Semester 1 History Internal Class Test

Key Historical Periods

• Bhimbetka is located in Madhya Pradesh, India, known for its rock shelters and ancient artwork.
• The Mesolithic Age is characterized by the use of microliths, which are small stone tools.
• The Upper Palaeolithic Age spans from approximately 40,000 to 10,000 years ago.

Human Lifestyle and Tools

• Early humans relied on hunting and gathering for sustenance during the Palaeolithic Age.
• The Mesolithic Age marked a transition to more complex forms of subsistence, including pastoralism, which began with the practice of animal grazing.
• Stone tools in the Palaeolithic Age were mainly developed for hunting purposes.

Literary Sources and Archaeological Sites

• Historical studies use two literary categories: sacred and secular literature.
• Cave paintings at Bhimbetka provide insights into early human life during the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic Ages.
• Quarries served as essential sites for sourcing large stones to create tools.

Agricultural Developments

• The Neolithic Age is distinguished by the advent of agriculture, leading to significant social changes.
• Agriculture facilitated the establishment of permanent settlements, changing humans from nomadic groups to food producers.
• Cotton cultivation is documented to have begun in the Mehrgarh region.

Cultural Advances

• The invention of the wheel led to the development of pottery, marking an advancement in technology and craftsmanship.
• Neolithic humans practiced subsistence cultivation, focusing on producing enough food for themselves and their communities.
• Burzahom, located in Kashmir, is recognized as a significant Neolithic site.

Shelter and Innovations

• Pit dwellings in Kashmir provided shelter and warmth for early inhabitants.
• Neolithic stone tools featured polished and composite designs, improving their utility.
• Rice cultivation is believed to have originated in Southern Uttar Pradesh.

The Chalcolithic Age

• The Chalcolithic Age denotes a period when both stone and copper tools were actively utilized by humans.
• This era is also referred to as the Pre-Harappan Era, indicating a time before the Harappan civilization's prominence.
• Copper was the first metal utilized, supplementing the earlier exclusively stone tool tradition.