Origin of man
1997 p2 qn 15 (a) Describe two theories about the origin of
human beings
i.
Evolution theory maintain that Human beings evolved
from ape- like creatures and developed through adaptation over a long period of
time.
ii.
The creation theory- according to many world
religious e.g. Christianity Islam and Judaism the human race was created by God
at a specific time in history to fulfil God’s purpose.
iii. The Mythical (traditional) Theory. This is an
attempt by individuals or communities of people to explain their origin. It is
given through Oral Traditions, myths and legends. It mainly states that the
first people were created by God.
2005 p2 qn 1. State
one theory that explains the origin of people
i.
The evolution theory.
ii.
The creation theory.
iii.
Mythical or traditional theory/ oral
traditions theory.
Ø
This is an attempt by individuals or
communities of people to explain their origin. It is given through Oral
Traditions, myths and legends. It mainly states that the first people were
created by God.
2012 p2 qn2. Name one source of information on the
Creation Theory
i.
Bible
ii.
The Koran
2010 p2 qn 1. State
the scientific theory that explains the origin of human beings.
- The
Evolution theory/Darwin
2009 p2 qn 3 explain Charles Darwin’s theory of
evolution
Simple life forms
gradually develop into higher forms of life over millions of years
What is evolution?
Ø
Evolution is a natural process of gradual and
continuous change of living organisms from a lower (simpler) state to a
better-adapted (complex) and superior one.
Identify four distinct
stages in which evolution took place according to Charles Darwin.
Ø Mutation- is an abrupt
change in the form of a living thing as dictated by the climatic or genetic
components of the living thing involved.
Ø Natural selection- is an instinct by which the
stronger species out-compete the weaker ones for resources.
Ø Isolation.
Ø Adaptation.
State the principles of Natural Selection.
Ø All organisms are
uniquely different, based on hereditary factors each has from birth.
Ø Although many
organisms are produced, few manage to develop to maturity.
Ø Only organisms that
constantly adapt to the existing environment manage to grow to maturity and
reproduce. For instance, the Amoeba, which may have survived only in water,
changed by mutation and cast a protective shell (cyst) around its body, which
enabled it to survive when the climate changed and became dry.
Ø Even after mutation,
only the fittest organisms could survive as the weak became extinct due to
limited resources. This theory came to be popularly known as Survival for the
Fittest.
Ø As species emerging
from mutation and natural selection increase in number, search for basic needs
intensifies. Some few species take on a significantly different form through
adaptation to the new environment as they get isolated from the rest.
Ø Darwin’s theory of
evolution is supported by almost all scientists, particularly palaeontologists.
It holds that human beings belong to the Animal Kingdom and that Man is a
primate as are apes like gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys, although apes
belong to the family Pongidae while human beings are in the Hominidae family.
Name the
archaeological sites in Kenya.
Ø Rusinga Island,
Ø Fort Ternan near
Kericho,
Ø Kariandusi near
Elmentaita,
Ø Gambles Cave,
Ø Olorgesailie,
Ø Koobi-Fora near Lake
Turkana,
Ø Hyrax Hill,
Ø Kanjiri
Ø Njoro River Cave.
Name the
archaeological sites in Tanzania.
Ø Garusi,
Ø Olduvai Gorge,
Ø Peninj,
Ø Apis Rock,
Ø Isimila
Ø Eyasi.
Ø Nsongezi,
Ø Nyero,
Ø Napaka,
Ø Magosi,
Ø Paraa,
Ø Ishango,
Ø Mweya,
Ø Nyabusora.
Identify/name
archaeological sites outside East Africa.
Ø Fayum depression in
Egypt.
Ø Taung in Botswana.
Ø Omo River valley in
Ethiopia.
Ø The Afar depression in
Ethiopia.
Ø Hadar in Ethiopia.
Ø Tenerife in Algeria.
Ø Bodo in Ethiopia.
Ø Matupi cave in Shaba
province of Congo DRC.
Ø Kalambo falls in
Zambia.
Ø Orangia in southern
Africa.
Ø Dar Es Sultan cave in
southern Africa.
Ø Apollo II caves in
Orange state in South Africa.
2005 p1 qn 1Name two pre- historic sites in Kenya.
i.
Olorgesaille
ii.
Kariandusi
iii.
Fort Ternan
iv.
Koobi Fora/Turkana
v.
Hyrax Hill.
vi.
Rusinga Island
vii.
