Social Science I Notes Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering the historical, political, and demographic concepts from the Social Science I Standard IX textbook.

Stone Age

A phase in human history described by historians where humans used stones to make tools and weapons.

Palaeolithic Age

Derived from the Greek words 'palaeos' (old) and 'lithos' (stone), this period is characterized by the use of rough, unpolished stone tools.

Bands

Small groups of fewer than one hundred members bound by blood relation, which served as the basic units of society during the Palaeolithic Age.

Mesolithic Age

The stage of transition from the Palaeolithic to the Neolithic, characterized by the use of smaller tools than the previous period.

Microliths

Very small stone tools that were a primary feature of the Mesolithic culture.

Neolithic Age

Derived from 'neos' (new) and 'lithos' (stone), this was a period of radical change including the beginning of agriculture and domestication of animals.

Fertile Crescent

A crescent-shaped region where archaeologists believe agriculture began, covering countries in the Near East.

Bronze

An alloy made by mixing copper and tin, which is stronger than copper.

Vedas

A body of ancient literature meaning 'knowledge,' consisting of the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda.

Sapta Sindhu

The region including the Indus River and its seven tributaries where the early Aryans settled.

Varna System

A social hierarchy consisting of four sections: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (rulers), Vaishyas (farmers/traders), and Sudras (servants).

Tirthankara

In Jainism, a term meaning 'one who attained wisdom through asceticism'; there were 24 in total.

Triratnas

The three principles for attaining Moksha in Jainism: Right Belief, Right Knowledge, and Right Action.

Ashtangamarga

The Eight Fold Path suggested by the Buddha to destroy desire and end sorrow, also known as the Middle Path.

Sanghas

Monastic orders of monks (Bhikshus) and women (Bhikshunis) formed to propagate Buddhism.

Stupas

Semi-circular buildings rich in carvings built on sites where physical remains of the Buddha or objects he used were buried.

Janapadas

Places where tribal communities settled permanently to form farmlands and residential areas.

Mahajanapadas

The sixteen major political entities that came into being in India during the 6th century BCE.

Saptanga Theory

Kautilya's theory in the Arthashastra stating that a kingdom rests on seven components: Swami, Amathya, Janapada, Durga, Kosha, Danda, and Mitra.

Asoka Dhamma

A set of ideas propagated by Emperor Asoka to maintain peace and harmony, including tolerance and kindness to slaves.

Land Grants

The transfer of land ownership and rights, such as tax collection and justice administration, from the king to recipients like Brahmins.

Indian Feudalism

A system where farmers and laborers became rightless dependents of landlords due to the widespread practice of land grants.

Ghatiyantra

Also called Araghata, it is a wheel with attached pots used to lift water from a source for irrigation.

Srenis

Associations of craftsmen and traders, also known as Guilds, that controlled production and marketing.

Prasastis

Stone inscriptions erected by rulers, such as the Prayaga Prasati, to proclaim their conquests and achievements.

Anuloma

A marriage between a groom from an upper caste and a bride from a lower caste.

Pratiloma

A marriage between a bride from an upper caste and a groom from a lower caste.

Dravidian Style

A South Indian style of temple architecture known for its huge mandapas, gopuras, and rock-cut or monolithic chariot structures.

Objective Resolution

A document presented by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946 declaring the solemn determination to make India an independent sovereign republic.

Federalism

A system of administration where power is divided between the central government and the state governments based on the Constitution.

Bicameral Legislature

A legislative system consisting of two houses, such as the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the Indian Parliament.

Union List

A list of subjects, such as Foreign Affairs and Banking, over which the Union Government has exclusive law-making powers.

Residuary Powers

Legislative powers over subjects not included in the Union, State, or Concurrent lists, vested in the Central Government.

Money Bill

A bill related to the collection of funds for the public exchequer and public expenditure, initially presented in the Lok Sabha.

Judicial Review

The power of the Supreme Court to examine and declare the unconstitutionality of laws made by Parliament or executive orders.

Demography

The systematic study of population structure, focusing on trends and processes like birth and death rates.

Census

A systematic data collection of people living in an area, usually conducted every ten years in India.

Infant Mortality Rate

The number of infants who die within one year out of 1000 live births in a year.

Sex Ratio

The number of females per thousand males in a population.

Life Expectancy

An estimate of how long a person lives on average, calculated based on the death rate of age groups in a particular area.

Demographic Dividend

Also called a demographic gift, it is the economic progress achieved when the employable population is larger than the number of unemployed dependents.

Migration

The permanent or temporary settlement of people from one region to another, classified as internal or international.