NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History

Timeline and Sources of History is Chapter 4 of the Class 6 Social Science textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond. The chapter explains how historians understand the past, how historical time is measured, and how different sources help reconstruct events and ways of life.

The chapter introduces timelines, BCE, CE, decades, centuries and millenniums. It also explains the work of geologists, palaeontologists, anthropologists and archaeologists and introduces different kinds of historical sources. The final part looks at early humans, their way of life and the beginning of agriculture.

Below are the Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 questions and answers, arranged in the same order as the chapter activities and exercises.

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Questions and Answers

The Big Questions

1. How do we measure historical time?

Answer: Historical time can be measured using years, decades, centuries and millenniums. Calendars and timelines help us record dates and understand when events happened in relation to one another.

2. How can various sources help us understand history?

Answer: Sources provide information about people, events and life in the past. They may include objects, buildings, inscriptions, written records, photographs, oral accounts and other evidence. Historians compare information from different sources to reconstruct and interpret the past.

3. How did early humans live?

Answer: Early humans lived in groups and depended mainly on hunting and gathering for food. They used rock shelters and caves, made stone tools, used fire and created rock paintings. Over time, some human communities began settling down, growing crops and domesticating animals.

How Do We Learn About the Past?

Think About It

What is the earliest memory you can recollect? Do you remember how old you were at that time? How do you think understanding the past will help us understand the present world?

Answer: This is a personal-response question. Students should write about their own earliest memory and the age at which it happened.

Understanding the past helps us see how people, societies and ways of life have changed over time. It also helps us understand how the present has developed.

How Is Time Measured in History?

History uses different ways of recording and organising time. The Gregorian calendar is widely used, while other calendars are also followed for different cultural and religious purposes. The chapter introduces CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before Common Era) for historical dates.

BCE and CE

• BCE means Before Common Era.

• CE means Common Era.

• BCE dates become smaller as they move towards 1 BCE.

• CE dates increase from 1 CE onwards.

For example, 560 BCE happened earlier than 100 BCE, while 100 CE happened earlier than 500 CE.

What is a Timeline?

A timeline is a way of showing dates and events in chronological order.

It helps students see:

• which event happened earlier

• which event happened later

• how much time separates events

• how historical events relate to one another

The NCERT chapter uses a timeline to place important events in sequence.

LET'S EXPLORE: BCE and CE

The Gregorian calendar has no year zero. What happens between 2 BCE and 2 CE?

Answer:

There is no year zero in the Gregorian calendar. 1 BCE is followed immediately by 1 CE.

So the sequence is:

2 BCE → 1 BCE → 1 CE → 2 CE

Only three years separate 2 BCE and 2 CE.

Therefore:

2 + 2 − 1 = 3 years

Formula

When calculating the number of years between a BCE date and a CE date:

BCE year + CE year − 1 = number of years

For example:

560 + 2024 − 1 = 2,583 years

So, using the textbook's 2024 CE example, 560 BCE was approximately 2,583 years ago.

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Notes

Decade, Century and Millennium

What is a decade?

A decade is a period of 10 years.

What is a century?

A century is a period of 100 years.

For example:

• 1st century CE = 1 CE to 100 CE

• 20th century CE = 1901 CE to 2000 CE

• 21st century CE = 2001 CE to 2100 CE

What is a millennium?

A millennium is a period of 1,000 years.

The 3rd millennium CE began in 2001 CE and ends in 3000 CE.

LET'S EXPLORE: Create a Family Timeline

Create a timeline from 1900 CE to the current year and mark the birth years of your grandparents, parents, siblings and yourself.

Answer: This is an activity based on your own family information.

Follow these steps:

1. Draw a horizontal line.

2. Mark 1900 CE at the beginning.

3. Continue the timeline up to the current year.

4. Mark the birth years of your grandparents, parents, siblings and yourself.

5. Mark the beginning and end of the 20th century.

The 20th century CE began in 1901 CE and ended in 2000 CE.

Do not copy another student's family dates. Use the actual dates from your family.

How Calendars Help Us Understand Time

Different societies have used different calendars to measure time. The chapter notes that the Gregorian calendar is widely used today, while Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Chinese and other calendars are also used.

Indian calendars have traditionally used observations of the Sun and Moon. A pañchānga records dates and astronomical information and is also used for festivals and other occasions.

Sources of History Class 6

A source of history is a place, person, text or object from which we obtain information about a past event or period.

Sources help historians reconstruct the past. A single source may not provide the complete picture, so historians compare information from different sources. Sometimes sources support each other; sometimes they provide different or contradictory information.

Examples of Sources of History

Sources may include:

• Coins

• Inscriptions

• Tools

• Pottery

• Jewellery

• Buildings and monuments

• Manuscripts and other written records

• Photographs

• Newspapers

• Oral accounts

• Archaeological remains

• Scientific evidence

The type of source used depends on the period and question being studied.

LET'S EXPLORE: Family History

Collect information about at least three generations of your family.

