NCERT Class 6 History – Chapter-wise Summary, Timelines, and Exam-Ready Notes

NCERT Class 6 History introduces you to the story of India—from the life of early hunter-gatherers to the rise of kingdoms and thinkers like the Buddha and Mahavira. Instead of memorising dates, this level focuses on understanding sources, timelines, and everyday life so you can read the past like a detective and explain it in simple, clear language.

Across the chapters you will learn how historians use inscriptions, coins, pottery, monuments, and texts to reconstruct the past. You will also discover big ideas such as agriculture and settlement, cities and crafts, janapadas and mahajanapadas, and the spread of Buddhism and Jainism. Each idea links to the next, so building conceptual clarity keeps revision light and scoring easy.

Use this page as a compact, exam-oriented guide. Every section contains a clean table to revise quickly, followed by teacher-style explanations that turn bullet points into understanding. Where needed, we also include simple timeline calculations with \(ext{years\_ago} = ext{current year} + ext{BCE}\) to help you place events correctly.

Table of Contents

• NCERT Class 6 History – Syllabus Snapshot & Structure
• Chapter 1: What, Where, How and When? (Historical Sources)
• Chapter 2: The Earliest People (Hunters, Gatherers, Herders)
• Chapter 3: In the Earliest Cities (Harappan Civilization)
• Chapters 4–6: Vedas to Janapadas & Mahajanapadas
• Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings (Buddhism & Jainism)
• Mauryan Empire and Later Kingdoms
• Traders, Pilgrims and New Ideas
• Exam Preparation Strategy – Class 6 History
• Frequently Asked Questions

NCERT Class 6 History – Syllabus Snapshot & Structure

How the book is organised

This snapshot shows how the course moves from the question “how do we know?” to “what changed and why?”. Notice how the first theme builds skills—reading maps, reading time, and reading evidence. Only then do you study people, cities and states.

Keep this flow in mind during revision: Sources → People → Cities → States → Ideas → Empire → Exchanges.

If you meet a new fact, ask: which theme does it belong to, and which evidence supports it?

Timelines can confuse beginners. To place an event in order, remember: dates labelled BCE count backwards (2000 BCE is earlier than 500 BCE). To estimate “how many years ago” something happened, use \(ext{years\_ago} = 2025 + ext{BCE}\). For example, 260 BCE (Ashoka’s time) is roughly \(2025 + 260 = 2285\) years ago. Such quick checks keep your narrative consistent and score you method marks.

Chapter 1: What, Where, How and When? (Historical Sources)

Reading the past through evidence

Think of sources as different witnesses. Archaeology shows what people used and made; inscriptions record state orders or achievements; literature preserves ideas and stories; coins capture economy and authority. A good answer doesn’t depend on only one witness—it cross-checks. For example, if a coin names a ruler and an inscription lists his policies, your conclusion becomes stronger. Write this logic in two sentences and you will earn easy conceptual marks.

Also note how place names reveal clues: the word Indus links to India, and Bharata appears in ancient texts. When a question asks “How do we know about X?”, structure your 3-point answer as type → example → inference. Finally, anchor your inference on a time-line using the quick rule \(ext{years\_ago} = 2025 + ext{BCE}\) so your response looks precise and exam-ready.

Chapter 2: The Earliest People (Hunters, Gatherers, Herders)

Adapting to environments

Inferences come from patterns. Where we find many animal bones with cut marks and small, sharp flakes, we conclude people processed meat and hides. Presence of hearths indicates controlled use of fire. Seasonal camps near rivers or rock shelters imply planned movement. When writing answers, connect evidence to behaviour: “flakes + animal bones → butchery → meat diet → energy for travel”. This chain of reasoning shows genuine understanding.

The shift from nomadic life to settled life begins when people start cultivating plants and domesticating animals. Even at Class 6, you can link cause to effect: farming gives surplus, surplus requires storage, storage encourages settlements. Use compact connectors—surplus → storage → settlement—to keep your long answers crisp and logical.

