1. Prehistory

2. What is Prehistory you ask?

3. It is the time before the invention of writing.

4. Objectives Describe the characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies.
Identify the advancements that gave rise to stable communities.
Explain how archaeological discoveries change contemporary knowledge of ideas and beliefs about prehistoric people
List the four river valley civilizations

5. Anthropology: the study of the origins and development of people and their societies. Anthropologists try to recreate the CULTURE or way of life of a society, which includes its beliefs, values, and practices. Culture is handed down through generations.

6. Archaeology: the study of people and cultures through their material remains, a specialized branch of anthropology. Archaeologists find and analyze artifacts such as buildings, tools, weapons, pottery, clothing and jewelry.

7. These scientists study artifacts and bones to learn about life of the earliest humans. Humans developed first in Africa and spread to other parts of the world.
Africa!

8. Human Origins

9. 5 Stages of Hominid Development
Australopithecine
Homo habilis
Homo erectus
Homo sapiens: Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons
Homo sapiens sapiens

10. Australopithecine First to walk upright
Was here 7 million to 1 million B.C.
Eastern Africa
3-5 feet tall
Brain size is 1/3 of modern size

11. Homo habilis Man of Skill
First to use stone tools (?): Stone Age
Appeared about 2.5 million B.C.
East Africa
Around 5 feet tall
Brain size 1/2 of modern size

12. Homo erectus Upright man
Lived about 1.6 million B.C.
Smarter than homo habilis
First to use fire
First to have some spoken language
Came from Africa, Asia, Europe
Up to 6 feet tall
Brain size ¾ of modern size

13. Homo sapiens Wise Man This is the species name for modern man.
Neanderthals, Cro-Magnons and modern man fall in this category.
Our subspecies is Homo sapiens sapiens, or “doubly wise”.

14. Neanderthals Lived about 200,000 to 30,000 B.C.
Slightly larger brain then last man
Known as “cave man”
Caring: First to have a burial ritual,
took care of disabled
Disappearance a mystery
5-5’6” tall

15. Cro-Magnons Fully modern humans ?
Appeared about 40,000 to 8,000 years ago.
Skeletons and brain size were like modern humans
Able to stalk prey better
Better communication skills

16. Cro-Magnons Nomads/Hunters and gatherers
Cave art and realistic sculptures
Tool kit (more than 100 types)
Polished jewelry
Looked like the man of today
First to create art

19. A Global View Part 1
Early Civilizations

20. Prehistoric Period Paleolithic Age Called the Old Stone Age
Lasted from 2.5 million to 10,000 years B.C.E.
Time from when humans had tools to time of farming
Hunters and gatherers
Art in caves

21. Neolithic Age-----New Stone Age
10,000-3,000 B.C.E.
People started settling in one place. They got food by farming and by raising animals.
Animism
Travel by boat
They polished stone tools and made pottery.

22. Neolithic Revolution About 12,000 years ago Farming began
Rise of population
Domestication of animals

23. Villages
eventually Became
Cities

24. A Civilization has these:
Advanced cities
Central governments
Complex religions
Writing/Record Keeping
Arts and Architecture
Advanced Technology (Public Works)
Job specialization
Social Classes

25. Social Classes Ruler Priests Nobles Wealthy merchants
Artisans, skilled craftsmen
Peasant farmers
Slaves

26. River Valley Civilizations
Sumer
Egypt
India
China

27. City-state = a political unit that included a city and its surrounding lands and villages
Empire = a group of states or territories controlled by one ruler