CLASS 9 · SOCIAL STUDIES · CHAPTER 4
Simple, step-by-step answers to all 13 end-of-chapter questions and activities.
13 worked answers · short steps first, explanations when you need them
Textbook pages 93–94
Question 1
Farming made some parts of life easier and others harder.
Farming made some parts of life easier and others harder. People could grow and store food and live in permanent settlements. But they had to work regularly, protect crops, and face risks such as drought or crop failure. So, farming brought both benefits and challenges.
Question 2
Fertile soil and water near rivers helped people grow crops, raise animals and build settlements.
Fertile soil and water near rivers helped people grow crops, raise animals and build settlements. Rivers also supported transport and trade. At the same time, floods, droughts and changing river courses could destroy homes and crops. People had to work together to manage water and reduce these risks.
Question 3
Historians use the materials people commonly used for tools to name these ages.
Historians use the materials people commonly used for tools to name these ages. The change from stone to bronze and iron shows that people learned new skills, made stronger tools and changed farming, crafts and warfare. These labels are useful, but change did not happen at the same time everywhere.
Question 4
I wake early to tend crops, fetch water, care for animals and repair tools.
I wake early to tend crops, fetch water, care for animals and repair tools. I store grain and help make pottery or cloth. Unlike a hunter-gatherer, I must stay near my fields and protect them from pests, animals and bad weather. A poor harvest could threaten the whole community’s food supply.
Question 5
Historians might learn the names of people and places, the language they spoke, how they governed, what they believed, and how they recorded trade or goods.
Historians might learn the names of people and places, the language they spoke, how they governed, what they believed, and how they recorded trade or goods. They might also understand seals and symbols better. These would be possibilities; the script could reveal different information than we expect.
Question 6
A sample table: Palaeolithic—large chipped stone tools; mobile camps or caves; cave art in some areas; hunting and gathering.
A sample table: Palaeolithic—large chipped stone tools; mobile camps or caves; cave art in some areas; hunting and gathering. Mesolithic—small microlith tools; temporary camps near water; rock art and ornaments; hunting, fishing and gathering. Neolithic—polished tools; permanent villages; pottery and weaving; farming and animal herding. Features varied by region.
Question 7
The Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese civilisations developed in different river regions.
The Sindhu–Sarasvatī, Mesopotamian, Egyptian and Chinese civilisations developed in different river regions. Each built settlements, organised farming, made specialised crafts, traded, and developed systems of administration and writing. Their buildings, scripts and customs were different. Shared needs led to some similarities, while local environments shaped their differences.
Question 8
Rivers supplied drinking and irrigation water, fertile soil, fish and routes for travel and trade.
Rivers supplied drinking and irrigation water, fertile soil, fish and routes for travel and trade. But floods could damage homes and fields; river channels could shift; and communities could face drought when water levels fell. People benefited most when they developed ways to manage water and prepare for hazards.
Question 9
The Code of Hammurabi was a written collection of laws from ancient Babylon.
The Code of Hammurabi was a written collection of laws from ancient Babylon. It is important because it shows how rulers recorded rules and punishments. It was not equal by modern standards: punishments could differ according to a person’s social status, and women and enslaved people had fewer rights. A written code made rules visible, but did not make everyone equal.
Question 10
Sample answer: I would choose writing.
Sample answer: I would choose writing. It helped people record laws, trade, events and knowledge. Records could be passed to later generations and used to organise larger societies. Other answers, such as farming, the wheel or metal tools, are also valid if supported with reasons.
Question 11
In Egypt and Mesopotamia, rulers and priests held high positions; officials, artisans, farmers and labourers had different roles.
In Egypt and Mesopotamia, rulers and priests held high positions; officials, artisans, farmers and labourers had different roles. Both societies depended on farming and river water. Egypt’s pharaoh was seen as a very powerful ruler, while Mesopotamia was often divided among city-states. Daily life also differed with local customs, jobs and environment.
Question 12
On a blank map, mark Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates, Egypt along the Nile, China along the Huang He and Yangtze, and the Sindhu–Sarasvatī region around the Indus and its tributaries.
On a blank map, mark Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates, Egypt along the Nile, China along the Huang He and Yangtze, and the Sindhu–Sarasvatī region around the Indus and its tributaries. Use arrows for known trade links, add a key, and check locations against the textbook map.
Question 13
Choose one civilisation and organise the project under four headings: tools, writing, art and architecture.
Choose one civilisation and organise the project under four headings: tools, writing, art and architecture. For each, add a labelled drawing or a properly credited image, a short description, and one sentence explaining why it mattered. Use reliable sources and write the explanation in your own words.