NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 2 From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food: Notes and Solutions (Free PDF)

Chapter 2, NCERT Class 6 history is called “From Hunting-Gathering to Growing Food.” This chapter tells us how our early ancestors used to live long, long ago. They were hunters and gatherers, which means they hunted animals for food and gathered fruits, nuts, and plants. Also, the lesson informs us about the evolution of human beings from hunters and gathers to agriculturists. This evolution is briefly explained in the subsequent sections of the blog. As you proceed, you will also get answers to all important questions in the lesson. Let’s begin learning!!

Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 2 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Explore the summary of all Chapters of Class 6 History here:

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4	Chapter 5
Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8	Chapter 9	Chapter 10

Summary: NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 2

As time passed, people learned how to grow their own food. They started farming and this changed everything. They settled in one place instead of moving around. This led to villages and communities. They learned how to domesticate animals too. Domestication of animals and farming helped in getting food such as milk, wheat, and vegetables. This chapter teaches us how important farming was for the early civilization. It changed their way of life. It also helps us understand how our own lives today are connected to this ancient history. 

Important Dates in NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 2

This will answer the important dates in class 6 History chapter 2.

Event	Date
Mesolithic period	12,000-10,000 years ago
Beginnings of domestication	About 12,000 years ago
Beginning of settlement at Mehrgarh	About 8000 years ago
Beginning of the Neolithic	10,000 years ago

Also Read: Outcomes of Democracy: Class 10 Notes CBSE Social Science (PDF Download)

Important Definitions

• Hunter-Gatherer: Hunter-gatherers were early humans who survived by hunting animals and gathering plants, rather than growing their own food. They moved from place to place to find food and resources.
• Site: A site is a specific place where something happened or where something can be found. It can be a location where people used to live or an area where important things from the past are discovered.
• Habitation: Habitation means the act of living in a particular place. It refers to a location where people built homes or lived in the past.
• Factory: A factory is a large building or place where goods or products are made by using machines and workers. It’s like a place where things are produced on a large scale.
• Palaeolithic: Palaeolithic, also known as the Old Stone Age, was a very early period in human history when people used tools and weapons made from stones. They were hunter-gatherers and did not practice farming.
• Mesolithic: Mesolithic, also known as the Middle Stone Age, was a period after the Palaeolithic. During this time, people continued to hunt and gather, but they also started to make more advanced tools and began settling in one place for longer periods.
• Microliths: Microliths are tiny, sharp tools made from stones. Long ago, people used these small tools to make bigger tools and for various tasks like hunting and cutting.
• Domestication: Domestication means when humans started to take care of and control certain animals and plants. They trained them to be useful, like taming wild dogs to become helpful companions.
• Farmers: Farmers are people who grow crops like wheat, rice, and vegetables. They plant seeds, take care of the plants, and harvest the crops when they are ready.
• Herders: Herders are people who take care of animals like goats, sheep, or cows. They guide them to places with fresh grass and make sure they are safe.
• Neolithic: Neolithic is a term that talks about an ancient time, around 10,000 years ago. This was when people started farming and settling in one place instead of moving around all the time.
• Burials: Burials are ceremonies or ways of putting a person’s body to rest after they pass away. People bury the body in the ground as a way to show respect and bid farewell to the deceased.

Also Read: Mineral and Power Resources Class 8

Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 2 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Explore NCERT Solutions of all Chapters of Class 6 History here:

Chapter 1	Chapter 2	Chapter 3	Chapter 4	Chapter 5
Chapter 6	Chapter 7	Chapter 8	Chapter 9	Chapter 10

Important Questions and Answers in NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 2

1. Complete the sentences:

(a) Hunter-gatherers chose to live in caves and rock

shelters because ____________________.

(b) Grasslands developed around ______years

Ago.

Ans. 

A- they found protection from rain, winds and sunlight.

B- 12,000 years

2. Why do people who grow crops have to stay in the same place for a long time?

Ans. People who grow crops need to stay in the same place for a long time because it takes time for crops to grow. They have to take care of their plants every day, by giving them water and protecting them from harm. If they moved around a lot, they wouldn’t be able to look after their crops properly. So, staying in one place helps them grow healthy crops and have enough food for themselves and others. 

3. Why do archaeologists think that many people who lived in Mehrgarh were hunters to start with and that herding became more important later?

Ans. Archaeologists believe that in Mehrgarh, long ago, people began as hunters. They think this because they found bones of wild animals, showing they hunted for food. Later, they noticed a change. More bones of animals like goats and sheep were found. This suggests that herding became more important. People started to keep and raise these animals for their needs. This shift from hunting to herding probably happened because herding made it easier to get food and it was a reliable source. This change helped Mehrgarh grow and people learned new ways to live together.

4. Why did the hunter-gatherers travel from place to place? In what ways are these similar to/different from the reasons for which we travel today? 

Ans. Hunter-gatherers moved around because they were dependent on nature for food. When one place didn’t have enough, they went to find new plants and animals. This helped them survive. Nowadays, we travel for various reasons like work, leisure, and visiting friends. Unlike hunter-gatherers, we have homes and farms, so our reasons are different. But like them, we still want resources but in other ways. Also, we travel to learn and experience new things, which is different from them. 

5. List three ways in which hunter-gatherers used fire (see page 14). Would you use fire for any of these purposes today?

Ans. Here are three ways hunter-gatherers used fire:

• Hunter-gatherers used fire to cook the food they found. This made it tastier and safer to eat. We still use fire for cooking today, like when we use stoves, ovens, or grills in our kitchens.
• Fire helped them stay warm in cold places. Nowadays, we have heaters to keep us warm, but in the past, fire was vital for warmth.
• Fire scared away dangerous animals at night. While we don’t need fire for protection from animals today, it’s still used in some places to keep wildlife away.

So, we don’t rely on fire as much as hunter-gatherers did but we still use it for cooking and sometimes for warmth

6. List three ways in which the lives of farmers and herders would have been different from those of hunter-gatherers. 

Ans. Here are three ways in which the lives of farmers and herders would have been different from that of hunter-gatherers:

• Farmers and herders lived in permanent villages, cultivating crops or raising animals. Hunter-gatherers roamed for food.
• Farmers grew crops like wheat and barley, while herders raised animals for milk and meat. Hunter-gatherers depended on hunting and gathering.
• Farmers and herders had more stable lives with regular food supply. Hunter-gatherers faced uncertainty in finding food daily.

Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 2 Important Questions and Answers PDF

Explore Notes and NCERT Solutions of other subjects of Class 6

CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 English	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 Civics
CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 Geography	CBSE NCERT Notes Class 6 Maths

FAQs

Follow Leverage Edu for complete study material on CBSE Notes of Class 6 History