*

3. During which age did early people use tools known as Microliths?

* Answer: (b) Mesolithic Period

* Context: "Microliths" are tiny, sharp stone tools ranging from 1 to 5 cm in length.
During the Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), humans hafted these small stone blades onto
wooden or bone handles to make spears, arrows, and saws.

4. Consider the statements on the Palaeolithic Age:

* Statements:

* I. The Palaeolithic period is about 2 million years ago and lasted about 10,000 BCE.
(Correct)

* II. The Palaeolithic Period is also known as the Old Stone Age. (Correct)

* III. Domestication of dogs began in the Palaeolithic Age. (Incorrect — Although the
initial evolutionary taming process began in the late Palaeolithic, widespread domestic
utility and breeding are characteristic of the Mesolithic Age.)

* Correct Option: (a) I and II

Section B: Fill in the Blanks

1. The Palaeolithic period began about 2 million years ago.

* Note: This period covers roughly 99% of human history and ends with the retreat of
the glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age around $10,000\text{ BCE}$.

Section C: Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Name the periods in which the Stone Age is divided.
The Stone Age is divided into three major periods:

1. Palaeolithic Period (Old Stone Age)

2. Mesolithic Period (Middle Stone Age)

3. Neolithic Period (New Stone Age)

2. Why is Bhimbetka famous?

* Answer: Bhimbetka (located in the Vindhyan range of Madhya Pradesh, India) is a

UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its prehistoric rock shelters and vibrant
cave paintings.

* Details: These caves contain paintings dating from the Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic
periods. The drawings depict wild animals (bison, tigers, elephants), hunting scenes,
dances, and daily activities, providing invaluable archaeological evidence of the
lifestyle and artistic mindsets of early humans.

Section D: Short Answer Type Questions

1. How did the early man discover fire?
* Answer: The discovery of fire was likely accidental. Early humans might have
witnessed natural forest fires caused by lightning. Eventually, they learned to produce
fire themselves by striking two flint stones together, which produced sparks that
ignited dry leaves or twigs.

* Significance: Fire revolutionized human life. It was used to:

* Provide warmth during cold winters.

* Keep dangerous wild predators away from shelters.

* Cook meat, which eliminated harmful parasites, made digestion much easier, and
freed up biological energy that scientists believe directly fueled human brain growth.

* Act as a source of light during the night.

2. How did the invention of the wheel benefit early man?

* Answer: The invention of the wheel in the Neolithic period was a milestone in human
progress. It benefited early humans in several key ways:

* Transportation: Carts fitted with wheels made it easy to transport heavy loads and
travel long distances with minimal effort.

* Pottery Making: The potter's wheel allowed humans to manufacture uniform, durable
clay pots in large quantities for cooking and storing food.

* Agriculture: It facilitated the movement of harvested crops from agricultural fields to

settlements.

Section E: Long Answer Type Questions

1. Differentiate between the Palaeolithic Period and the Mesolithic Period.
Feature
Palaeolithic Period (Old Stone Age)
Mesolithic Period (Middle Stone Age)
Chronology
From approx. 2 million years ago to $10,000\text{ BCE}$.
From approx. $10,000\text{ BCE}$ to $8,000\text{ BCE}$.
Climate
Dominated by the Ice Age; extremely cold and dry.
Transition to the Holocene; warmer and wetter climate with lush grasslands.
Tools
Large, heavy, crude, unpolished tools (hand-axes, scrapers, cleavers).
Tiny, delicate, sharp, and highly efficient tools called Microliths (spearheads, arrows).
Lifestyle
Nomadic hunter-gatherers; lived in caves or simple leaf shelters.
Semi-nomadic; began fishing, taming animals, and settling near water sources.
2. Differentiate between the Mesolithic Period and the Neolithic Period.
Feature
Mesolithic Period (Middle Stone Age)
Neolithic Period (New Stone Age)
Primary Economy
Food gathering, hunting, fishing, and early animal taming.
Food producing (agriculture) and systematic animal husbandry.
Settlement Pattern
Semi-nomadic; temporary encampments near rivers and lakes.
Sedentary lifestyle; permanent villages with houses made of mud-brick or
wattle-and-daub.
Stone Tools
Microliths (small flakes mounted on shafts).
Polished and ground stone tools (axes, adzes, chisels) with fine cutting edges.
Inventions
Bow and arrow, basic canoes.
The wheel, advanced pottery, and the loom (weaving cloth).
3. Bring out the main features of the Neolithic Revolution.
The term "Neolithic Revolution" (coined by archaeologist V. Gordon Childe) describes
the profound transition of human societies from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled,
agricultural communities.

* Key Features:

1. Beginning of Agriculture: Humans shifted from gathering wild food to planting and
cultivating crops like wheat, barley, and rice.

2. Domestication of Animals: Animals (sheep, goats, cattle, pigs) were systematically

bred for milk, meat, wool, and heavy agricultural labor.

