Here we are presenting social science chapter 4 mcqs for class 6. Timeline and Sources of History is the name of the chapter for which we have 30 MCQs, 15 fill in the blanks questions, 10 true and false questions and 5 assertion and reasoning questions.

30 MCQ Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History
Question 1: Who defined history as “an unending dialogue between the present and the past”?
a) Herodotus
b) E.H. Carr
c) Kalidasa
d) Hiuen Tsang
Answer:
b) E.H. Carr – He emphasised the link between present and past.
Question 2: Which of the following is preserved in museums to help us understand history?
a) Statues, coins, ornaments
b) Electricity, machines, factories
c) Satellites, space stations
d) Maps, globes, charts
Answer:
a) Statues, coins, ornaments – Such objects reveal information about the past.
Question 3: Which group studies physical features of the Earth like soil, stones, and mountains?
a) Archaeologists
b) Geologists
c) Anthropologists
d) Epigraphists
Answer:
b) Geologists – They study Earth’s natural features.
Question 4: Which specialists study fossils of plants, animals, and humans from millions of years ago?
a) Palaeontologists
b) Anthropologists
c) Archaeologists
d) Historians
Answer:
a) Palaeontologists – They reconstruct life forms through fossils.
Question 5: Anthropologists mainly study-
a) Human societies and cultures
b) Fossils of dinosaurs
c) Coins and manuscripts
d) Rock layers
Answer:
a) Human societies and cultures – From the oldest to the present.
Question 6: Archaeologists study the past through-
a) Rocks and volcanoes
b) Fossils of plants
c) Excavated remains like tools, pots, bones, grains
d) DNA and genetics only
Answer:
c) Excavated remains like tools, pots, bones, grains – These are key archaeological sources.
Question 7: Which calendar is used worldwide today?
a) Lunar Calendar
b) Gregorian Calendar
c) Hindu Calendar
d) Islamic Calendar
Answer:
b) Gregorian Calendar – It has 12 months, leap years, and is globally accepted.
Question 8: In the Gregorian calendar, years after the birth of Jesus were earlier marked as-
a) BCE
b) AD
c) CE
d) BP
Answer:
b) AD – Anno Domini, meaning “in the year of the Lord”.
Question 9: The modern inclusive term used instead of AD is-
a) BP
b) CE
c) Era
d) Century
Answer:
b) CE – Common Era, widely used today.
Question 10: Years before the birth of Jesus are now referred to as-
a) CE
b) AD
c) BCE
d) BP
Answer:
c) BCE – Before Common Era, replacing ‘Before Christ’.
Question 11: In the Gregorian calendar, which year follows immediately after 1 BCE?
a) 0 CE
b) 1 CE
c) 2 CE
d) 100 CE
Answer:
b) 1 CE – There is no ‘year zero’.
Question 12: If the Buddha was born in 560 BCE, then in 2024 CE, how many years ago was that?
a) 1,560 years
b) 2,583 years
c) 3,024 years
d) 2,000 years
Answer:
b) 2,583 years – Calculated as 560 + 2024 – 1.
Question 13: A period of 100 years is called a-
a) Decade
b) Century
c) Millennium
d) Era
Answer:
b) Century – For example, 2001–2100 is the 21st century CE.
Question 14: A millennium refers to-
a) 100 years
b) 500 years
c) 1,000 years
d) 10,000 years
Answer:
c) 1,000 years – For example, 2001–3000 CE is the 3rd millennium CE.
Question 15: Which traditional Indian book of tables gives dates of festivals, eclipses, and astronomical data?
a) Purana
b) Panchānga
c) Veda
d) Mahabharata
Answer:
b) Panchānga – It predicts festivals, eclipses, and weather.
Question 16: Which of the following is NOT an archaeological source of history?
a) Inscriptions
b) Coins
c) Fossils
d) Poetry
Answer:
d) Poetry – It is a literary source, not archaeological.
Question 17: Epigraphists are specialists who study-
a) Ancient coins
b) Ancient inscriptions
c) Ancient fossils
d) Ancient tools
Answer:
b) Ancient inscriptions – They help reconstruct the past.
Question 18: Which of these is a foreign account source of history?
a) Vedas
b) Itihasas
c) Travelogues
d) Copper plates
Answer:
c) Travelogues – Records of foreign travellers are valuable sources.
Question 19: Which of these is an oral source of history?
a) Paintings
b) Folklore and stories
c) Pottery
d) Manuscripts
Answer:
b) Folklore and stories – Oral sources preserve traditions.
Question 20: Which scientific method has added new insights into history in recent decades?
a) Astrology
b) Genetics
c) Mythology
d) Palmistry
Answer:
b) Genetics – DNA studies supplement traditional history.
Question 21: Modern humans (Homo sapiens) have lived on Earth for about-
a) 30,000 years
b) 300,000 years
c) 3,000 years
d) 3 million years
Answer:
b) 300,000 years – Only a tiny part of Earth’s long history.
Question 22: Early humans survived mainly as-
a) Farmers
b) Hunters and gatherers
c) Builders
d) Traders
Answer:
b) Hunters and gatherers – They relied on hunting and collecting plants.
Question 23: Evidence of early human life is often found in-
a) Palaces
b) Rock shelters and caves
c) Forts
d) Ships
Answer:
b) Rock shelters and caves – Many contain paintings.
Question 24: Which natural phenomenon lasted over 100,000 years and ended about 12,000 years ago?
a) Drought
b) Ice Age
c) Volcanic eruption
d) Flood
Answer:
b) Ice Age – After which humans began farming.
