What are the sources of history?

Sources are of two types: literary sources (religious literature like epics, secular literature) and archaeological sources (inscriptions, monuments, coins, artifacts).

Why do we study history?

We study history to understand how past societies lived, to learn from their achievements and mistakes, and to preserve our cultural heritage.

What is History Exercise Solutions | KalviGavani

Q: What is proto history?

The period between pre-history and history is called proto history — when cultures existed but writing was not fully developed.

Exercise Solutions Available

Step-by-step answers for all textbook questions in this chapter

View Solutions →

What is History — Exercise Solutions

Work through every question below, then compare your answers. Each section mirrors the Samacheer Kalvi textbook exercise.

I. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQ)

Q1. What was the step taken by the early man to collect his food?

Answer

(a) Farming
(b) Hunting ✓
(c) Trading
(d) Cooking

Early humans survived by hunting animals and gathering fruits, roots, and other edible plants. Farming came much later.

Q2. Where are the objects used by ancient people preserved?

Answer

(a) Temples
(b) Palaces
(c) Museum ✓
(d) Libraries

Museums preserve and display artifacts, tools, and everyday objects used by ancient people for public education and research.

II. Match the Statement with the Reason

Q1. Statement: Pre-historic men went along with the dog for hunting. Reason: Dogs with their sniffing power would find out other animals.

(a) Statement is correct, reason is wrong
(b) Statement and reason are correct ✓
(c) Statement is wrong, reason is correct
(d) Both are wrong

Dogs were the first domesticated animals. Their keen sense of smell helped pre-historic men track and hunt wild animals.

Q2. Statement: The objects used by the early man are excavated. They are preserved to know the lifestyle of the people.

(a) Museum ✓
(b) Archive
(c) Library
(d) Laboratory

Excavated objects are preserved in museums so that people can study and understand the lifestyle of early humans.

Q3. Find out the wrong pair:

Answer

(a) Rock paintings — To understand lifestyle
(b) Written records — Copper plates
(c) Ashoka — The most famous king
(d) Cats — First domesticated ✓ (this is the WRONG pair)

The dog was the first domesticated animal, not cats. Cats were domesticated much later.

Q4. Find the odd one out:

Answer

(a) Hunting
(b) Painting
(c) Gathering
(d) The paintings were painted by using many colours ✓ (this is the ODD one)

Options (a), (b), and (c) are activities of early humans. Using many colours is not an activity but a description of how paintings were made.

III. Fill in the Blanks

1. The Old Stone Age man lived mostly in caves. 2. Herodotus is the father of history. 3. Dog was the first animal tamed by Old Stone Age man. 4. Inscriptions are archaeological sources. 5. Dharma Chakra has 24 spokes. 6. The word "History" is derived from the Greek word "Istoria". 7. BCE stands for Before Common Era. 8. CE stands for Common Era. 9. The study of inscriptions is called Epigraphy. 10. The study of coins is called Numismatics.

IV. State True or False

1. Stone tools belonging to Old Stone Age have been excavated at Athirampakkam near Chennai.

AnswerTrue ✓ — Athirampakkam is one of the important pre-historic sites in Tamil Nadu.

2. The materials used by the ancient people are preserved in the museums by the Archaeological Department.

AnswerTrue ✓ — The Archaeological Survey of India preserves ancient artifacts in museums across the country.

3. During the period of Ashoka, Buddhism spread across the country.

AnswerTrue ✓ — Emperor Ashoka played a major role in spreading Buddhism throughout India and beyond.

4. The earliest form of writing was developed by the Chinese.

AnswerFalse ✗ — The earliest form of writing (cuneiform) was developed by the Sumerians in Mesopotamia, not the Chinese.

5. Pre-historic period had written records.

AnswerFalse ✗ — The pre-historic period is defined as the time before writing systems were invented, so there are no written records.

V. Match the Following

Column A		Column B
a. Rock paintings	→	(iv) To understand the lifestyle
b. Written records	→	(i) Copper plates
c. Ashoka	→	(ii) The most famous king
d. Religious Literature	→	(iii) Devaram

Explanations: - Rock paintings depict daily life, hunting, and rituals, helping us understand lifestyle. - Written records include copper plate inscriptions that document grants and events. - Ashoka the Great is considered one of the most famous kings in Indian history. - Devaram is a collection of Tamil Saiva devotional hymns — an example of religious literature.

VI. Answer in One Word or Two

Q1. Two advantages of writing a diary: → (1) Source of information (2) Record of past events

Q2. How do we know the lifestyle of the Old Stone Age? → From stone tools, rock paintings, fossils, and other excavated materials.

Q3. Is inscription a written record? → Yes, inscription is a written record.

Q4. What is proto history? → The period between pre-history and history.

Q5. Name an epic: → Ramayana (or Mahabharata / Manimegalai)

Q6. Who is the father of history? → Herodotus

Q7. What does "Istoria" mean? → Learning by enquiry

Q8. Name two literary sources: → Religious literature (epics, Puranas) and Secular literature (court chronicles, travelogues)

VII. Short Answer Questions

Q1. What is history?

Answer

History is the study of past events in chronological order. The term "History" is derived from the Greek word "Istoria" meaning "learning by enquiry." History helps us understand how societies developed, what people did in the past, and how their actions shape our present.

Q2. What do you know about the pre-historic period?

Answer

The period between the use of the first stone tools and the invention of writing systems is called the pre-historic period. During this long era, humans lived as hunter-gatherers, used stone tools, painted on cave walls, and gradually learned to domesticate animals. Since there were no written records, we learn about this period mainly through archaeological evidence such as stone tools, fossils, and rock paintings.

