NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People

NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People Solutions to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse through different chapters NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People and select need one. NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People Question Answers Download PDF. NCERT SST Class 6 Solutions.

NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People

Join Telegram channel

Follow us:

Also, you can read the NCERT book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Book guidelines. CBSE Class 6 Social Science Solutions are part of All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 6 Social Science Chapter 2 On the Trail of The Earliest People, NCERT Class 6 Social Science Textbook of Our Pasts – I: History, The Earth – Our Habitat: Geography, Social and political Life: Civics. for All Chapters, You can practice these here.

On the Trail of The Earliest People

Chapter: 2

OUR PASTS – I [HISTORY]

NCERT TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS

LET’S RECALL

Q. 1. Complete the sentences: 

(a) Hunter-gatherers choose to live in caves and rock shelters because _________.

Ans. They provided shelter from the rain, heat and wind. 

(b) Grasslands developed around _______ years ago.

Ans. 12,000

(c) Early people painted on the ________of caves.

Ans, walls.

(d) In Hunsgi, tools were made of __________.

Ans. limestone.

Q. 2. Look at the present-day political map of the subcontinent on page 136. Find out the states where Bhimbetka, Hunsgi and Kurnool are located. Would Tushar’s train have passed near any of these sites?

Ans. The states are:

(a) Bhimbetka is located in Madhya Pradesh.

(b) Hunsgi is located in Karnataka.

(c) Kurnool is located in Andhra Pradesh.

Yes, Tushar’s train have passed through all the three sites. Tushar’s train running on Delhi-Chennai route. 

LET’S DISCUSS

Q. 3. Why did the hunter-gatherers travel from place to place? In what ways these similar to/different from the reasons for which we travel today?

Ans. The hunter-gatherers travel from place to place for the following reasons: 

(a) If they had stayed at one place for a long time they would have eaten up all the available. plant and animal resources. Therefore, they would have had to go elsewhere in search of food.

(b) Animals move from place to place either in search of smaller prey, or in the case of deer and wild cattle, in search of grass and leaves. That is why those who hunted them had to follow their environment.

(e) Plants and trees bear fruits in different seasons. So, people may have moved from season to season in search of different kind of plants.

(d) People, plants and animals need water to survive. Water is found in lakes, streams and rivers. Many rivers and lakes are perennial while others are seasonal. People living on their banks would have had to go in search of water during the dry seasons. People might have travelled to meet their friends and relatives.

Q. 4. What tools would you use today for cutting fruit? What would they be made of?

Ans. Tools we use today for cutting fruits are knife, cutter, shilter, dagger, spoon, fork etc. They are made of copper, bronze, iron, steel etc.

Q. 5. List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire. Would you use fire for any of these purposes today? 

Ans. Hunter-gatherers used fire in three ways like:

(a) For cooking meat. 

(b) To scare away wild animals. 

(c) As a light. 

Yes, we use fire for the following purposes:

(a) To keep us warm. 

(b) To cook our food. 

(c) To light during dark.

SOME OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS FOR EXAMINATION

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q.1. What is the name given to the people who lived in the subcontinent as early as two million years ago? 

Ans. People who lived in the subcontinent as early as two million years ago are called hunter or gatherers.

Q. 2. What was hunted or gathered by the hunters? 

Ans. The hunters hunted wild animals, caught fish and birds, gathered fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, leaves, stalks and eggs.

Q. 3. What are the animals found in cave paintings of Spain and France?

Ans. The animals found in cave paintings of Spain and France are wild horses, bison, rhinoceros, reindeer, bear, oxen and mammoth.

Q. 4. What are the three phases of the Palaeolithic Age?

Ans. The three phases of Palaeolithic Age are: 

(a) Lower Palaeolithic. 

(b) Middle Palaeolithic. 

(c) Upper Palaeolithic.

Q. 5. Why did men moved in groups during the Palaeolithic age? 

Ans Men moved in groups during the Palaeolithic Age to scare away wild animals.

Q.6. What are sites? Write the names of two Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic sites.

Ans. Places from where archaeologists have found evidence of hunter-gatherers are referred to as sites. 

Examples of sites are as follows: 

Palaeolithic Sites: Bhimbetka (M.P.), Hunsgi (Karnataka),

Mesolithic Sites: Bagor (Rajasthan), Adamgarh (M.P.).

Neolithic Sites: Daojali Hading (Assam), Burzahom (Jammu and Kashmir).

Q. 7. What are Microliths? 

Ans. Tools used during the Mesolithic period are referred to as microliths. These tools were smaller, sharper and more efficient than the tools of the Paleolithic period.

Q. 8. What do the paintings of early man depict?

Ans. Paintings of early man depicts hunting, food gathering, fishing and other activities.

Q.9. What are the tools used in the Palaeolithic Age?

Ans. The tools used in the Palaeolithic age were crude and unpolished. These tools included-hand axes, cleavers, scrapers etc.

