Chapter 6 – The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation
Worksheet No 15 PP Publication
A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro are now in
✅ (b) Pakistan - The famous ‘Great Bath’ is in
✅ (c) Mohenjo-Daro - A waterproofing material applied on bricks:
✅ (a) natural bitumen - City with six large reservoirs:
✅ (c) Dholavira - They gave much importance to water management:
✅ (d) Dholavira
B. True or False:
- The Harappans had separate areas for bathing in their homes.
✅ True - The largest reservoir was in Kalibangan, measuring 73 m long.
❌ False (It was in Dholavira) - People at Mohenjo-Daro were the first in Eurasia to grow cotton.
✅ True - There was no money at that time as we have today.
✅ True - In Harappan cities, quality of construction varied with house size.
❌ False (Construction quality was uniform)
C. Fill in the blanks:
- Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro were the two important cities of the Indus Valley civilisation.
- There was a high density of sites in the Sarasvati basin.
- Lothal is in the present-day state of Gujarat.
- Goods to be transported were stored in large structures called warehouses.
- Most Harappan cities were surrounded by fortifications.
D. Match the following:
Cities and States:
| City | State |
|---|---|
| Dholavira | (a) Gujarat |
| Rakhigarhi | (b) Haryana |
| Ganweriwala | (d) Cholistan |
| Lothal | (a) Gujarat |
| Kalibangan | (c) Rajasthan |
| Banawali | (b) Haryana |
E. Very Short Answer Questions:
- Define the following:
- Fortification: A massive wall surrounding a settlement or city, generally for protection.
- Elite: The higher social classes such as rulers, priests, and officials.
- Reservoir: A place, natural or artificial, where water is collected and stored.
- What were the warehouses used for?
Warehouses were used to store goods to be transported. - Which two distinct parts did Harappan cities have?
The upper town (for elites) and lower town (for common people). - How was construction quality the same for all houses?
Both large and small houses were made with the same quality of baked bricks. - What crops did Harappans grow?
Barley, wheat, millets, pulses, vegetables, and cotton.
F. Short Answer Questions:
- How did the Indus Civilisation decline?
Due to climate change and drying up of Sarasvati River, leading to agricultural failure and city abandonment. - How were Harappan cities planned?
With wide, straight streets, drainage systems, and zones like upper and lower towns. - How did people in other regions draw water?
From ponds, reservoirs, or nearby streams. - Why did Harappans settle near rivers?
For water, fertile soil for farming, and transportation/trade. - Name crops grown by Harappans.
Wheat, barley, millets, pulses, vegetables, and cotton. - How do we know Harappan diet was diverse?
Scientific tests on pots found remains of dairy, turmeric, ginger, banana, etc.
G. Long Answer Questions:
- Why is the Great Bath a matter of debate?
Some archaeologists think it was for religious rituals, others think for royalty. No written records confirm either. - How do we know Harappans valued water management?
Cities had wells, reservoirs, drains, and homes had separate bathing areas. - What does presence of animal and fish bones show?
That Harappans ate meat and fish, suggesting non-vegetarian diet and fishing practices.
H. Assertion and Reasoning:
- Assertion: Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro grew along the Indus and its tributaries.
Reason: Rivers were the main source of water and irrigation.
✅ (a) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation. - Assertion: The term ‘Valley’ is obsolete in ‘Indus Valley civilisation’.
Reason: The civilisation extended beyond the Indus region.
✅ (a) Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation.