
herders?
Ans: The animals that the Neolithic people
began domesticating needed to be fed
and kept safe. They also needed to be
moved from place to place in search
of fresh pasture and grass.
Thus, gradually, Neolithic humans
became herders.
5. How do we know that surplus food grains
were produced in Mehrgarh?
Ans: The discovery of a large granary in
Mehrgarh proves that surplus food
grains were produced in Mehrgarh.
6. Describe the division of labour during the
Neolithic Age.
Ans: During the Neolithic Age, some
people specialised as herders or as
farmers. Some would become have
leaders and others would have
maintained law and order.
 THE FIRST CITIES

● Introduction:
Civilisation;
Suggested number of sessions: 7
Urbanisation and cities Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: Civilisation, Urbanisation and
● The Indus Valley Civilisation cities, The Indus Valley Civilisation, Town planning
● Town planning Session 2: The upper town, The lower town, The Great Bath, The
● The upper town Granary, Drainage, Were there rulers in these cities? What did the
● The lower town people eat? What did they wear? Did they know how to write?
● The Great Bath
Session 3: Instructions for Do and learn: Invent a script, which
● The granary the groups can complete and share with the other groups in
● Drainage Session 7, Instructions for Do and learn: Show and tell, which
● Were there rulers in these students can attempt in Session 7, Metallurgy, Pottery, Art and
cities? craft, Seals, Weights and measures, Religion
● What did the people eat?
Session 4: Trade, The decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation,
● What did they wear?
Exercises
● Did they know how to write?
Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Enrichment activities: Instructions
● Metallurgy ● Pottery
for Project work and Art work, which can be given as home
● Art and craft ● Seals
● Weights and measures assignments, Life skills and values
● Religion ● Trade Session 6: Worksheet
● The decline of the Indus Valley
Civilisation Session 7: Do and learn: Invent a script, Do and learn: Show
and tell
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Define a civilisation
● Describe the settlement pattern of the Indus Valley Civilisation and locate the Indus Valley sites on a
map
● Identify and discuss the unique architectural features of the Indus Valley cities
● Examine the economic life, art and culture of the Indus Valley people
● Analyse the causes of the decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead-in: Answers: The objects shown in the picture are that of a weighing balance and weights.
They were used for weighing things. ● The metal instrument shown in the picture could not have
belonged to the Palaeolithic Age because the use of metals was unknown to the humans during that
period.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning (Students answer the questions by applying
their reasoning skills.); Observation skills (Students study the picture and answer the questions.)
Criteria for assessment: Reasoning skills
Instruct students to read about where the objects in the picture were found by archaeologists. Tell them that
they will be learning about the Indus Valley Civilisation.

29
Teaching the lesson
Introduction: Civilisation; Urbanisation and cities
Main points: How the settled way of life in the Neolithic Age gradually led to the emergence of
civilisations; When do we say that a civilisation comes into existence; Definition of the city and the
process of urbanisation; How urbanisation is a key feature of civilisation; the features of city
THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION
Focus areas: The period during which the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) emerged, the place where it
emerged and the type of civilisation it was; the geographical extent of the IVC; the number of IVC sites
that have been discovered; the names of some important IVC sites that have been discovered in
Pakistan and in India; the period during which the IVC slowly evolved and the period during which it
reached a highly developed phase
Town planning
Focus areas: The well-planned nature of the IVC cities; how the streets were laid out in the IVC cities;
the division of the city into the upper and lower towns
The upper town and the lower town
Focus areas: Features of the upper town—what the citadel or acropolis was and what purposes could it
have been used for; features of the lower town—what kind of buildings it consisted of; the material
used to build the walls of houses; description of the houses and the facilities they had
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. Which features of the houses in the IVC cities suggest that they were built more for practical
purposes and less for beauty? (Most of the houses were plain and uniform in plan.)
2. How were the rooms in a house arranged? (They were arranged around a courtyard.)
3. How do we know that importance was given to hygiene and sanitation? (Many houses had a bathing
area which was separated from the other parts of the house.)
4. What does the presence of double-storeyed houses suggest? (It suggests that architecture was
considerably advanced in the IVC.)
The Great Bath
Focus areas: The location of the Great Bath at Mohenjodaro; its shape and the materials used for
making it; how the tank was made waterproof; how its rooms were arranged; how it got its supply of
water; how used water was drained out; how one could reach the bottom of the tank; what was the
purpose for which it could have been used
The granary
Focus areas: The remains of the structures at Mohenjodaro and Harappa that have been considered to
be granaries
Drainage
Focus areas: Description of the drainage system that was laid out in the Indus cities; the aspects of it that
suggest the huge importance given to sanitation and hygiene
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. How do we know that the drainage system in the Indus cities was carefully laid out? (The drainage
system was laid out as the houses were built. Drains from the houses ended in a cesspool or manhole
outside.)
2. How do we know that the drains were maintained properly? (The drains along the main roads were
covered and were inspected and cleaned regularly.)

30
3. What do the presence of an efficient drainage system and the fact that it was well-maintained tell us
about the people of the IVC? (It tells us that the people gave a lot of importance to hygiene and
sanitation.)
Were there rulers in these cities?
Focus areas: The different aspects of the Indus cities that suggest that the administration was of a high
standard; how the decipherment of the Indus script acquires importance in this regard
Teaching guideline: Tell students that though it is still a mystery as to who ruled the IVC cities and how
they ruled them, the archaeologists are certain that the administration was of a high standard.
What did the people eat?
Focus areas: Different types of food in the diet of the Indus people; How do we know that they ate
these types of food; how do we know that rice was not cultivated by them
Suggested question for checking comprehension:
Do you think the Indus people ate a balanced diet? Explain your answer. (Yes, the Indus people ate a
balanced diet. They got their carbohydrates from millets, wheat and barley, proteins from millets, pulses,
fish, meat and milk, fats from oil seeds like mustard and sesame, vitamins and minerals from millets
dates and fruits and fibre from millets and fruits.)
What did they wear?
Focus areas: How archaeologists have arrived at the conclusion that the Indus people wore cotton
clothes; what type of clothing did the men and women wear; what kind of ornaments they wore and what
were the ornaments made of
Did they know how to write?
Focus areas: How we know that the Indus people had developed a form of writing; what seals are and
what they were made of; how writing appears on the IVC seals; why the writing cannot be read

Do and learn: Invent a script

NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Creativity and Communication (Students think of the
alphabet for the script they want to create. They create phonics for the letters of their alphabet.
They discuss their ideas with the other members of their group to arrive at a consensus.), Verbal-
Linguistic, Visual-Spatial, Interpersonal intelligences (Students use their Verbal-Linguistic skills to
not only write a sentence using their script but also to check if the other groups are able to read their
script correctly. They use their Visual-Spatial skills to form the letters of the script and their
Interpersonal skills to work in a group.)
Criteria for assessment: Reasoning skills, Originality, Clarity, Fluency

completely till now

Metallurgy
Focus areas: The metals which are alloyed to make bronze; the features of bronze; the tools that the
Indus people made with stone and copper; how we know that the use of iron was unknown to them;
how hematite was used by the Indus people
Pottery
Focus areas: How we know that pottery was an important occupation of the Indus people; the types of
pots found; the colours and designs commonly found on the pots

31
Do and learn: Show and tell
Art and craft(Students compare the local arts and crafts
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking. Communication
with those of the IVC to find similarities and differences; they share their findings
Focus areas: The famous works of art recovered from Mohenjodaro—the bust of awith the class.);
bearded man and that
Research skills, Establishing
of the ‘dancing local
girl’; terracotta and regional
figures recoveredconnect (Students
from IVC sites; research about
features of the the
toyslocal arts and
recovered
crafts to complete the activity.)
Seals
Criteria for assessment: Relevance, Depth of research, Attention to detail, Presentation
Focus areas: Description of the seals found in the IVC sites—the materials used to make them, their
shape, the figures and inscriptions on them; the purposes for which seals were used
Teaching guideline: Help students recall what they have already learnt about the seals of the IVC
(figures and inscriptions on seals).
Weights and measures
Focus areas: The shape and sizes of stone measures or weights found in the IVC sites; what their
discovery indicates; what their uniformity throughout the IVC means
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. What was the weight of the smallest stone measure (weight) found in the IVC? (0.856 grams)
2. What was the weight of the most common weight used in the IVC? (13.7 grams)
3. For what purposes were weight and measures standardised? (For ease of trade between the
different cities of the IVC)
4. What could happen if the weight and measures were not standardised? (There could be cheating and
lack of integrity in trade.)
Religion
Focus areas: What archaeologists have discovered about the religious beliefs of the IVC; their burial
practices
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
Why do you think the Indus people buried the dead wearing ornaments and with a few pots? (They
believed in life after death.)
Trade
Focus areas: Land and sea trade carried out by the Indus people; the archaeological evidences of these
kinds of trade
THE DECLINE OF THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILISATION
Focus areas: The reasons that are suggested for the decline of the IVC

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.

32
Project work
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and Communication (Students compare and contrast their
findings about other river valley civilisations with what they know about the IVC.), Collaboration
(Students work with the other members of their group to complete the project.); Discovery-based
learning (Students collect information about different river valley civilisations by themselves.)
Criteria for assessment: Organisation of information, Relevance of information, Presentation
Art work
NEP parameters covered: Art integration, Experiential learning (Students create a seal by drawing IVC
symbols. They reinforce their understanding of how seals work by actually making one.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Neatness
LIFE SKILLS AND VAUES
NEP parameters covered: Civic values, Civic awareness, Sustainable living (Students demonstrate an
understanding and awareness of sustainable living practices by ticking the actions that are based on civic
values.); Swachhata, Seva, Nishkam Karma, Respect for environment (The activity aims to inculcate
these values among students.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

THE FIRST CITIES

EXERCISES
I. 1. c. It was a Bronze Age civilisation.
2. b. The Great Bath 3. c. Houses made of
baked bricks were strong and durable.
4. c. i and iii 5. a. Seals 6. c. A is true
but R is false.
II. 1. The Indus people wore clothes made of
cotton.— e. Spindles made of clay have been
found in many sites. 2. The IVC had a strong
system of administration. — a. The Indus cities
were well-planned, with straight roads,
walled citadels and well-maintained drains.
3. The Indus people conducted long-distance
maritime trade. — b. A dockyard has been
discovered at Lothal. 4. The Indus people
produced excess grains. — c. Granaries have
been discovered at Mohenjodaro and Harappa.
5. The Indus people believed in life after
death. — d. They buried the dead along with
pots and ornaments.
III. 1. In Pakistan: Mohenjodaro and Harappa; In
India: Dholavira, Lothal, Rakhighari,
Banawali, Ropar,Kalibangan, Alamgirpur
(any two)
2. The IVC cities were divided into the upper
town and the lower town. The upper town
33
might have been the administrative centre of
the city where all the large public buildings
were located. The lower town consisted of
the houses of the common people.
3. ● The tank was made waterproof by a thick
layer of bitumen (tar). ● There was a
large well from which water was supplied to
the tank. ● Used or dirty water was
drained out through an outlet to a brick
drain. (any two)
4. The advanced state of arts and crafts in the
IVC is illustrated by ● finely sculpted
statues: bust of a bearded man who has his
robe thrown over one shoulder and the
famed ‘ dancing girl’ in bronze
● terracotta figures: animals, carts and
humans ● toys with moving parts: toy
bulls and rams that could shake their heads
and tails and toy birds which could move up
and down ropes (any two)
5. Many of the IVC seals show figures of
animals, with writings on the top portion.
Some of the seals depict a male yogic
figure, whom the archaeologists have
named ‘Pasupati’.
 6. The IVC people might have worshipped
Pasupati, an earlier form of Shiva, mother
goddesses and nature.
IV. 1. Civilisation is said to occur when a society is
in an advanced state of social development.
Such a society would have an advanced
system of agriculture. It would have people
living in towns and cities and engaged in
occupations other than farming, like trade,
weaving, jewellery-making, craft work,
pottery and so on. Writing would be
invented and a script would exist.
Excavations at IVC sites have shown well
planned cities with roads laid in a grid
pattern. There was an excellent drainage
system and well-planned housing. The
Civilisation had well developed and highly
productive agricultural practices. Different
crops were grown and the surplus grain was
stored in massive granaries and traded both
internally and with distant lands. Evidence
of arts and crafts has been discovered. There
is also evidence of cotton being spun for
making cloth. The discovery of bronze and
copper tools, and gold and silver ornaments
prove that metallurgy was quite advanced.
Inscriptions on seals point to the presence
of a script. Thus the IVC had all the pre-
conditions for it to be called a civilisation.
2. The people of the Indus Valley Civilisation
ate different types of cereals such as wheat
and barley, pulses, millets like bajra, ragi
and jowar. They used oil seeds like mustard
and sesame in their cooking. Fish, meat,
milk, date and fruit were also part of their
diet. There is not much evidence of the
cultivation of rice, which means that rice
was not part of their diet.
3. People of the Indus Valley wore cotton
clothes. Men wore long, flowing cloth,
while the women may have worn skirts, as
can be seen from various figures found at
the sites. Both men and women seem to
have draped a shawl over their shoulders.
Both men and women wore ornaments
made of gold, silver, faience, and beads of
semi -precious stones like jade, lapis
lazuli,
34
agate and cornelian. Bangles, earrings and
necklaces seem to have been popular.
4. The people of the IVC had established a
flourishing system of trade—both by land
and by sea. Two large structures at Harappa
and Mohenjodaro, thought to be granaries,
suggest the storage of surplus grains,
possibly for trade. The grains probably
came from the villages that lay around the
cities. The villages may have traded the
grain for some of the goods produced in the
cities. Ornaments made in the Indus Valley
have been found by archaeologists in
Mesopotamia, which suggests that there was
trade between the two civilisations. A
dockyard found at Lothal also suggests the
possibility of overseas trade with western
Asia. While there are several evidences of
trade, there is hardly any evidence of the
people of the IVC being involved in battles
or wars. Hardly any weapons, like spears
and swords, seem to have been discovered
in the IVC sites. There is hardly any
depiction of war or battle on the seals,
statues or other artefacts of the IVC. Since
there is evidence of trade and not of war, we
can safely assume that the people of the IVC
were more interested in commerce than in
conquest.
5. ● The Indus Valley people had an
advanced system of agriculture. They knew
of farming techniques that would result in
surplus production of food grains. ● They
knew how to store surplus grain. ● They
possibly carried on internal and overseas
trade in food grains, ornaments and other
items. ● They made good quality pottery
as is evident from the pots and terracotta
figures found in the IVC sites. ● The Indus
people alloyed copper and tin to make
bronze. The tools, ornaments and statues
found at the IVC sites prove that they were
experts at metallurgy. ● They knew how
to write. Theirs was one of the earliest
known scripts of the world.
While these achievements are remarkable,
the other civilisations of those times also
 showed considerable progress in these
areas. What truly sets the IVC apart was the
advancement in town planning and
architecture, a highly developed system of
administration, the standardisation of
weights and measures and the skilled
craftsmanship in toy-making.
● Excavations have shown a well-planned
city, with streets laid out in a grid
pattern, walled citadels, and well-
maintained drains. These not only point
to the high standards achieved in town
planning but also to an advanced level of
administration.
● The drainage system of the Indus cities
stands out as remarkable among the
cities of the world at that time. The
drains in houses led to a cesspool or
manhole. The drains along the main
roads were covered. They were built in
such a way that they could be inspected
and cleaned regularly.
● Though the houses were plain and
uniform in plan, the baked bricks used in
their construction made them durable.
The importance given to hygiene is
evident from the fact that one out of
three houses had a well and many houses
had a separate bathing area as well.
● Cube-shaped stone measures (or
weights) in graduated sizes—the
smallest is 0.856 grams and the most
common weight is approximately 13.7
grams—were uniform throughout the
IVC,probably for ease of trade between
the different IVC cities.
● Among the toys discovered at the
IVC sites, there were those with
movable
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE FIRST CITIES
I. Name the following.
1. The phenomenon of more and more people
moving from villages to towns and cities
2. Another name for the IVC
35
parts,for example, bulls and rams that
could shake their heads and tails and toy
birds that could move up and down
ropes. The amount of attention paid to
the entertainment of children indicates
that the IVC was a highly progressive
society. All these unique aspects make
the ‘IVC one of the most advanced
civilisations of the ancient world’.
6. The advanced Indus Valley Civilisation
appears to have declined suddenly after
2000 BCE. The exact causes of its decline
remain a mystery, but a few reasons have
been suggested.
● The IVC might have been destroyed by
repeated natural and environmental
disasters, such as earthquakes, floods or
drought. Earthquakes might have caused
rivers to change their course, leading to
floods or droughts. These might, in turn,
have caused crops to fail, and spread
epidemics.
● Another factor could have been the
falling quality of the soil and
desertification due to excessive
deforestation.
● Over time, the authority that kept the
civilisation together may have lost
control or ceased to exist. Gradually,
people would have moved away, and the
cities would have crumbled.
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
To tick: ● Eating things and putting the wrapper
in a bin instead of throwing it on the roadside To
cross: ● Spitting or urinating in public places,
like the roadside ● Throwing garbage on the
roadside ● Tearing pages out of library books
● Walking on the road
3. The materials with which the seals of the
IVC were made
4. The iron mineral used by the people of the
IVC to make pigments
 5. Two IVC cities where large granary-like well,
structures have been found
Ans: 1. Urbanisation 2. Harappan culture
3. Baked clay, steatite 4. Hematite
5. Harappa, Mohenjodaro
II. Fill in the blanks.
1. The IVC was spread over about
sq. km.
2. All the streets of the IVC cities cut each
other at right angles, forming a
pattern.
3. used to spin cotton thread
have been found in many IVC sites.
4. The system of the
Indus cities stand out as remarkable among
the cities of the world at that time.
5. Until the of the IVC is
deciphered, we cannot say anything about
the nature of government in the Indus
cities.
6. The Indus people alloyed copper and tin to
make bronze, which was stronger and more
than copper.
Ans: 1. 650,000 2. grid 3. Spindles
4. drainage 5. script 6. malleable
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. When and how did the IVC evolve?
When did it reach a highly developed
phase?
Ans: Excavations show that the IVC
evolved gradually from village
communities, between 7,000 and
5,000 BCE. It reached a highly
developed phase with many large
urban areas between 2,600 and 1,900
BCE.
2. Evaluate the following statement. ‘For an
ancient civilisation as the IVC, the
housing ideas were quite modern and
functional’.
Ans: The IVC reached a highly developed
phase around 4,700 years ago. But
even in that distant past, the houses in
its cities were built of baked bricks.
The rooms in each house were
arranged around a courtyard, which
allowed air and sunlight into the
house. One in every three houses had a
36
 from where people could draw water.
This meant that they did not have to go
far to fetch water. Many houses had a
separate bathing area. The separation of
the bathing area means that hygiene was
given a lot of importance. Some of the
houses were double-storeyed.
Most of these features are found in
modern houses. This proves that ‘for an
ancient civilisation as the IVC, the
housing ideas were quite modern and
functional’.
3. What do archaeologists determine as the
purpose of the structure they call the Great
Bath?
Ans: Archaeologists are not sure what the
structure they call the Great Bath was
used for. It might have been used by the
people of the city to have a bath before
attending important functions and
ceremonies.
4. How do you know that the IVC had good
administration? Where was the
administrative centre located?
Ans: The Indus cities were well planned,
with straight roads, walled citadels and
well-maintained drains. For such
advanced features to be present, there
definitely should have been a high
standard of administration. The
administrative centre would have been
located in the upper town, which the
archaeologists call the citadel or
acropolis.
5. What do you know about the writing found
on IVC seals?
Ans: The writing found on IVC seals appears
to have been mainly in the form of
inscriptions, written from the right to the
left. Historians are still trying to
decipher the script in its entirety.
6. List the different kinds of stone and copper
tools found in the Indus Valley sites.
Ans: Stone tools: Knives, axes and chisels;
Copper tools: razors, hooks, sickles,
axes, nails and needles

37
 7. Write a note on pottery of the IVC.
Ans: Besides agriculture, probably the
most important occupation of the
Indus people was pottery. A variety of
pots, both plain and decorated, have
been found. Many pots were painted
red, with designs in black suggesting
geometric patterns.
8. Describe the seals of the IVC in terms
of their shapes and the purpose for
which they were used.
Ans: Most of the IVC seals are square in
shape, while a few are round or
cylindrical. The seals were used in
trade and commerce. They were
pressed into soft clay to seal the
mouths of jars and sacks of grain.
Some of the seals were also worn
around the neck or arm, perhaps as a
kind of identity card.
9. Why do you think the weights and
measures were uniform throughout the
Indus cities?
Ans: Uniform weights and measures
would have been used to make trade
easier. By using uniform weights and
measures, the people of IVC ensured
greater integrity and honesty in trade.
10. What do you know about the burial
practices in the IVC?
Ans: Evidence of burial practices has been
found at cemeteries in Harappa,
Lothal and a few other sites. The
dead were buried wearing ornaments
and with a few pots.

DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE: THE VEDIC PERIOD AND CHALCOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS

● New groups of people,

new patterns of living
● The beginning of the
Vedic Age
● Archaeological
evidence of the Vedic
Period
● Where did they live?
● What was the nature
of society in the Vedic
Age?
● How were they ruled?
● What was their
occupation?
● What did they worship?
● The religious books
of the Vedic people
● Chalcolithic settlements
and megalithic cultures in
the rest of India
● Case studies: Inamgaon,
The megalithic
cultures of south India
Suggested number of sessions: 8
Session 1: Lead in, New groups of people, new patterns of living,
The beginning of the Vedic Age
Session 2: Archaeological evidence of the Vedic Period, Where did they
live? Instructions for Do and learn: Model making, which is to be
given as a home assignment, What was the nature of society in the
Vedic Age? How were they ruled? What was their occupation? What did
they worship?
Session 3: The religious books of the Vedic people; Do and learn:
Interpreting sources of history!, Instructions for Do and learn: Act it
out, which can be assessed in session 6; Chalcolithic settlements and
megalithic cultures in the rest of India
Session 4: Case studies: Inamgaon, The megalithic cultures of south
India, Exercises
Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question, Enrichment
activities: Instructions for Group project, which the students can
present in session 8, Instructions for Find out, which can be given as a
home assignment
Session 6: Enrichment activities: Debate
Session 7: Life skills and values, Worksheet
Session 8: Enrichment activities: Group project

38
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Describe the beginning of the Vedic Age
● Use and interpret archaeological evidence to reconstruct the history of the Vedic Age
● Describe the political, social, economic and religious life of the Vedic people
● Identify and outline the main features of the Chalcolithic and Megalithic cultures that were
flourishing in different parts of India at this time
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Encourage students to play the game by following the instructions given. Check if the message
originally conveyed has been reproduced without any changes on the blackboard. If it has not been
reproduced as is, ask students to think of the reasons for it.
The purpose of the activity is to introduce the idea of oral traditions. It helps students understand the
difficulties in transmitting a message orally without changing it. Help them conclude that it would be
even more challenging to transmit larger texts this way. This will help them appreciate the abilities of
the people in ancient India who transmitted hundreds of hymns and verses from generation to
generation. Tell them that they will be learning about these people in the chapter.
Teaching the lesson
NEW GROUPS OF PEOPLE, NEW PATTERNS OF LIVING
Focus areas: The end of the first phase of urbanisation in the Indian subcontinent; a change in the pattern
that had people moving back to villages from the declining cities of the IVC
The beginning of the Vedic Age
Focus areas: The period around which groups of people settled down near rivers in the Punjab region;
how the people and the period get their names; the two divisions of the Vedic Period; domestication of the
horse by the Vedic people; why the Vedic culture is said to mark the beginning of the Iron Age in northern
India Archaeological evidence of the Vedic Period
Focus areas: the two types of pottery—Black and Red Ware and Painted Grey Ware—associated with
different phases of the Vedic Period; the places where these types of pottery have been found Teaching
guideline: Instruct students to study the images of the two types of pottery to understand how they
were different.
Where did they live?
Focus areas: The Sapta Sindhu or the land of the seven rivers—the region where the Vedic people first
settled; the grouping of people into tribes; the spread of the Vedic people from the Sapta Sindhu to the
Gangetic plains; how they made the land suitable for cultivation and settling; wattle and daub houses of

Do and learn Model making:

Encourage students to attempt the activity at home.
NEP parameters covered: Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (Students make the model with their hands.);
The activity facilitates experiential learning as students learn about wattle and daub houses by actually
making them; The activity involves art as students use their creativity to make the model.
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Attention to detail, Presentation

the Vedic people; how these houses were built

What was the nature of society in the Vedic Age?

Focus areas: Features of Early Vedic settlements; the units of the Vedic society—kula, grama, jana—and
what they were composed of; the classification of the Vedic society into four varnas—the brahmanas,
39
the kshatriyas, the vaishyas and the shudras—and the role of each varna in society; how the varna
system became rigid over time
How were they ruled?
Focus areas: The meaning of the terms ‘rajan’, ‘sabha’, ‘samiti’, ‘senani’ and ‘purohit’; how the Sabha
and Samiti lost their importance over time; the conflict between different tribes and what victory meant
in the battles between them
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image given for the topic. Explain the significance of
the rituals like the Rajasuya and Ashwamedha, using the information in the caption.
What was their occupation?
Focus areas: The main occupation during the Early Vedic period; the period when agriculture became
the main occupation; the important crops grown; how the farming equipment made of iron helped in
bringing more land under cultivation; how other occupations came up in Vedic society; the nature of
trade in Vedic society; the barter system; importance given to recreation
What did they worship?
Focus areas: The religious beliefs of the Vedic people and the gods worshipped in the Early Vedic period;
why sacrifices were performed; the gods worshipped in the later stages; the importance of rituals for them
The religious books of the Vedic people
Focus areas: What the Vedas were; what they contained; how they were passed down for generations; the
four Vedas; the period when the Rig Veda is believed to have been composed; the four parts of the Vedas;
the epics; the importance of the epics—the deep philosophy they contain and the information they

Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history!

Suggested explanation / interpretation of the hymn: It is important to be generous and to share
wealth and food with others. Generosity keeps the wealth intact. Miserliness or meanness does not
bring happiness. It is sinful to have wealth or food for oneself without offering it to god or to a friend.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and Communication (Students understand and explain the
meaning of the hymn in their own words.); English language integration (Students interpret the
meaning of the hymn using their language skills) (OR) Multilingualism (Students compose a hymn in
their home language.)
Criteria for assessment: Relevance, Coherence, Clarity, Originality

Do and learn: Act it out

NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning (Students choose a story from the
Mahabharata or Ramayana that is suitable for adaptation to a play.), Communication (Students write a
script for a play based on that story.), General awareness (The activity helps students learn stories from
the epics.); Discovery-based learning, Research skills, Observation skills (The activity promotes self-
learning as students research the epics to choose a story. It helps them hone their observation and
research skills.)
Criteria for assessment: Relevance, Dialogue, Performance
provide on different aspects of society, politics and economy

CHALCOLITHIC SETTLMENTS AND MEGALITHIC CULTURES IN THE REST OF INDIA

Focus areas: The Chalcolithic settlements in India between 2800 and 1400 BCE; the types of artefacts
discovered in these settlements
Suggested questions to check comprehension:
1. When the IVC was declining in the north-west, the Vedic culture was the only culture in the whole of
40
India? (No. There were other cultures like Chalcolithic and Megalithic in various parts of India.)

41
2. During which period did Chalcolithic cultures flourish in different parts of the country? (Between
2800 and 1400 BCE)
3. What kinds of tools have been discovered in the Chalcolithic settlements? (Copper tools, microliths,
flakes and blades, stone and terracotta sling balls)
CASE STUDY: INAMGAON
Focus areas: The location of the Chalcolithic settlement at Inamgaon; the period of this settlement;
the features of the settlement—farming as the main occupation, evidence of crops grown, types of
animals reared and the evidence for this, evidence of fishing as an occupation, types of houses built,
types of tools and ornaments used, evidence of religious practices, evidence of burial practices, type of
pottery made
CASE STUDY: THE MEGALITHIC CULTURES OF SOUTH INDIA
Focus areas: What megaliths are; different types of megalithic burials; the association of megalithic
burial sites with the use of iron; the theory that megaliths were put by nomadic groups; evidence of
belief in life after death in the burial sites

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Group project
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to
complete the tasks.), Communication, Creativity (Students choose the most effective and creative way
of presenting their findings.); Establishing local and regional connect (Students find out about
Chalcolithic or Megalithic sites in their state);
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Creativity in presentation
Debate
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students discuss their opinions with
their group members and arrive at a consensus before debating.), Communication, Language integration
(Students communicate their ideas in their own words.)
Criteria for assessment: Understanding of the topic, Organisation of ideas, Use of facts/statistics, Clarity
of viewpoints
Find out
NEP parameters covered: Multilingualism (Students find out similarities between Sanskrit and their
home language.); Pride and rootedness in India (The task aims to inculcate among students a sense of
pride in the diversity of Indian languages.); India knowledge systems (Students learn about the language
families of India.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Reasoning skills
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Social responsibility (Students learn the importance of being socially
responsible.) They learn about the importance of practising ahimsa (non-violence), satya (honesty),
nishkam karma, (selfless service) and honest hard work.

42
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE: THE VEDIC PERIOD AND CHALCOLITHIC
SETTLEMENTS
EXERCISES
I. 1. The Vedas 2. The Rig Veda 3. A hymn
They also contain details of the rituals to be
4. Kshatriyas 5. An epic
performed to appease the gods. The four
II. 1. Black and Red Ware Painted Grey Ware Vedas are the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the
Found in the Found in the Sama Veda and the Atharva Veda.
western part of the middle and eastern 3. Farming equipment made of iron was far
Indo-Gangetic Gangetic plain superior to tools made of wood or stone and
this played a vital role in bringing more
Plain.
land under cultivation.
Dated to around Dated to around
4. Cattle rearing and agriculture were the
1450 to 1200 BCE 1200 to 600 BCE main occupations of the Vedic people. With
2. Senani Purohit improvements in technology, and a better
lifestyle, a variety of occupations like
The commander of The priest in Vedic
leather making and jewellery making came
the army in Vedic society
up. The Vedic people also worked as
society potters, weavers, carpenters, chariot-
Assisted the king in Performed makers and traders.
protecting the tribe religious 5. It is likely that the Vedic people worshipped
from enemies ceremonies and the various forces of nature, such as the sun,
advised the king rain, wind, fire and earth, when they realised
how beneficial and important they were for
3. Grahapati Rajan life. They may have also worshipped them
The eldest male The chief of a tribe, out of fear, after observing the fury of nature
member of the kula who was chosen by in the form of storms or earthquakes, forest
or family, who the people fires and other calamities.
headed it V. 1. Archaeological evidences show that after
4. Microliths Megaliths the decline of the Indus Valley Civilisation,
Extremely large people returned to living in villages. The
Very small stone
rectangular blocks Early Vedic society was village-based, with
tools with sharp
of stone the people living in several small
edges and size less settlements.● The Vedic people mainly
than 3 cm practised rural occupations like cattle
Used as barbs of Used as burial site rearing and agriculture. ● No granaries or
arrows and spears markers seals, to suggest that large-scale trade
existed, have been found. This is typical of
III. 1. b. Cattle rearing 2. a. Iron Age rural life. ● They lived in wattle and daub
3. c. Agni—iii. The god of fire 4. c. i houses, not in brick houses that are usually
5. c. A is true but R is false. found in urban areas. ● In the Vedic
IV. 1. The Vedic people first settled down in the society, a group of families or kulas formed
region surrounding the river Indus and its a grama or village. All these features point
tributaries. They called this land the Sapta- to the fact that Vedic society was
Sindhu or the land of the seven rivers. predominantly a rural one.
2. The Vedas contain hymns, which are songs
in praise of gods, composed in Sanskrit.

43
Each Varna might ● Since the have developed its shudras were own social mainly
practices and labourers, it
values that held2. paved
Vedic society
the waywas made up of units such as
the
the members for them to kula, thebegrama andintheunity
together jana.discriminated
This social and avoided against and
4. The main features of the life of the
conflicts. organisation
exploited by became complex over time. Chalcolithic people of Inamgaon are as
● helped The smallest
It possibly people of unit
theofcreate
society was the
a sense of kula
other Varnas. belonging
follows: ● amongst
The people● Itwere
created
mainly
or theof
the members family. The eldest male member of the family,
disharmony farmers. On the basis of the plant seeds
each Varna.
known asand thedisunity in headed the kula. His children
grahapati, found at the site, we know that the people
society. and grandchildren lived with him as a joint family. of Inamgaon grew barley, wheat, peas,
● A group of kula formed a grama or a gram and beans. They also cultivated rice,
village. A number of grama formed a vis or a clan. jowar and ragi. ● The animal bones found
● A group of vis formed a jana or tribe, A in the site suggest that they domesticated
jana was headed by a rajan or a tribal chief. animals like cattle, sheep, goats, dogs and
Vedic society was also classified on the pigs. The discovery of fish bones and
basis of occupation or profession into four fish-hooks indicate the practice of fishing.
varnas or classes—the brahmanas, the ● The remains of at least 134 mud houses
kshatriyas, the vaishyas and the shudras. have been found at Inamgaon. The walls of
The brahmanas were the teachers and the the houses were probably built of mud and
priests. The kshatriyas were the class of branches of trees, while the roofs were
rulers and warriors. The vaishyas were thatched with grass. ● A few tools and
traders, cultivators and skilled workers. The ornaments made out of copper have been
shudras were mainly labourers. Over a found at Inamgaon. Stone tools found here
period of time, it became difficult for include blades and microliths. We also find
people to move out of the varna they were the use of domestic stone tools like grinding
born into as the system had become rigid stones and pestles to grind or crush grains.
and came to be based on heredity. ● Several terracotta figurines have been
Merits of the3.Varna Demerits of the system Varna systemfound at Inamgaon, of which the most
It facilitated ● When the division of labour Varna system common
and ensured that figure is that
animal became work happened in
of the bull.
an organised way. became rigid. Some figurines, thought to be of mother
When the Varna A person born system became in a certain hereditary,goddesses, people Varna,
have also been found.
could become remained better at their work there forever. since they
● were There was
A large number no
of human burial sites
guided by their way they could have been found at Inamgaon. Clay pots
family members; become part knowledge and the of another wealth of
containing Varna,
food andeven if experience
water were placedpassedthey had th
experienced ability for it. along with the body. The people
generation to the worshipped both gods and goddesses.
next.

44
 ● The pottery of Inamgaon was of quite a CASE-BASED QUESTION
high standard. It was wheel-made and fired.
1. Under the Gurukul system, the students stayed
Pottery kilns have been found at Inamgaon.
in the ashram of their teacher or guru to acquire
The pottery has a red background with
knowledge. They learnt how to recite the
simple geometric designs painted on it in
hymns from the Vedas. They also learnt the art
black.
of warfare and administration. Learning
5. In south India, Megalithic cultures emerged
happened in natural surroundings. In return for
around 1000 BCE. In this culture, burial
this learning, students helped the guru in the
sites are marked by extremely large stones
household chores, like cooking, cleaning,
called megaliths. ● There are
collecting firewood and grazing the cattle.
different types of Megalithic burials. Some
Students did not pay fees. Instead they offered a
are cut into rocks and covered with a flat
special tribute called gurudakshina to the Guru.
stone. There are a few enclosed tombs too,
2. Merits of the Gurukul system: ● Learning
with stones placed around them in a circular
happened in natural surroundings. ● The
fashion. Yet another kind of burial is where
atmosphere at the Gurukul was similar to what
the bones are put in a pot or urn and buried.
the students would have experienced in their
This is then surrounded by a ring of stones.
own house. ● Learning happened at a pace
● Some of the sites have pits (called cists)
comfortable for the student. ● A strong
lined with stones, to contain gifts for the
bond of kinship/ friendship developed among
dead. ● The Megalithic burial sites are
students who stayed together for a particular
associated with the spread of the use of iron.
period of time. Demerits of the Gurukul system:
Iron tools were used to cut and work the
● Learning was rather informal without a
megaliths. ● The habitations found near
standard syllabus. ● There were possibly no
these burial grounds are scanty, suggesting
exams or periodic reviews of the students’
that the megaliths were put up by nomadic
performance. ● Students could not choose
groups of people as a kind of marker in case
the subjects of their liking.
they ever wanted to return to the site. ●
● Students led a protected life and did not
The burial sites contain several iron
have much experience of the outside world.
implements and weapons. They also contain
the bones of a number of animals like the LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
cow, goat, sheep, dog, horse, birds, We learn the values of Ahimsa and being socially
crocodile, fish, and so on. A variety of pots responsible from the fact that Ratnakar gave up a
have also been found in some burial sites. life of violence for a life of non-violence and
This suggests that the people of the honesty (Satya). We learn the values of Nishkam
Megalithic Cultures believed in life after Karma and honest hard work from the fact that
death. Ratnakar worked selflessly to compose the
Ramayana.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE: THE VEDIC PERIOD AND CHALCOLITHIC
SETTLEMENTS
I. Fill in the blanks.
3. The Early Vedic people were
1. The Vedic people lived in and their main occupation
and houses. was cattle-rearing.
2. From various texts and epics, we know that 4. In Vedic society, sacrifices or
and were were performed to keep
powerful tribes. the gods and goddesses happy.

45
 5. The Chalcolithic people of Inamgaon used Therefore, we call them the Vedic
tools of both and people.
.
Ans.: 1. Wattle and daub
2. Kuru and Panchala
3. pastoralists
4. Yajnas
5. stone, copper
II. Match the following.
Column A Column B
1. Around a. Later Vedic Period
1500 BCE
2. 1500 BCE b. Agriculture became the most
to 1000 important occupation of the
BCE Vedic people.
3. 1000 BCE c. The Rig Veda is believed to
to 600 have been composed.
BCE
4. After d. Early Vedic Period
1000 BCE
5. 1500 BCE e. Vedic people first settled
to 1100 down along the banks of the
BCE rivers in the Punjab region.
Ans: 1. Around 1500 BCE—e. Vedic people
first settled down along the banks of the
rivers in the Punjab region; 2. 1500
BCE to 1000 BCE—d. Early Vedic
Period;
3. 1000 BCE to 600 BCE—a. Later
Vedic
Period 4. After 1000 BCE—
b. Agriculture became the most
important occupation of the Vedic
people; 5. 1500 BCE to 1100 BCE
—
c. The Rig Veda is believed to have been
composed.
III. Answer the following questions.
1. Why are the groups of people who settled
along the banks of rivers in the Punjab
region around 1500 BCE called the Vedic
people?
Ans: We get information about the people,
who settled along the banks of rivers
in the Punjab region around 1500
BCE, from their holy books, the
Vedas.
46
2. The Vedic people were some of the earliest
people in the Indian subcontinent to introduce
the use of which two things? Ans: ● The use
of the horse to pull carts
● The use of iron
3. Name some places were Painted Grey Ware
has been found.
Ans: Sardargarh, Bairat and Noh in Rajasthan,
Panipat and Ropar in Haryana, Delhi,
and Alamgirpur, Hastinapur,
Atranjikhera and Kannauj in Uttar
Pradesh
4. Write a short note on the Sabha and Samiti of
the Vedic society.
Ans: The Sabha and Samiti were two
assemblies of elders that advised the
rajan. In course of time, the rajan
became more powerful and the Sabha
and the Samiti lost their significance.
5. What were some of the things that the Vedic
people engaged in for recreation? Ans: The
Vedic people engaged in hunting,
wrestling, gambling, music and dance
for recreation.
6. How did the worship of the earlier Vedic
people differ from that of the later Vedic
people?
Ans: The earlier Vedic people worshipped the
elements of nature such as the sky, the
wind, the rain, the fire, the earth as gods
and goddesses. They worshipped Indra,
the god of thunder, Surya, the Sun god,
Varuna, the god of rain, Prithvi, the
goddess of the Earth, and Agni, the god
of fire. They performed sacrifices or
Yajnas to appease the gods. Later as the
Vedic people moved and spread across
north India, they started worshipping
Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and
goddesses like Saraswati and Lakshmi.
The people came to believe that several
rituals had to be done to keep the gods
happy. These rituals became more
elaborate over time.

47
 7. What do the epics tell us about the Vedic
people?
Ans: The epics, the Ramayana and the
Mahabharata, tell us about the life of
the Vedic people—their beliefs, the
nature of their society, their political
set-up, their dress and food habits,
their occupations and the nature of
their economy.
8. What was the duration of the
Chalcolithic phase of the settlements at
Inamgaon?
Ans: The Chalcolithic phase of the
settlement at Inamgaon lasted for
around 900 years, from 1600 BCE to
700 BCE.

THE EARLY STATES—JANAPADAS AND MAHAJANAPADAS

● Introduction: Later Vedic
Suggested number of sessions: 7
Period—the period of
Vedic expansion between Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: Later Vedic Period—the period of
1000 BCE and 600 BCE Vedic expansion between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE, Janapadas to
● Janapadas to Mahajanapadas, Do and learn: Map work
Mahajanapadas Session 2: Do and learn: Map work (contd.), What is a state?,
● What is a state? Monarchies and republics, Sources of information, Do and learn:
● Monarchies and republics Interpreting sources of history
● Sources of information
Session 3: Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history (contd.), Life in
● Life in the the mahajanapadas, Growth of new crafts, Growth of trade and the
Mahajanapadas formation of guilds, Growth of urban settlements, Imposition of taxes,
● Growth of new crafts Case study: Magadha
● Growth of trade and
the formation of Session 4: Case study: Vajji, Exercises
guilds Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question, Enrichment
● Growth of urban activity: Diary entry, Instructions for Invent a game and Group activity,
settlements which can be given as home assignments (Students can be asked to
● Imposition of taxes present their findings of the Group activity in session 7.)
● Case studies: Magadha, Session 6: Values, Worksheet
Vajji (Vrijji)
Session 7:Presenting the findings of the Group activity
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Define janapadas and mahajanapadas and locate the 16 mahajanapadas on a map of India
● Explain the concept of the state
● Define ‘monarchy’ and ‘republic’ and explain the difference between the two with examples
● Evaluate the merits and demerits of monarchies and republic
● Describe the nature of social, political and economic life in the mahajanapadas
● Analyse the reasons behind the rise of Magadha as the most powerful mahajanapada and compare it to
the republic of Vajji
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart chapter

48
Lead in: Encourage students to attempt the task given. (Answers: Tick—● People in this Age lived in the
Sapta Sindhu region. ● People in this Age lived in wattle and daub houses. ● Cattle was the main
source of wealth in this period. Cross—● Powerful kingdoms emerged during this period. ● Coins
were used as the mode of payment for trade during this period.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning, Communication (Students apply their
knowledge of the Early Vedic Period to attempt the task. They answer the question about the statements
they crossed out.); Observation skills (Students read the timeline given to complete the task.)
Teaching the lesson
Introduction: Later Vedic Period—the period of Vedic expansion between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE
Main points: The outcomes of the intermingling of the Vedic people with the local people; the Later
Vedic period—the period of Vedic expansion into the Indo-Gangetic Plain
JANAPADAS TO MAHAJANAPADAS
Focus areas: How the Vedic people brought more land of the Indo-Gangetic Plain under cultivation;
the emergence of permanent settlements each consisting of a single jana or tribe, called janapadas; the
rulers of janapadas; how mahajanapadas came into existence; examples of Mahajanapadas specified in

Do and learn: Map work

Guideline: Distribute political outline maps of India to students. Instruct them to refer to the
Mahajanapadas map in the textbook to mark and name the mahajanapadas and their capitals on the
outline map of India given to them. They can then locate their state or union territory on the outline
map and find out if any mahajanapada was part of it. Finally, they can compare the names of the old
capital (of the mahajanapada) and the new capital (of their state/union territory) to find out if the
capitals are the same.
NEP parameters covered: Establishing local and regional connect (Students find out if any of the
mahajanapadas were a part of the state or union territory they live in and if the capital is the same as
the capital that existed 2,500 years ago.)
Criteria for assessment: Visual-Spatial skills, Observation skills

the Buddhist texts of Anguttara Nikaya and Digha Nikaya; Magadha, the most powerful mahajanapada

WHAT IS A STATE?
Focus areas: Definition of the term ‘state’; the powers of the rajan; the places where the earliest forms
of the state came up; the two types—monarchies and republics
MONARCHIES AND REPUBLICS
Focus areas: The region where the majority of 16 mahajanapadas were concentrated; what kind of states
were most of the mahajanapadas; how kingship changed; the powers and functions of the king in the
Later Vedic Period; how the republics were different from monarchies; the region where the republics
were located; some well-known republics; the powers and functions of the ganapati
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Focus areas: The Buddhist, Jain and Vedic texts from which we get information about this period; the
archaeological evidence from this period

49
Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history
Answers: We can learn about the political, social and religious life of the people in the Later Vedic Age.
We come to know that society had people of the four Varnas (there is mention of brahmana-brothers, a
farmer’s family, a merchant, a minister,kings); we come to know that monarchy was the political
system; we know that people also followed Buddhism, as the extracts are from the Jataka Tales.

50
1. Names of places mentioned: Varanasi, Himavanta 2. Farmers (agriculturists), merchants,
ministers, rulers 3. rice, barley 4. LIFE ass, lion (These
IN THE animals are not seen on Indus seals.)
MAHAJANAPADAS
NEP parameters: Critical thinking (Students analyseofthe
Growth story
new extracts to answer the questions.);
crafts
Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students use their linguistic skills to read and understand the passages,
Focus areas: How surplus food production paved the way for the growth of new crafts
which contain archaic expressions, words and phrases.) Information literacy (Reading the extracts help
GrowthIndian
students gain information on ancient of trade and Evidence-based
society,) the formation of guilds(Students base their
thinking
Focus areas:
answers on what they learn
Increase fromduring
in trade the extracts.)
the Later Vedic period; how traders helped the growth of trade; the
change from the barter system to using
Criteria for assessment: Identifies importantmoney as the medium
information, of exchange;
Synthesises the evidence
information, that we have
Summarises
for this kind of trade; important trading centres that emerged during this period; what shrenis were, what
correctly
purpose they served and how they functioned
Growth of urban settlements
Focus areas: The growth of urban settlements; what kinds of settlements they were; how some capital
cities were fortified; occupational structure of population in cities as compared to villages
Imposition of taxes
Focus areas: The main purposes for which taxes were imposed during the Vedic period
CASE STUDY: MAGADHA
Focus areas: Growth of Magadha into a mighty mahajanapada; the rulers of the Haryanka dynasty,
Bimbisara and Ajatashatru and the main features of their reign; the other dynasties that ruled Magadha—the
Sisunagas, the Nandas, the Mauryas; the reasons why Magadha emerged as the most powerful
mahajanapada
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to revisit the timeline at the beginning of the chapter to revise the
dates of the important events up to the time when the Nandas were overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya
CASE STUDY: VAJJI (VRIJJI)
Focus areas: The nature of the political system in Vajji; Vajji’s location and capital; how Vajji was
governed; the position of the ganapramukh; how important decisions were taken by the assembly; the
names of the main clans that formed the Vajji confederacy

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION: Instruct students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities. Diary
entry
NEP parameters: Critical thinking, Communication, Creativity, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, English
language integration (Students apply their knowledge of the political systems in the two

51
mahajanapadas; they use their imagination and language skills to write an interesting diary entry in
English.); Democratic outlook (Students analyse the political system of Vajji, which was a republic and
conclude that it was better for the people than the political system of Magadha, which was a monarchy.)
Criteria for assessment: Reasoning skills, Creativity, Appropriateness of language
Invent a game
NEP parameters: Critical thinking, Creativity (Students invent an interesting game.), Collaboration
(Students play the game with their friends.)
Criteria for assessment: Originality, Clarity of rules, Practicality
Group activity
NEP parameters: Collaboration, Communication (Students work in groups. They present their findings
in the form of a digital presentation.); Evidence-based thinking, Observation skills, Research skills
(Students find out about the history of coins in Ancient India from reliable sources. They use their
observation skills to study the features of different coins.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Organisation of information, Clarity and coherence in
presenting the information
VALUES
NEP parameters: Empathy, Personal responsibility (Students learn these values from the king and the
elephant. The king was moved by the elephant’s sorrow and realised his responsibility towards making
him happy. The elephant felt empathy and responsibility towards his mother.); The story teaches the
values of respecting elders and serving them unconditionally. It teaches the value of nishkam karma
(selfless service).

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

THE EARLY STATES—JANAPADAS AND MAHAJANAPADAS

EXERCISES
I. 1. Janapadas 2. Guild/ Shreni 3. Ganapati 2. Janapadas Mahajanapada
4. The gana-sangha of the Shakyas/Mallas/
They were These were
Vrijjis/Yadavas 5. Bimbisara
settlements in the powerful states
II. 1. c. Magadha 2. c. Vajji, Malla, Shakya, Indo-Gangetic Plain in that emerged
Yadava (Note: This option contains the names the Later Vedic after defeating
of only republics, while the other options have Period, with each several smaller
a mix of both monarchies and republics.)
settlement consisting states or
3. b. i. The rulers wanted to display their
of a single jana or janapadas.
power and wealth by fortifying their kingdoms;
tribe.
iii. The rulers fortified their kingdoms to
protect themselves from enemy attacks. They were ruled by They were ruled
4. c. To organise the traders and to make rajans or chiefs. by kings/rajans if
them stronger 5. b. Both A and R are true they were
but R is not the correct explanation of A. monarchies or
III. 1. A state is a political organization that has by elected
sovereignty over a geographical area, which chiefs, known as
means that its government is free from ganapatis, if
outside control. they were
republics
52
The king
Janapadas The assembly played a imposed taxes vital role in
Mahajanapada
to administer
ThereThere
werewould administering
16 mahajanapadas the land.janapadas.
have been numerous
according the land.
to the The
Buddhists But,
textslike the rajanNikaya
Anguttara of armyandwasDigha
underNikayathe mahajanapadas, his c
army.
3. The sources of information about the Later
Vedic Period are various Buddhist, Jain and 2. Punch-marked coins were silver and
Vedic texts such as the Jataka Tales, the copper coins punched with symbols of
Brahmanas, the Upanishads, the hills and trees that were used in the Later
Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The Vedic Period. Advantages of using coins
Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) as a mode of payment over the barter
found at several sites in the Gangetic Plain system:
also serve as archaeological evidences for ● It is easy to fix the monetary value of
this period. goods and pay or receive money for them.
4. Examples of monarchies: Magadha, Avanti, This advantage is not available in the barter
Vatsa, Kosala, Kamboja, Kuru, Kasi, system,where the goods exchanged could
Gandhara, Panchala, Surasena, Matsya, be of different values. ● Unlike the barter
Asmaka, Chedi, Anga (any two); system, where the needs of both parties had
Examples of republics: Vajji, Shakya, to match for exchange of goods to take
Malla, Yadava (any two) place, money transactions could take place
5. The rulers of the mahajanapadas imposed if one party had the goods and the other, the
taxes to administer the land and to money. ● Also coins are durable and
maintain a large army for defending their can be retained until the need to pay for
kingdom. something arises. This advantage is not
available when perishable goods are
Monarchies IV. 1. Republics bartered. ● Coins also provide a uniform
They were They were located in mostly the less fertile tracts of concentrated in land such as, the
and standard medium of exchange that is
the Gangetic foothills of the
acceptable to everyone. (Note: Please
Plain. Himalayas and in
northwestern India. They were They were ruled by a states ruled by accept other who
ganapati, relevant
was answers.)
kings orconsidered a chief 3. Reasons why Magadha rose to be the most
monarchs. powerful
rather than a king. Kingship was The office of the chief, hereditary. It mahajanapada: ● Magadha had
was not hereditary.
passed on from People or members of a very good supply of forest timber and
father to son. an assembly chose or The king was elephants,
elected their ruler. which were
So considered needed
power for the divine.
lay with peo
not with the ruler. construction and for war. ● It had control
over the lands bordering the Ganga, and
this gave it ready access to long-distance
trade through the river. ● Magadha
controlled the important river port of
Champa, which gave it great advantage in
matters of trade and in times of war.
● Magadha also had abundant iron and
copper deposits. Iron was needed to make
weapons. It was also used to make
agricultural tools like the plough. Magadha

53
 was located in the fertile Gangetic Plain.
This helped the growth of agriculture and
made Magadha prosperous.
4. In a republic, the power rests with the
representatives of the people. In the
republics of the Later Vedic Period, an
assembly formed by the representatives of
the people played a vital role in
administering the land. Vajji is a good
example of a republic. It was governed by
an assembly consisting of representatives
of the eight clans that formed the Vajji
confederacy. The chairman of the assembly
was the ganapramukh, whose position was
not hereditary. It was like that of a chief
rather than that of a king. Decisions on
important issues were taken after
discussions were held in the assembly.
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE EARLY STATES—JANAPADAS AND MAHAJANAPADAS
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. The period of the Vedic expansion into the
Indo-Gangetic plain is called the
.
2. Ajatashatru belonged to the
dynasty.
3. moved the capital of Magadha
to Pataliputra.
4. The ruled Magadha for almost
75 years.
Ans: 1. Later Vedic Period 2. Haryanka
3. Ajatashatru 4. Nandas
II. Answer the following questions.
1. How did the post-Indus states and
kingdoms come up?
Ans: Between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE, the
Vedic people spread out over most of
the Indo-Gangetic Plain. As they
mixed with the local people, they
absorbed elements of the local
culture, just as the local population
absorbed elements of the Vedic
culture. In the course of time, this
54
If a decision could not be reached, the matter
was put to vote.
PICTURE –BASED QUESTION
1. Kusinagara was the capital of Malla.
2. Moats were built to protect the city against
attacking armies. They made it difficult for the
enemy to reach the city.
3. The building materials may have been mud and
wood, which are not durable.
VALUES
● Yes. The king was right in letting the elephant
go back to his mother. The king felt that it was
wrong to be happy by taking away someone’s
happiness.
● Values learnt from the elephant’s behaviour:
Love, concern, dutifulness and dedication
towards family member
intermixing gave rise to the first
post-Indus states and kingdoms.
2. How did the Vedic people bring more land
under cultivation?
Ans: The Vedic people cleared the thick
forests of the Indo Gangetic Plain with
the help of fire and iron tools and
brought more land under cultivation.
3. Where did the earliest forms of state come
up? What were the types of early states?
Ans: The earliest forms of state usually
came up wherever and whenever
agriculture (and later, writing)
developed. The early states were
usually of two types—monarchies and
republics.
4. How did it become possible for some
people to take up new crafts in Later Vedic
Period? What crafts did they take up?
Ans: As people started a settled life of
agriculture, they produced more than
they needed for survival. As surplus
food was produced by the cultivators,
some people were able to take up
 crafts like pottery, carpentry,
blacksmithing and weaving.
5. Write a short note on trade during the Later
Vedic Period.
Ans: Trade increased and spread during the
Later Vedic Period. It became a very
important activity. We come to know
from sources that merchants carried
textiles, pots and many other types of
goods to the markets for trade. They
travelled long distances and even
crossed rivers in search of new
markets. They started accepting coins
as payment for trade. Taxila (now in
Pakistan), Champa and Bharukaccha
(Bharuch in Gujarat) emerged as
important trading centres. Crafts
people were organised into guilds
known as shrenis. Different crafts had
different guilds. Each shreni had
prescribed rules and regulations and a
code of conduct for its members too.
6. What kind of cities and towns rose during
the Later Vedic Period? Give examples.
Ans: Most of the settlements which became
towns and cities during the Later
Vedic Period were the capitals of the
mahajanapadas and janapadas. Others
were centres of trade or places of
worship. Pataliputra,Kausambi,
Rajagriha and Varanasi were some of
the important cities that grew during
this period.
7. What is fortification?
Ans: Many of the cities, especially the
capitals of the mahajanapadas, had
walls of wood or brick or stone
around them. This is known as
fortification.
8. Though a state has a favourable location
and abundance of resources, an efficient
leadership is extremely important for its
55
existence. Justify this statement using
Magadha as an example.
Ans: Magadha was ideally located in a
fertile region and had an abundant
supply of agricultural, forest and
mineral resources. It had ready access
to long-distance trade through the
river Ganga. It controlled the
important river port of Champa. But
its existence as a powerful kingdom
depended on capable rulers.
Bimbisara, the first ruler of Magadha
set up an excellent administrative
system and built an extensive network
of roads and communication. He
patronised all religions. He
strengthened his position by annexing
the neighbouring state of Anga.
Bimbisara’s son, Ajatashatru, who
succeeded him, was also an efficient
ruler and was considered fair and just.
He annexed Kosala and Vajji
expanding the territory of his empire.
However, after the death of
Ajatashatru, the kingdom started
disintegrating. A number of kings
followed him, after which the
Sisunagas, the Nandas and the
Mauryas came to power. Thus the
continued existence of Magadha as a
powerful kingdom depended on the
power and efficiency of the dynasties
that ruled it.
9. What significance does the Vajji
mahajanapada have? Where was it located
and what was its capital?
Ans: The Vajji mahajanapada was one of
the world’s first republics. It was
located to the north of the Ganga,
extending into the foothills of the
Himalayas, and included parts of
modern-day Nepal. Its capital was the
city of Vaishali.
 GREAT THINKERS AND NEW BELIEFS

● Society in the 7th

century BCE
Suggested number of sessions: 9
● The Upanishads Session 1: Lead in
● Jainism Session 2: Society in the 7th century BCE, Discover more, The
● The teachings of Upanishads, Jainism, The teachings of Mahavira, The spread of Jainism
Mahavira
Session 3: Instructions for Do and learn: Let’s find out, which students
● The spread of
can complete and present by Session 7, Buddhism, Early life, The journey
Jainism
to become the Buddha, The Buddha’s doctrine
● Buddhism
● Early life Session 4: Instructions for Do and learn: Role play, which the students
● The journey to can do as a group work and present in session 9, The spread of
become the Buddha Buddhism; The Sangha, Instructions for Do and learn: Map work,
● The which can be given as a home assignment, Monasteries, stupas and
Buddha’s chaityas
doctrine Session 5: Enrichment activities: Instructions for Group project, which
● The spread of students can complete and submit by session 8, Exercises
Buddhism Session 6: Case-based question, Worksheet
● The Sangha
Session 7: Enrichment activities: Debate
● Monasteries,
stupas and Session 8: Enrichment activities: Group project
chaityas
Session 9: Do and learn: Role play
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Analyse the factors behind the growth of new religious ideas in India and the context in which they
flourished
● Discuss the basic tenets of the Upanishads, Jainism and Buddhism
● Assess the impact of the new religious ideas on society
● Cite excerpts from sources relating to these traditions
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in:
Explanation for the passage: When we get hatred, we should not give hatred back. This is because our
hatred for someone can never remove their hatred for us. Abandoning thoughts of hatred is the only way
we can live in love. This is the law of the world. Nobody, neither the person who hates us nor we, are
going to be living forever. Knowing this truth, we should not fight with each other.
(Students should be able to discuss/debate and conclude that the thoughts contained in the passage are
relevant for all times and especially now, when there is much hatred between groups of people. There are
wars and there is so much destruction and sorrow all around because people harbour hatred and have
forgotten about the power of love.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, Language
integration (Students analyse the verse and explain it in their own words.) Empathy, forgiveness,

56
Ahimsa, Humaneness and fraternal spirit, Peace (The purpose of the task is to help students conclude that
removing hatred from our minds is the same as practising these values.)
Teaching the lesson
SOCIETY IN THE 7TH CENTURY BCE
Focus areas: The economic conditions in the Later Vedic Period; the reasons for the sense of discontent
in society: ● Elaborate and expensive rituals ● Rigid caste system ● Language; Emergence of new
ideas and beliefs in response to the yearning of people for simpler and direct ways of connecting with
god; the main among these new ideas: the teachings of the Upanishads, Mahavira and the Buddha
Discover more: Instruct students to read the names of the six schools of Indian philosophy and the
names of the sages associated with them.
THE UPANISHADS
Focus areas: What the Upanishads are?; the kind of philosophical questions they deal with; the period in
which they are believed to have been composed; some the main teachings of the Upanishads; the
meaning of the terms—atman, bhakti, the law of karma, yoga
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the picture given for the topic and read the caption given
below it.
JAINISM
Focus areas: Mahavira—a great thinker, a teacher who helped the spread of Jainism; who is a jina?; the
24 jinas or tirthankaras; the year and place of birth of Vardhamana Mahavira; Mahavira’s early life;
Mahavira’s journey to attaining enlightenment; Mahavira’s efforts to spread his teachings—his choice of
Prakrit for preaching; the place and year of his death
The teachings of Mahavira
Focus areas: The values that Mahavira taught his followers: his emphasis on the attainment of nirvana
and his teachings for freeing oneself of karma; the triratna; his opposition to the caste system and rituals
The spread of Jainism
Focus areas: An important reason why Jainism attracted many followers; the two groups of Jains; the
work of Jain monks in the spread of Jainism; the places in India to which Jainism spread; the reasons

Do and learn: Let’s find out

NEP parameters covered: Communication, Collaboration, Research skills (Students work in groups to
complete the task. They talk to people who follow Jainism to collect information. They use their
research skills to collect the details required.), Cultural awareness, Pride and rootedness in India (The
task helps students gain knowledge about an important religion of India, which is significant for its
practice of non-violence.); Discovery-based learning (Students learn more about Jainism through their
own research.) Real-life connect, Establishing local connect (Students research about Jainism in their
locality by visiting Jain temples or monuments.); Creativity, Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students
create a photo-journal or a video to present their findings.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Organisation of information, Coherence and creativity in
presentation.

why Jainism did not spread as quickly or as far as Buddhism

BUDDHISM
Focus areas: An introduction to Siddhartha Gautama

57
 Early life
Focus areas: Siddhartha’s place and year of birth; his family; the four sights that changed Siddhartha’s
thoughts; the effect of these sights on Siddhartha and the decision he took as a result
The journey to become the Buddha
Focus areas: Siddhartha’s years searching for the truth; how he attained enlightenment; how he got the
name Buddha
The Buddha’s doctrine
Focus areas: The doctrine of the four noble truths that form the essence of Buddha’s teachings: the
period and purpose for which the Buddha travelled around the country; the year of his death; the
Buddha’s emphasis on a life of moderation to attain peace and happiness; the principles of his noble
Eight-fold Path or the Middle Path; why the Buddha chose Prakrit for preaching; the values that he

Do and learn: Role play

NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Communication, Collaboration (Students work with each other to
create an original play, writing the script and the dialogues for it.); Bodiy-Kinesthetic intelligence
(Students perform the play in class.)
Criteria for assessment: Content, Clarity, Coherence, Acting/Dialogue delivery
preached; his opposition to the caste system; his emphasis on non-violence

The spread of Buddhism

Focus areas: The two major groups of Buddhism; the difference in the way the Mahayana Buddhists and
the Theravada Buddhists approached Buddhism
The Sangha
Focus areas: What the term ‘Sangha’ means; the two religions that have Sangha as an important
feature; the requirements for joining a Sangha and becoming Jain or Buddhist monks; the importance of

Do and learn: Map work

NEP parameters covered: Research skills(Students find out the routes along which Buddhism spread
to different parts of India and Asia.); Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students mark these routes on a map
of Asia using their visual-spatial skills.); Curiosity and wonder (The task is based on the spirit of
curiosity and wonder that students are expected to have to know our country.); Pride and rootedness
(The aim is to inculcate among students a sense of pride in India’s spiritual contributions to the world.)
Criteria for assessment: Completeness, Accuracy, Neatness

Sangha in spreading Buddhism; how Buddhism spread in the north

Monasteries, stupas and chaityas

Focus areas: What viharas, stupas and chaityas are; examples of important viharas and stupas in India

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Instruct students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Group project
58
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students
work in groups to make an attractive travel brochure that gives information about Buddhist stupas in India.);

59
Discovery-based learning (Students find out information about Buddhist stupas through research.);
General awareness (The activity promotes awareness among students about Buddhist architecture.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Relevance, Creativity, Presentation (Balance of text and pictures)
Debate
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students think of points to argue for and against the topic.);
Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, Language integration (Students present their arguments in English.);
Students read the passage from the Uttaradhyayana Sutra which emphasises the importance of one’s
good actions—born out of one’s values like honesty, selfless service, respect for others tolerance,
equality, justice, fairness, humaneness, social responsibility, peace—in determining one’s position in
life. They form their arguments to participate in the debate based on their understanding of the passage.
Criteria for assessment: Organisation of ideas and clarity, Use of examples and facts, Effectiveness of
counter-arguments, Presentation

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

GREAT THINKERS AND NEW BELIEFS

EXERCISES

I. 1. last 2. jinas/tirthankaras 3. triratna 4. Mahayana

4. Sangha 5. Sarnath (Uttar Pradesh) Theravada Buddhism
Buddhism
II. 1. Nirvana Karma The followers The followers of
Freedom The belief that what we of Mahayana Theravada Buddhism
from the experience in the present Buddhism believed that making
cycle of life life is the result of our own made images images of the Buddha and
and death actions in our previous lives of the Buddha worshipping them went
and against the teachings of
2. Svetambara Digambara Jains worshipped the Buddha. They believed
Jains them. They that nirvana could be
They wore They did not wear clothes. also started achieved only by following
white They were ‘sky-clad’ as the performing the Middle Path and the
clothes. word Digambara means. rituals. Four Noble Truths.
Svetambara Digambara Jainism is not as
III. 1. d. What we experience in our present lives
Jainism is widespread as Svetambara
is the result of our actions in past lives.
more Jainism.
2. c. Takshashila 3. 4. Svetambara—
widespread d. Sky-clad 4. b. Only the first statement is
these days. true. 5. a. Both A and R are true and R is the
3. Stupas Chaityas correct explanation of A.
They are They are Buddhist shrines IV. 1. By the 7th century BCE, the Vedic religion
dome-shaped or halls of worship. had lost much of its simplicity. Its focus
structures was now on a variety of expensive rituals.
where the As many of these rituals were conducted
relics of the with money collected from the people as
taxes, the burden on the common people
Buddha are
was immense. Over time, people started
preserved.

