Social Studies 7

Exercise

1. Fill up the blank spaces with correct words from the lesson.
a. ………………….. was based in the Karnali region.
b. 24 principalities occupied today’s ……...…………. .
c. The petty states fought with each other and gave way to ..................
............................... .
d. Meanwhile …………......…… was waiting for an opportunity to
invade Nepal.

2. Answer these questions in short.
a. What do you mean by the Medieval Period?
b. How many states was Nepal divided into during the Medieval
Period?
c. What was the main problem of these states?

d. What was the main threat for Nepal during the Middle Age?

3. Answer in detail.
a. Should there have been as many states as there were during the
Medieval Age? Give reasons for your answer.
b. Why was it necessary for these states to be unified into one strong
nation?
c. Nepal has turned to a federal system. What acts need to be carried
out in order to enhance unity among the people of different federal
states?
d. Visit any historical local area. Prepare a report based on your
findings.

4. Write short notes on:
a. Chaubisi Rajya
b. Sen kingdom

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Lesson

6.2 Political Situation

of Medieval Period

Pre-reading Activities

Divide the class into two groups. Brainstorm on the topic 'present political
situation of our country'. Prepare a report based on the major points drawn
through brainstorming.

Reading

Medieval period was the period of active monarchy. That means the kings
ruled the states and kingdoms directly. Many famous kings ruled in the states
inside and outside the Kathmandu valley in the medieval period.

Nepal began to fall apart into several small states as early as 11th century.
Different kings ruled in these small states. There were Malla kings in the western
part but in the Kathmandu valley the kings comprised of Devas and Mallas.
In the Karnali region Thakuri Khas kings with surnames of Challa and Malla
ruled. But Challa and Malla kings belonged to the same dynasty. Some of the
Malla kings used to write Challa. These kings started to use Malla surname after
Ashok Malla. There was Tiruhat state founded by Nanyadev in Simraungadh.
Rudra Sen ruled over Palpa and other states. Mukund Sen I was the son of Rudra
Sen. His sons divided Palpa further and started to rule their own kingdoms.
In the medieval period, the Kathmandu Valley was also called Nepal Mandala.
Several notable kings ruled the valley. King Gunakamadev founded the valley.

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And other kings expanded it. Ari Malla was the first king of Nepal Mandala.
Jayasthiti Malla, Yakshya Malla, Jitamitra Malla, Bhupatindra Malla, Ranajit
Malla, Siddhi Narasingha Malla, Ratna Malla, Mahendra Malla, Pratap
Malla, Jayapraksah Malla played important roles in developing Kathmandu,
Bhaktapur and Lalitpur into beautiful cities. Some of these kings started
reforms in their kingdoms. Some important political reforms took place during
the medieval period. Let us look into them.

System of Governance

Kings used to enjoy unlimited power. They controlled military, administration
and justice system. Usually, they ruled through a council of ministers. There
used to be five ministers in the council. Of them, one used to be chautaria, the
chief minister. They used to appoint badahakim to run the local administration.
Dwares were appointed to look after the administration of small communities
and villages. To assist the badahakims, Panchayats were formed in the local
levels. Panchayat used to build patis, roads, pathways, temples and bridges.
They also performed religious works. Back then Panchayat was known as
Panchakachahari, panchali, and panchasamuchya.

To make the administrative work easier, main cities were divided into
different smaller units known as tols. It is said there were 24 tols in Lalitpur
and Bhaktapur. Pradhans used to be head of the tols.

Justice System

Courts did not exist like we have today. But justice would be delivered to the
people on the basis of established tradition, religion, culture and customs.

Religion, Culture, Language and Literature

Hinduism and Buddhism were the main religions of the time. Yet, there was
no conflict between these two religions. There was harmony and tolerance.
People worshipped deities like Pashupati, Guheshwari and Swayambhu.
Likewise, they also worshipped goddesses Shobhabhagawati, Kumari, Kali
and Mahalaxmi. Besides Hinduism and Buddhism, Tantrism was also an
established creed. Tantrism advocates revelation. Tantrism influenced both
Hinduism and Buddhism. The kings of the medieval period were great lovers
of art, language and literature. So they worked to promote Nepali, Sanskrit,
Newar language and literature. Malla kings are said to be very learned and
wise. They valued art, literature, music, dramas and songs.

Some medieval queens also played important role in the medieval history.
Queen Devlaxmidevi, Chandrapravawati Devi (King Prithvi Narayan’s big
mother) and Rajendralaxmi are some of them.

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Free the Words

century : period of one hundred years
administration : act of governing; exercising authority or power
reform : a change for the betterment
harmony : state of being in agreement
revelation : cagoemnmcyunication of knowledge to man by a divine or supernatural

In-class Activities

What do you think are the best practices of the mediaeval period? List them. Also
offer your reasons. Share your views with the class.

Exercise

1. Match the following:

Monarchy heads of tols

Deva and Malla kings Nepal Mandala

Kathmandu Valley rule by the kings

Chautariya kings of the Kathmandu valley

Pradhan the chief minister

2. Answer these questions.

a. Who founded the Kathmandu valley?

b. Write about the council of ministers during the medieval period.

c. What did the Panchayat do?

d. What is Tantrism?

e. Which languages and literatures were developed during the
Medieval Period?

3. Answer these questions in detail.
a. What was the medieval justice system like? Explain.
b. What was the state of religion and culture during the medieval
period? Explain.
c. Compare the government system of the medieval period with the
system of government in the present time.

Community Project Work
Ask your parents or elders about the Panchayat system and write a couple
of paragraphs about it.

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Lesson

6.3 Social Life during

the Medieval Period

Pre-reading Activities

One of the very interesting social traditions during medieval period was Dolaji
system of marriage. In this system, the bridegroom goes to live in the house of
the groom. What do you think about it? What might be the benefits of such a
marriage system?

Reading

During the medieval period, life was not
as easy as it is today. It was hard and
sometimes also cruel. In this lesson, we’ll
look into the social condition of medieval
period here.

Caste system
Society was divided into four main castes:
Brahmin, Kshetri, Vaisya and Sudra.
Each of these castes, in turn, was further
divided into occupational surnames. The
caste system became strict, especially after
Jayasthiti Malla officially made it a rule of
the society. In the Kathmandu valley, the
Newar community was also divided into many occupational surnames, for
example, Tuladhar, Tamrakar, Kansakar and Rajbhandari.
Such divisions gave rise to unfair practices in the society. While high-caste
people enjoyed all sorts of privileges, the low-caste people were exploited. The
low-caste people were made victims of untouchability.
During the medieval period, people used surnames on the basis of gotras
(named after Hindu sages) and place of origin. Surnames like Bhandari,
Khadka, Baidya and Joshi are the example of surnames based on work or

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profession. During King Jayasthiti Malla’s period, Mantri was called Mulmi,
courtier Sista or Shrestha and Prime Minister Mahath. Among the Newars of
Kathmandu, there were Acharya, Baidya, Shreshta and Daibagya surnames.

Dynasty and lineage
Kings of the medieval period started the culture of associating themselves with
names of the dynasty and lineage. Malla kings of Doti and Kathmandu valley
called themselves Suryabanshi. It means descendants of the Sun. And the kings
outside the valley called themselves Chandrabanshi. It means descendants of
the Moon.

