CBSE Class 6 Social Science The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation MCQs Set 01

Answer: (c) Natural bitumen

Explanation:
1. Natural bitumen is like black natural tar.
2. Builders put a layer of bitumen between the bricks of the Great Bath.
3. This stopped water from leaking out of the large pool.

Answer: (b) The city of Harappa was the first to be excavated

Explanation:
1. Harappa was the very first city found by digging in the ground.
2. In history, a culture is often named after the first site discovered.
3. Therefore, this entire ancient civilization is called Harappan.

Answer: (b) Indus

Explanation:
1. The Indus River flows through the regions of Punjab and Sindh.
2. It brings fertile soil and plenty of fresh water.
3. Farmers have used its water to grow crops for thousands of years.

Answer: (c) Climatic changes and drying up of the Sarasvati River

Explanation:
1. Over time, the climate became very dry and rain decreased.
2. Important rivers like the Sarasvati dried up or changed course.
3. Without enough water for farming, people had to leave the cities.

Answer: (b) Barley and wheat

Explanation:
1. Wheat and barley were the staple grains of Harappan farmers.
2. Archaeologists discovered burnt grains of wheat and barley at many sites.
3. These grains were ground into flour to make daily food.

Answer: (c) Advanced urban planning

Explanation:
1. A civilisation has well-planned cities with neat streets and brick houses.
2. It has proper drainage systems and public spaces.
3. People live together settled in towns rather than wandering around.

Answer: (c) It involved both local and long-distance exchanges.

Explanation:
1. Harappans traded goods with nearby villages.
2. They also sent goods far away to places like Mesopotamia and Oman.
3. Trade brought them valuable raw materials like metals and gemstones.

Answer: (b) Grid pattern of streets and drainage system

Explanation:
1. Harappan roads cut each other at straight right angles like a chess board.
2. Covered drains ran under the streets beside the houses.
3. This shows that the cities were planned very carefully before being built.

Answer: (b) Large dockyards such as the one at Lothal

Explanation:
1. Maritime trade means trading over the sea using boats.
2. Archaeologists found a massive brick dockyard at Lothal.
3. This dockyard allowed sea ships to dock safely and trade goods.

Answer: (c) Use of iron tools

Explanation:
1. Harappans lived during the Bronze Age, not the Iron Age.
2. They did not know about iron metal at that time.
3. Iron was only discovered and used much later in Indian history.

Answer: (b) For water management and cleanliness

Explanation:
1. Harappan people cared deeply about hygiene and keeping clean.
2. Bathrooms had sloping floors so waste water could flow smoothly away.
3. The water drained directly into the covered street gutters outside.

Answer: (b) Indus Valley Civilization

Explanation:
1. The Indus Valley Civilization flourished along the Indus River.
2. Harappa was the first city discovered in this area.
3. Therefore, both names refer to the exact same civilization.

Answer: (b) Tar

Explanation:
1. Builders coated the brick walls with natural tar (bitumen).
2. Tar is thick, sticky, and completely waterproof.
3. It kept the pool from losing water into the surrounding ground.

Answer: (d) None of the above

Explanation:
1. The Great Bath was neither a house, nor a storehouse, nor a temple.
2. Scholars believe it was used for special public or ritual bathing.
3. Since none of options (a), (b), or (c) are correct, option (d) is the right answer.

Answer: (c) Indus

Explanation:
1. The Indus River provided water for drinking and farming.
2. Many large Harappan settlements grew directly along its banks.
3. It was also used as a water highway for boats to carry trade goods.

Answer: (b) To understand trade and writing

Explanation:
1. Seals have carved animal symbols and ancient Harappan script.
2. Merchants stamped these seals on clay tags to mark goods for trade.
3. Studying seals helps us learn about their commerce and writing.

Answer: (b) Made of bricks with uniform quality

Explanation:
1. Harappans baked bricks in kilns until they were hard and strong.
2. The bricks across different cities shared the exact same size ratio (1:2:4).
3. This shows their builders followed common building standards everywhere.

Answer: (b) Mohenjo-daro

Explanation:
1. The Great Bath is a large, deep brick pool.
2. It was excavated on the citadel mound of Mohenjo-daro.
3. It had steps leading down into the water on two sides.

Answer: (d) Sugarcane

Explanation:
1. Harappans grew wheat, barley, cotton, and some rice.
2. No signs or traces of sugarcane have ever been found at their sites.
3. Therefore, sugarcane was not among the crops they cultivated.

Answer: (b) Pictographic script

Explanation:
1. Harappan script used pictures and symbols to stand for words and sounds.
2. These signs look like fish, birds, people, and shapes.
3. Scholars have not yet fully decoded this script.

Answer: (a) Stone and bronze

Explanation:
1. Harappans shaped flint stone blades for sharp cutting tools.
2. They cast bronze to make axes, knives, saws, and chisels.
3. These two hard materials were essential for their daily craftwork.

Answer: (a) They had advanced trade networks

Explanation:
1. Carnelian is a beautiful red stone brought from distant mines in Gujarat.
2. Harappan craftsmen drilled and polished these beads with great skill.
3. The beads were then traded across great distances, even reaching Mesopotamia.

Answer: (b) Trading and crafting

Explanation:
1. Harappan city dwellers were famous for skilled craftwork.
2. They made beads, pots, metal items, and woven cloth.
3. Merchants traded these finished goods far and wide.

Answer: (b) Harappan Civilization

Explanation:
1. Harappa was the first city where these ancient ruins were found.
2. Historians frequently call the Indus Valley culture the Harappan Civilization.
3. Both terms mean the same ancient Bronze Age society.

Answer: (c) Farming and animal husbandry

Explanation:
1. Growing crops provided a steady supply of food in one place.
2. Rearing farm animals gave milk, meat, and help with pulling plows.
3. This food surplus allowed towns and civilizations to finally grow.

Answer: (d) Measurement scales found in excavations

Explanation:
1. Digs at Harappan sites revealed polished stone weights and marked scales.
2. Rulers made of ivory and shell with neat tick marks were found at Lothal.
3. These objects prove they measured lengths and weighed goods accurately.

Answer: (b) It developed near the Indus and Sarasvati rivers

Explanation:
1. Thousands of Harappan settlements sat in the river valleys.
2. Many settlements were found along the dried bed of the ancient Sarasvati (Ghaggar-Hakra) river.
3. Because both river basins supported the people, it is given this double name.

Answer: (c) Climatic changes and drying up of the Sarasvati River

Explanation:
1. Rainfall decreased significantly over the region.
2. Important rivers like the Sarasvati dried up, causing severe drought.
3. Farmers could no longer feed the large cities, so people migrated away.

Answer: (c) Beads and pottery

Explanation:
1. Harappan workshops made colorful stone beads and painted clay pottery.
2. These items were highly valued for their high quality and beauty.
3. Merchants transported them to markets near and far.

Answer: (c) Advanced urban planning

Explanation:
1. Civilizations build organized cities rather than moving camps.
2. They have straight roads, brick houses, and water drainage systems.
3. This planned living is the clearest sign of a civilized society.