Period 1 Technological and Environmental Transformations to c. 600 B.C.E.

The Paleolithic era: Old Stone Age or Early stone age Prior to the 1950’s, anthropologists knew little about early humans. Mary & Louis Leakey found clues to the human past in a place called Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, Africa. 1959 found the skull of an early Hominid Hominid: a group that includes humans and their closest relatives that walked upright on two feet.

Olduvai Gorge

1974 – anthropologist Donald Johnson found many pieces of a single early hominid skeleton in Ethiopia. Johnson named his historic find “Lucy” after a song the Beatles sung.

Key Concept 1.1 Big Geography and the Peopling of the Earth Throughout the Paleolithic era, humans developed sophisticated technologies and adapted to different geographical environments as they migrated from Africa to Eurasia, Australasia, and the Americas.

Paleolithic Age Old Stone Age Humans developed increasingly diverse and sophisticated tools – including multiple uses of fire – as they adapted to new environments. Homo Habilis which evolved around 2.3 million years ago was the first to use stone tools. Tools found with Homo Habilis in Kenya and Tanzania include “choppers”, “scrappers” and early axes

Paleolithic Age Old Stone Age Humans developed increasingly diverse and sophisticated tools – including multiple uses of fire – as they adapted to new environments. Chimpanzee using stone tools

Paleolithic Age Old Stone Age Humans developed increasingly diverse and sophisticated tools – including multiple uses of fire – as they adapted to new environments. Tom Hanks in the 2000 movie “Cast Away”

Paleolithic Age Old Stone Age People lived in small groups that structured social, economic, and political activity. These groups exchanged people, ideas, and goods.

Key Concept 1.1 Review: Where does archeological evidence indicate that hunting-foraging bands migrated from? East Africa Where did these hunting-foraging bands migrated to? Eurasia, Australia, and the Americas What facilitated the success of their migrations to new climate regions? They adapted their technology and cultures.

Key Concept 1.1 Review: People lived in small groups that structured social, economic, and political activity. What diversified their existence? These groups exchanged people, ideas, and goods.

Key Concept 1.2 Beginning about 10,000 years ago, some human communities adopted sedentism and agriculture, while others pursued hunter-forager or pastoralist lifestyles – different pathways that had significant social and demographic ramifications. (Neolithic Revolution) sedentism: a transitioning process from a nomadic lifestyle into more permanent settlements. pastoralist: concerned with the raising of livestock.

Key Concept 1.2 The Neolithic Revolution led to the development of more complex economic and social systems. In response to warming climates at the end of the last Ice Age, some groups adapted to the environment in new ways, while others remained hunter-gatherers. Settled agriculture is the defining characteristic of the Neolithic Revolution. This is a Big Deal!!

Settled agriculture emerged independently at different times in what are called River Valley Civilizations. Mesopotamia = Tigris & Euphrates river valley Egypt = Nile river valley Mohenjo-daro & Harappa (India) = Indus river valley Shang (China) = Yellow river or Huang He Other civilizations to emerge were: Olmec in Mesoamerica Chavin in Andean South America Papua New Guinea

Agricultural River Valley Civilizations

People in each region domesticated locally available plants and animals.

Pastoralism developed in Afro-Eurasian grasslands, affecting the environment in a variety of ways.

Agricultural communities had to work cooperatively to clear land and create the water control systems needed for crop production. This drastically affected environmental diversity.

Pastoral/Agricultural comparison Pastoral Society Agricultural Society Smaller groups Mobile Focus on hunting/gathering Affected the environment Animal husbandry Larger civilizations Sedentary Dependent on same soil Affected the environment Animal husbandry

Agriculture & Pastoralism began to transform human societies Pastoralism and agriculture led to more reliable and abundant food supplies, which increased the population. Surpluses of food and other goods led to social changes such as specialization of labor, including new classes of artisans and warriors, and the development of elites.

Agriculture & Pastoralism began to transform human societies Technological innovations led to improvements in agricultural production, trade, and transportation. Pottery Plows Woven textiles Metallurgy Wheels and wheeled vehicles

Agriculture & Pastoralism began to transform human societies In both pastoralist and agrarian societies, elite groups accumulated wealth, creating more hierarchical social structures and promoting patriarchal forms of social organization. All of these factors led to the development of cities.

Key Concept 1.2 Review: What is the key characteristic of the Neolithic Revolution? Settled agriculture Define sedentism. Transitioning process from a nomadic lifestyle into more permanent settlements. Identify ways the environment was affected by agriculture and pastoralists.

Key Concept 1. 2 Review: Identify the four river valley civilizations Key Concept 1.2 Review: Identify the four river valley civilizations. Mesopotamia – Tigris & Euphrates Egypt – Nile Mohenjo-daro & Harappa – Indus Shang (China) = Yellow river or Huang He