Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
1
Early Farming in Southern Africa
Section A: Multiple Choice - draw a cross through the correct answer on the answer sheet (next
page):
1.
A group of villages ruled by a chief was called a;
a) homestead
b) clan
c) chiefdom
d) settlement
2. The farmers traded ___________________ for meat and animal hides from the Khoisan.
a) stone tools and clay pots
b) iron tools and clay ornaments
c) clay pots and weapons
d) iron tools and weapons
3. Planting of seeds to harvest vegetables and fruits is called;
a) crop farming
b) agriculture
c) seed farming
d) cattle farming
4. Which one of the following was not a benefit of cattle farming?
a) Milk and meat provided a healthy diet for the farmers
b) Farmers were protected from wild animals entering their ‘kraal’.
c) Soil was fertilised.
d) The skin of the animals were used to make clothing.
5. Farmers later used technology to develop;
a) bows and arrows
b) hoes and ploughs
c) pits and granaries
d) irrigation
6. The farmers hired the _________________ to hunt wild animals and herd their cattle.
a) Khoisan
b) Khoikhoi
c) San
d) Bantu
7. Which of the following crops were planted by the early farmers?
a) potatoes and corn
b) pumpkin and beans
c) sorghum and millet
d) peas and potatoes
8. _________________________ encouraged trade and specialised crafts.
a) pottery
b) metalworking
c) beading
d) stone work
c) men
d) warriors
9. Who were responsible for guarding the village?
a) soldiers
b) boys
10.What were the two most important things to consider before farmers settled on land?
a) The rainfall and height above sea level.
b) The location and the fertility of the soil.
c) The wild animals in the area and the fertility of the soil.
d) The rainfall and the location of the area.
Social Science: History Test
2
Grade 5
Early Farming in Southern Africa
Section A: Multiple Choice:
(10)
1
a)
b)
c)
d)
2
a)
b)
c)
d)
3
a)
b)
c)
d)
4
a)
b)
c)
d)
5
a)
b)
c)
d)
6
a)
b)
c)
d)
7
a)
b)
c)
d)
8
a)
b)
c)
d)
9
a)
b)
c)
d)
10
a)
b)
c)
d)
Section B: TRUE or FALSE
(8)
State whether the following is TRUE or FALSE. If FALSE, make the statement TRUE by changing
only one word:
TRUE / FALSE
1. All the first farmers in Southern Africa spoke Setswana.
____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. Young girls helped their mothers to look after the babies.
____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. Village life was cooperative, meaning people worked together and looked after each other.
____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
4. Before the first farmers, land belonged to the Khoisan elders.
____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
5. The chief of the village had agricultural authority.
____________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Section C: Definitions
(7)
Define the following in detail:
1. Nomadic lifestyle
- ___________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
3
Early Farming in Southern Africa
2. kraal
- ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. lobola
- ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. hierarchical society
- ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
5. agriculture
- ________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
6. Compare a village to a homestead
- ______________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Section D: Complete the following tables:
1.
Compare the different ways of life of the early farmers in South Africa and the Khoisan
people before them. Make reference to their settlements, tools and food:
(10)
Settlements
Khoisan
Early Farmers
Tools
Food
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
4
Early Farming in Southern Africa
2. In the table below, outline 2 positive things that each of the Khoisan and the early farmers
gained from their co-operative relationship with each other:
(4)
Khoisan
Early farmers
Section E: Short questions
1. In what way was the Khoisan’s attitude towards the land different from that of the early
farmers?
(3)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. What was the role of the chief of the village?
(4)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. What determined a person’s position in the social hierarchy of a village?
(2)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. What evidence do we have to proof how early farmers made a living?
(3)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
5
Early Farming in Southern Africa
5. Why was cattle so important in an early farming village?
(4)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
6. What proof do we have that early farmers and the Khoisan lived peacefully together?
(3)
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Section F: Application
1.
Referring to the two images below, tabulate the different roles of men and women. (6)
http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/tswana-village
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
6
Early Farming in Southern Africa
2. In your opinion, how does the gender roles in early farming communities differ from the gender
roles in the modern society?
