Class 6 Social Studies Notes Chapter 2 (On the trail of the Earliest People) – History - Our Past Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 2, 'On the trail of the Earliest People'. This chapter is crucial for understanding the very beginnings of human life on the subcontinent, and many questions in competitive exams draw from these fundamental concepts. Pay close attention to the terms, locations, and time periods.

Chapter 2: On the Trail of the Earliest People - Detailed Notes

1. Who were the Earliest People?

• They lived in the subcontinent as early as two million years ago.
• We describe them as hunter-gatherers.
• The name comes from how they obtained food:
  • Hunting: They hunted wild animals.
  • Gathering: They gathered fruits, roots, nuts, seeds, leaves, stalks, and eggs.
• This lifestyle required immense knowledge of their environment: knowing edible plants, ripening seasons, animal behaviour, and hunting techniques.

2. Why were Hunter-Gatherers Nomadic (Always on the Move)?

Hunter-gatherers moved from place to place for several key reasons:

• Resource Depletion: Staying in one place for too long would exhaust the available plant and animal resources.
• Animal Movement: Animals (their prey) moved in search of food (smaller prey or grass/leaves), so hunters had to follow them.
• Plant Seasonality: Different plants bear fruit in different seasons. People moved to find plants that were in season.
• Water Sources: Humans, plants, and animals need water. People had to move in search of water, especially from seasonal lakes and rivers to perennial ones (those with water throughout the year) during dry seasons.

3. How Do We Know About These People? (Archaeological Evidence)

• Archaeologists study the remains of the past.
• Evidence comes primarily from things the earliest people made and used:
  • Stone Tools: These have survived best. They were used for various purposes (cutting meat/bone, scraping bark/hides, chopping fruit/roots, making spears/arrows).
  • Tools of Bone and Wood: Some of these have survived, but they decompose more easily than stone.
• Sites: Places where remains of past cultures (tools, pots, buildings, etc.) are found. These could be on the surface, buried underground, or underwater.

4. Choosing a Place to Live In

Early humans chose specific locations based on certain factors:

• Availability of Water: Sites were often located near sources like rivers and lakes.
• Availability of Stone: Good quality stone was essential for making tools, so places with easily available stone were preferred. These are often called factory sites (where tools were made).
• Natural Shelter: Caves and rock shelters provided protection from heat, rain, and wind. Example: Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh).
• Habitation-cum-Factory Sites: Places where people lived for longer periods and also made tools. Evidence includes finished tools, discarded tools, and chips/flakes of waste stone.

5. Making Stone Tools

Two primary techniques were used:

• Stone on Stone: One stone (the core, to be shaped) was held in one hand. Another stone (used as a hammer) was held in the other hand. The hammer stone was used to strike flakes off the core until the desired shape was achieved.
• Pressure Flaking: The core was placed on a firm surface. The hammer stone was used on a piece of bone or stone placed on the core to remove flakes precisely.

6. Finding Out About Fire

• Evidence: Traces of ash have been found in the Kurnool caves (Andhra Pradesh).
• Uses: Fire was likely used for multiple purposes:
  • As a source of light.
  • To cook meat/food.
  • To scare away wild animals.

7. Names and Dates: Understanding Time Periods

Archaeologists have divided the Stone Age into periods based on tool types:

• Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age):
  • Meaning: 'Palaeo' (old) + 'lithos' (stone).
  • Time Span: Extends from 2 million years ago to about 12,000 years ago. This covers 99% of human history.
  • Characteristics: Covers the longest period of human existence; associated with early hunter-gatherers and basic stone tools. Sub-divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Palaeolithic based on tool refinement.
• Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age):
  • Time Span: From about 12,000 years ago to about 10,000 years ago.
  • Characteristics: Environmental changes (warming trend). Stone tools found during this period are generally tiny, called microliths. Microliths were probably stuck onto handles of bone or wood to make tools like saws and sickles. Older tool types also continued.
• Neolithic (New Stone Age):
  • Time Span: From about 10,000 years ago onwards.
  • Characteristics: Associated with the beginning of agriculture, domestication, and more polished stone tools (discussed in later chapters).