Q3. What are the sources available to know about the pre-historic period?

Answer

The main sources are: 1. Stone tools — used for hunting, cutting, and digging 2. Excavated materials — pottery, ornaments, and everyday objects 3. Rock paintings — depicting hunting scenes, animals, and daily life 4. Fossils — remains of plants, animals, and humans 5. Potteries, toys, coins, and ornaments — revealing craftsmanship and trade

Q4. Mention the places from where we got pre-historic tools:

Answer

1. Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu) 2. Athirampakkam (near Chennai, Tamil Nadu) 3. Brahmagiri (Karnataka) 4. Hallur (Karnataka) 5. Lothal (Gujarat) 6. Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh)

Q5. What are the benefits of a museum?

Answer

1. Objects used by early humans are preserved in museums for future generations. 2. They help us understand the lifestyle and culture of past peoples. 3. Museums expose students to new ideas and stimulate curiosity. 4. They serve as caretakers of history, protecting artifacts from damage and loss. 5. They provide visual learning experiences that textbooks alone cannot offer.

Q6. Name some tools used by early man to hunt animals:

Answer

1. Weapons made of stones 2. Bones of animals 3. Horns of animals 4. Weapons made from branches of trees 5. Flint tools (chikki-mukki kal)

Q7. Why were paintings drawn on rocks?

Answer

1. Early humans wished to record their activities — hunting, dancing, gathering — through rock paintings. 2. Painting was also a part of their pastime and creative expression. 3. These paintings served as a form of communication before writing was invented. 4. They help modern historians understand the daily life, beliefs, and artistic skills of pre-historic people.

Q8. Name any two artifacts:

Answer

1. Toys 2. Ornaments 3. Pottery 4. Coins

VIII. Detailed Answer Questions (HOTS)

Q1. How were dogs useful to pre-historic men?

Answer

Dogs helped prevent the entry of wild animals into their caves by barking and alerting the group.
With their keen sniffing power, dogs helped in tracking and hunting wild animals.
Dogs provided companionship and a sense of security for early humans.
They helped in guarding the settlement and herding other domesticated animals.

Q2. Compare the lifestyle of Old Stone Age man with present-day lifestyle:

Answer

Aspect	Old Stone Age	Present Day
Shelter	Lived in caves and open spaces	Live in well-built houses and apartments
Food	Hunted animals and gathered fruits	Buy food from shops; cook with modern appliances
Safety	Unsafe environment; threat from wild animals	Safe and secure environment
Clothing	Wore hides of animals, barks, and leaves	Wear clothes made of cotton, silk, and synthetic fabrics
Communication	Rock paintings and gestures	Language, writing, phones, and the internet
Tools	Stone tools, bones, and horns	Advanced machines and technology
Transport	Walked or used animals	Cars, trains, aeroplanes
Health	No medical facilities	Advanced hospitals and medicines

IX. Student Activity — Identify the Category of Sources

1. Urns excavated from Adichanallur → Artifact (Archaeological source) 2. Copper plates of Velvikudi → Inscriptions (Archaeological source) 3. Mahabharata → Religious Literature (Literary source) 4. Sanchi Stupa → Monument (Archaeological source) 5. Pattinappaalai → Literary source (Secular literature) 6. Earthenwares from Keezhadi → Artifact (Archaeological source) 7. Toys of Indus Civilisation → Artifact (Archaeological source) 8. Big Temple of Thanjavur → Monument (Archaeological source)

XI. Answer Grid

Clue	Answer
Early men scribbled and painted on ___	Rock
Two archaeological sources	Inscriptions, Monuments
Types of literary sources	Religious literature and Secular literature
BCE stands for	Before Common Era
"Istoria" means	Learning by enquiry
CE stands for	Common Era
Study of inscriptions is called	Epigraphy
Study of coins is called	Numismatics
I can help you talk, see, hear, write, and read	Language

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing "history" with "pre-history" — Pre-history is the period BEFORE writing was invented; history begins with written records. 2. Saying "cats" were the first domesticated animal — The dog was the first animal domesticated by early humans. 3. Thinking archaeological sources are only coins and monuments — Artifacts, pottery, tools, toys, urns, and bones are also archaeological sources. 4. Confusing literary and archaeological sources — Literary sources include epics, chronicles, and religious texts; archaeological sources include inscriptions, coins, monuments, and excavated objects. 5. Writing "Istoria" means "history" — It actually means "learning by enquiry." 6. Confusing BCE/CE with BC/AD — BCE = Before Common Era (replaces BC); CE = Common Era (replaces AD). The meaning is the same but the terms are more inclusive. 7. Forgetting that rock paintings are archaeological sources — Even though they depict scenes, they are classified as archaeological, not literary sources.

Exam Checklist

[ ] Can define history and explain the meaning of "Istoria"
[ ] Can list and classify sources of history (literary vs. archaeological)
[ ] Know the difference between pre-history, proto history, and history
[ ] Can explain why Herodotus is called the "father of history"
[ ] Can name key pre-historic sites (Athirampakkam, Adichanallur, Bhimbetka, Lothal, etc.)
[ ] Understand the significance of rock paintings as sources
[ ] Can explain the role of museums in preserving history
[ ] Know what epigraphy and numismatics study
[ ] Can compare Old Stone Age life with modern life
[ ] Can identify source categories (archaeological vs. literary) for given examples
[ ] Remember: Dharma Chakra has 24 spokes; Dog was first domesticated animal

Frequently Asked Questions

History is the study of past events in chronological order. The word comes from the Greek 'Istoria' meaning 'learning by enquiry'.