Step 1: Recall the stages of the Demographic Transition Model.
Stage 1 (High Stationary): Characterized by high birth rates and high, fluctuating death rates. This results in slow or stable population growth. This stage applied to all human societies before the industrial revolution.
Stage 2 (Early Expanding): The death rate begins to fall rapidly due to improvements in health and sanitation, but the birth rate remains high. This leads to rapid population explosion.
Stage 3 (Late Expanding): The birth rate starts to decline, and the rate of population growth decelerates.
Stage 4 (Low Stationary): Both birth and death rates are low and stable, leading to slow or zero population growth.
Step 2: Match the condition to the stage. The condition of both high birth rates and high death rates is the defining characteristic of the First stage.