Family and marriage
People lived in a joint family. A typical medieval family comprised grandfather,
grandmother, father and mother, uncles and aunties, father’s sisters, children
of uncles and aunties, nephews and nieces and so on. Such a family would be
really huge. Even people of three or four generations would live together in a
single family and share the same kitchen. Family was patriarchal. That means
the male would be the head of the family. The houses were made very close
to each other. Polygamy was common. Kings kept more than one wife. And
when their husbands died, the queens had to either burn themselves on the
funeral pyre of the husband or live as widows throughout their lives.
This practice created troubles in the courts of kings. Often there would be fierce
competition between wives of the king to be the ‘favourite wife’. Every wife
would want her son to become the king. This invited conflict between the wives.
Child marriage and inter-caste marriage were also practised. Divorce was
allowed. Women were not treated very badly but they were not very influential
either. Remarriage existed even then. For example, the daughter of Bhaktapur
king Rudra Malla was first married to Harischandra, the prince of Kashi. Later
she was married to Jagatsingh Kumhar, the prince of Tirhut.

Dolaji system
Dolaji system of marriage is unique. In this system, the bridegroom is brought
to bride’s house. Or the bride is brought somewhere near to bridegroom’s
house and they are pronounced married. Among the Mallas, Dolaji system of
marriage was also in practice. In this system, the bride-groom had to stay in
bride’s home and take up the surname of the bride. King Jayasthiti Malla had
adopted the title Malla after his marriage to Rajalla Malla. Likewise, Punya Pal
of Karnali adopted Malla surname after he was married to Sakun Malla, the
princess of Karnali.

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Cultural practices

People of this period observed
cultural and religious rituals.
They observed mourning after
their relatives’ death. Similarly,
they abstained from worshiping
during period of sutkero after the
birth of a child. Death, birth and
marriage rites were performed
according to traditional Hindu
culture. People participated in
cultural occasions and festivals.
In fact, most of the festivals marked in Kathmandu valley have their origins in
the medieval period. They also celebrated Dashain and Tihar.

Religious ceremonies and festivals were means of recreation and fun for the
people. They were fond of dances: they participated in Lakhe Dance, Mahakal
Dance, Bhairab Dance, Siddhi Dance, etc. Gai Jatra, Indra Jatra, Bisket Jatra,
Machhindranath Jatra were major cultural ceremonies in which both royals
and the public participated.

Status of women

Though there were some unfair practices to women, they were still treated with
some respect in the medieval period. The queen of Simraungadh, Devaldevi,
had come to Kathmandu and established her dominance. This shows women
had better position not only in the family and society but also in the state.

Education

Little is known about the education system during the medieval period. But there
was not any formal education system at work. Education, in whatever form, was
exclusively meant for royals and nobles. They would hire private tutors or priests
for teaching their children. Area of study included religion and ethics. Religious
textbooks like the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the Gita were taught. Policy,
ethics, philosophy were other areas of study. Malla kings are said to be very learned
and wise. They had the knowledge of art, literature, music, dramas and songs.

The Medieval age was not free from evil practices. Sati and slavery system
were in practice. A woman, upon her husband’s death, would have to burn
herself alive on his funeral pyre. And slaves were treated like market goods.
They were bought and sold and exchanged.

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polygamy Free the Words
recreation
harmony : having more than one spouse at a time
patriarchal : fun; enjoyment
: state of peaceful existence
sati : system in which male is the family head and title is passed down

the male line
: the widow woman who should be ready to get burnt with the dead

body of her husband (This system is called "Satipratha")

In-class Activities

Imagine that you received some kind of magic power to travel back-in-time. With
your magic power, suppose you visited the city of Kathmandu during the middle
ages. How would you advise the people to establish an education system? Write
some points of your suggestion so that they could teach their children.

Exercise

1. Tick (√) the correct alternative and complete the statements.

a. Society was divided basically along …..................... caste lines.

(i) two (ii) three (iii) four

b. ….....................… called themselves Suryabanshi.

(i) Malla kings of Doti and Kathmandu

(ii) Sen Kings

(iii) Kings outside the valley

c. In Dolaji system:

(i) wife adopted husband’s title.

(ii) husband adopted wife’s title.

(iii) husband retained his own title.

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d. Education during medievasl period was mainly for ................. .
i) common people
ii) royals and nobles
iii) poor peopel

2. Answer these questions in brief.
a. How was caste system like during the medieval period?
b. Which malla king divided Neapli society into four major castes?
c. How was the family system of the medieval period?
d. What is Dolaji system?
e. Describe the medieval education system.
f. What was the status of women in the society?
g. List out the evil practises observed during medieval period.

3. Answer in detail.
a. What are three best and three worst practices adopted during
medieval period? Why do you think they were best or worst?
b. ‘People during the medieval period were polytheists’. Explain.

4. Write short notes on:
a. Polygamy in medieval age
b. Festivals
c. Sati system
d. Dynasty and lineage

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Lesson Medieval Economy

6.4

Pre-reading Activities

Read the price list of everyday consumer goods on the next page. Then, write
approximate price list of similar goods now. Compare and contrast and discuss
what makes the price of goods rise in our times.

Reading

Nepal had good trade relation with Tibet, China and India since the ancient
time. The rulers of the medieval period paid special attention to continue this
relation. As a result, industry, trade and commerce flourished in this period.
Nepali traders used to sell their products to foreign countries and earn money.
A book named Bhojko Yuktikalpa Taru states that the swords made in Nepal
were quite popular in India. Another book Rasratna Samuchya mentions that
copper was exported to India from Nepal. These examples show that Nepal’s
trade with neighboring countries was quite good in the medieval period.

Industry and trade

The Malla period is also famous for beautiful architecture, sculptures, and
idols. Sculpture, idol making, pottery (pots of copper, brass, iron) and art and
craft were forms of small scale industries. These cottage industries used to
export goods to China and Tibet.

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Trade flourished among the states as well.
Baise, Chaubise, Sen and Malla kingdoms
traded with each other when they had good
relationship. Trade was based both on the
barter and monetary systems. Although
kingdoms like Jumla, Palpa, Makawanpur
and Parbat were advanced in trade, no other
kingdoms had more flourishing trade relations than the kingdoms of the
Kathmandu valley. The Kathmandu valley was also the trade route between
the East India Company and Tibet. So Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur
became prosperous kingdoms because of this trade benefits. Also, the Malla
kings of Kathmandu minted coins for Tibet. Nepali coins were used in Tibet.
Nepal used to import salt, gold and silver from Tibet and export pots, peppers,
onions. Medicinal herbs, wood, wool, and blankets were exported to India.
From India, Nepal imported clothes, spice and salt. Here is a price list of the
medieval age. You may find it hard to believe but things were really cheap
three hundred years ago.

Goods Quantity Price

Rice 17 pathi 50 paisa

Salt 1 pathi 50 paisa

Cooking oil 1 pathi 50 paisa

Cotton 5 pal 50 paisa

Price list of 1786 BS, Source: Dhanbajra Bajracharya, Nepal Parichaya

King Jayasthiti Malla had a very important place in the development of
medieval economy. He made Nepali economy stronger by establishing twenty-
four trading centers in different parts of his kingdom.

Ram Shah of Gorkha also introduced important measures. He introduced new
system of measurement such as mana, pathi, dhak and taraju. 10 mutthis made
one mana, 8 manas made one pathi and twenty pathis made one muri. Likewise
the system of dharni and bisauli was also introduced. Every measuring tool had
royal seal on it. He also fixed the interest rate at 10% for cash and 25% for land.
Coins in use were of various types. There were gold, copper, silver and leather
coins. Jayasthiti Malla had issued gold coins; Ratna Malla issued copper coins;
Mahindra Malla issued silver coins called Mahindramalli. Trade and business
eased with these coins.

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Agriculture and land

Agriculture was the life blood of medieval economy. In the Kathmandu Valley,
the fertile soil yielded abundant crops for the people to consume and to trade.
Land was divided into four categories on the basis of productivity. They were
called Abbal, Doyam, Seem and Chahar. This system was introduced by Jayasthiti
Malla. He also introduced the system of land measurement.

