Understanding

History

G RAD E 8

Revised by Andrea du Preez

Original authors: JJ Katzao, N Mbumba,DHA Tait, B O'Callaghan, E van Wietersheim,

D Goosen, EI van Staden, P Berens, National Instituteof Educational Development (NIED)

~IIIIII•••

LongmanNamibia-------

Contents

IntroductionStudyi ng history 1What is his tory? 1History: the story of our past 2Historical sources and evidence 5Why do we study history? 11Time in history 14How we view the past 20

Namibian historyTheme 1 Namibia before the 19th century 25

The Stone Age in Namibia 25The early inhabitants of Namibia: the San 28Migration of the Bantu-speaking people 32Migration and origin of the Khoisan and Damara people 36Population migration issues 41Migration and origin of the Oorlam people 46Baster migrations into Namibia 49Technological developments in Namibia 56Interaction and the effects of migration 59

Theme 2 Namibia during the 19th century 63Oorlam migration and population movement in Namibia 63Sodal and political organisations in south-central Namibia 64Attempts at state formation 67The kingdoms in the north 69Interaction, trade and the emergence of c1asses 71

African historyTheme 1 Early humankind in Africa 80

The origin of human life 80What do fossils tells us? 81The theory of evolution 82Africas first humans 85Hunters and gatherers 88The spread of pastoralism in Africa 92Agriculture 101

Theme 2 The rise and decline of empires and kingdoms 106Egypt 107Nubia 109The kingdom of Kush 110The kingdom of Meroe 111The rise of the Egyptian empire 113Great Zimbabwe 123

World historyTheme 1 Early civilisations 133

The Middle East: Mesopotamia 133Asia: China 144Europe: Rome 153

Theme 2 Forms of government 164Why governments were introduced 164The first republic: Athens 167Rome: an empire of the ancient world 170The Tang dynasty: a golden age of China 172Austria: a dynasty during the 18th century 173

Theme 3 Socio-economic systems and developments 177Slavery 178Feudalism 184The emergence of classes 187Capitalism 191