NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 2 From Hunting Gathering to Growing Food | KalviGavani

History Chapter 2 — From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food: NCERT Exercise Solutions

How to Use This Page

Welcome to the complete NCERT exercise solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 2. Here is how to get the most from this page:

• Read the Key Concepts table first — it gives you a quick overview of all the important terms you need to know.
• Try each question on your own before reading the answer. Cover the answer with your hand or a notebook and attempt it yourself.
• Compare your answer with the detailed solution provided. If you missed any points, note them down in your textbook margin.
• Use the MCQ section for quick self-testing. Cover the correct answer, attempt all four options, then check.
• Review the Common Mistakes and Exam Checklist the night before your exam to avoid losing marks on easy errors.

Key Concepts (Quick Recap)

Intext Questions and Answers

Question 1. How do we know about people who lived long ago?

We know about people who lived long ago through several sources of evidence:

1. Stone tools: The most common evidence we have. Early humans made tools from stone, and because stone does not decay easily, these tools have survived for thousands of years. The type, size, and shape of tools tell us about the period and the activities people performed. 2. Cave paintings: Paintings found on the walls and ceilings of caves — such as those at Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh — depict animals, hunting scenes, and dancing figures. These give us a window into how early people lived and what they valued. 3. Animal bones and plant remains: Bones found at habitation sites reveal which animals were hunted or domesticated. Charred grains and seed impressions on pottery show what crops people grew. 4. Remains of hearths and houses: Traces of fire (hearths) tell us that people could cook food and keep warm. Remains of mud or stone houses indicate that people began settling in one place. 5. Burial sites: The way people buried their dead — with or without goods — tells us about their beliefs and social customs.

Question 2. Why did people in the Palaeolithic period move from place to place?

People in the Palaeolithic period moved from place to place for several important reasons:

1. Following animal herds: Since they depended on hunting, they had to move wherever herds of deer, bison, and other prey animals migrated. 2. Searching for water sources: Rivers, lakes, and springs were essential for drinking, cooking, and bathing. When a water source dried up or became seasonal, the group had to relocate. 3. Gathering seasonal plants: Different fruits, berries, nuts, and tubers were available in different areas at different times of the year. Groups moved to areas where food was currently available. 4. Avoiding natural disasters: Floods, droughts, and extreme weather could make a location uninhabitable, forcing people to find safer ground. 5. Exhausting local resources: A group of hunter-gatherers could deplete the available wild food in an area over weeks or months. Once resources became scarce, they moved on to allow the area to regenerate.

Question 3. What could have been the reasons for the transition from hunting-gathering to farming?

The transition from hunting-gathering to farming was one of the most significant changes in human history. The likely reasons include:

1. Climate change: Around 12,000 years ago, the climate became warmer. Large ice sheets melted, and grasslands expanded. This change made it possible to grow plants in many new areas. 2. Reduction in wild food: As the climate changed, some wild animals and plants became less abundant. People needed a more reliable way to get food. 3. Discovery that seeds grow into plants: People observed that seeds discarded near their settlements grew into new plants. Over time, they realised they could deliberately plant seeds and harvest the crops. 4. Need for a stable food supply: Farming provided a more predictable and abundant food supply than hunting and gathering, which depended on the seasons and luck. 5. Population growth: As groups grew larger, hunting and gathering alone could not feed everyone. Agriculture could produce enough surplus food to support bigger populations.

Question 4. Why did early humans choose to live near rivers?

Early humans chose to live near rivers for multiple practical reasons:

1. Water for drinking and cooking: Fresh water is essential for survival. Living near a river meant a constant, reliable supply. 2. Fertile soil for farming: Rivers deposit nutrient-rich silt on their banks, making the soil highly fertile and ideal for growing crops. 3. Abundant animals for hunting: Animals come to rivers to drink, making them easier to hunt. 4. Fish and other aquatic food: Rivers provided fish, turtles, and water birds — an additional food source. 5. Transport and trade: Rivers served as natural highways for travel and for exchanging goods with other groups. 6. Natural defence: Some rivers provided a natural barrier against predators or rival groups.

