Selina Concise Solutions for ICSE Class 9 History Civics Chapter 2 Early Vedic Civilization

Question 1. Name any two early Aryan settlements.
Answer: The early Aryans made their homes in an area called the Sapta-Sindhu. This place had seven rivers. These included the Sarasvati, the Indus, and the five rivers of the Punjab region: the Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej.
In simple words: The first Aryans lived near seven rivers in the Punjab region, including the Indus and Sarasvati.
Exam Tip: Remember the term "Sapta-Sindhu," which means the land of seven rivers, as it is a key term examiners look for.

Question 2. Name the first of the Vedas. Or Which is the oldest Vedic literature.
Answer: The oldest piece of Vedic literature is the Rig Veda.
In simple words: The Rig Veda is the very first book of the Vedas.

Exam Tip: Write the spelling of "Rig Veda" correctly to secure full marks.

Question 3. What does the Rijj Veda contain ?
Answer: This holy book is filled with prayers. These songs praise various gods and goddesses, such as Agni, Varuna, and Indra.
In simple words: It has holy songs that praise gods like Indra, Varuna, and Agni.

Exam Tip: Mention at least two gods, like Indra and Agni, when explaining what is in the Rig Veda.

Question 4. Mention any of the Vedic hymns that enables us reconstruct the Early Vedic Civilization.
Answer: The prayers to Agni help us understand this ancient past. Agni represented the holy fire used in ceremonies. Holy fires, or yajnas, were very important in their worship. People believed Agni acted as a carrier. He took their gifts of ghee, milk, and grain up to the gods.
In simple words: The fire god, Agni, carried holy gifts like milk and butter from humans to the gods during prayers.

Exam Tip: Explain that Agni was seen as a link or messenger between people and the gods to get full marks.

Question 5. How can you say that the Rig Vedic Age was the Non Iron using phase of Vedic history ?
Answer: People during this era did not know how to use iron. Instead, they had plenty of other metals like bronze and copper to make things.
In simple words: People back then used copper and bronze, but they did not have iron yet.

Exam Tip: Always highlight that iron was completely unknown during this early period, while copper and bronze were common.

Question 6. Name any two of the four Varnas.
Answer: Two of these social classes are the Kshatriyas and the Brahmins.
In simple words: The Brahmins and the Kshatriyas are two of the social groups from that time.

Exam Tip: Spell "Brahmins" and "Kshatriyas" correctly in your exam.

Question 7. What w’as the position of women in the Rig Vedic age ?
Answer: In this society, women enjoyed equal status with men. They received schooling and actively participated in holy rituals. Girls had the right to select their own life partners. While most people had one spouse, some had more than one. Bad customs like child marriage, purdah, and sati did not exist. Women openly attended public meetings and festivals. Although families prayed for boys, they did not have specific prayers for girls.
In simple words: Women had a good life with equal rights. They got an education, chose their husbands, and did not face bad customs like child marriage.

Exam Tip: Mention that women had equal rights, were educated, and that social evils like child marriage and sati did not exist.

Question 8. What were the two main occupations of the Rig Vedic Aryans?
Answer: Farming and raising animals were the two primary jobs of these people.
In simple words: The main jobs of the people were farming and taming animals.

Exam Tip: Write down both farming (agriculture) and cattle rearing (pastoralism/domestication of animals) to get full points.

Question 9. What form of worship did the Aryans follow during the early Vedic period?
Answer: In this era, people prayed to many different deities. They worshipped powers from nature, which included gods of the sky, earth, and atmosphere. Performing holy fire rituals, or yajnas, was also a major part of their worship.
In simple words: They prayed to nature gods of the sky, earth, and air, and they made offerings in holy fires.

Exam Tip: Point out that they worshipped nature as gods and performed sacrifices (yajnas) instead of praying to idols.

Question 10. Name the two political institutions which exercised check on the powers of the King in the Rig Vedic period.
Answer: The two assemblies that limited the power of the ruler were the Sabha and the Samiti.
In simple words: The Sabha and the Samiti were two groups of people that kept the king's power in control.

Exam Tip: Remember that the Sabha was a smaller council of elders, while the Samiti was a larger folk assembly.

Question 11. Mention the important features of the religion of the early Vedic period.
Answer: Religious life in this period was quite uncomplicated. People saw the forces of nature as signs of the one supreme God, so they prayed to nature gods. They did not make idols or build temples. Instead, they sang holy chants outside in the open. Performing fire sacrifices, known as yajnas, was a central part of their religious practice.
In simple words: They had a simple religion. They prayed to nature outdoors, sang hymns, performed fire sacrifices, and did not use temples or idols.

Exam Tip: Highlight that early Vedic religion did not have idol worship or temples, which are key points of contrast with later periods.

Question 12. State the importance of Sacrifices in the early Vedic ritual.
Answer: Sacrifices were used by people to please their deities. During these rituals, they offered things like milk, ghee, grains, meat, and soma juice. Every family head lit a holy fire at home and sang sacred chants. The entire family joined in to take part in these religious acts.
In simple words: Families made offerings of milk, butter, and grains into a holy fire to please their gods.

Exam Tip: Be sure to list some of the common offerings like ghee, milk, and grain to show your knowledge.

