Early Farmers Chapter 1, Lesson 2

The Stone Age The Stone Age consists of a large period of time that Archaeologists have broken down into two periods: 1. The Old Stone Age 2. The New Stone Age

The Old Stone Age A period of time during the Stone Age that lasted about 3.5 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago. Little progress was made during this time. People relied on pebbles or stone tools, and hand axes. As time progressed people began to use wood, horn, antler, and bone tools. Out of all of these tools, bone proved to be the most useful for barbed fishhooks, needles and for leatherworking.

New Stone Age The New Stone Age began about 10,000 years ago and lasted to about 5,000 years ago. Humans made great progress in technology in a shorter period of time. Technology – a way that humans produce items that they use. New stone-working techniques, such as polished rocks tools, came into use.

Skara Brae A stone age village from about 4,500 years ago Located in Scotland Discovered in 1800s Skara Brae offers clues about life during the Stone Age.

Europe

Skara Brae

Skara Brae

Domestication Domestication is the taming of wild animals.

Domestication About 10, 000 years ago, humans began to realize that animals could be useful to them. Humans began to tame dogs, goats, cattle and sheep. Domesticated animals depend on humans for survival. Animals were used to plow the fields. Animals also contributed to the development of agriculture. Agriculture is the raising of plants and animals for human consumption.

Early Farming Archaeologists have discovered, through plant remains, that the first plants to be domesticated was grain, such as wheat, rice, barley, etc.

Harvest Harvest – to gather together.

Excavation site An archaeologist digs up artifacts at an excavation site.

Surplus Surplus is an extra supply. Families could now raise more crops than they needed and sell the extra, or surplus.

Social Divisions Because of the surplus, a village could divide up the work, called social divisions. A toolmaker could exchange tools for food, etc.

Nomads Nomads were people that traveled from place to place and did not have a permanent home. Most nomads used horses, donkeys, and camels for travel and for transporting goods.

Climates Climates – the average weather conditions of places over a long span of time.

Carbon Dating All living things contain carbon. Scientists can determine how old something is by determining what happened to the carbon over time.