NCERT Solutions for Class 6 Social Science (Exploring Society) Chapter 4: Timeline and Sources of History (NCERT 2026–27)

These Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 4 solutions cover Timeline and Sources of History from Exploring Society: India and Beyond, the new NCF-2023 textbook for the 2026–27 session. This is the first history chapter of the book and answers three Big Questions — how we measure historical time, how different sources help us understand history, and how early humans lived. Below you get step-by-step answers to every part of the Questions, activities and projects exercise, clear notes on key terms (BCE, CE, century, millennium, sources of history), extra practice, MCQs, Assertion–Reason and FAQs.

Class: 6 Subject: Social Science Book: Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter: 4 Theme: Tapestry of the Past Session: 2026–27
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Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society Chapter 4 – Overview

Chapter 4, Timeline and Sources of History, introduces history as the study of the human past. It explains that the Earth has a very long history of which humans occupy only a tiny, most recent part, and that scholars such as geologists, palaeontologists, anthropologists and archaeologists help us uncover it. The chapter teaches how time is measured using a calendar (mainly the Gregorian calendar), how years are counted as BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) with no ‘year zero’, and how longer durations are described as decades, centuries and millenniums. A timeline is shown to be a convenient tool for arranging events in order. The chapter then describes the main sources of history — archaeological, literary, oral, artistic and scientific — and ends with the story of early humans, who lived in bands as hunter-gatherers, used fire and tools, made rock art, and later began farming, domesticating animals and forming villages.

Key Concepts & Terms

History: the study of the human past. We humans occupy only a tiny, most recent part of the Earth’s very long history.

Source of history: a place, person, text or object from which we gather information about some past event or period.

Calendar: a system for measuring time. The Gregorian calendar is used worldwide today; it has 12 months adding up to 365 days, with a leap year every four years (century years are leap years only if divisible by 400). Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Chinese and other calendars are also used.

CE and BCE: years counted forward from the conventional date of Jesus Christ’s birth are marked CE (Common Era, formerly AD); years counted backward from that point are marked BCE (Before Common Era, formerly BC). There is no ‘year zero’ — 1 CE follows immediately after 1 BCE.

Era: a distinct period of time, often beginning with a major event like the birth of an important person or the start of a ruler’s reign.

Century & millennium: a century is any period of 100 years (the 21st century CE runs from 2001 to 2100); a millennium is any period of 1,000 years (the 3rd millennium CE began in 2001 and ends in 3000). Centuries and millenniums BCE are counted backward from 1 BCE.

Timeline: a tool that shows a sequence of dates and events over a period; it helps us understand the order in which historical events took place (for example, the Buddha was born before Jesus).

Main sources of history: archaeological (monuments, tools, pottery, coins, ornaments, burials, human/animal/plant remains), literary (manuscripts, inscriptions, the Vedas and Itihasas, poems, plays, travelogues, chronicles), oral (folklore, genealogies, stories passed by word of mouth), artistic (paintings, sculptures, panels) and scientific (studies of ancient climates, chemistry and genetics).

Specialists of the past: geologists study the physical features of the Earth; palaeontologists study fossils of ancient plants, animals and humans; anthropologists study human societies and cultures; archaeologists dig up remains left behind; epigraphists study inscriptions; and a historian studies and writes about the past.

Fossils: impressions of footprints, or parts of plants or animals, that are found preserved within layers of soil or rock.

Early humans: modern humans (Homo sapiens) have lived for about 300,000 years. They lived in bands, were hunter-gatherers, used fire and stone tools, made rock paintings and simple ornaments, and after the last Ice Age (ended around 12,000 years ago) began farming, domesticating animals and settling in villages near rivers.

“Questions, activities and projects” — Full Solutions

All questions below are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT textbook’s end-of-chapter Questions, activities and projects section. Answers are original, written in clear, exam-ready style for Class 6.

1. As a project, write the history of your family (or village if you live in one), using sources of history at your disposal. Ask your teacher to guide you.

ANSWER This is a project, so your answer will be about your own family or village. A model approach is given below. Step 1 – Decide the topic: choose to write the history of your family (your grandparents, parents and yourself) or, if you live in a village, the story of how your village began and grew. Step 2 – Collect sources: talk to elders to get oral sources (their memories and stories). Look for written and object sources at home — old photographs, diaries, letters, ID cards, ration cards, land records, certificates, old coins, utensils, jewellery and clothes. For a village, look at old temples, wells, buildings, name boards and the names of streets. Step 3 – Organise the information: arrange the facts in order of time (oldest first) and make a simple timeline or a family tree showing who came before whom. Step 4 – Write it up: write a short report describing where your family/village came from, what people did for a living, important events, and how things changed over the years. Always note which source gave you each piece of information, and take your teacher’s guidance while preparing it.

