Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History Practice Paper 2

Class: VI Subject: Social Science Session: 2025-26 Chapter: 04 - Timeline and Sources of History Time: 1½ Hours Max. Marks: 40

General Instructions:

1. All questions are compulsory.

2. This question paper contains 20 questions divided into five sections A, B, C, D and E.

3. Section A contains 10 MCQs of 1 mark each.

4. Section B contains 4 questions of 2 marks each.

5. Section C contains 3 questions of 3 marks each.

6. Section D contains 1 question of 5 marks.

7. Section E contains 2 Case Study Based questions of 4 marks each.

SECTION A - Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each)

Q1. Which of the following professionals study human societies and cultures from oldest times to present?
(a) Geologists
(b) Archaeologists
(c) Anthropologists
(d) Palaeontologists

Q2. The term 'CE' used in the Gregorian calendar stands for:
(a) Christian Era
(b) Common Era
(c) Current Era
(d) Calendar Era

Q3. Which of the following scientists study the remains of plants, animals and humans in the form of fossils?
(a) Geologists
(b) Palaeontologists
(c) Archaeologists
(d) Anthropologists

Q4. What does BCE stand for?
(a) Before Christian Era
(b) Before Common Era
(c) Before Current Era
(d) Before Calendar Era

Q5. How many years are there in one millennium?
(a) 10 years
(b) 100 years
(c) 500 years
(d) 1000 years

Q6. What are fossils?
(a) Ancient tools made of stone
(b) Old manuscripts
(c) Impressions of plants or animals preserved in rocks
(d) Ancient coins

Q7. Which calendar is commonly used worldwide today?
(a) Hindu calendar
(b) Islamic calendar
(c) Gregorian calendar
(d) Chinese calendar

Q8. What were early humans who relied on hunting and collecting plants called?
(a) Farmers and traders
(b) Hunters and gatherers
(c) Warriors and builders
(d) Priests and scholars

Q9. Which of the following is NOT a source of history?
(a) Inscriptions
(b) Monuments
(c) Future predictions
(d) Manuscripts

Q10. Archaeologists study the past by:
(a) Observing stars
(b) Digging up remains left behind by people
(c) Only reading ancient books
(d) Measuring mountains

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. Differentiate between geologists and archaeologists.

Q12. Why is there no 'year zero' in the Gregorian calendar? What impact does this have on calculating years?

Q13. What is a timeline and why is it useful in studying history?

Q14. Name any two technologies that helped early agricultural communities grow and develop.

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. Explain the difference between a century and a millennium with examples.

Q16. Describe any three main sources of history with examples.

Q17. How did the end of the last Ice Age affect human communities?

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. Describe the life of early humans before the development of agriculture. Include information about their shelter, food sources, social organization, and beliefs.

SECTION E - Case Study Based Questions (4 marks each)

Q19. Read the following case study and answer the questions: Dr. Sharma is an archaeologist working at an excavation site in Madhya Pradesh. She has discovered several clay pots, stone tools, animal bones, and burnt grains in different layers of soil.
(a) What can Dr. Sharma learn from the different depths at which objects were found? (1 mark)
(b) How might the burnt grains help understand the lifestyle of people who lived there? (1 mark)
(c) Why is it important to study animal bones found at the site? (1 mark)
(d) What role does scientific dating play in archaeological studies? (1 mark)

Q20. Read the following case study and answer the questions: Ravi wants to calculate how many years ago Gautama Buddha was born. He knows that Buddha was born around 560 BCE and the current year is 2024 CE.
(a) Is it correct to simply add 560 and 2024? Why or why not? (1 mark)
(b) What is the correct way to calculate years between BCE and CE dates? (1 mark)
(c) Calculate the correct number of years ago Buddha was born from 2024 CE. (1 mark)
(d) If someone was born in 300 BCE, in which century did they live? (1 mark) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 02

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(c) Anthropologists study human societies and cultures. Ans 2.
(b) CE stands for Common Era. Ans 3.
(b) Palaeontologists study fossils. Ans 4.
(b) BCE stands for Before Common Era. Ans 5.
(d) A millennium is 1000 years. Ans 6.
(c) Fossils are preserved impressions in rocks. Ans 7.
(c) Gregorian calendar is used worldwide. Ans 8.
(b) They were called hunters and gatherers. Ans 9.
(c) Future predictions are not historical sources. Ans 10.
(b) Archaeologists dig up remains.

SECTION B - Answers (2 marks each)

Ans 11. Geologists: Study Earth's physical features like rocks, mountains, rivers. Archaeologists: Study human past by excavating tools, pottery, bones. Ans 12. There is no year zero because the calendar system was created before zero was widely used in Europe. Year 1 CE follows 1 BCE directly. Impact: When calculating between BCE and CE, we add the years but subtract 1. Ans 13. Timeline: A visual representation showing sequence of events over a period. Usefulness: Helps visualize chronological order, understand relationships between events, makes history easier to comprehend.

Ans 14.

1. Pottery: For storing food and water

2. Metallurgy (copper/iron): For durable tools and implements

SECTION C - Answers (3 marks each)

Ans 15. Century: Period of 100 years. Example: 21st century CE (2001-2100) Millennium: Period of 1000 years. Example: 3rd millennium CE (2001-3000) Both are counted from year 1 CE going forward, and from 1 BCE going backward. Ans 16.

1. Archaeological: Coins, tools, pottery - show technology and trade

2. Literary: Manuscripts, inscriptions - provide written accounts

3. Artistic: Rock paintings, sculptures - show culture and beliefs Ans 17. When the Ice Age ended (~12,000 years ago): • Climate became warmer and more favorable • Humans started agriculture and domesticating animals • Settlements formed near rivers with fertile soil • Population grew due to stable food supply

SECTION D - Answer (5 marks)

Ans 18. Shelter: Lived in rock shelters, caves, temporary camps Food: Hunters and gatherers - hunted animals, collected wild plants and fruits Social Organization: Lived in small bands/groups for mutual protection and cooperation. Shared resources and worked collectively. Beliefs: Had beliefs about natural elements, possibly notion of afterlife as seen in burial practices. Created rock art showing religious/cultural significance. Technology: Used fire, made stone tools, created simple ornaments

SECTION E - Answers (4 marks each)

Ans 19.
(a) Different depths indicate different time periods - deeper objects are older.
(b) Burnt grains show people practiced agriculture and knew cooking/food storage.
(c) Animal bones reveal diet, hunting practices, climate, and whether animals were domesticated.
(d) Scientific dating provides accurate timeline for when people lived and activities occurred. Ans 20.
(a) No, simply adding is incorrect because there's no year zero.
(b) Add the BCE and CE years, then subtract 1.
(c) 560 + 2024 - 1 = 2583 years ago
(d) 3rd century BCE (300-201 BCE)