When and how was the origin of human society discovered? In this blog, we will learn about early human civilizations, their lifestyle, and NCERT Solutions for Class 7 History Chapter 1, which will help you score good marks in exams.
Ncert Solutions For Class 7 History Chapter 1
Let’s recall
1. Who was considered a “foreigner” in the past?
Answer: In medieval times, any stranger who did not belong to a particular society or culture and was not a part of that particular village was considered a foreigner. For example, a city-dweller may regard a forest-dweller as a foreigner.
2. State whether true or false:
(a) We do not find inscriptions for the period after 700.
(b) The Marathas asserted their political importance during this period.
(c) Forest dwellers were sometimes pushed out of their lands with the spread of agricultural settlements.
(d) Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban controlled Assam, Manipur, and Kashmir.
Answer: (a) False (b) True (c) True (d) False
3. Fill in the blanks:
(a) Archives are places where _________ are kept.
(b)_____________ was a fourteenth-century chronicler.
(c) _______, _______, _______, ________, and ________ were some of the new crops introduced into the subcontinent during this period.
Answer: (a) manuscripts
(b) Ziyauddin Barani
(c) Potatoes, corn, chillies, tea and coffee
4. List some of the technological changes associated with this period.
Answer: The following are some of the technological changes associated with this period:
- Persian wheel in irrigation
- Spinning wheel in knitting
- Firearms in combat
5. What were some of the major religious developments during this period?
Answer: Some of the major religious developments during this period were”
- worship of new gods
- construction of temples by royal houses
- The growing importance of Brahmins; and Priests as dominant groups in society.
- The rise of the idea of bhakti—a loving, personal deity to whom devotees could reach without the help of priests.
- Many new religions emerged during this period. during the 7th century.
Let’s understand
6. In what ways has the meaning of the term “Hindustan” changed over the centuries?
Answer: The meaning of the word ‘Hindustan’ has changed over the centuries.
Today, the term ‘Hindustan’ is referred to denote India.
During the 13th century, the term was used by Minhaj-i-Siraj – a historian to denote the land belonging to the Delhi Sultan.
During the 14th century, the term ‘Hind’ referred to the culture and people of the Indus River.
In the early 16th century, Babur used the term ‘Hindustan’ to describe the culture, geography and fauna of the subcontinent’s inhabitants.
7. How were the affairs of Jatis regulated?
Answer: During this period, many social and economic differences emerged among people, which led to the introduction of castes or sub-castes, where people were classified based on their occupation and background. The affairs of castes were administered by an assembly of elders known in some areas as a caste panchayat. Castes had to follow the rules of their villages, which were governed by a chieftain.
8. What does the term pan-regional empire mean?
Answer: The term pan-regional empire means an empire that spans multiple regions of diverse cultures, geography, and religion. For example the Mughal, Chola, Khilji, and Tughlaq dynasties.
Let’s discuss
9. What are the difficulties historians face in using manuscripts?
Answer: In the past, historians faced many difficulties in using manuscripts. These were the following:
- In that period, historians had to write manuscripts by hand due to the lack of printing presses.
- Copy manuscripts with new changes was not easy to work.
- Small differences and errors grew over centuries of copying until manuscripts of the same text differed greatly from each other.
10. How do historians divide the past into periods? Do they face any problems in doing so?
Answer: Historians divided the past into three different periods in the middle of the nineteenth century.
The three periods were :
i) Ancient period: It is stretched from the beginning of human history to the 8th century A.D.
ii)Medieval Period: It stretched from the 8th century to the 18th century.
iii)Modern Period: It stretches from the 18th century till today.
Historians face difficulties in marking the ages because different periods differ from country to country. For example, the medieval period extends from 500 AD to 1500 AD in Europe but in India, it extends from the 8th century to the 18th century A.D.
Let’s do
11. Compare either Map 1 or Map 2 with the present-day map of the subcontinent, listing as many similarities and differences as you can find.
Answer: Map 1
- The locations are marked in Arabic.
- South India is located in place of North India on the current map.
- It was built in 1154 CE. It was created by the Arab geographer Al-Idrisi.
- Coastal areas are marked in detail
- Some well-known names have different spellings.
Map 2
- A French cartographer in the 1720s created it.
- The first modern maps of India were prepared by the Survey of India.
- Locations are marked in English.
- Coastal areas have not been marked in detail.
- Merchants and European sailors used it during their voyages.
12. Find out where records are kept in your village or city. Who writes these records? Is there an archive? Who manages it? What kinds of documents are stored there? Who are the people who use it?
Answer:
- Records are kept in government libraries, archives, museums, etc.
- These records are written by scribes appointed by the state or central government.
- The government manages it.
