NCERT Solutions class 6 Social-Science Chapter 4. Timeline and Sources of History Extra Questions With Solutions

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Very Short Answer Questions (1–2 Marks)

Q1. What is chronology?
Answer: Chronology means arranging events in the order in which they happened.

Q2. What does BCE stand for?
Answer: BCE stands for Before Common Era.

Q3. What are manuscripts?
Answer: Manuscripts are handwritten books written long ago.

Q4. Name any one archaeological source.
Answer: Coins.

Q5. What is a timeline?
Answer: A timeline is a line showing events in sequence.

Q6. How many years make a century?
Answer: 100 years.

Q7. What is an inscription?
Answer: Writings engraved on stone or metal.

Q8. What do oral sources include?
Answer: Stories, songs and folktales.

Short Answer Questions (3–4 Marks)

Q1. Why do historians use timelines?
Answer: Historians use timelines to understand when events happened and how they relate to each other. Timelines help in seeing the order, duration and gap between important events, making history easier to study.

Q2. What are the major sources of history?
Answer: The three major sources of history are archaeological sources (coins, tools, buildings), literary sources (books, manuscripts, inscriptions) and oral sources (stories, songs, traditions). These help historians learn about the past.

Q3. Why are coins important for studying history?
Answer: Coins give information about kings, trade, religion, art and symbols used in a particular time. They help historians understand economy and political conditions of the past.

Q4. How do inscriptions help historians?
Answer: Inscriptions provide accurate information about rulers, battles, donations and administration. Since they are engraved on durable materials, they last long and act as reliable records.

Long Answer Questions (5–6 Marks)

Q1. Explain BCE, CE, centuries and millennia with examples.
Answer: BCE means Before Common Era and CE means Common Era; both are used to count years on a universal scale. A century is a period of 100 years, for example, 1st century CE includes years 1–100. A millennium is 1000 years. Years before 1 CE are written as BCE, such as 500 BCE. These terms help organise long periods of history clearly.

Q2. Describe the different types of historical sources and how they help in understanding the past.
Answer: Archaeological sources include buildings, tools, pottery and coins which reveal lifestyle, trade and technology. Literary sources such as books, inscriptions and manuscripts provide written records of events, beliefs and administration. Oral sources like songs, folktales and stories show traditions and culture. By comparing all these sources, historians build a complete picture of how people lived and how societies changed.

Q3. Why do historians compare evidence from different sources? Explain with reasons.
Answer: Historians compare different sources because no single source gives the full truth about the past. Written records may be biased, stories may be exaggerated, and objects may not explain their purpose clearly. By checking archaeological finds, written records and oral traditions together, historians verify facts, remove errors and understand the past accurately.