The First Communities Lesson 1

Earth and the First People Human like creatures appeared perhaps 1 to 2 million years ago These early humans used simple tools they made from stone This was the beginning of the OLD STONE AGE—the beginning of human history.

Earth and the First People The OLD STONE AGE lasted until about 10,000 years ago (c. 8000 B.C.E) The first modern humans lived in world that was quite cold Glaciers covered most of the land (ICE AGE) From time to time Earth would get warmer

Earth and the First People The first human like beings emerged in Africa From there they would fan out to other continents They would adapt to the environments they found

Check for Understanding What happened during the Old Stone Age? A. Earth was hot, glowing ball B. Humans used simple tools C. Humanlike creatures first appeared D. Life began in the water

Check for Understanding What happened during the Ice Age? A. Glaciers covered most of the land B. The oceans rose and fell C. Life on land was fairly easy D. Modern humans appeared

Living as Hunters and Gatherers Nomads were always looking for new caves to stay in Men would hunt and use the only weapons available, KNIVES and SPEARS\ Some may have sharp tips, or be carved out of animal bone

Living as Hunters and Gatherers Women and children gathered food Berries, nuts, and fruit They would use sticks to dig up roots Homes were very simple Caves, tents made of animal hides (skins), huts made of branches

Living as Hunters and Gatherers Some caves have paintings of animals that were hunted The paintings were made from berries and clay

Check for Understanding Match each description with a term. A. knives and spears B. paintings of animals C. berries, nuts, fruits, and roots 1. These were tools the hunters used 2. These were foods that were gathered 3. These made the cave walls special

The New Stone Age About 10,000 years ago the Ice Age came to an end Glaciers melted and earth grew warmer Historians refer to this time as the New Stone Age The new warmer climate was better for plants People began to cultivate crops Crops included wheat, barley, rice, and beans

The New Stone Age People began to domesticate wild animals Sheep, cows, and goats were domesticated These animals were used as sources of milk, meat, and hides People of the New Stone Age had stopped being hunters and gatherers and had become farmers

Check for Understanding When did the New Stone Age begin? A. about 10,000 years ago B. about 100,000 years ago C. about 20,000 years ago D. about 200,000 years ago

Check for Understanding What new things happened during the New Stone Age? A. The Ice Age began B. People began to plant and grow crops C. People became hunters and gathers D. People raised their own animals for food and hides

Village Life Because of planting and growing crops families stayed in one place As more families settled down they began to live together in agriculture villages No more living in caves, more permanent homes were built

Village Life They built pens for animals Since there was enough food, people could learn new skills Potters or weavers, toolmakers, boatbuilding People could trade between villages Communities began to grow

Check for Understanding TRUE or FALSE People in villages had to be nomads. People in villages kept domesticated animals. People in villages had to spend all days looking for food. People in villages had time to learn new skills. People in villages traded goods with people in other villages.

The Earliest Cities Villages continued to grow – they became towns Larges ones were called cities Two of the earliest Jericho Catal Huyuk

The Earliest Jericho Built around 7500 B.C.E, in the Jordan Valley Covered 4 acres of land and was surrounded by a wall that was over 12 feet high

Catal Huyuk 1950’s scientists discovered the ruins of another city in Turkey Contained what is now the world’s oldest pottery and wool clothing City was built later than Jericho In a region that used to be called Asia Minor

Catal Huyuk City 8 times bigger than Jericho Contained many large brick and stone buildings packed tightly together with no streets or alleys between them This would set the stage for the next major development in human history – the birth of civilizations

Check for Understanding True or False In the 1950s, the ruins of Jericho were found in Turkey In Catal Huyuk, there were no streets or alleys between buildings

Cultures and Civilizations Villages needed a way to be organized so life could run smoothly Villages grew into a civilization Civilizations usually have: Government System of record keeping Class system

Check for Understanding Which term describes a shared set of language, ideas, and habits? Civilization Culture Government Class

Check for Understanding Which of the following is part of a civilization? A government A system of record keeping A class system All of the above