Class 6 Social Science Chapter 6 The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Practice Paper 4

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. Villages grew into towns in the Indus-Sarasvatī region from about:
(a) 2600 BCE
(b) 3500 BCE
(c) 4000 BCE
(d) 5000 BCE

Q2. Ganweriwala is located in:
(a) Gujarat
(b) Haryana
(c) Cholistan desert of Pakistan
(d) Rajasthan

Q3. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of civilisation?
(a) Some form of government
(b) Urbanism
(c) Hunting and gathering
(d) Trade and commerce

Q4. Kalibangan is located in modern:
(a) Gujarat
(b) Rajasthan
(c) Haryana
(d) Punjab

Q5. The Mesopotamian civilisation began approximately:
(a) 2000 years ago
(b) 4000 years ago
(c) 6000 years ago
(d) 8000 years ago

Q6. Harappan cities had buildings primarily made of:
(a) Wood
(b) Bricks
(c) Mud
(d) Bamboo

Q7. The climatic change that led to the decline of Harappan cities started from:
(a) 2600 BCE
(b) 2200 BCE
(c) 1900 BCE
(d) 1500 BCE

Q8. Farmana, a Harappan settlement, is located in:
(a) Gujarat
(b) Punjab
(c) Haryana
(d) Rajasthan

Q9. Scientific examination of clay pots has revealed remains of:
(a) Only cereals
(b) Dairy products, turmeric, ginger and banana
(c) Only meat
(d) Only fish

Q10. Dholavira is located in the:
(a) Thar Desert
(b) Rann of Kutch
(c) Gangetic Plain
(d) Deccan Plateau

SECTION B - Short Answer Questions (2 marks each)

Q11. What does the presence of individual bathrooms in most Harappan houses tell us about their society?

Q12. Name any two cities along the Sarasvatī River and two cities along the Indus River.

Q13. What materials did Harappans use for waterproofing the Great Bath? Why was waterproofing necessary?

Q14. How did rivers contribute to the fertility of the plains in the Harappan region?

SECTION C - Short Answer Questions (3 marks each)

Q15. What were the special characteristics of Harappan craftsmanship? Give examples.

Q16. How do we know that Harappans traded with distant regions? Provide evidence.

Q17. What can we learn about Harappan culture from the objects they made? Mention any three objects and what they tell us.

SECTION D - Long Answer Question (5 marks)

Q18. The Harappan Civilisation is described as a "well-balanced community" where "differences between the rich and the poor were not glaring." Discuss this statement with evidence from the chapter.

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

Q19. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "The Harappans gave much importance to water management and cleanliness. They often had separate areas for bathing in their homes; these were connected to a larger network of drains, which generally ran below the streets and took the waste water away. In Mohenjo-daro, people drew water from hundreds of wells made of bricks."
(a) What importance did Harappans give to water management? (1)
(b) Where were the bathing areas located in Harappan homes? (1)
(c) Where did the network of drains run? (1)
(d) What were the wells in Mohenjo-daro made of? (1)

Q20. Read the following passage and answer the questions: "Such elaborate trade requires traders to be able to identify their goods — and also each other! This seems to have been the chief purpose of thousands of small seals, which have been excavated from many settlements. These seals were generally made of steatite, a soft stone that would be hardened through heating. They measure only a few centimetres and generally depict animal figures with, above them, a few signs that are part of a writing system."
(a) What was the chief purpose of Harappan seals? (1)
(b) What material were the seals made of? (1)
(c) How was the soft stone hardened? (1)
(d) What did the seals generally depict? (1) DETAILED ANSWER KEY - PAPER 04

SECTION A - Answers to MCQs

Ans 1.
(b) 3500 BCE Ans 2.
(c) Cholistan desert of Pakistan Ans 3.
(c) Hunting and gathering Ans 4.
(b) Rajasthan Ans 5.
(c) 6000 years ago Ans 6.
(b) Bricks Ans 7.
(b) 2200 BCE Ans 8.
(c) Haryana Ans 9.
(b) Dairy products, turmeric, ginger and banana Ans 10.
(b) Rann of Kutch

SECTION B - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 11. The presence of individual bathrooms in most Harappan houses tells us several things about their society: (i) They had a high civic sense and gave great importance to personal hygiene and cleanliness. (ii) It shows that the society was prosperous enough that even common people could afford individual bathrooms, indicating a well-balanced society where wealth was relatively well distributed. Ans 12. Two cities along the Sarasvatī River: (i) Rakhigarhi (Haryana) (ii) Kalibangan (Rajasthan) (Any other correct answers: Ganweriwala, Farmana, Bhirrana, Banawali) Two cities along the Indus River:

(i) Mohenjo-daro (Sindh, Pakistan) (ii) Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan) Ans 13. Materials used: The Harappans used waterproofing materials such as natural bitumen (a form of tar) applied on top of carefully laid-out bricks. Why necessary: Waterproofing was necessary to prevent water from seeping through the bricks and to ensure the tank could hold water without leakage for bathing or ritual purposes. Ans 14. Rivers contributed to the fertility of the plains in the following ways: (i) Rivers watered the vast plains of Punjab and Sindh, providing necessary moisture for crops.

