Apeejay School Model Town Jalandhar

Grade 6 Social Science

Chapter – 2 –From Hunting – Gathering to Growing Food ( History)

1 . Who were hunter gatherers ?

Ans : Two million years ago ,man use to hunt and gather their food .We describe them as
hunter gatherers. .The name comes from the way in which they got their food.

2 . Why the early man was called hunter gatherers ?

Ans 2 : The early man was called hunter gatherers because :

I . It was the way in which they got their food.

ii. They hunted wild animals , caught fish and birds ,gathered fruits , roots , nuts , seeds ,
leaves , stalks and eggs .

3 . What type of tools were made by the people during early times?

Ans : People made and used tools of stone ,wood and bone of which stone tools have survived
the best.

4 . What are sites?

Ans 4 : Sites are places where the remains of things like tools , pots , buildings etc were found.
These were made , used and left behind by people .These may be found on the surface of the
Earth ,buried under the earth or sometimes even under water.

5 . Why did the number of animals that survived on the grassland increased 12,000 years
ago?

Ans 5 : Around 12000 years ago there were major changes in the climate of the world ,with a
shift to relatively warm conditions .
Ii . In many areas ,this led to the development of grasslands. This in turn led to an increase in
the number of deer , antelope , goat sheep and cattle that is animals that survived on grass.

6 . What does rock paintings of the early people tells us ? Where were they found?

Ans 6 : Rock paintings show wild animals ,drawn with great accuracy and skill. They were found
in Madhya Pradesh and Southern Uttar Pradesh.

7 .Mention at least any four reasons why hunter gatherers move from one place to another?

Ans 7 . There are at least four reasons that why hunter gatherers moved from place to place.
First, 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.
Second, 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 movements.

Third, plants and trees bear fruit in different seasons. So, people may have moved from season
to season in search of different kinds of plants.
Fourth, people, plants and animals need water to survive. Water is found in lakes, streams and
rivers. While many rivers and lakes are perennial (with water throughout the year) others are
seasonal. People living on their banks would have had to go in search of water during the dry
seasons (winter and summer). Besides, people may have travelled to meet their friends and
relatives. Remember, they travelled on foot.

8 . Explain the Palaeolithic Age .

Ans 8 . The word Palaeolithic has been derived from greek words – palaeo and lithic.

 The literary meaning of Palaeo is old one and lithic is stone.

 In short we can say that the term “Palaeolithic Age” stands for Old stone Age or the
earliest stone age.

9. Explain about Mesolithic .

Ans 9 . The period when we find environmental changes , ( middle stone age)

 Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny and are often called microliths.
 Microliths were probably stuck on to handles of bone or wood to make tools such as
saws and sickles.

10. Explain about Neolithic.

Ans 10 . In this stage farming and herding began and the people started leading a settled life.

11 . Who were the earliest people of the Indian Subcontinent ? Write a few lines about them.

Ans 11 . The earliest people lived in the Indian subcontinent as early as two million years ago.
Today they are called as hunter gatherers .The name comes from the way in which they got
their food. Generally, they hunted wild animals, caught fish and birds, gathered fruits, roots,
nuts, seeds, leaves, stalks and eggs.

12 .Mention some uses of stones .

Ans 12 1 . Some of these stone tools were used to cut meat and bone, scrape bark (from trees)
and hides (animal skins), chop fruit and roots.

2 . Some may have been attached to handles of bone or wood, to make spears and arrows for
hunting.

3 . Other tools were used to chop wood, which was used as firewood.

placed on the core, to remove flakes that could be shaped into tools.

Q13 . What do you know about changing environment 12000 years ago?
Ans 13 . 1 . 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 in turn led to an increase in the number of deer, antelope, goat, sheep and
cattle, i.e. animals that survived on grass.

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

3 . This was also a time when several grain bearing grasses, including wheat, barley and rice
grew naturally in different parts of the subcontinent. Men, women and children probably
collected these grains as food, and learnt where they grew, and when they ripened. This may
have led them to think about growing plants on their own.

Q 14 Discuss in short the art of rock paintings done by the people of the early stone age .

Ans 14 . 1 . Many of the caves in which early man lived in the palaeolithic and Mesolithic
periods have paintings on the walls. Some of the best examples are from Madhya Pradesh and
Southern Uttar Pradesh .These paintings show wild animals , drawn with great accuracy and
skill.

Q 15 . Why do people who grow crops have to stay at the same place for a long time?

Ans 15 . People who grow crops have to stay at the same place for a long time because of the
following reasons.

1 . To look after their crops.

2 . For watering the plants .

3 . for weeding.

4 . For driving away the animals and birds till the grains ripen.

Q 14 . Discuss in short the beginning of Farming.

Ans 14 . The climate of the world was changing and so were plants that people used as food .

1 . People probably noticed several things :

- Where edible plants were found.

