NCERT Solutions Class 7 Social Science (History)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 7 Social Science (History) Chapter – 6 (Towns, Traders And Craftspersons) has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Chapter – 6 (Towns, Traders And Craftspersons)
Let’s Recall
1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) The Rajarajeshvara temple was built in ______.
(b) Ajmer is associated with the Sufi saint ______.
(c) Hampi was the capital of the ______ Empire.
(d) The Dutch established a settlement at ______ in Andhra Pradesh.
Answer –
(a) The Rajarajeshvara temple was built in 1010 A.D.
(b) Ajmer is associated with the Sufi saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti.
(c) Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire.
(d) The Dutch established a settlement at Masulipatnam in Andhra Pradesh.
2. State whether true or false:
(a) We know the name of the architect of the Rajarajeshvara temple from an inscription.
(b) Merchants preferred to travel individually rather than in caravans.
(c) Kabul was a major centre for trade in elephants.
(d) Surat was an important trading port on the Bay of Bengal.
Answer –
(a) We know the name of the architect of the Rajarajeshvara temple from an inscription. (True)
(b) Merchants preferred to travel individually rather than in caravans. (False)
(c) Kabul was a major centre for trade in elephants. (False)
(d) Surat was an important trading port on the Bay of Bengal. (False)
3. How was water supplied to the city of Thanjavur?
Answer – Water supply to the city of Thanjavur came from wells and tanks.
4. Who lived in the “Black Towns” in cities such as Madras?
Answer – Merchants, artisans (such as weavers), native traders and craftspersons lived in the ‘Black Towns’.
Let’s Understand
5. Why do you think towns grew around temples?
Answer – Towns grew around temples because of the following reasons:
- Priests, workers, artisans, craftspersons settled around temples.
- Several shops came up around temples to cater to the needs of pilgrims and priests etc.
6. How important were craftspersons for the building and maintenance of temples?
Answer – Craftspersons played a crucial role in the building and adorning of temples with gold, silver, alloy-work, and textile and wood products. They also catered to the needs of pilgrims, thereby forming an important part of the ongoing trade.
7. Why did people from distant lands visit Surat?
Answer – People from distant lands visited Surat because it was the gateway of trade with west Asia. It was also famous for its Zari textiles which had a huge market in west Asia, Africa and Europe.
8. In what ways was craft production in cities like Calcutta different from that in cities like Thanjavur?
Answer – Craft production in cities like Calcutta was formally organized and planned by the European companies. In Thanjavur, the production focused on the needs of the temple and the pilgrims.
Let’s Discuss
9. Compare any one of the cities described in this chapter with a town or a village with which you are familiar. Do you notice any similarities or differences?
Answer – Comparison between Surat and Delhi
| Surat | Delhi |
| Emporium during the Mughal period due to the production of various goods. | It was also an emporium during the Mughal period. |
| Gateway to West Asia due to the trade centre. |
Basically administrative town. |
| Cosmopolitan city. | Cosmopolitan city. |
| Factories and warehouses. | Factories and warehouses. |
| Known for cotton textiles. | Known for business, trade, and commercial pursuits. |
10. What were the problems encountered by merchants? Do you think some of these problems persist today?
Answer – Some of the problems faced by the merchants were as under :
- They had to travel through forests and there was always the fear of robbers. Therefore, merchants travelled in caravans.
- Merchants such as Mulla Abdul Ghafur and Indian Virji Vora, who owned a large number of ships were subdued by the East India Company ships. Then, they have to work as agents of the company instead of running their own business.
- Yes, such problems do exist today.
Let’s Do
11. Find out more about the architecture of either Thanjavur or Hampi, and prepare a scrapbook illustrating temples and other buildings from these cities.
Answer –
Thanjavur – Thanjavur is regarded as a great town. It was the capital of the Chola dynasty. This city has lots of temples, mandapas and tall bronze idols. The mandapas present rock cut architecture. The temples exhibit structural architecture.
A mandapas is an open pavilion, a hall with cells in the exterior presents a facade formed by a row of pillars. It is decorated with fine reliefs. They are remarkable for their design and execution.
12. Find out about any present-day pilgrimage center. Why do you think people go there? What do they do there? Are there any shops in the area? If so, what is bought and sold there?
Answer – Present-day pilgrimage Centre – Haridwar.
- People go to Haridwar to take bath in the holy Ganga.
- They take bath in the Ganga river and worship it.
- Yes, several shops are there.
- Offerings are sold at these shops.
- Prasad is the main article that people buy there.
