Textbook Solutions: Life in Towns and Villages | Footprints Class 6: Book Solutions, Notes & Worksheets PDF Download

I. Tick (✓) the correct option. 

II. State whether the following statements are true or false. Rewrite the statements to correct them. 

1.
Ans: False
Vaishali and Varanasi were not mentioned as centres of art and craft in the passage.

2.
Ans: False
Gopalakas were mentioned as cattle grazers and herders, not headmen.

3.
Ans: False
Shrenis or guilds were formed by people in towns, not farmers in villages.

4.
Ans: True
"Landless labourers and slaves were known as kadai siyar and adimai, respectively."

5.
Ans: False
The Northern Black Polished Ware had a glossy surface, not a dull one.

III. Answer the following questions In brief. 

1.
Ans: Guilds were formed to organize and regulate trade. They provided technical training, collected raw materials, and distributed finished products.

2.
Ans: The metals used to make punch-marked coins were silver, copper, tin, lead, and potin. They were called punch-marked because designs were punched onto the metal.

3.
Ans: The categories of farmers in South India during this period were vellalars (large landowners), uzhavar (farmers who owned small pieces of land), kadai siyar (landless labourers), and adimai (slaves). Vellalars owned large tracts of land, while uzhavar owned smaller plots. Kadai siyar and adimai worked on the land of others.

4.
Ans: Sangam Literature provides valuable insights into the social, economic, and cultural aspects of ancient South India. It gives us information about different classes of people, their occupations, and the society's organization.

5. 
Ans: The Jatakas are a collection of stories in Buddhist literature that recount the previous lives of the Buddha. They provide information about the social, economic, and cultural life of ancient India, including details about towns, villages, and various occupations.

IV. Answer the following questions In detail. 

1.
Ans: The Second Urbanisation in India saw the emergence of many towns with features like the use of extensive iron tools, growth of trade and business communities, formation of guilds, flourishing internal and external trade, adoption of coins, and the rise of urban centers.

2.
Ans: Northern Black Polished Ware was a special type of black pottery with a glossy surface. It was made of clay and found in the Gangetic Plains, Bihar, and parts of central-eastern and southern India during the Second Urbanisation.

3.
Ans: The circulation of coins facilitated trade and economic activities by providing a medium of exchange. It contributed to the growth of urban centers as trade and commerce increased, leading to the formation of towns and cities.

4.
Ans: Evidence includes the discovery of Roman coins at various sites in India, Roman settlements in trading centers like Arikamedu, and the exchange of goods such as pepper, spices, dyes, and precious stones for Roman items like gold, silver coins, pottery, and glassware.

5.
Ans: Kaveripattinam and Arikamedu were urban centers during the Second Urbanisation. Kaveripattinam, a port city, had separate living and harbour areas, while Arikamedu had Roman remains, including amphorae, indicating trade with Rome.