Sources of History and Early Societies: notes

Sources

• Oral sources: stories and praise poems passed down. They are rich but can change over time.
• Written sources: letters, diaries, reports. They show the writer's view and may be biased.
• Archaeological sources: tools, pottery, buildings. They cannot speak, so experts must interpret them.
• Check a source: ask who made it, when, why, and whether another source agrees.

Early Societies

• Stone Age: people hunted and gathered. The San painted rock art that shows their beliefs and life.
• Iron Age: farming, cattle keeping, iron tools and settled villages came with Bantu-speaking peoples.
• Trade: gold, ivory and iron were traded for cloth and beads.