History Questions and Answers - Form 1 End Term 1 Exams 2023

QUESTIONS

SECTION A (40 Marks)

1. Give five Importance of studying government. (5mks)
2. State three Advantages of oral traditions as a source of information. (3mks)
3. Give three Reasons for the beginning of agriculture (3mks)
4. Identify five method used by archaeologist to determine the age of an artifact. (5mks)
5. Give the main reason why the period of early man is referred to as the Stone Age. (1mk)
6. State five reasons why early people domesticated crops and animals during the Neo-lithic period  (5mks)
7. State three Methods used by archaeologists and paleontologists in discovering a historical site.  (3mks)
8. State two distinct characteristics of Homo Erectus. (2 marks)
9. Give the name of the tools made by early man during the New Stone Age period (1 mark)
10. State three uses of stone tools by early people during the old stone age period. (3mks)
11. Identify the main source of information on Pre-history. (1 mark)
12. Name two sources of information on History and Government (3mks).
13. Name one of the earliest inhabitants of Kenya. (1mk)
14. Name one source of information on the creation theory. (1 mark)
15. Give one reason why early man lived on trees. (1MK)
16. Identify three disadvantages of written sources of information on history and government of Kenya. (3  Mks

SECTION B: (30 MARKS)
Answer two questions from this section.

17.  
    1. State 5 factors that led to Agrarian Revolution in America. (5mks)
    2. Explain five Impact of early agriculture in Mesopotamia (10mks)
18.  
    1. Identify three sub-species of Homosapiens. (3mks)
    2. Describe the way of life of human being during his middle Stone age. (12mks)
19.  
    1. Five reasons that led to the migration of the Cushites from their original homeland into Kenya during thepre-colonial period. (5mks)
    2. Explain five causes of food shortages in Africa today.(10mrks)

MARKING SCHEME 

SECTION A (40 Marks)

1. Give five Importance of studying government. (5mks)
   1. It helps us to appreciate the importance of government.
   2. Helps us understand how laws are made and enforced
   3. Helps us understand the organs of the state and the powers vested in them
   4. Helps us understand how government raises and spends revenue.
   5. Helps us compare our government system with other systems of government in other countries
   6. Understand how development policies are formulated and implemented.
   7. It makes us know our roles as citizens and the roles of the leaders who govern us. This makes better law-abiding citizens.
   8. Its study helps us understand our responsibilities as well as the limitations within which they must operate for the well-being of every member of the society.
   9. It helps us appreciate the constitution and the process of making and reviewing laws and statutes.
   10. It influences career choices. For example, those who choose to specialize in public administration will find the study of government very useful.
2. State three Advantages of oral traditions as a source of information.(3mks)
   1. Oral traditions hands over historical facts from one generation to another in the absence of written records.
   2. It is the best source of historical information since even the illiterate can learn their history using oral traditions
   3. It is also a form of entertainment. For example through songs, folktales stories and proverbs, people get entertained.
   4. It complements other sources of information
   5. The source of information is captivating especially if it is narrated by a person who participated in the event himself.
      For example an Ex- World War II veteran narrating about the war
3. Give three Reasons for the beginning of agriculture (3mks)
   1. There was increase in human population which led to increase in demand for food. The environment could not provide adequate and regular food.
   2. There was increasing aridity due to climatic changes that threatened plant and animal life. This meant that man could not rely on the environment for food.
   3. Competition for food developed between human beings and animals leading to inadequate wild food.
   4. Hunting and gathering was becoming tiresome as people had to wander over a large area to get adequate food.
   5. At times crops and animals were destroyed by natural calamities such as fire and floods.
4. Identify five method used by archaeologist to determine the age of an artifact.(5mks)
   1. Use of carbon 14 dating method.
   2. Use of potassium-argon dating method.
   3. Use of lexico-statistics dating.
   4. Use of stratigraphy/relative dating method
   5. Use of fission-track method.
   6. Use of geological
5. Give the main reason why the period of early man is referred to as the Stone Age.(1mk)
   • The early man made his tools and weapons mainly from stone
6. State five reasons why early people domesticated crops and animals during the Neo-lithic period (5mks)
   1. Due to increased human population more food was required.
   2. There was competition for food between human beings and animals.
   3. Over hunting depleted stocks of animals on which human beings relied on for food.
   4. Hunting and gathering was tedious.
   5. Calamities such as bush fire/floods destroyed vegetation/drove away animals
   6. Some crops and animals had economic value.
   7. Animals were domesticated to provide security.
   8. There was a change in climate which caused aridity/weather sometimes hindered gathering and hunting(5 x 1 = 5mks)
7. State three Methods used by archaeologists and paleontologists in discovering a historical site.(3mks
   1. By looking at areas where tectonic forces (faulting) or erosion have occurred
   2. Use of vision..
   3. Use of historical research.
   4. Use of experience..
   5. During cultivation and building construction, farmers and builders may accidentally expose ancient objects that could arouse the curios
8. State two distinct characteristics of Homo Erectus. (2 marks
   • Was upright/ bipedal or walked on two legs
   • The brain capacity was ranged from 700cc and 1250 cc./ Had higher thinking capacity.
   • Had more developed speech than earlier creatures
   • Had more developed hand for grasping objects
   • Had long skull
   • Had protruding jaws.
9. Give the name of the tools made by early man during the New Stone Age period (mark)
   • Microlithic tools.
10. State three uses of stone tools by early people during the old stone age period.(3mks)
    1. For skinning animals after hunting
    2. For digging up roots
    3. For cutting meat
    4. For sharpening bones/wood
    5. For scrapping animal skins
    6. For killing animals during hunting
11. Identify the main source of information on Pre-history. (1 mark)
    • Oral tradition
12. Name two sources of information on History and Government (3mks).
    • Written sources
    • Unwritten sources
    • Electronic sources
13. Name one of the earliest inhabitants of Kenya. (1mk)
    • Khoisan
14. Name one source of information on the creation theory. (1 mark)
    • Bible
    • Quran
15. Give one reason why early man lived on trees.
    • Security
    • look for more food /more source of food
16. Identify three disadvantages of written sources of information on history and government of Kenya. (3 Mks)
    • Relies on oral tradition and archeology to reconstructs.
    • Authors may omit essential information.
    • Authors may be biased.
    • Information may be misinterpreted by the reader
    • Limited to the literate
    • Written information may become obsolete
    • Some written information may be inaccessible/confidential government information

