Human Evolution — Exercise Solutions
Work through every question below, then compare your answers. Each section mirrors the Samacheer Kalvi textbook exercise.
I. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQ)
Q1. The process of evolution is _________
Answer
- (a) Direct
- (b) Indirect
- (c) Gradual ✓
- (d) Fast
Evolution is a slow, gradual process of change that takes place over millions of years. It is not sudden or direct.
Q2. Tanzania is situated in the continent of _________
Answer
- (a) Asia
- (b) Africa ✓
- (c) America
- (d) Europe
Tanzania is in East Africa, where some of the earliest human footprints were discovered by anthropologists.
II. Match the Statement with the Reason
Q1. Statement: Migration of man to different parts of the world resulted in changes of physic and colour. Reason: Climatic changes.
- (a) Statement is correct, reason is wrong
- (b) Statement is wrong, reason is correct
- (c) Statement and reason are correct ✓
- (d) Both are wrong
As early humans migrated to different regions, changes in climate, diet, and environment gradually led to physical changes such as skin colour and body structure — an example of adaptation.
III. Find the Right Pair
- (a) Australopithecus — Walked on both legs
- (b) Homo habilis — Upright man
- (c) Homo erectus — Wise man
- (d) Homo sapiens — Less protruding face ✓
Correct pairs: - Australopithecus — Walked on two legs (bipedalism) - Homo habilis — Skilled / Handy man (not upright man) - Homo erectus — Upright man (not wise man) - Homo sapiens — Wise man with a less protruding face and larger brain
IV. Fill in the Blanks
1. Rock paintings are found at Porivarai in Nilgiris. 2. The invention of plough made farming easier. 3. The main occupations of the ancient humans were hunting and gathering. 4. Millions of years ago, our ancestors led a nomadic life. 5. Anthropologists unearthed the footprints of humans in Tanzania. 6. The invention of wheel was the first scientific invention of humans. 7. Barter system means exchanging one thing for another. 8. The Old Stone Age is also called the Palaeolithic period. 9. The New Stone Age is called the Neolithic period. 10. Early humans wore hides of animals and barks of trees and leaves.
V. State True or False
1. Goat was the first animal to be domesticated by humans.
AnswerFalse ✗ — The dog was the first animal to be domesticated by early humans, not the goat.
2. The first scientific invention of humans was the wheel.
AnswerTrue ✓ — The wheel was a revolutionary invention that changed transport, pottery, and trade.
3. Homo erectus (Java man) had the knowledge of fire.
AnswerTrue ✓ — Homo erectus is credited with discovering and using fire for cooking, warmth, and protection.
4. Anthropology is the study of coins.
AnswerFalse ✗ — Anthropology is the study of humans and their evolutionary history. The study of coins is called Numismatics.
5. Early humans lived a settled life from the very beginning.
AnswerFalse ✗ — Early humans were nomads who moved from place to place in search of food. They settled only after learning agriculture.
VI. Answer in One Word or Two
Q1. What method is used to find out the age of the excavated materials? → Radio Carbon dating method
Q2. What did early humans wear? → Hides of animals, barks of trees, and leaves
Q3. Where did early humans live? → In caves
Q4. Which animal was used for ploughing? → Oxen
Q5. When did humans settle in one place? → When they began to practice agriculture, life became organized and they settled in one place.
Q6. What is the study of coins called? → Numismatics
Q7. What is the study of humans and their evolutionary history called? → Anthropology
Q8. Name the best stone for making weapons: → Flint (Chikki-mukki kal)
VII. Short Answer Questions
Q1. What is evolution?
Answer
Evolution is the process through which humankind changes and develops towards an advanced stage of life. It is a gradual process that takes place over millions of years. Early humans evolved from ape-like ancestors and slowly developed physical features, intelligence, tools, and social structures that define modern humans today.
Q2. Write any two characteristics of Homo sapiens.
Answer
1. Homo sapiens were wise men with a less protruding face and a larger brain capacity. 2. They migrated out of Eastern Africa and settled in different parts of the world. 3. Their lifestyle evolved and they adapted to the environments in which they lived. 4. They developed complex tools, language, art, and social systems.
Q3. Why did humans move from place to place?
Answer
Humans kept on moving from place to place in search of food. They were nomads — they did not have a permanent home. They moved to find fresh sources of water, fruits, animals to hunt, and safer caves for shelter. It was only after the discovery of agriculture that they began to settle in one place.
Q4. Describe the ancient methods of hunting.
Answer
1. Pit trapping: They dug deep pits and covered them with branches and leaves. When animals fell into the pit, they were trapped and hunted. 2. Collective hunting: A group of people went together and surrounded an animal. They used stone tools, spears, and axes to hunt the animal. 3. Using stone tools and axes: They made weapons from stones, bones, and animal horns to hunt prey directly.
Q5. Why were axes made?
Answer
Axes were made for multiple purposes: 1. To cut trees and clear forest areas 2. To remove the bark of trees 3. To dig pits for trapping animals 4. To hunt animals and remove their skin 5. To shape wood for making shelters and tools
Q6. How would you define archaeology?
Answer
Archaeology is the study of pre-historic humans and their cultures through the excavation and analysis of material remains. Excavated material remains such as tools, pottery, coins, and monuments are the main sources for archaeological studies. Archaeologists dig at sites, carefully uncover artifacts, and use scientific methods like radio carbon dating to determine their age.
Q7. What do you know about anthropology?
Answer
Anthropology is the study of humans and their evolutionary history. Anthropologists study human origins, physical development, cultural development, and social behaviour. They analyse fossils, footprints, and skeletal remains to understand how early humans lived, migrated, and evolved over time. The famous footprints found in Tanzania were unearthed by anthropologists.
