This article includes MCQ, A&R based MCQ, and question-answer for ICSE Class 9 The Harappan Civilization Questions and answers.

A.  MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS FOR ICSE CLASS 9 THE HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. The period when man used both stone and copper tools is known as:
2. Bronze Age Period
3. Chalcolithic Period
4. Mesopotamian Civilization Period
5. Egyptian Period

               Ans. (b)

• Name the term archaeologists use for a group of objects distinctive in style, usually found together within a specific geographic area and period of time.
• Civilization
• Culture
• Period
• History

               Ans. (b)

• Which of the following insights about the Harappan Civilization was provided by the Citadel?
•  

               Ans. (a)

• Which of the following is NOT a feature of the Dockyard at Lothal?
• World’s oldest dockyard
• Presence of mud brick platform
• Surrounded by wall of baked bricks.
• Connected by channels to Gulf of Cambay

               Ans. (b)

• What made the pool at the Great Bath watertight?
• Burnt bricks
• Mud brick platforms
• Mortar lined with bitumen and gypsum
• Both (a) and (c)

                Ans. (d)

• Which of the following is a feature of the Great Bath?
• Tank in a courtyard
• Tank surrounded by corridors
• Porticos and rooms
• All of the above

                 Ans. (d)   

•  Bronze statues were made by a special process called ____________
• Moulded clay process
• Lost wax process
• Clay wax process
• Lost clay process

                 Ans. (b)

• Features of the Indus script include
• Alphabetical order
• Written from right to left
• Written from left to right
• All of the above

                Ans. (b)

B.     Read the two statements given below and select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (R) IN ICSE 9 HISTORY THE HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

              Ans. (b)

1. (A)  One of the important sources of information about the Harappan Civilization are the seals.

(R)   The script used for the letters engraved on seals has not been deciphered.

(a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

• (d)  A and R are independent of each other
•             Ans. (d) (A) The period when man used both stone and copper tools is known as the Chalcolithic period.

(R) The Harappan Civilization emerged in the chalcolithic period.

(a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

(d)  A and R are independent of each other

            Ans. (c)

• (A) The Harappan Civilization is considered as the first civilization that arose in the north-western regions of the Indian subcontinent.

(R)  The Harappan Civilization is also known as the Indus Valley Civilization.

(a)   (a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

(d)  A and R are independent of each other

             Ans. (d)

• (A)  The Harappan Civilization is also known as the Harappan Culture.

(R)   The term ‘Culture’ refers to a group of distinctive objects such as seals, weights, stone blades and baked bricks found within a specific geographical area and time period.

(a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

(d)  A and R are independent of each other

• (A)  The Great Bath has a large rectangular tank in a courtyard surrounded by a corridor on all four sides.

(R)   The water for the Great Bath was provided by the Indus river.

(a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

(d)  A and R are independent of each other

             Ans. (c)

• (A)  The Great Bath is one of the largest public buildings at Mohanjo-daro.

(R)   The massive structure of the Great Bath indicates the existence of a ruling class.

(a)  R contradicts A

(b) R is the reason for A

(c)  A is true but R is false

(d)  A and R are independent of each other

             Ans. (b)

C.  SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS FOR ICSE CLASS 9 THE HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

1. Give two important sources of information about the Harappan Civilization.

Ans. Two important sources of information about the Harappan Civilization are:

1. The Great Bath, one of the largest public buildings at Mohanjo-Daro.
2. The Seals made of terracotta, agate etc with inscriptions and pictures on them.

• State one important public building of Indus Valley Civilization.

      Ans. One public building of Indus Valley Civilization which is of great importance is the Great Bath.

                The Great Bath throws light on the life and culture of the Harappan people. Hence, it is an important source of information.

• Give any two characteristic features of the citadel.

Ans.  Two characteristic features of the citadel are:

1. The citadels were built on raised platforms, often made of mud bricks.
2. The citadels had the houses of the ruling class and important buildings like the Great Bath, the granary, the assembly hall and the workshops.

• How were seals used? How do they inform us about Harappan trade?

Ans.  Traders used the seals to stamp their goods.

          Harappan people also used as amulets.

          They also indicate the vastness of the Harappan trade.

• Briefly describe the granaries at Harappa.

      Ans. At Harappa there were two rows. Each row had six granaries in them.

              They were built on raised platforms to protect them from floods.

              To the south of the granaries were the working floors consisting of rows of circular brick platforms meant for threshing grains.

              The granaries had ventilation to prevent grains from becoming mildewed.

• Briefly describe the ornaments worn by the Harappans.

Ans. Both men and women wore ornaments.

         The Harappans made ornaments of gold, silver, precious stones and ivory.

         Some of the common ornaments were necklaces, finger-rings, bangles, armlets, anklets, nose-rings and fan-shaped head-dress.

• Briefly describe the statue of the dancing girl.

Ans.    The bronze made statue of the dancing girl’s right hand is seen resting on the hip.

             The heavily bangled left hand holds a small bowl against her leg.   

• What types of dress did the Indus Valley people wear.

Ans.    The Indus Valley men used to wear dhoti and a shawl as an upper garment.

                                       The women wore a skirt and covered their arms and shoulders with a cloak.

