The First Crops

Class 6 Social Science · Chapter 4: Timeline and Sources of History · NCERT Exploring Society: India and Beyond section 4.5

Learn

Over long ages, the Earth's climate has changed many times. During an Ice Age, much of the Earth was covered with ice. The last Ice Age lasted from over 1 lakh years ago to about 12,000 years ago. When the climate warmed, the ice partly melted and rivers swelled.

With better living conditions, people in many parts of the world began cultivating cereals like wheat and barley, and domesticating animals such as cattle, goats and sheep. To domesticate means to tame and raise animals for milk, meat, wool or work.

With more food, communities grew in size and number. They often settled near rivers, where water was close and the soil was fertile. At Mehrgarh, near the Bolan Pass, we find one of the earliest farming villages of the subcontinent, with mud-brick houses, crops of wheat and barley, and herds of goats, sheep and cattle.

Farming changed human life forever. People stayed in one place, built permanent homes, stored grain in pots, and had time for new crafts. Villages slowly grew into towns, and, as we'll see in Chapter 6, towns into the first cities.

Explore: how did farming begin?

1. Put the steps in order.

Remember

• After the last Ice Age ended about 12,000 years ago, people began farming and domesticating animals.
• Farming villages grew near rivers; Mehrgarh is one of the earliest in the subcontinent.

Quick check

Why did farming villages often grow near rivers?

1. Water was close and the soil was fertile
2. Rivers kept animals away
3. It never rained there
4. There were no plants

Think about it

Farming gave people more food, but it also brought new problems. Can you think of one?

Practice

Practise with fresh questions at three levels (easy, medium, hard), some answered hands-on, with hints and worked answers. Get 4 of your last 5 right to finish the topic.