CBSE Class 6 Social Science The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation MCQs Set 05

Download CBSE MCQs for Class 6 Social Science: Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

Access targeted multiple-choice questions for Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation designed to align with the latest CBSE academic syllabus for Class 6 Social Science. These objective practice sets help students evaluate their conceptual understanding and improve exam readiness.

Chapter-wise Objective Questions: Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

Navigate directly to the 50 objective questions for Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation using the digital viewer below. Each practice set includes verified answer keys, allowing students to instantly cross-check their work and identify areas requiring further revision.

Question: The discovery of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro occurred in which century?
(A) 18th century
(B) 19th century
(C) 20th century
(D) 21st century
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) 20th century

Explanation:
1. Archaeologists started digging these cities around the 1920s.
2. The years from 1901 to 2000 are in the 20th century.
3. So, these ancient cities were found in the 20th century.

Question: Which crops were frequently grown by the Harappans?
(A) Corn and tomatoes
(B) Barley and wheat
(C) Pineapples and mangoes
(D) Potatoes and carrots
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Barley and wheat

Explanation:
1. Harappan farmers grew grains to make bread and food.
2. Burnt seeds of wheat and barley were found in Harappan towns.
3. Potatoes and tomatoes came to India much later.

Question: Why did Harappan cities have separate bathing spaces in their homes?
(A) For religious rituals
(B) For water management and cleanliness
(C) For storing food
(D) For keeping animals
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) For water management and cleanliness

Explanation:
1. Harappans cared deeply about good hygiene.
2. Separate bathing floors had sloping tiles to let water drain easily.
3. This stopped dirty water from spreading inside the house.

Question: A key characteristic that signaled the beginning of Indian civilization was:
(A) Nomadic lifestyle
(B) Permanent settlement and agriculture
(C) Use of fire
(D) Hunting and gathering
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Answer: (B) Permanent settlement and agriculture

Explanation:
1. Early humans used to wander in search of food.
2. When they learned farming, they built houses and stayed in one place.
3. Living together in one place started the first villages and towns.

Question: How ancient is the Harappa civilisation?
(A) About 4000 years old
(B) About 3000 years old
(C) About 4700 years old
(D) About 5500 years old
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Answer: (C) About 4700 years old

Explanation:
1. Harappan cities grew around 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE.
2. Counting back from today, that is around 4700 years ago.
3. This makes it one of the oldest civilisations in the world.

Question: What kinds of houses did Harappan people live in?
(A) Mud huts
(B) Stone cottages
(C) Houses made of baked bricks
(D) Wooden houses
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) Houses made of baked bricks

Explanation:
1. Harappans baked clay bricks in fire to make them hard.
2. They built one-storey and two-storey houses with these bricks.
3. The rooms were arranged neatly around an open courtyard.

Question: The Great Bath is a section of:
(A) Mohenjo-daro
(B) Lothal
(C) Dholavira
(D) Kalibangan
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Answer: (A) Mohenjo-daro

Explanation:
1. The Great Bath is a famous water pool.
2. It was dug up inside the ancient city of Mohenjo-daro.
3. It was built on the raised citadel part of the town.

Question: Name the place where elites usually lived.
(A) Lower town
(B) Upper town
(C) Middle town
(D) None of these
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Upper town

Explanation:
1. Harappan cities were often split into two parts.
2. The higher part, called the upper town or citadel, was safe and protected.
3. Rulers and important people lived and worked there.

Question: The Harappan livelihood was mainly based on:
(A) Hunting
(B) Trade, agriculture, and crafts
(C) Fishing
(D) None of the above
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Trade, agriculture, and crafts

Explanation:
1. Harappans grew crops to feed everyone.
2. Craftsmen made pots, beads, cloth, and metal tools.
3. Traders sold these items locally and to distant places.

Question: The city of Lothal was situated on the bank of a tributary of which river?
(A) Ganga
(B) Yamuna
(C) Saraswati
(D) Sabarmati
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Answer: (D) Sabarmati

Explanation:
1. Lothal is an ancient port city in Gujarat.
2. It lies along the Bhogavo river.
3. The Bhogavo river flows into the larger Sabarmati river.