2. Can we compare historians to detectives? Give reasons for your answers.

ANSWER Yes, historians can be compared to detectives, because both try to find out the truth about something that has already happened by carefully studying clues. Like a detective who gathers evidence such as fingerprints and statements, a historian gathers sources — coins, tools, inscriptions, manuscripts, ruins, paintings and people’s memories — to reconstruct the past. A historian fits these clues together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. When different sources agree, the pieces match and the historian is more confident; when they contradict each other, the historian must judge which source can be trusted more, just as a detective decides which evidence is reliable. There is one difference: in history, some pieces of the puzzle may remain missing forever, so historians often have to work with incomplete information and reach the most likely conclusion.

3. A few exercises with dates:

• Place these dates chronologically on the timeline: 323 CE, 323 BCE, 100 CE, 100 BCE, 1900 BCE, 1090 CE, 2024 CE.

ANSWER On a timeline, the BCE dates come first (the larger BCE number is older), then the CE dates (the smaller CE number is older). Arranged from earliest to latest: 1900 BCE → 323 BCE → 100 BCE → 100 CE → 323 CE → 1090 CE → 2024 CE.
OrderDateSide of timeline
1 (oldest)1900 BCEBefore Common Era
2323 BCEBefore Common Era
3100 BCEBefore Common Era
4100 CECommon Era
5323 CECommon Era
61090 CECommon Era
7 (latest)2024 CECommon Era

• If King Chandragupta was born in 320 CE, which century did he belong to? And how many years was that after the Buddha’s birth?

ANSWER Century: the 4th century CE runs from 301 CE to 400 CE. Since 320 CE falls in that range, King Chandragupta belonged to the 4th century CE. Years after the Buddha’s birth: the Buddha was born around 560 BCE. To find the gap between a BCE date and a CE date, we add the two numbers and subtract 1 (because there is no year zero): 560 + 320 − 1 = 879 years. So Chandragupta was born about 879 years after the Buddha’s birth.

• Rani of Jhansi was born in 1828. Which century did she belong to? How many years was that before India’s Independence?

ANSWER Century: the 19th century CE runs from 1801 CE to 1900 CE. Since 1828 CE falls in that range, the Rani of Jhansi (Lakshmibai) belonged to the 19th century CE. Years before Independence: India became independent in 1947 CE. As both dates are in the CE, we simply subtract: 1947 − 1828 = 119 years. So she was born 119 years before India’s Independence.

• Turn ‘12,000 years ago’ into a date.

ANSWER To turn ‘years ago’ into a date, we count backward from the present. Taking the present year as 2024 CE (as the chapter does): 12,000 − 2024 = 9,976, so ‘12,000 years ago’ works out to about 9976 BCE (roughly 10,000 BCE). This is around the time the last Ice Age was ending and humans were beginning to settle and farm. Note: if you take the present year as 2026 CE, the answer becomes about 9974 BCE; the figure is approximate either way.

4. Plan a visit to a nearby museum: the visit should be prepared with some prior research on the kind of exhibits the museum holds. Keep notes during the visit. Write a brief report afterwards, highlighting what was unexpected / interesting / fun about the visit and the exhibits.

ANSWER This is an activity, so your report will be based on your own visit. A model plan is given below. Before the visit: find out the name of a museum near you (for example, the National Museum, New Delhi). Do some research — on its website or from books — about the kinds of exhibits it holds, such as statues, coins, ornaments, tools, paintings and manuscripts. List a few things you specially want to see. During the visit: move gallery by gallery and keep short notes — the name of each object, how old it is, what it is made of, and what it tells us about the people of that time. You may sketch interesting objects (photography may not be allowed inside). Writing the report: describe what you saw, then highlight what was unexpected (for example, how small or large an ancient object was), what was interesting (a coin showing an old king or an inscription in an old script), and what was fun (an interactive display or a model). End by explaining how the museum, as a store of sources, helps us understand history.

5. Invite to your school an archaeologist or a historian and ask them to speak on the history of your region and why it’s important to know it.