The land tax was imposed on the basis of the type of the land and its productivity.
Kings would grant land to priests, known as Birta, which was exempted from
tax. Tenancy was a common practice of farming. In this system, the landlord
(Talsin) would give his land to a tenant for tilling. In return, the landlord
would take his share from the tenant. Yet another feature of medieval land
distribution is Guthi system. Guthi is a kind of trust. The land given to a Guthi
would become the public property and income from such land would be used
for religious and social work.

Animal husbandry was a vital component of the economy. As pasture lands
were aplenty, animal raising was never a problem. People produced milk, ghee,
meat, and wool from the animals. Animals were also used for transportation.

Civil service was another area of occupation. Though this sector was limited
to people of certain castes, a good number of people served in the army. The
soldiers of the time would get ‘land’ as their remuneration, not cash as they
do these days. Though civil service was not well organized, crime, theft and
corruption were rare.

yield Free the Words
flourish
mint : produce
domain : develop, grow
entry point : to make coins
: area
: place where goods are brought for import

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In-class Activities

Compare the present economy of Nepal with the medieval economy.

Exercise

1. Match the following:

Land type Jayasthiti Malla

Land measurement Mahendra Malla

Talsin Abbal, Doyam, Seem and Chahar

Twenty-four trading centers Java, ropani

Mahendramalli landlord

2. Answer the following questions in short.

a. What made the kingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley richer than
other kingdoms?

b. What is tenancy?
c. What did king Ram Shah introduce? How was it useful?

d. How did Jayasthiti Malla contribute to Nepali economy?
e. What would soldiers get for salary?

f. Make comparison between the currency at present and during
Malla period.

3. Answer these questions in detail.

a. ‘Agriculture was the lifeblood of medieval economy.’ Explain.

b. Nepal was a trade hub during the medieval period. Do you agree?
Give reasons for your answer.

4. Write short notes on:

a. Jayasthiti Malla

b. Guthi

c. Civil service during the medieval period

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Lesson Medieval Art and
Culture
6.5

Pre-reading Activities

List three most artistic monuments you've seen so far. Briefly write how each
looks like and explain why you think they are the most artistic ones.

Reading

Art and culture are great assets of mankind. They reflect social life of people
living in a particular time. Art and culture have influenced behaviour of people
in our country. Nepal has developed collective faith, traditions and values.

Medieval period was rich in art and culture. A number of temples and shrines
were built during this period. This is the reason why this age is also called the
age of more gods and goddesses than people. With the temples and shrines
developed festivals and cultural practices as well. As a result, a number of
festivals and jatras like Gai Jatra, Indra Jatra, Bisket Jatra and Machhindranath
Jatra were marked in the medieval period. They are observed even today.

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Several artistic works and structures were built in the palaces and temples
of this period. Art works of the medieval period were made of wood, stone,
metal and terracotta. They are found in various temples, shrines, stupas,
gumbas, chaityas and palaces. They are also found in street corners, lanes,
private courtyards and in open ground. Stone art, metal art, wood art, and
terracotta art were the major art forms of the Malla period.

Taps, pati, pauwa, chautara, dabali were also made. They reflect cultural aspects
of the time. Likewise, temples, chaityas and bihars were built in gumbaj and
sikhar styles. The windows, roofs, doors of the palace were built in artistic styles.
The palace of fifty five windows in Bhaktapur is an example of artistic brilliance.

In the thirteenth century, Nepali art and architecture were very famous. So
Araniko had carried art of Nepal to Tibet and China. If you visit temples and
palaces of those times you will notice the richness of art and culture.

Free the Words

architecture : art and practice of designing building
brilliance : very good

In-class Activities

Many of ancient art and architecture are in danger of being lost and destroyed.
] We need to preserve them for future generation. Get into small groups and as a

group, prepare a list of activities we can do to protect and preserve our historical
and cultural sites, arts, architecture, etc.

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Exercise

1. Answer these questions.
a. What is art and culture?

b. How do art and culture reflect the life and social values of a
particular age?

c. What was art and architecture of the Malla period like?

d. What are the four major forms of medieval era art?

e. Write down the features of art and culture of the medieval area.

2. There must be an old palace or temple around your locality. Visit the
place and collect the details as suggested. Take help from the elders of
the family.

Name of the place :

When it was established :

Who built it :

Main features of the place :

Current situation of the place :

3. Here is a picture of the palace with 55 windows. Write about the palace
in a paragraph. Consult library books, internet or your teacher for
information.

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Lesson

6.6 The Hwang-Ho

Valley Civilization

Pre-reading Activities

What do you know about China? Have you heard of Great Wall of China? Make
a list of information that you already have about China and share with the class.

Reading

About 5000 years ago, some tribesmen from Central Asia established a settlement
near Hwang-Ho River, also called the Yellow River, of the modern day China.
This settlement, later on, came to be known as the source of Hwang-Ho valley
civilization. Hwang-Ho (5465 km long) is one of three main rivers of China. Other
large rivers are Chang Jiang (6300 km) and Songhua (2963 km).

The Hwang-Ho valley had fertile soil and people developed agriculture and kept
large flocks and herds of cattle. It is said that millet, corn, wheat and silk used to
grow in abundance in the land along this river as early as 16 centuries BC.

About 4000 years ago, Yao began to rule this valley. Perhaps he was the first
emperor of China. After this, China has the history of dynastic rule. Shang
dynasty ruled from about 1750 BC to 1111 BC. In the later years the Chon
defeated Shangs and ruled until 255 BC. In the ancient time, China was
a fragmented state. But when Chins succeeded Chon, they started the first
unification of China. The King of Chins took the name of Shih Huang-ti,
meaning the first sovereign emperor. It was during Huang-ti’s rule that China
made great achievement in many fronts.

The Chin dynasty is credited for building the Great Wall of China. It was built
to protect China’s culture and civilization from the enemies. Chinese also call
it Ten Thousand Li Long Wall. Ten thousand li is approximately five thousand
kilometers. In every 100 meter distance, a two storey watch tower had been
made. One can see the surroundings of all sides from the upper floor of this
tower. Perhaps such towers were made to keep watch on the activities of the
enemies. The Great Wall is one of the most important archaeological heritage

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 167

sites of the world. It is the only
man-made thing that can be
seen from the moon. Hundreds
and thousands of people go to
see this wall from across the
world. It is 8.5 m high, 5.7 m
wide and 6,000 km long.
Hundreds of thousands of men
laboured to construct this wall.
Perhaps it is because of this
great industry of Chins that
China is named after them.

Politics in ancient China

In ancient China, an emperor
or king would be the head of
the state and government. First,
people used to select their own
king. But gradually, hereditary
monarchy replaced this system.
The emperor or king was said
to have been sent by God and
he was known as the son of
heaven. He was very powerful
and exercised unlimited power.
Below him, there would be
noblemen to help the king.
The noblemen held important
government posts. But they had to pass civil service examination to get those
posts. After hard training, they would be placed in high posts. The noblemen
would be given land for their service. They were highly respected people after
kings. Businessmen and farmers were ranked below the noblemen. At the
lowest end were slaves.

Social life and economy

The ancient Chinese worshipped nature. They believed in a number of gods.
So they were polytheists. But they paid more respect to one God, whom they
called Heaven. They also worshipped their ancestors. They believed that
human body had two spirits. After death, one spirit leaves the body but it
continues to look after the family welfare. The other spirit, they believed,

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remains with the body itself. So they buried
the dead body with food, drink, honour.
The best part of Chinese society was that
they believed in merit. So they would recruit
public servants on the basis of education,
character and competence. This principle of
meritocracy was introduced by Confucius.

