Q1. Fill in the blanks.
1. Social Science is the systematic study of ____________.
2. The word “social” is related to ____________.
3. ____________ studies places, space and the relationship between humans and their environment.
4. ____________ helps us understand the past, change and continuity.
5. ____________ deals with government, power, institutions and citizenship.
6. ____________ studies resources, choices, production, consumption and markets.
7. Social Science uses ____________, questioning, evidence, analysis and reasoning.
8. The relationship between human beings and their surroundings is called the ____________ relationship.
9. Society is made up of people who interact with ____________.
10. Social Science studies society from ____________ different but interconnected perspectives.
Answers:
- human society
- society (people living together)
- Geography
- History
- Political Science
- Economics
- observation
- human–environment
- one another (each other)
- four
Q2. Choose the most appropriate option.
1. Which of the following best describes Social Science?
a) Study of only historical events
b) Study of only government
c) Systematic study of human society
d) Study of plants and animals
Answer: c) Systematic study of human society
2. Which discipline mainly studies the relationship between humans and their environment?
a) History b) Geography c) Economics d) Political Science
Answer: b) Geography
3. Which discipline helps us understand change over time?
a) Geography b) Economics c) History d) Political Science
Answer: c) History
4. Which of the following is primarily studied in Political Science?
a) Soil b) Government and power c) Production of crops d) Climate
Answer: b) Government and power
5. A person has limited money but many things they want to buy. Which discipline helps us understand this situation?
a) History b) Geography c) Economics d) Political Science
Answer: c) Economics
6. Which of the following is an important part of social scientific enquiry?
a) Guessing b) Evidence c) Rumours d) Superstition
Answer: b) Evidence
Q3. Write True or False.
1. Social Science is concerned only with the past.
2. Geography studies the relationship between humans and their environment.
3. History is only the memorisation of dates.
4. Political Science helps us understand government and citizenship.
5. Economics deals with choices and the use of resources.
6. Human beings can affect their environment.
7. The environment can influence human activities.
8. The four disciplines of Social Science are completely unrelated.
9. Evidence is important for understanding society.
10. Social Science can help us understand everyday life.
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
Q4. Match Column A with Column B.
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. Geography | a. Government and power |
| 2. History | b. Resources and choices |
| 3. Political Science | c. Past and change |
| 4. Economics | d. Place and environment |
| 5. Evidence | e. Basis for investigation |
Answers: 1 – d | 2 – c | 3 – a | 4 – b | 5 – e
Q5. Answer in one or two sentences.
1. What is Social Science?
Social Science is the systematic study of human society and the relationships and activities of people living in it.
2. What is meant by society?
Society means a group of people who live together and interact with one another in an organised way.
3. Why do we study society?
We study society to understand how people live, work, make choices and organise themselves, and to find solutions to social problems.
4. What is meant by the human–environment relationship?
It is the two-way relationship in which human beings depend on and change the environment, while the environment also influences human life.
5. What does Geography study?
Geography studies places, space, the environment and the relationship between human beings and their surroundings.
6. What does History help us understand?
History helps us understand the human past — what changed over time and what continued, and why events happened.
7. What does Political Science study?
Political Science studies government, power, political institutions, laws, rights and citizenship.
8. What does Economics study?
Economics studies resources, choices, production, consumption, exchange and markets.
9. Why is evidence important in Social Science?
Evidence is important because it supports an explanation with proof and prevents guesswork, rumour or personal bias from being accepted as fact.
10. What is meant by “change and continuity”?
It means that while some things in society change over time, other things continue to remain the same.
Q6. Answer in about 40–60 words.
1. Why can Social Science not be limited to the study of only one aspect of society?
Society is made up of many connected parts. People live in a place, at a particular time, under a government, and they earn, spend and make choices. A single discipline studies only one part and gives a partial picture. Studying all four together gives a complete and accurate understanding of society.
2. Explain how the environment influences human beings. Give two examples.
The environment shapes how people live, dress, build and earn.
- People living near the sea take up fishing and eat fish as a staple food.
- People in cold mountainous regions wear woollens and build sloping roofs to let snow slide off.
- Rainfall decides which crops a region can grow.
3. Explain how human beings influence their environment. Give two examples.
Human beings change their surroundings to meet their needs.
- Forests are cut down to clear land for farming and for building houses.
- Roads, dams and cities are built, and factories and vehicles cause air and water pollution.
- Mining and irrigation also change the land and rivers.
4. Why is History more than a collection of dates and events?
History is not just remembering dates. It explains why an event happened, what its causes and effects were, how people lived and thought, and what changed or continued. Dates only help us place events in order; understanding gives them meaning.
5. Why are observation and questioning important in Social Science?
Enquiry begins with observation and questioning. Observation gives us facts and information about society, while questioning pushes us to investigate further. Together they lead to evidence-based reasoning instead of blind acceptance, helping us reach reliable conclusions.
Q7. Complete the following chain.
