PW Class 6 Social Science Notes Chapter 6: Beginnings of Indian Civilisation

The beginning of civilisation marked an important change in human life. People began living permanently in one place, growing crops, domesticating animals, building stronger houses, and taking up different occupations. Over time, organised settlements developed with new tools, technologies, and systems for managing society.

The PW Class 6 Social Science Notes Chapter 6: Beginnings of Indian Civilisation introduce these features through the Indus Valley Civilisation, also known as the Harappan Civilisation. Students can study its important cities, town planning, occupations, trade and transport, along with the possible reasons for its decline.

What Is a Civilisation?

A civilisation is an advanced stage of human life. It develops when people begin living in organised communities and establish systems that support settled life.

Some of the main features of a civilisation are:

Together, these features show the shift towards a more settled and organised way of life.

What Was the Indus Valley Civilisation?

The Indus Valley Civilisation, also called the Harappan Civilisation, was one of the earliest civilisations of the Indian subcontinent. It developed along the Indus River and its tributaries in areas that are now part of India and Pakistan.

The people belonging to this civilisation are known as Harappans.

Which Were the Important Harappan Cities?

Several important cities were part of the Indus Valley Civilisation:

• Harappa

• Mohenjo-daro

• Dholavira

• Lothal

• Rakhigarhi

• Banawali

According to the notes, Harappa and Mohenjo-daro were the first two cities discovered in this civilisation.

How Were Harappan Cities Planned?

Town planning was an important feature of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Harappan towns were divided into two main sections: the Upper Town and the Lower Town.

The Upper Town was known as the citadel, where elites lived, while common people lived in the Lower Town.

Harappan cities also had several planned features:

• Straight roads crossing at right angles

• Well-planned drainage systems

• Houses made of baked bricks

• Separate areas for different purposes

• The Great Bath at Mohenjo-daro

These features indicate that the civilisation was organised and advanced.

What Occupations Did the Harappans Follow?

Harappan society included people engaged in different kinds of work. The main occupations mentioned in the chapter are:

The presence of several occupations shows that people did not depend on a single activity for their livelihood.

How Did Trade and Transport Work?

Trade connected Harappan settlements with both nearby and distant regions. Seals were used for trade, while goods were transported using bullock carts and boats.

These methods allowed people to move goods between different places and supported exchange beyond individual settlements.

Why Did the Indus Valley Civilisation Decline?

The exact reason for the decline is not given as a single confirmed cause in the notes. Instead, several possible reasons are mentioned:

• Floods

• Climate change

• Drying of rivers

• Natural disasters

These factors are presented as possible explanations for the decline of the civilisation.

How Do PW Class 6 Notes Help with Beginnings of Indian Civilisation?

The PW Class 6 Beginnings of Indian Civilisation Notes arrange Chapter 6 around its major themes so students can move from the basic idea of civilisation to the specific features of Harappan life without mixing up related concepts.

• Start with the Features of Civilisation

PW notes first identify settled life, agriculture, domestication, permanent houses, occupations, technology, and social organisation. This provides the background needed before studying the Harappan Civilisation in detail.

• Recall Important Harappan Cities

Cities such as Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Rakhigarhi, and Banawali are listed together, helping students revise the important names from the chapter.

• Separate Town Planning from Daily Work

The notes distinguish physical features such as roads, drainage, baked-brick houses, the citadel, and the Great Bath from occupations such as agriculture, pottery, weaving, bead-making, and trade. This makes the two areas easier to revise separately.

• Review Trade and Decline Quickly

Students can return directly to the points on seals, bullock carts, and boats when revising trade and transport. The possible causes of decline, floods, climate change, drying rivers, and natural disasters, are also presented together for quick recall.

The Indus Valley Civilisation shows how settled life could develop into organised cities with agriculture, specialised occupations, planned streets, drainage systems, trade, and transport. Its important centres included Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Dholavira, Lothal, Rakhigarhi, and Banawali. PW Class 6 Social Science Notes help students revise these Chapter 6 concepts by keeping the important features, cities, activities, and possible causes of decline clearly organised.

Related Resources

• CBSE Class 6 Social Science NCERT Solutions

• CBSE Class 6 Social Science Sample Paper

• CBSE Class 6 Social Science Most Important Questions