Transport through time
How transport changed: from feet and oxen to trains, cars and aeroplanes. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.
Know it already? Jump straight to the quiz
Then and now
| Then | Now |
|---|---|
| Walking, oxen, horses, camels (in dry regions) | Cars, buses, minibus taxis |
| Sailing ships, driven by the wind | Big cargo ships; harbours load the cargo |
| Steam trains | Electric trains and goods trains (coal, maize) |
| Ferry or ford across a river | Bridges and highways |
The first cars were called “horseless carriages” and ran on petrol. An ox-wagon was slow, because oxen walk slowly. Public transport: buses and the minibus taxi, used by millions of South Africans every day. The path a bus follows each day is its route. In South Africa ox-wagons carried families and goods into the interior, for example on the Great Trek in the 1830s. Before there were trains, horse-drawn carts and coaches carried passengers and mail between towns; a coach got fresh horses at stops along the way.
Why it matters
- People travel further and faster, and transport is cheaper than a hundred years ago.
- The steam engine made trains possible; trains brought people, goods and work to towns.
- Ships carry the most goods across the sea.
Remember this and test yourself
- Before machines people walked or used animals; loads were carried or dragged.
- The wheel made heavy loads easier to move over land; oxen pulled wagons and ploughs.
- The first trains ran on steam; towns grew along railway lines.
- The aeroplane is fastest over long distances and made the world feel smaller.
- More traffic brings air pollution and congestion; a bicycle doesn’t pollute.
Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.
Transport went from feet to wings: foot, ox, wheel, steam, petrol, aeroplane.
Important words
First say what the word means, then turn the card over.
Match column A to column B
Tap a word in column A, then its meaning in column B. You can also start in column B.
True or false?
Read the question and the answer. Is the answer right? Tap True or False.
Now the real quiz!
The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.
Take the quiz: Transport through time- Read one part together and ask your child to tell it back in their own words.
- The ticks (“I know this”) are saved on this device only. We never ask for names or emails.
Follows CAPS for Grade 4 Social Sciences (History). Always check your teacher’s notes and textbook too.