Class 6 civics chapter 1 notes: understanding diversity
In Class 6 civics chapter 1 notes (understanding diversity class 6 notes) you will learn about Diversity, Inequality, Cast System, Diversity in India and unity in diversity etc. You can Download the understanding diversity class 6 notes pdf. You can also Download Civics Class 6 NCERT book pdf.
Understanding Diversity
In this chapter, you will learn that people are different from each other in many ways. Not only do they look different but they might also belong to different regional, cultural or religious backgrounds. All these different people, who come from all kinds of backgrounds, and belong to all kinds of religions and cultures help to make India so interesting and so diverse. After reading this chapter you find the answer to some questions like What does diversity add to our lives? How did India become like this? Are all kinds of differences a part of diversity? Can diversity also be a part of unity?
What is diversity?
We all are different from each other in different ways for example in look, in terms of the language we speak, our cultural background in religious rituals, and many more, this indicates that diversity between us. let us understand diversity with an example.
When some children are asked to draw the same figure (painting). There is a chance that their drawing is different from each other. Similarly, answers given by different students are probably not similar this is because of diversity.
making friends
in Civics class 6 chapter 1 with the help of the story of two friends, it is shown how is it to make friends with someone who is very different. In the given story both friends ( Sameer Ek and Samir do) are from Different backgrounds, speak a different languages, belong to different religions and cultural backgrounds, different educational backgrounds. One attends school and the other Sell newspaper but they still become friends.
Note: different religious and cultural backgrounds are aspects of diversity Inequality
It seems that there are poor people who don’t have enough to eat or wear and sometimes not even a place to live. This is not the only difference this is called an inequality.
Inequality
Inequality comes when a person does not have enough resources and opportunities that are available to another person.
The caste system is another example of inequality.
caste system
According to the cast system society was divided into different groups depending upon the work that people did and they were supposed to remain in this group.
For example, if your parents were potters you could only become a potter nothing else. This system was considered Irreversible so it was not considered necessary for people to know more than that what they needed in their profession. This creates and encourages situations of inequality.
What does diversity add to our life?
We read and hear different stories written by different writers, people who write stories get their ideas from different places, books, real life and their imagination. Imagine if all writers were forced to live in a place where- all people wore the same colour (red and white), eat the same food (potato ) have the same animal (deer and cat) and played the Same game (snake and ladder ) then what kind of stories they would write?
Obviously, there would not be diversity and it would be dull because most of the writers take ideas of their stories from their experiences and real-life event. So Diversity plays a very important role in our life.
Diversity in India
India is a country of many diversity which include different languages, various types of food, different festivals, different religions and so on. Apart from diversity, there are many things that are similar so we can say India has Unity in its diversity.
How do we explain diversity?
More than 200 years ago there were no trains, aeroplanes, buses, or cars people travel from one place to another on the ship, on the horse, on the camel and on foot. The people travel in the search of new land or a new place to settle in or for people to trade with. It takes so long to travel so one that goat a place people stayed there for a long time. Many others left their home because of famine and drought and other natural calamities. Some went in search of work while others left because of War.
Sometimes they begin to make their home in new places. So their language, food, music, and religion mixed with old and create intermixing of culture. The history of many places shows that many different cultural influences have helped to shape life and culture there. Thus that places become very diverse because of their unique histories.
Diversity also comes about when people adapt their lives to the geographical area in which they leaves. For example, living near the sea is different from living in a mountainous area. For these reasons not only clothing and eating habits are different but also there is a difference in the daily work of people.
Let us understand this by taking examples of different areas in India
Ladakh
Ladakh is a desert in the mountains. It is in the Eastern part of Jammu and Kashmir. This region does not receive any rainfall and is covered in snow for a large part of the Year so very little agriculture is possible here. There are very few trees that can grow in this region. For drinking, water people depend on the melting snow during the summer months.
People here keep sheep. These sheep produce a special kind of wool that is Pashmina wool. This wool is prized and pashmina shawls cost a lot of money. People eat meat and milk products like cheese and butter. Each family owns some goat cow and dzos (yak-cow). It was considered a good trade route as it has many passes through which caravans travelled to Tibet. These caravans carried textile and spices, raw silk and carpets. Despite being a desert Ladakh attracts traders.
Buddhism reached Tibet via Ladakh. Ladakh is also called little Tibet. Ladakh is also called Little Tibet. Islam was introduced in this region more than 400 years ago and there is a significant Muslim population here. Ladakh has a very rich oral tradition of songs and poems. Local versions of the Tibetan national epic the Kesar Saga are performed and sung by both Muslims and Buddhists.
Kerala
Kerala is a state in the southwest corner of India. It is surrounded by the sea on one side and hills on the other. Kerala is famous for its spices. A number of spices like pepper, cloves and cardamoms are grown on the hills. Traders are attracted by its spices. Jewish and Arab traders were the first to come here.
The Apostle of Christ, St. Thomas is credited with bringing Christianity to India he come here nearly 2000 years ago. Ibn Battuta, come here nearly 700 years ago he wrote a travelogue in which he describes the lives of Muslims. The Portuguese discovered the sea route to India from Europe when Vasco da Gama come here in 1498.
Because of all these various historical influences, people in Kerala practise different religions such as Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. In Kerala, fishing nets are called cheena-vala because they look like Chinese fishing nets. The utensil used for frying is called the cheenachatti. The fertile land and climate of Kerala are suited to growing rice and a majority of people here eat rice, fish and vegetables.
Unity in diversity
India’s diversity has always been recognised as a source of its strength. When the British ruled India, women and men from different cultural, religious and regional backgrounds came together to oppose them. In India’s freedom movement thousands of people of different backgrounds come together to decide on joint actions, they went to jail together, and they found different ways to oppose the British.
It was Jawaharlal Nehru, who coined the phrase, “unity in diversity”. In his book, The Discovery of India Jawaharlal Nehru says that Indian unity is not something imposed from the outside but rather, “It was something deeper and within its fold, the widest tolerance of belief and custom was practised and every variety acknowledged and even encouraged.”
India’s national anthem, composed by Rabindranath Tagore, is another expression of the unity of India.
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Class 6 Civics Notes
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 1 Notes: Understanding Diversity |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 2 Notes: Diversity and Discrimination |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 3 Notes: What is Government? |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 4 Notes: Key Elements of a Democratic Government |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 5 Notes: Panchayati Raj |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 6 Notes: Rural Administration |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 7 Notes: Urban Administration |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 8 Notes: Rural Livelihoods |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 9 Notes: Urban Livelihoods |
Class 6 Civics Solution
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 1 Solution: Understanding Diversity |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 2 Solution: Diversity and Discrimination |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 3 Solution: What is Government? |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 4 Solution: Key Elements of a Democratic Government |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 5 Solution: Panchayati Raj |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 6 Solution: Rural Administration |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 7 Solution: Urban Administration |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 8 Solution: Rural Livelihoods |
| Class 6 Civics Chapter 9 Solution: Urban Livelihoods |