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Understanding Social Science – Class 9 Social Science notes, important questions and MCQs

NCERT Class 9 Social Science, chapter 1. Notes, key terms, important questions with answers and MCQs.

Chapter overview

Social science studies human society: how people live together, use resources, make rules and change over time. Its main branches are history, geography, political science and economics, along with sociology. Social scientists ask questions, collect evidence and look at issues from many perspectives to understand society and improve it.

What social science studies

History studies the past using sources such as inscriptions, coins, documents and oral traditions.
Geography studies the Earth, its resources and how people interact with the environment.
Political science studies government, power, rights and institutions; economics studies how people use scarce resources to meet their needs.
Sociology studies groups, families, communities and social change.

How social scientists work

They ask questions, gather evidence through observation, surveys, interviews and records, and test their ideas.
They use both primary sources (made at the time) and secondary sources (written later using primary sources).
They look at an issue from many perspectives and avoid bias.

Why it matters

Social science helps us understand problems such as poverty, inequality, pollution and conflict.
It prepares us to be informed, responsible citizens who take part in democracy.

Key terms

Social science: the study of human society and relationships among people
Primary source: evidence created at the time of an event, such as a letter, coin or inscription
Secondary source: an account written later using primary sources, such as a textbook
Interdisciplinary: using ideas and methods from more than one subject

Important questions with answers

Name the main branches of social science.2 marks

The main branches of social science are history, geography, political science and economics; sociology, which studies groups and social change, is also an important branch.

Distinguish between primary and secondary sources with examples.3 marks

Primary sources are created at the time of an event, such as inscriptions, coins, letters, diaries and photographs. Secondary sources are written later by people who study primary sources, such as textbooks, encyclopedias and research articles. Primary sources give direct evidence, while secondary sources interpret and explain it.

What is social science? Explain how social scientists study society and why social science is important.5 marks

Social science is the study of human society: how people live together, use resources, organise government and change over time. It includes history, which studies the past through sources; geography, which studies the Earth and human–environment interaction; political science, which studies government, power and rights; economics, which studies how people use scarce resources; and sociology, which studies groups and social change. Social scientists begin with questions, then collect evidence through observation, surveys, interviews, maps, statistics and primary and secondary sources. They analyse the evidence, compare different perspectives, avoid bias and reach conclusions that can be tested by others. Social science is important because it helps us understand problems such as poverty, inequality, environmental damage and conflict, and to find solutions. It also helps us respect diversity and prepares us to be informed, responsible citizens who can take part meaningfully in a democracy.

Quick revision

Branches: history, geography, political science, economics, sociology.
Method: question, evidence, analysis, conclusion.
Primary vs secondary sources.
Social science builds informed citizens.

Exam tips

Remember the four main branches and one question each branch asks.
For any issue, try to explain its historical, geographical, political and economic sides.

Practice MCQs

The study of how people use scarce resources to meet their needs is
1. history
2. economics
3. geography
4. sociology
Show answer
Answer: (b) economics. Economics deals with choices about resources.
The study of the Earth and how people interact with the environment is
1. geography
2. political science
3. history
4. economics
Show answer
Answer: (a) geography. Maps are an important tool of geography.
Which of these is a primary source
1. a school textbook
2. a documentary made today
3. an encyclopedia article
4. an ancient coin
Show answer
Answer: (d) an ancient coin. It was made at the time.
Political science mainly studies
1. government, power and rights
2. rocks and soils
3. prices and markets only
4. fossils
Show answer
Answer: (a) government, power and rights. It deals with how societies are governed.
Collecting answers from many people through a questionnaire is a
1. survey
2. fossil study
3. map projection
4. inscription
Show answer
Answer: (a) survey. Surveys are a common social science method.
Studying a problem using ideas from history, geography and economics together is called
1. a narrow approach
2. a random approach
3. a biased approach
4. an interdisciplinary approach
Show answer
Answer: (d) an interdisciplinary approach. Real issues have many sides.
Why should a social scientist consult many perspectives on an issue
1. to confuse readers
2. to reach a fixed conclusion before research
3. to avoid using evidence
4. to reduce bias and understand the issue fully
Show answer
Answer: (d) to reduce bias and understand the issue fully. Different groups experience issues differently.
A historian finds two sources giving different dates for an event. The best step is to
1. accept the first one
2. choose the one that sounds better
3. reject both and guess
4. compare them with other evidence before deciding
Show answer
Answer: (d) compare them with other evidence before deciding. Evidence must be cross-checked.

All chapters of Class 9 Social Science

Written by Kundali IQ from standard, well-established facts to help with revision. This is not an official NCERT publication; always read your textbook too.