Question 25: After the Ice Age, humans started cultivating cereals and-
a) Mining iron
b) Domesticating animals
c) Building castles
d) Travelling overseas
Answer:
b) Domesticating animals – They settled near rivers and grew crops.
Question 26: The first metal used by humans was-
a) Copper
b) Iron
c) Bronze
d) Silver
Answer:
a) Copper – Later iron was also used.
Question 27: In early human communities, land was-
a) Individually owned
b) Owned by rulers only
c) Owned by religious leaders
d) Used collectively by the group
Answer:
d) Used collectively by the group – No private ownership.
Question 28: Which new technology appeared in early human settlements before civilisation?
a) Printing press
b) Pottery making
c) Electricity
d) Railways
Answer:
b) Pottery making – Along with metal use.
Question 29: The gradual growth of hamlets into villages and towns led to-
a) Emergence of kingdoms
b) Development of civilisation
c) Decline of human society
d) Extinction of farming
Answer:
b) Development of civilisation – Prepared the way for urban life.
Question 30: Historians are sometimes compared to detectives because-
a) They wear uniforms
b) They solve puzzles by piecing together sources
c) They arrest criminals
d) They use microscopes
Answer:
b) They solve puzzles by piecing together sources – Like solving a jigsaw with missing parts.
Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Fill in the Blanks with Answers – Timeline and Sources of History
1. E.H. Carr defined history as an unending dialogue between the ___ and the ___.
Answer:
present, past
2. Objects such as coins, ornaments, and statues are preserved in ___ to help us study history.
Answer:
museums
3. Specialists who study the Earth’s soil, stones, and rocks are called ___.
Answer:
geologists
4. The study of fossils of plants, animals, and humans from millions of years ago is done by ___.
Answer:
palaeontologists
5. The study of human societies and cultures is known as ___.
Answer:
anthropology
6. The Gregorian calendar, used worldwide today, has ___ months in a year.
Answer:
12
7. The years after the birth of Jesus were earlier marked as AD, which stands for ___ ___.
Answer:
Anno Domini
8. The term used in place of AD today is ___, meaning Common Era.
Answer:
CE
9. The years before the birth of Jesus are referred to as ___, meaning Before Common Era.
Answer:
BCE
10. A period of 100 years is called a ___, while a period of 1,000 years is called a ___.
Answer:
century, millennium
11. The traditional Indian calendar that provides dates of festivals and astronomical data is called ___.
Answer:
Panchānga
12. Specialists who study ancient inscriptions are known as ___.
Answer:
epigraphists
13. Stories, folklore, and songs handed down orally are examples of ___ sources of history.
Answer:
oral
14. The first metal used by early humans was ___.
Answer:
copper
15. The gradual growth of hamlets into villages and towns led to the development of ___.
Answer:
civilisation
True or False type Questions for Class 6 Social Science Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History
Question 1. History is defined as an unending dialogue between the present and the past. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 2. Coins, inscriptions, and ornaments are examples of literary sources of history. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 3. Geologists study the Earth’s soil, stones, and mountains. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 4. Palaeontologists study ancient coins and inscriptions. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 5. The Gregorian calendar used worldwide today has 12 months in a year. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 6. In the Gregorian calendar, the year 1 BCE is immediately followed by 0 CE. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Question 7. A period of 1,000 years is called a millennium. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 8. The Panchānga is a traditional Indian calendar that records dates of festivals, eclipses, and astronomical data. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 9. Epigraphists are experts in studying ancient inscriptions. (True/False)
Answer:
True
Question 10. The first metal used by early humans was iron. (True/False)
Answer:
False
Assertion-Reason Questions for Social Science Chapter 4 Timeline and Sources of History for Class 6
1. Assertion (A): Historians compare their work to solving puzzles.
Reason (R): They piece together information from different sources like coins, inscriptions, and manuscripts.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Assertion (A): There is a year ‘0’ between 1 BCE and 1 CE in the Gregorian calendar.
Reason (R): The Gregorian calendar counts years continuously from 1 BCE to 1 CE without a gap.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(d) A is false, but R is true – The calendar directly shifts from 1 BCE to 1 CE.
3. Assertion (A): Epigraphists study ancient inscriptions to reconstruct history.
Reason (R): Inscriptions provide reliable evidence of events, rulers, and administration of the past.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
4. Assertion (A): Oral traditions such as folklore and songs are not useful for studying history.
Reason (R): They only provide entertainment and lack historical value.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(d) A is false, but R is true – Oral traditions are valuable cultural sources for reconstructing the past.
5. Assertion (A): Early humans began living in permanent settlements only after the Ice Age ended.
Reason (R): Agriculture and domestication of animals began after the climate became warmer and stable.
Codes
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Answer:
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Class 6 Social Science MCQ
- MCQ on Locating Places on the Earth for Chapter 1
- MCQ on Oceans and Continents for Chapter 2
- MCQ on Landforms and Life for Chapter 3
- MCQ on India, That Is Bharat for Chapter 5
- MCQ on The Beginnings of Indian Civilisation for Chapter 6
- MCQ on India’s Cultural Roots for Chapter 7
- MCQ on Unity in Diversity, or ‘Many in the One’ for Chapter 8
- MCQ on Family and Community for Chapter 9
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 1 Governance for Chapter 10
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 2 Local Government in Rural Areas for Chapter 11
- MCQ on Grassroots Democracy – Part 3 Local Government in Urban Areas for Chapter 12
- MCQ on The Value of Work for Chapter 13
- MCQ on Economic Activities Around Us for Chapter 14