Early Gatherers and Hunters ESSENTIAL QUESTION: How did early humans interact with the environment?

Studying Prehistory Prehistory is the long period of time before people developed systems of writing and written language. We can study prehistory thanks to archaeologists. An archaeologist is a person who studies past cultures through things that remain such as buildings, tools, or pottery. They are most interested in finding artifacts or objects made by people long ago. Can you think of a famous archaeologist?

Just kidding….Indiana Jones is a fictional archaeologist, but Howard Carter is a real archaeologist!

Artifacts Artifacts include tools, weapons, jewelry, and pottery. The prehistoric people used: sharpened tools for cleaning flesh from animal hides bone needles to sew hides together for clothes cords and knots used to tie things together for shelter Archaeologists also study: Ashes from campfires animal bones left after eating nut shells To better understand these ancient people.

Artifacts tell us about ancient people Ancient people hunted large and small animals. They used the hides of large animals for shelter. They ate berries, fruits, nuts, wild grains, and roots. They frequently moved to find a constant source of food. They are migrants. They are described as hunters and gatherers.

Early People The early peoples lived in parts of East Africa 3.5 million years ago. Humans moved, or migrated, from East Africa to Europe and Asia thousands of years ago. Archaeologists ask, “who were the first Americans? Where did they come from? How did they get here?”

Early Americans About 70 years ago, archaeologists found a variety of man made objects near Clovis, New Mexico. The objects were estimated to be about 11,000 years old. During this time, the earth was in an Ice Age.

The Ice Age From about 1.6 million years ago until about 10,000, huge sheets covered the earth. These sheets were called glaciers. These glaciers grew and spread toward the equator and began to melt.

A Migration Path A vast area of land known as Beringia, now called the Bering Strait, stretched from Asia to North America. Animals were able to migrate over this bridge. People followed the animals for food. From here, the hunters traveled south.

Migration Paths

Different Paths Archaeologists believed the Clovis people were the first Americans. They believed they lived 11,000 years ago. About 20 years ago, archaeologists made a discovery at a site near Mount Verde, Chile. They found artifacts from a band of hunter-gatherers dating to 12,500 years ago. Scientists did not accept this because they would be wrong. Archaeologist Albert Goodyear discovered artifacts in South Carolina that dated back nearly 18,000 years.

Summary About 3.5 million years ago early humans lived in East Africa. About 1.6 million years ago the Ice Age began. About 11,000 years ago the Clovis Culture was established in North America.

Time for Review Put the following events in order. Clovis points are found in Mexico. Ice Age Begins. Pre-Clovis artifacts are found near Monte Verde, Chile. People migrate from Asia to North America. What is an archaeologist? How do we know about the people who lived in Clovis years ago? How do we use artifacts to learn about early people and cultures? Do we know for certain who the first Americans were?