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NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 8 ‘Villages, Towns and Trades’ takes us through the lives of people dwelling in villages and towns. In this lesson, we get to know about types of settlements, economic structure and jobs, and city planning in urban and rural areas. You can read about key details in the summary part of the notes. As you proceed, you can access questions and answers in the lesson. Also, you can download NCERT solutions to revise during the examination.
Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 8 Important Questions and Answers PDF
Table of Contents
Check out Chola Dynasty: The Golden Age of South India
Explore Summary of all Chapters of Class 6 History here:
Summary: NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 8
In this chapter, we learn about how people in ancient times lived, worked, and traded. We explore two important places: villages and towns. Villages were small settlements where most people were farmers. They grew crops and raised animals. We learn about the different types of houses they lived in, like mud houses and huts. People in villages worked together and helped each other. Towns were larger than villages. They were busier and had more activities. People in towns did various jobs like weaving, pottery, and trading. We also read about how coins were used for buying and selling goods. The chapter also includes the famous town of Mahenjodaro, which has well-planned streets and brick houses. It was a centre for trade.
This chapter helps us understand how our ancestors lived and how important villages and towns were in ancient times.
Important Dates in NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 8
This will answer the important dates in class 6 History Chapter 8.
| Event | Date |
| Beginning of the use of iron in the subcontinent | About 3000 years ago |
| Increase in the use of iron, cities, punch-marked coins | About 2500 years ago |
| Beginning of the composition of Sangam literature | About 2300 years ago |
| Settlement in Arikamedu | Between 2200 and 1900 years ago |
| Discovery of silk-making | About 7000 years ago |
| The Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas | About 2300 years ago |
| Growing demand for silk in the Roman Empire | About 2000 Years ago |
| Kanishka, the Kushana ruler | About 1900 years ago |
| Fa Xian comes to India | About 1600 years ago |
| Xuan Zang comes to India, Appar composes devotional poems inpraise of Shiva | About 1400 years ago |
Also Read: Pandya Dynasty: History, Rulers and Contributions
Important Definitions in NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 8
- Iron: Iron is a strong, hard, and widely used metal. It is often used to make tools, weapons, and various other objects.
- Irrigation: Irrigation is the process of supplying water to plants in order to help them grow. This is usually done by artificial means, like canals or pipes, especially in areas where there isn’t enough rainfall.
- Port: A port is a place along a coast where ships can dock to load and unload goods. Ports are important for trade and transportation.
- Sangam: Sangam refers to a special gathering or assembly of poets, scholars, and artists in ancient India. It was a platform for them to share their knowledge and talents.
- Shreni: Shreni was a term used in ancient India to describe groups or guilds of craftsmen and traders who worked together in a particular trade or craft.
- Silk Route: The Silk Route was an ancient network of trade routes that connected China to various regions in Asia, Europe, and Africa. It was called the Silk Route because it was used for the trade of valuable goods like silk.
- Trader: A trader is a person who is involved in buying and selling goods. They play a crucial role in commerce and trade.
Also Read: Was Chandra Gupta Maurya the Founder of the Mauryan Dynasty?
Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 8 Important Questions and Answers PDF
Explore NCERT Solutions of all Chapters of Class 6 History here:
Important Questions and Answers in NCERT Class 6 History Chapter 8
1. Fill in the blanks.
- Vellalar was a word used for large landowners in Tamil.
- The grambhojaka often got his land cultivated by the Slaves and workers.
- Ploughmen were known as Uzhavar in Tamil.
- Most grihapatis were Smaller landowners.
2. Describe the functions of the gramabhojaka. Why do you think he was powerful?
Ans. The Gramabhojaka was an important figure in ancient Indian villages. His main functions were to collect taxes, settle disputes, and ensure the well-being of the village. He held authority over trade and crafts, making sure they thrived. His power came from his ability to maintain order and support economic activities, which were crucial for a village’s prosperity. This made him powerful as he played a key role in the village’s stability and growth.
3. List the craftspersons who would have been present in both villages and cities.
Ans. In both villages and cities, you would find important craftspersons. They include potters who make pottery, weavers creating cloth, blacksmiths working with metal, and carpenters crafting wood items. Also, there are cobblers mending shoes, and jewellers designing ornaments. These skilled people play important roles in both places, contributing to the livelihoods of their communities.
4. Choose the correct answer:
(a) Punch marked coins were made of:
1. silver
2. gold
3. tin
4. ivory
Ans. Silver
(b) Mathura was an important:
1. village
2. port
3. religious centre
4. forested area
Ans. Religious centre
(c) Shrenis were associations of:
1. rulers
2. craftspersons
3. farmers
4. herders
Ans. Craftspersons
5. What kinds of evidence do historians use to find out about trade and trade routes?
Ans. Historians use different types of evidence to learn about trade and trade routes. They study ancient texts, like writings and records from the past, which mention trade activities. They also look at old maps that show trade routes. Also, archaeologists dig up objects like pottery, coins, and tools that were used in trade. These items help piece together how people traded in the past. Studying ancient buildings, like marketplaces and ports, can also give clues about trade. By combining all this evidence, historians can create a clear picture of how trade and trade routes worked long ago.
6. Which of the iron tools shown on page 73 would have been important for agriculture? What would the other tools have been used for?
Ans. In the image on page 73, the iron plough would have been very important for agriculture. The plough is a tool used to turn over soil, making it ready for planting crops. This helps farmers grow food more effectively.
The other tools shown on the page would have been used for different purposes. For example, the sickle is used for cutting crops like wheat or rice during harvest time. The axe is handy for chopping wood, which can be used for various things like building houses or making firewood. The spade is useful for digging and moving soil around, while the hoe helps in breaking up soil and removing weeds.
6. Compare the drainage system in your locality with that of the cities mentioned in the lesson. What similarities and differences do you notice?
Ans. The drainage system in our area today is a high-tech upgrade from what ancient civilizations used. Back then, they crafted them from materials like mud bricks, ceramics, and thatch. The problem was that these materials weren’t very firm and would wear out over time. Nowadays, we have advanced drainage systems made from tough stuff like concrete and metal. But, just like in the old days, they’re still constructed using stacked rings, forming a tube-like structure. These are some similarities we can still see today.
Download Social Science Class 6 History Chapter 8 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
Ans: Villages were small settlements where most people were farmers.
Ans: Iron is a strong, hard, and widely used metal. It is often used to make tools, weapons, and various other objects.
Ans: In both villages and cities, you would find important craftspersons. They include potters who make pottery, weavers creating cloth, blacksmiths working with metal, and carpenters crafting wood items.
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