Answer: This is a project activity, so the names, occupations and places will be different for every student.

You can use the following format:

Possible sources include family members, photographs, diaries, documents, old records and other objects kept by the family.

Think About It: What Can Old Objects Tell Us?

Have you seen old coins, books, clothes, jewellery or utensils? What information can we get from them?

Answer: Old objects can provide information about the lives of people in the past.

For example:

• Coins can provide information about rulers, dates and systems of money.

• Clothes and jewellery can provide information about dress and craftsmanship.

• Utensils can tell us about food preparation and everyday life.

• Old buildings can provide information about construction methods, materials and the people who used them.

Historians compare such evidence with other sources because one object alone may not tell the complete story.

Who Studies the Past?

Different specialists study different aspects of the Earth and human past.

Geologists

Geologists study the physical features of the Earth, including rocks, soil, mountains, rivers and other natural features.

Palaeontologists

Palaeontologists study fossils and the remains of plants, animals and humans from the distant past.

Anthropologists

Anthropologists study human societies and cultures.

Archaeologists

Archaeologists study the past through physical remains such as tools, pots, beads, figurines, bones, burnt grains, bricks and parts of buildings.

Epigraphists

Epigraphists study ancient inscriptions.

Historians may use the work of these specialists along with written, oral, archaeological and scientific evidence to understand the past.

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Short Question Answer

What is history?

Answer: History is the study of the human past.

What is a timeline?

Answer: A timeline is a way of showing dates and events in chronological order.

What does BCE stand for?

Answer: BCE stands for Before Common Era.

What does CE stand for?

Answer: CE stands for Common Era.

What is a decade?

Answer: A decade is a period of 10 years.

What is a century?

Answer: A century is a period of 100 years.

What is a millennium?

Answer: A millennium is a period of 1,000 years.

What is a source of history?

Answer: A source of history is a place, person, text or object from which information about the past can be obtained.

Who studies ancient inscriptions?

Answer: An epigraphist studies ancient inscriptions.

Who studies fossils?

Answer: A palaeontologist studies fossils.

Who studies human societies and cultures?

Answer: An anthropologist studies human societies and cultures.

Who studies archaeological remains?

Answer: An archaeologist studies remains such as tools, pottery, bones, beads and parts of buildings.

The Beginnings of Human History

Modern humans, or Homo sapiens, have existed for about 300,000 years. This is only a small part of the much longer history of the Earth.

Early humans mainly lived in groups and depended on hunting and gathering for food. They used temporary camps, rock shelters and caves.

They also:

• used fire

• made stone tools

• hunted animals

• gathered edible plants and fruits

• created rock paintings

• made simple ornaments

• worked together in groups

Rock paintings provide evidence about some aspects of early human life.

LET'S EXPLORE: Early Humans in a Rock Shelter

Which activities of early humans can you recognise?

Answer: Depending on the activities shown in the textbook image, students may identify:

• Hunting

• Gathering food

• Making and using tools

• Using fire

• Preparing food

• Living in or around rock shelters

• Making rock paintings

• Making simple ornaments

The textbook explains that early humans were mainly hunters and gatherers and used tools, fire and rock shelters.

The First Crops

After the last Ice Age, living conditions changed in many parts of the world. Some human communities gradually began settling down, cultivating cereals and grains and domesticating animals such as cattle and goats.

Settlements often developed near rivers because rivers provided water and the surrounding soil could be fertile.

As communities grew, villages and eventually towns developed in some areas. People also developed technologies such as pottery and metalworking.

LET'S EXPLORE: Early Agricultural Community

Observe the picture and list the main activities.

Answer: The activities visible in the textbook illustration may include:

• Growing crops

• Harvesting

• Caring for domesticated animals

• Preparing food

• Making or using tools

• Living in settled communities

• Making pottery or other objects

The exact activities should be identified from the illustration given in the textbook.

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Extra Questions and Answers

1. Why is a timeline useful in history?

Answer: A timeline places dates and events in chronological order. It helps us understand which events happened earlier or later and how they relate to one another.

2. Why do historians use different sources?

Answer: Different sources provide different kinds of information. Comparing several sources can give historians a clearer understanding of the past.

3. Why should historians compare sources?

Answer: A single source may provide only part of the information. Different sources may confirm one another or give different information, so historians compare them before reaching an interpretation.

4. What is the difference between BCE and CE?

Answer: BCE refers to years before the Common Era, while CE refers to years in the Common Era. BCE dates count backwards towards 1 BCE, followed by 1 CE.

5. What is the difference between a decade, century and millennium?

Answer:

• Decade = 10 years

• Century = 100 years

• Millennium = 1,000 years

6. What can archaeological remains tell us?

Answer: Archaeological remains such as tools, pottery, bones, beads and building remains can provide information about how people lived in the past.

7. Why are old buildings useful sources of history?

Answer: Old buildings can provide information about architecture, construction materials, technology and the people or communities associated with them.

