Sources of History – ICSE Class 4 Social Studies Q&A Explained

Explore the complete solution to ICSE Class 4 Social Studies Lesson 2: Sources of History. Learn about archaeological and literary sources, their importance, and get all textbook questions and answers in a simple and student-friendly format.

✅ Competencies:

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Differentiate between archaeological and literary sources.
Discuss the importance of preserving sources to know history.
Differentiate between the job of a historian and that of an archaeologist.

✍️ Solved Exercises

🧠 Build Your Skills

A. Mind Map

                                                          Sources of History
                  /                                                        |                               \
            Archaeological                                        Literary                     Importance
     /                |                   \                         /           |                    \         |
Monuments  Inscriptions  Artefacts Religious  Biographies  Travellers  Preservation

B. Crossword Puzzle

Across

Epigraphy
Archaeology
Inscriptions

Down

Excavation
Artefacts

🟢🔴 Apply Your Knowledge

Colour the circle green for the correct statement and red for the incorrect statement.

🔴 A biography is the writing of the experiences of the writer herself or himself.
🟢 Abul Fazl was a historian in Akbar’s court.
🟢 Movable sources like artefacts are preserved in various museums.
🔴 Literary sources are particularly useful to study a period in time for which there are no written records.
🟢 Fa-Hien wrote in detail about the times of the Guptas, the period which was known as the ‘Golden Age of Ancient India’.

✍️ Fill in the Blanks

An autobiography is the writing of the experiences of the writer herself or himself.
Our monuments, caves and other buildings are protected by the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India).
We get to know a lot about King Ashoka through the inscriptions belonging to his time.
Akbarnama is a biography of Mughal ruler Akbar, written by Abul Fazl.
Sources of history provide knowledge of the life and events in the past.

✅ Choose the Correct Answer

What are the old buildings or structures which help us understand history called?
(b) Monuments
What are the written texts from the past called?
(c) Literary sources
Which foreign traveller wrote about India during the rule of King Harshavardhana?
(b) Hiuen Tsang
What is the place that preserves valuable historical evidences called?
(a) Museum
Who plays an important role in making history interesting and informative for us?
(b) Historians

📝 Answer the Following Questions

What do you understand by sources of history? Name the two broad sources of history.
→ Sources of history are materials that provide information about the past. The two broad sources of history are:
- Archaeological sources
- Literary sources
Differentiate between archaeological and literary sources. Archaeological Sources Literary Sources Include monuments, coins, inscriptions, artefacts Include religious texts, biographies, and travel accounts Studied through excavation Studied through written records Help understand unwritten history Help understand written history
What is the importance of preserving sources of history?
→ Preserving sources of history helps us understand the lifestyle, culture, and development of human civilization. It also allows future generations to learn about their heritage.
Describe the importance of coins as a source of history.
→ Coins tell us about the metals used, rulers of the time, trade, religious beliefs, and the extent of kingdoms. They are valuable to understand economic and political conditions of past civilizations.
What is the role of religious books as a source of history?
→ Religious books provide insight into the beliefs, customs, traditions, and social systems of ancient civilizations. Texts like the Vedas, Ramayana, and Mahabharata reveal much about Indian culture.
Differentiate between the job of a historian and an archaeologist. Historian Archaeologist Studies and interprets written records Studies material remains by excavating sites Reconstructs history using all types of evidence Finds and analyses physical remains

🖼️ Activity Corner – Picture Study

Observe the picture and answer:

Who are these people?
→ They are archaeologists.
What are they doing?
→ They are excavating a site to unearth historical artefacts.
How is their work helpful?
→ Their work helps discover past civilizations, contributing to historical understanding for current and future generations.

🎨 Art Link – Be Creative

Activity:
Collect your childhood items and separate them into:

Artefacts: Broken toys, gifts, birthday invitation cards
Written Records: Old school notebooks, greeting cards, letters

Short Story Example:

“My first toy train, now dusty, reminds me of the days I spent hours playing with it. My report card from Class 1 shows how I started learning. These items are small parts of my story – like history told through objects and writings.”

💬 Language & Life Skills

Discussion:
Why should we maintain records like notebooks or diaries?

Answer:
→ Records help track progress, give evidence of learning, and help in reflection. They are useful for personal organization and serve as a reference for others.