Here you will find revision notes for CBSE Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 2 From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food. It is a part of Revision Notes for CBSE Class 6 Social Science Series.
From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food Class 6 Revision Notes CBSE History Chapter 2
Notes
- Hunter-gatherers were the earliest people who lived in the Palaeolithic period or Early Stone Age.
- They survived by hunting animals and birds, fishing and gathering forest products.
- Hunter gatherers moved from one place to another because of the following reasons:
- when their current food supply or water source exhausted
- when animals moved around in search of their prey or new pasture land, they had to follow them
- to gather seasonal fruits
- to areas that had collection of good quality stones
- Places buried under the surface of earth or even water, where the remains of things such as tools, pots, buildings, weapons and so on found are known as sites.
- Some Palaeolithic sites in India are Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh), Hunsgi (Karnataka) and Kurnool (Andhra Pradesh).
- Hunter-gatherer community settled mostly close to river banks or water bodies.
- Early people lived near places where early people could get plenty of stones for making tools.
- Traces of ash discovered close to Kurnool caves proves men knew the use of fire during those days.
- Fire could have been used for many things such as generating light and heat, for cooking food, scaring animals away, clearing land and even making tools.
- As the climate became warmer about 12000 years ago, more grasslands began to emerge. The number of animals increased. Hunters started following them and gradually they started domesticating animals.
- Around the same time, grains like wheat, barley and rice began to grow naturally at different sites. People began to observe the harvest pattern and soon learnt to grow the grains themselves.
- Early men depicted their lives and activities such as hunting, fishing, collecting honey, and religious practices on the walls of caves and rocks using with bright colours.
- These colours were made from rocks and naturally available minerals such as ochre/iron ore and charcoal.
- These paintings were drawn with great accuracy and skill.
- Many such paintings have been found in Madhya Pradesh and southern Uttar Pradesh.
- Different crops are available in different regions because growth of crops depends on the soil, availability of water, humidity, temperature and soil.
- Similarly, different types of animals are found in different region depending upon climatic conditions, availability of food, air and water.
- As people learnt to domesticate animals and plants, they gradually started settling in one place for long time so that they could look after the plants and animals.
- Crops produced for used as food, seeds and for gifting. The surplus produce was stored in clay pots, woven baskets or pits.
- Animals were “domesticated” or bred as they provided milk or meat whenever needed.
- Pit-houses have been found in Burzahom in present-day Kashmir. These houses, dug into the ground with steps leading to them, kept people protected from changing climate and wildlife.
- The houses also had cooking hearths both inside and outside. This suggests that early people cooked both inside and outside of the house depending on the weather.
- Some stone tools found from Neolithic sites were like those found in Palaeolithic sites whereas many tools were found they were completely new.
- Some tools were also made of bones.
- These new tools were more polished with a fine cutting edge.
- Mortars and pestles found during this time were used to grind grains and other produce.
- Some men continued to live as hunter-gatherers, while others fished or learnt to farm, herd animals, make tools, pots or weave.
- One of the earliest known villages of Neolithic Age is found in Mehrgarh. It is located in the fertile plains, near the Bolan Pass.
- Traces of crops such as barley and wheat and animals like sheep and goat have been found here.
- Excavations done here revealed animal bones in three layers.
- Remains of houses and burials have been found at this site.
- Each house is divided into four or more square or rectangular compartments, some of which could have been used for storage.
- In one of the burial sites at Mehrgarh, a dead person was buried along with goats.
- It is located in present-day Tripura, near the Brahmaputra Valley, close to routes leading into China and Myanmar.
- Flint from Syria, cowries from the Red Sea, shells from the Mediterranean Sea were found in Catal Huyuk, a Neolithic site in Turkey. This shows that people travelled to trade.
Important Keywords
- Gatherers: Early people who used to gather their food, like, roots, fruits, and other forest produce.
- Hunters: Early people who used to hunt animals for food.
- Sindhu: India was known as Sindhu in the past. The word originated from the word ‘Indus’ which is called Sindhu in Sanskrit.
- Travelling: Nomads travelled form one place to another in search of food. This is a very useful exercise to cover distance, for interactions and to get more knowledge about new areas and persons.
- Manuscript: Originated from the Latin word ‘manu’ which means hand. Manuscripts mean scripts written by hand on palm leaf or bark of trees.
- Inscriptions: Writings on hard surfaces, like stones, walls, etc.
- Archaeologists: Those who study the objects remain of building, made of stone, brickes, painting and sculptures, made and used in the past.
- Excavate: To dig under the surface of the earth.
- Historians: Scholars and researchers who study the past.
- Decipherment: Analysis of documents written in ancient languages which is different to read.
- Source: The word Source refers to different types of evidences, drawn from manuscript, inscriptions, coins and archacology.
- Once source are found learning about three past bils. Becomes and adventure, as we reconstruct it bit by bits.
- Domestication: The process in which people grow plants and look after animals. Origin – Latin ‘domesticus’ means to tame.
Important Dates
- The earliest composition is Sanskrit as about 3500 years ago.
- An old inscription, found in Kandahar (Present day Afghanistan) – about 2250 years ago.
- Manuscript was written – about a thousand years ago pols were used – about 4700 years ago.
- Coins were in use – about 2500 years ago.
- About 12,000 years ago – beginning of Domestication of plants and animals.
- About 10,000 years ago – beginning of Neolithic Age.
- About 8,000 years ago – beginning of Sattlement of Mehrgarh.
We hope the given revision notes for From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food Class 6 helps you in your learning.