Beginnings of Indian Civilization – Case-based Questions with Answers

CBSE Class 6 Social Science — Chapter 6 Case-Based Questions (NCERT)

Content Bank (Chapter 6)

Topics covered: Origins & timeline; Major Harappan sites; Town planning & public buildings; Economy & trade; Crafts & technology; Social life & religion; Writing & seals; Decline & legacy; Map & source skills.

Cases 1–5: Origins, Timeline & Sites

Scenario 1: A team of archaeologists excavates a mound beside a river and finds layers showing small huts, storage pits, and later streets and brick buildings.

Q1. What does this sequence of layers tell us about settlement development?

A1. The layers indicate continuity from village life (huts and pits) to organised urban settlement (streets and brick buildings), showing gradual urbanisation and increased social complexity.

Q2. Name two kinds of evidence archaeologists would use to date these layers.

A2. Radiocarbon dating of organic remains and typology of pottery/seal styles found in the layers.

Scenario 2: A student looks at a map showing Harappa, Mohenjo-daro and Dholavira marked along river basins and coastal areas.

Q3. Why were many Harappan towns located near rivers or coasts?

A3. Rivers provided water for farming and transport; coasts allowed maritime trade. Access to these routes supported agriculture, trade and urban growth.

Q4. Suggest one map-based exam answer linking location to a site's special feature.

A4. Example: "Lothal in Gujarat, near the coast, had a dock-like structure indicating active maritime trade, linking its location to maritime commerce."

Scenario 3: Excavators find identical-sized bricks across different towns.

Q5. What does the use of standardised bricks across towns indicate about the Harappan world?

A5. It suggests shared building standards, communication or shared knowledge between settlements and organised craft/production systems.

Q6. How would this help in writing a short exam answer?

A6. Mention: "Standard bricks show organised production and common construction practices, indicating connections between urban centres."

Scenario 4: A museum displays a seal from the Indus Valley, with animal motifs and short inscriptions.

Q7. What can seals tell us about Harappan society?

A7. Seals suggest administrative use (marking goods or ownership), trade connections and artistic motifs; inscriptions indicate a script used for communication or identification.

Q8. Why is the undeciphered script significant for historians?

A8. Because the script remains unreadable, historians must rely on material culture (buildings, tools) rather than written records to interpret Harappan political and social life.

Scenario 5: A classroom debate asks whether Harappan towns were politically unified or regionally independent.

Q9. Provide two arguments for regional variation in the Harappan civilisation.

A9. Differences in town layouts, crafts and inscriptions across sites indicate regional variation; local environmental conditions produced different specialisations (e.g., Dholavira's water works vs Lothal's dock).

Q10. Provide one piece of evidence that suggests shared cultural traits.

A10. Common features like drainage systems, standard bricks and similar seals suggest shared norms or communication despite regional differences.

Cases 6–10: Town Planning & Public Buildings

Scenario 6: At Mohenjo-daro, students study the Great Bath and street drains.

Q11. How would you explain the function of the Great Bath in a source-based answer?

A11. Describe its watertight construction, location in the citadel and possible ritual or communal bathing use; link to civic planning and public architecture.

Q12. What does advanced drainage suggest about Harappan urban management?

A12. It suggests municipal planning, concern for public health, and organised labour for construction and maintenance of communal facilities.

Scenario 7: A student draws a house with courtyard, private well and small workshop.

Q13. Explain how domestic buildings reflect economic activities.

A13. Courtyards and workshops indicate household-based crafts; private wells/baths show water access; storage areas show grain keeping — linking domestic space to production and daily life.

Q14. Suggest one short answer linking housing to craft specialisation.

A14. "Many houses contained workshops where beads and pottery were made, showing that craft production often occurred within households."

Scenario 8: Archaeologists discover a large granary near a central area of a town.

Q15. What does a granary near the centre tell us about economy and administration?

A15. It suggests central storage of surplus possibly for redistribution, trade or emergency use, indicating organised economic management and possibly collective oversight.

Q16. How could this feature be used in a 5‑marker exam answer?

A16. State: "Central granaries indicate surplus production, storage for trade and administrative control, reflecting organised urban economy."

Scenario 9: Students compare the citadel and lower town plans shown in images.

Q17. What explanations can you give for the raised citadel area?

A17. The citadel may have housed public buildings, provided flood protection for important structures, and served administrative or ritual purposes—separating civic functions from residential zones.

