Kids Learning Social Science V Term-I

5th Standard Social Science Term-I

Towards History

Stone Age

In the beginning humans were not aware of metals.  They took several years to discover metals.  Our lives today are their gifts.  During this period humans were not aware of scripts.  This Stone Age is the period in which stones were used as weapons.

Nature of Human Evolution

Early humans lived in jungles along with animals.  They used stone tools to protect themselves, drive away animals, dig out roots, shoots etc.  The most important thing is that they ate everything raw including flesh.  They did not know the use of fire in the beginning.  At first, dog was their good companion.  Wild animals ran away when dogs barked.  Dog was the first pet animal.  They took it wherever they went.

Later humans started rearing cattle and they were very useful to them.  They observed some grains  growing along the river side.  They ate and found them very tasty.  They observed that the scattered grains were eaten up by birds.  They found that the grains grow with the help of sunshine and rainfall.  Thus, they learnt the art of cultivation.

Humans noticed forest fire.  At first they were afraid of fire.  They found some animals died due to fire.  They ate the flesh of the burnt animals.  It tasted good.  They also observed that the spark came out by scratching two stones together.  Since then, they ate cooked food.

• Early man used Quartzite, a type of stone for making tools and weapons.

• A type of stone called Flint stone was used to produce fire.

Nomadic Life

Early humans did not know to grow crops.  They wandered in all the landscapes in search of food.  They ate whatever they got and drank water from natural sources.  This kind of life was called nomadic life.  They wore skins of animals, leaves and barks of trees to cover their body.  They lived in caves and holes of big trees.

Stones were sharpened as tools by them.  They made it with the help of other stones too.  These sharp tools were used to hunt animals and tear their flesh.

They used bones, horns, stones, skin, branches of trees and sticks as their tools and weapons.  This stage of development in history was called New stone age or Neolithic age.

Stone Age

• Early humans used weapons to protect themselves from animals.
• They used torches to find the path at night?
• They drew paintings of what they saw around them on the walls of the caves where they lived.

Stone Wheels

When the stones rolled from the mountains they acquired a round shape.  Humans observed them and thus wheel was invented.  In the beginning it was made of stone and later by wood.  Wheel is the first scientific invention of man.

Let us KNOW

The period which has written documents is called Historical period.  These documents help us to know about the life styles of the people, events, food habits, culture, art, architecture, literature and so on.

Pottery

Pottery was also one of the greatest inventions by humans.  The baked pot was strong and looked beautiful.  Stone age people made all the household articles by themselves.

Stone houses were built.  The roofs of these houses were thatched with sticks and husks.  After several inventions, humans started to live in a settled life.

Agriculture

Agriculture was an important activity in the history of humans.  They started cultivating crops.  They sowed seeds and harvested crops.  They found it convenient to live along the river as the crops grew well.

Let us KNOW

Museum is a place where archaeological objects which were used by our ancestors are preserved.  These give information about the lives of ancient people.  Therefore it is important to preserve the remains of the past.

Progress in man's life

There were burial pots called urns in which the dead bodies were placed and buried under the ground.

Chalcolithic Age

At the end of new stone age copper was invented.  In this age both stone and copper were used.  This period was called Chalcolithic age.  Bronze was produced when copper, zinc and tin were mixed together.  The period when people made tools from bronze was called Bronze age.

Iron Age

After this, humans discovered iron and started using iron tools and weapons.  This age was called Iron age.  In this age household articles and agricultural tools were made up of iron.

Archaeological Excavations

Coins, potsherds, metal objects and so on are dug out from Archaeological sites.  Such objects are preserved in the museum.  In Tamilnadu, Athichanallur, Arikkamedu and Keeladi are such sites where the objects used by the people of the past are excavated.  Still research is going on in these sites.

If you come across any old, traditional objects of historical value try to collect and preserve them.

Let us KNOW

Scripts inscribed about a king's rule, people or society on rocks and walls are called inscriptions.  Usually they are found on temple walls.