Climate → ____________ → Food production → ____________ → People’s lives
Climate → Rainfall (water availability) → Food production → Food prices / income → People’s lives
Q8. Explain how a change in rainfall can affect more than just agriculture.
Less rainfall means less water in rivers, wells and dams. This causes a shortage of drinking water, lowers hydroelectric power generation, kills cattle, reduces farm income, raises food prices and forces people to migrate to cities. The government then has to spend money on relief. So one change in rainfall affects water, power, health, jobs, prices and administration — not just farming.
Q9. A new road is constructed in a village. Identify one possible effect from each discipline.
Geography: Land use changes — fields and trees make way for the road, and the settlement spreads along it.
History: Village life changes over time as outsiders come in, new occupations begin and old customs slowly change.
Political Science: The panchayat and government plan and fund the road, and they must manage land and traffic rules.
Economics: Transport becomes cheaper and faster, so goods reach markets easily, trade grows, land prices rise and new jobs appear.
Q10. Read the situation and answer.
A village is located near a river. The river provides water for agriculture. Over time, more people settle in the village. Roads are constructed, shops appear and agricultural production increases. Eventually, the village develops into a small town.
a. Which geographical factor encouraged settlement?
The river — it provided water for drinking and irrigation, and left behind fertile soil for farming.
b. How did the environment support human activities?
The river supplied water for crops and daily use, the fertile soil gave good harvests, and the river itself was used for fishing, transport and trade.
c. Which discipline would help us study how the settlement changed over time?
History (with the help of Geography, which explains the location).
d. Which discipline would help us understand shops, production and markets?
Economics
e. Why is it useful to study this village using more than one Social Science discipline?
Because the growth of the village is a single process with many sides — a geographical location, a historical change over time, economic activities like trade and production, and political decisions about roads and administration. One discipline would show only a part; together they give the full picture.
Q11. Read the case carefully.
A city has experienced rapid population growth during the last twenty years. Many people have moved to the city because of employment opportunities. New houses, roads, schools, hospitals and shopping areas have been constructed. The increase in vehicles has also resulted in greater air pollution.
1. Which Social Science discipline can help us understand the location and environment of the city?
Geography
2. Which discipline can help us study how the city developed over time?
History
3. Which discipline can help us understand employment and economic activities?
Economics
4. Which discipline can help us understand government institutions and urban administration?
Political Science
5. Give one example of how humans have changed the environment in this case.
Houses, roads, schools and shopping areas have been built on open land, and the rising number of vehicles has increased air pollution.
6. Give one example of how the environment may affect people living in the city.
Air pollution from vehicles can cause breathing problems and other health issues for the residents.
7. Why is this case an example of the interconnectedness of Social Science?
Because one happening — rapid population growth — has a geographical side (location and pollution), a historical side (how the city grew over twenty years), an economic side (jobs, trade, markets) and a political side (administration, laws, public services). No single discipline can explain it fully; all four are linked.
Q12. Imagine that the price of vegetables suddenly increases.
a. What economic question would you ask?
Why has the price risen? Has the supply fallen or has the demand increased? How will it affect a family’s monthly budget?
b. What geographical factors might you investigate?
Rainfall and weather in the growing areas, drought or floods, soil quality, the season, and the distance and transport links between farms and the market.
c. What historical information might be useful?
Records of vegetable prices in earlier years, past crop failures or shortages, and how people managed during similar price rises in the past.
d. What role could government policies play?
The government could check hoarding, fix support prices for farmers, allow imports, improve transport and storage, or sell vegetables at fair-price outlets to protect consumers.
Q13. Your school is located in an area that receives heavy rainfall. Suggest:
Two ways the environment may affect school life:
- Waterlogging and flooded roads make it difficult for students to reach school.
- Outdoor games and assembly have to be cancelled, and damp walls or leaking roofs damage classrooms and books.
Two ways humans can adapt to the environment:
- Wearing raincoats, using umbrellas and building covered walkways and raised platforms.
- Building proper drainage and rainwater harvesting, and adjusting school timings during heavy rain.
Q14. “Human beings are both dependent on and responsible for the environment.” Explain this statement with suitable examples.
Dependent: We get air to breathe, water to drink, food to eat, and raw materials like wood, cotton and minerals from the environment. Farmers depend on rain; coastal people depend on the sea.
Responsible: Since we use these resources, we must also protect them. Cutting forests, polluting rivers and wasting water harm the very environment that supports us. Planting trees, saving water, using public transport and reducing plastic are ways of taking responsibility.
Thus the environment is our life-support system, and its care is our duty.
Q15. Can the same event be studied by all four Social Science disciplines? Explain with an example.
Yes. Take a flood as an example:
- Geography: heavy rainfall, rivers overflowing, why the area is flood-prone, maps of the affected region.
- History: floods that occurred in the past and how people coped with them.
- Political Science: the government’s relief work, disaster-management laws and the role of local bodies.
- Economics: loss of crops and property, rise in prices, cost of relief and rebuilding.
One event, four different perspectives — this shows how the disciplines are connected.
Q16. Why should a Social Science student ask “Why?” and “How?” instead of only “What?”
