Chapter 4 of the new NCERT Class 9 Social Science textbook is Early Humans and Beginning of Civilisation, part of the History section. It traces human development from early hominins through the Stone Age to the first Bronze Age civilisations.
Last Updated: September 23, 2026
Stages of the Stone Age
Q: Name the main stages of the Stone Age covered in this chapter.
A: The Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age), Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age), and Neolithic (New Stone Age), followed by the Chalcolithic (Copper-Stone) and Bronze Age.
The Neolithic Revolution
Q: What was the Neolithic Revolution?
A: It was the major shift from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to settled farming and animal domestication, which allowed people to live in permanent settlements and grow surplus food.
Early Bronze Age Civilisations
Q: Name the four early Bronze Age civilisations discussed in this chapter.
A: The Sindhu-Sarasvati (Indus Valley), Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Chinese civilisations, each known for early cities, writing systems, and organised trade.
Stone Age Tools
Q: What tools distinguish the Palaeolithic from the Neolithic period?
A: Palaeolithic tools were rough, chipped stone tools used mainly for hunting and gathering; Neolithic tools were more refined, polished stone tools, often associated with farming, along with the appearance of pottery.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the discovery of farming so important for early human societies?
Farming allowed people to produce surplus food and settle in one place permanently, which led to the growth of villages, specialised occupations, and eventually cities and civilisations.
What is Mehrgarh known for?
Mehrgarh is one of the earliest known farming settlements in South Asia, providing important evidence of the transition to agriculture in the region before the rise of the Sindhu-Sarasvati civilisation.
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Class 9 Social Science Chapter 4 – More Resources
See the Class 9 Social Science NCERT Book for the full chapter list and official PDF downloads.
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