Early Humans

Tools of Discovery / Historians = people who study & write about human past / History = began about 5,500 yrs ago when people began to write / Prehistory = time b4 people dev. writing / Historians = people who study & write about human past / History = began about 5,500 yrs ago when people began to write / Prehistory = time b4 people dev. writing

/ Archaeologists = hunt for evidence of civilizations buried in the ground / Artifacts = weapons, tools & other things made by humans / Fossils - plants/animals preserved in rock. / Archaeologists = hunt for evidence of civilizations buried in the ground / Artifacts = weapons, tools & other things made by humans / Fossils - plants/animals preserved in rock.

/ Anthropologists = Study how humans developed and how they relate to each other / Stone Age = early period of human history when people used stoned to make tools and weapons / Paleolithic = Old Stone Age / Anthropologists = Study how humans developed and how they relate to each other / Stone Age = early period of human history when people used stoned to make tools and weapons / Paleolithic = Old Stone Age

How did people get food? / Searched for food / Hunted animals, caught fish, ate insects, gathered nuts, berries, fruits, grains and plants. / “Hunter-gatherers” / Searched for food / Hunted animals, caught fish, ate insects, gathered nuts, berries, fruits, grains and plants. / “Hunter-gatherers”

/ Nomads = (paleolithic people) Moved from place to place searching or food & shelter. / People traveled in lrg. groups b/c it was safer and easier to search for food. / Nomads = (paleolithic people) Moved from place to place searching or food & shelter. / People traveled in lrg. groups b/c it was safer and easier to search for food.

Tasks of Men & Women: / Men: / Hunted animals / Made tools / Sometimes had to travel far for food. / Men: / Hunted animals / Made tools / Sometimes had to travel far for food. / Women: / Close to campsite / Watched the children / Searched for berries, nuts & grains.

Language, Art & Religion / Humans dev. Spoken language in Paleolithic times / Easier for people to work together & pass down knowledge / People also expressed themselves through art (paintings on cave walls of animals) / Humans dev. Spoken language in Paleolithic times / Easier for people to work together & pass down knowledge / People also expressed themselves through art (paintings on cave walls of animals)

Invention of Tools / Paleolithic people were 1st to use tech. (tools & methods to help perform tasks) / What are some examples of technology used by Paleolithic people? / Paleolithic people were 1st to use tech. (tools & methods to help perform tasks) / What are some examples of technology used by Paleolithic people?

Neolithic Times: (New Stone Age 8,000 BC-4,000 BC) / After last Ice Age life changed / People began to tame plants & animals / Animals provided milk, meat, wool & transportation of goods. / After last Ice Age life changed / People began to tame plants & animals / Animals provided milk, meat, wool & transportation of goods.

/ People learned how to grow food / People could now stay in one place / People learned how to grow food / People could now stay in one place

The Growth of Villages: / People who farmed began to live in villages & building permanent homes / Where were villages started? / Europe, India, Egypt, China & Mexico / Earliest Communities were found in the Middle East as early as 8000 BC / People who farmed began to live in villages & building permanent homes / Where were villages started? / Europe, India, Egypt, China & Mexico / Earliest Communities were found in the Middle East as early as 8000 BC

Benefits of Settled Life: / Steady food supply / Healthy growing population / More workers to produce more crops / Began to trade / Practice of Specialization (Diff. Jobs) / Steady food supply / Healthy growing population / More workers to produce more crops / Began to trade / Practice of Specialization (Diff. Jobs)

Mesopotamia’s Civilization: / Civilization = Complex societies that have cities, organized gov’t, art religion, class divisions and a writing system.

Why did the 1st civilizations start in river valleys? 1. Good farming conditions made it easy to feed a lot of people 1. Fish & fresh water 1. Travel & trade 1. Good farming conditions made it easy to feed a lot of people 1. Fish & fresh water 1. Travel & trade

/ As cities dev. Govt’s were formed to make plans & decisions about matters / Leaders were in charge of food supplies, building projects, made laws & created armies / People began to dev. Religion & arts / As cities dev. Govt’s were formed to make plans & decisions about matters / Leaders were in charge of food supplies, building projects, made laws & created armies / People began to dev. Religion & arts

/ Invented ways of writing to pass on information / Created calendars to keep time / Dev. Class structure / Held diff. places in society based on work they did & wealth/power they had / Invented ways of writing to pass on information / Created calendars to keep time / Dev. Class structure / Held diff. places in society based on work they did & wealth/power they had

The Rise of Sumer / Mesopotamia = Earliest known civilization / Location: Present day Iraq b/w Tigris and Euphrates Rivers / Climate: Hot & Dry / Rivers flooded in Spring leaving behind rich soil (not predictable) / Mesopotamia = Earliest known civilization / Location: Present day Iraq b/w Tigris and Euphrates Rivers / Climate: Hot & Dry / Rivers flooded in Spring leaving behind rich soil (not predictable)

Every yr. farmers worried about crops & believed they needed gods to bless their efforts - Farmers learned to control seasonal floods w/ dams & channels

/ Dev. Irrigation(waterways to bring water to fields) / Now that farmers could grow plenty of food, many cities formed in southern Mesopotamia (Sumer) / Dev. Irrigation(waterways to bring water to fields) / Now that farmers could grow plenty of food, many cities formed in southern Mesopotamia (Sumer)

Gods & Rulers / Sumerians believed in many gods / Each god had power over a natural force or human activity. (Flooding or basket weaving) * People wanted to please the gods / Sumerians believed in many gods / Each god had power over a natural force or human activity. (Flooding or basket weaving) * People wanted to please the gods

/ Each city-state built a grand temple called a ziggurat / Priests & Priestesses were powerful & controlled most of the land / Later Kings ran the gov’t, led the army & organized building projects / Each city-state built a grand temple called a ziggurat / Priests & Priestesses were powerful & controlled most of the land / Later Kings ran the gov’t, led the army & organized building projects