Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 4 : Timeline and Sources of History Notes & Summary in English for CBSE students
CBSE Class 6 Social Science History Chapter 4 Notes & Summary in English for “Timeline and Sources of History” (based on NCERT Social studies textbook Exploring Society: India and Beyond).
History Chapter 4 – Timeline and Sources of History Complete Notes
Class 6 Social Science – Exploring Society: India and Beyond
Theme B: Tapestry of the Past
History Chapter 4: Timeline and Sources of History
(Complete Notes + Concept-wise Explanation + Summary CBSE Class 6 Social Science – Exploring Society: India and Beyond (sst) Book)
Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History Class 6 – Social Science
1. Introduction to History
History is the study of the human past.
It helps us understand how human societies developed over time and how the present world is connected to earlier times.
According to historian E. H. Carr, history is an ongoing dialogue between the past and the present.
By studying history, we learn about human achievements, challenges, cultures, beliefs and ways of life.
Although the Earth has existed for billions of years, humans have lived on it for only a very small part of that time.
Understanding this long past helps us place human history in perspective.
2. Who Studies the Past?
Different specialists help us understand different aspects of the past.
Geologists
Geologists study the physical features of the Earth such as rocks, soil, mountains, rivers and oceans.
Their work helps us understand how the Earth changed over time.
Palaeontologists
Palaeontologists study fossils, which are preserved remains or impressions of plants, animals or humans found in rocks.
They help us understand life forms that existed millions of years ago.
Anthropologists
Anthropologists study human societies and cultures from ancient times to the present.
They focus on customs, traditions, beliefs and social organisation.
Archaeologists
Archaeologists study the past by excavating sites and examining tools, pottery, ornaments, bones, buildings and other remains left behind by humans.
Their findings provide direct evidence of early human life.
3. Meaning of Key Terms
History
History is the study of the human past.
Fossils
Fossils are preserved remains or impressions of plants, animals or humans found within layers of soil or rock.
Era
An era is a long and distinct period of time marked by important events.
4. How Is Time Measured in History?
Different societies have measured time in different ways.
Important events such as the birth of a ruler or a religious figure often marked the beginning of a new era.
Gregorian Calendar
The Gregorian calendar is the most widely used calendar in the world today.
It has 12 months and 365 days, with a leap year every four years.
Century years are leap years only if they are divisible by 400.
5. BCE and CE System
Earlier, years were marked as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini).
Today, these terms are replaced by:
BCE – Before Common Era
Years before the traditional birth year of Jesus Christ.
CE – Common Era
Years after the traditional birth year of Jesus Christ.
Example:
India became independent in 1947 CE.
Gautama Buddha was born around 560 BCE.
6. No Year Zero
In the Gregorian calendar, there is no year zero.
The year 1 CE comes immediately after 1 BCE.
Because of this, when calculating the number of years between a BCE date and a CE date, we add the years and subtract one.
Example:
From 2 BCE to 2 CE = 2 + 2 – 1 = 3 years
7. Timeline
A timeline is a visual representation of events arranged in chronological order.
It helps us understand the sequence in which events occurred.
Timelines make it easier to compare events and understand which happened earlier or later.
Important events shown on timelines include:
- End of the last Ice Age
- Beginning of agriculture
- Use of copper
- Indus-Sarasvati civilisation
- Birth of the Buddha
- Birth of Jesus
- Present time
8. Measuring Long Periods of Time
Year
A period of 12 months.
Decade
A period of 10 years.
Century
A period of 100 years.
The 21st century CE runs from 2001 to 2100.
Millennium
A period of 1,000 years.
The 3rd millennium CE began in 2001 and will end in 3000.
BCE centuries and millenniums are counted backwards from 1 BCE.
9. Indian Calendars
India has a long tradition of calendar-making based on the movement of the Sun and the Moon.
A pañchānga is a traditional Indian calendar that provides information about dates, festivals, eclipses, sunrise and sunset.
Many Indian calendars are still used today for religious and cultural purposes.
10. Sources of History
Sources of history are places, objects, texts or people that provide information about the past.
Historians rely on many types of sources to reconstruct history.
11. Types of Sources of History
Archaeological Sources
These include material remains such as tools, pottery, coins, inscriptions, monuments, bones, burials and houses.
They are discovered through excavation.
Literary Sources
These include religious texts, historical records, poems, plays, chronicles, biographies and travel accounts.
They give written information about the past.
Inscriptions
Inscriptions are writings engraved on stone, metal or copper plates.
They provide valuable information about rulers, administration and society.
Oral Sources
These include folk tales, legends, songs and traditions passed down orally from generation to generation.
Artistic Sources
Paintings, sculptures and panels reveal information about clothing, art, beliefs and daily life.
Scientific Sources
Modern science contributes through climate studies, chemical analysis and genetic research, helping historians gain new insights.
12. Role of Historians
Historians collect information from different sources and carefully analyse them.
Sometimes sources support each other, and sometimes they give different versions.
Historians must decide which source is more reliable.
This is why historians are often compared to detectives solving a puzzle.
13. Beginnings of Human History
Modern humans, known as Homo sapiens, have lived on Earth for about 300,000 years.
Early humans lived in groups to protect themselves from natural dangers.
They were hunters and gatherers who depended on hunting animals and collecting plants.
They lived in caves, rock shelters and temporary camps.
They used fire, made stone tools and communicated using early forms of language.
Rock paintings found in caves show scenes of animals, hunting and daily activities.
Early humans also made ornaments using shells, stones and animal teeth, and sometimes exchanged them with other groups.
14. Beliefs of Early Humans
Early humans believed in natural forces and possibly in life after death.
These beliefs are suggested by burial practices and symbolic objects found by archaeologists.
15. The First Crops and Settled Life
The Earth experienced Ice Ages when large areas were covered with ice.
The last Ice Age ended around 12,000 years ago.
As the climate became warmer, humans began to settle down.
They started growing crops such as cereals and grains.
Animals like cattle and goats were domesticated.
Settlements were often located near rivers because of fertile soil and availability of water.
16. Growth of Communities
As food production increased, populations grew.
Small camps developed into hamlets and villages.
People began exchanging goods like food, tools and clothing.
New technologies appeared, such as pottery and the use of metals like copper and later iron.
Leadership roles emerged, and communities worked collectively for welfare.
17. From Villages to Civilisations
Over time, some villages grew into towns.
Networks of trade and communication developed.
These changes prepared the way for the rise of early civilisations, which will be studied in later chapters.
18. Key Concepts to Remember
- History helps us understand the present through the past
- Timelines show the sequence of events
- Time is measured in years, decades, centuries and millenniums
- BCE and CE replace BC and AD
- Sources of history are varied and must be carefully studied
- Early humans adapted gradually to changing environments
- Agriculture and settlement were major turning points in human history
Chapter Summary
This chapter explains how historians study the past using timelines and sources of history.
It introduces different specialists who contribute to historical knowledge and explains how time is measured.
The chapter also describes early human life, their tools, beliefs and gradual transition from hunting-gathering to farming.
Overall, it shows how human societies slowly became more complex and laid the foundation for civilisation.