8. A Changing Environment (Around 12,000 Years Ago)

• Major shifts in world climate occurred, leading to relatively warmer conditions.
• This led to the development of grasslands in many areas.
• Increase in grassland animals like deer, antelope, goat, sheep, and cattle.
• People started observing these animals' food habits and breeding seasons, possibly leading to the idea of herding and rearing them.
• Fishing also became important.
• This period also saw the beginning of grain-bearing grasses like wheat, barley, and rice growing naturally, which people collected and perhaps started experimenting with growing (leading towards agriculture).

9. Rock Paintings and What They Tell Us

• Many caves and rock shelters where early people lived have paintings on the walls.
• Examples: Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh), sites in Southern Uttar Pradesh.
• Themes: Wild animals drawn with great accuracy and skill, scenes of hunting, dancing, and daily life.
• Significance: They provide a glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and artistic skills of early people.

10. Who Did What? (Division of Labour)

• It's difficult to be certain.
• Possibilities (based on inference and comparison with present-day hunter-gatherers):
  • Both men and women might have hunted and gathered.
  • Perhaps some tasks were more common for women (gathering, caring for children) and others for men (hunting larger animals).
  • There might have been specific roles related to tool making or painting.
• Evidence is limited, so these are educated guesses.

11. Important Archaeological Sites Mentioned:

• Bhimbetka: (Present-day Madhya Pradesh) - Famous for rock shelters and paintings. Habitation site. (Palaeolithic, Mesolithic)
• Hunsgi: (Present-day Karnataka) - A number of Palaeolithic sites found here. Many tools discovered. Likely habitation-cum-factory sites. Limestone was locally available. Springs provided water.
• Kurnool Caves: (Present-day Andhra Pradesh) - Evidence of ash found, indicating the use of fire. (Palaeolithic)

(Note: Refer to Map 2, page 13 of the NCERT textbook for locations of Palaeolithic, Neolithic, Mesolithic, and Chalcolithic sites. Pay attention to the symbols.)

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) for Practice:

1. The earliest people who lived on the subcontinent about two million years ago are described by archaeologists as:
   (a) Farmers and Herders
   (b) Hunter-gatherers
   (c) Metalworkers
   (d) Village dwellers

2. Which of the following was NOT a primary reason for hunter-gatherers to move from place to place?
   (a) In search of water
   (b) Following the movement of animals they hunted
   (c) To trade goods with other groups
   (d) Availability of seasonal plants and fruits

3. Places where stone tools were made by early humans are known as:
   (a) Habitation sites
   (b) Factory sites
   (c) Burial sites
   (d) Ritual sites

4. Traces of ash, suggesting the use of fire by early people, have been found at which Palaeolithic site?
   (a) Bhimbetka
   (b) Hunsgi
   (c) Kurnool Caves
   (d) Mehrgarh

5. The Palaeolithic period in human history extends from approximately:
   (a) 12,000 to 10,000 years ago
   (b) 10,000 years ago to 4,000 years ago
   (c) 2 million years ago to 12,000 years ago
   (d) 500,000 years ago to 50,000 years ago

6. Tiny stone tools, often just a few centimetres long, characteristic of the Mesolithic period, are called:
   (a) Megaliths
   (b) Microliths
   (c) Hand axes
   (d) Choppers

7. The archaeological site of Bhimbetka, known for its rock shelters and paintings, is located in which present-day Indian state?
   (a) Karnataka
   (b) Andhra Pradesh
   (c) Madhya Pradesh
   (d) Uttar Pradesh

8. Around 12,000 years ago, a major climatic change led to the development of:
   (a) Dense rainforests
   (b) Large deserts
   (c) Extensive grasslands
   (d) Glacial ice sheets covering most land

9. Which technique for making stone tools involved holding the core in one hand and striking it with another stone used as a hammer?
   (a) Pressure flaking
   (b) Grinding and polishing
   (c) Stone on stone
   (d) Microlith technique

10. Hunsgi, an important Palaeolithic site where many tools were found, is located in present-day:
    (a) Tamil Nadu
    (b) Karnataka
    (c) Maharashtra
    (d) Gujarat

Answer Key for MCQs:

1. (b)
2. (c)
3. (b)
4. (c)
5. (c)
6. (b)
7. (c)
8. (c)
9. (c)
10. (b)

Make sure you revise these notes thoroughly. Understanding the lifestyle, tools, and environment of the earliest people forms the foundation for studying subsequent developments in history. Good luck with your preparation!