9.      Mention two features of the internal trade in the Indus Valley Civilisation.

           Ans. Two features of the internal trade in the Indus Valley Civilisation are:

                  a. The Harappans carried on considerable trade in stone, metal, shell etc.

                  b. They carried on all exchange through barter. The Harappans did not use metal as money.

10.  Mention any two types of evidence that show the Harappans had trade relations with foreign countries.

         Ans. Two types of evidence that show the Harappans had trade relations with foreign countries are:

a.      From about 2350 BCE onwards the Mesopotamian records refer to trade relations with Meluha.

b.      The depictions of ships and boats on seals indicate trade relations with foreign countries. 

11.    Name the four animals depicted on the Pashupati seal.

Ans. The four animals depicted on the Pashupati seal are – elephant, tiger, buffalo, and rhinoceros.

12.    Give any two causes that led to the decline of the Harappan Civilization.

Ans. Two causes that led to the decline of the Harappan Civilization are:

a.      Increased aridity – The Harappan Civilization declined because of increasing aridity in the area and the drying up of the river Ghaggar.

b.      Attack – Evidence of skeletons of 13 males and females and a child serves as a proof of attack probably by the Aryans.

13.Explain the type of weights and measures that the Indus people used?

Ans. The Harappan people used stone weights the shapes of which were cubical.

          They took basic unit as 16.

          The Indus people used multiples of 16 for larger weights and fractions of 16 for smaller ones.

14. Mention any two ways to prove the value of seals as a source of historical information.

Ans. Two ways to show the value of seals as a source of historical information are:

1. Seals of Pashupati prove that people of Indus believed in Shiva.
2. Harappan seals were found in different regions. This indicates that the people of Indus Civilization had trade spread over a vast area.
3. In what two respects is Harappan Civilization our greatest heritage?

Ans.  Harappan Civilization is our greatest heritage because:

1. The cultivation of cotton was a remarkable achievement of the Harappans. After several centuries the Egyptians adopted this cotton cultivation.
2. The later civilizations adopted the Harappan way of making baked pottery, bricks, beads, jewellery, textiles, etc..

1. How does Indus pottery reflect the potter’s artistic skills?

Ans. Indus pottery reflects the potter’s artistic skill with red colour, black geometric designs and glossy finish.

1. Explain the process of sculpture in metal.

Ans. The people of Indus Civilization used the lost wax process for doing sculpture in metal.

         They covered wax figures with a coating of clay.

         The Indus people used heat to melt the wax and make a hollow. They then filled it with molten metal which took the original shape of the object.

18.  Explain in brief how the citadel point out the social classification of Harappans.

Ans. The citadels at Harappa suggest a social classification with the houses of the ruling class and some important buildings within the fortified area.

           The lower classes likely lived outside the citadel walls.

                                                

D. STRUCTURED QUESTIONS based on ICSE CLASS 9 HISTORY THE HARAPPAN CIVILIZATION QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1. With reference to Harappan Culture, answer the following questions:
2. Give a brief description of the indigenous origin of the Indus Valley Civilization.
3. Give an account of the extension of the civilization.
4. Name any four Harappan Civilization city along with a significant feature of each.

        Ans. a. Indigenous origin of the Harappan Civilization

• Recent researches prove that the Harappan Civilization sprang up in the Indian soil.
• The urban Harappan culture was not of foreign origin. It grew extensively from a local village culture.
• This civilization developed gradually over time, with evidence of cultural and technological continuity from earlier periods.

           These prove the indigenous origin of the Harappan Civilization.

         Ans. b. The extent of the Harappan Civilization

(i)            The entire area of the Harappan Civilization is triangular in shape and accounts for about 1.3 million sq. km.

(ii)           The boundaries include, Sutkagendor (West), Alamgirpur (East), Daimabad (South) and Manda (North).

(iii)          The civilization was spread along the River Indus and its tributaries.

(iv)          The largest sites of the Harappan Civilization however are Mohenjo-Daro, Harappa, Kalibangan and Lothal.

         Ans. c. Four Harappan cities along with their significant feature:

• Harappa – The city had covered drains, public baths, and sewage systems. This highlighted a sophisticated engineering and planning skills.
• Mohenjo-Daro – It had a sophisticated urban planning featuring rectilinear buildings arranged on a grid.      
• Chanhudaro – This city was specialised in crafts like bead-making, metalworking and pottery.

1. With reference to the chief features of the Harappan Civilization,  answer the following:
2. Any three characteristic features of town planning.
3. Three special features of the houses of the people.
4. Mention any two similarities between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa.

        Ans. a.    

• The Harappans built their cities on a grid system, with streets and buildings aligned in a precise rectilinear pattern.
• They even built sophisticated drainage systems including covered drains and sewage channels.
• The Harappan people divided their cities into two main areas – the citadel and the lower town. This indicates a well-planned urban layout.

       Ans. b.      

• There were well-constructed bathrooms and drains which indicate a high standard of living and attention to hygiene.
• Many houses had private wells that provided a reliable source of water.
• Houses had well-constructed bathrooms and drains, indicating a high standard of living and attention to hygiene.

      Ans. c.        Two common elements between Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa are:

• Both cities feature well-planned streets, sophisticated drainage systems, and organized public buildings highlighting the civilization’s emphasis on urban design and sanitation.
• The use of standardized brick sizes in both cities indicates a high degree of planning, organization and coordination in their construction.