(2)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Question 2:
Answer the questions which follow, using the map as reference.
1. In which hemisphere were most
Bantu-speaking people found before 500
CE?
_______________________________
____________________________ (1)
2. What were the reasons for the
Southward movement of the Bantuspeaking people?
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
____________________________ (2)
3. Why did they not proceed further
South on the Western side of Africa?
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
________________________________
_____________________________ (2)
http://www.sahistory.org.za/archive/tswana-village
4. Discuss the possible reasons for their movement to the Eastern side of Africa.
(2)
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Total:
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Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
7
Memo:
Section A: Multiple Choice:
(10)
1
a)
b)
c)
x
d)
2
a)
b)
c)
d)
b)
c)
d)
c)
d)
c)
d)
c)
d)
3
x
a)
4
a)
5
a)
x
b)
b)
x
x
6
x
a)
7
a)
b)
x
c)
8
a)
b)
x
c)
d)
9
a)
b)
c)
d)
10
a)
c)
d)
b)
b)
x
d)
x
Section B: TRUE or FALSE
(8)
State whether the following is TRUE or FALSE. If FALSE, make the statement TRUE by changing
only one word:
TRUE / FALSE
(Note that ONE word should be changed and sentence rewritten.)
1. All the first farmers in Southern Africa spoke Setswana.
FALSE
All the first farmers in Southern Africa spoke Bantu-languages (Setswana is one of them).
2. Young girls helped their mothers to look after the babies.
TRUE
3. Village life was cooperative, meaning people worked together and looked after each other.
FALSE
Village life was communal, meaning people worked together and looked after each other.
4. Before the first farmers, land belonged to the Khoisan elders.
FALSE
Before the first farmers, land belonged to the Khoisan community.
5. The chief of the village had agricultural authority.
FALSE
The chief of the village had political authority.
Section C: Definitions
(7)
Define the following in detail:
1.
Nomadic lifestyle - A lifestyle where people moved regularly from place to place. The
reason for moving from one place to the other was to find food to gather and grazing for their
cattle.
2.
kraal - A kraal is an enclosure where animals were kept. Early farmers usually built their
huts around a central kraal. In that way they protected their cattle from wild animals.
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
8
Memo:
3.
lobola - Lobola is the price in cattle the husband has to pay to his future bride’s family
before marriage.
4. hierarchical society
- A hierarchical society is a society with a social hierarchy, divided into
classes where the poor was powerless and the rich had all the power.
5. agriculture
- Agriculture is the science or practice of farming and include crop
farming, cattle farming and many other types of farming.
6. Compare a village to a homestead
- A homestead was made up of many mud huts with
thatched roofs, usually arranged around a kraal. A village was made up of many homesteads.
Section D: Complete the following tables:
1.
Compare the different ways of life of the early farmers in South Africa and the Khoisan
people before them. Make reference to their settlements, tools and food:
(10)
Settlements
Khoisan
Lived in clans in small
communities, huts made
with wooden frames and
grass matting or animal
skins—still nomadic—some
started settling later on.
(2)
Chiefdoms. Small
settlements led by a chief.
Settlements had a few
villages. Many homesteads
in each village where
families lived together
Early Farmers around cattle kraal. Houses
built with mud (plastered
by cow dung) and thatched
roofs. Early Farmers were
not nomadic and settled for
long periods on land.
(2)
Tools
Food
Gathered food from
Bow and arrow, clay nature, hunted wild
pots
animals, later kept
cattle.
(1)
(1)
Farming tools made
of iron, hoes, axes
(1)
Planted crops like
sorghum and
millet. Kept cattle,
sheep and goats
for milk and meat
and sometimes
they hunted.