Gambles
Cave (Njoro) Any 2x1 = (2marks)
2008 p1 qn 1 Identify
two ways through which archaeologists obtain information on the history of
Kenya.
i. Excavating the sites
ii. Dating the fossils
iii. Recording the findings
iv. Locating pre-sites
Ø
There are several archaeological sites in
Africa.
Ø
The open savannah provided man with good
hunting grounds.
Ø
The warm tropical climate was suitable for
modern man.
Ø
Geographically Africa was at the centre of the
pangea.
Ø
The all seasons rivers in Africa provided man
with fresh water
2008 p2 qn 2. Give one
reason why early people moved from the forests to settle in the grasslands
i.
There were more wild animals in the
grasslands/availability of food
ii.
The climate in the grasslands was warmer
iii.
The grasslands provided much needed water
Ø
Aegyptopithecus
Ø
Dryopithecus africanus (proconsul)
Ø
Kenyapithecus (Ramapithecus)
Ø
Australopithecines
Ø
Homo habilis
. Homo egaster
Ø
Homo erectus
Ø
Homo sapiens
Ø
Homo sapiens sapiens
i.
Aegytopithecus/ Egyptian ape
ii.
Dryopithecus/ Africans/ Proconsul/ woodland
ape
iii.
Kenyapithecus/ Ramapithecus/ woodland ape/
Kenya ape/ Asian ape
iv.
Australopithecus/ Southern ape/ man ape/
Zinyanthropus/ Nut erect man
v.
Homohabilis/ Handy man/ practical man
2006 p2 qn 18(a) What
were the physical changes which occurred in early human beings as they evolved
from ape- like creature to modern people?
i.
The skull was enlarged
ii.
The jaws and teeth became smaller
iii.
The arms and hands become shorter
iv.
The creatures assumed an upright posture
v.
The feet and toes reduced in size
vi.
The creatures had less hair on the body
vii.
They became taller
viii.
They had slander body
ix.
The brain became bigger
The name
Aegyptopithecus means Egyptian Ape.
Aegyptopithecus’ 33 million year-old 4kg small skull-remains were found in the Fayum depression. He lived at a time
when Egypt was a forested area.
Features/Characteristics
of Aegyptopithecus
Ø Walked on four limbs.
Ø Had a tail
Ø Weighed four
kilograms.
Ø He was a monkey like
creature: the earliest probable ancestor of both Man and Ape.
Ø He had stereoscopic
vision and hands with which he would skilfully jump from one tree to another.
Ø His teeth were those
of an herbivore.
The twenty million
year-old skull of this hominid was found on Rusinga
Island within the Kenya part of the Lake Victoria region in 1948 by Mary and Louis Leakey. He was the
earliest evidence that Africa was Man’s first home, for he occupied the entire East
African forest, though he was also found in Europe and South-East Asia. The
term Dryopithecus means Woodland Ape. He was chimpanzee like.
Characteristics of
Dryopithecus
Ø Had projecting face.
Ø He had a smooth
forehead.
Ø He had long teeth like
those of other animals.
Ø He mainly ate fruits.
The 15-12 million
year-old remains of Ramapithecus were found by Mary and Louis Leakey at Fort Ternan near kericho and also
at Samburu hills and in the Lakes Turkana and Baringo basins.
Ramapithecus and other manlike creatures were also discovered in Europe, India and China.
Characteristics of
Ramapithecus
Ø He was manlike.
Ø He had small teeth
i.e. canines.
Ø He was quadrapedal (he
moved on his four limbs), though he occasionally walked on two legs.
Ø Had a larger brain.
Remains of
Australopithecus were found at Taung
in Botswana in 1924 by Raymond
Dart, at Olduvai Gorge in
Tanzania by Mary Leakey in 1959 and throughout Eastern Africa e.g.
regions around Lake Natron in Tanzania, Lake Turkana in Kenya and Omo River
valley in Ethiopia.
Species of
australopithecines
Ø Australopithecus
anamensis, whose four-million year old remains, were found at Kenapoi and Alliabay in the Lake Turkana
region.
Ø Australopithecus
afarensis, which was bipedal and small in stature. His four to three million
year old remains were found at Laetoli
in Tanzania and Tugen Hills in
Baringo district: Kenya. The name Afarensis is derived from the Afar
depression in Ethiopia.
Ø Australopithecus
africanus (or A. Gracilis), who lived between three to two and a half million
years ago and was small, light, slender and a metre and a half tall, with a small brain, but larger
teeth, jaws and skull.
