Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Practice Paper 2

Class: VI Subject: History Session: 2025-26 Chapter: 06 - The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation 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. The city of Harappa was first excavated in:
(a) 1900-01
(b) 1920-21
(c) 1940-41
(d) 1950-51

Q2. Rakhigarhi, a major Harappan city, is located in:
(a) Gujarat
(b) Rajasthan
(c) Haryana
(d) Punjab

Q3. The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro measured approximately:
(a) 10 × 5 metres
(b) 12 × 7 metres
(c) 15 × 9 metres
(d) 20 × 10 metres

Q4. Natural bitumen used in the Great Bath is a form of:
(a) Clay
(b) Sand
(c) Tar
(d) Cement

Q5. The most favoured ornaments for trade were beads made of:
(a) Gold
(b) Silver
(c) Carnelian
(d) Diamond

Q6. Dholavira is located in which modern state?
(a) Rajasthan
(b) Gujarat
(c) Haryana
(d) Punjab

Q7. The Harappan Civilisation is considered one of the oldest in the world, along with:
(a) Greek and Roman civilisations
(b) Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilisations
(c) Chinese and Japanese civilisations
(d) Persian and Arabian civilisations

Q8. The term 'urbanism' refers to:
(a) Village planning
(b) Forest management
(c) Town-planning and city management
(d) Agricultural development

Q9. Carnelian stone, used for making beads, was mostly found in:
(a) Punjab
(b) Sindh
(c) Gujarat
(d) Haryana

Q10. The Sarasvatī River is first mentioned in:
(a) Ṛig Veda
(b) Mahābhārata
(c) Rāmāyaṇa
(d) Upanishads

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. Why is the term 'Indus Valley Civilisation' considered obsolete today?

Q12. List any four characteristics that define a 'civilisation'.

Q13. What were the main items exported by the Harappans?

Q14. How did the Harappans demonstrate their concern for cleanliness?

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. Describe the various crops and food items that formed part of the Harappan diet.

Q16. What do archaeologists suggest could have been the purposes of the Great Bath at Mohenjo- daro?

Q17. Why was the Sarasvatī basin important for the Harappan Civilisation? Support your answer with examples.

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. Describe the trade activities of the Harappan Civilisation. What goods did they export and how did they conduct their trade?

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

Q19. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "The larger Harappan cities were built according to precise plans. They had wide streets, which were often oriented to the cardinal directions. Most cities seem to have been surrounded by fortifications and had two distinct parts — the 'upper town', where the local elite probably lived, and the 'lower town', where common people lived. Some large buildings seem to have been used for collective purposes — for instance, warehouses where goods to be transported were stored."
(a) How were streets in Harappan cities oriented? (1)
(b) What are fortifications? (1)
(c) What were the two distinct parts of Harappan cities? (1)
(d) What were warehouses used for? (1)

Q20. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "Around 1900 BCE, this Sindhu-Sarasvatī civilisation began to fall apart. The cities were abandoned one by one. Two factors are currently agreed upon. First, a climatic change which affected much of the world from 2200 BCE onward, causing reduced rainfall and a drier phase. Second, the Sarasvatī River dried up in its central basin; suddenly, cities there, such as Kalibangan or Banawali were abandoned."
(a) When did the Harappan Civilisation begin to decline? (1)
(b) What climatic change affected the civilisation? (1)
(c) Which river dried up in its central basin? (1)
(d) Name the two cities that were abandoned due to the drying up of this river. (1) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 02

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(b) 1920-21 Ans 2.
(c) Haryana Ans 3.
(b) 12 × 7 metres Ans 4.
(c) Tar Ans 5.
(c) Carnelian Ans 6.
(b) Gujarat Ans 7.
(b) Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilisations Ans 8.
(c) Town-planning and city management Ans 9.
(c) Gujarat Ans 10.
(a) Ṛig Veda

SECTION B - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 11. The term 'Indus Valley Civilisation' is considered obsolete today because: (i) The civilisation extended much beyond just the Indus Valley region. (ii) Major cities and numerous sites have been discovered along the Sarasvatī River basin, including Rakhigarhi, Ganweriwala, Kalibangan, Farmana, Bhirrana, and Banawali. (iii) The map shows high density of sites in regions far from the Indus, making 'Valley' an inaccurate description of its geographical extent. Ans 12. Four characteristics that define a 'civilisation' are:

(i) Some form of government and administration to manage a complex society (ii) Urbanism - town-planning, growth of cities and their management (iii) Trade both internal and external to exchange goods (iv) Some form of writing needed to keep records and communicate (Any other correct answers: crafts, cultural ideas, productive agriculture) Ans 13. The main items exported by the Harappans were: (i) Ornaments, especially carnelian beads (ii) Timber (iii) Objects of daily use (iv) Probably gold and cotton (v) Possibly some food items Ans 14.

