Timelines and Sources of History – Short Answer Type Questions
Class 6
Social Science
Theme B — Tapestry of the Past — Chapter 4: Timelines and Sources of History
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Exam-ready • Classroom use
CBSE — Assessment Overview
- Short answer questions (3–5 marks) test understanding and application of concepts.
- Includes timeline interpretation and source-based reasoning.
- Answers here are concise, clear and NCERT-focused.
Content Bank — Chapter Highlights
Introduction to history, timelines and chronology (BCE/CE), types of sources, manuscripts, coins, inscriptions, artefacts, oral traditions, dating, reliability, corroboration, interpretation and exam tips.
A. Introduction to History (Q1–10)
Q1. Define history.
Answer: History is the study of past events and human activities based on evidence.
Q2. What is a historian?
Answer: A person who studies and writes about the past using sources and evidence.
Q3. What is a timeline used for?
Answer: To arrange events in chronological order so we can see sequence and change over time.
Q4. Give one reason history is important.
Answer: It helps us understand how societies evolved and learn from past experiences.
Q5. What is meant by 'evidence' in history?
Answer: Pieces of information (sources) used to learn about past events, like inscriptions or coins.
Q6. What is a personal timeline?
Answer: A timeline showing important events in one person's life (birth, school, achievements).
Q7. What is the difference between past and present?
Answer: Past refers to what has already happened; present is what is happening now.
Q8. Mention one skill gained from studying history.
Answer: Critical thinking — evaluating sources and evidence.
Q9. What is a historical period?
Answer: A span of time with distinct features, like the Stone Age or Medieval period.
Q10. How can history help communities?
Answer: It preserves cultural memory and explains traditions, laws and social changes.
B. Timelines & Dating (Q11–20)
Q11. What do BCE and CE stand for?
Answer: BCE = Before Common Era; CE = Common Era.
Q12. Why is the scale important on a timeline?
Answer: Scale shows how many years each space represents so events are placed accurately.
Q13. What is relative dating?
Answer: Determining which events happened earlier or later without exact years.
Q14. Give a simple explanation of absolute dating.
Answer: Estimating the actual age in years of an object using scientific methods (e.g., carbon dating).
Q15. What is a comparative timeline?
Answer: Two or more timelines shown side-by-side to compare events in different regions.
Q16. How does a timeline help in exams?
Answer: It presents sequence clearly and helps explain cause-effect in short answers.
Q17. What is a date?
Answer: A specific day, month and year when an event occurred.
Q18. What is a decade?
Answer: A period of ten years.
Q19. What is an era?
Answer: A long span of history characterised by particular features or events.
Q20. What does 'chronology' mean?
Answer: The study and arrangement of events in order of time.
C. Primary Sources (Q21–33)
Q21. Define a primary source.
Answer: A firsthand record created at the time of an event (e.g., inscription, coin).
Q22. Name three types of primary sources.
Answer: Manuscripts, coins and inscriptions (also artefacts and oral accounts).
Q23. What is a manuscript?
Answer: A handwritten document on paper, palm leaf or bark used in the past.
Q24. How can coins help date events?
Answer: Coins often carry rulers' names or dates and indicate the period they were used.
Q25. What are inscriptions?
Answer: Writings carved on durable materials like stone or metal recording events or grants.
Q26. Why are inscriptions useful?
Answer: They are durable and often give official records useful for dating and facts.
Q27. What information can artefacts give?
Answer: Details about daily life, technology, art and trade of past people.
Q28. What is oral tradition?
Answer: Stories, songs and memories passed down verbally through generations.
Q29. Mention one strength of primary sources.
Answer: They provide direct evidence from the period studied.
Q30. Mention one weakness of primary sources.
Answer: They may be biased or incomplete and require careful interpretation.
Q31. What is palaeography (simple)?
Answer: The study of old handwriting to read and date manuscripts.
Q32. Give one example of an artefact.
Answer: Pottery, tools, jewellery or broken sculpture pieces.
Q33. Why are temples and pillars good places to find inscriptions?
Answer: They were important public places where rulers recorded donations and decrees for posterity.
D. Secondary Sources & Interpretation (Q34–39)
Q34. Define a secondary source.
Answer: A work created later that analyses or interprets primary sources (e.g., textbooks).
Q35. Give two examples of secondary sources.
Answer: History books and documentaries.
Q36. Why do historians use secondary sources?
Answer: To understand interpretations, theories and summaries based on primary evidence.
Q37. What is 'bias' in a source?
Answer: A tendency to present facts in a one-sided or unfair way favoring certain views.
Q38. How can bias affect historical records?
Answer: It can exaggerate achievements or hide failures, giving a distorted picture.
Q39. What does 'interpretation' mean in history?
Answer: Explaining and making sense of evidence to form a historical account.
E. Using Sources & Evidence (Q40–45)
Q40. What three questions help test a source's reliability?
Answer: Who made it? When was it made? Why was it made?
Q41. What is corroboration?
Answer: When two or more sources agree on the same fact or event.
Q42. How do archaeologists find evidence?
Answer: By excavating sites and studying material remains.
Q43. What does 'context' mean for a historical source?
Answer: The background circumstances (social, political, cultural) when the source was created.
Q44. Give one way coins show cultural contact.
Answer: Coins may have foreign symbols or metals showing trade with other regions.
Q45. Why keep archives?
Answer: To preserve records and allow researchers to access original documents later.
F. Reliability, Limitations & Exam Tips (Q46–50)
Q46. Name one problem with oral traditions.
Answer: They can change over time and details may be lost or altered.
Q47. Why might a king's inscription be exaggerated?
Answer: To glorify the king's achievements and legitimize power.
Q48. What should you do if two sources conflict?
Answer: Look for more evidence and check which source is more reliable or corroborated.
Q49. How does preservation affect our knowledge of the past?
Answer: Poor preservation may destroy evidence, leaving gaps in history.
Q50. Give one exam tip for this chapter.
Answer: Memorise definitions and practise citing one example of a primary source in answers.
These short answer questions and answers follow NCERT Class 6 Chapter 'Timelines and Sources of History' and are ideal for CBSE-style revision.
© NCERT-aligned study content for CBSE Class 6 Social Science. Adapt as needed for classroom use.