Ø Australopithecus
robustus, which was strongly built, with massive jaws and powerful teeth,
weighed 68kg and was the biggest and most recent type of Australopithecus. He
lived between two and one and a half million years ago in South Africa and was
apparently vegetarian. He ate fruits, nuts and raw tubers. The Eastern African
Ø Australopithecus
Robustus was named Australopithecus Boisei. Found in Lake Turkana. 2.5million
years old.
Characteristics of
Australopithecus
Ø He was bipedal (walked
on two limbs).
Ø Could grasp objects
with ease.
Ø May have been hairy,
short and strong.
Ø Had a large face and
low forehead and had stereoscopic vision.
Ø Had much larger teeth,
skull and jaws.
Ø His brain was smaller
than modern man’s, but larger than that of the most intelligent ape: the
Gorilla about 500cc.
Ø Weighted between
thirty to sixty eight kilograms
Ø Was short in stature
with a small slender body of about four feet tall.
This was the first species of the genus Homo. His two
and a half to one and a half million-year old remains were found at Olduvai Gorge by Jonathan Leakey
in 1964, Hadar and Omo River valley in
Ethiopia and Koobi-For a in the lake Turkana area in 1972.
2006 p2 qn1 Give one
reason why Homo habilis was referred to as “able” man
i.
Because of the ability to make tools
Characteristics of Homo habilis
Ø
He was five feet tall.
Ø
Large brain capacity of about 775cc
Ø
He had a skull similar to modern man’s in
shape.
Ø
He was omnivorous.
Ø
He could grasp objects.
Ø
Had an elementary communication speech.
Ø
Teeth like modern man.
Ø
Well-developed thumb like that of modern man
hence He made and used tools.
Homo erectus lived
between two million to two hundred thousand years ago.
He was called Homo
erectus because he walked in two limbs.
He made more refined
tools.
He discovered fire.
He was discovered in
Hadar in Ethiopia.
Ø He was five and a half
feet tall.
Ø He was bipedal (walked
on two legs).
Ø He made and used
tools, such as hand-axes, crude spears and arrowheads from stone, bone and
wood.
In what ways was Homo
erectus different from earlier hominids?
Homo erectus was
different from hominids that came before him in the following ways:
Ø He had a bigger brain.
Ø He had a long skull.
Ø He had long protruding
jaws.
Ø He could communicate
by speech.
Ø He made and used fire.
Ø He had some form of
home.
2002 p2 qn 2. Give one characteristics of Homo Erectus.
i. Homo Erectus was
upright/bipedal/waked upright /walked in two legs
ii. Homo Erectus was more
intelligent than the earlier apes/higher thinking capacity
iii. Homo Erectus had a
bigger bran capacity/775-1225 cc
iv. Homo Erectus had more
developed hand for grasping tools.
v. Homo Erectus had more
developed hand for grasping tools.
vi. Homo erectus had a
long skull
vii. Homo Erectus had long
protruding jaws.
2011 p2 qn 18 (a) Give
three physical characteristics of the Home erectus.
i. Had upright
posture/bipedal
ii. Had protruding jaws
iii. Was about 5 feet
tall/1.5 m
iv. Had slopping forehead
v. Had deep set eyes/deep
eye sockets
vi. Had hairy body
Name the places where
remains of Homo erectus were found.
The remains of Homo erectus were found:
Ø At Hadar and Omo river
valley in Ethiopia,
Ø At Nariokotone River
on the north-western shore of Lake Turkana,
Ø At Olorgesailie near
Lake Magadi.
Ø At Isimila near Iringa
in Tanzania,
Ø In Tenerife in
Algeria,
Ø In morocco.
Ø In South Africa.
Homo erectus also
lived in France, Spain, India, Indonesia, Hungary and Brazil. In Asia, he is
referred to as Java man or Peking Man.
1999 p2 qn 17(b)
Explain five ways in which Homo erectus attempted to improve his way of life?
i.
Improved stone tools through the use of
Levallois method
ii.
Invented fire which was used for cooking,
lighting, warming and protecting against wild animals.
iii.
Made and lived in caves for more permanent
settlement and security
iv.
Made clothes out of animal skins by scrapping
them clean, using efficient stools.
v.
Created leisure activities such as artwork
vi.
Developed language for effective communication
vii.
Migrated to warmer areas or regions
Homo sapiens appeared
between two hundred thousand and a hundred and fifty thousand years ago.
Characteristics of
Homo sapiens
Ø He was under six feet
tall
Ø He had small teeth.
Ø He had a steep and
well-rounded forehead.
Ø He had long straight legs.
Ø He made a variety of
more refined tools i.e. microliths.
Ø He was a fisherman and
hunter-gatherer.
