The Origin of Humans “Theories on prehistory and early man constantly change as new evidence comes to light.” “Theories on prehistory and early man constantly change as new evidence comes to light.” - Louis Leakey, British paleoanthropologist

Getting the Big Picture 4.4 billion years ago Earth is formed 3.5 billion years ago First single-cell life appears 3 billion years ago 2 billion years ago 1 billion years ago 40,000 years ago - Cro-Magnons emerge 200,000 years ago - Neanderthals appear 4 million years ago - Australopithecines appear 65 million years ago - Dinosaurs disappear; first mammals appear 240 millions years ago - First dinosaurs appear Present

The Paleolithic Age 2.5 Million B.C. to 10,000 B.C. Paleo = Old + Lithic = Stone ….. Old Stone Age Made first stone tools and simple weapons Found food by hunting (men) and gathering (women). Lived in small bands of humans (clans) Nomadic - Moved from place to place searching for food Learned how to make and use fire Developed oral language Created cave art

Paleolithic Peoples ToolsLocatedTime on EarthCharacteristics Homo Habilis (Man of Skills) Stone tools East Africa2.5 Million to 1.5 Mil. B.C. Lived in clans, developed oral language Homo Erectus (Upright Human) Larger and more varied First to travel to Europe and Asia 1.6 Million – 30,000 B.C. First to use fire (500,000 B.C.) Neanderthal (Homo-Sapiens) (Wise Human Being) Made clothing from skins Neander Valley, Germany 200,000 – 30,000 B.C. First to bury dead, Lived in caves and tents Cro-Magnon (Homo-Sapiens) (Wise Human Being) More advanced Throughout Europe and Asia 40,000 – 8,000 B.C. First early modern humans, replaced Neanderthals

Only 400,000 B.C. kids will get it

The Growth of Man Homo Homo Neanderthal Cro- Habilis Erectus Magnon

Migration of Paleolithic Humans

Paleolithic Life Small, tight communities that migrated in search of food, better climates, and water. Everything created by hand from nature. Found shelter in caves. Paintings left behind show values of life.

Culture: shared traits of a community that are learned through direct contact and imitation CultureBeliefsValuesPractices

Example Culture: Jeannette Jayhawks Beliefs: Values: Practices:

Practical Practice Culture: Paleolithic Beliefs: Values: Practices:

The Neolithic Age 10,000 B.C. – 4,000 B.C. Neo = New + Lithic = Stone … New Stone Age Paleolithic: - Migrated in small clans - Hunted and gathered - All time spent finding food - Small populations - Low food sources Neolithic: - Settled into towns/cities - Farmed - Domesticated animals - More Food = More People - Time left over to invent Gradually shifting from to

The Neolithic Age Societies during the Neolithic Era: – Developed agriculture (domesticated plants) – Domesticated animals – Used advanced tools – Made pottery – Developed weaving skills

Agricultural Revolution Purposefully growing crops and keeping animals to supply you with continual food Agriculture developed independently in different parts of the world. Middle East India Central America China Southeast Asia 8,000 BC 7,000 BC 6,500 BC 6,000 BC 5,000 BC 9,000 B.C: Jarmo (northern Iraq) became the earliest agricultural settlement

Other Early Cities 8,000 B.C.: Largest Early Settlement at Çatal Hüyük (Modern Turkey) with 6,000 inhabitants Twelve cultivated crops Division of labor Engaged in trade Organized religion Small military

Why Farming Matters Growth of crops Stable food supply Larger populations People can do other things (job specialization!) More permanent housing Settled communities emerge Someone has to be a leader (government!) More Food = More People More People = More Hands, More Time, More need to organize!

From clans to communities Allowed for organization Work cooperatively More leisure time Safer communities = population growth Labor divided – people train for a certain job (artisan, weaver, mason) From nomadic to permanent shelter Walls strengthened by mud, stones, and sticks. Contained several rooms Changes in ShelterChanges in Community

Trade Brings new resources Traveled hundreds of miles for new items More diverse resources now available Cultural Diffusion Obsidian Trade Route Ideas spreading from place to place as people come in contact with one another. New technologies, theories, and cultures “rub off” on one another.

Characteristics of a Civilization Specialized Workers Record Keeping Advanced Technology Advanced Cities Complex Institutions Government and Religion Sewers and Grid Streets Bronze Weapons and Tools Written Languages Artisans and Masons

Archaeologists…think Indiana Jones! Study past cultures by locating and analyzing human remains, settlements, fossils, and artifacts. Apply scientific tests, such as carbon dating, to analyze fossils and artifacts.

Built in England, begun in Neolithic Age completed during Bronze Age. Jericho, ancient city in fertile crescent Aleppo, Syria modern city prevents excavation

Settlements – Things Early Man Wanted….. Imagine you are looking for a new home during the Neolithic period. What geographic factors would you consider most important. Remember, you are planning to be a farmer…… Describe in detail what those environments would look like.

Here’s What I Want….. – Stable water supply. – Ability of soil to grow crops. – Abundant sunshine – and not a too cool climate. (Warm to hot is good!) – Natural protection from other clans/tribes/ settlements.

Woohoo! We’ve got four historical winners! Nile River – Flows NORTH from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea in Egypt Tigris and Euphrates Rivers – Flow through Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) to the Persian Sea Indus River – Flows out of the Himalayan Mountains down to the western coast of India before ending in the Indian Ocean Huang (Yellow) River – Flows through central China before emptying into the Pacific Oce an

River Valleys: Cradle of Civilization

Development of Economics Increasing trade along rivers and by sea – Phoenicians Development of the world’s first cities – Mesopotamia Slavery begins. Gives the rich free time. – Has NOTHING to do with race Agriculture – Bigger and Better! Use of metal (bronze, iron) tools and weapons Better tools, plows, irrigation More Food = Settlements, trade, stability – River Valley farming required irrigation: Canals, water rights, boundaries Community enterprise – Leads to…GOVERNMENT!

Development of Political Patterns World’s first states – City-states: self-governing cities in an area that share a similar culture (Mesopotamia) – Kingdoms: a group of cities in one area controlled by one supreme ruler (Egypt) – Empires: many different regions, people, and cultures controlled by one supreme ruler (Hittites) Centralized government, often based on religious authority – Pharaohs – (Egypt) – Dynasties – (China) Written law codes – Code of Hammurabi – (Mesopotamia) – Ten Commandments – (Hebrews)

Development of Social Patterns Hereditary rulers: Passed down through family – Dynasties of kings/emperors – (China, Mesopotamia) – Pharaohs – (Egypt) Rigid class system – Specialized workers and artisans valued over agricultural workers – Slavery accepted – based on conquest (Hebrews in Egypt)

Social Pyramid in Ancient Egypt

Development of Written Language Pictograms: Earliest written symbols Cuneiform: Mesopotamia Hieroglyphics: Egypt Alphabet: Phoenician

Development of Religious Traditions Polytheism – Hundreds of gods – Explained nature, human characteristics, and events – Practiced by most early civilizations Monotheism – Belief in one God – Hebrews

When and where did civilization first develop? Mesopotamia - Tigris and Euphrates Rivers c. 3,000 B.C.