Social Science [5 marks Questions]

The two regions are:

1. Assam
2. Maharashtra

Assam:Geographical Features:

• It is situated at the foothills of the eastern Himalayas, is the largest State in northeast India and lies in the middle reach of the river Brahmaputra and Barak.
• The land has uneven topography and is full of hills, plains and rivers.
• The climate of the place is warm and humid.
• The food of the people is fish, rice and tea.

Historical Features:

• Traders from Britain
• Traders from China

Maharashtra: Geographical Features:

• Located in the north centre of Peninsular India, with the Arabian Sea towards its west.
• The dominant physical trait of the state is its plateau region.
• The state enjoys a tropical monsoon climate and a hot scorching summer.
• The food of the people is rice, wheat, fish, millets etc.

 Historical Features:

• Traders from overseas
• Traders from other parts of the country

People of both the states are diverse but are traditionally one and the same. Geographical and historical factors have bought them together.

'Unity in Diversity' is an appropriate term to describe India. India is a land of various cultures, creed, castes and religions and still people live in harmony and brotherhood. They celebrate different festivals together and share their joys and sorrows. Differences in cultures, religions and languages add charm and spice to our lives. This diversity helps us live a harmonious life. In fact, unity in diversity is a base for Indian nationalism.
For example, during the British rule, people from different parts of India rose up and protested against them. Both Hindus and Muslims laid down their lives at Jallianwallah Bagh in Amritsar. When India got independence, members of the Constituent Assembly who belonged to different sections of society framed our Constitution.
Jawaharlal Nehru in his book 'The Discovery of India' wrote that India was always united in spite of several religious and cultural differences. He said, "Indian unity is not something imposed from the outside but rather it was deeper and within its fold, the widest tolerance of beliefs and customs was practised and variety acknowledged and even encouraged".

1. Jawahar Lai Nehru says that Indian unity is not imposed from outside.
2. It was something deeper and within its fold.
3. People practised the widest tolerance of beliefs, and customs.
4. They acknowledged and encouraged variety.
5. Unity in diversity exists in India.
6. Nehru described his country, “unity in diversity.”

People who write stories get their ideas from all sorts of different places such as

1. Books
2. Real life
3. Their imagination.

1. People living in forests chose writing about their fight and friendships with animals.
2. Others wrote stories about love and honour describing kings and queens.
3. Some people wrote their childhood memories of school and friends.

Inequality comes when there is a big gap between the haves and the have-nots.
One has resources and opportunities in abundance while another does not have them at all.

1. One lives in luxurious houses while another does not have even a place or jhoogi to live in.
2. One spends extravagantly, another does not have enough to meet his both ends.

Caste system is another example of inequality.

1. Society has been divided into different groups on the basis of work done by the people.
2. A potter’s son is a potter.
3. A person engaged in one work could not think of another work done by others.
4. This created inequality in the society.

1. People of India have diverse cultures, customs, traditions and backgrounds.
2. British took advantage of this diversity and ruled India for nearly 300 years.

But the diverse people rose against the British as one nation. They showed unity in diversity and threw their rule from India.

3. Man and woman from different cultures, customs, traditions and backgrounds came together to oppose the British.
4. They took part in the freedom struggle.
5. They went to jail together.
6. They worked together to decide joint actions.
7. They acted as one against the British.

Ultimately they uprooted the British Empire from India and attained freedom in 1947.

Kerala	Ladakh
Kerala is located in the South West of India, bounded by sea on one side and by mountains on the other.	Ladakh is a desert in the mountain of J&ICs eastern part.
Spices – pepper, cloves, cardamoms are on the hills.	Land covered with snow for a large part of the year.
Fertile land and abundant rainfall have resulted in the rice cultivation.	Sheep keeping: Pashmiiia shawl is woven in Kashmir.
Fishing is main occupation due to location on sea.	Food – meat and milk (cheese and butter).
Cheenawala nets are used.	Caravan routes through passes to Tibet – trade in textiles, spices, raw silk and carpets
Cheenashalli (utensils from China) are also popular for frying. Major food – rice, fish and vegetables.	Buddhism reached Tibet via Ladakh.
Many Arab Traders came and settled in Kerala. Ibn Battuta travelled 700 years ago. According to him Muslim community was respected.	Muslim populations reached there 400 years before.
St. Thomas is believed to come here and bring Christianity to India.	Kamer Saga is sung by both Muslims and Budhhists.
Different religions are practised due to historical background like Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism.	Kamer Saga is sung by both Muslims and and poems.

Influence of diverse cultures is still in vogue because of the following:

1. Man’s life is on the move at present.
2. We go from place to place and adopt the culture of new places where we live in.
3. Our cultural traditions also undergo a change.
4. We also adopt several things from our neighbourhood.
5. Our daily life also changes accordingly.
6. We also hear stories of other’s customs and traditions.

1. Within a social group, diverse types of activities are performed depending on their skills, interests and education.
2. For example, a farmer grows crop not only for his family but for the entire nation.
3. In a family also some members work to earn a living for the family.
4. They provide money from which goods and services are bought from traders, educational institutions, doctors and so on.
5. All this is due to concept of interdependence between different people and areas cutting across different regions, states and boundaries.