Ø He domesticated plants
and animals.
2000 p2 qn 2. State
one characteristics of Homo Sapiens
i.
Home sapiens had a large brain
ii.
Walked upright/ had upright posture
iii.
Had refined speech
iv.
Had smaller jaws compared to earlier
v.
Had well- developed thumb for grasping
Remains of Homo
sapiens were found at:
Ø Eliye springs near
Lake Turkana,
Ø Kanjera and Kanam in
Kenya,
Ø Bodo and Omo river
valley in Ethiopia,
Ø Ngaloba in Tanzania.
SPECIES OF HOMO SAPIENS
Ø The Rhodesian Man,
discovered in northern Rhodesia (present-day Zambia). he was still more
apelike, with ridges over his eyes and a backward sloping forehead. But he had
straight legs and walked with long strides, with a skull and brain like modern
man’s. He made and used scrapping and cutting tools from bone and stone.
Ø Neanderthal Man,
discovered in Neander valley in Germany in 1856 and in Asia, north Africa,
France, Belgium, Gibraltar, Italy, former
Yugoslavia and other parts of Europe. He was a hunter-gatherer. Though
heavily built with a thick skull, broad shoulders and bushy eye-brows like an
ape, he made and used skilfully chipped stone tools and practised ceremonial
burial just like modern man.
Ø Cro-Magnon Man,
discovered in Europe. This one cooked using fire and was a hunter-gatherer,
painter and cave dweller. He resembled modern man, except that he was taller,
stronger and with bushy eyebrows.
These may have
appeared around fifty thousand years ago and are associated with new inventions
in military technology, medicine, agriculture and industries.
Homo sapiens Sapiens
are different from Homo sapiens in the following ways:
Ø They have a more
advanced faculty for curiosity and intelligence,
Ø They plan ahead,
Ø They make accurate
forecasts,
Ø They study stars and
galaxies,
Ø They think and invent.
More recent discoveries of early man
include:
Ø The Millennium man,
discovered in 2000 in Baringo: Kenya, which dates back to six million years
ago.
Ø The 6-7 million years
old Trumai, found in Chad in 2002AD, which indicates that man may have started
evolving separately from apes much earlier than currently thought.
Using their superior technology, Homo
sapiens were able to disperse and adapt to areas where other hominids would not
have survived, leading to emergence of various races of people with distinct
characteristics in skin colour, hair and facial appearance, probably due to
isolation of various human populations and their adaptation to different
environments.
Features
Ø
High intellectual capacity with a large brain
of over 200cc.
Ø
Spoke with well refined speech.
Ø
Had small jaws and teeth.
Ø
He was about 6 feet tall.
Ø
Had well developed thumb for grasping objects.
Races of mankind
There are three main
races of mankind. These are:
Ø The Negroid, which
largely comprises Africans, who mainly occupy Africa.
Ø The Caucasoid,
(Caucasians), which is made up of Whites and Indians. These are mainly found in
Europe, Asia and North America.
Ø The Mongoloids, who
include Chinese, Japanese, Koreans and the natives of the Americas.
EARLY MAN’S WAY OF
LIFE
Why is the period of
early man referred to as the Stone Age?
It was called so because man’s material
culture mainly comprised stone. Man’s tools, weapons and other equipment were
mainly made from stone.
WHAT is stone age- Its the period when man used tools made of stones.
List the three stages
into which the Stone Age period has been divided.
Ø The Old Stone Age,
also known as the Lower Palaeolithic, which lasted between 450,000 to 50,000
years ago and was mainly characterised by making a few simple tools.
Ø The Middle Stone Age
(Middle Palaeolithic), also called the Mesolithic, which lasted between 2,
00,000-10,000 years ago and is mainly associated with Homoerectus and Homo
sapiens.
Ø The New Stone Age
(Upper Palaeolithic), also known as the Late Stone Age, which lasted between
15,000-1500 years ago and is associated with Homo sapiens and Homo sapiens
Sapiens.
1996 p2 qn 2 List two
economic activities of early man during the stone Age period
i.
Hunting wild animals
ii.
Gathering wild fruits, roots and vegetables
iii.
Fishing
iv.
Crop farming
v.
Administration
vi.
Trading
vii.
Making stone implements
viii.
Pottery
1997 p2 qn 2 Identify
two aspects of the culture of the early man that had their origins in the late
Stone Age.
i.
Growing crops/ agriculture
ii.
Establishing permanent settlements
iii.
Making microlithic composite tools e.g. spears
iv.
Domesticating animals
v.
Beginning of religion and government
vi.