60
 questioning the relevance of rituals and
began to raise their voices against them.
2. The Upanishads are believed to have been
composed between the 7th and the 4th
centuries BCE, though some may have been
composed at a much later date. The
Upanishads address philosophical questions
such as: ‘What is this world? Who am I?
What becomes of me after death?’
3. Mahavira preached that nirvana could be
attained by practising the triratna or three
jewels which are right faith, right
knowledge and right action.
4. The four sights that changed the Buddha’s
life were those of an old man, a sick man, a
corpse and an ascetic.
5. Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Tibet, China, Japan,
Korea (any four)
V. 1. The following factors were the main
reasons for the growth of new thinking and
beliefs in the Later Vedic Age:
● Elaborate and expensive rituals: By the
7th century BCE, the Vedic religion had
lost much of its simplicity. Its focus was
now on a variety of expensive rituals. As
many of these rituals were conducted
with money collected from the people as
taxes, the burden on the common people
was immense.
● Rigid caste system: The Varna system
was no longer flexible. A person’s varna
or caste was largely decided by birth and
not by occupation. The power of the
priestly class increased as it was believed
that prayers and rituals could become
fruitful only if they were performed by
priests.
● Language: The religious texts and hymns
were composed in Sanskrit. The common
people who only understood and spoke
Prakrit had no access to these religious
texts.
4. The Upanishads
Similarities Belief in the law of karma—the concept that what we experience in our
in teachings present life is a result of our past actions.
The Upanishads
Belief that all living beings
have a soul, the atman,
Over time, people started questioning the
relevance of rituals. They started resenting
the caste system and yearned for a simpler
and more direct way of connecting with
god.
In response to this widespread feeling of
discontent, several new ideas and beliefs
were born. Of these, the ones that captured
the imagination of the people were the
teachings of the Upanishads, and those of
Mahavira and the Buddha.
2. The principles of Jainism are mainly based
on the teachings of Mahavira, which are as
follows:
● Ahimsa, or absolute non-violence,
towards all animals, insects, birds and
plants ● Honesty, kindness, truthfulness
● Not coveting or desiring things belonging
to others. ● Attainment of nirvana or
freedom from the cycle of life and death
by freeing oneself of karma or destiny.
● It is possible to rise above karma by
leading a good and disciplined life.
● Nirvana could be attained by practising
the triratna (or three jewels)—right faith,
right knowledge and right action.
Mahavira did not believe in the caste
system, and taught that all humans were
equal. He did not lay emphasis on the need
for gods or rituals for leading a moral life.
3. The Buddha taught that a life of moderation
is the way to attain peace and happiness.
The Noble Eight-fold Path or the Middle
Path he taught about includes: 1. Right
understanding, 2. Right thought, 3. Right
speech, 4. Right action, 5. Right livelihood,
6. Right effort, 7. Right mindfulness, 8.
Right contemplation or concentration The
Buddha said that the people who followed
this Middle Path would find peace and
achieve nirvana (freedom from the cycle of
death and birth).
Jainism Buddhism
Jainism Buddhism
No belief in soul No belief in soul
61
 which survives even after
the body dies
The concept of
Differences moksha(liberation from
in teachings death)
Emphasis on bhakti
(personal devotion towards
god) to reach god
Ahimsa, one of the many
virtues to be practised
5. The Sangha was an order of monks and
nuns (called bhikkhus and bhikkhunis in
Buddhism and munis and sadhvis in
Jainism) who travelled around the country
spreading the teachings of the Buddha or
Mahavira. The monks and nuns had to
undergo spiritual training to attain
enlightenment. They also had to follow
some basic rules laid down by the Sangha.
They had to lead a
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
GREAT THINKERS AND NEW BELIEFS
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. Mahavira belonged to the clan.
2. Jinas are also known as . a. i, iii, iv b. ii, iii, iv c. iii, iv d. iii
3. The Buddha belonged to the
clan.
4. The Buddha gave his first sermon in a deer
park at , near Varanasi.
5. The Great Stupa at is one of the
few surviving stupas.
Ans: 1. Lichchhavi 2. tirthankaras
3. Shakya 4. Sarnath 5. Sanchi
II. Multiple choice questions
1. People of the Later Vedic Period resented
the caste system because:
i. It was favourable to the rulers.
ii. It helped in removing the differences
among people.
iii. The caste system was no longer flexible.
Emphasis on the practice of Emphasis on
triratna for attainment of nirvana following the
or freedom from the cycle of life Noble Eight-fold
and death Path/Middle
No emphasis on the need for gods Path to attain
or rituals for leading a moral life nirvana
Emphasis on ahimsa or absolute Emphasis on
non-violence ahimsa
life of poverty, simplicity and chastity. To
join the Sangha, permission had to be
sought from the parents, and in the case of a
married woman, from her husband. This
voluntarily chosen life of hardship
commanded respect from the ordinary
people. It was mainly through the efforts of
the Sangha that Buddhism spread across
India and to Sri Lanka and South-East Asia.
iv. It helped power to be concentrated in
the priestly class.
2. Which of these terms is not associated with
both Jainism and Buddhism?
a. Ahimsa b. Nirvana
c. Enlightenment d. Moksha
3. Read the two statements marked as
Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and
choose the correct option.
(A): Buddhism and Jainism attracted many
followers.
(R) : Both the Buddha and Mahavira
preached in Prakrit, which was the
language of the common people.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the
complete and correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is only
a partial explanation of A.
62
 c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
Ans: 1. c. iii, iv 2. d. Moksha
3. b. Both A and R are true but R
is only a partial explanation of A.
II. Answer the following questions.
1. Describe the society in the Later Vedic
Period.
Ans: The Later Vedic Period was a period
of prosperity in several parts of the
fertile Gangetic plains. People took to
arts, trade flourished, and towns and
cities sprang up. But along with the
prosperity came a growing sense of
disquiet.
2. What were some of the main teachings of
the Upanishads?
Ans: The Upanishads include philosophical
debates and discussions on the Vedas.
Some of their main teachings were as
follows: ● They taught that all
living beings have a soul, the atman,
which survives even after the body
dies.
● They also taught that a person
could reach god through bhakti
(personal devotion to god). This could
be done without the help of priests or
rituals. ● They upheld the law of
karma—the concept that what we
experience in our present life is a
result of our past actions. ● They
laid stress on yoga and meditation.
3. Who was Vardhamana Mahavira? Give an
account of his early life, how he came to be
known as a jina and what he did to spread
his teachings.
Ans: Mahavira was a great thinker and a
teacher who helped the spread of a
religious movement that came to be
called Jainism. He was the last of 24
jinas or tirthankaras under whom
Jainism gained widespread popularity.
According to some historians,
Vardhamana Mahavira was born
around 599 BCE near Vaishali in
Bihar. His father was a chieftain of the
63
Lichchhavi clan. By the time he was
30, Vardhamana renounced his family
ties to search for the truth about life
and death. He spent 12 long years in
prayer and penance, after which he
attained enlightenment. He then came
to be known as Jina or Mahavira.
Mahavira spent the remaining years of
his life spreading his teachings to a
large number of followers. He
preached in Prakrit, the language of
the common people.
4. Who is a jina?
Ans: A jina is one who has conquered
anger, passion, greed and ego through
meditation and self-awareness.
5. Name any three present-day states where
Jainism had its centres.
Ans: Odisha, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. (any
three)
6. Why did Jainism not spread as quickly or
as far as Buddhism spread?
Ans: Mahavira insisted on absolute non-
violence which made it difficult for
ordinary people to follow. Buddhism
was not as rigid. For this reason
Jainism did not spread as quickly or
as far as Buddhism.
7. What do you know about the birth and
family of Siddhartha Gautama?
Ans: Siddhartha was born in Lumbini, in
present-day Nepal, around the 6th
century BCE. His father Suddhodana
was one of the chieftains of the
Shakya clan. His mother was
Mayadevi. Siddhartha was married to
Yashodhara in his youth and had a son
named Rahula.
8. What is the doctrine of the four noble
truths that the Buddha spoke that?
Ans: The doctrine of the four noble truths
that the Buddha spoke about are:
● Life is full of suffering. ● This
suffering is caused by desire or
craving.
● Getting rid of desires and wants
 will lead to peace. ● Such an end
to desire and suffering can be
attained by following the Noble
Eight-fold Path.
9. Where, how and when did Siddhartha
attain enlightenment?
Ans: Siddhartha wandered for years,
leading a life of great austerity. At
Gaya, he sat under a pipal tree, and
sank into deep meditation for 49
days. Around the year 528 BCE,
Siddhartha attained enlightenment.

THE FIRST EMPIRE AND AN INSPIRING EMPEROR

● Introduction: The time from which
Suggested number of sessions: 8
Magadha grew into the first empire of
the Indian subcontinent Session 1: Lead in, Introduction, What is an empire?
● What is an empire?
Session 2:The invasion of Alexander the great, Sources of
● The invasion of Alexander the great history, Chandragupta Maurya, Do and learn
● Chandragupta Maurya
● Bindusara Session 3: Do and learn (Contd.), Bindusara, Ashoka the
● Ashoka, the great great, The Kalinga War, Do and learn: interpreting
● The Kalinga War sources of history, Ashoka and his dhamma
● Ashoka and his Dhamma Session 4:, The Mauryan administration, The city of
● The Mauryan administration—Empire, Pataliputra, Society and economy, Agriculture, Trade and
Provinces, Districts, Villages industry
● The city of Pataliputra
Session 5: Trade guilds, Coins,Military power, Contact
● Society and economy
with foreign lands, The end of the empire
● Agriculture
● Trade and industry Session 6: Exercises, Case-based question
● Trade guilds Session 7: Enrichment activities: Instructions for
● Coins Write right, which can be given as home assignment,
● Military power ● Contact with foreign Speak out
lands ● The end of the empire
Session 8: Know your Bharat, Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Discuss Alexander’s invasion of India and analyse its impact
● Explain the concept of empires and discuss how the Mauryans established their first empire in India
● Explain Ashoka’s principle of dhamma and describe his efforts at spreading Buddhism in India and
beyond
● Outline the main features of the Mauryan administration, society and economy
● Analyse the reasons for the fall of the Mauryan Empire
● Interpret inscriptions to reconstruct history
Materials needed: Getting Ahead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Encourage students to read the passage and answer the questions given.

64
Suggested answers: 1. The king advises his officers to gain the affection of the many thousands of
living beings that they are in charge of. He wants the people, who are like his children, to obtain welfare
and happiness in this world and the next (during their lifetime and after they leave this world). He
advises his officers to tirelessly work for the welfare of his people. They must treat everyone impartially.
They must not be slack in the discharge of their duties towards the people. He wants the city magistrates
to ensure that the punishment for crimes is mild, with an aim to reform. He does not want the people to
be imprisoned or tortured without good reason. 2. The passage tells us that the king cares deeply about
his people and accords the utmost importance for their welfare and happiness. He is empathetic and
compassionate.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students explain the king’s advice in their
own words. They make inferences about the nature of the king based on their reading of the passage and
answer the questions.)
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Recall: The emergence of Magadha as the most powerful mahajanapada; The period from which
Magadha was able to grow into the first empire of the Indian subcontinent
WHAT IS AN EMPIRE?
Focus area: What an empire consists of?
THE INVASION OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Focus areas: The extent of Alexander’s empire; Why Alexander wanted to conquer India; Why his
attempt at crossing the river Beas failed; the impact of Alexander’s invasion on India and how it
benefitted Chandragupta Maurya
Sources of history: Instruct students to read the information about Megasthenes’ Indica, Kautilya’s
Arthashastra and Ashoka’s edicts to understand why they are important sources of history about the
Mauryan rulers.
CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA
Focus areas: When and how Chandragupta Maurya established the Mauryan Empire under Kautilya’s
guidance; how Alexander’s invasion proved advantageous for Chandragupta Maurya in capturing parts
of India; how the areas in present-day Afghanistan and Pakistan came under his control; the vast extent

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to collect the required information),
Critical thinking, Visual-Spatial intelligence (They use this information to do the map work.).
Communication, Language integration, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students explain the different
strategies used by Chanakya to build the Mauryan Empire, in their own words.); Geography integration
(Students show the geographical extent of the Mauryan Empire at different stages.) General awareness
(The activity promotes general awareness among students.)
Criteria for assessment: Completeness, Accuracy, Clarity, Neatness

of the Mauryan Empire by the end of Chandragupta Maurya’s rule

BINDUSARA
Focus area: The period and highlights of his rule
ASHOKA THE GREAT
Focus areas: How Ashoka ascended the throne of Magadha; the kind of ruler Ashoka was at the
beginning of his rule

65
 The Kalinga War (261 BCE)
Focus areas: Why Ashoka wanted to conquer Kalinga; how the conquest of Kalinga became a turning
point in his life; why Ashoka’s change of heart is significant

Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history

Answers: ● Ashoka felt remorse after conquering Kalinga. He felt aggrieved at the slaughter, death
and deportation of the people that the conquest caused. The grief weighed so heavily on his mind that he
decided that thereafter he would desire, practise and teach dhamma. ● Ashoka wanted to convey
to his sons that he wanted them to conquer others with their dhamma and derive all their happiness from
such conquests. He wanted to convey to them the value of such conquests. This was his purpose in
engraving the edict.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Language integration (Students analyse
the edict and rewrite it in their own words.); Seva, Ahimsa, Nishkam Karma, Social responsibility
and the spirit of service, Peace (Students infer that these values formed the basis of the edict of
Ashoka.) Criteria for assessment: Accuracy,Clarity

Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the map showing the extent of Ashoka’s empire in 250 BCE

Ashoka and his Dhamma

Focus areas: How Ashoka propagated his dhamma throughout his empire; the role of the dhamma
mahamattas in maintaining dhamma; values that Ashoka worked hard to inculcate in his subjects; how
Ashoka led by example; the measures he undertook for the welfare of his subjects
THE MAURYAN ADMINISTRATION
Focus areas: The totalitarian but benevolent Mauryan administration; the administrative units—Empire,
Provinces, Districts, Villages
The Empire and the different officials/councils in charge of its administration: the role of the
adhyakshas, the yuktas, the pradeshikas, the rajjukas, the mahamantri parishad and the mantri parishad in
the administration
Provinces: the four large provinces and their capitals; the central province and its capital
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to locate the provinces on the map of Ashoka’s Empire given in
the textbook.
Districts: The janapadas; the officials in charge of administration—the sthanikas
Villages: Number of villages in each district; the role of the gramin; autonomy enjoyed by the villages
The city of Pataliputra
Focus areas: The kind of urban administration the city had; Megasthenes’ account about the
administration of the city; the functions of a Nagarika according to Kautilya
SOCIETY AND ECONOMY
Focus areas: Strict adherence to the Varna system; women’s rights
Agriculture
Focus areas: Important crops grown in the Mauryan Empire; the facilities that the Mauryans built to
increase agricultural production
Trade and industry
Focus areas: How trade was regulated in the Mauryan Empire; infrastructure and other kinds of support
given to trade; different items of trade; foreign lands with which the Mauryans had commercial ties;
the Uttarapath and the places it connected
66
 Trade guilds
Focus areas: What trade guilds were; how they disciplined and supported their members
Coins
Focus areas: Features of Mauryan coins
MILITARY POWER
Focus areas: The strength of the Mauryan army; the training and equipping of soldiers; the six branches
of the army; the role of secret agents
CONTACT WITH FOREIGN LANDS
Focus areas: The purposes for which Ashoka established contact with foreign lands; how Buddhism
reached Sri Lanka
THE END OF THE EMPIRE
Focus areas: The number of years for which Ashoka ruled; the number of years for which the Mauryan
Empire continued after him; the reasons why the Mauryan Empire broke up; how the throne of Magadha
passed on to the Sungas

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Instruct students to attempt the question.
NEP parameters covered: Maths integration (Students answer questions 2 and 3 which are based on
Mathematics); Sense of responsibility, Nishkam Karma (Selfless service) (Students learn about these
values from the passage.)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Write right
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic (Students review the
usefulness or relevance of the Arthashastra and write an essay about the book in their own words.);
Discovery-based learning (Students learn about the Arthashastra by reading books or by looking up the
Internet.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Clarity and accuracy of analysis, Appropriateness of
language
Speak out
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, Language
integration (Students create a mental image of the city of Pataliputra based on what they have read about
it in the chapter. They communicate their impression about the city using appropriate vocabulary. They
also share the reason why they were impressed by Pataliputra.)
Criteria for assessment: Creativity, Originality, Clarity of analysis, Effectiveness
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: The information has been provided with an aim to inculcate pride and
rootedness in India,in the minds of students.

67
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
THE FIRST EMPIRE AND AN INSPIRING EMPEROR
EXERCISES
I. 1. Greece 2. Dhanananda 3. Seleucus
V. 1. Guided by his mentor Kautilya,
Nicator 4. Kautilya 5. Mantriparishad
II. 1. his battle weary soldiers refused to move
further. 2. Kalinga was a powerful kingdom
at the centre of important trade and pilgrimage
routes. 3. through them Ashoka
wanted to make known to his people his views
on Dhamma and also his great concern for
their well-being. 4. a certain level of
autonomy in managing their day to day affairs.
5. to increase agricultural production
III. 1. a. By invading several of the small
kingdoms in north-west India, Alexander
weakened them and paved the way for the
formation of empires in India. 2. c.
Megasthenes 3. c. iii, ii, iv, i
4. d. Dams and canals were built.
5. d. Ashoka gave up warfare, practised
religious tolerance, and devoted himself to the
overall welfare of his subjects.
IV. 1. An empire consists of several kingdoms or
states that have been brought under the
control of a single ruler. A kingdom is a
smaller territory ruled by a king or queen.
2. Seleucus Nicator was Alexander the Great’s
Greek general who was in charge of the
eastern part of Alexander’s empire. The
areas of Kabul, Herat, Kandahar (in present-
day Afghanistan) and Baluchistan (in
present-day Pakistan) were taken over by
Chandragupta Maurya after defeating
Seleucus Nicator.
3. Dhamma is a person’s duty to live according
to certain religious and social codes.
4. Shrenis or guilds were associations for
different trades and had rules and
regulations. Some of the guilds even acted
as bankers to its members. Members of a
guild had to abide by its rules.
5. The Mauryan army had six branches
— cavalry, infantry, chariots,
elephants, transport and navy.
68
Chandragupta first attacked and conquered
Punjab, Malwa and Saurashtra, parts of
India which had been weakened by
Alexander’s invasion. He then captured
Pataliputra, the capital of Magadha, in 321
BCE. Alexander had left his Greek general,
Seleucus Nicator, in charge of the eastern
part of his empire. Chandragupta defeated
Seleucus in 305 BCE and made him
surrender extensive territories—the areas of
Kabul, Herat, Kandahar (in present-day
Afghanistan) and Baluchistan (in present-
day Pakistan). By the end of
Chandragupta’s rule, the kingdom of
Magadha had become an empire. The
Mauryan Empire now stretched from the
Hindu Kush in the west to Bengal in the
east, and from the Himalayas in the north to
the Narmada in Central India.
2. The Kalinga war was bloody, and many
thousands were killed. The sight of the
battlefield filled Ashoka with horror and
dismay. Shocked at what he had done, he
vowed never to wage war again. Soon after,
Ashoka became a Buddhist. He adopted the
policy of ahimsa or non-violence. He began
practising dhamma and living according to
its codes. Ashoka had several edicts
inscribed on pillars, boulders and cave walls
and dispersed around the length and breadth
of his empire. Through these edicts he
expressed his views on dhamma and his
overwhelming concern for the welfare of
his people.
3. Yes, Ashoka was a benevolent king. He was
concerned about the welfare of his people
During his reign, he dug wells, planted
trees, built hospitals, and created public
gardens for medicinal herbs, for the benefit
of his subjects. He built monasteries for
bhikkhus and bhikkhunis to study the
Buddhist scriptures and live peacefully.
 Though he practised Buddhism, he
advocated religious tolerance.
4. Ashoka tried to preach those values to his
subjects that he himself lived by. He worked
hard to make people accept values that were
known in principle, but rarely practised. For
instance, he told his subjects:
● to obey their parents ● to be liberal to
friends, acquaintances, relatives and
ascetics ● to abstain from killing
animals, and practise ahimsa or non-
violence
● to be moderate in expenditure and in
acquiring possessions ● to cultivate
compassion, truthfulness, purity, gentleness
and virtue ● to treat everyone with care,
show reverence to teachers and gentleness
to all. Conquest through dhamma is
certainly more effective than conquest
through warfare. Conquests through
warfare may prove advantageous for a few
years or for one or two generations. Such
conquests are violent causing heavy loss of
life. However, conquest through dhamma is
long-lasting and brings welfare and peace.
For example, Ashoka’s conquest through
dhamma, helped his subjects lead virtuous
lives and brought them peace and happiness.
5. The Mauryan administration was a
totalitarianone (that is, the monarch had
absolute powers), though also a benevolent
(kind) one. The empire was divided into
provinces and districts for ease of
administration.
Overall administration of the empire:
There were many officials who were
directly responsible for the administration
of the empire. Adhyakshas
(superintendents), yuktas (subordinate
officers), pradeshikas (provincial officers)
and rajjukas (district officers) were
responsible for a variety of duties, including
the collection of taxes and revenues. The
monarch was advised on policy matters by a
Privy Council, or mahamantriparishad. The
policies of the government were carried out
by a council of ministers or mantriparishad.
69
Administration of the provinces: The
Mauryan provinces were huge and were
ruled by viceroys who were generally
princes. The empire was divided into large
provinces—Uttarapatha with its capital
Taxila (north), Dakshinapatha with its
capital Suvarnagiri (south), Prachyapatha
with its capital Tosali (east), and Avantiratha
with its capital Ujjaini (west). The central
province was Magadha and its capital was
Pataliputra.
Administration of the districts and villages:
The provinces were further divided into
administrative districts called janapadas.
They were managed by officials called
sthanikas. Each district consisted of groups
of five to ten villages. Each village was
headed by an official called the gramin.
Villages enjoyed a certain level of
autonomy. The day to day affairs of the
villages were managed by village elders.
6. We can get an idea about urban
administration in the Mauryan Empire by
studying the administration of Pataliputra.
There was a complex and well-organised
system of urban administration in place in
the city. According to Megasthenes, a
committee of 30 people was appointed to
look after its administration. Kautilya writes
that the city governor, or the Nagarika, was
responsible for the maintenance of law and
order in the city. He was also responsible for
its hygiene. He controlled trade and
supervised the prisons as well as the
cremation grounds.
7. Trading was an important occupation during
the Mauryan period. Weights and measures
were standardised; trade was regulated
strictly. Both inland and overseas trade
were carried out to a significant extent.
Textiles, wooden and ivory objects,
perfumes, jewellery from semi-precious
stones and shining black pottery were some
of the items bought and sold. The Mauryans
maintained commercial ties with the Greek
kingdoms of Central Asia and the Middle
East. Punch-marked coins were widely used
 in the Mauryan kingdom. People engaged in
different kinds of trade had their
associations or guilds called shrenis. Several
roads were built and maintained by the
Mauryan administration to help trade and
conveniences like rest houses were
provided along the roads. Security along the
roads was also improved to make trade
routes safe.
8. After 37 years of Ashoka’s rule, the
Mauryan Empire continued for another
50 years. After that, the empire went into
decline and began to break up. Several
reasons are suggested for this decline.
● The administration might have become
less efficient. ● It might have become
financially difficult to run such a vast
empire.
● The army had possibly become weak due
to the policy of peace followed by Ashoka.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
1. According to Kautilya, the king had to be wakeful all
the time. His duties were as follows:
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE FIRST EMPIRE AND AN INSPIRING EMPEROR
I. Name them.
1. The Macedonian king who was one of the
world’s greatest conquerors
2. The son of Chandragupta Maurya who ruled
from 297 to 272 BCE
3. A well-known canal of the Mauryan period
found in present-day Gujarat
4. The places that Uttarapath connected
during the Mauryan Period
5. The dynasty that overthrew the last
Mauryan ruler in 185 BCE
Ans: 1. Alexander the Great 2. Bindusara
3. Sudarshan Lake at Girnar
4. Takshashila in present-day Pakistan
to Tamralipti in present-day West
Bengal 5. The Sungas
II. Multiple choice questions
1. Bindusara’s rule was different from that of
Chandragupta Maurya in that:
70
● post watchmen ● attend to the accounts of
receipts and expenditure, look to the affairs of
both citizens and country people
● receive revenue in gold ● attend to the
appointments of superintendents
● correspond with his ministers, and receive
secret information gathered by his spies
● superintend elephants, horses, chariots and
infantry ● consider various plans of military
operations with his commander-in-chief and
● observe the evening prayer at the close of
the day.
2. The day was divided into eight parts. He was to
spend around three hours checking the accounts
of the state.
3. The king was spending only 8 hours looking
after the affairs of the country and 16 hours on
recreation, eating and his personal pleasures.
So he was not performing his duties effectively
as per the Arthashastra, which states that a
king must devote most of the day towards
administering his kingdom.
a. He extended the Mauryan Empire by
conquering several states in south
India.
b. He was better at administering the
empire than Chandragupta Maurya
was.
c. He conquered many states without much
bloodshed unlike Chandragupta Maurya.
d. He began making efforts to promote
Buddhism unlike Chandragupta Maurya.
2. Which of the following options describes
Ashoka as a ruler at the beginning of his
rule?
a. Benevolent and peace-loving
b. Ambitious and ruthless
c. Gentle and virtuous
d. Non-violent and honest
3. Which of these statements is true about the
society in the Mauryan period?
a. All people were treated equally.
 b. There was inequality in society but
women enjoyed greater rights than they
did for centuries afterwards.
c. There was equality in society and
women enjoyed greater rights than they
did for centuries afterwards.
d. Women had fewer rights than they did
for centuries afterwards.
4. Which of these was one of the reasons
why Ashoka sent missions to several
lands?
a. He wanted to conquer them.
b. He wanted to establish friendly relations
with them.
c. He wanted to trade with them.
d. He wanted to spread Indian culture in
those places.
Ans: 1. a. He extended the Mauryan
Empire by conquering several states
in south India. 2. b. Ambitious and
ruthless 3. b. There was inequality
in society but women enjoyed greater
rights than they did for centuries
afterwards. 4. c. He wanted to
trade with them.
III. Answer the following questions.
1. What was the extent of Alexander’s empire?
Ans: Alexander’s empire stretched from
Macedonia in Greece to the borders
of the river Beas in Punjab.
2. How do we know that Ashoka could not
ascend the throne right after Bindusara?
Ans: There was four-year long conflict over
the throne among the descendants of
Bindusara after which Ashoka
ascended the throne.
3. Why did Ashoka inscribe his edicts in
Prakrit?
Ans: Ashoka inscribed his edicts in Prakrit
because it was the language spoken
by the masses and he wanted them to
read and follow his dhamma.
71
4. Why were dhamma mahamattas appointed
by Ashoka?
Ans: Dhamma mahamattas were appointed
to devote themselves to the
maintenance of dhamma, so that the
people could obtain happiness in this
world and the next.
5. What kind of crops were grown in the
Mauryan Empire?
Ans: Rice, wheat, barley, pulses, cotton
and vegetables were grown in the
Mauryan Empire.
6. Write a short note on the military power of
the Mauryas.
Ans: The Mauryan army was massive and
was commanded by the senapati.
Chandragupta is said to have had an
army of 600,000 soldiers. The
soldiers were well trained and well
equipped. The army had six branches
—cavalry, infantry, chariots,
elephants, transport and navy. There
were also secret agents who
informed the monarch of the
happenings in the state. Kautilya
even recommended having spies to
spy on secret agents.
7. Why, do you think, did Kautilya
recommend having spies to spy on secret
agents?
Ans: Kautilya probably thought that it
would be too risky to trust some
people with the safety and security of
an empire and the welfare of its
people. So he recommended having
spies to spy on several agents.
8. Who from Ashoka’s family is believed
to have taken Buddhism to Sri Lanka?
Ans: It is believed that Ashoka’s son
Mahinda and daughter Sanghamitra
took Buddhism to Sri Lanka.
LIFE IN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL INDIA

● Introduction: How
Suggested number of sessions: 5
small villages emerged
in the Gangetic Plains Session 1: Lead in
● The second urbanisation Session 2: Introduction: How small villages emerged in the
● Different kinds of urban Gangetic Plains, The second urbanisation, Different kinds of
centres—Administrative urban centres
towns, Market towns,
Port towns, Religious towns Session 3: Kingdoms in south and central India, Case study:
● Kingdoms in south and central Tamizhagam, The Satavahanas
India Session 4: Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for
● Case study: Tamizhagam State-connect, Art work, which can be given as home assignments
● The Satavahanas (Students can submit their work on completing it.)
Session 5: Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Explain how the use of iron tools aided the expansion of agriculture
● Identify the key features of the second phase of urbanisation in India
● Outline the different kinds of early urban centres that flourished during this period
● Analyse the importance of Sangam literature as a source of information
● Describe the administration, the occupations and the nature of the economy during the Sangam Age
● Discuss the rise of the Satavahanas in Central India
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in Smart chapter
Lead in: Encourage students to complete the activity.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Art integration, (Students visualise the city
of Kaveripattinam based on what they read about it and draw and paint its picture.); Observation skills,
Real-life connect. Establishing local connect (Students use their observation skills to compare the city or
town they live in with the city of Kaveripattinam to say how similar or different the two cities are.)
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The developments between 1,000 and 600 BCE that led to the emergence of small villages
in the Gangetic Plains
THE SECOND URBANISATION
Focus areas: The factors that led to the growth of towns and cities in the Gangetic Plains; the phase that
is called second urbanisation; names of towns and cities in north and south India that developed during
this time
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image given for the topic and read the caption given.
Different kinds of urban centres
Focus areas: Why various kinds of urban centres came up; the main kinds of urban centres

72
 Administrative towns, Market towns, Port towns, Religious centres
Focus areas: The cities that grew as centres of administration, capitals or market towns, port towns or
religious centres
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to locate the important cities and towns in ancient India on the map
titled India/Bharat—ancient towns and cities, given in the textbook.
KINGDOMS IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL INDIA
CASE STUDY: TAMIZHAGAM
Focus areas: The period during which transition from chiefdoms to kingdoms and states and from
villages to towns and cities happened; the three main kingdoms in south India and the region they
occupied; what the region was referred to as in old Tamil
The sources of information about this age: The period that is known as the Sangam Age; what the term
’sangam’ means in Tamil; what happened in the sangams; what Sangam literature is, examples of
Sangam literature
Administration and society during the Sangam Era: The king as the highest authority in the land; the
people who assisted the king in the discharge of his duties; the important duties of the king
Occupation and economy: The division of land on the basis of fertility and nature of environment;
how land was used and crops were grown; the main crops grown; why an efficient system of irrigation
developed here; evidences of irrigation systems that were developed in the region; how we know of the
importance given to crafts people; the presence of guilds for different occupations; the period during
which several towns and cities grew in south India; examples of capital cities that became centres of
administration; examples of port settlements that grew into towns; Location and importance of
Arikamedu and Kaveripattinam; the period during which these towns flourished; what excavations have
revealed in these places
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the map titled Sangam Age Kingdoms to know the extent
of the Chola, Chera and Pandya kingdoms.
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. In which kingdom of Tamizhagam did the three sangams take place? (They took place in Madurai,
the capital of Pandya kingdom.)
2. Sangam literature refers to a single book. True or False? Explain your answer. (False; The works
of the Sangam poets were compiled into several books. This collection of works is together called
Sangam literature.)
3. Epigraphers inform us of the encouragement and privileges given to craftspeople during the Sangam
Era. What kind of source did they get the information from? (Epigraphers study inscriptions. So they
would have got this information from inscriptions.)
The Satavahanas
Focus areas: The period during which the Satavahanas came to power and ruled over Central India; why
Gautamiputra Satakarni was an important Satavahana ruler; the extent of the Satavahana kingdom and its
capital; what the Satavahanas did for the growth of trade; the coins they issued; how we know about the
trade links between the Romans and the Satavahanas; the growth of towns during this period
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the map titled Sangam Age Kingdoms to know the extent
of the Satavahana Kingdom

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.

73
 EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
State connect
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.),
Communication, Digital integration (They share their findings in the form of a digital presentation);
Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information by themselves.); The activity
establishes a regional / local connect by making students research about ancient towns in their state or
region.
Criteria of assessment: Depth of research, Organisation of information, Clarity and effectiveness in
presentation
Art work
NEP parameters covered: Art integration (Students make a model using the material available at their
home or school.)
Criteria of assessment: Overall appearance, Design, Creativity, Accuracy

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

LIFE IN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH AND

CENTRAL INDIA
EXERCISES
I. 1. Kosala 2. Buddhist pilgrimage share their
3. Sangam 4. Kaveri 5. Paithan/Pratishthan
II. 1. a. i, ii, iii (i. The fertile nature of the soil in
the Gangetic flood plain ii. The easy
availability of water from the rivers for the
crop iii. The iron tools and weapons used by
the Vedic people to clear the forests and
cultivate new areas)
2. a. Both A and R are true and R is the
correct explanation of A. 3. b. Arikamedu
was an important port city. 4. a. Tolkappiam
III. 1. The first urbanisation was represented by
the Indus Valley Civilisation. Much later,
starting from around the 6th century BCE,
the expansion of agriculture and trade and
the establishment of states led once more to
the growth of towns and cities, this time in
the Gangetic Plains. This phase is called
the second urbanisation.
2. The period between 500 BCE and 300 CE
is known as the Sangam Age in Tamil
Nadu. In Tamil, sangam means ‘assembly’.
Scholars and poets from all over the land
assembled in Madurai during this period to
74
 thoughts and engage in philosophical
debates. Hence this period is called the
Sangam Age.
3. Traders and craftsmen would have
formed guilds for the following
reasons:
● To protect, promote and expand their
trade or craft ● To organise and
standardise their work ● To protect
members from exploitation ● To
support members (Note: Please accept
other relevant reasons.)
4. The Satavahanas were a dynastry that
ruled over Central India for three
centuries between 100 BCE and 220 CE,
while the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas
were ruling over Tamizhagam.
IV. 1. The early urban centres were of various
kinds as they developed for different
reasons. These centres were mainly
administrative towns, market towns,
port towns or religious centres.
Administrative towns: Some cities grew as
centres of administration and capitals of

75
 powerful kingdoms, like Hastinapura,
Rajagriha, Kaushambi, Shravasti,
Pratishthan and Madurai.
Market towns: Some settlements that were
markets and centres of trade grew into
market towns. Some of them were Ujjain,
Tagara, Kondapur, Nevasa, Nasik and Karur
(Vanchi).
Port towns: Some towns grew around
ports. Bharukaccha, Sopara, Kalyan and
Musiri on the western coast, and Tamralipti,
Arikamedu, Korkai, Azhagankulam and
Puhar on the eastern coast, were port towns.
Religious centres: Some urban centres
developed around places of pilgrimage,
such as Nagarjunakonda, Vaishali and
Amaravati (Buddhist religious centres) and
Ujjain, Kashi, Madurai and Mathura
(Hindu religious centres.)
Many cities and towns served multiple
roles. For example, cities like Pataliputra
and Mathura were administrative centres
and also important centres of trade.
Madurai was a religious centre as well as
the capital of the Pandyan kingdom.
2. Agriculture was the main occupation of the
people of Tamizhagam. According to
Sangam literature, land was divided on the
basis of fertility and the nature of the
environment into hilly tracts, forest land,
agricultural land, coastal land and sandy dry
region. The land was used and crops were
grown in a manner best suited to each area.
A variety of crops like gram, rice, ragi,
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
LIFE IN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH AND
CENTRAL INDIA
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. In south India, the period between the 4th
century BCE and the 2nd century CE was
a time of transition from to
kingdoms and states and from
to towns and cities.
76
sugarcane, fruits, pepper and spices were
grown.
The dry climate of the region made it
necessary to develop an efficient system of
irrigation, especially for crops like cotton
and rice. Evidence of reservoir-like
structures has been found in several sites.
Such facilities could have been provided
only by rulers. The Chola ruler, Karikala
Chola, is believed to have built the Grand
Anicut, a dam across the Kaveri that still
stands. This dam would have supplied water
for farming. Thus, agriculture prospered in
Tamizhagam during the Sangam Age,
mainly due to the steps taken by the rulers.
3. The Satavahanas ruled Central India for
three centuries, between 100 BCE and 220
CE. They came to power after defeating the
Sakas under their renowned ruler
Gautamiputra Satakarni (106–130 CE).
Possibly, Satakarni’s empire extended from
Malwa in the north to present-day
Karnataka in the south. The capital of the
Satavahanas was Paithan or Pratishthan on
the river Godavari.
The Satavahanas encouraged trade and laid
good roads to make trading easier. They
controlled the Dakshinapath, or the road
connecting north India to south India. They
issued coins mostly of lead, copper and
bronze. Roman coins found in several parts
of Andhra Pradesh point to trade links
between the Romans and the Satavahanas.
Many towns grew in this region during this
period.
2. Sangams or assemblies
were held at and around Madurai between
500 BCE and 300 CE.
3. Kaveripattinam has the ruins of a Buddhist
Ans: 1. chiefdoms, villages 2. Three
3. vihara
II. Cite archaeological evidences for the
following:
1. Arikamedu was a thriving centre of trade.
2. Kaveripattinam was a port city.
3. The Satavahanas had trade with Rome.
Ans: 1. Excavations have shown the
presence of a possible warehouse
and sherds of Roman pottery.
2. A wharf has been excavated in
Kaveripattinam. 3. Roman coins
have been found in some parts of
Andhra Pradesh.
III. State True or False. Correct the false
statements.
1. The growth of kingdoms and empires in
north India was detrimental to the growth
of cities.
2. Thirukkural was a book of grammar.
3. The king was the highest authority of the
land during the Sangam Period.
4. Farmers had their guilds in south India
during the Sangam period.
Ans: 1. False; The growth of kingdoms and
empires in north India helped the
growth of cities. 2. False;
Thirukkural was a book of wisdom.
3. True 4. True
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. Examine the factors that led to the
emergence of small villages in the Gangetic
Plains by around 800 BCE.
Ans: Between 1,000 and 600 BCE, the
Vedic people spread eastwards into
the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The iron
tools they used were stronger and
sharper than tools made of copper
or bronze. This made it easier for
the Vedic people to cut down
forests and clear fresh land for
agriculture. Soon, agriculture
replaced pastoralism as the main
occupation of the Vedic people. By
800 BCE, several closely spaced
77
small villages had emerged in the
Gangetic Plains.
2. Explain how conditions in the Gangetic
Plains became suitable for urbanisation.
Ans: Increased agricultural production in
the Gangetic Plains led to surplus food
supply. This allowed people to take up
other occupations, such as carpentry,
metalwork, weaving, pottery and so
on. Surplus food could now also be
exchanged or traded for other goods.
This led to the establishment of trade
centres, some of which grew into
urban centres. The growth of
kingdoms and empires in northern
India also encouraged the growth of
cities.
3. Give examples of towns and cities that
developed in north India by 400 BCE.
Ans: Pataliputra, Mathura, Rajghat (Kashi
or Varanasi), Shravasti and Ujjain
4. Give examples of urban centres that
developed in south India by 200 BCE.
Ans: Thanjavur, Arikamedu, Madurai,
Kaveripattinam (Puhar) and
Mamallapuram
5. What does Tamizhagam mean?
Ans: There were three main kingdoms in
south India—those of the Cheras, the
Cholas and the Pandyas. They
occupied the southernmost part of the
Indian peninsula. In old Tamil, the
region ruled by the three kingdoms
was referred to as Tamizhagam, or
the Tamil Country.
6. What is Sangam literature? Give examples
of literary works that are part of this
literature.
Ans: The works of the Sangam poets were
compiled into several books. This
collection of works came to be called
Sangam literature. Several
outstanding literary works belong to
this period, for example, Tolkappiam,
 the book of grammar, and
Thirukkural, the book of wisdom.
7. Who assisted the king in the discharge of
his duties in the Sangam Era?
Ans: Ministers, administrative officers,
spies, revenue collectors and
the chief commander of the
army assisted the king in the
discharge of his duties in the
Sangam Era.
8. What were two of the most important
duties of the king during the Sangam
Era?
Ans: Imposing taxes and ensuring their
collection, and defending the
kingdom from attacks were two of
the most important duties of the
king during the Sangam Era.
9. What kind of importance did craftspeople
enjoy during the Sangam Era?
Ans: Craftspeople seem to have been held
in high respect in society during the
12. Complete this table.
Location
Arikamedu
Kaveri-pattinam
Ans: Location
Arikamedu 3 km south of
Puducherry
Kaveri- Near the Kaveri
pattinam delta
Sangam Era. We come to know from
epigraphers about the
encouragement and privileges given
to weavers, goldsmiths, blacksmiths,
architects, sculptors, carpenters and
leather workers.
10. Which were the capital cities that became
centres of administration and trade
between 200 BCE and 300 CE in south
India?
Ans: Uraiyur, Madurai and Karur were
capital cities that became centres
of administration and trade
between 200 BCE and 300 CE in
south India.
11. Which were the port settlements that
grew into towns between 200 BCE and
300 CE in south India?
Ans: Arikamedu, Musiri and Puhar were
port settlements that grew into towns
between 200 BCE and 300 CE in
south India.
Importance Period when it flourished
Importance Period when it flourished
A thriving centre of 100 BCE to 200 CE
trade with Rome
Important port city 300 BCE to 200 CE
and the capital city of
the Pandyas
78
 CONTACT WITH DISTANT LANDS

● Introduction: The
different ways in
Suggested number of sessions: 7
which contact Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The different ways in which contact
between lands can between lands can occur
occur
Session 2: Contact through trade, Contact with Greece and Rome, Contacts
● Contact through
with South-East Asia, The Silk Route, Contact through conquest
trade
● Contact with Session 3: Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given as a home
Greece and Rome assignment, Contact through the spread of religion, Instructions for Do and
● Contacts with learn: Role play, which the students can perform in session 6, Exercises
South-East Asia Session 4:Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question, Instructions for
● The Silk Route Enrichment activity: Group work, which the students can complete and
● Contact through submit by session 7
conquest
Session 5: Life skills, Worksheet
● Contact through
spread of religion Session 6: Do and learn: Role play
Session 7: Enrichment activity: Group work
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Distinguish between the different forms of contact between parts of India and distant lands, and
explain the reason behind such contacts
● Assess the impact of conquerors from distant lands on western and northwestern India
● Describe the spread of Buddhism to other parts of Asia
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Instruct students to complete the activity.
Answers: Besides having trade relations, India/ Bharat has contact with other countries in these ways:
Diplomatic relations (India has embassies of many countries. Similarly, many countries have Indian
embassies.), Education (Students from India study in the universities of many countries. Similarly,
students from other countries study in Indian universities.), Migration (Indians migrate to many
countries. Similarly, people from other countries have settled down here.), Economic aid (India has given
and received economic aid from other countries during natural calamities and other crises.),
Occupation/Invasion/War (Some neighbouring countries have waged war against India and occupied
parts of it. Victims of war have sought refuge in India.), Tourism (Tourists from all over the world visit
India. Similarly, Indian tourists visit different countries.), Multinational companies (Several companies
based in other countries and manufacturing things like cars, mobile phones or providing IT, banking and
other services have branches in India. Similarly, Indian companies have branches in other countries.)
(any five) (Note: Please accept other correct answers.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking and Communication (Students apply their knowledge of
India’s relations with other countries to answer the question.)
Criteria of assessment: General awareness, Communication skills

79
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The long history of contact or interaction with distant lands that India has; the different
ways in which contact between lands can occur
CONTACT THROUGH TRADE
Focus areas: Trade that existed between the Indus Valley Civilisation and other cultures; why long-
distance trade declined during the Early Vedic Period; the re-establishment of trade by 200 BCE; the
major items of export and import; the favourable balance of trade that India enjoyed (exports being more
than imports)
Contact with Greece and Rome
Focus areas: The trade links between kingdoms of the southern and western parts of India and
the Greeks and Romans; ports that became important trading centres; artefacts excavated at the
ports and other places in south and west India that prove the existence of trade with foreign lands
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image given for the topic and read the caption.
Contacts with South-East Asia
Focus areas: Trade between the Chola, Chera and Pandya kingdoms and South-East Asia; the countries
to which Indian traders went for trade; the important consequence of these trading relations—the
introduction of Tamil culture in many parts of South-East Asia
The Silk Route
Focus areas: The importance of the Silk Route; the places it connected; how it gets its name; the items
that were traded with China; how cultural exchanges happened along this route; how inventions and
discoveries from China reached India and the West
CONTACT THROUGH CONQUEST
Focus areas: The dynasties from Western and Central Asia that conquered north-western India when
the Mauryan Empire was declining; the order in which the dynasties—the Indo-Greeks, the Sakas
and Kushanas—ruled parts of north-western India; the administrative and cultural changes they
brought in
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to read the map titled The Kushanas and the Sakas, given in the
textbook to know the extent of the Kushana and Saka empires.
Instruct them to study the images given for the topic and read the image captions.
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. Why were dynasties from Western and Central Asia able to expand into India? (Due to the decline of
the Mauryan Empire)
2. What was the satrap system of government? (A system introduced by the Sakas under which the
empire was divided into numerous provinces or satrapies, each under a governor called a satrap)
3. What was the cultural influence of the Sakas and Kushanas in India? (Introduced new styles of
clothing in India; popularised turbans, tunics, trousers and heavy long coats; Led to the development
of the Gandhara style of art)
4. How did the Gandhara style develop? What images were mainly created in this style? (The Gandhara
style was the Indo-Greek style of sculpture that developed when Indian crafts people came in contact
with the Greeks and Romans in the north-western frontier of the Indian subcontinent. Images of the
Buddha were created on a large scale in this style.)

80
Do and learn
CONTACT THROUGH
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learningTHE SPREAD
(Students OF RELIGION
research and learn about the Gandhara
school
Focus areas: The two main religions of India that were carried to Sri Lanka intelligence
of art by themselves.); Creativity, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic (Students
and South-East Asia; people
choose the most effective tool or method to present their analysis—they combine
who spread the religions to those countries; historical evidence found in Borneo about Hindutext with other non-
practices
verbal
being means
followed;of communication to share their
how and when Buddhism findings/analysis.);
reached Pride
China; travellers whoand rootedness
visited instudy
India to India (The
activity aims to inculcate among students a sense of pride in India’s heritage.)
Buddhism and the importance of their travel accounts; the importance that Buddhism acquired in China
Criteria of assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Aesthetic appeal

Do and learn: Role-play

NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence
(Students work in groups to write an interesting and engaging script for a short play.); Bodily-
Kinesthetic intelligence (Students perform the play with suitable actions.); Pride and rootedness in
India (The activity aims to promote pride and rootedness in India as students learn about the monks
who preached Buddha’s valuable teachings.)
Criteria of assessment (Script-writing): Research-based writing, Format, Clarity, Creativity, Characters,
Dialogue
Criteria of assessment (Performance): Voice, Facial expressions/Body language, Improvisation,
Connect with audience

and Central Asia in the 7th and 8th centuries CE

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION: Instruct students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY: Encourage students to attempt the activity.
Group work
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence, Creativity, (Students work in groups
to design the poster using their creative skills.); Communication, Art integration (They communicate the

theme of the poster through an artistic arrangement of pictures. They also explain the different elements
included in the poster to their classmates.)
Criteria of assessment: Organisation, Clarity, Effectiveness in conveying the theme
LIFE SKILLS
NEP parameters covered: Cultural awareness, Respect for all people, Embracing diversity, plurality and
inclusion (The activity aims to inculcate/encourage these values in students.)

81
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
CONTACT WITH DISTANT LANDS
EXERCISES
I. 1. True 2. False. Arikamedu was an
important trade centre on the east coast of
India. 3. True 4. False. While Buddhism
spread in China from India, the knowledge
about making silk and paper came from China
to India. 5. False. Xuanzang was a traveller
from China.
II. 1. c. Emergence of Buddhism as a popular
religion among the people of India.
2. c. Wine 3. b. The Chinese wanted to
make sure that the silk from China remained
in great demand around the world.
4. A. Both A and R are correct and R is the
correct explanation of A.
III. 1. Spices, precious stones like sapphires,
rubies and diamonds, cotton goods, ivory,
teakwood, sandalwood, animals, and birds
such as peacocks. (any 3)
2. Artefacts like Roman coins, beads and
sherds of pottery have been found in
Arikamedu, which prove that Arikamedu
was an important trade centre with Rome.
3. Kanishka extended his patronage to
Mahayana Buddhism. Images of the Buddha
were created in large numbers for the first
time during Kanishka’s rule.
4. Faxian was the Chinese Buddhist pilgrim
who visited India during the 5th century CE.
He came in search of the complete copies
of the Buddhist scripture, the Vinaya Pitaka.
IV. 1. The kingdoms of south India had close trade
links with the Greeks and the Romans.
Many articles such as Greek amphorae,
porcelain and coins have been found at
Musiri, the seaport near present-day
Pattanam in Kerala, and Arikamedu, near
Puducherry, which were important trading
centres. Similar artefacts have also been
found at Puhar, Kanchipuram and Madurai
proving that south India had trade relations
with Greece and Rome. The Chola, Chera
82
and Pandya kingdoms (Tamizhagam) had a
well-developed system of trade with
South-East Asia. As a result of this
ongoing
trade, many Indians reached Sri Lanka, and
the countries of South-East Asia, such as
Burma, Thailand and Cambodia, the Malay
Peninsula, Java, Sumatra and Borneo. It led
to the introduction of Tamil culture in many
parts of South-East Asia.
2. The Silk Route is one of the oldest and
most important trade routes in the world.
It connected Xian in China with the
Mediterranean Sea for more than 2,000
years.
The Chinese traded their raw and woven
silk for spices, precious stones, pearls,
ivory and raw cotton from India. China also
exported musk, tungoil and amber to India.
Apart from traders, pilgrims, monks,
potential conquerors and soldiers also
travelled along this route. Buddhism went
from India to China along this route.
Caravans travelling along the Silk Route
brought Chinese inventions and
discoveries,like paper, gunpowder,
porcelain and tea, to India and to the West.
These had a strong influence on cultures
across the world.
3. When the Indo-Greeks ruled over north-
western India between the 2nd century BCE
and early 1st century CE, Indian crafts-
people came in contact with the Greeks and
Romans in the north-western frontier of the
Indian subcontinent. The result of their
interaction with the Greeks and Romans
was a rich outpouring of images of the
Buddha in the Gandhara (Indo-Greek) style.
After the Indo-Greeks, the Sakas
established their rule over different parts of
India. The Sakas introduced the satrap
system of government in India. The Saka
Empire was divided into numerous
 provinces or satrapies, each under a
governor called a satrap. This system of
administration was followed by many later
Indian rulers.
The Kushana king Kanishka was a patron of
Mahayana Buddhism. Images of the Buddha
were created in large numbers for the first
time during his rule.
Both the Sakas and the Kushanas
introduced new styles of clothing in India.
Turbans, tunics, trousers and heavy long
coats were popularised by them.
4. Hinduism and Buddhism were carried by
Indian traders, monks and travellers to Sri
Lanka and South-East Asia. Late 4th-
century Sanskrit inscriptions in Borneo
testify to the performance of Vedic rituals by
Indian priests at the request of local chiefs. A
large segment of Bali’s population practises
Hinduism even today. Buddhism had
reached China by the 1st century CE
through the silk route. Buddhist scriptures
were translated into Chinese and several
Buddhist viharas came up in China. The
Chinese Buddhist traveller
Faxian visited India between 399 and 412
CE in search of complete copies of the
Buddhist scripture, the Vinaya Pitaka.
Other Chinese travellers to India include
Xuanzang and
I-tsing. Buddhism became one of the main
religions of China and large parts of
Central Asia during the 7th and 8th
centuries CE.
V. Students can refer to the India/ Bharat: Contact
with distant lands map in the chapter for doing
the map work.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION
1. These are Greek amphorae, which are jugs
with two handles and a narrow mouth.
2. They were used for storing wine.
3. Two conclusions that can be arrived at about
Pattanam: ● Pattanam had trade relations
with Greece in the 1st century CE. ● Wine
was one of the items imported from Greece.
● South India had trade relations with Greece
around 2,000 years ago. (any two)
LIFE SKILLS
Students are expected to tick () the first, third
and fourth bullet points.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

CONTACT WITH DISTANT LANDS
I. Name them. Kushanas 4. Menander
1. A culture with which the people of the 5. Kanishka 6. Faxian
Indus Valley Civilisation conducted II. Match the events with the dates:
trade
2. The place from where horses were brought
by ship to India
3. Three dynasties from Western and Central
Asia that conquered north-western India at
the time of the decline of the Mauryan
Empire
4. An Indo-Greek king who issued coins
5. The Kushana ruler who built a huge empire
that touched the borders of all the
civilisations of his time
6. The Chinese traveller, who on his return
from India, spent his time translating
Buddhist scriptures
Ans: 1. Mesopotamia 2. Arab lands
3. The Indo-Greeks, the Sakas and the
Event Dates
83
1. Silk is believed to a. between 399 CE
have been and 412 CE
discovered
2. Indo- Greeks ruled b. Around 2,700
north-west India BCE
3. The Kushanas c. between the 2nd
ruled in India century BCE and
early 1st century
CE
4. axian visited India d. between the
middle of the 1st
century CE to the
3rd century CE.

84
 Ans: 1. b. Around 2,700 BCE 2. c. between
the 2nd century BCE and early 1st
century CE. 3. d.
between the middle of the 1st century CE
to the 3rd century CE
4. a. between 399 CE and 412 CE
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. Why did contact with distant lands decline
during the Early Vedic Period?
Ans: During the Early Vedic Period, people
traded largely between local villages
and through the barter system. So,
contact with distant lands declined
during this period.
2. With which regions did India reestablish
trade contacts by 200 BCE?
Ans: By 200 BCE, with the rise of towns
and cities, India reestablished trade
contacts with several regions like
China, South-East Asia, Africa,
Greece, Rome and the Arab countries.
3. Name three items that India imported from
foreign lands around 200 BCE.
Ans: The main items that India imported
from foreign lands were horses, wine,
silk, ceramic, tin, lead, glass, gold and
perfumes. (any 3)
INDIA BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 7TH CENTURIES CE
● Introduction: An overview of the political
scenario in north and south India after the
decline of the Mauryas
● The Guptas
● Sources of information
● Literary sources
● Inscriptions
● Chandra Gupta I
● Samudra Gupta
● Chandra Gupta II
4. How would you explain the statement ‘The
value of the exports was far greater than
that of imports’ around 200 BCE in India?
Ans: Around 200 BCE, what India earned
by selling things to other countries
was much more that what it spent on
buying things from other countries.
This meant that trade with other
countries was profitable for India.
5. Why was the Silk Route named so?
Ans: The Silk Route was named so because
silk was the most important
commodity traded along this route for
a long time.
6. How were the Indo-Greeks able to expand
into India?
Ans: The Indo-Greeks used the weakness of
the collapsing Mauryan empire to
their advantage and expanded into
India.
7. Why is Faxian’s account of his travel in
India important?
Ans: Faxian’s account of his travel in India
is important because it is a valuable
source of information of the
conditions in India during the
5th century CE.
Suggested number of sessions: 8
Session 1: Lead in, Introduction,The Guptas
Session 2: Sources of information, Literary
sources,Inscriptions, Chandra Gupta I, Samudra
Gupta, Chandra Gupta II, Do and learn
Session 3: Life under the Guptas, Administration,
Society, Trade, Religion, Cultural achievements,
Harshavardhana, Administration, Instructions for
Do and learn: Role play, which the students can
perform in Session 8
85
● Life under the Guptas
Session 4: Occupation and trade, Religion, The
● Administration kingdoms of the Deccan and South India, The
● Society Chalukyas, Do and learn: Analysing sources of
● Trade history, The Pallava, Exercises
● Religion
Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based
● Cultural achievements
question, Values, Know your Bharat, Enrichment
● Harshavardhana activities: Instructions for Project, Know your
● Administration state, which students can complete after school
● Occupation and trade hours
● Religion
Session 6: Enrichment activities: Diary entry
● The kingdoms of the Deccan and south India
● The Chalukyas Session 7: Worksheet
● The Pallavas Session 8: Do and learn: Role play

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Describe the conditions in India between the 4th and 7th centuries CE
● Discuss the rise and achievements of the Guptas
● Explain the nature of administration under the Guptas
● Discuss the political, social and economic conditions under Harshavardhana’s rule
● Describe the various kingdoms of south India during this time
● Illustrate how prashastis and charitas are used to reconstruct political history
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Encourage students to attempt the activity.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Creativity, Communication, Language integration(Students
use the formats of poems or essays to express admiration for a person. They write the piece in their own
words.); Self-awareness and respect for others (Students are encouraged to think about the qualities they
find admirable and respectable in a person and choose the person with those qualities to base their
writing on.)
Criteria of assessment: Creativity, Originality, Clarity
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The political scenario in north India after the decline of the Mauryas— political stability
during the Satavahanas and the Kushanas but no powerful empire till the rule of the Guptas
THE GUPTAS
Focus areas: How the Gupta rule compared with the Mauryan rule in terms of the geographical extent
of their empire; an overview of the major achievements of the Guptas, apart from keeping north India
politically united
Sources of information
Teaching guideline: Help students recall the different sources which help us study history. Tell
them that they will be studying different sources of information to know more about the Gupta
period.

86
 Literary sources
Focus areas: Types of literary works that provide information about the Gupta Period; names of Indian
and foreign writers whose works give us information about the Guptas; How charitas are sources of
information, example of a charita
Inscriptions
Focus areas: What the inscriptions of the Gupta period reveal; the Allahabad Pillar Inscription; what a
prashasti is
Chandra Gupta I
Focus areas: Who the Guptas were; the role of Chandra Gupta I in establishing Gupta rule; who
succeeded him to the throne of Magadha
Samudra Gupta
Focus areas: Samudra Gupta’s abilities and ambition; the source from which we come to know about
Samudra Gupta’s achievements; the territories in India and outside India that came under his rule; how
Samudra Gupta treated some kingdoms/republics he conquered; the artistic accomplishments of Samudra
Gupta
Chandra Gupta II
Focus areas: Another name by which Chandra Gupta II was known; the importance of his reign and the
extent of his influence; his conquest of the Saka kingdom, his second capital and the places he occupied;
the information about his kingdom we get from the inscriptions on the iron pillar in Delhi; the Gupta
kings who ruled after Chandra Gupta II; how Skanda Gupta faced the invasion of the Huns; the decline
and end of the empire
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the images given for the topics and read the captions
below them. Ask them to study the map titled Gupta Empire to know the extent of the empire at its

Do and learn
Suggested answers: No, this does not seem to be a true depiction of Samudra Gupta.
Words or phrases that suggest that this is an exaggerated description of the ruler: ● He was without
an enemy on earth ● with a multitude of good qualities and actions he has wiped off the fame of
other kings with the soles of his feet ● he is equal to the gods of wealth, ocean, rains and death
Reason why court poets wrote only good things about the rulers: They were in the employment of the
rulers. The rulers were powerful and so the court poets did not want to antagonise them.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Logical reasoning (Students determine if
the prashasti offers a true or an exaggerated description of Samudra Gupta, on the basis of the phrases
used in it.)
Criteria of assessment: Accuracy, Clarity

peak. Ask them to locate the important cites and places of religious importance on it.

LIFE UNDER THE GUPTAS

Administration
Focus areas: The nature of kingship; decentralisation of power in the Gupta Empire, which is in contrast
with the way the Mauryans ruled; the different administrative units in the Gupta Empire—the bhuktis, the
vishayas,the people in charge of them—the uparikas and the vishayapatis; autonomy in village
administration; the role of the ayuktas, the governor and the town clerks in the administration of bigger
cities; the guilds for different professions, the heads of those guilds; the taxes levied; the meaning of the
term ‘feudalism’; the important consequence of land grants replacing cash payments to high-ranking
officials
87
 Society
Focus areas: Faxian’s observations about the society—the contrast in lifestyles of people living in
villages and cities during the Gupta Period; the reason for the emergence of more sub-castes; the
strengthening of the caste system
Trade
Focus areas: The different regions of the world that the Gupta Empire had long-distance trade with; the
important ports of the Empire on the western and eastern coasts; the two important outcomes of the long-
distance trade—the prosperity of the Guptas, the impact on the cultures of South-East Asia; the spread of
Sanskrit, Hinduism and Buddhism
Religion
Focus areas: The importance given to Hinduism and tolerance towards other religions; changes in the
manner in which Hinduism was practised; the founding of the Nalanda University
Cultural achievements
Focus areas: Examples of cultural achievements during the Gupta rule
The end of the Gupta rule
Focus areas: The period for which the Gupta rule lasted and the overall quality of life during their rule;
the political scenario at the end of the Gupta period; the establishment of the Pushyabhuti dynasty;
Harshavardhana—the most famous Pushyabhuti ruler
HARSHAVARDHANA
Focus areas: The beginning of Harsha’s rule and the extent of his empire; why Harsha made Kannauj his
capital; sources of information about Harsha’s rule
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the map titled Harsha’s Empire in 646 CE and locate the
old and new capitals of Harsha’s Empire.
Administration
Focus areas: How Harsha’s system of administration was more similar to that of the Guptas than that of

Do and learn: Role play

NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, Language integration (Students
work in groups to create a story or the script for a play in English, which they also enact.)
Criteria of assessment (For story-writing): Accuracy in adaptation, Clarity, Appropriateness of
language
(For role-play): Effectiveness (Dialogues, Performance)

the Mauryas; how the system reduced the power and influence of the king

Occupation and trade

Focus areas: Information from Xuanzang about the main occupations in Harsha’s empire; Importance of
the Ganga for trade
Religion
Focus areas: Harsha’s patronage of Buddhism; his efforts to honour religions; his patronage of the
university of Nalanda
THE KINGDOMS OF THE DECCAN AND SOUTH INDIA
Focus areas: The time period when small kingdoms arose in the Deccan and in South India; two of the
strongest kingdoms that arose at that time

88
 The Chalukyas
Focus areas: The period and the geographical extent of their kingdom; their capital; the most famous
Chalukya ruler—the geographical extent of his kingdom; the outcomes of his battles with Harsha and
the Pallava kings Mahendravarman and Narasimhavarman; the significance of the Aihole inscription; the
dynasty which finally defeated the Chalukyas; the legacy of the Chalukyas
Do and learn: Analysing sources of history
Answer: The L tas, the M lavas and the G rjaras became the feudatories of Pulakesin II after being defeated by him. Pulake
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Language (Students analyse the lines from the Prashasti to extra
Criteria of assessment: Accuracy

The Pallavas
Focus areas: The extent and capital of the Pallava kingdom; the greatest Pallava rulers; the reason the
Pallava power weakened; who finally defeated them; the legacy of the Pallavas

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Instruct students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to attempt the activities.
Project
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to
complete the task.); Awareness (The task facilitates cultural awareness as students research about the
temples built by different ruling dynasties.); Discovery-based learning, Research skills(Students identify
sources from which they can get information. They extract relevant information.); Curiosity and wonder,
Pride and rootedness in India (The activity aims to foster a sense of curiosity and wonder in students and
inculcate in them a sense of pride and rootedness in Indian culture.), Students get to appreciate India
knowledge systems that helped create architectural marvels in the past.
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Creativity in presentation
Know your state
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Discovery-based learning, Evidence-based thinking,
Observation skills, Research skills (Students work in groups and find out the details. Their learning is
based on what they discover/ observe and the depth of their research.); Establishing local and regional
connect (Students learn about the history of the region they live in.)
Criteria for assessment:
Diary entry
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-linguistic intelligence, Language
integration (Students use their imagination and creative skills for the task. They use their language skills
to write the diary entry.)
Criteria for assessment: Originality, Appropriateness of language

89
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
INDIA BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 7TH CENTURIES CE
EXERCISES
I. 1. Samudra Gupta d. Conquests of distant
kingdoms and republics 2. Chandra Gupta
II
a. Made Ujjain his second capital 3. Skanda
Gupta b. Invasion of the Huns
4. Harshavardhana e. Visit of Xuanzang,
5. Pulakesin II c. Defeated Harsha
II. 1. T 2. F. Kalidasa belonged to the court of
Chandragupta II. 3. T 4. F. The rock- cut
temple at Pattadakal was built by the
Chalukyas. 5. T
III. 1. b. Faxian 2. c. The rich trade the Guptas
had with the countries around the world
3. c. Xuanzang’s account 4. b. Dashavatara
Temple 5. a. Both A and R are true and R is
the correct explanation of A.
IV. 1. Samudra Gupta conquered and occupied
vast territories including present-day Delhi,
western Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, Assam and
Bengal. Even parts of Punjab and
Afghanistan came under his rule. He also
conquered many republics, forest kingdoms
and even the southern kingdoms.
2. The Gupta Empire had long-distance trade
with the Eastern Roman Empire, West Asia,
Africa and many countries of South-East
Asia.
3. Kannauj was a well-fortified city. Harsha
could control both the eastern and western
parts of his empire better from Kannauj
than from Pataliputra. Therefore, he shifted
his capital to Kannauj.
4. Pulakesin II’s kingdom extended from the
river Narmada to the river Kaveri.
5. i) Pulakesin II defeated Harsha in a
historic battle on the banks of river
Narmada.
ii) Pulakesin II defeated the Pallava king
Mahendravarman.
V. 1. Prashastis were inscriptions written in
praise of rulers. There are numerous
inscriptions belonging to the Gupta Period
that reveal the achievements of the rulers.
90
For example, Harisena, a poet in the court
of Samudra Gupta, composed prashastis in
honour of the king, and inscribed them on
an Ashokan Pillar located in Prayagraj.
While the prashastis give information about
a ruler’s achievements, it is quite possible
that they are exaggerated accounts. It is
also possible prashastis highlight only the
positive qualities of a ruler and completely
ignore his negative traits.
Charitas are historical biographies that play
an important role in the reconstruction of
history. An example of a charita is the
Harsacharita composed by Banabhatta, a
member of Harsha’s court. It is an account
of Harshavardhana’s reign. It is quite
possible that charitas, written by people
belonging to a ruler’s court, brought out the
more positive aspects of the ruler and his
reign while suppressing the negative
aspects. In conclusion, we may say that
both prashastis and charitas are valuable
and reliable as sources of history to a
certain extent. The information they
provide has to be verified with the help of
other sources.
2. Kingship during Gupta rule was hereditary.
But unlike Mauryan rule where the kings
held all the power in their own hands,
Gupta rule was more decentralised.
● The empire was divided into a number of
provinces or bhuktis. They were placed
under governors or uparikas. The provinces
were further subdivided into districts or
vishayas,which were headed by
vishayapatis. ● Then came the villages;
the village head managed the affairs of the
village with the assistance of the village
elders. The villages and towns enjoyed a
great deal of local autonomy. ● Bigger
cities were administered by ayuktas,
who were appointed by the governor.
 These ayuktas were assisted by town clerks.
Guilds (shrenis) flourished. The heads of
these guilds, called nagarasreshthins, also
advised the ayuktas.
Many taxes were levied on lands—one-
fourth to one-sixth of the land revenue was
collected as tax. High-ranking officials were
previously paid in cash but, over a period,
land grants replaced cash payments.
Merits: Since the administration was
decentralised it would have been more
efficient in terms of the speed in
implementing policies and solving the
issues faced by the people. Quicker action
would have been possible to take care of
the needs of the people.
Demerits: The practice of providing land
grants instead of making cash payments to
high-ranking officials probably gave rise to
the practice of ‘feudalism’ in India.
Feudalism is a system in which common
people were given land and protection by
people of higher rank, in return for which
they worked and fought for them. Over a
period of time, feudalism led to the decline
of the empire.
3. The Gupta Empire kept northern India
politically united for more than 200 years.
There are a number of achievements to the
credit of this dynasty—art, literature and
the sciences received the support of the
Guptas, and flourished.
The administration: In an unprecedented
way, the administration was decentralised
though kingship was hereditary. The king
did not hold all the power in their own
hands.
This would have helped the administration
solve issues of the people more quickly
and effectively.
Trade: The Gupta Empire had long-distance
trade with the Eastern Roman Empire, West
Asia, Africa and many countries of South-
East Asia. The prosperity of the Guptas
could be attributed largely to this rich trade.
Contacts through trade also led to a more
long-lasting impact on the cultures of South-
East Asia. Sanskrit, Buddhism and
Hinduism spread here from India.
91
Religion: Religion was given importance in
the Gupta period. The Gupta rulers were
Hindus and did a lot to support the growth
of Hinduism. But they were also tolerant
towards other religions. The university at
Nalanda, the most famous centre of Buddhist
learning, was founded by Kumara Gupta.
Cultural achievements: The Gupta rulers
were great patrons of art, literature and
science. Kalidasa, one of the greatest
Sanskrit poets and dramatists, lived during
the rule of Chandra Gupta II. Sculpture and
architecture reached new heights under the
Guptas as can be seen from the beautiful
art found in the Ajanta and Ellora Caves.
Most of the empire experienced peace and
prosperity during the Gupta period. For all
these reasons, I agree with the statement
that the Gupta period is the Golden Age of
Ancient India.
4. Harshavardhana came to power in 606 CE
when he was about 16 years old. He went
on to establish a mighty empire that
extended across northern India. Harsha
moved his capital to Kannauj. A well-
fortified place, Kannauj suited Harsha, who
could then control both the eastern and
western parts of his empire.
Sources of information about Harsha: We
know about Harsha from the accounts of
Xuanzang, the Chinese pilgrim who visited
the court of Harsha, the writings of people
like Banabhatta who lived in Harsha’s court,
and coins and inscriptions.
System of administration: The king was
assisted by a council of ministers in
administering the land.
The officials of Harsha’s empire were
paid in land grants instead of money.
This reduced the power and influence of
the king.
Occupation and trade: According to
Xuanzang, agriculture was the main
occupation of the people in Harsha’s
empire. Trade thrived. There were many
trading centres along the Ganga, which was
used as an internal waterway to transport
goods.
 Religion: Harsha is believed to have become
a follower of Buddhism later in his life. He
organised large religious assemblies every
five years where he honoured people
belonging to all religions. He donated
generously to the university at Nalanda,
which grew in fame as one of the greatest
centres of learning.
5. The most enduring legacy of the Chalukya
dynasty is the architecture and art that they
left behind. The rock-cut temples at
Pattadakal, Badami and Aihole are some of
their famous monuments.
The Pallava rulers, were great builders.
The Shore Temple and the Seven Rathas at
Mamallapuram, and the Kailasanathar
temple at Kanchipuram are a few of their
outstanding contributions to Indian
architecture.
V. a. Students should refer to the Gupta Empire
map and Harsha’s Empire in 646 CE map to
do the map work. They should mark the
outlines of the extents of both the empires
on an India map and then compare them to
know which empire was larger and which
areas were not included in the smaller
empire.
b. Students can mark any four places out of
present-day Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh,
Nepal, Assam, Bengal, parts of Punjab
and Afghanistan.
c. Students should locate Harsha’s capital by
referring to Harsha’s Empire in 646 CE
map. They should then use an India—
Political
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
INDIA BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 7TH CENTURIES CE
A. State True or False. Correct the false
statements.
1. The Gupta Empire was not as grand as that
of the Mauryas.
2. The Prayag prashasti is the most well-
known inscription belonging to the Gupta
Period.
3. The reign of the Guptas reached its peak
during the rule of Samudra Gupta.
92
map to find out the present-day state of
India where Harsha’s capital was located.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
1. In the beginning of his reign, Harsha
followed the military idealism of Samudra
Gupta and launched thorough-going
conquests in different directions. This helped
him win for himself the status of an emperor.
2. According the author, Harsha was similar to
Ashoka in the way he brought an end to war
within his empire that was politically united by
the strong arm of his authority and then
proceeded to devote himself to the tasks of
peace, the promotion of the material and moral
interests of the country and to bring out its
cultural individuality and greatness.
3. A ruler should initially follow the policy of
war and aggression to establish his control.
They should then exercise the authority they
have gained by winning wars to prevent
further wars and to establish peace and non-
violence. The reason for this is that only a
ruler who has the power to defeat others in war
can bring about lasting peace. A ruler should
have a strong army to protect his people’s
safety, security and peace from aggressors
within his empire and from invaders from
outside. A strong empire is the one that can
face enemy attacks and ensure peace for the
people.
VALUES
The Indians of that time were hospitable and
peace-loving. This made the travelers feel safe and
confident about travelling the length and breadth of
the kingdoms.
4. The beautiful art found in the Ajanta and
Ellora caves bear witness to the patronage
given to sculptors and artists by the
Chalukyas.
Ans.: 1. True 2. True 3. False. The
reign of the Guptas reached its peak
during the rule of Chandra Gupta II.
4. False. The beautiful art found in
 the Ajanta and Ellora caves bear
witness to the patronage given to
sculptors and artists by the Guptas.
B. Fill in the blanks.
1. The rulers were great
patrons of art, literature and science.
2. The rule of the Guptas lasted for around
centuries.
3. Harshavardhana was the most famous
ruler of the dynasty.
4. The capital of the Pushyabhuti dynasty
was at . writings the social and religious
5. The capital of the Chalukyas was at Badami
or . There are numerous inscriptions or
6. The most famous ruler of the Chalukya
Dynasty was . Period that reveal the achievements
7. The Chalukyas were engaged in several
battles with the . Samudra Gupta and his conquests
8. Mahendravarman’s son
defeated Pulakesin II and captured
Badami.
9. The Chalukyas were finally defeated by the
in 753 CE.
10. The capital of the Pallava kingdom was at
.
Ans: 1. Gupta 2. two 3. Pushyabhuti
4. Thanesar 5. Vatapi
6. Pulakesin II 7. Pallavas
8. Narasimhavarman
9. Rashtrakutas 10. Kanchipuram.
C. Answer the following questions.
1. Why are the Guptas important rulers in
India’s history?
Ans: After the decline of the Mauryas in the
2nd century BCE, north India witnessed
the rise and fall of many small
kingdoms. For quite some time, the
Satavahanas in the south and the
Kushanas in the north maintained
stability and order. But there was no
empire as vast and powerful as that of
the Mauryas till the coming of the
Guptas. The Gupta Empire kept
northern India politically united for
more than 200 years (320–540 CE).
There are a number of achievements to
the credit of the Gupta dynasty—art,
literature and the sciences received the
support of the Guptas and flourished.
2. What are the different sources of
information about the Gupta Period?
Ans: Both plays and travelogues provide
information about the Gupta Period.
Works by writers like Vishakhadatta
and Shudraka give us insights into life
in the Gupta Age. Faxian, the Chinese
Buddhist traveller, described in his
conditions of India during these times.
prashastis belonging to the Gupta
of the rulers. We know about
, from the Prayag Prashasti.
3. How did the rule of the Gupta dynasty
begin? State the order in which the Gupta
rulers ascended the throne.
Ans: When the power of the Kushanas
declined, the Guptas asserted
themselves under the leadership of
Chandra Gupta I. Chandra Gupta I
ascended the throne of Magadha
sometime around 320 CE. He laid a
strong foundation for the kingdom.
He was succeeded by his son Samudra
Gupta in 330 CE. Samudra Gupta was
succeeded by his son Chandra Gupta
II, or Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya, in
380 CE. After Chandra Gupta II,
Kumara Gupta and then Skanda Gupta
became rulers of the Gupta Empire.
4. What did Samudra Gupta do with the
republics, forest kingdoms and the southern
kingdoms that he conquered?
Ans: Samudra Gupta allowed the republics,
forest kingdoms and southern
kingdoms that the conquered to rule
independently as long as they paid
him tribute.
5. What was the extent of Chandra Gupta II’s
influence? Which places did he conquer?
93
 Ans: Chandra Gupta II’s influence
extended up to the Vakataka
kingdom in the south. He conquered
the Saka kingdom in the west. He
also occupied Malwa (in Madhya
Pradesh) and Kathiawar (in Gujarat).
As per the inscriptions on the iron
pillar near the Qutb Minar in Delhi,
Chandra Gupta II’s empire extended
to Vanga (Bengal).
6. How did the Gupta rule come to an end?
Ans: Skanda Gupta had to face the
invading Huns from Central Asia.
Though he managed to defeat them,
the power of the Guptas started
declining after his death. The empire
finally died out by the mid-6th
century CE.
7. Describe the nature of society during
Gupta rule.
Ans: Faxian tells us about the simple life
led by the people in the villages. But
in the town and cities, the rich
enjoyed affluent lifestyles. The caste
system had by now further
strengthened its hold on society.
More and more sub-castes emerged
as the people who came into India,
such as the Kushana and the Saka,
were absorbed into the society.
8. Which were the important ports that
developed during the Gupta Period?
Ans: During the Gupta Period, the ports of
Bharuch and Cambay prospered on
the western coast, while the port of
Tamralipti developed on the eastern
coast.
9. How did the practise of Hinduism change
during the Gupta Period?
Ans: Several changes took place in the
way Hinduism was practised during
the Gupta Period. The worship of
deities like Vishnu, became
important and many temples were
built in their honour.
10. Who succeeded the Guptas and how did
they succeed them?
94
Ans: Towards the end of the Gupta
Period, many feudal chiefs assumed
more power. One of these chiefs
established the Pushyabhuti dynasty,
in present day Haryana.
11. Who were the Chalukyas and the Pallavas?
Which parts of India did they rule over?
Ans: After the fall of the Satavahanas
around 220 CE, several small
kingdoms arose in the Deccan and in
South India. The Chalukyas and the
Pallavas emerged the strongest
among them. The Chalukyas ruled
over large parts of the Deccan from
the 6th to the 8th century CE. At its
peak, the Pallava kingdom stretched
over most of south India.
12. Ravikirti lived about 3 centuries after
Harisena. Yet they are both remembered
for nearly the same reasons. Do you
agree? Explain.
Ans: Harisena was a poet in the court of
Samudra Gupta (around 340 CE to
380 CE). He wrote prashastis in
honour of Samudra Gupta and
inscribed them on the Ashoka Pillar
in Prayagraj. Ravikirti was the court
poet of the Chalukya king Pulakesin
II. Ravikiriti composed prashastis
about Pulakesin’s campaigns, which
can be found in the Aihole
inscription. (634 CE). Thus, both
Harisena and Ravikirti are court
poets remembered for the prashastis
they wrote.
13. Give a brief account of the greatest rulers
of the Pallava kingdom. What caused the
decline of the Pallavas?
Ans: The greatest rulers of the Pallava
kingdom were Simhavishnu and
Narasimhavarman I.
Narasimhavarman I defeated the
Chalukya king Pulakesin II.
Continuous war with the Chalukyas
and the Cholas weakened the
Pallavas. They were finally defeated
by the Cholas in 890 CE.
 THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT INDIA

● Introduction: The different

fields in which India has
Suggested number of sessions: 9
excelled in the past Session 1: Lead in
● Literature
Session 2: Introduction: The different fields in which India has excelled
● Compositions in in the past, Literature, Compositions in Sanskrit, Religious literature,
Sanskrit Secular literature, Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history
● Religious literature
Session 3: Writings in Pali and Prakrit, Writings in Tamil, Art and
● Secular literature
architecture, Stupas, Chaityas and Viharas, Temples
● Writings in Pali
and Prakrit Session 4: Sculpture, Paintings, Music and dance, Science,
● Writings in Tamil Mathematics, Discover more, Medical sciences, Instructions for Do
● Art and architecture and learn: Explore the benefits of yoga, which can be given as a home
● Stupas assignment (Students can share their findings in session 8),
Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home assignment
● Chaityas and Viharas
● Temples Session 5: Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for Group
● Sculpture project, Compare and contrast and Act it out, which students can
● Paintings complete over sessions 6, 7 and 8
● Music and dance Session 6: Enrichment activities: Group project
● Science
Session 7: Enrichment activities: Compare and contrast
● Mathematics
● Medical sciences Session 8: Enrichment activities: Act it out
Session 9: Know your Bharat, Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Discuss the literature of ancient India including the Puranas, the epics and other major Sanskrit and
Tamil works
● Describe the architecture of the period, the sculptures and paintings
● Evaluate the advances made in science
● Analyse excerpts from texts and visual material from the ancient period, and appreciate their
importance
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Encourage students to have the discussion based on the topic given.
Pointers for discussion / debate: How poetry, music and arts refine a person’s character and enhance
their personality, how knowledge of the fine arts form part of a person’s identity and makes them
cultured and civilised, how without this knowledge a person is incomplete like an animal without horns
and tails
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students discuss the topic given, using their
analytical and logical reasoning skills.)