Question: Which tool was frequently used by the early settlers in the beginning of civilization?
(A) Iron axe
(B) Stone tools
(C) Steel sword
(D) Wooden spear
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Stone tools

Explanation:
1. Early humans did not know how to melt metals like iron or steel.
2. They shaped hard rocks into sharp scrapers, blades, and axes.
3. These stone tools helped them dig roots and cut wood.

Question: Which material was most commonly used for building houses in Harappan cities?
(A) Stone
(B) Wood
(C) Brick
(D) Clay
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) Brick

Explanation:
1. Baked clay bricks were used all across the plains.
2. The bricks had standard sizes and were laid in interlocking patterns.
3. This made their houses very durable against wind and rain.

Question: The discovery of weights and measures at Harappan sites signifies:
(A) a lack of trade
(B) standardisation in trade practices
(C) the use of barter system
(D) no evidence of trade activities
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Answer: (B) standardisation in trade practices

Explanation:
1. Archaeologists found neat cube-shaped stones used as weights.
2. The same weights were found in many different Harappan cities.
3. This shows that traders followed uniform rules for buying and selling.

Question: What was one of the chief reasons for the growth of villages and towns in the Indus-Sarasvati region?
(A) Advancement in metallurgy
(B) Increased trade and exchanges
(C) Discovery of gold mines
(D) Development of art and architecture
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Answer: (B) Increased trade and exchanges

Explanation:
1. People made extra food and useful craft goods.
2. They exchanged these items with people from other towns.
3. More trade helped villages expand into busy market towns.

Question: Arrange the following places from North-South order.
I. Lothal
II. Mohenjo-daro
III. Harappa
IV. Kalibangan
(A) I, II, III, IV
(B) II, I, III, IV
(C) III, II, IV, I
(D) III, IV, II, I
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (D) III, IV, II, I

Explanation:
1. Harappa (Punjab) is in the far north.
2. Kalibangan (Rajasthan) comes south of Harappa.
3. Mohenjo-daro (Sindh) is further south, and Lothal (Gujarat) is at the southern end.

Question: Assertion (A): About 4700 years ago some of the earliest cities prospered on the banks of the Indus River and its tributaries.
Reason (R): The cities flourished because of immaculate town planning and organisation by the people living in it.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false but R is true.
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation:
1. Early cities grew up near the Indus river around 4700 years ago.
2. The cities grew well because the people planned their streets, drains, and homes with great care.
3. Therefore, both statements are true and the reason explains the assertion.

Question: Assertion (A): These days we can find out nearly everything about the past such as - what people ate, the kind of clothes they wore, the houses in which they lived.
Reason (R): Advancement in modern technology has allowed us to look at the past with better clarity and understanding.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false but R is true.
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.

Explanation:
1. Scientists can test old grains, bones, and pots using modern tools.
2. New technology lets us see clearly how people lived long ago.
3. Thus, both statements are true and the reason explains the statement.

Question: Assertion (A): People have lived along the shores of river Narmada for thousands of years.
Reason (R): People lived there because they enjoyed the scenic beauty that is situated near the river.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false but R is true.
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) A is true but R is false.

Explanation:
1. People lived near river Narmada for thousands of years to get fresh water and hunt animals.
2. They did not settle there just to enjoy scenic views or pretty nature.
3. So, the first statement is true, but the reason is false.

Question: Assertion (A): Inscriptions are a useful source in finding out about the past.
Reason (R): Inscriptions are writings on relatively hard surfaces such as metal or stone.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false but R is true.
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Answer: (B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

Explanation:
1. Inscriptions help us learn what old kings did and ordered.
2. Inscriptions are carved on hard rock or metal plates.
3. Both statements are correct, but the definition of an inscription is not the reason why it is useful.

Question: Assertion (A): Some of the earliest people who lived near the river Narmada were expert gatherers and hunters.
Reason (R): Hunting and gathering is a type of subsistence lifestyle which relied on hunting fish and animals and required an extensive knowledge about the nearby vegetation.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(C) A is true but R is false.
(D) A is false but R is true.
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.

