Class 6 Social Studies Notes Chapter 3 (From Gathering to Growing Food) – History - Our Past Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 3, 'From Gathering to Growing Food'. This chapter marks a very significant shift in human history, the transition from a nomadic, hunter-gatherer lifestyle to a settled, agricultural one. This period is often called the Neolithic Age, and understanding it is crucial. Pay close attention, as these points are frequently tested in competitive exams.

Chapter 3: From Gathering to Growing Food - Detailed Notes

1. The Big Change: Beginnings of Farming and Herding

• Background: For thousands of years (Paleolithic & Mesolithic Ages), humans were hunter-gatherers, constantly moving in search of food (wild animals, plants, fruits).
• Climate Change: Around 12,000 years ago, the climate became relatively warmer. This led to the growth of grasslands in many areas.
• Impact on Animals: Increased grasslands supported more grass-eating animals like deer, antelope, goat, sheep, and cattle. Humans who hunted these animals followed them, learning about their habits and breeding seasons. This likely sparked the idea of herding or rearing these animals.
• Observation and Farming: People (men, women, and children) likely observed how plants grew – where seeds fell, how new plants sprouted. They might have started protecting plants from birds and animals, allowing them to grow and ripen. This gradual process led to farming.
• First Crops: Wheat and barley are believed to be among the earliest crops cultivated. Rice was also grown early on in some regions.
• First Domesticated Animal: The wild ancestor of the dog was likely the first animal to be tamed, perhaps to help in hunting or as a guard.

2. Domestication

• Definition: Domestication is the process by which people grow plants and look after animals. It involves selecting specific types for desired traits.
• Difference from Wild Types: Domesticated plants and animals often differ from their wild counterparts. People selected plants with larger grains, stronger stalks (to hold the weight of ripe grain), and non-shattering qualities (so seeds don't disperse easily). For animals, they selected gentler ones.
• Consequences: Domesticated animals provided milk, meat, and skins, and could be used for carrying loads or ploughing. Domesticated plants provided a more reliable food source than gathering.
• Timeline: Domestication was a gradual process that began about 12,000 years ago in different parts of the world. Virtually all the plant and animal produce we use today is a result of domestication.

3. A New Way of Life: Settling Down

• Need for Stability: Farming required people to stay in one place for extended periods to sow seeds, water plants, weed, and harvest the crops. This led to a settled life.
• Storing Grain: Harvested grain needed to be stored for food and as seed for the next season. This led to the making of large clay pots, weaving baskets, and digging pits into the ground for storage.
• Animals as 'Store' of Food: Domesticated animals multiplied naturally and provided a ready source of milk and meat, acting as a 'store' of food on the hoof.

4. Finding Out About the First Farmers and Herders: Archaeological Evidence

• Key Evidence: Archaeologists find evidence of early farmers and herders through:
  • Charred Grains: Grains burnt accidentally or on purpose survive for a long time. Finding these tells us which crops were grown.
  • Animal Bones: Bones of domesticated animals (often different from wild species) indicate herding. Cut marks on bones can indicate butchering.
  • Tools: Stone tools changed. Neolithic tools were often polished to give a fine cutting edge (e.g., axes, adzes). Mortars and pestles were used for grinding grain. Bone tools were also used.
  • Structures: Remains of houses and settlements indicate a settled life.

5. Important Neolithic Sites (Memorize these locations and key findings):

• Mehrgarh (Present-day Pakistan):
  • One of the earliest known villages (dating back to perhaps 7000 BCE). Located in a fertile plain near the Bolan Pass.
  • Earliest evidence of farming (barley, wheat) and herding (sheep, goats) in this region.
  • Archaeologists found bones of wild animals (like deer, pig) in earlier levels and more bones of sheep/goat in later levels, showing the shift towards herding.
  • Remains of square or rectangular houses, often with multiple compartments (some possibly for storage).
  • Burials: Dead were buried, often with grave goods like food, ornaments, and sometimes goats, suggesting a belief in life after death.
• Burzahom (Present-day Kashmir):
  • People lived in pit-houses (dug into the ground, possibly for protection from cold), with steps leading down. Cooking hearths found both inside and outside.
  • Different stone tools found, including polished ones. Bone tools also discovered.
  • Unique burials: Domestic dogs sometimes buried with their masters.
  • Evidence of grain cultivation and animal domestication.
• Daojali Hading (Near Brahmaputra Valley, Assam):
  • Stone tools, including mortars and pestles, found, indicating grain processing.
  • Jadeite: A stone possibly brought from China, suggesting trade links.
  • Tools made of fossil wood also found.
  • Pottery discovered. Suggests people were growing grain and preparing food.
• South India (e.g., Hallur in Andhra Pradesh, Paiyampalli in Tamil Nadu):
  • Evidence of cattle herding (ash mounds from burning dung).
  • Cultivation of millets.
  • Evidence of sheep, goat, and pig rearing.