The economy of ancient China was based on
agriculture. Chinese produced maize, millet,
wheat and paddy. There were a number of
canals which irrigated farmlands. Besides,
they also kept animals such as cow, sheep,
pig, dog, horse and elephant. Cloth production was another economic activity.
In fact, China was the first country to produce silk in the world. They invented
paper and also made agricultural tools like hammers, pincers, ploughs, shears,
axes, spears, etc. By 1600 BC, Chinese developed their own script of writing.
Chinese script is the mother script of both Korean and Japanese languages. All
these developments paved the way for a prosperous China.

Free the Words

sovereign : having complete power in the country
polytheist - person who believes in more than one god
meritocracy : a system in which people get power and position according to

bury their ability or knowledge
ancestors : to put in the ground and cover with earth
: forefathers, dead persons from whom the living persons are

descended

In-class Activities

In groups of 4/5 students, collect the information about Mesopotamian, Chinese and
Greek civilization from the Internet or books. Present and discuss the information
in the class during Lesson 6.6, 6.7 and 6.8. It might take a day or two. So, your
teacher will tell you when you’ll get the opportunity to present your ideas. Make
sure everyone in your group gets an opportunity to talk during the presentation.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 169

Exercise

1. Fill up the gaps below with correct information from the lesson.
a. ……………… was perhaps the first emperor of China.
b. ……………… succeeded the Shang Dynasty.
c. Shin Huang-ti meant ……………… .
d. ……………… introduced principles of meritocracy in China.
e. China developed its own form of writing in ……………… .
2. Answer these questions in short.
a. Who established the first settlement around the Hwang-Ho valley?
b. Who unified China?
c. What was the role of noblemen in Chinese politics?
d. Why did they respect the dead?
e. What were the major agricultural products of ancient China?
3. Answer in detail.
a. ‘China made a great achievement during the Chin dynasty.’ Explain.
b. How would people in government posts be recruited in China?
4. Write short notes on:
a. The Great Wall
b . Chinese economy
5. In an outline map of Asia show China and the Great Wall of China.

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Lesson The Mesopotamian
Civilization
6.7

Pre-reading Activities

Use a globe or an Atlas of the world. Locate Iraq, Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan.
Select one country among these and make a list of facts/information that you
already have about this country.

Reading

Look at the map of the world.
Trace Iraq, Lebanon, Israel,
Jordon, Syria and Turkey.
These countries of the
modern world used to be the
part of Mesopotamia until
about 332 BC. The ancient
Mesopotamian empire was
located between two rivers,
the Tigris and the Euphrates.
Actually, in Greek, the term
“meso” means the “middle”
and “potamia” means river.
Thus it refers to a land
between rivers.
The Mesopotamian civilization comprised of four other civilizations: Sumerian,
Babylonian, Assyrian and Chaldean. These four empires eventually formed
the great Mesopotamian civilization. Sumerian civilization started from 4000
BC and lasted up to 2000 BC.
The first tribe to settle in Mesopotamia was Sumerians. They settled in this
land as it was fertile. They constructed canals to control floods and to irrigate the
land. They grew barley, oats and wheat. Sumerians regarded their priests as kings.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 171

So they were also called priest kings. They traded goods with India and Egypt.
Sumerians were the first people to invent writing. A kind of primitive writing had
been developed in this land as early as 8000 BC. By 3500 BC, the writing system
became coherent and by 3100 BC, it became a part of Sumerian language.

King Solomon

Mesopotamia was divided
into small states. So it had to
bear with the invasion and
attack time and again. In about
2500 BC, Sargan-I invaded
Mesopotamia and unified
small states into a strong
nation. Then Hammurabi
invaded the country from Syria
and made Babylonia its capital.
Hammurabi introduced the
written code of law based on the
principle of ‘tit for tat’. Hittites
followed Hammurabi about 1200 BC. Jerusalem, the part of Mesopotamia,
was ruled by King Solomon, the king of Hebrews or Jews. During Solomon’s
time, (977 to 937 BC), Jerusalem became a strong kingdom. But after his
death, the kingdom of Jews was divided into Israel and Judah. Hebrews or
Jews developed a religion called Judaism which is the mother of Christianity.
But in 722 BC, the Assyrians conquered Israel and in 586 BC, the Chaldeans
conquered Judah.
Chaldeans were very progressive and innovative people. They made study
of the sun, the moon and other planets. They figured out the movement of
heavenly bodies and developed astronomy. They were perhaps the first people
to name the days of the week after heavenly bodies.
Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylonia, is an important figure of
Mesopotamian civilization. He is famous for making a Hanging Garden in
the sixth century BC. He had made that garden to please his wife Amuhio.
The hanging garden, as the name suggests, hung above 300 feet from earth.
Actually, it was a palace whose balconies were full of flowers and fruit trees of
various lands.

Social life and economy

Mesopotamians valued knowledge and learning as the greatest asset. So those
who could write and read enjoyed great power. Scribes who wrote letters and

172 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

kept records were equally powerful. Similarly,
there were libraries in towns and temples during
Babylonian Empire. An old Epic of Gilgamesh,
written originally in Sumerian, is the best
literature from Mesopotamian civilization.
The Mesopotamians believed in many gods. So
they were polytheists. They regarded the world
as a flat disc surrounded by huge holed space.
Above the earth was heaven. They believed that
water was everywhere, the top, bottom and
sides and the universe was born of sea.
Mesopotamian society was patriarchal. Though men and women were equally
treated in the early Mesopotamian society, later the status of women fell. Boys
would learn their father’s trade. And girls had to stay home with their mothers to
learn house-keeping and cooking. But women in Mesopotamia had some rights.
They could own property and also get a divorce if they had a good reason.
Mesopotamian economy had agriculture at its base. The chief of the city
state, the priest who was said to be the representative of God, would conduct
administration and build canals for people to make good harvest. People
would work and pay revenue to the priest. Ziggurat was the administrative
and economic hub. Actually, a ziggurat was a rectangular tower surrounded
by temples. Inside, there were courts of law, markets, banks, industries,
food granary etc. Trade with other states was another source of economy for
Mesopotamian states.

innovative Free the Words
astronomy
: introducing new ideas
scribe : a branch of physics that studies the heavenly bodies and the
harvest
hub universe as a whole
: person who writes or makes documents
: the gathering of ripened crops
: center of particular activity

In-class Activities

Get into small groups of 4/5 students. As a groups look up news related to
modern day countries located in Mesopotamia in the several newspapers. Then
report what current events, conflict, etc. are related to this part of the world.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 173

Exercise

1. Fill in the blanks with correct information from the lesson.
a. Mesopotamia in Greek means ……………….. .
b. Mesopotamia consisted of …………............…….. . empires.
c. Primitive writing developed in Sumer as early as ……………….. .
d. Hammurabi’s code of law was based on……………….. .
e. Nebuchadnezzar was the king of ……………….. .
f. Women could ………………....... in ancient Mesopotamia.

2. Answer these questions in short.
a. Who were the first people to settle in Mesopotamia?
b. How did writing develop in Mesopotamia?
c. Why is Sargan-I’s role important?
d. What is Hammurabi famous for?
e. What was the status of women like in Mesopotamia?
f. What is a ziggurat?
g. Write any two features of the garden made by Nebuchadnezzar.

3. Answer in detail.

a. Mesopotamian civilization is the mother of most other civilizations.
Discuss and explain this statement.

b. Mesopotamians were passionate about learning and knowledge.
Do you agree?

c. SimilartotheMesopotamiancivilization,theremightbesomeancient
civilizations in Nepal. Talk to your elders and write about them.

4. Write short notes on:

a. Chaldeans b. Nebuchadnezzar

c. Hanging Garden d. Ziggurat

174 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Lesson The Greek
Civilization
6.8

Pre-reading Activities

Look at the picture of great personalities of ancient Greece below. Select one who
you already know. Then, write what you know about the person. Share your
information with the class.

