Understanding Social Science - Chapter 1 Flashcards

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the foundational concepts, Indian knowledge traditions, and core disciplines of Social Science as presented in the Grade 9 introductory chapter.

Social Science

The systematic study of human society that explains why events occur, how people live together, how environments influence life, and how governments and economies operate.

Pañchamahābhūtas

The idea of the 'five great elements' from Indian philosophical traditions that describes the natural world as an interconnected system composed of earth, water, fire, air, and space.

Pṛithvī

The element of earth within the Pañchamahābhūtas system.

Āpa

The element of water within the Pañchamahābhūtas system.

Agni

The element of fire within the Pañchamahābhūtas system.

Vāyu

The element of air within the Pañchamahābhūtas system.

Ākāśha

The element of space within the Pañchamahābhūtas system.

Vasudhaiva Kuṭumbakam

A concept meaning 'the world is one family', expressing the interconnectedness of human societies across regions and cultures.

Arthashāstra

A foundational text on politics and administration attributed to Kauṭilya, composed about $2,500$ years ago, examining administration, economic management, taxation, and the duties of rulers.

Kauṭilya

The thinker to whom the Arthashāstra is attributed.

Geography

The study of the Earth, its environments, the location and distribution of places, and the relationships between people and their surroundings.

History

The study of the human past through which societies seek to understand people's experiences, values, and changes over time.

Political Science

The study of governance, including how power is distributed, how decisions are made, and how policies are implemented.

Economics

The study of how individuals and societies decide to use limited resources to produce, exchange, and distribute goods and services.

Itihāsa-purāṇa

One of the oldest traditions of preserving cultural memory in Bhārat that uses stories to share historical information and reinforce enduring ideals.

Empirical Evidence

Information collected by actual observation or experimentation, increasingly relied upon by modern historiography.

Genealogical Records

Documents or sources that trace family lineage and ancestry by recording relationships and events such as births, marriages, and deaths.

Archaeological Sources

Material remains used to study the past, including monuments, architectural structures, excavated sites, artefacts, and art.

Epigraphic Sources

Inscriptions used as historical sources, such as the Brāhmī inscription on a pillar from the Gupta period or the Kannada inscription of Emperor Krishnadeva Raya.

Numismatic Sources

Coins used as historical evidence, such as those issued by King Samudragupta in the $4^{th}$ century CE or Mughal coins from the reign of Jahāngīr.

Dharma

The concept of moral duty, which was closely linked to early Indian reflections on politics.

Artha

The concept of economic well-being in early Indian political thought.

Rājadharma

An early Indian political concept referring specifically to the duties of the ruler.

Panchayati Raj

A system in India’s villages that embodies grassroots democracy by giving citizens a voice in local development planning.

Geographical Information System (GIS)

Looked at as a modern tool used by the discipline of Geography to understand concepts and investigate questions.

School Bhuvan

An NCERT portal that allows students to map their own village or city.

Sustainable Development

A growth approach which meets present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs.