NCERT Solutions for Class 6 History Chapter 8 Vital Villages, Thriving Towns

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 8 Vital Villages, Thriving Towns contains the answers to the exercise questions. These solutions are easy and accurate that helps with the questions asked in the examinations. The Class 6 History Chapter 8 solution covers all the questions of the chapter in detail. These solutions are prepared by our subject experts in very easy language. All our Class 6 NCERT solutions are updated as per the latest CBSE Syllabus and Guidelines.

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 8

Question 1: Fill in the blanks:

(a) _____________ was a word used for large landowners in Tamil.

(b) The gramabhojaka often got his land cultivated by the ____________.

(d) Most grihapatis were ___________landowners.

Answer:
(a) Vellalar
(b) Slaves and workers.
(c) Uzhavar
(d) Smaller

Question 2: Describe the functions of the grambhojka. Why do you think he was powerful?

Answer: Gramabhojaka was the village headman. His post was hereditary. The king used him to collect taxes from the village. He also functioned as a judge, and sometimes as a policeman.

He was considered powerful because he was the largest landowner. He had slaves and hired workers to cultivate the land.

Question 3: List the crafts persons who would have been present in both villages and cities

Answer: Craftsmen such as blacksmith, weavers, carpenters and potters were present in both villages and cities. They played a crucial role in providing goods and services that ensured the smooth functioning of any settlement.

Question 4: Choose the correct answer:

(a) Ring wells were used for:
1. Bathing
2. Washing clothes
3. Irrigation
4. drainage

Answer: 4. drainage

(b) Punch marked coins were made of:
1. Silver
2. Gold
3. Tin
4. Ivory

Answer: 1. Silver

Answer: 3. Religious centre

(d) Shrenis were associations of:
1. Rulers
2. Craftspersons
3. Farmers
4. Herders

Answer: 2. Craftspersons

Question 5: Which of the iron tools shown on page 79 (of the NCERT textbook) would have been important for agriculture? What would the other tools have been used for?

Answer: The iron tools on page 79 are tongs, axes and sickle as shown in the picture below respectively. Of these, sickle would have been used for agriculture, axe would have been important for chopping trees and to gather firewood and tongs would have been used by a blacksmith for making tools from hot iron.

Question 6: Compare the drainage system in your locality with that of the cities mentioned in the lesson. What similarities and differences do you notice?

Answer: The drainage system in our locality is highly developed. We have an underground drainage system in which the bathrooms, toilets, and kitchens are connected to the main drains outside the houses.

If we talk about the ancient times, the archaeologists have found rows of pots, or ceramic rings arranged one on top of the other in many cities. These were known as ring wells. These seem to have been used as toilets in some cases, and as drains and garbage dumps. These ring wells were usually found in individual houses.

Similarities: The drainage system in our localities is well-planned. The same system was adopted in the cities mentioned in the lesson.

Differences: Today’s modern drainage systems are made of durable materials like concrete, PVC pipes and metals. The drainage in ancient times was made out of wood, mud bricks and thatch that was not durable and could not survive for long.

Question 7: If you have seen craftspersons at work, describe in a short paragraph what they do. (Hint: how do they get the raw materials, what kind of equipment do they use, how do they work, what happens to the finished product)

Answer: I have seen craftspeople like cobblers and carpenters in the cities and villages. Cobblers are a common sight and one could be found sitting at almost every corner in the city. They mend shoes by stitching the torn leather or pasting the flapping sole. In villages, they produce handmade shoes and slippers from leather to sell them locally or in urban markets for a good price.

Question 8: List (he Junctions performed by men and women who live in your city and village. In what ways are these similar to those performed by people who lived in Mathura? In what ways are they different?

Answer: In our city (or in our village) different types of functions such as domestic, officials, related with government posts or departments are performed by men and women as their daily routine.

Mathura. It was (and even today) an important religious city about 2500 years ago. It was also important because this city was located at the two main trade and travel routes. The city is known for several temples and shrines. Farmers and herders from adjoining areas provided food items etc. to the citizens who lived in the city.

Similar. In our city or village, people work as traders or merchants or farmers, as the men of the old city of Mathura performed. The women did a lot of work at home as the domestic wives or ladies perform in modem cities and villages.

Differences. People in Mathura did work for the kings and their family-members but now in cities or villages people do work to meet their daily needs or expenses.

Extra Questions

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1: Where were some of the largest collections of iron tools found?
Answer: These were found in the megalithic burials,

Question 2: What was the use of iron tools?
Answer: Iron tools were used for clearing forests.

Question 3: What did irrigation works include?
Answer: Irrigation works included canals, wells, tanks and artificial lakes,

Question 4: Mention any one function that was performed by the grama bhojaka
Answer: The grama bhojaka collected taxes from the village for the king.

Question 5: How did the dasa karmakara earn a living?
Answer: They used to work on the fields owned by others.