Reading

Greece is a mountainous country
situated in the southern part of
Europe. Greece is an island; it is
surrounded by the Aegean Sea in the
east, the Adriatic sea in the west and
the Mediterranean sea in the south.
As the mainland of Greece had fertile
soil, early settlers began cultivating
land, reared animals and established
different city states such as Sparta,
Athens, Olympia, Altaic, Ithaca and Macedonia.

Homer Socrates Plato Aristotle

Around the sixth century BC, Greece saw explosion of knowledge. Apparently,
Greeks knew everything that we know of today: politics, philosophy, economics,

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 175

history, physics and mathematics. Education was compulsory and literature
was a part of it. Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are the foundation of western
literature. Herodotus, the first historian or the “father of history” influenced
generations of people. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle were the philosophers of
the time whose ideas have enlightened people across the world.

Thales Pythagoras Democritus

The ancient Greece was also a home of great scientists and mathematicians.
Perhaps the first philosopher and scientist was Thales who was born around
625 BC. He predicted an eclipse of the sun in 585 BC. Pythagoras was a
mathematician philosopher. He discovered that earth and other planets are
round. He also believed that the world can be understood in mathematical
terms. He discovered Pythagorean theorem. Democritus was another scientist
who discovered atomic theory. Democritus maintained that every material
thing is made up of tiny particles called atoms. Euclid was a mathematician
who wrote a book on geometry. Aristarchus discovered that the earth moves
round the sun.

Politics
Greeks are said to have experimented with more than one political systems.
There was monarchy, constitutional monarchy, autocracy and democracy.
But they believed in constitution and ruled the country according to the
constitution. Pericles, the leader of Athens, said, “Constitution is the soul of a
state.” Greek took this principle to heart.

Social life and economy Apollo Venus
Greek society was divided into citizens
and slaves. While citizens enjoyed political
and legal rights from the state, slaves
were denied these rights. Women were
not given political rights. They believed in
monogamy. And people had great passion
for music, art, dance, plays, and games. The
first Olympic Games started from Greece.

176 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

The Greeks believed in education too. We do not know what religion Greeks
practised but they worshipped multiple gods and goddesses. Zeus (God of sky),
Apollo (Sun-god), Athena (Goddess of art), Venus (Goddess of love) were some
popular Greek deities. They believed that ghosts were real and to please ghosts,
they would offer sacrifices.
Like in most ancient civilizations, agriculture was the main source of economy.
Most people were farmers. Trade and industry had developed. There were
traders, craftsmen and capitalists. Greeks exported pottery, oil, and wire and
imported fish, timber and wheat.
This great civilization began to collapse after three centuries of prosperity.
Finally, Greek city states were conquered by the Romans.

enlighten Free the Words
autocracy
monogamy : to make people understand something
craftsman : system of government in which one person has all powers
conquer : having only one spouse at a time
: a skilled worker who practices handicraft
: to take control of country, city

In-class Activities

If you were to compare the civilizations you have studied so far, which one would
you choose as the most interesting one? Explain why you think so.

Exercise pioneer of Greek literature
first philosopher scientist
1. Match the following: atomic theory
Herodotus father of history
Homer earth is round
Thales
Pythagoras
Democritus

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 177

2. Answer these questions in brief.
a. How many city states did the ancient Greece have?
b. How did Homer set the foundation for the world literature?
c. What did Thales predict?
d. Write about Democritus’ atomic theory.
e. Write about Gods and Goddesses that Greeks worshipped.
f. Why did Greeks offer sacrifice to the dead?

3. Answer these questions in detail.
a. The Greeks knew everything we know today. Explain.
b. The Greek society was not as developed as Greek knowledge. Justify.

4. Write short notes on:

a. Greek political system b. Greek gods c. Greek economy

Unit Revision

In this unit, we have learnt that:
• before 1825, Nepal was divided into more than sixty small states.
• these tiny states can be grouped into four major categories: Kathmandu

valley kingdoms, Mithila kingdoms, the Sen kingdom, and 22 and 24
principalities.
• politically, kings of medieval period enjoyed absolute rights.
• the medieval social life was marked by caste-system or hereditary rule.
• trade with Tibet, China, and India was the main economic activity in
medieval period.
• the civilizations of Hwang Ho valley, Greek and Mesopotamian are great
ancient civilizations.
• Greek civilization was highly developed and gave the world system of
democracy, educations and justice

Community Project Work for Unit Six

1. Pay a visit to one of the palaces built in medieval Nepal. Take a picture, if
possible make a story of social life during the Malla period.

2. Refer back to Baisi/Chaubisi states. The district you live in now might have
been a separate political state during the medieval period. Ask your seniors
or find out on your own and prepare a short account of the state and present
in the class.

3. How can you compare medieval Nepal with ancient China and
Mesopotamia? Write an account to be presented in the class.

178 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Unit

7

Our Economic
Activities

Learning Objectives

After the completion of this unit, students will be able to:
• explain the existing situation of Nepal's natural resources (land, water,

forest and minerals) and ways to utilize these resources.
• explain the current situation of industries and outline their importance.
• know the interrelations between industries and agriculture in Nepal.
• identify the problems facing the industries and find their solutions.
• understand existing situation of trade and explain its importance.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 179

Lesson Natural
Resources-I
7.1

Pre-reading Activities

Imagine a situation in future when we run out of one important natural resource
such as water, forest, or natural gas. Then, write how the life would be like in the
absence of one of these resources.

Reading

You drink water when you're thirsty. You use a table to write an essay. Your
kitchen utensils may be made of steel or copper. The food you eat comes from
the field somewhere else. You don't get them for free. You may have paid for
water, kitchen utensils, and the land on which your home is built. But you have
neither invented nor created these things: water, wood, land and minerals.
These things are found in nature. They are the gift of nature. We call them
natural resources. They are indispensable for human life. Imagine there is no
land, no water, no forest, and no minerals. How would human life continue
on earth?

Natural resources make human life easier. Human beings can live with ease
and comfort where natural resources are plenty. In places where such resources
are scarce, life becomes quite difficult.

Nepal is rich in natural resources. Natural resources found in Nepal are of
various types. Let's read about them.

Land: Land is the source of food grains. We
build house on land which protects us from
rain and cold. But land of Nepal is different
in different regions. Land of the Terai contains
alluvial soil. Such soil is very suitable for crops.
Therefore land in Terai yields abundant food
grains. The Kathmandu valley has lacustrine

180 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

soil. Lacustrine soil is also good for growing crops. In inner Terai and Chure
areas we find sandy gravel and gravel soils. In the high hills, there is rocky soil.
It is necessary to preserve soil from erosion. We need to plant trees to preserve it.

Water: Water has several uses for us. We
use water for drinking, for irrigation,
for industrial and domestic purpose
and to generate electricity. Nepal is
the second richest country in water
resources after Brazil. Water resources
of our country have the potential
to generate about 83,000 MW of
electricity. Rivers, lakes, ponds and underground waters are the main sources
of our water resources. Nepal's rivers are unique in the world. Rivers like
the Gandaki and the Karnali flow from the
Himalayas to the plains. Because their origin
is Himalayas, water level remains constant
in them even during the dry season. Our
country has hundreds and thousands of
rivers. Various irrigation and hydro-electric
projects can be run by using water of
these rivers. Besides, by developing water
transportation, we can attract more tourists
in the country.