VIII. Detailed Answer Questions (HOTS)
Q1. Discuss the importance of the invention of the wheel from the ancient period to the modern period.
Answer
The wheel is considered the first scientific invention of humans and its importance has only grown over time:
1. Pre-historic period: Early Homo sapiens observed that round objects could be moved easily by rolling them. This led to the idea of using cylindrical logs to transport heavy objects. 2. Development of the axle: The next breakthrough was placing a rolling log through a hole in the wheel, creating a cart that could carry loads — this was the wheel-and-axle system. 3. Chariot wheels: The invention of the spoked wheel made chariots lighter and faster. Chariot racing pushed further innovations in wheel design. 4. Potter's wheel: The wheel was also used to make pottery, making production faster and more uniform. 5. Agricultural use: Wheels were attached to ploughs and carts, making farming and transporting goods much easier. 6. Modern period: The invention of air-filled rubber tyres allowed wheels to be faster, sturdier, and stronger. Today, wheels are used in cars, aeroplanes, machines, and countless everyday devices.
The wheel transformed human civilisation from nomadic life to settled, organised societies with trade and commerce.
Q2. Explain the stages of human evolution.
Answer
| Stage | Name | Key Features |
|---|
| 1 | Australopithecus | Walked on two legs (bipedalism); lived about 4 million years ago; small brain |
| 2 | Homo habilis | Called "skilled man"; made and used simple stone tools; lived about 2.4 million years ago |
| 3 | Homo erectus | Called "upright man"; walked fully upright; discovered fire; lived about 1.8 million years ago |
| 4 | Homo sapiens | Called "wise man"; larger brain; less protruding face; developed language, art, and complex tools; migrated across the world |
Each stage represents a gradual development in brain size, tool-making ability, and social organisation.
Q3. Describe the lifestyle of early humans during the Stone Age.
Answer
Palaeolithic (Old Stone Age):
- Lived in caves and open spaces
- Were nomadic hunter-gatherers
- Used simple stone tools for hunting and cutting
- Wore hides of animals, barks of trees, and leaves
- Painted on rock walls depicting hunting scenes and animals
- Discovered fire (Homo erectus period)
Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age):
- Used smaller and sharper stone tools called microliths
- Started domesticating animals (dog was first)
- Continued hunting and gathering but with improved tools
Neolithic (New Stone Age):
- Invented agriculture — began growing crops
- Started settling in one place (near rivers)
- Invented the wheel and the plough
- Made pottery using the potter's wheel
- Built permanent houses
- Developed the barter system for trade
- Towns and cities began to emerge
X. Answer Grid
| Question | Answer |
|---|
| The invention of ___ made pot making easier | Wheel |
| Barter system means ___ | Exchanging one thing for another |
| Name any two weapons used by early humans for hunting | Stones, bones, and horns of animals |
| Which is the best stone for making weapons? | Flint (Chikki-mukki kal) |
| Towns and cities emerged because of ___ and ___ | Trade, Commerce |
| Which was the first scientific invention of humans? | Wheel |
| Identify the pictures in rock paintings | Hunting and dancing pictures |
| Which was the main occupation of early humans? | Hunting and gathering |
| What do cave paintings tell us? | Information about the past |
| Where did early humans live? | In caves |
| ___ is related to the field of archaeology | Anthropology |
| Name any two animals domesticated by early humans | Dogs and Oxen |
XII. Map Work
On the outline map of India, mark the following places:
1. Adichanallur — Tamil Nadu (important archaeological site with urn burials) 2. Attirampakkam — Near Chennai, Tamil Nadu (pre-historic stone tools) 3. Bhimbetka — Madhya Pradesh (famous rock paintings) 4. Hunasagi Valley — Karnataka (pre-historic habitation site) 5. Lothal — Gujarat (Indus Valley site with dockyard)
Tip for exams: Remember that Bhimbetka is known for rock paintings, Lothal for the dockyard, and Adichanallur for urn burials.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Confusing Homo erectus with Homo sapiens — Homo erectus is "upright man" who knew fire; Homo sapiens is "wise man" (modern humans). Don't swap them. 2. Saying goat was the first domesticated animal — The dog was the first domesticated animal. 3. Confusing anthropology with numismatics — Anthropology = study of humans and evolution; Numismatics = study of coins. 4. Writing "direct" or "fast" for the process of evolution — Evolution is always gradual (slow and steady). 5. Confusing Palaeolithic and Neolithic — Palaeolithic = Old Stone Age (hunting-gathering, nomadic); Neolithic = New Stone Age (agriculture, settled life). 6. Forgetting that early humans were nomads — They did NOT live a settled life from the beginning. Settlement came only after agriculture was discovered. 7. Confusing Homo habilis as "upright man" — Homo habilis means "skilled/handy man"; Homo erectus means "upright man."
Exam Checklist
- [ ] Can define evolution and explain it is a gradual process
- [ ] Know the four stages of human evolution in order (Australopithecus → Homo habilis → Homo erectus → Homo sapiens)
- [ ] Can explain the difference between Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods
- [ ] Understand the significance of the wheel as the first scientific invention
- [ ] Can describe ancient hunting methods (pit trapping, collective hunting)
- [ ] Know the barter system and its role in the emergence of towns
- [ ] Can define archaeology and anthropology
- [ ] Know the uses of radio carbon dating
- [ ] Can list the tools and materials used by early humans
- [ ] Remember key facts: Dog = first domesticated animal; Flint = best stone for weapons; Tanzania = Africa; 24 spokes on Dharma Chakra
- [ ] Can mark key archaeological sites on a map (Adichanallur, Attirampakkam, Bhimbetka, Hunasagi, Lothal)