6. Neolithic Tools and Pottery

• Tools: Distinct from Palaeolithic tools. Neolithic tools included:
  • Polished Stone Tools: Axes, adzes, sickles used for clearing land, tilling soil, and harvesting. Polishing gave a sharper, more durable edge.
  • Mortars and Pestles: Used for grinding grain and other plant produce. These are still used today.
  • Tools were also made of bone.
• Pottery: Earthen pots were made for:
  • Storing grains and liquids.
  • Cooking food (grains like rice, wheat, lentils became important parts of the diet).
  • Pots were sometimes decorated.

7. Social Life and Customs

• Villages: Settled life led to the formation of villages.
• Tribes: Archaeologists infer that early farmers and herders might have lived in groups often called 'tribes'.
  • Tribes usually involve families living together in small settlements or villages.
  • Members often follow occupations like farming, herding, fishing, gathering.
  • Work might be divided among men, women, and children.
  • They often have shared customs, traditions, language, and beliefs. Rich cultural practices likely existed.
  • Leaders might exist (experienced, brave, etc.), but significant social differences were probably less pronounced than in later societies.

8. Elsewhere: Çatalhöyük (Turkey)

• A famous Neolithic site outside the Indian subcontinent.
• Known for dense settlement; houses built close together, entered from the roof.
• Materials like flint, obsidian, cowrie shells brought from distant places, indicating trade.

Key Takeaway: The transition from gathering to growing food (Neolithic Revolution) was a fundamental change, leading to settled life, new technologies (polished tools, pottery), domestication of plants and animals, population growth, and the foundation for future civilizations.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Around what time did the climate change lead to the development of grasslands, facilitating the beginnings of herding?
   (a) 50,000 years ago
   (b) 25,000 years ago
   (c) 12,000 years ago
   (d) 2,000 years ago

2. Which of the following is considered one of the earliest plants to be domesticated?
   (a) Mango
   (b) Wheat
   (c) Cotton
   (d) Sugarcane

3. The site of Mehrgarh, known for early farming and herding, is located in present-day:
   (a) India (Kashmir)
   (b) Pakistan
   (c) Afghanistan
   (d) Nepal

4. What distinctive type of dwelling was found at the Neolithic site of Burzahom?
   (a) Cave dwellings
   (b) Tree houses
   (c) Pit-houses
   (d) Rectangular mud-brick houses

5. Mortars and pestles found at Neolithic sites were primarily used for:
   (a) Making sharp weapons
   (b) Grinding grain
   (c) Digging the earth
   (d) Making pottery

6. Which archaeological evidence strongly suggests that people at Mehrgarh believed in life after death?
   (a) Presence of polished stone tools
   (b) Remains of rectangular houses
   (c) Discovery of charred grains
   (d) Burial sites with grave goods (like goats)

7. Jadeite, a stone found at Daojali Hading, likely indicates contact or trade with which region?
   (a) Mesopotamia
   (b) Egypt
   (c) China
   (d) South India

8. The shift from hunting-gathering to farming led primarily to which major change in lifestyle?
   (a) Increased nomadism
   (b) Development of cave painting
   (c) Beginning of settled life in villages
   (d) Exclusive reliance on stone tools

9. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic feature of the Neolithic Age compared to the Paleolithic Age?
   (a) Use of polished stone tools
   (b) Domestication of animals
   (c) Primarily nomadic lifestyle
   (d) Beginning of agriculture

10. At which South Indian Neolithic site have archaeologists found evidence of cattle herding, possibly indicated by ash mounds?
    (a) Burzahom
    (b) Mehrgarh
    (c) Daojali Hading
    (d) Hallur

Answer Key for MCQs:

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

Make sure you revise these notes thoroughly. Understanding the 'why' behind these changes – why people settled down, why they domesticated specific plants and animals – is as important as memorizing the facts and sites. Good luck with your preparation!