Question 5. What does the term "domestication" mean? How did it change the relationship between humans and animals?

Domestication is the process of taming wild animals and adapting wild plants so that they become useful to humans and can be raised or grown under human control.

Domestication changed the relationship between humans and animals in the following ways:

1. From prey to property: Instead of hunting animals for a one-time meal, humans began rearing them for a steady supply of milk, meat, wool, and labour. 2. From fear to care: Humans now had to feed, shelter, and protect animals from predators. This required a more settled lifestyle. 3. From dependence to control: Earlier, humans depended on wild animals that roamed freely. After domestication, humans controlled when animals reproduced, what they ate, and how they were used. 4. From movement to settlement: Keeping domesticated animals meant people could no longer wander freely. They had to stay in one area to tend their herds and flocks, which led to permanent settlements.

The earliest domesticated animals were dogs, sheep, and goats. Later, cattle, pigs, and poultry were also domesticated.

Chapter-End Exercise Questions and Answers

Question 1. Why did people in the past travel long distances?

People in the past travelled long distances for several reasons:

1. In search of food: Hunter-gatherers moved across vast distances following herds of wild animals and looking for seasonal fruits, nuts, and tubers. 2. In search of water: Groups had to travel to find rivers, lakes, or springs, especially during dry seasons when local sources dried up. 3. To find suitable stone for tools: Not all stones are good for making tools. People travelled to areas where fine-grained stones like flint, chert, and quartzite were available. 4. Trade and exchange: People exchanged goods like obsidian, shells, and colourful stones with groups from other regions, which required long-distance travel. 5. Seasonal migration: Changes in weather forced groups to move to warmer or cooler regions depending on the season. 6. Exploration and curiosity: Some movement may have been driven by the desire to explore new lands and find better living conditions.

Question 2. Why did early humans live near rivers? Give three reasons.

Early humans lived near rivers for the following three key reasons:

1. Easy availability of water: Rivers provided a constant supply of fresh water needed for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. Without rivers, survival would be very difficult. 2. Fertile land for agriculture: River banks are covered with silt deposited by the river, making the soil very fertile. This made it easy to grow crops once farming began. 3. Abundance of food: Rivers attracted wild animals that came to drink, making hunting easier. Rivers also provided fish and other water-based food sources. Additionally, wild edible plants grew abundantly near river banks.

Question 3. What tools would you use for cutting, hunting, and sewing in the Stone Age?

In the Stone Age, early humans used the following tools for different purposes:

1. For cutting:

• Hand axes — large stone tools with a sharp edge, used for cutting meat, wood, and plant materials.
• Scrapers — tools made by flaking stone to create a flat, sharp edge, used for scraping animal skins and removing flesh from bones.
• Knives — small, sharp-edged stone flakes used for cutting meat, vegetables, and other materials.

2. For hunting:

• Spears — long wooden shafts with sharp stone tips, used for thrusting at or throwing at animals.
• Bow and arrow — developed in the Mesolithic period, with microliths attached to the arrow tips for piercing.
• Harpoons — pointed tools used for catching fish.

3. For sewing:

• Bone needles — needles carved from animal bones with a small eye for threading plant fibre or animal sinew, used for stitching animal skins into garments.
• Awls — pointed tools made from bone or stone, used to poke holes in leather before stitching.

All of these tools were made using techniques like flaking (striking a stone to remove sharp flakes), grinding, and polishing (especially in the Neolithic period).

Question 4. Why were animals domesticated? Give at least three reasons.

Animals were domesticated for the following reasons:

1. As a source of food: Domesticated animals such as cows, goats, and sheep provided a steady supply of milk, meat, and eggs. This was more reliable than hunting wild animals. 2. As a source of labour: Animals like oxen and donkeys were used for ploughing fields, pulling carts, and carrying loads, making farming and transportation much easier. 3. For clothing and shelter: Sheep provided wool for making clothes. Animal skins were used for garments and for making tents and coverings. 4. For security: Dogs were among the first animals domesticated. They guarded settlements, helped in hunting, and provided warning against predators and intruders. 5. As a store of wealth: In many early communities, the number of animals a person owned was a measure of their wealth and social status.

