CBSE Class 6 Social Science The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Worksheet Set 02

Fill in the Blanks

Question. The Harappan culture is also known as the _________ civilisation.
Answer: Indus-Sarasvati
Explanation: Hundreds of ancient towns were built along both the Indus and Sarasvati riverbanks.

Question. The marks on the top of the seal are part of a ______.
Answer: writing
Explanation: The symbols carved above the animal pictures represent an ancient written language.

Question. The development of the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation is also termed the 'First ______ of India'.
Answer: Urbanization.
Explanation: It marks the very first time people in India built large, planned brick cities.

Question. The _________ is the earliest town discovered in India.
Answer: Harappa
Explanation: Harappa was the very first ancient city uncovered by excavators in the region.

Question. _________ was the primary city to show evidence of cotton cultivation in the Harappan civilisation.
Answer: Mohenjo-daro
Explanation: Remnants of woven cloth found at Mohenjo-daro show they were weaving soft cotton shirts.

Question. The Harappans were the first in Eurasia to cultivate __________.
Answer: cotton
Explanation: Harappan farmers were the earliest people in this part of the world to grow fluffy cotton plants to spin into cloth.

Question. The ancient cities of __________ and __________ were the first to be found in the Indus Valley Civilization.
Answer: Harappa, Mohenjo-daro
Explanation: Archaeologists digging in the earth discovered Harappa first, and soon after, they uncovered the grand city of Mohenjo-daro.

True or False

Question. The Harappans may have purchased copper in exchange of exported goods.
Answer: True
Explanation: Harappans traded crafts and cloth with outside regions to get copper metal.

Question. Citizens of the Indus Valley Civilisation had developed a writing system.
Answer: True
Explanation: They wrote using unique picture signs carved onto seals and clay pots.

Question. Harappans did not comprehend ornament making.
Answer: False
Explanation: They made gorgeous necklaces and bangles from carnelian beads, gold, and sea shells.

Question. No weapons of offence were prevalent in Indus Cities.
Answer: True
Explanation: They did not keep armor, swords, or large battle weapons in their towns.

Question. Till date, no single explanation has been conclusively found for the decline of Harappan cities.
Answer: True
Explanation: Experts believe a mix of river shifts, climate change, and deforestation led to their fall.

Question. Most of the dwellings in Harappa had separate bathing areas.
Answer: True
Explanation: Harappans cared about daily hygiene and gave their houses private brick washrooms.

Question. Harappan settlements in the province of Gujarat have been found in Dholavira and Lothal.
Answer: True
Explanation: Lothal and Dholavira are two famous Indus sites excavated in Gujarat, India.

Assertion and Reason Questions

Question. Assertion: Harappans were engaged in active trade both inside and outside their civilisation.
Reason: Harappans conducted the first intensive maritime activity in India.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Answer: (B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
Explanation: Both statements are correct facts about their seafaring and trade, but sea trade was just one of several ways they traded.

Question. Assertion: A number of seals have been excavated from many settlements that were made of steatite and had animal figures on them.
Reason: These seals were likely related to farming activities.
(A) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(B) Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
(C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
(D) Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.
Answer: (C) Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
Explanation: Carved steatite seals with animals were used to stamp trade goods and identify merchants, not for plowing fields.

Question. Assertion (A): The Harappans engaged in both domestic and external trade over long distances.
Reason (R): Harappan seals and standardized weights have been found at sites within and outside the Indus region.
(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.
Answer: (A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
Explanation: Finding identical weights and seals in distant countries proves that traders travelled long journeys to buy and sell goods.

Questions / Short Question Answers

Question. How did the geographical features of the Indus and Sarasvati river plains lead to the rise of the Harappan Civilization?
Answer: These vast, fertile plains, regularly enriched by river silt, provided ideal conditions for agriculture, supporting large populations. The rivers themselves served as communication and trade routes, facilitating the growth of interconnected towns and cities, essential for a civilization.
Explanation: Yearly river floods brought fresh, soft black dirt that was super good for crops, helping feed thousands of city dwellers.

Question. What was the Great Bath in Mohenjo-Daro employed for?
Answer: It was probably used for bathing and religious rituals.
Explanation: Leaders and priests likely gathered at the Great Bath for special, sacred dips during religious festivals.

