7th Class

  Weather And Climate   In the previous chapter you learned about the atmosphere. You know that it keeps on changing every moment and is never static. Any change in the atmosphere gets reflected in the weather of a place. In this chapter, you will learn about the elements of weather and the factors that affect these elements.   WEATHER AND CLIMATE   We have learned that the temperature varies in each layer of the atmosphere. However, the temperature of the earth is mostly related and affected by the lowest layer of the atmosphere, that is the 'troposphere'. In this layer, all th phenomenon of the weather occurs. Thus, this is most active, effective and volatile layer. Also, the weather in turn is affected by the amount of moisture, air pressure, temperature and movement of air. Whenever these features of the atmosphere change, it results in the more...

  The Atmosphere - A Blanket of Air   The earth is a unique planet, as it is the only planet known to us that supports life in the Solar System There are many reasons why life exists on the earth and one of the reasons is the presence of air Hold your breath tor some time. How do you feel? You feel suffocated. Living beings breathe in air to survive the earth is surrounded by a thick blanket of air called the atmosphere.   If you look down from a spacecraft, you will see the atmosphere as a blue haze that envelopes our planet.     The earth's atmosphere acts like a more...

  Our Ever Changing Earth   After the condolence meeting for the victims of the Nepal earthquake, Meghna and Kartik were discussing as to why certain areas around the earth are prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Both of them realised that there is one person who would have the answers and that would be their Geography teacher. She explained to them at length.   MOVEMENTS OF EARTH SURFACE   In the previous chapter, we have learnt that the lithospheric plates are broken like an eggshell and these tectonic plates float on the molten magma in the asthenosphere. Movements of these plates is as slow as few millimetres in a year. Still it changes the earth's surface. But this is not the only reason, more...

  Inside Our Earth-Rocks and Minerals   Have you ever dug a hole in your backyard? How deep could you dig? One metre? Two metres? Or perhaps three metres if you really work hard. The deepest mines on the earth are only about 3.9 km deep. Some geologists have dug the earth as deep as 11 km beneath its surface. However, this is just scratching the surface. The earth is approximately 6,400 km from the surface to the centre. Let us learn and understand about the interior of the earth in this chapter.   Our earth is dynamic. It is always on the move (rotating and revolving) and constantly changing internally and externally. To know how changes take place on the earth's surface, we need to study the structure of more...

  Understanding The Environment   Pranav was on vacation with INS family at a countryside resort. He was amazed to see such a clear blue sky and changing shapes of clouds in the day time and the sky full of stars at night. At the same time Radha, a village girl was astonished to see high-rise buildings, wide roads, flyovers and large number of people; during her first visit to a big city. What surprised Pranav and Radha are all the components of an environment? The environment is what surrounds us. Each and every place has a different kind of environment; be it a city. Village, school, office or even a classroom.     ENVIRONMENT   more...

  Political Formation in Eighteenth Century India   The Mughal Empire was at its zenith under Aurangzeb. After his death, the empire weakened and many new regional powers emerged and gained strength before the establishment of British.   The great Mughal Empire rapidly declined after the death of Aurangzeb. The Indian subcontinent witnessed major political changes in the 18th century. The period between Aurangzeb's death and the establishment of the British Empire in India was a time when many independent states rose to power. The subcontinent was fragmented and ruled by different rulers. In this final chapter, we shall study about these rulers and the political scenario of the subcontinent just before the British came to power. The 18th century also marked the end of the medieval period in India. more...

  The Making of Regional Cultures   The culture comprises language, literature, music, dance, traditions and different forms of art. The language plays a very important part in shaping a particular culture and developing rich volume of literature. We Indians speak more than a hundred languages. The Indian culture is strikingly different in each region whether it is north, south, east or west. In this chapter, we will see how regional cultures developed in India over the period of time and how regional literature is used to reconstruct history.   The culture of each region is distinct and has evolved over time. Also, it continues to change through contact with other cultures. It is the end result of fusion of local traditions and ideas from other cultures. Distinctive styles more...

  Devotional Paths to the Divine     The medieval period witnessed major changes in the area of faith and religion. Due to the Turkish invasion, religions in India came into contact with Islam. It influenced them immensely. Two new religious movements-Bhakti and Sufi Movements-emerged in India during the period from the 7th to the 9th centuries.   During the medieval period, many religions existed in India. Different Gods wereworshipped. People believed in the cycle of birth and rebirth. A person's deeds determined his next birth. The society was caste based with the brahmanas at the top of the social hierarchy. The lower castes were badly treated and looked down upon. A person's caste was determined by birth. As the caste system was not acceptable to all, the more...

  Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities   In the medieval period when new towns were developing, new trade relations were forming and handicrafts and other craftsmanship were scaling new heights; there were groups of people who were unaware. Unaffected and untouched by these changes. They were the original inhabitants or remotely settled adivasis. Whom we call "tribe". The Tribal societies spread over a large area and play an important role in the study of our past.   BEYOND BIG CITIES?TRIBAL SOCIETIES   During the medieval period, society was divided according to the rules of the Varna. The Brahmanas occupied the dominant position and the Shudras   A Kutia Konth Women more...

  Towns, Traders and Craftsmen   India has been a prosperous country since ancient times and tills continued during the medieval period. Also, there was an upsurge in the number of towns and cities. This was probably due to the excellent administration and policies of the emperors.   The medieval period in India witnessed the growth of many towns and cities. During this period, older cities were revived and new ones were established. How did this come about?   TOWNS IN MEDIEVAL PERIOD   Many small towns grew out of villages. They had markets where people came to sell their goods. The market was called mandi. There were also shops lined in streets. These were called haats. Foodgrains, more...