Question 5. What are the advantages of living in a settlement near a river?

Living in a settlement near a river offered many advantages:

1. Reliable water supply: A constant source of water for drinking, cooking, bathing, and irrigation of crops. 2. Fertile soil: Rivers deposit nutrient-rich silt during floods, making the land on their banks highly suitable for agriculture without the need for additional fertilisers. 3. Food security: Rivers provide fish, crabs, and other aquatic animals. Wild animals also gather near rivers, making hunting easier. Edible wild plants thrive in riverine areas. 4. Transportation: Rivers serve as natural highways for travel. Boats and rafts can carry people and goods much more easily than overland routes. 5. Trade opportunities: Settlements on rivers can trade with other communities upstream and downstream, exchanging surplus food, pottery, tools, and ornaments. 6. Defence: A river can act as a natural moat, protecting a settlement from attacks by wild animals or rival groups. 7. Irrigation: River water can be channelled into canals to irrigate fields far from the river bank, expanding the area under cultivation.

Question 6. Complete the sentence: The earliest domesticated animals were ____.

The earliest domesticated animals were dogs, sheep, and goats.

• The dog is believed to be the very first domesticated animal, originally tamed from wolves around 15,000 years ago. Dogs helped in hunting and guarding.
• Sheep and goats were domesticated around 11,000 years ago in the region of Southwest Asia. They provided meat, milk, and wool.
• Later, around 8,000 years ago, cattle (cows and buffaloes) and pigs were also domesticated.

Question 7. Where are the Bhimbetka caves located? What is their significance?

The Bhimbetka caves are located in Madhya Pradesh, near the town of Bhopal, in the foothills of the Vindhya Mountains.

Their significance includes:

1. UNESCO World Heritage Site: Bhimbetka was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003 for its outstanding cultural and historical value. 2. Ancient rock paintings: The caves contain some of the oldest rock paintings in the world, dating from the Palaeolithic period to the Mesolithic period. Some paintings are over 30,000 years old. 3. Depiction of daily life: The paintings show hunting scenes, dancing, animal battles, horse riders, and community gatherings, giving us a vivid picture of how early humans lived. 4. Over 700 rock shelters: The site contains more than 700 rock shelters, of which over 400 have paintings, making it one of the largest concentrations of prehistoric art in the world. 5. Continuous human habitation: Evidence suggests that people lived in these caves from the Palaeolithic period through the Mesolithic and into historical times, showing an unbroken record of human occupation.

Question 8. Describe life during the Palaeolithic Age.

Life during the Palaeolithic Age (Old Stone Age) was characterised by the following features:

1. Nomadic lifestyle: People lived as hunter-gatherers and moved from place to place in search of food, water, and shelter. They had no permanent homes. 2. Stone tools: People made tools from large, rough pieces of stone by flaking or chipping. Common tools included hand axes, cleavers, and scrapers. These were not very refined but served the purpose of cutting, digging, and hunting. 3. Use of fire: Fire was discovered during the Palaeolithic period. It was used for cooking meat, keeping warm in cold weather, scaring away wild animals, and providing light at night. 4. Cave dwellings: People lived in caves, rock shelters, and open-air camps. Caves provided natural protection from rain, wind, and wild animals. 5. Hunting and gathering: Men typically hunted wild animals like deer, bison, and wild boar, while women and children gathered fruits, berries, roots, nuts, and honey. 6. Social organisation: People lived in small groups or bands of 20–50 members. They shared food and responsibilities and made decisions as a group. 7. No knowledge of farming: Agriculture had not yet been discovered. People entirely depended on nature for their food supply. 8. Cave paintings: People expressed themselves through cave paintings that depicted hunting scenes, animals, and rituals. The Bhimbetka caves in India are a famous example. 9. Clothing: People wore animal skins and bark to protect themselves from the weather. They used bone needles to stitch these materials. 10. Beliefs: Evidence from burials suggests that Palaeolithic people may have believed in life after death, as some buried their dead with food and tools.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) for Practice

