India, That is Bharat – Very Short Answer Type Questions
Class 6
Social Science
Theme B — Tapestry of the Past — Chapter 5: India, That is Bharat
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CBSE — Assessment Overview
- Very short answer questions test key facts and definitions.
- Useful for quick revision, quizzes and classroom drills.
- Prepared strictly as per NCERT Class 6 Chapter 5.
Content Bank — Chapter Highlights
India's geography (mountains, plains, plateaus, coasts), political evolution (kingdoms to empires), boundary changes, cultural heritage, sources of history, trade and cultural exchange, colonial impact and modern reorganisation.
A. Basic Concepts (Q1–10)
Q1. What is the meaning of 'Bharat'?
Answer: 'Bharat' is an ancient name for India used in Indian texts.
Q2. What is a subcontinent?
Answer: A large landmass that is part of a continent but distinct, like India in Asia.
Q3. Name one natural boundary of India.
Answer: The Himalayas in the north.
Q4. What are the Indo-Gangetic plains known for?
Answer: Fertile soil and intensive agriculture.
Q5. What is a plateau?
Answer: An elevated flat area like the Deccan Plateau.
Q6. Name two island groups of India.
Answer: Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep.
Q7. Why are coasts important?
Answer: They enable trade, fishing and cultural exchange through ports.
Q8. What is a river basin?
Answer: Land drained by a river and its tributaries.
Q9. Give one reason geography affects history.
Answer: Geography determines where people settle, farm, and trade, shaping societies.
Q10. What is cultural heritage?
Answer: Monuments, traditions, arts and practices passed down generations.
B. Political Evolution (Q11–20)
Q11. What was a kingdom?
Answer: A territory ruled by a king or queen.
Q12. Name one early large empire in India.
Answer: The Maurya Empire.
Q13. What did empires do to regions?
Answer: They united many regions under central rule and administration.
Q14. What is a princely state?
Answer: A region ruled by a local monarch under British suzerainty.
Q15. Who were regional kingdoms?
Answer: Local rulers who governed specific areas after large empires fell.
Q16. Name one medieval empire in India.
Answer: The Mughal Empire.
Q17. How did trade affect political power?
Answer: Wealth from trade strengthened rulers and supported armies and administration.
Q18. What is annexation?
Answer: The act of adding territory to a state by force or treaty.
Q19. What role did forts play?
Answer: Forts provided defense and controlled surrounding territories.
Q20. What happened to many kingdoms under colonial rule?
Answer: They were controlled directly or indirectly by the British, changing boundaries and administration.
C. Evolution of Boundaries (Q21–30)
Q21. What is a natural frontier?
Answer: A border formed by natural features like mountains or seas.
Q22. Give one example of a boundary changed by humans.
Answer: Borders drawn by the British for provinces and princely states.
Q23. What was the Partition of 1947?
Answer: Division of British India into India and Pakistan.
Q24. What is state reorganisation?
Answer: Redrawing internal state boundaries, often on linguistic lines.
Q25. Name one modern Indian state formed after 2000.
Answer: Telangana (formed in 2014).
Q26. How can migration change boundaries?
Answer: Large population movements can alter demographics and political claims on territory.
Q27. What is an international boundary?
Answer: A border separating two countries.
Q28. Why were some boundaries disputed?
Answer: Because of unclear maps, historical claims or resource interests.
Q29. What is a treaty?
Answer: A formal agreement between states that can set boundaries.
Q30. Name one effect of changing boundaries.
Answer: People may migrate, leading to cultural and demographic shifts.
D. Cultural Heritage & Traditions (Q31–40)
Q31. What is an intangible heritage?
Answer: Traditions like music, dance and oral stories.
Q32. Give an example of Indian monumental heritage.
Answer: The Taj Mahal.
Q33. Why protect heritage sites?
Answer: To preserve history, culture and tourism value.
Q34. What is cultural exchange?
Answer: Sharing of ideas, goods and customs between societies.
Q35. How did trade influence culture?
Answer: Trade brought new goods, ideas and art styles to India.
Q36. What are local crafts?
Answer: Handmade goods like pottery, weaving and metalwork specific to regions.
Q37. Name one festival that reflects cultural diversity.
Answer: Diwali (celebrated widely across India).
Q38. How do languages show heritage?
Answer: Languages preserve literature, oral history and regional identity.
Q39. What is archaeological heritage?
Answer: Ruins, pottery and objects found in excavations that tell about past societies.
Q40. Give one way communities preserve traditions.
Answer: Teaching crafts and songs to younger generations.
E. Sources & Historians' Methods (Q41–50)
Q41. Name two sources historians use for India’s history.
Answer: Inscriptions and coins (also manuscripts and archaeology).
Q42. What is an inscription?
Answer: Writing carved on durable material like stone or metal.
Q43. How do coins help historians?
Answer: By providing ruler names, dates and trade evidence.
Q44. What is archaeology?
Answer: The study of past human life through material remains.
Q45. Why compare different sources?
Answer: To corroborate facts and reduce errors from biased accounts.
Q46. What is a primary source?
Answer: A direct record from the time studied (e.g., inscription).
Q47. What is a secondary source?
Answer: A later work that interprets primary sources (e.g., textbooks).
Q48. How do historians check dates?
Answer: Using inscriptions, coins, stratigraphy and sometimes scientific dating methods.
Q49. Give one limitation of manuscripts.
Answer: They may be damaged or copied with errors over time.
Q50. What should students write when asked 'How do we know?'
Answer: Mention specific source(s) (e.g., inscription, coin) and briefly note reliability or limitation.
These 50 very short questions and answers are prepared strictly according to NCERT Class 6 Chapter 'India, That is Bharat' to help quick revision and exam readiness.
© NCERT-aligned study content for CBSE Class 6 Social Science. Adapt as needed for classroom use.
