​Evolution can be defined as a process of slow or gradual change. Although our knowledge about the early stages of man's evolutionary process is limited, it is certain that through evolution, man experienced both physical and cultural changes over millions of years, transforming him from a primitive form to the state he is in today.

Several millions of years ago, man and apes shared a common ancestry as primates. Man's particular family group is called Hominidae while that of the apes is Pongidae. Through evolution and environmental adaptation, man soon separated from his ape-like ancestors and took his own line of development. The first stage in this series was marked by the appearance of creatures called hominids which were more man-like than ape-like and therefore the ancestors of the human family.

Most information about the early man is obtained from archaeologists. Archaeological studies have proved that Africa was the cradle of mankind; man first originated and lived in Africa before moving into Europe and Asia. Existing evidence shows that the earliest apes and hundreds of other different kinds of animals first lived probably around what is now lake Victoria and the Rift Valley before moving into Europe and Asia, less than two million years ago.

At this time, there were thick forests near the equator, especially in Central and West Africa. Around the Great Lakes of East Africa there was savanna or grassland with scattered trees and bushes. It is in this environment that man may have had his first home.

Studies carried out in Central and East Africa show that the Great Rift Valley was formed and was still taking shape long after hominids had started roaming about in East Africa. At that time, earthquakes tilted the ground and volcanoes brought up a great deal of ash which covered places where the hominids had left their weapons and tools. Some hominids' remains even their own bones and those of other animals were covered too. The location of those remains form major archaeological sites in East Africa.

Information on History and Government is in three forms namely: 

1. ​Unwritten
2. Written

​These are sources which are are not recorded. Such as:

​This is the information acquired by word of mouth as communicated from generation to generation. In traditional societies this information was passed on by village elders, court workers, jesters and griots, who also acted as custodians of the history of their people.

​Oral tradition is most useful in societies where the art of writing is not fully developed. Lack of written records of events had convinced most Europeans that Africa had no history. It was believed that history could only be preserved in written form and since African societies had not developed the art of writing, it was assumed that they had no history. This led many African historians in the middle of the 20th century to become actively interested in finding out the past lives of the indigenous peoples of Africa.

They are methods through which information is conveyed in oral traditions. 
They include:

• Myths
• Legends
• Songs
• Folktales
• Poems

​This is the scientific study of language. Language itself is part of culture. It can be studied in an attempt to discover what its form, content, grammar and vocabulary can tell us about the historical experience of the people who use the language.

​Distribution of languages is of great importance to the historian as are relationships between languages. People who speak languages of the same family may be assumed to be themselves connected or have been in close contact at some time in the past. Variations between languages of the same family can show how long ago the break in contact occurred. 

The greater the difference. the longer the time since ancestors of those speaking these languages separated. Careful comparisons can indicate migratory patterns and the spread and influence of a language as a whole or of certain concepts held by the society which spoke it. The study of "loan words" from other languages can show how a neighbouring influence has affected one aspect of culture, or how a certain feature has itself borrowed or been imposed on others.

​Archaeology is the study of material remains from past human life and culture. Examples of such material remains are stone tools, pottery, wooden implements, metal objects, graves and features like buildings, as well as remains of plants and animals exploited for subsistence by pre-historic people. An archaeologist, just like the oral historian, attempts to provide information about the ancient past on which there are no written records.

​In his or her work, an archaeologist starts by locating archaeological sites where people lived. Then he or she excavates the remains of the people. settlements, sites, caves and cemeteries. An archaeologist studies and classifies the artifacts from the archaeological sites. The classification may show the levels of human occupation on a settlement site and survival of the material possessions of a particular people.

The general principle is that, cultures identified by an assemblage of material possessions, will be found in layers of succession; the oldest at the bottom. This is only applicable to the extent that there has been no disturbance (e.g., by burrowing animals or volcanic activity at the site under study)

​Archaeologists use the following methods to date fossils and artifacts:

​It is a measure of the amount of carbon remaining in a fossil or artifact.

​It is a measure of the amount of potassium remaining in a fossil or artifact due to volcanic eruption.

​It studies the fossils and artifacts found in succession layers of the earth's surface.

It studies the layers of successive deposits of rocks.