(1)
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
9
Memo:
2. In the table below, outline 2 positive things that each of the Khoisan and the early farmers
gained from their co-operative relationship with each other:
(4)
Khoisan
Early farmers
Traded meat and hides for iron tools,
weapons and ornaments
Khoisan included them in shaman rainmaking
dances
Worked for early farmers as hunters or
herders
Khoisan entertained and taught farmers with
stories
Introduced to agriculture and metalworking
Traded iron weapons, tools for meat and hides
technology by farmers
Khoisan worked for them as herders and
hunters
Section E: Short questions
1. In what way was the Khoisan’s attitude towards the land different from that of the early
farmers?
(3)
The Khoisan did not understand land ownership. They believed the land belonged to the
community, and individuals could use it. The chief and elders decided how the land was divided up.
They also did not permanently change the land. The early farmers lived in a hierarchical society
which meant that those with the most power and wealth, had the most land. The farmers therefore
owned the land. They permanently changed the land by planting crops and only moved away if
there was no more fertile soil or grazing for their cattle.
2. What was the role of the chief of the village?
(4)
The chief was the most important person, the person with political authority, which means that he
made all the decisions, with the help of other wealthy men, for his chiefdom. The chief was
expected to feed his people when there was famine, look after women whose husbands have died,
look after the poor, lend cattle to the poor and welcome visitors.
3. What determined a person’s position in the social hierarchy of a village?
(2)
A person’s position was determined by wealth and land ownership. The wealthiest men were those
who owned the most cattle and then, as a result of their wealth, the most land.
4. What evidence do we have to proof how early farmers made a living?
(3)
Archaeologists found stone foundations of granaries (storerooms for grain). They found grinding
stones for grinding sorghum and millet and they found dung-lined pits where grains were stored.
5. Why was cattle so important in an early farming village?
(4)
Cattle determined the social hierarchy. Cattle provided meat to eat and milk to drink, therefore a
healthy diet. Cattle skins and horns were used to make clothes, shields and containers. Cattle
dung was used to make fuel and to plaster the mud huts. Cattle were used as lobola when a
man wanted to marry a wife. Animals were traded for other useful things.
Social Science: History Test
Grade 5
10
Memo:
6. What proof do we have that early farmers and the Khoisan lived peacefully together? (3)
Khoisan artefacts have been found on sites of farmer settlements.
Khoisan ‘click’ sound was adopted into isiXhosa and isiZulu languages.
Rock paintings of Khoisan showed farmers’ cattle, sheep and people.
Section F: Application
1. Referring to the two images below, tabulate the different roles of men, women in a typical
farming village.
(6)
Men
Women
Image 1: Men carved and smelted iron for
weapons.
Image 2: Young boys herded cattle and
learning fighting skills.
Image 2: Men supervised or directed the
working on the crop lands.
Image 1: Women weaved and sew.
Young girls grounded crops.
Young girls looked after the young children.
Image 2: Women worked in the crop fields.
2. In your opinion, how does the gender roles in early farming communities differ from the gender
roles in the modern society?
(2)
Own answer: List some of the following facts:
In the early farming communities men made all the decisions, women had no rights. Young girls
and women worked in the house and in the crop fields. A woman could never be the chief of the
chiefdom or village. In modern day society, men and women can do any job or fulfil any role. A
man can help in the house and look after children and a woman can be the president. (This is
called gender equality.)
1. In which hemisphere were most Bantu-speaking people find before 500 CE?
(1)
Northern hemisphere (note how the settlements were situated around the Niger river - water
needed for cattle and crops).
2. What were the reasons for the South-ward movement of the Bantu-speaking people? (2)
The Bantu-speaking people were looking for grazing for their cattle and more fertile soil for their
crops. With so many chiefdoms, land was not easily available and the Bantu-speaking people were
looking for new places where they could farm and live.
3. Why did they not proceed further South on the Western side of Africa?
(2)
They stopped approximately where the Kalahari desert begins. That is a very dry area and not
suitable for planting crops or for finding grazing for cattle.
4. Discuss the possible reasons for their movement to the Eastern side of Africa.
(2)
The Eastern side of Africa is a summer-rainfall region, which is suitable for crops like corn,
millet and sorghum. Lots of grazing can be found for cattle as the area has many grasslands.
Total:
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