Beginning of government
vii.
Pottery and basketing
2003 p2 qn 1. Identify two ways in which early man used
stone tools.
i.
For digging up roots
ii.
For constructing shelter/caves
iii.
Skinning/scaping/peeling
iv.
Cutting/chopping
v.
Sewing
vi.
Making containers
vii.
Sharpening
viii. For protection against
enemies/weapons
ix. For hunting and
gathering
2005 p2 qn 18. (a)
What were the stages in the development of tools by early people?
i.
The earliest tools were made from stones
ii.
People hunted animals and used bones and ivory
to make tools
iii.
Later people used sharpened sticks as tools
iv.
As people improved in technology they
developed iron tools
2007 p2 qn 2. State
two methods used by Early Man to find food during the Stone Age period.
i. Hunting
ii. Gathering
iii. Farming
iv. Fishing
2009 p2 qn 2State two
ways in which the early man obtains food
i. Hunting
ii. Gathering
iii. Growing crops/ farming
iv. Livestock keeping/
rearing animals
v. Fishing
2011 p2 qn2 Give two reasons that made early human
beings to live in groups during the Stone Age Period.
i.
For companionship
ii.
For security
iii.
To share resources
iv.
To help one another
2012 p2 qn 18. (a)
State disadvantages of hunting as an economic activity of the early man.
i.
It is difficult to locate/spot the animals
ii.
Animals are a threat/dangerous to humans
iii.
It requires many people
iv.
Hunting is time consuming
v.
It is tiresome/cumbersome
vi.
Animals run faster than man
Describe two phases
into which the Old Stone Age was divided.
Ø The First Phase, which
is associated with Olduwan (pebble) tools.
Ø The Second Phase,
which was characterised by making and use of Acheullian tools.
Name/describe the
technique by which early man made weapons and tools during the Old Stone Age.
Ø It was “La Vallois”
Technique (shaping flint by blows), characterised by use of easily available
material such as stone in making weapons and tools.
Name/describe the
earliest well finished man made tool.
It was the
Fist-Hatchet, which was a Flint-stone that was broad at one end but narrow and
sharp at the other and basically served as a cutting tool, though it was
multipurpose.
Identify/describe two
types of tools made/used by early man during the Old Stone Age.
Ø Olduwan (pebble)
tools, made from fairly large round stones. They were made and used only in
Africa by Australopithecus and Homohabilis.
Ø Acheullian tools,
which were first discovered at Saint Acheul valley in northern France, which
explains the background of their name. They appeared in East Africa about one
and a half million years ago.
Outline three examples
of Olduwan tools.
Ø Flakes,
Ø Choppers,
Ø Fist-hatchets.
Identify the places
where Olduwan tools were found.
Ø Olduvai Gorge in
Tanzania,
Ø Koobi-Fora near Lake Turkana in Kenya,
Ø Omo river valley in Ethiopia,
Ø Kafu valley in Uganda,
Ø Shaba province in the Democratic republic of
Congo,
Ø Algeria,
Ø Morocco,
Ø Tunisia.
Olduwan tools were widely spread in south,
central and North Africa.
In what places were
Acheullian tools found?
Acheullian tools
appeared in East Africa about one and a half million years ago and have been
found in
Ø Tanzania
Ø Uganda,
Ø Malawi,
Ø Zambia,
Ø Zimbabwe,
Ø Mozambique,
Ø South Africa,
Ø North Africa,
Ø Kenya,
Ø The Mediterranean
basin,
Ø The Middle East,
Ø India,
Ø England.
In Kenya, Acheullian
tools were found at:
Ø Kariandusi,
Ø Olorgesailie,
Ø Kilombe,
Ø Chesowanja,
Ø Mtongwe,
Ø Isenya,
Ø Lewa downs.
Explain how Acheullian
tools were made.
Acheullian tools,
which are associated with Homo erectus, were made by flaking the core-stone on
both sides to produce a sharp-pointed end and longer cutting edges.
Identify any two
Acheullian tools.
Ø Hand-axes
Ø Cleavers.
State the uses of
Acheullian tools.
Ø Cutting,
Ø Digging,
Ø Skinning,
Ø Scrapping.
Describe Man’s life
during the Old Stone Age with regard to:
(a) Climate and
Clothes,
(b) Shelter and food.
CLIMATE AND CLOTHES
In Old Stone Age, man walked naked because:
Ø He had not yet learned
how to make clothes.
Ø The open grassland in
the Savannah (in which early man lived) had climate that was warm enough to
make lack of clothes bearable.
Ø He had a hairy body.