SECTION B: (30 MARKS)

Answer two questions from this section.

17.  
    1. State 5 factors that led to Agrarian Revolution in America.
       • Availability of indigenous crops like maize./ potatoes.
       • indigenous inhabitants, the American Indian grew subsistence crops.
       • Immigration from Britain brought in the ideas
       • Availability of labour - Immigrants offered cheap labour.
       • Availability of farming tools brought by immigrants (.any 5xl=5mks)
    2. Explain five Impact of early agriculture in Mesopotamia(10mks)
       • It resulted in increased food production
       • Increased food production led to increase in human population.
       • Agriculture led to sedentary or settled life in the villages.
       • Areas at which trade took place grew steadily into urban centers/towns grew from the villages e.g. Ur, Uruk, Kish, Nippur, Eridu and Babylon.
       • Surplus agricultural products led to the development of trade.
       • It also led to specialization in craft activities e.g. pottery, basketry etc.
       • It influenced the development of writing and arithmetic. The need to keep farm records e.g. the amount of harvest, size of land etc led to the development of writing. This was done in wet clay tablets by use of a stylus. This form of writing is called cuneiform.
       • Agriculture in Mesopotamia led to the development of the wheel. This was about 3500BC. The wheel was used on carts to transport farm produce and for making war chariots and for pottery.
       • The Sumerians also developed mathematics and science especially Astronomy – the study of heavenly bodies. Mathematics was for measuring distance, area and time whereas astronomy was for predicting seasons. This enabled them to develop the calendar. They could predict eclipses accurately.
       • It also led to the development of religion. Most of their gods were connected to agriculture and nature e.g. Ninurta – god of the floods and Ra, the sun god in Egypt
       • More tools were invented to facilitate the development of agriculture e.g. the ox drawn plough and the seed drill.
       • Agriculture also encouraged the development of centralized political systems complete with a code of law e.g.Hammurabi code.
18.  
    1. Identify three sub-species of Homosapiens.(3mks)
       • Neanderthal man
       • Rhodesian man
       • Cro - magnon man (Any 3x1 = 3mks)
    2. Describe the way of life of human being during his middle Stone age.(12mks)
       • Man continued hunting and gathering.
       • Man made tools like hand axe (Acheulian tools)
       • Man practiced fishing along rivers and lakes.
       • They lived in large groups of about 50 people for security purpose.
       • They lives settled life/lived in shelter and caves.
       • They made cloths from animal skins and tree barks.
       • They painted themselves using red ochre and oil.
       • They used simple hunting methods of chasing animals and throwing stones.
       • Rock painting art was done on cave walls and rocks. They drew pictures of animals hunted.
       • Distinct languages developed to enhance communication
19.  
    1. Five reasons that led to the migration of the Cushites from their original homeland into Kenya during the pre-colonials period.(5mks)
       • There was population pressure in their area of origin.
       • They were escaping clan or family feuds.
       • They were searching for better grazing lands
       • They migrated to satisfy their spirit of adventure.
       • They were escaping famine and drought.
       • They wee fleeing outbreak of diseases that affected both people and animals.
       • They were fleeing constant attacks from their neighbours of the Somali
    2. Explain five causes of food shortages in Africa today.(10mks)
       • Climate – Many parts of Africa experience little or no rain at all over several yeas leading to crop failure and hence foodshortage/natural hazards.
       • Population – The rapid population growth rate has overtaken food production rate resulting in food shortages.
       • Storage – Inadequate/food storage facilities had contributed to food wastages as farmers cannot store food for a long period.
       • Transport – Poor states of roads in many parts of African countries hinders transportation of food from the areas of surplus to those of deficit.
       • Prices – Low prices of food stuff have discouraged many farmers who may have invested so much capital leading to food shortages.
       • Capital – Many farmers in Africa lack enough capital to buy required farm inputs.
       • Pests – Due to crop diseases and pests a lot of food is destroyed either on the farms or in stores resulting to food shortages.
       • Cash crops – The emphasis on cash crops farming at the expense of food crops has contributed to low food production leading to food shortages.
       • Desertification – Environmental degradation through deforestation/ overgrazing of animals had led to soil erosion leading to wasteland hence low food production.
       • Political wars – Civil wars in many African countries have displaced people from their farms and therefore diverted their attention from farming resulting in food shortages.
       • Labour – The young able bodied persons migrate to urban centres thus leaving the aged who are not able to contribute much towards food production.
       • HIV – Hiv and aids pandemic has impacted negatively on the labour force in food production.
       • Drought crops – Many farmers have not adopted the growing of drought resistant crops which would be used in time of food scarcity.
       • Relief – Over reliance/dependence on famine relief food has made people not to look for permanent solutions to food shortages.
       • Methods – Lack of modern farming methods.
       • Policy – Poor food policies have discouraged farmer as they are not given enough incentives incase of crop failure/poor economic policies.