95
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The different fields in which India has a rich heritage
LITERATURE
Compositions in Sanskrit
Focus areas: The features and significance of Sanskrit as a language; the two main types of literary
works produced in ancient Bharat/India
Religious literature
Focus areas: The types of content in the religious texts of Sanskrit—hymns, philosophies and moral
principles; the Rig Veda—the language it is composed in; what it contains, the names of the three other
Vedas, the Vedangas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads; the two great epics and their significance; the
fact that there are hundreds of interpretations and versions of the Ramayana; the places other than
India where it is revered; the significance of the Bhagavad Gita
Suggested questions to check comprehension and recall:
1. In what language has the Rig Veda been composed? (Vedic Sanskrit)
2. Which part of the Vedas are the Upanishads? (The last part)
3. What is the significance of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata? (They are not just simple tales of
triumph of good over evil, they are also complex philosophical texts. The Ramayana has transcended
cultural, religious and linguistic barriers to be revered by people in other countries.)
4. What is the significance of the Bhagavad Gita? (It is considered to be one of the most sacred
scriptures by millions of people even today.)
Secular literature
Focus areas: Important works on different subjects that were written in Sanskrit: what smritis are; the
significance of the Manusmriti; what the Ashtadhyayi Panini, the Mahabhashya and the Buddhacharita
are and who their authors are; the popularity of Sanskrit plays; who Kalidasa was, what his important
works are and what they are known for; what is the Panchatantra; what kinds of messages do its stories

Do and learn: Interpreting sources of history

NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Creativity, Problem-solving (Students analyse the story to
identify the values it teaches. They also use their creative and problem-solving skills to suggest a
different ending to the story.); Communication, Multilingualism, Language integration (Students retell
the story in their home language.); Courage and bravery (The story brings out the importance of these
values.)

contain

Writings in Pali and Prakrit

Focus areas: Significance of Prakrit during the ancient period; Important Jain texts written in Prakrit;
Important Buddhist texts written in Pali; what the Dhammapada and the Jataka Tales are
Writings in Tamil
Focus areas: Important Tamil literary works of the Sangam Age; significance of Tolkappiyam and
Thirukkural
ART AND ARCHITECTURE
Focus areas: The common kind of art that existed in ancient India; mention of non-religious art and
architecture in writings of ancient India

96
 Stupas
Focus areas: The purpose for which stupas were built; the architecture and design elements of stupas; the
places where we can find some of the oldest and finest stupas in the country
Chaityas and Viharas
Focus areas: What chaityas and viharas are; their art and architecture; examples of these structures in
different parts of India
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the ground plan of the Karle Chaitya hall to learn about
the shape of most chaityas and the image of the cave complex at Ajanta. Encourage students to scan the
page with the AR icon to learn more about the Sanchi Stupa.
Temples
Focus areas: Description and examples of the earliest surviving temples in India; the stone temples
constructed by the Pallavas in south India; difference between structural and monolithic temples;
examples of both kinds of temples; the places where we can find temples built by the Chalukyas
Sculpture
Focus areas: Examples of sculpture from the Indus Valley Civilisation; Ashokan Pillars—the
materials used to build them, the figures on their capital; their connection to our national emblem;
sculptures created during the Kushana Period—the distinguishing features of Buddha sculptures
created in the Gandhara and the Mathura (schools of)art traditions
Paintings
Focus areas: The themes of the paintings at Ajanta and Ellora caves; the paintings at Sittanavasal cave
temple complex
Music and dance
Focus areas: The origins of Indian classical music; the Bharatanatya shastra— the source of Carnatic and
Hindustani music traditions and dance systems; musical instruments that have their origin in ancient
India; how the continuance of music systems and instruments have ensured an unbroken tradition of
music and dance
SCIENCE
Focus areas: The linking of science and religion in the ancient past; the purpose for which planets and
their movements were observed and studied; two outstanding scholars of astronomy; the important
discoveries and theories in astronomy attributed to Aryabhata and Varahamihira; the advancements
made in metallurgy, making of dyes and pigments, making of sugar and so on; an example of excellence
in metallurgy—the iron pillar in Delhi
MATHEMATICS
Focus areas: Evidences of mathematical excellence achieved by the people of the Indus Valley
Civilisation and the Vedic people; the branches of Vedic mathematics; introduction of the concept
of zero
Discover more: Instruct students to read the information about how the invention of the concept of zero
brought about major changes in the way calculations were done and how the Hindu-Arabic number
system spread to the West. Students take pride in the fact that a fundamental mathematical concept had
its origin in India.
MEDICAL SCIENCES
Focus areas: The fields of medicine where ancient India excelled; contributions of Sushruta, Charaka and
Patanjali; what ayurveda and yoga are and how they are relevant to this day

97
Do and learn: Explore the benefits of Yoga
NEP parameters covered: Health literacy, Health and wellness (Students learn about the benefits of
I NOW
Surya KNOW: Encourage
Namaskar. They also students
practise an to make
asana the Foldable
of their choicebyand
following
find outthe
itsinstructions given. The task
health benefits.);
helps them reviseBodily-Kinesthetic
Communication, the topics coveredIntelligence
in the chapter.
(Students explain the health benefits of the asana they
have learnt. They
EXERCISES: demonstrate
Instruct students totheattempt
asana in
theclass.); IndiaGuide
questions. knowledge systems
them where (The activity
required. promotes
Answers to the HOTS
awareness of a knowledge system
questions may be discussed in class. that was developed in India for health and wellness.)
Criteria of assessment:
ENRICHMENT Depth
ACTIVITIES: of research,
Encourage Participation,
students to attempt Clarity in communicating the health
the activities.
benefits
Group project
(Note: You may take the help of a yoga instructor to assess the asanas demonstrated by the students.)
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to
complete the project.); Discovery-based learning, Research skills (Students use their research skills to
find out the required information.); Establishing local and regional connect (Students research about the
achievements of the people of their state or region, in different fields.)
Criteria of assessment: Depth of research, Organisation of information, Effectiveness of presentation
Compare and contrast
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students analyse the features of the Buddha sculptures and
classify them as belonging to the Gandhara or Mathura school of art.); Verbal Linguistic intelligence,
English language integration (Students write a few sentences about each picture they paste in their
scrapbook.)
Criteria of assessment: Analytical skills, Language skills
Act it out
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to
complete the activity.); Creativity (Students use their creative skills to write the script and design the
costumes for the play.); Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students practise their
dialogues and perform the play in class.); Pride and rootedness in India (The aim of the task is to help
students appreciate the rich literary and cultural heritage of India.)
Criteria of assessment: Effectiveness of script, dialogue-delivery, costumes and overall performance
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: Pride and rootedness in India (Students learn about the lost wax technique.
They take pride in the fact that this method goes back nearly 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilisation
and that it is still followed in India.)

98
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT INDIA
EXERCISES
I. 1. Ashtadhyayi Panini 2. Dhammapada
3. The chaityas at the Barabar Caves
4. Sushruta 5. Varahamihira
II. 1. The capital (in sculpture) is the upper part
of a column.
2. Chaityas, or cave temples, are prayer halls
that house a stupa.
3. Viharas, or monasteries, were places where
the Buddhist monks stayed.
4. Ayurveda is a branch of medicine developed
in India during the ancient period that relies
on herbal medicines to cure illnesses.
5. Yoga is a system of exercise for
physical, emotional and mental health.
III. 1. d. Rig Veda 2. c. Charaka, Sushruta,
Varahamihira 3. d. i, iii, iv (i. The figure is
made of red sandstone. iii. There is a carved
halo around the Buddha’s head. iv. The clothes
shown are Indian in style.) 4. d. Musical
instruments like the tabla and sitar were used in
ancient India. 5. c. Options i, iv (Option i.
All the main streets cut each other at right
angles. Option iv. There was uniformity in the
weights and measures used across all the IVC
cities and towns.) 6. a. Both A and R are
true and R is the correct explanation of A.
IV. 1. Similarity: Both the Panchatantra and the
Jataka Tales are a collection of fables that
usually carry a moral.
Dissimilarity: The Panchatantra stories were
written in Sanskrit, while the Jataka Tales
V. 1. Religious literature of Ancient India
Religious literature is based on religion.
Vedic and Sanskrit literature: The religious texts
composed in Sanskrit mostly contain hymns in praise
of god, reflections on the philosophies of life and
moral principles to guide human behaviour.
The Rig Veda was composed in Vedic Sanskrit, an
early form of the language. It is a collection of
prayers offered to various gods like Varuna, Agni
and Surya. The other Vedas that followed are the
99
were written in Pali. The Panchatantra
stories are part of secular literature.
However, as the Jataka Tales deal with the
previous births of the Buddha, they can be
considered to be a form of religious
literature. (any one)
2. The construction of palaces during the
Mauryan period was possibly done with
wood or perishable construction materials
and not with durable materials like bricks or
stones that can last for centuries.
3. Structural Temples Monolithic Temples
A structural Monolithic, or
temple is one that rock-cut temples, are
is built with blocks carved out as a single
of cut stone. unit from
Example: The surrounding rock.
Shore Temple at Example: The Seven
Mamallapuram Rathas at
Mamallapuram
4. The Shore Temple at Mamallapuram/The
Seven Rathas at Mamallapuram/The
Kailasanathar Temple at Kanchipuram is an
example of the greatness of architecture
during the Pallava period.
5. The iron pillar in Delhi has been standing in
the open for more than 1,600 years without
rusting. It is made of wrought iron, a very
pure form of iron. This shows that ancient
Indians were very skilled in metallurgy.
Secular literature of Ancient India
Secular literature is of a non-religious
nature.
Law books or smritis, such as the
Manusmriti, were compiled. They laid
down laws for society.
Grammar and poetry: The Sanskrit
grammarian Panini wrote the Ashtadhyayi
Panini—a masterful study of Sanskrit
grammar. Another great
 Yajur Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
Apart from these, there are the Vedangas, the
Aranyakas and the Upanishads. The two great epics,
the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, were
composed in Sanskrit. Though they seem to be just
simple tales of the triumph of good over evil, these
epics are also complex philosophical texts. There are
hundreds of different interpretations and versions
of the Ramayana.
The Bhagavad GIta, which forms a part of the
Mahabharata, is considered to be one of the most
sacred scriptures by millions of people even today.
Buddhist and Jain literature The teachings of
Mahavira and the other tirthankaras were compiled
into the Purvas and the Angas (sections). They were
written in Prakrit.
Several Buddhist religious texts were written in Pali,
a form of Prakrit. The Tripitakas, namely the Sutta
Pitaka, the Abhidhamma Pitaka and the Vinaya
Pitaka, are three important Buddhist texts that
contain the teachings of the Buddha.
The Dhammapada is a collection of Buddhist
verses. The Jataka Tales are fables that deal with the
previous life of the Buddha and carry a moral
message.
grammarian Patanjali, wrote the
Mahabhashya—a commentary on the
Ashtadhyayi.
Ashvaghosa’s Buddhacharita, an old
surviving work of Sanskrit poetry, narrates
the life story of the Buddha.
Sanskrit plays became popular in the royal
courts. The most outstanding poet of the
Gupta period was Kalidasa. His works, like
the Abhijnanashakuntalam, Meghadutam
and Ritusamharam are known for the rich
quality of their poetry.
Fables and stories The Panchatantra is a
well-known collection of fables
originally written in Sanskrit.
Tamil literature The Ettuthogai and
Patthuppattu are collections of poems.
They are believed to be the oldest
available Tamil literature.
Tolkappaiyam is a comprehensive text on
grammar. Thiruvalluvar wrote the famous
Thirukkural consisting of 1,330 short
couplets, or kurals, of seven words each.
It is considered one of the greatest works
ever written on values and moral principles.

2. Cave architecture has been known in
India from very ancient times.
The Ajanta, Ellora, Karle, and Barabar
caves are some examples. They were
places of religious significance,
Chaityas, or cave temples, were hewn
out of rock. Many chaityas had ornate
pillars and sculptures of the Buddha.
Some of the earliest examples of
chaityas are the Barabar Caves near
Gaya.
3. Stupas
The remains or relics of the
Buddha and other respected
Buddhist monks were placed in
sealed caskets, and kept in small
chambers. Over these chambers,
hemispherical domes were built.
These structures are called
stupas. Railings made of wood or
stone were built around the
stupas. Gateways were added at
Viharas, or monasteries, were places where
the monks stayed. A number of chaityas
and viharas were created in western and
southern India. The cave at Karle (near
Pune) is one of the most notable examples.
The cave complex in Ajanta near
Aurangabad is famous for its exquisite
paintings and splendid sculptures. It
consists of 30 caves. Of these, five are
chaityas and the remaining are viharas.
Chaityas Viharas
Chaityas, or cave temples, are Viharas, or
prayer halls that house a stupa. monasteries, were
They were hewn out of rock. places where the
Many chaityas had ornate pillars monks stayed.
and sculptures of the Buddha. A number of viharas
Some of the earliest examples of were created in western
chaityas are the Barabar Caves and southern India. The
near Gaya. A number of chaityas cave at Karle (near
were created in western India and Pune) is one of
southern India. the most notable
100
 the four cardinal points of The cave at Karle (near Pune) is examples. The 25
direction. Intricate carvings on the one of the most notable viharas in the cave
railings and gateways narrated examples. The five chaityas in the complex of Ajanta are
stories from the life of the cave complex of Ajanta are famous.
Buddha. Stupas became famous for their exquisite
paintings and splendid sculptures.
important places of worship for
the Buddhists. Some of the oldest
and finest stupas are those at
Sanchi in Madhya Pradesh and
Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh.
4. Contributions to science: India made great Contributions to medicine: Impressive
contributions in the field of astronomy in advances were made in ancient India in
ancient times. ● Aryabhata is believed to medicine, especially in the fields of plastic
have discovered the causes of solar and surgery, removal of cataracts and dental
lunar eclipses. In his book Aryabhatiya, he surgery. ● Sushruta was a great surgeon
postulated that the period of rotation of the of that time. ● Ayurveda, a branch of
Earth around its axis is 23 hours 56 minutes medicine that relies on herbal medicines to
4.1 seconds which is remarkably close to cure illnesses, was developed in India during
the modern estimate. It is possible that he the ancient period. Charaka, who wrote the
also estimated the circumference of the Charakasamhita, was one of the first
Earth. Varahamihira explained the physicians to state that diseases are caused
movements of the planets. ● The when the balance in the human body is
extraction of metals, the making of dyes disturbed. Today, Ayurvedic medicine is
and pigments, the making of rust-proof practised widely. Another major
iron, and the extraction of sugar were contribution of ancient India to the world
successfully carried out. The iron pillar in was the practice of yoga. Yoga is a system of
Delhi has been standing in the open for exercise for physical, emotional and mental
more than 1,600 years without rusting. It is health. Patanjali laid down the fundamentals
made of wrought iron, a very pure form of of yoga as early as the 2nd century BCE.
iron.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT INDIA
I. Name the following. II. Fill in the blanks.
1. The countries where the Ramayana is highly 1. The great epic cuts across
revered. the barriers of culture, religion and
2. The language most used by the common language.
people during the ancient period 2. Most chaityas were in shape.
3. The person attributed for the compilation 3. In ancient times, science and
of the Bharatanatya shastra were usually linked.
4. Two outstanding scholars of astronomy in 4. In ancient times, and
ancient India their movements were observed and
Ans: 1. Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand and studied, often for religious purposes.
Cambodia 2. Prakrit 3. Sage Ans: 1. Ramayana 2. half-ellipsoidal
Bharata 4. Aryabhata, Varahamihira 3. religion 4. planets

101
III. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the most enduring legacy of ancient
Bharat?
Ans: The most enduring legacy of ancient
Bharat is the rich tradition of culture,
art and architecture, literature,
sculpture, science and mathematics
that we have inherited from our
ancestors.
2. What is the significance of Sanskrit
in ancient Indian literature?
Ans: Precise, yet lyrical, Sanskrit is the
forerunner of a large number of
Indian languages. Several works of
religious and literary significance were
composed in this language.
3. Discuss the temple architecture in ancient
India.
Ans: The earliest surviving temples are
from the Gupta period. They are
simple, small structures. The brick
temple at Bhitargaon in Kanpur and
the temple at Deogarh near Jhansi are
important ruins from this time.
In southern India, at Mamallapuram,
near Chennai, a number of stone
temples were constructed by the
Pallavas. Of these, the Seven Rathas
and the Shore Temple are the best
known. The Pallavas also built the
Kailasanathar Temple at Kanchipuram
in the 8th century CE. The Chalukyas
built numerous temples at Aihole,
Badami and Pattadakal in present-day
Karnataka.
4. Write a short note on the Ashokan Pillar.
Ans. After the figure of the dancing girl and
the priest-king from the Indus Valley
Civilisation, the earliest examples of
sculpture are the Ashokan Pillars.
These pillars were made of sandstone
and were so highly polished that they
shine to this day. These pillars had
life-like figures of animals carved on
their capital. The lion capital of the
Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath is found on
India’s national emblem.
102
5. What are the Gandhara and the Mathura
schools of art?
Ans: During the reign of the Kushanas,
several striking sculptures, mainly of
the Buddha, were created. Over time,
two schools of sculpture evolved in
northern India—the Gandhara school
of art and the Mathura school of art.
The Gandhara Buddhas had Greek
features, and were made of grey
sandstone. The Mathura school of art
preferred to use red sandstone and
their statues of the Buddha were
smaller, with Indian features. The
Mathura Buddhas also had a carved
halo around the head, and were usually
shown flanked by two monks—
Padmapani (holding a lotus) and
Vajrapani (holding a Vajra or
lightning bolt).
6. What do you know about painting as an art
in ancient India?
Ans: Painting was a well-developed art in
ancient India. The realistic cave
paintings at Ajanta and Ellora depict
scenes from the life of the Buddha
and the Jataka Tales. Vegetable dyes
were used. At the Jain cave temple
complex at Sittanavasal in Tamil
Nadu, there are colourful paintings on
the walls and ceiling.
7. Why do we say that an unbroken tradition
of music and dance has come down
thousands of generations to the present?
Ans: Indian music, as we know it today, is
believed to have its origin in the
chanting of the hymns of the Sama
Veda. The music—Carnatic music,
Hindustani music—and dance traditions
of India that emerged from the ancient
Bharatanatya shastra are followed to
this day. Musical instruments like the
veena, the flute and the drum that are
played today were also used in ancient
India. Therefore, we can say that an
unbroken tradition of music and dance
has come down thousands of
generations to the present.
8. What is the legacy of ancient India with
respect to Mathematics?
Ans: The people of the Indus Valley
Civilisation must have had some
knowledge of mathematics to have
built the well-planned cities they did.
They also had a uniform and accurate
system of weights and measures.
103
Later, during the Vedic Period many
rules of geometry were developed for
the construction of fire altars needed
for rituals. Vedic mathematics dealt
with arithmetic, geometry and
algebra. The greatest contribution to
mathematics by India has been the
idea of zero.
WHEN, WHERE AND HOW WORKSHEET
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. Human-made objects found at archaeological sites are called .
2. Megasthenes was a ambassador to the court of .
3. The study of coins is known as .
4. Banabhatta’s work Harshacharita is an example of literature.
5. The process of reading and understanding the script in inscriptions is known as .
B. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. The study of history helps us:
i. question facts before accepting them ii. know who we are
iii. understand our present iv. study geography
a. i, ii b. i, ii, iii c. i,ii, iv d. ii, iv
2. We know that Harshacharita was written in the 7 century CE. The 7th century refers to the
th

period between the years:

a. 700 and 799 CE b. 750 to 799 CE c. 601 to 700 CE d. 701 to 800 CE
3. Passes are:
a. peaks of mountain ranges over which people travel
b. points along a mountain range which act as barriers to trade
c. lowlying points along mountain ranges which people can use to travel to the other side
d. places where fertile agricultural land is found
4. Some historians think that the figure in the Pasupati seal of the Indus Valley Civilisation is that of:
a. a king b. a yogi c. a trader d. an army general
5. A group of historians wants to cross-check the information found in the biography of a king
written by his court historian. Which among these would be the most reliable source for doing so?
a. a folk song describing the rule of the king passed down as an oral tradition
b. the autobiography of the king
c. an account of a foreign traveler who visited his kingdom
d. a seal used by traders in his kingdom
C. Picture-based question
1. To which group of sources of history does the object shown in
the picture belong?
2. Who issued these objects in the past?
3. How can the study of this object tell historians about the economic
condition of the kingdom where it was in use?
D. Answer the following.
1. Name the two parts into which the study of the past is divided.
2. State the difference between BCE and CE.
3. How do artefacts help archaeologists study the life of humans in the past?
4. How are manuscripts similar to inscriptions? How are they different?
5. What makes the writings of Megasthenes on India precious?

104
EARLY HUMANS—HUNTERS AND GATHERERS WORKSHEET
A. Write T for true or F for false. Correct the false statements.
1. Palaeolithic tools continued to be used in the Neolithic Age.
2. Early humans spread across the continents from Asia.
3. There are no monuments of the Palaeolithic Age.
4. Mesolithic period was the longest period among the Stone Ages.
B. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which of these was the purpose for which Palaeolithic humans made simple, crude stone tools?
a. For hunting b. For making houses c. For growing crops d. For herding animals
2. Find the odd one among the sets given:
a. axe-heads, hammers, choppers
b. bows and arrows, barbs of arrows and spears, baits
c. spheroids, hand axes, large flakes
d. bows and arrows, stone axes with metal handles, baits
3. Which of the following is the reason why the Mesolithic Age is called a period of transition
between the Palaeolithic and Neolithic Ages?
a. Humans began to make smaller, easier to use tools during the Mesolithic Age.
b. Climatic conditions in the Mesolithic Age were different from those of the Palaeolithic and
Neolithic Ages.
c. Humans made several important discoveries and inventions during the Mesolithic Age.
d. Humans were slowly shifting from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled life.
4. In which of the Stone Age periods did humans begin mining?
a. Palaeolithic Age b. Neolithic Age c. Chalcolithic Age d. Mesolithic Age
5. Which tool do the following statements relate to?
● Small rounded tool ● A common tool found at the Hunasagi site ● Had a bone handle
a. Cleaver b. End scraper c. Flake d. Scraper
C. Study the following picture and answer the questions based on it.
1. Which Stone Age did this tool belong to?
2. What type of tool is it?
3. What typically is the size of this tool?
4. What was it used for?

D. Answer the following questions:

1. If you were to travel back to the period from 4000 to 2000 BCE, humans of which Stone Age
will you meet? What kind of implements will you find? What might you find them doing
differently from the earlier humans, to get stronger tools?
2. Why do you think the early hunter-gatherers chose to live in the Deccan region?
3. Why is the Neolithic Age an extremely important period in the history of human society?

105
 FARMERS AND HERDERS WORKSHEET
A. Study the picture and fill in the blanks.
This is a (1) . Such houses are found in (2)
in Kashmir. They are (3) ground level. People made such shelters
to protect themselves from (4) . The (5)
were dug into the ground with the help of (6) tools and their sides
were plastered with (7) .
B. Multiple choice questions
1. Which of these tell us what kinds of animals were domesticated during the Neolithic period?
a. Drawings on pottery b. Weapons and tools
c. Cave paintings d. Remains of animal bones
2. Division of labour began when Neolithic people were mainly:
a. hunter-gatherers b. nomads c. farmers and herders d. fisher folk
3. In which of these places do we find houses with stone cots, stone shelves and fireplaces?
a. Burzahom b. Daojali Hading c. Selbalgiri d. Skara Brae
4. For which of these was the wheel and axle used in the Neolithic Period?
i. Pottery ii. Transport iii. Farming iv. Weaving cloth
a. i,ii b. i, ii, iv c. i d. ii, iii, iv
C. Compare the pottery found in these Neolithic sites.
Mehrgarh Burzahom Daojali Hading

D. Solve the Crossword puzzle.

Across Down 1.
1. A tool used to break up theHuge rectangular blocks of stones that marked burial sites in the Neolithic sites 2.
soil The material used by the Mehrgarh people to coat their woven baskets
One of the crops grown
during the Neolithic period 3.
Beads of this gemstone were used by the Neolithic people for making ornaments
A place in Assam where cord-impressed pottery has been found

4.

5.

E. Answer the following questions.

1. The hunter-gatherers did not need to make pots. Do you agree with this statement? Why?
2. List some better and effective tools that were developed in the Neolithic period.
3. What were the bone tools used for by the Burzahom people?
4. What major change in occupations do the findings at Mehrgarh settlement indicate?
5. How do we know there were improvements in farming techniques in Mehrgarh around 4,000 BCE?

106
THE FIRST CITIES WORKSHEET
A. Write T for true or F for false. Correct the false statements.
1. Urbanisation is one of the key features of civilisation.
2. The IVC is also known as the Mohenjodaro Culture.
3. The Indus Valley people used iron to manufacture objects.
4. Rice was one of the main crops of the Indus Valley.
B. Name the following.
1. Another name for the upper town of an Indus Valley city
2. The iron mineral used by the Indus Valley people to make pigments
3. The most important occupation of the IVC people besides agriculture
4. The male yogic figure depicted in some of the Indus Valley seals
C. Look at the picture and answer the questions based on it.
1. What is the object seen in the
picture?
2. What can we see in its top
portion?
3. What are some other shapes in
which these things were made?
4. What materials were they
made of?

D. Answer the following questions.

1. What was the extent of the Indus Valley Civilisation? Name some important IVC sites.
2. The Indus people ate a balanced diet.’ Do you agree? Explain your answer.
3. What did the Indus Valley women do to beautify themselves?
4. What was special about the toys found in the Indus Valley?
E. Multiple choice questions
1. Read the two statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A) Archaeologists have called the rectangular tank found in Mohenjodaro the Great Bath.
(R) The tank was coated with by a thick layer of bitumen to make it waterproof, it had a well to
supply water and an outlet for dirty water.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
2. Which of these statements does not describe the granary of the IVC?
a. It is located to the west of the Great Bath in Mohenjodaro.
b. It is situated in the upper town.
c. Archaeologists call it the acropolis.
d. Archaeologists have found the remains of a massive brick platform.
3. Steatite was the most common material for making seals in the IVC sites because:
a. It is a hard stone and hence durable. b. It is a soft stone that can be carved easily.
c. It was commonly found in the IVC cities. d. It has a smooth appearance.

107
DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE: THE VEDIC PERIOD AND CHALCOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS WORKSHEET
A. State if the statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.
1. In wattle and daub houses, wattle refers to the wooden rods and daub refers to clay.
2. The knowledge about the Vedic period comes from only the epics.
3. Each of the Vedas has two parts—the Samhitas and the Aranyakas.
4. Around the time the Indus Valley Civilisation was declining, the cultures in the other parts of the
country also went into a decline.
B. Study the pictures given and answer the questions.
1. 2. 3.

1. What is common to the three pictures?

2. In which part of India can we find them?
3. Which of the pictures—1, 2 or 3— shows a cist? What purpose did a cist serve?
4. What does picture 3 show? In which place in India has it been discovered?

C. Answer the following questions.

1. What were the varnas?
2. What do you know about the Sabha and the Samiti? When did they lose their significance?
3. Which system of trade was practised during the Vedic period?
4. Name two rituals performed by the rajan.
5. In which language were the Vedic hymns composed?
6. How do you know that the people of Inamgaon practised fishing?
D. Multiple choice questions.
1. Choose the option in which the units of the Vedic society have been arranged based on their
size—from the smallest to the biggest.
i. grama ii. jana iii. kula
a. ii, i, iii b. i, ii, iii c. iii, i, ii d. ii, iii, i
2. Which of these helped the growth of agriculture after 1,000 BCE?
a. The Vedic people settled down in Sapta Sindhu, the land of the seven rivers.
b. Farming equipment made of iron helped bring more land under cultivation.
c. The population increased after 1,000 BCE making it necessary to grow more food.
d. Many people took up agriculture as their occupation in the Vedic period.
3. We know that Chalcolithic settlements flourished between 2800 BCE and 1400 BCE in
various parts of India because:
a. During this period, Chalcolithic Cultures emerged all over the world.
b. Both copper and stone tools dated to this time period have been found.
c. Archaeologists have found evidences of religious practices related to Chalcolithic cultures in
this period.
d. Megaliths belonging to this period have been found in various parts of India.

108
THE EARLY STATES—JANAPADAS AND MAHAJANAPADAS WORKSHEET
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these relate(s) only to the rajan and not to the ganapati?
i. He collected taxes. ii. His position was hereditary.
iii. He was a chief rather than a king. iv. He was completely in charge of administration.
a. i, ii, iv b. iii and iv c. ii d. ii and iv
2. Which of the following is an archaeological evidence from the Later Vedic Period?
a. Northern Brown Polished Ware b. Northern Red Polished Ware
c. Northern Black Polished Ware d. Northern Painted ware
3. Which of the following was not a republic?
a. Malla b. Shakya c. Vatsa d. Yadava
4. What is common to Taxila, Champa and Bharukaccha?
a. They were educational centres. b. They were trade centres.
c. They were port cities. d. They were capitals of mahajanapadas.
5. Which of the following is true about the object in the picture?
a. It bears the emblem of a mahajanapada.
b. It is a metal carving related to the Haryanka dynasty.
c. It helped replace the barter system of trade.
d. It bears the seal of a shreni.
6. Two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are given below.
Read them and choose the correct option.
(A) The king became more powerful in the Later Vedic Period as compared to the Early Vedic
Period.
(R) The king was considered divine during the Later Vedic Period.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
B. Answer the following questions.
1. How did the post-Indus states and kingdoms come into existence?
2. What were the two types of early states?
3. Rajans and Ganapatis came to power differently but they did some things similarly. Explain.
4. Which kingdom did the Nandas rule and for how long? Who overthrew the Nandas?
5. What factor helped Magadhain carrying out long-distance trade?
C. Draw a timeline and plot the events given here on it, along with the years in which they
happened.
● The last Nanda king was overthrown by Chandragupta Maurya
● Ajatashatru seized the throne of Magadha
● Bimbisara came to power
● The Sisunagas were overthrown by the Nandas

109
GREAT THINKERS AND NEW BELIEFS WORKSHEET
A. Complete the fact file of the great thinkers you see in the picture.

Name:
Place and year of birth
Path to enlightenment
Important teachings:

B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following is not a reason for widespread discontent in the Later Vedic Period?
a. Expensive rituals b. Rigid caste system c. Language barrier d. Poverty
2. Which of the following is not connected to the Upanishads?
a. Atman b. Triratna c. Karma d. Bhakti
3. One of the main reasons why Jainism attracted many followers was that Mahavira preached:
a. in Sanskrit b. simple practices for attaining nirvana
c. in Prakrit d. about bhakti
4. To join the Buddhist Sangha, monks and nuns did not need to lead a life of:
a. Simplicity b. Devotion c. Chastity d. Poverty
C. Answer the following questions.
1. Why did common people have no access to religious texts in the Later Vedic Period?
2. What do the Upanishads say about the soul?
3. What values did Mahavira teach his followers to believe in and practise?
4. What was the Buddha’s belief about a life of moderation?
D. Find five words from the N Z S T U P A J K
chapter hidden in the I X Y Z W Q B C M
grid and write what they R V I H A N A H L
mean. V W M O K S H A N
A X T L A E S I O
N O U N R B V T D
A P S P M G I Y G
I R T R A D J A M

E. Name them.
1. The two groups of Jainism
2. The two groups of Buddhism
3. Jain monks and nuns
4. Buddhist monks and nuns
5. Buddhist viharas that became great centres of learning

110
THE FIRST EMPIRE AND AN INSPIRING EMPEROR WORKSHEET
A. Match the province with its capital.
Provinces Capitals
1. Uttarapatha a. Tosali
2. Dakshinapatha b. Pataliputra
3. Prachyapatha c. Taxila
4. Avantiratha d. Suvarnagiri
5. Magadha e. Ujjaini

B. Multiple Choice Questions.

1. Choose the options that describe the people in the pictures correctly.
A. B. a. A is the mentor of B. A wrote the Arthashastra.
b. B is the mentor of A. B recommended having spies to
spy on secret agents.
c. B is the mentor of A. By the end of B’s rule,
Magadha had become an empire.
d. A is the mentor of B. Ashoka was A’s grandson.
2. Why is Ashoka regarded by many historians as one of the greatest rulers the world has ever seen?
a. His empire was one of the largest in the Indian sub-continent.
b. He was one among the few rulers who tried to inculcate values in his people.
c. It was largely due to his efforts that Buddhism spread to many countries.
d. Few kings in history have repented so deeply, or tried so hard to make up for the suffering
they caused.
3. Which of these did Ashoka do to ensure that his subjects read his edicts and lived by them?
i. He had his edicts inscribed in Prakrit, the language of the masses.
ii. He had his edicts dispersed around the length and breadth of his empire.
iii. He appointed dhamma mahamattas to help people read the edicts.
iv. He satisfied all the basic needs of his people so that they could focus on living by his edicts.
a. i and iv b. i and ii c. i, ii and iii d. i and iii
4. Which of the pairs is incorrectly matched?
a. Nagarika City governor
b. Adhyakshas Superintendents
c. Pradeshikas District officers
d. Yuktas Subordinate officers
5. Which of these is not a possible reason for the decline of the Mauryan Empire?
a. The administration became weak.
b. There could have been financial difficulties in running a vast empire.
c. Army became weak due to Ashoka’s policy of peace.
d. Ashoka’s descendants fought against each other for the throne.
C. Answer the following questions:
1. Why did Alexander want to invade India?
2. According to you, how is being moderate in expenditure and in acquiring possessions connected
to being liberal to friends, acquaintances, relatives and ascetics?
3. What do you know about district administration in the Mauryan Empire?
4. What kind of coins were used in the Mauryan Empire?
5. Which foreign lands did Ashoka send missions to? What was the purpose of these missions?

111
LIFE IN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH AND CENTRAL INDIA WORKSHEET
A. Complete the pairs.
1. Rajghat: Kashi:: : Puhar
2. Shravasti: Administrative town::Kondapur:
3. Tolkappiam: Book of grammar:: Book of wisdom
4. Arikamedu: near Puducherry::Kaveripattinam:
B. Name the following.
1. A market town which was also a religious centre
2. An administrative town which was also a religious centre
3. An administrative centre which was also a trade centre
4. The dynasty to which the king who built the Grand Anicut belonged
C. Study the following picture and fill in the blanks.
The image shows the ruins of a (1) in the town of
(2) on the (3) coast of India.
This town grew because it was a (4) . It had a
thriving foreign trade with (5) .

D. Multiple Choice Questions:

1. Which of the following is not a factor that led to the second urbanisation?
a. The expansion of agriculture b. The expansion of trade
c. The establishment of states d. The first urbanisation
2. Which among these pairs does not have the names of towns that came up for the same reason?
a. Kaushambi, Pratishthan b. Nevasa, Nasik
c. Ujjain, Korkai d. Amaravati, Kashi
3. Epigraphers inform us of the encouragement and privileges given to crafts people. Their source of
information would have been:
a. manuscripts b. coins c. inscriptions d. paintings
4. Read the two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A) Reservoir-like structures have been found at several sites in Tamizhagam.
(R) Tamizhagam was mainly a region of dry climate.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
5. The regions ruled by the was not a part of Tamizhagam.
a. Cheras b. Satavahanas c. Cholas d. Pandyas
E. Answer the following questions.
1. How did agriculture replace pastoralism in the Vedic period?
2. What is Sangam literature?
3. Name a port city on the east coast of south India where Buddhism might have existed.
What archaeological evidence can you give to prove this?
4. Who was Gautamiputri Satakarni?

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CONTACT WITH DISTANT LANDS WORKSHEET
A. State True or False. Correct the false statements.
1. Around 200 CE, the value of imports of India was far greater than the value of exports.
2. The Silk Route connected Xian in China and the Mediterranean Sea.
3. The power of the Kushanas reached its height under Kanishka.
4. Paper was invented in India.
5. A large segment of Borneo’s population practises Hinduism even today.
B. Study the pictures and answer the questions:
1. This is the statue of the Buddha found in
Caves in .

2. Which sect of Buddhists do you think this belongs to?

3. Why do you think so?

C. What do you know about these two sets of coins?

1. 2.

D. Multiple choice questions

1. Contact with distant lands through trade declined during the Early Vedic Period because:
a. People had no surplus goods to trade in during that period.
b. No country wanted goods from India during that period.
c. People traded largely between local villages through barter.
d. People had no idea how to trade with distant lands.
2. Which of these statements is not true about the Silk Route?
a. It is one of the oldest and most important trade routes in the world.
b. The route facilitated import of goods from and export of goods to China.
c. Trade along this route led to the introduction of Tamil culture in many parts of South-East Asia.
d. Caravans travelling along this route brought Chinese inventions and discoveries to India and
the West.
3. A coin issued by King Menander would belong to which of these empires?
a. Kushana b. Saka c. Roman d. Indo-Greek
4. Which of these did the trade routes also facilitate or bring about?
i. Spread of religion ii. Conquests iii. Spread of culture iv. Rise of China’s power
a. i, ii b. i, ii, iii c. ii, iii d. i, iv
E. Answer the following questions:
1. Mention three different ways in which contact between lands can occur.
2. What kind of archaeological evidences prove that the Greeks and Romans had close trade links
with south India and places along the western coast of India?
3. Why was the Silk Route called so?
4. What system of government was introduced by the Sakas? Describe it briefly.

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INDIA BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 7TH CENTURIES CE WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions
1. Which of these statements is an incorrect comparison of the Gupta Empire and the Mauryan Empire?
a. Gupta rule was more decentralised than the Mauryan rule where the kings held all the power.
b. The Guptas were the only rulers after the Mauryas to build a vast and powerful empire.
c. The Gupta Empire came close the Mauryan Empire in terms of its geographical extent.
d. Kingship was hereditary in the Gupta Empire unlike in the Mauryan Empire where a ruler was
elected.
2. The Gupta Empire was prosperous largely because of:
a. the conquests b. the taxes collected
c. the long-distance trade d. the rich resources available
3. Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya was another name given to:
a. Chandra Gupta I b. Chandra Gupta II c. Chandra Gupta III d. Chandra Gupta IV
4. These monuments belonging to the Gupta period tell us that:

a. The Guptas did a lot to support the growth of Hinduism.

b. The Gupta rulers supported religions other than their own.
c. The Gupta rulers were Hindus but they were also supportive of other religions.
d. The Gupta rulers were great patrons of art, literature and science.
5. Harshvardhana belonged to the dynasty.
a. Pushkara b. Pushyabhuti c. Harshana d. Pushpabhuti
6. Which of these were the outcomes of the battles fought between the Chalukyas and the Pallavas?
i. Pulakesin II defeated Harsha on the banks of the Narmada.
ii. Narasimhavarman defeated Pulakesin II and captured Badami.
iii. Pulakesin I defeated Mahendravarman.
iv. Pulakesin II defeated Mahendravarman.
a. i, ii, iv b. ii, iv c. iii, iv d. i, ii, iii
B. Complete the pairs.
1. Prayagraj Pillar inscription: Samudra Gupta:: Aihole Inscription:
2. Dashavatara Temple: The Guptas:: Kailasanathar Temple:
3. Chandra Gupta II: Ujjain:: Harsha:
4. Badami: :: Kanchipuram: The Pallavas
5. Pattadakkal: Virupaksha Temple:: Kanchipuram:
C. Answer the following questions.
1. On what condition did Samudra Gupta allow the southern kingdoms to rule independently?
2. What did Xuanzang write about the occupations and trade in Harsha’s empire?
3. Who were the Chalukyas and the Pallavas?
4. Who was the most famous ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty? What was the extent of his kingdom?
5. What was the extent of the Pallava kingdom at its peak? Name two of its greatest rulers.

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THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT INDIA WORKSHEET
A. Study the following pictures and fill in the blanks:
1. 2. 1. Image 1 is a made of and is
located in . It was built during the
period.
2. Image 2 is a made of and is
located in . It was built during the
period.

B. Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which of the following statements is true about ancient Indian literature? Choose from the
options given.
i. It was largely religious in nature.
ii. Several important secular texts were composed along with religious texts.
iii. Most of the important texts were in Sanskrit and Prakrit.
iv. Important texts were composed in Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali and Tamil.
a. i, iii b. ii, iv c. i, iv d. ii, iii
2. Which of these structures do the following statements relate to?
● Built to place the relics of the Buddha and other respected Buddhist monks
● Have hemispherical domes over the chambers containing the relics
● Have wooden or stone railings built around the main structures
a. Chaityas b. Viharas c. Stupas d. Structural temples
3. Which of these is incorrectly paired?
List A List B
a. Carnatic and Hindustani Music Bharatanatyashastra
b. Collection of Tamil poems Ettuthogai
c. Teachings of the Buddha Sutta Pitaka
d. Commentary on the Ashtadhyayi Ritusamharam
4. Read the statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose from the options given.
(A): The teachings of Mahavira and the other tirthankaras were written down in Prakrit.
(R): The language most used by the common people during the ancient period was Prakrit.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A,
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
C. Answer the following questions:
1. Name a grammarian who also laid down the fundamentals of a system of exercises. What
grammar book did he write? What is the system of exercise he founded?
2. What are Purvas and Angas?
3. What are the themes of the paintings found in the Ajanta and Ellora Caves? What kind of paints
were used for these paintings?
4. How did the Vedic people apply mathematical principles for religious purposes? Which branches
of mathematics did Vedic mathematics deal with?

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 ANSWER KEY TO THE WORKSHEETS
WHEN, WHERE AND HOW
A. 1. artefacts 2. Greek, Chandragupta Maurya 3. numismatics 4. secular 5. decipherment
B. 1. b. i, ii, iii 2. c. 601 to 700 CE 3. c. low lying points along mountain ranges which people
can use to travel to the other side 4. b. a yogi 5. b. an account of a foreign traveler who visited his
kingdom
C. 1. Archaeological sources 2. Rulers of kingdoms and empires 3. Coins were made of different
metals like gold, silver and copper. The greater the value of the metals used to make the coins, the
better the economic condition of the kingdom where it was in use. (Note: Students can answer this
question in their own words and bring out this idea.)
D. 1. The study of the past is divided into two main parts—prehistory and history.
2. ● The period before the birth of Jesus Christ is called BCE (Before Common Era).
● The period after the birth of Jesus Christ is known as CE (Common Era).
3. Artefacts provide vital clues about how people lived in the past. By studying them, archaeologists
can tell us what the people ate, what occupations they followed, with whom they traded, what
gods they worshipped, how they dressed and how they treated their dead.
4. Both manuscripts and inscriptions are literary sources of history. In the past, manuscripts were
written on dried palm leaves, the dried bark of trees and on thinly beaten copper plates.
Inscriptions, on the other hand, were written or engraved on hard surfaces such as rocks, pillars
and on the walls of temples and palaces.
5. The writings of Megasthenes are precious as there are very few written sources of information
for the period of Indian history during which Changragupta Maurya ruled.

EARLY HUMANS—HUNTERS AND GATHERERS

A. 1. True 2. False; Early humans spread across the continents from Africa.
3. False; There are a handful of monuments from the Palaeolithic Age.
4. False; The Palaeolithic Age is the longest among the Stone Ages.
B. 1. a. For hunting 2. d. bows and arrows, stone axes with metal handles, baits (Note to the
teacher: Only this set contains names of tools from three different Stone Age periods. Each of the
other sets contains names of tools from a single Stone Age period.) 3. d. Humans were slowly
shifting from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled life. 4. c. Chalcolithic Age
5. b. End scraper
C. 1. Middle Stone Age or Mesolithic Age 2. Microlith 3. Less than 3 cm 4. Used as barbs or
backward facing points of arrows and spears
D. 1. Copper-Stone Age or Chalcolithic Age; implements made of stone and copper; humans would be
found mixing metals to get stronger tools.
2. The early hunter-gatherers chose to live in the Deccan region because they found its semi-humid
climate and open woodlands rich in plant and animal food resources suitable for living.
3. The Neolithic Age is an extremely important period in the history of human society because
several vital discoveries and inventions were made during this period, which brought about great
changes in the lives of human beings.

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FARMERS AND HERDERS
A. (1) pit dwelling (2) Burhazom (3) below (4) extreme cold (5) pits
(6) stone (7) mud
B. 1. d. Remains of animal bones 2. c. farmers and herders 3. d. Skara Brae 4. b. i, ii, iv
C. Mehrgarh Burzahom DaojaliHading
Simple, hand-made, coarse Simple, hand-made pottery Cord-impressed pottery; the pots
ware, reddish- brown in colour of different sizes and were enlarged and shaped by beating
with geometric shapes painted shapes; black, grey and red with a wooden hammer wrapped in
on them in colour cord or string
D. Across: 1. Mattock 3. Barley 4. Turquoise 5. Sarutaru
Down: 1. Megaliths 2. Bitumen
E. 1. The hunter gatherers were nomads and they did not grow crops. Pottery was made in the Neolithic
Age when humans began to grow crops and needed to store their surplus grains or cook their food
in pots.
2. Sickles, reaping knives, grinding stones, stone axes, mattocks, wooden ploughs.
3. The bone tools were used for fishing, sewing and hunting by the Burzahom people.
4. The findings at the Mehrgarh settlement indicate that the people’s main occupations changed
from hunting and gathering to farming and animal rearing.
5. A new kind of barley was grown, which required irrigated fields. This shows that there were
improvements in farming techniques in Mehrgarh around 4,000 BCE.

THE FIRST CITIES

A. 1. True 2. False, the IVC is also known as the Harappan Culture. 3. False, the Indus Valley
people used bronze to manufacture objects. 4. False, there is not much of evidence of the Indus
Valley people growing rice.
B. 1. Citadel / Acropolis 2. Hematite 3. Pottery 4. Pasupati
C. 1. An IVC seal 2. Some writing / Inscription 3. Round, cylindrical 4. Baked clay or steatite
D. 1. The IVC was spread over 650,000 sq. km. Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Dholavira, Lothal,
Rakhigarhi, Banawali, Ropar, Kalibangan, Alamgirpur.
2. The IVC people included cereals like wheat, barley, pulses, oilseeds like sesame and mustard
seeds, millets like bajra, jowar and ragi in their diet. Their diet also included fish, meat,
milk, date and fruits. This proves that they ate a balanced diet that provided them with all the
nutrients.
3. The IVC women wore ornaments of gold, silver, faience and beads of semi-precious stones
like jade, lapis lazuli, cornelian and agate. They applied kajal in their eyes and painted their
lips.
4. Some of the toys had parts which moved. For example, bulls and rams that could shake their
heads and tails. There were toy birds which could move up and down ropes.
E. 1. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 2. c. Archaeologists call it the
acropolis. 3. b. It is a soft stone that can be carved easily.

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DIFFERENT WAYS OF LIFE: THE VEDIC PERIOD AND
CHALCOLITHIC SETTLEMENTS
A. 1. True 2. False; The knowledge about the Vedic period comes from the Vedas and the epics.
3. False; Each of the Vedas has four parts—the Samhitas, the Aranyakas, the Brahmanas and the
Upanishads. 4. False; Around the time the Indus Valley Civilisation was declining, the Vedic
people had started settling down in the Sapta-SIndhu region and agriculture-based life had started in
other parts of the country.
B. 1. All three are burial sites belonging to Megalithic culture. 2. In south India 3. Picture 2
shows a cist. A cist was used for burying gifts for the dead. 4. Picture 3 shows a mushroom-shaped
burial site. It has been discovered at Ariyannur in Karnataka.
C. 1. Vedic society was classified on the basis of occupation or profession into four varnas or classes—
the brahmanas, the kshatriyas, the vaishyas and the shudras. The brahmanas were the teachers and
the priests. The kshatriyas were the class of rulers and warriors. The vaishyas were traders,
cultivators and skilled workers. The shudras were mainly labourers.
2. The Sabha and the Samiti were two assemblies of elders that advised the rajan. As the rajan
became more powerful, these assemblies lost their significance.
3. The barter system, in which goods were exchanged for goods without the use of money, was
practised during the Vedic period.
4. Two rituals performed by the rajan: Rajasuya, Ashwamedha
5. The Vedic hymns were composed in Sanskrit.
6. The discovery of fish bones and fish- hooks proves that people of Inamgaon practised fishing.
D. 1. c. iii, i, ii 2. b. Farming equipment made of iron helped bring more land under cultivation.
3. b. Both copper and stone tools dated to this time period have been found.

THE EARLY STATES—JANAPADAS AND MAHAJANAPADAS

A. 1. d. ii and iv 2. c. Northern Black Polished Ware 3. c. Vatsa 4. b. They were trade centres.
5. c. It helped replace the barter system of trade. 6. a. Both A and R are true and R is correct
explanation of A.
B. 1. Between 1000 BCE and 600 BCE, the Vedic people spread out over most of the Indo-Gangetic
Plain. As they mixed with the local people, they absorbed elements of the local culture, just as
the local population absorbed elements of the Vedic culture. In the course of time, this
intermixing gave rise to the first post-Indus states and kingdoms.
2. The two types of early states were monarchies and republics.
3. The kingship of rajans was hereditary, but ganapatis were elected by the people of the state.
However, both rajans and ganapatis collected different taxes from the people and had a strong army.
4. The Nandas ruled Magadha for about 75 years. Chandrgupta Maurya overthrew the Nandas.
5. Magadha had control over the land bordering the river Ganga. This gave it ready access to
long-distance trade through the river.
6.
C.
BCE BCE BCE BCE

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GREAT THINKERS AND NEW BELIEFS
A.

Name: Vardhamana Mahavira The Buddha

Place and year Near Vaishali in Bihar In Lumbini, in present-day Nepal around the
of birth around 599 BCE 6th century BCE
Path to Around the age of 30, he Around 29 years of age, he saw four sights—an old
enlightenment renounced his family ties man, a sick man, a corpse and an ascetic. He was
and left his home in search struck by the peace on the ascetic’s face and
of the truth about life and decided to leave his family in search of truth and the
death. He spent 12 long meaning of life. He wandered for years, leading an
years in prayer and austere life. At Gaya, he sat under a pipal tree and
penance, after which he sank into deep meditation for 49 days and attained
attained enlightenment. enlightenment.
Important Nirvana can be attained by The Noble Eight-fold Path or the Middle Path of —
teaching practising the triratna— right understanding, right thought, right speech,
right faith, right knowledge right action, right livelihood, right effort, right
and right action. mindfulness, right contemplation or concentration—
would help us find peace and achieve nirvana.
B. 1. d. Poverty 2. b. Triratna 3. c. in Prakrit 4. b. Devotion
C. 1. The religious texts were in Sanskrit which the common people did not understand. They
understood and spoke only Prakrit.
2. The Upanishads taught that all living beings have a soul, the atman, which survives even after the
body dies.
3. Mahavira taught his followers to believe in and practise ● ahimsa or absolute non-violence
towards all animals, insects, birds and plants ● honesty ● kindness ● truthfulness
● not coveting or desiring things belonging to others
4. The Buddha declared that a life of moderation is the way to attain peace and happiness.
D. Words in the grid and their meanings:
Moksha—liberation from death
Karma—the concept that what we experience in our present life is a result of our past actions Nirvana—
freedom from the cycle of life and death
Stupa—A dome-shaped structure where a relic of the Buddha is preserved Chaitya—
A Buddhist shrine or hall of worship
E. 1. Svetambaras and Digambaras 2. Mahayana and Theravada 3. Munis and Sadhvis
4. Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis 5. Nalanda, Takshashila, Vikramashila and Sarnath

THE FIRST EMPIRE AND AN INSPIRING EMPEROR

A. 1. Uttarapatha c. Taxila 2. Dakshinapatha d. Suvarnagiri 3. Prachyapatha a. Tosali
4. Avantiratha e. Ujjaini 5. Magadha b. Pataliputra

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B. 1. b. B is the mentor of A. B recommended having spies to spy on secret agents.
2. d. Few kings in history have repented so deeply, or tried so hard to make up for the suffering
they caused. 3. b. i and ii 4. c. Pradeshikas—District officers 5. d. Ashoka’s descendants
fought against each other for the throne.
C. 1. Alexander was tempted by the stories he had heard about the wealth of India, which made him
want to conquer India.
2. Only by being moderate in expenditure and in acquiring possessions can one be liberal in
spending on friends, acquaintances, relatives and ascetics.
3. The provinces in the Mauryan Empire were further divided into administrative districts called
janapadas. They were managed by officials called sthanikas. Each district consisted of groups of
five to ten villages.
4. Punch-marked coins, mainly made of silver and stamped with different symbols, were used in the
Mauryan Empire.
5. Ashoka sent missions mainly to the Greek states to the north–west of the Indian subcontinent.
His purpose was to do trade and to spread Buddhism to these lands. His son Mahinda and
daughter Sanghamitra are believed to have taken Buddhism to Sri Lanka.

LIFE IN VILLAGES, TOWNS AND THE KINGDOMS OF SOUTH AND

CENTRAL INDIA
A. 1. Kaveripattinam 2. Market town 3. Thirukkural 4. near Kaveri delta
B. 1. Ujjain 2. Madurai 3. Pataliputra / Mathura 4. Chola dynasty
C. 1. warehouse 2. Arikamedu 3. east 4. port 5. Rome
D. 1. d. The first urbanisation 2. c. Ujjain, Korkai 3. c. inscriptions
4. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 5. b. Satavahanas
E. 1. The iron tools made it easier for the Vedic people to cut down forests and clear fresh land for
agriculture. The people now settled down to do farming. Thus agriculture replaced pastoralism as
the main occupation of the Vedic people.
2. The works of the Sangam poets were compiled into several books. This collection of works came
to be called Sangam literature.
3. Buddhism was probably practised in Kaveripattinam /Puhar. Ruins of a Buddhist vihara found
there are an evidence of this.
4. Gautamiputra Satakarni was a renowned ruler of the Satavahana dynasty who defeated the Sakas
and established the Satavahana rule in Central India. His kingdom extended from Malwa in the
north to Karnataka in the south.

CONTACT WITH DISTANT LANDS

A. 1. False. Around 200 CE, the value of exports of India was far greater than the value of imports.
2. True 3. True 4. False. Paper was invented in China. 5. False. A large segment of
Bali’s population practises Hinduism even today.
B. 1. Dunhuang, China 2. Mahayana sect 3. Only the Mahayana Buddhists make images of the
Buddha and worship him.
C. 1. These are Roman gold coins of circa 100 CE, excavated in Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu.
2. These are coins issued by the Indo-Greek king Menander.

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D. 1. c. People traded largely between local villages through barter. 2. c. Trade along this route led
to the introduction of Tamil culture in many parts of South-East Asia. 3. d. Indo-Greek
4. b. i, ii, iii
E. 1. Contact between lands can occur through trade, through the spread of religion and through
conquest.
2. Many articles such as Greek amphorae (jugs with two handles and a narrow mouth, used for
storing wine), porcelain and coins have been found at Musiri near present-day Pattanam in Kerala
and Arikamedu, Puhar, Kanchipuram, Madurai and Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu. These
archaeological evidences prove that the Greeks and the Romans had close trade links with the
kingdoms of south India and places along the western coast of India.
3. As silk was the most important commodity traded along this route, it came to be known as the
Silk Route.
4. The Sakas introduced the satrap system of government in India. The Saka Empire was divided into
numerous provinces or satrapies, each under a governor called a satrap.

INDIA BETWEEN THE 4TH AND 7TH CENTURIES CE

A. 1. d. Kingship was hereditary in the Gupta Empire unlike in the Mauryan Empire where a ruler was
elected. 2. c. the long-distance trade 3. b. Chandra Gupta II 4. c. The Gupta rulers were
Hindus but they were also supportive of other religions. 5. b. Pushyabhuti 6. b. ii, iv
B. 1. Pulakesin II 2. The Pallavas 3. Kannauj 4. The Chalukyas 5. Kailasanathar Temple
C. 1. Samudra Gupta allowed the southern kingdoms to rule independently as long as they paid him
tribute.
2. According to Xuanzang, agriculture was the main occupation of the people in Harsha’s empire.
Trade thrived. There were many trading centres along the Ganga, which was used as an internal
waterway to transport goods.
3. After the fall of the Satavahanas around 220 CE, several small kingdoms arose in the Deccan and
in South India. The Chalukyas and the Pallavas emerged the strongest among them.
4. Pulakesin II was the most famous ruler of the Chalukya Dynasty. His kingdom extended from the
river Narmada to the river Kaveri.
5. At its peak, the Pallava kingdom extended over most of south India. Two of its greatest rulers:
Simhavishnu, Narasimhavarman I

THE LEGACY OF ANCIENT INDIA

A. 1. temple, bricks, Bhitargaon, Gupta 2. temple, stone, Mamallapuram,Pallava
B. 1. b. ii, iv 2. c. Stupas 3. d. Commentary on the Ashtadhyayi—Ritusamharam
4. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
C. 1. Patanjali.The book he wrote was the Mahabhashya, which is a commentary on the Ashtadhyayi.
He founded Yoga.
2. The teachings of Mahavira and the other tirthankaras were compiled into the Purvas and the
Angas
3. Scenes from the life of Buddha and the Jataka Tales form the theme of the paintings in the Ajanta
and Ellora caves. Vegetable dyes were used for painting them.
4. In the Vedic Period, many rules of geometry were developed for the construction of fire altars
needed for rituals. Vedic mathematics dealt with arithmetic, geometry and algebra.

121
 THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

● Introduction: What
heavenly / celestial bodies
Suggested number of sessions: 7
are Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: What heavenly / celestial bodies are
● The Earth
Session 2: The Earth, Conditions that support life on the Earth, The
● Conditions that support shape of the Earth, The Moon
life on the Earth
● The shape of the Earth Session 3: The Moon (Contd.), Instructions for Do and Learn,
● The Moon which can be given as a home assignment, The Sun and the Solar
System, The Sun, The planets
● The Sun and the Solar
system Session 4: Asteroids, Meteors, Stars, constellations and the universe,
● The Sun Stars, The constellations, Do and Learn, Instructions for I now know,
● The planets which can be given as a home assignment
● Asteroids
Session 5: Exercises
● Meteors
● Stars, constellations and Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question,
the universe Enrichment activities: Instructions for Project work, Compare and
● Stars contrast, Model-making, which can be given as home assignments
● The constellations Session 7: Life skills and values, Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Explain why the Earth can sustain life
● Provide evidence for the shape of the Earth
● Identify, define and describe the main components of the Solar System
● Explain what stars and constellations are
● State what the universe is
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Put students in pairs and instruct them to complete the activity
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students use their creativity and
language skills to write a poem on the Earth.)
Criteria for assessment: Creative skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: What heavenly/celestial bodies are
THE EARTH
Focus areas: What the Earth is; what its two movements are; where it gets heat and light from; what its
surface is made up of; what the Earth’s atmosphere is; in what way is the Earth unique
Conditions that support life on the Earth
Focus areas: Why the Earth is said to be located within the habitable zone; what would happen to the
water on Earth were it located any closer or any farther from the Sun; what the average surface

122
temperature of the Earth is; how this temperature is maintained; how it is just right for life to exist; how
the Earth’s atmosphere helps life to exist
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image given for the topic and read the caption below it.
The shape of the Earth
Focus areas: The belief in the past about the Earth being a flat disc and the fear of falling off the edge on
travelling far enough; the various evidences that we now have about the shape of the Earth; what a
spheroid is
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the images given for the topic in order to reinforce their
understanding of the Earth’s shape.
THE MOON
Focus areas: What the moon is; how it is able to shine; the time taken by the Moon to complete one
revolution; why we always see the same side of the Moon; lack of air and discovery of water on the
Moon; the surface of the Moon; what the term ‘phases of the Moon’ means; the eight phases of the
Moon; the time taken by the Moon to go from one New Moon to the next
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image of the phases of the Moon and familiarise
themselves with the names given to the Moon in its different phases; explain the terms ‘waxing’
(increasing) and ‘waning’ (decreasing)
Suggested questions to check comprehension:
● How long does the Moon take to complete one revolution? (It takes around 27 days and 8 hours to
complete one revolution.)
● How long does the Moon take to complete one rotation? How did you know? (It takes around 27
days and 8 hours to complete one rotation. We know this because the Moon takes the same time to
complete one revolution and one rotation.)
● Why do we see the same side of the Moon always? (The Moon takes the same time to complete one
revolution and one rotation. So we see the same side of the Moon always.)
● Is life possible on the Moon? Explain. (Life is not possible on the Moon as there is no air
on the Moon.)
● Name the eight phases of the Moon. (New Moon, Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous,

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Creativity, Art integration (Students use their creative and
artistic skills to make the model as per specifications.); Communication (They explain their model to
the class.); Experiential learning (Students reinforce their understanding of the concept by making a
model based on it.); Evidence-based thinking, Observation skills (The activity helps assess these skills
in students.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Attention to detail

Full Moon, Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, Waning Crescent)

THE SUN AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Focus areas: What the Solar System is comprised of
The Sun
Focus areas: The position of the Sun in the Solar System; how old the Sun is and how it holds the entire
Solar System together; what the Sun is; what its surface temperature is; what the Sun’s diameter is; how
big the Sun is as compared to the Earth; why the Sun is important for the Earth
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image of the Solar System given.