Ø Stone Age must have
been colder than it is today, which explains why man’s body was hairy.
SHELTER AND FOOD
Ø Man slept on trees, in
tree-trunks, stone-caves and rock-shelters for protection from predators. He
had not yet learnt how to build houses.
Ø Man fed on plants,
birds’ eggs and insects, which he ate raw since fire-making had not yet been
invented.
Ø He had a kind of home-base, where he often
brought some of his food.
Describe man’s hunting
methods during the Old Stone Age period.
Ø Chasing and throwing
stone bolars to entangle and catch the escaping prey.
Ø Digging large pits in
the path of big animals to trap them as they went to drink water.
Ø Chasing or herding
animals over steep cliffs or into muddy or swampy lakes for easy catching. Man
then skinned his prey and ate the meat raw.
Ø Hunting was a group
activity. It was a kind of life that required strong people.
Ø As men hunted, women
gathered fruits and berries.
Name the hominids that
the Old Stone Age is associated with.
Ø Australopithecus,
Ø Homo habilis,
Ø Homo erectus.
2006 p1 qn 18
b)Describe the way of life of early Human Beings during the Old Stone Age
Period
(i) They made simple stone
tools for domestic use/ oldulvan tools
(ii)
They lived in small groups in order to assist
each other
(iii)
They obtained their food through hunting and
gathering
(iv)
They used simple hunting methods such as
chasing wild animals and laying traps
(v)They ate raw food
because fire had not been discovered
(vi)
They had no specific dwelling places
(vii)
They sheltered from predators by climbing
trees and hiding in caves
(viii)
They wore no clothing but their hairy bodies
kept them warm
(ix)
They lived near rivers and lakes
(x)They communicated by
use of gestures and whistling
The Middle Stone Age
(Middle-Paleolithic)
Name the hominids that
the Middle Stone Age is associated with.
Ø Homo erectus,
Ø Homo sapien.
Identify three types
of tools made and used during the Middle Stone Age.
Ø Sangoan tools, some of
which were found at Sango bay on the western side of Lake Victoria in Tanzania,
which explains why they bear the name Sangoan tools.
Ø Specialized
stone-tools, made through the Mousterian style.
Ø The Tang, which may
have been the first tool with a handle and was invented and used in North
Africa about 40,000 years ago.
Identify the techniques
used in tool making during the Middle Stone Age.
Ø “La Vallois”
technique, used in making Sangoan tools.
Ø The Mousterian style,
which was used in making specialized stone-tools.
Ø Invention and use of
fire.
Ø Invention and use of
better weapons and hunting methods.
Ø Cooking of food, which
rendered previously poisonous kinds edible.
Ø Man wore animal skins,
shells and necklaces as clothing and ornaments instead of walking naked.
Ø Development of
language for communication, which strengthened man’s culture and social bonds.
Ø Development of Rock
art. Man painted pictures of the animals he hunted on cave-walls, as is
illustrated at Kondoa and Singida areas in north-central Tanzania and Apollo
ii) caves in Orange state in South Africa.
Identify any three
Sangoan tools.
Ø Side-scrappers,
Ø Chisel peaks,
Ø Plane peaks,
Ø Hand-axes,
Ø Flake-tools,
Ø Knives,
Ø Spear-points,
Ø Choppers,
Ø Daggers.
State the importance
of FIRE to early man.
(in what ways did the
invention and use of fire change man’s way of life?)
Ø It provided warmth,
particularly during cold spells.
Ø It provided lighting,
mainly at night.
Ø Man could now cook his
food, which rendered previously poisonous varieties edible.
Ø iv)) Hunting became easier
and shorter, as bush-fires pushed animals into confined areas.
Ø Wild animals were
frightened and kept away.
Ø It was used in
hardening tips of wooden tools, which greatly improved tool making.
Ø It was used in
signalling and communication.
Ø It was used in
preserving food, e.g. in drying fish and meat.
Ø Man was able to move
from the warm Savannah to other areas.
Ø Pottery was baked and
hardened.
Describe Man’s life
during the Middle Stone Age with regard to:
(A) Food and Clothes,
(b) Shelter.
FOOD AND CLOTHES
Ø Better weapons and
hunting methods were used. Large animals like elephants, deer, rhinos, pigs,
buffaloes, hippopotamus and the grazing antelopes were caught.
Ø Food could now be
cooked.
Ø Fruits, birds’ eggs,
insects and fish were eaten in addition to meat.
Ø Animal skins, shells
and necklaces were worn as clothing and ornaments.
