SOL 2 Paleolithic Era to Agricultural Revolution

Early Man The life of early hunter-gatherer societies was shaped by their physical environment. The first human ancestors, or hominids, emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago. Early hominids walked upright and had opposable thumbs.

Early Human Migration

Homo sapiens emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago. Homo sapiens migrated from… AFRICA to… Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas.

Stone Age: Includes Paleolithic and Neolithic “Old Stone Age” Paleolithic Age “New Stone Age” Neolithic Age Early humans were hunters and gatherers whose survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals. During this time, environment shaped how early human societies lived their lives. Early humans were hunters and gatherers whose survival depended on the availability of wild plants and animals. During this time, environment shaped how early human societies lived their lives.

Paleolithic Age ~ Old Stone Age Paleolithic humans were hunter- gatherers who wandered from place to place in search of food (wild animals and plants), water and shelter. These hunter-gatherers were nomads who traveled in clans.

Paleolithic Age ~ Old Stone Age Paleolithic people created simple tools. They invented fire!

Paleolithic people had oral language (spoken) and cave art.

The Neolithic Age ~ New Stone Age emerges When people developed agriculture and made permanent settlements, the Neolithic Age (New Stone Age) started. Early human societies, through the development of culture, began the process of overcoming the limits set by the physical environment.

Neolithic Advances Domesticated animals Made advanced tools Made pottery Could weave cloth

Discovering Prehistory Prehistory: – Period before written history – Prehistory Periods Stone Age – Paleolithic – Old Stone Age – Neolithic – New Stone Age Copper Age Bronze Age Iron Age – (onset of written evidence varies by culture) Primary Source: – First-hand, eyewitness account (most accurate) Artifacts, Human Remains, Written Records Secondary Source: – Second-hand source of information (less accurate) Encyclopedia/ Textbook, Articles that interpret primary sources

Archaeologists Archaeologists study cultures by locating and analyzing human remains, fossils, and artifacts.

Archaeology Study of past societies through an analysis of what they left behind. Artifacts: Tools and Weapons Art and Sculpture Pottery Jewelry Human Remains Buildings & Monuments

Archaeologists Archaeologists use carbon dating and other techniques to find the age of fossils and other artifacts.

Paleontology Study of the evolution and interaction of prehistoric life & environments Fossil: Carbon Dating: – Used to date organic fossils All living things possess a radioactive isotope called Carbon 14 (absorbed from the sun) – Carbon 14 has a half-life of 5000 years Measuring the amount of Carbon left allows scientists to date fossils Thermoluminescence Dating: – Measures amount of light given off by the electrons in the soil surrounding fossils/artifacts Can measure up to 200,000 years

Anthropology Study of human life and culture Basic Concerns:  What defines homo sapiens?  Who are the ancestors of homo sapiens?  How do humans behave? Geology Study of the history and composition of the physical matter that constitutes Earth

Hominid Discovery Hominid:  Humans and other creatures that walk upright on two feet. Australopithecines:  First 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

Humans Evolve Homo Habilis:  2.5 million – 1.5 million BCE  ‘Man of Skill’ Used simple tools made of lava rock  Location: Eastern Africa Olduvai Gorge Great Rift Valley (Eastern Africa) Homo Erectus:  1.6 million – 30,000 BCE  ‘Upright Man’ Developed technology  Hominid Firsts: to migrate from Africa India, China, SE Asia, Europe to use fire to develop a spoken language Neanderthals:  200,000 – 30,000 BCE  Location: Europe and SW Asia  Developed religious beliefs and rituals  Ex: funerals  Skills  Utilized stone tools  played music Homo-Sapiens:  ‘Wise Men’  Species of modern men Cro-Magnon:  40,000 – 8,000 BCE  Prehistoric humans  Location: Europe  Skills:  created art  developed hunting strategies  Advanced spoken language

Famous Archaeological Sites Stonehenge is an example of an archaeological site in England that was begun during the Neolithic Age and completed during the Bronze Age.

Paleolithic Era (2.5 million BC-8000 BC) Hunter-gatherer societies during the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age):  Were nomadic (migrated in search of food, water, shelter)  Invented the first tools, including simple weapons  Learned how to make fire  Lived in clans  Developed oral language  Created “cave art”

Neolithic Era (8000 BC-3000 BC) The beginning of settled agriculture (including permanent settlements) was a major step in the advance of civilization. Socieities during the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age):  Developed agriculture  Domesticated animals  Used advanced tools  Made pottery  Developed weaving skills  Established permanent settlements (due to farming)

Paleolithic Era (2.5 million BC-8000 BC) Hunter-gatherer societies during the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age):  Were nomadic (migrated in search of food, water, shelter)  Invented the first tools, including simple weapons  Learned how to make fire  Lived in clans  Developed oral language  Created “cave art”

Neolithic Era (8000 BC-3000 BC) The beginning of settled agriculture (including permanent settlements) was a major step in the advance of civilization. Socieities during the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age):  Developed agriculture  Domesticated animals  Used advanced tools  Made pottery  Developed weaving skills