Social Science [2 Mark Questions]

The Great Bath is a tank excavated in Mohenjodaro. It has steps leading from two sides. The bath was lined with bricks and coated with bitumen to make it water proof.

The roads were wide and cut each other at right angles. Houses were built on both sides and covered drains ran along the streets.

The people of Harappans grew wheat, barely, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed and mustard. We today eat all these things they collected ber, hunted wild animal and caught fish.

Most of the terracotta toys are the models of clay, which show animal figures. Most probably the toys are models of cattle, rhinoceros, cow etc.

The earliest cities of the Indian subcontinent emerged around 4,700 years in the region drained by Indus and its tributaries in the North-West.

Raw materials are substances that are either found naturally or produced by farmers or herders. These are then processed to produce finished goods.

Harappan seals had pictures of animals that relate to a wet and marshy environment. Rhinoceroses, elephants, and tigers were placed in the midst of marshy plants.

The farmers and herders who gave food to the Harappan cities knew about agriculture and domestication of animals. So they supplied food to the city dwellers. The farmers and herders in the earlier period cultivated the fields themselves and domesticated the animals. So they provided their own food.

The main food of the Harrappans were wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed and mustard together with meat, milk and milk products.

The Great Bath was lined with bricks, coated with plaster and made water tight with a layer of natural tar. There were steps leading down from two sides into the tank.

In Harrappan city, which is the first urban site in India, houses were either one or two storeys high, with rooms built around a courtyard.

Cotton was probably grown at Mehragarh about 7000 years ago. Mehragarh was also the first site in India where agricultural activities took place.

Important people (priests, rulers) took ritual baths in this tank. The tank was lined with kiln burnt bricks, plaster of gypsum and bitumen was used to make the tank water resistant.

The names are:Mohenjodaro, Harappa, Kalibangan, Rakhi Garhi, Chanhudaro, Dholavira, Surkotada, Lothal and Sotkakoh.

Archaeologists know that people in the in the Harappan civilization use cloth because they have found pieces of cloth attached to the lid of a silver vase. They have also found spindle whorls, made of terracotta and faience. They were used to spin thread.

The main Harappan towns in Gujrat were Dholavira, located on Khadir Beyt in the Rann of Kutch and Lothal that stood beside a tributary of the Sabarmati, close to the gulf of Khambat.

Lothal was a city on the banks of the tributary of the Sabarmati in Gujarat. It was a centre for making stone, shell and metal objects. A storehouse and fire altars were also found in the city.

Yes, the Harappans probably got copper from Rajasthan, bronze may have been brought from Afghanistan and Iran, Gold from Karnataka and precious stones from Gujarat, Iran and Afghanistan. (All places are stated as per present location)

Farmers in our country are great producers of edible items :
1. Sugar cane produced sugar and gur
2. Tea leave produced tea
3. Cotton produced thread
4. Bamboo produced basket, furniture and many more household items of bamboo.
5. Soya bean/Palm oil produced edible oil etc.
6. Spices
7. Grains etc.

The Harappans made seals on stone. These were generally rectangular and had usually an animal carved on them with a script in form of signs which are still not known exactly what they mean.

Metals found in the Harappan cities were :
1. Copper
2. Bronze
3. Gold and
4. Silver

The things found in the Harappan cities were made up of :
• Stone
• Shell
• Metal.

Generally, houses were either one or two storeys high with rooms built around courtyard. Most houses had separate bathing area and some had wells to supply water and had covered drains.

Archaeologists found unique objects in almost all the cities. They are :
1. red pottery painted with designs in blacks
2. stone weights,
3. seals,
4. special beads,
5. copper tools and
6. long stone blades.

Around 5000 years ago, kings ruled over Egypt. They had armies and these were used to collect precious metals and stones. They also built huge tombs, known as pyramids. When kings died, the bodies were preserved and buried in these pyramids. These carefully preserved bodies are known as ‘mummies’. A large number of objects were also buried with them.

The earth was dug for turning the soil and planting the seeds by the use of plough. There was not heavy rainfall and thus water was stored and used for irrigation. The Harappans grew wheat, barley, pulses, peas, rice, sesame, linseed and mustard.

In the Harappan cities, a cart toy has been found which is just like the bullock cart used in present time. There were two wheels in it which were connected to each other with an axle and sides of base are supported by sticks. Thus, archaeologists considered that this cart would have been used for carrying the goods.

Beads were made of carnelian, a beautiful red stone. The stone was cut, shaped and polished and finally a hole was bored through the centre so that string could be passed through it. Thus, garlands of beads were made and used.

The evidences which were obtained from these cities referred that the houses, drains and streets were probably planned. Houses were either one or two-storeyed with rooms built around courtyard. There were separate bathing areas. Likewise, each drain had a gentle slope so that water could flow through it.

Mohenjodaro was a city which comes under the Harappan cities. In Mohenjodaro, there was a very special tank which is called the Great Bath. This Great Bath was made up of bricks and bricks were coated with plaster and tank was made water-tight with a layer of natural tar. Stairs were used for bathing. Water in the tank was probably brought in from well and water was drained out after use. Perhaps, important people took a dip in this tank on special occasions.

Many of these cities were divided into two or more parts. Number one was the west part which was smaller but higher. Archaeologists described this as the ‘citadel’. Number two was the east part which was larger but lower. Around each part, baked bricks were used. Bricks were so well-made that they have lasted for thousands of years. The bricks were laid in an interlocking pattern that made the walls strong.

In our city (or village) the following three important buildings are located :
1. Community Hall or Gram Panchayat Bhawan or Municipal Committee Bhawan
2. School Building
3. Hospital
4. Temple or Mosque or Church or Gurudwara (Any three groups or points.)

The following activities take place in these buildings respectively :
1. Community Hall. Marriage Parties or Public Functions.
Gram Panchayat Bhawan. In this Bhawan (Building) Panchayat holds its meetings and discusses our village problems.
Municipal Committee Bhawan. In this Bhawan city's elected members meet under a chairman and discuss problems of the city.
2. School Building. In this building, education is provided to boys and girls of our village or city.
3. Hospital. Here ill people or patients come and consult doctors, compounders or nurses as per their diseases or requirements.
4. Temple or Mosque or Church or Gurudwara. People come and participate in prayer (or Namaz) according to their own religion and faith. (Any three points.)

The farmers and herders who gave food to the Harappan cities knew about agriculture and the domestication of animals. So they supplied food to the city’ dwellers. The farmers and herders in the earlier period cultivated the fields themselves and domesticated the animals. So they provided their own food.

Archaeologists know that the people in the Harappan civilization use cloth because they have found pieces of cloth attached to the lid of a silver vase. They have also found spindle whorls, made of terracotta and faience. They were used to spin thread.