3. Settled Life: The constant need to look after crops required humans to build
permanent dwellings, creating the first village communities.

4. Tool Specialization: Tools were polished to a high sheen, making them stronger and
sharper. Specialized tools like mortars and pestles were developed to grind grain.

5. Craft Specialization: With food surpluses, individuals could specialize in crafts like
pottery (to store and cook grains) and weaving (using wool and cotton).

Section F: Assertion-Reason & Case-Based Questions

Assertion-Reason Question

* Assertion (A): Early man used stone tools.

* Reason (R): It is therefore called as the Stone Age.

* Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

* Explanation: The primary technology used by early humans for hunting and survival
was stone-based, which is the defining characteristic that led historians to term this era
the "Stone Age."

Case-Based Question

* Context Passage: Read about how Neolithic tools differed from Palaeolithic tools
(polished edges, mortars, pestles, use of bone, etc.).

* Question: How were the Neolithic tools different?

* Answer: Neolithic tools were different because they were highly polished and ground
to create a sharp, fine cutting edge. They were highly specialized and included new
implements like mortars and pestles designed specifically for grinding agricultural
grains. Additionally, they were often smaller, more efficient, and complemented by
polished bone tools.

Part 2: Worksheet II — Bronze Age Civilizations

As metals were discovered, the Stone Age transitioned into the Metal Ages. The Bronze
Age is characterized by the rise of urban civilizations, written scripts, and the alloy of
copper and tin (bronze).
Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) — Explanations & Answers
1. Identify the facts about town planning of the Harappan civilization:

* Statements:

* P: The upper town was built on a raised ground. (True — This was the Citadel, built on
a mud-brick platform to prevent flooding and offer defense).

* Q: Most of the buildings were five or six storeyed. (False — Houses were typically one
or two storeys high).

* R: All the buildings were built of burnt bricks. (True — Standardized, high-quality
baked/burnt bricks were used for construction).

* S: The ruling class lived at lower town. (False — The ruling elite or priests lived in the
protected Citadel/upper town, while the lower town housed commoners, merchants,
and artisans).

* Correct Facts: P and R

2. Statement-Based Question:

* Statement I: Typically mentions the systematic layouts or drainage of Harappan

towns. (Assume True)

* Statement II: Excavations at different sites show that the Indus Valley people led a
highly advanced city life. (True)

* Answer: (d) Both statements (I) and (II) are correct.

3. Which of the following options is incorrect about the drainage system of the Indus
Valley Civilisation?

* Core Facts of the Drainage System:

* Household drains were connected to street drains.

* Drains were laid out in straight lines alongside streets.

* Drains were covered with slabs of stone or bricks, which could be removed for
cleaning.

* Every street drain had a gentle slope so water could flow freely.

* Inspection manholes/soak pits were placed at regular intervals.

* Any option stating drains were left open, had no slope, or were not connected to
houses is incorrect.

4. Match the following columns:

Column I (Harappan Sites)
Column II (Indian States)
I. Lothal
2. Gujarat
II. Kalibangan
3. Rajasthan
III. Alamgirpur
4. Uttar Pradesh
IV. Ropar
1. Punjab

* Correct Option: (a) I-2, II-3, III-4, IV-1

5. Gilgamesh : The most popular epic :: The Ziggurat : __________

* Answer: (d) Temples

* Explanation: In ancient Mesopotamia, a Ziggurat was a massive, stepped temple

tower constructed of sun-dried mud bricks, dedicated to the patron god or goddess of
the city-state.

Section B: Fill in the Blanks

1. The Indus Valley Civilisation was the Bronze Age civilisation of India.

2. The Sumerians developed a system of writing known as Cuneiform.

Section C: Very Short Answer Type Questions

1. Who discovered the Harappan civilisation and when?

* Answer: The Harappan Civilization was first excavated in 1921 by an Indian

archaeologist named Daya Ram Sahni at Harappa. In 1922, R.D. Banerji discovered
Mohenjo-daro. The discoveries were officially announced to the world in 1924 by Sir
John Marshall, the Director-General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

2. Name the gods of the Mesopotamian Civilisation.

The Mesopotamians worshipped a pantheon of gods representing natural forces:
* Anu: God of the Sky/Heaven

* Enlil: God of Wind, Air, and Storms

* Enki (Ea): God of Water, Crafts, and Wisdom

* Inanna (Ishtar): Goddess of Love, Fertility, and War

* Shamash: God of the Sun and Justice

* Sin (Nanna): God of the Moon

3. Name the most popular epic of the Mesopotamian Civilisation.

* Answer: The Epic of Gilgamesh. It tells the adventures of Gilgamesh, the legendary
king of Uruk, and his quest for immortality.

Section D: Short Answer Type Questions

1. Describe the significance of the Great Bath.

* Answer: Located in the Citadel mound of Mohenjo-daro, the Great Bath is one of the
most famous structures of the Indus Valley Civilisation.

* Significance & Features:

* Structure: A large rectangular brick-lined pool with steps leading down from the north
and south. The walls were made waterproof using a thick layer of natural bitumen (tar).

