Early Humans Chapter 1 Section 1 Illustrated by Phillip Martin

Vocabulary Archeologist – Studies evidence about history buried in the ground. Anthropologist - Studies human society, how humans develop and interact. Historians – Studies the past and tries to accurately write about it. History – Story of humans in the past Pre-History – story of humans BEFORE writing

Famous Archeologists Louis and Mary Leaky Discovered evidence that shows humans began in East Africa millions of years ago.

Fossils & Artifacts Archaeologists use many clues to help them put pieces of the past together. One thing they must know is the difference between a fossil and an artifact. Fossils are the remains or imprints of once living things (made by nature) like plants and animals (leaving bones & teeth). Artifacts are the remains of things that were made by humans like tools, clothing, weapons, and art.

65 Million Years Ago Dinosaurs died out about 65 million years ago. The first humans did not appear until around 3-4.5 million years ago. Therefore - no matter what you may have seen in the movies - early humans did not live during the time of the dinosaurs!

Early Humans So far, the oldest human bones have been found in Africa. Archeologists believe that is where humans first began.

Early Humans Lucy told them! How do Archeologists know about humans who lived three million years ago? Lucy told them!

“Lucy” In 1974, Donald Johanson found a skeleton in Ethiopia. The bones were those of a female, about 20-25 years old or so when she died. About 3 million years old About 4 feet tall and weighed about 50 pounds. Her head was the size of a baseball!

“Lucy” “Lucy” is the oldest, most complete skeleton of our human ancestors found so far.

Paleolithic Era The Stone Age refers to the time period when humans made tools out of stone. Paleolithic Era – Beginning of the Stone Age In ancient Greek, Paleo = old + lithic = stone so Paleolithic means Old Stone Age

Hominids – Creatures that walk on two legs Paleolithic Era Hominids – Creatures that walk on two legs Ex. Humans Nomads People who do not make homes to live in but lived in temporary shelter. They did not grow or make their food Must travel to find food.

Technology – Tools and methods to help humans perform tasks. Early humans used stone to make weapons and tools. This was the whole axe then. No handles! Get it? Stone age?

Paleolithic Era Hunters & Gatherers: The Old Stone Age people were hunters-gatherers. These people did NOT plant crops. For food, the men hunted animals while the women gathered wild fruits, nuts, and grains that grew naturally where they lived. The women also cared for the children.

Paleolithic Art Cave paintings Used crushed yellow, black and red rocks to make powders for paint Expressions of the humans of the time

Language Spoken Language was developed during the Paleolithic times.

Paleolithic Era Early Humans COULD NOT make fire! When they broke camp, they probably tried to bring fire with them by carrying lit branches to use to start a new campfire. If their branches went out, they did without fire until they found something else burning.

Early Humans Questions: Where were the oldest human bones found? Why was it called the Paleolithic or Old Stone Age? 3. Who were the hunters and who were the gatherers? 4. For what 3 purposes did early humans use fire? 5. How could early humans travel from Africa to other continents without a boat? 6. Why might Cro-Magnon man have painted on cave walls? Answers: Africa It was a time in history when tools were made from stone. Early humans hunted animals for food and gathered food growing wild. Men were the hunters and women were the gatherers. Fire helped people survive. Fire was a source of heat, to stay warm in the Ice Age. Fire let them cook their food which reduced the incident of disease. It also provided light. The ability to make fire allowed them to live and move about freely, in search of food and shelter, knowing they could relight a fire when needed. It was the Ice Age. They walked across ice/land bridges. No one knows; it’s a history mystery. Archaeologists have put many pieces of the past together, but there are many pieces yet to be discovered. Perhaps cave paintings were done for religious purposes, to provide better spiritual guidance for a hunt, or to leave proof of someone’s existence.

Summary Paleolithic Age Old stone age 2,500,000-8,000 B.C. Tools and weapons were only made of stone No permanent civilizations - Nomads Hunter-gatherers Language Developed No fire Art – Cave Paintings

Adapting to the Ice Age Thick ice sheets covered parts of the world In order to survive, humans needed to make fire Build sturdier houses Change diet Use animal fur to make clothing

Nailed it! Start building community What can you use fire for? Warmth light. cook food which helped to reduce disease Brains got bigger Start building community

Humans Leave Home About one million years ago, humans began to slowly leave Africa. They did not have a boat, but the Ice Ages were here! They traveled across giant walkways of frozen ice, over what later would become rivers and seas.

Mesolithic Age “Middle Stone Age” Domesticate (tame) animals for human use. Meat, milk, wool, transportation Started planting seeds to grow food Some regions remained Nomadic This lead to…

The Neolithic Era “Neo” new “Lithic” stone = New Stone Age 8,000 BC – 4,000 BC Food Supply - Farming Housing / Communities Tools / Trade Changed

Agricultural Revolution (Farming) (big change)

Specialization of Labor Different jobs for different people Practice one skill and get better at it (pottery, weaving cloth, tools)

Neolithic Era Jericho – the oldest community found in the Middle East –Located near Israel –8000 B.C.

Neolithic Era Catal Huyuk 6700 B.C. Population 6,000 Located in present day Turkey