Q18. How does spatial separation help historians infer social organisation?

A18. It suggests functional zoning, planned civic roles, and possible central authorities coordinating public works and urban utilities.

Scenario 10: A conservation report lists well-built drains, private bathrooms and paved streets in several towns.

Q19. How would you summarise these features in an answer on Harappan civic life?

A19. These features reflect advanced urban planning, concern for sanitation and well-being, and coordination in construction—demonstrating sophisticated civic life in Harappan towns.

Cases 11–15: Economy, Trade & Crafts

Scenario 11: A trader’s ledger shows standard-shaped weights used across markets.

Q20. What inference can be made about trade from standardised weights?

A20. Standard weights indicate regulated trade practices, fairness in transactions and a shared economic system enabling long-distance commerce.

Q21. Give a short exam-style point linking weights to external trade.

A21. "Standard weights facilitated consistent trade practices, which helped Harappans trade with regions like Mesopotamia."

Scenario 12: Remains of bead workshops with semi-precious stones are found in a town.

Q22. How can bead workshops be used to explain craft specialisation?

A22. Bead workshops show skilled labour, division of tasks and production for both local use and trade, demonstrating economic complexity beyond farming.

Q23. Mention one reason craftsmen were important for town economy.

A23. Crafts produced valuable goods for trade and local consumption, creating income and fostering inter-regional exchanges of materials and ideas.

Scenario 13: A foreign historian describes finding Harappan artefacts at a site in Mesopotamia.

Q24. What does this indicate about Harappan interactions with other regions?

A24. It indicates long-distance trade connections and cultural exchanges, showing the Harappans were part of wider ancient trade networks.

Q25. How can students include this fact in a 6‑marker answer?

A25. Include: "Harappan seals and goods found in Mesopotamia show trade links, suggesting exchange of commodities and ideas across regions."

Scenario 14: Field notes record crop remains of wheat and barley and animal bones of cattle.

Q26. How would you use such evidence to describe Harappan economy in an exam?

A26. State that agriculture (wheat, barley) and animal husbandry (cattle) formed a mixed economy supplying food, raw materials and supporting craft specialisation and trade.

Scenario 15: A classroom activity asks students to link craft products (pots, beads) to possible export markets.

Q27. Suggest two regions that might have imported Harappan goods and why.

A27. Regions like Mesopotamia (evidence of Harappan seals) and coastal communities in the Arabian Sea due to maritime trade infrastructure like Lothal's dock.

Cases 16–20: Social Life, Religion, Writing & Decline

Scenario 16: A terracotta figurine of a female deity is displayed with household pottery.

Q28. How can you interpret this find in a question about Harappan religion?

A28. Explain that terracotta Mother Goddess figurines suggest domestic or fertility-related worship, showing religious practices may have been part of household life.

Scenario 17: Students read a short extract saying the Harappan script appears mainly on small seals and pots.

Q29. Why is the medium (seals/pots) important for understanding the script's use?

A29. Small portable objects suggest the script was used for marking goods, ownership or trade-related identification rather than long literary texts, indicating administrative or commercial uses.

Scenario 18: A research note lists environmental changes—less reliable rivers and changing monsoon patterns—over several centuries.

Q30. How would environmental change be presented in a balanced exam answer on Harappan decline?

A30. State that environmental changes like river shifts and changing rainfall likely reduced agricultural yields, contributing to the decline; but also mention trade collapse and social factors to show a multi-causal explanation.

Scenario 19: A student argues that Harappan towns vanished suddenly due to invasion; another argues for gradual change.

Q31. How should a balanced answer assess these views?

A31. Explain that current evidence favours gradual regional changes (environmental and economic) rather than single catastrophic invasions; cite lack of widespread destruction layers as supporting gradual decline theory.

Scenario 20: As a final exercise, students must write a short conclusion on Harappan legacy for a project.

Q32. Provide a succinct concluding paragraph summarising the Harappan legacy.

A32. "The Harappan civilisation left a lasting legacy in urban planning, craft skills and trade networks. Its organised cities, standardised production and long-distance contacts influenced later cultures, offering important lessons on how human societies adapt to environment and economy."

Note: These 20 case-based scenarios and follow-up questions are tailored to NCERT Class 6 Chapter "Beginnings of Indian Civilization" and ideal for CBSE-style source-based practice and classroom discussion. Use them for mock tests and group activities.

Beginnings of Indian Civilization – Case-based Questions with Answers

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