Free the Words

indispensable : essential
the soil of or near the lakes
lacustrine soil : process of being eroded by wind, water, etc.

erosion :

In-class Activities

Take 20 minutes off your class. In a small group of 4-5 students take a tour of your
school and make a list of goods/things you notice. Come back to the class and
identify which industries produced them and what raw materials were used.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 181

Exercise

1. Match the following.
Terai • • lacustrine soil
High hills • • sandy gravel soil
Inner Terai and Chure hill • • alluvial soil

Valley • • rocky soil
2. Fill in the blank spaces.

a. Life becomes quite hard in places where natural resources are
………......……. .

b. Natural resources found in Nepal are ………......……. .
c. The Terai plain has ………......……. soil, the Kathmandu Valley has

………......…… soil.
d. Nepal's water resources have ………......……. electricity potential.
e. Principal sources of rivers in Nepal are ………......……. .
3. Answer these questions.
a. What are natural resources?
b. Why are natural resources also called 'gift of nature'?
c. Write down the major natural resources of Nepal.
d. How do natural resources affect human life?
e. What types of soil are found in Nepal?
f. Write down the importance of water resources.
g. What is the electricity potential of Nepal's water resources?
4. Make a list of natural resources available in your community and
present it in the class.

182 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Lesson Natural
Resources-II
7.2

Pre-reading Activities

Divide the class into two groups. Now, discuss how natural resources are boon
to us.

Reading

You read about two of the natural resources, land and water, in the previous
lesson. You'll read about two more in this.
Forest: Forest provides us fodder for
cattle, wood to make furniture and
house, and fuel to cook meal. Forests
cause regular rainfall. They are homes
to thousands of birds and animals.
Forests are also the valuable sources of
rare herbs and plants.
Just as we have different types of
soils and land, Nepali forests are also
different. We have coniferous forests
in the Himalayan region. Spruce, fir, cypress, juniper, cedar and birth are the
trees which are available in this region. Valuable medicinal herbs like Yarsha
Gumba can also be found in the Himalayan forest.
In the hills plants and vegetables like pines, oaks, rhododendrons, poplars,
walnuts, chestnuts and larches are found. Utis and chilaune are other tress.
Hilly region has deciduous forest. As Terai climate is usually hot, the forest
there is called tropical forest. Trees like khair, sisau, simal and sal grow here.
Tropical forest remains green throughout the year. Therefore it is also called
ever-green (sadabahar) forest. Mango, banana, jackfruit and plum grow in this
region.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 183

Forests are very important natural resources for human beings and animals.
Animals get their fodder from there. We build furniture and houses with wood
which finally comes from forest itself. Forests are the first necessity for running
industries. They help to keep the environment clean and stop soil erosion.
Forests in Chitwan and Bardiya have become a source of tourist attraction. It's
no wonder we call forest Nepal's wealth. Hariyo ban Nepalko dhan is a popular
saying. We all need to preserve forests.
Minerals: Rivers, land and forests
are what we can see. But there
are also resources hidden within
the surface of the earth which
are equally valuable. They are
minerals, the abiotic substances found on earth. Minerals like iron, copper,
gold, petroleum, coal, lime, natural gas have been found in Nepal. These
resources remain unextracted largely. There hasn't been proper study about
Nepal's minerals. Nor have we been able to extract them all. But minerals are
the life-line for industries. Hetauda Cement Factory and Udayapur Cement
Factory are two of the mineral-based industries of Nepal.
Other resources: Nepal is considered as the best place for generating solar
energy because it has favorable climate for solar energy. Nepal's wind is also
considered useful for power generation. In Kagbeni of Mustang district, they
have generated energy from wind.
Nepal is rich in natural resources. But they are under-utilized, some of them
not utilized at all. This is the reason why our country is lagging behind in
development. Our brothers and sisters are going abroad for jobs. If we can
use our resources and open industries here, we'll get employment in our own
country. This will also help in national development.

Free the Words

fodder : food for animals
unextacted : not dug out, unused
life-line : something very important
abroad : a foreign country

184 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

In-class Activities

Natural resources can dry up if we use them recklessly. Organize a debate on
"Preserving Natural Resources for the Future." We can also argue against it saying
why using natural resources now will help us lead a good life.

Exercise

1. Match the following. Kagbeni, Mustang
Deciduous forest Unextacted resources
Tropical forest Hills
Coniferous forest Terai plains
Minerals High hills/Himalayas
Wind energy

2. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. Forests are homes to thousands of birds and animals.
b. Herbs like Yarsha Gumba are found in tropical areas.
c. Deciduous forests remain green almost throughout the year.
d. Cement factories are mineral-based factories.
e. Nepal is lagging behind in development because it is rich in natural
resources.

3. Answer these questions.
a. What kinds of trees and plants are found in the Himalayas?
b. Describe deciduous forest.
c. Why are minerals called hidden resources?
d. Hariyo ban Nepalko dhan (Green forest is Nepal's treasure). Explain
this saying.
e. Why hasn't our country been able to utilize mineral resources?
f. Why should we conserve forests?

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 185

Lesson

7.3

Industrial Activities

Pre-reading Activities

Have you ever wondered how some of the products you consume on a daily
basis are actually made? Pick a product you use frequently. Then show how this
product is made, using what and how.

Reading

A country will remain poor and underdeveloped even if it has plenty of natural
resources but no industries. Industries utilize the resources and produce
goods which people can use. Our country has much to do to achieve industrial
development. But there are some industries in various places of the country.
Look at the table below:

Industries Goods produced Location

Pokhara Industrial State Noodles, biscuits, dairy
products, dhaka cloth, Pokhara
Biscuit Industry matches

Dairy Industry Motor tires Gorkha

Match Industry and Textile Industries Cigarettes, cement, cloth Hetauda
Gorakhkali Rubber Industry
Hetauda Cement Factory Sugar, matches Birgunj

Hetauda Textiles

Nepal Tobacco Company
Juddha Match Factory

Birjung Sugar Factory

Morang Sugar Mills Jute, matches, sugar Biratnagar
Raghupati Jute Mill
Biratnagar Jute Mill
Jyoti Match Factory

186 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Sugar Factory Sugar, food, jute, soap
Food Industry, Soap Industry jute Sunsari
Jute Industry
Carpet Factory, Tile Industries Carpets, bricks, tiles, Kathmandu
Brick Industries readymade clothes,
Readymade Clothes shoes, juice, medicine
Juice Industry, Medicine Industry Medicine

Nepali economy is dependent on agriculture. But agriculture is yet to be
fully modernized. Our industries do not get sufficient raw materials from
our own country. Many industries still have to import raw materials from
foreign countries. Industries running in Nepal can be divided into two broad
categories on the basis of the nature of production and services they provide
to the people.

Production Industries produce goods for consumption. Mineral Industry,
Construction Industry, Agriculture and Forest Resource Industry, Motor
Industries, Textile Industry, etc. are examples of production industries.

Service Industries provide services to people. They include tourism industry,
Communication and Information technology Industry, Health Services, Energy
Industry, etc. On the basis of investment and capital base there are following
types of industries.

Investment/Production Industries

Cottage and Small-scale Industry: Such industries do not require huge
investment and human resources. Even a small number of people can start
such industries. Poultry farming, animal farming, furniture industry can be
taken as examples of cottage and small scale industries. These industries
utilize local resources. Industries established with the fixed capital base of up
to Rs. 50 million fall under this category.

Medium Scale Industry: Rice mills, noodle factories, carpet and soap factories
are the examples of medium-scale industries. Such industries are larger than
small-scale industries but they also depend on local resources. In Nepal,
industries established with the fixed capital base of above 50 million and 150
million fall under this category.

Large Scale Industry: Sunsari Sugar Mill, Udaypur Cement Factory, Biratnagar
Jute Mill, etc. are the examples of large scale industries. Such industries have
a broad market base. They even export goods to foreign countries. Industries

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 187

established with the fixed capital base of above 150 million fall under this
category.

Industries are the backbone of economic development. Industries help solve
the problem of unemployment and poverty. Thus there should be proper
environment to invest in industrial sector. Strikes should be discouraged in
industries. We need to stop depending on agriculture alone and move towards
industrialization.