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 The planets
Focus areas: What a planet is; how many planets there are in the Solar System; their names; their
features; the rotation and revolution of planets—planet day, orbit, planet year; what the outer (Jovian)
and inner (terrestrial)planets are; how they were formed; what they are made up of; moons of planets
Asteroids
Focus areas: What asteroids are; how they were formed; what they are also known as
Meteors
Focus areas: What meteoroids, meteors and meteorites are; some places where craters formed by
meteorites can be found
STARS, CONSTELLATIONS AND THE UNIVERSE
Stars
Focus areas: What stars are; what they give out; the Sun—the star closest to the Earth; how stars are
formed; what galaxies are; the number of stars in a galaxy; the number of galaxies in the universe; the
English and Hindi names of our galaxy; main points of difference between stars and planets
Teaching guideline: Explain the word ‘self-luminous’ as ‘generating and emitting its own visible light’.
The constellations
Focus areas: What constellations are; some of the easily recognisable constellations; how the Big Dipper
gets its name; how we can trace the location of the Pole Star from the Big Dipper; the Sanskrit name of
the Pole Star; why the Pole Star was used to find directions during ancient times
The universe: What the universe contains; the analogy to compare the size of the Earth with that of the

Do and learn
Answer: Students should mark their position in the innermost circle that denotes the Earth. They
should label the circles, starting from the smallest to the biggest, as the Earth, the Solar System, the
Milky Way Galaxy and the Universe.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students visualise their position in the universe. They use
their reasoning skills to determine the order in which the celestial objects/ systems are arranged in the
universe and how the circles should be labelled.)
Criteria for assessment: Follows instructions and completes the task correctly

universe

I NOW KNOW: 1 Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTIONS: Instruct students to attempt the questions.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students apply their prior knowledge to answer the
questions.); Visual literacy (Students interpret a picture to answer the questions.)

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Project work
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Communication (Students work with each other, exchanging
information and ideas to complete the activity.); Discovery-based learning, Research skills (Students find
out information on their own. Self-learning is involved.); Digital literacy (Students use digital tools to
124
present their ideas effectively.)

125
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Content, Effectiveness of presentation
Compare and contrast
NEP parameters covered: General awareness (Students find out general information about the planets in
the Solar System.); Discovery-based learning, Research skills (Students find out information about
planets on their own.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Organisation of information
Model making
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work together to make the models.); Creativity
(Students make the models using their creative and artistic skills.); Research skills (Students look up the
Internet for ideas to make their models.)
Criteria for assessment: Design, accuracy, creativity
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Ethical and moral values (Students learn about the importance of being moderate.
They learn that extreme conditions / behaviours make life difficult.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM

EXERCISES

I. 1. Atmosphere 2. Revolution / Planet year 3. Meteors Meteorites

3. Planetoids 4. Galaxies 5. Aakash Ganga
When meteoroids The partly burnt
II. 1. Inner planets Outer planets come near the Earth, fragments of
When the Sun was When the Sun was they are pulled in by rock materials
formed, rock and formed, the colder the Earth’s gravity. As from the meteors
metal lumps came outer parts of the they enter the Earth’s sometimes fall
together in the Sun’s disc broke up atmosphere, they start on the surface of
warmer inner part of to form the four burning up due to the Earth causing
the Sun’s disc to giant planets— friction. The streaks of huge dents or
form the planets Jupiter, Saturn, light the burning craters. These
Mercury, Venus, Uranus and meteoroids produce as rock fragments
Earth and Mars. Neptune. These they fall on the Earth are called
These are called are called outer are called meteors or meteorites.
inner planets or planets or the shooting stars.
terrestrial planets. Jovian planets. 4. Star Planet
2. Meteoroids Asteroids They are self- They are non-
Meteoroids Asteroids are celestial luminous. They luminous. They only
are pieces bodies that revolve around emit their own reflect the light of
of rock the Sun between the orbits light and heat. their star.
moving at of Mars and Jupiter. These They are very hot. Their surface
tremendous are believed to be parts of
temperature
speed
planets which exploded depends on their
around the
millions of years ago, or distance from the
Sun.
matter that was left over after Sun.
the planets were formed.
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 Star Planet
They appear to They do not appear
twinkle when seen to twinkle the way
from the Earth. stars do.
They are very They are usually
large. much smaller than
stars.
The Sun is an The Earth is an
example of a star. example of a planet.
III. 1. d. The presence of animals and plants
2. b. The Moon has no air on it. 3. b. Both
A and R are true but R is not the correct
explanation of A. 4. d. Stars are huge balls
of very hot, gaseous matter. 5. a. Taurus
IV. 1. A star is a huge ball of very hot gaseous
matter. It is a self-luminous celestial body
that emits heat and light.
2. The Sun is the primary source of heat and
light for living beings on Earth. Without the
Sun’s heat and light, life on Earth would not
exist.
3. The Sun is a ball of hot burning gases. The
surface temperature of the Sun is around
5,500°C. Humans cannot even approach the
Sun due to this extremely high
temperature. Hence it is not possible for
humans to land on the Sun.
4. The Moon takes 27 days and 8 hours to
complete one revolution around the Earth.
Since the time taken by the Moon to
complete one rotation is also the same, we
always see the same side of the Moon.
5. When seen from the Earth, some of the
stars in the sky appear to be arranged in
recognisable patterns. Some look like
animals, some look like people, while some
look like objects. These patterns that the
stars appear to make in the sky are called
constellations. Examples of constellations:
Ursa Major/Big Dipper, Orion, Canis
Major, Leo, Taurus (any two)
6. The universe is the vast open space where
all the planets, stars, galaxies, dust clouds,
dark matter and energy exist.
V. 1. The following are the conditions that make
life possible on the Earth: ● All life
forms
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need water to exist. The Earth is located
within the habitable zone, that is, the
distance from the Sun at which liquid water
can exist on a planet’s surface. If the Earth
were any closer to the Sun, the water
would have evaporated, and were it any
farther, the water would have frozen.
● As a result of its optimum distance from
the Sun, the Earth has an average surface
temperature of 14°C, which is just right
(neither too hot nor too cold) for life to
exist.
2. The Solar System is made up of the Sun and
the various objects that move around it, like
the planets, their satellites or moons,
asteroids, comets and meteors. ● The
Sun occupies the central position in the
Solar System and all the other celestial
bodies in the system revolve around it. The
Sun is around 4.6 billion years old. The
gravitational field of the Sun holds the
entire Solar System together. ● Planets
are celestial bodies that go around the Sun.
There are eight major planets in the Solar
System. In the order of their distance from
the Sun, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.
● All the planets, other than Mercury and
Venus, have moons. Some have one, like
the Earth, while some have several, like
Saturn which has 145 moons. ● Celestial
bodies that revolve around the Sun between
the orbits of Mars and Jupiter are called
asteroids, while meteoroids are pieces of
rock moving at tremendous speed around
the Sun. (Note: Students should draw their
illustrations of the various components of
the Solar System by referring to their
pictures in the chapter. They should draw
the picture of each component beside their
description of it.)
3. The outer planets or the Jovian planets are
mainly made of gas. There is no surface on
them. All life forms need water to exist.
They need oxygen for breathing. They also
need a surface temperature that is just right
for them to live. The Jovian planets do not
have water or air and they are cold. These
 are the reasons why life is not possible on
the outer planets of the Solar System.
4. The shape and position of the Moon as seen
from the Earth varies each day. This is
known as the phases of the Moon.
● When we see the completely lit side of
the Moon, we call it Full Moon
(Purnima).
● Each day after that, the Moon wanes or
appears to get smaller, until two weeks later,
the Moon reaches a point in its orbit when it
cannot be seen from the Earth. This phase is
called New Moon (Amavasya).
● The other phases of the Moon are
Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing
Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, Third quarter
and Waning Crescent. ● The Moon goes
through these eight phases one after the
other as it moves through its cycle each
month. It takes about 29.5 days to go from
one New Moon to the next New Moon.
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. The Moon is a natural of
the Earth, and travels around the Earth.
2. The Sun is a ball of hot burning gases,
mainly
and . been discovered on it.
3. All planets are in shape.
4. The is the largest among
the inner planets.
5. The is the star nearest to
the Earth.
Ans: 1. satellite 2. helium, hydrogen
3. spherical 4. Earth 5. Sun
II. Multiple choice questions
1. Which of these statements about the Sun is
not correct?
a. Its diameter is around 1,392,000 km.
b. The distance from the Earth to the Moon
is less than half the diameter of the Sun.
c. It is almost 109 times bigger than the
Earth.
d. The Sun is at one end of the Solar
System.
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(Note: Students should draw their diagram
based on the diagram of the phases of the
Moon given in the chapter.)
5. Stars are formed from huge clouds of dust
and gas. When the centre of the cloud
becomes thicker and denser, it starts
shrinking into a thick disc and starts
spinning rapidly. The centre of the spinning
mass becomes hotter and hotter. Finally, a
chain of chemical reactions occurs where
huge amounts of energy, in the form of
heat, light and other radiations, are released
into space, and a star is formed.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTIONS
● Big Dipper; Pole Star ● If we travel out of the
Solar System, we will not be able to see this
constellation. This is because constellations are
patterns that stars appear to make only when seen
from the Earth.
2. Which celestial body do these statements
refer to?
● It shines because it reflects the light of
the Sun.
● Recently minute amounts of water have
● It has an uneven, rocky surface with
huge craters.
a. Jupiter b. An asteroid
c. The Moon d. A comet
3. Which of these are the other names of the
Pole Star?
i. Orion ii. Dhruva nakshatra
iii. North Star iv. Canis Major
a. i, ii, iii b. ii, iii c. ii, iv d. i, iii
Ans: 1. d. The Sun is at one end of the
Solar System. 2. c. The Moon
3. b. ii, iii
III. Answer the following questions.
1. What do you know about the Earth on
which we live?
 Ans: The Earth on which we live is a planet.
It spins around its axis and revolves
around the Sun. It gets light and heat
from the Sun. Its surface is made up
of land and water. A layer of air,
called the atmosphere, surrounds it. It
is the only planet where life has been
found till now.
2. How do we know that the Earth is shaped
like a sphere?
Ans: Over the years, it has been proven in
various ways that the Earth is shaped
like a sphere. ● Explorers who set
out on voyage around the world, and
kept travelling in one direction,
eventually came back to the place
they started from. This could happen
only if the Earth was round. ● The
length of the shadow cast by a stick at
12 noon increases as we keep going
further north or south of the Equator.
If the Earth were flat, the shadow cast
by the stick would be the same
everywhere. ● When we see a ship
coming to a port, we first see the
mast or the top of the ship, and then
gradually the base of the ship. If the
Earth were flat, we would see the
whole ship at once. ● Images of the
Earth taken by astronauts from space
have proved, beyond doubt, that the
Earth is spherical in shape.
3. Describe the exact shape of the Earth.
Ans: The Earth is not a perfect sphere. It is
flattened at the poles and bulges
slightly at the Equator. This shape is
referred to as a spheroid.
4. What do the terms planet day and planet
year mean?
Ans: Every planet spins on its own axis.
This is called rotation. The time taken
by a planet to complete one rotation
129
is referred to as a planet day. Planets
also move around the Sun along a
fixed elliptical path of their own
called an orbit. One complete orbit
around the Sun is called a revolution.
The time taken by a planet to
complete one revolution is called a
planet year.
5. What are galaxies?
Ans: Stars are found in very large clusters
or groups. These clusters are called
galaxies.
6. Why is the constellation of Ursa Major also
known as the Big Dipper?
Ans: Ursa Major is also known as the Big
Dipper because part of it takes the
shape of a large ladle. While three
stars form the handle, four stars form
the bowl.
7. Describe the location of the Pole Star in the
sky. Why was it used to find directions
during ancient times?
Ans: If we draw a straight line joining the
first two stars of the bowl of the Big
Dipper constellation and extend the
line due north, the line points to the
Pole Star.
The Pole Star always appears in the
northern horizon, almost directly
above the Earth’s rotational axis. It
holds nearly still in the sky while the
entire northern sky appears to move
around it. This is why during ancient
times, sailors and other travellers
used the Pole Star to find directions at
night.
8. Name some places where we can see
craters caused by meteorites.
Ans: We can see craters caused by
meteorites in Ramgarh in Rajasthan,
Lonar in Maharashtra and in Arizona,
USA.
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE—LOCATING PLACES ON THE GLOBE
● Introduction: Tools for studying
the Earth
Suggested number of sessions: 8
● What is a globe? Session 1: Lead in, Introduction, What is a globe?
● Points of reference on a globe Session 2: Points of reference on a globe, Lines of latitude,
● Lines of latitude Characteristics of parallels, Important parallels
● Characteristics of parallels
Session 3: Temperature zones of the Earth, Do and learn:
● Important parallels
Let’s experiment; Torrid zone, temperate zones, frigid zones
● Temperature zones of the
Earth Session 4: Lines of longitude, Characteristics of
● The torrid zone meridians, Local time, standard time and UTC,
● The temperate zones Calculating time using longitude
● The frigid zones Session 5: Calculating time using longitude (Contd.),
● Lines of longitude Worldwide time zones, International Date Line, The Earth
● Characteristics of meridians Grid, Do and learn: Let’s experiment, Instructions for I now
● Local time, Standard time and know, which can be given as home assignment
UTC
Session 6: Exercises
● Calculating time using longitude
● Worldwide time zones Session 7: Exercises (Contd.), Life skills and values;
● The International Date Line Enrichment activities: Instructions for Group project, which
● The Earth grid students can do over a period of one week
Session 8: Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Explain what a globe is and identify its main features
● Demonstrate how to use a globe
● Define latitude and longitude and discuss their main features
● Explain the differences between local time, standard time and UTC
● Calculate time from longitude
● Locate a place with the help of the earth grid
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, A globe,Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Bring the globe to the class. Put students in groups and allow them to use the globe to complete
the activity.
Answers: 1. a. Northern 2. a. East 3. a. Tropic of Cancer
NEP parameters covered: Visual literacy, Communication (Students study a globe and process visual
information to give their answers.)
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The two important tools that geographers used to study the Earth

130
 WHAT IS A GLOBE?
Focus areas: What a globe is; the meaning of ‘scale model’; the aspects in which a globe is better than a
map; the different sizes that globes come in; how globes are useful to us
Points of reference on a globe
Focus areas: The axis; the poles; the Equator; the hemispheres and the coordinate system that act as
points of reference on a globe
Teaching guideline: Explain the term ‘point of reference’ as something that helps us understand
something else. The points of reference on a globe help us understand different aspects of the Earth like
how it spins, how the continents, oceans and countries are distributed between the two hemispheres,
where different countries / places are located and so on.
LINES OF LATITUDE
Focus areas: What the lines of latitude are; what they measure; their unit of measure; what they are also
known as
Characteristics of parallels
Focus areas: The direction in which they run and the coordinates which they give; distance between
them; how their length changes from the Equator to the poles; how they are numbered; the letters used to
indicate the north and south parallels; how many lines of latitude there are
Important parallels
Focus areas: Why some lines of latitude are given names; what the names are; how they help
Temperature zones of the Earth
Focus areas: Why there is unequal distribution of heat on the surface of the Earth; the relation between
angle of incidence of the Sun’s rays and the amount of heat/solar energy received; how heat received

Do and learn: You may demonstrate the experiment in class with the help of student volunteers.
Instruct students to share and analyse their observations.
NEP parameters covered: Observation skills, Logical reasoning (Students infer the relationship
between the angle of incidence of light rays and the area covered based on their observation. They
correlate their observation to explain the unequal heating of the Earth’s surface.); Experiential
learning(Students reinforce their understanding of the concept of unequal heating of the Earth’s
surface by doing or watching the experiment.); Scientific temper, Evidence-based thinking (The
activity is aimed at promoting these dispositions in students.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Analytical skills

varies based on whether the rays are vertical or slanting

The torrid zone

Focus areas: The geographical location of the zone; why it is the hottest zone; what it is also known as;
example of a place lying in this zone
The temperate zones
Focus areas: The geographical location of the zones in the two hemispheres; why they are moderately
heated
The frigid zones
Focus areas: The geographical location of the zones in the two hemispheres; why they get the least solar
energy; how they get their name; what they are also known as

131
 LINES OF LONGITUDE
Focus areas: What the lines of longitude are; what they measure; their unit of measure; what they are
also known as; what the Prime Meridian is and the place it passes through; the two halves that it divides
the globe / the Earth into
Characteristics of meridians
Focus areas: The direction in which they run and the coordinates they give; what shapes they form; how
the distance between consecutive meridians changes; how they are numbered and how many meridians
there are; what Great Circles are and how they are useful
Local time, standard time and UTC
Focus areas: What local time is; why there is a need for standard time; how countries determine their
standard time; what Indian Standard time is; what the UTC (GMT)is
Calculating time using longitude
Focus areas: How we can use longitude to calculate time; how the rotation of the Earth from west to
east causes sunrise to occur at different times in different countries
Teaching guideline: Explain how we arrive at the time taken by the Earth to rotate through 1°.
Help students calculate the time difference between consecutive degrees of longitude. Using the
example given, explain how we calculate the time in different parts of the world.
Instruct students to apply the rationale and find out how much ahead of the UTC the IST is. They can
compare their answer to the information given in the textbook.
Worldwide time zones
Focus areas: The idea of dividing the world into 24 time zones; the degrees of longitude covered in each
time zone; examples of countries that follow time zone and the reason why they follow it
The International Date Line (IDL)
Focus areas: What the IDL is; the difference of one calendar day between the countries lying on either

Do and learn: Let’s experiment

Answers: A: 40°N, 10°E; B: 0°, 20°E; C: 30°N, 30°E; D: 20°N, 40°E; E: 30°N, 50°E; F:
50°N, 60°E; G: 10°N, 70°E
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical-Mathematical intelligence (Students apply their
understanding of how coordinates are to be determined, to do the activity. They use their logical
intelligence to determine the locations of the stations given.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy

side of it; example to show how we gain or lose a day depending on the direction we cross the IDL from

THE EARTH GRID

Focus areas: What the Earth grid/geographic grid is; how it is useful; what coordinates are, how they are
written and how they should be interpreted

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Group project
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Communication (Students work in groups and interact with
each other to complete the activity. They decide upon the best method to present the information.);
132
Research skills (Students find out information from relevant books and websites.); Digital integration,
Technology literacy (Students find out information from digital sources. They may also choose to make a
video or digital presentation to showcase their findings.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, clarity, organisation of ideas, effectiveness of presentation
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
Answer (based on the longitude of Kolkata and London):Roughly 9 p.m.(90°E minus 0° = 90°; 90° × 4
minutes = 360 minutes; 360 minutes = 6 hours; 3: 00 p.m. + 6 hours = 9:00 p.m.);
Answer (based on IST and UTC): Roughly 8:30 p.m. (IST is five and half hours ahead of the UTC. So,
3:00 p.m. + 5 hours 30 minutes = 8:30 p.m.)
NEP parameters covered: Logical mathematical intelligence, Mathematics integration, Problem-solving
(Students use their mathematical skills to find the answer.); General awareness (The activity aims to
make students aware that time in different parts of the world can be found out if we know their
longitude.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE—LOCATING PLACES ON THE GLOBE

EXERCISES
I. 1. parallel 2. Southern 3. torrid zone
4. decreases 5. mid-day
II. 1. F. Latitude measures the angular
distance of a point north or south of the
Equator.
2. F. Lines of latitude decrease in length from
the Equator to the poles.
3. F. The north temperate zone lies to the
south of the Arctic Circle. 4. T 5. T
III. 1. a. A globe is a two-dimensional model of
the Earth. 2. c. iii, iv 3. a. 4 minutes
4. a. California, USA 5. a. New Zealand
IV. 1. A globe is a three-dimensional scale model
of the Earth (greatly reduced in size, but a
true representation).
2.
nearly 7.5°. (7.5 × 4 min = 30 min/half an
hour)
4. The International Date Line (IDL) is an
internationally agreed time change line
drawn approximately along the 180°
meridian. There is a difference of one
calendar day on either side of the IDL. For
example, if it is 25 June to the west (left) of
the IDL, it will be 24 June to the east
(right) of the IDL.
5. The Earth grid or the geographic grid is a
grid formed by the parallels and meridians
intersecting each other at right angles. It is
used for finding the exact location of any
place on the Earth’s surface.

3. Bangladesh is to the east of India. The

standard time of Bangladesh is half an hour
ahead of India’s because the longitudinal
difference between India and Bangladesh is
V. 1. Lines of latitude Lines of longitude
133
They are imaginary They are imaginary
lines that run lines that run
horizontally across vertically across the
the surface of the surface of the
globe. They are also globe, from the
referred to as North Pole to the
parallels. South Pole They are
also known as
meridians.

134
 They measure the They measure the There are 180 There are 360
angular distance in angular distance, in degrees of latitude degrees of longitude
degrees, minutes degrees, minutes, on the whole —90 in in all. The lines of
and seconds, of a and seconds, of a the Northern longitude are
point north or south point east or west of Hemisphere and 90 numbered from 0°
of the Equator. the Prime Meridian. in the Southern at the Prime
Lines of latitude run Lines of longitude Hemisphere. They Meridian and going
parallel to the run from the North are numbered up to 179° east and
Equator, in an Pole to the South upwards and west of the Prime
east-west direction Pole and give the downwards from 0° Meridian. The letters
and give the north- east-west at the Equator and ‘E’ and ‘W’ are used
south coordinates coordinates of a going up to 90° at to indicate the east
of a place. place. the poles. The letters and west meridians,
They form full They form ‘N’ and ‘S’ are used respectively. The
circles, except at semicircles. to indicate the north 180° longitude is
the poles, where and south parallels, neither marked east
they are just dots. respectively. nor west.
They are The distance 2. Due to the tilted nature of the Earth’s axis,
equidistant from between the there is an unequal distribution of heat or
each other. meridians decreases solar energy on the surface of the Earth,
resulting in unequal heating. The amount of
from a maximum of
heat (or solar energy) a place gets depends
about 111 km at the
on the angle of incidence of the Sun’s rays
Equator to zero at at that place. The more direct the rays of the
the poles, where Sun, the more will be the heat received. The
the meridians meet. more slanting the rays, the less will be the
The parallels All meridians are of heat received. (Note: Students should refer
decrease in length equal length. to the first illustration given for the topic
from the Equator to Temperature zones of the Earth for drawing
the poles. their diagram.)
3. Based on the amount of solar energy received, each hemisphere is divided into three
temperature or heat zones—the torrid zone, the temperate zone and the frigid zone.
The torrid zone The temperate zone The frigid zone
As the Earth revolves around the Sun, The zones lying between The angle of the Sun’s rays
due to the tilted nature of the Earth’s the Tropic of Cancer and keeps decreasing as we move
axis, the Sun appears to move the Arctic Circle in the towards the poles, so their
between the Tropic of Cancer and the Northern Hemisphere ability to heat also keeps
Tropic of Capricorn. In the region and between the Tropic reducing. The zones between
between the two tropics, the mid-day of Capricorn and the the Arctic Circle and the North
Sun shines perpendicularly overhead Antarctic Circle in the Pole in the Northern
at least once a year. As this zone gets Southern Hemisphere Hemisphere, and between the
the vertical rays of the Sun, it is the get the inclined rays of Antarctic Circle and the South
hottest one. It is known as the torrid the Sun. These regions Pole in the Southern
zone or the tropical zone. No place are, therefore, Hemisphere, get the least solar
beyond the tropics gets the vertical moderately heated. They energy. These regions are very
rays of the Sun. Most of southern are called the temperate cold, and are known as frigid
India lies in the torrid zone. zones. zones or polar regions.

135
 (Note: Students should refer to the diagram Important lines of If we know the longitude of tw
captioned Temperature zones of the Earth latitude like the calculate the time in the other
in the textbook for drawing their diagram.) Tropics of Cancer
4. The USA is to the east of the IDL, while and Capricorn, the
Japan is to the west of it. Suppose the flight Arctic Circle and the
takes off from the USA on Tuesday, 9 Antarctic circle help
January and crosses the International Date differentiate the
Line from east to west. This means that the temperature zones
passengers landing in Japan will have to add of the Earth.
a calendar day. So instead of Wednesday 10
Lines of longitude form Great
January, they will have landed when it is
two equal halves. Routes that f
Thursday, 11 January, in Japan, thereby
between any two places, so mo
losing a day (an entire 24 hours). Since the
flights follow them.
flight starts at 11 p.m. on Tuesday, 9
January and takes 15 hours, it should land
on Wednesday,
10 January at 2 p.m. However, it will
actually land when it is 2 p.m. on Thursday,
11 January in Japan.
5. Lines of latitude and longitude are useful to
us in the following ways:
Lines of latitude give Lines of longitude
Together, the lines of latitude and longitude give us
us the north-south give us the east-
exact location on the Earth.
coordinates of a west coordinates of
place. a place.

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE—LOCATING PLACES ON THE GLOBE

I. Multiple choice questions. gaining a day.
1. If the longitudinal difference between two b. They save time and fuel.
places is 15°, their difference in time will
be:
a. 15 minutes b. 4 minutes
c. 1 hour d. 45 minutes
2. Which of these is incorrectly matched?
List 1 List 2
a. Tropic of Cancer 23½°N
b. Arctic Circle 66½°N
c. North Pole 66½°S
d. Tropic of Capricorn 23½°S
3. Most long-distance flights follow the Great
Circles. How do they benefit by doing
this?
a. They avoid the problem of losing or
136
 c. They reach their destinations safely.
d. They avoid air traffic.
4. Which of the following is related to
the local time of a place?
a. The time at the meridian of the place
b. The time at the central meridian of the
country
c. The time at the Prime Meridian
d. The time at the IDL
Ans: 1. c. 1 hour 2. c. North Pole—
66½° S 3. b. They save
time and fuel. 4. a. The time at the
meridian of the place
II. Answer the following questions.
1. Why is a globe more accurate than a map?
Ans: A globe is more accurate than a map,
as it follows the curvature of the

137
 Earth. It also gives us the correct
shape and size of continents and
countries, and shows distances and
directions without distortion.
2. How are globes useful to us?
Ans: Globes are useful to us in many ways.
They show us the distribution of land
and water bodies on the surface of the
Earth, and the shape of continents and
countries. They are used for locating
places, for planning long- distance sea
and air routes along the great circles,
and for studying the movements of
people, goods and information across
the globe. They are also used to
determine the routes of satellites.
3. Write a note on the points of reference on
a globe.
Ans: The globe spins around an imaginary
line called the axis. The two end
points of the axis are the North Pole
and the South Pole. The axis of the
globe, like that of the Earth, is tilted at
an angle of 23½ degrees (23½°) to the
vertical. The North Pole and the South
Pole act as reference points to locate
places on the globe. Another
imaginary line called the Equator runs
around the middle of the globe. The
Equator divides the globe into two
equal halves, the Southern
Hemisphere and the Northern
Hemisphere. To give the exact
location of a place, geographers use a
globally recognised coordinate
system, formed by intersecting lines
of latitude and longitude.
4. What is the Prime Meridian?
Ans: The Prime Meridian is the 0°
longitude. It passes through
Greenwich in England. It divides the
globe, like it does the Earth, into the
Eastern and Western hemispheres.
5. What does the term standard time mean?
Ans: Many countries have several
meridians passing through them, each
138
with its own local time. There would
be great confusion if each place in a
country followed its local time. To
avoid this confusion, most countries
follow a standard time. The standard
time for a country is usually taken as
the time of the central meridian of
that country.
6. What is the Indian Standard Time (IST)?
Ans: The local time at the central meridian
of India, 82° 30’E [passing through
Mirzapur near Prayagraj/(Allahabad)],
is taken as the standard time for the
entire country. It is called the Indian
Standard Time (IST).
7. What is the UTC?
Ans: The standard time of a country can be
used for the purpose of calculating
time globally. By convention, many
organisations, such as airlines, use a
twenty-four-hour clock, based on the
local time at the 0° longitude or the
Prime -Meridian. This is called the
Universal Time Coordinated or UTC
(prior to 1972, the UTC was called
Greenwich Mean Time or GMT).
8. With the help of examples, explain how
time varies for places east and west of the
Prime Meridian.
Ans: As the Earth rotates from west to
east, the places which are to the east
of the Prime Meridian are ahead in
time, and those to the west are behind
in time. Thus, the Sun rises in Delhi
before it does in London. It is still
night in London when it is sunrise in
Delhi. Similarly, when the Sun rises
in London, it is still night in New
York, which lies to the west of
London.
9. What are worldwide time zones?
Ans: In 1884, Sir Sandford Fleming
proposed that the world be divided
into 24 time zones, each separated by
15° of longitude. This system is
followed even today. Countries like
Canada, USA and Russia with a vast
longitudinal extent have more than
 one standard time. Russia has 11 time
zones—more than those of any country.
10. What are coordinates? How are they
written? How are they useful?
Ans: Coordinates are the values of the
lines of latitude and longitude that
intersect at a point. While giving the
coordinates, the latitude is always
mentioned first. For example, New
Orleans is located at 30°N, 90°W,
that is, where the 30°N latitude
crosses the 90°W longitude. A pair of
coordinates gives us the exact
location of a place.

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

● Introduction:
The two main
Suggested number of sessions: 8
motions of the Session 1: Lead in
Earth
Session 2: Introduction: The two main motions of the Earth,Rotation of the Earth,
● Rotation of the
Effects of the Earth’s rotation, Day and night
Earth
● Effects of Session 3: Instructions for Do and learn: To understand the rotation of the Earth,
the Earth’s which can be given as a home assignment, Revolution, Effects of the Earth’s revolution
rotation
Session 4: Effects of the Earth’s revolution (Contd.), Discover more, Midnight Sun
● Day and
night and Polar Night, Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given as a home
assignment, (Students can submit their findings in Session 8.) Leap years,
● Revolution
Instructions for I now know, which is to be given as a home assignment
● Effects of
the Earth’s Session 5: Exercises, Instructions for Enrichment activities: Project and Photo
revolution essay, which can be given as home assignments (Students can submit their
● Midnight completed work in session 8.)
Sun and
Polar Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Life skills and values, Know your Bharat
Night
Session 7: Worksheet
● Leap years
Session 8: Checking of work submitted by students for Do and learn and Project
and Photo essay

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● define rotation and revolution of the Earth and list the effects of these two movements
● explain how day and night, and seasons are caused
● define equinoxes and solstices and explain how they are caused
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in: Put students in pairs and explain the instructions. Elicit answers to the questions from students
in their own words.
Answers: The two movements are rotation and revolution of the Earth. Rotation is the movement of the
Earth turning around its axis. Revolution is the movement of the Earth around the Sun.
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration(Students work in pairs to complete the activity.);
Communication (Students relate their movements to the movements of the Earth and answer the

139
question.); Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (Students perform the actions that are similar to the
movements of the Earth.); Observation skills (Students observe their actions carefully to infer that they
are similar to the movements of the Earth.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The constant movement of everything in space; the two main motions of the Earth; how
the Earth rotates and revolves; the important effects of these motions
ROTATION OF THE EARTH
Focus areas: The direction in which the Earth rotates; what the term ‘rotation’ means; the time taken by
the Earth to complete one rotation; what this time period is called; the speed of rotation at the Equator
and at the poles
Effects of the Earth’s rotation
Focus areas: The different effects of the Earth’s rotation—the occurrence of day and night, the effect on
the shape of the Earth; changes in the path of winds and ocean currents, the occurrence of tides, the
apparent movement of heavenly bodies from the east to the west
Suggested questions for checking comprehension:
1. How has the Earth’s shape been affected by its rotation? (The Earth’s rotation causes the Earth to
bulge at the Equator and become flat at the poles.)
2. Do the heavenly bodies appear to move in the same direction as the Earth’s rotation? How do they
appear to move? (No. They appear to move in the direction opposite to the direction in which the
Earth rotates.)
Day and night
Focus areas: The direction in which the Sun appears to rise and the reason for this; why only one side of
the Earth can face the Sun at any time; which side of the Earth experiences day and which side
experiences night; why different places on the Earth experience different amounts of sunlight and
darkness each day; what the circle of illumination is; the different stages of illumination that places on
the Earth experience one after the other in the course of 24 hours; what dawn and dusk are and how the
sky looks at these times; what will happen if the Earth fails to rotate?
Teaching guideline: Use the diagram given for the topic to explain the concept of the circle of

Do and learn: To understand the rotation of the Earth

Answers: When India is experiencing day, North America is experiencing night.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students present their observations in the form of a
drawing.); Experiential learning (Students do the experiment to reinforce their understanding of the
rotation of the Earth.); Observation skills (Students base their inferences on what they observe.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Communication skills
illumination.

REVOLUTION
Focus areas: What the term ‘revolution’ means; the time taken by the Earth to complete one revolution;
what the terms ‘orbit’, ‘elliptical’, ‘perihelion’, ‘aphelion’ and ‘ecliptic’ mean
Effects of the Earth’s revolution
Focus areas: Seasons as one of the main effects of the Earth’s revolution; the two main factors that are
responsible for the seasons; why there would be no seasons if the Earth’s axis were straight and not
140
tilted; how the tilted axis of the Earth causes one part of the Earth to the face the Sun and the other part to
face away from it, in the course of its revolution; how the angle of the Sun’s rays received determine the
amount of heat received and the length of days and nights; how variations in the heat received cause
the seasons; the four seasons and the pattern they follow in the Northern Hemisphere; why it is spring in
the Northern Hemisphere when it is autumn in the Southern Hemisphere in March; what the spring
equinox is; why it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere in
June; what the Summer Solstice is; why it is autumn in the Northern Hemisphere when it is spring in the
Southern Hemisphere in September; what the Autumn Equinox is; why it is winter in the Northern
Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere in December; what the Winter Solstice is
Encourage students to read up the information about how everything in the space is constantly moving
and about the notion that the universe is still expanding, given in the Discover more box.
Midnight Sun and Polar Night
Focus areas: How the phenomena of the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night occur; the period for which

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students identify patterns in the data they collect.);
Research skills (Students search the Internet for the required information.); Experiential learning
(Students learn about variations in the lengths of day and night by actually studying the time of sunrise
and sunset over a period of one year.); Evidence-based thinking (Students base their inferences on the
data collected.); Establishing local connect (Students are required to get the information related to
their town or city.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night last

Leap years
Focus areas: How a leap year happens; how to know if a year is a leap year or not; the rule for
determining if centenary years are leap years

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES: Encourage students to complete the activities.
Project
Expected response: The shadow of the gnomon on the sundial moves as the position of the Sun in the
sky changes. It is known that the Sun appears to move or change its position in the skydue to the Earth’s
rotation.
NEP parameters covered: Digital literacy, Research skills (Students find out different ways of making a
sundial by visiting relevant websites on the Internet.); Communication (Students use the sundial to
explain the rotation of the Earth to their classmates.); Scientific temper (The activity aims to foster the
spirit of inquiry among students.); Evidence-based thinking (Students base their inferences on their
observations.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills
Photo essay
NEP parameters covered: Intrapersonal intelligence (Students determine which their favourite place on
Earth is.); Global awareness (Students study a map or a globe to identify the hemisphere in which the

141
place they want to visit is located. They also gather details of the seasons the place experiences.);
Research skills, Discovery-based learning (Students collect the required information by themselves. The
activity thus promotes self-learning.); Digital literacy (Students use digital tools to create the photo-
essay with pictures of their favourite place.); Creativity (Students present their collection of pictures in a
creative manner.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Problem-solving, decision-making (Students need to have these skills to come
up with practical solutions for how they would survive in the Polar region during winter.)
Criteria for assessment: Creative skills, Problem-solving skills
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: Pride and rootedness in India (Students get to know about the expertise that
the people of ancient India had in astronomy. The aim is to instill in them a sense of pride in an ancient
knowledge system of India.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

MOTIONS OF THE EARTH

EXERCISES
I. 1. Rotation 2. Dawn 3. Orbit IV. 1. Rotation Revolution
4. Solstice 5. Equinox ● The spinning of ● The movement
the Earth of the Earth
II. 1. c. seasons 2. b. Winter solstice
around its own around the Sun is
3. c. 2000 4. a. longest day
axis is known called revolution.
5. c. F is correct and R gives a partial
as rotation. ● The Earth takes a
explanation for it.
● The Earth takes little over 365
III. 1. As the Earth is spherical, only one side of about 24 hours days or one year
the Earth can face the Sun at any time. to complete to complete a
2. As the Earth’s axis is tilted, different places one rotation. revolution.
receive different amounts of sunlight and
darkness each day. 2. The effects of rotation are as follows:
3. India is located in the Northern Hemisphere ● day and night ● bulging of the Earth at
and New Zealand is in the Southern the Equator, and flattening at the poles
Hemisphere. When the Northern ● deflection (pushing away from the
Hemisphere receives the vertical rays of the straight path) of winds and ocean
Sun from June to August, it has summer. currents ● tides (the alternate rise
During these months, the Southern and fall of the oceans due to the gravity of
Hemisphere receives the inclined rays of the the Moon and the Sun, and the rotation of
Sun and has winter. Therefore, when it is the Earth)
summer in India, it is winter in New ● the apparent movement of all the
Zealand. heavenly bodies from the east to the west
4. In June, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted 3. The circle of illumination that separates the
towards the Sun. It gets the vertical rays of lighted half of the Earth from its darker half
the Sun and has longer days and shorter coincides with the vertical. The Earth’s axis
nights. is tilted at 23 ½ ° from the vertical.

142
 Therefore, the circle of illumination does 2. The tilted axis of the Earth always points in
not coincide with the Earth’s axis. the same direction. So, as the Earth revolves
4. The Earth’s revolution around the Sun and around the Sun, one part of the Earth faces
its tilted axis together cause seasons. So, if the Sun, while the other part faces away
the Earth stopped revolving, there would be from it. The part of the Earth that faces the
no seasons. Sun gets the vertical rays of the Sun,
5. We experience summer when the place receives more heat and enjoys longer days
where we live in is inclined towards the and shorter nights. The part which faces
Sun. away from the Sun, gets the inclined rays of
V. 1. As the Earth is spherical, only one side of the Sun, receives less heat, and has shorter
the Earth can face the Sun at any time. The days and longer nights. This variation in the
side that faces the Sun experiences day, heat received causes the seasons.
and the side that is turned away from the
Sun experiences night. Thus, the rotation
of the Earth on its axis causes day and
night.
If the Earth stops rotating, the following
things will happen,which will be disastrous
for life on Earth:
● While the side of the Earth facing the Sun
will always be lighted, the other side will
always remain dark. ● The lighted side of
the Earth will become extremely hot and
the dark side will be freezing cold.
● The patterns of tides, ocean currents and
wind systems would be very different from
what they are now. It would be difficult for
life forms to exist in such extreme
conditions.

There are four seasons. In the Northern

Hemisphere, the seasons follow the pattern
of spring in March, summer in June, autumn
in September, and winter in December. In
the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are
reversed, with autumn in March, winter in
June, spring in September and summer in
December.

143
 In March, neither In June, the Northern In September, In December, the
the North nor the Hemisphere is inclined neither the North Northern Hemisphere is
South Pole is tilted towards the sun. It nor the South Pole inclined away from the
towards the Sun. receives the vertical rays is tilted towards Sun. It gets the slanting
The Sun shines of the Sun and gets more the Sun. The Sun rays of the Sun and gets
directly on the heat. It has longer days shines directly on less heat. It has shorter
Equator. There is and shorter nights. Thus, the Equator. There days and longer nights.
equal heating of it experiences summer at is equal heating of Thus, it experiences
both hemispheres this time. At the same both hemispheres winter at this time. At the
and the length of time, the Southern and the length of same time, the Southern
day and night is Hemisphere is inclined
day and night is Hemisphere is inclined
equal all over the away from the Sun. It gets
equal all over the toward the Sun. It gets
world. It is spring the slanting rays of the
world. It is autumn more vertical rays of the
in the Northern Sun and therefore gets
Hemisphere and less heat. The days are in the Northern Sun and, therefore, more
autumn in the shorter and the nights, Hemisphere and heat. It has longer days
Southern longer. Thus, it is winter spring in the and shorter nights. Thus,
Hemisphere. in Southern it experiences summer at
the Southern Hemisphere. Hemisphere. this time.
3. Summer solstice Winter solstice
On 21 June, the Sun’s rays fall vertically on the On 22 December, the Sun’s rays fall
Tropic of Cancer. It is the longest day of the vertically on the Tropic of Capricorn. It is the
year in the Northern Hemisphere and is called longest day of the year in the Southern
the Summer solstice. It is summer in the Hemisphere and is called Winter Solstice. It
Northern Hemisphere and winter in the is winter in the Northern Hemisphere and
Southern Hemisphere at this time. summer in the Southern Hemisphere at this
time.
Spring Equinox Autumn Equinox
On 21 March, the Sun shines vertically on the On 23 September, the Sun shines vertically
Equator. This is known as the Spring on the Equator. This is known as Autumn
Equinox. It is spring in the Northern Equinox. It is autumn in the Northern
Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern
Hemisphere at this time. Hemisphere at this time.

VI.

144
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
MOTIONS OF THE EARTH
I. Differentiate between the following.
Dawn Dusk
1. Perihelion and aphelion 2. Ecliptic
Dawn is that time Dusk, or twilight, is
and orbit 3. Dawn and
of day just before the time just after the
dusk
sunrise, when the Sun sets in the west.
Ans: eastern horizon Most of the sky is dark
Perihelion Aphelion starts getting but there is a lingering
It is the point in the It is the point in the lighter.
light along the
orbit of the Earth orbit of the Earth western horizon.
where it is nearest where it is farthest II. Fill in the blanks.
to the Sun. from the Sun.
1. Because of the Earth’s rotation from
Ecliptic Orbit to , other heavenly
The plane in which The path of the Earth’s bodies appear to move from to
the Earth goes revolution around the .
around the Sun is Sun is called its orbit. 2. One rotation of the Earth makes an Earth
called the ecliptic. day or a day.

145
 3. The axis of the Earth is tilted at an angle of
from the vertical.
4. The distance between the Earth and the
Sun is roughly km in early
January.
5. The distance between the Earth and the
Sun is roughly km in early
July.
6. Every year has an extra day.
Ans: 1. west to east; east to west
2. solar 3. 23 ½° 4. 147 million
5. 152 million 6. leap
III. State True or False. Correct the false
statements.
1. Everything in space is moving all the time.
2. The speed of rotation at any point along the
Equator is zero km per hour increasing to
approximately 1670 km per hour at the
poles.
3. Since the Earth rotates from west to east,
the Sun appears to rise in the east.
4. The Earth’s orbit is shaped roughly like
a ball.
Ans: 1. True 2. False. The speed of
rotation at any point along the Equator
is approximately 1670 km per hour,
decreasing to zero at the poles.
3. True 4. False. The Earth’s orbit
is shaped roughly like an egg.
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. If a person works from dusk to dawn, what
part of the day from the following list will
they see? Why? sunrise, sunset, midday,
midnight
Ans: They will see only midnight. The
reason is that dusk is soon after sunset,
Dawn is just before sunrise. Midday is
between sunrise and sunset.
2. Which two factors are responsible for the
seasons?
Ans: The tilted axis of the Earth and the
different positions of the Earth during
its revolution around the Sun are
responsible for the seasons.
146
3. What would happen if the Earth’s axis were
straight and not tilted?
Ans: If the Earth’s axis were straight and
not tilted, there would be no seasons,
since every point on the Earth would
receive the same amount of light each
day of the year, and days and nights
would last 12 hours each.
4. What pattern do the seasons follow in the
Southern Hemisphere?
Ans: The pattern followed by seasons in
the Southern Hemisphere is, autumn
in March, winter in June, spring in
September and summer in December.
5. How can the phenomena of the Midnight
Sun and the Polar Night be explained?
Ans: As the Earth rotates on its tilted axis,
the angle of the pole pointed towards
the Sun prevents that polar region
from falling into shadow. As a result,
it experiences continuous daylight.
This is known as the Midnight Sun.
The other pole, meanwhile, stays in
shadow longer than the rest of the
planet and experiences the Polar
Night. At the North Pole and the
South Pole, the Midnight Sun and the
Polar Night last for six months each.
6. What is a leap year? How often does a leap
year occur? How do we know if a year is a
leap year or not?
Ans: The Earth takes 365¼ days to
complete one revolution around the
Sun. For our convenience, we take
only 365 days as a calendar year. The
6 hours (¼ day) left are added as one
more day (6 × 4 = 24 hours) to
February every fourth year. Such a
year has 366 days, and is called a leap
year. A leap year occurs every 4 years.
All leap years are divisible by four.
Centenary years are leap years only if
they are divisible by 400. Thus, the
year 1900 was not a leap year, though
it is divisible by 4.
 MAPS

● Introduction: Advantages and

disadvantages of a globe
Suggested number of sessions: 9
● What are maps? Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: Advantages and disadvantages of
● The components of a map a globe
● Title Session 2: What are maps? The components of a map, Title, Scale,
● Scale Verbal or statement scale, Representative Fraction (RF)
● Verbal or statement
Session 3: Linear scale, Direction, Do and learn, Lines of latitude
scale
and longitude, The key or legend, Conventional signs and symbols
● Representative fraction
(RF) Session 4: Colour or hue, Classification of maps, On the basis of
● Linear scale their scale, On the basis of their use: Physical map, Political map,
● Direction Thematic map, Cadastral map, A sketch and a plan, Developments
● Lines of latitude and in cartography
longitude Session 5:Instructions for Do and learn: Drawing a sketch, which
● The key or legend can be given as a home assignment, Instructions for I now know,
● Conventional signs and which can be given as a home assignment, Exercises
symbols
● Colour or hue Session 6: Exercises (Contd.),Case-based question, Instructions for
● Classification of maps Life skills and values, which can be given as a home assignment
● On the basis of their scale Session 7: Enrichment activities: Instructions for Write a
● On the basis of their use: navigation log, which can be given as a home
Physical map, Political assignment,Instructions for Create a map of your state, which
map, Thematic map, students can complete over sessions 7 and 8
Cadastral map
● A sketch and a plan Session 8: Enrichment activities: Create a map of your state
● Developments in cartography Session 9: Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● explain what a map is
● identify and explain the different components of a map
● classify the different types of maps
● compare globes and maps and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each
● apply using maps in real life
● create a map
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students apply their knowledge of how to
use Google maps to write down the step-by-step instructions.); Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students
need to have visual-spatial skills to use Google maps.); Digital literacy, Technology literacy (The
activity helps assess if students have the two kinds of literacy that are important in the technology-driven
world.)

147
Criteria for assessment: Technology literacy, Accuracy
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Advantage and disadvantages of a globe; when do we use maps
WHAT ARE MAPS?
Focus areas: Definition of a map; what maps are used for; what they are designed for; what is
cartography; the changes that have happened in the way maps are made; the main disadvantage of maps;
why maps contain errors of distortion; how the amount of distortion in a map is related to the area
covered by the map
Teaching guideline: Ask students to look at the image given for the topic and read the caption below it
to know what an atlas is.
THE COMPONENTS OF A MAP
Focus areas: Why maps have standard components or features; what those features are
Title
Focus areas: What the title of a map specifies; examples of map titles
Scale
Focus areas: What maps need in order to show distance between places accurately; what the scale of a
map is; example explaining how on the basis of a scale, the distance on the ground is reduced
proportionately on a map
Verbal or statement scale
Focus areas: How a verbal scale describes the scale of a map; an example of a verbal scale; what the
figure on the left of the scale shows and the number to which it is always reduced
Representative fraction (RF)
Focus areas: How a representative fraction represents the scale of a map; the other way to write it
Linear scale
Focus areas: What a linear scale is; what further graduations of the division on the extreme left of a linear
scale show; what purpose do the subdivisions serve; steps explaining the method to use a linear scale
Direction

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students use their visual-spatial skills to complete
the map work.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy
Focus areas: What the cardinal points and the inter-cardinal points are; what the North Line is

Lines of latitude and longitude

Focus areas: The set of lines of latitude and longitude that a map includes
The key or legend
Focus areas: How the key or the legend of a map helps us; what different features it explains
Conventional signs and symbols
Focus areas: What maps use to represent real life objects; how it has become possible for standard map
symbols to be used all over the world; an example of a standard symbol; what standard symbols are also

148
called; the different reasons for which symbols are used in maps

149
 Colour or hue
Focus areas: What different standardised colours represent in a map
CLASSIFICATION OF MAPS
Focus areas: What the two main categories for classifying maps are
On the basis of their scale
Focus areas: The two categories into which maps are classified on the basis of the scale of the map; how
the scale of a map and the area it covers are inversely related; the difference between the area covered by
large scale maps and small scale maps; the extent to which details can be shown in large scale and small
scale maps; examples to explain large scale and small scale maps
On the basis of their use
Focus areas: What physical maps, political maps, thematic maps and cadastral maps are
A SKETCH AND A PLAN

Do and learn: Drawing a sketch

NEP parameters covered: Communication (Students communicate the layout of their neighbourhood
in the form of a sketch.); Visual-Spatial intelligence, Art integration (Students visualise their
neighbourhood and present its layout in the form of a sketch.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Presentation
Focus areas: What the differences between a sketch and a plan are

DEVELOPMENTS IN CARTOGRAPHY
Focus areas: How mapping has developed over the past few decades; what digital maps are and how
they are made and accessed; some features of digital maps; how they work

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students compare digital maps and printed maps based on
their respective features. They think of situations where digital maps and printed maps will be most
useful.)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Write a navigational log
NEP parameters covered: Visual literacy, Visual-Spatial intelligence, Observation skills (Students
visualise the route they take from their house to the school based on their observations and draw the
sketch.); Communication (Students write a navigation log to explain their sketch.); Art integration (Art
is integrated as students are expected to depict a portion of their area / neighbourhood through an
accurate sketch.)
Criteria for assessment:
Create a map of your state
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the task.); Discovery-
based learning, Research skills (The activity facilitates self-learning. Students find out information
related to the theme they have chosen for the map.); Establishing local and regional connect (Students
create a thematic map of their own state.); General awareness (The activity promotes awareness among
150
students about the features of their state.); Visual literacy (Students use their visual skills to create
appropriate symbols to represent the data. They also use these skills to determine the scale of the map, mark
the required information on the map and provide a legend for the map.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Suitability of symbols created, Map skills
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Art integration (Students use their creative skills and artistic skills
to draw a plan and make a model of their dream house.); Decision-making, Initiative (The activity helps
assess the ability of students to take the initiative for determining the features that their dream house
should have. It also helps assess their decision-making skills.); Communication (Students explain the
design of their house to the class.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

MAPS
EXERCISES

I. 1. Cartography 2. political 3. atlas c. Verbal scale of a Linear scale

4. linear map of a map
II. 1. title 2. verbal / statement 3. Physical A verbal scale A linear scale is one
4. sketch describes the scale where the scale of
III. 1. c. In a map, the shapes and sizes of places of a map in words. the map is
get slightly distorted. 2. c. cadastral map For example, 1 cm represented by a
3. b. Key 4. b. 60 cm 5. d. West represents 100 km. straight line with
In this map scale, uniformly spaced
IV. a. Map Globe divisions.
the figure on the left
A map is a two- A globe is a shows the distance
dimensional spherical scale
on the map, and it is
representation of the model of the
always reduced to 1.
whole Earth or a part Earth.
d. Physical map Political map
of it drawn to scale,
Physical maps show Political maps
on a flat surface.
natural features like show cultural
b. Small scale maps Large scale maps features like
mountains, plateaus,
A small scale map A large scale map hills, plains, rivers, countries and
covers a large area, covers a small lakes, seas and states, districts,
but shows fewer area in greater oceans. They are cities, towns and
details. detail. villages.
also known as relief
If a map has a small If a map has a maps.
scale of 1: 5,000,000, large scale of
e. Sketch Plan
it means that 1 unit 1:1000, it means
● A sketch is a ● A plan is a
on the map that 1 unit on the
rough freehand detailed and
represents 5,000,000 map represents
map drawn on accurate
units on the ground. 1000 units on the drawing of a
Example: A world map ground. the basis of
observation. It very small area
in an atlas Example: A city on a large scale.
map represents the
main features of
an area, or a
151 specific place.
 VI. 1. Maps Globes
● It is a drawing ● Plans are Advantages When we need A globe can
that is not drawn always drawn detailed be used to
to scale. to scale. information study the
● Sketches ● Plans give a lot about places, we
Earth as
usually serve to of information use maps. They
are designed to a whole.
quickly record about a specific There is no
ideas for later area, such as help people
understand and distortion
use. minute details or error in
about the navigate their
surroundings, the shape
interiors of
whether it is a and sizes of
buildings. countries
city, a country,
a continent, or and
V. 1. A map can be defined as a two- even the entire continents
dimensional representation of the whole world. Maps can and in the
of the Earth or a part of it, drawn to scale, be carried from distance
on a flat surface. Maps are used to visually one place to between
represent and convey spatial information another. places.
about a specific area or region. They are
designed to help people understand and
navigate their surroundings, whether it is a Dis- In most maps, Globes
city, a country, a continent, or even the advantages there is some cannot be
entire globe. distortion or carried
2. Different elements of a map are title, scale, error in the shape easily from
direction, lines of latitude and longitude, and sizes of place to
and a key or legend. place. They
countries and
3. The title helps specify the purpose or theme cannot
continents, and
of the map, and the area being covered by provide
distances specific
the map. For example, India— Political, between places.
World—Physical, Chennai—Road Map. details
These errors about a
4. The four principal directions
creep in because country,
— north, east, south and west
we are trying to city, district
— are the cardinal points.
5. We use thematic maps to get flatten a three- or village.
specific information about a place, like dimensional For that, we
distribution of rainfall, population, figure on to a flat would need
industries, crops, temperature, vegetation, surface. The a very big
roadways and railway networks. larger the area globe.
6. We would use a map of our city or covered by a
neighbourhood to find out where our map, the greater
school is located. Maps are available for is the distortion.
smaller areas like a city or a neighbourhood.
2. The scale of a map is defined as the ratio
We would not use a globe as it cannot
between the distance on the map and the
provide specific details about a small place
corresponding distance on the ground. For
on the Earth. It is used to study the Earth as
instance, if the market is at a distance of
a whole.
5 km from your house and you reduce it to
7. The scale would be 1: 5,00, 00,000.
5 cm on a map, it means 5 cm distance on
the map represents 5 km on the ground,

152
 or 1 cm represents 1 km on the ground. The key or the legend of a map helps us to
The scale of a map can be represented in interpret and understand the information
different ways. contained in it. The key explains the
Verbal or statement scale: A verbal scale conventional signs, symbols, patterns and
describes the scale in words. For example, colours used in the map.
1 cm represents 100 km. In this map
scale, the figure on the left shows the CASE-BASED QUESTION
distance on the map, and it is always 1. A digital map is an electronic map in which a
reduced to 1. variety of cartographic information is
Representative fraction (RF): A processed electronically and the output is
representative fraction represents the scale displayed on an electronic screen, such as that
of a map in terms of a fraction or a ratio of a computer, tablet or a smartphone.
between the distance on the map and the 2. Digital maps Printed maps
actual distance on the ground. ● They are electronic ● They are maps
We can also write it as: maps that can be made on paper.
Distance on the map used on devices ● Printed maps can
Actual distance on the ground such as a computer, be carried along
For example, if 1 cm on the map represents tablet or a and referred to
1 km (equal to 1,00,000 cm) on the ground, smartphone. wherever
we say the RF of the map is: ● Digital maps can necessary.
1 be accessed at the ● They are not
or 1 : 1,00,000
1,00,000 touch of a button. scalable. Their
Linear scale: A linear scale is one where the ● They are freely scale is fixed
scale of the map is represented by a scalable and can be and cannot be
straight line with uniformly spaced converted from a increased or
divisions. The division on the extreme left country-level small decreased.
of the scale is further graduated to show scale map to a ● When a printed
the sub-divisions of the main unit of street-level large map is updated,
measure. These subdivisions help us scale map, just by its older version
measure lengths that are smaller than the zooming in or out. becomes
main unit of measure. ● They can be outdated.
3. Symbols are pictures used to represent updated easily. ● Printed maps are
real-life objects in a map. Some standard ● They are not interactive.
symbols are accepted by international interactive.
agreement and used all over the world,
such as the use of a cross to represent a
hospital. These are called conventional 3. Suggested answer: I would use a digital map
symbols. Symbols are used in maps for travelling within a city, district, state or
● to convey information easily and quickly country where Internet connectivity is
● to help save space in maps and available. I would use a printed map in places
● to allow people who cannot read to where there is poor connectivity and where it
understand and interpret the map. is difficult to access power supply to charge
electronic devices.

153
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
MAPS
I. Match. 3. How do you use a linear scale? Explain
Colours What they indicate in a map with an example.
1. Green a. Cultural features Ans: Suppose we need to know the distance
2. Blue b. Mountains between two places A and B as shown
3. Red c. Deserts in the image and on the linear scale of
1 cm represents 10 km. We can use
4. Yellow d. Plains
the scale in the following manner.
5. Brown e. Water bodies ● Take a piece of string, fix one end
Ans: 1. Green d. Plains of it at A and carefully measure the
2. Blue e. Water bodies distance between A and B.
3. Red a. Cultural features ● Mark the point on
4. Yellow c. Deserts the string which
5. Brown b. Mountains coincides with place
B.
II. Fill in the blanks. ● Remove the string
1. Maps show the lines of and place it along the linear scale.
and within which the If A to B on the map covers 5 divisions
area being mapped is located. of the linear scale, the actual distance
2. Maps are used to visually represent and on the ground between the two places
convey information is 50 km, since 1 cm on the scale
about a specific area or region. represents 10 km on the ground.
3. In order to make them
4. What are the inter-cardinal points?
and easy to understand, maps have certain
standard features. Ans: The inter-cardinal points are north-
east, north-west, south-east and
4. The larger the scale of a map, the
south-west.
the area it will cover.
5. What is the North line?
Ans: 1. latitude, longitude 2. spatial
3. user-friendly 4. smaller Ans: Most maps have a line or an arrow
with ‘N’ marked on it, indicating
III. Answer the following questions.
north. This is called the North Line.
1. How did cartographers make maps in the
6. How are maps classified?
past? How do they make them now?
Ans: Maps are classified on the basis of (a)
Ans: In the past, cartographers made maps
the scale of the map (b) the content of
manually with pen and paper. Today,
the maps and the purpose they serve.
they make them using computers.
7. How are maps classified on the basis of
2. How do maps show the distance between
scale of the map?
places accurately?
Ans: Maps are classified, on the basis of
Ans: One of the main purposes of a map is
the scale of the map, as large scale or
to show the distance between places
small scale maps.
accurately. To ensure that this is done
effectively, the distance on the 8. What are cadastral maps?
ground is graphically reduced on the Ans: Cadastral maps are village or local
basis of a scale. level maps that show property

154
 boundaries. They are used to measure
land and to prove ownership of land.
9. What are the latest developments in
cartography?
Ans: Modern mapping has come a long
way over the past few decades.
Today, we largely use digital maps.
These are maps stored in a digital
format accessible on a computer,
rather than on paper, and are made
with map-making software. Many
digital maps are interactive and show
information in real time. They use
information provided by satellites
which take images of the Earth from
space, using remote sensing devices.

THE FOUR REALMS OF THE EARTH

● Introduction: What the

subsystems of the Earth’s
Suggested number of sessions: 8
system are known as; the Session 1: Lead in
names of the four realms
of the Earth Session 2: Introduction: What the subsystems of the Earth’s system are
known as; the names of the four realms of the Earth, Lithosphere,
● Lithosphere
Instructions for Do and learn, which is to be given as a home
● The continents
assignment, The continents, Do and learn
● Asia, Africa,
North America, Session 3: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe,
South America, Australia, Do and learn: Reading a map, The hydrosphere
Europe, Australia,
Antarctica Session 3: I now know, Exercises,Case-based questions, Instructions
● The hydrosphere for Enrichment activities: Share your views and Start a podcast, which
● The water cycle are to be given partly as home assignment, and partly to be done in
class
● The oceans of the
world Session 4: The water cycle, The oceans of the world, The Pacific Ocean,
● The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Southern
the Atlantic Ocean, Ocean, Waves, tides and currents, Atmosphere, Composition of the
the Indian Ocean, atmosphere
the Arctic Ocean,
the Southern Ocean Session 5: Atmospheric pressure and wind, Structure of the atmosphere,
● Waves, tides and Biosphere, Maintaining the ecological balance, Instructions for Do and
currents learn, for which students can prepare for two or three days and have the
● Atmosphere discussion in session 8, Instructions for I now know, which is to be
● Composition of the given as a home assignment, Exercises
atmosphere
Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question, Instructions for
● Atmospheric pressure
Enrichment activities: Report writing, Make an Earth Day card and
and wind
Learn to recycle, which can be given as a home assignment, (Students
● Structure of the
can submit their work over the next two sessions.)
atmosphere
● Biosphere Session 7: Worksheet, Submission of work done for Enrichment activities
● Maintaining the Session 8: Do and learn (Discussion on ways in which they can help
ecological balance reverse global warming), Submission of work done for Enrichment
activities

155
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● identify and describe the four main realms of the Earth
● analyse the interrelationship between the realms
● identify ways in which changes in one sphere can bring about changes in other spheres and even
lead to changes in the dynamic equilibrium of the entire Earth system
● demonstrate ways to protect the four realms of the Earth
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students
imagine the situation given and determine the best ways to describe the Earth to people who have no idea
of what it is. They employ their verbal-linguistic skills to give an accurate description.); Bodily-
Kinesthetic intelligence (Students are expected to act out the scenes they describe.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The subsystems, domains or realms of the Earth’s system; what the four realms of the Earth are
LITHOSPHERE
Focus areas: What the lithosphere is; what it consists of; the layers of the Earth that are part of the

Do and learn: Building a terrarium

NEP parameters: Experiential learning, Evidence-based thinking (Students get to witness the
interaction between the four realms of the Earth by making and observing a terrarium.); Naturalistic
Intelligence (Students display the ability to create a self-sustaining miniature ecosystem.)
Criteria of assessment: Observation skills, Analytical skills
lithosphere; the characteristic features of the lithosphere; what the lithosphere includes

The continents
Focus areas: What continents are; the names of the seven continents; how continents are distributed

Do and learn:
NEP parameters: Visual-Spatial intelligence, Communication (Students use their visual-spatial skills to
read the map and answer the questions.)
Criteria of assessment: Accuracy
between the Northern and Southern hemispheres

Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Antarctica

Focus areas: How the continents rank in terms of their size; the location, boundaries and unique
features of the continents

156
Do and learn: Reading a map
NEP parameters: Visual literacy, Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students use their visual-spatial skills
to mark the specified marine and air routes and ports on the world map.); Discovery-based learning
(Self-learning is involved as students study the location of the cities and mark the marine and air
routes between those cities by themselves.)
Criteria of assessment: Visual-spatial skills

157
 THE HYDROSPHERE
Focus areas: What the hydrosphere is; the states in which water is found on the Earth; the portion of the
Earth’s surface that is covered by water and land, in terms of percentage; why fresh water is a critical
resource; how fresh water comes to the Earth’s surface; what surface water and groundwater are
The water cycle
Focus areas: What the water cycle is; the three processes that it involves; how those processes occur

Do and learn:
NEP parameters: Critical thinking (Students apply their understanding of the three processes of the
water cycle to complete the task.); Observation, Communication (Students study the picture of the
water cycle carefully, to answer the questions.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy
over and over again in nature

The oceans of the world

Focus areas: Why oceans are important; the five main oceans of the world
The Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Southern
Ocean Focus areas: How the oceans rank in terms of their size; their location and their lowest points;
other unique features
Waves, tides and currents
Focus areas: What waves, tides and currents are and how they are caused
ATMOSPHERE
Focus areas: What the atmosphere is; what its importance is for life on Earth
Composition of the atmosphere
Focus areas: How the Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of different gases; the percentage of different
gases in the atmosphere; what the atmosphere contains, besides these gases
Atmospheric pressure and wind
Focus areas: What the term ‘atmospheric pressure’ means; how atmospheric pressure varies with
altitude; how pressure determines the movement of air; what ‘wind’ is
Structure of the atmosphere
Focus areas: The five main layers of the atmosphere; the basis on which the atmosphere is divided into
those layers; important features of the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere;
what the ozone layer and the ionosphere are
Biosphere
Focus areas: What the biosphere is; what a biome is; what the five major types of biomes are
Maintaining the ecological balance
Focus areas: What biomes are made up of; what an ecosystem is; the interdependence and
interconnectedness of elements within an ecosystem; what the term ‘ecological balance’ means; why it
is important not to disturb even one element in an ecosystem; what human activities have done to
destroy the ecological balance and how they have affected the temperature of the Earth

158
Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Problem-solving, Communication (Students give practical suggestions for
protecting the environment and to help reverse global warming.); Discovery-based learning (Students

159
find out which of the human activities are responsible for global warming and how global warming
impacts the environment.); Respect for environment (Students need to imbibe the value of respecting the
environment
I NOW KNOW: in order to givestudents
Encourage suggestions to save
to make it from further
the Foldable destruction.)
by following the instructions given. The task
Criteria of assessment:
helps them Problem-solving
revise the topics skills
covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS
NEP parameters covered: Sustainable living, SDG 15: Life on land (Students infer that human life is
directly and indirectly connected to each element of the environment and practising sustainable living is
the only way forward to ensure that the Earth remains a living planet.); Environmental awareness (The
passage aims to reinforce the fact that there is interconnectedness between all elements of our
environment and to disturb one element is to cause the destruction of the entire environment.); Respect
for environment (The information given aims to inculcate this value among students.); Ecology (This
subject is integrated as the passage gives insights into the relationships between living organisms and
their environment.)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Report writing
NEP parameters: Creativity, Communication (Students use their creative skills and imagination to write
the report.); Discovery-based learning (Students research about the kinds of the experiments that
scientists carry out in Antarctica and include some details about them in their report.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Creative skills, Communication skills
Make an Earth Day card
NEP parameters: Discovery-based learning (Students research about the significance of the Earth Day.
They include a message in their card that brings out this significance.); Global awareness (The activity
aims to make students aware of the idea behind celebrating Earth Day.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Communication skills
Learn to recycle
NEP parameters: Environmental awareness, Respect for environment, SDG 15: Life on land,
Sustainable living (Students exhibit an understanding of how sustainable practices will help save the
environment and ensure our survival on Earth. They identify recycling as a sustainable practice. The
activity aims to bring out their respect for the environment.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

THE FOUR REALMS OF THE EARTH

EXERCISES
I. 1. Mediterranean Sea 2. Isthmus of Panama II. 1. d. It includes the plants and animals found
3. Mariana Trench 4. Bering Strait on land. 2. b. Europe 3. b. ii, iv, iii
5. Stratosphere 6. Nitrogen 4. b. It would lead to a rise in the levels of the
ocean. 5. c. A is true but R is false.