Question. Write a brief report (150 to 200 words) summing up some of the accomplishments of the Indus-Sarasvati civilisation.
Answer: Some achievements of the Indus-Sarasvati Civilisation are as follows
• The large cities were built according to precise plans.
• Their streets were wide and aligned to the cardinal directions.
• They gave importance to water management and cleanliness.
• Most of the cities were fortified and divided into two parts, upper town and lower town. Upper town was for elite people and lower town was for common people.
• There were some large buildings like warehouses to store goods.
• They used to have separate areas for bathing in their homes that were connected to a larger network of drains.
• In Mohenjo-daro people have wells in their houses and others used to fetch water from ponds, nearby streams or human-made reservoirs.
• They were engaged in active trade between the civilisations and other civilisations in the world.
Explanation: The Harappans were master city planners who built safe walls, wide roads, private bathrooms with drains, and carried out long-distance sea trade.

Question. For each characteristic of a civilisation, can you create a list of professions or occupations that might exist in such a society?
Answer: A list of professions or occupations that might exist in such a society are as follows
A. Government and Administration: King, chieftains and policeman
B. Urbanism: Sweeper, house-help, cook and gardener
C. Craft: Goldsmith, blacksmith, artist and sculptor
D. Trade: Vendors, exporter and importer
E. Writing: Authors and scribes
F. Agriculture: Farmers
G. Culture: Priest
Explanation: Just like in our towns today, ancient cities had different workers like police officers, farmers, jewelers, traders, and priests doing special jobs.

Question. Which well-known Harappan bronze figurine, about 10.8 cm high, was found at Mohenjo-Daro?
Answer: The 'Dancing Girl'.
Explanation: This tiny bronze statue shows a standing girl with bangles on her arm, showing how skilled Harappan artists were at casting metal.

Question. List three key characteristics that define a society as a 'civilization'.
Answer: A civilization typically has a government, urbanism (planned towns/cities with water management), and some form of writing for records and communication.
Explanation: A civilization means people live in planned towns, have organized leadership to make rules, and use writing to keep records.

Question. What are the likely factors that marked the decline of the Harappan civilisation?
Answer: The following factors marked the decline of the Harappan civilisation:
• The cities were abandoned one by one.
• The inhabitants of cities started to live the rural lifestyle.
• A climatic change in the world from 2200 BCE onwards.
Explanation: The weather grew drier and rivers shifted, making city life hard, so families moved away to quiet villages to farm and care for animals.

Question. What was the likely function of Harappan seals?
Answer: Harappan seals, often depicting animals and script, were likely used to identify traders or their goods, possibly for stamping clay tags on merchandise.
Explanation: Merchants stamped these carved stones into wet clay on bags of goods to show who owned them, just like an official signature stamp.

Question. What soft stone were Harappan seals mostly made of before being hardened by heating?
Answer: Steatite.
Explanation: Steatite is a soft rock, also called soapstone, that is very easy to carve with fine tools before it is baked hard in a fire.

Question. Outline the geographical extent of the Indus-Sarasvati civilization.
Answer: The civilization was spread over the plains of the Indus and its tributaries, and along the Sarasvati river, covering parts of modern India and Pakistan.
Explanation: This huge civilization stretched across a wide territory, covering parts of today's northwestern India and Pakistan.

Question. What part did agriculture play in the economy of the Harappan civilisation?
Answer: Agriculture was the backbone of the Harappan economy, with the cultivation of crops like wheat, barley, pulses and cotton providing the main sustenance for the population. The fertile plains of the Indus and Sarasvati rivers allowed for productive farming, supported by advanced irrigation techniques. Surpluses generated from agriculture likely fueled urbanisation and trade, as excess goods could be stored in granaries and traded with other regions.
Explanation: Farming fed the cities. Because farmers produced extra grain, other citizens could focus on building, trading, and making handicrafts.

Question. Mention two types of objects of daily use found at Harappan sites.
Answer: Objects of daily use found include bronze mirrors and terra-cotta pots (or stone weights, bronze chisels, ivory combs, games boards, whistles).
Explanation: Harappan families used clay cooking pots, polished metal mirrors, combs made of bone or ivory, and toys like whistles in their homes.

Question. Write a brief note on the Harappan Civilisation.
Answer: The Indus, Harappan or Sindhu- Sarasvati Civilisation is one of the oldest of the world. Its inhabitants, the Harappans, created planned cities with efficient water management, diverse crafts and a brisk trade. A productive agriculture brought a variety of crops to the cities. The Civilisation eventually declined, probably because of climatic and environmental changes and its people returned to a rural lifestyle.
Explanation: It was an ancient culture known for neat brick streets, clean water systems, colourful beads, and peaceful trade.