1. Which period is known as the Old Stone Age?

(A) Neolithic (B) Mesolithic (C) Palaeolithic ✓ (D) Chalcolithic

2. Microliths are a characteristic feature of which period?

(A) Palaeolithic (B) Mesolithic ✓ (C) Neolithic (D) Chalcolithic

3. Where are the famous Bhimbetka rock shelters located?

(A) Rajasthan (B) Uttar Pradesh (C) Madhya Pradesh ✓ (D) Gujarat

4. Which of the following was the first animal to be domesticated?

(A) Cow (B) Goat (C) Dog ✓ (D) Horse

5. The Neolithic period is characterised by:

(A) Use of only crude stone tools (B) Beginning of agriculture and domestication ✓ (C) Use of copper tools only (D) Living only in caves

6. Which of the following sites is one of the earliest known villages in the Indian subcontinent?

(A) Harappa (B) Mehrgarh ✓ (C) Lothal (D) Kalibangan

7. What does the word "Palaeolithic" mean?

(A) New Stone Age (B) Middle Stone Age (C) Old Stone Age ✓ (D) Copper Stone Age

8. Why did hunter-gatherers move from place to place?

(A) They liked travelling (B) They were afraid of wild animals (C) They had to follow animals and search for plants ✓ (D) They wanted to build new houses

9. Which grain was one of the first to be cultivated by early farmers?

(A) Rice (B) Wheat ✓ (C) Maize (D) Potato

10. The Chalcolithic period is known for the use of:

(A) Only stone tools (B) Stone and copper tools ✓ (C) Only iron tools (D) Only bone tools

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing the three Stone Age periods: Many students mix up the order. Remember: Palaeolithic (Old) came first, then Mesolithic (Middle), then Neolithic (New). Think of them in alphabetical order — M comes before N — so Mesolithic is between Palaeolithic and Neolithic.

2. Thinking domestication and hunting are the same: Hunting means killing wild animals. Domestication means taming animals and breeding them under human control for a continuous supply of milk, meat, wool, and labour. These are fundamentally different.

3. Assuming early humans only ate meat: This is incorrect. Hunter-gatherers depended on both animal products and plant foods. In fact, gathered foods like fruits, nuts, roots, and berries often formed a larger part of the diet than hunted meat.

4. Confusing Mehrgarh with Harappa: Mehrgarh is a Neolithic settlement (c. 7000 BCE) and one of the earliest farming villages. Harappa is a much later Indus Valley Civilisation city (c. 2600 BCE). Do not mix them up in your answers.

5. Writing "Stone Age" when the question asks for a specific period: If a question asks about the Neolithic period, write "Neolithic period" or "New Stone Age" — not just "Stone Age." The Stone Age has three distinct sub-periods, and your answer must specify which one you are referring to.

6. Forgetting that fire was discovered in the Palaeolithic period: Many students incorrectly think fire was discovered in the Neolithic period. Fire was discovered and used much earlier, during the Palaeolithic Age, for cooking, warmth, and protection.

Exam Checklist

Use this checklist before your exam to make sure you have covered all the key topics from this chapter:

• [ ] I can define and distinguish between Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, and Chalcolithic periods with their approximate timelines.
• [ ] I can explain why hunter-gatherers moved from place to place (at least 4 reasons).
• [ ] I can list the advantages of living near a river for early humans (at least 4 advantages).
• [ ] I can define domestication and explain how it changed the relationship between humans and animals.
• [ ] I can name at least 5 early domesticated animals and explain what each was used for.
• [ ] I can describe the key features of the Neolithic period — agriculture, permanent settlements, polished tools, pottery, and domestication.
• [ ] I can locate Bhimbetka on a map (Madhya Pradesh) and explain its significance as a prehistoric art site.
• [ ] I can locate Mehrgarh on a map (Balochistan, Pakistan) and explain its importance as an early farming village.
• [ ] I can list the different types of stone tools and match them to their uses (hand axes for cutting, scrapers for scraping skins, microliths for composite tools, bone needles for sewing).
• [ ] I can explain the reasons for the transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture (climate change, population growth, discovery of seed planting, need for reliable food).