“What” only gives us facts, which can be memorised and forgotten. “Why” and “How” make us look for causes, processes and effects. They help us compare, reason, question and find solutions to real problems. Social Science aims at understanding society, not merely remembering information about it.
Q17. Imagine that a historian wants to know how people lived in a particular city 500 years ago. Which of the following could provide evidence? Tick (✓) the appropriate options.
☐ Buildings
☐ Coins
☐ Inscriptions
☐ Archaeological remains
☐ Historical writings
☐ Personal guesses
☐ Rumours
Correct options: Buildings ✓, Coins ✓, Inscriptions ✓, Archaeological remains ✓, Historical writings ✓
Not evidence: Personal guesses ✗ and Rumours ✗ — they cannot be verified.
Q18. Why should a researcher examine evidence before reaching a conclusion?
Evidence makes a conclusion reliable and verifiable. Without evidence, a conclusion may be based on personal bias, guesswork or rumour, which can be wrong. Examining evidence allows a researcher to check facts, compare different sources and give reasons that others can accept.
Q19. Identify the Social Science discipline most closely related to each question.
| Question | Discipline |
|---|---|
| Why did people settle near this river? | __________ |
| How did this city develop over the last 500 years? | __________ |
| How are laws made and implemented? | __________ |
| Why has the price of a commodity increased? | __________ |
| How does climate influence agriculture? | __________ |
| How have political institutions changed over time? | __________ |
| How do people earn their livelihoods? | __________ |
| How did trade develop in the past? | __________ |
- Geography
- History
- Political Science
- Economics
- Geography
- History (Political Science also studies political institutions)
- Economics
- History
Q20. Discuss with your partner: “Is Social Science useful only for students who want to become teachers, historians or civil servants?” Write your conclusion.
Conclusion: No. Social Science is useful for everyone. It helps us understand the news, vote wisely, manage money, respect laws, protect the environment and live peacefully with others. A doctor, engineer, shopkeeper or farmer all need to understand society, government and the economy. It is a subject for life, not just for a career.
Q21. Complete the concept map.
| Discipline | What it studies |
|---|---|
| Geography | __________ |
| History | __________ |
| Political Science | __________ |
| Economics | __________ |
- Geography: Places, space, environment and the human–environment relationship
- History: The human past — change and continuity over time
- Political Science: Government, power, institutions, laws and citizenship
- Economics: Resources, choices, production, consumption and markets
Q22. Explain Chapter 1 in exactly five sentences.
- Social Science is the systematic study of human society and how people live together.
- It studies society through four main disciplines — Geography, History, Political Science and Economics.
- Geography studies place and the human–environment relationship, History studies the past, Political Science studies government and power, and Economics studies resources and choices.
- These disciplines are interconnected, so the same event can be studied from different perspectives.
- Social Science uses observation, questioning, evidence and reasoning to understand society and everyday life.
Before leaving the classroom, answer these three questions:
1. One thing I learned today:
(Sample) I learned that Social Science studies society through four connected disciplines, not just one.
2. One connection between two Social Science disciplines:
(Sample) Geography and Economics are connected — the rainfall and soil of a region decide which crops can be grown and what income farmers earn.
3. One question I still have:
(Sample) How do historians decide which pieces of evidence are more reliable than others?
Q23. A farmer faces a drought. Explain how this single event could affect each discipline.
Geography: Low rainfall, drying rivers and wells, falling groundwater level, loss of soil moisture and dry, barren land. People may migrate out of the region.
Economics: Crops fail, the farmer’s income falls, debts increase, food prices rise, and there is less money to spend on health and education.
Political Science: The government declares a drought, gives relief and compensation, waives loans, and the administration has to manage water supply and migration.
History: We can compare with droughts of the past — how people coped then, what changed in farming methods, and what migration patterns emerged.
Final conclusion: One event — a drought — touches the land, the economy, the government and the past at the same time. This proves that the four disciplines of Social Science are deeply interconnected and must be studied together.
Social Science: Systematic study of human society.
Society: A group of people living and interacting together.
Geography: Study of places, space, environment and human–environment relationships.
History: Study of the human past, including change and continuity over time.
Political Science: Study of government, political institutions, power, rights and citizenship.
Economics: Study of resources, choices and economic activities such as production, consumption and exchange.
Evidence: Information or material used to investigate and support an explanation.
Human–Environment Relationship: The two-way interaction in which humans depend on and adapt to the environment while also modifying it.
Interdisciplinary: Involving or connecting more than one discipline.
Tick (✓) one box.
| I can… | 😊 Yes | 😐 Somewhat | 😟 Need help |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain what Social Science means | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Explain the four major disciplines | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Explain human–environment relationship | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Explain why evidence is important | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Connect Geography, History, Political Science and Economics | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Apply Social Science concepts to real-life situations | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
| Explain why society is interconnected | ☐ | ☐ | ☐ |
★ My confidence after completing this worksheet: 1 2 3 4 5 (1 = Need lots of help, 5 = I can explain it to someone else!)