NCERT Solutions for Class 9 – Complete Chapter-wise Study Material
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation is one of the most important chapters in the Class 9 Social Science English NCERT Solutions curriculum. This chapter plays a significant role in helping students build a strong conceptual foundation while preparing for school examinations, class tests, unit tests, half-yearly examinations, annual examinations, and CBSE board assessments. The chapter has been carefully designed according to the latest NCERT syllabus, making it an essential part of every student's study plan.
The Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation - Class 9 Social Science English NCERT Solutions available on ATP Education explain every question in a simple, accurate, and step-by-step manner. Each answer is prepared according to the latest CBSE guidelines so that students can understand the concepts clearly without confusion. Whether you are completing your homework, revising before examinations, or strengthening your understanding of the subject, these solutions provide reliable academic support throughout your learning journey.
One of the biggest advantages of studying Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation is that it helps students understand important concepts, definitions, examples, and textbook exercises in an organized way. Instead of memorizing answers, students learn how to develop logical thinking, improve analytical skills, and write well-structured answers in examinations. This chapter also helps improve problem-solving ability and encourages conceptual learning, which is essential for scoring higher marks in school and competitive examinations.
Our Class 9 Social Science NCERT Solutions cover all textbook questions, important exercise questions, and chapter-wise explanations in English Medium. Every solution is written in easy-to-understand language, allowing students to revise the chapter quickly before examinations. Regular practice of these solutions improves confidence, strengthens subject knowledge, and reduces examination stress.
Students preparing for school assessments should carefully study Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation because questions from this chapter are frequently asked in objective questions, short answer questions, long answer questions, competency-based questions, and case-study questions. Understanding the concepts explained in this chapter also helps students connect related topics from other chapters, making overall learning more effective and meaningful.
At ATP Education, we continuously update our Class 9 Social Science English NCERT Solutions according to the latest NCERT textbooks and CBSE curriculum. Students can confidently use these chapter-wise solutions for daily study, homework assistance, quick revision, examination preparation, and self-learning. By studying Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation thoroughly and practising every question regularly, students can strengthen their concepts, improve writing skills, and achieve better academic performance in both school and board examinations.
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation - Class 9 Social Science English NCERT Solutions
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
Chapter Review
Chapter 4. Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
Chapter Review
This chapter traces the long journey of human beings from the earliest human ancestors to the emergence of agriculture, settled communities, writing, cities, and early civilisations. It explains how archaeologists reconstruct the lives of people who lived before written records and how technological and environmental changes gradually transformed human societies. The chapter also examines the emergence and major features of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilisations. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
1. Early Human History
Early human history refers to the very long period of human existence before the invention and widespread use of writing. More than 99 per cent of human history belongs to this period. Since written records were not available, archaeologists mainly depend on material remains such as tools, fossils, bones, pottery, cave paintings, and other artefacts to reconstruct the lives of early humans.
The invention of writing changed the way human history could be reconstructed. After writing developed, both archaeological evidence and written documents became important sources. Written records could provide information about names, events, social life, political systems, economic activities, and cultural practices.
2. Why Study Early Human History?
The study of early human history helps us understand the biological and cultural evolution of humankind and the relationship between human societies, climate, and the environment.
Biological evolution refers to the gradual physical and genetic changes through which early human ancestors evolved into modern human beings, or Homo sapiens.
Cultural evolution refers to the development of human ways of living, tools, techniques, technologies, food practices, settlements, and social organisation as people adapted to their surroundings.
During the Quaternary Period, changing climatic and environmental conditions encouraged humans to develop new methods of obtaining food and using natural resources.
3. Early Human Migration
The earliest human ancestors evolved and lived in Africa. Humans gradually migrated from Africa to other parts of the world.
Homo erectus was among the earliest hominins to move out of Africa. Their stone tools, including handaxes and cleavers, have been found in different parts of Asia and Europe.
Another major migration from Africa was associated with early Homo sapiens. Modern humans eventually spread across different regions of the Earth.
The movement of early humans was closely connected with their ability to adapt to different environments and make use of available natural resources.
4. Who Were Our Human Ancestors?
Different kinds of human ancestors existed during early human history. The term hominins includes modern humans and our early human-like ancestors.
One of the important developments in human evolution was the ability to make and use tools. The earliest stone tools date back to millions of years ago. Tool-making is an important feature of early human behaviour because tools functioned as extensions of the human body and helped people perform tasks that could not be performed easily with their hands alone.
Important early human groups discussed in the chapter include:
- Homo habilis – associated with Africa and early stone tools such as choppers.
- Homo erectus – associated with handaxes and cleavers and early migration out of Africa.
- Homo neanderthalensis – lived in Europe and Southwest Asia and used Middle Palaeolithic tools.
- Homo sapiens – modern humans and the only human species living today.
5. Archaeology and Evidence of the Past
Archaeology plays a major role in understanding early human history. Archaeologists excavate ancient sites and study the objects and remains left behind by humans.
Important archaeological evidence includes:
- Stone tools
- Animal and human bones
- Fossils
- Pottery
- Beads and ornaments
- Cave and rock paintings
- Buildings and settlement remains
- Other artefacts
Archaeologists also recreate and experiment with ancient tools. By making and using similar tools, they can understand how early humans may have produced and used them.