Ø People painted
themselves with red ochre and oil.
SHELTER
(a) Man started to
identify and have particular places where his family could retire and rest
after the day’s activities.
(b) For security, man
later lived in caves, which had their entrances covered with animal-skins to
keep away wind and rain as fire burnt at such entrances at night to keep off
wild animals.
Identify examples of
places where Middle Stone Age man and his family could retire and rest after
the day’s activities.
Ø An open site with at East
six semi-circular stone-settings, which was found at Orangia in southern
Africa.
Ø The rock-shelters that
were scooped out to form hollows, found at Olorgesailie near Nakuru in Kenya.
Identify examples of
caves that were used as shelters by Man during the Middle Stone Age.
Ø Matupi Cave in the
Democratic Republic of Congo,
Ø Gambles cave near Lake
Nakuru in Kenya,
Ø Dar Es Sultan cave in
southern Africa.
Explain the advances
made by early man during the Middle Stone Age with regard to:
(a) Language and Rock
art.
(b) Social
organization.
LANGUAGE AND ROCK-ART
Ø Man developed language
for communication, which strengthened his culture and social bonds.
Ø Man painted pictures
of the animals he hunted on cave-walls, as is illustrated at Kondoa and Singida
areas in north-central Tanzania and Apollo ii) caves in Orange state in South
Africa.
SOCIAL ORGANNIZATION
Ø Families lived in
small groups for security reasons.
Ø There was efficient
group organization, especially during hunting expeditions.
Ø With the invention of
language, early man’s culture and social bonds were strengthened.
In what two ways was
Rock art important to early man during the Middle Stone Age?
Ø Cave-paintings showed
keen observation of animal life.
Ø It implied development
of some belief in magic. Man believed that his drawings could control his
chances over his prey and that by painting such animal pictures, the hunt would
be successful. Indeed, some pictures contained arrows piercing the animals he
hoped to get for his food.
2003 p2 qn 17.a) What
were the advantages of the discovery of fire by the early man?
i.
It enabled early man to cook food
ii.
Fire was used to keep people warm
iii.
It was used to protect people against wild
animals/security.
iv.
Fire was used to clear bushes to facilitate
settlement
v.
Fire was used for lighting at night
vi.
Fire was used to sharpen the tips of tools
vii.
Fire was used for hunting
viii.
Hardening pots
ix.
Extracting poison from plants
x.
Communication
2004 p2 qn 2 State two uses of fire by early man.
i.
It provides warmth
ii.
It was used to scare animals/ security
iii.
It was used for cooking/ roasting/ preserving
food
iv.
It was used for providing light
v.
It was used for hardening tools/ pots
vi.
It was used for communication
vii.
It was used for hunting
viii.
It was used for extracting poison.
2007 p1 qn2. State two advantages of the discovery of fire
by early man.
i.
Man used fire to cook food.
ii.
Fire provided light at night.
iii.
Man used fire to keep himself warm
iv.
Fire was used to harden tips of tools.
v.
Fire was used to frighten/keep off dangerous
animals.
2009 p2 qn 18 (b)
Describe six ways in which the discovery of fire by Early Man improved his way
of life
i.
The fire was used to roast/ cook thus he stopped eating raw food
ii.
Fire was used to provide warmth at night when
it was cold
iii.
Fire was used to provide light in the
dwelling/ sites/ caves
iv.
Fire improved hunting as man could use it to
push animals to confined areas thus kill them easily.
v.
Fire was used to frighten animals from man’s
dwelling places thus improved security
vi.
Tool making was improved through the use of
fire to harden sharpen tips of tools
vii.
Communication between people living at
different places was made possible by
the of fire and smoke signals
viii.
Early
man preserved food by drying it over the fire
ix.
Fire enabled man to harden pottery which was used for storage / cooking/
trade
The new stone age
(Neolithic)
Name two hominids with
who the New Stone Age was associated.
Ø Homo sapiens
Ø Homo sapiens Sapiens.
Describe the main tool
whose use marked the New Stone Age.
The New Stone age was marked by use of
microliths i.e. small pieces of sharp stone fitted and glued into wood or bone
handles, e.g. the Crescent or lunette. Several microliths were fixed together
in wooden or bone shafts to make “composite” tools.
Identify other tools
that were used during the New Stone Age apart from Microliths.
Ø Arrowheads,
Ø Sickles,
Ø Spears,
Ø Bows,
Ø Arrows,
Ø Slings,
Ø Harpoons,
Ø Knives,
Ø Swords,
Ø Bone needles,
Ø Daggers.