- How seeds broke off stalks and fell on the ground and new plants sprouted from them and
so on .
2. Perhaps they started looking after plants – protecting them from birds and animals so that
they could grow and seeds ripen.

Q15 . When did domestication start ? Write the names of the earliest domesticated plants
and animals.

Ans 15 . Domestication began about 12,000 years ago .It was a gradual process that took place
in many parts of the world. Some of the earliest plants to be domesticated were wheat and
barley .The earliest domesticated animals include sheep and goat.

Ques 16 . How did cultivation give a new way of life to the people?

Ans 16 . When people began growing plants it meant that they had to stay in the same place for
a long time looking after the plants , watering , weeding , driving away animals and birds till the
grain ripened . And then , the grain had to be used carefully.

2 . As grain had to be stored for both food and seed , people had to think of ways of storing it .
In many years , they began making large clay pots , woven baskets or dug pits into the ground.

Ques 17 . Discuss in brief the beginning of Herding.

Ans 17 .1 . The climate of the world was changing and so were animals that people has used as
food .People could also attract and tame animals ( after beginning of the farming) leaving food
for them near the shelters .

2 . The first animals to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog.

3 . Later , people encouraged animals that were relatively gentle , lived in herds and ate grass
such as sheep , goat , cattle and also the pig to come near the camps near they lived.

Ques 18 . Discuss in brief stone tools used by the people in Neolithic .

Ans 18 . 1 . Stone have been found from many sites related with the New Stone Age . Many of
these are different from the Earlier Paleolithic tools ( That is why they are called Neolithic)

2 . Stone tools of this stage of stone age include tools that were polished to give a fine cutting
edge and mortars and pestles used for grinding grain and other plant produce.

3 . At the same time , tools of the Paleolithic types continued to be made and used . Some tools
were also made of bone.

19 . How did early man make colours?

Ans 19 : The colours were made from minerals like ochre or iron ore and charcoal.
20 . Name the most famous Neolithic sites that is found in Turkey.

Ans : Catal Huyuk

21.What do you know about the domestication of animals by the Early man?

Ans : Women , men and children could also attract and then tame animals by leaving food for
them near their shelters.

Ii . The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog .

Iii . People encouraged animals that were relatively gentle to come near the camps where they
lived.

iv . These animals such as goat ,sheep ,cattle and also the pig lived in herds and most of them
ate grass.

22 . For what purpose earthern pots were used during early times?

Ans : As grains had to be stored for both food and seed ,people had to think of ways of storing
it. In many areas , they began making large clay pots or wove baskets or dug pits into the
ground. People began using pots for cooking food especially rice , lentils which was an
important part of their diet.

23 . What was the importance of storing animals?

Ans : Animals multiply naturally . Besides if they are looked after carefully ,they provide milk ,
which is an important source of food and meat whenever required . In other words , animals
that are reared can be used as a store of food.

24 . What do you know about first farmers and herders?

Ans : Archaeologists have found evidence of early farmers and herders .They are found all over
the continent .

ii. Some of the most important ones are in the north west in present day Kashmir and in east
and South India.

Iii . Scientists can identify the grains and we know that a number of crops were grown in
different parts of the continent .e.g. wheat , barley ,sheep , goat cattle were found at Mehrgarh
(in present day Pakistan)

25 . How did the Early man begin to have a settled life ?

Ans : Archaeologists have found traces of huts or houses at some sites . For instance ,in
Burzahom (in present day Kashmir)

Ii . People built pit houses which were dug into the ground , with steps leading into them. They
may have provided shelter in cold weather.

Iii . Archaeologists have also found cooking hearths both inside and outside the huts which
suggests that depending on the weather people could cook food either indoors or outdoors.

26 . How were the stone tools different than the tools used in Paleolithic period?

Ans : Stone tools have been found from many sites as well .. Many of these are different from
the earlier Paleolithic tools and that is why they are called Neolithic . These include tools that
were polished to give a fine cutting edge , and mortars and pestles. They were used for grinding
grain and other plant produce.

Extra Question Answers

1 . How Early man became herders?

Ans 1 . a. Women , men and children attract and then tame animals by leaving food for them near their
shelters . The first animal to be tamed was the wild ancestor of the dog.

B . People encouraged animals to come near the camps where they lived . For example sheep , goat ,
cattle , pig . Often people protected these animals by the attacks of their wild animals.

2 . How the grains were stored by early man?

Ans 2 . At that time grains were stored in large clay pots , woven baskets or pits were dug.

3 . Name the earliest domestication plants and animals.

Ans 3 . 1 . Plant – wheat , barley

2 . Animals – Sheep , goat

4 . Why is the site of Daojali Hading important?

Ans 4 . One important Neolithic site in Assam was Daojali Hading. Traces of polished stone tools,
ceramics and kitchen items were found here. At this place , stone tools including mortars and
pestles have been found .

5 . How do we know about Farmers and Herders?

I . Archaeologists have found many traces of life of early farmers.