Free the Words

textile : related to making cloth

industrialization : process of developing industries

In-class Activities

Get into small groups. As a group, find out what industries (small or large) are
currently operating in your locality. Also make a list of things they produce.

Exercise

1. Answer these questions.
a. What is the main challenge for Nepali industries?
b. What is the difference between service industry and production industry?
c. Is cottage industry suitable for Nepal? How?
d. How do industries help to solve unemployment problems?
e. What are the advantages of industries?

2. Match the following. Tourism/hotel management
Small-scale industry Poultry farming
Medium scale industry Rs. 50 million fixed capital
Large-scale industry Between 50 and 150 million capital
Service industry

Production industry Above 150 million capital base

3. Write about an industry of your community.

188 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Lesson Interrelations between
Industry and Agriculture
7.4

Pre-reading Activities

Select one or two food items you enjoy taking. Then find out what kind of industry
produces them and what raw materials have been used.

Reading

Have you ever wondered what the noodle and biscuits you eat are made from?
Wheat and corn flour. The sugar you put in tea and milk? Sugarcane. Wheat, corn
and sugar cane are the raw materials for food items like noodles, biscuits and
sugar. These food items are produced by industries and distributed to people
through the market. Many industries in our country are dependent on agriculture
products such as rice, wheat, corn, tobacco, medicinal herbs, etc. This is because our
country's economy is largely dependent on agriculture. Therefore, Nepal is also
called an agricultural county. About 74% people follow agriculture and farming as
their occupation. And agriculture contributes about 32% to the country's economy.

Nepali industries depend on agriculture for raw materials. Thus industries and
agriculture are dependent on each other. Industries thrive if agriculture grows
and agriculture grows if industries demand more agricultural products as raw
materials. To understand the relationship between industries and agriculture,
study the table below.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 189

Industries Raw materials
Sugar sugarcane
Biscuit, noodles wheat, cornflour
Jute jute
Juice fruits
Cigarettes tobacco
Herbal producing industry herbs, plants
Ghee/Oil industry milk, soyabean, mustard
Food industry rice, wheat, cereals
Shoe Industry animal hide
Tea Industry tea leaves

As the table shows most Nepali industries depend on agriculture and animal
husbandry. Thus if agriculture is not promoted, these industries could close
down for good.

Though agriculture is the backbone of Nepali industry, our agriculture sector
follows traditional methods of farming. A few people have started commercial
farming in some places which is good but it is not enough.

Problems faced by agriculture

Agriculture in Nepal has the following problems:
• Most farmers use traditional method of farming.
• Farmers lack technical education required for agriculture.
• Farmers do not get chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides when

they need them.
• There is lack of developed seeds and hybrid animals to increase production.
• Many farmlands lack irrigation facility.
• In many places, there is no proper market for the goods and products that

farmers produce.

We need to solve these problems of agriculture. If agriculture is modernized it
can help in industrial development.

thrive Free the Words
modernize
: to become successful
: to make systems, methods more suitable for use at present

190 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

In-class Activities

Read the news report below and write how commercial fish farming has
helped people of Rupandehi district.

Commerical Fish Farming in Rupandehi

Rekha Bhusal

Bhairahawa, Jan 26

Lured by fast cash, more farmers in Rupandehi are turning to commercial
fish farming. Many farmers in the district are shifting from traditional
food crop to fish farming as the rate of return on the latter is high.

According to District Agriculture Office (DAO) Rupandehi, commercial
fish farming is done in around 900 hectares of land in the district. In
Chapiya of Dyanagar-8 alone, commercial fish farming is done in over
200 hectares.

Gopal Prashad Pandey, a farmer from Chapiya, told Republica that
farmers are shifting to commercial fish farming as crop yields cannot
meet even their daily needs. "Many farmers here have become financially
successful through fish farming," Pandey, who is also the chairman of
Jaldevi Fish Production Cooperative, said. According to Pandey, overseas
returnees are also involved in commercial fish farming.

Not only the farmers of Chapiya, the popularity of fish farming has
gripped Maanmateriya also. Punya Prasad Chaudhary, a farmer of
Maanmateriya, said he expanded fish farming from 0.20 hectare to 4
hectares. "Unlike traditional crops, fish farming ensures regular income
throughout the year," he added.

Farmers say they do not have problem finding market for their production.
"We do not have to stroll in the city to sell our products as merchants
come to our village itself," Faudar Tharu, a farmer at Bhagalapur, said.

Apart from 900 hectares of land, commercial fish farming is also being
done in 126 natural ponds in the district. According to DAO Rupandehi,
3,510 tons of fish is produced in the district annually.

News report

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 191

Exercise

1. Following is the list of goods you may be using. Name their raw materials
and mention whether these materials are available in Nepal or not.

Products/Goods Raw materials Are they available
lemons/mangoes in Nepal
Pickle
Toothbrush

Newspapers
Bed
Electric bulbs
TV

2. Write True or False against the following statements.
a. Nepali industries are dependent on agriculture.

b. About two thirds of country's population is engaged
in agriculture and farming.

c. Nepali agriculture has met the demands of raw
materials required for the industries.

d. Traditional agriculture can help the growth of
industries.

3. Answer these questions.

a. How is agriculture a major source of occupation and economic
development for Nepal?

b. How are industrial growth and agriculture interdependent?
Explain.

c. What are the problems of agriculture sector in Nepal? How can
they be solved?

d. What can be done to modernize and commercialize agriculture in
Nepal?

192 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Lesson Trade in Nepal

7.5

Pre-reading Activities

Nepal faced unofficial economic blockade due to political problem in 2015. We
were unable to procure medicines, petrol, and cooking gas, which are imported
from foreign countries. Think about it and explain the importance of foreign trade
to meet people's needs .

Reading

Sonam Lama purchases ghee
and chhurpi (hard chewable nuts
made of milk) from the villages
in high hills. He transports
them to Kathmandu. He sells
them to a store at New Road.
Sonam gets the profit of about
Rs. 5,000 each time he does this.
Sonam is a trader. What he does
is called trade.
Trade is the process of purchasing and selling of goods carrying them from one
place to another. And a person who buys and sells goods and services is called
a trader. Profit is the main purpose of a trade. Trade plays an important role
in contributing to the national economy. But trade is not always as simple as
Sonam's business. Trade can take place in a much bigger scale. It can take place
between one industry and another and between countries.
On the basis of place, trade can be divided into two categories: Internal trade
and international trade. Sonam’s trade is an internal trade. The selling and
purchasing of goods within the boundary of a country is called internal trade.
But a country also trades with another country. Such trade which is carried out
with other countries is called international trade.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 193

Internal Trade
Some goods and products of one place are taken to and sold at other places
within the country. Tea of Ilam is sold in Namchebazaar and chhurpi of Namche
can be found in Ilam as well. Internal trade in Nepal has helped people of all
places. On the high hill, people produce dairy products, medicinal herbs fruits
and insignificant amount of food grain. Thus the people of this region have to
buy food grains and clothes from the mid-hills and the Terai. Likewise, hills get
the supply of scarce goods from the Terai. Even in a small village, a person who
produces more goods than he needs sells them to others. All these activities are
trade activities.

International Trade

Through international trade, a country brings in goods which are in short
supply or scarce in the country from other countries. This is called import.
But at the same time it also sells goods and products to other countries. This is
called export. For example carpets are produced in Nepal but Nepali traders
sell them to Germany and USA. This is part of an export trade.

A country cannot limit its trade activity to one country alone; it engages in
trade activity with several other countries. This is called trade diversification.

Nepal imports clothes, salt, machines, tools, petroleum products, medicines,
cosmetics and raw materials from other countries like India, China, Japan, the
UK, the USA, Korea, Germany, Italy, France and Bangladesh. These countries
are Nepal's regular trade partners. Our country exports tea, cardamom, coffee,
herbs, timber, butter, cheese, noodle, leather, carpets, pashmina, garments,
curio-goods, etc.