Describe the culture
of early Man during the new Stone Age with regard to:
(a) Food and
agriculture,
(b) Language and
religion.
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Ø With better tools and
weapons, man’s fishing techniques improved, although he continued hunting and
gathering fruits and roots for food.
Ø Domestication of
plants and animals began, which improved man’s life.
Ø Adequate and balanced
diet, due to which man’s population increased tremendously.
LANGUAGE AND RELIGION
Ø Man began to depend
more on natural forces such as rain for fertility and productivity of land,
aware that drought could easily cause their ruin.
Ø Man began to ponder
over issues such as life after death.
Ø Man performed rites
and ceremonies believing that they could influence rain, drought, death and
other natural forces.
Identify
Archaeological sites in Kenya where evidence of New Stone age religious
practices was found.
Ø At Hyrax hill,
Ø Njoro river cave near
Nakuru.
Apart from human
fossil remains, identify other New Stone Age items that were discovered at the
places you’ve mentioned.
Ø Tools,
Ø Seeds,
Ø Food.
Describe the social
organization/advances of early man during the New Stone age.
1. Man settled in
villages, each of which comprised about 1000 members.
2. Practices such as body
decoration developed. Red ochre was used as body make-up while beads made of
seeds, bones and ostrich egg-shells were worn.
3. Simple arts and crafts
like basketry and smelting of bronze and iron developed. Pots were made by
shaping clay and baking it hard using fire. Man was able to spin and weave
clothing from flax and other natural fibres.
4. Man-made shelters
using tree branches and grass, decorating walls and roofs with animal
paintings. Other than caves and rock- shelters, man built huts.
5. Language and religion
developed as man settled.
List the economic
advances made by early man during the New Stone age.
Ø Man made and used
better tools and weapons,
Ø Man’s fishing
techniques improved, although he continued hunting and gathering fruits and
roots for food.
Ø Domestication of
plants and animals began, which improved man’s life.
Ø Adequate and balanced
diet, due to which man’s population increased tremendously.
Explain
early man’s political advances during the New Stone Age.
Ø As a farmer, man
started leading a settled life. He built improved semi-permanent shelters.
Ø Because of his social
way of life, rules and laws were set up, which later formed the basis of the
civil society.
Ø Because not everyone
took up farming, some people specialised in leadership, religion and the making
of crafts.
2010 p2 qn 2. State
two uses of stone tools by early people during the Old Stone Age period.
i.
For skinning animals after hunting.
ii.
For digging uproots
iii.
For cutting meat
iv.
For sharpening one/wood
v.
For scraping animals skins/softening
vi.
For killing animals during hunting
vii.
For protecting/defence
2011 p2 qn
18(b)Explain six cultural practices of Homo Sapiens during the New Stone Age
i.
Made microlithic tools which were small and
more efficient that the earlier tools
ii.
Lived in rock shelters/cave/hats to protect
themselves from harsh weather/wild animals
iii.
Decorated shelters with animal
paintings/hunting scenes
iv.
Began to domesticate animals/plants in order
to ensure regular food supply
v.
Developed speech which made communication
easier
vi.
Developed government by setting up rules/laws
vii.
Developed religion as evidence by the practice
of burying the dead with their possessions
viii.
They practiced simple Art and Craft
work/pottery/basketry/weaving
ix.
They started a settle way of life where they
established villages
x.
They were a variety of garments/ clothing
xi.
They decorated their bodies with red
ochre/wore orama
2012 p2 qn 18 (b)
Explain six benefits of settling in villages during the Late Stone Age period.
i.
There was security as people protect
themselves against enemies
ii.
Living as a large group enabled people to work
together hence accomplishing with ease
iii.
Settling gin villages assured man of permanent
dwelling thereby reducing movement
iv.
Man domesticated animals which provided animal
products thereby reducing hunting activities
v.
Living in villages promoted interactions
thereby increasing social cohesions ideas
vi.
People were able to exchange goods/services
hence getting what they did not have
vii.
It enabled them to build better shelter
thereby protecting themselves from harsh conditions
Revision Questions.
1.
Identify the theories
that explain the origin of human beings.
2.
Why is Africa regarded
to as the home of early man?
3.
Discuss the economic
and cultural activities which took place during the following:
i)
Old Stone Age
ii)
Middle Stone Age
iii)
Late Stone Age
4.
How was fire used
during the Middle Stone Age?
5.
Discuss the cultural
and economic practices of early man during the following evolution stages:
i)
Homo Habilis
ii)
Homo erectus
iii)
Homo Sapiens
Nicely done ✅
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