NCERT Solutions for Class 11 History Chapter 1 Early Societies

Ans : Humans and Mammals such as monkeys and apes have certain similarities in behaviour and anatomy. Some of which are :
 In behaviour :
→ Both needs food for survival.
→ Both can move from place to place.
→ Both communicate with the ones belonging to their own category.
→ Both carry their babies and also feed them.
→ Both can climb trees.
 In anatomy :
→ Both have body hair.
→ Both have different types of teeth.
→ Both have mammary glands to feed their young ones.
→ Both have same limbs.
→ Both can maintain constant body temperature.
 The noteworthy differences are :
→ Humans can make tools and use it for different purposes which monkeys cannot.
→ Monkeys have tails but humans do not have.
→ Humans walk on two feet and monkeys walk on all fours.
→ Monkeys cannot learn skills like that of humans. 

Ans : Tool making is best documented in the archaeological record.
Thousands of flake tools and hand axes have been excavated at Kilombe and Olorgesailie (Kenya). These finds are dated between 7,00,000 and 5,00,000 years ago.
The earliest evidence for the making and use of tools comes from sites in Ethiopia and Kenya. It is likely that earliest tool makers were the Australopithecus. 

Ans : Hunting and constructing shelters would have been facilitated by the use of language. Both being group activities, communication was necessary to undertake both the activities and language is the essence of communication.
Hunting :
→ Language would have helped in making plans about hunting of animals and butchery of large mammals.
→ Language would have enabled them to know about the areas where the animals were found in abundance.
→ Language would have helped them in getting information about the tools that could be used for different types of animals.
→ Language would have enabled them to discuss various hunting techniques as same technique cannot be used to hunt every type of animal.
→ They could have discussed the use of each and every part of the animal body.
→ They could discuss about the nature of animals so that they could know which animal is easy to hunt.
Construction of Shelters :
→ They could decide to construct their shelters where it is safe from wild animals.
→ They could discuss various possible ways in which they could construct their shelters.
→ They could discuss ways in which they should construct their shelters in order to protect themselves from the forces of nature.
→ They could discuss about construction in such a place where they can avail various facilities and live in harmony.


Other modes of communication :
Gestures and hand movements, non-verbal communication such as singing or humming, calls like the ones that have been observed among primates.