160
III. 1. Australia is a continent which is surrounded
by oceans on all sides. So it is called an
island continent.
2. Antarctica is known as an ‘isolated
continent’ since its inhospitable climatic
conditions do not allow permanent
settlement in Antarctica.
3. Only 3% of water on the Earth is fresh
water. Of this, around 2% is locked away
in ice sheets and glaciers, and just 1% of
the water is available for use by humans
and other living beings. Fresh water is,
therefore, a critical resource on the Earth.
4. The places along the Atlantic Ocean have a
highly indented coastline. This means that
their coastline is uneven, with parts of it
worn away or cut away. This has helped the
formation of many natural ports and
harbours in places along the Atlantic Ocean.
5. Though only a minute amount of carbon
dioxide is present in the atmosphere, it is
responsible for keeping the planet warm.
It traps a portion of the heat received from
the Sun and prevents it from going back
into space. It thus acts like a blanket for the
Earth. This warmth is essential for the
germination of plant seeds and for the
survival of life on Earth.
IV. a. The hydrosphere is that part of the Earth
that is covered by water. b. The biosphere
can be defined as that realm of the Earth where
life exists. c. Condensation is the process by
which the water vapour in the atmosphere,
when cooled, changes to its original liquid
state. d. The troposphere is the layer that is
closest to the Earth, and the place where all
weather changes occur. e. The ozone layer is
a layer found in the stratosphere. It blocks the
harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun from
reaching the Earth. f. The force exerted by
air on the surface of the Earth is called air
pressure or atmospheric pressure. g. Global
warming refers to the steady increase in the
average temperature of the Earth.
V. 1. The lithosphere is the solid surface layer of
the Earth. It consists of all the landmasses
on the surface of the Earth. Names of
continents:
161
Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, South
America, Australia and Antarctica. The
following are the features of these continents:
Asia: ● It is the largest continent.
● It covers nearly one-third of the total
land area of the Earth. ● It is bounded by
the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Arctic
Ocean to the north and the Indian Ocean to
the south. ● It lies entirely in the Northern
and Eastern hemispheres. ● The Arctic
Circle, the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator
pass through Asia. ● Many mighty
mountain ranges cut across Asia, such as the
Himalayas, the Hindu Kush and the Tian
Shan.
● Some of the longest rivers of the world
such as the Yangtze, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra are found in Asia. (any two)
Africa: ● It is the second-largest continent
on the Earth. ● It is bounded by the
Atlantic Ocean on the west, the Indian
Ocean on the east and south, the
Mediterranean Sea on the north and the
Red Sea on the north-east. ● Africa is
separated from Asia by the Suez Canal,
which cuts through the Isthmus of Suez.
● The Strait of Gibraltar in the north-west
and the Mediterranean Sea in the
north separate Africa from Europe.
● The Tropic of Cancer, the Equator,
the Tropic of Capricorn and the Prime
Meridian pass through Africa. ● The
longest river of the world, the Nile, cuts
through Egypt in northern Africa and
empties into the Mediterranean Sea.
● The largest hot desert of the world, the
Sahara Desert, stretches across north Africa
from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea.
(any two)
North America: ● It is the third-largest
continent of the world. ● It is surrounded
by three oceans—the Arctic in the north, the
Atlantic in the east and the Pacific in the
west. ● The Isthmus of Panama links it to
South America. ● The Arctic Circle and
the Tropic of Cancer pass through the
continent. ● The Rocky Mountains run
across the length of this continent.
● The Mississippi and Missouri are the ● However, many countries, including
longest rivers found here. (any two) India, have their base camps and research
South America: ● South America is the stations here. (any two)
fourth-largest continent in the world.
2. Waves Currents Tides
● The Equator and the Tropic of
Capricorn pass through this continent. Waves are Currents are Tides are the
● South America has the Pacific Ocean on the rising the periodic rising
the west and the Atlantic Ocean on the east. and falling horizontal and falling of
● The Andes, the world’s longest mountain movements movements sea water,
range, is located in this continent. of surface of sea water caused by the
● The world’s largest river (and the second sea water caused by gravitational
longest after the Nile), the Amazon, drains caused by factors such forces of the
South America. (any two) the force of as wind and Moon and
Europe: ● Europe is the second-smallest the winds. the Earth’s the Sun
continent in the world. ● It lies to the movement. acting upon
west of Asia. ● The Ural Mountains form the rotating
the easternmost edge of Europe.
Earth.
● Europe is a peninsula with the Atlantic
Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the 3. The water cycle
Arctic Ocean surrounding it on three sides. refers to the
● The Prime Meridian and the Arctic interchange of
Circle pass through this continent. ● the forms of
The Alps is the highest mountain range water on this
found here. (any two) planet. It involves three different processes
Australia: ● Australia is the world’s —evaporation, condensation and
smallest continent. But it is also a country. precipitation.
● The continent of Australia ● Water is transferred from the Earth’s
includes neighbouring islands like those of surface to the atmosphere through
Tasmania and New Guinea. ● The oceans evaporation. It is the process by which
surround it on all sides making it an island. water, when heated, changes into gas.
● Australia is also called the Approximately 80% of all evaporation is
‘land down under’ as it is located in the from the oceans, and the remaining 20% is
Southern Hemisphere. from inland water and vegetation.
● The Tropic of Capricorn passes through ● Condensation is the process by which
the middle of this country. ● The Great the water vapour in the atmosphere, when
Barrier Reef off the eastern coast of cooled, changes to its original liquid state.
Queensland is the largest coral reef on the Condensed water may appear as clouds,
Earth. ● Koalas and kangaroos are found mist, fog, dew, and so on, depending on the
only in Australia. (any two) physical conditions of the atmosphere.
Antarctica: ● Antarctica is a huge ● When water droplets get too heavy to
continent located at the South Pole. The remain suspended in the air, they fall to the
South Pole lies almost at the centre of Earth as precipitation (such as rain, snow,
Antarctica. ● Since it is in the polar belt, hail and so on), and collect in water bodies
Antarctica is covered with ice caps or sink into the ground. This water gets
throughout the year. It is, therefore, known evaporated once more. Thus, the water
as the Icy Continent. ● It is also known cycle is a continuous process.
as an ‘isolated continent’ since the 4. Ninety percent of all air is found in the
inhospitable climatic conditions do not troposphere. People who climb very high
permit permanent settlement here. mountains go beyond the troposphere

162
 where only ten percent of all air is present.
So, they carry oxygen cylinders with them
to help them breathe properly.
5. The biosphere consists of biomes. A biome
is a large area characterised by its
vegetation, soil, climate and wildlife.
Biomes are made up of innumerable
ecosystems. An ecosystem is a community
of plants and animals interacting with each
other and the non-living environment
within a geographical area. Within an
ecosystem, all the elements are
interdependent. They interact with each
other continuously to maintain the delicate
balance in nature—this is known as
ecological balance. Each element in the
ecosystem, however small it may be, has a
vital role to play in maintaining this
ecological balance. Even if one element is
disturbed, the entire ecosystem can collapse.
6. Life would not be possible without the
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
The life forms of the biosphere need a
habitat whether on land or in water. Most
living things, including plants, need air to
breathe. This means that the things that
living organisms need for their survival are
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE FOUR REALMS OF THE EARTH
I. Match the following. (1)
Oceans Their lowest points
1. The Pacific a. The South
Ocean Sandwich Trench
2. The Indian b. The Molloy Deep
Ocean
3. The Antarctic c. The Challenger
Ocean Deep in the
Mariana Trench
4. The Arctic Ocean d. The Java Trench
5. The Atlantic e. The Milwaukee
Ocean Deep in the
Puerto Rico
Trench
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provided by the lithosphere, atmosphere and
the hydrosphere individually and together.
So it is impossible for life (biosphere) to
exist on Earth without the lithosphere,
hydrosphere and atmosphere.
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS
1. Mao Zedong started the Great Sparrow
Campaign to eliminate sparrows because he
felt that sparrows were parasites that ate a lot
of food grains and crops, ruining the farmers’
hard work. The Campaign entailed killing of
sparrows on a large scale.
2. The result of this campaign was that the actual
pests that the sparrows fed on were now free to
feed on the crops. The decline of sparrows
eventually led to crop destruction by locusts,
and consequently, the death of 45 million
people from starvation and drought.
3. The incident is an example of the fact that each
element in the ecosystem, however small it
may be, has a vital role to play in maintaining
the ecological balance and even if one element
is disturbed the entire ecosystem can collapse.
The lesson we learn from this is that in our
effort to fulfill our needs and wants we should
not destroy the delicate ecological balance.
Ans: 1. The Pacific Ocean—c. The
Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench
2. The
Indian Ocean—d. The Java Trench
3. The Antarctic Ocean—a. South
Sandwich Trench 4. The Arctic Ocean
—
b. The Molloy Deep 5. The Atlantic
Ocean—e. The Milwaukee Deep in the
Puerto Rico Trench
II. Match the following. (2)
Trenches/ Deeps Their depths
1. The Challenger Deep in a. 7,450 m
the Mariana Trench
2. The Milwaukee Deep in b. 10, 935 m
the Puerto Rico Trench

Trenches/ Deeps Their depths
3. The Java Trench c. 8,380 m
4. The Molloy Deep d. 7,432 m
5. The South Sandwich e. 5, 550 m
Trench
Ans: 1. The Challenger Deep in the
Mariana Trench b. 10, 935 m
2. The Milwaukee Deep in the Puerto
Rico Trench c. 8,380 m 3. The
Java Trench a. 7,450 m
4. The Molloy Deep e. 5,550
m 5. The South Sandwich
Trench d. 7,432 m
III. Fill in the blanks.
1. Water covers % of the Earth’s surface.
2. Land covers % of the Earth’s surface.
3. Around % of the Earth’s water is
found in the oceans and is salty.
4. The word atmosphere is derived from the
Greek word which means
5. The electrically charged layer of the
atmosphere is called the .
Ans: 1. 71 2. 29 3. 97
4. ‘atmos’, vapour 5. ionosphere
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. Describe the lithosphere.
Ans: The Earth consists of three layers.
The outermost layer is the crust, the
middle layer is the mantle and the
innermost layer is the core. The
lithosphere includes the rigid crust
and the brittle upper portion of the
mantle. The lithosphere is not the
same everywhere—it is very uneven
and
includes high mountains, vast plains and
deep valleys. It includes the continents
and the oceanic basins.
2. Name the five main oceans of the Earth.
Why are oceans important?
Ans: The five main oceans of the Earth are
the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean,
the Indian Ocean, the Arctic Ocean
and the Southern Ocean. Oceans form
a major part of the hydrosphere.
They support marine life. All the
oceans are interconnected. So, they
help international trade by providing
natural marine routes.
3. Describe the oceans of the world in terms
of their size and location.
Ans: The Pacific Ocean: It is the largest and
the deepest of the five oceans. It is
located between the Southern Ocean,
Asia, Australia, and North and South
America.
The Atlantic Ocean: It is the second-
largest of the world’s five oceans. It
lies between Africa, Europe, the
Southern Ocean, and the Western
Hemisphere.
The Indian Ocean: It is the third
largest of the world’s five oceans. It is
triangular in shape and is located
between Africa, the Southern Ocean,
Asia and Australia. The Arctic Ocean:
It is the smallest of the world’s five
. oceans. It lies well within the Arctic
Circle around the North Pole. In the
south, it is bounded by North America
and Eurasia.
Southern Ocean or the Antarctic
Ocean: It lies between 60° S latitude
and Antarctica.
4. What are continents? How many continents
are there in the world?
Ans: Continents are large, distinct
landmasses separated by vast water
bodies (oceans and seas). There are
seven major continents in the world.
5. Name the forms of water that the
hydrosphere includes.
Ans: The forms of water included in the
hydrosphere: ice (solid), water (liquid)
and water vapour (gas)
6. Where and in what forms is water found on
Earth?
Ans: Water is found as ice sheets in
glaciers. It is found as flowing water
in oceans, rivers, lakes, ponds and
underground streams. It is also found
as water vapour in the atmosphere.
7. Where is fresh water that comes down as
precipitation found on the Earth’s surface?
164
 Ans: Fresh water that comes down as temperature and pressure.
precipitation from the atmosphere to 13. Compare the extent of the mesosphere,
the Earth’s surface flows as rivers thermosphere and exosphere.
and streams along it, and is found as Ans:
groundwater beneath it.
8. What are the three ways in which the Mesosphere Thermosphere Exosphere
Earth’s atmosphere helps us live on It extends The The exosphere
the Earth? from about thermosphere extends up to
Ans: The atmosphere provides us with the 50 to 80 extends from 10,000
life-giving gas, oxygen. It keeps the kilometers around 80 to kilometers
Earth warm. It also protects us from above the 700 above the
the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Earth’s kilometers Earth’s
Sun. surface. above the surface and, at
Earth’s its top,
9. Describe the composition of the Earth’s
surface. merges with
atmosphere.
the outer
Ans: The Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture space.
of several gases. The atmosphere
14. How have human activities affected the
contains around 78% nitrogen, 21% four realms of the Earth?
oxygen and 1% of other gases like carbon
Ans: In recent times, human activities
dioxide, argon and helium. Thus, nitrogen
have led to the degradation of the
and oxygen make up nearly 99% of clean
four realms, resulting in widespread
and dry air. The atmosphere also contains
ecological imbalance. Human
water vapour and dust particles.
activities have also led to global
10. ‘The more the water vapour in the air, the warming.
more humid the place will be.’ What is this
statement an example of? V. Name them
Ans: This statement is an example of the 1. The four major realms of the Earth
fact that the composition of the 2. A huge continuous landmass formed by
atmosphere influences the climate of the joining of the continents of Asia and
a place. Europe
11. What do you know about atmospheric 3. The natural features that separate Asia
pressure? from Europe on the west
Ans: Atmospheric pressure varies from 4. The Indian research stations in
place to place and over time. It Antarctica
decreases with an increase in altitude. 5. The three major movements of the ocean
Air always moves from a region of waters
high pressure to a region of low 6. The narrow strip of water that connects
pressure. the Arctic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean
12. What are the main layers of the 7. The process of heat getting trapped by the
atmosphere? On what basis is the atmosphere
atmosphere divided into these layers? 8. The layer in which ninety percent of all air
Ans: The five main layers of the is found
atmosphere are the troposphere, 9. The layer of the atmosphere where most
stratosphere, mesosphere, meteors burn up
thermosphere and exosphere. The
10. The layer of the atmosphere that
atmosphere is divided into these
overlaps the mesosphere and
layers based on composition,
thermosphere

165
 11. The layer of the atmosphere in which Maitri 5. Waves, tides and
satellites orbit the Earth currents 6. The Bering
12. The major types of biomes Strait
Ans: 1. The lithosphere, the hydrosphere, 7. The greenhouse effect 8. The
the atmosphere, the biosphere troposphere 9. The mesosphere
2. Eurasia 3. The Ural Mountains 10. Ionosphere 11. Exosphere
and the Caspian Sea 4. Bharati, 12. Aquatic, grassland, forest, desert
and tundra

MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH

● Introduction: The
Suggested number of sessions: 8
uneven nature of the
lithosphere; what Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The uneven nature of the lithosphere;
landforms are what landforms are, Forces that change the Earth’s surface, Internal forces
● Forces that change Session 2: External forces, Different types of landforms, Mountains,
the Earth’s surface
Fold mountains, Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given as a
● Internal forces home assignment, Block mountains
● External forces
● Different types of Session 3: Volcanic mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Landforms and
landforms people, Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home
● Mountains assignment, Exercises
● Fold mountains Session 4: Exercises (Contd.), Enrichment activities: Instructions for Group
● Block project, which students can complete over three or four days and present their
mountains findings in session 8
● Volcanic Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Life skills and values
mountains
● Plateaus Session 6: Enrichment activities: Group discussion
● Plains Session 7: Worksheet
● Landforms and people
Session 8: Enrichment activities: Group project
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● describe the forces that lead to the formation of landforms
● differentiate between internal and external forces of change
● identify, define and classify the different kinds of landforms and explain how they are formed
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in Smart Chapter
Lead in
Answers: ● A valley ● A mountain ● A plain
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students solve the riddles and also try to
create similar riddles. They share their answers and new riddles with the class.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Creative skills

166
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The uneven nature of the lithosphere; what landforms are;
FORCES THAT CHANGE THE EARTH’S SURFACE
Focus areas: The two types of forces—internal forces and external forces—that cause changes to the
surface of the Earth and the landforms on it
Internal forces
Focus areas: What internal/tectonic forces are; what tectonic plates are and what causes them to move;
what plate tectonics is; the different ways in which tectonic plates move; the kind of landforms that
plate tectonics create; why these landforms take millions of years to form; how internal forces bring
about massive changes; what internal forces are also known as
Teaching guidelines: Use the diagram given for the topic to explain the concept of plate tectonics.
External forces
Focus areas: What external forces are; what these forces are also known as; how they change the
Earth’s surface; what the agents of gradation are and how they change the surface of the Earth through
the processes of weathering, erosion and deposition; examples of these processes
Encourage students to scan the page with the AR icon to know more about the external forces.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF LANDFORMS
Focus areas: The basis on which geographers classify major landforms; the three major types of landforms
Teaching guidelines: Use the image given for the topic to describe the difference in elevation between
mountains, plateaus and plains.
Mountains
Focus areas: What mountains are; what kind of features they have; where mountains are found; what a
mountain range is; why the higher reaches of the mountains are generally very cold; what hills and
valleys are; classification of mountains based on how they are formed
Fold Mountains
Focus areas: How fold mountains are formed; the difference between young and old fold mountains;
examples of young and old fold mountains

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Experiential learning (Students reinforce their understanding of how fold
mountains are formed by doing the activity.)
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the diagram ‘Formation of fold mountains’.

Block Mountains
Focus areas: What ‘faults’ are; how horsts or block mountains and grabens or rift valleys are formed;
examples of rivers flowing through rift valleys
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the images given for the topic to understand what rift
valleys and block mountains look like.
Volcanic mountains
Focus areas: What volcanic mountains or volcanoes are; what is lava; how volcanic mountains are
formed; the difference in the way gently sloping volcanic mountains and cone-shaped volcanic
mountains are formed; examples of volcanic mountains

167
Teaching guidelines: Use the diagram ‘Structure of a volcano’ to explain the formation of a volcanic
mountain.
Plateaus
Focus areas: What a plateau is; what it is also known as; what an escarpment is; the fact that plateaus
cover a large part of the surface of the Earth; the largest and highest plateau in the world and its height;
the plateaus that are called the ‘roof of the world’; the significance of the Deccan Plateau;the continent
which is mostly made of plateaus; different types of plateaus—Intermontane plateaus, continental
plateaus and lava plateaus—their description and examples
Plains
Focus areas: What a plain is; what the average height of plains is; the kind of land that most of the plains
have; how alluvial tracts are formed; examples of plains
LANDFORMS AND PEOPLE
Focus areas: How landforms influence human lives; the ways in which mountains, plateaus and
plains are important to us; the fact that human beings have made their homes in every kind of terrain;
the reasons why humans have been able to settle down in the most challenging of terrains

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Group project
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to do the
activity.); Discovery-based learning, Establishing local and regional connect (Students research and
obtain information related to their state or UT.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation
Group discussion
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students work in groups to do the
activity.); Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students discuss their findings about the
changes happening in the Himalayan ecosystem and speak about how each of us can contribute in
saving the Himalayas.); Discovery-based learning (Students find out about the changes that are
happening in the Himalayan ecosystems.); SDGs 12, 13 and 15: Responsible consumption and
production, Climate action, Life on land (The suggestions students give are for achieving these
sustainable development goals.); Nishkam Karma, Respect for environment (Students give the
suggestions based on these values.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Communication skills
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students identify the lessons they can learn from the
information given the passage.); Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students have a
discussion in class based on the topic.)

168
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH
EXERCISES
I. 1. old fold mountains 2. faults
5. Mountains Plateaus
3. graben/rift valley 4. lava 5. volcanic
● A mountainis ● A plateau is a
II. 1. b. i, ii, iii 2. b. Plateaus are broad, flat a natural broad, flat,
lands rising sharply above the surrounding elevation of elevated area of
areas. 3. b. Water 4. b. block mountain the Earth’s land that rises
5. b. Both A and R are true and R is the surface rising sharply above the
correct explanation of A. high above its surrounding area.
III. 1. The three major types of landforms of the surroundings. It also called a
world: mountains, plateaus and plains. ● Mountains tableland.
2. The tectonic plates move very slowly, just a have narrow ● A plateau may
few centimetres in a year. So, we do not summits have one gently
feel their movement. (peaks), steep sloping side and
3. The tectonic plates are always moving. slopes and one steep side,
Sometimes, they move towards each other broad bases. which is called
or converge.
an escarpment.
Sometimes, they move away from each
other or diverge. Sometimes, the plates slide
by each other in a transverse movement. 6. Intermontane Continental
These strong movements of the plates build Plateaus Plateaus
up pressure along their boundaries. Intermontane Continental
This pressure causes earthquakes along plateaus are those plateaus are vast
plate boundaries. that are surrounded areas of tableland
4. The lava, ash and rocks that erupt through completely or that rise abruptly
vents settle in layers on the surface of the
partially by from the coast or
Earth. Over thousands of years, these layers
mountains. surrounding plains.
build up and volcanic mountains are
formed. Example—the Example —the
● If the magma is thin and flows easily, plateau of Tibet plateaus of Africa.
gently sloping mountains are formed,
IV. 1. The stiff and brittle lithosphere is broken up
such as Mauna Loa in Hawaii. However,
if the lava is thick and viscous, the into several pieces called tectonic plates.
mountains formed are cone-shaped with ● These plates float over the viscous
steeply sloping sides, for example, molten rock (called magma) which makes
Mount (Mt) Vesuvius in Italy, Mt up the lower mantle. Heat from the core of
Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa and Mt the Earth heats the magma in the mantle.
Fuji in Japan. The heated magma rises up in the mantle,
spreads, cools and then sinks again, to get
heated and rise once more. These rising and
sinking streams of magma push against the
tectonic plates, causing them to move. This
movement of the tectonic plates is called
plate tectonics.
Fold mountains are formed by the
upliftment and folding of landmasses due

169
 to lateral compression caused by tectonic
or internal forces. When two plates move
towards each other, the place where the
two plates meet or converge gets
compressed. The crust along the point of
convergence gets crumpled or folded.
Massive layers of the Earth’s crust get uplifted
as a result of these converging forces,
resulting in the formation of fold mountains.
2. External forces, or gradational forces, are
forces acting from above on the surface of
the Earth. ● They lead to slow and steady
changes, by wearing away and rebuilding
the Earth’s surface. They are also known as
exogenic forces or denudational forces, and
include all the agents of gradation like wind,
water and glaciers. ● The agents of
gradation physically change the Earth’s
surface through the processes of weathering
(breaking down rocks into smaller bits),
eroding (transporting the weathered
material) and depositing the weathered
material at other places. For example, rain,
wind and rivers erode the mountains and
highlands and deposit the eroded material
further down to form plains.
3. When two plates on the Earth’s crust
diverge or get pulled apart, fractures appear
on the Earth’s surface. These fractures are
called faults. ● When two faults are
formed alongside each other, large areas get
displaced vertically along the two fault
lines. The land between the fault lines either
subsides (falls) or gets uplifted (rises). The
uplifted part of the land is called a horst or
block mountain. They are different from
fold mountains in the way they are formed.
Fold mountains are formed by the
upliftment and folding of landmasses due
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. River flows through a rift
valley.
170
to lateral compression caused by tectonic
or internal forces. When two plates move
towards each other, the place where the
two plates meet or converge gets
compressed. The crust along the point of
convergence gets crumpled or folded.
Massive layers of the Earth’s crust get
uplifted as a result of these converging
forces, resulting in the formation of Fold
Mountains.
4. A broad area of relatively flat land is called
a plain. Generally plains are low-lying—
their average height is just around 200 m
above mean sea level. Plains are formed in
different ways. Most of them are levelled
alluvial tracts.
● Alluvial tracts are formed by the
deposits brought down by rivers and
their tributaries. Rivers bring down
eroded material,called alluvium, from
the mountains. Alluvium consists of
sand, silt, clay, and animal and plant
matter. These rich nutrients are
deposited on the plains leading to the
formation of highly fertile alluvial
tracts.
Plains, being fertile and largely flat, are the
main crop growing regions of the world.
They also provide better conditions for
living, as it is easier to develop
infrastructure, such as road and railway
networks, in the plains. People, therefore,
prefer to live in the plains.
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
Determination, Courage, Resilience. We can learn
that we should overcome the difficulties in our
lives in a brave and positive manner, by taking
inspiration from the people who have managed to
build a life for themselves in the most challenging
of terrains.
2. The and the
plateaus are called the
‘roof of the world ’.
 3. forces are also known as (just a few centimetres in a year),
endogenetic or endogenic forces these features can take millions of
4. A large part of the surface of the Earth is years to form.
made up of . 5. How are massive changes brought about on
5. The Tibetan Plateau is m the Earth’s surface?
above mean sea level. Ans: Sometimes, sudden and strong
6. The Plateau in India is one movements take place within the Earth,
of the oldest plateaus of the world. which bring about massive changes on
7. Most of the continent is the surface of the Earth. These changes
made up of plateaus. can be brought about by earthquakes,
volcanoes and landslides.
8. Geographers classify major landforms on
the basis of their and 6. Why can the higher reaches of mountains
. be cold?
9. Many have rivers flowing Ans: The higher reaches of mountains can
through them. be cold because temperature falls
with altitude.
10. Alluvial tracts are ideally suited for
. 7. What are hills and valleys?
Ans: 1. Narmada 2. Pamir, Tibetan Ans: Hills are highlands that are not as high
3. Internal 4. plateaus as mountains, and have gentler slopes.
5. 4,000–6,000 6. Deccan The lowland between hills or
7. African 8. elevation, slope mountains is called a valley.
9. valleys 10. cultivation 8. Distinguish between young and old fold
mountains by giving examples.
II. Answer the following questions.
1. What are landforms?
Ans: Landforms are natural features on the
Earth’s surface, such as mountains,
valleys, plains and plateaus.
2. What are the two types of forces which
cause changes to the surface of the Earth?
Ans: The surface of the Earth, and the
landforms on it, constantly undergo
changes due to the action of various
forces. These forces are of two types—
internal forces and external forces.
3. What are internal forces?
Ans: Internal forces, or tectonic forces, are
forces acting from within the Earth
that lead to sudden changes on the
face of the Earth.
4. What kind of changes does plate tectonics
bring about?
Ans: Plate tectonics is responsible for the
formation of features like mountains
and valleys on the surface of the
Earth. As the plates move very
slowly
Ans: Young fold Old fold

171
 mountains mountains
They are fold They are fold
mountains mountains that
that were were formed
formed in the millions of years
recent ago.
geological
past.
They have They are lowered
rugged relief greatly in height
and high sharp due to
peaks. continuous
erosion over
millions of years.
They have gently
rounded slopes.
Examples: The Examples: The
Himalayas, the Aravallis, the
Alps Urals, the
Appalachians

172
 9. What are volcanic mountains or volcanoes?
Ans: Sometimes, conical or dome-shaped
structures are formed as a result of
magma escaping to the surface of
the Earth through an opening called a
vent. These structures are called
volcanic mountains or volcanoes.
10. How are lava plateaus formed? Give an
example of a lava plateau.
Ans: Lava plateaus are formed when lava
flows out of fissures and spreads
thickly over extensive areas. The
Deccan Plateau is a lava plateau.
11. Mention the ways in which landforms
influence human lives.
Ans: Landforms influence human lives in
many ways. They influence the
climate of a place, the type of houses
people build, their occupations, the
clothes they wear, the availability of
water, and the crops they can grow.
12. Why are mountains important to us?
Ans: Most of the rivers in the world
originate in the mountains. Mountains
influence the climate of a place by
bringing rain and by acting as
barriers against both hot and cold
winds. So mountains are important to
us.
13. Why are plateaus important to us?
Ans: Most plateaus have rich deposits of
minerals such as iron ore, gold and
bauxite and fossil rocks such as coal.
Waterfalls found in plateaus are
important sources of hydro-electric
power.
14. How have humans settled down in the
most challenging of terrains?
Ans: Humans have settled down in the
most challenging of terrains by
modifying the land to suit their
needs, and also by adapting their
own lifestyle to suit the challenges of
the terrain.
III. Name them.
1. A chain of mountains
2. The three main types of mountains
3. A rift valley in Europe
4. Two block mountains in Europe that flank
the Rhine Valley
5. The largest and highest plateau in the world
6. Examples of plains
7. Rivers that flow through the valleys of the
Zanskar Mountain Range
8. A plateau in Africa
Ans: 1. A mountain range 2. Fold
mountains, block mountains, volcanic
mountains 3. The Rhine Valley
4. The Black Forest and Vosges
Mountains 5. The Tibetan Plateau
6. The Nile Basin in Egypt, the
Hwang Ho Basin in China, the Indo-
Gangetic Basin in India 7. Zanskar
and Indus
8. Waterberg Plateau

OUR COUNTRY—INDIA

● Introduction:
An overview of
Suggested number of sessions: 9
the geographical Session 1: Lead in
and cultural
diversity in Session 2: Introduction: An overview of the geographical and cultural diversity in
India India, Instructions for Do and learn: Appreciating our local literature, which
students can prepare for over three to four sessions and present in session 7;
● Location
Location, India’s neighbours
● India’s
neighbours Session 3: Political and administrative divisions, Do and learn

173
● Political and Session 4: Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home assignment,
administrative
Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for Digital presentation, which
divisions
students can do in session 6
Session 5: Exercises (Contd.) Enrichment activities: Speak out
Session 6: Enrichment activities: Digital presentation
Session 7: Do and learn: Appreciating our local literature
Session 8: Enrichment activities: Debate
Session 9: Worksheet

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● identify the location and extent of India
● name and locate the neighbouring countries of India on a map
● list the states and union territories of India and label them on a map
● critically evaluate the benefits of having a large population
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Visual-Spatial intelligence(Students use their visual-spatial skills to obtain the
required information from the map.); Establishing local and regional connect, Real-life connect
(The questions that students have to answer relate to the state or union territory they come from.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: India as the land of immense geographical and cultural variations; the aspects in which
diversity is observed in India—landscape, climatic conditions, flora and fauna, languages, traditional
clothing and food of the people; the underlying unity that binds India together despite the great
diversities; India’s area; India’s rank among the countries of the world in terms of size; India’s population
as of 2023; the fact that India is the largest democracy in the world; the percentage of the world’s

Do and learn: Appreciating our local literature

NEP parameters covered: Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students narrate a story and
also explain how it brings out some interesting features of the region of its origin.); Multilingualism
(Students choose stories written in the local language, for the activity.); Establishing local and regional
connect (The activity is based on stories written in the local language of the state or region.); Pride and
rootedness in India (Students get to listen to stories that are part of our rich literary heritage. The
activity aims to inculcate among students a sense of pride and rootedness in the country.)
Criteria for assessment: Communication skills, Depth of research

population that India has; the percentage of the world’s area that India occupies

LOCATION
Focus areas: Location of India in Asia; why India is a peninsula; the natural boundaries of India in the
four cardinal directions; the hemispheres in which India is located; the part of India through which the
Tropic of Cancer passes; the latitudinal and longitudinal extent of mainland India; the northernmost and
southernmost points of India and their latitudinal coordinates; the distance between these two points;
174
the states within which the easternmost and westernmost points of India lie; the longitudinal coordinates
of these points; the distance between these two points; the longitudinal width of India; the time lag
between the easternmost and westernmost parts of India; why India follows the time at its central
meridian; what the longitudinal coordinate of this meridian is; what the time at its central meridian is
known as; what the lengths of India’s coastline and India’s terrestrial border are
Teaching guideline: Use the map of Asia given in the chapter to explain the location of India in Asia. Use
the India/Bharat—Political map to explain the location of the easternmost, westernmost, northernmost
and southernmost points of India and to show India’s coastline and terrestrial borders.
INDIA’S NEIGHBOURS
Focus areas: The countries that share terrestrial borders with India; the countries that are our neighbours
across the sea
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to identify the neighbouring countries of India on the India/
Bharat—Political map given in the chapter. Ask them to name the directions in which these countries
lie, in relation to India.
POLITICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS
Focus areas: The period for which India was under British rule; the day on which India became
independent; why India was divided into states on the basis of language; the number of states and union
territories in India at present; the largest and the smallest states of India
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the table in the chapter that lists the states and union
territories of India along with their capitals. Ask them to locate the states and union territories and their

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Collaboration (Students work in groups and use their creative
skills to write the poem.); Language integration (Students use their language skills to write the poem.)
Criteria for assessment: Creativity skills, Language skills
capitals on the India/Bharat—Political map in the chapter.

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Speak out
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students use their logical reasoning skills to speak on the
given topic. They use their analytical skills to suggest steps to maintain unity in India.); Communication,
Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students speak on the topic in their own words.); Pride and rootedness in
India (The aim of the activity is to inculcate in students a sense of pride in the unity in diversity that is
prevalent in India.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills
Digital presentation
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information by
themselves.); Creativity (Students display their creative skills in making their presentation.); Digital
integration (Students are required to make a digital presentation about a neighbouring country.) Criteria
for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation

175
Debate
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students use their reasoning skills to participate in the
debate on the given topic.); Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students use their interpersonal
skills and work in teams in order to prepare for and participate in the debate.); Communication, Verbal-
Linguistic intelligence, Language integration (Students form their arguments for or against the topic
using their language skills.)
Criteria for assessment: Communication skills, Analytical skills

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

OUR COUNTRY—INDIA
EXERCISES
I. 1. 18 2. Kanniyakumari/Kanyakumari 2. The Earth takes 2 hours to rotate through
3. New Delhi 4. Rajasthan 5. Answers vary 30° of longitude. (It rotates through 15° of
longitude in one hour.) The sun rises in the
II. 1. False. India is the seventh largest country in
easternmost state of Arunachal Pradesh two
the world.
hours before it rises in the westernmost state
2. False. The Tropic of Cancer passes
of Gujarat because there is a longitudinal
through the centre of India.
difference of almost 30° between the two
3. True
states.
4. False. The Palk Strait lies between India
3. Peninsular India is surrounded by water
and Sri Lanka.
bodies on three sides. So, the climate of
5. False. There are 28 states and 8 union
most of peninsular India is neither too hot
territories in India.
nor too cold. It remains warm throughout
III. 1. d. Japan the year.
2. a. 37° 6’ N to 8°4’ N latitude; and 68° 7’E 4. A state is a smaller territorial division of
to India, having its own duly elected state
97° 25’ E longitude. government. A union territory is a part of
3. d. Arunachal Pradesh the country that is under the direct
4. d. The Maldives administration of the Union Government.
IV. 1. A peninsula is land that is surrounded by (Students can include any two states and
water on three sides. India is bounded by two union territories from the table given
the Arabian Sea in the west, the Indian here in their answer.)
Ocean in the south and the Bay of Bengal in
the east. It is, thus, a peninsula.
States Union territories
1. Andhra Pradesh 15. Manipur 1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Arunachal Pradesh 16. Meghalaya 2. Chandigarh
3. Assam 17. Mizoram 3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
4. Bihar 18. Nagaland 4. Lakshadweep
5. Chhattisgarh 19. Odisha 5. Puducherry
6. Goa 20. Punjab 6. National Capital Territory (Delhi)
7. Gujarat 21. Rajasthan 7. Jammu & Kashmir
8. Haryana 22. Sikkim 8. Ladakh
176
 States Union territories
9. Himachal Pradesh 23. Tamil Nadu
10. Jharkhand 24. Telangana
11. Karnataka 25. Tripura
12. Kerala 26. Uttar Pradesh
13. Madhya Pradesh 27. Uttarakhand
14. Maharashtra 28. West Bengal
5. India’s neighbours with whom India shares climatic conditions have given rise to a
land boundaries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, great variety in flora and fauna, food,
Bangladesh, Myanmar, China, Nepal and clothing, language and so on. This rich
Bhutan; India’s neighbours across the sea: cultural diversity gives India its unique
Sri Lanka and the Maldives identity in the world. People from all over
6. It is good that India is a land of great the world come to India to experience this
diversity. diversity. (Note: Please accept other correct
The diverse geographical features and answers.)

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

OUR COUNTRY—INDIA
I. Match the state/union territory with its capital. 5. Goa is the smallest state of India.
State/Union Territory Capital Ans: 1. False. India is the most populous
1. Karnataka a. Leh country in the world at present.
2. Madhya Pradesh b. Bengaluru 2. False. Seven countries share
terrestrial boundaries with India.
3. Jharkhand c. Shillong
3. False. India is separated from
4. Ladakh d. Ranchi Sri Lanka by the Palk Strait and
5. Meghalaya e. Bhopal the
Gulf of Mannar. 4. True 5. True
Ans: 1. Karnataka—b. Bengaluru
2. Madhya Pradesh—e. Bhopal III. Answer the following questions.
3. Jharkhand—d. Ranchi 1. What kind of diversity does India have?
4. Ladakh—a. Leh Ans: India/Bharat is a vast land with
5. Meghalaya—c. Shillong immense geographical and cultural
(Note: Similar Match the following questions variations. Towering mountains,
can be made to cover the rest of the states and extensive plains and plateaus, rivers,
union territories and their capitals.) deserts and long coastlines make up
II. State True or False. Correct the false the diverse landscape of this land. The
country also enjoys diverse climatic
statements.
conditions, and therefore, its flora
1. India is the second most populous country and fauna are also rich and varied.
in the world. Each region in India has its own
2. Six countries share terrestrial boundaries languages, traditional clothes and
with India. distinct food.
3. India is separated from the Maldives by the
2. Where do the easternmost and
Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar.
westernmost points of India lie? Give the
4. After independence, India was divided into
meridians of these places.
states on the basis of language.

177
 Ans: The easternmost point of India lies in of the total land area on the Earth’s
Arunachal Pradesh (97° 25’E). Its surface.
westernmost point lies in the Rann of 2. India’s population as of 2023 was
Kutchch in Gujarat (68° 7’ W). .
3. Why does India follow the time at its 3. India is the democracy in the
central meridian? What is the time on this world.
meridian referred to as? 4. India is located in the part of the
Ans: The longitudinal width of India is continent of Asia.
almost 30°. The time lag, or the 5. India has the to its north.
difference in time, between the
6. India is located in the and
easternmost and the westernmost parts
hemispheres.
of India is two hours. To avoid the
confusion of different times being 7. The northernmost point of India lies in the
followed in different parts of the .
country, India follows the time at the 8. The distance between the northernmost
central or standard meridian of India and the southernmost point of mainland
(82° 30’ E). The time on this meridian India is km.
is referred to as the Indian Standard 9. The distance between the easternmost
Time (IST). and the westernmost points of India is
4. Chandigarh is unique and different from km.
other capital cities of India. Explain 10. The maritime boundary of India is
why. km long.
Ans: Chandigarh is the capital of two 11. The length of India’s terrestrial border is
states, Punjab and Haryana. At the km.
same time, it is a union territory and Ans: 1. 3.28; 2.4 2. 1.426 billion
its own capital. This makes it unique 3. largest 4. southern
and different from other capital cities 5. Himalayas 6. Northern and
in India. Eastern 7. Pamir Knot 8. 3, 214
IV. Fill in the blanks 9. 2,933 10. 7,516 11. 15, 200
1. India is spread over an area of
million sq. km, which is only %

THE PHYSICAL DIVISIONS OF INDIA

● Introduction: The six major

Suggested number of sessions: 9
physical regions of India
● The Great Northern Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The six major physical regions of
Mountains India, The Great Northern Mountains
● The Trans- Session 2: The trans-Himalayan ranges, The Himalayan ranges:
Himalayan Ranges
Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik, The Northern Plains
● The Himalayan Ranges
● Himadri, Session 3: The Indus Basin, The Ganga Basin, The Brahmaputra
Himachal, Basin, Do and learn
Shiwalik

178
● The Northern Plains
Session 4: The Southern Plateau: Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats,
● The Indus Basin,
The Malwa Plateau, The Chhota Nagpur Plateau, The Deccan
The Ganga Basin,
Plateau, The Thar Desert, Instructions for bringing the materials
The Brahmaputra
Basin required for Do and learn, which students will be doing in session 5
● The Southern Plateau Session 5: The Coastal Plains, The Islands of India, Do and learn,
● Western Ghats, Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home
Eastern Ghats assignment
● The Malwa Plateau Session 6: Exercises, Instructions for Enrichment activities: Group
● The Chhota Nagpur project, which students can complete in session 8, Instructions for
Plateau
Diary entry, which can be given as a home assignment
● The Deccan Plateau
● The Thar Desert Session 7: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question
● The Coastal Plains Session 8: Enrichment activities: Group project
● The Islands of India
Session 9: Values, Worksheet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● identify and describe the main physical divisions of India
● locate them on a map of India
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students apply their knowledge of landforms to identify the
highland near their place as a hill, mountain or plateau.); Real-life connect, Communication (Students
say whether the landforms in the pictures are present in their state or UT.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The six major physical divisions that geographers divide India into
THE GREAT NORTHERN MOUNTAINS
Focus areas: The location of the Great Northern Mountains; what the term ‘range’ means; the two ranges
that the Northern Mountains consist of
The trans-Himalayan ranges
Focus areas: The place where the trans-Himalayan ranges originate; their location with respect to the
Himalayas; their average height; the trans-Himalayan ranges that lie in India; the location of the
Karakoram range; the name of the largest glacier in India that lies in this range; the name of the highest
peak of this range; the direction in which the Ladakh and Zanskar Ranges cut across Ladakh and Jammu
and Kashmir
The Himalayan ranges
Focus areas: The meaning of the Sanskrit word ‘Himalaya’; the number of ranges in the Himalayas; the
states that the Himalayan ranges extend between; their length from west to east; their breadth in the west
and in the east; the names of the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas
Instruct students to read the text in the Discover more box to learn about how the Himalayas were
formed and about the theory that the Himalayan region was originally a sea.

179
 Himadri, Himachal, Shiwalik
Focus areas: The other names that the three ranges are known by; their important features; their average
height; the important peaks and glaciers of the Himadri; the hill stations of the Himachal; the duns the
lie between the Shiwalik and the Himachal ranges; why the Shiwalik region is prone to earthquakes and
landslides; the part of the Himalayas that forms the Purvanchal; the six small ranges that the Purvanchal
consists of; the location and important features of the terai region
THE NORTHERN PLAINS
Focus areas: The location of the Northern Plains; the alluvial deposits that have built up the Plains; why
the Plains are ideal for agricultural activities; the extent of the Plains; the three major river systems
that drain the region; what a river system consists of; what the terms ‘tributary’ and the ‘distributary’
mean; what a drainage basin or a river basin is; the three major regions that the Northern Plains are
divided into
The Indus Basin, The Ganga Basin, The Brahmaputra Basin
Focus areas: The rivers and their tributaries that drain the Indus Basin, the Ganga Basin and the
Brahmaputra Basin; the sources of the main rivers—the Indus, the Ganga, the Brahmaputra— and the
states or union territories drained by these river systems; the rivers of India that form the world’s largest

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students compare living in the Himalayas with living in
the Northern Plains to bring out the most important differences in the way of life in the two places.);
Communication, English language integration, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students use their
language skills to discuss the topic.); Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students use their
interpersonal skills and work as a pair to complete the task.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills, Interpersonal skills

delta; the largest mangrove forest that lies in the delta

THE SOUTHERN PLATEAU

Focus areas: The shape, location, boundaries and important features of the Southern Plateau; the three
distinctive parts into which the plateau is divided
Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats
Focus areas: Comparison of the two Ghats in terms of their location, average height and other features
The Malwa Plateau
Focus areas: The location and important features of the Malwa Plateau; the rivers that rise in the Plateau
The Chhota Nagpur Plateau
Focus areas: The location and mineral wealth of the Chhota Nagpur Plateau; the plateaus that form the
Central Highlands
The Deccan Plateau
Focus areas: The shape, location and boundaries of the Deccan Plateau; the east-flowing and west-
flowing rivers that rise in the Western Ghats; the location of the Deccan Trap—the largest lava plateau in
the Deccan Plateau; when and how the Deccan Trap was formed; why the region is important for the
cultivation of cotton
THE THAR DESERT
Focus areas: The other name of this desert, its location, features and climate; why it gets very little
rainfall and why it is largely unsuitable for agriculture

180
Do and learn:
THE COASTAL
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work inPLAINS
groups to complete the task.); Art
integration, Creativity (Students use their creative and artistic
Focus areas: The location and features of the Eastern and Western skills Coastal
to draw Plains;
the mapimportant
of India and
ports in
recreate the
these plainsdifferent physical divisions on it.)
Criteria for assessment: Creativity, Accuracy
THE ISLANDS OF INDIA
Focus areas: The location of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep Islands; the
features of these islands; the importance of these islands to India

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCSISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the
HOTS questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the questions.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning, Problem-solving (Students apply their
knowledge of the causes of desertification and their reasoning and problem-solving skills to give
solutions for controlling desertification.); Sustainable living, Responsible consumption and production,
Climate action, Life on land (The suggestions students give are for meeting these goals.); Environmental
awareness, Respect for environment (Students give suggestions for controlling desertification based on
this value.)
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Diary entry
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students apply their knowledge of the
physical regions of India to write their diary entry.); Creativity, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, English
language integration (Students use their creativity and language skills to write an interesting diary
entry.)
Criteria for assessment: Creativity, Language skills
Group project
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students use their interpersonal
skills and work in groups to complete the project.); Establishing local and regional connect (Students do
the project on the physical features of their state or UT.)
Criteria for assessment:
VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Problem-solving, Decision-making (Students apply these skills to provide
suggestions for the issue to be resolved amicably.); Democratic values (The suggestions students give
are based on the values of equality, fairness and justice.)

181
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
THE PHYSICAL DIVISIONS OF INDIA
EXERCISES
I. 1. Shiwalik 2. Drainage Basin/River Basin
3. Delta 4. Dun 5. Atolls
II. 1. b. Karakoram 2. a. Major rivers like the
Ganga and the Brahmaputra have their source
III. 1. Inner Himalayas
● Also known as Greater Himalayas or the
Himadri
● Northernmost and the highest of the three
Himalayan ranges
● Covered with snow throughout the year
● Average height is about 6,100 m
● Has some of the highest peaks of the world;
Of these, Mt Everest, the highest peak in
the world, lies in the Nepal Himalayas,
Kanchenjunga lies on the India-Nepal
border and Nanda Devi lies in India.
● Several glaciers are found here, such as the
Gangotri (source of the Ganga), and the
Bara Shigri (source of the Chenab).
2. Tributary
A tributary is a stream or river that flows into
or joins a bigger stream or river.
3. Western Ghats
● They rise steeply from the western coastal
plain and form the western edge of the
Southern Plateau.
● They are a continuous range and include
the Sahyadri Range in the north and the
Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Cardamom Hills in
the south
● Their average height is 1,200 m.
● They gain height from north to south;
Anaimudi (2,695 m), the highest peak, is
found in the southern part of the Anaimalai
Hills.
182
here. 3. d. The black soil found in this region
is best suited to the cultivation of cotton.
4. b. Tributary 5. c. Fishing 6. a. Iron
and Steel products 7. b. Both A and R are
true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
Outer Himalayas
● Also known as Lower Himalayas or
the Shiwalik
● The outermost range of the Himalayas;
lies south of the Lesser Himalayas;
● Discontinuous ranges
● Youngest fold of the Himalayan ranges.
Made of unconsolidated (loose) deposits
and is, therefore, prone to earthquakes
and landslides.
● Average height is about 1,200 m.
● Between the Shiwalik and Himachal
ranges lie the duns–long, flat bottomed
valleys that run parallel to the mountain
ranges. Examples include Dehradun and
Paatlidun.
Distributary
A distributary is a branch of a river that flows
away from the main stream and does not rejoin
it.
Eastern Ghats
● They form the eastern edge of the
Southern Plateau.
● They are discontinuous and dissected by
many east-flowing rivers. They include
groups of hills such as Mahendragiri,
Malayagiri, Shevoroy Hills and Javadi
Hills
● Their average height is 900 m.
● They gain height from south to north; The
highest peak is Arma Konda
(1,690 m) in Andhra Pradesh.
 4. Western Coastal Plain Eastern Coastal Plain
● The coastal plain lying to the west of the ● The coastal plain lying to the east of the
Western Ghats is known as the Western Eastern Ghats is known as the Eastern
Coastal Plain. Coastal Plain.
● It is narrow and rocky. ● It is broad and sandy.
● Several important ports like Mumbai lie on ● Ports like Chennai and Kolkata lie on
the Western Coastal Plain. the Eastern Coastal Plain.

IV. 1. The Shiwalik range is likely to have more rocks is excellent for the cultivation of
people living in it. Its height is much less cotton. The Deccan Trap is thus one of the
than that of the Himadri and its mountains most important cotton-growing regions in
are not snow-clad. Between the mountains India.
of Shiwalik and Himachal ranges, there are 4. Both the Lakshadweep and the Andaman
flat bottomed valleys called duns which are and Nicobar Islands are of vital importance
suitable for agriculture and settlements. to India for trade, tourism and defence.
The Himadri range has very tall mountains
V. 1. The Himalayas consist of three great ranges
covered with snow throughout the year.
that run parallel to each other. In India, these
They are not ideal for agriculture or for
ranges extend from Jammu and Kashmir in
settlements.
the west to Arunachal Pradesh in the east,
2. Deltas are formed by the eroded material
covering about 2,400 km in length. They are
brought down and deposited by the rivers.
broader in the west (about 400 km) and
These rich alluvial deposits make the deltas
narrow down to the east (around
fertile.
150 km). The three parallel ranges of the
3. The black soil of the Deccan Trap that
Himalayas are the Himadri, the Himachal
was formed by the breaking down of
and the Shiwalik.
volcanic
Himadri Himachal Shiwalik
● Also known as Greater/ Inner ● Also known as ● Also known as the Lower/ the
Himalayas the Lesser/Middle Outer Himalayas.
● Northernmost and the highest Himalayas ● The outermost range of the
of the three ranges ● Situated to the Himalayas; lies south of the
● Covered with snow south of the Himachal; discontinuous
throughout the year Himadri ranges

● Average height is about ● Average height is ● Youngest fold of the

6,100 m above 3,700– Himalayan ranges; It is made
● Has some of the highest peaks 4,500 m. up of unconsolidated deposits
of the world. Of these, ● Many hill and is prone to earthquakes
Mt Everest, the highest peak stations like and landslides.
in the world, lies in the Nepal Shimla, Kullu, ● Average height is 1,200 m.
Himalayas, Kanchenjunga lies Manali, ● Between the Shiwalik and the
on the India-Nepal border and Mussoorie and Himachal ranges lie the duns
Nanda Devi lies in India. Darjeeling are —long, flat bottomed valleys
● Several glaciers are found located here. that run parallel to the
here, such as Gangotri (source mountain ranges. Examples
of the Ganga), and Bara Shigri include Dehradun and
(source of the Chenab). Paatlidun.

183
2. The Northern Plains are built up of rich
alluvial deposits. They have made the
Northern Plains extremely fertile and ideal
for agricultural activities. The Northern
Plains are drained by three major rivers
systems, the Ganga, the Indus and the
Brahmaputra. Therefore, abundant water is
available for agriculture and other needs.
The rivers provide waterways for transport.
The flatness of the terrain facilitates the
building of road and railway networks and
the setting up of industries. These
favourable conditions have ensured that the
Northern Plains are the most thickly
populated regions in India.
3. The Southern Plateau is divided into three
distinctive parts—the Malwa Plateau, the
Chhota Nagpur Plateau, and the Deccan
Plateau.
The Deccan Plateau is the largest of the
three parts of the Southern Plateau.
● It is a triangular plateau, located to the
south of the Vindhyas and Satpuras.
● It is flanked by the Western Ghats and
the Eastern Ghats. These Ghats are
connected by the Nilgiri Mountains in the
south. ● There are many east-flowing
rivers that emerge from the Western Ghats
and empty into the Bay of Bengal such as
the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and
Kaveri. There are just two major rivers that
flow towards the west—the Narmada and
Tapti, which flow through rift valleys and
meet the Arabian Sea. ● The north-
western part of the Deccan Plateau is one
of the largest lava plateaus in the world.
The Deccan Trap, as this region is called,
was formed over millions of years ago by
lava flows from volcanic eruptions. The
black soil that was formed by the breaking
down of these volcanic rocks is excellent for
the cultivation of cotton. The Deccan Trap is
one of the most important cotton-growing
regions in India.
184
4. The people living in the Thar Desert and the
Eastern Coastal Plain will not have similar
occupations. The Thar Desert is a dry region
lying in the rain shadow region of the
Aravalli Mountains. It receives very little
rainfall. It has a hot and dry summer and
very cold winters. The physical features and
climate of the Thar Desert make it
extremely difficult to practise agriculture
there. The main occupation here is herding
of animals like camels, sheep and goats.
On the other hand, the Eastern Coastal
Plain is made fertile by the many rivers that
flow eastwards into the Bay of Bengal.
This along with a favourable climate and
flatness of terrain makes the region
suitable for agriculture. Fishing is an
important occupation as the Eastern
Coastal Plain lies adjacent to the Bay of
Bengal. The presence of ports makes
international trade possible.
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS
1. Desertification is a form of land degradation by
which fertile land becomes desert.
Desertification can be caused by extreme
weather conditions such as drought. It is also
caused by human activities that pollute or
degrade the quality of soil. Excessive
cultivation of land, overgrazing, clearing of
forests and cutting down of trees and lastly,
migration of people from villages to cities in
search of better life have led to the degradation
of land.
2. Desertification leads to reduced food
production and can thus impact the availability
of food.
3. Yes. We can control desertification by changing
the way we live. We can avoid cutting down of
trees and overgrazing. We can also plant more
trees and avoid the use of plastics in order to
control desertification. (Note: Please accept
other correct answers.)
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
THE PHYSICAL DIVISIONS OF INDIA
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. The Great Northern Mountains stretch like
a wall across the of the
Indian subcontinent.
2. A is a continuous chain of
mountains.
3. The glacier is the largest
in India.
4. The word means ‘the
abode of snow’ in Sanskrit.
5. The major distributary of the Ganga is River
. cut across Ladakh and Jammu and
Ans: 1. north 2. range 3. Siachen
4. Himalaya 5. Hooghly
II. Name the following.
1. The six major physical divisions of India
2. The two main ranges of the Great Northern
Mountains
3. An area drained by a river system
4. The rivers that form the largest delta in the
world
5. The largest delta in the world
6. The world’s largest mangrove forest
Ans: 1. The Great Northern Mountains,
the Northern Plains, the Southern
Plateau, the Thar Desert or the Great
Indian Desert, the Coastal Plains and
the Islands 2. The Trans-
Himalayan Ranges, the Himalayan
Ranges
3. A drainage basin/ A river basin
4. The Ganga and the Brahmaputra
5. The Ganga Delta
6. The Sundarbans
III. Answer the following questions.
1. Write a short note on the Trans Himalayan
Ranges.
Ans. The Trans-Himalayan Ranges are a
series of towering mountain chains
that originate from the Pamir Knot.
These ranges lie to the north of the
Himalayas and have an average height
185
of 6,000 m. Of the various Trans-
Himalayan Ranges that radiate out of
the Pamir Knot, the ones that lie in
India are the Karakoram Range, the
Ladakh Range and the Zanskar Range.
The Karakoram is the northernmost
mountain range of India. The Siachen
Glacier, the largest glacier in India,
lies here. The highest peak of this
range is Mt K2 or Godwin-Austen
(8,611m).
The Ladakh and Zanskar Ranges
Kashmir from the north-west to the
south-east.
2. Which part of the Himalayas forms the
Purvanchal? What does the Purvanchal
consist of?
Ans: An eastward extension of the
Himalayas into the north-east of India
forms the Purvanchal. The
Purvanchal consists of six small
ranges. They are the Garo, Khasi and
Jaintia Hills, Patkai Bum, the Naga
Hills and the Mizo Hills.
3. What is the terai?
Ans: The terai is a lowland region
characterised by tall grasslands, sal
forests and swamps that lies at the
base of the Shiwalik.
4. Write a short note on the Northern
Plains.
Ans: The Northern Plains lie between the
Himalayas in the north and the
Southern Plateau in the south.
The plains are built up of rich alluvial
deposits. They have made the
Northern Plains extremely fertile and
ideal for agricultural activities. This
is one of the most extensive plains in
the world, extending for a length of
over 2,500 km. It is drained by three
river systems, the Ganga, the Indus,
the Brahmaputra. On the basis of
 drainage basins, we can divide the 5. What does a river system consist of?
Northern Plains into three major Ans: A river system consists of a main river
regions—the Indus Basin, the Ganga and its various tributaries and
Basin and the Brahmaputra Basin. distributaries.
6. Differentiate between the Indus Basin, the Ganga Basin and the Brahmaputra Basin.
Ans: The Indus Basin The Ganga Basin The Brahmaputra Basin
● The Indus Basin ● The Ganga Basin is drained by the ● The Brahmaputra
is drained by the river Ganga and its tributaries and Basin is drained by
river Indus and distributaries. the river
its tributaries ● The Ganga originates in the Brahmaputra and its
(Jhelum, Gangotri Glacier. tributaries.
Chenab, Beas, ● The northern tributaries of the ● The Brahmaputra
Ravi and Satluj). Ganga are the Gomti, Ghaghara, originates in Tibet
● The Indus Gandak and Kosi. The Yamuna is and flows through
originates near the main southern tributary of the three countries—
Lake Ganga. The other southern China, India and
Manasarovar in tributaries are Betwa, Ken, Sindh Bangladesh. In
the Tibet region. and Son. The major distributary of India, it drains the
● The Indus the Ganga is the river Hooghly. states of Arunachal
River system ● The Ganga drains Himachal Pradesh and Assam.
drains Ladakh, Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar ● In Bangladesh, it is
Jammu and Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, joined by the Ganga
Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana, Delhi, and flows through
Himachal Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Bangladesh as the
Pradesh and West Bengal. Jamuna.
Punjab.

7. Why do the rivers Son and Chambal
flow from south to north?
Ans: The Malwa plateau slopes
northwards. Rivers Son and Chambal
originate in the Malwa plateau and
flow in the direction of the slope of
the plateau.
8. Describe the shape, location, boundaries
and surface of the Southern Plateau.
Ans: The Southern plateau is a triangular
plateau to the south of the Northern
Plains. It is bounded by the Aravalli
Range in the north-west, the Vindhya
and Satpura ranges in the north and the
Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats
along the south-east and south-west.
The surface of the Southern Plateau is
highly uneven, consisting of
mountains, valleys and plateaus.
9. Write a short note on the plateaus that
together form the Central Highlands.
Ans: The Malwa Plateau and the Chhota
Nagpur Plateau together form the
Central Highlands.
The Malwa Plateau is located on the
west of the Peninsular/Southern
Plateau. It slopes northwards and
merges with the plains in the north.
Some of the tributaries of the Ganga
and the Yamuna, like the Son and the
Chambal, originate here. The Chhota
Nagpur Plateau is located in the
north-eastern part of the Southern
Plateau. It is rich in minerals like iron
and coal.
10. Describe the location, features and climate
of the Thar Desert.
Ans: The Thar Desert is also known as the
Great Indian Desert. It is situated in
the north-western part of Rajasthan.
It is a dry sandy stretch which
merges with the desert in Pakistan.

186
 The desert has many small hills of
sand called sand dunes. The climate
here is hot and dry during the
summer and cold during the winter.
The region gets very little rainfall as
it lies in the rain-shadow area of the
Aravalli Mountains. The lack of
rainfall and the dry sandy soil of the
desert make it unsuitable for
agriculture.
11. Write a short note on the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands and the Lakshadweep
Islands.
Ans: The Lakshadweep and the Andaman
and Nicobar Islands are the two main
island groups of India. The
Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi
island groups in the Arabian Sea are
part of the Lakshadweep. They are
made of corals—the skeletons of a
particular form of marine life. Many
of these islands are ring-shaped and
are called atolls. The Andaman and
Nicobar Islands lie in the Bay of
Bengal. They are numerous and also
larger than the islands of the
Lakshadweep. They are of volcanic
origin and are submerged hills.

INDIA—CLIMATE

● Weather and
Suggested number of sessions: 8
climate
● The climate of India Session 1: Lead in
● The Cold Session 2: Weather and climate, The climate of India
Weather Season Session 3: The Cold Weather Season (winter), The Hot Weather Season
(winter)
(summer), The South-West Monsoon Season
● The Hot
Weather Season Session 4: Onset of the Monsoon in India, Instructions for Do and learn:
(summer) A song for the rain,which students can present in Session 7, The Retreating
● The South-West Monsoon Season, The influence of the changing seasons, Instructions for
Monsoon Season I now know, which can be given as a home assignment
● Onset of the Session 5: Exercises
Monsoon in
India Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Enrichment activities: Instructions for Class
● The Retreating project, which students have to participate in for the entire year, Instructions for
Monsoon Analysing temperature graphs, which can be given as a home assignment
Season (Students can submit their report in session 8.), Know your Bharat
● The influence of the Session 7: Do and learn: A song for the rain
changing seasons
on human life Session 8: Worksheet, Submission of work done for Enrichment activities:
Analysing temperature graphs
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● define ‘weather’ and ‘climate’ and distinguish between the two
● analyse the impact of climate on the lifestyle of the people
● list the factors affecting the climate of a place
● discuss the main features of the four main seasons in India

187
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Real-life connect (Students find out information about the weather in the
place where they live.); Art integration (Students design appropriate symbols to show the different
weather conditions.)
Criteria for assessment: Artistic skills, Accuracy
Teaching the lesson
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Focus areas: Definition of weather; what weather describes; different kinds of weather conditions;
definition of climate; comparison between weather and climate with regard to the duration for which they
remain and the terms used to describe them; the factors that affect the climate of a place
THE CLIMATE OF INDIA
Focus areas: The wide range of climatic conditions that exist in India; comparison of the climate of the
Thar Desert with that of Leh in Ladakh, the frequent floods of eastern India and recurrent droughts of
central India, climate of places near the sea and that of places in the interior of the country
The Cold Weather Season (winter)
Focus areas: The months in which winter is experienced in India; the severity of winter in north India;
the direction in which temperature decreases during winter; the mean average winter temperature in the
Northern Plains; the temperature in places like Leh; why the coastal areas remain warm in winter; the
average winter temperature range of the coastal areas; the places that experience precipitation in winter
even as the rest of India remains dry; the cause of rain or snowfall in the north-western parts of the
Northern Plains during winter; the occurrence of widespread snowfall in the Himalayan region; the cold
waves experienced in the Northern Plains
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Temperature (in January) map to know
the mean winter temperature in different parts of the country. Ask them to identify the coldest regions.
The Hot Weather Season (summer)
Focus areas: The months during which summer is experienced in India; why there is a sharp increase in
atmospheric temperature during these months; the direction in which temperature increases during
summer, in India; the maximum temperature experienced in the north-western parts of Rajasthan during
summer; what the loo is
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Temperature (July) map to know the
summer time temperatures in different parts of the country.
The South-West Monsoon Season
Focus areas: The period for which the South-West Monsoon lasts; the conditions over the north-
western parts of the Indian subcontinent that draw the winds over the southern Indian Ocean towards it;
how these winds bring rain to India; how the winds get their name
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the map in the chapter that shows the direction of the
South-West Monsoon winds.
Low pressure, high pressure
Focus areas: What atmospheric pressure is; how areas of high pressure and low pressure are formed;
how differences in atmospheric pressure causes winds to blow
Onset of the Monsoon in India
Focus areas: The period when the Monsoon sets in in India; the breaking up of the South-West Monsson
into two distinct streams; the paths taken by the Arabian Sea Branch of the South-West Monsoon;

188
the states it covers; why Tamil Nadu receives very little rainfall from the South-West Monsoon; the path
taken by the Bay of Bengal Branch of the South-West Monsoon; the states it covers; how the amount of
rainfall keeps decreasing as the two branches progress towards the interior parts of the country; the

Do and learn: A song for the rain

NEP parameters covered: Establishing local and regional connect (The rain songs and dances that
students learn are taught to them by their family members, neighbours or friends. These songs and
dances are bound to be from their region.); Multilingualism (Students learn rain songs in the regional
languages.); Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence (Students perform dances related to rain, in the class.)
Criteria for assessment: Participation, Performance

significance of the South-West Monsoon in terms of the amount of rainfall received

The Retreating Monsoon Season

Focus areas: What the term ‘Retreating Monsoon Season’ means; what its other name is; the direction
in which these monsoon winds blow; the months during which the Retreating Monsoon occurs; how the
season unfolds; the states that receive rainfall in this season; the phenomenon of October Heat Teaching
guideline: Instruct students to study the map in the chapter that shows the direction of the
North-East Monsoon winds.
The influence of the changing seasons
Focus areas: Various aspects of the life of the people that are influenced by the cycle of seasons

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Class project: Make a rain gauge
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (This is to be done as a group activity by students.); Visual-
Spatial intelligence, Mathematical-Logical intelligence, Mathematics integration (Students use their
visual-spatial skills and mathematical skills to make a graph for the amount of rainfall received every
month.); Discovery-based learning (The activity involves self-learning as students collect, compile and
interpret data regarding the amount of rainfall received in their area, by themselves.); Real-life connect
(The activity is based on the observations that students record in their real-life.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Mathematical skills
Analysing temperature graphs
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students collect the required data by themselves.);
Mathematical–Logical intelligence, Mathematics integration (Students use their mathematical skills to
make the bar graph using the collected data.); Communication (Students write a report analysing their
findings.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: India knowledge systems (Students learn about the knowledge systems that
help people adapt to the changes in the seasons.); Pride and rootedness in India (The information given
aims to inculcate among students a sense of pride in the traditional methods for living with nature.)

189
 STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY
INDIA—CLIMATE
EXERCISES

I. 1. equable 2. Monsoon Asia 3. loo III. 1. The factors that affect the climate of a place
4. atmospheric pressure 5. June are: ● Latitude or distance from the Equator
II. 1. b. It is cold in Wellington all year round. ● Distance from the sea ● Altitude
2. a. The Cold Weather Season ● Relief (the kind of landforms)
3. c. the Retreating Monsoon ● Atmospheric pressure and winds
4. c. Delhi 2. The four major seasons of India are the Cold
5. c. Place A lies on the coast, B lies in the Weather Season (Winter), the Hot Weather
interior of the country, C lies at a high Season (Summer), the South-West Monsoon
altitude. Season and the Retreating Monsoon Season.

3. Cold Weather Season Hot Weather Season

● Cold weather season or winter falls ● Hot Weather Season, or summer, extends
between the months of December and from March to May in India.
February In India. December and January
are the coldest months.

● Winter is more severe in north India than
it is in south India. Temperatures decrease
from the south to the north.
● In the Hot Weather Season, the Sun’s rays
or insolation (incoming solar radiation)
falls directly on large parts of India,
causing a sharp increase in atmospheric
temperature. In this season, the temperature
increases from the south to the north.

● The mean (average) temperature in the ● In the north-western parts of Rajasthan, in

Northern Plains is very low (10–15 °C). the Thar, the maximum temperature
The temperature can drop to minus 45 °C touches 55°C at times.
in places like Leh, the capital of Ladakh.
● The coastal areas of India, however,
remain warm because of the moderating
influence of the sea. Here, average daily
temperatures range between 20 and 25 °C.

● Winter in India is predominantly dry. But ● Strong, hot and dry winds, called the loo,
parts of north India and Tamil Nadu blow during the day in the Northern Plains
experience precipitation (rainfall or and in the north-western parts of India.
snowfall) during the winter months. The
north-western parts of the Northern
Plains experience rain or snowfall caused
by cyclonic depressions originating in the
Mediterranean Sea. Widespread snowfall
occurs in the Himalayan region. The
Northern Plains also experience cold
waves after these spells of snowfall.

