class 11 Geography Chapter 1 Geography as a Discipline

 

Chapter 1 Geography as a Discipline

Q1. What is Geography?

Answer: Geography is the study of the Earth’s surface, physical features, human activities and the relationship between humans and their environment. It studies both natural and human phenomena and their spatial distribution.

Q2. Why is Geography called an integrating discipline?

Answer: Geography is called an integrating discipline because it studies the interrelationship between physical and human phenomena.

It integrates:

• Physical geography – landforms, climate, oceans, soils, vegetation etc.
• Human geography – population, settlements, agriculture, industries etc.
• Regional geography – study of a particular region as a whole.

Thus, geography provides a holistic view of the Earth and human life.

Q3. What are the two major branches of Geography?

Answer: The two major branches are:

1. Physical Geography – deals with natural features and processes of the Earth.
2. Human Geography – deals with human activities and their relationship with the environment.

Q4. What is Physical Geography?

Answer: Physical Geography studies the physical environment of the Earth and the processes responsible for its formation and changes.

Its major branches include:

• Geomorphology – study of landforms
• Climatology – study of climate
• Oceanography – study of oceans
• Biogeography – study of living organisms and their geographical distribution

Q5. What important cultural features do you observe while going to school? Are they similar or dissimilar? Should they be included in the study of geography or not? If yes, why?

Answer : When we go to school we see shops, theatres, roads, temple, mosque, church, gurudwara, houses,hospitals, government offices, etc on the way. These represent cultural features.

All the cultural features are dissimilar due to the technology used in making them.

Yes, they must be included because they represent human footprints on physical space, forming the foundation of Human Geography.

Q6. Do you celebrate Van Mahotsava in your school? Why do we plant so many trees? How do the trees maintain ecological balance?

Answer : Yes, we celebrate Van Mahotsava in our school. We plant so many trees as these increase the forest area of our country. These are necessary to maintain the ecological balance and for the conservation of the environment.

Q7. Mention the three sets of questions that analytical geography seeks to answer.

Answer: 

• What: Identifies the natural and cultural features found on the Earth's crust.
• Where: Pinpoints the precise locations and distribution patterns of these features.
• Why: Investigates the causal relationships and factors that explain why features occur where they do.

Class 12 History Chapter 4: Thinkers, beliefs and buildings

 Chapter 4: Thinkers, beliefs and buildings

Q1. Name two sects of Buddhism.

Ans. The two sects of Buddhism are Hinayana and Mahayana.

Q2. What is the most important idea in Jainism?

Ans. The most important idea in Jainism is that the entire world is animated.

Q3. Define 'Tirthankara'.

Ans. In Jainism, a Tirthankara is a saviour and spiritual teacher of the dharma (righteous path).

Q4. Define the concept of Bodhisatta. 

Ans. Bodhisatta were perceived as deeply compassionate beings who accumulated merit through their efforts, but used this not to attain nibbana and there-by abandon the world, but to help others.

Q5. Who started Jainism?

Ans. Rishabdev was the first Tirthankara and Mahavira was the 24th Tirthankara of Jainism.

Q6. What did Queen Kamalavati ask the king to renounce?
Ans. Queen Kamalavati ask the king to renounce the world, the kingdom, abandon what pleases the senses, be without attachment and renounced the pleasures.

Q7. What did Buddha's stupas represented?
Ans. The Buddha's stupas represented Mahaparinibbona.

Q8. Differentiate between Vaishnavism and Shaivism. 

Ans. The worship of Lord Shiva is known as Shaivism and the worship of Lord Vishnu is known as Vaishnavism.

Q9. Why were the stupas venerated? 

Ans. The stupas were venerated as relics of the Buddha such as his bodily remains or objects used by him were buried there.

Q10. What did the early Buddhist teachings give importance to?

Ans. Early Buddhist teachings gave importance to self-efforts in achieving Nibbana. 

Q11. During the nineteenth century, why the Europeans were interested in the stupa? Give two reasons. 

Ans. Europeans were interested in stupa because:
(i) British official named Colin Mackenzie found several pillars of sculpture and made detailed drawings of them. These reports were never published in order to protect the stupa.
(ii) 19th century Europeans, like the French and English sought Shahjehan Begum's permission to take away the Eastern gateway which was best preserved to be displayed in museums in France and England.
(iii) Cunningham took drawing of the place, deciphered the inscriptions and bored shafts down these domes. This happened partly because those who considered them to be beautiful and valuable wanted to keep it for themselves.

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