1. Living in the Stone Age

2. Examining History: Prehistory
PRE-HISTORY- period before written history
Approximately 1.75 million years ago, earliest people first began using small pieces of rock as tools
Massive development of humans over years in 4 major groups: 1) Homo Habilis (2 million years ago) 2) Homo Erectus (1 million years ago) 3) Neanderthal ( years ago) 4) Cro-Magnon ( years ago)

3. “Lithos” = stone Paleolithic Age Greek “paleo” means “old”
Upper Paleolithic age was – years ago
Neolithic Age
Greek “neo” means “new”
Neolithic Revolution occurred between 9000 – 4000 BCE

4. Comparing the Stone Ages
NEOLITHIC
People abandoned semi-nomadic life and began farming
Agricultural revolution was a progression of the “Great Leap Forward”
planting of crops
domesticating of animals
Better tools & weapons
PALEOLITHIC
small groups of 5-10 families
Nomadic to semi-nomadic
Closer relationships between bands of people ie. Cro-Magnon society
Paleolithic- 1) People lived in small groups of 5-10 families
2) Nomadic to semi-nomadic (hunting and gathering)
3) close relationships between bands of people ie. Cro-Magnon society NEOLITHIC
1) People abandoned semi-nomadic life and began farming

5. Social Structure: Neolithic Age
Increasing knowledge = more control of food supply
End of Ice Age = better for agriculture
As population grew, so did the competition for land
Development of hierarchical class system
Increasing knowledge of plants and animals allowed more control of food supply
End of Ice Age brought a warmer, wetter climate which brought new wild grasses and grains
As population grew, so did the competition for land
Shift from semi-nomadic to the building of permanent towns and cities (first city was Jericho, in Mesopotamia between 8000 – 7000 BCE)
Trade by barter system was a crucial factor in the origin of cities (obsidian – a volcanic glass was one of the most valued traded materials (tools, weapons, art) would be traded for farm produce
Development of hierarchical class system
Domestication animals (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs)
More occupations emerged with more permanent cities and towns

6. Weapons & Technology
NEOLITHIC
efficient tools which helped farm and make weapons and tools
Domestication of animals to do manual work and the planting of crops freed people from the pursuit of food
leisure activities (art, music, sports, religion)
PALEOLITHIC
Better hunting strategies due to co-operation and more lethal weapons
Better tools for skinning game, preparing food, sewing clothes
Cro-Magnons stored food over winter showing more planning
Invention of the bow and arrow around BCE made hunting more easy
NEOLITHIC
More efficient tools (sickle made of flint blades and antler; axes, hoe, copper use) which helped farm and make weapons and tools
Domestication of animals to do manual work and the planting of crops freed people from the pursuit of food
New time for leisure activities (art, music, sports, religion)

8. STONEHENGE