Early Humans

Historians rely mostly on documents to interpret the past During a period known as prehistory no writing system was developed

The story of early humans relies heavily on archaeology and anthropology. Archaeology- the study of past societies through an analysis of what people left behind Anthropology- the study of human life and culture Both rely on artifacts and fossils to how early humans functioned

How do archaeologist and anthropologists know how old those artifacts and fossils are? Answer: Radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence, and the study of organic remains

All living things absorb a small of radioactive carbon (C-14) Scientist use this knowledge to determine how old an object is by measuring the amount of C-14 left in it Works for objects no more than 50,000 years old

This method of analysis dates an object by measuring the light given off by electrons trapped in the soil surrounding fossils and artifacts Relatively accurate for objects back to 200,000 years old

Hominids to Homo Sapiens

The earliest humanlike creatures lived in Africa 3-4 million years ago They were the first hominids (humans and other creatures that walk upright) to make simple tools

A second stage in early human development was Homo erectus ( upright human being) Homo erectus made use of larger and more varied tools. They were the first to leave Africa and move into Europe and Asia They were also the first to use…….

Homo Sapiens means “wise human being” and was two distinct subgroups: Neanderthals Relied on a variety of stone tools and seem to be the first to bury their dead which shows a belief in an afterlife Homo sapiens sapiens These were the first people that looked like modern man All humans today belong to the same subspecies of human being

The term Paleolithic Age (2,500,00 -10,000 BCE) is Greek for “Old Stone” Humans in this time period relied on hunting and gathering for their daily food

These people were nomads (people who moved from place to place) because they had to follow the migration patterns of the animals they hunted. Nomads lived in small groups of people that demanded group effort for any real chance of success and survival

Since women bore and raised children, it is likely that their contribution to the table came from gathering nuts and berries near their camps Main needs of these people consisted of food, shelter, and water. Caves provided natural protection from the elements Eventually new types of shelter developed resembling tee-pees seen in the Native American culture

A great way to get into the mind set of any group of people in the past is to look at what they created and left behind. This applies even to early humans, though they lacked a writing system. Cave drawings served as a way of communication and usually depicted herds of animals and resources

How do archaeologists and anthropologist determine the ages of fossils and artifacts? What are the three stages of early human development? What are the two subgroups of Homo sapiens? Why were early humans nomads?

Rise of Civilization

The Neolithic Revolution took place from 10,000 to 4000 BCE. Neolithic means “new stone” in Greek The REAL change during this era was a shift from the hunter-gather society to systematic agriculture and the domestication of animals.

The ability to acquire food on a regular basis gave humans greater control over their environment and allowed them to live in settled communities

Agricultural Revolution Advanced Technology Surplus Specialization of Skills Civilization!!!

Food surpluses made it possible for people to do things other than farming Some became artisans which produced products like jewelry and weapons

The change to systematic agriculture also effected the equality of men and women As men took on more and more of the responsibility for obtaining food and protecting the settlement, they came to play a more dominant role in society.

The use of metals marked a new level of human control over the environment and its resources Copper was the first metal to be used in making tools After 4000 BCE, Asian craftsmen discovered that a combination of copper and tin yielded a stronger metal….Bronze

The widespread use of bronze has led historians to refer to time period between BCE as the Bronze Age

In general, culture is a peoples way of life Early human beings formed small groups that developed a simple culture in order to survive

A civilization is a complex culture in which large numbers of people share several common elements There are 6 characteristics of civilization: Cities Government Religion Social Structure Writing Art

What is the MOST important event that took place during the Neolithic Age? What is culture? What are the 6 characteristics of civilization? What is the order of eras from Prehistory through 1200 BCE?