BASELINE ASSESSMENT
GRADE 8
SOCIAL SCIENCES: HISTORY
January 2025
MARKS 50
TIME 1 hour 30 minutes
Name of Learner: _____________________________________________
School: _________________________________________________
Municipality: ___________________________________________
District: _______________________________________________
Instructions to the learner
1. Read ALL the instructions carefully.
2. Answer ALL the questions on this question paper.
3. The test duration is 1½ hours.
4. Your teacher will lead you through a short practice before you begin.
5. Write neatly and legibly.
QUESTION 1: TRUE/FALSE (11 marks)
State whether the following statements are TRUE or FALSE.
STATEMENTS TRUE or FALSE
1.1 Slavery was part of everyday life in Africa before European traders went into
Africa.
1.2 People who were captured during wars were forced into becoming slaves.
1.3 Slaves enjoyed human rights.
1.4 Slave owners changed the slaves’ African names to English names.
1.5 Slaves were used to work in plantations in America.
1.6 Britain exported a lot of raw materials to America.
1.7 Children who were born into slavery became slaves.
1.8 Britain was a colony to America.
1.9 Slavery contributed positively in building the economies of European
countries.
1.10 Slaves never resisted against slavery.
1.11 Families were separated due to slavery.
QUESTION 2: FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS (12 marks)
2.1 The triangular slave trade involved THREE continents namely Africa, __________________ and
__________________.
2.2 Slaves were used in America to produce crops such as __________________,
________________, ________________ and __________________.
2.3 Slaves were transported across the Atlantic Ocean by _____________________________.
2.4 European countries such as Britain needed raw materials from _________________________ to
develop their own economies.
2.5 The practice of buying slaves from Africa and transporting them to America was called
________________________.
2.6 The practice of selling and buying slaves was done through slave _____________________.
2.7 South Africa was a colony to ________________________.
2.8 Slave masters ________________________ bodies of their slaves.
QUESTION 3: MATCH THE CONCEPTS (13 marks)
Match concepts in COLUMN A with the correct definitions in COLUMN B. Write only the letter (A–M)
next to the number (3.1–3.13).
COLUMN A COLUMN B
3.1 Auction A. People who have been captured.
3.2 Slave bidders B. Things made in factories using machines.
3.3 Forts C. Across the Atlantic Ocean.
3.4 Slavery D. Materials used to manufacture goods.
3.5 Property E. To put an end to a practice.
3.6 Captives F. People who were prepared to pay for the
slaves.
3.7 Manufactured goods G. Where slaves were bought and sold.
3.8 Profit H. The practice of turning people into slaves.
3.9 Trans■Atlantic I. Something that you have or own.
3.10 Raw material J. A bigger powerful country that has control over
a smaller country.
3.11 Slave master K. A person who owns slaves.
3.12 Abolish L. Extra money made out of selling.
3.13 Mother country M. Strong buildings that were made to protect
places against enemies.
1. ____
2. ____
3. ____
4. ____
5. ____
6. ____
7. ____
8. ____
9. ____
10. ____
11. ____
12. ____
13. ____
QUESTION 4: DEFINE THE FOLLOWING CONCEPTS (14 marks)
4.1 Slave
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.2 Trade
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.3 Colonisation
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.4 Plantation
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.5 Human Rights
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.6 Resistance
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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4.7 Cash Crops
__________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________
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GRAND TOTAL: 50