Chapter_Villages,towns and trade.ppt Class 6 content CBSE curriculum

Class 6

1. VILLAGES,
TOWNS
AND
TRADE

2. IRON TOOLS AND AGRICULTURE
Iron use began around 2500 years ago.
Around 2500 years ago, there is evidence
for the growing use of iron tools. These
included axes for
clearing forests, and the iron ploughshare.
The ploughshare was useful for increasing
agricultural production.
Three major inventions which helped
improve agriculture:-
1.Axes –for clearing forests
2.Iron ploughshare
3.New irrigational methods -canals, wells,
tanks and artificial lakes.

3. WHO LIVED IN THE VILLAGES?
SOUTHERN INDIA
Vellalar
Uzhavar
Kadaisiyar/adimai Dasa karmakara
Grihapati
Grama bhojaka
NORTHERN INDIA
•Vellalar and gramabhojaka were large landowners. They also used to
collect taxes and helped to maintain law and order.
•Uzhavar and Grihapati were ordinary ploughmen. They were independent
and small land owners.
•Kadaisiyar/adimai and dasakarmakara were landless labourers including
slaves who earned their livin working on other’s fields.

4. Sangam literature in Tamil were composed
2300 years ago. They were composed and
compiled in assemblies of poets that were
held in Madurai.These texts were called
Sangam because they were supposed to
have been composed and compiled in
assemblies (known as sangams) of
poets that were held in the city of Madurai.
Jatakas were probably composed by
ordinary people and preserved by Buddhist
monks. They tell stories about common
man and his life.
EARLY LITERATURE

5. Sculptures used to decorate
railings, pillars and gateways of
buildings.
Cities which were capitals of
mahajanapadas, which had
massive fortification walls.
Ring wells, used as toilets,
drains and garbage dumps.
Palaces, markets and homes of
ordinary people.
Accounts of sailors and
travellers who visited.
EVIDENCES FOR EARLY CITIES

6. Coins
The earliest coins which were in use for about
500 years were punch-marked coins, such as
the one shown here.
Punch-marked coins were generally rectangular
or sometimes square or round in shape, either
Cut out of metal sheets or made out of flattened
Metal globules (a small spherical body).
The coins were not inscribed, but were stamped
with symbols using dies or punches. Hence, they
are called punch-marked coins.
These coins are found over most parts of the
subcontinent and remained in circulation till the
early centuries CE.

7. Located at crossroads of two major
routes of travel and trade.
There were fortifications around
the city and several religious
shrines like Buddhist monasteries,
Jaina shrines and Krishna shrines.
Farmers and herders from
adjoining cities provided food to
cities.
Centre of extremely fine
sculptures.
Around 2000 years ago, it became
the second capital of Kushanas.
CITIES WITH MANY FUNCTIONS -MATHURA

8. 8
CRAFTS AND CRAFTS PERSONS
The Northern Black Polished Ware:
Got the name of the place where it was found
(northern part of the subcontinent )
Black in colour
Has a fine sheen.
Cloth
The manufacture of cloth was important
Famous centres such as Varanasi in the north, and
Madurai in the south
Both men and women worked in these centres

9. 9
SHRENIS
Association of crafts persons and merchants known
as shrenis.

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13. ARIKAMEDU

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A coastal settlement between 2200 and 1900
years ago where ships unloaded goods.
A warehouse made of brick was found.
Pottery like amphorae and Arretine ware
originating from the Mediterranean region
found.
Amphorae: tall double handled jars containing
wine or oil.
Arretine ware: stamped red glazed pottery made
by pressing wet clay into stamped mould.

15. Small tanks used as dyeing vats
used to dye clothes found.
Evidence of the making of beads
and semi-precious stones and
glass
Several pieces of pottery have
inscriptions in Brahmi, which
was used to write Tamil.
ARIKAMEDU

16. New kingdoms along the coasts
Amongst the river valleys, that of the Kaveri is
the most fertile. Chiefs and kings who
controlled the river valleys and the coasts
became rich and powerful. Sangam poems
mention the muvendar. This is a Tamil word
meaning three chiefs, used for the heads of
three ruling families, the Cholas, Cheras, and
Pandyas .

17. Each of the three chiefs had two centres of
power: one inland, and one on the coast. Of
these six cities, two were very important: Puhar
or Kaveripattinam, the port of the Cholas, and
Madurai, the capital of the Pandyas.
The chiefs did not collect regular taxes. Instead,
they demanded and received gifts from the
people. They also went on military expeditions,
and collected tribute from neighbouring areas.
They kept some of the wealth and distributed
the rest amongst their supporters, including
members of their family, soldiers, and poets.

18. Around 200 years later, a dynasty known as the
Satavahanas became powerful in western India
The most important ruler of the Satavahanas
was Gautamiputra Shri Satakarni.
We know about him from an inscription
composed on behalf of his mother, Gautami
Balashri. He and other Satavahana rulers were
known as lords of the dakshinapatha, literally
the route leading to the south, which was also
used as a name for the entire southern region.

20. THANK YOU