NCERT 6th Class (CBSE) Social Science: What, How and When?

Question: What are the different ways to find out about the past? Describe briefly.

Answer: The different ways to find out about the past are following:

1. Manuscripts. These were hand-written matter. They were usually written on palm leaf or the bark of the birch tree. While many of these manuscripts got destroyed, many have survived in temples and monasteries. These books dealt with all kinds of subjects such as religious beliefs and practices, the lives of kings, medicines and science. These manuscripts also included epics, poems, plays.
2. Inscriptions are writings on relatively hard surfaces such as stone or metal. Sometimes, kings got their orders inscribed in order to make common people aware of them. Some inscriptions kept records of victories in battle.
3. Archaeological excavations or evidences. Archaeology means the study of cultures of the past and of periods of history by examining the remains of buildings and objects found in the earth. Archaeologists explore and dig earth to find tools, weapons, pots, pans, ornaments and coins. These things provide us valuable information about the past.

Question: What is the difference between history and prehistory?

Answer: History: The period from when written records were made. They were written on copper plates, barks of birch treas, walls pillars, clay tablets.

Prehistory: The prehistory when writing was not invented. The prehistory is entirely based on archaeology. Archaeologists dig deep into the grounds and dig out the remains such as pots, jewelry, coins etc.

Question: What are monuments? What do we get to know from them?

Answer: Buildings of historical importance are called monuments. Monuments tell us in which year they were built. They also tell the importance of social life, religious beliefs, knowledge of science etc. Temples, forts, places, monasteries make the past come alive.

Question: Why do we need to study the past?

Answer: The study of past is important to understand the present.

Question: How have the Himalayas helped in shaping the history of India?

Answer:

1. The Himalaya mountains in the north act as a natural barrier between India and Central Asia.
2. The passes in these mountains have acted as routes of contact since ancient times.
3. People-soldiers, merchants, traders, travelers, scholars and others-have often crossed these passes and travelled from one place to another.
4. They have brought new ideas, customs and habits that have made our culture richer.

Question: How is the work of an archaeologist and historian similar to that of a detective?

Answer: The work of an archaeologist and a historian is similar to that of a detective. Just as a detective solves a mystery with the help of clues archaeologists and historians solve the mystery of the past with the help of historical clues.