Nepal's external trade is not in balance. Nepal imports more goods from other
countries than it exports. This has caused huge trade deficit in the country.

Free the Words

trade : buying and selling of goods
purchase : buy
diversification : act of developing a wider range of products
trade deficit : an excess of imports over exports

In-class Activities

If you were to engage in trade in future as a business person, what area of trade
would you focus and why?

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Exercise

1. Mach the following B
A trade deficit
Selling and buying within a country export
Trade between two countries internal trade
Bringing in goods from other countries international trade
Selling out goods to other countries import
Unequal import/export ratio

2. Answer these questions
a. What is trade? Who is a trader?
b. Define internal and external trade.
c. Show the difference between export and import.
d. What is trade diversification?

3. The following is a news story related to trade. Read it and answer the
questions below.
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, Feb 2
International buyers of Nepali hand-knitted carpets have suggested Nepal
should diversify its products to expand overseas market.
More than four dozen Nepali carpet producers and exporters interacted
with global buyers on the sidelines of the four-day carpet fair Domotex that
concluded in Hannover of Germany on January 14.
"Unlike in the past, we found good response from our international buyers
toward our carpets. But they suggested us to diversify our product range to get
better market share," Rajendra Bahadur Shrestha, executive member of Nepal
Carpet Exporters' Association, said.
Shrestha, who also participated in the expo, said importers have urged for
product diversification so that they can give buyers options to choose from.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 195

According to carpet entrepreneurs, Nepali carpet is facing competition mainly
from India and China which are exporting a variety of products.
Like in the previous years, buyers also raised concern over rising prices of
Nepali carpets compared to the ones supplied by India and China.
"They (buyer) also shared the problems in selling Nepali carpets in the market
flooded by cheaper products from India and China," added Shrestha.
Carpet entrepreneurs say Nepali carpet is around 50 percent more expensive
compared to Chinese and Indian carpets.
Nepali exporters are expecting better results this year as economies of the US
and European countries are gradually improving after a few years of slowdown.
Nepal exported carpets, which used to top the country's export list, worth Rs
5.66 billion in fiscal year 2012/13.
In the first fiscal months of fiscal year 2013/14, country's carpet export increased
by 19 percent to Rs 3.12 billion, according to data compiled by the Nepal Rastra
Bank. During the height of export boom, Nepal had exported carpets worth Rs
10.4 billion in 1999/2000.
"Despite our years of experience (in carpet production and exports), we have
been failing to modernize our production system and diversify our products,"
Shrestha, who runs Pari Carpets Factory, said. "The old production system
increases our cost of production, making our products expensive in the
international market."
a. What have international buyers of Nepali carpets suggested?
b. Why have the importers demanded product diversification?
c. How expensive are Nepali carpets compared to Indian and Chinese carpets?

4. Here is a good news for farmers of Himalayan districts. Read this and write
what should the government do to encourage farmers of your district to grow
more crops.
JANAK NEPAL/ LP DEVKOTA
JUMLA, JAN 23
Farmers in seven Himalayan districts will be provided financial assistance
to grow apple plants. The Fruit Development Directorate under the Ministry
of Agriculture Development will pay growers Rs 100 per plant for the next
three years in a bid to motivate them to realize the goal of making the targeted
districts self-reliant in apples.
The programme is being implemented in Jumla, Humla, Kalikot, Dolpa, Mugu,
Manang, Mustang which are known for their apple production.

196 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

"We will be providing a 50 percent subsidy on purchase of saplings to commercial
farmers and an additional subsidy for their management," said Tej Narayan
Gaire, the head of the Jumla Agriculture Office.

The agriculture office has invited proposals to cultivate apples on fields of more
than 10 ropanis in area.

According to Gaire, the office has received application from 432 farmers and
groups so far.

A committee chaired by the horticulture development officer and consisting of
the concerned stakeholders has been formed to choose candidates from among
those who have applied for the subsidy.

"We will complete the selection of farmers within the first week of February and
start distributing the plants by mid-February," said Gaire.

As part of the plan to make the region self-reliant in apples, the Agriculture
Development Office will be distributing 30,000 apple plants.

According to Agriculture Planning Officer Balak Ram Devkota, the office has
received a budget of Rs 1.5 million to buy plants and Rs. 3 million for their
management.

Jumla is popular for apple varieties like red royal, golden, jonathan and
chocolaty and was declared a national source centre for apples by the Fruits
Development Directorate four years ago. The district sells around 80,000 apple
plants annually.

According to Devkota, apple trees grown in nurseries in Jumla can be found
in 16 districts from Darchula to Taplejung. "A campaign to encourage apple
cultivation under the slogan 'One House, One Apple' is going well in Jumla,"
he said."Hence, production and sales of apples are high." According to the
agriculture office 1.1 million apple plants are being nurtured in around 110
private nurseries here. Apple saplings are sold for Rs 25 each.

Since the implementation of the One Apple campaign six years ago, apple
cultivation has spread to another 100 hectares of land in Jumla.

According to the agriculture office, 14,000 families in 30 VDCs are growing
apples on 2,510 hectares. This year, the district produced 4,100 tonnes of apples,
of which 3,100 tonnes were exported, said Gaire.

The agriculture office has identified Chandan Nath, Mahat, Katikswami, Gargen
Kot, Patmara and Tatopani as organic regions. According to Gaire, 19 tonnes of
organic apples produced in the region fetched a good price in the market.

Note : VDC now has been replaced by Rural Municipality

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 197

Unit Revision

In this unit, we have learnt that:

• land, water, forest, natural gas, and minerals are natural resources.
• we need to utilize natural resources to develop one country; but we should

also preserve them for future.
• in Nepal, there are mainly three types of industries: cottage industry,

medium industry, and large industry.
• Industry is very much related to agriculture as agriculture provides raw

materials for industrial products.
• trade is another important economic activity in the country.
• internal and international are the main modes of trade.

Project Work for this Unit

1. Visit one of the industries operating in your village/ community and
collect information on the following issues to present in the class.
a. Capital base of the industry
b. Goods produced by the industry
c. Human resources in the industry
d. Raw materials needed in the industry
e. The major problems facing the industry
You may develop this information into a report and publish it on the
school notice board.

198 Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7

Unit

8

Our International
Relations and
Cooperation

Learning Objectives

After the completion of this unit, students will be able to:
• state the role of Nepal in SAARC.
• explore the SAARC affairs and report them to the class.
• familiarize themselves with the landlocked countries and state the problems

facing such countries and offer solutions to those problems.
• be familiar with the contemporary world events.

Oasis Social Studies & Population Education # 7 199

Lesson SAARC: An Introduction

8.1

Pre-reading Activities

Do you belong to a group, a club, or an association? If so which one? As a member
of the group, what kinds of activities do you carry out? Share with the class.

Reading

You have already read about the South Asian
Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in
grade VI. Here is a short reminder for you. The SAARC
is a regional body of eight southAsian member nations.
They are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. Its main
objective is to promote economic and geopolitical cooperation among these
eight countries.

The SAARC was established on December 8, 1985. Initially, there were seven
members in it. After Afghanistan joined the association in 2007, there are eight
member nations in it now. The SAARC is guided by its charter, a document of
rights and articles of incorporation. There are ten such articles mentioned in
the charter.

SAARC Organs

The SARRC has the following five different organs:

1) SAARC Summit: SAARC Summit is the meeting of the head of states of
member nations. The charter requires that the summit should take place
every year. However, because of various reasons, it has been taking place
approximately in 18 months.

2) Council of Ministers: SAARC Council of Ministers (CoM) comprises of
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Member States. The Council formulates

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