| Non-Rationalised History NCERT Notes, Solutions and Extra Q & A (Class 6th to 12th) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Class 6th History NCERT Notes, NCERT Question Solutions and Extra Q & A (Non-Rationalised)
1. What, Where, How And When?
This chapter serves as an introduction to the study of history by posing the fundamental questions historians ask: What did people eat and wear, Where did they live, How do we know about their lives, and When did these events happen. It explains that historians are like detectives who use clues from the past to piece together a story. The chapter details the primary sources used, such as manuscripts (handwritten texts on materials like palm leaves), inscriptions (writings engraved on hard surfaces like stone or metal, such as the edicts of Ashoka), and archaeological evidence like pottery, tools, and ruins of buildings. By studying these sources, we can understand the lives of early people, from hunter-gatherers along the Narmada river to the first cities on the banks of the Indus, and learn how to place these events on a timeline using terms like BC and AD.
2. From Hunting–Gathering To Growing Food
This chapter chronicles one of the most significant transformations in human history: the shift from a nomadic life of hunting–gathering to a settled life based on growing food. It describes the life of early humans during the Palaeolithic Age (Old Stone Age) as hunter-gatherers who used simple stone tools and moved from place to place in search of food. The chapter then discusses the Mesolithic Age (Middle Stone Age) with its smaller stone tools (microliths). The main focus is on the Neolithic Revolution or the New Stone Age, when people first learned to cultivate crops like wheat and barley and domesticate animals like sheep and goats. This agricultural breakthrough allowed them to lead a settled life, build homes, make pottery, and develop new tools, laying the foundation for permanent villages and future civilisations, with early evidence found at sites like Mehrgarh.
3. In The Earliest Cities
This chapter explores the Indus Valley Civilization, which flourished around 4700 years ago and gave rise to the earliest cities in the Indian subcontinent. It focuses on the well-planned urban centres of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. The chapter highlights their remarkable features: cities were divided into two parts, a raised area called the citadel and a larger lower town. These cities had straight, grid-patterned streets, multi-storeyed houses made of baked bricks, and an incredibly advanced covered drainage system. It discusses the lives of the people, including specialized craftspeople who made intricate seals, beads, and pottery, and traders who had links with distant lands like Mesopotamia. The great social organisation and technological skill of this civilisation are evident, even though its script remains undeciphered.
4. What Books And Burials Tell Us
This chapter illustrates how historians use two different kinds of evidence—literary and archaeological—to learn about the past. It examines ancient books, focusing on the Vedas, particularly the oldest one, the Rigveda, composed about 3500 years ago. The hymns in the Rigveda provide insights into the religious beliefs, prayers, social divisions, and daily life of the early Vedic people in the north-west of the subcontinent. The chapter then shifts to what burials reveal about ancient societies. It discusses the practice of creating megaliths (large stone structures to mark burial sites), especially in the Deccan. The objects found in these graves, such as iron tools, weapons, and pottery, tell us about the social status, beliefs about the afterlife, and technological skills of the people who lived during that period.
5. Kingdoms, Kings And An Early Republic
This chapter traces the evolution of political structures in ancient India around 3000 years ago. It explains how the concept of the ruler or raja changed, with some men becoming recognized as powerful kings of large territories called janapadas. These kings performed elaborate rituals like the ashvamedha or horse sacrifice to demonstrate their power. Around 2500 years ago, some of these janapadas grew into even larger states known as the Mahajanapadas, which had fortified capital cities, maintained armies, and collected regular taxes. The chapter contrasts these monarchical kingdoms with an early republic form of government found in places like Vajji, where power was held not by a single king but by a group of rulers in an assembly called a gana or sangha.