A fossil is a preserved remain, trace, or impression of plants, animals, or humans from the distant past. Fossils are formed when remains become buried under layers of earth and gradually turn into stone over thousands or millions of years.
6. The Major Stages of Early Human History
Early human history is divided into different periods largely on the basis of technological development, changes in tools, agriculture, settlement patterns, and human lifestyles.
Palaeolithic – Old Stone Age: People mainly followed a hunting-and-gathering lifestyle and used simple stone tools.
Mesolithic: This was a transitional period between hunting-gathering and agriculture. People used small stone tools called microliths and made greater use of aquatic resources.
Neolithic – New Stone Age: Humans shifted towards agriculture, domesticated animals, developed polished stone tools, made pottery, and established settled village communities.
Chalcolithic – Copper and Stone Age: People began using copper along with stone tools. Early metallurgy and farming communities developed.
Bronze Age: Bronze was produced by mixing copper and tin. Trade expanded and towns and early civilisations developed.
Iron Age: Iron metallurgy became widespread, leading to stronger tools and weapons and the development of more advanced societies.
7. Palaeolithic Hunter-Gatherers
The Palaeolithic period is also called the Old Stone Age. The word palaeo means “old” and lithic means “stone”.
In the Indian subcontinent, some of the oldest human settlements date back to about two million years ago. Important sites include Attirampakkam in Tamil Nadu and Isampur in Karnataka.
Early Palaeolithic tools included handaxes, cleavers, choppers, and scrapers. These tools were used for activities such as cutting meat, digging tubers, scraping animal skins, and extracting marrow from bones.
With time, stone tools became smaller and more specialised. Scrapers, borers, points, blades, and microblades were developed. Humans also developed the bow and arrow and began hunting smaller animals.
Early Homo sapiens also produced symbolic and artistic expressions. They painted caves and rock shelters, decorated their bodies, and made beads from stone, bone, and shell.
8. Mesolithic Hunter-Gatherers
About 12,000 years ago, the Earth's climate became warmer. Forests and grasslands expanded into areas that had previously been covered by ice.
The changing environment provided new resources such as small game animals, fish, and edible wild grains. Humans developed microlithic tools, which were especially useful for hunting and gathering.
Fishing became an important part of the subsistence economy. People occupied caves and rock shelters, and art continued to develop.
Bhimbetka in Madhya Pradesh is an important archaeological site containing numerous painted rock shelters associated with Mesolithic and earlier human occupation.
9. The Neolithic Revolution
The Neolithic Revolution represents the gradual transition from hunting and gathering to food production.
Humans began to domesticate selected plants and animals. Through cultivation and animal husbandry, they brought food production under greater human control.
Neolithic farmers developed tools for producing and processing food. They also developed pottery and used different raw materials and resources.
The establishment of permanent village settlements was an important consequence of this transition. Agriculture and settled life eventually provided foundations for the development of towns and urban societies.
The transition to agriculture did not happen at the same time everywhere. Different regions adopted cultivation, animal domestication, pottery, and settled life at different periods.
10. Neolithic Period in the Indian Subcontinent
The beginning of agriculture varied from region to region in the Indian subcontinent.
Mehrgarh, situated on the Bolan River in present-day Pakistan, is identified in the chapter as the oldest Neolithic site in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent. It dates back to about 7000 BCE.
The people of Mehrgarh built handmade sun-dried brick houses and granaries. They cultivated wheat and barley and raised sheep, goats, and Indian cattle, particularly the zebu.
They also produced ornaments using materials such as lapis lazuli, carnelian, and shells. Copper objects were later produced, marking an important transition towards the metal age.
By about 2500 BCE, most parts of the Indian subcontinent had Neolithic agricultural communities. Cattle, sheep, and goat herding and the cultivation of cereals, millets, and pulses were important features of their way of life.
11. From Neolithic Communities to the Sindhu–Sarasvatī Civilisation
The development of agriculture, copper technology, craft production, and economic integration gradually contributed to the emergence of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation.
Early settlements developed in the Indus and Ghaggar–Sarasvatī regions. The use of copper tools increased productivity. Pottery developed diverse regional styles, while crafts such as copper working, shell working, and the production of semi-precious stone beads became increasingly important.
Some Early Harappan traditions gradually became standard features of the mature Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation. These included pottery traditions, beads, shell bangles, terracotta objects, copper working, settlement walls, seals, and early forms of writing.
12. Harappan Agriculture, Trade and Technology
The Harappans were not only farmers. They were also skilled craftspeople, traders, and producers of pottery, beads, shell objects, and copper artefacts.
The Early Harappans used standard systems of weights and measurements. Cubical stone weights found at several sites indicate the importance of standardisation in economic and interregional trade.
At Kalibangan, evidence of ploughed fields shows horizontal and vertical furrows, suggesting a system of double-crop cultivation.
Technological development and economic integration during the Early Harappan period contributed to the emergence of urban centres.
13. Bronze Age Civilisations Outside India
The chapter discusses three major Bronze Age civilisations that were contemporary with the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation:
- Mesopotamian civilisation – associated with the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
- Egyptian civilisation – associated with the Nile River.
- Chinese civilisation – associated particularly with the Huang He basin.
These civilisations, along with the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation, developed in fertile river plains. Rivers supported agriculture, settlement, transport, and economic activities.
The geographical proximity of Mesopotamia and the Indus and Ghaggar–Sarasvatī regions encouraged contact and trade between them. The chapter notes that there is much less tangible evidence for direct contact between the Egyptian or Chinese civilisations and the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation.
14. Mesopotamian Civilisation
The word Mesopotamia means “land in between”. It refers to the region drained by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in West Asia.
The region included fertile areas suitable for agriculture. The arrival of copper tools around 4500 BCE helped improve agriculture, crafts, and trade.
Large settlements gradually developed into city-states. The major Mesopotamian city-based civilisations discussed in the chapter are:
- Sumerian
- Akkadian
- Assyrian
- Babylonian
The Sumerians developed irrigation systems using dams and canals and used mud bricks and burnt bricks in construction.
They built large temple structures called ziggurats. Temples were important centres of religious, social, and economic activities.
15. The Beginning of Writing
The Sumerians began writing around 3200 BCE. Their writing system is known as cuneiform.
Cuneiform was written by pressing a wedge-shaped stylus into soft clay tablets. The tablets recorded economic transactions, agricultural activities, craft production, laws, myths, hymns, educational material, and other aspects of Mesopotamian life.
The Sumerians also developed important technologies and systems, including the wheeled cart, sailboat, mathematical calculations, and a number system based on 60. The concepts associated with 60-minute hours, 60-second minutes, and 360-degree circles are linked in the chapter to this numerical system.
16. Egyptian Civilisation
Egyptian civilisation developed along the Nile River. The river provided water and fertile land, supporting agriculture and the growth of settlements.
Egypt developed a centralised civilisation with a strong administrative and social structure. The chapter discusses the organisation of Egyptian society, agriculture, writing, religion, architecture, crafts, and trade.
The Egyptians developed hieroglyphic writing. Their writing provides information about Egyptian political, social, religious, and cultural life.
Egyptian architecture included monumental structures, temples, tombs, and pyramids. Their achievements demonstrate advanced knowledge of construction, organisation, and craftsmanship.
17. Chinese Civilisation
The Chinese civilisation developed along river systems, particularly the Huang He. Agriculture and the management of natural resources supported the growth of settlements and political societies.
The Chinese Bronze Age saw the development of metallurgy, agriculture, crafts, social organisation, and political institutions.
The Chinese developed a distinctive logographic writing system in which characters represented words or concepts.
Chinese artisans were skilled in working with materials such as bronze and jade. The chapter also discusses the development of social hierarchy and political organisation.
The Great Wall of China developed over a very long period. Initial walls were built from about 680 BCE by the Zhou and other dynasties as protection against raids by nomadic groups. These walls were later connected and expanded, with construction, repair, and expansion continuing for centuries.
Silk was known in China from the Neolithic period and became an important craft during the Bronze Age. Later, during the Han period, silk became a major item of external trade and the route through which it was traded came to be known as the Silk Route.
18. Common Features of Early Civilisations
Although the major Bronze Age civilisations developed independently in different regions, they shared several broad features.
- They developed in fertile river plains.
- Agriculture provided an important economic foundation.
- Increasing agricultural production supported population growth.
- Urban settlements and cities developed.
- Craft production and trade expanded.
- Administrative and social systems became more organised.
- Writing systems developed in several civilisations.
- Monumental architecture and specialised craftsmanship emerged.
- Social hierarchies became increasingly visible.
19. Importance of Rivers
Rivers played an important role in the emergence of early civilisations. They provided water for agriculture and supported fertile agricultural land. Rivers could also provide routes for transportation, communication, and trade.
However, rivers could also create challenges. Floods could destroy crops, settlements, buildings, and infrastructure. Therefore, early societies had to develop methods of water management, irrigation, drainage, and flood control.
20. Development from Early Humans to Civilisation
The overall development described in the chapter can be understood as a gradual process:
Early humans → Tool-making → Hunting and gathering → Improved tools and technology → Agriculture → Domestication of animals → Permanent settlements → Pottery and crafts → Copper and bronze technology → Trade → Towns and cities → Writing → Administration and social organisation → Early civilisations.
Thus, the emergence of civilisation was not a sudden event. It was the result of long-term biological, technological, environmental, economic, and social changes.
Key Terms to Remember
- Hominin: A group including modern humans and their early human-like ancestors.
- Homo erectus: An upright or bipedal early human ancestor.
- Fossil: Preserved remains, traces, or impressions of organisms from the distant past.
- Artefact: An object made or modified by humans.
- Palaeolithic: Old Stone Age.
- Mesolithic: A transitional period between hunting-gathering and agriculture.
- Neolithic: New Stone Age, associated with agriculture and settled life.
- Chalcolithic: Copper and Stone Age.
- Bronze Age: Period associated with bronze metallurgy and the growth of early urban civilisations.
- City-State: A sovereign state centred around a city and controlling surrounding territory.
- Cuneiform: Wedge-shaped writing developed by the Sumerians.
- Ziggurat: A stepped, pyramid-shaped temple structure of Mesopotamia.
Chapter in Brief
Early human history covers the vast period before the invention of writing and is reconstructed mainly through archaeological evidence. Humans evolved in Africa and gradually migrated to different parts of the world. During the Palaeolithic period, they lived mainly as hunter-gatherers and developed stone tools. During the Mesolithic period, microlithic tools and greater use of aquatic resources became important.