Explanation:
1. Early people along the Narmada knew the forest well and hunted for food.
2. Gathering and hunting needs great knowledge of animals and edible plants.
3. Both facts are true, but the second statement just describes what gathering and hunting means.

Question: Assertion (A): The Harappan civilisation had a highly organised city planning system.
Reason (R): The streets in Harappan cities were wide and aligned with the cardinal directions.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

Explanation:
1. Harappan cities were laid out like a neat grid pattern.
2. Straight roads ran from north to south and east to west, cutting at right angles.
3. This straight road layout proves they had an organised city planning system.

Question: Assertion (A): The Harappans were pioneers in the area of metallurgy.
Reason (R): They imported tin to mix with copper to produce bronze, which was used to make tools and other artefacts.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

Explanation:
1. Harappans were very skilled at melting and mixing metals.
2. They brought tin from afar to mix with copper and cast bronze items.
3. This shows their skill as early masters of metalwork.

Question: Assertion (A): The Harappan civilisation did not participate in long-distance trade.
Reason (R): Lothal, one of the Harappan sites, had a well-constructed dockyard, indicating maritime trade activities.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (D) A is false, but R is true

Explanation:
1. Harappans did trade with far places like Oman and Mesopotamia.
2. The dockyard found at Lothal allowed ships to sail out for sea trade.
3. Therefore, the assertion is false, but the reason is a true statement.

Question: Assertion (A): The decline of the Harappan civilisation was caused only by foreign invasions.
Reason (R): Environmental changes, such as the drying up of the Sarasvati river, significantly impacted agriculture and led to the abandonment of cities.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (D) A is false, but R is true

Explanation:
1. There is no clear proof that outside armies destroyed the Harappan cities.
2. Instead, drying rivers, floods, and climate changes made farming hard.
3. So, statement A is false, while statement R is true.

Question: Assertion (A): Harappan seals were mainly used for religious rituals.
Reason (R): The seals often depicted animals and symbols and were used in trade activities as a mark of identity.
(A) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(C) A is true, but R is false
(D) A is false, but R is true
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (D) A is false, but R is true

Explanation:
1. Harappan seals were used like stamps on bundles of goods for trade.
2. They showed who owned the packet and kept it safe from opening.
3. Hence, assertion A is false, but reason R is true.

Question: What is one of the traits of a civilisation?
(A) Nomadic lifestyle
(B) Absence of writing
(C) Development of crafts and trade
(D) Lack of urbanism
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) Development of crafts and trade

Explanation:
1. In a civilisation, people make many useful things like cloth, metal tools, and pots.
2. They sell and buy these goods across different places.
3. Craft work and trading are key marks of an advanced society.

Question: Which river was vital to the Harappan Civilisation?
(A) Ganges
(B) Yamuna
(C) Indus
(D) Brahmaputra
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) Indus

Explanation:
1. Most early Harappan cities were built on the banks of river Indus.
2. The river gave rich soil and water for farming.
3. This is why it is called the Indus Valley Civilisation.

Question: Which Harappan city is famous for its dockyard?
(A) Mohenjo-daro
(B) Harappa
(C) Lothal
(D) Rakhigarhi
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (C) Lothal

Explanation:
1. Lothal is located near the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat.
2. It has a giant brick basin where trade ships entered from the river.
3. This makes Lothal famous as an ancient port city.

Question: What were two major factors that may have contributed to the decline of the Harappan cities?
(A) Invasions and warfare
(B) Climatic change and the drying up of the Sarasvati River
(C) Overpopulation and lack of resources
(D) Technological failures and political instability
Show Answer & Explanation

Answer: (B) Climatic change and the drying up of the Sarasvati River

Explanation:
1. Less rain fell over the region and the land became drier.
2. Important rivers like the Sarasvati dried up or shifted paths.
3. People could no longer farm there and had to move elsewhere.

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Download Chapter MCQs: Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

About Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation MCQs for Class 6 Social Science

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