6. New Questions And Ideas
This chapter explores a period of great intellectual and spiritual ferment in ancient India around 2500 years ago, when many thinkers began asking new questions about the meaning of life and rituals, leading to the emergence of new ideas. It focuses on the lives and teachings of two of the most influential figures of this era: Gautama Buddha, who taught the path to end suffering through moderation and the Eightfold Path, and Vardhamana Mahavira, who propagated the core tenets of Jainism, emphasizing strict non-violence (ahimsa). The chapter also discusses the philosophical dialogues of the Upanishads, which explored concepts like the atman (individual soul) and the brahman (universal soul). This period marked a significant shift in the religious and philosophical landscape of India.
7. Ashoka, The Emperor Who Gave Up War
This chapter is dedicated to the life and reign of Ashoka, the most famous ruler of the Mauryan Empire and one of the greatest emperors in world history. It describes the vast Mauryan Empire founded by his grandfather, Chandragupta Maurya. The chapter focuses on the pivotal event in Ashoka's life: the brutal Kalinga War. Horrified by the immense bloodshed and suffering, Ashoka renounced warfare and adopted a policy of conquest through righteousness, which he called Dhamma. Dhamma was a moral code of conduct that emphasized non-violence, respect for elders, and compassion for all living beings. Ashoka inscribed his messages of Dhamma on rocks and pillars across his empire to communicate directly with his subjects, making him a unique ruler who actively promoted peace and welfare.
8. Vital Villages, Thriving Towns
This chapter examines the social and economic life in the Indian subcontinent from about 2500 years ago, highlighting the growth of vital villages and thriving towns. It discusses how the increasing use of iron tools, like the ploughshare, and the adoption of transplantation techniques led to a surge in agricultural production in villages. This agricultural surplus supported the growth of towns, which became centres of craft production and trade. The chapter describes various crafts, such as the famous Northern Black Polished Ware, and explains the role of craftsperson and merchant associations known as shrenis or guilds. The introduction of punch-marked coins further facilitated trade, connecting different parts of the subcontinent in a vibrant economic network.
9. Traders, Kings And Pilgrims
This chapter explores the extensive networks of interaction in ancient India through the movements of traders, kings, and pilgrims. It details the flourishing trade that existed both within the subcontinent and with distant lands. South India, famous for its spices like pepper, was a major hub of trade with the Roman Empire via sea routes. The chapter explains how powerful kings, like the Kushanas who controlled the Silk Road, protected and taxed traders to generate revenue. In addition to trade, the chapter highlights the journeys of religious pilgrims, particularly the Chinese Buddhist monks Fa Xian and Xuan Zang, who travelled to India to visit sacred sites and collect manuscripts. Their accounts provide invaluable information about the society, religion, and culture of the time.
10. New Empires And Kingdoms
This chapter discusses the political landscape of India after the decline of the Mauryan Empire, focusing on the emergence of new empires and kingdoms around 1700 years ago. The most prominent among these was the Gupta Empire, founded by Chandragupta I. The chapter highlights the reign of powerful Gupta rulers like Samudragupta, whose military conquests are detailed in a long inscription (prashasti) on the Ashokan pillar at Allahabad. It examines the administrative structure of these kingdoms, where local chiefs (samantas) played an important role. The chapter also provides a glimpse into the rule of other significant dynasties like that of Harshavardhana in the north and the Pallavas and Chalukyas in the south, painting a picture of a politically dynamic period in ancient India.
11. Buildings, Paintings And Books
This chapter showcases the rich cultural legacy of ancient India through its remarkable achievements in architecture, art, and literature. It discusses magnificent buildings, highlighting the skilled engineering behind structures like the iron pillar at Mehrauli in Delhi and the construction of Buddhist stupas and early Hindu temples. The chapter then explores the world of ancient paintings, with a special focus on the exquisite and vibrant murals of the Ajanta caves, which bring stories from the past to life. Finally, it delves into the great literary works, or books, of the period, including the compilation of famous Sanskrit epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the stories of the Puranas, and scientific treatises on astronomy and mathematics by scholars like Aryabhata. These achievements reflect the advanced state of science, art, and culture in ancient India.