(ii) Rivers enriched the soil around them by depositing fertile silt, making the land favorable for agriculture and supporting the growth of villages, towns, and eventually cities.

SECTION C - Answers to Short Answer Questions

Ans 15. Harappan craftsmanship showed remarkable skill and sophistication: (i) Bead-making: They developed special techniques to drill carnelian beads so that strings could pass through them. They also knew how to decorate these beads in various ways. (ii) Shell Work: Harappan craftspeople worked conch shells into beautiful shell bangles, which required sophisticated techniques as shell is a hard material. (iii) Metallurgy: They mastered the art of working copper and bronze, using these metals to make tools, pots, pans, and figurines like the famous 'Dancing Girl'.

(iv) Textile Production: They were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton and weave it into clothes, showing advanced textile skills. (v) Seal Making: They created thousands of small seals from steatite, which they hardened through heating, showing precision in miniature craft work. Ans 16. We know that Harappans traded with distant regions from several pieces of evidence: (i) Archaeological Finds: Harappan beads have been excavated at Susa in present-day Iran, showing trade with Mesopotamia. (ii) Objects in Foreign Lands: A Harappan ivory comb (about 7 cm long) was found on the coast of Oman, indicating maritime trade across the Arabian Sea.

(iii) Coastal Settlements: Quite a few Harappan settlements are located in the coastal regions of Gujarat and Sindh, suggesting maritime activities. (iv) Dockyard: Lothal had a huge basin (217 × 36 metres) that served as a dockyard for receiving and sending boats, showing organized long-distance trade. (v) Trade Seals: Thousands of seals found at various sites were used to identify goods and traders, essential for extensive trade networks. Ans 17. Various objects provide insights into Harappan culture:

(i) The 'Dancing Girl' Figurine: This bronze figurine shows that Harappans appreciated art and dance. The bangles covering an entire arm indicate a fashion practice still visible in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan today, showing cultural continuity. (ii) Gamesboard and Toys: The discovery of gameboards engraved on stone and terracotta whistles shows that Harappans designed games and toys to keep both adults and children amused, indicating leisure time and family life. (iii) Seals with Swastika and Deities: Seals showing the swastika symbol and a three-faced deity seated in a yogic posture surrounded by animals suggest spiritual and religious beliefs that have continuity in later Indian culture.

(iv) Terracotta Figurines in Namaste: The figurine seated in namaste posture shows cultural gestures that continue in Indian tradition. (v) The Pot with Thirsty Crow Story: A design on a pot from Lothal seems to tell the story of the thirsty crow, showing that Harappans enjoyed storytelling and moral tales.

SECTION D - Answer to Long Answer Question

Ans 18. The Harappan Civilisation showed characteristics of a well-balanced community with minimal rich- poor divide: (i) Equal Quality of Construction: • Individual houses of various sizes lined the streets • Interestingly, the quality of construction was the same for small and big houses • All buildings were made of bricks with similar construction standards • This shows that even common people had access to good quality housing (ii) Universal Access to Amenities: • Most houses in Mohenjo-daro had individual bathrooms • The drainage system connected all houses, not just those of the elite • This indicates that basic civic amenities were available to all citizens (iii) Town Planning for All:

• Both the upper town (where elite lived) and lower town (where common people lived) had the same planned layout • Wide streets and drainage systems served all parts of the city equally (iv) Peaceful Society: • No evidence of warfare or weapons of war has been found • This suggests a society based on mutual accommodation rather than conflict and exploitation • The absence of military structures indicates resources were used for public welfare (v) Organized Public Works: • Large public structures like the Great Bath, reservoirs, and dockyards benefited the entire community • The building of such structures required cooperation and collective effort (vi) Quote from B.B. Lal:

As mentioned in the chapter opening, this was "a well-balanced community" where "the differences between the rich and the poor are not glaring" and the "societal scenario was not that of 'exploitation', but of mutual 'accommodation'". Conclusion: This evidence suggests the Harappan Civilisation had a more equitable society compared to many ancient civilisations, where wealth and resources were distributed more fairly, and civic planning benefited all citizens regardless of their social status.

SECTION E - Answers to Case Study Based Questions

Ans 19.
(a) The Harappans gave much importance to water management and cleanliness, as evident from their elaborate water supply and drainage systems.
(b) The bathing areas in Harappan homes were located as separate areas within the houses.
(c) The network of drains generally ran below the streets and took the waste water away from the houses.
(d) The wells in Mohenjo-daro were made of bricks. Ans 20.
(a) The chief purpose of Harappan seals was to help traders identify their goods and also each other during trade activities.

(b) The seals were made of steatite, a soft stone.
(c) The soft stone (steatite) was hardened through heating.
(d) The seals generally depicted animal figures with writing signs above them.