Question 13. Mention the important changes that took place in their religion of the later Vedic period.
Answer: During the later Vedic era, religious rituals became more complex. A new ruler performed the Vajpeya ritual when they took the throne. To bring wealth and prosperity to the land, they did the Rajasuya ritual to please the gods. Finally, strong rulers performed the Ashvamedha ritual to show everyone that they were the supreme leader of all kings.
In simple words: Kings performed big, complex rituals like the Vajpeya, Rajasuya, and Ashvamedha to show their power and bring wealth to their land.

Exam Tip: Memorize the names and purposes of the three key sacrifices: Vajpeya (coronation), Rajasuya (prosperity), and Ashvamedha (imperial power).

Structure Questions

Question 1. Discuss the sources to reconstruct the Early Vedic (Rig Vedic) Past with reference to the following:
(a) Indra, the most favorite God of the Aryans
(b) Agni, the personification of Sacrificial fire.
(c) References to the Cow in the Rig Vedic hymns
Answer:
(a) Indra: In the Rig Veda, Indra is described as the ruler of heaven and the leader of the gods. He is the god of rain and thunder, representing bravery and power. Indra leads other deities and natural forces like Agni, Varuna, and Surya. He is depicted as a great warrior fighting a constant battle of good versus evil. He is also the god of war and acts as the protector of the eastern direction. As the most popular deity, around 250 hymns in the Rig Veda are written for him, which is nearly a quarter of all the prayers in the book.
(b) Agni: Agni is the god of fire on earth and remains highly respected. Along with the air god Vayu and the sky god Indra, Agni is one of the main deities of the Rig Veda. He acts as a bridge between the earth and heaven by carrying people's offerings through the holy flames. In importance, Agni ranks second only to Indra. He also represents wisdom because wise people see fire as something that touches all living and non-living things. The light of Agni represents the light of wisdom, which guides people toward the truth.
(c) Cow: Cows were highly valued and represented wealth in ancient times. Throughout the Rig Veda, cows are mentioned often as signs of prosperity and are even compared to holy river goddesses. The god Indra is frequently compared to a strong bull, and rivers are often compared to cows.
In simple words: The Rig Veda tells us about important gods like Indra (the ruler of rain and war) and Agni (the god of fire). It also shows that cows were valued like wealth.

Exam Tip: In long answers with sub-parts, make sure to write a clear explanation for each part (a, b, and c) as requested by the question.

Question 2. Describe the social life of the Rig Vedic Aryans with reference to the following:
(a) The Family Structure
(b) Position of Women
(c) Varna System
Answer:
(a) The Family Structure: The family was the fundamental building block of society. People lived together in joint families. Their homes were constructed using wood and reeds. The society was male-dominated (patriarchal), where the oldest male member, or Grihyapati, held the main authority in the home and social life.
(b) Position of Women: Women enjoyed a position equal to men. They took part in all religious rituals and had the right to go to school. Some highly educated women even wrote holy hymns and understood the scriptures well. Girls could choose their own husbands. While most people had only one partner, some practiced polygamy. Cruel customs like child marriage, sati, and purdah did not exist. Women participated in all social events. However, most families preferred having sons over daughters, and they prayed specifically for the birth of boys.
(c) Varna System: The final book of the Rig Veda mentions four social classes: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Brahmins were the priests who taught holy texts and led rituals. Kshatriyas belonged to the ruling and warrior class. Vaishyas were the ordinary people who worked in farming, crafts, and trade. Shudras performed helper tasks and had very little property. Experts believe the word "Varna" originally referred to differences in skin color between Aryans and non-Aryans. In this early period, there were no strict rules against marrying outside one's group, changing jobs, or eating food made by Shudras.
In simple words: Rig Vedic society was made of joint families led by men. Women had good rights and education, and the four Varna classes were flexible rather than strict.

Exam Tip: Make sure to explain terms like "Grihyapati" and the names of the four Varnas to show a complete understanding of the social structure.

Question 3. With reference to the following explain the main features of the Rig Vedic Economy:
(a) Agriculture
(b) Domestication of Animals
(c) Trade Transactions, Crafts and Transportation
Answer:
(a) Agriculture: Most Aryans lived in villages. Their prayers often asked for good rains, healthy livestock, and great crops, proving that farming was a key job. The primary grain mentioned in their texts is "Yava," which refers to barley or grain in general.
(b) Domestication of Animals: Their economy was heavily based on herding animals. Cows and bulls were highly valued, and a rich person was called "Gomat," meaning someone who owned lots of cattle. Cows were often gifted to priests. They also kept other animals like horses, dogs, sheep, goats, and oxen.
(c) Trade Transactions, Crafts and Transportation: People traded goods like leather and woven cloth. Instead of money, they used a barter system where cows served as the main measure of value. Both men and women worked in weaving. Skilled metal smiths crafted tools, decorations, and weapons. The texts mention a metal called "ayas," which usually meant copper or bronze, though some think it could mean iron. They moved goods around using carts pulled by oxen or horses, as well as boats on local rivers.
In simple words: The early Vedic economy was based on farming and herding cattle. They traded through barter, using cows to measure value, and used animal carts and rivers for travel.

Exam Tip: Mention key historical terms like "Yava" for barley, "Gomat" for a wealthy person, and "ayas" for metal to score high marks.