Ii . Traces of farmers and herders were available through traces of pottery, pit houses, tools, paintings
and daily life.

(iii) Traces were found in Mehrgarh, Burzahom at North-Eastern parts of India etc.

6 . Why Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock shelters ?

Ans 6 . Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock shelters because they provided shelter
from the rain , heat and wind . These rock shelters are close to the Narmada valley.
 7 . Mention the major features of Mehrgarh .

Ans 7 . a . The site is located in a fertile plain near the Bolan pass, which is one of the most
important routes into Iran.

B . Mehrgarh was probably one of the places where women and men learnt to grow barley and
wheat , rear sheep and goats for the first time in this area,

C . It is one of the earliest villages that we know about.

D . At this site many animals bones were found.

E . Mehrgarh include remains of square or rectangular houses. Each house had four or more
compartments , some of which may have been used for storage.

F . Several burial sites have been found at Mehrgarh . When people die , their relatives and
friends generally pay respect to them . People look after them , perhaps in the belief that there
is some form of life after death. So the dead person was buried with goats , which were
probably meant to serve as food in the next world.

8 . List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire. 

Ans 8 . 1 . as a source of light.

2 . to roast meat.

3 . to scare away animals.

9 . How can we say that people of Daojali Hading were growing grains?

Ans 9 . .1 This is a site on the hills near the Brahmaputra valley , close to routes leading into
China and Myanmar . At this place , stone tools including mortars and pestles have been found .

10 . Why do archaeologists think that many people who lived in Mehrgarh were hunters to
start with and that herding became more important later?
Solution:
Archaeologists found the bones of many wild animals such as deer and pig at the earlier levels. This
was used as evidence that many people who lived in Mehrgarh were hunters to start with. But later
on, herding became important for them as bones of sheep and goats were found at the later levels .

11. 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?

Ans11 . Hunter-gatherers travelled from place to place due to the following reasons:

 If they stayed at one place for a long time, they would have eaten up all the plant and animal
resources available at that place.
 As animals move from place to place in search of food, hunters also moved to chase them for
hunting.
 Plants and trees bear fruit in different seasons. So, when the season changed, food gatherers had to
move to another place to gather different fruits.
 They also had to travel in search of water as mostly the lakes and rivers were seasonal.
Today, we do not travel in search of food and water but we have to travel to become capable of earning over
our necessities. We travel

 to our schools
 to our work places
 to trade
 for business purpose
We also travel to amuse and entertain ourselves.

12 . List 3 ways in which the lives of farmers and herders would have been different from that of
hunter-gatherers.
Ans 12 .Lives of farmers and herders would have been different from that of hunter-gatherers in the following
three ways:

 Farmers and herders would stay in one place whereas hunter-gatherers would have to move from place
to place in search of their food.
 Farmers and herders would stay in huts and thatched houses whereas hunter-gatherers would stay in
caves.
 Farmers and herders used crops and domesticated animals like sheep, goat as their sources of food
whereas hunters depended on wild animals for their food.

One Word Question Answers:

1 . Square and rectangular houses are found in – Mehrgarh

2 . Bhimbetka is in which modern state of India – Madhya Pradesh

3 . Microliths were made in this period – Mesolithic

4 . A place where archaeological evidence are found – Sites

5 . Remains of ashes have been found from the caves of this place : Kurnool caves

6 . The meaning of Paleolithic age – The old stone age.

7 . The Mesolithic age witnessed these changes: Environmental

8 . The state in which eggs of ostriches found : Maharashtra

9 . People lived in sub continent 2 million years ago are today called as – Hunter
gatherers

10 . A number of Paleolithic sites are found here : Hunsgi

11 . tools in Hunsgi were made of – Limestone

12 . discovery of agriculture is related to this age – Neolithic.

13 . Traces of huts or houses are found at these sites – Burzahom ( Present day
Kashmir)

14 . Pit houses are made which are dug into the ground at this place – Burzahom (
Kashmir)The Paleolithic period extends from – 2 million years ago to about 12000
years ago.

15 . Paleolithic period is divided into three parts further – Lower , middle and
upper . This long span of time ( Paleolithic PERIOD ) covers 99 percent of human
history.

16 . This is an old site with caves and shelters – Bhimbetka ( Madhya Pradesh)

Apeejay School Model Town Jalandhar

Grade 6
MAP WORK CHAPTER 2 ( HISTORY)

Chapter – From Hunting Gathering to Growing Food

On Political map of India , mark the following sites.

1 . PALAEOLITHIC SITES –

BHIMBETKA ( MADHYA PRADESH)

KURNOOL CAVES ( ANDHRA PRADESH)

2 . NEOLITHIC SITES-

DAOJOLI HADING ( Assam)

BURZAHAM ( Kashmir)

3 . MEGALITHIC SITES-

BRAHAMAGIRI – (Karnataka)

ADICHANALLUR – (Tamil Nadu)