(any two points of difference)

190
 4. The South-West Monsoon causes heavy
rainfall in the coastal areas of Kerala,
Karnataka and Maharashtra that lie on the
western side of the Western Ghats. Tamil
Nadu lies in the rain shadow region of the
Western Ghats. So, it hardly gets any rain
from the South-West Monsoon.
5. During the Retreating Monsoon season, in
the month of October, while north India
experiences clear skies and comfortable
weather, in Tamil Nadu, the weather
conditions become quite uncomfortable as
the temperature and humidity rise sharply.
This situation is known as October Heat.
IV. 1. Weather is the daily state of the atmosphere.
It describes the temperature, wind speed
and direction, and the amount of
precipitation in a place on a particular day,
or over a few days. The weather could be
hot or cold, cloudy or windy, sunny or wet.
The weather of a place can change
unexpectedly during the course of a day.
Climate, on the other hand, is the average
weather in a place for more than 30 years.
It refers to the long-term average weather
pattern of a region, while weather describes
the short-term state of the atmosphere. So
while weather is variable, the climate of a
place remains unchanged over long periods
of time. Climate is usually described as
equable or extreme, tropical or temperate
and so on.
2. No. I do not agree with this statement. The
climate of a region does affect the lives of
the people who live there. It influences
their food habits, clothing and the types of
shelter they build. Climate also affects the
natural resources of a country, for example,
it can affect the soil, natural vegetation and
animal life of a region. This, in turn,
determines the occupations or the economic
activities of that country. For example, in
places like Kerala that experience heavy
rainfall, the houses have sloping roofs,
while in places like Rajasthan that
experience scanty rainfall, the houses have
flat roofs. In places with a hot and
191
humid climate, like those in Tamil Nadu,
people wear light cotton clothes, while in
places with a cold climate, like those in
Ladakh, people wear warm woollen clothes.
(Note: Please accept other correct answers.)
3. The South-West Monsoon Season, or the
advancing Monsoon season, lasts from June
to September. ● The intense heat of
summer causes the development of a
powerful low pressure area (called a
trough) over the north-western parts of the
Indian subcontinent. ● Winds originating
from a high-pressure area centred over the
southern Indian Ocean are drawn to the low
pressure trough in the north. ● The
winds absorb an enormous amount of
moisture as they blow across the sea. These
moisture-laden winds approach the Indian
landmass from the south-west. As winds
are named after the direction from which
they blow, these winds are called South-
west Monsoon winds.
● The onset of the South-West Monsoon
occurs each year around the first week of
June. ● When it reaches the Indian
landmass, the South-West Monsoon breaks
up into two distinct streams—the Arabian
Sea Branch and the Bay of Bengal Branch.
● The Arabian Sea Branch hits the Western
Ghats and causes heavy rainfall to the
coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka and
Maharashtra. ● The amount of rainfall
keeps decreasing as the Monsoon winds
reach the interior parts of the subcontinent.
● Tamil Nadu, which lies in the rain
shadow of the Western Ghats, receives very
little rainfall from the South-West Monsoon.
● The Bay of Bengal Branch travels north
till it hits the Himalayas. It causes heavy
rainfall in the eastern and north-eastern
states of India, like Assam, Meghalaya,
Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and
Odisha. The rainfall goes on decreasing as
the Monsoon winds travel westwards into
India. Thus, while Mawsynram in
Meghalaya receives more than 1,000 cm of
rain, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan gets less than 3
cm
 of rain a year. ● Most of the country
receives more than 80% of its rainfall from
the South-West Monsoon (June to
September).
4. By the beginning of October, the Monsoon
starts withdrawing or retreating from north
India. The Monsoon winds now start
blowing from the north-east to the south-
west. This is known as the Retreating
Monsoon Season or the North-East
Monsson. ● The Retreating Monsoon
Season is spread over October and
November. ● As the dry winds pass over
the Bay of Bengal, they gather moisture.
● The Retreating Monsoon brings heavy
rainfall to Tamil Nadu, and coastal Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
5. India is a vast land stretching from the
Himalayas to the Indian Ocean. It therefore
exhibits a wide range of climatic conditions.
● While the Thar Desert in Rajasthan
experiences 55 °C in summer, Leh in
Ladakh experiences minus 45°C in winter.
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
INDIA—CLIMATE
I. Name the following.
1. A physical region of India that experiences
cold waves after spells of snowfall in the
Himalayas
2. The water body from which the Retreating
Monsoons gather moisture before reaching
the land
3. The place in Meghalaya that receives
1,000 cm of annual rainfall.
Ans: 1. The Northern Plains 2. The
Bay of Bengal 3.
Mawsynram
II. Answer the following questions.
1. What do you know about low and high
atmospheric pressure?
Ans: Air has weight. It therefore exerts
force on the surface of the Earth. This
force is called atmospheric pressure.
192
● While eastern India suffers from
frequent floods, the central parts of India
suffer from recurrent drought. ● Places
near the sea like Mumbai and Chennai have
an equable climate (neither too hot nor too
cold), while places in the interior like
Delhi and Punjab have an extreme climate
(very hot summers and cold winters).
● All types of precipitation (snow, sleet,
hail, rain, fog, mist, haze and dew) can be
seen in India.
V. 1. Tauktae 2. Northern India, Central India
and North-eastern India 3. The Bay of
Bengal 4. In May and, October
5. Answers vary; Free response
VI. Map-based question: ● The map shows the
annual rainfall in different parts of India.
● (a) North-east India, Kerala, Coastal
Maharashtra, Coastal Karnataka (any two)
(b) North-west India ● Students should refer
to the maps in the chapter that show the
South-west Monsoon winds and North-east
monsoon winds for doing the map work.
Areas of high and low pressure are
caused by ascending and descending
air. As air warms, it ascends, creating
an area of low pressure at the surface.
As air cools, it descends, creating an
area of high pressure at the surface.
Winds blow from areas of high
pressure to areas of low pressure.
2. How do the changing seasons influence the
life of the people?
Ans: The life of the people in India
revolves around the cycle of seasons.
Their occupations, crops and festivals,
are influenced by the variations in the
seasons. More than half of the
farmers of India depend on the rains
for growing their crops.
INDIA: NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE
● Introduction: Factors
Suggested number of sessions: 7
that have resulted in
India having a Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: Factors that have resulted in India having a
stunning variety of stunning variety of plant and animal life, Natural vegetation
plant and animal life
Session 2: Tropical rainforests, Tropical deciduous forests,Thorn forests,
● Natural vegetation Mangrove forests
● Tropical
rainforests Session 3: Mountain forests, The significance of forests, Instructions for
● Tropical Do and learn, which is to be given as a home assignment, Wildlife,
deciduous forests Conservation of flora and fauna
● Thorn forests Session 4: Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home
● Mangrove assignment, Exercises, Instructions for Enrichment activities: Find out, which
forests can be given as a home assignment (Students can submit their findings in
● Mountain forests session 8.)
● The Session 5: Case-based question, Instructions for Enrichment activities:
significance of Presentation on deforestation, which can be given as a home assignment
forests
(Students can do their presentation in session 7.)
● Wildlife
● Conservation of Session 6: Worksheet
flora and fauna Session 7: Enrichment activities: Presentation on deforestation
Session 8: Enrichment activities: Find out
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● identify and describe the different types of natural vegetation in India and locate them on a map of
India
● describe India’s wildlife
● appreciate the importance of our country’s flora and fauna and demonstrate ways to protect them
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Answer: The passage tells us that destroying forests (natural vegetation) for human activities causes loss
of habitat for wildlife. Conflicts between wildlife and humans increase as humans take up space
inhabited by wildlife. The sentence from the passage that supports the answer: Deforestation shrinks
elephant habitats and forces them to come in contact with humans.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students identify the statement from the
passage that talks about the relationship between human activities, natural vegetation and wildlife. They
share their answer in the class.) Environmental awareness (The activity aims to make students aware
about how human activities adversely affect the environment and the creatures that share the world with
us.); Sustainable living, Responsible consumption and production, Life on Land (The activity aims to
inculcate in students an awareness of sustainable development goals that they must strive to achieve in
their life.);Empathy, Respect for environment (The activity motivates students to cultivate these values
towards our fellow creatures and the environment.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills

193
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The factors that have resulted in India having a stunning variety of plant and animal life
NATURAL VEGETATION
Focus areas: What the terms ‘natural vegetation’ and ‘flora’ refer to; why and how natural vegetation
varies with relief and climate; the five types of natural vegetation in India
Tropical rainforests
Focus areas: Conditions required for the growth of these forests; characteristics of these forests—
meaning of the term ‘canopy’, reason for the lack of undergrowth in these forests; why these forests are
also called evergreen forests; places in India where these forests are found; examples of trees found in
these forests
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Natural vegetation map and identify
the regions that have tropical rainforests.
Tropical deciduous forests
Focus areas: Conditions required for the growth of these forests; characteristics of these forests—the
type of leaves the trees in these forests have, the period during which the trees shed all their leaves,
the reason for the dense undergrowth in these forests; places in India where these forests are found;
examples of trees found in these forests
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Natural vegetation map and identify
the regions that have tropical deciduous forests.
Thorn forests
Focus areas: Conditions required for the growth of these forests; characteristics of the trees in these
forests—the adaptations in their leaves and roots to survive in an arid environment; places in India
where these forests (vegetation) are found; examples of trees/vegetation found in these forests Teaching
guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Natural vegetation map and identify
the regions that have thorn forests and desert vegetation.
Mangrove forests
Focus areas: Conditions required for the growth of these forests; characteristics of trees in these forests
—the specialised breathing roots and stilt-like roots of mangrove trees; places in India where these
forests are found; examples of trees found in these forests
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Natural vegetation map and identify
the regions that have mangrove forests.
Mountain forests
Focus areas: Conditions required for the growth of these forests; characteristics of trees/vegetation in
these forests—why the type of vegetation in the mountains varies with altitude, the types of forests on
the lower reaches of the Himalayas, in altitudes above 3,000 m and around 4,000 m; what the snow line
is; places in India where mountain forests are found; examples of trees growing at different levels on the
Himalayan mountains
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the India/Bharat—Natural vegetation map and identify
the regions that have mountain forests.
The significance of forests
Focus areas: The importance of forests in the supply of oxygen to and reduction of carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere, provision of natural habitats for wildlife, moderation of temperature of a place,

194
prevention of soil erosion, percolation of water into the ground, maintenance of ecological balance,

Do and learn:
NEP parameters covered: Naturalistic intelligence, Environmental awareness (Students use their
naturalistic skills to learn about the trees in their neighbourhood. The activity aims to promote
awareness about the natural environment among students.); Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students
use their verbal skills to record the information they collect, in their journal.); Scientific temper,
Evidence-based thinking, Observation skills (The activity promotes the spirit of enquiry and
evidence-based thinking. It helps students hone their observation skills.); Real-life connect
(The activity is based on what students observe about the trees in their own neighbourhood.);
Experiential learning (Students learn about the different features of the trees in their environment
by actually observing them.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Attention to detail, Organisation of information collected

supply of forest products

WILDLIFE
Focus areas: What the terms ‘wildlife’ and ‘fauna’ refer to: the number of animal species that India is
home to; the different kinds of animals found in India; examples of wildlife found in India
Teaching guidelines: Instruct students to study the pictures of different wildlife given for the topic and
learn the names of the animals.
CONSERVATION OF FLORA AND FAUNA
Focus areas: The ideal forest cover needed to maintain the ecological balance; the world average of
forest cover; how India’s forest cover compares with the ideal forest cover and the world average
forest cover; the two big challenges to wildlife; meaning of the terms ‘extinct’ and ‘endangered’;
why many species of Indian animals have become endangered or extinct; the steps taken by the
government to prevent deforestation, cruelty to animals and poaching; the different kinds of protected
areas that the government has set up for wildlife; the two main animal-specific projects that have been
undertaken in India
Teaching guidelines: Explain that biosphere reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are areas
where wildlife is protected in its natural habitat. Explain that Project Tiger and Project Elephant aim to
protect tigers and elephants respectively by protecting their natural habitat in which all their needs are taken
care of.

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTIONS: Instruct students to attempt the questions after reading the passage.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Find out
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information by
themselves. Self-learning is involved.); Communication, English language integration (Students write a
few details about the migratory birds they have included in the scrapbook.); Establishing local and
regional connect (The activity involves collection of information about migratory birds visiting the
region where the students live.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, accuracy, presentation
195
Presentation on deforestation
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students research about the impact of deforestation
on the environment for making their presentation.); Respect for environment (Students analyse the impact
of deforestation on the basis of their respect for the environment.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

INDIA: NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

EXERCISES
I. 1. b. Tropical deciduous forests
2. Beyond 4,500 m in the Himalayas, the
2. b. Tamil Nadu 3. b. Thorn forest
ground is covered with snow. This prevents
4. c. broad leaves 5. a. Both A and R are
the growth of vegetation.
true and R is the correct explanation of A.
3. The leaves of the trees in the Thar Desert
II. 1. The trees in the rainforests form a canopy are like needles or in the form of spines to
(continuous cover) at the top and very little prevent loss of water.
light reaches the forest floor. There is very 4. Biosphere reserves are set up by the
little undergrowth as its growth is limited government to protect our animal
by the lack of sunlight. wealth.
III. 1. Tropical Evergreen Forests Tropical Deciduous Forests
Conditions Grow best in hot and wet regions with Found in regions with an annual
required for an annual rainfall of more than 250 cm rainfall of 70–200 cm, and
growth and temperatures ranging from 25 to temperature range of 20–35 °C,
35°C and a long dry season followed by
a season of heavy rainfall

Characteristics ● The trees are several metres tall
of the forest (40–60 m).
● They form a canopy at the top, and
very little sunlight reaches the forest
floor.
● There is usually very little
undergrowth on the forest floor due
to the lack of sunlight.
● These forests are also called
evergreen forests because the
different species of trees in these
forests shed their leaves during
different periods of the year. As a
result, these forests have a
permanent green cover.
● The trees have broad leaves.
● Deciduous trees in the tropical
region shed their leaves during
periods of less rainfall to
conserve water. The trees have
a definite leaf shedding period
spread over six to eight weeks
each year.
● Sunlight can reach the forest
floor, especially when the
deciduous trees have shed
their leaves. The availability
of sunlight on the forest floor
results in a dense undergrowth
of vines, shrubs and small
trees.

196
 Tropical Evergreen Forests
Places where Western slopes of the Western Ghats,
they are found Assam and Meghalaya, and the
in India Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Trees found Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, jamun
and chinchona
2. Forests are extremely important to us for the
following reasons: ● During
photosynthesis, trees take in carbon dioxide
and give out oxygen, the life-giving gas.
● Forests
provide habitats for wildlife. ● Trees
moderate the temperature of a place.
● Trees hold the soil firmly together
and prevent soil erosion. ● They
enable percolation of water into the
ground.
● Forests help to bring about ecological
balance. ● We get forest products like
timber, fuel, wood, lac, gum, honey,
medicinal herbs, fruits and nuts from
forests.
3. The term ‘endangered’ refers to those
species of animals whose existence is
threatened. The term ‘extinct’ refers to those
species that no longer exist in the wild.
Keeping animals in cages or in restricted
areas in zoos will not prevent their
extinction as they need to live in their
natural habitats freely to thrive and multiply.
4. Many species of Indian wildlife have been
hunted to the point of extinction. Many of
our animals are listed as endangered (on the
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
INDIA: NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. Natural Vegetation varies with
and . and
2. Deforestation directly affects .
3. The first biosphere reserve set up by the
government was the
Biosphere Reserve in Tamil Nadu.
197
Tropical Deciduous Forests
Along the eastern slopes of the
Western Ghats, and in Madhya
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand,
Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and
Uttar Pradesh
Teak, sal, sandalwood, pipal,
neem, shisham
verge of extinction), and a large number are
already extinct (no longer exist). Poaching is
a punishable offence in our country to
safeguard wildlife from the threat of
extinction.
IV. Students should refer to the India/Bharat—
Natural vegetation map to do this map work.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
1. Siltation will increase if the mangrove
patches are removed from Mumbai or Thane
Creek. If large ships are not able to enter
Mumbai port due to siltation, import and
export of goods from the port will be seriously
affected. Mumbai port will lose its revenue in
the long run.
2. Steps taken for economic progress can
actually halt economic progress in the
Himalayan region. Developmental works, like
building roads, often cause mud slides.
Frequent mud slides can damage the existing
roads, properties like hotels and resorts and
other businesses that support tourism. This
will result in a situation where there will be no
economic progress at all.
4. Apart from biosphere reserves, the
government has set up
to protect the animal wealth of the country.
Ans: 1. relief, climate 2. wildlife
3. Nilgiris 4. wildlife sanctuaries,
national parks
II. Name them.
1. The plant life in a particular region
2. Cone-bearing evergreen trees with needle-
like leaves, found in areas that have long
winters and moderate to high annual
precipitation
3. The point beyond which there is no
vegetation, and snow cover takes over
4. Another name for wildlife
5. The state with the highest forest cover in
India
6. Two animal-specific projects started by the
government of India to prevent those
animals from becoming extinct 3. What are the different types of natural
Ans: 1. Flora 2. Coniferous trees
3. Snow line 4. Fauna
5. Madhya Pradesh 6. Project Tiger
and Project Elephant
III. Answer the following questions.
1. Define natural vegetation.
Ans: Natural vegetation refers to the plant
4. Differentiate between thorn forests and
life that grows on its own in an area,
without any human effort.
2. Why and how does natural vegetation vary
with relief and climate?
Ans: Thorn forests
Conditions ● Occur in regions receiving
required for less than 70 cm of rainfall a
growth year. These regions have
hot dry spells that last for
9–11 months
Characteristics ● The trees in these forests
of the forests have needle-like leaves,
while some plants have
leaves in the form of spines
to prevent loss of water.
● They also have radial and
tapering roots which go
deep into the soil in search
of water.
Places where Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab,
they are found Haryana, parts of Madhya
in India Pradesh and the central rocky
regions of the Deccan Plateau
198
Ans: Natural vegetation varies with
relief and climate. This is because
plant communities grow in the
wild by adapting themselves to
their natural environment. The
natural environment is different in
different places. As a result, the
natural vegetation found on
mountains is different from that
found in the plains, and the
plants found in deserts vary from
those found in wet and humid
regions.
vegetation found in India?
Ans: The natural vegetation of India can be
divided into five types: ● Tropical
rainforests ● Tropical deciduous
forests ● Thorn forests and desert
vegetation ● Mangrove forests
● Mountain vegetation
mangrove forests in terms of conditions
required for growth, characteristics of the
forests, places where they are found in
India and examples of trees found in them.
Mangrove forests
● Grow best in hot and humid
coastal areas where the water is
partly fresh and partly saline
● Mangrove forests grow in the
delta regions along coasts. As the
land here is marshy and often
covered in water, mangrove trees
have specialised breathing roots
that grow above the ground and
help them breathe.
● They also have stilt-like roots for
support.
The Sundarbans in West Bengal,
Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu, near
Chilika Lake in Odisha and in
the Andaman and Nicobar
Islands
 Thorn forests
Examples of Cactuses, khair, keekar, babul,
trees found in ber, date palms and dhak
them
5. Where do mountain forests grow? Where
are they found in India? Give examples of
trees and other vegetation that grow in
these forests.
Ans: Mountain forests grow on mountain
slopes on land with an elevation of
2,500 m above sea level or higher.
In India, they grow on the slopes of
the Himalayas. Examples of trees
and vegetation in mountain forests:
Chir pine, silver fir, deodar, spruces,
junipers and birches and alpine
grasslands
6. Why does the type of vegetation in the
mountains vary with altitude?
Ans: The type of vegetation in the
mountains varies with altitude
because temperature decreases with
10. What is the percentage of land under
increase in altitude.
7. A mountaineer climbing the Himalayas
notices that vegetation changes with
altitude. Can you say what kind of
vegetation he observes at different
levels?
Ans: A mountaineer will observe these
types of vegetation at different
altitudes while climbing the
Himalayas: ● On the lower reaches:
evergreen coniferous forests and
deciduous forests ● Above 3,000
11. What are the two main challenges posed
m: alpine grasslands ● At
around 4,000 m: only mosses and
lichens
● Above 4,500 m: no vegetation
199
Mangrove forests
The Sundari tree, kandoo
8. What does wildlife refer to?
Ans: Wildlife refers to all those animals
that have not been tamed or
domesticated by humans.
9. What do you know about the wildlife in
India? Give examples of Indian
wildlife. Ans: India has a rich and
varied fauna.
India is home to about 75,000
species of animals. These include a
wide variety of mammals, reptiles,
amphibians, birds, fishes and insects.
Examples: Elephant, Asiatic lion,
Royal Bengal Tiger, one-horned
rhinoceros, spotted deer, Indian
python, gharial, blackbuck, wild ass,
peacock
forests in India? How does it compare
with the world average and the average
that is needed to maintain ecological
balance?
Ans: As per the Forest Survey of India, as
of 2021, just 24.62% of the land is
under forests in India.
Scientists maintain that we need
33% forest cover to maintain
ecological balance. The world
average is 27%.
to wildlife?
Ans: Deforestation and poaching are the
two main challenges posed to
wildlife.
THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Read the statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
A: The Earth is at an optimum distance from the Sun.
R: The average surface temperature on the Earth is 14°C.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation for A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation for A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
2. Asteroids are found between the orbits of which of these planets?
a. Earth and Mars b. Jupiter and Saturn c. Mars and Jupiter d. Earth and Jupiter
3. Which of these show the correct order of the Moon’s phases from New Moon to Full Moon?
a. Waning Crescent, Third Quarter, Waning Gibbous
b. Waxing Gibbous, First Quarter, Waxing Crescent
c. Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, Waning Crescent
d. Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous
4. Which of these are necessary conditions for meteors to occur?
i. Meteoroids have to move at tremendous speeds around the Sun.
ii. Meteoroids have to come near the Earth and be pulled in by the Earth’s gravity.
iii. Meteoroids have to enter the Earth’s atmosphere and start burning due to friction.
iv. Partly burnt meteoroid fragments have to fall to the Earth.
a. i, ii, iii b. ii, iv c. ii, iii d. iii, iv

B. Complete the analogy.

1. The Moon: satellite:: : star
2. Full Moon: Purnima:: New Moon:
3. Mercury: inner planet:: Neptune: planet
4. Outer planets: Jovian planets:: inner planets:
5. Canis Major: :: Taurus; the bull

C. Picture-based question
1. Name the planets you see in the picture.
2. What are they known as together?
3. How were they formed?
4. What are the made up of?
5. Can life exist on any of these planets? Explain.

D. What do these terms mean?

1. Phases of the Moon 2. Gravitational field 3. Meteoroids
4. Self-luminous 5. Constellations 6. Universe

200
LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE—LOCATING PLACES ON THE GLOBE WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Read the following statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose from the options
given. (A): The 90° north and south parallels are just dots.
(R) : The parallels are circles that go on decreasing in length from the Equator to the poles.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
2. The term ‘Great Circle’ refers to:
a. The Equator
b. The Arctic Circle
c. The circle formed by the 0° and 180° meridians
d. The circle formed by any two meridians that lie exactly opposite each other
3. Which of these shows the extent of the north temperate zone?
a. Between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Arctic Circle
b. Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle
c. Between the Antarctic Circle and the Arctic Circle
d. Between the Arctic Circle and the North Pole
4. An international awards show taking place in London at 6 p.m. UTC will be telecast live
at approximately which of these times in India?
a. 09.30 p.m. IST b. 10.30 p.m. IST c. 11.30 p.m. IST d. 10.00 p.m. IST
B. Name them.
1. The two important tools to study the Earth
2. The 0° longitude
3. The country which has 11 time zones
4. An internationally agreed time change line
5. The local time of the central meridian of India
C. Answer the following questions.
1. What is a scale model?
2. What are lines of latitude?
3. What does the amount of heat a place gets depend on?
4. What are lines of longitude?
5. What is the Universal Time Coordinated (UTC)?
D. Picture-based questions

1. What is this the picture of?

2. How is it formed?
3. What are coordinates?
4. How are coordinates written? Explain with an example.

201
MOTIONS OF THE EARTH WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which of these is / are not caused by the Earth’s rotation?
a. Deflection of winds b. Deflection of ocean currents c. Equinoxes d. Tides
2. Which of these is caused by the Earth’s tilted axis alone?
a. Day and night lasting 12 hours each
b. The seasons
c. Different places on the Earth experiencing different amounts of sunlight and darkness each day
d. The fixed pattern in which seasons occur
3. Which of these statements is true about equinoxes?
i. The length of day and night is equal all over the world.
ii. Only one equinox happens every year.
iii. Equinoxes happen twice a year.
iv. The Sun shines vertically on the Equator.
a. ii, iii b. i, iii, iv c. i, ii, iv d. i, ii
4. Read the two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose from the options given.
(A): The year 1900 is a leap year. (R): 1900 is divisible by four.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are false.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
B. Picture-based question
As the Earth (1) on its (2) axis, the angle of the
pole pointed towards the (3) prevents that polar region
from falling into shadow. As a result, it experiences continuous
(4) . This phenomenon is called (5) .
During this time, the other pole stays in shadow and experiences
continuous (6) . This phenomenon is called (7)
. Both these phenomena last for (8) months
each at the poles.

C. Complete the pairs.

1. Dawn: time just before sunrise:: : time just after sunset
2. Perihelion: Earth is 147 million km from the Sun:: Aphelion:
3. March: Autumn in Southern Hemisphere:: : Autumn in Northern Hemisphere
4. : Spring Equinox:: 23 September: Autumnal Equinox
5. Summer solstice: 21 June:: Winter Solstice:
D. Answer the following questions.
1. Why does the Sun appear to rise in the east?
2. What is the circle of illumination?
3. In the course of 24 hours, places on the Earth experience six stages one after the other. What are
these stages? Can you think of some areas on Earth where these stages may not occur? Why?
4. Americans celebrate Christmas in winter. But the Australians celebrate it in summer. Why?

202
 MAPS WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which of these statements is not true about maps?
a. They can provide specific details about a country, city, district or village.
b. They help people understand and navigate their surroundings.
c. The larger the area covered by a map, the greater is the distortion in it.
d. The larger the area covered by a map, the lesser is the distortion in it.
2. Identify the scale of the map with the help of the following statement:
‘The scale of the map is described in words.’
a. Verbal scale b. Non-verbal scale c. Linear scale d. Representative fraction
3. If the distance of 1000 km has been reduced to 1 cm on a map, a distance of 12,000 km will be
reduced to:
a. 120 cm b. 12 cm c. 1.2 cm d. 1200 cm
4. Match the types of maps to what they show.
Column I Column II
a. Cadastral map i. Natural features
b. Political map ii. Specific information
c. Physical map iii. Property boundaries
d. Thematic map iv. Cultural features
Options:
I. a—ii, b—iii, c—iv, d—i II. a—iv, b—iii, c—ii, d—i III. a—iii, b—iv, c—i, d—
ii
IV. a—ii, b—iv, c—i, d—iii
B. Study the following pictures and answer the questions:
1. . 2. 1. On the basis of the scale of the map, what
types of maps are shown in (1) and (2)?
2. Which of the two maps (1) or (2) shows
fewer details?
3. If the scale of the map is 1: 1000, it will
likely be of map (1) or (2)?

C. Study the image and answer the questions given.

What type of scale of the map is seen in the image?
Describe the scale.
4.5

3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

5 4 3 2 1
What is the purpose for which the division on the left of the scale is further graduated into sub-div
0 1 2 3 4 5
1: 1, 00, 00, 000

D. Answer the following questions

1. Why do some distortions happen in maps?
2. On what basis are maps classified.
3. What are cadastral maps?
4. What is a plan?
5. What is remote sensing?

203
THE FOUR REALMS OF THE EARTH WORKSHEET
A. Complete the pairs.
1. The Himalayas: Asia:: : Europe
2. The Mississippi: North America:: : South America
3. The Challenger Deep: 10,935 m below mean sea level:: The Milwaukee Deep: m
below mean sea level
4. Waves: force of the winds:: Tides:
5. Aeroplanes fly: stratosphere:: satellites orbit the Earth:
B. Multiple choice questions.
1. Read the statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Choose from the options given.
(A) There are deep trenches in all oceans.
(R) The lithosphere is a very uneven layer of the Earth.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
2. Which of the continents do the following statements refer to?
● The Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, the Equator and the Prime Meridian pass through it.
● The largest hot desert of the world is part of this continent.
● It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the east and south.
a. Asia b. South America c. Australia d. Africa
3. Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that cause the greenhouse effect. Based on this information,
which of these can an increase in its amount in the atmosphere lead to?
a. An increase in forest cover all over the world b. Global warming
c. Uniform and sufficient rainfall all over the world d. An increase in crop production
4. Choose the statements that are true about this picture.
i. It shows the Indian research station Bharati.
ii. The place is located in the smallest continent.
iii. It shows the Indian research station Maitri.
iv. The place is located in the ‘isolated continent.’
a. i, ii b. iii, iv c. i, iv d. ii, iii

5. Meteors burn up in this layer of the atmosphere.

a. Stratosphere b. Exosphere c. Mesosphere d. Ionosphere
C. Answer the following questions:
1. What do you know about the lithosphere?
2. What is Eurasia?
3. Why is Australia also called the ‘land down under’?
4. What does condensed water appear as?
5. How are oceans useful to us?
6. Name the fifth layer of the atmosphere. Why is it important?
7. What are biomes? What are the five major types of Biomes?

204
MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH WORKSHEET
A. Complete the sentences to explain the terms given.
1. Plate tectonics .
2. Internal forces are .
3. Weathering is .
4. Hills are .
5. An escarpment is .
B. Study the following picture and fill in the relevant details:
This picture depicts the formation of (a)
. They are formed by the upliftment and
(b) of landmasses due to (c)
compression caused by (d) forces, when two
(e) move towards each other.

C. Multiple choice questions

1. Which of the pairs is incorrectly matched?
List 1 List 2
a. Fold mountain The Vosges Mountains
b. Rift valley The Rhine Valley
c. Block mountain The Black Forest
d. Volcanic mountain Mauna Loa
2. Which of these would be the odd one if the four options given here are part of a set?
a. weathering b. faulting c. deposition d. erosion
3. ‘The Aravalli range must have been a high mountain range millions of years ago.’ Which of the
following statements support the given statement?
a. The Aravalli Range still has high, sharp peaks.
b. The Aravalli Range has been lowered greatly due to continuous erosion over millions of years.
c. Fold mountains are very high when they first form.
d. Volcanic mountains are very high when they first form.
4. Fill in the blank
Plateau Type
The Tibetan Plateau Intermontane plateau
The Deccan Plateau
Options:
a. Continental plateau b. Volcanic plateau c. Lava plateau d. Horst
D. Answer the following questions.
1. What are gradational forces?
2. Why are high reaches of mountains very cold?
3. Differentiate between Horst and Graben.
4. How do the two types of volcanic mountains get formed?
5. What is the average height of plains above mean sea level?
6. How are plateaus important to us?
7. How are human beings able to settle down in the most challenging of terrains?

205
OUR COUNTRY—INDIA WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which option relates to the unlabelled part of India show in the map?
a. The state of Ladakh
b. The state of Punjab
c. The union territory of Ladakh
d. The state of Uttarakhand

2. Which of these totals 15,200 km in length?

a. The maritime boundary of India b. The north-south extent of India
c. The terrestrial border of India d. The east-west extent of India
3. To which part of India do these statements refer?
● It is the northernmost point of India. ● Its coordinates are 37° 6’ N
a. Kanniyakumari b. The Pamir Knot c. The Rann of Kutchch d. Arunachal Pradesh
4. How many degrees of longitude would we cross if we travel from the Rann of Kutchch to
Arunachal Pradesh?
a. Almost 20° b. Almost 50° c. Almost 30° d. Almost 25°
5. Choose the option that shows the correct match between the states and their capitals.
Kerala Patna
Chhattisgarh Dispur
Bihar Thiruvananthapuram
Sikkim Raipur
Assam Gangtok
Options:
a. Kerala—Thiruvananthapuram; Chhattisgarh—Patna; Bihar—Raipur; Sikkim—Dispur;
Assam—Gangtok
b. Kerala—Thiruvananthapuram; Chhattisgarh—Raipur; Bihar—Patna; Sikkim—Gangtok;
Assam—Dispur
c. Kerala—Thiruvananthapuram; Chhattisgarh—Dispur; Bihar—Patna; Sikkim—Gangtok:
Assam—Raipur
d. Kerala—Thiruvananthapuram; Chhattisgarh—Patna: Bihar—Dispur; Sikkim—
Raipur; Assam—Gangtok
B. Identify the odd one in each set and say why it does not belong to the set.
1. China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan 2. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka
3. Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Ladakh 4. Itanagar, Ranchi, Shimla, Tripura
5. Port Blair, Daman, Agartala, Chandigarh
C. Answer the following questions.
1. What are some natural features that make up the diverse landscape of India?
2. What do you know about the area that India occupies in the world?
3. Why does India have a standard time or IST?
4. What are the main political and administrative divisions of India? How are they different in the
way they are governed?
5. Which are the summer and winter capitals of Jammu and Kashmir?

206
THE PHYSICAL DIVISIONS OF INDIA WORKSHEET
A. Identify the odd one from each group. Say why it does not belong to the group.
1. Karakoram, Zanskar Range, Nanda Devi, Ladakh Range
2. Jhelum, Chenab, Gomti, Beas
3. Betwa, Ken, Son, Ghaghara
4. Anaimalai Hills, Cardamom Hills, Shevroy Hills, Sahyadri
B. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of the following relates to the Deccan Plateau?
a. It is a part of the Central Highlands.
b. A part of it is a lava plateau.
c. It slopes northwards and merges with the plains in the north.
d. It is rich in minerals like iron and coal.
2. Which of these features relate to both the Deccan Plateau and Andaman and Nicobar Islands?
a. Highly uneven surface b. Volcanic origin c. Submerged hills d. Black soil
3. Choose the statements that relate to the region shown in the picture.
i. A lowland region at the base of the Lower Himalayas
ii. A long flat-bottomed valley running parallel to the
Lower Himalayas
iii. Characterised by tall grasslands, sal forests and
swamps
iv. Characterised by grasslands and mangrove forests
a. i, ii b. iii, iv c. ii, iii d. i, iii

C. Solve the crossword puzzle with the help of the clues given.
Across:
1. 2.
2. A mountain range to the north of the Southern
Plateau 3.

3. A tributary of the river Indus

4. The skeletons of a particular form of marine life 4. 5.
that form the Lakshadweep Islands
6. The place where the Brahmaputra originates
6.
Down:
1. A hill station in the Himachal range
2. The largest glacier in India
5. A river in the Ganga Basin
D. Answer the following questions:
1. What is a river system? What is the area drained by a river system called?
2. Which plateau makes up the north-eastern part of the Central Highlands? What is its importance?
3. How are the two coastal plains of India different with regard to their location and terrain?

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INDIA—CLIMATE WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which factor is responsible for the very hot summers and cold winters that Delhi experiences?
a. Altitude b. Distance from the Equator c. Distance from the sea d. Relief
2. Read the two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A): India exhibits a wide range of climatic conditions.
(R): India experiences four major seasons that follow each other in a cycle.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
3. Temperatures increase from the south to the north in:
a. winter b. summer c. Advancing Monsoon season d. Retreating Monsoon season
B. State ‘True’ or ‘False’. Correct the false statements.
1. The climate of a place can change unexpectedly during the course of the day.
2. During winter, the temperature decreases from the south to the north in India.
3. Winds blow from a low pressure region to a high pressure region.
4. Most of India receives most of its rainfall between June and September.
C. Match the following.
1. Cold Weather Season a. June to September
2. Hot Weather Season b. October and November
3. Advancing Monsoon Season c. December to February
4. Retreating Monsoon Season d. March to May

D. Answer the questions.

1. How does climate of a place determine the occupations
and economic activities of a country?
2. What causes rain or snowfall in the north-western
parts of the Northern Plains in the Cold Weather
Season?
3. What is Insolation? How does it affect the summer
temperatures?
4. While Mawsynram receives 1000 cm rainfall, Jaisalmer
receives less than 3 cm rainfall annually. Why is this so?
E. On the map given here, show the direction of the
North-East Monsoon winds with the help of arrows.

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INDIA: NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which of the forests does the following fact relate to?
‘The trees in these forests have stilt-like roots for support.’
a. Tropical rainforest b. Mangrove forest c. Tropical deciduous forest d. Thorn forest
2. In which of these places can thorn forests not be found?
a. Rajasthan b. Haryana c. Gujarat d. Meghalaya
3. Which of these statements relating to India’s forest cover, as of 2021, is true?
i. Just 24.62% of the land is under forests in India.
ii. India’s forest cover is less than the world average.
iii. India’s forest cover is more than the world average.
iv. India has 33% of its land under forests.
a. i, iii b. ii, iv c. i, ii d. iii, iv
B. Complete the table.
Precipitation Forests
1. Annual rainfall of more than 250 cm
2. Thorn forests
3. Annual rainfall of 70–200 cm
C. Complete the fact file of the forest you see in the picture:

1. Forest type:

2. Special characteristics:

3. Places where they grow in India:

4. Examples of trees in the forest:

D. Answer the following questions.

1. What are the five types that the natural vegetation in India can be divided?
2. What are the conditions required for the growth of mangrove forests? In which places in India
would you find them?
3. What is the snowline?
4. Define wildlife.
5. Name two animal specific projects undertaken by the government. What else has the
government set up to protect and conserve wildlife?
E. Match the forest with the trees.
Forest Tree
1. Tropical rainforest a. Deodar
2. Tropical deciduous forest b. Keekar
3. Thorn forest c. Sal
4. Mountain forest d. Ebony

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 ANSWER KEY TO THE WORKSHEETS
THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
A. 1. b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation for A.
2. c. Mars and Jupiter 3. d. Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous 4. c. ii, iii
B. 1. The Sun 2. Amavasya 3. outer 4. Terrestrial planets 5. the Great Dog
C. 1. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune 2. They are known as the outer planets or Jovian planets.
3. When the Sun was formed, the colder outer parts of the disc broke up to form the outer planets.
4. They are mainly made of gas. 5. Life cannot exist on them. This is because they do not have a
surface. They also have no air or water and they are cold.
D. 1. The shape and position of the Moon as seen from the Earth varies each day. This is known as the
phases of the Moon.
2. It is the space or region around a body within which other bodies are drawn towards because of
the body’s gravity.
3. They are pieces of rock moving in interplanetary space.
4. Objects that generate and emit their own light are called self-luminous objects.
5. They are groups of stars that appear to make recognisable patterns in the night sky.
6. It is the vast open space where all the planets, stars, galaxies, dust clouds, dark matter and
energy exist.

LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE—LOCATING PLACES ON THE GLOBE

A. 1. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
2. d. The circle formed by any two meridians that lie exactly opposite each other
3. b. Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Arctic Circle
4. c. 11.30 p.m. IST
B. 1. Globes and maps 2. The Prime Meridian 3. Russia 4. International Date Line
5. Indian Standard Time
C. 1. A scale model is a physical representation of an object that is similar in shape to the object, but
much smaller than it.
2. Lines of latitude are imaginary lines that run horizontally across the surface of the globe. They measure
the angular distance, in degrees, minutes and seconds, of a point north or south of the Equator.
3. The amount of heat a place gets depends on the angle of incidence of the Sun’s rays at that place.
4. Lines of longitude are imaginary lines that run vertically across the surface of the globe from the
North Pole to the South Pole. They measure the angular distance, in degrees, minutes and
seconds, of a point east or west of the Prime Meridian.
5. By convention, many organisations, such as airlines, use a twenty-four-hour clock, based on the
local time at the 0° longitude or the Prime -Meridian. This is called the Universal Time
Coordinated or UTC.
D. 1. It is the picture of the global grid or geographic grid.
2. It is formed by the parallels and meridians intersecting each other at right angles.
3. The coordinates of a place are the values of the lines of latitude and longitude that intersect at
that place.
4. While writing the coordinates of a place the latitude is always mentioned first and the longitude
is mentioned after it. For example, New Orleans is located at 30°N, 90°W, that is where the 30°N
latitude crosses the 90°W longitude.

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MOTIONS OF THE EARTH
A. 1. c. Equinoxes 2. c. Different places on the Earth experiencing different amounts of sunlight
and darkness each day 3. b. i, iii, iv 4. d. A is false but R is true
B. 1. rotates 2. tilted 3. Sun 4. daylight 5. Midnight Sun 6. darkness 7. Polar Night
8. six
C. 1. Dusk 2. Earth is 152 million km from the Sun 3. September 4. 21 March 5. 22 December
D. 1. The Earth rotates from west to east, so the Sun appears to rise in the east.
2. The line that separates the lighted half from the darker half of the Earth is called the circle of
illumination.
3. In the course of 24 hours, places on Earth experience dawn, sunrise, mid-day, sunset, dusk and
midnight. Places at or near the North Pole and South Pole may not experience these stages. This
is because they have continuous sunlight or darkness for six months of the year.
4. Christmas is celebrated in December. December is a winter month in America, which is in the
Northern Hemisphere and a summer month in Australia, which is in the Southern Hemisphere.
This is why Americans celebrate Christmas in winter and Australians celebrate it in summer.

MAPS
A. 1. d. The larger the area covered by a map, the lesser is the distortion in it. 2. a. Verbal scale
3. b. 12 cm 4. III. a—iii, b—iv, c—i, d—ii
B. 1. Map (1) is a small scale map, while map (2) is a large scale map. 2. Map (1) shows fewer details.
3. If the scale of the map is 1:1000, it will likely be of map (2).
C. 1. Linear scale 2. A linear scale is one where the scale of the map is represented by a straight line
with uniformly spaced divisions. 3. The division on the left of the scale is further divided to show
the sub-divisions of the main unit of measure. These subdivisions help us measure lengths that are
smaller than the main unit of measure.
D. 1. When we try to flatten a three dimensional figure on a flat surface as a two dimensional figure,
some distortions and errors occur. This is why distortions happen in maps.
2. Maps are classified on the basis of (a) scale of the map (b) the content of the map and the
purpose they serve.
3. Cadastral maps are village or local level maps that show property boundaries. They are used to
measure land and to prove ownership of land.
4. A plan is a detailed and accurate drawing of a very small area on a large scale. Plans are always
drawn to scale. They give a lot of information about a specific area, such as minute details about
the interiors of buildings.
5. Remote sensing is the science of acquiring information about objects, areas or phenomena
without coming into physical contact with them.

THE FOUR REALMS OF THE EARTH

A. 1. The Alps 2. The Amazon 3. 8,380 m 4. gravitational forces of the Moon and Sun
5. exosphere
B. 1. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 2. d. Africa
3. b. Global warming 4. b. iii, iv 5. c. Mesosphere

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C. 1. The lithosphere is the solid surface layer of the Earth. It consists of all the landmasses on the
surface of the Earth. The lithosphere includes the rigid crust and the brittle upper portion of the
mantle. The lithosphere is not the same everywhere—it is very uneven and includes high
mountains, vast plains and deep valleys.
2. The continents of Asia and Europe are joined together and make a huge continuous landmass
called Eurasia.
3. Australia is also called the ‘land down under’ as it is located in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. Condensed water may appear as clouds, mist, fog, dew and so on, depending on the physical
conditions of the atmosphere.
5. Oceans support marine life. They also help international trade by forming natural marine routes.
6. Exosphere is the fifth layer of the atmosphere. It is important because satellites orbit the Earth in
this layer.
7. A biome is a large area characterised by its vegetation, soil, climate and wildlife. There are five
major types of biomes—aquatic, grassland, forest, desert and tundra.

MAJOR LANDFORMS OF THE EARTH

A. 1. Plate tectonics refers to the movement of the tectonic plates that make up the lithosphere.
2. Internal forces are forces acting from within the Earth that bring about sudden and massive
changes on the surface of the Earth.
3. Weathering is the breaking down of rocks into smaller pieces/ bits.
4. Hills are highlands that are not as high as mountains, and have gentler slopes.
5. An escarpment is the steep side of a plateau.
B. (a) fold mountains (b) folding (c) lateral (d) tectonic/internal (e) tectonic plates
C. 1. a. Fold mountain—The Vosges Mountains 2. b. faulting 3. b. The Aravalli Range has been
lowered greatly due to continuous erosion over millions of years. 4. c. Lava plateau
D. 1. Gradational forces or external forces are forces acting from above on the surface of the Earth.
2. The higher reaches of the mountains are very cold because temperature falls with altitude.
3. When two faults are formed alongside each other, large areas get displaced vertically along the
two fault lines. The land between the fault lines either subsides (falls) or gets uplifted (rises).
The uplifted part of the land is called a horst or block mountain, and the subsided part is called
a graben or rift valley.
4. The lava, ash and rocks that erupt from the volcanoes settle in layers on the surface of the Earth.
Over thousands of years, these layers build up and volcanic mountains are formed. If the magma
is thin and flows easily, gently sloping mountains are formed. However, if the lava is thick and
viscous, the mountains formed are cone-shaped with steeply sloping sides.
5. The average height of plains is just around 200 m above mean sea level.
6. Most plateaus have rich deposits of minerals such as iron ore, gold and bauxite, and fossil rocks,
such as coal. Waterfalls found here are important sources of hydro-electric power. Plateaus are
thus important to us.
7. Human beings are able to settle down in the most challenging of terrains by ● modifying the
land to suit their needs and ● adapting their own lifestyle to suit the challenges of the terrain.

OUR COUNTRY—INDIA
A. 1. c. The union territory of Ladakh 2. c. The terrestrial border of India
3. b. The Pamir Knot 4. c. Almost 30° 5. b. Kerala—Thiruvananthapuram;
Chhattisgarh—Raipur; Bihar—Patna; Sikkim—Gangtok; Assam—Dispur

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 B. 1. Bangladesh; It lies to the east of India, while the rest of the countries lie to the north.
2. Sri Lanka; It is the only country in the set that India does not share land borders with.
3. Ladakh; It is a union territory of India, while the rest are the states.
4. Tripura; It is a state of India, while the rest are the capitals of states.
5. Agartala; It is the capital of a state, while the rest are capitals of union territories.
C. 1. Towering mountains, extensive plains and plateaus, rivers, deserts and long coastlines make up
the diverse landscape of India.
2. India is spread over an area of 3.28 million sq. km, which is only 2.4% of the total land area of the
world.
3. The longitudinal width of India is almost 30°. The time lag, or the difference in time, between the
easternmost and the westernmost parts of India is two hours. To avoid the confusion of different
times being followed in different parts of the country, India follows the time at the central or
standard meridian of India (82° 30’ E), referred to as the Indian Standard Time (IST).
4. The main political and administrative divisions of India are the states and union territories. States
are governed by their own elected state governments, whereas union territories are governed
directly by the union government.
5. The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir is Srinagar and the winter capital is Jammu.

THE PHYSICAL DIVISIONS OF INDIA

A. 1. Nanda Devi; It is a peak in the Himadri range of the Himalayas, while the rest are trans-Himalayan
ranges.
2. Gomti; It is a tributary of the river Ganga, while the rest are tributaries of the river Indus.
3. Ghaghara; It is a northern tributary of the Ganga, while the rest are the southern tributaries.
4. Shevroy Hills; They are part of the Eastern Ghats, while the rest are part of the Western Ghats.
B. 1. b. A part of it is a lava plateau 2. b. volcanic origin 3. d. i, iii
C. Across: 2. Satpura 3. Ravi 4. corals 6. Tibet
Down: 1. Manali 2. Siachen 5. Sindh
D. 1. A river system consists of a main river and its various tributaries and distributaries. An area
drained by a river system is called a drainage basin or a river basin.
2. The Chhota Nagpur plateau makes up the north-eastern part of the Central Highlands. It is
important for minerals like iron and coal.
3. The Western Coastal Plain is located to the west of the Western Ghats, while the Eastern Coastal
Plain is located to the east of the Eastern Ghats. The Western Coastal Plain is narrow and rocky,
while the Eastern Coastal Plain is broad and sandy.

INDIA—CLIMATE
A. 1. c. Distance from the sea 2. b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
3. b. summer
B. 1. False. The weather of a place can change unexpectedly during the course of the day.
2. True. 3. False. Winds blow from a high pressure region to a low pressure region. 4. True
C. 1. Cold Weather Season—c. December to February 2. Hot Weather Season—d. March to May
3. Advancing Monsoon Season —a. June to September 4. Retreating Monsoon Season—
b. October and November

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D. 1. Climate affects the natural resources of a country, for example, it can affect the soil, natural
vegetation and animal life of a region. This, in turn, determines the occupations or the economic
activities of that country.
2. During the Cold Weather Season, the north-western parts of the Northern Plains experience rain
or snowfall due to cyclonic depressions originating in the Mediterranean Sea.
3. Insolation(incoming solar radiation) refers to the Sun’s rays. In summer, the Sun’s rays fall directly
on large parts of India, causing a sharp increase in atmospheric temperature.
4. The Bay of Bengal Branch of the South-West Monsoons hits the Himalayas and causes heavy
rainfall in the eastern and north-eastern states of India. The rainfall goes on decreasing as the
Monsoon winds travel westwards into India. This is why, while Mawsynram in the north-eastern
state of Meghalaya receives more than 1,000 cm of rain, Jaisalmer in the north-western state of
Rajasthan gets less than 3 cm of rain a year.
E. Map question; Refer to the North-east Monsoon map in the textbook.

INDIA: NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

A. 1. b. Mangrove forest 2. d. Meghalaya 3. c. i, ii

B. 1. Annual rainfall of more than 250 cm Tropical rainforests

2. Less than 70 cm Thorn forests
3. Annual rainfall of 70–200 cm Tropical deciduous forests

C. 1. Tropical deciduous forest 2. The trees have broad leaves. They have a definite leaf shedding
period spread over six to eight weeks each year. Deciduous trees found in the tropical region shed
their leaves during periods of less rainfall to conserve water. The availability of sunlight on the forest
floor results in a dense undergrowth of vines, shrubs and small trees. 3. The eastern slopes of the
Western Ghats, and in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu and
Uttar Pradesh. 4. Teak, sal, sandalwood, pipal, neem, shisham
D. 1. The natural vegetation of India can be divided into five types: ● Tropical rainforests
● Tropical deciduous forests ● Thorn forests and desert vegetation ● Mangrove forests
● Mountain vegetation
2. The mangrove forests grow best in hot and humid coastal areas where the water is partly fresh
and partly saline. They grow in the Sundarbans in West Bengal, Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu, near
Chilika Lake in Odisha, and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
3. The point beyond which there is no vegetation, and snow cover takes over, is called the snowline.
4. Wildlife refers to all those animals that have not been tamed or domesticated by humans.
5. Project Tiger and Project Elephant;The government has set up biosphere reserves, wildlife
sanctuaries and national parks to protect and conserve wildlife.
E. 1. Tropical rainforest d. Ebony 2. Tropical deciduous forest c. Sal
3. Thorn forest b. Keekar 4. Mountain forest a. Deodar

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 HUMAN DIVERSITY

● What is human
diversity?
Suggested number of sessions: 8
● The need for Session 1: Lead in
diversity
Session 2: What is human diversity? Instructions for Do and learn, which can be
● Characteristics given as home assignment, The need for diversity, Characteristics of India’s
of India’s diversity
diversity
● Economic Session 3: Economic diversity, Social diversity, Do and learn
diversity Session 4: Regional diversity, Case study: Punjab and Kerala, Instructions for
● Social Do and learn: Become a food-detective, which is to be given as a home
diversity assignment, India—Unity in diversity
● Regional
diversity Session 5: Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home
● Case study: assignment, Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for Compare and
Punjab and contrast and Find out, which students can complete and submit in session 8
Kerala Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question
● India—unity in
Session 7: Values, Worksheet
diversity
Session 8: Enrichment activities: Compare and contrast,Find out

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Define diversity and identify examples of diversity around them
● Assess the importance of diversity in our lives
● Outline the different forms of diversity in India
● Develop and demonstrate sensitivity towards pluralism
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Suggested answers: Differences: Some children are boys, some are girls. They are of different
heights. Their bodies are different. They are dressed in different clothes. Similarities: They are all
children.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Visual-Spatial skills (Students analyse what they see in
the picture to come up with their answers.); Communication (They discuss their answers in class.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Analytical skills
Teaching the lesson
WHAT IS HUMAN DIVERSITY?
Focus areas: The obvious differences and less obvious differences in people; what is diversity; the

Do and Learn: Encourage students to attempt the activity.

NEP parameters covered: Real-life connect (Students get to know the people in their lives better.)
various ways in which people are different from each other

215
 THE NEED FOR DIVERSITY
Focus areas: How society benefits from people with diverse skills; the qualities that people acquire in
diverse societies
CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIA’S DIVERSITY
Focus areas: How Bharat became one of the most diverse countries in the world; the kind of society
India has at present; the heads under which Indian diversity can be studied
Economic diversity
Focus areas: The ways in which economic diversity manifests in India; diversity observed in the
occupations that people in India engage in
Social diversity

Do and Learn:
Answers: 1. More people are employed in industries and service sectors in 2021 than in 1951. There
are fewer people engaged in agriculture in 2021 than in 1951. 2. The economic diversity is likely to
have reduced. With more job opportunities in industries and in the service sector, people can get better
paying jobs. This can reduce economic inequality. 3. The change may be for the better. (Note:
Please accept other correct responses.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Logical reasoning. Problem solving, Mathematical-
Logical intelligence (Students use these skills to interpret the information in the graph and answer the
questions.); Mathematics integration (Students analyse a bar graph to answer the questions.); SDGs 8
and 10 (Students learn about the importance of decent work opportunities and economic growth in
reducing economic inequalities.)
Criteria for assessment: Observation skills, Analytical skills

Focus areas: Diversity in religion, linguistic diversity and diversity created by the element of caste

Regional diversity
Focus areas: What regional diversity is; diversity in Indian culture that manifests through varied social
customs, festivals and dance forms of different regions; economic and social aspects of regional
diversity; how geography brings about diversity and gives rise to cultural diversity
CASE STUDY: PUNJAB AND KERALA
Focus areas: Comparative study of the two states based on their respective location, physical features,
climate, main occupations, social indicators like life expectancy, female-male ratio, main religions,

Do and Learn: Become a food-detective

NEP parameters covered: General awareness (Students become aware of the food heritage of their
state or UT.); History, Geography (Students find if/how the traditional dish of their state or UT is
linked to the history, geography and culture of their region.); Real-life connect (Students research about
a dish that is probably made at their home.); Pride and rootedness in India (The activity aims to
inculcate a sense of pride in the diversity of traditional cuisines of India.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Communication skills

language, staple food and so on, to bring out the diversity of the states

INDIA—UNITY IN DIVERSITY
Focus areas: The factors that keep the people of India united despite the diversity; the values that
216
India’s diversity has helped develop

217
I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICMENT ACTIVITIES
Compare and contrast
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Communication (Students work in groups. They share
their findings by making a presentation.); Discovery-based learning, General awareness (Self-
learning is involved. Students become aware of different aspects of diversity among the states of
India.) Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, organisation of ideas, effectiveness of
presentation
Find out
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the task.);
Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, Language integration (Students compile the
information about Dharavi and share it in class. They use their language skills to present their findings
effectively.); Resilience, initiative, courage, Positive work ethics (Students can imbibe these values when
they learn about the achievements of the people of Dharavi.); Empathy (Students need to empathise with
the people of Dharavi in order to appreciate their success stories.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, analytical skills, effectiveness of communication
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking,Visual Literacy (Students analyse the quality of housing in
the two pictures to conclude that there is inequality among people living in the two places.); Empathy
(Students need to have this value to answer the questions.); SDGs 1, 10, 11, 12 (Students infer the
importance of the goals of zero poverty, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and communities and
responsible consumption and production for developing a healthy and happy society.); Equality, justice
and fairness (Students infer the lack of these values in the way wealth is distributed in society due to
which some sections remain poor.)
VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Social responsibility, Embracing diversity, plurality and inclusion (Students
infer these values in Hina’s class teacher’s actions.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

HUMAN DIVERSITY
EXERCISES
I. 1. Regional diversity 2. Social diversity
3. Economic diversity 4. Economic diversity
5. Regional diversity
II. 1. diversity 2. Assam 3. Agriculture
4. hot and wet, tropical
III. 1. a. Both A and R are true and R is the
correct explanation of A. 2. c. economic
and regional diversity 3. b. i, iv
4. b. the service sector
218
IV. 1. Diversity is any way a person or a group of
people can differ significantly from another
person or group of people—it can be with
respect to age, gender, ability, race,
religion, education, occupation, political
beliefs or economic condition. Different
kinds of diversity found in India: Economic
diversity, social diversity, regional
diversity
 2. Examples of social diversity in India—
● Religious diversity ● Linguistic
diversity (diversity in languages spoken)
and
● Diversity caused by the caste system
3. The climate of Punjab is dry. The houses
here have flat roofs because the state does
not get much rainfall. On the other hand,
Kerala receives heavy rainfall from the
South-West Monsoon, with 120–140 rainy
days per year. The houses there have sloping
roofs to prevent rainwater from collecting
on the roof and to allow it to flow down.
4. The geography of a land—its climate and
its relief—encourages diversity. It
influences the clothes people wear, the food
they eat and their occupations. For example,
people who live in hot coastal areas will
generally have different food habits and
dress differently from those who live in the
cold mountains. This in turn creates cultural
diversity.
V. 1. Diversity or variety is one of the most
beautiful and necessary aspects of a
society. Humans have different skills. Some
are skilled carpenters, while some prefer to
be teachers; some build aeroplanes, while
some prefer to fly them. If everyone had
the same skill, the human race would have
found it very difficult to survive as the
varied human needs would not have been
satisfied. Therefore, humans with diverse
interests and skills and diverse physical and
mental qualities are a necessity for society.
Diversity also enriches our lives. If we had
to live in a world of identical people,
everyone would look the same, dress the
same, talk the same, and behave in the same
way. When we live with a diverse group of
people, we learn from them. We absorb
different cultures; we become more tolerant
and broad-minded.
2. Every society is made up of people
belonging to different economic levels—
Punjab
Location Lies in the northwestern part of
India largely in the Northern Plain
219
some are wealthy, some have moderate
incomes, and some are economically
disadvantaged (poor). India, too, has people
belonging to diverse economic
backgrounds.
Economic diversity in India can also be seen
in the wide variety of economic activities
people engage in, such as animal herding,
farming, mining, weaving, and pottery.
Some people work in factories and some
work in the service industry as doctors,
teachers and bankers.
3. Social diversity takes different forms in
India. It includes elements such as religion,
language and caste. ● A variety of
religions are practised in India, and their
respective festivals, celebrated. Festivals
like Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Buddha
Purnima, Guru Purab, Mahavir Jayanti and
Jamshed Navroz are observed in a spirit of
harmony. ● Over a hundred different
languages (and their dialects) are spoken in
India. Of these, the Indian constitution has
recognised 22 languages as scheduled
languages. Hindi and English have been
designated as the official languages of India
to make it easier for India’s linguistically
diverse population (a population made up
of people who speak different languages)
to communicate easily. ● Another
important element of social diversity in
India is caste. The caste system
differentiates between people on the basis of
their birth. There are many castes and sub-
castes in India and they continue to play an
important role in defining a person’s identity
in modern India.
4. We can understand the regional diversity of
India by comparing the two states of Punjab
and Kerala on the basis of several factors
like location, physical features, climate,
economy, religion, language, food and social
indicators.
Kerala
Lies in the southern tip of India
 Punjab Kerala
Physical Mostly flat, fertile plain with the Mountains, plains and peaceful
features rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi flowing backwaters
through it
Climate Extreme climate, with winter Hot and wet tropical climate with 120–
temperatures dropping up to minus 140 rainy days per year; hardly any
5°C and summer temperatures often weather changes throughout the year and
touching 47°C, and largely dry no extremes of heat or cold; maximum
and minimum daily temperature averages
—36.7°C and
19.8°C respectively
Main Agriculture, with 65% of the Working in the service sector, which
occupation population depending on it directly includes the hospitality industry, tourism,
or indirectly Ayurveda, IT, transportation, finance and
Crops grown: Wheat, rice, sugarcane, banking and education (65% of revenue
fruits and cotton; produces 17% of in 2022–23), agriculture and fishing
India’s wheat, 10% of the rice and (10% of revenue)
9%
of India’s cotton (in 2023)
Food Mainly wheat-based foods Mainly rice-based foods
Life 72 years, which is higher than the 75 years, the highest in India
expectancy national average of 67.7 years
Female-male 904 females per 1000 males against Highest female-male ratio in India, with
ratio the national average of 929 women comprising around 52% of the
population
Main religions Sikhs: 57.69%, Hindus: 54.72%, Muslims:
and language Hindus:38.49%, Islam: a small 26.56%, Christians: 18.38%; main
population; main language: language: Malayalam
Punjabi
5. Yes, I agree with the statement. India is one The diversity of India’s culture has helped
of the most diverse countries in the world. its people to develop the values of
Despite the diversity, there has always been tolerance, respect for other cultures and
interaction, exchange and an underlying co-operation.
unity among Indians. Indians are united by
Picture-based question
their love for the country, a shared culture
and value system, and institutions such as 1. Economic inequality 2. Economic inequality
the Constitution of India, the Civil Services, can cause frustration/ unrest/ dissatisfaction in the
the Armed Forces and the central minds of people who are poor. This can lead to
government. crimes, riots and so on. (Note: Please accept other
correct responses.)

QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS

HUMAN DIVERSITY
I. Write true or false. 2. Bharat is one of the most diverse countries
1. Differences are important in making each of in the world.
us what we are. 3. There is very little social diversity in India.
Ans: 1. True 2. True 3. False
220
II. Answer the following questions.
1. How has India become a diverse country?
Ans: Different groups of people from
different places of the world migrated
to India over the years, adding to its
rich diversity. Today, it is a land where
people belonging to different social
and economic backgrounds, different
faiths and cultures, live together in
peace.
2. What is regional diversity?
Describe regional diversity in India.
Ans: Regional diversity refers to how
different regions of India differ from
each other with respect to their history,
geography, culture and economic and
social indicators.
● Each region of India enjoys a
culture that is vastly different from
that of other regions. ● Some social
customs and festivals are unique to a
particular region. For example, Onam
is celebrated in Kerala, the cattle-fair
is celebrated annually in Pushkar,
Rajasthan and Bogali Bihu is
celebrated in Assam. ● The
different classical dance forms and
traditional folk dances in different
regions also bear witness to the
richness of India’s regional diversity.
There are also economic and social
aspects to regional diversity, with
some regions of India being better off
economically than others.
Geographical diversity is seen in India,
with different regions having
different climate and relief which in
turn influence the life of the people
and create cultural diversity.

DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

● Introduction:
Positive and negative
Suggested number of sessions: 7
aspects of diversity Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: Positive and negative aspects of diversity,
● Diversity, prejudice Diversity, prejudice and stereotyping
and stereotyping
Session 2: Diversity, prejudice and stereotyping (Contd.), Instructions for
● Discrimination based Do and learn, which can be given as a home assignment, Discrimination
on prejudice and based on prejudice and stereotyping
stereotyping
● Inequality and Session 3: Do and learn,Inequality and discrimination, Do and learn:
discrimination Case based question
● Economic Session 4: Economic inequality,Social inequality, Gender inequality, Our
inequality constitution protects against discrimination and inequality, Instructions for
● Social inequality I now know, which can be given as a home assignment
● Gender inequality
● Our constitution Session 5: Exercises
protects against Session 6: Enrichment activities: Instructions for Breaking stereotypes,
discrimination and which can be given as a home assignment, Role-play
inequality
Session 7: Know your Bharat, Worksheet

221
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Define prejudice and explain how it leads to stereotypes
● Explain the meaning of discrimination and recognise its various forms
● Appreciate the role of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar in the framing of the Indian Constitution
● Analyse the ways in which the Constitution seeks to protect diversity
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart chapter
Lead in
Suggested answer: The picture depicts hatred being expressed without reason.
NEP parameters covered: Real-life connect (Students examine their own reactions on seeing the
picture.); Communication (Students discuss their thoughts about the picture with each other.) Criteria
for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Recap of what human diversity is; how diversity can have both positive and negative
effects
DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND STEREOTYPING
Focus areas: What the terms ‘prejudice’ and ‘stereotype’ mean; how prejudice and stereotyping are
related; what stereotypes are about, generally; examples of stereotypes; how generalisations have no

Do and Learn:
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students analyse a film for prejudice and stereotyping.);
Communication (They share their findings in class.); Real-life connect, Multilingualism, Establishing
regional connect (Students have to analyse a film made in their home language that they have
watched. Such a film would be connected to a region of India.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

basis; why prejudice and stereotyping happen

DISCRIMINATION BASED ON PREJUDICE AND STEREOTYPING

Focus areas: What the term ‘discrimination’ means; how discrimination affects people; discrimination
based on colour of skin, religion and caste; what the Constitution of India says about discrimination;
how the government provides relief to those who have been discriminated against for centuries; Dr

Do and Learn:
NEP parameters covered: Real-life connect (The words that students come up with for the given
words are the result of their beliefs and attitudes shaped in the real world.); Communication (Students
compare their responses with those of their classmates. They discuss their responses to find out which
of them reflect stereotyping.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

Babasaheb Ambedkar’s role in fighting discrimination

INEQUALITY AND DISCRIMINATION

Focus areas: Inequality as a basis for discrimination; the various forms that inequality takes;the fact that
discrimination based on inequality is different from the discrimination based on diversity
222
Do and learn: Case-based question:
Suggested answers: 1. The newly appointed Economic inequality
clerk belonged to a caste that was discriminated against
by people belonging to other castes. The prejudice was that
Focus areas: What economic inequality refers to: what causes economicthe touch of the people ofeconomic
inequality; some castes inequality
would pollute
in India; why water.
peopleThe
whodiscrimination took the formagainst;
are poor get discriminated of harassment and humiliation.
the various 2. the
steps taken by Laws to end
Indian
caste-based
governmentdiscrimination are necessary
to reduce economic as thethe
inequalities; fearimportance
of the lawof would
food deter people
subsidies from exploiting
programme to farmers and
others and being unjust to them. But laws alone are
consumers; the result of the steps taken by the government not enough. Laws cannot change the attitude of
people towards their fellow humans. There has to be a change in the mindset of the people,which
Social inequality
helps them respect others, in order to put an end to caste-based discrimination. (Note: Please accept
Focuscorrect
other areas:answers.)
What social inequality refers to; the caste system that allows some castes to enjoy
privileges and discriminates against others; how it affects communities that are discriminated against;
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students use their analytical skills to answer the
the relationship between social and economic inequalities; the steps taken by the government to remedy
questions.); Communication, Language integration (Students answer the questions in their own
the centuries-old issue of discrimination; the reason why the Mandal Commission was set up; how the
words.); Empathy, tolerance, respect for all people, equality, justice, embracing diversity, humaneness,
recommendations of the Commission have been implemented
social responsibility (Students perceive the lack of these values in the people who discriminate against
the clerk in the story. They infer the importance Gender inequality
of these values in building a just and fair society.)
Focus areas:
Criteria What gender
for assessment: inequality
Analytical refers
skills, to; the prevalence
Communication of discrimination against women in India
skills
and the world over for centuries; how discrimination against women happens in patriarchal societies
like that of India; the social evils of female foeticide, infanticide and demand for dowry; the steps the
government has taken for the emancipation and empowerment of women in India; how affirmative
action is a means of countering discrimination; the importance of education and economic
independence in achieving gender equality
OUR CONSTITUTION PROTECTS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION AND INEQUALITY
Focus areas: What the Constitution of India is; the preamble; what fundamental rights are; constitutional
protection to equality; what the right to equality means; what one can do if fundamental rights are
violated

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.

223
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Breaking stereotypes
NEP parameters covered: Communication, Verbal-Linguistic intelligence (Students use these skills to
interview people for the activity.); Initiative, Empathy (They take the initiative of approaching people for
interviews. Students need to empathise with people in order to understand the challenges they have
overcome.); Real-life connect (The activity helps students connect with people in their family or
neighbourhood.); Research skills (Students find out information by asking relevant questions.)
Criteria for assessment:
Role-play
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence, Art integration (Students use their
creative skills to role play the given situations. They use their acting skills to convey their ideas.);
Collaboration (Students work in groups to do the activity.); Equality, embracing diversity, humaneness
(The situations given aim to inculcate these values in students.); Communication (Students give
suggestions for dealing with discrimination.)
Criteria for assessment: Effectiveness of performance, Communication skills
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameter covered: Pride and rootedness in India (The information is given with an aim to
inculcate a sense of pride in their country.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

EXERCISES

I. 1. discrimination 2. Dr Babasaheb assumption, that people make about a

Ambedkar 3. Economic 4. rights
II. 1. d. A child with COVID, a highly infectious
disease, not being allowed to play with the
other children. 2. d. Breaking stereotypes
3. c. Neha has to help her mother with
household work; but her brother goes to
school 4. a. The oldest male is the head
of the family. 5. d. Both A and R are
false.
III. 1. Prejudice Discrimination
When we judge When we act on
someone, or have an our prejudice, or
idea about them, when we express
before we actually the feeling of
know anything about prejudice
them, it is called through our
prejudice. It is an unfair actions, it is
judgment about called
something or someone. discrimination.
2. A stereotype is a generalisation, or an
224
 person or groups of persons on the basis of
their identity. There are stereotypes about
people from particular regions or states,
about people belonging to certain castes or
religions and about boys and girls. Example
of stereotype: ‘Girls are too weak to play
football.’; ‘Boys do not play with dolls.’;
‘Boys do not cry.’ (any one)
3. Examples of gender inequality: Female
foeticide and infanticide (the killing of
female foetuses and babies) are practised in
some parts of India even today. Dowry is
demanded from the parents of the bride.
4. People of the Jewish faith have been
discriminated against for centuries based on
certain prejudices and stereotypes. During
World War II (1939–1945), around six
million Jewish people were killed across
German-occupied Europe by Hitler and the
Nazis (Hitler’s followers).
5. Affirmative action is a policy aimed at
increasing educational and workplace

225
 opportunities for people who are
underrepresented in various areas of our
society. The Constitution provides for
affirmative action as a means of countering
discrimination against particular groups. For
example, seats are reserved for people of the
disadvantaged groups in many political,
educational and industrial bodies.
IV. 1. Caste has been a basis for discrimination in
India for centuries. Prejudice against people
belonging to certain castes has led to their
being discriminated against in many
spheres, such as education, employment,
political representation, social relationships
and so on. People belonging to some castes
have traditionally enjoyed certain
privileges, while people belonging to certain
other castes have been discriminated
against. This kind of discrimination leads to
economic inequalities.
2. Social inequality refers to the unequal
treatment meted out to people belonging to
disadvantaged sections of society. People
belonging to some castes have traditionally
enjoyed certain privileges, while people
belonging to certain castes and tribal
communities have been discriminated against.
The communities that are discriminated
against experience unequal opportunities in
education and employment. They are unable
to get jobs that would pay them well, due to
lack of educational qualification or training.
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
Answer the following questions.
1. Why do prejudice and stereotyping happen in
society?
Ans: Prejudice and stereotyping happen because
we are unable or unwilling to search for
all the information we would need to
make a fair judgement about people.
2. Why is discrimination not desirable? What are
some of the different forms of discrimination?
226
Thus, social inequalities often lead to
economic in equalities.
3. Suggested answer: Education is very
important in removing gender inequalities
in India. Education helps girls acquire
knowledge and gain confidence. They
become aware of their fundamental rights,
which include the right to equality. This
awareness helps them voice their protest
against discrimination in the family and also
in society. It helps them in making decisions
which are right for their life. Education
gives girls the opportunity to seek better
jobs and achieve economic equality.
(Note: Please accept other correct
answers.)
4. Our Constitution lays down an impressive
list of fundamental rights that offers to all
Indian citizens those basic freedoms which
can give dignity to life and make democracy
fruitful.
Fundamental rights can be enforced in a
court of law. The right to equality is one of
the most important fundamental rights the
Constitution of India gives its citizens. This
means that no one can be discriminated
against on the basis of their gender, caste,
religion, race or economic status. If this
right is violated, one can seek its
enforcement through a court of law. The
Constitution of India thus protects against
discrimination and inequality.
Ans: Discrimination is not desirable because it
can do great harm to the people who are
at the receiving end of it. There are many
different forms of discrimination in
society. In many places, people are
discriminated against for the colour of
their skin. People are often discriminated
against based on religion. Discrimination
can also be based on caste.
3. Give an example of discrimination that can take
place on the basis of the colour of one’s skin. Ans:
For long, people of African origin, or the
Blacks, were discriminated against by the
Whites in many ways, as a result of
prejudice. The Blacks were not allowed
to mix with the Whites, and there were
clearly demarcated living spaces within
which the Blacks had to live.
4. What efforts have been taken by the
government against discrimination in Indian
society?
Ans: The Constitution of India speaks out
strongly against any form of
discrimination in Indian society. Since
independence, several positive steps
have been taken by the Indian
government to provide relief to people
who have been discriminated against for
centuries. They are now given scholar-
ships and reservations in colleges,
universities, public sector undertakings
and government services.
5. What is economic inequality? What kind of
economic inequality can be seen in India? How
does economic inequality affect people?
Ans: Economic inequality refers to variations
in income levels of the people living in a
community or country. It is caused by the
unequal distribution of property and
wealth in a society. According to ‘The
state of inequality in India Report’ of
2022, the top 5 per cent of Indians own
more than 60 per cent of the country’s
wealth, while the bottom 50 per cent of
the population possess only 3 per cent of
the wealth. People who are poor do not
have access to good food, clothing,
shelter or education. As a result, they get
discriminated against in different ways.
6. What steps have been taken by the
government to reduce economic inequality in
Indian society?
Ans: The Indian government has, over the
years, taken various steps to reduce
economic inequalities in India. Several
227
welfare schemes and employment
programmes have been started by the
government to provide employment.
One of the most effective of these
programmes has been the provision of
food subsidies by the government. Food
subsidies are used to protect farmers
against low market prices and provide
consumers with affordable food grains
through the public distribution system.
7. Why was the Mandal Commission set up? How
has the government implemented the
recommendations of the Commission?
Ans: In an effort to correct the injustice done to
certain groups of people in the name of
caste, the government set up the Mandal
Commission in 1979. The Commission
was given the task of identifying the
socially or educationally backward
classes and to recommend steps that
could be taken for their benefit.
Following the recommendations of the
Commission, a minimum of 49% of jobs
under the Central government and public
sector undertakings are now reserved for
people belonging to Scheduled Castes,
Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward
Classes. Seats are also reserved in
educational institutions for people
belonging to repressed communities.
8. What is gender inequality?
Ans: In many societies around the world, men
and women are not treated equally. This
is called gender inequality. It is a form of
discrimination that has been practised
against women for hundreds of years all
around the world. It happens in India too.
For the most part, society in India is
patriarchal, that is, a man is the head of
the family and the family name is traced
through the male line. The girl child is
usually given less importance and
attention in terms of healthcare, food
and education.
9. What is the aim of the Beti bachao Beti padhao
scheme?
 Ans: The Beti bachao Beti padhao scheme
seeks to prevent female foeticide, and
ensure the survival, protection and
education of the girl child.
10. What has been done to reduce gender
inequality in India? When will women be able
to fight for their rights better?
Ans: A number of steps have been taken for
the emancipation and empowerment of
women in India. Education of the girl
child has been given a lot of importance.
Laws to prohibit dowry and child
marriage have helped to improve the
status of women. The Constitution
provides for affirmative action, as a
means of countering discrimination
against particular groups. Seats are
reserved for women in many political,
educational and industrial bodies. If
women are educated and economically
independent, they will be able to
understand their rights better and fight
for them.
11. What does the preamble guarantee all
citizens?
Ans: The preamble guarantees all citizens
social, economic and political justice.

UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENT

● Introduction: The
importance of rules in
Suggested number of sessions: 7
society; why every country Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The importance of rules in society;
has a government why every country has a government
● The meaning of
Session 2: The meaning of government, Difference between State and
government
government, The need for government, Various forms of government,
● The need for government Monarchy
● Various forms of
government Session 3: Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given as a home
● Monarchy assignment, Dictatorship, Democracy, The fight for universal adult
● Dictatorship franchise, Case study: The Suffragette Movement, Case study: The
● Democracy Anti-Apartheid Movement
● The fight for Session 4: Instructions for I Now Know, which can be given as a home
universal adult assignment, Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for Make a
franchise
booklet, which students can complete in session 7
● Case study: The Suffragette
Movement Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question, Life skills and values
● Case study: The Anti- Session 6: Know your Bharat, Worksheet
Apartheid Movement
Session 7: Enrichment activities: Make a booklet
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● define the term ‘government’ and explain the need for government
● describe the various forms of government
● explain the quest for universal adult franchise through the examples of the Suffragette Movement
and the Anti-Apartheid struggle

228
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Suggested answers: ● Rules are important for ensuring fairness and justice in society and for
maintaining peace and harmony. ● If there were no rules, everyone will do what they want without
caring about how their actions will affect others.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students use their analytical skills and
logical-reasoning skills to answer the questions.); Real -life connect (Students draw from their own life
experiences to answer the questions.)
Criteria for assessment: Logical-reasoning skills, Communication skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Why human beings need rules and laws; what will lack of rules result in, in a society; why
every country has a government
THE MEANING OF GOVERNMENT
Focus areas: The Latin word from which the word ‘government’ comes; what the term ‘government’ means
State (Country) and Government
Focus areas: Difference between the terms ‘State’ and ‘government’
THE NEED FOR GOVERNMENT
Focus areas: The important functions that a government fulfils—Administration, Security, Economic
security, Social security, Environmental security; what the government does to fulfil these functions
VARIOUS FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
Focus areas: The factors that cause variations in the form of government; the earliest form of
government; the two major forms of government in human history
Monarchy
Focus areas: Monarchies as the most common form of government in history; the head of the
government in a monarchy; the powers that a monarch enjoys; the hereditary position of a monarch; the

Do and learn: Map work

NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information on
their own.); Visual literacy (Students collect pictures of the monarchs who rule different countries.
They use their visual skills to locate the countries that are monarchies, on a world map.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Presentation
monarchies of present times

Dictatorship
Focus areas: What kind of government a dictatorship is; how it is detrimental to the interests of the
common people
Democracy
Focus areas: What kind of government a democracy is; the importance of people in a democracy; how
the collective approval of the people is key to the government ruling the country; the answerability of
those in government as a key feature of a democracy
The fight for universal adult franchise
Focus areas: Citizens’ right to vote and elect their representative as a key feature of democracy; how
most early democracies were not truly participative; how the right to vote became available to common
229
people; what the term ‘universal adult franchise’ means; what the voting age in India is; the names of
two major movements that helped spread the principle of universal adult franchise
CASE-STUDY: THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT
Focus areas: What the name ‘Suffragette Movement’ signifies; how the Movement got its name; where
the Movement started; the different countries to which it spread; the methods that women used to ensure
the Movement’s success; the years in which women in different countries got their voting rights
CASE-STUDY: THE ANTI-APARTHEID MOVEMENT
Focus areas: What the term ‘apartheid’ is; how apartheid was practised in South Africa; what the
Anti-Apartheid movement was; what Nelson Mandela’s role in the movement was; what the outcome of
the movement was; the most important feature of the government formed by Nelson Mandela

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the
HOTS questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the questions.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Make a booklet
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.); Discovery-
based learning (Students collect information about the form of government in India’s neighbouring
countries, by themselves.); Creativity (Students use their creative skills to present the information they
collect in an interesting manner, in the form of a booklet or a chart.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Presentation
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: General awareness (The information given aims to promote awareness about
the significance of the National War Memorial among students. It aims to inculcate in them a sense of
respect and gratitude for the soldiers who have laid down their lives for the country.); Pride and
rootedness in India (The activity aims to inculcate in students a sense of pride in the inspiring work of
the Indian Armed Forces.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENT
EXERCISES
I. 1. government 2. Democracy 3. 1848, III. 1. d. growing crops and selling them in the
USA market 2. a. Monarchy 3. d. All men and
4. India 5. Nelson Mandela women above the age of 18 have the right to
II. 1. True 2. False. The earliest form of vote. 4. c. a movement to end racist
government was probably the rule of tribal practices in South Africa. 5. b. Dictatorship
chieftains over their tribes. 3. True 6. c. A is true but R is false.
4. False. No elections are held in a dictatorship IV. 1. A government is the group of people or the
5. False. It was a mixed race government body that rules a State (that is, a country)
where the non-Whites and the Whites had and whose directives the people of that
equal rights before law. State must abide by.

230
 2. Democracy is a system of government in that the government provides for the people
which power lies in the people and they will not reach them. Without security, the
exercise this power directly or through country would be prone to attacks of
freely elected representatives. inimical forces both from outside the
3. The policy of discrimination against the country and inside the country.
non-Whites by the Whites of South Africa (Note: Please accept other correct answers for
came to be called apartheid. Apartheid the second and third parts of the question.)
means ‘apartness’ in Afrikaans language.
2. Monarchy Dictatorship
V. 1. A government has several important
functions to fulfil. The main among them In a monarchy, the A dictatorship is
are: Administration—The government king or the queen is a form of
manages the day-to-day affairs of the the head of the government
country. It provides basic infrastructure like government. The where a person
roads, railways, postal services, public position of the or a small group
transport, street lighting, piped water, and monarch is of people rule
public facilities like parks and libraries. hereditary, that is, the the country
Security—The government maintains position passes from without the
relations with other nations. It protects the
the king or queen to collective
State from attacks from other countries. For
one of their children. approval of the
this purpose, it maintains an armed force
people.
consisting of an army, an air force and a
navy. Governments also maintain law and All power rests with No elections are
order within the country. the monarch, and he held. All power
Economic security—The government or she has the final say lies with the
ensures the economic security of the in running the country. ruling group or
country. It controls the finances of the state, In most of the the dictator,
issues currencies, controls trade, and decides monarchies that who can rule as
the economic policies of the State. Social survive today, long as they are
security—The government takes care of the however, the able to hold on
people by providing healthcare facilities and
monarch no longer to power. The
by ensuring that people belonging to weaker
has much power. common people
sections of society are not discriminated
against. It ensures equal opportunities to all. They rule in name have no freedom
In times of natural disasters, the government only, while actual of expression,
rescues and takes care of the affected. power, like in Britain, and they have
Environmental security—The government lies in the hands of an no say in such a
protects the natural environment of the elected parliament. government.
State. It tries to keep pollution and the
3. The Suffragette Movement was the name
exploitation of resources under control.
given to the struggle taken up by women
While all the functions are of great
demanding the right to vote in national and
importance, administration and security
local elections. It gets its name from the
seem to be the most important functions of
word ‘suffrage’, which means to vote. The
the government. These two functions are
Suffragette Movement was started in 1948
very basic to the stability and smooth
in the USA, and soon spread to several
running of the country and affect the lives
countries in Europe and to Australia.
of the people directly. Without efficient
Women used various methods to ensure the
administration, even the basic amenities
Movement’s success—art, debate,
propaganda, protest marches, and even
attack on property.

231
 Australia and the USA allowed women to
vote for the first time in 1902 and 1920
respectively. In Britain, where the
movement gathered strength towards the
end of the 19th century, educated women
over the age of 30 were allowed to vote in
1918. In India, universal adult franchise
was adopted at the time of independence.
So women have had the right to vote from
the first general election in 1952.
4. In South Africa, between the years 1948 and 1994,
non-White people (the Africans and Indians) were
not allowed to live in areas occupied by White
people. They had separate schools and separate
public facilities. They were denied basic human
rights and political rights. They were treated as
outsiders in their own land by the Whites. This
policy of discrimination against the non-Whites by
the Whites of South Africa came to be called
apartheid. The Anti-Apartheid Movement was
launched by the non-Whites of South Africa to end
Apartheid and other racist practices in South Africa.
This movement was led by Nelson Mandela of the
African National Congress. Mandela was sent to
prison for 27 years by the South African
government for leading the Anti-Apartheid
Movement. The non-White people finally got their
freedom and the right to form their own government
in 1994. They voted freely for the first time in the
elections of 1994. The election was won by Nelson
Mandela. He formed the first mixed-race government
of South Africa, where the non-Whites and the
Whites had equal rights under the law.
5. Democracy is a system of government in
which power lies in the people and they
exercise this power directly or through
freely elected representatives. ● In a
democracy, people elect (choose by voting)
232
representatives who rule the country on
their behalf. ● The government, which
consists of the elected representatives of the
people, has the collective approval of the
people to rule the country. ● The
government is answerable to the people who
have elected them to power. If the people
are not happy with the performance of the
government, they can vote it out of power in
the next elections.
In other forms of government, corrupt and
exploitative leaders have unchecked and
unlimited powers as they are not answerable
to the people. Democracy gives people the
opportunity to vote such leaders out of
power.
When we compare the powers that people
have in a democracy with the lack of power
that people in other forms of government
experience, we know that democracy is the
best form of government.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
1. Direct democracy is a form of democracy
where chosen citizens participate in the
government, make laws and control all parts of
the functioning of the government. When a
new law is proposed, the chosen citizens
attend the assembly to vote on it.
2. In India, the citizens vote for representatives
who make laws, rather than voting on the laws
themselves.
3. Most countries today practise indirect
democracy as they have large populations and
it is not possible to make a large number of
people directly participate in the process of
governance.
LIFE SKILL AND VALUES
The friends could have voted to find out which
game most people in the group wanted to play.
This would have helped them avoid the heated
argument and also play a game.
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENT
I. Fill in the blanks. elements—population, territory,
1. The word government comes from the government and sovereignty. The
Latin word , which means government is thus only one element
to steer a ship, to guide or to rule. of the State. It is the administrative
2. The forms of government vary with organ of the State and exercises all
respect to the way they are authority and functions on behalf of
, and the way in which the State. States are stable bodies,
they while governments can change every
few years.
3. Over the past years,
human beings have tried various forms of 2. What are some forms of government
government. present in the world today?
Ans: 1. gubernare 2. formed, rule Ans: Monarchies, dictatorships and
3. 5,000 democracies are some forms of
government present in the world
II. Match the following. today.
A B 3. Write a note on the fight for universal adult
1. The Suffragette Movement a. 1902 franchise.
began Ans: One of the most important features of
a democracy is a citizen’s right to
2. Women voted for the first b. 1918 participate in elections and vote for
time in Australia the representatives of their choice.
3. Women voted for the first c. 1920 Most early democracies were not
time in USA truly participative. Usually, the nobles
and the wealthy men of the country
4. Women voted for the first d. 1848
were the only ones who were allowed
time in India
to vote. Over time, however, the
5. Women voted for the first e. 1952 common people started demanding
time in Britain the right to vote too. After a long and
often bitter struggle, first all men, and
Ans: 1. The Suffragette Movement began—
then women, were allowed to vote.
d. 1848
When all the adult citizens of a
2. Women voted for the first time in
country have the right to vote, it is
Australia—a. 1902
known as universal adult franchise. In
3. Women voted for the first time in
India, every person over the age of 18
USA—c. 1920
has the right to vote.
4. Women voted for the first time in
4. Name the two movements that helped in
India—e. 1952
spreading the principle of universal adult
5. Women voted for the first time in
franchise.
Britain —b. 1918
Ans: The Suffragette Movement, the
IV. Answer the following questions.
Anti-Apartheid Movement
1. Differentiate between State and 5. As a result of the Suffragette Movement,
Government. the educated British women above 30 years
Ans: A State is a political and social of age got the right to vote. Do you think
organisation, with four essential

233
 education should be a criterion for voting
rights?
Ans: Education should not be a criterion
for voting rights as one of the main
features of a democracy is equality for
all citizens. Moreover, the policies
made by the government affect all
citizens irrespective of whether they
are educated or not. So, even the
uneducated citizens should have
voting rights.

ELEMENTS OF A DEMOCRACY

● Introduction:
The key
Suggested number of sessions: 8
elements of Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The key elements of democracy
democracy
Session 2: Participation and collective decision-making, Instructions for Do and
● Participation
learn, which can be given as a home assignment (Students can submit their findings
and collective
in session 8.), Accountability, Instructions for the second Do and learn, which
decision-
making students can attempt in session 3
● Accountability Session 3: Do and learn
● Conflict Session 4: Conflict resolution, Instructions for Do and learn, which students can
resolution attempt in session 6, Concern for equality and justice, Instructions for I now know,
● Concern for which can be given as a home assignment, Exercises
equality and
justice Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Instructions for Enrichment activities: Group work,
which students can attempt in session 7, Instructions for Chart work, which can be
given as a home assignment
Session 6: Do and learn
Session 7: Enrichment activities: Group work
Session 8: Worksheet, Submission of Chart work and work done for Do and learn
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● discuss the key elements of a democratic government
● define participation and accountability and analyse their importance in a democracy
● explain how conflicts are resolved in a democracy
● explain how provision of equality and justice for all is a key element of a democracy
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students analyse what they know about the different forms
of government to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living under them.); Communication
(Students have a discussion on the topic in class.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

234
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The key elements of democracy that make it the most preferred form of government
PARTICIPATION AND COLLECTIVE DECISION-MAKING
Focus areas: What ‘participation’ means in a democracy; the citizens’ right to participate in the decision-
making process of the government; free and fair system of elections in a democracy through which
people choose their representatives who participate in the governance on their behalf; the ways,
other than elections, through which citizens participate in the decision-making process in democracies;
how the media aids citizens’ participation in the decision-making process; the different media available
to citizens to express their opinions; the other important role that media plays in a democracy—protector

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Democratic outlook and commitment to liberty and freedom,
Commitment to rational and public dialogue, Social action through Constitutional means (Students
learn that these democratic values come into play when citizens actively protest against the unfair
decisions of the government and succeed in changing them.); Communication (Students share their
findings in class.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Communication skills

of freedom and justice

ACCOUNTABILITY
Focus areas: What accountability means in a democracy; who the elected representatives are accountable
to; the lapses for which citizens can hold their elected representatives accountable; the five-year term of
most government bodies, which gives citizens the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the elected
representatives; the power that citizens have to not vote inefficient representatives back to power; the
role of the judiciary in ensuring accountability in a democracy; the reason why the Constitution has made
the judiciary an independent organ of the government; the role of the Constitution in ensuring
accountability and discouraging misuse of power by the government in a democracy; the Right to
Information Act as an important tool in ensuring accountability of the government towards the citizens
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to study the image given for the Right to Information Act and
explain the text in it. (It can be used by citizens to see the government’s records and to make sure that
the government is functioning in their interest. The information asked for has to be given to the citizen
within 30 days, failing which the officer responsible for delaying the sharing of information will be

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.); Critical
thinking, Logical reasoning (Students build their case on the basis of the group they are in. They
think of the arguments that the industrial group/tribal group will present to make their case stronger and
include them in their petition to the ‘government’.); Communication, Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence
(Students use their language skills to build a strong case for their group.); Problem- solving,
Decision-making skills (Students are expected to have these skills to present a strong case.);
Commitment to rational and public dialogue, Peace, Social action through Constitutional means
(The activity helps students practise these democratic values. It will help them become responsible
citizens in future.)
Criteria for assessment: Logical-reasoning skills, Communication skills

charged with a penalty of ` 250 per day.)

235
 CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Focus areas: What conflict resolution means in a democracy; an important reason why conflicts occur;
an example of conflict between states in India; the role played by the judiciary in conflict resolution;
why the court is considered to be the most suitable organ to resolve conflicts in a fair and just manner;
the role of the police in conflict resolution; the different elements of conflict resolution in a democracy

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to do the project.); Discovery-based
learning (Students learn about the ISWD while gathering information for answering the questions
given.) General awareness (By doing the activity, students become aware of the fact that the sharing
of river water is an area of conflict between most Indian states.): Peace, justice and strong institutions
(Students infer that this Sustainable Development Goal needs to be met when resolving conflicts
involving the sharing of river waters.); Commitment to rational and public dialogue, Peace, Social
action through Constitutional means (Students learn that these democratic values are upheld while
resolving inter-state conflicts, as they research about the procedure followed and mechanisms put in
place by the government to resolve conflicts of this nature.); Problem-solving, Logical-reasoning
(Students use these skills to come up with a practical solution for the problem.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Analytical skills, Problem-solving skills

— dialogue, discussions and negotiations

CONCERN FOR EQUALITY AND JUSTICE

Focus areas: How the principle of equality is expected to be upheld in a democracy; how all citizens are
equal before the law; why the Constitution has made special provisions for positive discrimination or
affirmative action for certain sections of the society; how affirmative action is implemented

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES:
Group work
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal intelligence (Students use their interpersonal
skills to work in groups for completing the activity.); Discovery-based learning (Students learn
about people’s movements for justice on their own.); Peace, justice and strong institutions, Social
responsibility (Students learn that this Sustainable Development Goal was achieved by people who
protested to save the Silent Valley in Kerala and also by those who protested for the introduction of
the Lokpal Bill. Students learn that the protestors acted out of a sense of social responsibility.);
Commitment to rational and public dialogue, Peace, Social action through Constitutional means
(Students learn how these democratic values help citizens fight for their right in a democracy, like
India.); Critical thinking (Students analyse the outcome of these protests and infer whether they
were successful or not.); Communication (Students present their findings in the form of a booklet or
a chart.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Analytical skills, Presentation
Chart work
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information on their
own. Students gain knowledge about the elections in their state through the process of self-learning.);

236
Establishing Local and Regional Connect (The activity requires students to research about the elections
in their state.); Citizenship skills, Civic awareness (The activity promotes civic awareness. It trains
students in acquiring the skills of responsible citizenship.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

ELEMENTS OF A DEMOCRACY
EXERCISES
I. 1. False. In a democracy, all citizens have the
power to take part in the decision-making
process. 2. True 3. False. The Prime
Minister of India is answerable to the courts,
just like any other citizen.
II. 1. discussions, debates/speaking out through
the media/protest marches/rallies
2. people 3. Accountability
III. 1. b. Elections 2. d. i, ii, iii
3. a. the judiciary
IV. 1. Key elements of a democracy: Participation
and collective decision-making,
accountability, conflict resolution, and
concern for equality and justice
2. Participation means ‘to take part in’. In a
democracy, every citizen has the right and
the means to participate in the decision-
making process of the government.
People participate in governance by
electing the person who they feel
understands their problems the best.
However, participatory citizenship goes
beyond just taking part in elections. It also
involves actively taking part in policies
and decision-making. In democracies,
citizens directly participate in, and
influence,
government decisions, through discussions,
debates, speaking out through the media,
protest marches and rallies.
3. Many of the natural resources available on
the Earth, like land, fresh water, coal and
petroleum, are limited in supply. However,
the demands on these limited resources are
increasing each day because of our steadily
growing population. When the resources are
limited, but the demands on it are
many, there is conflict or trouble between
the various people or groups who need that
resource. In India, for example, many states
are locked in conflict over the issue of
sharing river waters.
V. 1. In a democracy, voting in the elections is
the most effective form of participation. It
is a free and fair system for choosing
representatives to the government. People
participate in governance by electing the
person who they feel understands their
problems the best. This person acts as their
representative in the government. If
representative or the government itself does
not work for the benefit and well- being of
the people or becomes corrupt, they can be
voted out in the next election. This power in
the hands of the people is more effective in
keeping a check on the representatives and
to make them work in the interest of the
people. The other ways by which citizens
participate—discussions, debates, speaking
out through the media, holding protest
marches and rallies—can help the
representatives gauge the mood or the will
of the people. The representatives may or
may not respond to the suggestions or
protests of the people but they definitely
cannot ignore the power in the hands of the
people to vote them out. This makes voting
in elections the most effective form of
participation in a democracy.
2. In India, the Constitution makes special
provision for the welfare of the people who
have been discriminated against for
centuries. Seats are reserved for them in
Parliament, educational institutions and

237
 government undertakings. This policy of
reservation to correct a centuries-old wrong
is called positive discrimination or
affirmative action. Several laws have been
passed prohibiting discrimination against
people on the basis of caste, creed or colour.
3. A key element of democracy is the
provision of equality and justice for all
its citizens. In a democracy all should be
treated equally, whether they are rich or
poor, whatever be their religious belief,
gender, caste, race or the language they
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
ELEMENTS OF A DEMOCRACY
I. State True or False. Correct the false
statements.
1. Participatory citizenship goes beyond
elections.
2. In a democracy, the government controls
the media.
3. Elected representatives are accountable to
the media.
Ans: 1. True 2. False. Government does
not control the media. Media has the
freedom of expression. 3. False.
They are accountable to the people.
II. Match the following.
A B
1. Positive a. Peaceful settlement
discrimination of disputes
2. Conflict b. Check misuse of
resolution power
3. Accountability c. Affirmative action
4. Laws d. Being responsible
for one’s actions
Ans: 1. Positive discrimination—c.
Affirmative action 2. Conflict
resolution—
a. Peaceful settlement of disputes
3. Accountability—d. Being
responsible for one’s actions 4. Laws—
b. Check misuse of power
238
speak. In a democracy all are equal in the
eyes of the law including leaders holding
the highest positions in the government. In
India, the constitution makes special
provisions for the welfare of the people
who have been discriminated against for
centuries, by reserving seats for them in
educational institutions, parliament, and
government undertakings. Many laws have
been passed prohibiting discrimination
against people on the basis of caste, creed
or colour. Courts of law can be approached
in case of violation of the right to equality.
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. What role does the media play in a
democracy?
Ans: The media is a powerful tool of direct
participation. In a democracy, the
government does not control the
media. People can therefore express
themselves freely through
newspapers, television and radio and
through social media platforms such
as Twitter (X) and Facebook. The
opinions expressed may force the
government to change its decisions.
The media acts as a protector of
freedom and justice in democracy.
2. What does accountability mean in a
democracy? How is accountability ensured
in a democracy?
Ans: Accountability means being
responsible for one’s actions. In a
democracy, the elected representatives
are accountable to the people who
have elected them. Every citizen has
the power to hold their elected
representatives accountable if they are
dishonest, inefficient or irresponsible,
or if their actions violate the
fundamental rights of the citizens.
 ● Most government bodies are
elected for a period of around
5 years. During this time, the
government has to work for the
good of the people. If they fail to
live up to the expectations of the
people, the people may not vote
for them in the next elections.
● In case the elected representatives
turn out to be dishonest or
inefficient, there are independent
bodies like the judiciary to take
them to task and punish them. By
making the judiciary an
independent body, the Constitution
ensures that the judges cannot be
influenced by political leaders or be
forced to obey them.
● The Constitution too plays an
important role in ensuring
accountability in a democracy.
It lays down rules and laws that
governments have to follow.
These laws act as a check on the
misuse of power by the
government. The Right to
Information Act, for example,
gives the Indian citizens the right
and power to closely examine and
monitor the functioning of the
government.
All these safe guards ensure
accountability and thus protect the
rights of citizens in a democracy.
3. Most government bodies are elected for a
period of 5 years. Why is it important to
239
have a limited term/period of office for
government bodies? Why can they not be
permanent?
Ans: Most government bodies are elected
for a period of around 5 years during
which time they have to work for the
good of the people. If they fail to live
up to the expectations of the people,
the people may not vote for them in
the next elections. On the other hand
if they hold office permanently, they
may become corrupt and
irresponsible in their duties towards
the people and people will not be
able to remove them from office. So
it is important to have a limited
period of office for government
bodies.
4. What are the various established
methods to resolve conflicts in a
democracy?
Ans: In a democracy, there are various
established methods to resolve
conflicts. The judiciary, or the court of
law, is the main body which deals with
conflict resolution in a democracy.
The court is an impartial body and is,
therefore, expected to resolve
conflicts in a fair and just manner. The
police is another body which deals
with conflict resolution. Approaching
the police or a court of law are ways
to resolve conflicts in a democracy.
Dialogue, discussions and negotiations
between the parties concerned are also
important elements of conflict
resolution in a democracy.
PANCHAYATI RAJ—LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RURAL AREAS
● Introduction: The three levels
of government in India and
Suggested number of sessions: 9
the area which they govern Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The three levels of government in
● Panchayati Raj India and the area which they govern
● How does the Panchayati Session 2: Panchayati Raj, How does the Panchayati Raj System
Raj system work? work?, The village level: Gram Panchayat, Composition/Structure
● The village level: Gram
Panchayat Session 3: Do and learn
● Composition/ Session 4: Functions of the Gram Panchayat, Sources of income,
Structure Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given as a home
● Functions of the Gram assignment, The block level: Panchayat Samiti, Functions, Sources of
Panchayat income
● Sources of income
● The block level: Session 5: The district level: Zilla Parishad, Composition,
Panchayat Samiti Functions, Sources of income, Why is Panchayati Raj essential?,
● Functions Instructions for I now know and Know your Bharat, which can be
● Sources of income given as home assignments
● The district level: Zilla Session 6: Exercises, Instructions for Enrichment activities: Make a
Parishad booklet, which students can complete over sessions 8 and 9
● Composition
● Functions Session 7: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question, Instructions for
● Sources of income Enrichment activities: Write a story, which can be given as a home
assignment
● Why is Panchayati
Raj essential? Session 8: Worksheet, Enrichment activities: Make a booklet
Session 9: Enrichment activities: Make a booklet (Contd.)
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● explain how the government functions at the local level
● describe the workings of the Panchayati Raj and appreciate its importance
● discuss the composition, functions and sources of income of the Gram Panchayat, the Panchayat
Samiti and the Zilla Parishad
● appreciate the importance of women being given seats in the Panchayati Raj system
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Suggested answer: Gandhiji put so much emphasis on the independence of the villages because a large
population of India still lives in villages. I agree with Gandhiji because, despite being large in number,
the people in villages enjoy very little political power, which is as good as not having independence.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication (Students apply their analytical skills and
their general awareness to answer the questions.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

240
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The three levels at which the government in India works; the area administered by the
central government, the state governments and Panchayati Raj
PANCHAYATI RAJ
Focus areas: What the system of local government is; what the Panchayati Raj system takes care of; the
concept of Panchayat that the Panchayati Raj system is based on; the period when the age-old system of

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.); Problem-
solving and Logical reasoning (Students representing ‘the people of the village’ apply these skills to
present their issue. The group representing ‘the Panchayat’ tries to present solutions for the issues
raised.); Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence and communication skills (Students enact their roles and speak
their dialogues according to the group they are in.)
Criteria for assessment: Performance, Relevance

rural administration went into decline and the period when it was revived

How does the Panchayati Raj System work?

Focus areas: How the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj came into effect in the early 90s; the
conditions stipulated for establishing the Panchayati Raj; the status given to Panchayati Raj; the system
of local democracy that was created at the three levels of village, block and district; the number of gram
panchayats in a block and the number of blocks in a district
Suggested questions to check comprehension:
1. How many tiers does the Panchayati Raj have? What are they? (It has three tiers. They are the gram
panchayat at the village level, the Panchayat Samiti at the block level and the Zilla Parishad at the
district level.)
2. How many gram panchayats does a panchayat samiti consist of? (10–20 gram panchayats)
3. How many panchayat samitis does a zilla Parishad have? (4–10 panchayat samitis)
The village level: Gram Panchayat
Focus areas: The number of villages administered by a panchayat; what the wards are
Composition/Structure
Focus areas: What the gram sabha is; who a panch is; what the gram panchayat is; the number of
members in gram panchayats; what the head of the panchayat is called; who elects the sarpanch; who
appoints the panchayat secretary and what their role is; reservation of seats in gram panchayats for
members of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and for women; what the nyaya panchayats are; the kinds

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students find out the required information by
themselves.); Establishing local and regional connect (The information that students find out is related
to the panchayats of their own state.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Communication skills
of cases that nyaya panchayats deal with

Functions of the Gram Panchayat

Focus areas: Functions of the Gram Panchayat related to village roads, electricity, street lighting,
241
drinking water, health, primary schools, records of births and deaths, supply of seeds and fertilisers

242
 Sources of income
Focus areas: The different sources of revenue for the Gram Panchayat
The block level: Panchayat Samiti
Focus areas: The position at which the Panchayat Samiti operates in the Panchayati Raj system; the
people who elect the members of the Panchayat Samiti; who the other members of the Panchayat Samiti
are; reservation of seats for the members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and for women; the
head of the Block Samiti and who elects them; the right of the members to remove the head from power;
the term for which the Block Samiti is elected; who the secretary of the Panchayat Samiti is and what
their work is
Functions
Focus areas: Functions of the Block Samiti related to community development programmes,
implementation of plans for the development of agriculture, animal husbandry, poultry, fishery, supply
of drinking water, sanitation, education, rural health, small-scale and cottage industries and supervision
of the working of the different officers
Sources of income
Focus areas: The different sources from which the Panchayat Samiti gets its income
The district level: Zilla Parishad
Focus areas: The position of the Zilla Parishad in the Panchayati Raj system; the role it plays with regard
to the Block Samitis; its role as a link between the Gram Panchayat, the Block Samiti and the state
government; its importance in district administration
Composition
Focus areas: Who the members of a Zilla Parishad are; reservation of seats for the representatives of
scheduled tribes, scheduled castes and women
Functions
Focus areas: Functions of the Zilla Parishad related to plans for development of the district,
improvement in agricultural production, sanitation and health, maintenance of roads, distribution of
funds allotted to the district, maintenance of secondary, vocational and industrial schools
Sources of income
Focus areas: The different sources from which the Zilla Parishad earns its revenue
Why is Panchayati Raj essential?
Focus areas: Suitability of Panchayati Raj for rural administration; the different issues at the village level
that the Panchayati Raj is best suited for solving; why the local governments are able to find more
effective solutions for local issues; how local governments train the youth to be future leaders

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Make a booklet
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.); Discovery-
based learning (Students learn about the important work done by sarpanches of different villages and
about the changes they have brought about, based on their own research skills.)

243
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation
Write a story
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Art integration(Students write a graphic story using their creative
skills and artistic skills.); English language integration, Communication (Students use their language
skills to write the graphic story based on the situation given.)
Criteria for assessment: Creative skills, Artistic skills, Presentation
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: Civic awareness, Peace, justice and strong institutions (The activity helps
students gain awareness about the government’s efforts to empower people living in places under
Panchayati Raj institutions and achieve sustainable development goal number 16.); Research skills,
Media and Technology literacy (Students use their research skills to gain knowledge about sites,
software and apps that help people know about the programmes of the Panchayati Raj institutions.
They share this knowledge with those who need them.); Interpersonal intelligence (Students need to
have interpersonal skills to approach people for helping them.); Democratic outlook and commitment to
equality, justice, and fairness; social responsibility and the spirit of service (Students need to have these
values in order to complete the activity.); Developing pride and rootedness in India (Students can take
pride in the Indian government’s efforts in taking democracy to the grassroots.); Problem-solving skills,
Citizenship skills (The activity helps students hone these skills.); Social responsibility (The activity
helps students discharge this responsibility towards their fellow citizens.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

PANCHAYATI RAJ—LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RURAL AREAS

EXERCISES
I. 1. five 2. sarpanch/pradhan/panchayat adults of the village belong.
president 3. secretary 4. Nyaya panchayat
5. Zilla Parishad
II. 1. block 2. one-third 3. state 4. middle
III. 1. c. A is true but R is false. 2. a. It is a
three tier system of local administration of
rural areas in India. 3. b. Zilla Parishad
4. d. Provision of drinking water 5. b. i, iii,
iv
IV. 1. Local self-government is a system where
the problems of a local community are
managed by people belonging to that
community through the proper use of local
resources.
2. The three levels of the Panchayati Raj
system are: ● the Gram Panchayat at the
village level ● the Panchayat Samiti at
the block level ● the Zilla Parishad at the
district level
3. The Gram Sabha is the most inclusive
because this is the general body to which all
244
4. The Gram Panchayat gets the money needed
to carry out all its functions from government
grants and from taxes levied on land,
electricity, water, houses, markets and fairs.
5. Nyaya Panchayats provide speedy and
inexpensive justice to the villagers. This is an
advantage for the villagers. However, Nyaya
panchayats deal with minor cases like petty
thefts and only have the power to impose
fines. They cannot send an offender to jail.
This is a limitation.
6. Solving disputes between states, defending
the country against attacks from other
countries, granting citizenship, expanding the
network of railways and national highways
and regulating airways are some issues that
only the Central Government and not the
Local Governments can take care of. This is
because these issues affect the entire nation
and not just a local area.

245
V. 1. Social and economic justice can be best
achieved if local people are a part of the
governing body. Local self-government is a
system where the problems of a local
community are managed by people
belonging to that community through the
proper use of local resources. The system
gives villagers a chance to actually
participate in decision-making. The
villagers learn to cooperate and work
together to solve their problems.
Democracy gives power to the people and
local government takes democracy to the
grassroots, to each villager. So, local self-
government is described as ‘power to the
people’.
2. The Panchayat Samiti or Block Samiti is
the middle rung or the second level in the
Panchayati Raj system. It operates at the
block level. The functions of a Panchayat
Samiti include the following:
● to prepare, execute and co-ordinate
community development programmes at
the block level ● to implement plans for
the development of agriculture—distribute
seeds, implements, and fertilisers to the
farmers ● to help in the development
of animal husbandry, poultry and fishery
● to look after drinking water supply,
sanitation, education and rural health
● to promote small-scale and cottage
industries and oversee the working of the
block development officer and other
executive officers.
3. Composition of the Zilla Parishad: All the
presidents of the Block Samitis in a district
are members of the Zilla Parishad.
Members of the State Legislature, members
of Parliament, chairpersons of Municipal
Boards and mayors of corporations from
the district are also members of the Zilla
Parishad. Seats are reserved for
representatives of scheduled tribes and
scheduled castes. From one-third to up to
50% of the seats are reserved for women.
The functions of the Zilla Parishad are as
follows: ● It co-ordinates the working of
the Block Samitis in the districts. It
provides a vital link between the Gram
Panchayat,
246
the Block Samiti and the state government
and looks after the welfare of the district as
a whole. ● It prepares plans for the
development of the district based on reports
submitted by the Block Samiti and the
Gram Sabha. ● It also focuses on
improvement in agricultural production,
sanitation and health, maintenance of roads
and other developmental actions.
● It distributes the funds allotted to the
district by the central or state government
among the Panchayat Samitis. ● It builds
and maintains secondary, vocational and
industrial schools in the district.
4. Reserving seats for women in the Panchayat
is indeed a significant step towards women
empowerment. For centuries, women have
been discriminated against in society. They
hardly had any opportunities for education
and employment. Moreover, they hardly
had any political voice. Many social
practices were against them. To right these
wrongs, to help women build confidence in
themselves and their abilities and to make
them active participants in the development
of the country, it is important to empower
them. Reservation of seats for them is a step
in that direction.
5. ● Panchayati Raj is best suited for the
development and administration of people
in the rural areas. ● Issues that are local
in nature, such as sanitation, water supply,
the supply of electricity and the
maintenance of public roads and other
facilities are best managed at the local
level. Local governments understand the
needs, requirements and problems of the
people better than people in the central or
state governments would. This helps them
find more effective solutions to local issues.
● The system gives villagers a chance to
actually participate in decision-making. It
teaches the youth at the grassroots level
about the workings of a democracy, and
trains them to be future leaders. ● Social
and economic justice can be best achieved
if local people are a part of the governing
body. ● The villagers learn to cooperate
 and work together to solve their problems.
● The Panchayati Raj system, if properly
implemented, ensures that each citizen has
a voice in the running of the nation.
CASE-BASED QUESTION
1. As a Pradhan (sarpanch), Jagrani Devi got ten
link roads constructed, 15 hand pumps bored
and 25 nalis (drains) made in all hamlets of the
Panchayat. She tried to get a female teacher
appointed in her Panchayat. An extra
classroom was constructed in the village
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
PANCHAYATI RAJ—LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RURAL AREAS
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. By introducing Panchayati Raj, a system of
local was created at three levels.
2. Each village panchayat is divided into
smaller units called .
3. Members of the Gram Sabha elect a
representative from each of the wards, who
is known as a .
4. The maintains
records of the work done by the panchayat.
5. A Zilla Parishad consists of 4–10
6. A nyaya panchayat has more than one
under its control.
7. A Block Samiti is elected for a term of
years.
8. The block development officer appointed
by the state government is the
of the Block Samiti.
9. The is the highest
body in the Panchayati Raj system.
Ans: 1. democracy 2. wards 3. panch
4. panchayat secretary 5. blocks/
panchayat samitis 6. village 7. five
8. secretary 9. Zilla Parishad
II. State True or False. Correct the false
statements.
1. A Panchayat Samiti consists of 10–20
gram panchayats.
2. The area administered by a panchayat
includes one village.
school. Efforts were made to get a tube well
because there was no irrigation facility in her
Panchayat. She worked as per the
requirements of the people. She met with
government officials at the district and block
level, when necessary.
2. Yes, more and more women should be
encouraged to participate in local government.
When they participate in the government at the
grassroots, they contribute to the development
of the country.
3. The number of members in the Gram
Panchayat is uniform in all the states.
4. The sarpanch is elected by members of the
Gram Sabha.
Ans: 1. True. 2. False. The area
administered by a panchayat includes
one or several villages. 3. False.
The number of members in Gram
Panchayats differs from state to
state. 4. True
.
III. Answer the following questions.
1. At what levels does the government in India
work?
Ans: The government in India works at the
national level, the state or regional
level and the local level. In India, the
central government rules the country
at the national level, the state
governments rule at the state level,
and the Panchayati Raj takes care of
government at the local level.
2. What is the Panchayati Raj?
Ans: The Panchayati Raj is a system of
local government that takes care of the
requirements of the rural population
and implements policies meant for
them. The Panchayati Raj is a three-
tiered system of local administration
based on the concept of the panchayat.
247
3. What do you know about the history of the
panchayat system?
Ans: The panchayat system, which has
been a part of India’s village life for
several hundreds of years, went into
decline when the British started
ruling India. It was revived by the
Indian Government after
independence.
4. When and how did the Panchayati Raj
system come into effect?
Ans: In the early 90s, a law came into effect
which made it compulsory for states
with a population of more than 20
lakhs to have a three-tier system of
Panchayati Raj. Constitutional status
was given to the Panchayati Raj
institutions.
5. What is the main difference between
the gram sabha and the gram
panchayat?
Ans: The gram sabha is the general body to
which all adults of the village belong.
The gram panchayat is a small
committee made up of the panchs,
who are representatives elected from
the wards.
6. What are the functions of the Gram
Panchayat?
Ans: The Gram Panchayat performs many
functions. These include: ● the
construction and repair of village
roads ● provision of electricity and
street lighting ● provision of
drinking water by maintaining public
wells and tanks ● maintenance of
public health and sanitation
● building and supervision of primary
schools ● maintenance of records
248
of births and deaths ● supply of
seeds and fertilisers to farmers
7. Describe the composition / structure of
the Panchayat Samiti.
Ans: The members of the Panchayat
Samiti are elected by the sarpanches
of all the villages of that block.
Members of the legislative assembly
(MLAs), members of the legislative
councils (MLCs) and members of
parliament (MPs) from that block are
also members of the Panchayat
Samiti. It is compulsory for the
Panchayat Samitis to have
representatives from scheduled castes
and scheduled tribes. From one-third
to up to 50% of seats are reserved for
women.
8. Who elects the block chairman or block
pramukh?
Ans: Members of a Block Samiti elect
the block chairman or block
pramukh.
9. Who takes care of the administration of a
Block Samiti?
Ans: The block development officer,
who is the secretary of the Block
Samiti, takes care of its
administration.
10. Compare the sources of income of a
Panchayat Samiti with those of a
Zilla Parishad.
Ans: The sources of income of the
Panchayat Samiti are taxes on land,
property, cattle and grants-in-aid
from the state government. The
sources of income of the Zilla
Parishad are government grants,
taxes and rents from property.
 LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF URBAN AREAS

● Introduction: The
three categories of
Suggested number of sessions: 8
local governing Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: The three categories of local governing
bodies in urban areas bodies in urban areas
● The Municipal
Session 2: The Municipal Corporation, Functions of the Municipal
Corporation
Corporation, Compulsory functions, Optional functions, Sources of income,
● Functions of the
Instructions for the first Do and learn, which can be given as a home
Municipal
Corporation assignment (Students can submit their findings in session 8.)
● Compulsory Session 3: The Municipal Council, Functions of the Municipal Council,
functions Sources of income, Nagar Panchayats, Advantages of local-self government
(Obligatory)
● Optional Session 4: Do and learn: Present Graphically (Note: You may move this
functions activity to any other session convenient to you as it involves a field visit,
(Discretionary) which you have to arrange for. Students should be instructed to complete
● Sources of creating the pie-chart only after the field visit.)
income
Session 5: Instructions for I now know, which can be given as a home
● The Municipal
assignment, Exercises
Council
● Functions of the Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Picture-based question, Life skills and values,
Municipal Know your Bharat, Instructions for Enrichment activities: Make a chart and
Council Write a letter, which can be given as home assignments (Students can
● Sources of income submit their work over sessions 7 and 8.)
● Nagar Panchayats
Session 7: Worksheet
● Advantages of local
self-government Session 8: Do and learn, Enrichment activities (Checking of work submitted
by students.)

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● explain the role of the Municipal Corporation and the Municipal Councils in the administration of
urban areas
● explain the process of elections, the structure and sources of income of the Municipal Corporation
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Suggested answers: Overcrowding, environmental issues, like air pollution, traffic congestion
(Note: Please accept other correct answers.)
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Communication, Real-life connect (Students compare the
problems faced in urban areas with those of rural areas to identify the ones that are unique to urban
areas, to answer the question. Their answer is also based on what they observe in real-life.)
Criteria for assessment: Analytical skills, Communication skills

249
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: The need for urban local self-government; the three categories of local governing bodies
for urban areas
THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION
Focus areas: The criterion, with respect to population, that cities have to fulfil to have a Municipal
Corporation; the administrative divisions into which cities are divided by the Corporation; who elects the
members of the Municipal Corporation; who the other members of the Municipal Corporation are;
reservation of seats for people belonging to the scheduled castes and tribes and for women; what the
elected representatives of a Municipal Corporation are known as; who the presiding officer and the
chief executive officer of the Municipal Corporation are; what the role of the municipal commissioner is;

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Self-learning is involved as students find out the
information required, by themselves.); Establishing local and regional connect (Students find out
information related to the local body that governs the place where they live.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Accuracy, Presentation
who appoints them; the term of the Municipal Corporation

Functions of the Municipal Corporation

Focus areas: The two categories of functions performed by the Municipal Corporation
Compulsory functions (Obligatory)
Focus areas: Functions related to supply of drinking water, public streets and roads, cleanliness, public
health and sanitation, vaccination and control of epidemics, public hospitals, primary schools, record of
births and deaths, naming of streets, numbering of houses, public safety
Optional functions (Discretionary)
Focus areas: Functions related to public parks, gardens, libraries, museums, rest houses, orphanages
and rescue homes for women, roadside trees, housing for low-income groups, cheap and efficient public
transport systems, surveys, public receptions and exhibitions, welfare schemes for municipal employees
Sources of income
Focus areas: Various taxes collected by the Municipal Corporation—what kind of taxes the octroi, the
service tax, toll tax and entertainment tax are; grants received from the state government
THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL
Focus areas: The criterion, with respect to population, that cities have to fulfil to have a Municipal
Council, the administrative divisions of cities governed by Municipal Councils; election of
representatives to the Municipal Council; reservation of seats for people belonging to the scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes and for women; who the other members of the Municipal Council are
Functions of the Municipal Council
Focus areas: Functions related to drinking water supply, roads, street lighting, electricity, health centres,
schools, adult education centres and night schools, sanitation, laws for housing, markets and supply of
essential commodities, record of births and deaths
Teaching guideline: Instruct students to compare the functions of the Municipal Council with those of
the Municipal Corporation to find out the similarities between them.
Sources of income
Focus areas: Government grants, different types of taxes and charges for amenities provided
250
Do and learn: Present graphically
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-basedNAGAR learningPANCHAYATS
(Students get the information needed to make the
pie-chart,
Focus areas: The kind of areas that Nagar Panchayatsthegovern;
by themselves. Self-learning is involved in task.); the
Mathematical-Logical
kind of occupationsintelligence,
that people move
Mathematics
towards in such areas; the kind of problems that people in such areaspie-chart
integration (Students use their math skills to create the showing
face; term, the proportion
membership and of
the different
functions ofsources of income in the total income of the local body.); Establishing local and regional
Nagar Panchayats
connect (Students find out information
Teaching guidelines: Instruct students related to thethe
to compare local body that
functions governs
of the Nagartheir area.) to those of the
Panchayats
Criteria for assessment:
other urban Mathematical
local governments and findskills, Accuracy
out which of the functions are common to all of them
ADVANTAGES OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT
Focus areas: Why it is best suited to manage the local resources and local affairs; how it takes the
benefits of democracy down to the grassroots and empowers villagers and city dwellers; how
development of areas depend on the efficiency of local bodies; why people cooperate with local bodies
better; why administering an area locally is better than managing it from a distance; how local self-
government becomes a training ground for politics and administration

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the question.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Make a chart
NEP parameters covered: Discovery-based learning (Students may get to know about the functions of
the Municipal Corporation that are over and above what the chapter mentions and collect pictures of
those functions.); Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students use their visual-spatial skills to choose
appropriate pictures to illustrate the different functions of a Municipal Corporation.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Presentation
Write a letter
NEP parameters covered: Communication, English Language integration (Students use their language
skills to write a letter to the municipal body. They use appropriate words to highlight the issue specified.)
Criteria for assessment: Language skills, Communication skills
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
Suggested answer: ● Do not scribble on walls of public buildings, buses, trains and so on. ● Do not
urinate in the open. ● Do not waste water and electricity. (Note: Please accept other correct points.) NEP
parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students use their analytical skills and logical-reasoning skills to
think of different issues that local governing bodies face and come up with suggestions for what we
can do to help solve those issues.); Civic values, Social responsibility, Swachchata, Nishkam Karma, Social
responsibility, Spirit of service (The suggestions students give are based on these values.)

251
KNOW YOUR BHARAT
NEP parameters covered: Clean water and sanitation, Affordable and clean energy, Sustainable cities and
communities (Students infer that the city of Indore is making great strides in achieving these sustainable
development goals.); Civic values, Environmental awareness (The aim behind providing this information
is to make students aware of their responsibility towards their city and their environment.); Swachchata,
Nishkam Karma, Social responsibility and the spirit of service (Students infer that these values among
the people of Indore have helped them make it the cleanest city of India for years in a row.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF URBAN AREAS

EXERCISES
I. 1. Municipality/Municipal Council 2. Mayor
3. Councillor 4. Octroi
II. 1. False. From one-third up to 50% of the
seats in Municipal Corporations are reserved
for women. 2. True 3. False. The
commissioner is appointed by the state
government. 4. False. Maintenance of
rescue homes for women is a discretionary /
optional function of the Municipal Corporation.
III. 1. c. Nyaya Panchayat 2. b. commissioner
3. c. Providing a system of public transport
4. a. Rohit wants more doctors and nurses to
be appointed at the public hospital in his city.
5. a. Both A and R are true and R is the
correct explanation of A.
IV. 1. Local self-governing bodies that administer
urban areas: Municipal Corporations,
Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats
2. Cities and towns, or urban areas, have
problems and needs that are different from
those of rural areas. To take care of these
needs, they need local self-governing
bodies.
3. The commissioner of a Municipal
Corporation implements the decisions
taken by the councillors.
4. Nagar Panchayats are local bodies that
govern areas which are in the process of
changing from rural to urban.
5. Women were discriminated against for
centuries and were not given the same
political power as men. They have great
potential and abilities and can contribute
greatly to the development of the country.
To empower them and to help them
contribute to nation-building, it is necessary
to have reservation for them in local bodies.
(Note: Please accept other correct answers.)

IV. 1. Municipal Corporation Municipal Council Nagar Panchayat

Cities with a The Municipal Council Nagar Panchayats govern areas which are in
population of 10 lakhs or Municipality is the the process of changing from rural to urban.
or more are governed body that governs People in such places are in the process of
by Municipal smaller cities and towns moving away from agriculture, to service
Corporations. that have a population and industry-based occupations. These
of more than 20,000 places face problems that are a mix of
but less than 10 lakhs. those faced by rural areas and urban areas.
2. Compulsory Functions (Obligatory) of the ● Cleaning of streets, sewers and public
Municipal Corporations include: ● places ● Maintenance of public health and
Supply of drinking water ● sanitation, provision of vaccination and
Construction and maintenance of public taking measures to control epidemics
streets and roads
252
 ● Maintenance of public hospitals
● Establishment and maintenance of
primary schools ● Registration of births
and deaths ● Naming streets and
numbering houses ● Ensuring public safety
by removing obstructions in public streets
and maintaining fire engines to save life
and property (any three) Optional Functions
(Discretionary) include:
● Construction and maintenance of public
parks, gardens, libraries, museums, rest
houses, orphanages and rescue homes for
women ● Planting and maintenance of
roadside plants and trees ● Providing
housing for low-income groups
● Providing cheap and efficient public
transport system, such as buses, local trains
or metro rail ● Conducting surveys,
organising public receptions and
exhibitions, and promoting welfare schemes
for municipal employees (any three)
3. The functions of Municipal Councils are
largely the same as those of Municipal
Corporations. They: ● provide safe
drinking water to the people ● build and
maintain roads and ensure proper street
lighting ● ensure proper supply of
electricity ● establish hospitals,
dispensaries, health centres and family
planning centres ● build and maintain
primary and secondary schools, adult
education centres and night schools to
impart education ● ensure proper
sanitation in the city through the collection
and disposal of garbage, and the cleaning of
QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF URBAN AREAS
I. Answer the following:
1. Differentiate between a mayor and a municipal chairperson.
Ans: Mayor
The mayor is the presiding officer of a
Municipal Corporation.
253
drains and streets ● make laws
concerning housing, markets, and the
supply of essential commodities like milk
and water ● keep a record of births and
deaths in the municipal areas
4. The statement that ‘Local government
takes the benefits of democracy down to the
grassroots’ is indeed true. ● Local
government gives each villager and city
dweller the power to make changes in his
or her life. For example, people can
approach their councillors and draw their
attention to the civic issues they face, like
irregular water supply, power cuts and so
on and get them redressed. ● The people
of the area co-operate better with the local
bodies as they know them personally, and
feel that they working for their benefit. For
example, people cooperate when the
government asks them to install rainwater
harvesting systems in their
homes. ● Local self-government provides
a good training ground for people who
could go on to become the future political
and administrative leaders of the country.
For example, people who have been
members of local governments have also
stood for state and national level elections
and become regional and national leaders.
PICTURE-BASED QUESTION
1. Compulsory function
2. Planting of trees along roadsides should be
made compulsory to create a greener and
cleaner environment and to control pollution.
(Note: Please accept other correct answers.)
Municipal chairperson
The municipal chairperson is the presiding
officer of a Municipal Council.
2. Kochi and Aluva are both cities in the a mayor as its presiding officer. Aluva
Ernakulam district of Kerala. While the must be a smaller city with a
former has a mayor, the latter has a population less than 10 lakhs and
municipal chairperson. Why do you think must be governed by a Municipality/
this is so? Municipal Council. So it has a
Ans: Kochi must be having a population of municipal chairperson as its presiding
over 10 lakhs and must be governed officer.
by a Municipal Corporation. So, it has
3. Compare Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils to show their similarities.
Ans: Similarities between Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils
Administrative The cities governed by Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils
divisions are divided into several municipal wards.
Members The members of both the Municipal Corporations and Municipal
Councils are elected by the people of each ward.
Both have Members of Parliament and Members of the State
Legislature elected from their areas as their members.
From one-third up to 50% of the seats are reserved for women and
seats are reserved for people belonging to the scheduled tribes and
scheduled castes.

Term Both the local bodies are elected for a period of five years.
Chief executive The chief executive officer of both the local bodies is called municipal
officer commissioner, and they are appointed by the state government.

4. Compare the sources of incomes of Municipal Corporations and Municipal councils.

Ans: Sources of income of the Sources of income of the
Municipal Corporation Municipal Council
● Taxes such as property tax, vehicle tax, water ● Grants from the government
tax, octroi (a tax on goods coming into the ● Taxes on land, property, services
city), service tax (collected from shopkeepers and so on
and service professionals), toll tax (a tax for ● Electricity and water charges
using certain bridges and roads), entertainment
tax (a tax on movie tickets, sporting events,
amusement parks, exhibitions and so on),
education tax
● Grants received from the state government.

5. What is the term of a Nagar Panchayat? healthcare and the maintenance of

Who are its members? What are some of its
functions?
Ans: Nagar Panchayats have a term of five
years and consist of members elected
from the various wards of the town.
Nagar Panchayats look after
sanitation, water supply, electricity,
primary education, housing,
public parks and buildings.
6. In what ways is the local self-government
the best for smaller areas like cities, towns
and villages?
Ans: ● Local self-government is the best
for smaller areas like cities, towns and
villages for the following reasons:
● It ensures the best management of

254
 local resources. ● It ensures the
best management of local affairs as
local people understand their own
problems the best.● If the local
bodies function efficiently, the areas
they look after develop faster and in a
more balanced manner.
● Administering an area locally is
less expensive than managing the area
from a distant capital.

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION

● Introduction: Why
states and union
Suggested number of sessions: 7
territories are divided Session 1: Lead in
into districts; why the
district is the most Session 2: Introduction: Why states and union territories are divided into
important unit of districts; why the district is the most important unit of administration,
administration The structure of district administration, Functions of the district collector
● The structure of district Session 3: Do and learn
administration
Session 4: The changing role of the district collector, Role of two officers
● Functions of the
at the grassroot level, Instructions for I now know, which can be given as
district collector
a home assignment, Exercises
● The changing role
of the district Session 5: Exercises (Contd.), Enrichment activities: Diary entry
collector
● Role of two officers Session 6: Enrichment activities: Compare and contrast
at the grassroot level Session 7: Worksheet

Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● explain the structure of district administration in India
● examine the role of the district collector
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
NEP parameters covered: General awareness, Real-life connect (The activity promotes awareness
among students about various aspects of their district.); Visual literacy, Visual-Spatial intelligence
(Students study the political map of their state to answer the questions.); Research skills (The last
question requires students to look for information.)
Criteria for assessment: Visual skills, Research skills
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Why the states and union territories are divided into districts; Why a district is the most
important unit of administration in India
THE STRUCTURE OF DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
Focus areas: The main responsibility of a district collector; the three-fold role of the district collector as
the executive head of district administration; the responsibilities of a district collector as a deputy

255
commissioner, a district collector and as a district magistrate; the district collector as the officer of the
IAS; the state government’s role in selecting the district collector; how the district collector acts as the
main representative of the state government; the officers who help the district collector in the discharge
of their functions—the superintendent of police, the deputy conservator of forests; what tehsils, talukas
or blocks are; what a tehsil is made up of; the administrative officers at the tehsil level—the tehsildars,
naib tehsildars and police inspectors; people in charge of administration at the village level—the patwari

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in pairs to complete the activity.); Discovery-
based learning (The activity involves self-learning as students find out the required information on
their own.); Establishing local and regional connect (The information students find out is related to
their own district.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Accuracy

and the station house officer; their responsibilities in the village administration

Functions of the district collector

Focus areas: Functions related to land and revenue administration, supervision of law and order,
disaster management, overseeing of elections, overseeing of civil supplies, public distribution and social
welfare measures, coordination of the activities of other departments of the state government, overseeing
and regulating matters relating to excise, transport, mining and labour laws and legal affairs, overseeing
of the activities of the local self-government
The changing role of the district collector
Focus areas: Why the role of the district collector has undergone changes over the years; the functions
of the district collector before and after the introduction of the Panchayati Raj system; how the district
collector continues to be seen in rural India; the new role of the district collector in the Panchayati Raj
system
The role of officers involved in administration at the grassroot level: Instruct students to read the story
of how the village patwari and the SHO help a villager to solve a land dispute issue. The story aims to
elucidate the role played by the officials of the village administration in redressing the issues faced by
villagers.

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Compare and contrast
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration (Students work in groups to complete the activity.); Logical-
Mathematical intelligence, Mathematics integration (Students use their mathematical skills to represent
the comparison of different indicators in two districts. They present the comparison as pie charts,
graphs and other forms of graphical representations.); Digital integration (Students present their
findings in the form of a digital presentation.); Discovery-based learning (Self-learning is involved in the
activity as students find out the physical and cultural features of two districts.); Establishing a local and
regional connect (Students find out the information about the districts of their state.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, Mathematical skills

256
Diary entry
NEP parameters covered: Creativity, Verbal-Linguistic skills, Language integration (Students use their
creative skills and language skills to write the diary entry.)
Criteria for assessment: Language skills, Creative skills

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION Panchayati Raj system. The district

collector
EXERCISES
I. 1. District collector 2. land and revenue
3. lekhpal
II. 1. False. The district Collector is an officer
of the Indian Administrative Service. 2.
False.
A tehsil is made up of several villages. 3. True
III. 1. c. Mayor 2. c. Patwari
3. d. The district collector
IV. 1. Districts are smaller units into which the
states and union territories of India are
divided for the sake of efficient
administration.
2. The district collector has a three-fold role.
● As deputy commissioner, they are the
executive head of the district with
responsibilities relating to development,
local bodies such as Panchayats, and civil
administration. ● As district collector,
they are responsible for revenue
administration and the collection of land
revenue. ● As district magistrate, they
are responsible for law and order and head
the police and prosecuting agency.
3. A tehsil is a sub-division of a district, which
is also called a taluka or block. A district
consists of several tehsils, talukas or blocks.
A block, tehsil or taluka is made up of
villages. A tehsildar is an administrative
officer at the tehsil level.
4. IAS – Indian Administrative
Service; IPS – Indian Police
Service
V. 1. A district consists of both urban areas and
rural areas. It consists of cities and towns
that have Municipal Corporations,
Municipal Councils or Nagar Panchayats
and the rural areas administered under the
257
 is the main representative of the government
at the district level. They oversee the
elections to the local bodies of their district.
They also oversee the activities of the local
bodies. They play an important role in the
administration of the Gram Panchayat,
Panchayat Samiti or Community
Development Block, Zilla Parishads and the
Municipal Committees and in coordinating
their work. They are thus ‘a link between
rural and urban administration.’
2. With the increasing empowerment of local
government (through the Panchayati Raj
institutions), the role of the district collector
has undergone many changes over the years.
Initially, the district collector was responsible
for the delivery of essential services, land
revenue administration, execution of rural
development programmes, managing
disasters, and the maintenance of law and
order. However, with the introduction of the
Panchayati Raj system in 1993, most
development functions were taken away from
the collector. Although in most parts of rural
India, the collector continues to be seen as the
main representative of the government at the
district level, the new role of the district
collector is mainly one of coordinator and
facilitator; of providing leadership. They play
an important role in the administration of the
Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti or
Community Development Block, Zilla
Parishads and the Municipal Committees, and
in coordinating their work.

258
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. The district collector is responsible
for the general of the
district.
2. At the tehsil level, there are
and
who take
care of different aspects of
administration.
Ans: 1. administration 2. tehsildars, naib
tehsildars, police inspectors
II. Answer the following questions.
1. Why is the district the most important unit
of administration?
Ans: A district is the most important unit of
administration in India because it is
the level at which the common people
come into direct contact with the
government.
2. Who selects the district collector to
their post? Why do we say that the district
collector is the main representative of the
government at the district level?
Ans: The district collector is selected to
their post by the state government.
The district collector is the main
representative of the government at
the district level, as they coordinate
the activities of officers of other
departments of the state government
and also as they are responsible for
the general administration of the
district.
3. Name the officers who help the district
collector in discharging their duties.
Ans: The superintendent of police,
who is an officer of the Indian
, Police Service (IPS) and the deputy
conservator of forests, who is
an officer of the Indian Forest
Service (IFS)
4. What are the functions of a district
collector?
Ans: The functions of a district collector
include: ● Land and revenue
administration of a district
● Overall supervision of law and
order in a district ● Disaster
management ● Overseeing
elections to the Parliament, State
Legislatures and local bodies
● Overseeing civil supplies, public
distribution and social welfare
● Coordination of the activities of
other agencies/departments of the
state government ● Overseeing
and regulating matters relating to
excise, transport, mining and labour
laws and legal affairs ● Overseeing
the activities of the local self-
government
5. What does SHO stand for? What role
does the SHO play in district
administration?
Ans: SHO stands for station house officer.
The SHO is in charge of the local
police station at the village level.
259
 MAKING A LIVING

● Introduction: What
Suggested number of sessions: 8
occupations are
● Occupations and the Session 1: Lead in, Introduction: What occupations are, Occupations
sectors of economy and the sectors of economy,The primary sector, The secondary sector,
● The primary sector The tertiary sector, Do and learn
● The secondary sector Session 2: Rural and urban livelihoods, Rural livelihoods, Large
● The tertiary sector farmers, Medium farmers, Marginal farmers, Landless farmers, Dairy
● Rural and urban farms, Poultry farms, Fishing, Debt among farmers, Do and learn
livelihoods
● Rural livelihoods: Session 3: Do and learn (Contd.), Urban livelihoods, Industries
Large farmers, Session 4: Services,Instructions for Do and learn, which can be given
medium farmers, as a home assignment (Students can submit their work in session 8.),
marginal farmers,
Migration, Unemployment, Instructions for I now know, which can be
landless farmers,
dairy farms, poultry given as a home assignment
farms, fishing Session 5: Exercises, Enrichment activities: Instructions for Diary entry,
● Debt among which can be given as a home assignment (Students can submit their
farmers work in session 8.)
● Urban livelihoods
● Industries Session 6: Exercises (Contd.), Case-based question, Life skills and
● Services values
● Migration Session 7: Enrichment activities: Set up an ice-cream stall
● Unemployment
Session 8: Worksheet, Checking of work done for Do and learn and
Diary entry
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● discuss the various types of livelihood prevalent in the villages
● describe the different types of farmers in India—large farmers, middle farmers and landless farmers
● discuss some of the many forms of urban livelihoods
● define migration and analyse the reasons for migration
● explain the meaning of unemployment and discuss its causes and the ways to reduce it
Materials needed: GettingAhead in Social Science 6, Digital assets in the Smart Chapter
Lead in
Suggested answer: We would associate the first picture with people living in the villages, because
people in villages usually engage in agriculture. The second picture can be associated with people
living in the cities as the kind of construction work shown is usually carried out in cities.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Real-life connect, Communication (Students interpret the
visual information provided by the pictures and apply what they have observed in real life to answer the
question.)
Criteria for assessment: Visual skills, Reasoning skills, Communication skills

260
Teaching the lesson
Introduction
Main points: Why we need money; how we earn money; what occupations or livelihoods are
OCCUPATIONS AND THE SECTORS OF ECONOMY
Focus areas: The three main sectors into which the various occupations that people engage in are
classified
The primary sector
Focus areas: The nature of activities that the primary sector consists of; examples of those activities; the
importance of the primary sector
The secondary sector
Focus areas: The nature of activities that the secondary sector consists of; examples of industries that
convert raw materials into manufactured goods; how the secondary sector adds value to the products
found in nature and plays an important role in adding to our national wealth
The tertiary sector
Focus areas: The nature of activities that the tertiary sector consists of; examples of services that come

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking, Visual-Spatial intelligence (Students apply their
understanding of the interdependence between the three sectors, their logical-reasoning skills and
visual-spatial skills to create the flow chart.)
Criteria for assessment: Accuracy, Presentation
under this sector; the fact that the three sectors are interdependent

RURAL AND URBAN LIVELIHOODS

Focus areas: The economic sectors to which the rural and urban livelihoods mainly belong
Rural livelihoods
Focus areas: Why agriculture is the main occupation of people in rural areas; what people engaged in
agriculture are known as; the different kinds of farmers in India—large farmers, medium farmers,
marginal farmers and landless farmers; the size of land the first three kinds of farmers hold, the kind of
farming that these farmers do, in terms of equipment used and crops grown; how landless farmers engage
in agriculture; why they live in poverty; other rural occupations; what dairy farms and poultry farms are;
fishing as the main occupation in the coastal belt; what aquaculture is and what its economic significance
is
Debt among farmers
Focus areas: Why small farmers of India take loans and become debt-ridden; how they end up losing the

Do and learn: Encourage students to read the short stories given and to complete the activity.
NEP parameters covered: Critical thinking (Students apply their knowledge of occupations belonging
to different economic sectors to complete the activity.); Discovery-based learning (Students find out
about five more means of livelihood in rural areas that have not been covered in the chapter, on their
own. Self-learning is involved.)
Criteria for assessment: Depth of research, accuracy

little land they have

261
 Urban livelihoods
Focus areas: Why a large number of people in India live in towns and cities

262
 Industries
Focus areas: What an industry does; examples of how an industry can have small- and large-scale
companies making and selling products or services; the ownership of these companies—government,
private individuals; the fact that some industries need large factories and officers to manufacture and
sell their goods; how the owners of these companies earn their income; the number of people they employ
and how their work hours and pay is regulated; who the entrepreneurs or businesspeople are; the extent
of their involvement in their businesses; why entrepreneurs are ready to take the risks involved in running
a business; the services they provide to the people in a city and what their income depends on
Services
Focus areas: The importance of the service industry in providing employment; the types of service
providers that employ millions of people across the country; who the professionals are; why doctors,
journalists, lawyers, teachers and bankers are professionals; examples of people in services who can

Do and learn
NEP parameters covered: Research skills, Discovery-based learning (Students find out the information
required, on their own.); Logical-Mathematical intelligence, Mathematics integration (Students use
their mathematical skills to draw a bar graph to represent their findings.)
Criteria for assessment: Research skills, Mathematical skills
either be employed by others, or be self-employed

MIGRATION
Focus areas: What the term ‘migration’ means; the various reasons for which people migrate from rural
areas to urban areas; why migrants often settle in areas that are cheap; what such areas are called; the
kind of workers who usually live in such areas
UNEMPLOYMENT
Focus areas: The fact that millions of people in India have no jobs though employment opportunities are
available; the problems of seasonal unemployment and shortage of jobs; the indicators of a well-
developed economy; wastage of human resources as a result of unemployment and its impact on the
economy; the schemes and measures that the government has introduced to remove poverty and
unemployment; why the government introduces industrial training and skill development schemes

I NOW KNOW: Encourage students to make the Foldable by following the instructions given. The task
helps them revise the topics covered in the chapter.
EXERCISES: Instruct students to attempt the questions. Guide them where required. Answers to the HOTS
questions may be discussed in class.
CASE-BASED QUESTION: Encourage students to attempt the questions.
ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES
Diary entry
NEP parameters covered: Verbal-Linguistic intelligence, English language integration (Students use their
language skills to write the diary entry.)
Criteria for assessment: Creative skills, Language skills
Set up an ice-cream stall
NEP parameters covered: Collaboration, Interpersonal skills (Students work together to complete the
task.); Mathematical-Logical intelligence, Mathematics integration(Students use their mathematical
skills to calculate their total revenue, total expenses and profit.); Financial literacy (The activity
promotes literacy in handling finance.)
263
Criteria for assessment: Interpersonal skills, Mathematical skills
LIFE SKILLS AND VALUES
NEP parameters covered: Social responsibility, Initiative, Seva, Nishkam Karma (Students identify these
values in Mr Mani’s actions.)