ANSWER This is a class activity. The steps below will help you organise it. Step 1 – Find a speaker: with your teacher’s help, identify a local archaeologist, historian or museum officer, perhaps from a nearby university, the Archaeological Survey of India office, or a museum, and send a polite invitation letter. Step 2 – Prepare questions: as a class, write questions in advance, such as: Which ancient sites are found in our region? What sources tell us about our region’s past? How is excavation carried out? Why should young people study local history? Step 3 – During the talk: listen carefully, take notes and ask your prepared questions during the question-answer session. Step 4 – After the talk: write a short summary of what you learnt, especially why it is important to know the history of your region — it helps us understand our roots and culture, take pride in our heritage, and protect monuments and sources for future generations. Thank the speaker with a card.

Extra Practice Questions

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is history?

ANSWERHistory is the study of the human past. It uses different sources to find out how people lived, what events took place, and how human societies changed over time. We humans occupy only a tiny, most recent part of the Earth’s long history.

Q2. What is a source of history? Give two examples.

ANSWERA source of history is a place, person, text or object from which we gather information about some past event or period. Two examples are old coins (an archaeological source) and the Vedas (a literary source). Photographs and people’s memories are also sources.

Q3. What is the difference between BCE and CE?

ANSWERCE (Common Era) refers to the years counted forward from the conventional date of Jesus Christ’s birth; BCE (Before Common Era) refers to the years counted backward from that point. For example, 560 BCE is older than 100 CE. There is no ‘year zero’ between them.

Q4. Name the four kinds of specialists shown in the chapter who study the past.

ANSWERThey are geologists (who study the physical features of the Earth), palaeontologists (who study fossils of ancient plants, animals and humans), anthropologists (who study human societies and cultures) and archaeologists (who dig up remains left behind by people, plants and animals).

Q5. How did early humans get their food before farming began?

ANSWERBefore farming, early humans were hunter-gatherers. This means they got their food by hunting wild animals and by collecting edible plants, fruits, roots and nuts. They lived in bands or groups and moved from place to place in search of food and shelter.

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1. What is a timeline, and how is it useful in the study of history?

ANSWERA timeline is a convenient tool that shows a sequence of dates and events covering a particular period. It can run from the beginning of humanity to the present, marking a few important landmarks along the way. A timeline is useful in several ways. First, it helps us arrange events in the correct order — for example, even without remembering the exact dates, a timeline shows that the Buddha was born before Jesus. Second, it lets us see the gap between events and understand which came earlier and which came later. Third, it helps us picture very long stretches of time — years, decades, centuries and millenniums — in a single view; if drawn fully to scale, the chapter’s timeline would be almost 3 metres long, so dotted portions are used to mark skipped periods. In this way, a timeline turns confusing strings of dates into a clear, ordered picture of the past.

Q2. Describe the main sources of history with examples.

ANSWERHistorians reconstruct the past from many kinds of sources, fitting them together like a jigsaw puzzle. Archaeological sources are physical remains dug up from the ground — monuments and structures, tools and weapons, pottery and toys, ornaments and figurines, coins, and the remains of humans, animals and plants, including burials. Literary sources are written records — manuscripts, copper plates, inscriptions, the Vedas and Itihasas, poems, plays, scientific texts, travelogues and historical chronicles. Oral sources are things passed on by word of mouth — folklore, genealogies and collections of stories. Artistic sources include paintings, sculptures and carved panels. In addition, modern scientific sources — studies of ancient climates, chemical studies of excavated materials and the genetics of ancient people — give fresh insights. Using many sources together, historians cross-check information; where sources agree they are confident, and where sources disagree they decide which to trust more.

Q3. How did the lives of early humans change after the last Ice Age?

ANSWERThe last Ice Age lasted from over 100,000 years ago to around 12,000 years ago. During the Ice Age, much of the Earth was covered with ice, and early humans lived in bands in temporary camps, rock shelters or caves, surviving as hunter-gatherers, using fire and simple stone tools, and making rock paintings and ornaments. When the climate warmed up after the Ice Age, the ice partly melted and conditions for living improved. In many parts of the world, humans began to settle down and cultivate cereals and grains, and they domesticated animals such as cattle and goats. With more food available, communities grew in size and often settled near rivers, where water was available and the soil was more fertile. Over time, hamlets grew into villages and some into small towns, networks of exchange developed, and new technologies like pottery and metal-working (copper first, iron later) appeared. This gradual progress later prepared the way for the rise of civilisation.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. History is the study of:

(a) the human past    (b) plants only    (c) the future    (d) maps

2. The calendar most commonly used worldwide today is the:

(a) Hindu calendar    (b) Chinese calendar    (c) Gregorian calendar    (d) Jewish calendar

3. In the Gregorian calendar, the year 1 CE follows immediately after:

(a) the year 0    (b) the year 1 BCE    (c) the year 2 CE    (d) the year 100 BCE