The Neolithic Revolution brought a major change as humans began agriculture and domesticated plants and animals. Permanent settlements, pottery, and new technologies developed. The Chalcolithic period introduced the use of copper along with stone tools, while the Bronze Age witnessed the growth of cities, trade, writing, administration, and complex social organisation.
The Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilisations developed in fertile river regions. Each developed distinctive systems of agriculture, technology, writing, administration, architecture, crafts, and trade. Together, these developments laid important foundations for later human societies and civilisations.
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
Additional Questions with Answers
Chapter 4. Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
Extra Questions with Solutions
Very Short Answer Questions
Q1. What is meant by early human history?
Answer: Early human history refers to the long period of human history before the invention of writing. It is studied mainly through archaeological evidence such as tools, fossils, bones, and cave art.
Q2. Where did the earliest human ancestors evolve?
Answer: The earliest human ancestors evolved and lived in Africa.
Q3. What is a hominin?
Answer: Hominins are a group that includes modern humans and our early human-like ancestors.
Q4. What is Homo erectus?
Answer: Homo erectus refers to an upright or bipedal early human ancestor.
Q5. What is an artefact?
Answer: An artefact is a material object made or modified by humans and used as evidence for understanding their past.
Q6. What is a fossil?
Answer: A fossil is a preserved remain, trace, or impression of a plant, animal, or human from the distant past.
Q7. Which period is known as the Old Stone Age?
Answer: The Palaeolithic period is known as the Old Stone Age.
Q8. What are microliths?
Answer: Microliths are very small stone tools that became widely used during the Mesolithic period.
Q9. What was the major change during the Neolithic period?
Answer: The major change was the transition from hunting and gathering to agriculture and settled life.
Q10. What is meant by domestication?
Answer: Domestication is the process of bringing selected plants and animals under human control for cultivation and use.
Q11. Name the oldest Neolithic site mentioned in the Indian subcontinent.
Answer: Mehrgarh, located on the Bolan River in present-day Pakistan, is identified as the oldest Neolithic site in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent.
Q12. What is the Chalcolithic Age?
Answer: The Chalcolithic Age is the Copper and Stone Age, when people used copper along with stone tools.
Q13. What is the Bronze Age?
Answer: The Bronze Age is the period associated with the development of bronze metallurgy, expansion of trade, towns, and early civilisations.
Q14. What is a city-state?
Answer: A city-state is a sovereign state centred around a city that controls the surrounding territory.
Q15. What was cuneiform?
Answer: Cuneiform was one of the earliest writing systems developed by the Sumerians. It was written by pressing a wedge-shaped stylus into soft clay tablets.
Q16. What was a ziggurat?
Answer: A ziggurat was a stepped, pyramid-shaped temple structure built by the Sumerians for their chief gods.
Q17. Which rivers were associated with Mesopotamian civilisation?
Answer: The Mesopotamian civilisation developed in the region drained by the Euphrates and Tigris rivers.
Q18. Which river was central to Egyptian civilisation?
Answer: The Nile River was central to the development of Egyptian civilisation.
Q19. Which river basin is associated with early Chinese civilisation?
Answer: The Huang He basin in northern China is associated with early Chinese civilisation.
Q20. Which four major early civilisations are discussed in the chapter?
Answer: The Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilisations.
Short Answer Questions
Q21. How do archaeologists help us understand early human life?
Answer: Archaeologists excavate early human sites and study tools, bones, fossils, pottery, ornaments, paintings, and other remains. These objects provide clues about food habits, technology, occupations, settlements, and lifestyles. Archaeologists also recreate and use similar tools to understand how early humans may have used them.
Q22. Why are tools important in the study of early humans?
Answer: Tools provide important evidence of human behaviour and technological development. Early humans used stone tools for cutting meat, digging, scraping animal skins, breaking bones, hunting, and other activities. Changes in tools also help historians identify different stages of early human history.
Q23. How did early humans adapt to changing environmental conditions?
Answer: Early humans developed new tools, techniques, food-gathering methods, and technologies according to changes in climate and environment. They learned to use available natural resources and gradually developed agriculture and animal domestication.
Q24. What were the main features of the Palaeolithic period?
Answer: The Palaeolithic period was characterised by hunting and gathering, the use of stone tools, and mobile ways of life. People used tools such as handaxes, cleavers, scrapers, and choppers. Later, they developed blades, microblades, bows and arrows, and symbolic forms of communication such as cave paintings.
Q25. What changes took place during the Mesolithic period?
Answer: Around 12,000 years ago, the climate became warmer and forests and grasslands expanded. People developed microlithic tools and made greater use of fish, small animals, and wild grains. Fishing became an important part of their subsistence economy, and caves and rock shelters continued to be used.
Q26. Why is the Neolithic Revolution considered an important turning point?
Answer: The Neolithic Revolution marked the transition from hunting and gathering to food production. Humans began cultivating plants and domesticating animals. They developed new tools, pottery, and permanent settlements. The growth of villages laid the foundations for later urban development.
Q27. Why did agriculture not begin everywhere at the same time?
Answer: The transition to agriculture depended on regional environmental conditions, available plants and animals, climate, resources, and human adaptation. Therefore, different regions adopted cultivation, animal domestication, pottery, and settled life at different times.
Q28. What were the important features of Mehrgarh?
Answer: Mehrgarh was an early Neolithic agricultural village dating to about 7000 BCE. Its people built handmade sun-dried brick houses and granaries, cultivated wheat and barley, and raised sheep, goats, and Indian cattle. They also produced ornaments and later copper objects.
