Unit One

Prehistory Objective Understand that the earliest humans originated in Africa and spread across the globe

The People of the World Prehistory – 2500 B.C. Chapter One

Human Origins in Africa Chapter One – Section One

Prehistory **Prehistory: life before written record** prehistory dates back to the time before the invention of writing - roughly 50,000,000 years ago ** Archaeology: the study of culture and early humans through the recovery, documentation, and analysis of evidence (artifacts) **

Prehistory many different types of scientists work together as a team to make new discoveries about how prehistoric people lived Types of Scientists Scientists Field of Study Anthropologists Culture 2. Paleontologists 2. Fossils 3. Geologists 3. Rocks and Minerals 4. Biologists 4. Forms of Life

Scientific Clues ** artifacts: human-made objects ** culture: people’s unique way of life > individually or with a partner > look at the next few slides > try to figure out what each of these artifacts are and what they were used for

#1 #2

#3

#4 #5

#7 #6

#8 #9

#10

#1 Tweezers

Sarcophagus #2

#3 Scalpels

(writing system with wedge shaped impression made in soft clay) #4 Cuneiform (writing system with wedge shaped impression made in soft clay)

Musical Instrument #5

#6 Nutcracker

#7 Washer

#8 Oven

Teapot #9

#10 Drinking Horn

Early Humans 1970s – Mary Leakey in Tanzania (East Africa) found prehistoric footprints preserved in volcanic ash believed to be 3.6 million years ago 1st skull of an ape ever to be found Homo Habilis Australopithicine

Early Humans Donald Johanson in Ethiopia Facts: found a near complete skeleton of adult female hominid lived 3.5 million years ago (oldest found to date) Hominid: humans and other creatures who walk upright leave footprints Facts: 40% of skeleton recovered 3’6’’ tall could walk, but also lived in trees Nicknamed her Lucy after the song “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by the Beatles

New Discovery!!!! before “Lucy” there was “Ardi” found in Ethiopia’s Afar Rift dates back to 4.4 million years ago some physical characteristics of an ape skull (brain position) similar to humans walked upright indicates that humans and apes evolved from a common ancestor

The Old Stone Age Begins Paleolithic Age - “Old Stone Age” (2.5 million – 8000 B.C.) ** Nomads: groups of people that move from place to place following food ** 20-30 people per group hunters and gatherers – hunted animals and collected plant foods

The Old Stone Age Begins simple tools – spears, digging sticks later on – stone, bone, wood weapons = fish hooks and harpoons New Stone Age – “Neolithic Age” began about 8000 B.C. and ended as early as 3000 B.C. = 10,000 years ago

The Old Stone Age Begins people who lived during this second phase of the Stone Age learned to polish stone tools, make pottery, grow crops, and raise animals Paleolithic Age occurred during the period in the earth’s history known as the Ice Age fire and cave paintings increase in temperature, glaciers melt and retreat, rising sea levels – humans need to adapt to the environment and find new food sources

** Hominid Development ** Species Years / Location Australopithecines 4 million to 1 million B.C. Southern / Eastern Africa Homo habilis 2.5 million to 1.5 million B.C. East Africa Homo erectus 1.6 million to 30,000 B.C. Africa / Asia / Europe Neanderthal 200,000 to 30,000 B.C. Europe / Southwest Asia Cro-Magnon 40,000 to 8,000 B.C. Europe

Humans Try to Control Nature Chapter One – Section Two

The New Stone Age – “Neolithic Age” The Beginnings of Agriculture longer growing seasons and drier land steady source of food for increasing population slash and burn farming cut trees/grasses and burned them to clear a field used ashes to fertilize soil led to people dwelling in larger, more organized communities Domestication of Animals Tamed horses, dogs, goats, pigs Enclosed and were constant source of food

Villages Evolve 1. village life – no more roaming / no nomads 2. larger crops – wheat, barley 3. job specialization (potters, weavers, traders) 4. new tools (plows, axes, arrowheads) 5. population growth

Villages Evolve 6. built irrigation systems 7. inventions – wheel, sail, calendar 8. social classes formed 9. organized religion 10. complex government

First Civilizations farming villages led to the first civilization Civilization: a complex culture with five main characteristics Civilization Characteristics 1. centralized government 2. organized religion 3. job specialization and social classes 4. art, architecture, and public works 5. writing

Civilization Characteristics 1. Centralized Government bureaucracy priests warriors tax system laws 2. Organized Religion polytheistic temples sacrifices rituals

Civilization Characteristics 3. Job Specialization and Social Classes Artisans v. Merchants classes – varying wealth power influences 4. Art, Architecture, and Public Works temples palaces irrigation roads and bridges walls

Civilization Characteristics 5. Writing scribes – professional record keepers beginning of written history

Paleolithic Neolithic Food - hunting and gathering - farming domesticated animals Dwellings - caves - nomadic people - permanent villages - stone houses Technology Developed - digging sticks - spears - axes - spoken language - stone tools - polished ax heads - arrowheads weaving cloth, wheel, calendar Religion and Art - cave paintings - religious stone statues - belief in the afterlife - jewelry buried dead in earthen tomb

Prehistoric Music Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD4CQ5ppm_A&list=UUAiABuhVSMZJMqyv4Ur5XqA (3:23 minutes)

Essential Question Which skill – tool making, the use of fire, or language – do you think gave hominids the most control over their environment? Justify your answer. Answer the question in three complete sentences in your summary section

Prehistory Objective Understand that the earliest humans originated in Africa and spread across the globe