The Harappans demonstrated their concern for cleanliness in the following ways: (i) They gave much importance to water management and cleanliness. (ii) Houses had separate areas for bathing connected to a larger network of drains which ran below the streets and took waste water away, showing advanced sanitation systems.

SECTION C - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 15. The Harappan diet was quite diverse and included: Cereals: Barley, wheat, some millets, and sometimes rice Pulses: Various types of lentils and beans Vegetables: A variety of vegetables Meat and Fish: They domesticated animals for meat consumption and fished both in rivers and in the sea, as known from animal and fish bones found during excavations Dairy Products: Scientific examinations of clay pots have shown remains of dairy products Spices and Fruits: Remains of turmeric, ginger and banana have been found in clay pots, showing they used spices and fruits.

Ans 16. Archaeologists have proposed several possible interpretations for the purpose of the Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro: (i) Public Bath: Initially it was thought to be a public bath for people, but this interpretation is now ruled out because most houses in the city had individual bathrooms. (ii) Royal Bath: It could have been a bath for the royal family only, as it was an elaborate structure with special waterproofing. (iii) Religious Rituals: It might have been a tank used for religious rituals, given its careful construction and the presence of rooms around it.

The purpose remains a matter of debate as there are no inscriptions, texts, or traveller's accounts to confirm any interpretation. Ans 17. The Sarasvatī basin was very important for the Harappan Civilisation: (i) Major Cities: The Sarasvatī basin included two major cities - Rakhigarhi (in Haryana) and Ganweriwala (in Cholistan desert of Pakistan). (ii) Smaller Cities: Several smaller cities were located here, such as Farmana in Haryana and Kalibangan in Rajasthan. (iii) Towns: A few towns like Bhirrana and Banawali, both in Haryana, were also situated in this region.

(iv) High Density: The map shows a high density of Harappan sites in the Sarasvatī basin, indicating it was a major center of this civilisation. The drying up of the Sarasvatī River in its central basin led to the abandonment of these cities, showing how crucial this river was for the civilisation.

SECTION D - Answer to Long Answer Question

Ans 18. The Harappan Civilisation was engaged in brisk and active trade: Scope of Trade: • Internal trade within their own civilisation (nearby and far away cities) • External trade with other civilisations and cultures within and outside India Exported Goods: • Ornaments, especially carnelian beads (most favoured) • Timber • Objects of daily use (like ivory combs found in Oman) • Probably gold and cotton • Possibly some food items Imported Goods: • Probably copper, as this metal was not common in their region Trade Routes:

• Land routes and rivers for nearby destinations • Sea routes for distant destinations - this was the first intensive maritime activity in India • Several settlements located in coastal regions of Gujarat and Sindh Infrastructure: • Lothal in Gujarat had a huge dockyard measuring 217 × 36 metres (length of two football grounds) used to receive and send boats Trade Identification: • Used thousands of small seals made of steatite • Seals depicted animal figures with writing signs • Helped traders identify their goods and each other Craftsmanship:

• Developed special techniques to drill carnelian beads • Worked conch shells into beautiful shell bangles using sophisticated techniques

SECTION E - Answers to Case Study Based Questions

Ans 19.
(a) Streets in Harappan cities were often oriented to the cardinal directions (North, South, East, West).
(b) Fortifications are massive walls surrounding a settlement or city, generally built for protective purposes.
(c) The two distinct parts of Harappan cities were: (i) Upper town - where the local elite probably lived (ii) Lower town - where common people lived
(d) Warehouses were used for storing goods that were to be transported for trade purposes. Ans 20.
(a) The Harappan Civilisation began to decline around 1900 BCE.

(b) A climatic change from 2200 BCE onward caused reduced rainfall and a drier phase, making agriculture more difficult.
(c) The Sarasvatī River dried up in its central basin.
(d) The two cities that were abandoned due to the drying up of the Sarasvatī River were Kalibangan and Banawali.