* Purpose: It is widely believed to have been used for ritual bathing or public
purification ceremonies during special religious festivals.

* Social/Engineering achievement: It highlights the sophisticated hydraulic engineering

of the Harappans, as it was fed by a nearby well and had an outlet drain to empty dirty
water.

2. What do you know about the script and literature of the Sumerians?

* Answer: * Sumerian Script: The Sumerians developed the world's earliest known
writing system around $3200\text{ BCE}$, called Cuneiform (wedge-shaped script).
Scribes used a sharp reed stylus to press wedge-like marks into soft, wet clay tablets,
which were then dried or baked in the sun to make them permanent.

* Sumerian Literature: Sumerians wrote extensively. Their tablets record trade deals,
tax registers, legal codes, hymns, and myths. Their most notable contribution is the
world's oldest written literary epic, the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Section E: Long Answer Type Questions

1. Describe the town planning and the drainage system of the Indus Valley Civilisation.
The town planning and municipal drainage system of the Indus Valley Civilisation are
considered its most remarkable achievements, displaying a level of hygiene and civic
planning unmatched in antiquity.

* Town Planning Features:

1. Grid Layout: Cities like Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were laid out on a systematic grid
pattern. Streets ran parallel or perpendicular to one another, cutting each other at right
angles ($90^\circ$).

2. Dual Division: Cities were divided into two main parts:

* The Citadel (Upper Town): Built on a raised mud-brick platform. It housed public
structures like the Great Bath, the Great Granary, administrative buildings, and the
homes of the ruling elite.

* The Lower Town: A much larger residential area where common merchants, laborers,
and artisans lived.

3. Standardized Materials: All buildings were constructed using bricks of a standardized

ratio ($4:2:1$ for length, width, and thickness), either sun-dried or kiln-baked.

4. Residential Comfort: Houses had central courtyards, separate bathrooms, wells for
fresh water, and multiple rooms, with outer walls facing the streets containing no
windows to maintain privacy.

* The Drainage System:

1. Individual Connection: Every household had its own tiled bathing area. Wastewater
from the house bathrooms was routed through private clay pipes into public street
drains.

2. Covered Drains: The street drains ran alongside the roads. They were fully covered
with loose bricks or stone slabs designed to be easily lifted for maintenance—a level of
advanced public hygiene that was completely unique in the ancient world, and entirely
absent in contemporary Egypt or Mesopotamia.

3. Gradient Flow: Drains were constructed with a gentle, systematic slope to allow
water to flow naturally without pooling.

4. Silt Traps & Manholes: At regular intervals, the drainage lines featured brick-lined
manholes or soak pits to capture solid waste and sediment, preventing blockages in
the main system.

2. What were the sources of the Mesopotamian Civilisation?

The history of Mesopotamia (the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) is
reconstructed using two main types of historical sources:

1. Archaeological Sources:

* Monuments and Ruins: Excavations of ancient city-states (such as Ur, Uruk, Babylon,
and Nineveh) have revealed massive structures, including Ziggurats (stepped
temples), royal palaces, and fortified city walls.

* Artifacts: Discoveries of sophisticated pottery, metal tools, copper ornaments, bronze

weaponry, and cylinder seals used by merchants to mark goods.

2. Epigraphic & Written Sources (Clay Tablets):

* Cuneiform Tablets: Hundreds of thousands of clay tablets have been unearthed,
recording business contracts, astronomical calculations, royal decrees, agricultural
records, and private letters.

* The Code of Hammurabi: A tall black basalt stele carved with 282 laws, representing
one of the earliest and most complete written legal codes in human history.

* Literary Epics: Tablets containing mythological stories, primarily the Epic of

Gilgamesh and the Mesopotamian creation story (Enuma Elish).

Section F: Assertion-Reason & Case-Based Questions (Worksheet II)

Assertion-Reason Question

* Assertion (A): Harappa had six granaries.

* Reason (R): The granaries were used for storing grain.

* Answer: (a) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

* Explanation: Excavations at Harappa revealed a complex of six granaries built on a

raised platform near the river. These granaries were strategically built near waterways
to receive and store surplus grains, which served as a reserve during famines or floods
and was used to feed the urban population.

Case-Based Question

* Context Passage: Read about the port town of Lothal, located in Gujarat, India
(mound of the dead, citadel, lower town with commercial/residential split, trade goods
like chisels and ornaments, and bead-making industry).

* Question: Why is Lothal famous?

* Answer: Lothal is famous for being the world's earliest known tidal dockyard built on a
tributary of the Sabarmati River. This incredible engineering feat linked the Harappan
civilization directly to maritime trade routes across the Gulf of Khambhat and the
Arabian Sea, enabling direct exchange with Mesopotamia. It is also highly celebrated
for its advanced bead-making factory, archaeological remnants of copper workshop
tools (like chisels and spearheads), and its highly systematic urban division into a
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