Objectives: Describe characteristics of early humans Explain impact of geography on human societies Analyze cave art for clues of technology, religion Describe how human lifestyles changed Neolithic Era

Early Humans Early Man, 1-1, 1-2

Archaeologists study artifacts (man-made objects) How do we know how humans lived thousands of years ago? Archaeologists study artifacts (man-made objects)

Anthropologists study culture (a people’s unique way of life) How do we know how humans lived thousands of years ago? Anthropologists study culture (a people’s unique way of life)

Paleontologists study fossils How do we know how humans lived thousands of years ago? Paleontologists study fossils

During the Paleolithic Era (Old Stone Age) Humans (Homo Sapiens) emerged in Africa between 100,000 and 400,000 years ago.

Homo Sapiens migrated from Africa to Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas. (Every continent except Antarctica!) Land and ice bridges connected the continents

How did humans migrate from Asia into the Americas? Land/Ice Bridges connected Siberia and Alaska

Today, the body of water that formed an ice bridge between Russia and Alaska is called the Bering Strait

Early humans were hunters and gatherers who survived by hunting animals and gathering wild plants, berries and nuts for food They had to adapt to their physical environment How?

Early human societies (hunter-gatherer societies): Were nomadic (migrated in search of food, water and shelter) Invented the first tools, including simple weapons Learned how to make fire Lived in clans Developed oral language Created “cave art”

Carbon Dating: Used by archaeologists to tell the age of fossils and artifacts

Neolithic Age begins 8000 BCE The New Stone Age The ice age is ending and the earth is warming Sea levels rise, eliminating land bridge

As rising sea levels eliminated land bridges, societies became isolated in the Americas, islands, and Australia. Aborigines are believed to be descended from the first humans who migrated to Australia during the Paleolithic era.

Agriculture develops The agricultural revolution begins Seeds scattered in fields result in crops the following season Over the next several hundred years, many societies begin to farm Agriculture first developed in the Middle East

What is a Revolution? What was revolutionary about the development of Agriculture?

It completely changed the way people lived It led to villages, then cities, then civilizations

Societies during the Neolithic Era (New Stone Age) Developed agriculture Settled in permanent Settlements – they were no longer nomadic Domesticated animals Used advanced tools Made pottery Developed weaving skills

Result: A Population explosion Growing food instead of hunting and gathering food requires different skills: Paleolithic skills Neolithic skills Hunting Gathering Following wild herds Making simple tools Finding caves to live in Planting Harvesting Herding domesticated animals Making advanced tools for farming, weapons, containers for seed and food storage Permanent settlements Result: A Population explosion

Growth of villages into cities Effects Causes People become sedentary living in permanent settlements Job specialization Population explosion Climate changes Global warming Scattering of seeds led to crops Agricultural Revolution Growth of villages into cities

Civilization Complex Institutions Job Specialization Advanced Cities Agriculture changed everything – It was a revolution because it led to: Ad Advanced Technology Recor J Record Keeping Job Specialization Civilization Advanced Co Complex Institutions Advanced Cities

Aleppo and Jericho Catal Huyuk Add to notes Aleppo and Jericho Were early cities in the Fertile Crescent studied by archaeologists Catal Huyuk is an example of a Neolithic settlement currently under excavation in Anatolia or Asia Minor Stable communities such as these came during the Neolithic period.

With the development of agriculture, human no longer merely adapted to their environment. They learned to control their environment. Example: growing crops, domesticating animals such as goats and developing irrigation systems to control flooding.

Stonehenge, located in England provides a perfect example of humans controlling their environment. Talk to your neighbor – write down three questions you have about Stonehenge.

Photo credits Slide 1: http://lh6.ggpht.com/_tiMWwV8fJZU/SSnoK-hxzGI/AAAAAAAAAJU/LUb3awGVWRg/Uplands.jpg Slide 2: http://www.georgewashingtonwired.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/archaeology.jpg Slide 5: http://hoopermuseum.earthsci.carleton.ca/beringia/images/bothseasmap.JPG Slide 11: http://corehealthnutrition.com/files/9912/4361/6306/grain.jpg Slide 13: http://www.eastchester.k12.ny.us/schools/ms/teachers/stabile/images/fertile1.jpg Slide 10: http://www.unpo.org/images/M_images/australia-aborigines-460.jpg