1. Neolithic Revolution (Agricultural Revolution)

2. Basic Ideas From the Neolithic Revolution
Geographic factors allowed for advances in agriculture that lead to stable food supplies, rising populations, and the development of society

3. Create a Chart Comparing Life Before and After Agriculture
Life Before Agriculture
Life After Agriculture
Food Supply
Shelter
Social Structure
(government & religion included)
Art & Innovation
Specialization
Language

4. Hominids “Great Apes” Refers to humans and their ancestors
Australopithecines – 4-1 million years ago
Lucy is the most famous discovery of an Australopithecine. She was found in A complete, female skeleton dated to 3.5 million years ago

5. Paleolithic Era Paleolithic means “Old Stone Age”
2.5 million years ago – 8,000 years ago
People of the Paleolithic Era:
Homo-Habilis (2.5 million – 1.5 million years ago) used simple stone tools “man of skill”
Homo-Erectus (1.6 mil. – 30,000 BC) predecessor to Homo-Sapiens “upright man”
First to use fire, good hunters, and more advanced tools
Neanderthal (200,000BC-30,000 BC)
Powerfully built, heavy brows, big muscles
Developed some form of religion
DNA shows not an ancestor of humans

6. Cro-Magnon
40,000BC-8,000 BC
These are the earliest Homo-Sapiens “wise man”
Planned hunts, stalked, their population grew at a faster rate as their lives became easier
Probably looked similar to me and you (brain size and capacity were smaller)

7. Life Before Steady Agriculture
People were Hunters and Gatherers
They were Nomadic – travel from place to place in search of food
Once the food in an area was consumed, man moved to a new area
Also followed the migration patterns of animals
Nomadic may not be a term that familiar to all students – particularly ELL students. Be sure to review it’s meaning and describe in detail if necessary.
Additional questions you might want to ask about this life:
What would someone’s life be like, living as a nomad?
What kind of stability is there in a nomadic life?
What kind of things could you do, not do

8. Shelters Before the Neolithic Revolution
Many nomadic people lived in shelters provided by nature (such as caves)
Many people built very simple shelters made of wood and hides

9. Social Structure
The typical social structure was built around the family
There may have been groups of families together, known as a Clan

10. Art and Innovation
Some drawings and artwork from the Paleolithic Age have been found
Lascaux Cave paintings in France
They used very primitive weapons and tools
Some evidence of sewing needles
The use of fire
Simple stone tools

12. Specialized Labor
The main priority for everyone at this time was finding food
We call this Subsistence

13. Language/Communication
Only verbal communication was used (and it was probably fairly limited/basic)
Symbols were used to mark places of importance

14. NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION Neolithic means “New Stone Age”
8,000 BC – 3000 BC
Something very important in the history of the world happens to start the “New Stone Age.” What is it? It changes everything.
Why is this such a big change? How do you think it will change history?

15. Neolithic Revolution Went from food gatherers to food producers
Now had a steady source of food (what do you think this will lead to?)
Domestication of animals for work and food
The revolution happened independently all around the world at different times

16. Life After Steady Agriculture is Discovered
The Food Supply is the most important factor that changes
People began to plant, tend, and harvest crops
Animals were domesticated for food, and for use as beasts of burden
Hunting was still used, but only to supplement the food supply
Sometimes used slash and burn agriculture

17. Shelter After the Neolithic Revolution
Mud bricks are used as a building material
Eventually stones would be quarried, and used as a building material
Villages were located near fields, and other reliable food sources (rivers/seas)

18. Social Structure
Social Structures became more complex, with many clans living in close proximity
What do you think this development will lead to?
Gender separation became more apparent
Men: Farmed, herded, and hunted
Women: Raised the children, cooked, and did jobs near the newly established homes

19. Social Structure (continued)
Governments are developed during this time to organize activity
Religion is developed to help explain nature

20. Art and Innovation
Carving and statuary, complex tools such as advances in weapons, plows pulled by animals, building techniques, cloth making and weaving
Architecture and building for religious or common use

21. Specialization of Labor
Advances in Agriculture lead to more bountiful crops, so some people had to turn to other work (what do you think some of these advances were?)
Some became artisans who made pottery, wove cloth, or made metal tools and weapons
Regional resources were gathered and traded
Trading involved these new products, as well as food
2 inventions helped expand trade (wheel and sail)

22. Language
Development of pictographic languages (Egyptian Hieroglyphic) or written language.
Developed to keep records concerning food storage & trade.
Cuneiform was developed by Sumerian scribes around 3000 BC (this is where written history begins)

23. Villages Grow into Cities…Civilization Develops
Civilization- Complex culture with 5 characteristics
1) Advanced cities, (2) specialized workers, (3) complex institutions, (4) record keeping, (5) advanced technology

24. Characteristics of Civilization
Advanced Cities
Having a larger population, but also being the center of trade and industry
Specialized Labor
Food surpluses freed up time for people to do other work
Complex Institutions
Religion and Government are examples of these (irrigation, ceremonies, and trade all needed some help)
Social Classes started to be defined according to jobs
Religion was based on things that affected crop rather simply nature or animals

25. Characteristics of Civilization (cont.)
Record Keeping
Taxes, grain collection/storage, yearly rituals, and merchants tracking debts/payments/transactions
Advanced Technology
The Bronze Age (mixing copper and tin to create tools, weapons, and art from bronze)
Irrigation, farming techniques, etc.

26. First Civilizations
Sumer is the first region to show signs of civilization; Ur is the first major city to appear in Sumer (on the Euphrates)
Hit their peak around 3000 BC
Economy was based on bartering
Wide range of crops
Ziggurats were their temples

27. Possible Negatives Associated with Villages/Cities/Civilization
Natural disasters could destroy villages or farms
Disease could spread more easily
Fighting over good land would begin