Q29. How did agriculture contribute to the emergence of civilisation?
Answer: Agriculture provided a more stable source of food and encouraged permanent settlements. Increased food production supported larger populations and allowed people to specialise in crafts, trade, administration, and other activities. Over time, villages developed into towns and urban centres.
Q30. How did the Early Harappan period contribute to the growth of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation?
Answer: During the Early Harappan period, agriculture, copper working, pottery, bead production, shell working, and trade developed. Settlement walls, seals, graffiti, and early forms of writing also appeared. Technological development and economic integration helped create the conditions for the emergence of urban centres.
Q31. Why were standard weights important for the Harappans?
Answer: Standard weights helped maintain uniformity in trade and economic activities. The Harappans used a systematic system of weights, including binary multiples for smaller units and multiples of ten for larger denominations. This would have facilitated interregional and long-distance trade.
Q32. Why were rivers important for early civilisations?
Answer: Rivers provided water and fertile land for agriculture. They also supported settlement, transportation, trade, and other economic activities. The four major civilisations discussed in the chapter developed in fertile river plains.
Q33. Why did Mesopotamia become suitable for the development of civilisation?
Answer: Mesopotamia was located around the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and included fertile agricultural regions. Farming, irrigation, copper technology, craft production, and trade supported the growth of settlements and eventually city-based civilisations.
Q34. What were the main achievements of the Sumerians?
Answer: The Sumerians developed city-based civilisation, irrigation systems using dams and canals, brick construction, ziggurats, and cuneiform writing. They also developed wheeled carts and sailboats and used a number system based on 60.
Q35. Why is cuneiform important for understanding Mesopotamian civilisation?
Answer: Cuneiform tablets provide information about Mesopotamian myths, epics, hymns, laws, education, farming, crafts, and economic activities. Since cuneiform has been deciphered, historians can obtain direct information about various aspects of Mesopotamian society.
Q36. How was the Harappan script different from cuneiform?
Answer: Both writing systems existed around the same broad period. Cuneiform was developed by the Sumerians and has been deciphered. The Harappan script, found on objects such as seals and pottery, has not yet been deciphered. Therefore, our understanding of the Harappan civilisation is more dependent on archaeological evidence.
Q37. Why was the Nile important for Egyptian civilisation?
Answer: The Nile provided water and supported agriculture. Its annual flooding deposited rich mud along its banks, making the land highly suitable for growing crops. The river therefore played a major role in the growth and prosperity of Egyptian settlements.
Q38. What was the importance of writing in early civilisations?
Answer: Writing allowed societies to record information about administration, agriculture, trade, laws, religion, education, and other activities. It also provided historians with written evidence for reconstructing the lives of people in the past.
Long Answer Questions
Q39. Explain the development of human life from the Palaeolithic period to the Neolithic period.
Answer: During the Palaeolithic period, humans mainly depended on hunting and gathering and used stone tools. Over time, their tools became more specialised and they developed hunting techniques, symbolic communication, cave paintings, and ornaments.
During the Mesolithic period, the warming climate created new forests and grasslands and provided new resources. Humans developed microlithic tools and made greater use of fish, small animals, and wild grains.
During the Neolithic period, humans gradually shifted towards agriculture and food production. They domesticated plants and animals, developed tools for farming and food processing, made pottery, and established permanent settlements. This transformation laid the foundation for later village and urban societies.
Q40. Explain the major stages of early human history.
Answer: Early human history can be divided into several stages based mainly on technological and lifestyle changes.
- Palaeolithic: Hunting and gathering and simple stone tools.
- Mesolithic: Use of microliths and a transitional lifestyle between hunting-gathering and agriculture.
- Neolithic: Agriculture, domestication, polished stone tools, pottery, and settled villages.
- Chalcolithic: Use of copper along with stone tools and development of early metallurgy.
- Bronze Age: Bronze metallurgy, expansion of trade, towns, and early civilisations.
- Iron Age: Widespread use of iron metallurgy and development of stronger tools and weapons.
Q41. Explain how human beings gradually moved from hunting and gathering to settled agricultural life.
Answer: Hunter-gatherers gradually developed detailed knowledge of seasons, plants, animals, and available food resources. As environmental conditions changed, people learned to cultivate useful plants and domesticate selected animals.
The production of food encouraged people to remain in one place for longer periods. Neolithic communities developed agricultural tools, pottery, and methods of food processing. Permanent villages were established, and new forms of social and economic organisation developed. This gradual transition is known as the Neolithic Revolution.
Q42. Explain the development of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation from earlier farming communities.
Answer: Early agricultural communities such as Mehrgarh developed farming, animal herding, permanent settlements, pottery, and later copper technology. These developments spread to other parts of the Indian subcontinent.
In the Indus and Ghaggar–Sarasvatī regions, copper tools improved productivity, while pottery, bead production, shell working, and other crafts expanded. Standard weights and increasing economic integration encouraged interregional trade. Over time, these developments contributed to the emergence of urban centres of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation.
Q43. Explain the relationship between rivers and the growth of early civilisations.
Answer: Rivers were important because they provided water for agriculture and supported fertile agricultural land. They also helped communities establish settlements and facilitated transportation and trade.
The Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation developed around the Sindhu and Sarasvatī river systems, Mesopotamia around the Euphrates and Tigris, Egypt along the Nile, and early Chinese civilisation around the Huang He basin.
At the same time, rivers could also create challenges such as floods. Therefore, early societies developed water-management systems, irrigation methods, dams, canals, and other techniques to control and use water resources.
Q44. Describe the main features of Mesopotamian civilisation.
Answer: Mesopotamian civilisation developed around the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. Agriculture was supported by fertile land and irrigation. Over time, large settlements developed into city-states.
The Sumerians developed dams and canals and constructed buildings using mud bricks and burnt bricks. They built ziggurats as major temples and developed specialised crafts, trade, and administrative systems.
The Sumerians also developed cuneiform writing. Written tablets recorded laws, economic activities, farming, crafts, myths, hymns, and educational material. Later, Akkadian, Assyrian, and Babylonian powers became important in Mesopotamia.
Q45. How did writing change our understanding of early civilisations?
Answer: Before writing, historians mainly depended on archaeological evidence such as tools, fossils, pottery, buildings, and paintings. Such evidence provides important information but does not usually reveal people's exact names, thoughts, events, or detailed administrative records.
After writing developed, written documents provided information about political events, social life, laws, economic activities, religious beliefs, and cultural practices. For example, deciphered cuneiform tablets provide detailed information about Mesopotamian society. In contrast, the Harappan script has not yet been deciphered, so archaeological evidence remains particularly important for understanding the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation.
Q46. Compare the four major Bronze Age civilisations discussed in the chapter.
| Civilisation | Major River/Region | Important Features |
|---|---|---|
| Sindhu–Sarasvatī | Sindhu and Ghaggar–Sarasvatī regions | Planned settlements, water management, crafts, standard weights, seals and script |
| Mesopotamian | Euphrates and Tigris | City-states, irrigation, ziggurats, cuneiform, trade and crafts |
| Egyptian | Nile | Agriculture, writing, monumental architecture, administration and rich historical records |
| Chinese | Huang He basin | Agriculture, bronze metallurgy, jade craftsmanship, writing and organised political society |
Q47. Why is the Neolithic Revolution called a revolution rather than simply a change?
Answer: The shift to agriculture brought several connected changes in human life. People changed from mainly hunting and gathering to producing food. Plants and animals were domesticated, permanent settlements developed, pottery and new tools appeared, and villages became established.
These changes transformed the economy, settlement patterns, technology, and social organisation of human communities. Therefore, the transition had consequences far beyond a simple change in food collection and is described as the Neolithic Revolution.
Q48. “The environment offers human societies both opportunities and challenges.” Explain with reference to early societies.
Answer: Natural environments provided early humans with water, fertile land, plants, animals, minerals, and other resources. River valleys offered fertile soil and water, helping agriculture and settlement develop.
However, the environment also created challenges. Floods could damage settlements and crops, while changes in climate could alter the availability of food and other resources. Human societies therefore developed tools, agricultural practices, irrigation systems, water-management techniques, and other technologies to adapt to their surroundings.
Q49. Why do historians divide early human history into different ages?
Answer: Historians divide early human history into different periods to understand major changes in technology, economy, lifestyle, and settlement patterns.
The Palaeolithic is associated mainly with stone tools and hunting-gathering; the Mesolithic with microlithic tools; the Neolithic with agriculture and settled life; the Chalcolithic with copper and stone tools; the Bronze Age with bronze metallurgy, towns and early civilisations; and the Iron Age with widespread iron technology.
Q50. How did technological development contribute to the emergence of civilisation?
Answer: Technological development increased the ability of humans to obtain and produce food, process raw materials, build settlements, manage water, make crafts, and conduct trade.
Improved agricultural tools supported food production. Metallurgy provided copper and bronze objects. Water-management techniques supported farming. Standard weights helped trade, while writing supported administration and record-keeping. Together, these developments contributed to the growth of towns, cities, organised societies, and early civilisations.