​Studies the age of artifacts from the amount of uranium remaining in the track of rock.

​The age of objects is determined through association of events with names.

​​This is the study of a people's origins, development, customs and beliefs. Anthropology concerns itself with present day social organisations in relation to customs, cultural values, institutions, forms of government, systems of marriage, inheritance, descent and religious practices. In addition, an anthropologist is interested in such material aspects of life as farming, cattle keeping, fishing and technology.

The anthropologist's description and explanation of the beliefs and customs of today help visualise what the culture being described looked like in the past. The historian needs to understand how a society functions today and what its key concepts are, and how it functioned at an earlier date. The present is therefore used to explain the past.

​This is the recorded information collected from cave wall paintings, stone tablets, oral tradition, books, diaries, newspapers, magazines, journals and other written records. Writing has an important part in the preservation of history. Important events or occurrences are recorded for purpose of being communicated to others. In this form, the historical events are stored in a relatively permanent way. 

​Once written, the recorded materials can be read over the years. Though written history is very old in countries like Japan, Egypt, Iraq and China, it is only recent in East Africa where the oldest known writing on history of Africa was written between A.D. 50-100 by Arab travellers and explorers.

​This is the scientific study of the ways in which characteristics are passed from parents (or, in plants, from parent stock) to their offspring. Genetic studies are useful from a historical point of view when they relate to plants. 

​The historian is interested in plants from the time of their domestication, after which he assumes their movements and the appearance of new cultivated varieties may be identified with the people of whose economy they form apart. 

​Botanists can suggest where the first centre of domestication was. This would be the region where the largest numbers of varieties of the plant can be found today.

​Can only be used in areas with electricity.
They are expensive to obtain and use. They require experts.

The word government comes from the word 'govern' which means to control through regulations and a set of rules. Government means the way of ruling, administering and controlling a people. It deals with the exercising of authority and the directing of Electronic. people's lives as spelt out in their society.

Generally then, government is seen as the political organisation, structure and authority. It affects every aspect of man's life as a social being who is subject to some form of authority, starting from the home to schools and to all other organisations.

​The regulations and rules set in any social unit or organisation and the way they are implemented is an important aspect in government.

​In many cases, there are individuals or officers, assigned the duty of ensuring that all the rules, laws, customs, traditions and regulations are observed.

These individuals have the power to punish those who break rules. Government is, therefore, a form of organised control in a defined geographical area, e.g., a country.

The control is exercised. by a small body of people. It is this body that enforces laws for and on behalf of a larger section of the population or subjects.

The government is therefore the small body of persons within a country who make and enforce laws.
In conclusion, government deals with people's attempt at organised life, while History is the study of people's political, social and economic activities in relation to their environment.

Government is therefore, part of history. It is people's attempt to govern themselves, their political activities Proverbs in relation to the rest of society. History and Government is therefore the study of people and society.

History is divided into three branches. These are:

1. Political History.
2. Social History.
3. Economic History.

This is the study of a people's way of ruling, people's leaders and the system of administration. It involves controlling, guiding, directing and managing people's activities and actions.

This is the study of people's beliefs, dressing, taboos, literature and religion. It involves the understanding of the cultural practices and ways of life of a people.

This is the study of how people make their daily living. It is the study of the occupations of a people. It involves such activities as hunting and gathering, agriculture, industry, trade, transportation and communication.

There are two basic periods in history:

• Pre-history;
  the study of history of man in the distant past that relies on scientific laboratory examinations of excavated materials and fossils.
• History;
  this is the study of man in recent times. This period relies mainly on raw data from narrations and written works within memorable past.

History as a discipline is the study of man's past chronological account and record of events in relation to the environment. The study of which articulates, develops and encourages critical analysis of the social, political and economic aspects of man.

The word "History" is derived from a Greek word 'Historia' which means to ask, enquire or search for the truth and report the findings. 

There are many definitions put forward on the meaning of history. However, it is generally argued that history is man's attempt to answer the questions: What event? Who was involved? When, and why it took place as well as what effects the event had or has on the people involved.

History is also a record, account, and analysis of human activities and relationships on earth in a given time. It is an important discipline that records, preserves and integrates both the physical and social developments as they affect man.