The Peopling of the World Prehistory – 2500 BCE Chapter 1 World History 1 Mr. Calloway 2010 – 2011

Discovering Prehistory Prehistory: – Period before written history – Prehistory Periods (Three-Age System): Stone Age – Paleolithic – Old Stone Age – Neolithic – New Stone Age Copper Age Bronze Age Iron Age – (onset of written evidence varies by culture) – Essential tools to understanding this period: Archaeology Paleontology Anthropology Geology Primary Source: – First-hand, eyewitness account (most accurate) Artifacts, Human Remains, Written Records Secondary Source: – Second-hand source of information (less accurate) Encyclopedia/Textbook, Articles that interpret primary sources

Archaeology Study of past societies through an analysis of what they left behind. Artifacts: Tools and Weapons Art and Sculpture Pottery Jewelry Human Remains Buildings & Monuments

Paleontology Study of the evolution and interaction of prehistoric life and environments Fossil: Carbon Dating: – Used to date organic fossils All living things possess a radioactive isotope called Carbon 14 (absorbed from the sun) – Carbon 14 has a half-life of 5000 years Measuring the amount of Carbon left allows scientists to date fossils Thermoluminescence Dating: – Measures amount of light given off by the electrons in the soil surrounding fossils/artifacts Can measure up to 200,000 years

Anthropology Study of human life and culture Basic Concerns: – What defines homo sapiens? – Who are the ancestors of homo sapiens? – How do humans behave? Geology Study of the history and composition of the physical matter that constitutes Earth

Hominid Discovery Hominid: – Humans and other creatures that walk upright on two feet. Australopithecines: – 1 st Hominids; 4 million – 1 million BCE Walked upright; Opposable thumb Donald Johanson: – 1974 (‘Lucy’): Complete skeleton of an adult female hominid Mary Leakey: – 1978: Found footprints that dates walking human ancestors to 3,600,000 years ago

Humans Evolve Homo Habilis: – 2.5 million – 1.5 million BCE ‘Man of Skill’ – Used simple tools made of lava rock – Location: Eastern Africa – Olduvai Gorge » Great Rift Valley (Eastern Africa) Homo Erectus: – 1.6 million – 30,000 BCE ‘Upright Man’ – Developed technology Hominid Firsts: – to migrate from Africa » India, China, SE Asia, Europe – to use fire – to develop a spoken language Neanderthals: – 200,000 – 30,000 BCE Location: Europe and SW Asia – Developed religious beliefs and rituals Ex: funerals – Skills Utilized stone tools played music Homo-Sapiens: – ‘Wise Men’ Species of modern men Cro-Magnon: – 40,000 – 8,000 BCE Prehistoric humans – Location: Europe – Skills: created art developed hunting strategies Advanced spoken language

Early Human Migration

Paleolithic Age Old Stone Age – ‘Paleo’: old – ‘Lithic’: stone Nomadic Clans: – Groups of that wandered from place to place in search of food Hunter-gatherers: – Men hunted and women gathered Adaptations: – Fire: Used to keep warm and cook food – Oral Language: Allowed for cooperation (ex: hunting) – Tools: Allowed for increase in food production (ex: spear, digging stick) – Cave Paintings: Depict life, identify animals, communicate information, religious practices – ‘Sympathetic Magic’

Neolithic Revolution New Stone Age – ‘Neo’: New Agricultural Revolution: – Provided a stable food source Systematic Agriculture – Ushered in the Neolithic Age – Slash-and-Burn Farming: Burned trees/grass to clear a field and provide fertilizer for the soil (ash) – Jarmo: Oldest known agricultural community Animal Domestication: – Tamed horses, dogs, goats and pigs Innovations: – more sophisticated tools – developed weaving – created pottery Food storage

Villages into Cities Innovations: – Irrigation: Consistent water source for crops led to food surplus – Craftsmen: Food surplus allows villagers to develop other skills – Ex: potters, weavers, jewelers, metal workers, traders – Wheel/Sail: Benefited trade (barter system), movement and communication Social Changes: – Class Systems Develop: Groups of different wealth, power and influence – Religion: Become more organized and traditional

Jericho Location: - Ancient Palestine near the Dead Sea - est. 8,000 BCE

Catal Huyuk Location: - Anatolia - est. 7,200 BCE

Civilization Advanced Cities: – Center of trade for an area/region Complex Institutions: – Government, Religion Record Keeping: – Economics, government, and religion required record keeping and brought the need for scribes Professional record keepers – Cuneiform (Sumer): 1 st system of writing Specialized Workers: – Creation of artisans Jewelers, Potters, Tool/Weapon Makers, etc Advanced Technology: – Potter’s Wheel – Ox-Drawn Plow – Metal Use: Copper (Chalcolitihic/Copper Age): – 1 st metal utilized; natural metal Bronze (Bronze Age): – alloy of bronze and tin » Harder and more durable