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
MCQs
Chapter 4. Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation
MCQs
1. Early human history mainly refers to the period before the invention of:
(A) Agriculture
(B) Writing
(C) Fire
(D) Metal tools
Answer: (B) Writing
2. Early human history is studied mainly through:
(A) Modern newspapers
(B) Archaeological evidence
(C) Printed books
(D) Digital records
Answer: (B) Archaeological evidence
3. The earliest known human ancestors evolved in:
(A) Europe
(B) Asia
(C) Africa
(D) Australia
Answer: (C) Africa
4. Which species represents modern human beings?
(A) Homo erectus
(B) Homo habilis
(C) Homo sapiens
(D) Homo neanderthalensis
Answer: (C) Homo sapiens
5. Which period is known as the Old Stone Age?
(A) Neolithic
(B) Mesolithic
(C) Palaeolithic
(D) Chalcolithic
Answer: (C) Palaeolithic
6. The Palaeolithic people mainly followed which lifestyle?
(A) Industrial
(B) Hunting and gathering
(C) Urban farming
(D) Long-distance trade
Answer: (B) Hunting and gathering
7. Which tools were commonly used during the Palaeolithic period?
(A) Iron ploughs
(B) Handaxes and cleavers
(C) Bronze swords
(D) Steel tools
Answer: (B) Handaxes and cleavers
8. The Mesolithic period was characterised by the use of:
(A) Microlithic tools
(B) Iron tools
(C) Steel tools
(D) Machines
Answer: (A) Microlithic tools
9. The Neolithic period marked a major shift towards:
(A) Hunting only
(B) Agriculture and settled life
(C) Industrial production
(D) Maritime trade
Answer: (B) Agriculture and settled life
10. Which process was an important feature of the Neolithic period?
(A) Domestication of animals
(B) Invention of computers
(C) Industrialisation
(D) Printing
Answer: (A) Domestication of animals
11. Which site is identified as an important early Neolithic site in the northwestern Indian subcontinent?
(A) Kalibangan
(B) Mehrgarh
(C) Ur
(D) Saqqara
Answer: (B) Mehrgarh
12. Mehrgarh is located on the:
(A) Nile River
(B) Bolan River
(C) Huang He
(D) Tigris River
Answer: (B) Bolan River
13. The Chalcolithic period is also known as the:
(A) Bronze and Iron Age
(B) Copper and Stone Age
(C) Old Stone Age
(D) New Stone Age
Answer: (B) Copper and Stone Age
14. Bronze is produced by mixing:
(A) Iron and copper
(B) Copper and tin
(C) Gold and silver
(D) Iron and tin
Answer: (B) Copper and tin
15. Which period witnessed the expansion of trade, towns, and early civilisations?
(A) Mesolithic
(B) Neolithic
(C) Bronze Age
(D) Palaeolithic
Answer: (C) Bronze Age
16. Which four major early civilisations are discussed in the chapter?
(A) Roman, Greek, Persian and Egyptian
(B) Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese
(C) Greek, Roman, Chinese and Indian
(D) Egyptian, Roman, Greek and Harappan
Answer: (B) Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese
17. The Mesopotamian civilisation developed mainly between which two rivers?
(A) Nile and Amazon
(B) Tigris and Euphrates
(C) Indus and Ganga
(D) Huang He and Yangtze
Answer: (B) Tigris and Euphrates
18. The word Mesopotamia means:
(A) Land of mountains
(B) Land of deserts
(C) Land in between
(D) Land of rivers
Answer: (C) Land in between
19. Which was the earliest city-based civilisation in Mesopotamia?
(A) Sumerian
(B) Egyptian
(C) Chinese
(D) Roman
Answer: (A) Sumerian
20. The Sumerians developed a system of:
(A) Dams and canals
(B) Railways
(C) Highways
(D) Modern pipelines
Answer: (A) Dams and canals
21. What were ziggurats?
(A) Irrigation canals
(B) Stepped temple structures
(C) Farming tools
(D) Writing instruments
Answer: (B) Stepped temple structures
22. Which writing system was developed by the Sumerians?
(A) Hieroglyphic
(B) Cuneiform
(C) Brahmi
(D) Latin
Answer: (B) Cuneiform
23. Cuneiform was written mainly on:
(A) Paper
(B) Clay tablets
(C) Cloth
(D) Wooden boards
Answer: (B) Clay tablets
24. The Sumerian number system was based on:
(A) 10
(B) 12
(C) 60
(D) 100
Answer: (C) 60
25. Which civilisation developed along the Nile River?
(A) Mesopotamian
(B) Egyptian
(C) Chinese
(D) Sindhu–Sarasvatī
Answer: (B) Egyptian
26. What was the fertile black soil of the Nile valley called by the Egyptians?
(A) Kemet
(B) Mesopotamia
(C) Sumer
(D) Anatolia
Answer: (A) Kemet
27. Which writing system was used in ancient Egypt?
(A) Cuneiform
(B) Hieroglyphic
(C) Pictographic Chinese only
(D) Latin
Answer: (B) Hieroglyphic
28. What was mummification?
(A) A method of farming
(B) A process of preserving the body after death
(C) A writing technique
(D) A method of making pottery
Answer: (B) A process of preserving the body after death
29. Which river basin is associated with early Chinese civilisation?
(A) Nile
(B) Euphrates
(C) Huang He
(D) Indus
Answer: (C) Huang He
30. Which material was particularly important in Chinese craftsmanship?
(A) Jade
(B) Plastic
(C) Aluminium
(D) Steel
Answer: (A) Jade
31. Chinese artisans mastered which technology to produce weapons, tools, and ritual vessels?
(A) Bronze metallurgy
(B) Steel manufacturing
(C) Glass manufacturing
(D) Paper manufacturing
Answer: (A) Bronze metallurgy
32. The Great Wall of China was initially built mainly for:
(A) Irrigation
(B) Defence against raids
(C) Religious ceremonies
(D) Transport
Answer: (B) Defence against raids
33. Which civilisation had strong contacts and trade with the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation because of geographical proximity?
