Subtopic 2: Unit 1 & 2 - Why is Gold Valuable and its Discovery - Grade 8 (QUIZ)

Revision Quiz

Why is gold considered valuable?

It is easy to find and melts quickly It is cheap to produce in factories It is rare, beautiful, and has many useful properties It is commonly found in rivers and lakes

Which of the following is not a reason why gold is valuable?

It rusts easily It reflects heat It does not rust It conducts electricity

What is the gold standard?

A method of selling gold at high prices only A rule allowing unlimited printing of money A system where paper money is backed by the value of gold A law that banned the use of gold in Europe

Why was gold in high demand in Europe and the USA during the late 1800s?

Those countries used gold for construction They needed gold to support their currencies under the gold standard They were selling gold to South Africa They were discovering large gold deposits

Which of the following countries did NOT produce gold but needed to buy it?

South Africa United States of America Ghana Russia

Why couldn't the cost of producing gold in the Witwatersrand mines be increased?

Miners refused to work for higher wages Buyers in other countries already had enough gold The international price of gold was fixed and couldn’t be changed There was no way to transport the gold

What is currency?

A form of jewelry made of gold A banking process used only in South Africa The form of money used in a country A metal used to make weapons

What does Source A show about gold bars?

They are naturally shiny and smooth when found Gold bars are produced directly from river gold A long and expensive process is needed to turn raw gold into bars Gold bars were mined directly from caves

What does Source B illustrate?

Women miners working in gold mines Women trading gold on the streets of Pretoria Women counting coins backed by gold in Pretoria’s mint Women selling jewelry made of gold

When was gold discovered on the Witwatersrand?

1860 1886 1899 1909

What was the Witwatersrand part of in 1886?

British Cape Colony Boer Republic of the Transvaal Natal Colony The Orange Free State

What is deep-level mining?

Mining gold from rivers Mining gold found on the surface Digging by hand only Mining gold from deep underground using machines

What was used to reach gold during deep-level mining?

Bicycles and canoes Picks and shovels only Expensive machines and deep shafts Fishing nets and ropes

What did the Gold Law of 1886 in the Transvaal state?

Only black miners could own gold claims All people could freely mine gold Claim holders had to be white; black people could only work as employees Gold could not be mined or sold

What major change happened in South Africa as a result of the gold discovery?

The end of farming The beginning of the Industrial Revolution The start of slavery The end of railways

Why were railway lines built in large numbers after 1886?

To help tourists explore the area To allow ox wagons to travel faster To transport gold, goods, and people to and from Johannesburg To stop people from coming to the mines

How many kilometres of railway lines were laid between 1890 and 1899?

1 290 km 1 304 km 4 765 km 2 000 km

Which harbours were linked to the gold mines by the new railway lines?

East London, Simon’s Town, and Richards Bay Durban, Port Elizabeth, and Cape Town Pretoria, Bloemfontein, and Mafikeng Mossel Bay, Johannesburg, and Kimberly

What form of transport did many people use to get to the Witwatersrand before railways?

Airplanes and trains Ships and bicycles Ox wagons, horses, and walking Helicopters and carts