Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Questions and Answers
The Big Questions (Page 59)
Question 1: How do we measure historical time?
Answer:
To measure historical time, we use different tools and methods to understand events from the past. These include:
- Calendars: The most common one is the Gregorian calendar, which starts from the birth of Jesus Christ. We use “CE” (Common Era) for years after Jesus’ birth and “BCE” (Before Common Era) for years before.
- Other cultures have their own calendars, like the Islamic calendar.
- Timelines: These are visual charts that show events in the order they happened.
- We divide time into decades (10 years), centuries (100 years), and millennia (1000 years).
- Scientists use methods like carbon dating to find the age of old objects, and we also learn from written records and oral traditions (stories passed down by people).
Question 2: How can various sources help us understand history?
Answer:
Different sources help us understand history in many ways:
- Written Records: These include books, letters, diaries, and official documents that tell us about past events.
- Oral Traditions: These are stories, songs, and legends passed down by word of mouth from one generation to another.
- Artifacts: Items like tools, weapons, pottery, and jewelry help us understand the daily life, technology, and art of ancient people.
- Fossils and Biological Remains: These include bones, teeth, and plants that show us how people and animals lived in the past.
- Archaeological Sites: These are places where ruins or old buildings have been found. They teach us about ancient cities, their way of life, and their social structures.
- Maps and Geographic Information: Old maps show how people viewed the world and help us locate ancient places.
- Visual Arts: Paintings, sculptures, and carvings show what people valued, their culture, and their beliefs.
- Scientific Methods: Techniques like carbon dating and DNA analysis help us learn about the age of objects and human migration.
Question 3: How did early humans live?
Answer:
Early humans lived in simple ways:
- Hunting and Gathering: They hunted animals and collected fruits, nuts, and plants for food.
- Nomadic Lifestyle: They moved around in search of food and water. They didn’t stay in one place for long.
- Simple Tools: They made tools from stones, bones, and wood to hunt and gather food.
- Shelters: They lived in caves or built temporary homes with branches and leaves.
- Fire: Early humans discovered fire, which they used for cooking, warmth, and protection.
- Clothing: They made clothes from animal skins to protect themselves from the weather.
- Communication: They used sounds, gestures, and later, cave paintings to communicate.
- Social Groups: They lived in small groups or tribes to work together and protect each other.
- Art and Culture: Early humans created cave paintings and carvings to express their thoughts and beliefs.
Let’s Explore
Question 1: How can you calculate the years between BCE and CE?
Answer:
If you want to calculate the number of years between a BCE date and a CE date, add them together and subtract 1.
For example:
- From 100 BCE to 2024 CE:
100 + 2024 – 1 = 2123 years.
Question 2: Calculate the years for other dates:
(i) From 500 BCE to 1000 CE:
500 + 1000 – 1 = 1499 years.
(ii) From 250 BCE to 750 CE:
250 + 750 – 1 = 999 years.
(iii) From 50 BCE to 2024 CE:
50 + 2024 – 1 = 2073 years.
Question 3: Create a timeline of your family.
Answer:
- 1900 CE: Start of the 20th century.
- 1950 CE: Your grandparent was born.
- 1975 CE: Your parent was born.
- 2000 CE: End of the 20th century.
- 2005 CE: Your sibling was born.
- 2010 CE: You were born.
- 2024 CE: Current year.
Question 4: Can you create a family tree?
Answer:
Do it yourself by asking your parents or family members about your ancestors.
Question 5: What do these historical objects show?
Answer:
(a) The Samudragupta veena coin shows the Gupta Emperor Samudragupta playing the veena, showing his love for art and music.
(b) A 12th-century hero stone depicts a battle and honors a brave warrior.
(c) The Lion Capital of Ashoka shows the emperor’s symbols of power and is a well-known artifact of ancient India.
Question 6: What do you think early humans did in rock shelters?
Answer:
- Cave Paintings: Early humans painted animals and hunting scenes on cave walls.
- Fire: They used fire to cook food and stay warm.
- Tool Making: They used the shelter to make and fix tools.
Question 7: What activities did ancient agricultural communities do?
Answer:
In ancient farming communities, people domesticated animals, grew crops, cooked food, and made tools.
Exercise Questions
Question 1: Are historians like detectives?
Answer:
Yes, historians are like detectives because:
- They look for clues in old records and artifacts to understand the past.
- They ask questions to figure out what happened in history.
- They put pieces of evidence together to solve historical mysteries.
Question 2: Put these dates in order on a timeline:
- 323 CE, 323 BCE, 100 CE, 100 BCE, 1900 BCE, 1090 CE, 2024 CE.
Answer:
1900 BCE, 323 BCE, 100 BCE, 100 CE, 323 CE, 1090 CE, 2024 CE.
Question 3: King Chandragupta was born in 320 CE. Which century did he belong to?
Answer:
King Chandragupta was born in the 4th century CE.
Question 4: How many years was it between Rani of Jhansi’s birth and India’s independence?
Answer:
Rani of Jhansi was born in 1828, and India gained independence in 1947.
1947 – 1828 = 119 years before India’s independence.
Activities:
- Visit a Museum: Research the museum exhibits, visit it, and then write a report about what you learned and found interesting.
- Invite an Expert: Invite an archaeologist or historian to speak about the history of your region.
Project:
- Write a history of your family (or village) using historical sources like family records, stories, and documents. Ask your teacher for help.
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