(A) Mesopotamian
(B) Egyptian
(C) Chinese
(D) Roman
Answer: (A) Mesopotamian
34. Which script of the Sindhu–Sarasvatī civilisation has not yet been deciphered?
(A) Cuneiform
(B) Hieroglyphic
(C) Harappan script
(D) Latin
Answer: (C) Harappan script
35. Which site provides evidence of a ploughed field with horizontal and vertical furrows?
(A) Mehrgarh
(B) Kalibangan
(C) Ur
(D) Saqqara
Answer: (B) Kalibangan
36. What was an important feature of Harappan economic activity?
(A) Standard weights and measures
(B) Paper currency
(C) Modern banking
(D) Industrial factories
Answer: (A) Standard weights and measures
37. Which Babylonian ruler is associated with the famous Code of Hammurabi?
(A) Hammurabi
(B) Ashoka
(C) Pharaoh Ramses
(D) Cyrus
Answer: (A) Hammurabi
38. Which of the following is a common feature of the major early river-valley civilisations?
(A) Agriculture
(B) Urban settlements
(C) Trade and crafts
(D) All of the above
Answer: (D) All of the above
39. Which age witnessed the widespread use of iron metallurgy?
(A) Stone Age
(B) Bronze Age
(C) Iron Age
(D) Mesolithic Age
Answer: (C) Iron Age
40. Which statement best describes the development of early civilisation?
(A) Civilisation appeared suddenly without earlier developments.
(B) It developed gradually through agriculture, technology, settlements, trade, writing, and social organisation.
(C) It developed only because of warfare.
(D) It developed only after the invention of iron.
Answer: (B) It developed gradually through agriculture, technology, settlements, trade, writing, and social organisation.
Answer Key
| Q. | Ans. | Q. | Ans. | Q. | Ans. | Q. | Ans. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B | 11 | B | 21 | B | 31 | A |
| 2 | B | 12 | B | 22 | B | 32 | B |
| 3 | C | 13 | B | 23 | B | 33 | A |
| 4 | C | 14 | B | 24 | C | 34 | C |
| 5 | C | 15 | C | 25 | B | 35 | B |
| 6 | B | 16 | B | 26 | A | 36 | A |
| 7 | B | 17 | B | 27 | B | 37 | A |
| 8 | A | 18 | C | 28 | B | 38 | D |
| 9 | B | 19 | A | 29 | C | 39 | C |
| 10 | A | 20 | A | 30 | A | 40 | B |
Chapter Coverage: Early Human History, Archaeological Evidence, Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Sindhu–Sarasvatī Civilisation, Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, Writing Systems, River Valleys, Technology, Trade and Early Civilisations.
Social Science
Class 9 (English Medium)
NCERT Social Science Textbook
Chapter-wise NCERT Solutions for Class 6 to 12 prepared according to the latest CBSE syllabus.
English Medium
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Understanding Social Science Solutions
Understanding Social Science Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter सामाजिक विज्ञान की समझ Solutions
सामाजिक विज्ञान की समझ Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Shaping of the Earth’s Surface Solutions
Shaping of the Earth’s Surface Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Atmosphere and Climate Solutions
Atmosphere and Climate Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation Solutions
Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter State and Society up to 1000 CE Solutions
State and Society up to 1000 CE Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Democracy Solutions
Democracy Open Chapters
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Chapter Elections Solutions
Elections Open Chapters
Explore Now →
Class 9 NCERT Book Solutions
Chapter-wise NCERT Solutions for Class 6 to 12 prepared according to the latest CBSE syllabus.
ENGLISH MEDIUM
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Mathematics
Class 9 Mathematics Book Solutions
Mathematics Open Book
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Beehive (English)
Class 9 Beehive (English) Book Solutions
Open Book
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Mathematics Ganita Manjari
Class 9 Mathematics Ganita Manjari Book Solutions
GANITA MANJARI Open Book
Explore Now →
NCERT Solutions Class 9 Social Science
Class 9 Social Science Book Solutions
Understanding Society India and Beyond PART-I Open Book
Explore Now →Benefits of Studying NCERT Solutions
Studying from NCERT Solutions helps students build strong conceptual understanding and improve problem-solving skills. These solutions are especially useful for revision because every answer is written according to the marking scheme followed by CBSE.
- Improve conceptual understanding.
- Learn correct answer-writing techniques.
- Prepare effectively for school examinations.
- Complete syllabus revision in less time.
- Practice important textbook questions.
- Build confidence before examinations.
Prepared According to the Latest CBSE Syllabus
All NCERT Book Solutions for Class 9 available on ATP Education are updated according to the latest CBSE curriculum. Whenever NCERT introduces changes in textbooks or syllabus, our study materials are revised accordingly so that students always receive accurate and updated content.
Helpful for Competitive Examinations
NCERT textbooks form the foundation of many competitive examinations. Students preparing for Olympiads, NTSE, CUET, UPSC Foundation, SSC and several entrance examinations can strengthen their basics through these chapter-wise solutions. Understanding NCERT concepts also improves analytical thinking and logical reasoning.
Simple and Student-Friendly Explanations
Our experts prepare every answer in a simple, clear and student-friendly format. Difficult concepts are explained step by step with proper reasoning so that students of every learning level can understand them easily. This approach helps students remember concepts for a longer period and perform confidently during examinations.
Start Learning with ATP Education
Explore the complete collection of NCERT Solutions for Class 9 and begin your preparation with confidence. Every chapter is available online for free and can be accessed anytime. Whether you want to complete homework, revise important chapters or prepare for examinations, ATP Education provides reliable and high-quality study resources to help you achieve academic success.
Explore Subjects
Why Students Choose Us
Free Study Materials
Get completely free NCERT solutions, notes and board preparation resources.
Updated Notes
Latest CBSE and NCERT syllabus based notes for all major classes.
Practice Tests
Improve performance with chapter-wise MCQ tests and quizzes.
Trending Study Materials
2M+
Monthly Students
50K+
Study Notes
10K+
MCQ Questions
500+
Mock Tests