Question 6: What do you know about Jatakas?
Answer: Jatakas were stories composed by ordinary people and preserved by Buddhist monks.

Question 7: What were ring wells?
Answer: Rows of pots or ceramic rings arranged one on top of the other came to be known as ring wells.

Question 8: How did people use ring wells?
Answer: People used ring wells as toilets. They also used them as drains and garbage dumps.

Question 9: How does wealth measured during early times?
Answer: Wealth was measured in terms of coins during early times.

Question 10: What do you know about punch-marked coins?
Answer: The earliest coins were punch-marked coins, they came to be known like this because the designs were punched on to the metal like silver or copper.

Question 11 How can you say that Mathura was a religious place?
Answer: One could find Buddhist monasteries and Jaina shrines in Mathura. Mathura was also a place where Lord Krishna was worshipped by the people.

Question 12: Mention the occupations of people who lived in Mathura
Answer: Goldsmiths, blacksmiths, weavers, basket makers, garland makers, and perfumers.

Question 13: Why were Varanasi and Madurai famous?

Answer: Varanasi and Madurai were famous for the manufacture of cloth.

Question 14: What do you know about Arikamedu?
Answer: Between 2200 and 1900 years ago Aricamedu was a coastal settlement where ships unloaded goods from distant lands.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1: What steps were taken to increase agricultural production? [V. Imp.]

Answer: Iron tools such as axes and iron ploughshare began to be used. Axes were used for clearing forests and the ploughshare was useful for increasing agricultural production. Apart from these new tools, irrigation was also used for this purpose. Irrigation works that were built during this time included canals, wells, tanks, and artificial lakes.

Question 2: Who was the grama bhojaka? Write about him in brief.

Answer: The grama bhojaka was the village headman in the northern part of the country. His post was hereditary. He was the largest landowner in the village who kept slaves and hired workers to cultivate the land. He collected taxes from the village for the king. He also functioned as a judge and sometimes as a policeman

Question 3: What do you know about Sangam literature? [V. Imp.]

Answer: Some of the earliest works in Tamil came to be known as Sangam literature. These earliest works were composed around 2300 years ago. These texts were called Sangam because they were supposed to have been composed and compiled in assemblies of poets. These assemblies were known as Sangams. They were held in the city of Madurai.

Question 4: What kind of information do we get from several inscriptions found in Mathura?

Answer: The inscriptions found in Mathura record gifts made by men and women to monasteries and shrines. These were made by kings and queens, officers, merchants and craftspeople who lived the city. The inscriptions from Mathura make us aware that people were engaged in several occupations such as— weaving, basket making, garland making etc. There were also goldsmiths and blacksmiths.

Question 5: What were shrenis? What functions did shrenis of crafts persons perform?[Imp.]

Answer: Shrenis were associations of craftspersons and merchants. The shrenis of crafts persons performed various functions. They provided training, procured raw material, and distributed the finished product. Then came shrenis of merchants who organised the trade. Shrenis also performed the role of banks where rich men and women deposited money.

Question 6: Write a short note on Arikamedu.

Answer: Arikamedu, located in Pondicherry, was a coastal settlement between 2200 and 1900 years ago. It was a place where ships unloaded goods from distant lands. A massive brick structure which is supposed to be a warehouse was found at the site. Other discoveries include pottery from the Mediterranean region. For example, amphorae which were tall double-handled jars that contained liquids and stamped red-glued pottery, known as Arretine Ware. It was named after a city in Italy.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

Question 1: Describe several ways of finding out about early cities. [V. Imp.]

Answer: Several ways of finding out about early cities include Jatakas, sculpture, archaeology and travellers. Jatakas were stories composed by ordinary people and preserved by Buddhist monks. Sculptures carved scenes depicting peoples’ lives in towns and villages as well as in the forest. Many of these sculptures were used to decorate railings, pillars and gateways of buildings that were visited by people.

In many cities, archaeologists have found rows of pots or ceramic rings arranged one on top of the other. These are known as ring wells, which were used as toilets and as drains and garbage dumps. These ring wells are usually found in individual houses. The accounts of sailors and travellers also help us to know about early cities. One of the most detailed accounts that has been found was by an unknown Greek Sailor. He described all the ports he visited.

Question 2: Mathura was a city with many Junctions. Explain. [V. Imp.]

Answer: Mathura has been an important city for more than 2500 years. It was important for various reasons.
It was located at the crossroads of two major routes of travel and trade – from the northwest to the east and from north to south.

There were fortifications around the city and several shrines. Farmers and herders from adjoining areas provided food for the city people.
Mathura was also a centre where some extremely find sculpture was produced.
Around 2000 years ago, Mathura became the second capital of the Kushanas.
Mathura was a religious centre also. There were Buddhist monasteries and Jaina shrines. It was also an important centre for the worship of Lord Krishna.

Class 6 History Chapter 8 NCERT Questions and Answers

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