The primary sector involves activities that:

produce goods directly from nature

Which of these belongs to the secondary sector?

Manufacturing cloth from cotton in a factory

Why is the family important?

The family is the fundamental and most ancient unit of society, where members support each other and children learn important values.

What is the difference between a joint family and a nuclear family?

A joint family has several generations living together, while a nuclear family is limited to a couple and their children.

Why is there often no word for ‘cousin’ in Indian languages?

Because cousins are regarded simply as brothers and sisters, which emphasises the deep bonds among all the children in the family.

What does Shalini's story show about family?

It shows how families support each other and share what they have — her parents bought clothes for relatives in difficulty before buying her a fancier dress.

A community is a group of connected people, beyond the family, who come together and support each other for various reasons.

Why do communities make rules about shared resources?

To ensure secure and fair access to shared wealth like water, grazing lands and forest produce, with everyone performing specific duties.

What is the halma tradition of the Bhils?

It is a tradition of coming together to help any individual or family in crisis; the Bhils used it to plant trees and harvest rainwater near Jhabua.

Give two examples of urban community participation.

Residents' Welfare Associations making local rules, and people of Ahmedabad or Chennai coming together to teach children or give flood relief.

Why are communities described as interdependent?

Because in complex societies every community depends on others — for supplies, services and waste handling — so no one is fully self-sufficient.

Family and Community

Q: What values does the family teach, acting as a ‘school’?

Values such as ahimsa, dāna (giving), sevā (service), tyāga (sacrifice) and following one's dharma.

Class 6 Social Science · Exploring Society: India and Beyond · Chapter 9

CBSE Class 6 community

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Summary

The family is the fundamental and most ancient unit of any society. In India there are joint families, with several generations living together, and nuclear families, limited to a couple and their children. Indian languages have many more terms for relationships than English — for instance, in most Indian languages there is no separate word for ‘cousin’, because cousins are simply brothers and sisters, showing the deep bonds among children. Relationships rest on love, care, cooperation and interdependence, and each member has roles and responsibilities. The family is also a ‘school’ where children learn values such as ahimsa, dāna (giving), sevā (service), tyāga (sacrifice) and following one's dharma. Stories of Shalini in Kerala and Tenzing in Meghalaya show families supporting each other and sharing what they have. Beyond the family is the community — a group of connected people who come together for festivals, weddings, farming and shared resources like water and forests, agreeing on rules and duties. Examples include the Bhils' halma tradition in Madhya Pradesh and flood relief in Chennai. Communities exist in rural and urban settings, take many forms (jāti, religious, regional, school clubs), and are ultimately interdependent.

Types of families (joint and nuclear)Kinship terms in Indian languagesRoles, responsibilities and family valuesWhat a community is and how it worksRural and urban communities and interdependence

Key terms

Joint family

A family in which several generations — grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and cousins — live together.

Nuclear family

A family limited to a couple and their children, or sometimes one parent and children.

Community

A group of connected people, beyond the family, who support each other and may share resources and rules.

Sevā

Selfless service done for others without expecting anything in return.

Dharma

One's duty or right conduct; following dharma is an important principle of Indian culture.

Halma

A Bhil tradition of the community coming together to help any individual or family in times of crisis.

Family and Community

CBSE Class 6 community

Summary

Key terms

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Practice quiz · Family and Community

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