UNIT III WORLD HISTORY HUMAN BEGINNINGS

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings History tells the story of human kind. Because historians mostly use written records to gather information about the past, history is said to have began with the invention of writing about 5,500 years ago. But the story of humankind really begins in the time before people developed writing – the period known as Prehistory We have traced the existence of the first human like creature back to 4.4 million years ago (hominids)

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings The scientific study of hominids – their physical features, development, and behavior is called – Anthropology Paleontologists – study fossil remains Archaeologists – investigate prehistoric life by unearthing and interpreting objects left behind Artifacts = objects made by humans and the remains of humans

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings Dating Early Artifacts –Technique used to determine how old an artifact is – one method is radio carbon dating (living things absorb carbon, when it dies it stops absorbing, so the technique can help date artifacts up to 50,000 yrs ago) –Using other techniques other than carbon can date artifacts up to 2.6 billion years Prehistoric Finds –Paleontologists found teeth and bones almost 4.4 million yrs old –“Lucy” = was found in 1974 and is believed to be 3.2 million years old (Lucy came from the Beatles) –Other discoveries have found men and women to be different size and could walk upright and climb trees Human Origins –Scientists disagree about many aspects of the story of human beginnings –According to one theory, Australopithecus (southern ape - nomadic) are the first Pre-human hominids – no facts that they used tools though –Homo – is Latin for Genus of Human – scientists use Homo to group hominids into three groups – Homo Habilis (person with ability) – Homo Erectus (person who walks upright) – Homo Sapiens (person who thinks)

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings Ice Ages – Climatic changes played an important part in the development of early humankind (between 2 million and 10,000 years ago the earth experienced long periods of cold climates – only the mid-latitudes were warm enough to support human and animal life) –As the cold set in, ocean levels dropped and created land bridges where people moved across and spread over parts of the planet (ex. land bridge from Asia to North America – over the Bering Strait) Human Culture – Clothing, fire, language were part of the way of life for prehistoric people. –Tool making also became specialized (started to use tools for certain jobs) –The use of stone tools led historians to apply the name Stone Age to the period (Paleolithic – Old Stone Age = 2 million to 12,000 BCE / Mesolithic – Middle Stone Age = 12, 000 – 8,000 BCE / Neolithic – New Stone Age = 8,000 – 5,000 BCE) Paleolithic Hunter-Gatherer –Homo Habilis – earliest hominids to manufacture tools – around 2.5 million yrs ago (discovered by legendary Archaeologist Louis and Mary Leaky) –Homo Erectus – believe to come around 1.6 million yrs ago – mostly food gatherers – first to migrate and communicate with more than sounds

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings Homo Erectus discovered, used and improved numerous aspects of culture that are basic to present day life. These accomplishments were very slow…when Homo Sapiens (modern human species) appeared, culture changes began occurring much more frequently Neanderthals –First Homo Sapiens were the Neanderthals (named after the Neander Valley in Germany where the first remains were discovered) –They stand about 5.4 feet, stocky, thick bones and neck, with larger brains –Nomadic hunter-gathers / lived in small groups / cared for the sick and aged / ?belief in life after death? (buried their dead) Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Modern Day Homo Sapiens) –First appeared in Africa about 50,000 yrs ago – migrated all around the globe / intermarried with Neanderthals and gradually absorbed them –Cro-Magnons (first Homo Sapiens Sapiens in Europe) They were taller and less robust as Neanderthals –Made advances in tool making such a an ax, spear, hoes, fishing hooks –They had social ranks, built stone homes, painted on cave walls (art)

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings Neolithic Revolution During the Neolithic period and immediately after, humans made one of its greatest cultural advances (grew crops, built town/villages, domesticated animals, made pottery from clay, baked clay, made bricks, wool and linen, used metal tools, made a calendar to determine seasons, and believed in many deities (gods/goddesses) and built shrines)

UNIT III – World History Human Beginnings Emergence of Civilization (comes from the Latin term Civitas = City) With the rise of cities came the rise of complex societies and the emergence of Civilization –River Valley Civilizations As with agriculture, cities formed in different parts of the world (one thing they had in common is they rose from farming settlements in river valleys) Nile in Egypt, Tigris & Euphrates in Mesopotamia, Indus in India, and Huang He in China, were river and river valleys that helped spawn early cities and civilizations Created a complex system of specialized labor, social classes, governments, army's, values and beliefs (temples / priests) First type of economies depended on farmers growing surplus food. With extra food, people could earn a living in other ways (specialize in other areas – artisans = workers skilled in a craft) Making bronze items (smelting of copper and tin) With the making of Bronze – historians call this era the Bronze Age replacing the Stone Age Irrigation of fields is the main reason they could grow surplus food Invention of writing (writings first kept by priests, pictograms – pictures and sounds that represent products, marks and pictures to represent abstract ideas which help lead to the invention of writing and standardized text)