Q. 10. Define habitation-cum factory sites. 

Ans. At some sites, ash and animal remains have been found along with artifacts. This suggests that people worked and also lived at these sites. These sites were known as habitation cum factory sites.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Mention the tools and implements used in the Old Stone Age.

Ans. The tools and implements used in the Old Stone Age are: knives, choppers, axe heads and digging instruments. Implements used here are hand-axe for cutting trees, choppers for removing skins.

Q. 2. What is the importance of agriculture in human life? 

Ans. The importance of agriculture in human life can be explained as: 

(a) The human started growing plants from seeds.

(b) The man settled down in areas which were suitable for agriculture. 

Q. 3. How did the discovery of fire bring about a change in the life of the early man? Give two reasons.

Ans. (a) Fire provided light and kept people warm during the harsh winters. 

(b) Fire helped early humans to cook their food. 

(c) Fire was also used to scare away wild animals.

Q. 4. Name two of the changes which took place during Mesolithic period. 

Ans. Two changes that took place during the Mesolithic period were as follows: 

(a) Tools and weapons had improved. Apart from stone tools, tools made of bones and horns were used. Microliths, which were small and fixed on wood or stones were used.

(b) The climate became warm and dry.

(c) The period witnessed the rapid development of grasslands which in turn increased the number of grass eating animals. 

(d) The large grasslands contained grain bearing grasses like wheat and barley. (Any two)

Q. 5. Mention the places in India where one can found microliths.

Ans. The places in India where one can found microliths are as follows: 

(a) Chotanagpur region of Jharkhand.

(b) On the banks of the river Ganga in Uttar Pradesh.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Q. 1. Why were early humans always on a move?

Or

List four reasons why hunter-gatherers moved from place to place.

Ans. Hunter gatherers moved from one place to another because of the following reasons:

(a) Firstly he moved from one place to another in search of food.

(b) Secondly animals move from place to place either in search of smaller prey or in search of grass and leaves. As a result, the early men also had to move with them.

(c) Thirdly plants and trees bear fruits in different seasons. So people may have moved from season to season in search of different plants. 

(d) Fourthly, people, plants and animals need water for survival. So early humans moved in search of water.

Q. 2. What type of places hunter-gatherers choose to live in? Give references. 

Ans. The archaeologists have found evidence of hunter-gatherers like:

(a) Many sites were located near sources of water, such as rivers and lakes.

(b) Stone tools were important, as people tried to find places where good quality stone was easily available. Such places are known as factory sites. 

(c) Sometimes we find blocks of stone tools that were made and perhaps discarded because they were not perfect, and chips of waste stone left behind at these sites. People lived here for longer spells of time. Such sites are known as habitation-cum-factory sites. 

Q.3. What were the techniques used for making stone tools by the Palaeolithic? Give reasons.

Ans. The techniques used for making stone tools are as follows: 

(a) Stone on stone: In this the pebble from which the tool was to be made was held in one hand. Another stone, which was used as a hammer was held in the other hand. The second was used to strike off flakes from the first, till the required shape was obtained.

(b) Pressure Flaking: The core was placed on a firm surface. The hammer stone was used on a piece of bone or stone that was placed on the core to remove flakes that could be shaped into tools.

Q. 4. What major changes were therein the climate of the world, around 12,000 years ago, with a shift to relatively warm conditions? 

Ans. (a) In many areas change in climate led to the development of grasslands. This in turn led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and cattle, f.e., animals that survived on grass.

(b) Those who hunted animals followed the past practice, learning about their food habits and their breeding seasons. This even helped people to start thinking about herding and rearing of these animals by themselves. Fishing also became very important.

(c) Several grain bearing grasses, including wheat, barley and rice grew naturally in different parts of the sub-continent. Men, women and children probably collected these grains as food, and learnt where they grew, and also when they ripened. This made them to grow plants on their own. 

Q. 5. Discuss in detail about Hunsgi Valley.

Ans. (a) Hunsgi valley is located in the Deccan in Karnataka’s Gulbarga district.

(b) Larger numbers of stone tools have been found in the Hunsgi’s Valley.

(e) Archaeologists conclude that people lived here in large numbers. 

(d) Smaller sites were used as camping areas. Hunsgi is considered to be a factory site: a site where stone tools were manufactured in large quantity.

(e) Most of the Hunsgi Valley are on the Isampur quarry, a site that has yielded more than 15,000 stone tools. 

Q. 6. What are the characteristics of cave paintings found in Spain?

Ans. The characteristics of cave paintings found in Spain are:

(a) The paintings mainly depicted animals like wild horses, bison, rhinoceros, reindeer, bear, oxen and mammoth. 

(b) They were painted in bright colours prepared from natural colours like ochre or charcoal. 

(c) The early men believed that if they painted these animals figure before going for hunting. It signs a good luck. 

(d) These paintings even used to teach the young, the different techniques for hunting animals.

