On The Trail Of The Earliest People class 6 Social Science Questions Answers

On The Trail Of The Earliest People class 6 Social Science Questions Answers: On The Trail Of The Earliest People is the chapter 2 from class 6 Social Science (class 6 History). Here you'll get On The Trail Of The Earliest People class 6 Social Science Questions Answers.

Class 6 History Chapter 2 On The Trail Of The Earliest People

Archaeologists have given lengthy names for the time that we are studying. They call the earliest period the Palaeolithic. This comes from two Greek words, ‘palaeo’, meaning old, and ‘lithos’, meaning stone. The name points to the importance of finds of stone tools. The Palaeolithic period extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. 

This long stretch of time is divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. This long span of time covers 99% of human history. The period when we find environmental changes, beginning about 12,000 years ago till about 10,000 years ago is called the Mesolithic (middle stone). 

Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, and are called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as saws and sickles. At the same time, older varieties of tools continued to be in use.

Class 6 Social Science Notes

Some Important Dates

• The Mesolithic period (12,000-10,000 years ago)
• The beginning of the Neolithic (10,000 years ago)

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 2 On The Trail Of The Earliest People

Let's recall

1. Complete the sentences:

(a) Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock shelters because ————————.

(b) Grasslands developed around ———————— years ago.

(c) Early people painted on the ———————— of caves.

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

Ans:

(a) Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock shelters because they wanted to protect themselves from wild animals and bad weather.

(b) Grasslands developed around 12,000 years ago.

(c) Early people painted on the walls of caves.

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

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: Bhimbetka is located in Madhya Pradesh

          Hunsgi is located in Karnataka

          Kumool is located in Andhra Pradesh

Tushar’s train would have passed near Bhimbetka, Hunsgi and Kumool, since they all lie on the possible train route from Delhi to Chennai.

NCERT Solutions of Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 2 On The Trail Of The Earliest People

Let’s discuss

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

Ans: Hunter-gatherers travelled from place to place in search of animals and plants for food, and in search of water. They may also have travelled to meet friends and relatives. Today, we do not travel in search of food and water but we do travel to meet out friends and relatives, we travel for education, work and business purposes.

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

Ans: Today, for cutting fruit, we would use modem tools like knives, which are made of iron or steel.

5. List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire (see page16). Would you use fire for any of these purposes today ?

Ans: (a) Hunter-gatherers used fire as a source of light.

(i) They used fire to cook meat or food.

(ii) They used fire to scare away animals also.

(iii) They used fire to keep them warm.

(b) Yes, fire is used as a source to cook food including meat. We also use it to keep us warm. Some people use it for religious purposes and bum their dead bodies.

Class 6 Social Science / Class 6 History Chapter 2 Questions Answers

Let’s do

6. Make two columns in your notebook. In the left hand column, list the foods hunter-gatherers ate (see page 11). In the right hand column, list some of the foods you eat. Do you notice any similarities / differences ?

Ans: Differences between the two eating habits: Today, we largely eat processed and cooked food, whereas the early people did not cook their food. They ate everything raw.

Food eaten by early man: flash, fruits, seeds, roots, leaves etc.

Food eaten by modern man: Cooked-food, bread, pizza, fruits etc

7. If you had a natural pebble like the ones shown on page 13, what would you use it for ?

Ans: I would have used some of these stone tools to cut meat and bone, scrape bark (from trees) and hides (animal skins), chop fruit, and roots. Some may have been attached to handles of bone or wood, to make spears and arrows for hunting. Other stone tools were used to chop wood, which was used as firewood,

8. List two tasks that are performed by both men and women at present. List another two that are performed only by women, and two that are performed only by men. Compare your list with that of any two of your classmates. Do you notice any similarities differences in your lists ?

Ans: Two tasks that are performed by both men and women:

(a) Teaching                         (b) office jobs

Two tasks that are performed by only men:

(a) Mining                            (b) Working in a shipyard

Two tasks that are performed by only women:

(a) Nursing                           (b) Looking after home and hearth Compare your lists yourself.