Chapter 3: In the Earliest Cities (Harappan Civilization)

Planned urban centres

Harappan cities stand out for planning. A citadel suggests collective decision-making; straight streets show pre-planning; uniform bricks reveal standards. When you see standardised weights and beautifully drilled beads, infer both craft skill and trade networks. In short answers, couple a feature with a takeaway: “covered drains → upkeep → organised labour → civic sense”.

Remember that decline of cities can have multiple causes (river shifts, trade changes, resource stress). If an exam asks for “two reasons”, pick one environmental and one economic. Keep your language balanced: “Possible factors include… evidence suggests… historians infer…”. This careful phrasing mirrors textbook tone and secures full marks for presentation.

Chapters 4–6: Vedas to Janapadas & Mahajanapadas

From rituals to states

As society moved from clans to territories, power needed revenue and rules. That is why mahajanapadas collected taxes and built forts. Link economic change with political change: iron tools improved farming → surplus grew → rulers could tax → states strengthened. In answers, show this chain and you will demonstrate cause-effect thinking.

Map practice helps: locate at least four mahajanapadas and one river per state. Use mnemonics to recall names. If a question asks, “Why were forts built?”, respond with two layers—defence and symbol of power—and add one economic line: forts secure markets and taxes inside walls.

Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings (Buddhism & Jainism)

New questions, new paths

Both traditions arose as responses to social and ritual questions of their time. Buddhism emphasised the Middle Path—neither extreme luxury nor extreme hardship—while Jainism stressed radical non-violence. In a 3-mark answer, compare using two common headings (goal, practice) and add one unique term (e.g., Anekantavada). This gives structure and shows precise study.

Architecture reflects ideas. Stupas and monasteries were not only religious spaces but also centres for learning and travel. If asked, “How did these ideas spread?”, mention monks, patrons, trade routes and the attraction of simple ethical teachings. Keep examples brief but relevant.

Mauryan Empire and Later Kingdoms

Power, policy and communication

Mauryan power is best understood through inscriptions. Ashoka’s edicts talk directly to subjects about kindness, justice and welfare—this is unique evidence. When a question asks “How do inscriptions help?”, answer: they are contemporary, official, and public—so they reveal policy and communication across the empire.

When estimating dates, place Ashoka around 260 BCE for the Kalinga War: roughly \(2025 + 260 = 2285\) years ago. Add one administrative point (roads, officials) and one ethical point (Dhamma) to balance power with purpose—this balanced perspective reads exactly like your NCERT.

Traders, Pilgrims and New Ideas

Routes that carried goods and thoughts

Trade is not only about goods; it spreads techniques and beliefs. Where you find coins and standard weights, you also find crafts that serve distant buyers. Monasteries located near routes show two-way flows: monks received support from traders; traders received safe halts and a trusted social network.

If a 5-mark question asks for “reasons for growth of trade”, present a ladder: crafts → surplus → routes → coins → markets → cultural exchange.

Use maps for two minutes each week to trace one land route and one coastal route. Label three goods and one monastery on your rough map—this small habit will make any map-based question feel easy in the exam hall.

Exam Preparation Strategy – Class 6 History

From reading to marks

History answers shine when tables become stories. Take any table above and write a 5-line paragraph that connects column 1 to column 3 logically. For timelines, use the simple check \(ext{years\_ago} = 2025 + ext{BCE}\) to avoid ordering mistakes. End each long answer with a one-line inference such as “therefore organised drainage indicates collective planning”. That final line often tips a 4 into a 5.

Before tests, revise in three passes:

1. Pass 1 – headings and tables.
2. Pass 2 – paragraph conversions.
3. Pass 3 – maps and 3 definitions you usually forget. Keep answers neat, use subheadings, and underline terms like janapada, mahajanapada, Dhamma. Presentation = easy marks.

Frequently Asked Questions