Q. 7. How are the rock shelter of Bhimbetka significant? 

Ans. The rock shelter of Bhimbetka is located in Madhya Pradesh. 

It in significant because of the following reasons: 

(a) Archaeologists have discovered a set of rock paintings and drawings in these caves. 

(b) The paintings depict scenes from everyday life of men hunting, riding, dancing performing religious rituals of women grinding and preparing food and so on.

(c) A large number of animals have also been painted, most of them in great detail.

(d) The colours used in these paintings were red, green, white and ochre.

HIGH ORDER THINKING SKILLS

Q. 1. How did the early men use stone tools in different fields?

Ans. Stone tools were used by early men in different fields like: 

(a) They used to cut meat and bone, scrape bark and hides, chap fruit and roots. 

(b) They even attached to handles made of bone or wood, to make spears and hunting.

(c) These tools were used to chop wood, which was used as fire wood. 

(d) Wood was also used to make huts and tools. Thus, our adventurous ancestors started their experimentation with cooking.

Q. 2. How did the Mesolithic Age shifted from the Palaeolithic Age?

Ans. The Mesolithic Age shifted from the Palaeolithic Age. This was characterized by a rise in temperature. The climate of the earth became warmer and dry. This affected the human life and even brought changes in flora and fauna. 

(a) This period witnessed rapid development of grasslands, which in turn increased the number of grass eating animals.

(b) The rise of grass-eating animals made life easy. They became familiar with animals, like their food habits and their breeding seasons. This began the phase of domestication of animals. 

(c) The large grasslands also contained grain bearing grasses such as wheat and barley People started collecting grains and used them in food. Thus, they came to know the life cycle of the crops.

Q. 3. How was the invention of wheel useful in Neolithic times?

Ans. The invention of wheel was useful in Neolithic times because of following reasons:

(a) The wheel made life easier for man.

(b) The cart could be used to transport both goods and men. 

(c) The wheel was also used for making pottery of various types.

(d) It was also used in spinning.

VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

Q. 1. How a change in environment changed the life of people around 12,000 years ago?

Ans. Around 12,000 years ago, there were major changes in the climate of the world, with a shift to relatively warm conditions. In many areas, this led to the development of grasslands This even led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and cattle, i.e., animals that survived on grass.

Those who hunted these animals, now learned about their food habits and their breeding seasons. It is likely that this even helped people to start thinking about herding and rearing animals themselves. Fishing also became important.

There were many grain bearing grasses including wheat, barley and rice. Men, women and children probably collected these grains as food and learnt techniques to grow and ripened.

This led them to think about growing plants of their own.

Q. 2. What was the importance of the Neolithic Age for man? 

Ans. The stone tools made by the people of the Neolithic Age were sharped and polished in comparison to the tools of the Palaeolithic Age.

The importance of Neolithic Age for man was as follows:

(a) Beginning of agriculture: The Neolithic Age marked the beginning of agriculture. People started producing their own food by cultivating cereals such as barley, wheat and rice. 

(b) Domestication of animals: This period marked the domestication of animals like sheep, goats, cattle, dogs and horses. These animals were reared for both milk and meat. These were also suppliers of wool and skin which served as clothes for people. The Neolithic people reared animals to use them in their agricultural work.

PICTURE BASED QUESTIONS

Look at the pictures given below and answer the questions.

(a) Whose picture is shown above?

Ans. Picture shows people of New Stone Age with their tools. 

(b) Which type of tools were included in New Stone Age? 

Ans. Polished tools were included in New Stone Age. 

(c) Name the two states where we can find the Neolithic implements.

Ans. Assam, Bihar, Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

MAP BASED QUESTIONS

On the political map of India mark the important archaeological sites.

Ans.

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

1. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS:

Tick (✓) the correct option: 

(a) In how many periods is the stone age divided?

(i) Four.

(ii) Three.

(iii) Five.

Ans. (iii) Three.

(b) The Lower Palaeolithic Age is also called the:

(i) Ice Age.

(ii) Copper Age.

(iii) Rock Age.

Ans. (i) Ice Age.

(c) Factory sites were placed where early men _________.

(i) lived.

(ii) worked.

(iii) lived and worked.

Ans. (ii) worked.

II. FILL IN THE BLANKS:

(a) The early humans were _________.

Ans. hunter-gatherers.

(b) The final phase of stone age is the ________.

Ans. Neolithic phase. 

(c) Jasper chalk is also called ________.

Ans. Microliths.

(d) _________were found in India during Palaeolithic period. 

Ans. Ostriches.

III. WRITE TRUE OR FALSE AGAINST EACH STATEMENT. 

(a) Old Stone Age was followed by Neolithic Age.

Ans. False.

(b) Places where people lived for longer spells of time is called habitation-cum-factory. 

Ans. True.

(e) Tools in the Mesolithic Age became smaller and more refined.

Ans. True.

(d) Fire was discovered during the Mesolithic Age.

Ans. False.