4. A period of 100 years is called a:

(a) decade    (b) millennium    (c) century    (d) era

5. A period of 1,000 years is called a:

(a) century    (b) millennium    (c) decade    (d) generation

6. Scientists who study fossils of ancient plants, animals and humans are called:

(a) geologists    (b) anthropologists    (c) palaeontologists    (d) historians

7. Which of the following is an archaeological source of history?

(a) folklore    (b) an ancient coin    (c) a travelogue    (d) a genealogy

8. The 3rd century BCE includes the years:

(a) 300 BCE to 201 BCE    (b) 201 BCE to 100 BCE    (c) 300 CE to 201 CE    (d) 1 BCE to 100 BCE

9. Approximately how long have modern humans (Homo sapiens) walked the Earth?

(a) 12,000 years    (b) 50,000 years    (c) 300,000 years    (d) 4.54 billion years

10. Before farming began, early humans survived mainly as:

(a) traders    (b) hunter-gatherers    (c) factory workers    (d) city dwellers

Answer key: 1-(a), 2-(c), 3-(b), 4-(c), 5-(b), 6-(c), 7-(b), 8-(a), 9-(c), 10-(b).

For each Assertion–Reason question, choose: (A) Both true and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion; (B) Both true but the Reason is not the correct explanation; (C) Assertion true, Reason false; (D) Assertion false, Reason true.

A-R 1. Assertion: To find the number of years between a BCE date and a CE date, we add them and subtract 1.

Reason: There is no ‘year zero’ in the Gregorian calendar, as 1 CE follows immediately after 1 BCE.

A-R 2. Assertion: A timeline helps us understand the order in which historical events took place.

Reason: A timeline shows a sequence of dates and events covering a particular period.

A-R 3. Assertion: Historians rely on only one source while studying the past.

Reason: Different sources always agree with one another.

A-R 4. Assertion: After the last Ice Age, many humans began farming and settling down.

Reason: When the climate warmed up, living conditions improved and humans could grow cereals and domesticate animals.

A-R 5. Assertion: Modern humans occupy only a tiny part of the Earth’s history.

Reason: The Earth is about 4.54 billion years old, while modern humans have lived for only about 300,000 years.

Answer key: 1-(A), 2-(A), 3-(D), 4-(A), 5-(A).

Exam Tips & Common Mistakes

How to score full marks in this chapter

Master the date rules first: BCE numbers grow as you go back in time, and to find the gap between a BCE date and a CE date you add them and subtract 1 (no year zero). Remember the century rule — the nth century CE runs from (n−1)01 to n00, so 1828 is the 19th century. Learn the five sources of history (archaeological, literary, oral, artistic, scientific) with one example each, and the four specialists (geologist, palaeontologist, anthropologist, archaeologist). For activity/project questions (1, 4 and 5), do not leave them blank — write a clear, step-by-step plan even if the actual work is done in class. Use the textbook’s own facts (the Buddha around 560 BCE, the Ice Age ending around 12,000 years ago, Homo sapiens for about 300,000 years) to show you have studied the chapter.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Forgetting that there is no year zero — this changes BCE-to-CE calculations (add, then subtract 1).
  • Thinking a larger BCE number is more recent — in BCE, the larger the number, the older the date.
  • Getting the century wrong — 1828 belongs to the 19th century, not the 18th.
  • Confusing century (100 years) with millennium (1,000 years).
  • Mixing up the specialists — palaeontologists study fossils, archaeologists dig up human-made remains.
  • Leaving project/activity questions (1, 4, 5) unanswered instead of writing a planned response.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Chapter 4 of Class 6 Social Science Exploring Society about?

Chapter 4, Timeline and Sources of History, explains how we measure historical time using calendars, BCE and CE, centuries and millenniums; how a timeline arranges events in order; the main sources of history (archaeological, literary, oral, artistic and scientific); and how early humans lived as hunter-gatherers before farming and villages began.

What is the difference between BCE and CE?

CE (Common Era, formerly AD) counts the years forward from the conventional date of Jesus Christ’s birth, while BCE (Before Common Era, formerly BC) counts the years backward from that point. There is no ‘year zero’, so 1 CE follows immediately after 1 BCE, and to find the gap between a BCE and a CE date you add them and subtract 1.

What is the exercise heading for Chapter 4 of Exploring Society?

The end-of-chapter exercise in Exploring Society: India and Beyond Chapter 4 is headed Questions, activities and projects and contains 5 numbered items, including a set of date exercises in Question 3, all answered step by step on this page.

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