History Questions and Answers - Form 1 Mid Term 2 Exams 2023

Instructions: Answer All Questions In This Paper

QUESTIONS

SECTION A (25MKS)

1. Why did man shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture (3marks) 
2. State the two theories explaining the origin of Agriculture. (2marks)
3. Which was the first animal to be domesticated by man? (1mark)
4. Name three early crops to be domesticated (3 marks) 
5. Define the term Mesopotamia. (1 mark)   
6. Name the two rivers that surrounded Mesopotamia (2 marks) 
7. Give two reasons that contributed to early agriculture in Mesopotamia (2 marks)
8. List down any irrigation methods used in Egypt. ( 2 marks)
9. What does the term Agrarian revolution mean? ( 1 mark)
10. Define the term Third world Country. ( 1 mark)
11. Who were the early inhabitants of Kenya? ( 2 marks)
12. Name any two communities that belong to the coastal Bantus.(2marks) 
13. Name the three language groups that inhabit Kenya today (3 marks)

SECTION B (25MKS)

14. Give five reasons why Africa is regarded as the original homeland of mankind. (5mks)
15. Name five effects of Agrarian Revolution in U.S.A. (5MKS)
16. State five causes of food shortage in Kenya. (5mks)
17. Outline five reasons why the Bantu migrated from Shungwaya area. (5mks)
18. State five effects of the Bantu migration and settlement in Kenya. (5mks)

