“Ch 4 Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation Question Answer“ is based on the end of chapter questions of chapter 4.
The answers are to the point and easy to learn and understand. To get best out of it please read our short notes on the same chapter.
Ch 4 Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation Notes
Q1
Do you think life became easier or more challenging after humans started farming? Give two reasons for your answer
Answer :-
Farming made life more challenging because of the following reasons:
(I) Hard labour: Farmers had to plough, sow, and harvest, and also look after domesticated animals all year round.
(II) New dependency: Life became dependent on seasons and crop cycles, so a bad harvest meant food shortage.
Source: Page 71, Para 1 ⇾ Topic: “The Neolithic Revolution”
Q2
The environment offers human societies both opportunities as well as challenges. Explain with reference to early farming communities and river-valley civilisations.
Answer :-
(I) Opportunities from the environment
Farming communities: Fertile land and predictable seasons allowed people to cultivate wheat, barley, millets, and rice, and domesticate animals.
River-valley civilisations: Rivers like the Nile, Euphrates-Tigris, and Huang He gave fertile soil and water for irrigation.
(II) Challenges from the environment
Farming communities: Success depended on rainfall and seasons; a bad season meant crop failure and food shortage.
River-valley civilizations: Annual floods could also destroy settlements. They had to build dams and canals to control water.
Source: Page 71, Para 1 ⇾ Topic: “The Neolithic Revolution”; Page 85, Para 3 ⇾ Topic: “Egyptian Civilisation”
Q3
Why do historians divide early human history into different ages such as Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age? What does this classification tell us about human progress?
Answer :-
Reason for the division:
● Historians classify early human history based on the type of tools and technology humans used at that time.
● Stone Age (tools of stone), Bronze Age (mixing copper and tin), and Iron Age (iron smelting) each mark a distinct technological stage.
What it tells us about human progress
●It shows a gradual improvement in tool-making skills, from simple stone tools to stronger metal tools.
● Better tools led to better farming, stronger weapons, and more advanced societies, showing continuous human development over time.
Source: Page 67, Fig. 4.7 ⇾ Topic: “Periods in Early Human History
Q4
Imagine you are a Neolithic farmer. Describe one day of your life. What challenges would you face that a hunter-gatherer would not?
Answer :-
A day in my life as a Neolithic farmer
● In morning I check my fields of wheat and barley
● I tend to my domesticated animals.
● Use polished stone tools to plough land and remove weeds.
● I Make pottery in evening .
Challenges I face that a hunter-gatherer would not
● Crop dependency: Wait for the harvest season worrying droughts or floods.
● Extra daily labour: Farming and animal-rearing with hunting.
Source: Page 71, Para 1 ⇾ Topic: “The Neolithic Revolution”
Q5
Imagine that the Harappan script gets deciphered tomorrow. What new types of information do you think historians might learn?
Answer :-
New information historians could learn
● Names and events: Details about rulers, important people, and historical events.
● Social and political life: Information about laws, trade practices, and how the society was governed.
● Religious beliefs: Gods they worshipped and their rituals.
● Accurate dating: Of coronations or wars.
Source: Page 63, Fig. 4.3 ⇾ Topic: “The Invention of Writing: Before and After”
Q6
Prepare a table with three columns—Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic—and fill in their distinctive features: tools, settlements, art, and subsistence.
Answer :-
| Feature | Palaeolithic | Mesolithic | Neolithic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tools | Handaxes, cleavers, scrapers, borers, points | Microlithic (tiny stone) tools, bow and arrow | Polished stone tools for farming |
| Settlements | Caves and open camps | Caves and rock shelters, occupied more frequently | Permanent villages |
| Art | Beads of stone, bone, and shell; cave paintings began | Cave art flourished, e.g. Bhimbetka paintings | Pottery making and weaving |
| Subsistence | Hunting and gathering | Hunting, gathering, and fishing | Farming and animal domestication |
Source: Page 67-71, Fig. 4.7 ⇾ Topic: “Periods in Early Human History” and “Mesolithic Hunter–Gatherers”
Q7
“Bronze Age civilisations developed independently but shared common features.” Examine this statement with reference to the civilisations given in the chapter.
Answer :-
Developed independently
● Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilisations arose in different river plains.