STUDENTS’ BOOK ANSWER KEY

MAKING A LIVING
EXERCISES

I. 1. Occupations/Livelihoods 2. Tertiary sector Doctors, journalists, lawyers, teachers and

3. Marginal farmer 4. Aquaculture
5. Migration
II. 1. Grazing—b. Primary sector
2. Bank official—d. Salaried official
3. Lawyer—a. Professional 4. Cotton textile
factory worker—c. Secondary sector
5. Restaurant owner—e. Entrepreneur
bankers (any two)
6. The government provides loans to self-help
groups to start small-scale and cottage
industries. By starting these kinds of
industries, the self-help groups make a
living and also generate employment for
others.

III. 1. b. Banking 2. b. primary sector V. 1. The secondary sector consists of those

activities which convert raw materials to
3. a. Subsistence farmer 4. b. dairy farms
manufactured goods. For example, in the
5. a. Both A and R are true and R is the partial
cotton textile industry, cotton from cotton
explanation of A. 6. b. i, ii
plants (the raw material) is converted into
IV. 1. People need money to buy food, clothes yarn and fabric. Similarly, in the bakery
and other basic necessities and also to buy industry, wheat is the main raw material that
things they like. People need a livelihood or is converted into bread, cake, pizza and
an occupation to earn this money. biscuits. The steel industry converts iron ore
2. The three sectors of the economy: ● the found in the raw state in nature to steel.
Primary sector; Examples: agriculture, Therefore, the secondary sector adds value
fishing, lumbering, grazing, mining and to the products found in nature by
forestry processing them and making them ready
● the secondary sector; Examples: bakery for consumption. It, thus, plays an
industry, steel industry, cotton textile industry important role in adding to our national
and ● the tertiary sector; Examples: wealth.
health care, transport, communications,
banking, insurance and entertainment
3. Dairy farming, poultry farming,
cattle rearing, fishing, aquaculture
4. The tertiary sector consists of activities that
provide services to people. Services like
health care, transport, communications,
banking, insurance and entertainment come
under this sector. So the tertiary sector is
known as the service sector.
5. Service providers who have the formal
education and training needed to follow a
particular profession are known as
professionals. Examples of professionals:
2. Marginal farmers Landless farmers

264
They own plots of They do not own
land that are less land. They are
than 2 hectares in compelled to work
size. They grow on other people’s
food crops, which lands to make a
are often not living.
sufficient even to They are poorly paid.
feed the family. Often the large
Marginal farmers farmers, on whose
often work on land they work, give
other farms to them grain instead of
earn more money. money.

265
They sell ● They may or may not their sell their products
services directly to their directly to customers. Sometimes their
3. pair
others. (any one People working in banks, insurance
of differences)
agencies, healthcare industry, the railways,
the postal and telephone services, business
process outsourcing (BPO) units and the
entertainment industry and professionals
like doctors, journalists, lawyers and
teachers are said to be working in the
service sector.
The service industry employs more than
half the people working in cities. Banks,
insurance agencies, the railways, the postal
and telephone services and BPO units are
some service providers that employ millions
of people across the country.
Professionals like doctors, lawyers and
chartered accountants can either be
employed by others, or they can be self-
employed. For example, while many doctors CASE-BASED QUESTION
work in hospitals and earn a fixed salary,
some doctors may set up their own clinics.
Similarly, lawyers or chartered accountants
may set up their independent practices.
Professionals who have their independent
practices also provide employment to
people. Thus the service sector is very
important in providing employment to
people in the cities.
Similarities 4.
Both self-employed professionals and business persons do not workgood
Their occupation involves risks as their income may vary from time to time. But they can make a lot of money if their practice
Differences
they may sell it through customers. shops belon
5. Unemployment, as I understand it, is the
state or condition when a person is unable
to find a job/work even when they are
looking for it. The rate of unemployment in
our country will definitely come down if
the number of entrepreneurs in our society
increases. This is because entrepreneurs not
only create employment for themselves,but
they also provide work to others for
running their business.
Thus, when the number of entrepreneurs
increases, the opportunities for employment
also go up and the rate of unemployment is
considerably reduced. (Note: Please accept
answers that bring out this idea.)
1. When people move from one place to another in
search of better jobs and a better quality of life,
it is known as migration. Raju Singh migrated
to Kolkata in search of work and a better life.
2. People who migrate from villages to cities do
not always enjoy better living standards in the
city. The cost of living in cities is much higher
than the cost of living in villages. People who
migrate to cities in search of work may not
have enough money to afford healthy food,
housingThey
for anyone. and are
so on. They,
their owntherefore, do
employers.
not enjoy good living standards and usually
end up living in slums,which often lack basic
facilities like electricity, water and proper
drainage.
LIFE-SKILL AND VALUES
Mr Mani cares about the welfare and progress of
his people. His actions exhibit his responsibility
towards society and are based on the values of
seva and nishkam karma (selfless service).

Self-employed Business persons

professionals
They provide only services.
They sell both goods
and services.

266
 QUESTION BANK WITH ANSWERS
MAKING A LIVING
I. Fill in the blanks.
1. help people make a living.
2. The main occupation of people in the rural
areas is . industry that belongs to the secondary
3. In India, over of the
population is dependent on agriculture.
4. All occupations depend directly or indirectly
on .
5. The people who are engaged in agriculture
are called . buildings, equipment and
6. Medium farmers are
farmers.
7. Medium farmers mainly grow food crops
like , and
. tertiary sector, are used by people in
Ans: 1. Occupations 2. agriculture
3. 50% 4. agriculture 5. farmers
6. subsistence 7. wheat, rice, pulses
IV. Answer the following questions.
1. What are occupations or livelihoods?
Ans: The different ways by which people
earn a living are known as
occupations or livelihoods.
2. What kinds of activities does the primary
sector consist of? Why is this sector very
important?
Ans: The primary sector of an economy
consists of those activities in which
people are engaged in extracting or
harvesting things from the Earth. It
includes the production of basic food
and raw materials. Without the people
engaged in the primary sector, we
cannot survive, which is why this
sector is very important.
3. How are the three sectors of economy
interdependent?
Ans: The primary sector produces food
crops, cash crops and other raw
material used in the secondary sector
for manufacturing things. For
267
example, wheat grown in the primary
sector is used for manufacturing
bread or other food items in the bakery
sector. Bread is consumed by people
working in the primary and tertiary
sectors also. Iron ore is used to
manufacture steel, which in turn is
used to build agricultural implements
used in the primary sector and
infrastructure, used by people
employed in all three sectors. Services
like healthcare, education, and
banking, which are included in the
all three sectors. Thus, there is
interdependence between the three
sectors.
4. How are rural livelihoods different from
urban livelihoods?
Ans: People living in villages usually have
occupations that are different from
those that people living in cities have.
Occupations practised in rural areas
mostly belong to the primary sector,
while people living in cities usually
work in the secondary or tertiary
sectors.
5. Write a short note on large farmers.
Ans: Large farmers own large tracts of
land. They use modern technology
like tractors, harvesters, threshing
machines, high-yielding seeds and
fertilisers to increase their yield. Many
large farmers do not work on their
own fields. They employ others for
that, especially the landless farmers
of the village. Many large farmers
grow cash crops like cotton and
sugarcane, along with food crops like
wheat and rice.
6. Distinguish between dairy farms and
poultry farms.
Ans: Dairy farms Poultry
farms
These are farms These
where cows and farms raise
buffaloes are raised. chickens,
Milk from these ducks and
animals is sold or other fowl
used to make milk for meat
products like cheese, or for
butter, ghee and eggs.
cream.
7. Write a note on fishing and aquaculture in
India.
Ans: Fishing is an important occupation in
our coastal belt. The government is
encouraging aquaculture, rearing
aquatic animals like fish and shrimp
for food, in a big way. Fish from
India is sold to several other
countries.
8. How do farmers in India fall into the trap of
debt? How does being in debt affect them?
Ans: Most farmers of India are small
farmers. The success or failure of their
crops still depends on the timely
arrival of the monsoons, as most of
them have no access to irrigation,
which is the provision of water to the
crops through tube wells and
channels. Many of them grow barely
enough food to meet their personal
needs. So, they often end up
borrowing money from local money
lenders or from banks for buying
seeds and fertilisers or for digging
tube wells. They pledge their land
with the money lenders or banks to
get the loans. But when their crops
are destroyed by either too little or
too much rain, farmers are unable to
repay their loans, and end up losing
even the little land they had.
9. Why do a large number of people in India
live in towns and cities?
268
Ans: A large number of people in India
live in towns and cities due to the
wide variety of jobs available in
these urban areas.
10. Write a short on industries.
Ans: There are various industries in urban
centres. An industry makes and sells
a particular product or service. There
could be different companies that
make and sell products or services of
the same industry. For example, in
the iron and steel industry, iron ore
mined in the primary sector is
converted into steel and steel
products in factories that are a part
of the secondary sector. There are
many companies in India that are
involved in the iron and steel
industry.
Some of these companies could be
owned by the government, while
others could be owned by private
individuals. Some companies could
be small and made up of only family
members or a few people employed
from outside. But some other
industries need large factories and
offices to manufacture and sell
their goods. Thousands of people
work in these factories and offices.
They usually work for a certain
number of hours and get a fixed
wage or salary at the end of each
month.
11. Write a short note on entrepreneurs.
Ans: People who start their own
companies are known as
entrepreneurs or businesspeople.
They oversee the entire process of
production from sourcing raw
materials to selling the finished
goods in the market. The income of
the owners of companies comes
from the profits made by the
company. So it varies from month to
month. Being an entrepreneur
involves a certain amount of risk.
 But if a business does well, the
owner could make a lot of money.
Businesspeople maintain the flow of
goods and services in the city. They
provide people with everything they
need or want—from rice, bread and
vegetables to clothes, footwear and
household goods. Their income
depends on the profits they make
from the sales.
12. Why are doctors, journalists, lawyers,
teachers and bankers known as
professionals?
Ans: Doctors, journalists, lawyers,
teachers and bankers are known as
professionals because they have
received specific training to practise
their profession.
13. What is migration? What are some
reasons for which people migrate from
rural areas to urban areas?
Ans: When people move from one place to
another in search of better jobs and a
better quality of life, it is known as
migration. Many people migrate from
rural areas to urban areas for various
reasons. Some of these reasons
include: ● lack of educational
opportunities in rural areas ● lack
of adequate health facilities in rural
areas ● seasonal agriculture
● lack of employment in the rural
sector ● attractiveness of city
life
14. Why do rural migrants settle in slums in
the cities? Describe the conditions in the
269
slums. What kinds of workers live in the
slums?
Ans: When rural migrants move to the
cities, they have limited resources.
So they often settle in slums which
are cheap in terms of cost of living.
Slums often lack basic facilities like
electricity, water or proper drainage.
The people who live in the slums are
usually the urban poor, and include
daily-wage workers, casual
labourers, domestic workers,
rickshaw pullers, and so on
15. What are some of the schemes
formulated and measures taken by the
government to remove poverty and
unemployment?
Ans: The National Rural Employment
Guarantee Act, the Pradhan
MantriRojgar Protsahan Yojana, the
National Rural Livelihoods Mission,
skill development programmes and
the introduction of self-help groups
are some of the schemes formulated
by the government to remove poverty
and unemployment.
The government provides loans to
self-help groups to start small
industries and cottage industries.
With a view to making optimum use
of resources and generating proper
employment opportunities, many
industrial training and skill
development schemes have been set
up.
HUMAN DIVERSITY WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions
1. Which of these are elements of social diversity?
i. People of India are engaged in a wide variety of occupations.
ii. A variety of religions are practised in India.
iii. Twenty-two languages are recognised by the Constitution of India.
iv. There are many castes and sub-castes in India.
a. i, ii, iii b. ii, iii, iv c. i, iii, iv d. ii, iv
2. Maharashtra is wealthier than several states in India. This statement is an example of:
a. economic aspect of regional diversity b. social aspect of regional diversity
c. cultural aspect of regional diversity d. geographical aspect of regional diversity
3. Match the following.
States Festivals
Kerala Pushkar cattle-fair
Rajasthan Bogali Bihu
Assam Onam
a. Kerala—Bogali Bihu; Rajasthan—Pushkar cattle-fair; Assam—Onam
b. Kerala—Pushkar cattle-fair; Rajasthan—Onam; Assam—Bogali Bihu
c. Kerala—Onam; Rajasthan—Pushkar cattle-fair; Assam—Bogali Bihu
d. Kerala—Onam: Rajasthan—Bogali Bihu; Assam—Pushkar cattle-fair
4. Which of these does not relate to the climate of Kerala?
a. 120–140 rainy days per year b. No extremes of heat or cold
c. Almost uniform weather throughout the year d. Extreme climate

B. Picture-based question
1. In which parts of
India are the two
dance forms
performed?
2. When are they
performed?
3. What kind of
diversity do they
indicate?

C. Answer the following questions.

1. How does living with a diverse group of people help us?
2. What does the term regional diversity refer to?
3. How does geography encourage diversity?
4. Compare Kerala and Punjab in terms of the life expectancy and female-male ratio.
5. List some factors that unite the Indians despite their diversity.

270
DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION WORKSHEET
A. What do these terms mean?
1. Prejudice:
2. Stereotype:
3. Discrimination:
4. Food subsidy:
5. Affirmative action:
B. Multiple choice questions.
1. Read the two statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A) People belonging to certain castes are denied opportunities for education and employment.
(R) There is prejudice against people belonging to certain castes.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
2. What does the picture show?
a. Gender inequality
b. Discrimination on the basis of colour
c. Furthering a stereotype
d. Breaking a stereotype
3. Which of these is an example of gender inequality?
a. Inaya and Rohan appear for a college entrance exam and get the same marks. But Rohan gets a
seat in the college because he belongs to a scheduled tribe.
b. Jayesh, a college student, gets more pocket money than his sister Ishita, who is in primary school.
c. Piya’s parents are saving money to give her a huge dowry and to pay for her brother’s higher
education.
d. Nutan was promoted as manager after putting in 5 years of service. But Pratik was made
manager within 2 years, on the basis of his abilities.
C. Answer the following questions.
1. What does prejudice stem from?
2. What is economic inequality?
3. What positive outcome has resulted from the Indian government’s welfare schemes,
employment programmes and food subsidies?
4. What is the Constitution of India?
D. Picture-based question
1. Name a scheme launched by the union government for the
protection and education of the girl child.
2. Why is the scheme important for girls?
3. Why is education important for girls?

271
UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENT WORKSHEET
A. Multiple choice questions.
1. Which function of the government does the following picture relate to?

a. Rescuing affected people in times of natural disaster

b. Protecting the State from attacks of other countries
c. Controlling pollution and exploitation of resources
d. Controlling the finances of the State

2. The Government establishes primary health centres in villages. Which of its functions does it fulfil
by this?
a. Administration b. Economic security c. Social security d. Environmental security
3. The earliest form of government was probably the rule of tribal chieftains over their tribes. Such
a government would have had the features of the governments in which of the following pairs?
a. Direct democracy and indirect democracy b. Direct democracy and dictatorship
c. Monarchy and dictatorship d. Direct democracy and monarchy
4. Identify the form of government from this statement:
‘All power lies with a ruling group who can rule as long as they are able to hold on to power.’
a. Direct democracy b. Indirect democracy c. Dictatorship d. Monarchy
5. Read the statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A) There is universal adult franchise, in India.
(R) Women in India have had the right to vote from the first general election in 1952.
a. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
B. State True or False. Correct the statements that are false.
1. The State is only one element of the government.
2. Governments maintain law and order within the country.
3. A monarch has the collective approval of the people to rule.
4. The Suffragette Movement was against the exploitation of the non-Whites by the Whites.
5. Apartheid continued in Nelson Mandela’s government.
C. Answer the following questions.
1. How does the government protect the environment?
2. How are the monarchies of today different from those of the past?
3. ‘Most early democracies were not truly participative.’ Explain this statement.
4. Name a country that has a dictatorship today. Is this form of government good for the people? Why?
5. What did the suffragette movement accomplish?

272
ELEMENTS OF A DEMOCRACY WORKSHEET
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. In a democracy, every citizen has the and to participate in the
decision-making process.
2. The media acts as a protector of and in a democracy.
3. Most government bodies are elected for a period of years.
4. Dialogue, and between the parties concerned are important
elements of conflict resolution in a democracy.
B. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these makes the media a powerful tool of direct participation in a democracy?
a. The media is accountable to the people. b. The government does not control the media.
c. People need not pay to use the media. d. The government is accountable to the media.
2. Which of the pairs is incorrectly matched?
A B
a. Positive discrimination Affirmative action
b. Conflict resolution Peaceful settlement of disputes
c. Accountability Being responsible for one’s actions
d. Laws Participatory citizenship
3. Which of these are courts of law concerned with in a democracy?
i. Check on the misuse of power by the government
ii. Holding of elections for choosing representatives to the government
iii. Conflict resolution
iv. Ensuring equality and justice for all citizens
a. i, ii b. ii, iii, iv c. i, iii, iv d. iii, iv
4. Read the statements marked Assertion (A) and Reason (R) and choose the correct option.
(A) In a democracy, the freedom of citizens is protected.
(R) Democracy is the least preferred form of government.
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.

C. The education of the (1) child is the first step towards ensuring
greater (2) equality. Equality is ensured by the (3) ,
because our country has a (4) form of government. In fact, the
Indian Constitution makes provisions for the welfare of those who have been
(5) against for centuries.

D. Answer the following questions.

1. Define accountability. To whom are the elected representatives accountable in a democracy?
2. How does the Right to Information Act empower Indian citizens?
3. Explain positive discrimination.

273
PANCHAYATI RAJ—LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RURAL AREAS WORKSHEET
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these is common about the membership of the Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and
Zilla Parishad?
a. They all have MLAs, MLCs and MPs from their block as their members.
b. They all have seats reserved for the members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and
women.
c. They all have chairpersons of municipal boards and mayors of corporations of their district as
their members.
d. They all have members of the gram sabhas of the villages in their district as members.
2. Identify the person from the work they do:
They maintain records of the work done by the Gram Panchayat.
a. Panchayat chairman b. Block development officer
c. Panchayat pramukh d. Panchayat secretary
3. Which of these bodies is a vital link between the state government and the first two levels of the
Panchayati Raj?
a. Gram Sabha b. Panchayat Samiti c. Zilla Parishad d. Block Samiti
B. Complete the pairs.
1. Gram Panchayat: village level:: : district level
2. Sarpanch: gram panchayat:: : panchayat samiti
3. Panchayat secretary: gram panchayat:: : block samiti
4. Panchayat samiti: 10–20 gram panchayats:: Zilla Parishad:
C. Match the following.
A B
1. Zilla Parishad a. All adults of a village
2. Gram Sabha b. Members elected by the sarpanches of all villages in a block
3. Gram Panchayat c. Presidents of the Block Samitis in a district
4. Panchayat Samiti d. Panchs elected from different wards

D. Answer the following.

1. Differentiate between the gram sabha and the gram panchayat.
2. Who is the head of the block samiti? Do they come to this position through a democratic process
or are they appointed? What is the term of the block samiti?
3. How has the Panchayati Raj System helped villagers to get justice locally?
4. How do the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj work together in bringing about development?
E. Picture-based question
1. What kind of school is this?
a. primary b. secondary c. industrial d. vocational
2. Which body of the Panchayati Raj system is responsible for
building and supervising such schools?
3. From where does it get the money to carry out this function?

274
LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF URBAN AREAS WORKSHEET
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these is not a compulsory function of a Municipal Corporation?
a. Supply of drinking water b. Maintenance of public health
c. Naming of streets d. Promoting welfare schemes for municipal employees
2. Which of these do Nagar Panchayats not look after?
a. Healthcare b. Sanitation c. Primary education d. Higher education
3. Which of these is not a function of a Municipal Council?
a. Ensuring proper street lighting
b. Monitoring the workings of a Nagar Panchayat
c. Keeping records of births and deaths in the municipal area
d. Ensuring sanitation through collection and disposal of garbage
4. Which of these are the advantages of local self-government?
i. Ensures the best management of local affairs
ii. Resolves conflicts in a fair and just manner
iii. Takes the benefits of democracy down to the grassroots
iv. Maintains law and order in cities and towns
a. i, iii, iv b. i, iii c. ii, iv d. iii, iv
B. Picture-Based Questions
1. 2.

The type of local governing

body
The term for which the
governing body is elected
Presiding officer and chief
executive officer
Sources of income

C. Answer the following questions.

1. Which function of the Municipal Corporation do you think would have helped the public during
the Covid pandemic?
2. What is Octroi?
3. How does a local government keep a record of the population in the city or town it governs?
4. What kind of areas do Nagar Panchayats govern?

275
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION WORKSHEET
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these functions does the district collector perform as a district magistrate?
a. Revenue administration and collection of land revenue
b. Civil administration
c. Law and order and heading the police and prosecuting agency
d. Overseeing civil supplies, public administration and social welfare
2. This is an office of the district collector. Which of these functions would
not happen here?
a. Overseeing the elections to the Parliament
b. Regulating matters relating to excise, transport and mining
c. Overseeing the activities of the local self-government
d. Maintaining records of births and deaths in the district
3. Tehsils are made up of:
a. Talukas b. Villages c. Blocks d. Districts
4. Which of these are functions of the Lekhpal at the village level?
i. Maintaining law and order
ii. Coordinating the activities of village level administrative officers
iii. Maintaining land records
iv. Measuring land
a. i, ii b. iii, iv c. i, iii d. ii, iv
5. Which of these is the person in charge of the local police station?
a. Tehsildar b. Naib tehsildar c. Police inspector d. Station house officer
B. Complete the pairs.
1. District collector: IAS:: Superintendent of Police:
2. District: Blocks:: Block:
3. Police inspector: Tehsil:: Station house officer:
C. Name them.
1. The most important unit of administration in India
2. The executive head of district administration
3. A sub-division of a district
4. The new roles of the district collector
5. The officers who take care of administration at the tehsil level
D. Answer the following questions.
1. Why are states and Union Territories divided into districts?
2. Why is the district the most important unit of administration in India?
3. What is the three-fold role that the district collector plays in district administration?
4. As deputy commissioner, what function does a district collector have?
5. State any two functions of a district collector.

276
MAKING A LIVING WORKSHEET
A. Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Which of these statements relates to the tertiary sector?
a. It includes the production of basic food and raw materials.
b. We cannot survive without the products harvested in this sector.
c. The entertainment industry is part of this sector.
d. It adds value to the products found in nature by processing them.
2. In India, more than 50% of the people are dependent on:
a. services b. industries c. agriculture d. animal rearing
3. ‘Often the large farmers, on whose land they work, give them grain instead of money.’
In the above statement ‘they’ refers to:
a. medium farmers b. subsistence farmers c. marginal farmers d. landless farmers
4. Which of the following statements are true about this picture?
i. It shows an urban livelihood.
ii. It belongs to the secondary sector.
iii. It involves converting of raw materials into manufactured goods.
iv. It shows a business involving members of a family.
a. i, iii b. i, ii, iv c. i, ii, iii d. ii, iii, iv
5. Migrants from villages usually settle in slums because:
a. the living conditions in slums are better than those in villages
b. the migrants have limited resources, and slums are cheaper than other places
c. migrants can only stay in slums
d. it is easy for migrants to stay in slums and find employment
B. Complete the pairs.
1. Lumbering: primary sector::banking:
2. : rural livelihood:: Banking: urban livelihood
3. Dairy farms: milk and milk products:; : meat and eggs
4. Agriculture: crops:: : fish and shrimp
5. Journalist: professional::shopkeeper:
C. Match the following.
A B
1. Large farmers a. The food crops they grow are often not sufficient even to feed the family.
2. Marginal farmers b. They are compelled to work on other people’s land.
3. Medium farmers c. They use modern technology like tractors, high-yielding seeds and
fertilisers.
4. Landless farmers d. They produce just enough food for themselves, with a little left over for
sale.

D. Answer the following questions.

1. To which sectors do the occupations in rural and urban areas mainly belong?
2. Sonu is a small farmer in a village. He took a loan from the local money lender to acquire a tube
well and to buy better quality seeds. His village had a drought that year. Sonu ended up losing the
little land he had. Why do you think this happened?

277
 ANSWER KEY TO THE WORKSHEETS
HUMAN DIVERSITY
A. 1. b. ii, iii, iv 2. a. economic aspect of regional diversity 3. c. Kerala—Onam; Rajasthan
— Pushkar cattle-fair; Assam—Bogali Bihu 4. d. extreme climate
B. 1. Assam, Kerala 2. During Bogali Bihu and Onam 3. Regional diversity
C. 1. When we live with a diverse group of people, we learn from them. We absorb different cultures.
We become more tolerant and broad-minded.
2. Regional diversity refers to how different regions of India differ from each other with respect to
their history, geography, culture and economic and social indicators.
3. The geography of a land—its climate and its relief—encourages diversity. It influences the clothes
people wear, the food they eat and their occupations. For example, people who live in hot coastal
areas will generally have different food habits and dress differently from those who live on the
cold mountains.
4. Kerala Punjab
Life-expectancy 75 years; the highest in India 72 years; higher than the
national average of 67.7 years
Female-male Highest female-male ratio in India, with 904 women per 1000 men; lower
ratio women comprising 52% of the population than the national average of 929
5. Despite the diversity, Indians are united by their love for the country, a shared culture and value
system, and institutions such as the Constitution of India, the Civil Services, the Armed Forces and
the central government.

DIVERSITY, PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION

A. 1. Judging someone, or having an idea about them, before we actually know anything about them, is
called prejudice.
2. A stereotype is a generalisation, or an assumption, people make about a person or groups of
persons on the basis of their identity.
3. When we act on our prejudice, or when we express the feeling of prejudice through our actions, it
is called discrimination.
4. Food subsidy is the financial aid supplied by a government to farmers or consumers to make
low-cost food available to the poor.
5. Affirmative action is a policy aimed at increasing educational and workplace opportunities for
people who are underrepresented in various areas of our society.
B. 1. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
2. d. Breaking a stereotype
3. c. Piya’s parents are saving money to give her a huge dowry and to pay for her brother’s higher
education.
C. 1. Prejudice often stems from stereotyping people or communities.
2. Economic inequality refers to variations in income levels of the people living in a community or
country.

278
 3. As a result of the Indian government’s welfare schemes, employment programmes and food
subsidies, a total of 415 million people moved out of poverty in India between 2005–2006 and
2019–2021.
4. The Constitution of India is a vital document that contains the basic framework of government,
and the rights of the people of India.
D. 1. Beti padhao, Beti bachao 2. The scheme seeks to prevent female foeticide and ensure the
survival, protection and education of the girl child. 3. Education helps girls gain self-confidence
and become aware of their rights to equality. It helps them improve their chances of getting better-
paying jobs and attain economic equality.

UNDERSTANDING GOVERNMENT
A. 1. b. Protecting the State from attacks of other countries 2. c. Social security
3. c. Monarchy and dictatorship 4. c. Dictatorship
5. a. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
B. 1. False. The government is only one element of the State. 2. True 3. False.The position of the
monarch is hereditary. They become king or queen when one of their parents passes their position to
them. They may not have the collective approval of the people they are ruling. 4. False. The
Suffragette Movement was for securing voting rights for women in national and local elections.
5. False. Apartheid ended when Nelson Mandela’s government came to power.
C. 1. The government protects the natural environment of the State. It tries to keep pollution and the
exploitation of resources under control.
2. In most of the monarchies that survive today, the monarch no longer has much power. They rule
in name only while actual power, like in Britain, lies in the hands of an elected parliament.
3. Most early democracies were not truly participative because usually, the nobles and the wealthy
men of the country were the only ones who were allowed to vote. All the citizens were not
allowed to vote.
4. Syria has a dictatorship today. This form of government is not good for the people as the dictator
holds all the power. There are no elections for people to elect their representatives. The common
people have no freedom of expression, and they have no say in such a government.
5. The Suffragette Movement which started in the USA spread to many parts of the world and
helped the women of many countries acquire the right to vote.

ELEMENTS OF A DEMOCRACY
A. 1. rights, means 2. freedom, justice 3. 5/five 4. discussions, negotiations
B. 1. b. The government does not control the media. 2. d. Laws—Participatory citizenship
3. c. i, iii, iv 4. c. A is true but R is false.
C. 1. girl 2. gender 3. Constitution 4. democratic 5. discriminated
D. 1. Accountability means being responsible for one’s actions. In a democracy, the elected
representatives are accountable to the people who elected them.
2. The Right to Information Act gives Indian citizens the right and power to closely examine and
monitor the functioning of the government.
3. In India, the Constitution makes special provision for the welfare of the people who have been
discriminated against for centuries. Seats are reserved for them in Parliament, educational
institutions and government undertakings. This policy of reservation to correct a centuries-old
wrong is called positive discrimination.

279
PANCHAYATI RAJ—LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF RURAL AREAS
A. 1. b. They all have seats reserved for the members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and
women. 2. d. Panchayat secretary 3. c. Zilla Parishad
B. 1. Zilla Parishad 2. Block Pramukh/Block chairman 3. Block development officer
4. 4–10 blocks
C. 1. Zilla Parishad—c. Presidents of the Block Samitis in a district 2. Gram Sabha—a. All adults of
a village 3. Gram Panchayat—d. Panchs elected from different wards 4. Panchayat Samiti—
b. Members elected by the sarpanches of all villages in a block
D. 1. Gram Sabha Gram Panchayat
This is the general body to which all adults of This is a small committee made up of the
the village belong. Members of the Gram Sabha panchs elected by the Gram Sabha. It is
elect representatives from each of the wards, headed by a sarpanch also elected by the
known as panchs. They also elect the sarpanch. Gram Sabha.

2. The Block Chairman/Block Pramukh is the head of the block samiti. Members of a block samiti
elect a block chairman or block pramukh. Thus, they come to the position through a democratic
process. The members have the right to remove the pramukh if they are dissatisfied with them.
The block samiti is elected for a term of five years.
3. Nyaya Panchayats/Village courts have been established under the Pachayati Raj system for
providing speedy and inexpensive justice to the villagers.
4. A block samiti consists of 10–20 gram panchayats and the Zilla Parishad, consists of 4–10 blocks
or panchayat samitis. The Zilla Parishad coordinates the working of the block samitis in the
districts. It provides a vital link between the gram panchayat, the block samiti and the state
government. It plans developmental projects based on the reports submitted by the block samitis
and the gram Sabha. It also distributes the funds received from the central and state governments
among the block samitis. Thus, the three tiers of the Panchayati Raj system work together in
bringing about development.
E. 1. a. primary 2. The Gram Panchayat 3. The Gram Panchayat gets the money needed to carry
out this function from government grants and from taxes levied on land, electricity, water, houses,
markets and fairs.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF URBAN AREAS

A. 1. d. Promoting welfare schemes for municipal employees 2. d. Higher education
3. b. Monitoring the workings of a Nagar Panchayat 4. b. i, iii

B. 1. 2.
The type of local Municipal Corporation Municipal Council
governing body
The term for which Five years Five years
the governing body is
elected
Presiding officer and Mayor, Municipal chairperson,
chief executive officer Municipal commissioner Municipal commissioner

280
 Sources of income Property tax, vehicle tax, water tax, octroi Grants from the
(a tax on goods coming into the city), government,
service tax (collected from shopkeepers and taxes on land, property,
service professionals), toll tax (a tax for services and so on,
using certain bridges and roads), electricity and water
entertainment tax (a tax on movie tickets, charges
sporting events, amusement parks,
exhibitions and so on), education tax and
grants received from the state government.

C. 1. Maintenance of public health and sanitation, provision of vaccination and taking measures to
control epidemics
2. Octroi is a tax on goods coming into the city.
3. The births and deaths in a city or town are registered by the Municipal Corporation/Municipal
Council. This enables the local government to keep a record of the population in the city or town.
4. Nagar Panchayats govern areas which are in the process of changing from rural to urban. People
in such places are in the process of moving away from agriculture, to service and industry based
occupations.

DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION
A. 1. c. Law and order and heading the police and prosecuting agency 2. d. Maintaining records of
births and deaths in the district 3. b. Villages 4. b. iii, iv 5. d. Station house officer
B. 1. IPS 2. Villages 3. Village
C. 1. District 2. District collector 3. Tehsil/Taluka/Block 4. Coordinator, facilitator, providing
leadership 5. Tehsildar, naib tehsildar, police inspector
D. 1. To make administration more efficient, states and union territories are divided into districts.
2. A district is the most important unit of administration in India as it is the level at which the
common people come into direct contact with the government.
3. The three-fold role that the district collector plays in district administration: the deputy
commissioner, the district collector, the district magistrate.
4. As deputy commissioner, the district collector is the executive head of the district with
responsibilities relating to development, local bodies such as Panchayats, and civil administration.
5. The functions of a district collector include: ● Land and revenue administration of a district.
● Overall supervision of law and order in a district ● Disaster management ● Overseeing
elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures and local bodies ● Overseeing civil supplies,
public distribution and social welfare ● Coordination of the activities of other agencies/
departments of the state government ● Overseeing and regulating matters relating to excise,
transport, mining and labour laws and legal affairs ● Overseeing the activities of the local
self-government (any two)

MAKING A LIVING
A. 1. c. The entertainment industry is part of this sector. 2. c. agriculture 3. d. landless farmers
4. c. i, ii, iii 5. b. the migrants have limited resources, and slums are cheaper than other places
B. 1. tertiary sector 2. Agriculture/Fishing 3. Poultry farm 4. Aquaculture
5. entrepreneur/business person

281
C. 1. Large farmers—c. They use modern technology like tractors, high-yielding seeds and fertilisers.
2. Marginal farmers—a. The food crops they grow are often not sufficient even to feed the family.
3. Medium farmers—d. They produce just enough food for themselves, with a little left over for sale.
4. Landless farmers—b. They are compelled to work on other people’s land.
D. 1. The occupations in the rural areas mainly belong to the primary sector, while those in the urban
areas mainly belong to the secondary and tertiary sectors.
2. Sonu being a small farmer would have pledged his land with the money lender to get the loan for
the tube well and better quality seeds. But due to the drought, his crops would have failed and he
would have been unable to repay the loan. The money lender would have taken the land that Sonu
pledged to get the loan.

282
 SEMESTER 1 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER

Social Science
Class 6 Marks 80
Section A: Multiple choice questions 20 × 1 = 20
1. Which of the following describes the picture correctly?
a. An Inscription containing Vedic text written on a copper plate
b. An inscription containing an edict of Emperor Ashoka
c. A palm leaf manuscript containing Vedic text
d. A copper plate manuscript containing an edict of Emperor Ashoka
2. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A) : The valley of Hunasagi in Karnataka saw continuous human occupation in very
early times. (R): Limestone for tool-making was available in plenty in the Hunasagi valley.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct and complete explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is only a partial explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
3. Which of these relate(s) to the humans of the Neolithic Age?
i. They began to grow their own crops. ii. They invented the first script.
iii. They invented the wheel and axle. iv. They learnt the use of metals.
a. i, ii b. ii, iv c. i, iii d. ii, iii
4. You are visiting the ruins of the upper town of Mohenjodaro and you come across a massive brick
platform. Which of these would you assume it to be a part of?
a. A granary b. The Great Bath c. A dockyard d. The main brick drain
5. Which of these descriptions is common to both the Indus Valley seals and Indus Valley measures or
weights?
a. Were used for trade or commercial purposes b. Were square, round or cylindrical in shape
c. Were made in graduated sizes d. Had the IVC script engraved on them
6. Arrange the following occupations in the order in which they emerged in the Vedic society.
I. Trade II. Cattle rearing III. Pottery IV. Agriculture
Options:
a. IV, II, III, I b. II, III, IV, I c. II, IV, III, I d. II, III, IV, I
7. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A) : In Vajji, decisions on important issues were taken after discussing them in the
assembly. (R): If a decision could not be reached by the Vajji asembly, the matter was put to
vote.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.

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 8. Identify the ruler in the Vedic society with the help of the following information:
● Headed a republic ● Was considered to be a chief rather than a king
● Did not occupy a hereditary position
a. Rajan b. Ganapati c. Grahapati d. Senani
9. How long does the Moon take to go from one New Moon to the next?
a. 27 days b. 29.5 days c. 29 days d. 27.5 days
10. Fill in the blank.
Equator 0° latitude
0° longitude
a. International Date Line b. Central meridian of India
c. Prime Meridian d. Antarctic Circle
11. Which among the following pairs is correctly matched?
LIST I LIST II
a. Tropic of Cancer 23½° S
b. Tropic of Capricorn 23½° N
c. Arctic Circle 66 ½°S
d. North Pole 90°N

12. Match the following.

Months Seasons in the Southern Hemisphere
A. June I. Summer
B. September II. Autumn
C. December III. Winter
D. March IV. Spring
Options:
a. A–IV, B—III, C—IV, D—II b. A—III, B—I, C—IV, D—II
c. A—II, B—III, C—IV, D—I d. A—III, B—IV, C—I, D—II
13. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option
(A): Digital maps are able to show information in real time.
(R) : They use information provided by satellites that take images of the Earth using remote
sensing devices.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
14. Imagine that the Earth’s stops rotating and the winds stop blowing. Which of these will not occur?
a. waves b. tides c. currents d. waves, tides and currents

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15. What is the percentage of the gas represented by the portion marked with a
star in the pie-chart?
a. 20.95% b. 22.95% c. 21. 95% d. 23.95%
16. The celebration of Onam in Kerala and Bihu in Assam prove that India has:
a. economic diversity b. social diversity
c. regional diversity d. political diversity
17. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A) : In many families in India, the girl child is usually given less
importance. (R): For the most part, the society in India is patriarchal.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is only a partial explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
18. Which of these does not constitute affirmative action in favour of women?
a. A law prohibiting dowry b. A law prohibiting child marriage
c. Provision of food subsidies d. Reservation of seats for girl students in colleges
19. Which of these explains the term universal adult franchise adequately?
a. All educated citizens have the right to vote. b. All adult citizens have the right to vote.
c. All people have the right to vote. d. All adults have the right to vote.
20. Which of these makes media a powerful tool of direct participation in a democracy?
a. The government is accountable to the media. b. The media is accountable to the people.
c. The government does not control the media. d. People pay to use the media.
Section B: Very-short-answer questions (4 × 2 = 8)
1. Why did it become easier to hunt fast-moving animals in the Mesolithic Age?
2. How does the Sun support life on Earth?
3. What are asteroids?
4. What does the term ‘apartheid’ mean?
Section C: Short-answer questions (5 × 3 = 15)
1. What was unusual about the Neolithic houses found at Burzahom, Kashmir? How were they built?
What purpose did they serve?
2. List of effects of the Earth’s rotation.
3. Distinguish between small scale and large scale maps.
4. Explain the meaning of participation in the context of democracy?
5. Write a note on the fight for universal adult franchise.
Section D: Long-answer questions (4 × 5 = 20)
1. Evaluate the importance of the Neolithic Age in Human history.
2. Discuss the differences between the monarchies and republics that emerged in the Later Vedic
Period.
3. Distinguish between summer solstice, winter solstice, spring equinox and autumn equinox.
4. Social diversity in India can take different forms. Explain this statement.

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Section E: Case-based questions (3 × 4 = 12)
1. Dholavira lies in the island of Khadir, in Gujarat. It is surrounded by the Great Rann of Kachchh.
The site was discovered in 1967–68. Today, it is considered the fifth-largest site of the Indus Valley
Civilisation (IVC). Excavations here have revealed painted black and red pottery, bronze vessels,
square seals, beads, animal bones, and ornaments made from gold, silver, terracotta and beads. Tools
found included bronze hammers and chisels.
However, the town plan of Dholavira was a little different from that of the other cities of the
Civilisation. It consisted of three parts instead of two—the citadel, the middle town, and the lower
town. Most buildings were made of stone. Hemispherical buildings that looked like Buddhist stupas
have also been unearthed.
1.1. Which Civilisation was Dholavira a part of? (1 mark)
1.2. How were the buildings found at Dholavira different from those found in the other
cities of the Civilisation? (1 mark)
1.3. Do you think the buildings in the middle town of Dholavira would have been more
important than those in the lower town? Explain your answer briefly. (2 marks)
2. Ecological balance is like a big puzzle where all the pieces fit together perfectly to keep nature in
harmony. It is all about how plants, animals, and the environment work together to keep our planet
healthy and happy. Imagine a forest where each tree, animal, and microorganism has an important job
to do. The trees give oxygen, the animals help spread seeds, and the microorganisms break down old
leaves into rich soil. This balance is what keeps everything running smoothly in nature. But
sometimes, things like cutting down too many trees or polluting the air can upset this balance. That
is when we see problems like animals losing their homes or plants struggling to grow. To fix these
problems, we need to work together to protect nature by planting trees, reducing pollution, and not
harming animals. By doing these things, we can help keep the puzzle of ecological balance complete,
ensuring a brighter future for our planet and all the creatures that call it home.
2.1. How does the passage describe ecological balance? (1 mark)
2.2. Explain how the ecological balance in a forest is disturbed. (1 mark)
2.3. Write two things we can do to avoid harming animals in a forest. (2 marks)
3. The sharing of river water between different states has always been a source of conflict in India.
Tamil Nadu has ongoing conflicts with two of its neighbouring states—Karnataka and Kerala—over
the sharing of river waters. The Mullaperiyar Dam on the Periyar River lies in Kerala, but is operated
by Tamil Nadu. Water from the dam is used by Tamil Nadu to irrigate agricultural land in the state.
Kerala claims that the over-116-year-old dam is dangerous, and should be rebuilt. It also questions
Tamil Nadu’s claim to waters from a river that flows entirely through Kerala. Tamil Nadu holds that
since some of Periyar’s tributaries rise in Tamil Nadu, it has a claim to the river’s waters. It also
claims the dam is safe, and wants to increase the water level further. After several episodes of
violent conflict between the people of the two states, the central government intervened, and the case
was referred to the Supreme Court.
In 2014, after long discussions and hearings, the Supreme Court ruled that the water level in the dam
could be increased from 136 feet to 142 feet. It also created a permanent committee to oversee all the
issues concerning Mullaperiyar dam.
Though this solution has not brought about a complete end to clashes between the two states, it is an
important example of how the government steps in during times of conflict.
3.1. What does Kerala claim about the Mullaperiyar dam? (1 mark)
3.2. How does Tamil Nadu counter Kerala’s claim? (1 mark)
3.3. What solution did the Supreme Court provide for the issue? How do you think the
permanent committee will help if the conflict arises again? (2 marks)

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Section F: Map-skill based (5 × 1 = 5)
1. On the map of India:
a. Mark and label a Paleolithic site in Karnataka.
b. Mark and label a Neolithic site in Kashmir.

2. On the world map:

a. Mark and label the second-smallest continent.
b. Mark and label the largest ocean.
c. Mark and label the ocean that has the Java Trench.

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 SEMESTER 2 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
Social Science
Class 6 Marks 80

Section A: Multiple choice questions 20 × 1 = 20

1. Which of these principles was common to the Upanishads, Jainism and Buddhism?
a. Nirvana b. Bhakti c. Karma d. Moksha
2. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A): The Mauryan administration built facilities like dams and canals.
(R) : Agriculture was the most important occupation of the people in the Mauryan Empire.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true but R is not the explanation for A.
b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation for A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
3. Which great emperor do the following statements relate to?
● He lived his life the way he wanted his subjects to live.
● He advocated religious tolerance.
● He dug wells, planted trees and built hospitals for the benefit of his subjects.
a. Chandragupta Maurya b. Chandra Gupta I c. Ashoka d. Harsha
4. Which of the following did not lead to the second urbanisation?
a. The expansion of agriculture b. The expansion of trade
c. The establishment of states d. The first urbanisation
5. Which of these options best describes the objects in the picture?
a. Coins issued by Kushana king Kanishka
b. Coins issued by Indo-Greek king Menander
c. Greek coins found at Arikamedu
d. Roman gold coins found at Pudukottai
6. Match the following.
Gupta ruler Important achievement
A. Samudra Gupta I. Laid a strong foundation for the Gupta Empire
B. Chandra Gupta I II. Defeated the Huns from Central Asia
C. Chandra Gupta Vikramaditya III. Conquered the southern kingdoms
D. Skanda Gupta IV. Conquered the Saka kingdom in the west
Options:
a. A—II, B—III, C—IV, D—I b. A—IV, B—III, C—II, D—I
c. A—III, B—I, C—IV, D—II d. A—II, B—I, C—IV, D—III

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 7. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A) : Feudalism may have emerged in India during the Gupta
period. (R): Land grants replaced cash payments in the Gupta
Empire.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
8. Which of these is common to both the Gandhara and Mathura schools of art?
a. Created statues of the Buddha b. Used red sandstone for sculpting images
c. Used grey sandstone for sculpting images d. Paintings of the Buddha

9. The internal force illustrated in the picture is not responsible for the
formation of which of these landforms?
a. Fold mountains b. Rift valleys
c. Alluvial tracts d. Block mountains
10. Which among the following pairs is correctly matched?
LIST I LIST II
a. Manipur Kohima
b. Meghalaya Aizawl
c. Mizoram Shillong
d. Tripura Agartala

11. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A): The time lag, or the difference in time, between the easternmost and the westernmost parts of
India is two hours.
(R) : The longitudinal width of India is almost 20°.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
12. Fill in the blank. L.8
Region River
The Northern Plains Indus
The Deccan Plateau

a. Gandak b. Gomti c. Godavari d. Ghaghara

13. A trekking expedition is organised in the Patkai Bum. The participants will be trekking on which
of these ranges?
a. Shiwalik b. Purvanchal c. Himadri d. Himachal

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14. Which of these happens in the Cold Weather Season?
a. In north India, the sky generally remains clear and the weather is comfortable.
b. In south India, the weather conditions become quite uncomfortable as humidity increases.
c. The north-western parts of the Northern Plains experience rain due to cyclonic depressions in
the Mediterranean Sea.
d. Temperatures increase from the south to the north.
15. Match the following.
Forest Place where they are found
A. Tropical rainforest I. Kandoo
B. Tropical deciduous forest II. Ebony
C. Thorn forest III. Shisham
D. Mangrove forest IV. Babul

Options:
a. A–IV, B—III, C—IV, D—II b. A—III, B—I, C—IV, D—II
c. A—II, B—III, C—IV, D—I d. A—III, B—IV, C—I, D—II
16. Which of the following statements relate to the Gram Sabha?
i. Its members elect a representative from each of the wards in a village.
ii. It is a general body to which all adults of a village belong.
iii. Its head is called a panch.
iv. Its members elect the head of the panchayat.
a. ii, iii b. i, ii, iv c. i, iii, iv d. i, iv
17. There are two statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Read them and choose the
correct option.
(A) : Local governments ensure the best management of local
affairs. (R): Local people understand their own problems best.
Options:
a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
b. Both A and R are true but R is only a partial explanation of A.
c. A is true but R is false.
d. A is false but R is true.
18. Which of the following statements about the role of a patwari is incorrect?
a. They measure land at the village level. b. They maintain land records at the village level.
c. They are in charge of the local police station. d. They are also known as the lekhpal.
19. Identify the type of farmer with the help of the following information.
● They grow food crops, which are often not sufficient even to feed the family.
● They often work on other farms to get more money.
● They own plots of land that are less than 2 hectares in size.
a. Marginal farmers b. Medium farmers c. Landless farmers d. Poultry farmers
20. Find the odd one among the four sets.
a. Agriculture, lumbering, mining, forestry
b. Healthcare, banking, communication, transport
c. Grazing, fishing, industry, telephone services
d. Education, insurance, entertainment, postal services

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Section B: Very-short-answer questions (4 × 2 = 8)
1. Explain the triratna principle of Mahavira.
2. What was the Sangam Age? Why was it called so?
3. What is the difference between a state and a union territory in India?
4. Explain the terms ‘tehsil’ and ‘tehsildar’.
Section C: Short-answer questions (5 × 3 = 15)
1. What items did the Chinese trade with India using the Silk Route? In what ways did the Silk
Route impact the cultures across the world?
2. Describe the formation of volcanic mountains with the help of a labelled diagram.
3. Differentiate between the Western Coastal Plains and the Eastern Coastal Plains of India.
4. Describe the composition of Zilla Parishad.
5. How does the secondary sector add to our national wealth?
Section D: Long-answer questions (4 × 5 = 20)
1. The Gupta Period is sometimes called the Golden Age of ancient India. Justify this statement by
describing their achievements in trade and contributions to culture.
2. Evaluate the contributions made by ancient Indians in the field of science.
3. Describe the onset of the South-West Monsoon Season.
4. Describe the functions of the Municipality.
Section E: Case-based questions (3 × 4 = 12)
1. Like Ashoka, Kanishka took great effort to spread Buddhism. He built magnificent stupas,
monasteries and Buddhist temples throughout his empire. His efforts helped the spread of Gandhara
art in many parts of Asia. Kanishka also erected huge sculptures of the Buddha in monasteries carved
into hillsides. Many pilgrims came to India to view these monuments. Buddhist Councils were held
from time to time in order to compile the teachings of the Buddha. The Fourth Council was held in
Kashmir during the reign of Kanishka. Chinese pilgrims like Faxian and Xuanzang travelled to India
along the Silk Route and took back tenets of Buddhism to China from where it spread to many other
parts of Asia. Traders too helped the spread of Buddhism. Many traders were Buddhists. They
carried the religion to South-East Asia, East Asia and Central Asia.
1.1. Which of the two sects of Buddhism—the Theravada or the Mahayana—would
Kanishka have adopted? Explain your answer briefly. (2 marks)
1.2. Who were the people who helped spread Buddhism to different countries according
to the passage? (1 mark)
1.3. According to you, to which part of ancient India did the traders who took Buddhism
to South-East Asia mostly belong? (1 mark)
2. The Shiwalik range extends across the northern part of India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The mountains of
this range were formed by the same tectonic forces that created the other ranges of the Himalayas, but
they are much younger and less rugged. Compared to the higher ranges of the Himalayas, the
Shiwalik range appears as a series of relatively low, rolling hills and ridges. The vegetation includes
dense forests of subtropical and temperate trees such as sal, oak, chir pine, and rhododendron. The
Shiwalik is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including various species of deer, monkeys, bears,
leopards, and birds. It serves as an important habitat corridor for wildlife moving between the plains
and the higher Himalayas. Like other mountainous regions, the Shiwalik range faces challenges such
as deforestation, soil erosion, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflicts.

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 2.1. In what ways is the Shiwalik range different from the other ranges of the Himalayas? (1 mark)
2.2. What do you understand by the phrase ‘habitat corridor’? (2 marks)
2.3. The Shiwalik range faces different challenges, but one challenge is at the root of all
challenges. Identify and state that challenge. (1 mark)
3. Every village in India has a police station, presided over by a Station House Officer (SHO). The SHO
is assisted by constables. Each police station has a certain area under its jurisdiction. People living in
that area can go to the police station to report incidents of crime, like theft, robbery, murder, disputes
over land or property, and other issues.
A group of villages has a special officer known as a patwari. The patwari does the work of measuring
land—in most cases, a long chain is used for this purpose. The patwari also keeps and updates land
records. They are also responsible for the collection of land revenue from the farmers and providing
information about crops grown in the area to the government.
3.1. What do you understand by the term ‘jurisdiction’ in the context of a police station? (1 mark)
3.2. What, according to you, is the advantage of having a police station at the village level? (2 marks)
3.3. How does the patwari serve as a link between the farmers and the government? (1 mark)
Section F: Map-skill based (5 × 1 = 5)
1. On the adjacent outline map of India:
a. Mark and label a present-day state that was part of
the ancient Tamizhagam.
b. Mark and label the present-day state that was known as
Kalinga in ancient times.

2. On the adjacent outline map of India:

a. Mark and label the state with the western most point of
India.
b. Mark a state where the Arabian Sea branch of
South-West Monsoon causes heavy rainfall.
c. Mark a union territory on the east coast of India.

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 ANSWER KEY TO
SEMESTER 1 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
Section A:
1. c. A palm leaf manuscript containing Vedic text 2. b. Both A and R are true but R is only a partial
explanation of A. 3. c. i, iii 4. a. A granary 5. a. Were used for trade or commercial purposes
6. c. II, IV, III, I 7. a. Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A. 8. b. Ganapati
9. b. 29.5 days 10. c. Prime Meridian 11. d. North Pole —90° N 12. d. A—III, B—IV, C—I, D—
II
13. b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 14. d. waves, tides and currents
15. a. 20.95% 16. c. regional diversity 17. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct
explanation of A. 18. c. Provision of food subsidies 19. b. All adult citizens have the right to vote.
20. c. The government does not control the media.
Section B:
1. Tools were made of bones, wood, or the tusks and horns of animals, apart from stone, during the
Mesolithic Age. Such lighter tools helped quicker movements and made hunting easier. The use of
bow and arrow in this period also made it easy to hunt animals that moved fast.
2. The Sun is the primary source of heat and light for living beings on Earth. Without the Sun’s heat and
light, life on Earth would not exist.
3. Asteroids are celestial bodies that revolve around the Sun between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
These are believed to be parts of planets which exploded millions of years ago, or matter that was
left over after the planets were formed.
4. The policy of discrimination against the non-Whites by the Whites of South Africa came to be called
apartheid. Apartheid means ‘apartness’ in Afrikaans language.
Section C:
1. The earliest Neolithic houses at Burzahom, Kashmir, are below ground level and are called pit
dwellings. The people dug pits into the ground with the help of stone tools. Then they plastered the
sides of the pit with mud. Pit dwellings provided shelter from extreme cold, and may also have been
used to store food.
2. The effects of rotation are as follows: ● day and night ● bulging of the Earth at the Equator, and
flattening at the poles ● deflection (pushing away from the straight path) of winds and ocean
currents ● tides (the alternate rise and fall of the oceans due to the gravity of the Moon and the Sun,
and the rotation of the Earth)
3. Small scale maps Large scale maps
A small scale map covers a large area, but A large scale map covers a small area in greater
shows fewer details. detail.
If a map has a small scale of 1: 5,000,000, it If a map has a large scale of 1:1000, it means
means that 1 unit on the map represents that 1 unit on the map represents 1000 units
5,000,000 units on the ground. on the ground.
Example: a world map in an atlas Example: A city map
4. Participation means ‘to take part in’. In a democracy, every citizen has the right and the means to
participate in the decision-making process of the government. People participate in governance by
electing the person who they feel understands their problems the best. However, participatory
citizenship goes beyond just taking part in elections. It also involves actively taking part in policies
and decision-making. In democracies, citizens directly participate in, and influence, government
decisions through discussions, debates, speaking out through the media, protest marches and rallies.

293
 5. Most early democracies were not truly participative. Usually, the nobles and the wealthy men of
the country were the only ones who were allowed to vote. Over time, however, the common people
started demanding the right to vote too. After a long and often bitter struggle, first all men, and
then women, were allowed to vote. When all the adult citizens of a country have the right to vote,
it is known as universal adult franchise. In India, every person over the age of 18 has the right to
vote.
Section D:
1. The Neolithic Age is important in human history for the following reasons: ● Farming and herding
replaced hunting and food gathering to a large extent during this period. ● Humans began giving up
their nomadic lifestyle of thousands of years, for living a more settled life. ● A settled way of life
facilitated new ways of thinking and led to new inventions and discoveries that are relevant to this
day. For example, humans learnt to select the best quality seeds for growing crops and to plough the
land before sowing them. They also began to plan their harvests. ● Different innovative methods of
storing surplus food were invented during this period. ● Humans started domesticating
animals and using them for different purposes. ● The idea of division of labour
emerged during this period when people began to specialise in different occupations and no longer had
to do all the work by themselves. ● The wheel and axle, invented during this period,
revolutionised the way people lived. This invention led to major developments in transport, pottery
and textile-making. It paved the way for further inventions by facilitating interaction and exchange of
ideas among people who lived far apart.
2. Monarchies Republics
They were mostly concentrated in the They were located in the less fertile tracts of land
Gangetic Plain. such as, the foothills of the Himalayas and in
northwestern India.
They were states ruled by kings or They were states ruled by the representative(s) of
monarchs. the people.
Kingship was hereditary. It passed on from The office of the chief, known as the ganapati, was
father to son. The king was considered not hereditary. People or members of an assembly
divine and had all the power. chose or elected their ruler. So power lay with the
people of the state and not with the ruler.

The king imposed taxes to administer the The assembly played a vital role in administering
land. The army was under his command the land. But, like the rajan of the mahajanapadas,
and he was the lawmaker too. the ganapati collected different types of taxes and
had a strong army.

3. Summer solstice Winter solstice Spring Equinox Autumn Equinox

On 21 June, the Sun’s On 22 December, the On 21 March, the Sun On 23 September, the
rays fall vertically on Sun’s rays fall shines vertically on Sun shines vertically
the Tropic of Cancer. vertically on the the Equator. This is on the Equator. This is
It is the longest day of Tropic of Capricorn. It known as the Spring known as Autumn
the year in the is the longest day of Equinox. It is spring Equinox. It is autumn
Northern Hemisphere the year in the in the Northern in the Northern
and is called the Southern Hemisphere Hemisphere and Hemisphere and
Summer solstice. and is called Winter autumn in the spring in the Southern
Solstice.
Summer solstice Winter solstice Spring Equinox Autumn Equinox

294
 It is summer in the It is winter in the Southern Hemisphere Hemisphere at this
Northern Hemisphere Northern Hemisphere at this time. time.
and winter in the and summer in the
Southern Hemisphere Southern Hemisphere
at this time. at this time.

4. Social diversity takes different forms in India. It includes elements such as religion, language and
caste. ● A variety of religions are practised in India, and their respective festivals, celebrated.
Festivals like Diwali, Eid, Christmas, Buddha Purnima, Guru Purab, Mahavir Jayanti and Jamshed
Navroz are observed in a spirit of harmony. ● Over a hundred different languages (and their
dialects) are spoken in India. Of these, the Indian constitution has recognised 22 languages as
scheduled languages. Hindi and English have been designated as the official languages of India to
make it easier for India’s linguistically diverse population (a population made up of people who
speak different languages) to communicate easily. ● Another important element of social diversity
in India is caste. The caste system differentiates between people on the basis of their birth. There
are many castes and sub-castes in India and they continue to play an important role in defining a
person’s identity in modern India.
Section E:
1.1. Dholavira is part of the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC).
1.2. We know that the buildings of the IVC were built of baked bricks. However, the buildings in
Dholavira were built with stone. Thus they were different from the buildings of the other cities of
the IVC.
1.3. Yes. We know that the citadel of IVC cities had important buildings and the lower town had houses
of the common people. Since the importance of buildings decreased from the higher to the lower
part of the town, it is highly likely that the buildings of the middle town were more important than
those in the lower town.
2.1. The passage describes ecological balance as a big puzzle where all the pieces fit together perfectly
to keep nature in harmony. The pieces of the puzzle are the plants, animals, other organisms and
the other parts of the environment that work together for maintaining the ecological balance.
2.2. Things like cutting down too many trees or polluting the air can upset the ecological balance in a
forest. That is when problems, like animals losing their homes or plants struggling to grow, arise.
2.3. We can avoid cutting trees in a forest. We can avoid buying products for which animals are killed or
harmed in some way. (Note: Please accept other correct answers.)
3.1. Kerala claims that the over-116-year-old dam is dangerous, and should be rebuilt. It also questions
Tamil Nadu’s claim to waters from a river that flows entirely through Kerala.
3.2. Tamil Nadu holds that since some of Periyar’s tributaries rise in Tamil Nadu, it has a claim to the
river’s waters. It also claims the dam is safe, and wants to increase the water level further.
3.3. The Supreme Court ruled that the water level in the dam could be increased from 136 feet to 142
feet. It also created a permanent committee to oversee all the issues concerning Mullaperiyar dam.
The permanent committee will hear both sides and validate/ verify their claims. It will try to
provide solutions that both sides will agree to.
Section F: Map-based questions:
1. a. Students should mark and label Hunasagi. b. Students should mark and label Burzahom.
2. a. Students should mark and label Europe. b. Students should mark and label the Pacific Ocean.
c. Students should mark and label the Indian Ocean.

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 ANSWER KEY TO
SEMESTER 2 SAMPLE QUESTION PAPER
Section A:
1. c. Karma 2. b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation for A. 3. c. Ashoka
4. d. The first urbanisation 5. d. Roman gold coins found at Pudukottai 6. c. A—III, B—I, C—IV,
D—II 7. b. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 8. a. Created statues of the
Buddha 9. c. Alluvial tracts 10. d. Tripura—Agartala 11. c. A is true but R is false.
12. c. Godavari 13. b. Purvanchal 14. c. The north-western parts of the Northern Plains
experience rain due to cyclonic depressions in the Mediterranean Sea. 15. c. A—II, B—III, C—IV, D
—I
16. b. i, ii, iv 17. a. Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. 18. c. They are in
charge of the local police station. 19. a. Marginal farmers 20. c. Grazing, fishing, industry,
telephone services
Section B:
1. Mahavira preached that nirvana could be attained by practising the triratna or three jewels which
are right faith, right knowledge and right action.
2. The period between 500 BCE and 300 CE is known as the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil,
sangam means ‘assembly’. Scholars and poets from all over the land assembled in Madurai during
this period to share their thoughts and engage in philosophical debates. Hence this period is called
the Sangam Age.
3. A state is a smaller territorial division of India, having its own duly elected state government. A union
territory is a part of the country that is under the direct administration of the Union Government.
4. A tehsil is a sub-division of a district, which is also called a taluka or block. A district consists of
several tehsils, talukas or blocks. A block, tehsil or taluka is made up of villages. A tehsildar is
an administrative officer at the tehsil level.
Section C:
1. The Chinese traded their raw and woven silk for spices, precious stones, pearls, ivory and raw cotton
from India. China also exported musk, tung oil and amber to India. Apart from traders, pilgrims,
monks, potential conquerors and soldiers also travelled along this route. Buddhism went from India
to China along this route. Caravans travelling along the Silk Route brought Chinese inventions and
discoveries, like paper, gunpowder, porcelain and tea, to India and to the West. These had a strong
influence on cultures across the world.
2. The lava, ash and rocks that erupt through vents settle in layers on the surface of the Earth. Over
thousands of years, these layers build up and volcanic mountains are formed.
● If the magma is thin and flows easily, gently sloping mountains are formed, such as Mauna Loa in
Hawaii. However, if the lava is thick and viscous, the mountains formed are cone-shaped with
steeply sloping sides, for example, Mount (Mt) Vesuvius in Italy, Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania,
Africa and Mt Fuji in Japan. (Note: Students should draw the diagram Structure of a volcano,
given in the chapter. Diagram carries 1½marks.)
3. Western Coastal Plain Eastern Coastal Plain
● The coastal plain lying to the west of the ● The coastal plain lying to the east of the
Western Ghats is known as the Western Eastern Ghats is known as the Eastern
Coastal Plain. Coastal Plain.
● It is narrow and rocky. ● It is broad and sandy.

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 Western Coastal Plain Eastern Coastal Plain
● Several important ports like Mumbai lie on ● Ports like Chennai and Kolkata lie on
the Western Coastal Plain. the Eastern Coastal Plain.
4. Composition of the Zilla Parishad: All the presidents of the Block Samitis in a district are members
of the Zilla Parishad. Members of the State Legislature, members of Parliament, chairpersons of
Municipal Boards and mayors of corporations from the district are also members of the Zilla
Parishad. Seats are reserved for representatives of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes. From one-
third to up to 50% of the seats are reserved for women.
5. The secondary sector consists of those activities which convert raw materials to manufactured goods.
For example, in the cotton textile industry, cotton from cotton plants (the raw material) is converted
into yarn and fabric. Similarly, in the bakery industry, wheat is the main raw material that is
converted into bread, cake, pizza and biscuits. The steel industry converts iron ore found in the raw
state in nature to steel. Therefore, the secondary sector adds value to the products found in nature by
processing them and making them ready for consumption. It, thus, plays an important role in adding
to our national wealth.
Section D:
1. There are a number of achievements to the credit of the Gupta dynasty—art, literature and the
sciences received the support of the Guptas, and flourished.
Trade: The Gupta Empire had long-distance trade with the Eastern Roman Empire, West Asia, Africa
and many countries of South-East Asia. The prosperity of the Guptas could be attributed largely to
this rich trade. Contacts through trade also led to a more long-lasting impact on the cultures of South-
East Asia. Sanskrit, Buddhism and Hinduism spread here from India.
Cultural achievements: The Gupta rulers were great patrons of art, literature and science. Kalidasa,
one of the greatest Sanskrit poets and dramatists, lived during the rule of Chandra Gupta II.
Sculpture and architecture reached new heights under the Guptas as can be seen from the beautiful
art found in the Ajanta and Ellora Caves. Most of the empire experienced peace and prosperity
during the Gupta period. (Note: Students can answer this question in their own words.)
2. India made great contributions in the field of astronomy in ancient times. ● Aryabhata is believed
to have discovered the causes of solar and lunar eclipses. In his book Aryabhatiya, he postulated that
the period of rotation of the Earth around its axis is 23 hours 56 minutes 4.1 seconds which is
remarkably close to the modern estimate. It is possible that he also estimated the circumference of the
Earth. Varahamihira explained the movements of the planets. ● The extraction of metals, the
making of dyes and pigments, the making of rust-proof iron, and the extraction of sugar were
successfully carried out. The iron pillar in Delhi has been standing in the open for more than 1,600
years without rusting. It is made of wrought iron, a very pure form of iron.
3. The onset of the South-West Monsoon occurs each year around the first week of June. ● When it
reaches the Indian landmass, the South-West Monsoon breaks up into two distinct streams—the
Arabian Sea Branch and the Bay of Bengal Branch. ● The Arabian Sea Branch hits the Western
Ghats and causes heavy rainfall to the coastal areas of Kerala, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
● The amount of rainfall keeps decreasing as the Monsoon winds reach the interior parts of the
subcontinent. ● Tamil Nadu, which lies in the rain shadow of the Western Ghats, receives very
little rainfall from the South-West Monsoon. ● The Bay of Bengal Branch travels north till it
hits the Himalayas. It causes heavy rainfall in the eastern and north-eastern states of India, like
Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. The rainfall goes on decreasing
as the Monsoon winds travel westwards into India. Thus, while Mawsynram in Meghalaya receives
more

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 than 1,000 cm of rain, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan gets less than 3 cm of rain a year. ● Most of the
country receives more than 80% of its rainfall from the South-West Monsoon (June to September).
4. The functions of Municipal Councils or Municipalities are largely the same as those of Municipal
Corporations. They: ● provide safe drinking water to the people ● build and maintain roads and
ensure proper street lighting ● ensure proper supply of electricity ● establish hospitals,
dispensaries, health centres and family planning centres ● build and maintain primary and
secondary schools, adult education centres and night schools to impart education ● ensure proper
sanitation in the city through the collection and disposal of garbage, and the cleaning of drains and
streets ● make laws concerning housing, markets, and the supply of essential commodities like
milk and water ● keep a record of births and deaths in the municipal areas
Section E:
1.1. Kanishka would have adopted Mahayana Buddhism. Mahayana Buddhists worship the images of
the Buddha and Kanishka had huge sculptures of the Buddha erected in the monasteries he built.
1.2. Kanishka, Chinese pilgrims and traders helped spread Buddhism, according to the passage.
1.3. According to me, the traders who took Buddhism to South-East Asia belonged to the parts of India
that were under the Guptas or the kings of Tamizhagam. This is because these kingdoms had trade
relations with the countries of South-East Asia.
2.1. The Shiwalik range is much younger and less rugged compared to the other ranges of the
Himalayas. It is also relatively lower in height compared to the other Himalayan ranges.
2.2. Habitat corridor can mean the area that connects the habitats that wild animals move between. For
example, the Shiwalik range is the habitat corridor for animals moving between the plains and the
higher Himalayas.
2.3. Deforestation is a challenge that is at the root of other challenges like soil erosion, habitat loss and
human-wildlife conflicts.
3.1. The term ‘jurisdiction’ can mean the area under the control of a police station.
3.2. Villagers can report incidents of crime to the police station in their neighbourhood, without having
to go far for this purpose.
3.3. The patwari collects land revenue from the farmers and provides information about crops grown in
the area to the government.
Section F: Map-based questions:
1. a. Students should mark and label Tamil Nadu/Kerala/Karnataka.
b. Students should mark and label Odisha.
2. a. Students should mark and label Gujarat.
b. Students should mark and label Maharashtra/Karnataka/Kerala.
c. Students should mark and label Puducherry.

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