MARKING SCHEME

1. Why did man shift from hunting and gathering to agriculture (3 marks)
   • The increase of human population needed regular food supply -natural environment
   • Could no longer provide sufficient food.
   • Climatic changes-increased drought,
   • Threatened plant life and animal life
   • Making natural food scarce.
   • Competition for existing food in the
   • Natural resulted in inadequate wild
   • Food/over hunting of animals.
   • Hunting and gathering was increasingly becoming tiresome.
   • Calamities such as forest fires or floods sometimes destroyed vegetation or drove wild animals away.
   • Development of settled life. Man had to stop a life of movement in search of food and water.
   • Development of tools (microliths) e.g. sickles wooden plough, etc.
   • Availability of varieties of indigenous crops e.g. wheat and barley.
2. State the two theories explaining the origin of Agriculture. ( 2 marks)
   • The Independent theory.
   • One Place Theory/Diffusion Theory
3. Which was the first animal to be domesticated by man? ( 1mark)
   • Dog
4. Name three early crops to be domesticated (3 marks)
   • barley,
   • wheat,
   • sorghum,
   • millet,
   • rice,
   • maize,
   • yams,
   • cassava,
   • potatoes,
   • bananas
   • grapes
5. Define the term Mesopotamia. ( 1 mark)
   • The land between the two rivers
6. Name the two rivers that surrounded Mesopotamia (2 marks)
   • Tigris
   • Euphrates
7. Give two reasons that contributed to early agriculture in Mesopotamia (2 marks)
   • Availability of indigenous crops and animals in the region e.g. Wheat, barley, dates and goats, sheep and cattle.
   • Existence of fertile land along river valleys of Tigris and Euphrates-consisting of deposited silt.
   • Availability of water from rivers Tigris and Euphrates which was used for
   • irrigation. Heavy rains experienced in the Zaggroes Mountains contributed to floods on the river valleys.
   • Invention of farming tools e.g. Hoes, ploughs, sickles and seed drill which promoted agricultural activities.
   • Existence of transport system in form of donkeys, canoes, river transport etc; which was instrumental in transportation of inputs and outputs.
   • Political instability that enabled people to practice agriculture.
8. List down any irrigation methods used in Egypt. ( 2 marks)
   • Shadoof irrigation
   • Canal irrigation
9. What does the term Agrarian revolution mean? ( 1 mark)
   • rapid changes and improvements in the field ofagriculture
10. Define the term Third world Country. ( 1 mark)
    • The less developed countries in Africa, Asia and South America.which many were colonies
11. Who were the early inhabitants of Kenya? ( 2 marks)
    • Cushitic stock
    • Khoisan stock
12.  Name any two communities that belong to the coastal Bantus.(2marks)
    • Taita,
    • Pokomo
    • Mijikenda.
13. Name the three language groups that inhabit Kenya today (3 marks)
    • Cushites
    • Bantus
    • Nilotes
14. Give five reasons why Africa is regarded as the original homeland of mankind. (5mks)
    • Evidence from archaeologists’ show that the earliest apes first evolved around lake and rift valley areas. And if man evolved from apes, then the first man must have appeared in east Africa.
    • The savanna landscapes found in east Africa favored evolution while the conditions elsewhere (forests and deserts) Were unfavourable.
    • The bones and weapons and tools which archaeologists are finding are proofs to this. These findings are widespread in Olduvai Gorge, Olorgesaillie, and Ngorongoro and around lakes of east Africa.
    • The discovery of remains of early hominids and their material culture which form a pattern of human evolution prove this. E.g. we can trace the evolutionary process from dryopithecus to ramapithecus to Australopithecus to Homo habilis to Homo erectus to Homo sapiens.
    • The possiton of Africa where it is centrally located
    • African has many rivers and lakes which provided water for use by the early man
15. Name five effects of Agrarian Revolution in U.S.A. (5MKS)
    • It led to diversification of agriculture through the introduction of new farm animals and crops.
    • The new inventions in farm machinery enabled American farmers to bring more land under cultivation. For example the steel plough invented by John Deere and reaping machine by Cyrus McCormick.
    • Food production especially of wheat and maize, increased due to the use of new farming methods like use of fertilizers and hybrid seeds.
    • The agrarian revolution led to expansion of agricultural related industries.
    • Mechanization of agriculture replaced slaves and other labourers at the farms.
    • Many people went to search for employment in urban areas.
    • The expansion of food production led to increase in trade between USA and Western Europe thus boosting USA economy.
    • The transport system was improved to enable transportation of farm inputs to farms and agricultural produce to market.
    • The revolution contributed to the enhancement of research and scientific 
    • inventions especially on the field of agriculture.
16. State five causes of food shortage in Kenya. (5mks)
    • Rapid population growth which has put a lot of pressure on the available food resources leading to shortages.
    • Poor land use and agricultural practices. Many farmers still depend on traditional farming methods, for example, not applying fertilizers, pesticides or mechanization, thus producing low yields.
    • Some developing countries experience adverse weather conditions such as floods and long periods of drought. Since these countries practice rain-fed agriculture, food production has been affected.
    • Overemphasis on cash crops at the expense of food crops has contributed to low food production. In Kenya for example, large farms concentrate on growth of flowers, tea and coffee with food crop farming being largely for subsistence.
    • Rural-urban migration , especially among the young people has deprived the rural areas of the badly needed labour force for food production.
    • Lack of adequate capital for agricultural development. Low income/poverty. The farmers lack enough funds to purchase farm inputs.
    • Political instability in some African countries undermines food production. For example in Ethiopia, Sudan, DRC, Burundi and Rwanda. This has prevented peoplefrom concentrating on food production.
    • Decline in growing drought resistant crops. Crops like cassava and millet have been abandoned due to attitude thus causing artificial shortage of specific food.
    • Poor and inadequate storage facilities have led to food wastage. In kenya by 2001, the country was losing up to nine million bags of grain per year as a result of poor storage methods.
    • Poor transport network leads to uneven distribution of food. It also discourages farmers from producing more.
    • Over reliance on food aid and forms of aid has created a dependence attitude in many
    • African countries. Some communities have become complacent about looking for a permanent solution to their food problems.
    • Poor economic planning on the part of the government with many countries putting a lot of emphasis on other development projects at the expense of agricultural and food production.
    • Poor land tenure systems resulting in low productivity. For example where a few European farmers own large tracts of land but only exploiting a small portion of the expansive farms.
    • The HIV/AIDS pandemic contributed to food shortages since the scourge leads to death of many of the work force in their prime years.
17.  Outline five reasons why the Bantu migrated from Shungwaya area. (5mks)
    • Drought and famine:
    • Population increase
    • The constant attacks (external pressure) from stronger tribes
    • Internal conflicts from the Bantu tribes:
    • Epidemics and diseases/natural calamities , e.g. earthquakes, over flooding ofrivers
    • Search for fertile land:
    • land, which could no longer support them.
    • Love for adventure:.
    • Group influence
    • State five effects of the Bantu migration and settlement in Kenya.