● Egyptian and Chinese civilisations have little evidence of direct contact with the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation.
Common features they shared
● River-based location: All grew along rivers :
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Sindhu-Sarasvatī,
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Euphrates-Tigris,
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Nile
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Huang He/Yangtze.
● Urban centres: Developed into planned cities and towns.
● Writing systems: All developed their own scripts:
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Harappan script
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Cuneiform
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Hieroglyphics
⦿⦿⦿⦿⁘ Chinese oracle-bone script.
● Social hierarchy: Like rulers, priests, and common workers.
● Trade and craft: Metallurgy, pottery, and traded goods over long distances.
Source: Page 77, Para 1-2 ⇾ Topic: “Bronze Age Civilisations Outside India”
Q8
Although rivers provided many benefits, they also created challenges for early societies. Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of settling near rivers.
Answer :-
Advantages of settling near rivers
● Fertile soil: Annual floods left behind fertile mud, like Egypt’s kemet.
● Water supply: For irrigation, drinking, and daily needs.
● Trade and transport: Routes for trade and movement of goods.
Disadvantages of settling near rivers
● Unpredictable floods: Floods destroy crops, homes, and settlements.
● Need for constant labour: Had to dig ditches, build dams, and canals to manage water.
Source: Page 85-86, Para 1-2 ⇾ Topic: “Egyptian Civilisation”
Q9
With the help of your teacher, find out more about the Code of Hammurabi. Why was it important? Do you think it was fair to all sections of society? Give reasons for your answer
Answer :-
Why the Code of Hammurabi was important
● It was one of the earliest written sets of laws for civil and social conduct.
● Foundational model for many future legal systems.
● Covered: trade, property, family, and crime, giving structure to Babylonian society.
Was it fair to all sections of society?
● No, it was not fully fair. Punishments was different for the different classes.
● Noble harmed a commoner, he often paid only a fine, but a commoner harming a noble faced severe punishment.
● Women had fewer rights than men, especially regarding marriage and divorce.
My opinion
The Code was a big step towards written and organised law, but it favoured the upper class over commoners and slaves, so it was not equal for everyone.
Source: Page 83, Para 2 ⇾ Topic: “The Babylonians” (basic info); additional details researched online for full context.
Q10
If you had to choose one major innovation from early civilisations that changed the world permanently, what would it be and why?
Answer :-
My choice: The invention of writing
I would choose writing, as it changed how humans preserved knowledge.
Why writing changed the world permanently
● Accurate record-keeping: Writing enabled precise dating of events, laws, and trade.
● Preserved thoughts and ideas: Literature, myths, and law codes.
● Foundation for progress: Recording and accumulation of knowledge making future progress possible.
Source: Page 63, Fig. 4.3 ⇾ Topic: “The Invention of Writing: Before and After”
Q11
Compare the social hierarchy and daily life of people in the Egyptian civilisation with those in Mesopotamia or China. What similarities and differences do you notice?
Answer :-
Similarities
● Both civilisations had a clear social hierarchy with rulers at the top and workers/slaves at the bottom.
● Daily life in both revolved around farming, crafts, and trade.
● Both had a class of priests/religious leaders.
Differences
| Aspect | Egypt | Mesopotamia | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top of hierarchy | Pharaoh (ruler) | Kings and temple priests | Ruling class, nobles, aristocrats |
| Social structure | Pharaoh → officials, nobles, priests → landholders, artisans → serfs and slaves | City-states ruled by kings, temple controlled economy | Highly stratified: rulers/nobles → farmers → labourers |
| Religious role | Pharaoh’s rule tied closely to gods and pyramids | Ziggurats built for city’s chief god, all economy tied to temple | Rulers seen as appointees of heaven (Zhou dynasty) |
| Women’s status | Enjoyed more rights, could own property and businesses (e.g., Cleopatra) | Less information on women’s independent rights | Limited details in the chapter |
Source: Page 87, Fig. 4.32 ⇾ Topic: “Egyptian Civilisation”; Page 79, Para 3 ⇾ Topic: “The Sumerians”; Page 92, Para 3 ⇾ Topic: “The Chinese Civilisation”
Q12 and Q13 are irrelevant for your exminations hence skipped