8. How did early humans obtain food?

Answer: Early humans mainly obtained food through hunting animals and gathering edible plants and fruits.

9. Why did some early communities settle near rivers?

Answer: Rivers provided water, and nearby areas could have fertile soil that supported agriculture.

10. How did early human communities change over time?

Answer: Some communities gradually moved from a mainly hunting-and-gathering way of life towards settled agriculture and animal domestication. Settlements grew, and new technologies such as pottery and metalworking developed.

Questions, Activities and Projects

Answer: This is a project activity and should be based on your own family or village.

You can collect information from:

• Family members

• Old photographs

• Diaries

• Documents

• Letters

• Objects kept by the family

• Village records

• Other reliable local sources

Arrange the information in chronological order and mention the source used for each important detail.

2. Can we compare historians to detectives? Give reasons.

Answer: Yes, historians and detectives can be compared in one important way. Both collect and examine evidence to understand something that is not immediately known.

A detective uses clues to investigate an event. Similarly, a historian studies different sources to reconstruct and interpret events from the past.

However, historical evidence may be incomplete or may provide different accounts, so historians must compare and evaluate sources carefully.

3. A few exercises with dates

(a) Place these dates chronologically:

• 323 CE

• 323 BCE

• 100 CE

• 100 BCE

• 1900 BCE

• 1090 CE

• 2024 CE

Answer:

The correct chronological order is:

1900 BCE → 323 BCE → 100 BCE → 100 CE → 323 CE → 1090 CE → 2024 CE

(b) If King Chandragupta was born in 320 CE, which century did he belong to? How many years was that after the Buddha's birth?

Answer:

320 CE falls in the 4th century CE because the 4th century runs from 301 CE to 400 CE.

The chapter uses 560 BCE as the approximate year of the Buddha's birth.

Using the BCE-to-CE calculation:

560 + 320 − 1 = 879 years

Therefore, according to the dates used in the textbook, Chandragupta was born 879 years after the Buddha's birth.

(c) Rani of Jhansi was born in 1828. Which century did she belong to? How many years was that before India's Independence?

Answer:

1828 falls in the 19th century CE because the 19th century runs from 1801 CE to 1900 CE.

India became independent in 1947.

1947 − 1828 = 119 years

Therefore, Rani of Jhansi was born 119 years before India's Independence.

(d) Turn "12,000 years ago" into a date.

Answer:

The textbook uses 2024 CE for this example.

Because the calculation crosses from CE into BCE and there is no year zero:

12,000 − 2024 + 1 = 9,977

Therefore, using the textbook's reference year, 12,000 years ago is approximately 9977 BCE.

4. Plan a visit to a nearby museum.

Answer: This is a project activity. Before visiting the museum, find out what kinds of historical objects or exhibits it contains.

During the visit, note:

• Name of the museum

• Date of the visit

• Important objects you observed

• Approximate period of the objects

• Materials used

• Information given on the display

• One object you found particularly interesting

After the visit, write a short report using your notes.

5. Invite an archaeologist or historian to your school.

Answer: This is a classroom activity.

Students can invite a historian or archaeologist to speak about:

• The history of the local region

• Sources used to study that history

• Archaeological sites in the area

• Important historical objects or buildings

• Why local history is worth studying

Students can prepare questions beforehand and make notes during the talk.

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Worksheet

A. Fill in the blanks

1. A period of 10 years is called a __________.

2. A period of 100 years is called a __________.

3. A period of 1,000 years is called a __________.

4. BCE stands for __________.

5. CE stands for __________.

6. The study of the human past is called __________.

7. A person who studies ancient inscriptions is called an __________.

8. A person who studies fossils is called a __________.

Answers

1. Decade

2. Century

3. Millennium

4. Before Common Era

5. Common Era

6. History

7. Epigraphist

8. Palaeontologist

B. Arrange the dates in chronological order

500 BCE, 200 CE, 1000 BCE, 50 BCE, 700 CE

Answer:

1000 BCE → 500 BCE → 50 BCE → 200 CE → 700 CE

C. True or False

1. A century contains 100 years.

Answer: True

2. A millennium contains 100 years.

Answer: False

A millennium contains 1,000 years.

3. There is a year zero between 1 BCE and 1 CE.

Answer: False

1 BCE is followed directly by 1 CE.

4. Archaeologists study physical remains from the past.

Answer: True

5. Early humans depended mainly on hunting and gathering for food.

Answer: True

Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 Quick Revision

Historical time

Historical time is organised using years, decades, centuries and millenniums.

Timeline

A timeline shows dates and events in chronological order.

BCE

BCE means Before Common Era.

CE

CE means Common Era.

Decade

A decade = 10 years.

Century

A century = 100 years.

Millennium

A millennium = 1,000 years.

Source of history

A source of history provides information about the past.

Archaeologist

An archaeologist studies physical remains from the past.

Palaeontologist

A palaeontologist studies fossils.

Anthropologist

An anthropologist studies human societies and cultures.

Epigraphist

An epigraphist studies ancient inscriptions.