The Stone Age - A Settled Life
(My World and I)
A. Choose the correct option:
1. People learn to grow cereals that provided (more food per plant/a small amount of food per plant).
2. Farming happened at (the same time/different times) all over the world.
3. We have (no sources/several sources) that tell us about early farming.
4. Clay pots were used as (decorative pieces/for cooking or storing food).
5. Herds of animal belonging to wondering herders (were feed cultivated crops/ate wild grasses and plants).
6. Bronze is made by mixing (copper and tin/copper and gold).
B. State whether the following statements are true or false:
1. Farming started about twenty thousand years ago.[F]
2. All the seeds of wild cereals where the same size as the seeds of cultivated cereals.[F]
3. Farming first started in West Asia.[F]
4. Hundreds moved to a new place when the grass and plants to feed their animals were finished.[T]
5. Copper is a hard metal.[F]
E. Answer the following questions:
1. Explain one main difference in the way in which hunter gatherers and farmers live with their environment.
= Hunter-gatherers had to search for food and eat whatever was available - they were dependent on the environment. But the farmers could plant the food they wanted to eat - they were independent on the environment.
2. What is the difference between wild and cultivated cereals? How is this useful for us?
= Wild plants have a few and small seeds cultivated cereals have more and bigger seeds.
The seeds are used for food.
3. Why was farming a major development in human history?
= Because it changed the way that human beings had lived for thousands of years. People changed from hunting gathering to farming. Life became more settled.
4. List the ways in which people's lives changed once farming started. Explain any two of these.
= The ways in which people's lives changed once farming started are -
i) Life became more settled.
ii) Small villages grew.
iii) Animals were domesticated.
iv) The food of the people changed.
v) Many other things become possible.
vi) Trade developed.
vii) The population begin to grow.
Explanation of ant two points of the above:-
i) Life became more settled:- With farming, crops that provided food for the same number of people could be grown in a much smaller area. People lived near their crops to be able to care for them.
ii) Small villages grew:- As people's lives became more settled, small villages grew. Huts were built with sun-dried clay blocks. Many of the villagers grew into towns and cities later.
5. Who were wondering herders? Why did they need to wonder?
= When the food for their animals was finished in one place, people moved to another where it was available. These people were wondering herders.
They needed to wonder in search of food for their animals.
6. Write a short paragraph about the copper and bronze Ages. Use these words tin, tools, weapons, strong.
= Copper Age:- In the beginning, copper was only used to make small or precious things. Later, people made tools out of copper. But copper was soft metal. So it was not good for making tools.
Bronze Age:- Later, another metal tin was found. People made bronze by mixing copper and tin. Bronze was stronger than copper. People made tools, cooking vessels, weapons, jewellery and decorative items.