Prehistory to Early Civilizations Paleolithic Era Neolithic Era Civilization

SOL Standards Essential Questions  How did physical geography influence the lives of early humans?  What were the characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies?  How did the beginnings of agriculture and the domestication of animals promote the rise of settled communities?  How does archeology provide knowledge of early human life and its changes?

Prehistory  The period of time before writing existed  Includes the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras

Archaeologists  Study past cultures by locating and analyzing human remains, fossils, and artifacts

Artifacts  Things made by people

 Archaeologists apply scientific tests such as carbon dating to analyze fossils and artifacts.

 Carbon dating: used to find the age of organic materials based on their content of carbon-14; it is reliable up to 40,000 years

Stonehenge  An example of an archaeological site  Located in England it was begun during the Neolithic and completed during the Bronze Age.

EARLY HUMANS Copyright © Clara Kim All rights reserved.

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

How did they find their food? Early human societies met their needs by hunting animals and gathering other foods like edible plants. These hunters and gatherers were also known as nomads.

Nomads Nomads: People who depend on wild plants and animals to survive. They followed where the food supply went and gathered seeds and nuts.

HUMAN LIFE IS SPLIT INTO TWO PERIODS! TO BE CONTINUED…

Paleolithic Era Paleolithic Era also means Old Stone Age. The Paleolithic Era began 2 million years go.

Paleolithic Era Hominids during this period were: –Nomads –The first to make simple tools and weapons. –Make cave art –Master the use of Fire. –Develop a language –Living in clans

Neolithic Era Neolithic Era also means the new stone age. Hominids during this period: Developed agriculture Domesticated animals Used advanced tools like spears Developed weaving skills

What did it all lead to? All of these developments led to the rise of settlements and agriculture. This advanced homo sapiens towards civilization.

Homo Habilis “Man of Skill” Traits  million BC  Brain size = 700 cubic cm Achievements  Made tools from lava rock  Use tools to cut meat and crack bones

Homo Erectus “Upright Man” Traits  ,000 million BC  More intelligent and adaptable  Brain size 1,000 Cubic cm Achievements  Used intelligence to develop technology

Neanderthal Traits  200,000 – 30,000 BC  Brain size 1,450 cubic cm  Powerfully built  Heavy slanted eyebrows Achievements  First to have ritual burials  Tried to control and explain the world

Cro Magnons Traits  Identical skeleton to modern humans Achievements  Studied animals’ habits  Planned their hunts  Advanced skill in spoken language  Created art

Hunter-gatherers Early humans were hunters and gatherers whose survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals Early humans were nomadic (they migrated in search of food, water, and shelter).

How it all began… Homo Sapiens (modern humans) appeared in Africa 100,000 to 400,000 years ago.

Migration of Man  Homo sapiens migrated from Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas

Nomads  Nomadic –because they followed herds of wild animals and ripening fruit, they lived in temporary shelters (caves and tents).

Clans  Lived in clans (extended family groups)

Technology  The way people apply knowledge, tools, and inventions to meet their needs.

Paleolithic Technology  Invented the first tools and simple weapons (made of stone and wood)

 Learned how to make fire  Made clothes from animal skins and grasses

 Developed oral (spoken) language

 Created cave art

Neolithic Era  The key invention of the Neolithic era was the development of agriculture (farming).  Humans learned how to cultivate crops and domesticate animals. New Stone Age

Domesticated Animals  they penned or herded animals and learned how to raise and breed them

 The agricultural revolution dramatically changed the way people lived.  They no longer had to migrate in search of food and could settle down.

Settled Farming  They built permanent dwellings and settled in small villages

New Technologies  They spent less time obtaining food and had some 'spare time' in which to innovate and create new technologies.

 Developed agriculture  Domesticated animals Neolithic Technology

Used advanced tools and weapons

Made pottery

Developed weaving skills

Farming Technology  Better tools  Plows  Irrigation Over thousands of years, farming technology improved to the point that in fertile areas people were able to produce more food then they needed.

Agricultural Surplus extra food Caused population to grow and trade to develop

Trade on Rivers and Seas  The wheel and the sail allowed traders to transport more goods over longer distances.

Written Language Developed from pictures Pictograms – earliest written symbols ideograms –stood for ideas phonetic signs – stood for sounds.

THE FIVE FEATURES OF A CIVILIZATION Copyright © Clara Kim All rights reserved.

1. Advanced Cities In order to be considered a city it must have: 1. Large population 2. Must be a center of TRADE

2. Complex Institutions Institution – a long lasting pattern of organization in a community such as  Government  Religion  Economy

3. Technology New tools and techniques that solve problems and make life easier

4. Specialized Workers Specialized means someone has the skills to do a specific kind of work

5. Record Keeping Must have a developed system of writing so the people can: Record business Write a set of laws Priests can record rituals and dates