NCERT Class 6 History — Chapter 1: What, where, how and when?

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Consider the following statements regarding dating conventions:

The years are counted from the date generally assigned to the birth of Jesus Christ.
The letters BCE stand for 'Before Christian Era'.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2

Did you get this right?

Solution

The correct option is (a).

Explanation

Historical chronology is traditionally organized based on the Gregorian calendar, which utilizes the birth of Jesus Christ as the central reference point for dating events.

Statement 1 is Correct: In the standard dating convention, years are counted from the date generally assigned to the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. Years following this date are traditionally referred to as AD (Anno Domini, meaning "in the year of the Lord").

Statement 2 is Incorrect: The letters BCE stand for 'Before Common Era', not 'Before Christian Era'. This notation is used in modern historical studies as a secular alternative to BC (Before Christ). Similarly, CE (Common Era) is used instead of AD.

Key Takeaway: While the reference point for the calendar remains the birth of Jesus Christ, modern historians prefer the terms BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) to maintain religious neutrality.

Your note

More from Chapter 1: What, where, how and when?

Consider the following statements regarding the development of agriculture in the Indian subcontinent: 1. The Garo hills to the north-east were one of the areas where agriculture developed. 2. Rice was first grown in the Sulaiman hills. 3. The earliest cities flourished in the Vindhyan region before the Indus valley. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Arrange the following events in chronological order (from earliest to latest): 1. Development of cities on the banks of the Ganga. 2. Beginning of agriculture in Sulaiman and Kirthar hills. 3. Flourishing of earliest cities on the Indus. 4. Composition of the Rigveda. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the code given below: List I | List II A. Sulaiman Hills | 1. First cities (4700 years ago) B. Indus River | 2. Cities about 2500 years ago C. Ganga Valley | 3. Rearing of animals and early crops D. Vindhyas | 4. Agriculture developed

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Consider the following statements regarding the shift of urbanization: 1. Urbanization first occurred in the Indus valley. 2. Cities in the Ganga valley developed before those in the Indus valley. 3. The gap between these two phases is less than 500 years. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

hard

With reference to the earliest human settlements in the Narmada valley, which of the following statements best describes the livelihood of the people?

easy

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The correct option is (a).

Explanation

Historical chronology is traditionally organized based on the Gregorian calendar, which utilizes the birth of Jesus Christ as the central reference point for dating events.