NCERT 6th Class (CBSE) Social Science: The Seeds of a Revolution / Gathering to Growing Food

Question: Write short notes of.

Answer:

1. 1. Daily life of early humans: Early humans lined in small group. Each group had a leader generally the eldest or the strongest member of the group. Each person of the group was given a specific task. Some looked after animals, others cultivated fields and still other made tools and weapons. Singing, dancing, painting must have been popular modes of entertainment.
   2. Mehrgarh period: Mehrgarh is a site located in a fertile plain, near the Bolan Pass, one of the most important routes into Iran. It was one of the first places where people grew barley and wheat and reared sheep and goat. In fact, it is one of the earliest known villages.
      Archaeologists have found evidence of animal bones here on excavation. They have found remains of houses here. Most houses were square or rectangular. They usually had four or more compartments, some of which may have been used for storage. Several furial sites have also been found in Mehrgarh.

Question: How did people become farmers?

Answer: When the climate of the world was changing, people observed places where edible plants are found, about seeds, plants, etc. They started growing their own plants. And thus, they became farmers.

Question: How did people become herders?

Answer: People saw that they could attract and tame animals by leaving food for them. The first animal to be tamed was the ancestor of dog. They started rearing sheep, goat, cattle, etc. People often protected these animals from attacks by other wild animals. This is how the people became herders.

Question: Describe tools used by farmers and herders.

Answer: Stone tools have been found from many sites. They are often different from the Palaeolithic tools and are called ‘Neolithic’. There were tools that were polished so as to give a fine cutting edge, and mortars and pestles were used for grinding grain and other plant produce. However, Palaeolithic tools were still used for some purposes. Some tools were also made of bone.

Question: How did the changing climate affect the life of humans?

Answer: The climate of the world had major changes around 12,000 years ago. There was a shift to relatively warm conditions. Grasslands developed in many areas. Plants and animals also developed in the meantime. Humans observed the places where edible plants were found, they wondered how seed broke off stalks, fell on the ground, and new plants sprouted from them. They became farmers due to these changes.

They also learnt how to get the attention of animals by taming them and providing them food. People tamed the wild ancestor of the dog. They also started rearing sheep, goat, cattle, etc. and this made them herders. Grasslands had allowed many animals which lived on grass to grow in number.