Investigating the Past Ancient History – concerns the distant past, from the earliest humans to the first great civilizations Prehistory – before written time

Who Studies the Past? Archeologists – They study the past by examining objects that people have left behind. Historians – They study written records like documents, diaries, and letters. Geographers – They study natural features like water, landforms, plants, and animals. They also study manmade features like towns, roads, bridges, and dams.

Artifacts Social scientists use artifacts to study the past. Artifacts are objects made or used by people in the past.

Early Hominids

Another “History Detective” Paleoanthropologist - anthropologists study human development and culture - paleoanthropologists study the earliest hominids (paleo means “ancient”)

Australopithecus Afarensis Earliest known group of hominid – Australopithecus means “southern ape” Lucy belonged to this group Lucy was a biped (two footed animal)

Homo Habilis: Handy Man Abilities – could make tools Probably lived in groups - worked together to protect themselves - could also collect food over larger areas of land

Handy Man the Toolmaker

Homo Erectus: Upright Man Abilities – fire/migrate Migrate = to move from one geographic region to another

Homo Sapiens Neanderthalensis: Neanderthals Abilities - skilled toolmakers - first hominids to hunt in organized groups

Neanderthals: A Sense of Community Used burial mounds Took care of injured members of group Learned from experience of older members of group

Homo Sapiens Sapiens: Early Modern Humans Eventually made it to North & South America by land bridges (pieces of land connecting two continents)

Early Modern Humans Even more skilled than Neanderthals Were the first artists - created paintings, sculptures,& musical instruments