- Documents related to the daily functioning of Assemblies, Parliament, Important Acts, Visitors, War Elections, etc. are stored there.
- Historians, political analysts, journalists, researchers, anthropologists, etc. use these records.
Class 7 History Chapter 1 Questions and Answers
Book Page 2
1. Look at the areas in the interior of the subcontinent on Map 2 of the textbook. Are they as detailed as those on the coast? Follow the course of the River Ganga and see how it is shown. Why do you think there is a difference in the level of detail and accuracy between the coastal and inland areas in this map?
Answer:
- No, the areas in the interior of the subcontinent on Map 2 are not as detailed as those on the coast.
- European sailors and traders using this map did not go to the inland locations of the subcontinent as much as they interacted with the coastal regions.
- Therefore, the level of detail and accuracy of coastal areas is better as compared to inland areas on the map.
Book Page 3
2. Can you think of any other words whose meanings change in different contexts?
Answer:
- Hindustan: Minhaj-i-Siraj, a historian who wrote in Persian, meant the regions of Punjab, Haryana and the land between the Ganges and the Yamuna. In the early sixteenth century, Babur used Hindustan to describe the geography, fauna, and culture of the subcontinent’s inhabitants.
- Clue: Centuries ago, a clue was a ball of yarn. Think of threading your way through a maze and you’ll see how we get crucial pieces of evidence from yarn that help us sort things out.
- Myriad: If you had myriad things 600 years ago, that meant you typically had 10,000 of them — just not a lot.
- Naughty: Long ago, if you were Naughty, you had nothing. Then it came to mean evil or immoral, and now you’re just behaving badly.
- Nice: This word used to mean “fool, silly, simple”. It’s a far cry from today’s compliment!
Book Page 4
3. When was paper more expensive and easily available? in the thirteenth or the fourteenth century?
Answer: Paper was more expensive in the 13th century and easily available in the 14th century.
Book Page 8
4. Of the technological, economic, social, and cultural changes described in this section, which do you think were most significant in the town or village in which you live?
Answer: In the town where I am living, in the changing times, economic, and social changes are taking place on a large scale due to technological progress. Education has changed the lives of many people and brought many people up the social ladder.
Book Page 10
5. Why do you think rulers made such claims?
Answer: The rulers have made such claims to show their power. They protected their kingdoms with their courage and strength. Rulers wanted to conquer and save the land so that they can do their work like agriculture, construction of buildings and factories, and many more. They also rule the territory that they have won in war.
Book Page 11
6. Find out whether and for how long your state was part of these pan-regional empires?
Answer: A pan-territorial empire is a nation that affects other territories, and functions in whole or in part. My state Andhra Pradesh has been a part of pan-regional empires like the Mauryan Empire, Rashtrakutas, Vijayanagara Empire, and Mughal Empire for almost 2000 years.
7. Do you remember what Amir Khusrau had to say regarding Sanskrit, knowledge, and Brahmanas?
Answer: Yes.
- Amir Khusro has said about Sanskrit that it does not belong to any region and it is an old language.
- No one except Brahmins knows this thing. It means that Brahmins were scholars of Sanskrit.
Also Read: Inside Our Earth Class 7 Notes Geography Chapter 2
FAQ
What is the Class 7 History Chapter 1?
Tracing Changes through a Thousand Years
How to study history class 7?
Read and make notes on the chapters of History from the NCERT textbook and revise these notes the next day. CBSE board strictly follows the NCERT book so you must go through it. Solve the questions with the help of NCERT Solutions for History Class 7.
How do I Memorise History?
Develop flashcards with important dates and events. It is easier to remember them when you read from a book. Instead of randomly writing dates, you should create a timeline of events. Remember the chronology in history.
What were the major religious developments during this period?
Major religious developments: new Hindu deities, the bhakti movement, and the rise of Islam.
What do you mean by Hindustan Class 7?
“Hindustan Class 7” refers to the 7th-grade educational material related to Hindustan, which could be a historical related to the Indian subcontinent.
Why India is called Hindustan Class 7?
India is called Hindustan due to its Persian origin, meaning “Land of the Hindus.”
Which two major religions developed in India during the Empire period?
Hinduism & Buddhism
What is the second name of India?
Hindustan, Bharat
Who gave India its name as India?
Christopher Columbus gave India its name as India from the River Indus.
What is terminology history?
Terminology history refers to the historical development and evolution of terms in a particular field or language.
Conclusion
The Ncert Solutions for Class 7 History Chapter 1 is designed to assist in understanding and learning about the topic. By studying the provided materials, learners can gain knowledge about the chapter. You can access them by visiting the website. If you have any other queries about Ncert Solutions for Class 7 History Chapter 1, “Tracing Changes Through A Thousand Years” feel free to reach us so that we can get back to you at the earliest possible.