DO NOW: Compare and contrast the life of a hunter-gatherer with the life of a farmer. Why does Jared Diamond say some people decided to become full time farmers while others remained hunter gatherers? Do you agree or disagree?
The history of hominids, or human like creatures, is a history of hunter gatherers.
Australopithecus was the first known creature to have material culture – that is, to make things. Australopithecus walked upright and made basic tools out of chipped stone. The Paleolithic Era, or “Old Stone Age” began in Africa 2.5 million years ago with Australopithecus.
Homo Erectus learned to control fire from lightning strikes, but never learned to make fire independently.
Neanderthals were the first subspecies of Homo Sapiens. 130,000 years ago they mastered fire, wore animal skins and buried their dead, indicating a consciousness greater than earlier hominids. Neanderthals spread over Africa, Europe and parts of Asia.
But Neanderthal man was replaced by Cro Magnon man, who began to spread all over the world around 35,000 years ago. Cro Magnon was a superior hunter. Some historians even think that Cro Magnon man exterminated the Neanderthals. When Cro Magnon man spread to Australia, North Asia, and the Americas, most large mammals there suddenly went extinct.
Modern humans evolved from Cro Magnon man. All over the world, our increased intelligence allowed us to make better tools and weapons out of bone and wood. We also tamed and domesticated dogs. This began the Neolithic Era, or “New Stone Age”
But in a few places, modern homo sapiens domesticated other animals and plants, too. This was called the Neolithic Agricultural Revolution.
JIGSAW ACTIVITY: 1) First meet with the people who answered your question for homework. Discuss your answers to see if everyone agrees. (5 Minutes) 2) Then meet in mixed groups to discuss the answers to the other questions. Make sure you know the answer to every question. (10 Minutes) 3) Meet back in you original groups to share the answers to the other questions. Make sure you know the answer to every question! (5 Minutes) 4) Individual quick write: “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” What does this mean to you?
FACT: There are 148 species of herbivore or omnivore land mammals FACT: There are 148 species of herbivore or omnivore land mammals. Only 14 have ever been domesticated.
QUESTION: Why horses and not zebras? Why cows and not buffalo?
“Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Reasons: Diet Growth Rate Captive Breeding Nasty Disposition Tendency to Panic Social Structure